Author Topic: On the commute today  (Read 2461848 times)

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #19325 on: 06 January, 2017, 09:40:44 am »
Duct tape is magic and should be worshipped

velosam

  • '.....you used to be an apple on a stick.'
Re: On the commute today
« Reply #19326 on: 06 January, 2017, 01:44:09 pm »
First commute of the year and was painfully slow :-(.  Just have to get home now!

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #19327 on: 06 January, 2017, 06:55:39 pm »
First fairy visitation of the New Year, followed by the second visitation of the year. >:(

I checked the tyre carefully, for the first repair, and didn't find anything.  A couple of miles later, *bang* and it rapidly deflated.  it was so loud I thought that maybe the bead hadn't been seated correctly, and the inner tube had burst, but it was just a normal hole.  I think the relatively high pressure from using a CO2 cartridge made it fail more "excitingly" !  This time I easily found a piece of glass, even though it was darker and wetter.  Unlikely though it seems, I guess the two were unrelated incidents. :(

On the plus side, if it had happened on the way to work, frozen wheel removal would have been a lot harder work than wet but not too cold wheel removal.

After using up both spare inner tubes, and three of my four CO2 cartridges, I was worried that I'd have to resort to using the puncture repair kit and pump, should a third occur.  Luckily that was not necessary. :)
Actually, it is rocket science.
 

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #19328 on: 06 January, 2017, 07:09:25 pm »
Blimey. Two on one commute. That's very bad luck.

And, if I had to rely on anyone to find the offending sharp in a tyre, it would be you.
Rust never sleeps

mcshroom

  • Mushroom
Re: On the commute today
« Reply #19329 on: 06 January, 2017, 09:18:02 pm »
Full on flood across one of my roads on the way home this evening. It was deeper than my shoes at the bottom of the pedal stroke, and the stretch was too long to coast through. My shoes are currently drying on the radiator.
Climbs like a sprinter, sprints like a climber!

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #19330 on: 09 January, 2017, 08:16:33 am »
Took a lot to get going this morning, really just wanted to stay in bed, but it was surprisingly mild with a decent tailwind, suspect I'm going to be overdressed for the return leg.

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #19331 on: 09 January, 2017, 09:27:39 am »
Packed! And still you get those twats that wants to maintain their 18mph average along a congested Cycle highway! Just fuck off!

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #19332 on: 09 January, 2017, 12:01:26 pm »
Busy ride in today!
I felt sorry for the bus passengers, there were literally strings of six or seven buses lined up, with a single HGV  blocking the lane with its mirrors, then a huge gap and the same thing repeated all down the length of my commute.

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #19333 on: 10 January, 2017, 08:26:41 am »
A tough one, even with the massive tailwind, felt like I was going to bonk at any moment, very strange.

TheLurker

  • Goes well with magnolia.
Re: On the commute today
« Reply #19334 on: 10 January, 2017, 07:17:56 pm »
Drama!  Battenburg (hmmm cake) and blue and white  tape all over the forecourt at Fairford petrol station this morning and an abandoned agricultural forklift.  Hmm, "Ram raid" I thinks to myself as I pottered past.  Checking the local press this evening I find the cash machine and several thousand quids worth of fags were nicked about midnight. 

It's a bugger for Fairford residents; that was their nearest 24 hour cash machine.  The last bank in town closed a few months ago taking the only 24 hour cash machine with it.
Τα πιο όμορφα ταξίδια γίνονται με τις δικές μας δυνάμεις - Φίλοι του Ποδήλατου

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #19335 on: 11 January, 2017, 08:23:35 am »
Got home last night and straight to bed forgetting to set the alarm, 13 hours later and I've overslept by 45 mins. I suppose if you'r e going to do it the day with the 40mph tailwind is the day to do it, 8 mins late to work.

TheLurker

  • Goes well with magnolia.
Re: On the commute today
« Reply #19336 on: 11 January, 2017, 07:25:35 pm »
Gorgeous moon both work bound and home bound.  This morning it was almost orange showing through wind-torn cloud; think heavy metal LP cover or, this for the ex Watt contingent,  the mural in the Grindlay St. union only without the bird.

Wind not so bad here, bit of a slog, but not much worse than usual winter wind conditions.
Τα πιο όμορφα ταξίδια γίνονται με τις δικές μας δυνάμεις - Φίλοι του Ποδήλατου

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #19337 on: 12 January, 2017, 08:20:21 am »
Incredibly tough going home last night, saw one chap just get blown to a dead stop.

Left the house this morning then went back to swap the shell and lightweight gloves for the full kit and kaboodle - cold, wet and wild.

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #19338 on: 12 January, 2017, 04:29:48 pm »
Crikey that was a bit miserable on the way home; despite wearing leather gloves and silk liners my hands were frozen.  Will have to find the softshell gloves before tomorrow.

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #19339 on: 12 January, 2017, 05:50:37 pm »
Into the gums of developing Higland blizzard tonight. If the forecasts are right tomorrow will be fun. Type 3 fun that is.
Pete Crane E75 @petecrane5

mcshroom

  • Mushroom
Re: On the commute today
« Reply #19340 on: 12 January, 2017, 06:11:18 pm »
I'm not sure I'm enjoying my rides home from work at the moment.

Friday was paddling, yesterday was into the teeth of a gale. Today was into heavy hurty hail - and I forgot my glasses :facepalm:

Ow!
Climbs like a sprinter, sprints like a climber!

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #19341 on: 12 January, 2017, 09:40:31 pm »
A nice enough cycle in this morning, and I was resigned to getting a bit wet on the way home.

On the commute home, just over a mile from work, already fairly wet ... <Bang> ...

There was nowhere that could provide any shelter from the rain, so I just stopped and started changing the inner tube in the fairly heavy rain.

Unfortunately, once I looked at it, the tyre sidewall had split, with at least 2cm of complete failure, and maybe another 2cm about to fail.  I tried booting it, but with maybe 20psi of pressure, it already started bulging too much.  I could only pump it up enough that the bike could be pushed easily.

So ... I pushed the bike back to work, locked it up, went back to the office, and swapped my wet cycling clothes back to office wear.

By that time, it was peak rush hour, so I twiddled my thumbs for an hour or so, to make travel home slightly less frustrating.

I need to look very carefully at the other tyre, and decide how long it's going to last too.

<Meh>
Actually, it is rocket science.
 

Guy

  • Retired
Re: On the commute today
« Reply #19342 on: 13 January, 2017, 07:45:48 am »
Ye gods! That biting head wind and sub-zero temperature made the ride in on the remains of yesterdays rain quite interesting
"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 #19343 on: 13 January, 2017, 08:42:18 am »
Woke up to a white world with sleet falling that was freezing on the road, no problem thinks I, ride the ice bike. Some issues:

 1) No pedals - quick grub around produced some flats with toe-clips
 B) No saddle - throw one out the bits box on
 iii) Obviously forgot to clean the drivetrain at the end of last winter  :facepalm: chain and mech seized, half a tin of GT85, half a tub of wet         lube, half an hour and a barrel full of f words later its running.

2 miles in I hit a hidden pothole and the rear light flies off since I'd forgot the bracket was dodgy and not cable tied the light on, cue grubbing around in the ice and slush in the gutter to find the end cap, didn't bother looking for the batteries, just fitted the spares.

The remainder was slow but sure footed tyred, going to be very hard into the wind on that bike tonight.

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #19344 on: 13 January, 2017, 09:06:28 am »
Bit of a saga, Si.
4C, clear roads and tailwind.  No such faffing about here.

Chris N

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #19345 on: 13 January, 2017, 09:15:17 am »
Just a light dusting of snow when I left the house but fifteen minutes later the wind had picked up and the snow started falling heavily and sticking, particularly on the ungritted sections of the route.  Took about 20 minutes longer than usual - not just because of the headwind but also because my mudguards kept clogging with snow so I had to stop and clear it out.  It stopped just after I got to work, and look like it's thawing now. ::-)

Ray 6701

  • SO @ T
    • Tamworth cycling club
Re: On the commute today
« Reply #19346 on: 13 January, 2017, 10:11:47 am »
I was involved in a rtc with a lorry on Tuesday morning.  Approaching the M42 jct 10 island from Tamworth the lorry ahead of me moved to the middle lane indicating that he was either heading straight across or turning right towards Kingsbury or possibly south on the M42.  I continued on to the island to cross to the other side of the A5.  The lorry once on the island changed direction completely & changed back to the inside lane side swiping me out of the way & disappeared down the M42 heading North (i didn't get a reg number).


I got my bike working again & cycled home before being taken to the Hospital to be cleaned & stitched up.  I went to the police station the same day to report the incident.  I still need to take photos of the damage to my bike & clothes.
SR 2010/11/12/13/14/15
RRTY. PBP. LeJoG 1400. LEL.




Re: On the commute today
« Reply #19347 on: 13 January, 2017, 10:42:00 am »
Sounds nasty Fungus.  I'm always incredibly wary of large vehicles, especially construction traffic.  A car cutting across you is bad news, a lorry doing the same is extremely bad news.  :-\ :(

At least it doesn't sound like anything too permanent happened to you.

<smug mode> Unlike Si, I got my snow bike ready yesterday evening. </smug mode>

I did have to fiddle around with it, a bit.  I'd "borrowed" both QR skewers, so had to find replacements, and I also needed to fit another rear light, adjust a spare pannier, and pump the tyres up.

Following yesterday's "fun" with sidewalls, I've now got two bicycles, and two sets of cycle clothing (including two sets of shoes!) at work, so have to decide how to get stuff back home. :)

I did need the studded tyres this morning, I crossed quite a bit of ice near my home, and on Tooting Bec Common, but saw very few other cyclists, and quite light motorised traffic too.  As Si also said, it is going to be hard work going home.  I can't pump the rear tyre up too hard, because it'll hit the frame, the studded tyres only just fit, so it won't be the easiest return commute.
Actually, it is rocket science.
 

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #19348 on: 13 January, 2017, 12:53:18 pm »
Cyclehighway by embankment was gritted! Sailed into work! Let's see what happens on the way back though. Very light cycling traffic too!

fuzzy

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #19349 on: 13 January, 2017, 01:43:56 pm »
last nights ride home into driving sleet was 'entertaining'. On arrival, before going indoors I had to jump up and down. As I did so, a second skin of slush and ice fell off everything ;D

This morning, I looked outside and saw that were were clear of snow but there was ice on everything. Knowing that one section of my commute turns to glass in these conditions meant that self preservation had me driving to work.

Hey ho. At least I can transport the DeWalt drill case home that I am going to convert to a telescope accessory case.