Over the last month I have done my 40 km bicycle commute 4 times. My time dropped from close to 2 hours to 1 hour 38 minutes for the ride there, while my fastest ride home was 1 hour 30. (The university is at the top of a hill.)

I’ve learned some important things about riding:

• When it’s cold, riding faster warms up your muscles but the wind chill means you are still freezing.
• Most car and truck drivers are very considerate and give cyclists a wide berth. However it would only require one idiotic / sleepy / distracted driver  to make a real mess of your shiny bicycle and limbs. Defensive cycling is an necessity rather than an option.
• Riding in the rain is fun the first time, but the novelty wears off fast.
• There is an infinite number of varieties of asphalt, and a cyclist can feel every nuance through their bottom.

Fizik Arione Tri 2 saddle

The stock seat that came with my bicycle had a rather annoying squeak, and was not specifically designed for a triathlon bike. I am now however the proud owner of a new seat that is lighter, more comfortable and squeak free. One other criteria was that I didn’t want any leather or suede on the seat. In the end I chose a Fizik Arione TRI 2 saddle, it felt good for a brief spin on the trainer, but I’ll get a better evaluation after a long ride.