Bike Hub 2019 Commuters Challenge

[Long Wheel Base]

It is always fun when on a clapped out commuter and doing a long track stand at the traffic lights when a roadie pitches up on an uber expensive ride and struggles for a second to also track stand, then goes into panic pedal un-clipping as things start going wrong

hey hey, easy on us roadies. I can do a track stand on my commuter, while clipped in for long enough at normal red robots. But NOT on my road bike, either of them. The problem is, and it is common on most road bikes is that with your crank at 90, and you turn the handle bars, your front wheel hits your toe!!!! My one pair of road shoes is white with black tyre rubber marks on the toes, it looks shocking. Most of the time when you stationary with one foot out, your clipped in foot is at 90 and you often move your bars slightly to the side.

[Hairy]

hey hey, easy on us roadies. I can do a track stand on my commuter, while clipped in for long enough at normal red robots. But NOT on my road bike, either of them. The problem is, and it is common on most road bikes is that with your crank at 90, and you turn the handle bars, your front wheel hits your toe!!!! My one pair of road shoes is white with black tyre rubber marks on the toes, it looks shocking. Most of the time when you stationary with one foot out, your clipped in foot is at 90 and you often move your bars slightly to the side.

nah ... not good enough ... I have also had a roadie bike before.

[Long Wheel Base]

nah ... not good enough ... I have also had a roadie bike before.

I tried.

[Hairy]

I tried.

Now if you could track stand your tandem with a passenger on board = legendary status!

[Long Wheel Base]

Now if you could track stand your tandem with a passenger on board = legendary status!

Yoh, I won't even attempt that BUT, I have seen it done!!!!! You very rarely have tandem track racing on tv and I think it was the last olympics I saw some of the tandem track racing and I kid you not, they come to a complete stop for a few seconds.

[Rouxenator]

Tandem? I won't even commute on a road bike. It's either mostly my 29er or when that is not possible the 26er. 

[The Ouzo]

hey hey, easy on us roadies. I can do a track stand on my commuter, while clipped in for long enough at normal red robots. But NOT on my road bike, either of them. The problem is, and it is common on most road bikes is that with your crank at 90, and you turn the handle bars, your front wheel hits your toe!!!! My one pair of road shoes is white with black tyre rubber marks on the toes, it looks shocking. Most of the time when you stationary with one foot out, your clipped in foot is at 90 and you often move your bars slightly to the side.

my current new giant road bike is easier to track stand than my scott, but the 'dale I had before that was really difficult. It had a rather short wheel base and the front wheel hitting the shoe was rather exaggerated on it. But because of the geometry on the bike I struggled to ride no hands too (well thats my theory and I'm sticking to it)

[Long Wheel Base]

Tandem? I won't even commute on a road bike. It's either mostly my 29er or when that is not possible the 26er. 

I don't commute on the tandem. I just mostly race tandem. My toppie is my tandem partner and he retired earlier this year but although he worked at the same company I do, when we commuted together it was on the MTBs. Security is pretty hectic here at work, getting the MTB through is a big enough mission, tandem would NEVER get through. I have also only ever ridden to work once on the road bike and hated it. When I ride alone it is either on the pavement or in the dirty gutter and I don't do either on my road bike so hated the fact that it was a close shave every time a car passed me. The other mission with riding the road bike to work was walking in the shoes through the security office, mtb shoes =easy, road shoes=not easy.

[The Ouzo]

I don't commute on the tandem. I just mostly race tandem. My toppie is my tandem partner and he retired earlier this year but although he worked at the same company I do, when we commuted together it was on the MTBs. Security is pretty hectic here at work, getting the MTB through is a big enough mission, tandem would NEVER get through. I have also only ever ridden to work once on the road bike and hated it. When I ride alone it is either on the pavement or in the dirty gutter and I don't do either on my road bike so hated the fact that it was a close shave every time a car passed me. The other mission with riding the road bike to work was walking in the shoes through the security office, mtb shoes =easy, road shoes=not easy.

having taken cars through SAA technical entrance a few times i can only imagine what its like with a bike

[EddieV]

So yesterday I’m gunning it into the wind topside of Rondebosch Common towards Claremont. Next moment a guy on a MTB comes flying past me – and sitting up? I shift a gear back and start spinning like hell – this commuter race is on!

Still he pulls away as if I’m in reverse. …. 

My ego broken, and my mind looking for excuses – maybe it’s the heavy gravel wheels? .. maybe my age? .. the weight of the backpack? 

 

Two minutes later with my ego in tatters I stop at a traffic light and he comes flying across after having made a loop …. on his e-bike.       

[Long Wheel Base]

 

So yesterday I’m gunning it into the wind topside of Rondebosch Common towards Claremont. Next moment a guy on a MTB comes flying past me – and sitting up? I shift a gear back and start spinning like hell – this commuter race is on!

Still he pulls away as if I’m in reverse. …. 

My ego broken, and my mind looking for excuses – maybe it’s the heavy gravel wheels? .. maybe my age? .. the weight of the backpack? 

 

Two minutes later with my ego in tatters I stop at a traffic light and he comes flying across after having made a loop …. on his e-bike.       

 

He has no ego..............

[Hairy]

So we did our end of year commuter breakfast this morning, and a couple of the riders were able to make it.

 

 

[wildwindfr]

Started riding again yesterday, but my phone playing up. Strava did not load yesterday and this morning Endomondo did not record the commute in to work.

No riding tomorrow as I have to drop my girl off at a friend.

Will be happy to reach 6500km for the year as things stand.

[Albatross]

So we did our end of year commuter breakfast this morning, and a couple of the riders were able to make it.

nice pic, so does this mean you're all done commuting for the year....

[Hairy]

nice pic, so does this mean you're all done commuting for the year....

Last day is Friday with a end of year lunch (And we going to a place with awesome Belgian Beers) and then a Beer Ride Friday on the way home ...... 

[cat-i]

Glorious day in Gauteng after what felt like weeks of rain. Hoped to make full use of the better weather but alas! late nights, friend get-togethers, pantomimes, year end lunches, sprained ankles and all kinds of other things taking its toll on the time available. But even though short, it was great to be outside and alive this morning.

Edited December 11, 2019 by cat-i