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Today I made my first foray into getting ahead of the Games by cycling halfway to work.
I've done this before, but found that my road rage with obnoxious drivers and clueless oblivious pedestrians took the pleasure out of the cycling, and I arrived/got home much agitated. I chose to put up with the Tube over raising my blood pressure.
Now: there's a new reason to avoid the Tube, at least within Zone 1 and our neighbourhood.
Our manor in 'ackney is directly in the path of the stampede to the main Olympic venues, and the first four stations I travel through are described as will be exceptionally busy, defined as 'wait 15-30 mins for a train'.
This projection assumes noone changes their travel routine, and carries on as if there were no Olympics.
SO: today I tested out my road route on my new bike - a cheap made-in-China folding bike, in red.
The cheapness is evident: the gears don't change smoothly, many components are cast metal or plastic rather than bent/rolled metal, or otherwise made more robust. It smelled of plastic, very strongly, when I pulled it out of the box.
But I'm hoping that it gets me to and fro without actually falling apart; it could pay for itself in cheaper Oyster cards in a month.
First observation: seat is rock-hard. Ugh.
Second observation: I should have brought my Leatherman, because both my seatpost and my handlebars crept downward over the journey, requiring me to stop to undo the screw and hoike them up again. This is pesky when you don't have a set of pliers to hold one side of the screwing-tightening-thing (technical term). Something to remedy tomorrow.
I'd tested the route once, on a Sunday morning, on my trusty smooth and desperately unfashionable 10-speed. It was a very different experience at rush hour, on the folding bike, and it took me quite a bit longer than my first go.
Hoping to gain speed as I gain comfort with the route, and no longer have to check my A-Z every few minutes. Would also like a small pannier, that fits on the small parcel rack - my ancient and trusty MEC panniers (which have served me lo these 15+(?) years) do not fit. If anyone knows where to find or bodge such an item, please drop me a line.
I've done this before, but found that my road rage with obnoxious drivers and clueless oblivious pedestrians took the pleasure out of the cycling, and I arrived/got home much agitated. I chose to put up with the Tube over raising my blood pressure.
Now: there's a new reason to avoid the Tube, at least within Zone 1 and our neighbourhood.
Our manor in 'ackney is directly in the path of the stampede to the main Olympic venues, and the first four stations I travel through are described as will be exceptionally busy, defined as 'wait 15-30 mins for a train'.
This projection assumes noone changes their travel routine, and carries on as if there were no Olympics.
SO: today I tested out my road route on my new bike - a cheap made-in-China folding bike, in red.
The cheapness is evident: the gears don't change smoothly, many components are cast metal or plastic rather than bent/rolled metal, or otherwise made more robust. It smelled of plastic, very strongly, when I pulled it out of the box.
But I'm hoping that it gets me to and fro without actually falling apart; it could pay for itself in cheaper Oyster cards in a month.
First observation: seat is rock-hard. Ugh.
Second observation: I should have brought my Leatherman, because both my seatpost and my handlebars crept downward over the journey, requiring me to stop to undo the screw and hoike them up again. This is pesky when you don't have a set of pliers to hold one side of the screwing-tightening-thing (technical term). Something to remedy tomorrow.
I'd tested the route once, on a Sunday morning, on my trusty smooth and desperately unfashionable 10-speed. It was a very different experience at rush hour, on the folding bike, and it took me quite a bit longer than my first go.
Hoping to gain speed as I gain comfort with the route, and no longer have to check my A-Z every few minutes. Would also like a small pannier, that fits on the small parcel rack - my ancient and trusty MEC panniers (which have served me lo these 15+(?) years) do not fit. If anyone knows where to find or bodge such an item, please drop me a line.
