On the commute today

[Ray 6701]

A steady 40+ miles today has taken me to just over 3000miles for the year so far 

[CrazyEnglishTriathlete]

Back in the UK.  Usual commute into Reading, launching my double-panniered attack from North Hampshire into the edifices of Berkshire.  Sunny, no wind, only a little early morning briskness in the air, just under the hour, no annoying drivers.  Who needs Swiss mountains and roads so smooth you could shave in your reflection... 

[Riggers]

Is that Swiss salt you're using to rub in our wounds, or home-grown?

[mrcharly-YHT]

Back in the UK.  Usual commute into Reading, launching my double-panniered attack from North Hampshire into the edifices of Berkshire.  Sunny, no wind, only a little early morning briskness in the air, just under the hour, no annoying drivers.  Who needs Swiss mountains and roads so smooth you could shave in your reflection...

You're still mainlining toblerone, aren't you?

[fuzzy]

It was a glorious ride in ths morning.

This year, for some reason, I have been feeling the cold and, this morning was my first ride to work in my YACF long sleeve winter weight jersey as opposed to my old Altura airstream windproof jacket.

[CrazyEnglishTriathlete]

Back in the UK.  Usual commute into Reading, launching my double-panniered attack from North Hampshire into the edifices of Berkshire.  Sunny, no wind, only a little early morning briskness in the air, just under the hour, no annoying drivers.  Who needs Swiss mountains and roads so smooth you could shave in your reflection...

You're still mainlining toblerone, aren't you?

Actually I have a slight food intolerance to chcolate so the abundance of Lindt and Toblerone passed me by.  As my Swiss rides usually took place after a 12 hour working day I ended up living off Thai curries from Mr Wong's as it was the only place open when I got back in.

[ian]

Back in the UK.  Usual commute into Reading, launching my double-panniered attack from North Hampshire into the edifices of Berkshire.  Sunny, no wind, only a little early morning briskness in the air, just under the hour, no annoying drivers.  Who needs Swiss mountains and roads so smooth you could shave in your reflection...

You're still mainlining toblerone, aren't you?

Actually I have a slight food intolerance to chcolate so the abundance of Lindt and Toblerone passed me by.  As my Swiss rides usually took place after a 12 hour working day I ended up living off Thai curries from Mr Wong's as it was the only place open when I got back in.

A shame as Basel airport used to (and may still, I can't have bought them all) 4.5 kg bars of Toblerone. It also has a 24-themed (as in the TV programme with The Keifer) pinball machine. Well, by themed, it had no other related attribute other than a big picture of snarling Chloe the grumpy yet diligent CTU analyst on the side.

[Feanor]

Nice ride in this morning, but the wind has picked up.   Going to be a bit blowy over the hill, methinks 

[fuzzy]

Nice ride in this morning, but the wind has picked up.   Going to be a bit blowy over the hill, methinks 

To paraphrase two oft abusive missives-

In Yer Face or Up Yer Chuff?

[spindrift]

Booked the bike in at Freemans, he says £30 each component for a whole new drive chain, chain, rear mech, basically replace the groupset, £200 all in. Is that reasonable, do you think?

[CrinklyLion]

Sunshine, lots of wind always from the wrong direction, duckies on the river, the company, briefly, of a bunbury in fine fettle, rubbish space in the bike shed as everyone else is back on the bike too, so out of the habit of cycle-commuting that I forgot my school uniform and spent the whole day in jeans, ridiculous driver in a blue car gesturing that I should be over in the potholed scratty cycle lane on the left on the approach to a mini roundabout where I was turning right whilst starting overtaking me right on the approach to the junction (in fairness, quite wide.... so almost completely filling the exit lane of said roundabout, good job there was nobody coming from the right really) and completed her overtake by driving right over the white circle.

Sunshine.  Duckies.  Company, briefly, to natter to.  First cycle-commute of the term.  Possibly of the year.  That'll do. 

[Feanor]

Nice ride in this morning, but the wind has picked up.   Going to be a bit blowy over the hill, methinks 

To paraphrase two oft abusive missives-

In Yer Face or Up Yer Chuff?

I get a bit of everything!
My commute is C shaped.
So on the ride home,  ( Northbound), I started into a W headwind.   Heading N over the hill, it was mostly a gusty side-wind  Not a problem on the climb, but an embuggerance on the descent. Then, on the last leg, I was heading E with a tailwind!

Ride in, 2h40 is about normal:
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/302375246

Ride home is normally 10 to 15 mins quicker, but not today.
However, notice my speed for the last 30 mins does not drop below 30kph, and is up at about 40 for a fair bit?  That'll be a tail-wind, that will be!
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/302375219

[benborp]

This morning was my first commute in to central London at rush hour for I don't know how long. The increase in traffic takes me by surprise every time I return to south London's roads after a break but today was something special.

Is there any way of somehow communicating to the poor sods ferrying their children into Dulwich, the fact that Dulwich is now full? I mean it's full up. Like a car park, that's full, of cars. There is no space to fit any more cars. There is no more room for more cars. It is not possible to squeeze any more cars onto the roads and pavements of Dulwich because the roads and pavements of Dulwich are already covered in cars. They don't seem to realise...

[Eccentrica Gallumbits]

My first bike trip and cycle commute since the end of October. My legs have withered over the winter, and my arse is no longer saddle-shaped.

[mrcharly-YHT]

Booked the bike in at Freemans, he says £30 each component for a whole new drive chain, chain, rear mech, basically replace the groupset, £200 all in. Is that reasonable, do you think?

Depends on the groupset!

I wouldn't pay it, but I am a tight git.

[ian]

This morning was my first commute in to central London at rush hour for I don't know how long. The increase in traffic takes me by surprise every time I return to south London's roads after a break but today was something special.

Is there any way of somehow communicating to the poor sods ferrying their children into Dulwich, the fact that Dulwich is now full? I mean it's full up. Like a car park, that's full, of cars. There is no space to fit any more cars. There is no more room for more cars. It is not possible to squeeze any more cars onto the roads and pavements of Dulwich because the roads and pavements of Dulwich are already covered in cars. They don't seem to realise...

But without all those cars how would they get their kids to the posh school at the end of the road?

[PaulR]

A couple of hours of fettling of my regular commuting bike last night failed to identify the source of (let alone remedy) the clicking and creaking that's appeared over the last week.

So this morning I took a different bike, the lurid yellow 1980s Rockhopper Comp with teal and fuchsia decals.  Such a nice ride - it felt a bit gloopy and sluggish at first, but it rolls along so steadily, and the fatter tyres make light work of SE London's "road surfaces".  Brakes were duly tested by a left-turning artic in Brockley: ancient cantis operated by giant four-finger levers worked faultlessly.  Old Deore thumbies made the (few) gear changes v easy.  Biopace kicks in nicely when pulling away on the middle ring. 

I arrived at work happy, and the bike is now glowing hideously in the sunshine outside my office.

[Andrij]

A most enjoyable ride in this morning.  Isn't the weather grand?  Shame I couldn't keep on cycling instead of going to work.  Last night was nice as well - scenic route interrupted by a stop at Captain Kidd for a pint.

I've been on my Orbea* this week and loving it.  Whereas the Hewitt is more comfortable, the Orbea is more fun on the commute as I don't worry about 'abusing' it.  OK, it's a bit slower than my tourer, but both are slower than the Moulton.  The recent swap between bicycles confirms the absolute minimum number of bicycles to won is TWO.  Not just to have a 'spare' one, but to also enjoy the difference between them.

* in Xmas mode, don't ride like that all year 'round.

[alexb]

Lovely weather, but boy you need eyes in the back of your head to cope with the influx if less experienced cyclists. Especially those that like to "buzz" you on both sides when you are starting off from crossings or red lights.

[Paul]

Booked the bike in at Freemans, he says £30 each component for a whole new drive chain, chain, rear mech, basically replace the groupset, £200 all in. Is that reasonable, do you think?

What have you done that requires the replacement of so much in one go? If wear-and-tear you might expect chain, cassette and - at a push - a chain ring or two. Jockey wheels on the rear mech maybe.

Something like £100 in parts if it's middle of the road stuff. I don't know what the labour would cost - it's definitely in diy territory if you're reasonably confident/competent.

If you've bashed the rear mech that might need replacing, but (unless appearances are very important) a bent mech can often be bent back.

[spindrift]

It's my six-year old Galaxy, it's done 4k a year for the last three years so he's replacing the cassette, chain and big ring, Freemans in Norwich. He had a Super Galaxy up on the bench, very tasty, last year's version £1125 at Spa Cycles.

[spindrift]

Booked the bike in at Freemans, he says £30 each component for a whole new drive chain, chain, rear mech, basically replace the groupset, £200 all in. Is that reasonable, do you think?

 - it's definitely in diy territory if you're reasonably confident/competent.

That's me out. Haven't a scooby about fixing bikes. I only learned the rear mech cog thing is called a cassette yesterday. I'm useless, I'd much rather pay a chap in overalls to do it for me.

[Vince]

I'm useless, I'd much rather pay a chap in overalls to do it for me.

[Jurek]

Lovely weather, but boy you need eyes in the back of your head to cope with the influx if less experienced cyclists. Especially those that like to "buzz" you on both sides when you are starting off from crossings or red lights.

I too have noticed that with the sunshine comes a large dose of general twattery from some cyclists.

[fuzzy]

Lovely weather, but boy you need eyes in the back of your head to cope with the influx if less experienced cyclists. Especially those that like to "buzz" you on both sides when you are starting off from crossings or red lights.

I too have noticed that with the sunshine comes a large dose of general twattery from some cyclists.

Who is this General Twattery of whom you speak?

Was he Coldstream or Life Guards?