Things I've learnt from commuting

[Sarge]

Morning to you all,

Well done to all you commuters, you have my "respect", especially to those that are doing 50+ Km one way. Keep it up it will pay in the long run.

Regards

Sarge

[Gliders]

Morning!

 

I have spend some of my morning going through all the posts and have in doing so convinced myself that I need to try and commute. I would just appreciate a couple of suggestions and or a voice of reason on the following:

I work in Sunninghill and am moving to Centurion on the weekend, this will make my commute 25-30km one way. The distance does not concern me the route does as I have no knowledge of it and will have to drive it a couple of times but does anyone know about it am I being silly for ever considering the commute?

Then would a mtb or road bike be best? I am leaning towards the mtb bike as its my main source of 'fun' riding and it alllows you to escape the road should you have to.

 

Cheers and safe riding!

[EigerSA]

Morning!

 

I have spend some of my morning going through all the posts and have in doing so convinced myself that I need to try and commute. I would just appreciate a couple of suggestions and or a voice of reason on the following:

I work in Sunninghill and am moving to Centurion on the weekend, this will make my commute 25-30km one way. The distance does not concern me the route does as I have no knowledge of it and will have to drive it a couple of times but does anyone know about it am I being silly for ever considering the commute?

Then would a mtb or road bike be best? I am leaning towards the mtb bike as its my main source of 'fun' riding and it alllows you to escape the road should you have to.

 

Cheers and safe riding!

 

I used to commute by bike regularly, it was about 18km one way, mostly flat with just 2 short but steep hills. I found my mtb was far more enjoyable to ride because I could 'hop' on and of curbs or take short cuts through construction sites etc. also I used a back pack with my laptop in and spare clothes, far more comfortable on a mtb.

[Pants Boy]

Scout your route(s) carefully - look for nice, wide shoulders and yellow lines rather than less traffic, shorter distance, less uphills etc. You can also try a 'split' commute - take your bike to work on your car one day, ride home on it that evening, then back to work next morning.

 

Personally I use a MTB for commutes, as they're a bit more 'robust' and forgiving when (not if) you hit a hole / pavement / rock etc.

[D-Mike]

I used to commute by bike regularly, it was about 18km one way, mostly flat with just 2 short but steep hills. I found my mtb was far more enjoyable to ride because I could 'hop' on and of curbs or take short cuts through construction sites etc. also I used a back pack with my laptop in and spare clothes, far more comfortable on a mtb.

+1

 

Did my first commute again this morninga and it was great. Need to get the legs going again. Had way too much of a holiday from the cycling.

[davetapson]

Just do it. The first couple of times you'll vary your route until you get it right and are happy with it. I'd take MTB - I cut corners at busy junctions (i.e. cross the roads before and after the junction so that I don't have to sit in the middle of the junction playing chicken with taxies and lorries - so the mtb helps in that it doesn't skid around in dust and doesn't mind being bashed around over potholes, curbs etc, and means that when the opportunity arises (golf club terrace) I can take the dirt path rather than fight with traffic and breathe exhaust.

 

And do the defensive driving (riding?) thing - be aware of what's going on around you. The best tip is one I learned from doing my motorcycle licence in the UK - make eye contact with drivers who may turn in front of you etc - it's amazing what eye contact will do. You can see them visibly decide not to pull in front of you, and more importantly, if you can't make eye contact with a driver, then assume that he hasn't seen you, and act accordingly (i.e. don't ride in front of them.)

 

You'll probably love it. I commute four times a week twice a week (home and back twice) and six/eight times a week for two weeks (home and back 3x or 4x) to fit in with training program that goes rest week / easy week / med week / hard week. The combination of driving and riding keeps me keen to ride. By the end of the hard week I'm beginning to feel jaded, but by the end of the rest week I'm hating not commuting by bike. Like now

Edited January 5, 2012 by davetapson

[Wayne Potgieter]

 

 

And do the defensive driving (riding?) thing - be aware of what's going on around you. The best tip is one I learned from doing my motorcycle licence in the UK - make eye contact with drivers who may turn in front of you etc - it's amazing what eye contact will do. You can see them visibly decide not to pull in front of you, and more importantly, if you can't make eye contact with a driver, then assume that he hasn't seen you, and act accordingly (i.e. don't ride in front of them.)

 

 

Excellent advice.

[zeabre]

Sheesh! First one for 2012...let's hope the legs return from leave soon because they weren't there today! One of those days where you get to work and spin the back wheel fully expecting it to stop dead! Which of course it doesn't. PS...Epic partner wanted...

[divernick]

Check out alternative routes, you'll never know what you may discover.

 

I asked for directions from google maps and chose "Walking" as the mode of travel. It gave me a route I was really not expecting and checked it out this morning by car and it looks good! Will try it on Friday!

[LeTurbo]

Zeabre, I relate! (Not today so much, but often onb the ride home.)

 

Another (small) learning: learn to look back without wobbling the bike - some guys turn out a little when they look over their shoulder/under their arm.

[Napalm]

I started again on Monday after 3 weeks. My legs were fine, but hell, I forgot how hard the saddle is.

[Pants Boy]

Finished first week of commute last week - only 4 days, but 120km's covered. Was sore on Sunday, but fine on Monday up till present. Went a lot faster today than previously, also does anyone else notice how the distance covered stretches from day to day? Started out with a straight 12.18km's, now doing +-15km either way lol.

 

Also finding most Taxi drivers friendly, ALL busses rude a-holes, and just furthering an observation by the broom-driver (my mother in law) - the 'bakkie-brigade' (white males in white 4x4 pickups, normally single cabs) are dolts. They should stick to what they know best - drinking brannas en k-praat.

[zeabre]

Bushcamp, well done! How are you finding the post ride shower etc routine? Got that sorted? PS, luckily my bakkie is silver hehe...

 

After all this time, I STILL struggle to ride straight while looking back. Must be an IQ thing! So now I've learnt to hold on to a buddy, or just be surprised. As for the saddle, in my case I think it's the soft regions that have regained some feeling again the last few weeks.

 

By the way, saw a motorcycle on the path, by Paarden industrial side. Luckily my restraint is better than my eyesight, as it turned out to be friendly cops patrolling the lanes.

[D-Mike]

Bushcamp, well done! How are you finding the post ride shower etc routine? Got that sorted? PS, luckily my bakkie is silver hehe...

 

After all this time, I STILL struggle to ride straight while looking back. Must be an IQ thing! So now I've learnt to hold on to a buddy, or just be surprised. As for the saddle, in my case I think it's the soft regions that have regained some feeling again the last few weeks.

 

By the way, saw a motorcycle on the path, by Paarden industrial side. Luckily my restraint is better than my eyesight, as it turned out to be friendly cops patrolling the lanes.

Yeah I saw the cops too. End of last year there was a couple of them on MTBs doing the patrols. Looks like the find going a bit easier on the Motorbike

[LeTurbo]

Let me start this one: why don't cyclists greet each other on the cycle path? Riding to town, I encountered 3 coming past the other way just after 5 yesterday. One gave a bit of a nod; the others looked like they didn't see me. Was it 'cos I didn't have a helmet? Or 'cos I was on a roadbike and they weren't?

Edited January 11, 2012 by LeTurbo

[zeabre]

Haha, we were also talking about that! Alhough, having had a quick look at the motorbike, the mtbs may have been faster! M_ID, were you perhaps the guy in blue on the v-brake mtb moving at quite some speed?