Not sure about cycling to work now.

[Rhythm Thief]

Perfectly normal worries before a new long commute. As you've done so much cycling in the past I'm sure you'll be fine. You can only give it a go and it's the time of year for trying .

Cheers. I'm sure that once I get out there and actually do it it'll be easier than I think it's going to be.

 

[snorri]

But faced with taking nearly two hours to get to work on the bike (including changing time) or just over half an hour in the car, plus the same again getting home ... I'm not sure that's realistic.

It's not realistic for a guy of your age .

Lif's too short to increase the length of your working day by such a factor, and a hilly A road doesn't sound like fun. Aim to cycle to work once a week, or cycle/drive as suggested upthread.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

It's not realistic for a guy of your age .

If that's a piece of reverse psycology it might just have worked. I'll cycle it tomorrow.

 

[itchyrider]

I don't, really. But I notice that you're in London, where the decision is much easier than it is where I live, given that driving anywhere in London involves allowing about four days for every mile or so.

Hey fella well at least give it a good try then, it will get so much easier after the first few weeks ask the other guys on this forum.. people will use you as an example.? Ps like the (four days for every mile or so) thats for the people who dont know where there going.......Lol

 

[corshamjim]

Faced with a similar choice to yours I tried cycling home once, got really tired and never bothered again .. until we moved house to be closer to work. I now have a 4 mile commute which is enjoyable whatever the weather and getting rid of one car helps us pay at least some of the cost of moving here.

 

[al78]

How hilly is hilly? I have cycled the 18 miles from my house to Guildford which involves climbing two ridges and took me about 1:15. I reckon you wouldn't take more than 1:30 for the ride and 15 mins for a shower/change. Best thing to do is try it and see, if you don't feel it is practical then save the cycling for other journeys and leisure rides.

 

[Bicycle]

I'm all ready to bike to work. First time on a bike for a long while and it's a 17 mile hilly - ish ride on an A road, for those who missed my thread last week on this subject. The trouble is ... it's 4.45pm. I don't start work until 7pm and I don't normally leave the house until 6.30pm. I haven't had the time to have anything to eat and I've got other stuff I need to do around the house.
When I was cycling to work in an urban environment and the choice was between an hour in the car in rush hour traffic or 20 minutes on the bike, it wasn't really a difficult choice. But faced with taking nearly two hours to get to work on the bike (including changing time) or just over half an hour in the car, plus the same again getting home ... I'm not sure that's realistic.
I think I'd quite enjoy cycling it once I got into the swing of it, but so far every day this week I've got to around this time and realised I'd actually rather have an extra hour and a half at home than spend it battling through the wind and the traffic. Should I just stop moaning and go and do it or have I got a point?

When I started riding in, my office was 23 miles away.

I'd drive in with bike in boot, ride home and ride in the next day to collect car.

It worked a treat as a humane way of getting myself up to speed.

And I rode every day of the week only once (for charity).

Normally I rode 2 or 3 days a week.

The miles racked up, my waist size went down and all was well with the world.

Take the plunge.

Also: Is the Dyane in your photo going backwards? It sort of looks as if it is.

 

[joebingo]

MTFU

 

[stevetailor125]

If you have not been on a bike for ages, build up gradually do some shorter journeys and gradualy build up the distance then go for the commute. I cycle a 34 mile round trip every Monday for treatment, I hadn't cycled for 24 years and made the error of jumping on expecting to do the journey first time out, big mistake it killed me, fine going but virtually all hill coming back.
I then cycled every day, building up the distance and the commute is getting easier every day, my speed has picked up, I'm getting up the hills easier and love cycling as often as I can

 

[Norm]

I know exactly how you feel, RT. My first commute in Feb 2010 was daunting, a total of 44 miles with 1900ft of climbing, but I just kinda did it and felt pretty damned good.

Of course, I lost my job a few days later, but life goes on.

 

[dellzeqq]

I'm all ready to bike to work. First time on a bike for a long while and it's a 17 mile hilly - ish ride on an A road, for those who missed my thread last week on this subject. The trouble is ... it's 4.45pm. I don't start work until 7pm and I don't normally leave the house until 6.30pm. I haven't had the time to have anything to eat and I've got other stuff I need to do around the house.
When I was cycling to work in an urban environment and the choice was between an hour in the car in rush hour traffic or 20 minutes on the bike, it wasn't really a difficult choice. But faced with taking nearly two hours to get to work on the bike (including changing time) or just over half an hour in the car, plus the same again getting home ... I'm not sure that's realistic.
I think I'd quite enjoy cycling it once I got into the swing of it, but so far every day this week I've got to around this time and realised I'd actually rather have an extra hour and a half at home than spend it battling through the wind and the traffic. Should I just stop moaning and go and do it or have I got a point?

you've got a point. Mind you, two and a quarter hours for seventeen miles is a bit relaxed. Have you a plan for cutting down the time?

 

[fossyant]

Has he gone yet - like on his bike ?

 

[Maz]

How about a car/bike combination?
Drive, park up, then cycle (say) the last 5 miles?

 

[johnr]

I cycle a (shorter) country commute and would not miss it for anything. Sometimes it's blissful, and nearly always a pleasure to experience the slow change of the seasons. The only time I can remember thinking 'why am I doing this' was on the -14 degrees days in the middle of winter.

It's hard to start, but just gets nicer and nicer

 

[Rhythm Thief]

you've got a point. Mind you, two and a quarter hours for seventeen miles is a bit relaxed. Have you a plan for cutting down the time?

Yes, get fitter and be a bit less crap.

In all seriousness, I'm allowing more time than I'll probably need because there are no showers at work - in fact my changing facilities consist of either the cab of the truck or a filthy toilet cubicle - and I don't want to feel too rushed.