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Things I've learnt from commuting


zeabre

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Lesson for the day -

 

... when getting up at 5:00 and it is DARK and chilly outside it is SO tempting to take the car ....

 

 

When you get to to work on the BIKE and those endorphines kick in .... Whoop Whoop !!!

 

 

No better way to start the day !!!

 

 

 

And the Polar graphs are showing that consistancy pays off :) :) :)

 

In January I had to walk Suikerbossie (Blomtuin), Now my hart rate peaks at 125bpm on that climb - ON the bike :)

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  • 3 weeks later...

Some people really do not stop at a zebra crossing...

 

This morning when I commuted to school I encountered three vehicles not stopping for me to cross over. This is even across the school. But, I must say, there is a circle in the middle and only a few feet away is the zebra crossing. So you literally have to stop in the circle. That's how close it is. 

 

On another note, I stopped at a 4-way stop. I usually go across with a vehicle that wants to cross too. Today a car wanted to turn right (I am to the left of the car) and I did not want to wait for the car behind me (I was very hungry, so wanted to rush back home) so I crossed while he was turning right. Am I wrong to do this? No cars hooted at me, but I am not sure if I am allowed to do this? 

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Things I've forgotten - but re-learnt on Wednesday's commute:

 

To not assume that, just because you always have a chaintool and some goldlinks with you, and just because you transfer a handful of tools from one bag to another when you switch bags, that the ziplock with the chaintool and goldlinks will be in the bag you carry with you, on the day that you need it.

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Things I've forgotten - but re-learnt on Wednesday's commute:

 

To not assume that, just because you always have a chaintool and some goldlinks with you, and just because you transfer a handful of tools from one bag to another when you switch bags, that the ziplock with the chaintool and goldlinks will be in the bag you carry with you, on the day that you need it.

 

Since I do not need two waterbottles on my commute, I have a container that fits in the bottle cage, which has all the tools in.  That container gets transfered to the bike I use for the commute.  And since being in Europe I only cycle with one bottle in anyway and then take cash with me and buy water as required.  Towns are not far apart from one another.

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Learnt yesterday that age is no excuse not to track stand/sit at the red traffic light.  On my commute home yesterday afternoon I stopped at a red traffic light.  Here is an old man 70+ or so on his bicycle also waiting at the traffic light, sitting, no feet on the ground, balancing waiting for the light to turn green.  Respect old man.

Edited by Bateleur1
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When you take the one opportunity during the week to commute, and you puncture 1.5km from home, whilst riding the roadie. Which you haven't yet upgraded to gatorskins nor added sealant to the tubes.

 

Yeah. That.

 

Clip clop clip clop back down the main road I go. Using the car now.

Edited by Myles Mayhew
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So once again rain and more rain this morning.  Gettiing quite irretated as it buggers up my commuting.  I have no issue with cycling in the rain itself, but it is what I do with the wet kit in the office that is the problem. 

 

So this morning I had this brain wave (luckily I did not hurt myself with it).  Why not simply take spare dry kit with?  Happen to buy a new back pack last week.  Will move everything over and I am sure there will be space for dry kit in it, especially now that it is a bit warmer and I wear less vests.  So come next week, I will be commuting more, rain or no rain.

 

Next obstacle left is lightning.

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So once again rain and more rain this morning.  Gettiing quite irretated as it buggers up my commuting.  I have no issue with cycling in the rain itself, but it is what I do with the wet kit in the office that is the problem. 

 

So this morning I had this brain wave (luckily I did not hurt myself with it).  Why not simply take spare dry kit with?  Happen to buy a new back pack last week.  Will move everything over and I am sure there will be space for dry kit in it, especially now that it is a bit warmer and I wear less vests.  So come next week, I will be commuting more, rain or no rain.

 

Next obstacle left is lightning.

 

Lightning. That I'm scared of. I've cycled in hail a few times, snow once. But lightning - way too scared!

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When you take the one opportunity during the week to commute, and you puncture 1.5km from home, whilst riding the roadie. Which you haven't yet upgraded to gatorskins nor added sealant to the tubes.

 

Yeah. That.

 

Clip clop clip clop back down the main road I go. Using the car now.

 

I just received my gatorskins I paid on R350 for from the CWC one day only sale!

 

Not soon enough, the standard Mavic things are useless and attract punctures.

Edited by Pure Savage
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Lightning. That I'm scared of. I've cycled in hail a few times, snow once. But lightning - way too scared!

 

On one of my commutes last year I was caught of guard by a storm.  Scariest time trial I ever did to get under a bridge 5 km away and hide there till it was over.

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.....................but it is what I do with the wet kit in the office that is the problem. ......................

Do like we do with Mtb stage races. Pack each days clean dry kit in a zip lock bag. When you get to work, put the wet smelly kit in the same zip lock bag and it keeps the rest of your stuff clean and mud free.

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Do like we do with Mtb stage races. Pack each days clean dry kit in a zip lock bag. When you get to work, put the wet smelly kit in the same zip lock bag and it keeps the rest of your stuff clean and mud free.

 

Pretty much what I will be doing thanks.  Just took me a while to figure that one out.  Suppose we will all get there one day.  Some of us just take the scenic (aka slow) route :)  Also finally managed to organise an extra drawer/side desk for me so will be able to leave some stuff at work that normally would get carried back and forth.

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