Your commuting speed

[Cubist]

Except for that bit, well spotted.

 

[Bman]

What was Magnatoms sig?

"Hindsight - It turns average cyclists into perfect cyclists. "

 

[BentMikey]

That's fair enough, but I'm hardly picking on one or two small faults here, instead they are relatively large mistakes, and rather a lot of them. It's not that we haven't all made similar mistakes, but that there are so many in such a short distance, and from someone in cubist's line of work makes it all the more surprising really.

 

[Cubist]

I haven't pretended I did not take risk. What is risk to one is adrenalin rush to another. I don't hold the riding in the video up as an example of virtuous riding, nor do I seek to educate others. I will however state that the information available to an alert, dialled-in rider is far more than can be gleaned from looking at camera footage with its restricted angles and perspectives. The overtake at the crossing for example. It was perfectly clear to proceed, I could see it was clear to proceed, and I did so. You will see that there is not a pedestrian in sight, nor any junctions for cars to enter immediately after the crossing. It was clear. Had it not been clear I had all the space of the hatched section I was riding in to brake, reduce speed and slot in if necessary. Don't forget the bike has awesome brakes and the conditions were perfect in terms of grip. That you couldn't take in all the necessary information and assimilate it from the video doesn't mean that that information wasn't available to me, and helped me make my plan at the time.

As for the roundabout. I've looked at the footage again, and although it looks like there are two cars waiting to enter from my left, these are in fact both parked in marked bays.

There is nothing at the give way line. I know and can judge my speed and acceleration through the roundabout, and experience tells me the car to my right cannot accelerate fast enough to present a danger to me- I'm going to be past him. By flowing and moderating my speed I can slot into spaces on the roundabout without creating a risk or inconveniencing people. It's all about taking responsibility and using what you have to advantage.

There's the rub. Responsibility. My job is irrelevant as far as I am concerned.

I concede that at one point in the door-zone cycle lane I am pushing my luck, but as a general rule I am far more risk-averse than you make me out to be.

That said, there is no way I would advocate that sort of riding to anyone. It certainly wouldn't have its own chapter in Cyclecraft. However, I will also point out that the sort of on-road experience from many forms of transport and in particular high speed stuff through moving traffic (lawful and perhaps otherwise in my younger days) does indeed give me the confidence to ride hard and fast when the conditions allow. That others perceive it to be full of "mistakes" as you put it is incidental. Not everybody wants to ride like that. I don't always, it's not compulsory, and as my original post still implies, it was during a phase of my life that is now behind me.

 

[benborp]

My commuting speed has dropped to almost half of what it used to be. A top drawer time on the quickest route was sub twenty minutes door to door and a fast absolute average speed on a slightly longer route would be 20+mph. I never chased a time and it would vary wildly depending on the eighty odd sets of lights and the amount of traffic - I would just try to get to work as quickly AND safely as I could.
The last year has brought changes to road layouts, altered signal timings, more buses and much more traffic. Even early on a bank holiday I don't stand a chance of getting anywhere near my best times. I used to have to allow for half an hour, now it's fifty minutes and I'll often spend more than half my time stationary.

 

[Farky]

I haven't pretended I did not take risk. What is risk to one is adrenalin rush to another. I don't hold the riding in the video up as an example of virtuous riding, nor do I seek to educate others. I will however state that the information available to an alert, dialled-in rider is far more than can be gleaned from looking at camera footage with its restricted angles and perspectives. The overtake at the crossing for example. It was perfectly clear to proceed, I could see it was clear to proceed, and I did so. You will see that there is not a pedestrian in sight, nor any junctions for cars to enter immediately after the crossing. It was clear. Had it not been clear I had all the space of the hatched section I was riding in to brake, reduce speed and slot in if necessary. Don't forget the bike has awesome brakes and the conditions were perfect in terms of grip. That you couldn't take in all the necessary information and assimilate it from the video doesn't mean that that information wasn't available to me, and helped me make my plan at the time.

As for the roundabout. I've looked at the footage again, and although it looks like there are two cars waiting to enter from my left, these are in fact both parked in marked bays.

There is nothing at the give way line. I know and can judge my speed and acceleration through the roundabout, and experience tells me the car to my right cannot accelerate fast enough to present a danger to me- I'm going to be past him. By flowing and moderating my speed I can slot into spaces on the roundabout without creating a risk or inconveniencing people. It's all about taking responsibility and using what you have to advantage.

There's the rub. Responsibility. My job is irrelevant as far as I am concerned.

I concede that at one point in the door-zone cycle lane I am pushing my luck, but as a general rule I am far more risk-averse than you make me out to be.

That said, there is no way I would advocate that sort of riding to anyone. It certainly wouldn't have its own chapter in Cyclecraft. However, I will also point out that the sort of on-road experience from many forms of transport and in particular high speed stuff through moving traffic (lawful and perhaps otherwise in my younger days) does indeed give me the confidence to ride hard and fast when the conditions allow. That others perceive it to be full of "mistakes" as you put it is incidental. Not everybody wants to ride like that. I don't always, it's not compulsory, and as my original post still implies, it was during a phase of my life that is now behind me.

I enjoyed the vid and well done, a good average speed that with no red light jumps and I can see from all the movement, you're as observant as you need to be.. Everyone else is just jealous...

 

[Farky]

The camera's a Veho Muvi

Just out of interest, how do you fit it to your helmet?

 

[Chutzpah]

I can see times slowly getting quicker, and my average speed slowly going up, but I don't check it religiously, and I don't try to beat my time.

It's probably got something to do with the hilly nature of my commute (1000ft climbing in under ten miles both ways) and the lack of showers at work. I'd rather arrive at work feeling fresh and ready than knackered.

There is a sense of satisfaction when you go over your routes and spot it happening though.

 

[stevetailor125]

I've only been riding a short while, less than a month after a 24 year break and do a 34 mile round trip for treatment every Monday, I did find myself constantly trying to push my speed up but ended up getting burnt out before being half way home. I have a 88 metre climb over 9 miles so have started backing the speed off to give me enough energy to get home, I have to ride the 17 miles then get 50 minutes before I start riding back home

 

[montage]

Jesus all that fuss over Cubists video..... I thought commuters claim to be all weather going hard men not a bunch of wet pansies.

 

[mgarl10024]

I've posted this pic a few times, here's the latest.

I have found that colleagues who go for all out speed often say that they dislike the cycling, and those who plod along like me tend to enjoy things more. Obviously there are exceptions, but it's an observation of mine.
It's also one that I can relate to - if I manage to get in with a record time, I feel a fleeting sense of satisfaction, however it soon disappears when I realise that I can't really remember the ride and didn't really enjoy it.

When I started, I felt amazed that I managed to do the route at all. I then saw my speed increase as the weather got nicer and nicer, then drop in the Winter. I think this is for a variety of reasons (carrying more in the Winter; cold weather probably makes you less efficient and has physiological effects; body fighting off bugs going around; etc. etc.) and I'm interested to see if my speed improves again this Summer.

MG

 

[timull]

Every day - there and back, I'm a b it OCD about it. At first there seemed to be great gains in speed, but now Ive hit a plateu and there is little difference. My commute time across London is also driven by the number of traffic lights I have to go through...