Commuting by SS/FG

Where do you commute from and to? .....Just out of curiosity, as though I was also blown about, it wasn't all that bad for me.

Where do you commute from and to?

Me? I'm up in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

putting tribar on his dutch bike

^Hah! Love to see that...

Where do you commute from and to? .....Just out of curiosity, as though I was also blown about, it wasn't all that bad for me.

Nunhead-London bridge. Completely still this morning, or at least felt like it.

I'm voting for completely still. The only thing slowing me down on the way in was the cars obeying the speed limit on the OKR. Whoosh.

Me? I'm up in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

Respect due, as Aberdeen has proper gusts up there.

I do 38km each day (I normally round it up to 40) from Sutton to Elephant & Castle. I ride 48/19 on a Ridgeback Solo. Just fitted a hub dynamo & Cyo. Not cool, but well worth it. I ride every day, but when it gets icy, I'm going to be using the tourer with studded tyres. Last year, I bailed one day other than illness/injury, and that was because the cars were skidding and I was convinced I was going to get rear ended. No trains running by then, so I went for a walk in the snow.

And I've still never been spotted!

There are forum-whores lurking on the CS7 before elephant...it'll happen...

i suspect it might. ftr, the bike has stickers on, a rear rack, kickstand and a Carradice Super C.

Real hipster, me...

I do 38km each day (I normally round it up to 40) from Sutton to Elephant & Castle. I ride 48/19 on a Ridgeback Solo. Just fitted a hub dynamo & Cyo. Not cool, but well worth it. I ride every day, but when it gets icy, I'm going to be using the tourer with studded tyres. Last year, I bailed one day other than illness/injury, and that was because the cars were skidding and I was convinced I was going to get rear ended. No trains running by then, so I went for a walk in the snow.

And I've still never been spotted!

I built a dynamohub wheel and built a light last spring but have only just got round to using it. Unbelievably good , so much light, I don't think I can feel the resistance (I might at the end of a long ride) and no hassle with diying batteries. Perfect.

I do 38km each day (I normally round it up to 40) from Sutton to Elephant & Castle. I ride 48/19 on a Ridgeback Solo. Just fitted a hub dynamo & Cyo. Not cool, but well worth it. I ride every day, but when it gets icy, I'm going to be using the tourer with studded tyres. Last year, I bailed one day other than illness/injury, and that was because the cars were skidding and I was convinced I was going to get rear ended. No trains running by then, so I went for a walk in the snow.

And I've still never been spotted!

Do you go to drinks? I think this increases your chances =)

I've only been spotted about twice, but I've ridden to work every day since spring 2009, didn't bail once during all the ice/snow either.

Hub dynamos are cool. And English three speeds are the next big hipster trend, I keep telling people this..!

And I've still never been spotted!

If you're ever stopped at the lights (which I know you do) at the Stockwell Road junction, I'm the guy on the yellow fixed road bike, crossing from Stockwell Road to Binfield road or vice versa, while swearing loudly at all the bastards who didn't stop when you did.

Yeah. I've never actually seen you there, but since your rant, I've been looking out for you. That said, I didn't go through Stockwell this morning, I went across the river & along Embankment to make a 25km ride in.

Hub dynamos are cool. And English three speeds are the next big hipster trend, I keep telling people this..!

Funny you should say that. I have a Sturmey Archer S3X which is going to be built up soon to replace the crappy wheel the Ridgeback came with.

i do 12.5 miles each way on a 52x17 (81"). Fairly flat through SE London, just beckenham hill to mash my way up on my way home. any lower gearing would be a right faff for the rest of the journey.

hmmmmm

So, first post and appearance for me on LFGSS in sometime...good to be back and see all seems familiar.

I have a change in job that means that my usual 8 mile each way (SE to W London) is now changing from having to go Peckham to Slough most days.

Loathed to get a Brompton and do the Paddington to Hell express, I'm wondering, could I ride it?

It's 25.1 miles each way according to gmaps, going A4020 to avoid the A4 which i imagine would be shit during commute times?

Do you hardy type commute such distances? And if so, fixed?

I don't know the roads west of Richmond and if they have lumpy bits...may I need to give in to gears?

Unfortunately the direct roads (not sure of the more scenic routes) in to Slough/Staines/Windsor heading West can be pretty dreadful.

I'd definitely recommend doing a few rides out there and making notes of which roads to avoid and the time it takes to get there depending on with route you take.

25miles in rush hour could take anywhere from 1hr15 to 1hr45 (if you have a p***ture)

If it's any help when i'm working out in Feltham I commute 15miles, each way. I'd say if you could do it fixed, do it, but I prefer to do mine on the gears.
Only downside about such a long commute is the time it'll take, you'll be on the bike for at least an hour, which can be a bit of a heartbreaker if you're working late, and then have an hour or more to get home.

Long commutes are good, you push yourself, get strong without thinking and still avoid the pitfalls of public transport, plus, if you don't feel like it, you could always get the train in and let your legs luxuriate in not doing any work at all..

25 miles each way is fairly hefty, but do-able fixed as the best route to Slough follows the Thames so is pancake flat.

From Richmond, head down to Kingston, over Kingston bridge, turn left, ride past Hampton Court grounds, turn right at the roundabout by Hampton Court then follow this road all the way to Chertsey. There are a few minor roads from Chertsey through to Staines that you can follow, then head over Runnymede and into Windsor. From Windsor to Slough is pretty straightforward I think, but depends where in Slough you are goin.

Cheers Rowhan - dry run rides are definitely the way forward. I start a week on Monday, hope to do the ride this coming Sat to scope it out.

Corny! All good? I'm used to 100 mile a week from a past job, so the longer ride doesn't faze me...it can take just as long being stuck in some suits armpit whilst held in a tunnel...rather be a master of my own destiny...maybe this is my excuse to spec up a new bike then..

25 miles each way is fairly hefty, but do-able fixed as the best route to Slough follows the Thames so is pancake flat.

From Richmond, head down to Kingston, over Kingston bridge, turn left, ride past Hampton Court grounds, turn right at the roundabout by Hampton Court then follow this road all the way to Chertsey. There are a few minor roads from Chertsey through to Staines that you can follow, then head over Runnymede and into Windsor. From Windsor to Slough is pretty straightforward I think, but depends where in Slough you are goin.

Mate very useful, I will dry run this, glad to see there's an alternative to A4 all the way...

Exactly the same thing happened to me, except 9 miles went to around 16.
Colliers Wood to Tower Hill because Perivale to Tower Hill
Whilst the miles were ok, it was so bloody time consuming I got really sick of it, and the route wasn't particularly nice in the later stages. It also didn't help that by train it took 30 minutes and the tube station is 2 mins walk away

So I got a Brompton, take the train in, ride most of the way back - I miss the old commute tho and am not as fit as I used to be!

Good luck with sticking to it!

I've been doing 20 miles each way fixed recently, SE to SW Ldn (including Peckham), nasty rush hour traffic all the way. It's eminently doable, gets the bike legs together, and just as quick as public transport. Good luck with it.

When I was exhibiting I did a week of 23 miles each way riding fixed in rush hour, it involved going over the south downs twice a day too. It's quite manageable, was pretty tired by the weekend but with a decent lye in and a chilled sunday evening was all is good by monday. If you don't have a brake I would recommend putting one on as it can save your legs a lot of extra work especially if your in rush hour all the time.