Was the lorry nice? What are the lights like?
Did you pretend to drive the lorry?

Did the Policeman let you touch his truncheon?

"officer... i've been a very, very, bad man... cuff me!"

Anyone who gets caught by a single speed cyclist should be ashamed

How many KMs are people doing per week? I'm currently 300+ per week and I commute around 25kms each way to work.

i've got to cycle back home now but it's pissing it down outside. oh NOES!

Actually - I was thinking about this the other day - how often do you think you guys get wet commuting on the bike? Since the New Year say, how many times have you got more than a bit drizzled on?

I train at home outside, and walk the dog every evening, and I reckon I've got properly wet maybe three times this year.

Lucky fucker,it's every second/third day here in Ireland,at the moment its brutal because the weather is changing every hour.

Lucky fucker,it's every second/third day here in Ireland,at the moment its brutal because the weather is changing every hour.

so, I just bought this and im very happy.

get it tomorrow.

http://www.whytebikes.com/2011/bike_pag ... W-1-031-11

dont think that worked

I've been quite lucky but then I've missed the last couple of weeks for various reasons.

Mudguards though - I almost look forward to rain.

Lovely bike.

These are clever. http://ass-savers.com/

yeah, tried 4 of the usual suspects and this one just blew me away. First half decent bike ive had so really looking forward to getting on it

I've been very lucky and not got drenched so far this year, but haven't been on the bike as much as I'd've liked. Tomorrow looks set to be a biblical deluge though, so it's a two-t-shirt and shreddies job I suspect.

That Whyte looks fucking rapid for a hybrid, 50 tooth front ring and those skinny tyres ought to equal serious speed!

Hoping to get up to 8-12 hours a week over the next couple of months, I'll need to because I have a few HC climbs lined up for July.

Got a bit rained-on this morning. My cycing gear is pretty good at keeping me mostly dry. Overshoes are a good investment.

To avoid arriving stinky I use a specialist odour removal spray. Not cheap, but very effective.

It's pricey but looks well thought out and nicely put together.

Womack will be horrified by the handlebars.

Nice set of drops and a pair of proper mudguards (not some 'ass saver' bollox) and that'll be a half-decent steed

Edit: just kidding, looks ace slick

I am totally with you on the mudguards. I don't understand anyone who commutes not having them. I thought the ass-saver was still a nifty little yoke I have to say though.

I was impressed with that ass saver device - can you buy them in the UK?

I have just bought a Scott 29" bike and am riding to and from work (8 miles each way) it takes me 23 minutes on the way and 26 on the way back - how much faster would I be on a road bike?? approximately

I got hailed on on friday evening, I was in shorts and they were realling stinging my thighs , at one point I debated getting off and taking shelter because they bloody hurt

Note to the "enthuiast" cyclists on the coast road between Alcudia and Porta Pollenca - having a £2000-3000 bike and all the gear does not give you exclusive rights to the cycle path. Neither does it give you the right to ride full pelt at my 5 year old son, screaming at him to "get out of the fucking way". WANKERS!!!

Some photos from the weekend's race, despite appearances I was enjoying myself

The Game Face is on in the top one Joost

I don't have all the info I need but I'd estimate it will save you 2.5 minutes on the way in and 9 on the way back for obvious reasons.

Is that a grimace or a smile on your mush in the first picture?

25% hill = definitely a grimace!

Would that be that there Blissford Hill? Kudos for making it up it.

Yarp

The rest of the route will have been a breeze compared to that.

From what I remember, it was pretty chilly out that day - I made the mistake of heading out across Salisbury Plain and just about got blown straight back.

I am not sure that I could cycle home uphill quicker than I can cycle downhill on the way to work?????

At least it didn't rain though and if you have to have a tailwind it's nice to have it on the way home, rather than mistakenly thinking you're actually quite good as you speed along on the way out, only to crawl back home at about 12mph (as frequently happens on my jaunts in the New Forest).

I think he's being facetious.

It's going to depend on more than just wheel size. Gearing and tire choices are going to make a huge difference. Fit narrow slick/street tires to your 29" if you've got offroad tires on it now, that'll make a difference.

OS,

That's pretty quick already, and if your return journey is mainly uphill I don't think a road bike will make a huge difference (or less than it would on a flat route, anyway). Why do you ask, anyway? Keep missing the start of 'Eggheads' and want a quicker commute home?

Talking of hills, what's the Ditchling Beacon like? I'm doing the London to Brighton in June and should probably do a bit of training.

I was just curious as I seem to recall doing it in 18 minutes on my road bike when I was tri training and I was wondering whet proprotion of the difference was fitness and what part the bike!!

Pretty tough - I got up it the first year I did L2B, but it was in bottom gear and spinning up at a shade over walking pace (all I could do as there were so many walkers, there was just 1 line of people slowly cycling up). The next year I was earlier and able to have a proper go at it - was a bit overconfident, went off too quick and blew up badly about a third of the way up and had to get off and walk the rest, which was pretty bloody tough in itself.

If you want to have a chance of doing it, you want as early a start time as possible, the later it gets the less likely there'll be any room amongst the walkers to cycle up it. And I would definitely advise trying to do some hills beforehand, tbh, if you are determined to make it up. Maybe just find a respectable local hill and do laps of it a couple of times a week.

Cheers Wommers...good to know. Think we're pencilled in for a 0730 start time.

I'm by no means a hillclimbing expert, but I've read that pacing is key - I find the temptation with hills is to grind up in as high a gear as possible to try and get it over with, but on a longish climb like DB you're better off settling into a comfortable cadence in a lower gear and leaving something in the tank.