On the commute today

[RichL]

+1 Yay! for first ride of the year 

The car isn't bent badly ta clarion - just moderate muppetry on my part. It's not worth anything, but I have been trying to keep it in as decent condition as possible just for the  sheer obtuseness of driving an immaculate car that really should be a compete beater or in the scrapyard by now.

Rich

[clarion]

[L CC]

Still no ride-y bike-y.

The 2 cm of snow on top of ice yesterday afternoon just refreshed the slush.

I've been feeling bad about not riding so I measured it, it's like this:

House to road 300m slush topped ice. I'd walk this except
Road to village- 1 mile slush topped ice
Village road- 2.5 miles shallow slush with patches of black ice (single track lane) or alternative route 0.5 mile shallow slush
Main road- 1 mile clear (yay!) or if alternative route 4 miles
Walsham road- 2-6 miles some slush in middle of the road- rideable
Lane- choice of 3 but all are 1.5 miles of ice-topped slush, including some patches of black ice and on north facing 'slope' hard packed skiddy white stuff
Badwell Road- 2-6 miles as Walsham road above
Long Thurlow road- 2 miles shallow slush
Lane to work- 1 mile deep slush on top of ice.

I reckon I could walk a mile to get to a rideable road but I'd end up walking more than half my route. It'd take me 3 hours to get to work

I wish I either lived or worked in a town....

[gordon taylor]

I had another good commute today, but those studded tyres sure are hard work. My legs are aching. I scasred myself a few times by riding too fast on icy bits, but managed to stay upright - the maniac grin might have helped.

Motor traffic light.

My only issue is dealing with hand-wringing colleagues who seem to think that my cycling is (even more) dangerous than usual. Yet the town is awash with pranged cars and bent lampposts - most staff who drive are late in and desparate to leave early because of "the roads."

THE PROBLEM IS THE CARS, YOU IDIOTS, NOT THE ROADS.

And breathe.......

[Rig of Jarkness]

Rode home in daylight for the first time this year !    (It helped that I skived off completed my assigned tasks at quarter to 4. )

[Gandalf]

Quarter to four? I don't know how anyone can work 'till that time of night, I had two lates this week 'till ten past four and it nearly killed me. 

[Wendy]

Quarter to four? I don't know how anyone can work 'till that time of night, I had two lates this week 'till ten past four and it nearly killed me. 

You are a postie and ICMFP!!

[Gandalf]

Quarter to four? I don't know how anyone can work 'till that time of night, I had two lates this week 'till ten past four and it nearly killed me. 

You are a postie and ICMFP!!

Nope, though I used to be one back in the seventies, worked out of Streatham.

[Wendy]

LOL, I do remember where you work - your PM re the two chaps I came across at Victoria.  It was supposed to be a less bad joke.

[Gandalf]

Keep schtum, especially around JRG  

[RichL]

My first full house on the Bristol - Swindon commute this week. I know it isn't far, and not at all intrepid, but I'm very pleased with myself. I'm only in for 4 days next week, so I'll have to take the long short cut every day and use the stealthy SS folder to get the same moderately smug feeling.

Rich

[longers]

I is idiot. I've now got another left hander to be wary of. I should have been warier to begin with.

3rd off so far this year, second pair of overshoes ruined and a pair of better ventilated bibs are now my own.

Cosmetic damage to me and the bike - ibuprofen should start working soon I hope.

[Sergeant Pluck]

First fixed commute - well, first half anyway. Great to be on the bike again 

[L CC]

I cycled.

YAY!

There is fog, there was a little bit of crispy puddles but I am here in one piece.

It took forever. I now appear to ascend faster than I descend. 

[border-rider]

good work FBOAB

Take it gently, and enjoy the view on the way down.

[handcyclist]

3rd off so far this year,

 

Blimey. Hope isn't too sore this time. Take it easy on the way home!

[clarion]

Well done, fb.  I'm very cautious about riding now.  I was completely wussy downhill at the weekends, and normally I'm a fast descender.

I'm dealing with the car-infested roads a few metres at a time.

[MSeries]

I got called a 'Fixie Dude' by another cyclist.

[Wendy]

FBOAB, FWIW I'm a good 10km/hour slower than normal on descents at the moment.  Damp roads, low temperatures and more clothing and fear means that I'm a lot slower than in the spring and summer.

I also did my first ride yesterday and loved it, despite being slower than normal and still coughing with the remnants of lurgy.  It seems I've lost huge amounts of fitness in the last four weeks, so it's lots of slow commuting for the next 4 or 5 months until my fitness comes back in.

[Wendy]

Oh, and I told a fixie dude he lost on handlbar length.  He laughed!

[matthew]

First Ride in of the year 

I have since had to spend 1/2 and hour on fillthathole.org.uk reporting various bits of minefield.

Matthew

[vorsprung]

First ride since last weds.  Was ice/snow then I had a cold.  Felt great when I got to work.  I had been concerned that I would feel dead tired but the ride enlivened me I feel fabulous.  It was quite a nice morning too, quite bright after sunrise.

Possibly my last commute on the single speed, the new bike is nearly ready and will steal the single speeds front wheel/saddle/SQR.  End of an era.

[kcass]

I cycled.

YAY!

There is fog, there was a little bit of crispy puddles but I am here in one piece.

It took forever. I now appear to ascend faster than I descend. 

Hooray! Well done. I'm glad you're back. I'm counting on your support on some of these silly long rides we're about to do

[tonycollinet]

First commute this year on the fast bike*

2.5mph faster average than the studded tyre equipped MTB.

Yay.

*fast for me, means 32mm shod alfine equipped hybrid.

[rower40]

First commute on new chain-free rubber-band-drive bike.  Nothing to report; it's quiet (like a nicely-running chain) and doesn't appear to be losing me huge amounts of energy.  Here's a pic from Trek's website: Clicky

But these Shimano Roller brakes appear to need some substantial 'bedding-in'.  They're very 'progressive' - pull the levers harder, and it stops harder - but a couple of scary moments occurred when I wanted the bike to stop even sharper.

The previous commuter bike was 26" wheels, and this has 700c.  So it feels a lot bigger.  The gears are quite high - and getting different sizes of chainbelt-ring and sprocket is going to be a nightmare - so I'm stuck with these ratios.