Cycling in and around Birmingham England

Survived first half of first commute :)

Arrived at work after my first commute in. It's not something I can do regularly in my current position and situation, but I wanted to see if i could do it at all and yesterday's work, today's tasks and tomorrow's commitments all coincided to make it possible if not exactly sensible (and frankly as the nights draw in, the opportunities to get out on the bike are going to get more and more limited).

I've been cycling for 4-5 weeks now, so I've built up to the point where I can do 10 miles without keeling over. The commute is 11.5 miles along the cycle route through Sutton Park all the way to the city centre; I'd scouted the first 2/3rds of the route a week and a half ago, but as it turned out that was the easy - and well-signed 2/3rds. Today I got to experience the canal tow-paths, bridges, locks and gates - much of which I felt was poorly signed (I got lost until another commuter flashed by while my iPhone was struggling to work out what part of the country I was in, so I followed him for 100 yards - thankfully in the correct direction).

I fell off the bike three times - once trying to hop up a low kerb to leave the tow-path (I blame wet kerb stones and tyres; can't possibly be my technique), once in circumstances I can't now remember, and once trying to get up one of those canal bridges when I suffered a classic "clipless moment". Nothing hurt apart from the pride, a few scuffs and scrapes and the front wheel might need a bit of attention later (but it's clearly still rideable).

We haven't got shower facilities at the office, so I was taking it very steady (about 80 minutes start to finish) to avoid getting too hot. Two colleagues were treated to the sight of me in lycra, but with time and treatment they ought to recover. I'm a little muddier than I wanted to be, but hopefully we won't have any rain this afternoon that would make the return leg a misery (and I don't want to go NEAR those brick towpath bridges when they're wet; the chances of staying upright would be slim to non-existent).

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Permalink Reply by Simon on October 6, 2011 at 9:28

Well done or the commute, and don't worry, it'll get easier with time.

I feel your pain regarding those brick canal bridges - managed to come off on one in the wet and fracture my elbow (my own fault really for trying to go too fast for the conditions).

While the canals offer a traffic free access route to the city centre and are probably good for getting your confidence, don't dismiss swapping to the road in the future.....you can get to the centre using fairly quiet roads and you'll find it faster and cleaner than using the canals.

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Permalink Reply by MickL on October 6, 2011 at 11:30

you will find every commute is an adventure in its self, that's a good distance as well for a commute, mine is 10ml's from Dudley to Five Ways. I have choice come down the roads or the Canals but been getting lazy of late and catching the bus :|

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Permalink Reply by Darren Cash on October 6, 2011 at 19:29

Well done richard,

Get some good lights and you can keep going through most of the Winter. Not sure where about in the City you need to get but take a look at the Grand Union Canal which brings you out near Digneth and runs more or less parallel to the sign posted route through Aston. Has less bridges, a better surface and requires a lot less cycling effort.

Agree with Simon also that as your confidence picks up, find a road route. quicker, shorter , easier and not as bad as you might initially think.

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Permalink Reply by Richard D on October 6, 2011 at 20:05

My final destination is just off Steelhouse Lane - so the signed* route takes me pretty much exactly where I want to be - but those canal bridges scare the bejeezus out of me! You can go up/down the middle, riding over the bumps (and therefor almost out of control), or stick to an edge and risk a dunking if you get it wrong. And with my bike-handling skills, it's only a matter of time.

* "signed" is somewhat subjective; it's fine all the way up to Spaghetti Junction, but then the signs become few and far between. I got lost getting to work *and* coming home again thank to the plethora of bridges over the canals, almost none of which are signed.

I survived the journey home - left work early to beat the weather (and any traffic); got lost once at Spaghetti as noted, fell off once (Short Heath or New Oscott) as a result of some fencing collapsed across a narrow bridge, which lead to another "clipless moment" (I fell heavily against some iron railings, so will have a lovely bruise under my arm tomorrow). Quite how I managed that when Id already lost the cleat from my left-hand shoe is anyone's guess (must buy some thread-lock tomorrow). Took just over an hour fifteen for the 12 miles from office to home - about five minutes of which was waiting for rush-hour traffic to let me across the main road half a mile from home (because the alternative is taking a right at a busy roundabout, and frankly my life's precious to me).

I'm only too happy to look for a road route that doesn't involve those canal bridges, but it must not replace them with roundabouts and homicidal maniacs.

Not sure when my next chance to ride in will be; it requires a particular set of diary commitments (or lack thereof) to be viable. I'd cheerfully attempt a couple of miles in business attire, but not 12 miles.

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Permalink Reply by Jon Ingram on October 6, 2011 at 21:43

It certainly sounds like you're having some adventures, Richard! Here's to the next outing! :0)

All the best, mate, keep pedalling....

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Permalink Reply by Simon on October 7, 2011 at 8:24

fell off once (Short Heath or New Oscott) as a result of some fencing collapsed across a narrow bridge,

Sounds like Witton Lakes. My friend fell off there the other week, before the temporary fence was in place. She went through the gap and ended up hanging from the bridge over the stream. Sounds funny, but could have been really nasty for a lady or advancing years - if we'd not been there to haul her back up she could have been in real trouble.

So I got on tot he council about it (see my thread about it on here), and they put the temporary fence up until they can organise the resources to fix it properly.

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Permalink Reply by Andy on October 7, 2011 at 8:28

Hi Richard,

Do continue with your cycling - You'll soon find that the 11.5 miles becomes pretty easy and you'll be doing it quicker and quicker.

With regards to showers at work I'm kicking myself constantly now because in my previous job they had full shower facilities but I didn't once ride to work (would have been around 9 miles). Now I'm working at an office that doesn't have those facilities so I don't have that option. Still... Should the opportunity arise in the future - I'll jump at it!

ps... I'm not one for riding the canals - My natural floatation level tends to be 2 to 3 inches just below the surface of the water so I'll take my chances with the roundabout maniacs anyday ;-)

Andy.

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Permalink Reply by Stuart Thompson on October 7, 2011 at 9:42

Andy,

How far would your commute be? I've been commuting for past few years without a shower in work, the distance is about 7 miles.

I have a shower before cycling in and ride slower on my way into work, the amount I sweat seems to be about the same as if I had ran for a bus ( though this does go out of the window a little at the height of summer)

I also have a merino base layer which is great for keeping unwanted smells at bay

Deoderant, towel and wet wipes are kept in work in case I'm running late and have to get in quicker ( and hence a bit sweatier)

Stuart

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Permalink Reply by Andy on October 7, 2011 at 9:50

Hi Stuart,

I fear that my perspiratory glands are much more efficient than yours - I only have to look at my bike and they become primed for action ;-)

The distance is only about 5 miles but I'm one of these riders that always likes to push as hard as possible and if I don't arrive at my destination sweaty and with legs like jelly, I feel as if I've somehow missed out.

Andy.

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Permalink Reply by Simon on October 7, 2011 at 10:26

Well, I could certainly represent my country if sweating ever became an Olympic sport.

My old commute used to be about 22 miles each way and we had no showers at work. I got around the problem by wearing clothing that wicked very well, and was in layers so that I could match it closely to the temperature that day. At work I would sit around in my cycling clothes for a good 15 mins so that I'd cooled down and stopped sweating. Then off to the toilets where I'd fill a basin with water and wash all of my sweaty bits (helps if you come in before everyone else!), squirt of the deodorant, and then change into office clothes.

Never bothered trying to ride slow because on a commute that long with a couple of bit lumps (Kinver / Clent) in the middle it meant that I sweated no matter what.

Now that my commute is only 5 miles each way I just ride in wearing work clothes and take it very steady so I don't sweat..

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Permalink Reply by Richard D on October 13, 2011 at 7:32

Survived the second commute in today.

Same route for the first 7.5 miles (along NCN 535); followed a chap that seemed to know where he was going once I'd crossed the M6 on a route that didn't involve any canal tow-paths for the next bit; ultimately he wasn't headed in the same direction as I was, but it got me to a spot of Birmingham I recognised (Aston Hall) and from there it was a fairly straightforward ride in on the roads without encountering too much traffic. I was at my desk by 8.15.

Didn't fall off today (although there was nearly a clipless moment in front of a car at a junction).

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Permalink Reply by Jez Collins on October 13, 2011 at 8:30

Hi Richard,

I've given up on the canals, to rough, to narrow and those bridges are horrendous. I didn't want to but I plucked up the courage and chose the road option so now I go straight down the Hagley Rd from Bearwood, through town and up the Walsall Rd to Perry Barr.

Hagley Rd can be a little scary but to be honest I find the bigger, busier the road the better it is for cycling as the traffic is either flowing or stationary whereas on the smaller roads people pull out, aren't concentrating etc. If that makes sense!

Keep up the cycling, I've been doing it about 10 months now and wouldn't change it for the world!