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I think manufacturers are
I think manufacturers are aware of the issue because I’ve seen newer cars (Volvo particularly) which switch off the eyeball-searing white led DRLs when the indicators are used.
Since DRLs were mandated they’ve become a design feature, enabled in part by innovation in LED lighting. I recall a lot of resistance from both designers and drivers when DRLs started appearing – people getting fed up with being flashed by other drivers for having their lights on etc. Now they’re an important part of the “face” of the car which has an influence on how a prospective owner percieves your vehicle.
Undoubtedly the case that designers have historically done all they can do to avoid having a bit of orange glass on the front of their cars – hence the period where they went with clear lenses and orange-coated incandescent bulbs. Same goes for the side indicators which ended up being moved to the wing mirrors.
I agree though – there’s a category of cars which have really poor indicator visibility. I had considered whether it was due to viewing angle (a cyclist eye-level being higher than that of a car driver) but I’ve certainly had similar issues seeing indicators whilst driving.
As to kit I use Decathlon B
As to kit I use Decathlon B-Twin shorts, jacket and gloves (700 range) with a base layer and jersey appropriate for the conditions. Have used the same pair of Shimano SPD shoes (M088 I think) for four years. The Decathlon kit is hard-wearing and cheap enough not to worry about trashing it. The pad in the 700 series shorts is easily up there with ÂŁ100+ shorts, suitable for 3 hour rides even for me.
For me mudguards and at least 28mm tyres are essential. I hate charging stuff so also run dyno lighting. I ride a Merida Cyclocross bike currently which is ideal for my off-road sections but wouldn’t be my first choice if I was just riding roads. I’d go with disk brakes over rims but that’s really dependent on how much braking you do and what road conditions are like.
If I was speccing a new bike I think I’d probably go with a 10-speed setup as consumables are cheaper. Might even go 1x. Almost certainly steel. Probably a Fairlight or Planet X frame (I’d like a Mason or Kinesis but would feel bad about the abuse dealt out to it being chucked in the back of the car on a year-round commute.
You’re getting plenty of practical advice on this thread but one thing that needs re-iterating is that a mixed commute can really reinvigorate your cycling. Yes, your last few miles are likely to be the same but the awesomeness of having the flexibility to chose your distance and start point can’t be overstated. I completely love it and it means that I’m much more likely to cycle even on the worst weather days.
Also, just because it gets
Also, just because it gets weird looks and pisses drivers off I’ve started driving in my helmet and hi-viz 🙂
Good point about varying
Good point about varying where you park. I’ve had no security issues in the four years or so I’ve done it but when I started using the same spot someone took exception and starting parking right up behind me so I had to move the car forward before I could put the bike in. Some people think they own the road outside their houses.
As cyclesteffer says there has been a big growth in this in the past few years – I was one of the few doing it at my workplace but now lots more doing it. I’ve just started using Komoot which is great for finding offroad/quieter routes.
I think there’s a future for dedicate Park/Cycle sites with showers, repair facilities and perhaps even launderettes. Would certainly make sense down here in the New Forest and reduce pressure on in-Forest car parks which are often full of cars with empty bike carriers
gunswick wrote:
Thanks guys. I already take a protein/carbo drink and fruit for the morning else I am dead. Job is an office finance one, so inactive but need to be able to think and have some energy for management etc. The other idea I had was to drive say halfway (or a little more), take bike out of the boot (or rack) and ride in. Then reverse this home. This saves fuel, and allows daily riding, and I could alter the routes I use. Downsides are I have to sit in the car dressed for cycling (shoes are SPD’s MTB so likely OK to drive in, or a quick trainers swap). Morning when fresh that is OK I guess, home time I would then have to sit all sweaty / wet etc in the car to drive home. Anyone have experience of driving and riding like this? I will try it and see, however, I suspect it will be slow loading/unloading the bike and all the kit especially in winter.Yep, I do this every day. Heated leather seats and air-con a must for me. I drive in my SPDs (no issue) and the in/out for the bike is only a couple of minutes. Probably less if you’re using a rack but I prefer the security – I leave the bike in the car overnight.
It means I can vary my route and distance according to weather/how I’m feeling etc. I have regular route options for 5/10/15 miles (total one-way is 22 miles) and even on-road/off-road options.
Just one thing about leather seats – if you’re particularly sweaty they can pick up a bit of a damp/fousty smell. Consider using washable seat covers. My previous car had cloth seats and I didn’t notice the smell quite so much with those. With leather seats its noticeable on a hot day or if you’re running seat heaters.
If you’re chucking the bike in the back of the car lay it drive side up and expect at some point to inevitably end up scratching the bumper or interior. Also expect to lose bar end plugs. I’ve now got an estate car (Passat) but I could easily get a drop bar road bike in a Golf with the rear seats down. Bike goes flat in an estate and with front wheel turned in a hatch (can be an issue if you’ve got long mudguards). Works best if you place bike in with non-drive side pedal forward and brace saddle against the arch inners.
guyrwood wrote:
I agree with the above post, I love steel framed bikes. Before you pull the trigger, Google Planet X steel frames. They have a great selection, both rim and disc.Agreed – ÂŁ200 for the Holdsworth Elan at present or ÂŁ230 for the Stelvio. Stelvio is a bit more gravel/adventurey
Thanks guys, will give it a bash in the summer.
Bear in mind that the “Undercliff” section to the west of Ventnor is closed due to erosion – you have to head inland a fair bit and over Niton Down if you’re using roads and I’d imagine that’s also the case off-road. Don’t know whether OS Maps have been updated to include these closures.
If you get the Komoot app (or
If you get the Komoot app (or use their website – https://www.komoot.com) it should produce a mixed terrain route for you. Certainly works for me in the New Forest
Haven’t tried solids but have
Haven’t tried solids but have ridden either Gatorskins or GP 4 Seasons for the last three years. Daily commute on a mix of unswept glass-strewn cycle paths and potholed roads. Also leisure riding on forest roads strewn with thorns, gravel, flints etc. averaging just over 1 puncture a year.
If you like the GPs, consider the GP 4 Seasons – expensive but worth it if you’re puncturing that frequently. They’re noticeably better than the Gatorskins – the only reason I run Gators is for wider rubber when I need it (GPs only go up to 28mm)
Are your wheels 11-speed
Are your wheels 11-speed compatible? If not, stick with Tiagra
Bouncetastic wrote:
People’s attitudes are the problem and the training they receive whilst learning to drive which is the time they’re most receptive. Too much of a hurry to get where they’re going. Then they encounter one idiot cyclist/lorry driver/motorbike/horse rider and declare them all to be the same. It doesn’t seem to occur to them that people get it wrong sometimes and it’s not necessarily intentional. There”s so much anger on our roads it’s disturbing. I drive with my doors locked both in my car and the waggon. I try to be considerate of everyone else on the road, I know it’s frustrating to be stuck behind a lorry…… Sometimes though I do dream about what it would be like to just T bone their car down the road when they overtake me just to cut me off and turn left……. ;-)…so the licensing system is at fault. Something must be. It seems insane to me that the majority of adults would be let loose with heavy machinery exhibiting that level of ignorance.
One of the worst indictments I can think of is that there is an entire market* for active cameras (GoPros etc) among commuting cyclists, just trying to get to work, who experience such alarming and dangerous behaviour from other road users that they go out and buy a ÂŁ30/40+ camera to film it.
*no idea on the stats, but would hazard a guess that this is a significant segment of the wearable camera market too.
Everyone makes mistakes. As a cycle commuter I make a few but learning from your mistakes keeps you alive. My current MO is to try not to engage the cockwombles, if only because you’re really vulnerable on a bike – can be difficult to get away if they take exception, or you can easily get shoved off, or your bike damaged such that you can’t leg it. Difficult not to though as you’re exercising so your adrenalin is already up plus you’ve been perhaps inches from death.
What I try to do is smile/wave/thumbs up the right sort of behaviour – i.e. wide passes, drivers actually looking at t-junctions, letting me through rather than squeezing me when they have a parked car on their side of the road. Doesn’t always work but better than constantly yelling abuse.
My favourite repsonse is;Read the Highway code!
My favourite response involves a bottle cage-mounted ice pick
Chrome sometimes sucks when
Chrome sometimes sucks when it comes to rendering fonts, never worked out why. Even happens sometimes on Google’s own websites – the Pixel phone for me, er, pixellates badly.
Well, my wheels finally arrived yesterday. 8 days after order. So not too bad on the whole. They were dispatched by PX on Monday evening so I have no complaints against Yodel at all in this instance. The box arrived in perfect condition too.The problem here is that PX have not planned their dispatch operations to match a demand that could have been anticpated and have communicated very poorly indeed. Their website says delivery would be in 2 days. It took them 7 days to dispatch. There was no warning that dispatch could take longer than normal due to it being a busy period. The customer service guy I spoke to could offer no meaningful update at all, except to say allude to the fact that the dispatch area in PX was in chaos.
I’ve done a lot of Christmas shopping by mail order this year and no company other than PX has delayed delivery. Some companies I use regularly are even still saying that orders by lunchtime today can be delivered by the weekend.
Customer Service is always done to a price – that price being what most of their customers think is acceptable service. Very difficult to ramp up and down to meet demand as its not just about bodies on the dispatch line, even with predictable spikes and troughs. Even the mighty/evil Amazon was struggling post Black Friday – I was getting Prime “Next Day” deliveries 1 or 2 days late.
Don’t forget Yodel are proud
Don’t forget Yodel are proud sponsors of the Tour of Britain
(thing is, the first time I saw the bike logo on the side of their vans I thought it was a “Cyclists stay back!!!!!” notice 🙂
