My first cycle commute.

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Brandane

Legendary Member
Location
Costa Clyde
One of the reasons I took my new job is because it is near enough to home to be within occassional cycle commuting distance (15 miles each way).

I started the job on Tuesday and decided to give the cycle commuting a go today. Fourth day at work, and 3rd different mode of transport! Tuesday - car, Wednesday and Thursday - motorbike, today pedal bike.

I left home at 7am, giving myself plenty of time as I wasn't sure how long it would take me (even although I am a fairly regular user of the route for leisure purposes). The first 6 miles of the route is an almost constant climb from sea level to just over 250 metres. Then its a bit of up/down/level for a few miles, before a fairly rapid descent back to sea level. (Largs to Greenock via Loch Thom if anyone knows it). I arrived at work at 8.10 for my 9am start, so went to a nearby greasy spoon for a bacon roll and coffee!

The good points: Obviously, being on a bike! About 10 miles each way is on a deserted single track road. On the road to work, I never saw another human being on that stretch. No cars, no other cyclists, nothing other than sheep and cows on the road. On the road home, one car passed me. It cost me nothing. I enjoyed it.

The bad points: It was a very cold morning/evening. There were several icey patches on the road as it does not get gritted, ever! I even had to get off and push on one steep DOWNHILL section because the road was a sheet of ice (I used the grass verge). Several brown trouser moments because of ice. Arrived at work sweaty, and there are no showers (changed into clean T-shirt and sprayed some deodorant instead). It took longer than the car/motorbike so I had to get up 30 minutes earlier!

I will be doing it as often as is practical, but I won't be doing it in sub zero temperatures again. Ice is just too dangerous. Heavy rain and strong winds are another no no for me. So that leaves about 2 days per year in our climate then :cry:. The only alternative route is via the main A78 trunk road, which is suicidal for cyclists between Largs and Skelmorlie IMHO, so I won't be doing that.

My work colleagues think I am insane for doing that today. Most of them are aged 18/25 years (half my age then :sad:) , and live within 5 miles of work :ohmy:.
 

MattHB

Proud Daddy
Well done! Won't be long till your doing it every day :smile:
 

biggs682

Touch it up and ride it
Location
Northamptonshire
the ability to not use a car was also 1 reason behind excepting my current job 6 years ago . your route sounds a lot nicer than mine which is 80% through housing estate or industrial sites .

out of an office of 16 people of which 4 others live within 3 miles of there desks i am the only one who does not use there car .

then they all complain how much money they spend each month just going back and forwards to work , its a real no brainer .

anyway well done
 

Moby Jones

Well-Known Member
Location
Inverclyde
One of the reasons I took my new job is because it is near enough to home to be within occassional cycle commuting distance (15 miles each way).

I started the job on Tuesday and decided to give the cycle commuting a go today. Fourth day at work, and 3rd different mode of transport! Tuesday - car, Wednesday and Thursday - motorbike, today pedal bike.

I left home at 7am, giving myself plenty of time as I wasn't sure how long it would take me (even although I am a fairly regular user of the route for leisure purposes). The first 6 miles of the route is an almost constant climb from sea level to just over 250 metres. Then its a bit of up/down/level for a few miles, before a fairly rapid descent back to sea level. (Largs to Greenock via Loch Thom if anyone knows it). I arrived at work at 8.10 for my 9am start, so went to a nearby greasy spoon for a bacon roll and coffee!

The good points: Obviously, being on a bike! About 10 miles each way is on a deserted single track road. On the road to work, I never saw another human being on that stretch. No cars, no other cyclists, nothing other than sheep and cows on the road. On the road home, one car passed me. It cost me nothing. I enjoyed it.

The bad points: It was a very cold morning/evening. There were several icey patches on the road as it does not get gritted, ever! I even had to get off and push on one steep DOWNHILL section because the road was a sheet of ice (I used the grass verge). Several brown trouser moments because of ice. Arrived at work sweaty, and there are no showers (changed into clean T-shirt and sprayed some deodorant instead). It took longer than the car/motorbike so I had to get up 30 minutes earlier!

I will be doing it as often as is practical, but I won't be doing it in sub zero temperatures again. Ice is just too dangerous. Heavy rain and strong winds are another no no for me. So that leaves about 2 days per year in our climate then :cry:. The only alternative route is via the main A78 trunk road, which is suicidal for cyclists between Largs and Skelmorlie IMHO, so I won't be doing that.

My work colleagues think I am insane for doing that today. Most of them are aged 18/25 years (half my age then :sad:) , and live within 5 miles of work :ohmy:.

Well done on the commute. Your commute is quite a bit longer than mine.
I have cycled every day this week and today was by far the coldest. I will have to wear thicker gloves, I have a set of ice spike tyres which I may fit to the bike this weekend. I am lucky enough to have showers at work so facilities are not a problem for me. I have to take the car next Wednesday as I have a meeting to attend that day but I will hopefully take the bike 4 days next week.
I don't blame you for avoiding the skelmorlie / Largs road
 

iLash

Regular
Congratulations! My favourite thing about cycling to work was passing the petrol station and knowing that eating breakfast was my equivalent of filling up the tank...'
 

deptfordmarmoset

Full time tea drinker
Location
Armonmy Way
Kudos! That sounds like an epic first commute, what with the hills and ice. I think I would have chosen a milder day for the initiation (but I'm a southern softie...).
 
Well done , as i mentioned before i use the A78 but i start from skelmorlie, so avoid the nasty bit from Largs.
Though i do cycle to Largs to the bike shop (smoothwheels), i can avoid the peak times,unlike yourself.
i would love to use the loch thom road as a commute ,but i cannot get onto it till i get to Inverkip.
I think come the summer i may do this is a wee loop , also i notice the wee fishing cafe is open 24 hours
which is nice.:mrpig:
 
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