Author Topic: On the commute today (Read 2487565 times)

little miss mac · « **Reply #575 on:** 10 February, 2010, 09:15:55 pm »

Tonight on the way home I had a lovely chat with a lady who said I was riding "one of our bikes". Turns out she works at Condor. She was on a Pista which she takes via Richmond park on her way home.
They're having a Rapha sample sale on Friday, for anyone who's interested. And the women's line launches in March. I may have to starve the family in favour of some new duds.

alexb · « **Reply #576 on:** 11 February, 2010, 08:16:17 am »

What?!!!
Your brother can't get you free samples!

These supermodels nowadays just have no clue do they?

αdαmsκι · « **Reply #577 on:** 11 February, 2010, 08:40:19 am »

It was a lovely morning and I was really enjoying the cycle to work, until after 2.5 km a women started to pull out on my at a major roundabout. I hit the brakes, glared and then heard a pop as a spoke in my front wheel snapped. I guess the sudden breaking must have caused the snappage, although clearly it must have already been weak. I managed to limp back home. I'm going to drive into work in a bit, but there's no point setting off yet because the traffic will be hell. Hopefully I can get the wheel sorted by Sunday or else I'll have to DNS the Rutland & Beyond audax.

little miss mac · « **Reply #578 on:** 11 February, 2010, 09:26:55 am »

Quote from: alexb on 11 February, 2010, 08:16:17 am

What?!!!
Your brother can't get you free samples!

These supermodels nowadays just have no clue do they?

He's not doing it any more. They dumped him in favour of a different model. Or something. Such a fickle business.

Gandalf · « **Reply #579 on:** 12 February, 2010, 07:24:41 pm »

The journey home was, erm interesting. Only three miles from home when there was a dreadful grindy graunch and I wasn't going anywhere, back wheel locked up solid. How I managed to unclip I'll never know.

Closer inspection revealed that the rear mech hanger had sheared right off.

I'm delighted to report that every cyclist passing by stopped to see if I was OK, cyclists are such a lovely bunch.

Trouble is, I'm none the wiser as to how it happened, which is worrying.

Wendy · « **Reply #580 on:** 12 February, 2010, 07:33:29 pm »

Quote from: Gandalf on 12 February, 2010, 07:24:41 pm

The journey home was, erm interesting. Only three miles from home when there was a dreadful grindy graunch and I wasn't going anywhere, back wheel locked up solid. How I managed to unclip I'll never know.

Closer inspection revealed that the rear mech hanger had sheared right off.

I'm delighted to report that every cyclist passing by stopped to see if I was OK, cyclists are such a lovely bunch.

Trouble is, I'm none the wiser as to how it happened, which is worrying.

Unlucky mate. Same happened to me on Hell of the Ashdown, the chain ended up the other side of the wheel.

P2010177 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Wendy · « **Reply #581 on:** 12 February, 2010, 07:34:18 pm »

Had an excellent commute yesterday, brilliant traffic. I did get some amusement out of telling off this speeding driver:

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/lTxSqNqovZU&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/lTxSqNqovZU&rel=1</a>

Pingu · « **Reply #582 on:** 12 February, 2010, 11:21:26 pm »

Quote from: Wendy on 12 February, 2010, 07:33:29 pm

Quote from: Gandalf on 12 February, 2010, 07:24:41 pm
The journey home was, erm interesting. Only three miles from home when there was a dreadful grindy graunch and I wasn't going anywhere, back wheel locked up solid. How I managed to unclip I'll never know.

Closer inspection revealed that the rear mech hanger had sheared right off.

I'm delighted to report that every cyclist passing by stopped to see if I was OK, cyclists are such a lovely bunch.

Trouble is, I'm none the wiser as to how it happened, which is worrying.

Unlucky mate. Same happened to me on Hell of the Ashdown, the chain ended up the other side of the wheel.

P2010177 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Not mine, thankfully.

TimO · « **Reply #583 on:** 13 February, 2010, 01:04:30 am »

I'd almost say it was uneventful this evening, except I saw six police vehicles in the penultimate mile of my commute, on the approach to the centre of Croydon. All of those were driving or parked up separately, and only one was on Blue and Twos. This probably says something about Croydon Town Centre on a Friday night. I try not to think too much about that, and just cycle a bit faster to get past that bit!

Now I need to get my head down, so I can wake up nice and early and go off on the Peli and Woollyless Peli and Woolly Pootle.

Jacomus · « **Reply #584 on:** 13 February, 2010, 02:56:11 am »

Quote from: Wendy on 12 February, 2010, 07:34:18 pm

Had an excellent commute yesterday, brilliant traffic. I did get some amusement out of telling off this speeding driver:

Private Hire Vehicle - shocking

A silly little game I play on commutes is... based on the overtake as it is in progress, guess whether it will have a private hire sticker in the rear window.

I'd say I get it right over 80% of the time. PHV-taxi drivers do make it way too easy though.

GruB · « **Reply #585 on:** 13 February, 2010, 07:31:30 am »

Just a short one for me yesterday. On the way in decided not to break my neck by going all the way to Divisional HQ only to come back to HQ for a meeting to then go back to DHQ to another meeting prior to coming home again. The second meeting was cancelled so I just with to HQ on route, sat in my Assos kit and then went home afterwards and kept working from home.

Sergeant Pluck · « **Reply #586 on:** 13 February, 2010, 05:22:24 pm »

Quote from: little miss mac on 10 February, 2010, 09:15:55 pm

I may have to starve the family in favour of some new duds

I see they are already listing some female specific items on their website - not available as yet, but it gives you an idea.

Tourist Tony · « **Reply #587 on:** 15 February, 2010, 03:50:25 am »

On the way in tonight, I had something I haven't had for a while: the incoherent, window-down passenger rant. I was just going past the pub-now-Indian-restaurant when I felt a car coming up behind me. Oncoming traffic, narrow road, so I took primary.
They actually waited.
When they went past, however, the most I could decipher was a possible suggestion that I should be further left and riding over the potholes.

I am afraid my response was limited to a 'koff.

Sergeant Pluck · « **Reply #588 on:** 15 February, 2010, 08:43:10 am »

In on the Yukon this morning - first time I've ridden that bike in, literally, months. All jolly nice and all that but I think I'll be back on fixed in a day or two...

αdαmsκι · « **Reply #589 on:** 15 February, 2010, 01:30:12 pm »

After >200 km yesterday, today I decided to take things easy on the way to work. It's a shame I didn't inform Aeolus of this fact as he gave a nasty headwind to battle against; so much for taking things easy. Oh and it was sleeting, too.

vorsprung · « **Reply #590 on:** 15 February, 2010, 02:47:27 pm »

I was ill at the weekend

In Devon on sunday afternoon it was glorious sunshine, very clear, great views. Maybe a bit cold but the sun warmed it up a little. This is my usual slot for a meander around the hills

I spent half the afternoon in bed and the other half feeling cold and tired

This morning I was a bit underpowered but I managed to ride to work in the rain...

MSeries · « **Reply #591 on:** 15 February, 2010, 02:49:48 pm »

Used a different back wheel. It is an old one with cones from a different hub. It felt OK, a bit different, but that could be put down to the Rubino at 100psi. I am not sure the bearings are right. Some play in them when I wobble the wheel, will try to remove some play ce soir.

Basil · « **Reply #592 on:** 15 February, 2010, 05:53:50 pm »

How embarrassing is it when after a fettling session you don't do up the skewer tightly enough?

So this morning, as I powered off to cross the main road near my house, the wheel locked completely against the chain stay. Left me hopping around in the road trying to disengage from the pedals and then having to apologetically lift my bike across to the far pavement past the surprisingly patient motons.

GruB · « **Reply #593 on:** 15 February, 2010, 09:27:06 pm »

Lovely commute in.
On the way home I was ghosted by a Barn Owl. I wonder if they do that as they are hoping for a mouse or whatever to be frightened by my passing along the road thus identifying their location to the owl?
By ghosting I mean staying level with me in the same direction but just slighlty off into the field in the hedgerow.

Jacomus · « **Reply #594 on:** 16 February, 2010, 08:53:28 am »

Bailed out and took the train - just too tired to get on the bike in the pouring rain (then of course, spent my whole commute wishing I was on the bike

)

Andrij · « **Reply #595 on:** 16 February, 2010, 08:59:16 am »

Nice bit of commuting yesterday, detouring around the Isle of Dogs both ways. It's lovely cycling there: traffic volumes are low and there are very few traffic lights. On the way home I went all the way around without putting a foot down.

On the way in I surprised a fellow cyclist. I was stopped at a red light when a bloke on a nondescript MTB pulls up next to me.
Him: Wanna race?
Me: No thanks, I leave that for the weekends. (OK, I lied, but I no longer race/chase on my commutes).
Him: *laugh* OK.
The light turns green, I put myself into motion the way I usually do: like a sprinter.
Him: {expletives not fit for print}.

And I learned something last night. A 45 minute spin class is a great warm-up for the 45 minute commute home.

clarion · « **Reply #596 on:** 16 February, 2010, 09:08:05 pm »

Moist this evening.

GruB · « **Reply #597 on:** 16 February, 2010, 09:27:06 pm »

Lovely ride in. The rain dodged me.
Coming home it paid me back. I couldn't be bothered to stop and Goretex up but I paid for that as by the time I got home my hands were like blocks of ice. Blood sugar had dropped to 4.7 too so that was not helpful.

TheLurker · « **Reply #598 on:** 17 February, 2010, 08:04:34 am »

Oh dear. If it isn't ice it's mud. Do you remember when the roads weren't like skating rinks?

clarion · « **Reply #599 on:** 17 February, 2010, 11:22:57 am »

Moist again on the way home, but this time with a headwind. Bracing.