Hi all, newbie.

[lohan1]

Hi there,

From next week i will attempt the start of cycling to the Undergroundtube station from my house. BUt this is 20 miles away. I will be cycling from Dunstable to Mill Hill Broadway which is around 20 miles down the A5.

I wont be doing this as a round trip every day but prob cycle in monday then back tuesday and so on . So around 6 times a week i will be doing this journey.

Question is, is this to much of a journey ? Will i get fitter the more i do it or am i just not being realistic?

Also i dont really want to loose any weight, so im guessing if i eat the right foods i shuld be ok .

Any tips would be brilliant.

I have all the cycle gear ready just need to buy some leg warmers and im ready.

Thanks in advance

 

[Aperitif]

Hello lohan - that's a fair old trip 32km...followed by a tube journey (Assuming you don't work at Mill Hill
The only downside is leaving your bike somewhere I guess - unless you can stash it somewhere safe etc.
Fitness to ride will come as you commute, but the devil in me says do it each way to start with, a couple of times a week perhaps, and keep your bike safe.

 

[ChrisKH]

Hello and welcome. I suspect I will say what many others also will. It's defnitely doable, but not straight from the off. You need to build a bit of training and familiarisation into your run. Bike considerations aside, you should plan in the first weeks to do no more than one return trip. If you feel strong enough and have the desire to do more then by all means. If you try and put in six trips into the first week this will, I suspect, leave you feeling very tired and very quickly you will find reasons not to do it - mentally it may take too much out of you. Over time you can build up your miles and do more trips but don't try to do too much, too early. Good luck.

 

[lohan1]

Hi Apertif,

Yep i have to get the tube from Mill hill and leave the bike there. They have bike rails where you can lock your bike and I have 3 locks for it so hoping that will put anyone off from stealing it. If i wanted to ride to work that would be 30 miles each way which is to far for me i would be shattered . Ill try that then so do the round trip of 40 miles and see how that goes?


Thanks for the reply

 

[Lazy-Commuter]

Wotcha Lohan, and welcome. As a relative newbie, 20 miles each way sounds like a fair bit to me. But then there's others here that would do it before breakfast and then ride home for dessert. I suppose it depends what level of fitness you're coming from.

You almost certainly will get fitter and find it easier as time goes by, unless of course you're already some sort of mega-fit athlete type.

I've found that I'm (slowly) losing weight even though I still eat a fair amount. But then I'm an unfit little podge-ball, although I'm a slightly fitter and less podgy podge-ball than I was a year ago.

If you're already pretty fit and skinny you should be able to just keep stuffing your face and carry on. Lucky you! The important thing will be to eat the right stuff to give you energy without feeling bloated. I'm sure one of the more experienced members will be along in a bit to tell you what that is.

 

[lohan1]

Hi all ,

Maybe i should try to cycle to work on a monday which is 30 miles and then cycle back on the friday? Do this for a while until my level of fitness get better?? Just confused as in how to go about it, but defo want to do it as during the week at the moment i stay in london at parents house and do not see my family. So this plus getting fit are the main reasons. Thankyou for all your responses.

 

[Arch]

Hi and welcome!

However you decide to do it, take it easy, listen to your body, don't try and push too hard and end up exhausted - you'll be no better to your family if you're achey and tired and grumpy...

With regard to security, there are things you can do to make your bike less attractive to thieves if it's shiny and tempting. Make it look a bit grungy, etc. replace any quick release parts with Pitlocks, or similar. Or take front wheel and saddle with you. Otherwise multiple locks is good, preferably locks of different sorts with different types of key. Some thieves will only go equipped to tackle one sort of lock.

 

[lohan1]

Thanks for the info Arch.

I think ill buy one more lock of this type

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Abus_Granit_Steel_O_Flex_1000_100cm_Cable_Lock/5220000043/

As i have a d lock and the other 2 are pretty thin. Ill probably try and cyle 2 times a week for now then gradually build up and hope to do it 4 times a week.

Thanks you for the advice i shall post something when i do my first commute.

Cheers

 

[lohan1]

Thanks lee, I actually live in the Village of Markyate but thought no one would know this village.

Think Im going to try it on the monday morning and then on the wednesday on the way back then the friday will be MIll HIll and then back home then the weekend to rest . Im hoping this would give me enough time to recover in between.

Thanks for the info on the cafe been there for about a year and have never noticed it but now you said it it does ring a bell.

I may give it a go on Saturday and then just get the train back.

Many Thanks

 

[4F]

Thanks lee, I actually live in the Village of Markyate but thought no one would know this village.

Think Im going to try it on the monday morning and then on the wednesday on the way back then the friday will be MIll HIll and then back home then the weekend to rest . Im hoping this would give me enough time to recover in between.

Thanks for the info on the cafe been there for about a year and have never noticed it but now you said it it does ring a bell.

I may give it a go on Saturday and then just get the train back.

Many Thanks

Hi Lohan, 20 miles is certainly do-able each way however you need to build up to this and make sure you have plenty of time for the journey. As the months go by you will find yourself getting quicker and it becoming easier however you need to seriously think about what to do in case of a breakdown and make sure you carry suitable spares.

 

[Iainj837]

Hi Lohan I would just build up slowly, as others have said the more you do this comute the quicker you will get.
keep us posted

 

[theboytaylor]

Hi Lohan,

What everyone else said, basically. I'd do what you suggested in your last post and do a trial run on a weekend first and get the train back home. That way you know what you are up against!

If it does feel too far you can maybe do some weekend rides over a few
weeks to give you a base level of fitness.

Good luck!

 

[lohan1]

HI

Thanks for the replies.

Im going to give it a go tomorrow morning to Mill hill and see how it goes from there.

Then if it goes well i will do it twice a week , just worried about leaving my bike at the station all week really but will just have to take that chance i suppose.

But will take my front wheel and seat with me hope that should stop anyone from taking it.

Ill put a post up here tomorrow after i complete the ride and let you know how it goes if im still alive haha only messing.

Thanks all.

 

[nilling]

lohan1

You beat me to it - try a 'dry' run at the weekend when the roads should be a bit quieter and you won't be in such a rush. Be prepared to alter your route to avoid any nasty bits. 20 miles ew is a fair old ride especially in winter so try it only 2/3 times in a week with plenty of rest in-between.

 

[Paulus]

Hi there Lohan, Make sure you eat and drink enough well before attempting the trip home from Mill Hill East station. The last thing you want is to run out of steam on the trip home. Also, keep a few cereal bars in your pocket just in case you need them, and a bottle of water.