Anyone Scoot to work?

boliston

i have googled "scooter commuter" and got an article in the mail online about the pm's wife on a scooter http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3074691/As-David-Cameron-celebrates-returning-Downing-Street-without-Lib-Dems-windswept-wife-Samantha-returns-No-10.html although there seem typically for there to be a lot of comments saying how "bad" it is - no doubt they would prefer to see her in the latest 4x4

Marco_Panettone

SmallL wrote: »

Thanks for all your advice thus far!

A few reasons why I'm a bit tentative about a bike:

1) I'm in wonderful hilly sheffield, I live on a hill and my place of work is on another hill!
2)I'm not the fittest person nor the best cyclist, I last rode a bike when I was about 10!
3)A decent cycle costs much more than a 'Commuter scooter'

I really would cycle if it wasn't for the hills, with a scooter I can simply walk up them. I have the option of scooting half way and catching a bus for the 'uphill' section.

You'd be likely to find scooting much harder work than cycling - it will predominantly use one leg and is less energy-efficient. After a while your fitness will improve anyway. It's not a race, and you can always push the bike up hills if you need to, although with 'sympathetic' gearing you may not need to.


It might be worth having a look at some 'cycle training' to help you feel more confident. The Sheffield scheme is run by http://www.pedalready.co.uk/ so they might be able to help.

When it comes the "a decent bike" it very much depends what you mean. A bike is simply a tool for getting from A to B, nothing more. Some people will want to do this as fast as possible in a race situation, others might want to do this off-road. Most people just need to get there, and have the option of carrying a small amount of luggage or shopping on the way.


Have a look at eBay/preloved/gumtree for something 2nd hand - there are some great bikes out there just looking for a new home.

SmallL

Marco_Panettone wrote: »

You'd be likely to find scooting much harder work than cycling - it will predominantly use one leg and is less energy-efficient. After a while your fitness will improve anyway. It's not a race, and you can always push the bike up hills if you need to, although with 'sympathetic' gearing you may not need to.


It might be worth having a look at some 'cycle training' to help you feel more confident. The Sheffield scheme is run by http://www.pedalready.co.uk/ so they might be able to help.

When it comes the "a decent bike" it very much depends what you mean. A bike is simply a tool for getting from A to B, nothing more. Some people will want to do this as fast as possible in a race situation, others might want to do this off-road. Most people just need to get there, and have the option of carrying a small amount of luggage or shopping on the way.


Have a look at eBay/preloved/gumtree for something 2nd hand - there are some great bikes out there just looking for a new home.

Thanks for your advice!

I'm going to look into that website. I think it may be the wrong end of the year to start cycling, I'm worried already about cycling on roads without wet and frosty conditions!

I think I might try building my general fitness up a little before attempting to cycle (Perhaps a bike would be a nice xmas present??).

MotheroftheKid

What about an electric bike? The ones where you pedal but get a bit of electric help

Marco_Panettone

SmallL wrote: »

Thanks for your advice!

I'm going to look into that website. I think it may be the wrong end of the year to start cycling, I'm worried already about cycling on roads without wet and frosty conditions!

I think I might try building my general fitness up a little before attempting to cycle (Perhaps a bike would be a nice xmas present??).

Wet/frosty roads are more of an issue on some bikes than others - road bikes with narrow tyres are more prone to losing grip than bikes with chunkier tyres. I'm in London though, so we don't really get proper winter - just 8 months of Autumn!

DKLS

SmallL wrote: »

Thanks for all your advice thus far!

A few reasons why I'm a bit tentative about a bike:

1) I'm in wonderful hilly sheffield, I live on a hill and my place of work is on another hill!
2)I'm not the fittest person nor the best cyclist, I last rode a bike when I was about 10!
3)A decent cycle costs much more than a 'Commuter scooter'

1) Hills are a great way to get fit, even if you have to push up the hill at first you will improve
2) Its like riding a bike (excuse the pun and this bunch offer FREE cycling courses and offer loan bikes so you can try cycling without spending a bean)
3) I did a search on eBay for bikes for sale in Sheffield, and there are loads of decent bikes for under £100 and loads more starting at 99p, if you fancy cycling there is no need to splash out a load of dosh.

kathrynha

MotheroftheKid wrote: »

What about an electric bike? The ones where you pedal but get a bit of electric help

Hubby has one and they are great. Not the cheapest option, but he says going up hill is like cycling on the flat.

zaax

Cycling takes a bit of getting used to. Do it for 2 months times to get the muscles, a year later you will be wondering what all the fuss was about

Johnmcl7

I'm confused about what type of scooter we're talking about here? I can't imagine going 4.5 miles on the usual type of scooter.

John

27col

My neighbours wife has been using one for about a year. She goes about a mile and a quarter to the station. Then does an even longer scoot at the other end. She says that several other commuters on her train are now using them. Though I did notice that her husband seems to be picking her up at the station in the evenings, a bit more often now the autumn is here.