Metric Century Commute

Ivan

Guru
My normal commute is 55km round trip which I do 3-4 times a week, but sometimes I also plot longer routes when I can. On a DF my enjoyment is limited by body pains which start coming on at the 2 hour mark. I still enjoyed the longer rides, but less so due to having to mitigate the pain. This limitation is now gone with Silvio, and this is now the second time I have done a metric century on a REGULAR WORK DAY.

I left my home at 6.45am and did about 45km on a long route to the office, then did about 70km back in the evening, leaving my office at 7pm, stopping for a dinner break at about 8pm. In my tiny country of Singapore, I rode the entire circumference on a regular work day, which you can see from Garmin Connect. What is great is that almost no planning was required and it was very enjoyable. I rode at a moderate effort level, slightly above what I think would be touring pace effort, averaging 26.4kph with slow downs due to traffic lights and recreational park connectors. I didn't stop to take pictures, so I'll have to link to someone else's of one of these beautiful "park connectors" - imagine cruising down this on SIlvio at the end of a work day! I ended up back at home not particularly tired and with no pain in hands, shoulders, feet and my most important nemesis...my butt!

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On the following ride (today) I noticed that I am now smoother after the more miles/kms put in. I can't ride no-handed yet, but I'm not trying particularly hard either. Just enjoying my Silvio! I sold my DF (a beautiful Cervelo S2) last weekend as I figured SIlvio is now my primary ride and I just won't be riding the Cervelo enough to justify keeping her.
 

chrisblessing

Well-Known Member
Nice

Hi Ivan,

Good for you on getting in some long rides. I'm up in Kuala Lumpur and have a hard time getting more than 35-40 km together without getting out of town (no car, only a motorbike.

Maybe my next trip to the city state I'll bring my folding conversion along.

Keep riding,

Chris
 

ak-tux

Zen MBB Master
Great stuff Ivan! Did you do

Great stuff Ivan! Did you do that ride with your panniers? How are those working?

Now is that a bicycle path up that bridge? Wow!
 

Ivan

Guru
Hi Chris, yup... Kuala Lumpur

Hi Chris, yup... Kuala Lumpur is my hometown and it ain't very friendly for cyclists. Singapore is getting much better these past few years, with some interesting places like the one above called Punggol Waterway. I can show you some spots!

Ak-tux, I didn't use my panniers on that ride. I don't typically need to carry very much. The above is a pedestrian bridge but you can also ride (slowly) over it! The newest and coolest cycling bridge in Singapore crosses over one of our major freeways (below). However, this cool infrastructure is more for leisure than real world commuting. With rising numbers of cyclists, and intense discussion in the media, the next few years will determine whether our city-state will become a cycle friendly place or not...

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=568769119827572&set=a.568768439827640.1073741866.233222840048870&type=3&theater?

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