Final commute - one last puncture

Since 2001, over 90,000 cyclist's have joined Cycling Forums to discuss topics from general cycling to equipment, training, racing and travel or vacation destinations (especially in europe during the tour de france). We also feature an great deals in our online store, 100's of articles, classifieds and product reviews.

I start a new job next week and due to its location I do not think I will be
able to ride to work anymore. I am catching the train into the city
tomorrow so that I can down a few beers at my farewell lunch so therefore
today was my last cycle commute for the forseeable future. I can appreciate
the pucture god's sense of irony as they decided to give me one last flat
tyre when I was only about 2 km or so from home!!! I really couldn't be
arsed fixing it and as my wife's work was only about 500m away and it was
just after 1730h I got her to pick me up and drive me the last couple of km
home.

I have been riding to work for almost 8 years now and I am honestly going to
miss being able to ride every weekday. In the past 8 years I have not kept
an exact total of how many km I have done (too many bikes, some without
speedos) but I have always had to ride approx 20km or so each way and if I
use 45 weeks per year (to allow for leave and the occasional week away for
work) that makes a ballpark figure of 40kmm x 5days/week x 45weeks/year x
8years = 72,000km (approx).

My new package includes a car so I am going to have to get used to driving
again and I think I am going to have to fit in some sort of exercise to make
up for the 8 hours or so of cardio a week that I will no longer get. I
guess I am going to have to make a concerted effort to ride more on the
weekends to make up for it.

Cheers,

Gags

On 2008-05-08, Gags (aka Bruce)
was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:
> I have been riding to work for almost 8 years now and I am honestly going to
> miss being able to ride every weekday.

Yep, definitely. I'll have to move back into the city one day,
because I really can't get the bike to fit into my current life.
Hey, after the thesis is handed in, I might have weekends back (or,
more likely, still won't).

> My new package includes a car so I am going to have to get used to driving
> again

Doesn't mean you have to use it :)

Mine does too (when I'm on night shift anyway), and it gets used once
in the week to go to the shops and back (the shops and back being a
60km round trip, and my panniers not being large enough)

> and I think I am going to have to fit in some sort of exercise to make
> up for the 8 hours or so of cardio a week that I will no longer get. I
> guess I am going to have to make a concerted effort to ride more on the
> weekends to make up for it.

I hope you have better luck than me. The other thing work provided
was a bus, which *is* a serious disincentive to ride.

--
TimC
The stereotypical Islay is like chewing on a well-preserved rowing
boat, spiced up with seaweed, whereas the 20yo Laddie is more like
relishing a gourmet meal in said rowing boat. -- Ingvar in ASR

Gags wrote:
>
> I start a new job next week and due to its location I do not think I will be
> able to ride to work anymore. I am catching the train into the city
> tomorrow so that I can down a few beers at my farewell lunch so therefore
> today was my last cycle commute for the forseeable future. I can appreciate
> the pucture god's sense of irony as they decided to give me one last flat
> tyre when I was only about 2 km or so from home!!! I really couldn't be
> arsed fixing it and as my wife's work was only about 500m away and it was
> just after 1730h I got her to pick me up and drive me the last couple of km
> home.
>
> I have been riding to work for almost 8 years now and I am honestly going to
> miss being able to ride every weekday. In the past 8 years I have not kept
> an exact total of how many km I have done (too many bikes, some without
> speedos) but I have always had to ride approx 20km or so each way and if I
> use 45 weeks per year (to allow for leave and the occasional week away for
> work) that makes a ballpark figure of 40kmm x 5days/week x 45weeks/year x
> 8years = 72,000km (approx).
>
> My new package includes a car so I am going to have to get used to driving
> again and I think I am going to have to fit in some sort of exercise to make
> up for the 8 hours or so of cardio a week that I will no longer get. I
> guess I am going to have to make a concerted effort to ride more on the
> weekends to make up for it.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Gags

I work at home in my own sit down job doing electronic work.

After a long break from cycling and racing about 20 years ago, I began
to ride again
nearly 2 years ago.
I bought a new Cateye to measure miles, and I am doing 200km a week
just to stay fit and maintain my weight that I was at 25, about 76
kilos.
During the 15 year break I went up to 96 kilos.
I got from 96 to 76 kilos in 4 months.
I'm 61, and enjoy the rides, don't want to race in a bunch, but can
easily
get my age standard for the 40km time trial now.
I couldn't do that at age 40.

I find I cannot hang on to the local veterans in a bunch training ride
dominated
by 40 yr olds who ride as fast as i did 20 years back.

But I also find I ride faster than nearly all the local Pedal Power
riders and I really don't fit in anywhere.

I do like riding with one or two I know a bit, but I am quite
happy doing 100k+ way out on country roads around Canberra on my own,
no arse in fornt, and nobody hanging on my wheel, just the open road and
nobody to bug me.

So don't worry, you really only need about 100km a week
to stay pretty fit. Speed don't matter, take it easy.
I am doing about 3 rides about 70km each week, which ties me up for 3
hours.
I enjoy feeling 31 again.

Very few ppl like to hang on my wheel....

Patrick Turner.