Cycling in the time of Corona

I've gone from a 30 mile per day commute to zero.
Medical procedures and injury have prevented me from being out on the bike since March.
One significant annoyance amongst many others is that on account of piling on the pounds, none of my Assos kit will fit me. Most of which is new.

Shouting at the dog now while cycling it rather then shouting at ill behaved London motorists on the commute.

COVID and changing to a permanent remote / WfH job has combined to wipe out my cycling. Last time on a bike was a month ago.

I may seriously consider a Peloton at this rate.

https://www.randonneurs.nl

Looking at this and thinking it probably wouldn’t be right to do an audax at the end of this month.

Same, hardly getting any cycling in. Actually got a Peloton a few months ago and I'm pleasantly surprised!

I'm still working from home and will be for the foreseeable future. I'm still in the groove of getting out on the bike by 5am in the morning, this morning it was so cold with freezing fog the bike was covered in ice by the time I got home.

I'm almost embarrassed to admit this, but I've done my biggest ever year on strava, I'm approaching 14,000 miles for the year all done on my own.

I'm absolutely in the same boat. Pre-lockdown it was 15k, each way, every day. I've really missed the regular routine and felt both physically and mentally down through the lack of movement/outside time.

During the summer it was a bit easier to get out at nosebleed-o-clock, but having had a number of crashes due to ice over the years I have no intention of doing that through the winter 'proper'. I have a turbo, but can only get motivated for intense sessions - the thought of riding at the same level as commuting just doesn't do it for me. Clear lunch breaks are few and far between, but also hard to get a ride into an hour while also making it feel worthwhile (for me that would be riding some quiet country roads, up hills, etc).

Running has been a poor substitute but ticked a box occasionally. Otherwise I've tried to focus on the positive aspects - being more present at home, spending the extra 2 hours a day with the kids, helping in the house, etc

14,000 miles for the year

wow, massive kudos for this. i've just hit 14000km which seems loads!

14k - nice! I'm only on ~4k miles, but set to record my biggest year by the end of Dec. Granted a fair chuck of that is on the turbo so mileage is likely naff.

There been nothing massively exciting in those miles a couple of times round the Isle of wight during the summer, lots in the south downs which are all on my door step. signing up to veloviewer has been a massive motivation to find road I've not ridden before.

There has been a lot of junk miles in there too, and I don't have a turbo so it has to be outside.

Even just a day off the bike has a effect on my mental heath now.

14,000 miles for the year

Huge miles. Well done

Same boat, 20 miles every day from SW to central turned into sitting at home with WFH. Our office is now open with few people coming in, but not keen on going just for the commute. And I bet commute wouldn't be "as fun" without heaps of cyclists we used to have pre-lockdown.

I'd rather go out to RP for a quick lunch ride, meeting someone definitely helps to get going, rarely regretted as you said. Sometimes if it's dry and warm enough other mates will join me in a quick Windsor "bun run" early in the morning, I'll push or miss some useless meetings and my day will be so much better with 70k in the legs. In fact I'm trying to make a habit of blocking 2 hours post lunch at least two days a week, work and weather permitting.

In other news I've sold off the turbo as I don't have the space to leave it set up any more, no regrets.

Ive been lucky in that I WFH but wife doesn’t and she has a super early start so I’m up at 5.30 and at 6.15 I can be on the bike for two hours of trash miles erry day. I even replicate my commute just to keep the routine. Make habits.

I'm finding summoning up the energy required to negotiate traffic demoralising, whereas earlier in the summer when traffic was lighter I could just decide to go out for a quick spin whenever I felt like it. The effect of this is huge and will be even greater for less experienced cyclists. I actually feel slightly hemmed in as a result, so it's pretty depressing. Will try and build some kind of routine and make it to RP a few times a week.

summoning up the energy required to negotiate traffic demoralising

So much this. I actually feel a bit silly for not making more of riding during lockdown #1 when the traffic was non-existant. I think I just took it for granted!

I'm finding summoning up the energy required to negotiate traffic demoralising

Fuck me, so much of this! Biggest reason I dont cycle as much as I used to is the cunts in cars. I cant remember last time when I cycled on Layhams and a cunt didnt pass too close.

I started doing 'laps' of Crooms Hill since they put a modal filter in there but even at school times that road has impatient driving cunts.

Cunts all of them.

Stop fucking driving everywhere you cunts!!!

Was out on Sunday thinking about all the spring/summer lockdown rides where there was virtually no traffic. Remembering how you could hear a car miles away and junctions just required looking to see if it was clear.
I’m still riding a couple of times a week but running more, really missing those 6am rides that still got me home for a 9am work day

I cant remember last time when I cycled on Layhams and a cunt didnt pass too close.

I tend to ride Gates Green> Nash Lane> Layhams because of this. Not foolproof but slightly better I reckon. Also, close passes are cool because cycling is an exTreMe sport.

Okay here are my thoughts:

Layhams = easiest/quickest/fastest/safest to GET TO but load of shite once on it.
Featherbed = ballache to get to OR can follow the same route as Layhams till Corkscrew roundabout and ride the bike path to the bottom of Featherbed; takes longer and a bit boring
Gates green = Shortlands, Coney hall, all okay BUT you either have to go on Layhams or Shire lane or through Downe. Downe is a car park on weekends. Shire lane traffic is lols too.

Now I just ride my 'gravel bike' on NCN21 all the way and do some sort of loop away from driving cunts. Still you get impatient cunts Churchfield/Back lane.

But, could be worse, could be in Surrey or Essex.

I won't go up Layhams on a weekday morning now. My default loop is Gates Green, Jackass, through Downe via Berry's Green and Buckhurst to Shampan, then Biggin Hill. Or Featherbed and just grin and bear Layhams coming home, at least you're downhill and going quicker than cars.

Shire Lane is also awful even at 6:30am. WHERE THE FUCK IS EVERYONE GOING

I take Orchard Way / Shirly / Spout Hill if going Featherbed. Never seems too bad apart from the tram tracks.

But, could be worse, could be in Surrey or Essex.

Obviously everyone in London agrees that Lewisham is the best place to live for road riding (and everything really)

What turned out to be a BMW M 3 series this very early morning stayed beyond me on a longish straight with 30km speed limit even after the oncoming traffic had passed until I and the car took a left at the T junction, after which he overtook me, all very considerate. But then the Home Counties are now missing on my rides.

summoning up the energy required to negotiate traffic demoralising

So much this. I actually feel a bit silly for not making more of riding during lockdown #1 when the traffic was non-existant. I think I just took it for granted!

Same and same. The number of close passes and "get in the bike lane" shouts from drivers (WAC) are considerably higher than before. I rarely go out on my own except for "park laps" anyway, because boring (except when I'm on my Arkose-wannabe bike, with that I'm alone and teary eyed because no Arkose friends)

I'm finding summoning up the energy required to negotiate traffic demoralising,

I'm fortunate that I have one route into work wich is basically a cycleway for 85-90% of it. Until I started doing this I had not realised how mentally stressful riding in traffic/with cars was.