Commuting to work by bike

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rhb Jun 2021 10:39am, 8 Jun 2021 1,737 posts	0 rhb Baxoaxe if by chance you're South Manchester based I'd be happy to take a look and help with tools & fitting bits. I used to Dr Bike as part of my job & still do a bit now & again for folks in the know in my neighbourhood.
Bazoaxe Jun 2021 10:57am, 8 Jun 2021 19,948 posts	0 Bazoaxe thanks for the offer, sadly I am Edinburgh based so a bit out of range !
rhb Jun 2021 11:41pm, 8 Jun 2021 1,739 posts	0 rhb Ah no worries hope you get it sorted 👍
MarkyMarkMark (3M) Jun 2021 10:46am, 15 Jun 2021 15,447 posts	0 MarkyMarkMark (3M) Not quite sure where to put this, but I thought it was kind of interesting. youtalk-insurance.com Insure your bike if you can't afford to replace it! It seems they can be expensive.... (Mine helps keep he average value down!!) Not sure what the random interjection of the comment about cycling helmets has to do with the wider piece, really! (Ducks for cover at this point - I am one of % who never wear one.)
Kieren Jun 2021 12:15pm, 15 Jun 2021 4,181 posts	0 Kieren Good point Mark. I'm insured with LCC - London Cycling Campaign. They are a charity and do advocacy work for cyclists, like better infrastructure. My main reason for insurance was not thef but legal assistance in case of collision. My commute has some high risk sections. Pedestrians stepping out also used to be a problem but a daytime blinky light stopped that - I think it's easier for them to judge the speed.
mr d Jun 2021 12:33pm, 15 Jun 2021 5,004 posts	0 mr d There was a case a few years ago when a pedestrian on a phone stepped out and was hit. Launched a private prosecution and the judge wasn't able to apportion blame. Think the cyclist ended up with tens of thousands of costs. British cycling membership gets your liability insurance.
Bazoaxe Jun 2021 12:56pm, 15 Jun 2021 20,010 posts	0 Bazoaxe I very nearly hit a pedestrian on the Royal Mile (edinburgh) once. Tourist on their phone and stepped out without looking. Luckily for them I was going uphill and my shout alerted them to the danger but a collision was avoided. Had I been a motor vehicle or going downhill then it would have been a nasty outcome
Yorkshire Pie Jun 2021 1:26pm, 15 Jun 2021 14,100 posts	0 Yorkshire Pie I have hit pedestrians twice Both when they stepped out into a cycle lane without looking. The first was when I was inexperienced and probably should have been more alert. The second was rather unusual in that it was a shoplifter who had stolen a wallet and was being pursued by a couple of others. It was dark and he just shot out in front of me without looking. Even more bizarrely there was a police car stuck in traffic with a perfect view who promptly arrested him and told me there was nothing to worry about as I'd done nothing wrong!
mr d Jun 2021 1:36pm, 15 Jun 2021 5,005 posts	0 mr d Sadly "experience" and "being alert" are needed more than they should be with our awful infrastructure. I still have nightmares about a near miss when a pedestrian went to cross two lanes without looking after stepping out as I descended a steep hill. I think she saw me but wasn't thinking I'd be doing around 30 mph. I still have the video somewhere and I think it was just 2 seconds from her stepping out to me coming level. I did brake, but wouldn't have stopped so released them and went left without calling in case she stopped or backtracked into my path. Probably would have been my fault.
MarkyMarkMark (3M) Jun 2021 1:58pm, 15 Jun 2021 15,453 posts	0 MarkyMarkMark (3M) Was almost funny this morning - when I was running there was a cyclist who swerved out into the road as I came out of a side turning level with him. I thought he was swearing at me at first because he'd thought I wasn't going to turn along the pavement. Then I played back in my head what he'd actually said. "F*cking road". And sure enough, he'd swerved to mostly miss a raised manhole cover with a set of missing road around it! Being alert pays off!

About This Thread

Maintained by Merry Christmas and Happy NewG(rrr)

There is a nice thread about commuting to work by running, and there are loads of terrifying threads about bikes and cycling which are about carbon and grams of weight and lycra - not this one: how to dry your kit, how to carry/store your work clothes etc. and some bike specific stuff about best mudguards to minimize wet and dirt and maybe some stuff about cycle paths, safety, simple bike maintenance etc.

And if you declare yourself at the outset as:
A. Total bike head, train lots, do bike races/triathlons and the commute bit is just a way of getting extra miles in and is done at full bike training pace.
B. Bike for fitness (either with running as main sport or not) and like to do bike in lycra, at reasonable speed, certainly always shower necessary!

C. Bike is firstly a mode of transport, essential for the commute, sure a bit of fitness is good, but it's secondary. Safe, reliable and clean are the priorities.

:-)

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Commuting to work by bike

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