On the commute today

[The Family Cyclist]

Almost felt like today's ride was a reward for all the cold, dark and often windy commutes. Admitidly got a lift yesterday as didn't fancy 40+mph gust headwind on way home but this morning was whilst cool enough to need to be back in longs had no wind and was really rather light. Happily rolled along and then had the treat of a red kite sailing over head.

Kinda a shame I've got a handful of commutes left although looking forward to having time for leisure rides and running again

[rogerzilla]

I saw a bin lorry called Melinda Messcollector xxx

[pumpkin]

chain got unshipped this am on the fixie so poss the wheel has pulled fwd and last night the pannier wasnt on right and fell in the road smashing a jar of honey that was inside the pannier. luckily the honey was set so things werent too bad

[CrazyEnglishTriathlete]

Yesterday was 7th century commute of the year, well up on previous year, but represents a change in training philosophy brought about by busier weekends.  Seems to be working well, except for the muppet who was so desperate to overtake that he ploughed through a flood to do so.  I think it was a burst pipe rather than rainfall, so spent the rest of the day worrying if I would pick up some bug.  Fortunately not.  Did feel a bit lightheaded towards the end on the way back, but that was because someone poked the bear by sitting on my wheel in Richmond Park and then attacking up Broomfield Lane.  So I lit the afterburners (as I needed to get a bit of momentum going after the traffic through Putney) in an unsubtle demonstration of Power v Power/weight.  It was fun though, and so worth it.

[The Family Cyclist]

Had to collect the youngest from football so she cycled in with t'wife this morning and then I cycled to get her. However as before when did this pushed too hard, got a bit sweaty (not helped by it having warmed up a lot since morning commute) and got to school about 10 minutes early so was fairly chilly by time she came out

Did then have a lovely ride with her home. Would be a lot easier if she'd cycle every day but she enjoys the walk with the wife so can't really complain

[The Family Cyclist]

Sure I had a headwind both ways today. The temperature change backed this up. Comfortable in shorts on way in. Cold as well as soaked on way home. Had to put sunnies on as rain was stinging eyes.

I'm blagging a lift tomorrow

[CrazyEnglishTriathlete]

On a day when fuel duty was frozen yet again, I caught a train into London with this weeks 5% price rise taking my fare for a 97-mile round trip to London over £50 for the first time (53.7p/mile).  And people wonder I why I cycle commute instead.  I will be 5% less concerned about holding up traffic in the future.

[The Family Cyclist]

Well my cycle commuting apart from a few days training at end of month is done. Change of work location makes it unfeasible unfortunately

Will work out distance when get a chance but think was late October I started and as managed just shy of 1000km riding this year so far with iirc one social ride suggests about 2000 km cycled

And yesterday was one of the hardest. Was tired and had a physical and mentally draining day Friday and coming to around 7 months with only Christmas offso when smashed lots of strava segments on way in with very little effort knew as blown along I'd suffer on way home especially as had loaded panniers. Wind seemed to have increased and was tempted to leave bike at work and try and blag a lift but reasoned that even if took an hour would get home. Did get hopes up when saw another rider in distance and thought might be able to team up into wind but caught very easily and turned out to be a teenager on way home from school who got off to walk up a hill. After this was just stubbornness and did take the path and granny ring up the hill into Hatfield Peverel for those who know. Finally made it home with very little left in tank. The trusty Thorn will definitely be getting some attention as now got two weeks off, new cables all round for a start and who knows maybe might get some leisure rides in

[rogerzilla]

A suicidal squirrel dashed between my wheels.  I think only the mudflap clipped it.

[Tim Hall]

A bit of rain forecast today for the ride in. Like a numpty I didn't bother with overshoes, so had soggy shoes and socks, as it's a 20 mile trip.

My waterproof isn't.
I had no spare socks.
I spent some time padding round in office shoeless and damp-sock clad.
Cycling kit was almost dry by the time to go home.

[teamerchant]

I was on the e-bike and gave a good long tow to a lycra-clad racing snake who was struggling against a rather vicious headwind. We had a quick chat at the top of a hill before he disappeared off down on the descent and then I peeled off. Good deed done for the day!

[rogerzilla]

A pair of scratters on big twist-and-go e-bikes electric motorcycles, riding two abreast at car speeds on a 40mph road.

[MattH]

For the last few weeks, whenever I've been out it's been on the steel Audax bike, usually with a fairly heavy pannier. Then at weekend I was on my old hard tail MTB, with pannier and carrying dog (lovely ride over to Frome with MrsH, with caek at Pronto Cycles). Yesterday I was leaving one of our vehicles at work and cycling home - the MTB doesn't have lights, and the audax bike was waiting for a new tyre (which did come yesterday) so I took the soot bike.

Every time I jump on it I'm surprised by how lively it feels - especially after riding heavily laden bikes that are pretty heavy in their own right. Sadly it doesn't translate into actually going any faster, time within a minute of my pretty stable 36 minute commute time (though I did lose some time at temporary traffic lights).

[L CC]

(yesterday) I did my good deed for the week by flagging down a tractor driver to tell him there was a loose sheep on the road.

I had considered channelling my long-unused shepherding skills but the stupid thing was already covered in brambles and rugby tackling livestock isn't really in my current portfolio.

[CrazyEnglishTriathlete]

Oxford today.  There was a very annoying 4-way set of temporary lights just to the east of the Mini factory, so I used that as an excuse to go through Abingdon on the way back and tick off a few previously untagged squares on Veloviewer.  Then rode up Streatley Hill because it was there and it would have reminded me about its presence if I had avoided it.  Sadly, that project will finish soon and I will be stuck with London commutes.

[teamerchant]

Engaged brain before leaving house and put waterproofs on before it started to rain.

[pumpkin]

Taxi driver double parked in a prescribed cycle lane. I stopped behind him then he started to reverse towards me. I held my ground and he stopped. We had words. People were dropping off children blah blah. You are a professional driver. It's a cycle lane and now you want me to go into the road.

[rogerzilla]

Looks like a dry day tomorrow for my last ever bike commute.  I was thinking about riding like a maniac and filming it, Lucas Brunelle-style, but I'm on cat feeding duties so it's not the normal route 

[rogerzilla]

That's it.  Done.

18 years of commuting by bike, with a couple of years off for Covid and a far lower frequency since then due to limited office attendance.

I never wore a helmet.  I'm not sure where I'd have kept one while showering.

Two crashes, one on black ice (badly banged elbow) and a head-on smash with a dozy fellow cyclist on a psyclepath (just a bruised shin - she went flying but was also ok).  Not counting the time I got off the bike, fainted, and hit my head quite hard, but I was already off the bike at the time so that doesn't count.

One puncture on the actual road - a broken bottle took out the sidewall of a racing tyre.  Incredibly, that was it.  I had one found before riding home and a couple found before setting off for work.

The worst mechanical was a snapped seatbolt.  6 miles home standing up on a fixie.  With downhill bits.

I used to mix it a lot more with traffic on the busy roads but I don't have the nerve for it every day now. 

[Jurek]

That's it.  Done.

18 years of commuting by bike, with a couple of years off for Covid and a far lower frequency since then due to limited office attendance.

I never wore a helmet.  I'm not sure where I'd have kept one while showering.

Two crashes, one on black ice (badly banged elbow) and a head-on smash with a dozy fellow cyclist on a psyclepath (just a bruised shin - she went flying but was also ok).  Not counting the time I got off the bike, fainted, and hit my head quite hard, but I was already off the bike at the time so that doesn't count.

One puncture on the actual road - a broken bottle took out the sidewall of a racing tyre.  Incredibly, that was it.  I had one found before riding home and a couple found before setting off for work.

The worst mechanical was a snapped seatbolt.  6 miles home standing up on a fixie.  With downhill bits.

I used to mix it a lot more with traffic on the busy roads but I don't have the nerve for it every day now.

Well done.

[The Family Cyclist]

Penultimate day of cycle commuting for foreseeable future today. Had less gear then usual to haul and honestly think a fortnight off has recharged my legs a bit despite running and cycling a fair bit while off.

Absolutely smashed ride in. Loads of Strava PBs. This is usually followed by a slow ride home into a headwind. Just as leaving work eldest who had been off school due to it being closed today rang and was worried something wrong with dog. Absolutely buried myself on way home. Only time I've been faster had a 40mph tail wind  and was riding into the wind on way home today. Did have a slight dillema when saw a csr on hard shoulder of A12 and was debating whether to stop if people in it but thankfully was empty. Then enjoyed chasing cars through town. Got home to find the dog absolutely fine and bouncing round like normal so sat down to recover with a cuppa.

[sg37409]

That's it.  Done.

18 years of commuting by bike, with a couple of years off for Covid and a far lower frequency since then due to limited office attendance.

I never wore a helmet.  I'm not sure where I'd have kept one while showering.

Two crashes, one on black ice (badly banged elbow) and a head-on smash with a dozy fellow cyclist on a psyclepath (just a bruised shin - she went flying but was also ok).  Not counting the time I got off the bike, fainted, and hit my head quite hard, but I was already off the bike at the time so that doesn't count.

One puncture on the actual road - a broken bottle took out the sidewall of a racing tyre.  Incredibly, that was it.  I had one found before riding home and a couple found before setting off for work.

The worst mechanical was a snapped seatbolt.  6 miles home standing up on a fixie.  With downhill bits.

I used to mix it a lot more with traffic on the busy roads but I don't have the nerve for it every day now.

Well done indeed. You might miss is on the lovely crisp mornings. I also have less appetite for the traffic but am still doing it.  36 years for me now but it’s not likely to be more than 40 (Barrow in Furness, Glasgow and Edinburgh.   With a few months in Seattle  )

[smileydave]

First commute home across London last night since January. Everyone has gone nuts. Taxi waiting at red light only decided to put his indicator on to turn left after the lights had changed and I was already coming up the cycle lane on the inside. Deliveroo rider came off the pavement onto the road in front of me without looking, then came to a dead stop. New road layout at the Holborn one way system is an absolute death trap. I hope that the lights will get reprogrammed as two lanes into one on the westbound bit is baking in conflict. Van driver coming towards me pulled across the road directly at me to park on my side of the road. You would have thought at the station it'd be easier, but no, the number of people who change direction without looking and then stop in front of me was astonishing. And finally, wheeling my bike down the ramp, hard left so everyone coming up can easily avoid me, a batty old lady dived into the 6 inch gap between me and the rail forcing me out to mix among the inbound wheely suitcases.
I may have uttered one or two naughty words. I think I might be a bit tired and grumpy.

[Cudzoziemiec]

That's it.  Done.

18 years of commuting by bike, with a couple of years off for Covid and a far lower frequency since then due to limited office attendance.

I never wore a helmet.  I'm not sure where I'd have kept one while showering.

Two crashes, one on black ice (badly banged elbow) and a head-on smash with a dozy fellow cyclist on a psyclepath (just a bruised shin - she went flying but was also ok).  Not counting the time I got off the bike, fainted, and hit my head quite hard, but I was already off the bike at the time so that doesn't count.

One puncture on the actual road - a broken bottle took out the sidewall of a racing tyre.  Incredibly, that was it.  I had one found before riding home and a couple found before setting off for work.

The worst mechanical was a snapped seatbolt.  6 miles home standing up on a fixie.  With downhill bits.

I used to mix it a lot more with traffic on the busy roads but I don't have the nerve for it every day now.

And now you have copious leisure time, your mileage will shoot up. In theory!

[The Family Cyclist]

And my last cycle commute for foreseeable. Was a lot colder then expected this morning so shorts was a brave if slightly ill advised choice. Again was fairly quick by mine and bikes standards this morning. The return leg again seemed to be into a headwind despite the fact seemed to be on back when leaving. Fairly uneventful till an idiot delivery driver in front of me decided to pull completely onto path next to road where I was about to cycle, this made me pay extra attention and good job I did as the driver then opened the door to jump out and do an delivery. A quick bellow from me stopped him.in the door till I'd gone past and I then carried on my way and all good apart from the fact I need to adjust the rear mech where changed cable last week as been loosing gears at back all week so suspect either coming loose or cable stretched