Improving on commuting time..

[hackbike 6]

Well after todays 745am commute I have changed over for a 345am commute so perhaps I will be faster.

Seemed like loads of cyclists today.

Dunno if I should have laughed at this but that girl with the knee lengh white socks does some mean overtaking at Whitechapel between the bus and that blokes car.

Don't think the geezer in the car was to impressed though the way she banged his wing mirror with her handlebar as she squeezed past.

 

[Batzman]

my speedo stops measuring when I'm stopped at the lights, etc... so, on my 15 mile commute, the best time I've had is 50 mins, the worst 1 hour. normally around 55 mins... I too thought I was getting fitter over the summer, until reality hit home in september

 

[maxcherry]

my speedo stops measuring when I'm stopped at the lights, etc... so, on my 15 mile commute, the best time I've had is 50 mins, the worst 1 hour. normally around 55 mins... I too thought I was getting fitter over the summer, until reality hit home in september

Oh my word do you drink jet fuel, it takes me near enough that amount of time just to do 5 miles

 

[J4CKO]

Does weight make much of a difference, I am 6ft tall, fairly well built but probably about 2 stone I could lose, I am averaging about 15/16 mph, does speed increase with a decrease in weight or just acceleration and hill climbing ?

 

[jimboalee]

My commute is from a convenient parking place north of Warwick, through Warwick and then it follows the Banbury Road to a motor vehicle test facility.
The sun is just rising ( Garmin changes from black to brown map ), the birdies are singing ( Buzzards make a peculiar call ), the sheep are bleating. The abattoir stinks at the start of its day shift and the bullocks have a nervous look about them.
There is a whisp of warm air as I cross the M42 overbridge, but a stream of cold air as I freewheel down toward the Foss Way cross.
As the sun rises, a pinky-orange glow fills the eastern horizon, making the field mist shimmer around the lonely windmill on Chesterton Bank. As I turn into the Aston Martin Factory entrance, the trees are lit up by the sun's bright rays.

If I rushed, I would miss all this?

 

[jimboalee]

J4CKO. After years of motor car testing, I can confidently say you have plenty of inertia. OK on the flat because the weight of air you are moving is less as a proportion of your mass. BUT, uphill, you will suffer, as gravity x mass is Force. In other words, you are having to heave more to lift you’re larger mass against gravity.
You should think about losing 1 of those 2 stones.
Through the winter, if you find you have lost 2 lb off your bodyweight, strap a 2 lb weight on the bike. Next week, if you lose another 2 lb, strap another 2 lb weight on the bike. Continue until you have lost the fat you no longer wanted.
When you go on the first Audax of the year, take all the training discs off the bike and feel what that’s like.

 

[BentMikey]

I was being serious, Hackers.

 

[hackbike 6]

I was being serious, Hackers.

So was I,I don't need holes being picked out of my riding because I ride differently.I know you need a new subject BM but pick on someone else.

Cheers.

 

[jimboalee]

NOT SERIOUS...---> Be a Clingon.

 

[BentMikey]

Except that I wasn't abusing nor teasing you, I like watching your vids and I've learnt from them.

 

[hackbike 6]

Except that I wasn't abusing nor teasing you, I like watching your vids and I've learnt from them.

Yeah that's why you are so good and that's why I am a rubbish cyclist

 

[fossyant]

Weight makes a huge difference...... but with weight loss comes fitness too, so it's a big increase. I've always cycled, mainly commuted on bike to work as well, but job changes 10 years ago, and start of kids, but mainly job, so I didn't commute by bike - 30 miles away, work was in the middle of no-where and had a company car.... no commuting, but weekend rides, occasional night rides, but not enough...

Changed jobs about 16 months ago, fed up with working long hours...... went contracting for a bit, then got my current job. Within 4 month's I'd lost 2 stone, from 14.5 to 12.5, and have lost a bit to about 12st 2lb ish........ 5'9" and now at the weight I was when racing in my mid 20's (38 3/4 now)...

PS Commuting with a fully loaded old MTB at about 14-15kg's and a 10kg rucksack helps too, then on to the 9kg road bikes...... suddenly 15 kg's have gone.......

It's made a massive difference the weight loss - a hilly circuit - 16 miles - I thought was hard, is now hard, but it's done in 15 minutes quicker...? I have a hilly 45 mile circuit - Cat and Fiddle and Long Hill - took nearly 3 hours 18 months ago, less than 2.25 now ! I wasn't that quick when racing....

So. moral of the story is.... commuting is great for fitness. Ride hard, push it, rest at the lights, repeat...... you will get there.......

 

[J4CKO]

Part of my reason for cycling is to get some weight off, a little bit might have come off judging by my belt but not as much as I had anticipated, on th eup side I haven't put any on and feel much better, legs have tone whereas before they were getting weedy. My problem is that when I cycle I get hungry and eat perhaps an extra 400 calories to compensate, on top of the extra 400 I ate anyway

Don't get me wrong I am no monster but would love to lose the podge, getting a Dog on the 26th so will fit a couple of miles of walking in a day as well.

Its nice passing my boss who was sceptical (and quite rude) about my capability to cycle 14 miles a day wearing all my gear, especially as he is looking podgier these days.

 

[Sittingduck]

Got my trip home down from 32 mins back in July to 25 mins now. Only managed to lose about 10 lbs so far though... a looong way to go

By the way Flying fox - where you trying to get to, End-to-end?

 

[Flyingfox]

By the way Flying fox - where you trying to get to, End-to-end?

My commute is from Lewisham to St James's, I go via Jamaica Road (Deptford). I know I could go via New Cross which is a mile shorter, but distance isn't an issue, I find the route I take has very little traffic in the bus/taxi lanes. I get to London Bridge in just over 20 mins, it's from there that my speed slows to snails pace.