Meet newly minted bike commuter Lee 'Commando' Gibson, who at 40 years old, has decided to get on the bike to work bandwagon. Lee is enjoying the sunrises, which always seem better by bike, and the joy of speeding past lines of traffic on his town and country commute. Indeed Lee is so excited about getting to work these days he forgets to pack his underwear!
Name: Lee Gibson
Workplace: Earls Colne, Essex
Tell us about your commuting rig: My wife bought me my ride in July this year for my 40th birthday. It’s Carrera Subway 2, and has been working great for me. I am going to upgrade the tyres soon as punctures a bit of a pain, but on the whole, a great bike.
What’s your commute like? Half of my commute is through Braintree town centre, and the other half is through country lanes, so I’m getting the best of both worlds. My journey is a 27 mile round trip, and has 4 or 5 small hills that I dread, but get a great sense of achievement once I’ve got to the top, and who doesn’t love the ride back down the hills.
How many days a week do you commute by bike? I’ve only been cycle commuting since July, and never cycled much before that, so at the moment I’m only doing three days a week, but I’m hoping to push it to four and eventfully five
What do you enjoy the most about bike commuting? Breezing past stationary traffic, taking in the sunrise across the fields as I ride down the country lanes, and just the general sense of freedom that you get when riding a bike, I wish I’d done it ages ago.
What’s your least favourite thing about commuting by bike? The spray of cars and trucks when it’s raining, punctures and the lack of patience from car owners, especially when the weathers bad. But these are minor things, and it would not stop me from cycling.
What are your main reasons to commute by bike? Much the same as everyone else, it comes down to money and health. I don’t know how much I save, and to be honest, it does not matter anymore, as I love it and the effects it’s had on Improving my fitness, and I’m actually thinking of doing a triathlon for the first time now.
Have you got any funny or interesting bike commuting stories or experiences to share? Cycled all the way to work and was getting myself cleaned up and ready for the day ahead, and realised I’d forgotten my underwear, so went commando for the day, felt pretty good to be honest. Forward planning is everything.
What’s your killer commuting tip? Keep your bike well maintained, oiled and clean, it makes such a difference to know it’s all working right. Set your gear out for the next day the night before, saves you so much time in the mornings and is a lot less stressful, you want to enjoy your ride, not worry if you’ve got everything or not.
Are you a British Cycling Member? If so how does your British Cycling membership support your bike commuting? Not yet, but will be signing up any day now, looks to be well worth the money.
Send us your Commuter Profile!
We want to know about your commuting experiences; how far you go, why you choose to ride, your killer tips and your commuter grumbles. Download, complete and email back your commuter profile to editor@britishcycling.org.uk and tell your story. Feel free to include a photograph/photographs of you and your trusty commuting bike!
Download Commuter Profile Form (Word Document)
