I cycled to work this morning

Kentucky Fried Panda · Post by **Kentucky Fried Panda** » 20 Nov 2007, 18:55

OK, so I slightly overestimated my fitness and the 7 miles in the rain tired me out. Cycling past all the idling cars stuck in traffic would be smugly satisfying, if it wasn't for the fumes!
It felt good, I wish I could do it everyday, but my bicycle is now in the back of the van they gave me and I need to drive the van to carry all my tools.

RenewableCandy · Post by **RenewableCandy** » 20 Nov 2007, 20:30

He he he good for you. Six miles was about my limit and that was for not-for-long and in the summer (but pretty hilly for my Sturmey-Archers)

Mind you it raises an interesting question: if those tools are for building or repairing stuff, and assuming people will still need stuff repaired long after the cheap petrol's gone, how are people going to move them around?? Panniers etc are all very well but will sensitive stuff stay dry?

Kentucky Fried Panda · Post by **Kentucky Fried Panda** » 20 Nov 2007, 21:13

Well as long as my employers stay in business I'll be out there repairing stuff. My post peak plan was to stay out of management. These days anybody who has twirled a spanner and can use MS office is offered a middle management job. I had one, but quit.

My employers clients are mostly government offices, so they'll probably be one of the last to shut their doors. Hopefully guaranteeing continued employment for us poor building services folk.

I'm not sure if I'd have the energy to pedal a converted rickshaw loaded with tools in a post oil world. I think it would have to be a shared effort.

isenhand · Post by **isenhand** » 21 Nov 2007, 06:59

I?ve been cycling to work for over a year now. 7km to and 7 km back. Up hill both ways! Come wind, come rain come sub zero temperatures, ice and snow!

.ui

Erik · Post by **Erik** » 21 Nov 2007, 10:49

isenhand wrote:I?ve been cycling to work for over a year now. 7km to and 7 km back. Up hill both ways! Come wind, come rain come sub zero temperatures, ice and snow!

Up hill BOTH ways??!! How does that happen?!

isenhand · Post by **isenhand** » 21 Nov 2007, 11:38

Erik wrote:
isenhand wrote:I?ve been cycling to work for over a year now. 7km to and 7 km back. Up hill both ways! Come wind, come rain come sub zero temperatures, ice and snow!
Up hill BOTH ways??!! How does that happen?!

That?s what it feels like. Some times the wind is so strong I have to peddle down hill like I?m peddling up hill. Also a lot of the downward slopes end in a 90 deg turn so I can?t use the full momentum of the down hill part.

.ui

Andy Hunt · Post by **Andy Hunt** » 21 Nov 2007, 12:31

Keep at it with the bike Haggis, not that pleasant in this kind of weather but it's bloody good exercise and you will find that you get fit very quickly, the journeys become much easier within 2 or 3 weeks!

That being said, my mountainbike is currently languishing in my spare room, awaiting a service.

emordnilap · Post by **emordnilap** » 21 Nov 2007, 13:11

I've been cycling to and from work - around five-and-a-half miles - for years now, any weather. The wind is the worst but rain is no problem whatsoever.

It's gently downhill a lot of the way there, into the prevailing wind and obviously the reverse on the way back. Lucky, that's all. Most of the time, though, the wind is against me, or so it seems.

The traffic is frightening at times, particularly when you're blinded from the front as you seem to be cycling into a black tunnel, with no knowledge of where the 'walls' are.

The main defence is plenty of reflective things - leave your reflective tabard flapping to create more attention - plus good lights of course. The high end of the CatEye range are brilliant in all senses of the word. They can take rechargeables which last for weeks.

In addition, I have these, which, while not providing enough light to cycle by on unlit roads, work all the time so you stand out during the day as well as at night and mean you're never completely without lights if your batteries fail.

SunnyJim · Post by **SunnyJim** » 21 Nov 2007, 17:33

I did a 26 mile each way on the bike a couple of times this summer! Weather was good though. Only took half hour longer than it does in the car!

Thinking of getting a folding bike and doing part bus, part bike. I'll aim to do the first 11 miles on the bike, then the main road bit on the bus. Then the reverse in the evening.

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 21 Nov 2007, 19:11

Erik wrote:
isenhand wrote:I?ve been cycling to work for over a year now. 7km to and 7 km back. Up hill both ways! Come wind, come rain come sub zero temperatures, ice and snow!
Up hill BOTH ways??!! How does that happen?!

Isenhand's workplace:

lancasterlad · Post by **lancasterlad** » 21 Nov 2007, 22:55

Up hill BOTH ways??!! How does that happen?!

Come on boys and girls! He lives on one side of the peak and works on the other!!

Post by **mikepepler** » 22 Nov 2007, 09:10

lancasterlad wrote:Come on boys and girls! He lives on one side of the peak and works on the other!!

That is the most insightful thing I've read in ages! So true, and the cause of much of mental anguish we may experience... Mind you, better than those who are still working AND living on the up-side of the peak.