Cycle commute!

Howard · 7 May 2008 at 11:39

You guys are fast, I only average about 13-14mph

Malt_Vinegar · 7 May 2008 at 13:31

howardcanning said:
You guys are fast, I only average about 13-14mph

If i remember correctly, you are riding a cheapy MTB, so its no supise that you are a little slower!

I am riding a VERY heavy cheapy road bike, and i averaged 16mph today, 20 miles including through a town centre with nasty traffic. At some points (Cemetary Junction, for those in the area) it is so narrow and slow that I have to just ride in the middle of the road and stop start with the traffic. Also traffic lights really nail my average speed

On some of the flat parts i am hitting 20-21 mph (according to my GPS, although i was sat up, with on hand on the bars and looking at my phone to get the reading!

Howard · 7 May 2008 at 13:57

Yep I plan to buy a Hybrid at some point

Saytan · 7 May 2008 at 14:22

i used to do the backpack thing for all my clothes and gear - i think once i actually start back up again (living 47 miles from the office for the mo) i'll drive in one day a week, take clothes shoes etc for the week in and cycle the other days

Blue Cypher · 7 May 2008 at 14:28

You see i would love to cycle to work everyday, but there are no cycle lanes near me and i just dont feel safe on the roads, the amoun tof times i have been hit and nearly hit, just cant trust other users of the road to watch out for you

Dup · 7 May 2008 at 15:14

Blue Cypher said:
You see i would love to cycle to work everyday, but there are no cycle lanes near me and i just dont feel safe on the roads, the amoun tof times i have been hit and nearly hit, just cant trust other users of the road to watch out for you

Half my journey is on 60mph roads, can't avoid it. I detour through the village rather than take the dual carraigeway. There is probably about 10 yeards of cycle lane in the whole route. Anywhere I have seen with cycle lane, people drive in it anyway as they take up half the road.

You just get used to it after a while.

Outcast · 7 May 2008 at 15:25

I have a British Eagle MTB Which is uber crap for commuting but it does it's job.. ie: Cocking a snook at that Muppet Gordon Brown.

I don't really care how long it takes me to get to work coz it's faster than walking and cheaper than using the car. Work is about 5 miles away ( by road) and using the cycleway network usually takes me about 20 mins.

I'm definitely going to buy an electric treadly. I'll charge the bugger at work too !!

Shoei · 7 May 2008 at 19:22

Doing between 32 and 36 mins for 9 miles at the moment.
Dont help that i sometimes have a headwind outbound and homeward bound, the joys of living next to the coast.
Problem i have is that im on beta blockers to help with migraines(side effect of Bells Palsey) and they are holding me back, feel like like my legs are going through treacle.
But im enjoying the riding again and even better now the promenade is open to cyclists.

Malt_Vinegar · 8 May 2008 at 09:53

Shoei said:
Doing between 32 and 36 mins for 9 miles at the moment.
Dont help that i sometimes have a headwind outbound and homeward bound, the joys of living next to the coast.

I agree, what is it with headwinds seeming to appear just before i have to ride! I just get down low on the bars and head down

I had an interesting chat with another cyclist on the way home last night whilst riding along in slow moving traffic, was really odd, but kinda cool. Do you guys ever talk to other cyclists when riding?

Shoei · 8 May 2008 at 10:51

Malt_Vinegar said:
I agree, what is it with headwinds seeming to appear just before i have to ride! I just get down low on the bars and head down

Usual case, when you want an easy ride, it'll allways be into a head wind!

I had an interesting chat with another cyclist on the way home last night whilst riding along in slow moving traffic, was really odd, but kinda cool. Do you guys ever talk to other cyclists when riding?

Occasionally did when i worked at the local uni. Meet the same people every day and get chatting.
Apart from the gumpy bugger who used to draft me as far as he could, never helped share the work if it was a windy day, till i got fed up of him doing it one day and just anchored on. Got called a few choice names, but he never drafted me again.

The $6m Dan · 8 May 2008 at 12:48

I've had enough of paying through the nose for the overcrowded trains, so I decided to get back into cycling and ride to work. I did contemplate it a year or two ago, but decided that it was too far. Seeing as I'm changing jobs in a couple of months it's not a permanent commitment, and the 23.5 miles each way is actually quite pleasant until I had south west London.

I'm two days in now and my legs are feeling quite tired, but luckily I'm making my excuses and getting the train tomorrow (a friends birthday = drinks after work).

This is my new ride if any one is interested. Merlin Malt 4 Mine has pedals though

I need to grab me some energy drink / powder to see me through the tough patches during the ride, and maybe I'll get some more suitable tyres too as I often get a nice downhill which gets my speed up, only for the tyres so zap it all as soon as I head back up the next hill.

I wish I had my old specialized carbon racer with aero bars

That would have made it much easier.

oweneades · 8 May 2008 at 13:04

Well my commuting bike (roughly 2 miles to work and then back again) is errr a 3/4 year old thing. It basically just looks like a normal mans bike with no frills.

My weekend trail thrasher is a 14" Kona Howler with 4" of suspension front and rear. Lovely for light downhill/freeride but useless for anything remotely like tarmac.

Fuzz · 8 May 2008 at 13:26

rode to work last night just to find out how long it takes, 53 mins at an average of 15mph.
First time I've got the bike out of the garage this year, probably not the best idea doing 17 miles straight out with no warm up or anything but hey ho. No pain without gain.

Howard · 12 May 2008 at 15:05

I'm gonna cycle tomorrow, will see how it goes :cool:

Malt_Vinegar · 12 May 2008 at 15:30

howardcanning said:
I'm gonna cycle tomorrow, will see how it goes

Good luck!

I did my 20 mile ride in this morning, record time for me, of 1 hour 10 mins

I had to stop twice though, once for when the rear mech cable end got caught in the rear mech, took a couple of minutes pulling that out, then my front brake came loose and nearly rattled itself out of its mounting. That added another couple of minutes

I reckon I can push 1 hour soon if i really go for it, which is not bad, seeing as i have to go through a town centre and have traffic and lights to deal with. Averaging now just over 17mph, need to hit 20mph to meet the hour point (well durrrr

)

Howard · 12 May 2008 at 16:07

Yeah I have to go through some towns so we'll see how well that works at rush hour. I've cycled it on a Sunday and it was fine. I'm averaging about 15-16mph at the moment which should improve

The MTB I have isn't too bad actually once you have the road tyres inflated properly and the saddle set at the correct height

ncjok · 12 May 2008 at 17:55

Malt_Vinegar said:
I reckon I can push 1 hour soon if i really go for it, which is not bad, seeing as i have to go through a town centre and have traffic and lights to deal with. Averaging now just over 17mph...

Hi, could you screeny your route in Google Maps or something similar, that's a damn impressive time especially on the bike posted - I didn't think they'd be geared for pacing 20 mph. I can't even average that round my area on this

You got legs! :eek:

Shoei · 12 May 2008 at 18:41

Did a quick trial run to work yesterday, 43 mins for 12 1/2 miles, though it was between 28 and 32 degrees! Managed 32mph at one point down a hill. Could have done with a full spuspension bike it was that bumpy! Carbon forks aint the most forgiving things.
Cant fault the bike though, cabable of much more than i can do, when brother in law had it, he rode it up Alp D'Huez a couple of times with no problems.

Malt_Vinegar · 13 May 2008 at 01:19

ncjok said:
Hi, could you screeny your route in Google Maps or something similar, that's a damn impressive time especially on the bike posted - I didn't think they'd be geared for pacing 20 mph. I can't even average that round my area on this

You got legs!

http://www.mapmyrun.com/run/united-kingdom/thatcham/651452342368

Thats the route - I would kill for a lighter bike

I just finished its weekly maintenance, EVERYTHING needs tightening every week

I just weighed it now, and its 2 stone almost dead, thats 28 pounds, is that heavy for a road bike?

*edit* Just looked up your bike - 16.7 lbs?! wow, thats anorexic compared to my beast, VERY jealous!

ncjok · 13 May 2008 at 08:21

Cool routemap website, thanks. Do you find it easier/quicker in one direction than the other? Looks roughly 'downhill' on the way to work, which I guess is preferable not minding a bit more effort/sweatyness getting home

I don't tend to commute on the bike I linked as I hate central Manchester traffic. A mate of mine has a commuter bike similar to yours. He modded it with fixed forks and skinny tyres, weighs a smidge under 12 kg which is just under yours - we've rode together and he paces with me quite well until the hills

I don't think I've ever listed the weight of my bike; it's quite a long way from stock and just teeters on the racing "weight limit" of 6.8 kg / 15 lbs.

Anyway if you're putting in a lot of miles on a heavy MTB, save up for a moderately priced roadie from e.g. Wiggle and you will fly! My mate did when we rode on the two racers I have. Funny though his power still seemed predominantly on the flats, when it went uphill I made him work!