Commuting to work and back...

Lloydd wrote:
Just started commuting to work and back... second week of doing it
and still enjoying it... it's 6 miles there and 6 miles back...

Was hard at first but getting easier as the days go by...

Anybody commute further than that each day?

Tom

I'm doing 18 miles each way once, maybe twice a week. I would like to get
to the point where I can do a full week but I can't see it happening in the
near future, no point in riding to work and then being too spent to actually
do any.

--

Nigel

On Jul 17, 4:33 am, "Lloydd" wrote:
Just started commuting to work and back... second week of doing it and still
enjoying it... it's 6 miles there and 6 miles back...

Was hard at first but getting easier as the days go by...

Anybody commute further than that each day?

It's not just the distance but the terrain. One of the easier commutes
I had was about 10.5 miles each way (Bedford, pancake flat but for
"deadman's hill"). I used to sometimes take a more picturesque 18 mile
route and had occasional day-trips to Cambridge (~30 miles each way,
and even flatter).

Now I'm doing about 8 miles in a much hillier (and hotter, in summer)
conditions and probably average about 4 times a week - we have
occasional off-site meetings, and tend to use really bad weather as an
excuse for a rest day, especially towards the end of the week. I do
have a MTBIng alternative which is tougher

IMO this sort of distance/time is ideal, it is long enough to actually
keep you fit but not too tough to ride just about every day (and
doesn't take too long). It also generally gives enough range to find
somewhere decent to live, IME.

James

Already had the puncture thing... fortunately, there are no less than 4(!)
mini-mart style filling stations enroute so I called into the nearest one
and paid £6.99 for a tin of instant tyre fix... worked a treat!

BTW, been a lurker in this group for a wee while while now... most of the
posts are beyond me, bit technical and 'bikey' but I enjoy reading the posts
and the lke the atmos... keep it up...

For what it is worth, I wear a helmet... my three year old daughter tells me
off if I dont!

Tom



"Tim Woodall" wrote in message
. uk...
On Wed, 16 Jul 2008 21:04:17 +0100,
Martin wrote:

Lloydd wrote:
Just started commuting to work and back... second week of doing it and
still enjoying it... it's 6 miles there and 6 miles back...

Was hard at first but getting easier as the days go by...

Anybody commute further than that each day?

Not much, I do about 8.5 miles each way, every day I work.
(It would take 90-120 minutes to do this using public transport).
Other people cycle a lot further.

I cycle in all weathers, at usually my commute home is in the dark.

I see you have not posted here before so a few tips:

Carry a toolkit, inc. spare tube(s), pump(s), tools to do most simple
jobs and a puncture repair kit.
Carry suitable wet weather gear, if not every day, then leave a spare
jacket at work.
I'd say that during the summer months, if you're wearing lycra, then
just getting wet can be more enjoyable than trying to keep the rain off
you.

The most important thing is not to get too cold. Getting a severe cramp
in your calf three miles from home and three miles from work is
something you really never want to have happen. IMO, over a six mile
journey it's when it's sleeting that this might be a serious problem.
The journey is short enough that in most other conditions you can
(and will) generate enough heat yourself to avoid getting cold. Getting
a puncture and having to push the bike three miles home because you
forgot something will just **** you off (and you won't do it again ;-)

Carry lights and spare batteries.
Carry money and a mobile phone.

Although, again, he's close enough that he can just walk it. Might take
an hour and a half.


My journey isn't that far any more. But when I was doing 8 miles each
way I kept a full change of clothes at work. I also took in a fresh
shirt, socks and underpants each day. Trousers I would take home and
wash when they needed it. (I kept one complete change at work because,
very occasionally, the rain is so bad that everything you're carrying
gets soaked as well). Even now I keep a change of clothes at work
although I cycle in the clothes I wear (I do change my tshirt at work)
for those days when it's really pouring down.


Tim.


--
God said, "div D = rho, div B = 0, curl E = - @B/@t, curl H = J + @D/@t,"
and there was light.

http://www.woodall.me.uk/ http://www.locofungus.btinternet.co.uk/

Adam Lea wrote:


"Lloydd" wrote in message
. ..
Just started commuting to work and back... second week of doing it and
still enjoying it... it's 6 miles there and 6 miles back...

I think six miles is a nice distance to do as it is feasible to do everyday
and even in the worst weather conditions you won't be out long enough for it
to get really unpleasant. Make sure you know how to repair a puncture, you
don't really want to be walking for an hour on a dark winters night.

Repairing punctures with patches is best done at home in the warm and
dry. Carry a spare tube.

If you seem to be getting a lot of punctures because you have to ride
really crap roads strewn with glass and other sharp detrius change to
Marathon Plus tyres. I find ordinary Marathons provide enough
protection for inner London.
--
Phil Cook looking north over the park to the "Westminster Gasworks"

Ian Smith said the following on 16/07/2008 21:34:

but those that don't cycle seem
to think anything over a couple miles is the reserve of a super-human.

My commute used to be a paltry and almost embarrassingly low 2.25 miles.
I still got looks of amazement from people when I said I cycled in!
FFS - I wouldn't think twice about walking that!

(I really, really must start cycling in again, but now it's 12-ish miles...)

--
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/

Just zis Guy, you know? said the following on 16/07/2008 21:36:

Woo-hoo! Yes, it gets easier. I ride a mile to the station then
eight miles across London each way, between 10 and 15 miles is
ideal, in my view. Just enough to keep you fit without being so far
that it's impossible when it snows.

You don't get snow in London :-) Actually, you did get a flake once and
the whole country knew about it!!

--
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/

On 16 Jul, 20:33, "Lloydd" wrote:
Just started commuting to work and back... second week of doing it and still
enjoying it... it's 6 miles there and 6 miles back...

Was hard at first but getting easier as the days go by...

Anybody commute further than that each day?

Currently a 25 mile round trip most days. Yes it gets easier, but I
find I tend to compensate for that by going faster. Even with the
rain, headwinds and London traffic I still look forward to it.

On 16 Jul, 20:33, "Lloydd" wrote:
Just started commuting to work and back... second week of doing it and still
enjoying it... it's 6 miles there and 6 miles back...

Was hard at first but getting easier as the days go by...

Anybody commute further than that each day?

Tom

Tom,

I now do about 2 hilly miles each way; but for about 6 months in
London, I used cycle from Clapton (North East) to Hounslow (South
West) - Google maps makes it 19 miles each way, although 1200km /
month was how I usually quoted it. First couple of weeks were a little
achey - but it soon became easy; familiarity with the route makes a
big difference too.

I absolutely loved it - Euston Road; Marble Arch; Park Lane; South
Kensington; Chiswick. The alternative was a bus round to Finsbury park
and then an hour and a half or so on the Picadilly line.

For that distance dry clothes at the far end, and accepting getting
wet was the easiest, I found.

M.

On Jul 16, 8:33*pm, "Lloydd" wrote:
Just started commuting to work and back... second week of doing it and still
enjoying it... it's 6 miles there and 6 miles back...

Was hard at first but getting easier as the days go by...

Anybody commute further than that each day?

Tom

Mine is currently 16.25 miles each way - takes about an hour and a bit
on the way in and longer on the way home. Which is about the same
time as any other method takes from where I live into the centre of
Manchester in "rush" hour. I have done this for a full week, but
generally do 3-4 days. I have done this a couple of times in Winter,
but found all sorts of excuses not to continue. My top tip is to take
the train and read the paper if you fancy a break - no matter how much
you like cycling, some days are going to be a drudge.

david

Lloydd wrote:
Just started commuting to work and back... second week of doing it and
still enjoying it... it's 6 miles there and 6 miles back...

Was hard at first but getting easier as the days go by...

Anybody commute further than that each day?

Not for a few years, but I used to do about 13 miles each way between
Leicester and Loughborough. I found it a really nice way to start the
day - I rather miss it, although I'm sure I've got a nicely selective
memory.

Robin Johnson