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Things I've learnt from commuting


zeabre

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I commuted for 1.5 years over short distance (2-3km) and actually ended up getting rid of one of our cars. Miss it in a big way, especially these cold winter mornings.

 

Was based in a building in the V&A, and on one morning the bike rack was full of commuters and also electric bikes used for one organisation's staff members, so I locked up around the corner. That day, a gent accessed the 'secure' parking by taking a V&A parking ticket in a VW Caddy LWB and proceeded to snip locks and load up every last one of those bikes.

 

Very grateful to still have that commuter, but learned that a U-lock or office storage is the only way to go.

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This lovely crisp 4 degree morning ride confirmed that full length gloves dont work ... ESPECIALLY when left on the desk at work ....  :whistling:

lol ... on mornings like this I wear surgical gloves over or under my usual cycling gloves .... except this morning when I left them on my workbench at home :P

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lol ... on mornings like this I wear surgical gloves over or under my usual cycling gloves .... except this morning when I left them on my workbench at home :P

 

Put a spare set in your commuter bag.  Also very handy when you have a mechanical problem so you do not have to dirty your hands.

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Put a spare set in your commuter bag.  Also very handy when you have a mechanical problem so you do not have to dirty your hands.

irony is that I usually do that .... but following my last mechanical where they got mangled I forgot to replace them ... completely user error here.

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Things I have learnt from commuting ....

 

Alu mtb frames are not match for my fat 85kg 42 year old body in a head on collision.  Was doing about 30 km/h when going through a little chicane when a group of young men cycle next to one another comming from the opposite direction than me.  Although I breaked hard and swerved the one bugger swerved the wrong way into my line and I hit him flipping me in the air and crashing down on him and his bike.  His bike did not survive.  Could not see where what was bent but the back wheel was united with the stays.  My old Ralleigh carbon ... still going strong.

 

Was that this morning? You ok?

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Was that this morning? You ok?

 

No, yesterday evening on my way home.  Just bruised on the hip but other than that I am ok thanks.  Commuted with two strong guys in this morning so the thoughts of the bruised hip was quickly replaced with trying to keep my heart and lungs from being spat out  :whistling:

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This lovely crisp 4 degree morning ride confirmed that full length gloves dont work ... ESPECIALLY when left on the desk at work ....  :whistling:

I can do without the gloves, but I need arm and leg warmers in this weather!

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Left home at 5:50 .. normal commute time..... except mid winter it is DARK at that time !

 

 

After the first turn I was met by the most early SILENCE ..... and the hum of the nobblies on the tar, and the sound of the clean chain and drive train faintly in the back ground.

 

500 Lumen not reaching deep into the morning cloud ..... but creating a stunning light show as the droplets in the mist drifted through the beam of light.

 

 

The noise of a car briefly interupted the surreal show.  And then is was dark and silent again, with the light playing into the drifting mist, and the sound of the rubber on the tar .....

 

 

halfway to work I heard one lonely bird, but only for a brief second, then the sound of the rubber on the road drowned out the silence once again.  By now my breath blowing into the light created another show, one of my breath condensing into the morning air, and forming clouds as it drifted out of the light again ....

 

 

 

Then it was time to cross the N1 via Bill Bezuidenhout .... I took a moment to pity the souls destined to spend the next hour in a cage enroute to work.

 

 

A quick sprint down past Bloemhof, and 1km further I was at work.  Nice and refreshed, my body relieved of the cold of the winter morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I will admit when the alarm went off I was GLAD that I commute home with the bike - so I MUST commute back to work by bike .... no way I would have gone out on a bike if I did not force myself to do so .... so GLAD I did !!  No better way to start the day !

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Left home at 5:50 .. normal commute time..... except mid winter it is DARK at that time !

 

 

After the first turn I was met by the most early SILENCE ..... and the hum of the nobblies on the tar, and the sound of the clean chain and drive train faintly in the back ground.

 

500 Lumen not reaching deep into the morning cloud ..... but creating a stunning light show as the droplets in the mist drifted through the beam of light.

 

 

The noise of a car briefly interupted the surreal show.  And then is was dark and silent again, with the light playing into the drifting mist, and the sound of the rubber on the tar .....

 

 

halfway to work I heard one lonely bird, but only for a brief second, then the sound of the rubber on the road drowned out the silence once again.  By now my breath blowing into the light created another show, one of my breath condensing into the morning air, and forming clouds as it drifted out of the light again ....

 

 

 

Then it was time to cross the N1 via Bill Bezuidenhout .... I took a moment to pity the souls destined to spend the next hour in a cage enroute to work.

 

 

A quick sprint down past Bloemhof, and 1km further I was at work.  Nice and refreshed, my body relieved of the cold of the winter morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I will admit when the alarm went off I was GLAD that I commute home with the bike - so I MUST commute back to work by bike .... no way I would have gone out on a bike if I did not force myself to do so .... so GLAD I did !!  No better way to start the day !

 

you bugger!! you HAD to post this today of all days!!?? this is cruel and unusual punishment!!  :thumbup:

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