Make a pledge and set your distance for October.
We both like challenges here at the blog and this one is easy to adapt to your own level. It’s a “set your own goals” challenge so the idea is just to say what you’ll do and do it. You can set the bar low, if like Tracy you’re a fan of “doing more by doing less” or “aim high and fail but still do lots more than if you hadn’t aimed high” person like me!
Blog reader and cyclist AB has signed up for “700kms in Oct (which is 23 commutes to work, which is every work day + 1 more day..).” I pledged to ride 400 km during October, which works out to be 20 commutes at 12 km a round trip, plus 4 weekend 40 km rides. You can sponsor me here.
It’s the Australian Great Cycle Challenge! Yes, it’s spring there and fall here but I love autumn riding and I figure they’re not a bad match in terms of riding conditions. Also, lots of readers are actually there. Yes, it’s an Australian charity but since it’s for medical research I don’t actually care where in the world the good work is done, just that it is done.
“Great Cycle Challenge encourages you to get on your bike this October to fight kids’ cancer. You just register yourself, set yourself a ride target and then pedal as much as you can throughout October.
You can ride as an individual or create a team with your friends, cycling club or workplace – it’s up to you!
Your kilometres and progress will be displayed on your personal rider profile page (created when you register) and you can customise your page with photos, videos, a personal message and even nominate a person to ride for.
Thousands of lycra-loving enthusiasts across Australia will be pedalling to raise funds to develop treatments and find a cure for childhood cancer.
Give your car some alone time this October…register for Great Cycle Challenge today!”
Love this idea! Especially with the new bike! I’ve got a wimpy commute! 8.5 K round trip. But I’ll sign on for 20 of those in October (170) and will figure the rest out this weekend when we go for our first ride and I get a sense of distance. Does it matter which bike? I love my new bike but sometimes the old one is more practical for the commute due to storage. I refuse to put racks and stuff on the new bike!
I don’t think it matters which bike you ride. It’s kilometres ridden that matter. I don’t commute on my nice road bike because a) it’s too zippy for the bike path and b)I don’t like to get it wet and c) fenders and panniers.
I agree with a, b, and c.
Also d) errands. Drives me nuts but whenever I have my good bike it seems a reason comes up to stop off at the library, bank, grocery store etc and I don’t lock that bike up outside, ever. And I can’t walk easily in my road shoes. And so the whole thing is a pain.
Yeah. I don’t like that idea either. It’s definitely a home and back bike. Not to be locked and left anywhere. It’s okay in my office but like I said, lugging stuff is not as easy. I used my backpack yesterday but that’s not ideal. And once I have the new pedals and shoes it will be even less commuter friendly.
I remember last fall when you said it’s easy to end up with a few bikes!
Tracy– check out this website (a Dutch one, naturally…) that has the best panniers ever for around-town. I have some on my commuter bike. Here it is:
http://www.clarijs-fietstassen.nl/
I NEVER leave my road/mtn/cross bikes locked outside; it is asking for heartbreak. Sometimes I end up sheepishly rolling a nice bike into a store, not asking but apologizing while I do some business.
re October challenge: I LOVE THIS IDEA! I have an article due Sept 30, so what a great way to celebrate. Will get back to y’all about distance– must figure out commutes/errands (various distances various days), plus weekend riding, plus that whole metric conversion thing.
-catherine w
Nice, thanks Catherine. I’m quite happy with the pannier I already have. It’s perfect, clips on nicely, and is easy to remove. It also converts into a backpack when i need it to.
I haven’t rolled my bike into a store yet (other than a bike shop). But I generally avoid having to lock it anywhere other than on campus (and with my new road bike I won’t even do that. It gets a place in my office). The commuter bike has a good lock that I feel comfortable using on campus.
Things are a bit better here as long as you use a u lock. I’ve never had a bike stolen with a u lock. With my good bike I don’t worry about the frame it’s all the pricey removable bits including pricey wheels that would cause me stress. Unless I go on group rides and then we leave fifty or more very expensive bikes outside rural diners with no locks. Go figure.