Jump to content

Things I've learnt from commuting


zeabre

Recommended Posts

I used to do the running thing to/from work, before my wife decided she need so run/train as well. When we stayed in Johannesburg I took the Gautrain to Centurion station and ran the 7km to work. Afternoons in reverse of course.

 

Then we moved to Centurion, about 11km from work. Ran to work about 3 out of the 5 working days (no training/running over weekends). On Mondays 11km and back. On Tuesdays 23km in morning and in the evening 8km hard time-trial at Irene (where my wife picked me up). And Thurdays 11km and back again. Made me fit enough do run marathons at a decent pace...

 

If I take in my car for a service I run to and from work as well. I keep an old but still decent pair of shoes and pants at work. I use this pack to carry the essentials: http://www.duesouth.co.za/pdp/adidas-terrex-speed-backpack-blue/_/A-194615AAAA6

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 4.1k
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

We all did dude.........

 

sadly not so common any more ....

 

hardly 50 bikes at a high school with a few thousand kids now ....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

sadly not so common any more ....

 

hardly 50 bikes at a high school with a few thousand kids now ....

 

Can support this. From my high school (about 2000 students) and only twelve ride our bikes to school, with me included.

Edited by Andrew_Smith
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Can support this. From my high school (about 2000 students) and only twelve ride our bikes to school, with me included.

Back in my day you had to be at school early to get a space in the bike shed...

 

But then, I am so old that I can remember when photos had other people in them and weren't just selfies... ;) :P

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Back in my day you had to be at school early to get a space in the bike shed...

 

But then, I am so old that I can remember when photos had other people in them and weren't just selfies... ;) :P

 

many high schools now have a car-park for the kid's cars, with more cars than bikes in the bike-shed .... 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Does anyone know where to get a bell that could go on a road bike? Like a Spur bell I think its called. Getting gatvol of people walking out in front of me all the time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Does anyone know where to get a bell that could go on a road bike? Like a Spur bell I think its called. Getting gatvol of people walking out in front of me all the time.

Don't muck about, go to "lavender blue" or something like that .. opposite diskem at canal walk, they have these HUGE polished/chrome bells that just flipping work......clears a path through a crowd on the cycle lane like it is nobody's business!

 

And all for only 30 Z.A.R

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I commute with my Fatbike and generally find drivers very accommodating, especially the taxis. I do have to watch out for the busses as most of the drivers tend to thing they are driving a taxi and tend to side swipe you with the rear end. My biggest problem is other cyclists riding on the wrong side of the road!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Does anyone know where to get a bell that could go on a road bike? Like a Spur bell I think its called. Getting gatvol of people walking out in front of me all the time.

 

Be careful out there. I hit a pedestrian last week on a dirt road. He did not see me and got a fright. Next thing he jumped in my way. Luckily he was not hurt. I went over the bars. Bruised shoulder, ribs, elbow and wrist. It could have been worse...

 

Needless to say I bought a bell over the weekend and it does work. Even if they do not clear they are not frightened anymore.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Be careful out there. I hit a pedestrian last week on a dirt road. He did not see me and got a fright. Next thing he jumped in my way. Luckily he was not hurt. I went over the bars. Bruised shoulder, ribs, elbow and wrist. It could have been worse...

 

Needless to say I bought a bell over the weekend and it does work. Even if they do not clear they are not frightened anymore.

my worst falls have been thanks to pedestrians running out infront of me from behind cars or looking at you, not really seeing you, and then walk slap bang into you

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Be careful out there. I hit a pedestrian last week on a dirt road. He did not see me and got a fright. Next thing he jumped in my way. Luckily he was not hurt. I went over the bars. Bruised shoulder, ribs, elbow and wrist. It could have been worse...

 

Needless to say I bought a bell over the weekend and it does work. Even if they do not clear they are not frightened anymore.

Glad I'm not the only one who's hit a pedestrian offroad...had a woman step in front of me about 3 or 4 weeks back. She didn't even fall over. I, on the other hand, went flying over the bars and moered into a bush (that bush will never be the same again)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On the one hand we are saying that we need to stop the carnage on the roads but on the other hand moaning that less and less kids are cycling to school?

 

Would it not be nice to have a country where the car drivers have kids on bikes .... and thus (hopefully) more observant of bikers ...... imagine a world where more adults commute by bike, and their families are more aware of bikers ...

 

 

tragically we are heading into an era of driving to the gym, and fighting to park two bays closer to the entrance ... then getting aggrivated as there are toooo many people for the equipment .... breathing heavily on the recirculated chlorinated pool air .....

 

 

ek gaan ry sommer my bergfiets .....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Settings My Forum Content My Followed Content Forum Settings Ad Messages My Ads My Favourites My Saved Alerts My Pay Deals Help Logout