h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Today was bike to work day. I got my folding bike out from its rather dusty cover and pumped up the tyres. It had been raining in the morning and I saw grateful that the rain had stopped. Then I had a go at putting it up - for some reason, one of the folds wouldn't work. Eventually I did. The off I sauntered down the hill, around the corner then down again. I walked the bike across the junction as I didn't feel confident enough to cross on the bike. I thought that all the way to work was down, but it wasn't, so I got off and walked up the long hills, deciding to go up and off the main road, so I could use a side road, which wasn't so busy and not quite so hilly. From there it wasn't too bad until I got to the main road near to work. Then I got off again and walked up almost to our building, then got on again for the last little bit.

Oh dear, I'm not a very good example. I was dreading going back home as it is reall mostly uphill. As it happened, going back was down for a bit, then uphill really steeply, so I walked for quite a bit, then across (and the wrong way up a couple of one-way streets - but there wasn't anything coming the other way, so I wasn't worried. Down a big hill and turn right on my bike and up a bit, although I was feeling a bit stronger now. Off again and walking up another steep bit, then on again and up to the junction. Off the bike again and walking across the road, then on and along till my road, when I turned uphill for a short while, until getting off seemed a good idea, then a steep walk up to my place.

Isn't it funny - coming home was easier than going and I felt more comfortable, although I hadn't thought I would be.

Coming home is always better and at least you got some good exercise. Will look on the other thread to see how the concert went, and little fared.

Websailor

Oh I know that generally coming home is easier than going out. But I remember that the last time I did it, where we worked was lower than now and going home was much more difficult as there was an extra hill in the way. Going home was certainly much more difficult than going to work and the last bit in my own street was by far the best.

I think the best thing I can do will be to go out with little a bit more on the bikes. I think both of us could do with the exercise.

We live about 100m higher than where I work, so it is almost entirely downhill all the way into work and uphill the whole way back. I've never cycled it, but Mrs G has on her folding bike.

It was take your dog to work day here today

I have a folding bike and a normal one, Gnomon, and it was the folder that I rode to work. I reckon that as the wheels are a lot smaller than a standard size, they're harder to pedal. Mrs G has my admiration.

Walk your dog to work, Fb - why? Wouldn't have made much difference to me, though - I haven't a dog.

Nor me, ZSF I wonder who thought it up and managed to persuade Australia that it was a good idea?

Isn't there special gearing on small-wheeled bikes to overcome the need for furious pedalling?

'Isn't there special gearing on small-wheeled bikes to overcome the need for furious pedalling?'

I'm not sure, Fb I should still imagine that it would be more difficult to pedal when one revolution is quite a lot smaller. Suddenly, I'm in mind of penny-farthings, although those had no gearing at all and I imagine they took quite a bit of nerve to get on. I wonder how they stopped at crossings, etc? I imagine they could be quite exhilerating to ride as long as you didn't have to stop.

I guess the fact that there are no penny farthings still on the road is testament to their (lack of) safety

Were there many other people biking to work, ZSF? Did the public transport companies complain about a loss of business? If everyone was cycling to work, theoretically, you shouldn't have had any motorised traffic to contend with (!)

They never have things like that in Germany, although I heard that our neighbouring state (Baden-Württemberg) have had a series of car-free Sundays. Apparently people were out on their hordes on bikes.

As I bike to work (very reluctantly - I don't have a car of my own any more, but I hate cycling) every day, a car-free Sunday to me would simply mean staying at home.

Nor do I have a dog, Frenchbean. But I think that taking a dog to work is worse than taking your children to work. Quite honestly, it's a ridiculous idea. The people who think these things up obviously have no idea what "work" is. If a colleague needs to bring their dog or their child in because there is really no alternative, that's fine in the individual case, and I can cope with that (having experienced both) - but if EVERYONE brought their children or pets on the same day - .

Hello TC

There was a 'bring your kids to work day' when I was in Scotland. It was chaos and not a great learning experience for the kids because very little work actually got done

That's exactly what I mean.

Small-wheeled bikes are geared in such a way that you travel the same distance for each turn of the pedals as on big-wheeled bikes.

WHere you will notice the difference, though, is when there are bumps on the road. The bigger the wheel, the less the impact of the bump.

'Were there many other people biking to work, ZSF?' In my team, Fb, two of us biked to work who wouldn't usually do. I'm not sure who else biked to work, although I know the authority I work for put on a cyclists breakfast for those who cycled in. Neither my colleague or I went to it. I had far too much work to do.

I didn't know that about the gearing, Gnomon, but I did work out the reason I was having difficulty with the hills - I was in top gear all the time. As it's a fairly new bike (I'm confident about the gears on my full-size bike, but I didn't want to leave it outside work attached to a really rubbish bike stand - holds the front wheel only), I didn't want to play about with the gears when I was feeling a bit wobbly.