How was your cycle commute?
- Thread starter ChrisFilter
- Start date
joustmaster
offcumdun
i'm cycling to amsterdam in august. Its a pretty easy 2 day journey. Then I'm getting the train back.
Has anyone taken a bike from amsterdam to London with a bike? Thalys and Eurostar? (i've read their instructions, just looking for any info from someone who has done it.)
Has anyone taken a bike from amsterdam to London with a bike? Thalys and Eurostar? (i've read their instructions, just looking for any info from someone who has done it.)
a_chap
When the world came apart, where were you?
pissflaps
i've got a headache in my pants...
What?!? Then geography teachers are paid too much!
they know where all the treasure is buried, innit.
gentlegreen
I hummus, therefore I am ...
Is everyone on drugs at the moment. ?
I had to hold back some arsehole tailgating and moving to overtake me on a blind bend on a quiet road with a cyclist approaching - he turned off into the first turning - you know the things you aren't supposed to overtake past ?
At least he didn't ignore my right turn signal.
All for a few seconds of not staring at my back.
I had to hold back some arsehole tailgating and moving to overtake me on a blind bend on a quiet road with a cyclist approaching - he turned off into the first turning - you know the things you aren't supposed to overtake past ?
At least he didn't ignore my right turn signal.
All for a few seconds of not staring at my back.
I know, some days I'd swear its been decreed official 'drive like a twat' day and I've just not heard about it.
ChrisFilter
Like a boss.
Minor Strava-related grumble today. I'm big and fat and definitely not a climber. I can pull a fairly decent sprint out of the bag occasionally though and I've been targeting a particular segment (Norwood Road, Tulse Hill to Brockwell Park gate) for a while. This morning was a beauty, I was flying along at 28/29mph and felt sure I'd got a PB. When it came to upload the route to Strava, shock horror, it had calculated the time I'd spent waiting for the traffic lights to change, which it's never done before. The segment starts after the lights.
Anyway, I calculated my actual time for the segment and I'd have been 10th out of hundreds. Damnit!
First world problems.
Anyway, I calculated my actual time for the segment and I'd have been 10th out of hundreds. Damnit!
First world problems.
Dogsauce
I’ve got Skol but I’m not a Scholar
I think the GPS is of limited accuracy - I picked up 5th on a short segment the other day despite turning off left into a side road about 10m before the end of it.
There's one in town here that's about 150m too that I have KOM on at 12 seconds, and have hit this time three times now, including once on my Pashley which isn't exactly a sprint machine. I think under a certain distance I'd assume a degree of randomness in the leaderboard.
A friend sent me this article about Strava accuracy recently, though it's more comparing accuracy of different devices (I have an iPhone 4 on a handlebar mount)
http://www.wheelsuckers.co.uk/profi...which-one-garmin-or-iphone?xg_source=activity
Dogsauce
I’ve got Skol but I’m not a Scholar
The worst ever day I had was on a friday when England were playing in the world cup with a kick-off of something like 5:30 - everyone racing home and driving like a bellend, I nearly got squashed (serious near-misses) a total of 4 times. Usually it's just once or twice a week. Overtaken when signalling right, undertaken dangerously when signalling right and two people pulling out on me if I remember correctly (including a very late light-jumper).
ChrisFilter
Like a boss.
Interesting, and much as suspected. I have a Garmin 800.
gentlegreen
I hummus, therefore I am ...
Perhaps I have a little TDF fever, but I was really up for it this evening.
Mother. Fucking. Bike.
(videos on my youtube channel)
Mother. Fucking. Bike.
(videos on my youtube channel)
tendril
Coming up blastin' like Yosemite Sam
Nearly managed to cause a pileup on the CS7. Coming into churchyard row from the north there was a van illegally parked on the corner and just after it some cycle chuggers. I looked behind me and thought there was no-one there so I did a cheeky u-turn to go talk to them and a chap in full race home mode sped around the corner going way to fast to do an emergency stop safely, his line of sight obscured by the van, and piled into me. oops 
tendril
Coming up blastin' like Yosemite Sam
(((a_chap)))Injured so no commuting either yesterday or today
joustmaster
offcumdun
Injured so no commuting either yesterday or today
what happened?
a_chap
When the world came apart, where were you?
Bit of a long story.
Completely rebuilt my Audax bike with a shorter frame before last weekend's 600 and I didn't have any chance to make any adjustments before the ride. One of the side-effects of a shorter frame is that the (recumbent) seat is much more vertical than before. It's possible to shorten the seat stays but then the rear rack would be angled down by some ridiculous amount so I'll need to take a hacksaw to it.
Anyway, what I eneded up riding was much more like an upright bike than a recumbent! And affter 380 miles I ended up a fearfully bruised cocyx...
This weekend will see some serious bike fettling going on. It's only three weeks to the start of London Edinburgh London. Gulp.
fredfelt
Mostly unknown member
I've only ever taken the ferry to Amsterdam when I have a bike with me - the Rail Sail deal (London Liverpool Street - Harwich, Hoek van Hollnad - Any Dutch Station.
I've cycled to Amsterdam a few times from The Hoek, give me a shout if you want any tips / route info / ideas of where to cycle in and around Amsterdam.
fredfelt
Mostly unknown member
Today's my first paid for bike ride!!! I get to take a few tourists around Oxford, across Port Meadow and then to the pub. I'll pack my swimming trunks and have a swim in the Thames when I've finished - quickly followed by a few sundowners on the meadow. Happy days!
joustmaster
offcumdun
Ace, thanks!
I'm looking at the route in a couple of weeks, so will take you up on the offer of advice for sure.
The plan is to cycle up to harwich on a friday, get the night ferry, then cycle to amsterdam. Spend a few days there and about the area. Then get the Train back home.
fredfelt
Mostly unknown member
Ace, thanks!
I'm looking at the route in a couple of weeks, so will take you up on the offer of advice for sure.
The plan is to cycle up to harwich on a friday, get the night ferry, then cycle to amsterdam. Spend a few days there and about the area. Then get the Train back home.
To wet your appetite - for your ride you can follow part of the North Sea cycle route. It's ace! Once you are past the sea side town of the Hague (Schlingiver or something!) you cycle through a wide expanse of sand dunes. There's a cafe which appears from nowhere which serves as a good late breakfast stop for apple pie, cream and coffee!
You can get to Amsterdam for late afternoon.
colacubes
Mr Hot Cookie
plurker
tú no tienes la culpa mi amor que el mundo sea feo
I've started using the Strava app to time my rides. This has resulted in my becoming faster as on sections (inclines mainly) - where I used to drop off the effort, I'm up on the pedals and hammering it along. I get annoyed by being #624/3000 or whatever though, as (I think I'm) fast...seems to be helping my stamina, but not speed.
My 8 mile commute in takes 28 mins, and my 9.5 miles back takes 35...
My 8 mile commute in takes 28 mins, and my 9.5 miles back takes 35...
Dogsauce
I’ve got Skol but I’m not a Scholar
I'm similar (8.8miles commute in, about 8.5 back depending which route I choose), and Strava tends to make me absolutely pelt it on certain ride sections that then leaves me knackered for the remainder. There's a couple of segments where I'm only a second off getting the crown, and if I have a favourable wind I'll throw everything at it. I'm on the less-hip side of town up here so there's less segments and less riders - pretty easy to get KOM when you're only up against 50-100 people, many of whom were passing through without really trying. Out in the countryside where the proper riders go on road bikes and barely anyone else I'm usually something like two-thirds of the way down the board
I've set myself various goals for commute times - have done both directions in under 30, both legs added together in under 60 on the same day (though one still just over 30) and next target is getting both under 30 on the same day - which I'm kind of on for today having managed 29:48 on the way in (I go on total time elapsed, not moving time) - home route is a little shorter and on faster roads, but you can bollocks it up pretty easy with bad luck at the lights. That and the wind tend to affect speed more, but it's only slightly against me today so hoping for a fast return.
I've set myself various goals for commute times - have done both directions in under 30, both legs added together in under 60 on the same day (though one still just over 30) and next target is getting both under 30 on the same day - which I'm kind of on for today having managed 29:48 on the way in (I go on total time elapsed, not moving time) - home route is a little shorter and on faster roads, but you can bollocks it up pretty easy with bad luck at the lights. That and the wind tend to affect speed more, but it's only slightly against me today so hoping for a fast return.
Crispy
The following psytrance is baṉned: All
1 strand of my rear shifter cable snapped and got snarled up in the guide tube. Distracted by my sluggish shifting problem, I failed to spot the cyclist in front braking sharply and had to jam my brakes on, de-biking myself and making good use of the padded palms of my gloves. No bike-on-bike action, but I had to borrow an allen key from the nearby bike shop so I could put a rear brake pad back in line after it struck the kerb, and buy a new gear cable which I have now fitted. Hoping for a boring ride home.
gentlegreen
I hummus, therefore I am ...
Made pretty good progress today - only shouted at a couple of people - one of them another perfectly nice, but clueless driver who was clearly expecting to belt down the narrow lane at over 10MPH with a cyclist and pedestrian pinned against the hedge - the cyclist having had to cross bonkers ruts to get there.
I put in a report via fillthathole and specified that it needs a "give way to cyclists" sign.
I put in a report via fillthathole and specified that it needs a "give way to cyclists" sign.
Dogsauce
I’ve got Skol but I’m not a Scholar
Cracked it, 28:54 coming home. It hurt going into a wind that was stronger than expected (about 6-7mph straight at me).
The best thing about completing a challenge like this is not having to do it again.
Only two days commuting next week then I'm heading out of Yorkshire, riding down to London ahead of the Brighton nightride at the weekend, followed by a camping run along the south coast until it runs out & then back up to Bristol. Looks like I might be packing the Factor 40 in my bag.
The best thing about completing a challenge like this is not having to do it again.
Only two days commuting next week then I'm heading out of Yorkshire, riding down to London ahead of the Brighton nightride at the weekend, followed by a camping run along the south coast until it runs out & then back up to Bristol. Looks like I might be packing the Factor 40 in my bag.
Do not know if you folk are aware or if this has already been posted but Lidl have cycle gear on sale this Thursday 11th July.
http://www.lidl.co.uk/cps/rde/SID-F...idl_uk/hs.xsl/our-offers-2491.htm?id=79&ar=10
http://www.lidl.co.uk/cps/rde/SID-F...idl_uk/hs.xsl/our-offers-2491.htm?id=79&ar=10
