Fifteen Months In. How's My Commuting Experience Going?

[Lovacott]

May 13th 2020 was the first time I tried my current commute after six weeks of furlough riding the local cycle paths.

My first commute was a practice run a week before I was due back to work. It took me an hour and a half and I had to dismount and push four times each way when my legs gave up on the bigger hills.

It was around six weeks later that I finally managed to do the whole thing in the saddle and it took me one hour and ten minutes to complete.

I could feel the benefit of what I was doing, but at the same time, the thought of the daily slog left me filled with dread.

I had troubles with the bike like chain drops, crunchy gears, grinding bottom bracket, weak brakes and punctures every five minutes.

I soon learned that bikes need a bit of TLC now and again and I started to watch Park Tool videos and I joined this site.

Today, over a year in, I love my commute and I've got my record work to home time down to 43 minutes which is not far off what it would take me in a car.

I now understand how my bike works (thanks for the feedback and advice folks) and I actually look forward to jumping on my bike and hammering out the miles.

I've also become part of the environment for the local farmers and villagers with waves of recognition and hellos as I ride past in the mornings and evenings.

On top of that, I've now got the blood pressure and heart rate of a sedentary 18 year old which is not bad for someone about to hit 60.

Best thing I ever did without a doubt.

 

[Cerdic]

Excellent! How many miles each way is your commute?

 

[I like Skol]

It's good isn't it?

Commuting does make you awesome and you soon learn the rudimentary points of bike maintenance, simple as it is but critical at the same time.

The mental, physical and health benefits are huge. Hopefully I have given you some positive advice along the way?

Keep it up

 

[Lovacott]

Excellent! How many miles each way is your commute?

It's a ten miler each way across country.

I drew a straight line on the map between where I live and where I work and I went for the shortest route.

 

[I like Skol]

10 miles is perfect. Just enough to be a worthwhile effort without being unreasonable.

Mrs Skol was looking at possible house moves a few years ago and found something great but only about a mile from where I work. I quickly explained her error and drew a 10 mile radius on the map then told her to search anywhere along that line.....

 

[Cerdic]

Cool. I used to do six miles each way. Then they relocated the yard and it's now ten miles away. I find that after a hard ten or eleven hour shift that extra bit of distance is too much. Especially as it's uphill all the way home!

Still give it a go every now and again, though!

Well done for sticking with it!

 

[Lovacott]

10 miles is perfect. Just enough to be a worthwhile effort without being unreasonable.

It just so happens that I am properly knackered when I get home but not so knackered that I can't do anything else.

Another half a mile and I would be a complete waste of space.

 

[Lovacott]

Cool. I used to do six miles each way. Then they relocated the yard and it's now ten miles away. I find that after a hard ten or eleven hour shift that extra bit of distance is too much. Especially as it's uphill all the way home!

Still give it a go every now and again, though!

Well done for sticking with it!

I'd been driving there for six years thinking that the bike ride was beyond me.

I wouldn't have attempted it if it wasn't for furlough.

It was a hard slog to start with and to be honest, I only stuck with it because the people at work said I wouldn't stick with it (fair weather cyclist etc. etc.).

A year in and my body shape has changed beyond recognition. My belly is (almost) flat, my arse is like a rock and my legs bones now have muscles attached to them and no longer look like ice lolly sticks dipped in dripping.

My brain is sharper and I'm far less moody and much more upbeat.

As I said in the OP, it's the best thing I ever did.

 

[a.twiddler]

10 miles in Devon. Respect is due.

 

[DCBassman]

Yup, it's certainly lumpy...

 

[Oldhippy]

Great to read! A cycle really is so much more than a weekend toy.

 

[I like Skol]

The cycle commute is ALWAYS the best part of the day

 

[stoatsngroats]

Well done, that’s a great review of how cycling brings so much more than completing a distance.
My commute is 16 miles e/w and I would struggle to do this regularly, but in the occasions when I have, the sheer joy is wonderful.
Keep it up!

 

[Lovacott]

Commuting does make you awesome and you soon learn the rudimentary points of bike maintenance, simple as it is but critical at the same time.
The mental, physical and health benefits are huge. Hopefully I have given you some positive advice along the way?
Keep it up

I'm getting the hang of the bike maintenance thing now. Mainly because I think a bit more before I touch anything and if I'm not sure, I double check.

The biggest change though has been in my own maintenance. I eat more intelligently because eating the right things at the right times gives me the energy when I need it most. The engine on a bike is your body and it doesn't matter how well your bikes gears are indexed, if your body is no good, you ain't going anywhere.

 

[ianrauk]

Nice one @Lovacott. Great to hear your loving your cycle commute.
15th year of my current cycle commute this year and I still love it. The great, the good and even the bad.
Here's hoping you'll still be enjoying yours a good few years down the line.