Bike commuting and Gautrain

[bigdog]

After 4 days of bicycle commuting I have a few observations:-

 

1. The Gautrain security and taxi drivers are highly amused at my bike bagging efforts.

 

2. The pavement curbstones are not bike friendly. Only in Sandton CBD do they have sloped approaches. I lost my pavement hopping mojo after my rubena tyre splitting fall.

 

3. Plenty of travellers go by train to airport.

 

4. Very few train commuters go East but hordes come to Sandton.

 

5. Many East Randers are using train to go shopping in Sandton. For some of the men the walk from the station to Sandton City is the most exercise they have had all year. It is unbelieveable how exhausted some of them are when they get back to the station.

 

 

wheres the station on the east rand?

 

6. Most car commuters seem to be women.

 

7. Only had one car block me.

 

8. It is going to be very cold in winter on the Sandton platform.

 

9. I spent 2 hours on Sunday trimming overhanging branches on my route. Only 30 minutes should be enough to finish the job.

 

10. My legs have not yet accepted the twice a day effort. They are complaining.

 

11. Had my 1st wet commute on Tuesday afternoon. I have good rain gear so experience was fine. Motorists became much more agressive in general.

[I FLY]

Rhodesfield Station.

 

It is next to a Rhodesfield High School. I don't know the road name.

[Christopher Brunsdon]

What I'd like to see is a better awareness for cyclists commuting by public transport authorities in general. I've often thought that a possible solution would be lockers where you can lock away your bike at the train station or bus terminus. Simply take the front wheel off and store the bike in your locker. A 400mm (w) x 1600mm (l) x 1200mm (h) locker would work for most bikes. This would eliminate the need to have your bike on the train with you, if you assume that most people would walk to the office after getting off the bus or train. Good security for the lockers would be paramount to ensure that high-end bikes are not stolen. A nice bonus would be changing and shower facilities where you can clean up and get dressed before getting onto public transport.

 

Actually the BRT buses allow bicycles onboard. This is a bonus for me becuase should I leave my current employer (same town) I would need to catch the BRT bus to Cape Town from Somerset West.

[MTB_Roadie]

What if the train is broken/on strike after travelling all the way to the Gautrain?

[I FLY]

What if the train is broken/on strike after travelling all the way to the Gautrain?

 

An extra 25kms onto my bike commute route.

[Stretch]

Daily.

for a 110 km daily drive

 

so i really should be using my bike for 10km daily "commute"! think i need to make a plan once all this blasted rain stops! i dont know how you GP's stand doing such long commutes every day

[I FLY]

so i really should be using my bike for 10km daily "commute"! think i need to make a plan once all this blasted rain stops! i dont know how you GP's stand doing such long commutes every day

 

When my kids started going to school I made the decision that we would live close to their school and I would drive the extra distance to my work. Luckily I had jobs within 10kms from home for 10 years. It has only been the last 3 years that I have had such a long commute.

 

Now that my youngest kid is at varsity, I still have a dilemma. My wife works close to home and we happen to enjoy living where we are.

 

So I commute far.

[toneljhb]

Dear Tonel Happy Xmas from Tonel

My gift to myself. Dahon Folding Bike, 20" wheels Shimano 7 speed twist shift. Fold time about 30 seconds with practice.

[CAAD4]

Are you running tubeless?

[I FLY]

An Update:-

 

six weeks into this.

 

Weekly Stats

 

200kms on 14kg SS bike ( includes bike bag)

 

2920 m of ascent

 

time 11 hours of riding

 

Weight loss - 5kgs. I thought that I would like to lose 3kgs before Jhb2C but it looks as if it may be closer to 7kgs. At 74kgs my body fat will be 6%. Might be too lean.

[samson99]

How do you carry your work clothes? that seems to be my biggest issue.

[Renier82]

How do you carry your work clothes? that seems to be my biggest issue.

 

good freakin question.

[I FLY]

How do you carry your work clothes? that seems to be my biggest issue.

 

I drive my car to work on Monday with

 

1. my bike and riding gear for Monday evening

 

2. Food for whole week

 

3. Towel, soap, etc. I shave at home

 

4. 4 sets of work clothes on hangers. I leave these in my car until I need them

 

5. A basket for my washing.

 

My car stays at work during the week and acts as my locker. I have undercover parking and security so it is safe.On Friday evening I drive my car home ( and curse every delay)

[Simpy]

I Fly, very cool post (and ideas). I think you should put up a blog about this. I'm really impressed and I hope it continues.

[Trapper]

I wonder if I can modify my work clothes to look like a bike bag...?

 

I've submitted my request for a bike rack on the Pretoria train, received an auto response to say they appreciate the input/question/comment, and will get back to me. Was last week...

 

Anyone else going to travel from Pta (Hatfield) to Jhb (Park) stations?

[Weight Weenie]

Yeah Trapper I'm lookking into it.

 

Apparently you can catch a Gautrein bus from Menlyn Retail to Hatfield Station, then I need to get onto the train to somewhere near randburg (Sandton station ?) and catch a bus etc. to class.

So maybe I can drive to Menlyn with the bike, get on the bus with the bike, then hte train and then catch a bus to get closer to class and cycle the last bit and then reverse the process.

 

Currently driving like 55km each way is rather costly and then the toll fees will also come in, never mind the time wasted and the stress.