Utilitarian Adventures

[Pancho]

4 miles to the cricket. The differentiating feature of today's foray was that the cricket was at Lord's and the 4 miles from Waterloo was ridden on a Boris Bike. My first adventure on one of these contraptions.

They are truely hideous machines. Or maybe the one I was riding was just a particularly knacked example. It was like pedalling through molasses - hot , sweaty, and not at all fast. Maybe the brakes were stuck on - which would have created a sort of symmetry as pulling the levers had caused very little additional stopping. But I made it in under 30 mins despite coming across every traffic light in Christendom. So, financially, it was a bargain.



Route as above.

London riding was wonderful. The most benign and courteous drivers I've experienced in years of riding. I suppose they're just used to cyclists - whereas round here, when drivers see a bike on the road they think "What the fuck's that on the road? Is it dangerous? Hell, I'll run it over just to be on the safe side".

It was a great day at the cricket (and lots of wickets) but, TBH, it wasn't the greatest of cycling experiences despite the traffic. I'll take my own bike next time I want some London urban time. Maybe the Sightseer audax in September.

[SoreTween]

Does this count?  I got a lift into town yesterday to collect my commute/cross thingy from the LBS.  Store owner absolutely loved it, raved about it the whole time I was there and has ordered a frame to build one for himself.  Blimey.

[Pancho]

Does this count?  I got a lift into town yesterday to collect my commute/cross thingy from the LBS.  Store owner absolutely loved it, raved about it the whole time I was there and has ordered a frame to build one for himself.  Blimey.

I reckon that counts. It was an errand - returning with some shopping. Which just happened to be a bike.

[Cudzoziemiec]

London riding was wonderful. The most benign and courteous drivers I've experienced in years of riding. I suppose they're just used to cyclists - whereas round here, when drivers see a bike on the road they think "What the fuck's that on the road? Is it dangerous? Hell, I'll run it over just to be on the safe side".

Curiously, a couple of days ago I was in a "community cycling cafe/workshop" in Bristol and got into conversation with someone who'd just moved to Bristol from London and was saying (in addition to the fact that a single-speed worked fine in London but is not so good for Bristol) that the drivers were much more considerate in central London. My only experience of cycling in London is a short time early on a Saturday morning, so probably not particularly representative even if it were long enough to form an opinion.

[Ruthie]

We celebrated the Queen's birthday in church today by doing various different craft activities, one of which I was leading.  So I was running late as always, and I'd put a skirt on for the bunfight/party, with pink heeled courts with little jewelled cats on.

The nearest bike to the door was the carbon road bike with the Speedplay pedals on.  So I've just been to church and back, full sail, long pink raincoat flapping in the wind, earrings bashing me on the head, gingerly pedalling so I didn't do myself a damage if my shoes slipped off the pedals, skirt round my waist.

I really should organise my mornings better.

[ian]

London riding was wonderful. The most benign and courteous drivers I've experienced in years of riding. I suppose they're just used to cyclists - whereas round here, when drivers see a bike on the road they think "What the fuck's that on the road? Is it dangerous? Hell, I'll run it over just to be on the safe side".

Curiously, a couple of days ago I was in a "community cycling cafe/workshop" in Bristol and got into conversation with someone who'd just moved to Bristol from London and was saying (in addition to the fact that a single-speed worked fine in London but is not so good for Bristol) that the drivers were much more considerate in central London. My only experience of cycling in London is a short time early on a Saturday morning, so probably not particularly representative even if it were long enough to form an opinion.

I wouldn't say they're more considerate, just more accepting.

[hatler]

No adventure, but a quick run into Wimbledon to lock Mrs hatler's bike up as she had left the lock at home. Overtaken briefly by two muppets on MTBs with no traffic sense, an overwhelming desire to GIF and (for one of them) a disconnected front brake.

Then back again for a meeting at the bank there. Got caught in a brief downpour.

Not an ounce of lycra in sight (at least on me).

[matthew]

London riding was wonderful. The most benign and courteous drivers I've experienced in years of riding. I suppose they're just used to cyclists - whereas round here, when drivers see a bike on the road they think "What the fuck's that on the road? Is it dangerous? Hell, I'll run it over just to be on the safe side".

Curiously, a couple of days ago I was in a "community cycling cafe/workshop" in Bristol and got into conversation with someone who'd just moved to Bristol from London and was saying (in addition to the fact that a single-speed worked fine in London but is not so good for Bristol) that the drivers were much more considerate in central London. My only experience of cycling in London is a short time early on a Saturday morning, so probably not particularly representative even if it were long enough to form an opinion.

I wouldn't say they're more considerate, just more accepting.

And particularly when a Boris bike often means tourist and occasional cyclist, likely to wobble, not sure where they are going etc.

[Jakob W]

My regular bakfiets run to Sutton Coldfield. Made the mistake of seeing the unexpected sun and thinking this would mean the forecast rain would be coming in later. As a result the journey back had its worrying moments; seeing the lightning strikes off to the south as I started to climb back through the park, and then seeing and hearing the flashes get closer I was a little apprehensive about going over the top. I was pretty pleased with the performance of my new Vulpine jacket, at least for the first 20 minutes - after that the truly epic deluge wetted it through. Still felt pretty breathable though, and kept me warm. The last descent down into Walsall was a little hairy - I had to take aggressive primary because the left three or four feet of the road were a river. This still didn't stop one lorry driver overtaking me; though he did give me a fair bit of space, he managed to spray me from head to toe. At least the water was cleanish. Props on the other hand to both the Sainsbury's and highway maintenance lorries who both performed exemplary overtakes on the way up to Beacon Hill.

[Pancho]

A "bakfiets" is a box-bike, isn't it (based on its twin carrying capability)? Presumably it has drainage holes so that a downpour doesn't fill it up and give you an interesting free surface effect!

[Jakob W]

Yes; mine's one of these - apart from the holes in the side panels, there's a little gap between the frame tubes and the panel edges that provides drainage: http://www.workcycles.com/products/child-transport-bicycles/workcycles-kr8

Thankfully I had the rain cover on today; the girls stayed dry in shirtsleeves (and had a nap while I was grinding up the hills, the ingrates...)

[Pancho]

(and had a nap while I was grinding up the hills, the ingrates...)

When mine were of trailerable age, they used to shout "Faster, Daddy! Catch that bike up! Go faster or that man'll overtake us! etc!" They were very demanding passengers. But I had great routes to nursery, beach, etc - lots of off road, gravelly stuff. Sometimes I'd pinch Mrs P's electric bike for Extra Fun. Good memories.

[sg37409]

Rode back from dropping car off for brakes and tyres. (Its going to be expensive)
Much less cycle friendly than my commute.

[Pancho]

To the village and back - saw clouds darkening and dashed out.

Parked up (on double yellows[1]) directly outside the butcher. Who quizzed me about my Brooks saddle, Caradice panniers, and butterfly bars. I'd never had him down as a bikie before but he seemed pretty knowledgeable about such things. I'll ask him next time I'm there.

[1] I always do this but always wonder if a parking warden will ever chase me down the road waving his notebook. The alternatives would be to park on the pavement (which seems to be what most people on bikes visiting the butcher do) or use one of the heavily oversubscribed car parking spaces.

[mcshroom]

Woke up early this morning so fitted in a short trip to the shops in town for supplies before I had to set off for work

[Cudzoziemiec]

Parked up (on double yellows[1]) directly outside the butcher. Who quizzed me about my Brooks saddle, Caradice panniers, and butterfly bars. I'd never had him down as a bikie before but he seemed pretty knowledgeable about such things. I'll ask him next time I'm there.

The butcher knows about Brooks saddles because they are made of beef!

[Mr Larrington]

I nearly went to the opticians on the bus, because the Pretty Lady on the TV had promised fish on the line at Walthamstow Central.  Cycled instead.  It did not rain.  Hurrah

[Cudzoziemiec]

Is the optician on the top deck or bottom deck?

[Mr Larrington]

Only single-deckers run down Larrington Towers Road after that unfortunate incident involving the gamekeeper, the bathroom window and the showgirl.

[Cudzoziemiec]

Oh dear. Surely as External Transparent Wall Inspection Operative you must take some of the blame for an event involving a bathroom window on yourself? Did the gamekeeper's eggs get poached?

[Mr Larrington]

It wasn't my bathroom

[Pancho]

Total return distance of about 3/4 of a mile. Destination: PYO strawberry field.  Trailer used.

It wasn't a particularly epic ride - in fact, about as boringly utilitarian as it comes, and even the weather was unimpressively grey.

But en route, in both directions, I saw a real life demo of critical mass (small C, small M). There were so many people on bikes that no vehicles were travelling faster than slow cycling speed.

Result of Day: 10lbs of strawberries. Currently undergoing kitchen alchemy to become jam.

[matthew]

As I have the day off work, I went to the local supermarket this morning (~1.75 miles each way). When I left home it was drizzling steadily, when I left the shop to return home it was hammering down.

The handling of the bike is also rather altered by strapping 8 litres of sparkling water onto the back. 

[Guy]

I didn't know there was an IMPORTANT game last night as I set out for a nice ride-round to the pub. The roads were empty! I saw three cars in 111/2 miles. The pub was just about empty too, with the foopball on but the sound turned down. I stayed for a second pint, then rode the last mile home without seeing any cars. What a lovely evening.

[Cudzoziemiec]

A simple stupormarket trip. Just under a mile each way, with a visit to the Oxfam bookshop en route. There are three-way temporary traffic lights on the way due to water mains replacement, but none on the way back although I pass the same spot – the fourth arm of the mini-roundabout is not deemed busy enough to justify them. This is probably easier on a bike than a car.