How was your cycle commute?

[a_chap]

I managed to judge my lunchtime ride home just wrong and got a bit of a soaking.

I can honestly say cotton chinos are definitely not waterproof.

 

[gentlegreen]

My bottom line is I don't change my trousers during the day - I cycle, work and sleep in my shorts / combats. They obviously come off once a day for a wash and clean pants.

 

[Onket]

LOL

(sorry)

Seriously though, I hold out till the very end before wearing long trousers.
I nearly tried Aldi's equivalent of "rain legs" recently, but they were hideously HIVIZ..

I commute to the train station & then sit on a train followed by a bus for a total of 2 and a half hours. I'd rather not do that in wet shorts. But thanks anyway.

 

[Ted Striker]

I have a bath on a Sunday and generally feel the need for a two flannel wash at work by Wednesday.

Love you GG!

 

[Onket]

I've got a pair of proper workmen's waterproof trousers, but they aren't breathable at all and so get very sweaty. I'd like to avoid carrying a spare pair of trainers & shorts/tracksuit trousers every day, but I may have to resort to that.

When my cycle commute was without train and bus bits, I used to wear shorts and have a shower on arrival. It's different now.

 

[gentlegreen]

Rain legs though ...
I keep meaning to try two bits of bin bags before investing in the real thing.

 

[joustmaster]

I've got a pair of proper workmen's waterproof trousers, but they aren't breathable at all and so get very sweaty. I'd like to avoid carrying a spare pair of trainers & shorts/tracksuit trousers every day, but I may have to resort to that.

When my cycle commute was without train and bus bits, I used to wear shorts and have a shower on arrival. It's different now.

I've tried a few pairs of waterproof trousers. All of them sweaty beasts.

I think you can get some relatively cheap gortex trousers off the ebay. I think the army/camoflage ones are cheaper, for some reason.
I am not sure how well they work though.

 

[Onket]

Even if I sort the trouser situation I will still have to carry dry trainers.

 

[weepiper]

Even if I sort the trouser situation I will still have to carry dry trainers.

get some Goretex walking trainers, i have some Nike ACG ones that I wear to work which are fully waterproof.

 

[joustmaster]

Even if I sort the trouser situation I will still have to carry dry trainers.

you could get some overshoes?

 

[gentlegreen]

.

 

[ChrisD]

My son's both have broken front lights. Younger son's trendy one has worn the rubber band fixing and my older son's front light (torch type with AA's) has broken switch. Have lent him mine (simular type) with broken switch but for last 2 years I've just unscrewed front bit and put it back 90 degrees turned.

Is it me or do all front lights under £25 have crap on-off-flashing mode switches that break after 13 months?

Any recommendations?

 

[gentlegreen]

A key reason I made my own - no electronics - if there's an intermittent contact it comes back on again - but there isn't because it all bounces around on my bike 365 days a year in all weathers and gets used and debugged all the time.

I'm sure you already know my opinion on front lights.

For back lights I would reluctantly have to go with Cateye or Smart for the non-DIY option.

 

[joustmaster]

My son's both have broken front lights. Younger son's trendy one has worn the rubber band fixing and my older son's front light (torch type with AA's) has broken switch. Have lent him mine (simular type) with broken switch but for last 2 years I've just unscrewed front bit and put it back 90 degrees turned.

Is it me or do all front lights under £25 have crap on-off-flashing mode switches that break after 13 months?

Any recommendations?

I've had some cheap cateye ones for two years, or so. No trouble yet.

I could just be lucky though..

 

[gentlegreen]

Depending on how the current is regulated, you might be able to bypass the electronics.

 

[gentlegreen]

String vests ?

I shudder at the thought, but I could dye them khaki or black ...

I'm reluctant to get into expensive base layers, so wonder if this would be a good option for winter rides to help with wicking.

 

[weepiper]

String vests ?

I shudder at the thought, but I could dye them khaki or black ...

I'm reluctant to get into expensive base layers, so wonder if this would be a good option for winter rides to help with wicking.

Base layers aren't that expensive, you can get a vest-type one for about 15 quid and a long-sleeved one from about 20

 

[gentlegreen]

Do they come in XXXL ?

I would need at least 20 in order to have two clean ones per day.
I just wondered if a traditional way to use low grade cotton would be a cheap solution.

Whatever I use, it's a bit annoying to have to remove my office tee shirt and put something on underneath rather than on top.

 

[weepiper]

I would need at least 20 in order to have two clean ones per day.

don't you have a washing machine? They dry very quickly, that's sort of the point of them.

 

[Geri]

Check out Aldi when they have their cycling events. They have some pretty decent stuff in.

 

[gentlegreen]

don't you have a washing machine? They dry very quickly, that's sort of the point of them.

Not at the moment unfortunately and without a spinner my laundry is taking an age to dry - so I've even had to break into my emergency pants supply.
Based on last time I will sulk until well into next year before buying a new machine.

 

[gentlegreen]

Check out Aldi when they have their cycling events. They have some pretty decent stuff in.

Sadly not in my size.

I like the feel of cotton and I wondered what string vests were all about - they look grim under an office shirt, but might be right for my comparatively modest cycling exploits.

 

[weepiper]

string vests are designed to keep you warm by trapping air next to your skin, not to wick sweat.

 

[gentlegreen]

string vests are designed to keep you warm by trapping air next to your skin, not to wick sweat.

I was wondering if they would help prevent localised pooling - and keep the damp fabric away from my skin.

 

[joustmaster]

gentlegreen sportsdirect have a huge range of long sleeve base layers. The cheapest is about £5 and they go up to XXXXL

 

[a_chap]

I agree Sprots Direct have a huge range of base layers. However I was wearing one of theirs when I got heat stroke on the penultimate stage of this year's London Edinburgh London ride.

Haven't the foggiest idea what point I'm trying to make there. But advice is advice after all.

 

[gentlegreen]

So what about cotton string vests ?
Would they give some benefit to someone who rarely cycles more than 40 miles on a winter Sunday and more usually only 20 ?

 

[a_chap]

The problem with cotton is that it absorbs water and therefore gets wet & cold. So string vests are fine if you don't sweat much.

 

[Onket]

Cold but dry. Hat & gloves. Shorts still ok once I got going.

 

[gentlegreen]

I don't know if it's a knock on-effect from my tumble, or having to hold the left grip strangely because of it, but my right shoulder has been giving me serious gyp - I just can't find a comfortable way to put my arm .. luckily I had some Voltarol - though it took too long to cut in for my journey in.
It felt slightly better last night in bed.

My colleague has started working late at work, so I decided I would start and leave half an hour earlier instead - mainly to avoid the city-based macho boys on the cycle path - and that has seemed to work pretty well.

As for the roads, the school run traffic seems to have been replaced by more builders' vans.
I can see I will have to tread carefully until I have them trained.