Timing my Bicycle Commute (14th December 2012)
Specialized Secteur feels supremely comfortable compared to the beaten up my 1970’s non-branded steel racer. But is it actually faster?
No tools are needed to fit the Cateye Strada wireless cycle computer onto a bicycle. So I can transfer it between them within an hour.
Why so long? Because you need a tiny flat-headed screwdriver to release the zip-ties. (One out of a cracker would do but I used a cheap electronics one.)
Here are the results so far.
Blue Racer, Flat to smp
Monday 17th December 2012 morning.
- 18 minutes – continued to Sainsbury’s
- Max: 23.7mph
- Average: 11.8mph
- Stuck behind trucks down Caledonian Road.
Blue Racer, smp to Flat
Monday 17th December 2012 evening.
- ~17 minutes 30 seconds + 30s walk!
- Average: 12.8mph
- Max: 24mph
- Started at junction after staggered junction, 3.74 miles.
- Stopped to advise against riding wrong way down York Way.
Secteur, Flat to smp
Tuesday 18th December 2012 morning.
- 17 minutes 30 seconds!
- Average: 13.1mph!
- Max: 26.9mph!! (Drafting articulated truck down Holloway Road.)
- Whitfield Street at end.
Secteur, Flat to Brixton (9 miles) and later Brixton to Flat (9.5 miles)
Saturday 2nd February 2013 evening.
- 1 hour 20 minutes.
- Average: 12.7mph
- Max: 25.5mph
- Lots of traffic.
- Stayed in Brixton for a couple of hours with a friend.
- Fiona used her bicycle to reach Tube station and used a Bus at the other end.
- Fiona won by ~20 minutes each way!
Cycling Superhighway 7 (CS7) along A3 has lots of drains, service covers and potholes!
After crossing Thames heading North I found a diabolically bumpy road. Even with the comfortable ride of my Secteur.
Secteur, smp to Flat
Monday 4th February 2013
- ~16 minutes 30 seconds + 30 seconds walk!!
- Average: 13mph
- Max: 28.9mph!!
- Started at junction after staggered junction, 3.69 miles.
- Moderate traffic.