On the commute today

[Redlight]

well my commute today got me all of three miles up the road, at which point my rear wheel started wobbling around, then jammed, leading to the chain being thrown and wrapping itself tightly around the rear sprocket.  Closer examination revealed two broken links in the chain, four broken spokes and a distinctly un-true wheel. 

It looks as though 5 years of all-weather commuting have taken their toll on the ends of the spokes and once one had detached itself, the others were happy to start following.   The spokes on the front wheel aren't looking too great and the rim is well worn, so it's two new wheels.  The chain was due for replacement anyway, being about a year old and starting to sag.   And while I'm at it, I'll gear up by a tooth or two, now that I know what gear I've been riding (see discussion on gears on Velo Fixe). 

Happily, this happened in an empty bus lane at a relatively low speed, and it wasn't too far to walk home.  I'd hate to think of it happening as I went round, say, the Elephant and Castle roundabout. 

[Rig of Jarkness]

First lambs of the year 

[Ashaman42]

Bah the clouds of bugs have started to make their appearance at certain points on my commute. My eyes!

[jane]

I have to admit, I do feel a little concerned when I see on this thread, frequent posts about average speeds, which seem to indicate that people are riding in a similar way.  That's all.

Fair enough, but having a target doesn't automatically imply riding recklessly. There are parts of my commute where I have to go slow due to traffic, pedestrians, lights etc. But there are other parts of my commute (eg going up Fountain Drive) where the only limiting factor is my ability. If I want to improve my time, I concentrate on trying to go faster on those sections.

Also, saying someone else's behaviour is "a waste of time" isn't the same as expressing reasonable concerns about safety. I'm not offended but it is an unnecessarily personal criticism.

I said "it appears to me to be a waste of time".  I didn't say it categorically is a waste of time.   I was expressing my opinion and you are perfectly entitled to disagree with it.   I, personally, can't see the point of having target times on commutes, and I explained my reasons, but others obviously can and have given theirs.   That's fine.  It was in no way a personal criticism.  I am surprised you perceive it as such.   
And I myself said it is perfectly possible to ride fast and safely.  So we agree on that one. 
Anyway, back to commuting.  Had to do a lot of riding up to, around and back from the city centre today, for various reasons  I was collecting more signatures for the LCC petition (NSTN, do you know you and OH are on the back of all the petition sheets that were being filled in today?) so part of the 35 or so miles today involved a commute to and from Malet St and then back up to Aldwych and the LSE.  Much better day today- lots of lovely cyclists being sensible.  Friendly bus drivers, and polite cabbies.  One leaned out of his cab when we were both stuck behind a massive German coach and several buses on the Strand and gave me a lollipop.  "Is it poisoned?" I asked. He chuckled and told me he had had a bike like mine when he was a kid.  Got called sweetness by the Rastas in Burgess Park (must have been on the strong stuff today) and helped a flustered dad repair his daughter's bike there too, on the way home. (When are they going to open up the park properly?) So today was a different cycling experience all round.  Lovely. Only one lowish point: two silly sods racing each other up the Surrey Canal shared path.  Oh, and saw a dog get hit in the face by a car on Peckham High St.  That was weird.
Strangely, I am far more tired today than after the 100 miler on Saturday.

[CrazyEnglishTriathlete]

Having a target average speed for a commute, as a few people seem to do, appears to me a bit of a waste of time

Well, the world would be a boring place if we all thought the same about everything.

d.

As I myself rode home, heading off the Waterloo roundabout, a cyclist swung out of Stamford St, very fast and therefore wide, forcing me to swerve out of his way. 

I've been cut up by cyclists as a pedestrian trying to cross Stamford Street at the other end - when they jump the lights and complain at the pedestrians who have only a short window to cross whilst keeping their lives.  However, I expect these are the same people who when driving cars would cut me up as a cyclist.

I rather enjoyed my commute back today - in shorts - in March - finding the right 4 x 4 to slipstream down the Bath Road in Reading at speeds a lot higher than I would dare cycle in London 

[citoyen]

I've been cut up by cyclists as a pedestrian trying to cross Stamford Street at the other end - when they jump the lights and complain at the pedestrians who have only a short window to cross whilst keeping their lives.  However, I expect these are the same people who when driving cars would cut me up as a cyclist.

I go through there often, crossing from Stamford Street into Southwark Street, and the general standards of behaviour from all classes of road user are pretty poor. Except pedestrians, who can be excused because they've been given a really bad deal with the design of the crossing.

It would be very instructional to set up a hidden camera at that junction. But I suspect the evidence of such a camera would be far more damning to motorists than cyclists. Every flipping time, I see at least two or three vehicles continue to turn right off Blackfriars Bridge into Stamford Street after the lights have changed to red. Not just amber-gambling, proper full-on red light jumping.

Not that this excuses the idiots on bikes (usually couriers) who sail through the junction like they're in an alleycat race, but at least if they hit a pedestrian it's going to make less mess than if one of those RLJing lorries hits them.

d.

[Chris S]

Some lovely images of the school run on this morning's ride.

A teenage girl in school uniform, pushing a pram and lighting a fag. A giggly girl eating a Curly Wurly for breakfast. Two lads fighting at the bus stop - I mean proper fighting, with fists and kicks and blood, egged on by a large noisy crowd of other kids. They were all so wrapped up in the fight, they'd spilled out into the road and the traffic was backing up!
Further on - a small kid crying. I assume it was his bag hanging from the branch of a tree; not sure if he'd thrown it there and was lamenting his own stupidity, or if he'd been bullied.

All in a morning's school run. Ho Hum.

As for my commute - it was fast today; exactly an hour for 27km.

[bloomers100]

At 0630 I could see a man standing still on the pavement ahead in Highwood, strange I thought, there's not usually someone standing there (cos there's not a lot of variation out in the sticks). When I got along side I saw he was standing next to his car which was on it's side completely filling the gate posts to someone's house, great piece of parking, not what I was expecting. I asked if he was okay, he said he was, I stifled the obvious one liners.

[Wendy]

I'd have stopped and taken a picture, and posted it on iparklikeac@nt.com

[citoyen]

As for my commute - it was fast today; exactly an hour for 27km.

58m 59s for 26.74km = 27.2km/h.

I win!

(Not through London - rural route this morning.)

d.

[Andrij]

It was warm enough for sandals this morning! 

[Chris S]

58m 59s for 26.74km = 27.2km.

I win!

(Not through London - rural route this morning.)

d.

Rats! I shouldn't have stopped to join in with the shouting crowd watching the fight 

[simonp]

I had the trailer and a 67" gear and a headwind and sore legs. About 22kph average.

[CrazyEnglishTriathlete]

A guy in Cambridge was done for furious riding for riding at 30mph down St Andrews Street or Sidney Street (pedestrianised, though not car free central Cambridge) - apparently his training route. That was more than deserved.

Was he in training for Paris-Roubaix 

[spindrift]

Why do drivers overtake just before the lights then pull hard left? What's the story with that, can't they keep the car straight?

[simonp]

A guy in Cambridge was done for furious riding for riding at 30mph down St Andrews Street or Sidney Street (pedestrianised, though not car free central Cambridge) - apparently his training route. That was more than deserved.

Was he in training for Paris-Roubaix 

http://www.camcycle.org.uk/newsletters/14/article14.html

Yes, the speed limit's 30mph. That has about zero relevance.

[Basil]

Since a move of office location I've a new commute route.  So far this week I've had added bits at the start in the morning or at the end in the evening for shopping, parcel officing, beering etc.  So today was my first complete ride in and back with no extra added faffing.
Blimey! It's only a tad over 8.5 miles round trip. 
I'm going to have to get into a life of faffing if I want to rack up any meaningful miles in a week.
Or maybe I need to get involved in a few more forum rides.

[simonp]

Since a move of office location I've a new commute route.  So far this week I've had added bits at the start in the morning or at the end in the evening for shopping, parcel officing, beering etc.  So today was my first complete ride in and back with no extra added faffing.
Blimey! It's only a tad over 8.5 miles round trip. 
I'm going to have to get into a life of faffing if I want to rack up any meaningful miles in a week.
Or maybe I need to get involved in a few more forum rides.

http://www.audax.uk.net/

[Tim Hall]

Got lucky in the traffic light raffle and carrying less luggage than usual meant quite a quick run.  Only average amount of numpties, including standard not indicating as they pull awayu from the curb. Highly trained spidey senses FTW.

Going home will take longer, as I'm off to Tooting to visit Mrs. Hall Senior in the horse piddle.

[jogler]

Since a move of office location I've a new commute route.  So far this week I've had added bits at the start in the morning or at the end in the evening for shopping, parcel officing, beering etc.  So today was my first complete ride in and back with no extra added faffing.
Blimey! It's only a tad over 8.5 miles round trip. 
I'm going to have to get into a life of faffing if I want to rack up any meaningful miles in a week.
Or maybe I need to get involved in a few more forum rides.

http://www.audax.uk.net/

seconded

there are some very good rides in proximity to you in Beermingamm.
Dunno about Wales

[Ham]

Got lucky in the traffic light raffle and carrying less luggage than usual meant quite a quick run.  Only average amount of numpties, including standard not indicating as they pull awayu from the curb. Highly trained spidey senses FTW.

Going home will take longer, as I'm off to Tooting to visit Mrs. Hall Senior in the horse piddle.

Airzound, eh?

(oh, and GWS MrsHS)

[L CC]

Only 2 more! Yay!

Tonight, when I was undertaking (as in doing, not preparing for burial or overtaking on the inside) the second (of four) screamy sweary arm waving rants gestures at drivers passing too close, a following driver took note and held well back.

I must have been scary. He can't have read my lips, after all, being behind.

[simonp]

I sayed “Thank you!” quite sarcastically to a woman who came through the cattle grid on the path the other way very fast forcing me to give way by coming to a halt. I think her “You’re welcome!” was equally sarcastic.

The loose Alsatian was much more polite.

[jane]

Back to an early morning commute today. Cool calm and quiet.  No idea of my average speed, but I clocked 21 mph on the speed indicator on Cheltenham Rd.  Will try and see if I can get it to 22 tomorrow.

[Notsototalnewbie]

Anyway, back to commuting.  Had to do a lot of riding up to, around and back from the city centre today, for various reasons  I was collecting more signatures for the LCC petition (NSTN, do you know you and OH are on the back of all the petition sheets that were being filled in today?)

 

Websites, magazines, petition sheets... Soon I will be far too famous to associate with you little people! Good on you for collecting the signatures!

I have been stuck in all day with a lurgy that I've had all week; pushing through it wasn't working so I stayed at home today which seems to have helped.

Just contemplating whether I should cycle to my meeting first thing in Moorgate tomorrow. Dislike leaving my bike outside, but dislike ramming onto the Northern line even more. I think poor Rob is secretly hoping it will be stolen; its large handlebars have given him a bruise on his hip from squeezing past it in the hallway, and it is even too big for the bike bunker! Mmm.