My first week commuting

[porridge]

A newbie to cycling and my first full week commuting into work, what have I learnt?, not a lot, apart from the following:

1. Make sure that I like EVERY song on my I Pod, cause its a sod trying to change songs when its on shuffle mode.

2. Make sure I keep I-Pod charged (died on me yesterday, riding into work).

3. Cycling isn't the great money saver I thought it was, the bike and all the accessories are costing me a fortune (and I still need lots more !).

4. The British summer is rubbish

5. A decent bike makes all the difference.

 

[Bodhbh]

In Watford too and only been biking a few months, so similar boat. Been using the cycle path from Rickmansworth to get in, but had a crack at braving the traffic down Ricky road for the first time this week.

Getting the hang of the road, but it'ss fun tbh! Didn't realise navigating heavy traffic could be, done my upmost to avoid it till now. Although absolutely knackering, like nothing else on the bike so far, all my other cycling is at my own pace...

Saves approx 4quid bus fair plus about an hour walking a day for me. Also about 20 quid a month on rail fair, as when going home to Grimsby can pick up the trains heading north from St Albans or Potter's Bar instead of going into London and back up. So what's that, 100quid a month.

 

[porridge]

In Watford too and only been biking a few months, so similar boat. Been using the cycle path from Rickmansworth to get in, but had a crack at braving the traffic down Ricky road for the first time this week.

Getting the hang of the road, but it'ss fun tbh! Didn't realise navigating heavy traffic could be, done my upmost to avoid it till now. Although absolutely knackering, like nothing else on the bike so far, all my other cycling is at my own pace...

Saves approx 4quid bus fair plus about an hour walking a day for me. Also about 20 quid a month on rail fair, as when going home to Grimsby can pick up the trains heading north from St Albans or Potter's Bar instead of going into London and back up. So what's that, 100quid a month.

Hi

The cycle path, is that the Ebury way ?, The Ricky road coming from Watford towards Croxley always seems to be backed up, I tend to cycle that on the outside of the cars (as you should) but takes a lot of concentration.

I actually live in Croxley Green and I work in Elstree, so i've got the busy A41 !, I have actually saved around £30 quid in petrol and my body feels better for it.

As stated above, i've got a new bike, its an Iron Horse Hybrid bike - FANTASTIC bike !, however I miss my old Apollo Gradient, as I very much enjoyed cycling down the Grand Union canal (between Coppermill and Hemel), so I need to find a cheap MT bike soon.

Give us a wave if you see me, im the knackered looking old geezer

 

[Tetedelacourse]

Glad you're both enjoying it; it's the most civilised way to commute! Do you wonder "why didn't I do this ages ago?". That's what I thought when I began.

Expect some comments about ipod-wearing in traffic. I wouldn't do it myself but it's a matter of personal choice.

 

[porridge]

Glad you're both enjoying it; it's the most civilised way to commute! Do you wonder "why didn't I do this ages ago?". That's what I thought when I began.

Expect some comments about ipod-wearing in traffic. I wouldn't do it myself but it's a matter of personal choice.

I am actually enjoying it, I possibly would have done it ages ago, but I've always had this opinion that I wouldn't make the distance and that I would be left stranded, I've done it on and off over the last few weeks on the MT bike and found it to be a real struggle !, but this week has been a lot of easier on the new bike, this has been the reason i've ridden in on every day, got my journey into work down to 30 minutes, so only 10 minutes longer than the car.

I-Pod.mmmmmmmm

 

[Bodhbh]

Hi

The cycle path, is that the Ebury way ?, The Ricky road coming from Watford towards Croxley always seems to be backed up, I tend to cycle that on the outside of the cars (as you should) but takes a lot of concentration.

I actually live in Croxley Green and I work in Elstree, so i've got the busy A41 !, I have actually saved around £30 quid in petrol and my body feels better for it.

As stated above, i've got a new bike, its an Iron Horse Hybrid bike - FANTASTIC bike !, however I miss my old Apollo Gradient, as I very much enjoyed cycling down the Grand Union canal (between Coppermill and Hemel), so I need to find a cheap MT bike soon.

Give us a wave if you see me, im the knackered looking old geezer

lo there,

Yes, in Croxley too here. Work over near Bushey, so can either pickup the Ebury Way past Tescos or do the Ricky Road and head thru the centre. Aye it's normally backed up, although when I past thru around 7:30am it's generally still moving.

I was coming in for a while on the Ebury way, but got sick of the puncture rate, which seemed to average about 1 every couple of weeks. If it's not hawthorn or broken glass, it's a flint thru the tyre.

I've give a wave if I see you, I'm on an Airnimal folder trying to look like I know what I'm doing.

 

[domtyler]

A newbie to cycling and my first full week commuting into work, what have I learnt?, not a lot, apart from the following:

1. Make sure that I like EVERY song on my I Pod, cause its a sod trying to change songs when its on shuffle mode.

2. Make sure I keep I-Pod charged (died on me yesterday, riding into work).

3. Cycling isn't the great money saver I thought it was, the bike and all the accessories are costing me a fortune (and I still need lots more !).

4. The British summer is rubbish

5. A decent bike makes all the difference.

Actually it is over the long term. If you are saving £30 per week on petrol, that works out at £1380 per year assuming a 46 week working year. If you keep cycling to work for the next five years you will have saved yourself £6,900 on petrol alone. You will most likely not spend anything like that on bicycle maintenance and accessories. So the trick is to commit to commuting year round for at least as long as it will take to recuperate the money you spend on kitting yourself out and then anything after that is a bonus!

 

[Tetedelacourse]

Caution!

More time on the bike = more wear and tear = replacement components sooner = more cash outlay!

 

[Keith Oates]

but the outlay on a bike is the cheapest of all the other froms of transport, remember it's not just petrol that's needed to keep the car on the road, so stick with the bike!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Twenty Inch]

Worried that your first two points are about your iPod. I rely on my hearing as well as on frequent checks over my shoulder to tell me what's going on in the traffic around me.

Each to their own of course, but I wouldn't wear an iPod commuting.

 

[porridge]

Worried that your first two points are about your iPod. I rely on my hearing as well as on frequent checks over my shoulder to tell me what's going on in the traffic around me.

Each to their own of course, but I wouldn't wear an iPod commuting.

Comments taken on board,
initially used to take my mind of the sheer agony, the ride is getting easier now, although im still feeling the inclines.

I've also noticed that I sometimes get stomach cramps, I think this is associated to gulping down water rather than sipping?.

 

[Bodhbh]

The Ricky road coming from Watford towards Croxley always seems to be backed up, I tend to cycle that on the outside of the cars (as you should) but takes a lot of concentration.

While I'm posting. This is one of those things I'm trying to get the gist off.

From what I read the general idea in traffic, is you take your place on the road, be assertive and make yourself visable.

In practice, you have a v busy road, with traffic in both directions, which cannot easily overtake a cyclist due to a frequent traffic islands in the middle.

So what's do you do? Hug the pavement and keep out the way when the traffic moves considerably faster, take your position in the road when it's moving approx same speed, and overtake on the right when you're outmoving the traffic? And approaching queues at traffic lights...never sure if I should be overtakign the queue or just holding a position in the road ready for it to move. Ah nightmare!

 

[4F]

Worried that your first two points are about your iPod. I rely on my hearing as well as on frequent checks over my shoulder to tell me what's going on in the traffic around me.

Each to their own of course, but I wouldn't wear an iPod commuting.

Yep thought the same.

 

[snapper_37]

Worried that your first two points are about your iPod. I rely on my hearing as well as on frequent checks over my shoulder to tell me what's going on in the traffic around me.

Each to their own of course, but I wouldn't wear an iPod commuting.

Must put my hand up here. I've worn my I-pod for a couple of years now (quietly). I can't say I've ever thought/worried about any safety aspects. Something to ponder on I suppose.

 

[porridge]

While I'm posting. This is one of those things I'm trying to get the gist off.

From what I read the general idea in traffic, is you take your place on the road, be assertive and make yourself visable.

In practice, you have a v busy road, with traffic in both directions, which cannot easily overtake a cyclist due to a frequent traffic islands in the middle.

So what's do you do? Hug the pavement and keep out the way when the traffic moves considerably faster, take your position in the road when it's moving approx same speed, and overtake on the right when you're outmoving the traffic? And approaching queues at traffic lights...never sure if I should be overtakign the queue or just holding a position in the road ready for it to move. Ah nightmare!

Oh dear, i'll give you my view on how I approach Ricky Road (obviously this would be the same on any similar road anywhere in the UK)

When the traffic is flowing well with cars moving at normal speeds, I tend to keep as far enough to the left as possible (taking into consideration the annoying and dangerous potholes), I don't worry about the traffic Islands and cars passing me, I go at the pace I want to go at (its there problem, I only get annoyed when they try and squeeze past and get too close to me).

When the traffic is backed up, I always pass on the outside of the stream of traffic (cautiously), pulling up to any lights in a low gear in preperation for a quick take off when the lights go green.

Having said all that, if Im not in a hurry I will use quieter roads, such as up Sydney Road and Chester Road virtually no traffic at all