Tom Pike
tompike.bsky.social
Tom Pike
@tompike.bsky.social
Gardener, cyclist, scientist, engineer. Enjoys food and drink. Coeliac other half. Humanist. Net negative home by 2030. Stupidity and satire. Views mine.
I regularly cycle this way. Roadworks for 6 weeks on the A38 nearby, adding 30 mins to journey times. So Google Maps/Waze was rerouting people through Willington (judging by the numbers I filtered past, rerouting added far more than 30 mins to their journey).

No excuse for driving like a muppet
December 11, 2025 at 10:44 AM
Just a thought - are you aware of the Harbourne Walkway? I get that you're an experienced cyclist and roads don't faze you (though as someone who almost never cycles without panniers I can't imagine filtering as you do!) but it could be a nice change of scenery, if nothing else.
December 8, 2025 at 1:47 PM
Nice video. Sad to see little has changed - during our PhDs (defended 2014) my (now wife) and I had a very similar commute, to Gillott Road. She was physically unharmed but very shaken by a hit and run at the junction you highlight, Augustus Road, summer 2012.
December 8, 2025 at 1:37 PM
I'd offer to clear Burton using one of these, but most of the infrastructure is so outdated that I can't fit the e-cargo bike on it/through barriers. Case in point:
December 4, 2025 at 11:51 AM
Less efficient, but far less disruptive to install, are decentralised systems. Lower recovery of heat (70-85% vs centralised 90+%) but much more simple installation.
November 27, 2025 at 3:01 PM
In essence, they remove warm, wet air from your house, pass this through a heat exchanger and supply air from outside, warmed and dry, in.

Work best in well insulated, well sealed properties. Sealing is more important than insulation for good MVHR function.

Centralised installation disruptive...
November 27, 2025 at 2:58 PM
If you fancy a bit of investment in your home: MVHR.

We installed a centralised system* around a year ago. Humidity levels dropped from 60-90% (yes really!) to 45-60%.

*only upstairs for now; extension pending
November 27, 2025 at 2:56 PM
Alternative was a second car (or a motorcycle/side car!). We'd have spent more in insurance alone on a second car in the 2 years we have had the RW than we spent on buying, kitting-out and running the RW.
Lost count of the number of admiring comments. Once you've made the shift, can't go back.
November 27, 2025 at 10:04 AM
We bought a Radwagon 4, second hand, for about £1k (inc accessories to enable 2 kids). Since then, we've spent a bit more on more kit (e.g. XL panniers) and now it covers around 50km per week (including almost all moving of kids and shopping).
If we hadn't bought 2nd hand, we'd have used C2W.
November 27, 2025 at 10:02 AM