How was your commute ... today, yesterday, last week ...

[rheicel]

One of the reason why I go to work is the commuting. Last weekend was one of the few weekend I did not ride, and I take 100% blame on this.

Great weather this morning here in Lane Cove. Strava says I am cruising at an average speed of 24 kph, well above my regular commuting speed. I will try the long way home this afternoon to burn some of those kilo-joules intake last weekend!

[TailWind]

Edit: And of course kudos to every other commuter out there, big mileage or not...

Personally I think the pissing contests that go on here are counter productive.

I don't think anyone here is trying to scare off or intimidate new commuters by throwing around big numbers...quite to the contrary, I would think.
When I got back into the commuting thing, I was both awed and inspired by the riders talking about their distances, routes, speeds, weather conditions etc., thinking I'd never get there, but waddaya know, after a while I was doing similar numbers.

As for the pissing contests, I would say they can be found in the Commuting Challenge thread and the CCR thread . All very light-hearted and friendly, tho.

Anyway, good ride into the Melbourne CBD this morning, few drops of rain, but nothing serious, colleagues that arrived a couple of hours later copped a fair amount of the wet stuff.

[rheicel]

Last year is when I first bought my commuting bicycle. It is a Trek 4300 Disc, 26" later on upgraded with Giant 29er wheelset so I can use the cheaper and popular 700C tires. Enough for my gear introduction....

April 2012 is when I started to commute by bicycle after not having any form of exercise for almost six years. This is the result of my laziness along with the !! BAN ME NOW FOR SWEARING !! time hog jobs that I had. On my initial commuting days, almost all cyclist will just pass me. I remember the fist two cyclist that I have overtaken was a Dad and a 4/5 yo boy, lol. There is a good climb up on my way to work and a 70/80 year old man was just cruising effortless, passes me. Since then, I promised my self I will start rebuilding my cycling habit again.

After a year of cycling, I have noticed lots of improvement. I lost 5 kg and I am now in my usual comfortable weight. All that 5kg is attributed to cycling to/from work. I did not change my eating habits and I felt more capable of doing many things now. I did the October Sydney Ryde to Conquer Cancer as well as part of my own challenge.

It is always good to know what others are getting and all their sort of experience as you can use those to really get yourself into commuting mode. I always try to convince my office mates to start cycling but no success to date. Once have asked me that if I let him use my bicycle for free, he might consider commuting.

[Summernight]

Yup. Got wet on the ride into the Melbourne CBD this morning.

On my morning jog it was wet and there was barely anybody doing the Yarra Boulevard. I almost ran into a dog who was off leash on the MYT and said dog decided to run into me without looking where it was going. I now know a little bit about what it is like for cyclists along shared paths with dogs off the leash. The owner was right there too so I expressed my frustration in a short 'Far out!' as I had to stop so as not to kick his dog (I'm turning hippy - I say 'Dude' and 'Far Out'. Whatever will I say next?)

My right knee has a lovely scratch and bruise from the D-lock adventures of Friday. The partner was like "What have you been doing??" to which I had to explain that I had stupidly put the heavy D-lock on the top tube and ridden with it banging my knee. And because I didn't do a trip by car on the weekend to drop it back off at work I had to lug the D-lock back to work on the ride this morning. This time I strapped it to my backpack and it dangled behind me. I think the swinging of the huge d-lock was giving me extra speed in some places and I could feel the wobble. It kept out of the way which was a huge relief. I wouldn't want to have had to sit on it.

And I was wearing my usual active/cycling wear this morning and my derriere was singing to me at how happy it was. I was concerned that my saddle had upped and got itself a nail bed as a present on Friday but Monday morning has reminded me how much I love my saddle and clearly Friday evening was an aberration.

This morning the GoPro decided to not want to start up - I started it but then since I have the automatic turn-off set it turned off before I was ready to leave and then refused to start up again. I tried to reset it at a long set of lights but all that did was have the wi-fi start up. I get to work and the external battery bacpac is telling me it is completely empty so maybe that was why it didn't start up (even though the internal camera battery was fine).

So the commute was video-less but was uneventful for me. I saw a regular commuter who rides a green single speed get pushed into the gutter by a left-hooker who didn't want to wait in the traffic queues and then later in the CBD on Collins St the same cyclist got almost right-hooked by a parked car wanting to move out into the road without looking. I said to him he wasn't having much luck today and he agreed and we had a little friendly chat. Turns out he had been doored by a passenger in a stationary car on Collins St (near Spring) a few weeks back and had been taken to hospital and was now really jittery on the commute. Poor guy. The car had paid up for the damage to his bike but that is still a terrible thing to happen.

Anyway, we had a lovely chat and now I can say hello to a person on my commute. He is pretty fast on his SS - thrashes pretty much everyone on the hill.

[Comedian]

Edit: And of course kudos to every other commuter out there, big mileage or not...

Personally I think the pissing contests that go on here are counter productive.

I don't think anyone here is trying to scare off or intimidate new commuters by throwing around big numbers...quite to the contrary, I would think.
When I got back into the commuting thing, I was both awed and inspired by the riders talking about their distances, routes, speeds, weather conditions etc., thinking I'd never get there, but waddaya know, after a while I was doing similar numbers.

As for the pissing contests, I would say they can be found in the Commuting Challenge thread and the CCR thread . All very light-hearted and friendly, tho.

Anyway, good ride into the Melbourne CBD this morning, few drops of rain, but nothing serious, colleagues that arrived a couple of hours later copped a fair amount of the wet stuff.

Sorry... that rant was after talking to a guy at work who I'm trying to get going. He's done one trip so far, and has a longer commute. He was working on doing 4 trips a week... ie riding in and then bussing home, bussing back in and then riding out. While trying to encourage him to ride both ways I said... "You can do it... I ride 1200km most months" and that was it.. his eyes just glazed over. Sometimes I feel that by throwing about big numbers you loose credibility as a real person and become just "another lunatic cyclist". I think maybe a gentler and more encouraging approach rather than the "I can do it - I'm awesome" theme. When I thought back to when I started... I think a similar statement to me would have just had me thinking "he's crazy... I can't ride that far". Some people will likely react differently though.

At any rate, I apologise to anyone who found that offensive. As people have pointed out It's likely irrelevant anyway as anyone who has made it to this forum is probably well past the point of being put off.

[jasonc]

Sorry... that rant was after talking to a guy at work who I'm trying to get going. He's done one trip so far, and has a longer commute. He was working on doing 4 trips a week... ie riding in and then bussing home, bussing back in and then riding out. While trying to encourage him to ride both ways I said... "You can do it... I ride 1200km most months" and that was it.. his eyes just glazed over. Sometimes I feel that by throwing about big numbers you loose credibility as a real person and become just "another lunatic cyclist". I think maybe a gentler and more encouraging approach rather than the "I can do it - I'm awesome" theme. When I thought back to when I started... I think a similar statement to me would have just had me thinking "he's crazy... I can't ride that far". Some people will likely react differently though.

At any rate, I apologise to anyone who found that offensive. As people have pointed out It's likely irrelevant anyway as anyone who has made it to this forum is probably well past the point of being put off.

Comedian - once commuting (and on this forum), to see what other people are doing inspires me to go from riding a couple of days a week, or as you put it "riding in then bussing home", to riding both ways on a regular (daily) basis. The encouragement of others is here. Not just in the nuts kms (gretaboy), but to the rail/hail/shine commuters- shaun, TW etc. It definitely inspires me

[Lizzy]

I think maybe a gentler and more encouraging approach rather than the "I can do it - I'm awesome" theme.

Heh, my approach is more like "I can do it - and look how bog-ordinary I am". Amazingly enough it still doesn't work on those who see me scampering for the shower and feel compelled to point out that they "really should/would love to ride to work, but ... [X, Y & Z ways in which they prefer to curse darkness]". Speaking for myself, I had already found my own way to the decision to get myself into the habit and found this forum while looking for the pro tips.

Anyhoot. Today's ride was good, dusted off the ol' pack mule due to a spike in gear to be schlepped in and out, partly an excess accumulation of lunchboxes I've been forgetting to take home. Enjoyed a nice slow toddle on the big old heavy beast! The showers in my building have gone on the fritz which is unfortunate, am having to encroach on foreign territory. Home via the folks, it's starting to get a bit nippy at night.

It's been very quiet out there, school holidays mayhap?

[TailWind]

At any rate, I apologise to anyone who found that offensive. As people have pointed out It's likely irrelevant anyway as anyone who has made it to this forum is probably well past the point of being put off.

No apologies necessary, after all, we all have the same goal of getting more people onto bikes and riding, and assisting them with our collective knowledge and experiences.
Sometime we get a little carried away with our enthusiasm .

Speaking of experiences, I almost had a nasty one just past the junction on the MYT where the path running alongside Batman joins up with the path along the Yarra. Couple walking on the right heading in the same direction received a polite ding from a reasonable distance but within earshot, stayed on the right, but then moved left just as I passed. I ended up on the grass to the left, but must have brushed the lady's hand. Stopped, words were exchanged with her male companion regarding path etiquette etc. Diffused the situation, wished them a pleasant walk and continued on, not feeling great about the incident for the remainder of my ride.
Just a reminder to myself and other shared path riders that these things happen and to be hyper-vigilant around peds.

Woke up way too early this morning when a rain front blew over the house. Fortunately, it stopped well before I was due to head out, so had damp roads and paths, but a pleasant ride into the Melbourne CBD otherwise.

[Sparx]

Pretty chilly this morning. Bumped into a couple of friends this morning and was riding into work with them when I got my first puncture of the year and first ever on my Alfine equipped bike. Could I remember how to disengage the cable - of course not. Anyway managed to change the tube with the cable still attached.

Then later on I saw undoubtedly the most unsuitable bike for commuting ever. It was a Jim Beam branded chopper (Google 'jim beam electric chopper bike'). It was so unsteady, the bloke was weaving all over the place.

[rheicel]

Forgiving weather this morning, can it stay like this all morning and all afternoon?

[jasonc]

great weather in brissy for a riverloop.

[Dan]

great weather in brissy for a riverloop.

Perfect, except for all that sex talk.

[jasonc]

great weather in brissy for a riverloop.

Perfect, except for all that sex talk.

it's the closest I get to any action.

[Summernight]

No rain on the way home last night, no silly car manoeuvres and a lovely crisp night to ride. Except I keep forgetting to turn the Garmin on before I head off home so it beeps at me halfway through the ride and I'm like "Oh carp! Forgot again!"

On the way in to the city this morning the traffic seemed to be worse than usual on Albert St, East Melbourne so I was riding with a cheeky smile as I sailed past them all for about 4 blocks (which is 2 blocks longer than the usual traffic queues). I turned left (in order to miss the final bit of hill and a set of traffic lights) and after I've turned into this street I get honked for claiming the right lane even though I was about to turn right into a side street further up. I gave the cars behind me a frustrated "I'm turning right, you carpheads" gesture and didn't have any further problems. There was another cyclist in the left hand bicycle lane as well who had to claim the left lane at the same time as me claiming the right because a parked car had its driver's door open which went over the whole bicycle lane. I keep forgetting how wide those car doors go and how pathetic some bicycle lanes really are. So maybe the car was honking him. Or both of us. Not sure. Either way it was a "get out of my way" honk.

Apart from that it was a lovely ride in.

[Rex]

First real chill all year hit Perth this morning, under 10 degrees which was a shock for many I expect.
Loved it though, much less traffic on the paths

[poohkies]

taken it easy yesterday and today, attempted to go running on Saturday, still can't do steps, Blood Sweat and Fears is on in 2 weeks, should really have tried to train more for it

[Walst]

First real chill all year hit Perth this morning, under 10 degrees which was a shock for many I expect.
Loved it though, much less traffic on the paths

Twas a bit brisk. Will have to rethink t-shirts and shorts for next commute.

[Marto]

great weather in brissy for a riverloop.

Perfect, except for all that sex talk.

I got The Death Eye from a group of residents on the river loop just before that article came out. Just riding home solo, when the group in their drive turned towards me as one thusly:

[kb]

Broke a spoke last night. First time this millennium. Could probably have limped home but ended up calling for backup as I didn't want to further stress the (apparently fragile) RS10. Never realised there was so much difference between 16 and 15

[TailWind]

Ride home via MYT, Greensborough etc. Noticed rear wheel out of true along the way, but couldn't do much about it. Got home and tried to get it into reasonable shape with just a spoke spanner, but probably made it worse. Chucked the wheel into Mrs TailWind's car with a plea to swing past the LBS to get it sorted.
As a result, this morning's ride into the Melb CBD was on the flatbar Alfine 8 equipped commuter. Had to work noticeably harder to achieve what is an average time on the Soma, my primary commuter.

[Sparx]

Met my friend for the ride in today, she gave me a flogging. Then had coffee. Pretty sweet morning.

[Warnesy]

It was a cool one in the nations capital. Full winter kit this morning!

[gretaboy]

@Comedian - I was a little taken back from the initial post hence my reply...but at the end of the day all is good, it is just an internet forum and overall no harm done.... a rant does feel good at times

No riding yesterday as it was an adult day...no kids just adults spending time together

Today was a clear sky and chilly, first time the long fingered gloves have come out this year. Ride was uneventful all up

PS: Jasonc ...you saying Im nuts...thems there fighting words HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[jasonc]

Met my friend for the ride in today, she gave me a flogging.

And you normally have to go to special establishments and pay extra for that sort of treatment. Coot-tha with a few mates this morning. On the way up the front there was a cyclist pulled over by a police car. I was a bit cheeky and yelled out "Check if he's got a bell" as I went passed.
Knowing that spot, you CAN do up to 70km/h there. The speed limit is 50.

I got some great photos again this morning of the fog sitting on the city. Will have to upload them to the commute pics thread.

EDIT: One of my mates didn't make it this morning. She'd had a head-on with another cyclist riding near lang park. Am unsure of the whole story. I know there is a buckled wheel (the bike is a week old) and a twisted shifter, and a twisted ankle in the aftermath...

[Summernight]

Ouch Jasonc. Hope your friend is okay and makes a quick recovery.

An uneventful but lovely ride this morning with the sun shining. Although last night I was a ninja for a couple of minutes until I realised I'd forgotten to turn on my lights when leaving the office. Whoops. Luckily the sun hadn't completely set but I felt really stupid for forgetting.