zeabre Posted December 20, 2011 Author Posted December 20, 2011 (edited) And so the cycling for the year comes to an end. From my first commute on the 29th of July, not knowing what to expect, until now, months later, where I still never know what to expect! The OCD & ADD in me kept some stats...Total commutes: 127Total ride time: 145 hours at an average of about 1:08. Commute out MUCH (10mins) faster. May have to do with the birth of my boy ;-)Sets of tyres: 1Energy consumed: 431,631Kj or 103,158 CaloriesSaddle sores: 1Tubs of chamois: 2Punctures: 0Technicals: 0Best bit of kit: Scwhalbe Marathon Extreme tyres2nd Best bit of kit (or best, depending on how dark it was): Magicshine 808 Most beautiful sight: 1) Riding in early one morning and seeing the full moon positioned above Lionshead, almost as if rolling down the hill. 2) Dad taking his son and daughter to school on the bicycle and all of them smiling. 3) The Outriders coffee tent!Worst sight: All the dead animals on the Melkbos road because of careless speeding. Where's the justice in a majestic eagle taken out by a speeding lout. Best feeling: 1) Having the cool wind at your back, pushing as hard as you can. 2) Riding in with a buddy.Worst feeling: 1) Realising you forgot your work shirt at home. 2) 14:00 in the afternoon when your body goes into powersaving mode. Friends made: Many! So, what have I learnt? So many things, like having the right kit...being prepared...always being courteous...that the wind will turn...not take yourself too seriously...never forget to enjoy it...but most of all, that we as cyclists are our own worst enemy. I see cyclists going through red lights, then shouting at car drivers parked in the wrong place...cyclists complaining they don't have place to ride, then riding in buslanes...riding three abreast on lanes so people have to go off the lane to miss them... My hope for a happy 2012 of commuting/riding is that we're all able to look at ourselves from an outsider's perspective and ask: "Did I ride like a yob, or did I ride like a decent human being?" Forget about the cars and the taxis and buses and glass and paving and the million other excuses we love to Edited December 20, 2011 by zeabre
zeabre Posted December 20, 2011 Author Posted December 20, 2011 ...come up with. It's not up to them/that. Hoping to see all of you on the cyclelanes in 2012!!!
TYGA Posted December 20, 2011 Posted December 20, 2011 Nice post Zeabre, keep up the good work. My commuting has been fairly eratic...as Hairy says, day three is usually the hardest and I take strain keeping my eyes open after dinner at night...but hell, when considering the alternative there is no nicer feeling than an early morning offroad ride on the way to work.
Pants Boy Posted December 20, 2011 Posted December 20, 2011 I'm in Pretoria, an my ride is about 13km's to work and 13 back. Uphill to work, downhill back (awesome) Been going for a couple of days now, and unfortuantely had to take the bakkie to work today to pick up some fencing materials, last day of work as well. Definitely going to resume this next year, it's addictive! Best thing is the people in their cars looking all funny at you, smiling on your bike in the rain.
LeTurbo Posted December 20, 2011 Posted December 20, 2011 Nice one Zeabre - and big ups for starting the whole thing in the middle of winter. Eish! Ah! Powersaving mode. Hate that. Always have to be force fed a large honey and nut nougat. It's terrible, but someone has to eat it. Other benefits: overtaking a whole bunch of lycra-clad club riders and saying, "Morning! Morning! Morning!" as you go past, pack on back. I think a bike must be one way humans can feel closest to being a bird.
jannosmit Posted December 20, 2011 Posted December 20, 2011 Tankman got attacked while commuting yesterday, wishing him a speedy recovery Quote from FB: Got jumped by two bat swinging criminals last night on my commute home after work, bike is ok but my ear is pretty battered. Waiting to see the plastic surgeon to mend cartilage bones back together again. Hopefully surgery is over by this afternoon.
TYGA Posted December 20, 2011 Posted December 20, 2011 Where did that happen Jan? Mate of mine has been jumped on the R44 on the last hill before SSW coming from Stellies side.
LeTurbo Posted December 20, 2011 Posted December 20, 2011 Tankman got attacked while commuting yesterday, wishing him a speedy recovery Quote from FB: Got jumped by two bat swinging criminals last night on my commute home after work, bike is ok but my ear is pretty battered. Waiting to see the plastic surgeon to mend cartilage bones back together again. Hopefully surgery is over by this afternoon. Aaaaaaaah S H ONE T. Keep us updated Jan, that's *** news. Man, now my blood is boiling.
Pants Boy Posted January 3, 2012 Posted January 3, 2012 So, I'm sitting here in my office, first work day of 2012 (yay) and just started thinking of maybe packing up and hitting the bike back home, when I hear this Poooff ..pssshhhht sound from outside my office window. Go outside, and rear tube has burst - dappled sun coming through the bloody tree must've over-pressured it, it was hot as hell. Promptly deflated the front as well, now to go look for a cycle shop close by in Garsfontein to sell me a tube. Damnit!
Pants Boy Posted January 3, 2012 Posted January 3, 2012 Picked up a tube (actually two) from hotspot cycles in retail park, about to hit the road.
Tankman Posted January 4, 2012 Posted January 4, 2012 Ok, so I learned that pedestrians can be more dangerous than drivers!
tombeej Posted January 4, 2012 Posted January 4, 2012 Ok, so I learned that pedestrians can be more dangerous than drivers! Welcome back, Tankman. Hope that ear is ok?
cheesey Posted January 4, 2012 Posted January 4, 2012 I used to commute LOTS when in London, but now rather ride a motorbike in, here in Joburg. I considered cycyling in, but got chicken as I can't see a sensible route in. I live in Broadacres and work in Parktown - so have to traverse the N1 some how - but going down William Nicol looks to me like suicide. Does anybody have a similar journey? What route do you take?
Tankman Posted January 5, 2012 Posted January 5, 2012 Welcome back, Tankman. Hope that ear is ok? Thanks Tombeej, yea humpty dumpty has been put back together again! Been back on the bike a couple of times, mostly mtb, but I havent commuted that route again. I sure as hell wont be doing it unarmed next time, those bastards leave me no choice! I dont really have a different route option either, it will take me almost an hour longer if I took a detour
CAAD4 Posted January 5, 2012 Posted January 5, 2012 Thanks Tombeej, yea humpty dumpty has been put back together again! Been back on the bike a couple of times, mostly mtb, but I havent commuted that route again. I sure as hell wont be doing it unarmed next time, those bastards leave me no choice! I dont really have a different route option either, it will take me almost an hour longer if I took a detour Staaldak, webbing en geweer....
Tankman Posted January 5, 2012 Posted January 5, 2012 Staaldak, webbing en geweer.... Ja Generaal! (Waar is die salute emoticon?)
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