In need of motivation/push!

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ishaqmir

Well-Known Member
Hi

Over the last few months some may have noticed I have been posting about getting an e-cargo bike for my NHS home visit eye tests. Well I had purchased the bike just before the covid-19 lockdown and then it was all put on the back burner for 3 months due to lockdown. I have now finally got things ready and have so far done 2-3 testing days with the bike. Please see attached photo. To be honest I have really enjoyed the cycle rides in between patients. However, whats bugging me is the fact that it takes so much longer to get to each patient‘s house for some visits. I’m just so used to having the comfort of a car, all the gear in the boot, then straight to patient’s house. Next week I have another testing day, 3-4 visits, each about 8 miles apart. In my car it will take just 20 mins between each patient, but on bike about 45 mins each.

So I’m finding it really hard to motivate myself for this type of lifestyle change. In terms of tiredness, thats not the issue, as I always leave the power mode in turbo, and still get a vert nice workout.

The other thing that I’m struggling to get used to is the faff of loading and unloading gear/locking bike etc, stress of where to lock it, etc, even though I do have it fully insured under house insurance.

any motivational advice would be much appreciated, before I end up throwing the towel in and calling it a day! lol
 

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Slick

Guru
Looks like a great set up, nice. 👍

I kinda get the faff about locking and unloading as that's something that you wouldn't really have to worry too much about in a car depending on where you are and I have felt the same thing from time to time whilst on tour, but 8 miles on an ebike in summer should be a pleasure and an amazing opportunity to just enjoy a bit of time to yourself. I'm actually a bit envious you have given yourself that opportunity. :okay:

As for the motivation, that comes from within, although I suspect that you haven't given yourself enough time to get used to the new routine.

Obviously I could be very wrong.
 

simongt

Guru
Location
Norwich
Maybe about the ultimate enjoyment of actually riding. I understand about the faff of locking the bike up, getting kit in and out of the load space etc., it's something that I've been doing for years and accept as the minor downside of the greater advantage of commuting on a bike. Longer commuting time is something you get used to, unless timetables cause that to be an issue. Takes me about 55 minutes to bike to / from work, 25 minutes in the car; cyclng is preferred because of the much more relaxed journey. ^_^
 
Hi

Over the last few months some may have noticed I have been posting about getting an e-cargo bike for my NHS home visit eye tests. Well I had purchased the bike just before the covid-19 lockdown and then it was all put on the back burner for 3 months due to lockdown. I have now finally got things ready and have so far done 2-3 testing days with the bike. Please see attached photo. To be honest I have really enjoyed the cycle rides in between patients. However, whats bugging me is the fact that it takes so much longer to get to each patient‘s house for some visits. I’m just so used to having the comfort of a car, all the gear in the boot, then straight to patient’s house. Next week I have another testing day, 3-4 visits, each about 8 miles apart. In my car it will take just 20 mins between each patient, but on bike about 45 mins each.

So I’m finding it really hard to motivate myself for this type of lifestyle change. In terms of tiredness, thats not the issue, as I always leave the power mode in turbo, and still get a vert nice workout.

The other thing that I’m struggling to get used to is the faff of loading and unloading gear/locking bike etc, stress of where to lock it, etc, even though I do have it fully insured under house insurance.

any motivational advice would be much appreciated, before I end up throwing the towel in and calling it a day! lol
Perfectly understandable - we have all been programmed to be in a hurry - so if you're cycling along enjoying yourself but taking your time - your brain is thing "wtf is going on here"

Before covid I cycled to work - I've lost count of how many time people ask "well how long does that take" - totally missing the point - as soon as my bum hits the saddle I'm enjoying myself - if I arrive home 15 minutes later -so what ?
 

SkipdiverJohn

Deplorable Brexiteer
Location
London
Perfectly understandable - we have all been programmed to be in a hurry - so if you're cycling along enjoying yourself but taking your time - your brain is thing "wtf is going on here"

Before covid I cycled to work - I've lost count of how many time people ask "well how long does that take" - totally missing the point - as soon as my bum hits the saddle I'm enjoying myself - if I arrive home 15 minutes later -so what ?

There's a big difference between riding to work, and riding at work. It's clear that having to lug all the stuff around by bike is significantly slower, so the OP is much less productive. You might not care if you're on PAYE, and getting paid by the hour to ride a bike in your boss's time but if you're self employed and running your own business then the cycling is either reducing your income because you get less done, making your working day longer - or both.
Personally I reckon the OP is mad to to use a bike for this sort of profession. If you were delivering bits and bobs to customers in a 1 mile radius in the west end of London, then using a bike might be practical. Not for jobs involving several miles travel between each visit though. It's just too inefficient and labour intensive.
 
Location
South East
It’s great that you’re trying to do this, so we’ll done for progressing this Fay,
It’s a very small point, but comparing between bike and car is the issue for me, and what is bringing the negatives out.
If you can, consider the cycling on its own. If you can manage the timings, and the weather is good enough, the locking and unloading are smaller factors, and is something that most cycling opportunities have in any case ( except for the leisure only, non stop trips.
The motivation for me would be a cycle is so beneficial and has zero negatives, whereas car use has many negatives.
Good lick with building this into your lifestyle, for the huge positives it brings you.
 

gzoom

Über Member
There's a big difference between riding to work, and riding at work. It's clear that having to lug all the stuff around by bike is significantly slower

There is no getting around this really. For commuting in to/out of work, rush hour means actually the commute takes me almost as long to do in the car as on the bike, than you add in the time 'saved' by not having to go to the gym etc.

But if you just need to get around the city during the day, between 930-1500, there is very little traffic, a car is simply quicker + can carry so much more stuff and without having to worry about weather/dress code etc

@ishaqmir Rather than slog it out every day why not use the bike for days when its OK interms of visits and traveling? That way you will use the bike more than enough to justify it, and taking the car for days when its just not practical. There have been weeks when I've not used my bike at all for the commute into work due to knowing I'm finishing late/really wet outside, also weeks when I've done every day in the bike. I may not be cycling every day, but am doing alot more of it than ever before :smile:.
 
D

Deleted member 26715

Guest
Slightly OT & I have no experience in this, but wouldn't the large bag over the front wheel be better over the back wheel?
 

SkipdiverJohn

Deplorable Brexiteer
Location
London
Rather than slog it out every day why not use the bike for days when its OK interms of visits and traveling? That way you will use the bike more than enough to justify it, and taking the car for days when its just not practical.

This makes sense, and it's the pragmatic approach. Unfortunately, a lot of cyclists are far from pragmatic and insist on doing all sorts of highly impractical or unpleasant journeys by bike, like they are preaching a sermon with messiantic zeal that cycling is good and other ways of getting around are bad. Bikes can be a useful way of getting around - so long as you accept they have their limitations.
 
Wow, your setup is brilliant!

Your problem is indicative of the wider problem our society faces in reducing motor dependency. We've built up the distances between and the physical infrastructure that surrounds our homes and businesses around car use, so is it any wonder why when we take the car away, everything doesn't work so smoothly. Clearly the way your service operates is not sustainable without motor use, unless everyone would be prepared to pay more for staff to spend more time travelling. Instead, the cost is off-loaded to employees who have to pay running costs of cars, even if you get a few peanuts tossed your way for expenses, you're still forced to own one.

We really need to invest in the infrastructure in order reach cycling nirvana, that's really just bike parking and safe routes everywhere. Cycling works in places like the Netherlands because they have invested in their streets and as such it doesn't make sense for home developers to add to sprawling suburbs, meaning your not having to dart huge distances just to get from A to B. Population density is much higher there than some parts of the UK. That's not to say there are parts of Britain that couldn't work like this, indeed, where that density exists, it is plain mad that we don't do this already. That's because politicians and local authorities are caught in the success trap of the benefits that increased motor mobility brought to the economy in the second half of the 20th century. Now the unintended consequences of those policies are coming home to roost, they lack the vision to get us out of it. The reasons for that are complex, but as a result of the success trap, the temptation to pursue road widening, and junction remodelling only continues to kicks the can a little, but usually just to the next bottleneck. Unless you are moving through mostly gridlocked traffic, at peak times, or hyper-urban stop start roads, then understandably the convenience of cars in our motor centric society might be quite hard to give up, however, if you can make the bike work for you and the management are not questioning your productivity, I would keep it up, for the sheer joy of riding. YMMV.

Do you have any influence on when patients have their appointments, could you bunch them up in terms of proximity, to cut down on the time spent travelling between patients? This would also save your employer expenses for those that choose to drive cars by cutting fuels costs.
 
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You can mix and match car and bike for different journeys and conditions.
I get a car club vehicle if I need one and dont feel any guilty twinge.
Regarding setup and packing, can you get some kind og Pelican waterproof hard case with built in pannier hooks. Rixen and Kaul hooks are available as parts. You can add extra hooks for valuable loads.
Also check your navigation to look for bike shortcuts.
I love having to cycle for work at times esp in winter when it may be my only daylight ride.
 
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