Bikes of the no engine variety...

[plowsie]

Now this is for those who cycle to work all year round, should think it'll be Fizz and a couple of others.

Bikes been a bit of a b1tch atm(the SV) and wants fixing, now with Xmas quickly approaching I have decided to give it a miss and sort it out after, it isn't too badda problem to leave so i ent worried about the problem getting worse on the SV.

So the bicycle question, I'm just gonna use me dads bike to get to work and back etc, about 4 miles it is. What do you guys normally wear to keep ya warm etc in the cold months? I dont wanna overheat or else thats more fannying about when i just wanna get it over and done with. Any other precautions i should take? Need a good sorta digical speedo clock thingymajiggy too but cheap aswell :lol:

Thanks in advance guys

Stu

EDIT: Another thing this will aid to will be the loss of me 20 kilos :D
EDIT #2: Lets see how many offs i can have on this too :D:lol:

[skint]

A bike... without and engine? Mystery, sorry don't understand that one :scratch:

[gettin2dizzy]

EDIT: Another thing this will aid to will be the loss of me 20 kilos :D

You planning on losing a limb?!

[plowsie]

I'm 6ft 1 ish was 117 kilos, so i think its not a bad ammount to lose

[gettin2dizzy]

I'm 6ft 1 ish was 117 kilos, so i think its not a bad ammount to lose
Isn't that over 18 stone? Good luck! That's quite a challenge!

[husky03]

Get a pair of ron hill tracksters from your nearest running shop,and some nike-dri fit tops to keep sweat away from the body,something reflective due to the idiots on the road,and the compulsary bell-end helmet.

[gettin2dizzy]

Get a pair of ron hill tracksters from your nearest running shop,and some nike-dri fit tops to keep sweat away from the body,something reflective due to the idiots on the road,and the compulsary bell-end helmet.
I didn't even know those existed!

[krhall]

www.sweatshop.co.uk (http://www.sweatshop.co.uk) - cheap Ron Hill tracksters.

[fizzwheel]

Depends how cold it is, you'd be surprised how hot you'll get if you are working hard.

I've got a Helly Hansen Lifa Base Layer that I wear under a long sleeve cyling jersey, on my bottom half I wear my normal cycling shorts and pair of long cycling leggins, I've got some coolmax socks that Liz got from millets that I wear under with my normal cycling shoes. That does me OK till theres a frost on the ground.

If theres a frost on the ground I've some Peter Storm Thermal top and bottoms that I wear under all of that lot and some overshoes to keep my feet warm and thats it.

I find even on frosty mornings I arrive at work sweating. Make sure whatever you wear on the first layer is a proper base layer so that it wicks the sweat away from your skin as you'll be warmer and more comfortable that way.

Personally I'd get stuff designed for cycling in as it will be cut differently than the running stuff, it'll work just as good but you'll be more comfortable.

Alot of the specific cycling gear has reflective strips built into for increased visability in the dark.

As for the bike, get some good lights, on the rear I have two lights, one set to flash and one set to constant and I've got some 10Watt halogens on the front of it. I got flashed the other night by a car as I dazzled it !!

The key thing IMHO is to layer up and that way you'll keep warm. Oh yeah and you'll want some gloves to probably and a helmet.

Have a look on here www.wiggle.co.uk (http://www.wiggle.co.uk) and look for the DHB branded stuff as its well priced and its good quality stuff to. The Ron Hill stuff as mentioned above is good to and thats what my cycling leggings are.



HTH

[Jester666]

Sorry, I just don't get the concept of a bike with no engine!! :lol:

[kwak zzr]

all seems like too much hard work to me but then i am LAZY:)

[fizzwheel]

OK for you non believers :-P

1. It needs no tax or insurance

2. Once I get to work I dont need to fight for a parking space

3. It costs nothing to run

4. I live two miles from work so continual short runs on my bikes over that distance does them more harm than good

5. I get to work just as quick on the pushbike as I do on the motorbike

6. I get to work quicker on the pushbike than I do in the car as I filter through the traffic just like I would on either of my motorbikes and at 5:30 it can take 20 or 25 minutes just to get out of the estate my office is on if I use the car.

7. A work out in the morning and evening means I sleep better, I feel more alert when I am at work and I concentrate more so I'm a more effective employee which means I get more done which means I have more ammo to argue for a payrise in february next year.

8. Its quicker than walking

For me living so close to work it makes alot more sense to cycle and also I can incoporate training rides in to my daily routine for the Tour of Wessex ride I am planning to do in may next year. ( 100 odd miles ) and then in 2009 I'm planning to do the whole thing ( 325 miles in a weekend )

:D

[kwak zzr]

all 8 point are very valid and i don't dispute any of them but i am still toooo LAZY.

[fizzwheel]

all 8 point are very valid and i don't dispute any of them but i am still toooo LAZY.

:D you and thousands of others.

I admit I really struggled with it when I started especially on cold grey mornings it was a real effort to not take the car or bike and cycle. We're gradually converting people at work to cycle now theres 6 of us that use pushbikes to get to work now, we have shower facilities so we can get showered and changed when we get to work which makes life a lot easier.

We've been whinging at HR to get the company to participate in the cycle to work scheme so that peeps can get there bike tax and Vat free and to provide better bike shelters. We have a real problem with carparking and the police were giving out tickets again today for people badly parked on the road and the DVLA were present to. We keep spending out buying more and more parking space which costs a fortune where my suggestion is if more people cycled / walked to work and were encouraged to with incentives such as a tax / vat free bike and more tea breaks or a longer lunch break etc then that would save on shelling out on land for carparking and we'd have a fitter and healthier workforce to boot, but Its all falling on deaf ears at the moment, its really difficult to get people out of their cars...

[philbut]

I love cycling to work, and I really missed it last year when i had a 50 miles comute - i'm not THAT keen. But now I'm back to cycling. I just wear a t-shirt with either a hoody or ski jacket over the top depending on how hot / cold it is in winter. I wear jeans or combats, but carry a set of good quality breathable waterproof trousers in my bag, cos there's nothing worse than cycling in wet jeans. Also a good pear of ski gloveas for when it gets really cold. I should wear a helmet but I find it makes my head itch and that drives me mad.

fizzwheel sounds like he has some much better gear, but I have to walk round in mine all day and dont always have the oportunity to change. On longer rides, 10 miles plus I would definatly go for propper gear, particularly the shorts.

Good lights are a must, but I find the cycle computer things a bit useless for commuting - I know how long it takes and how far i've gone. Got one from Lidl for £12 with a heart rate monitor which is good for training but overkill for a comute, plus they get nicked.

[fizzwheel]

I'm building up my collection slowly as and when money allows.

You dont need to spend a fortune on stuff, if you buy from wiggle its pretty cheap and if you stay away from the big names like Assos you can get good quality stuff for little money. My long sleeve winter jersey came from Halfords, if you are prepared to not be a bike snob you can kit yourself out cheaply, be warm and comfy.

The only thing I havent got is a waterproof jacket, my commute isnt long enough to warrant it at the mo, I'm also lucky I can change at work and have a shower, and theres somewhere I can hang up my gear to get it dry again for the trip home which I'm not that fussed about getting wet on.

I leave a pair of jeans and trainers at work so I dont have to carry those and just take a fresh T-shirt, boxers and socks with me each day and that cuts down on the weight in my rucksack.

[kwak zzr]

tis a good thing and when my shoulders fixed i'm going to start some kind of exersize, who knows i may even by a push bike:) trouble is my work is 7 miles away and i have to be there @ 5:50am:(

[plowsie]

All the more reason Kwak, early morning exercise, better for ya metabolism, apparently :lol:

I must admit, when i was skinny (woah steady on, yes i was skinny at a point :lol:), it was mainly down to me cycling everywhere, I once cycled from mine to Corby with a mate, the best route possible, we didnt work it out but i assume it was a fair good hack. Used to be pretty nifty on them too, wheelies, off roading etc, that stopped when i broke me last bike. I seem to manage to break every single one lol.

Anddddd Daddy has said i can use his bike :smt026 :D

[Razor]

I'd love to have the kind of job where I could cycle to work. I used to years ago and it's something I still miss. The kinds of jobs I get now come with a car or van so there's not much hope unless I retrain for something else.

Is there any truth in the minimum diameter for bicycle lights?
I was told min 1" diameter lens or they're not legal, is this true?