CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Commuting

Public transport gets cyclist's goat shock

(35 posts)
  • Started 9 years ago by I were right about that saddle
  • Latest reply from minus six

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  1. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    So having left my ratty nineties commuter at work last night to go to Murrayfield I was left with a dilema this morning; run to work or take public transport? Turns out I'd left my rucksack at the office and I was running a bit late so I chose the latter.

    I can cycle to work in forty minutes, and run in eighty minutes. Bus and tram took ninety five minutes.

    My workplace is sited in a way that discourages active and public transport, but even so. I don't think my cycling can cost more than £1 a day all in, so the inward journey at £3 has cost six times more and taken more than twice as long.

    Bah and humbug to public transport. If my health ever precludes my cyclng to work I will be quite sad.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  2. newtoit
    Member

    I just took the bus today after cycling in for the first time yesterday - bum needed to recover!

    Door to seat, the bus takes me about 45 mins - 10 minutes walk to bus stop/waiting, half an hour on the bus and 5 minutes getting into office, finding desk etc.

    Cycling yesterday, despite being horrendously unfit, took me 25 mins from door to locking bike up. Having forgotten my pass I couldn't get into the office from the car park so had to go back round and in the front door to sign in, adding a few minutes, then took 10-15 mins having a shower and change so overall I'd say there was no difference timewise.
    Riding back yesterday though, with more uphill work, only took 22 mins so think I can probably get into work in about 20 without needing too many fitness gains first. Remembering my pass should then save another 5, making it 35 minutes door to desk - a 10 min saving.

    Add that to the fact that when I cycle I wont have my face in someone's armpit, and get a seat (of sorts), then I think the bike will be getting a whole lot more use in the near future! Just need to find a way to make my rear able to withstand it better...

    Not sure about the cost savings to be honest, by cycling I save £3 per day on bus tickets but then need to eat more; based on bus tickets alone it'll take about 130 days of riding to break even on the bike alone, before taking into account locks, mudguards, pannier rack&bag, clothing, tyres, insurance etc. Though I guess if you amortise it over 3 years (as HMRC seem to think is a reasonable useable life) then I would be pretty well up!

    Nonetheless, I don't feel that doing a costing analysis on cycling vs public transport is a worthwhile exercise - there's some benefits from cycling that you just can't really quantify!

    Posted 9 years ago #

  3. chdot
    Admin

    Ah, I get it now - 'new to it'!

    Your body will get used to it.

    Looks like you are talking the gradual approach - very sensible.

    Too many people think 'I couldn't cycle every day' so don't even 'try' one day a week.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  4. sallyhinch
    Member

    25 mins bike ride is about 200 calories depending on your speed/weight so unless you're replacing them with fillet steak, you're probably saving money even with additional food costs (and most of us could do with NOT replacing all the extra calories burned...). I reckon my cycling habit 'allows' me to have an extra round of toast with butter and jam which costs pennies and doubles the pleasure of the bike ride itself. The painful part is when you don't cycle and have to wean yourself off the extra toast.

    If your seat is still hurting after a couple of weeks you might want to check your saddle is wide enough - the weight should be on your sit bones. The more upright you ride, the wider the saddle needs to be

    Posted 9 years ago #

  5. Charlethepar
    Member

    @newtoit

    There are also the invaluable gains of getting far fewer colds, flus etc during the winter by cycling in cold air rather than being sneezed on in a warm muggy bus.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  6. ARobComp
    Member

    I think that once you've been going a wee while you'll be ok with just a larger breakfast at home. 20-25mins cycle shouldn't really leave you starving once you've gotten used to it a bit more.

    Try just banging an extra banana or a bigger porridge in the morning at home - again pennies rather than a bacon roll at work (£'s)

    Although I do find that the fresh air does cause my appitite to become somewhat more piqued.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  7. kaputnik
    Moderator

    I live directly opposite a bus stop so on paper can get a "door-to-door" service to work. To get to work in theory by bus is 8 miles and takes ~50 minutes and requires 1 change, but I wouldn't bet on it ever getting you there in that time. Would cost £3.50 a day. I did try a bus-tram combo once and that took over an hour.

    I could walk to Waverley (22 minutes) and get a train to Edinburgh Park or South Gyle, I reckon that would be quicker and only marginally more expensive.

    My cycle route is 10.5 miles and takes about 40 minutes.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  8. neddie
    Member

    I'd recommend eating a banana or apple at around 3pm to avoid bonking* before dinner time.

    *When your blood sugar is low and you feel grumpy and useless.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  9. Beano
    Member

    @newtoit

    I also tried to do a cost analysis of bike vs commute. I am coming in from Fife (34/35 miles per day round-trip). My rail ticket would cost me £1404 this year and is rising quicker than inflation.

    door to desk i'm about 1hr30min by bike and 1hr10min by drop-off at station & train.

    my overriding feeling is that I have lost interest in whether my cycling will ultimately be cheaper than the train...I always find I am looking forward to the commute home by bike and I'm excited to commute home rather than dreading a hot sweaty train ride :-)

    Posted 9 years ago #

  10. Beano
    Member

    Sorry should have said i'm 'new to it' too! only started cycling about a month ago and trying to build up to commuting every day. up to 3 days a week so not too bad...

    Posted 9 years ago #

  11. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    I'm enjoying this thread. As a professional calculator I might be expected to know what cycling costs, but I've actually not got even the vaguest notion.

    As @beano points out, the utility (urk, actuarial term...) of cycling completely obliterates the costs. Unless you wear Rapha.

    My body is adapting to my new 30km daily round trip. At the outset I was scraping last night's pans when I got home for a few extra calories. Now I can eat normally and my cardiac fitness pleases me hugely, but I'll need to watch it when this contract comes to an end and my activity levels drop.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  12. ARobComp
    Member

    I commute about 6 minutes each way by bike. I can tram at £1.50 which takes 3 minutes more at least or by bus which takes 10 minutes more at least.

    If I choose to go swimming in the morning cycling takes 15 minutes, and warms me up, whereas a bus walk combo would take 35 minutes.

    If I want to goto my favourite pub it would take 15 minutes by bike or 30 minutes by bus walk combo.

    Basically not having a bike would completely change the way I live at the moment and make my flat at least 50% less nice and useful.

    On the flip side because I do "sport cycling" which costs me on average at least £200 a month not to mention extra food and the actuall initial outlay for my 2 extra bikes... I'm probably still about £3-4k down on the last 2 years...

    MATHS.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  13. amir
    Member

    Not Maths - more accountancy. I once gave up a job in accountancy because I missed the maths.

    For me, it's about fitness (including avoidance of colds etc from the bus) and enjoyment. I don't save any time because at this time of year I cycle the long way.

    Actually both time and costs are related to the poorness of the weather - time gets longer with better weather. Costs has a more complex relationship - parts get less mileage in worse weather but the conditions are harsher. And of course, longer distance means more munchies.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  14. gembo
    Member

    Can someone post the linkee to the chap in Sudan or wherever on motorbike with goat on his back?

    I had gone for meal on Monday night (Empires Turkish place on st Mary's st, very nice, bit pricey but is BYOB, waiter has great beard)

    So left bike at work. Was taking bus yesterday, first cyclist passed gave me pelters. Bus then did not show up, another local stopped and gave me lift to Lothian road and I walked through princes st gardens. Was at desk at 8.30 and had finished all jobs by lunch so took leader and haven't been back since.

    I think I better stick to what I know and get back on the bike tomorrow.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  15. adamthekiwi
    Member

    Hmmm. My commute takes 45 minutes by car, 80-90 minutes by bike and train (unless I get refused a spot on the train, which adds 30 minutes) or around 250 minutes by bike alone. I go by bike/train most days, although regularly choose combinations with more bike than train. Tomorrow, it's both ways by bike; hoping to set a new personal best for at least one way!

    Posted 9 years ago #

  16. gembo
    Member

    Adam

    Epic

    But can you explain the figures? If takes 90 mins bike train unless you get refused train then add 30 mins equals 120 mins?

    Already epic.

    250 mins though? Tell me that is the round trip?

    Otherwise probably running it close with actual daylight in the winter?

    Still epic

    Posted 9 years ago #

  17. adamthekiwi
    Member

    I work in Stirling, but only occasionally (around a month) ride the whole way back to Leith. Tomorrow is my first attempt at the return journey by bike. I regularly ride to Bridge of Allan, Larbert, Camelon, Falkirk or Dunfermline (from Stirling), or from Ed Park, Linlithgow or occasionally Polmont (to Leith).

    Posted 9 years ago #

  18. adamthekiwi
    Member

    Sorry, I'm being an idiot - I said 250 minutes but meant 190...

    Posted 9 years ago #

  19. cc
    Member

    @gembo here's a random choice from youtube

    [+] Embed the video | Video DownloadGet the Flash Video

    Posted 9 years ago #

  20. adamthekiwi
    Member

    And this morning saw my previous personal best comprehensively smashed; now down to 164 minutes!

    Posted 9 years ago #

  21. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    Two hours forty four minutes to get to Stirling? Please do have a cake. Have two cakes.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  22. lorlane
    Member

    It's a win/win/win for me too. Healthier, more economical and I'm much trimmer as a result. Its probably not much faster than by car on "normal" traffic days, but I can say with some certainty I'll be home in 20 minutes - you can't predict like that with car as you're a traffic hostage!

    My commute is mostly done on canal towpath so scenic and traffic-free.

    I'm a bit more unsure of city centre cycling though. Do any of you do it? What would be your referred route from Lochrin Basin/Fountain bridge to St Andrew square?

    Posted 9 years ago #

  23. cb
    Member

    "What would be your referred route from Lochrin Basin/Fountain bridge to St Andrew square?"

    You can go traffic free to Rutland Sqaure.
    Not sure what the deal is at the moment with Crossing Shandwick Place, but from Rutland Square you could then go over to Stafford St then Melville St. From there cut past West Register House to Charlotte Sq then onto the new George St cycle lane.

    http://www.cyclestreets.net/journey/41719547

    Posted 9 years ago #

  24. Morningsider
    Member

    LORLANE - nasty route with no decent option. Personally, I would just bite the bullet and go Lothian Road, Princes Street, Charlotte Sq and along George Street. A slightly quieter alternative might be along Bread Street, Spittal Street, Castle Terrace, Johnston Terrace, Lawnmarket, The Mound and then join George Street - but some serious climbing and some ropey cobbles just to avoid a bit of traffic.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  25. lorlane
    Member

    Thank-you @cb and @morningsider. It's a bit grim as soon as you enter the city as far as cycling goes (not very encouraging). I'll try the traffic-free option today. It looks much better than the result I got from googling.

    Thanks again.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  26. Beano
    Member

    @ adam - what mph average are you doing on the Edinburgh to Stirling run?

    not that i'm mph-daft or anything...just wondered what someone cycling for almost 3 hours averages!! and how they stay fuelled! :)

    Posted 9 years ago #

  27. neddie
    Member

    I love how someone has already updated OSM to show the new cycle path on George St and traffic on the South side only!

    Posted 9 years ago #

  28. cb
    Member

    I think the OSM updater in question posts on here occasionally.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  29. twq
    Member

    @Beano I'm estimating 40 miles in 2.75hrs is 14.5mph. Or just over 23km/h in civilised units.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  30. cb
    Member

    @LORLANE, the traffic free route is trickyish to follow in places the first time you use it.

    Head down the path to the left side of Louden's.
    Then you need to go kind of straight-ahead-ish, but make sure you cut up to get into the middle of the Scottish Widows circular building.

    Through (under) the building to the north and keep right for the ramp (steps on the left).

    Then across Morrison St and down the right hand side of the Exhibition Centre, but watch out for the subtle-not-all-that-visible steps dead ahead.

    Dodging the steps to the left or right keep going ahead but you really need to keep a close eye for the tunnel/ cut-through on the left. I seem to recall that it isn;t actually signposted.

    That will lead you across a bridge over the West Approach Road. At the far side keep right for the ramp.

    Posted 9 years ago #

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