Author Topic: On the commute today  (Read 2462790 times)

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #21000 on: 15 March, 2020, 07:23:41 am »
Is there a punchline I missed?

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #21001 on: 15 March, 2020, 08:00:18 am »
...

"Sorry pal !!  I was too close."

:-)

Yes, normally 'patting the wing' would be expected to initiate extended spontaneous combustion.  Alien visitor?
Cycle and recycle.   SS Wilson

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #21002 on: 15 March, 2020, 09:44:53 am »
Maybe a cyclist?

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #21003 on: 29 March, 2020, 10:11:21 pm »
Riding home from work today  there were hardly any cars to be seen, there were however rather a lot of cyclists around, every single one except me was riding on the pavement dispite roads being completely empty.  People who seldom ride making the most of their officially sanctioned exersise time i guess, though why they all keep away from the empty roads boggles me a bit.

Guy

  • Retired
Re: On the commute today
« Reply #21004 on: 30 March, 2020, 09:04:27 am »
Roads are for cars, innit.

My commutes both ways have been absolute heaven. Fewer dog-walkers and joggers than usual in the mornings, and cars? what are they? both ways! Y'know, I could get used to this :)
"The Opinion of 10,000 men is of no value if none of them know anything about the subject"  Marcus Aurelius

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #21005 on: 31 March, 2020, 06:39:22 am »
Roads are for cars, innit.

My commutes both ways have been absolute heaven. Fewer dog-walkers and joggers than usual in the mornings, and cars? what are they? both ways! Y'know, I could get used to this :)
👍

Guy

  • Retired
Re: On the commute today
« Reply #21006 on: 02 April, 2020, 08:49:20 am »
I saw a car this morning! It was blue.
"The Opinion of 10,000 men is of no value if none of them know anything about the subject"  Marcus Aurelius

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #21007 on: 02 April, 2020, 10:56:24 am »
Plenty cars here.   Roads not busy but still plenty.   I just realised mine has been unlocked on the driveway for about a couple of weeks.    Hope the fact the alarm isn’t armed saves a wee bit of battery

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #21008 on: 02 April, 2020, 11:11:43 am »
Modern cars shut down more systems with the alarm set, hence conserve the battery better.

Intelligent chargers discussed in another thread somewhere....

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #21009 on: 02 April, 2020, 11:12:36 am »
Hope the fact the alarm isn’t armed saves a wee bit of battery

But other systems may well be live in expectation of starting up. Best to lock it and all that's live then is the alarm.
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #21010 on: 02 April, 2020, 09:08:39 pm »
First cycle commute for almost a year, to the new office we brought online recently. It's only about 10 miles each way, so a good distance for a no-brainer use-the-bike commute like I used to have. Head office is 40 miles each way, so whilst I did that from time to time it just took too long to do it every day (at peak I was doing it three times a week).

It was lovely out on the roads. Almost no traffic, and without exception everything I did see was very patient and courteous.

Had a slight issue where my pass didn't work on the cycle gate to site (how awesome is that? The corner of the site closest to me has a bear-trap type gate specifically for bicycle access) but security sorted that out for this evening. When I went to check out why it hadn't worked, the guard said that they'd seen me having trouble and had come out to help, but I'd given up and ridden round to the main entrance. Good commuting distance, helpful guards, showers, safe to leave a bike there, I'm a happy bunny!

Guy

  • Retired
Re: On the commute today
« Reply #21011 on: 06 April, 2020, 07:59:22 am »
First morning commute in shorts this year. It feels sooo good to have the knees out. :)
"The Opinion of 10,000 men is of no value if none of them know anything about the subject"  Marcus Aurelius

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #21012 on: 07 April, 2020, 08:22:27 am »
I was not that rash but I changed the winter studded tyres for summer tyres. Oh the joy of silent smooth tyres. Instantly worth 2-3 km/hr.

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #21013 on: 15 April, 2020, 10:02:54 am »
Riding home through a small village last night, got caught up in a traffic jam of bicycles. Seems I'd hit the time when everyone was out for a bimble, families, couples, individuals. Never seen so many bikes on that stretch, it took quite a while to get through with a few of us "island hopping" up the line, maintaining distance. Luckily each group was leaving quite a gap between themselves and others, leaving a spot to drop safely into. Not a bad thing though, only added a few minutes and good to see people on bikes.

Still winning the tour de commute; whilst I'm nowhere near as fit as I was, I've overtaken loads and yet to be overtaken :-)

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #21014 on: 06 May, 2020, 03:32:10 pm »
Blackpool sea front is a bike mecca at the moment. You can ride next to the tram lines since there are no trams, on the prom or on the lower level by the beach or sea. Lots of different bikes and yes pedestrians but the skies are blue and it's v.pleasant. easy parking as well due to fewer cars. My wife and daughter have been South to north and back today.

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #21015 on: 14 May, 2020, 09:01:39 am »
I've unleashed a monster.
Last Friday night I idly mentioned to Mrs H that maybe she should get her bike out as it's probably five years since she rode it (and she's never done more than a few miles of a pootle). It is a very nice Specialized Dolce.

So Saturday she asked me to sort it out for her, and we did a 13k loop. Sunday a 22k loop, which prompted her to buy some new shorts. Yesterday she went out on her own and did 30k. Having taken up running last year and gone from couch to 5k to doing a couple of half marathons, she's got the base fitness to now be able to enjoy it and realise that she can ride up hills.

This morning I rode with her on the first 22km of her 28km commute. The first 16K takes her past my place, I showed her my route and the best way to get through the next town to join up with her normal driving route for the last bit, then we separated and I rode back to my work. She's meeting me here on her way home.

So from nothing to doing a 56km round trip commute in under a week.

On Sunday I suggested maybe she should aim to do a 100k Audax. She said there was no way she could do that, I think she's re-evaluating...
A new cycling wardrobe is being ordered, and I'm having to sort out proper commuting luggage for her bike. This is getting expensive.

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #21016 on: 14 May, 2020, 11:50:37 am »
Wahey !!!!!
Rust never sleeps

Pingu

  • Put away those fiery biscuits!
  • Mrs Pingu's domestique
    • the Igloo
Re: On the commute today
« Reply #21017 on: 14 May, 2020, 05:11:10 pm »
 :thumbsup:

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #21018 on: 21 May, 2020, 09:50:50 pm »
Got ready to go today and discovered that the e-bike had a flat. Decided to take the Bob Jackson rather than fix the p*. Enjoyed the halving of the weight of my steed.

The visitation was odd as I had been doing some fiddling with the bike last night, including checking the pressures with a dial gauge. Then an overnight air exit event. Checked the tube in the sink, inside tyre, rim tape, all fine. Pumped it up - still fine.

 ??? Sticky valve core pushed in by the pressure gauge? But surely it would have been apparent at the time.

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #21019 on: 27 May, 2020, 12:28:07 am »
Work is closed but did the commute as a quick ride out with #1 son.  Was on the speedmachine and got some interesting comments:
group of middle aged fair-weather cyclists - "that looks uncomfortable"
cyclist on a folder - "that's a stupid recumbent" (I can't be sure he said "stupid" but can't think of anything else that fits.
simplicity, truth, equality, peace

Guy

  • Retired
Re: On the commute today
« Reply #21020 on: 01 July, 2020, 08:26:22 am »
I had to wait at the A507 roundabout this morning. More motor vehicles in one go than I've got used to seeing on the entire journey. It might not be back to stupidly busy, but motor traffic is definitely on the increase.
"The Opinion of 10,000 men is of no value if none of them know anything about the subject"  Marcus Aurelius

cygnet

  • I'm part of the association
Re: On the commute today
« Reply #21021 on: 15 July, 2020, 02:35:06 pm »
Occasionally I've come across people commuting in TT gear and I've been known to do it myself when heading straight out training or racing after work . Not sure what this bloke was planning to do later though:
Marginal Gains by Alcedoatthis, on Flickr
I Said, I've Got A Big Stick

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #21022 on: 15 July, 2020, 03:58:26 pm »
Possibly he felt the need to helmet, but this was the only one available?
simplicity, truth, equality, peace

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #21023 on: 15 July, 2020, 09:18:46 pm »
I rode over to the new office today to unload my crate.  The promised secure covered cycle parking facilities didn't appear to exist outside the building so I wheeled the bike in through reception and found somewhere suitable that had carpet too  :P

The route I took was 23k with 300m of climbing rather than a dead flat 6k - I may need to fine tune it.  One close pass (but they were indicating to go past me so that's OK  ::-)) and one semi-emergency stop required as a car pulled out on me, saw me then stopped in the middle of the road.  Apart from that it was OK but I'm not convinced that I will be doing it again this year as I am currently WFH.

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #21024 on: 29 July, 2020, 10:15:05 pm »
Followed a rider earlier today: “proper” light touring / audax-ready bike, rack, pair of panniers, clothing to match, male. Noted first some dubious filtering decisions. Then they proceeded to go through every red light all the way down the King's & New King's Road and across Putney Bridge. Every single one, at whatever stage of phasing, sometimes needing to wait for a gap, sometimes riding on through as if there were no lights there.

Dunno why it always pisses me off so much but it does.

And there’s a female one that does it in the mornings. Same. Every day. Every light.

Neither one fast enough to avoid catching up with while they get themselves stuck somewhere stupid or are just slow.