15k Bike Ride, how difficult?

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Soldato
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18 Oct 2002
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Been offered a job 15km away but i need to start at 5am before public transport. Not got time to get a car and it will only be until the end of jan (hours will go to a better 7-7)

Terrain is resonably flat, but is 15km easy enough for the average man, and will a crappy normal mountain bike do the job. Its only for 2 days a week for a month.
 
It's not a terrible distance by any means, if you're passably fit anyway then you shouldn't find it too bad. Am I right in thinking you're in Vancouver still?

However why don't you just try it out for a day or two over the weekend before accepting if that is possible?
 
15k shouldn't be too much trouble, give the bike a service though as it'll make your life easier having working gears and brakes. Perhaps invest in some slick/semi-slick tyres too if it's all on road as it'll make the bike roll more freely than knobbly off-road tyres.
 
semi-pro waster said:
It's not a terrible distance by any means, if you're passably fit anyway then you shouldn't find it too bad. Am I right in thinking you're in Vancouver still?
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Yeah still in Vancouver. I can take bike on the bus and skytrain home so it will only be for 5 trips. I need to buy a bike possibly tomorrow and give it ago.

I havn't ridden since i was 14 :eek: Will be riding at 3am so i take it lights and a fluorescent vest are a must. Anything else i need to consider?
 
Bad weather this time of year will make the ride impossible on a cheap BSO, mudguards/fenders can be a necessity as could spiked tyres. What sort of roads will you be riding on, are they bike friendly at all? I can't remember what the bridges are like in Van for bike access.
 
Sone said:
Yeah still in Vancouver. I can take bike on the bus and skytrain home so it will only be for 5 trips. I need to buy a bike possibly tomorrow and give it ago.

I havn't ridden since i was 14 :eek: Will be riding at 3am so i take it lights and a fluorescent vest are a must. Anything else i need to consider?
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Craigslist might be a good place to look if you haven't already thought of it as I'd imagine quite a few people won't be wanting to ride during the winter.

If you don't have a hand pump and puncture repair kit then you might want to get them as walking your bike about at this time of year won't be much fun. Remember to either get a pump with the correct valve attachments (I think most are now as a matter of course) or make sure you get the right kind.
 
15km is nothing. only nine miles, on the flat that's half an hour for a fit person, or slightly over for an unfit one.

If you start at 5am then you're going to need to invest in good lights to see by. if you are using your existing mountainbike, change the tyres for slicks.
 
well i got a bike off craigslist. Working tomorrow (fri) and sunday but both are public transport days. First cycling day is wednesday. Wish me luck! (if it is too bad i have another job lined up for Jan 4th and shouldn't lose much on bike)
 
Well i did, turned out to be closer to 18k than 15k. Did it with no stops but it took me about 1hr 30mins :(

Not sure if to ride back like a man or take the skytrain home.
 
Disco Boy said:
15km is nothing. only nine miles, on the flat that's half an hour for a fit person, or slightly over for an unfit one.

If you start at 5am then you're going to need to invest in good lights to see by. if you are using your existing mountainbike, change the tyres for slicks.
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Averaging 18mph for even a fairly fit person that's not used to cycling is likely to be allot more than nothing.
 
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