The "secret" to a great commute

[jonny jeez]

Okay, so I've only been tackling this commuting lark for a little over 5 weeks now, but I have a pretty adventurous and fairly long journey in and out each day and I think I've come to understand the secret of a really good commute.

Some days are great, some are awful but one thing seems to make the difference and mastering it makes my journey so much easier and enjoyable.

Wind, hills, lights, stops starts, taxis, cars, pedestrians - they all set out to challenge us...but ultimately, they all only really affect one thing....

Momentum.

I've found that it's irrelevant what speed I ride at, so long as I can maintain momentum, and then my ride is really smooth and literally seems to zip along. For me, pushing hard from a start and getting up to the magic 20 mph does the trick, then I'm just kinda revolving my pedals rather than pushing hard any longer.

I now find that my morning route (which has extended to just over 19 miles to avoid nasty hills) is achievable in a flat hour...with the assistance of a 6mile downhill section (ahem) but I can still achieve a good 17mph on the home journey..... if .....I can maintain momentum.

I've ridden off road for years and have never noticed the impact of momentum as I find most off road riding is constantly changing and so it doesn’t really offer an opportunity to notice a difference

Which brings me to the observation that many cyclists who often appear rude or careless whilst red light jumping, swerving and scalping...are often are not at all, they're just a bit like me and trying desperately not to let anything interrupt their precious momentum.

Oh and by the way, the thing that I find knocks off momentum more than anything...no not rude car drivers, not junctions, not oblivious pedestrians but good old simple and natural WIND...I HATE HEADWINDS, I just can seem to get any momentum, just hard pushing, stroke after stroke...

and a last thought to all those who worry about being scalped by a super fit commuter, just keep an eye on them after they whizz by, if they don’t disappear into the horizon then they were probably either standing on the pedals behind you (building momentum) or had managed to miss the red light that you stopped at (maintaining momentum). As soon as you build up your own momentum, you'll be surprised how well you can catch up.

Lovin this biking lark

Jonny

 

[Arch]

[Which brings me to the observation that many cyclists who often appear rude or careless whilst red light jumping, swerving and scalping...are often are not at all, they're just a bit like me and trying desperately not to let anything interrupt their precious momentum.

That doesn't make it right though. Cars are much more economical if they don't have to start and stop, should drviers just ignore red lights to keep their momentum up?

I don't think the majority of rljers and so on out there care about momentum, they are just plain arrogant and rude, or very occasionally actually ignorant of the law. If the yoofs round here cared about momentum, they'd put their saddles up a bit to make pedalling more efficient and ditch the full sus knobblie tyred MTBs.

I'm hoping you're not using this as an excuse to rlj?

I agree, momentum helps and headwinds are bastards.

 

[joolsybools]

The secret to a great commute or any other type of ride is having the right attitude

 

[Trumpettom001]

I totally agree about this whole momentum thing - I often ride on the road, even when there is a cycle track nearby, just to maintain the precious M word (and the road has just been re-surfaced, it feels like a velodrome now!!) Having said that, I don't EVER run red lights, and I think I earn a tiny modicum of respect from car drivers for not doing so...

 

[purplepolly]

I do what I do in the car, start to slow down early. If you know the lights well and they're on short timings, then it's usually possible to avoid stopping.

 

[skudupnorth]

This past few weeks i've had a great ride to and from work with no run in's with any other road user......powered or on foot ! Even had a good ride in the oh so regular rain we've had (wet crevice but hey ho ! ) The wind is a bind but i just look at it as extra musle building !!
Just hope it does not change in the next few weeks when the traffic gets busier with schools going back and the dark nights closing in.

 

[kevin_cambs_uk]

Last 2 weeks for me have been rubbish, Wind, Wind and more wind.
It soul destroying, I keep saying, leave me alone, I am trying to save the bloody planet, don't keep penalising me !

Does my head in, but you hit the nail on the head, momentum, something for me to think about tomorrow morning on my hour ride to work !

 

[skudupnorth]

I give the wind the odd curse especially when i need to be somewhere fast .Rain does not bother me as much as it used to so i guess i must be some sort of freak now !!!!!!

 

[HJ]

...
Oh and by the way, the thing that I find knocks off momentum more than anything...no not rude car drivers, not junctions, not oblivious pedestrians but good old simple and natural WIND...I HATE HEADWINDS, I just can seem to get any momentum, just hard pushing, stroke after stroke...

Ach, resistance training is good for you, it builds character...

Treat a head wind as you would a hill, drop down into a lower gear and keep spinning...

 

[lukesdad]

Lucky I dont have traffic lights or cars to contend with . Sheep can be a bit of prob. though (so can the Wellies)

 

[hackbike 666]

Over the last year I have found cycling getting harder and harder so I do sort of notice the headwind now.You whipper-snappers should be able to handle it.I did for years.Till now.

 

[tordis]

My secret? I just like it
I'm not a racer girl, I'm far from being queen of speed. I just ride at my own pace and only push myself when I feel like it.

 

[Lazy-Commuter]

I give the wind the odd curse especially when i need to be somewhere fast .Rain does not bother me as much as it used to so i guess i must be some sort of freak now !!!!!!

Nope, not a freak .. well lest I am too!! I'd much rather be out in the rain than wind, much to the bemusement of my colleagues. Thinking about it, maybe we are freaks?

I agree with jonny that momentum is key, and don't think he was using it as an excuse to RLJ. Anyways, I do what purplepolly suggests with the few sets of lights I meet on my commute.

I do what I do in the car, start to slow down early. If you know the lights well and they're on short timings, then it's usually possible to avoid stopping.

 

[Mr Pig]

It was very windy when I was out last night, it's terrible. Knocks the stuffing right out of you.

 

[Dan B]

Treat a head wind as you would a hill, drop down into a lower gear and keep spinning...

It's not the same, though, and I say that as someone who's moderately good on the hills. With a hill you can see where the top is; with a headwind you can only wait until it goes away.