over ambitious or not ??

[daddypaul3]

did 7 miles Thursday morning and another 15 miles this morning am getting there

 

[jay clock]

Great stuff . If you can do it now then springtime will seem easy

 

[Pjays666]

Hey daddy Paul nice to hear you are getting the miles in. Just keep it up and keep it fun and you will be more than ready by July. I am originally from moorclose (my mum still lives there). Thinking of doing a cycle to visit her (from burnley) soon,will certainly bring back memories - used to cycle to hollingworth lake as a kid.

 

[TonyEnjoyD]

Well Done mate and you are doing everything right.
Liking your determination as the early days are the hardest.

Before you know it you'll be taking a steady pace to work and not getting all sweaty so able to just cool off for a few mins when you get here and bingo!

 

[Lanzecki]

Contrary to popular thought I think the depths of winter is a great time to start cycling, you're going to love the summer!

Yep, if you have the drive to ride in this weather, you love summer. All two days of it

 

[daddypaul3]

am pissed off this morning SNOW AGAIN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! another few inches on the ground ,hope this is a sign we will get a decent summer

 

[Jimmy Doug]

am ****ed off this morning SNOW AGAIN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! another few inches on the ground ,hope this is a sign we will get a decent summer

Hi daddypaul

Welcome to the frustrating world of winter commuting! Don't worry about the weather - there will be times when you can't cycle in, even in the summer! The fact that you're annoyed is a good sign: it shows you still have the motivation!
Concerning the shower situation - I have the same problem. These days I'm lucky enough to have my own office, so it's easier now. There are no showers here - despite the fact it's a campus and my office used to be a fully equipped bedroom! - but I just keep a Tupperware bowl, flannel, soap and a towel in one of my drawers. The sight of me locking myself into my office every morning must certainly get people wondering! But before I had my own office, I used to lock myself in the disabled toilets for a few minutes. Worked very well indeed!
PS - don't forget to dress in layers. The biggest problem in winter is getting too hot and sweaty! However, it's always best to start off warm and start peeling off clothes rather than the other way round - your muscles will thank you for it!

 

[simmi]

Hi Paul,
You just have to stick with it, I started exercising in August weighing 16st 3lb and cycling in October.
My first rides were 12 flat miles, I now weigh 13st 12lb and can ride over 60 miles comfortably.
The great thing about cycling is that body weight is no barrier, on the flat it don't matter going down it helps the only time it's a problem is going up which is where the gearing on your bike comes in.
If you are committed and slowly increase your distance between now and June it will be a walk in the park.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

As above.

 

[User16625]

Don't forget, as roads are slippier in winter we tend to ride slower. Thus we have less momentum for getting up hills, so we work harder. Summer will be a breeze for ya.

It doesnt help if your also wheel spinning while going uphill. Bloody good fun tho. I got completely plastered in mud last time I went out riding and ended up with my rear wheel going sideways at 1 point (even tho I was traveling on a strait path). I mostly ride a road bike but sometimes the off roader makes a great change.

Daily short rides are great at keeping up the fitness. Weekends are there for stretching it. You've started nice and early - and winter fitness is worth more than summer fitness*, so should be no problems.

* - Firstly, you've had the mind set to get out there. If you are happy to ride in the cold and wet, then riding in the warm and dry will be easy. Secondly, there is more air around in winter, so riding is harder.

More air in winter, I havent noticed this where I live. How do you tell? Also more air would reduce aerodynamic efficiency but you would over come this because you would be ingesting more oxygen with each breath.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

Don't know if you remember any of these tips from when you used to ride back whenever, but I just thought I'd repeat them. If you remember, feel free to ignore me .

As well as what the others said, remember to spend a bit of time cleaning your bike and adjusting the brakes, etc. at least once a week. I normally do this on Sundays, because on most weeks I tend to ride Monday to Saturday and take the Sunday off riding. A well-maintained bike is easier to ride, you really can feel the difference in how smooth it is.

Also remember to keep the tyres pumped up to at least halfway between their minimum and maximum rated pressures, as they'll be less puncture-prone and also make the ride easier.

Finally, bring the basic bike repair tools with you on each ride, so when a puncture occurs, you can deal with it. I normally bring as a minimum

• mini-pump;
• spare tube;
• mini-sized multi-tool; and
• 2 tyre levers (although depending on the type of tyre you may not even need these after a while).

Enjoy the rides, mate, I look forward to hearing your future reports .

 

[SquareDaff]

I did the Manchester to Blackpool ride last year. The 1st 15 miles or so are the most difficult in terms of climbs. After that it's pretty flat. It's an enjoyable ride - take it at your own pace, enjoy it and and the miles will disappear quickly.

A few of us did the night ride version in September last year. I'm thinking of doing it again this year. Look into it and join me/us.

 

[BrumJim]

More air in winter, I havent noticed this where I live. How do you tell? Also more air would reduce aerodynamic efficiency but you would over come this because you would be ingesting more oxygen with each breath.

Colder air = more dense air = more of it to push your way through.
Unfortunately you are not a car, so more oxygen does not necessarily mean more effort.

 

[Jimmy Doug]

Here's another thing to put in your bag: a basic first-aid kit. Accidents are very rare, but if you slip on ice or something, or you pass another cyclist who has, it's good to be able to patch up any damage. I came off the other day - and I still had 20 kms of my ride to do. I didn't need any plasters or anything as I was wearing my fleece and cycling jacket, both of which got ripped up - but if I'd had a similar accident in the summer - (perhaps slipping on wet leaf or something) I would definitely have needed something to cover the wounds. Just to re-iterate, though: accidents are very rare. In 30 years' cycling, this was only the second time I ever came off (the last time being 20 years ago, when a dog ran across my path!)