On the commute today

[GruB]

Ouch indeed.
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but all I can think about is that your leg would look so much nicer if it were shaved 

[Wendy]

Oh shaved would be nice, but waxed is *much* better.

[GruB]

I agree, I should have said smooth legs 

[Jacomus]

Oh lovely, its raining and my overshoes are now ex-overshoes.

Parceltape repair before going home tonight methinks

[Butterfly]

That could leave you with a funky scar, mind.

Looks like a tiger scratch to me .

Hope it feels better soon and you don't get too stiff or wet.

[CrinklyLion]

Parceltape repair before going home tonight methinks

Wouldn't a really big sticking plaster be better? 

Sounds like it was a much more interesting commute than one would like.  Hope your journey home is extremely boring, and that the leg isn't too sore!

[TimO]

Likewise ouchie!

It sounds a bit like you mostly got away with it, but obviously not entirely.  Mandatory "Chicks dig scars".

My commute today was quite quiet, I had to leave work early to take Talisker to the vets for his hyperthyroidism checkup, and so was cycling through Croydon at 4-30 which normally means I hit the start of the rush hour, but actually the traffic was quite light, so much easier than I expected.

It was nicer this morning, since it wasn't spitting and dull like this evening, but it's very mild out there.  I've switched over to the summer weight (ie non-waterproof) shoes, and was just wearing a jersey (and wishing that it was short sleeved this morning!)

[Regulator]

Jacomus - you twit!      

Get better soon - or I shall be round with the 'salve'...   



And now for my commute rant...

What is it with all the fecking diesel over the roads today?

It was like trying to cycle on an ice rink...  

[clarion]

And now for my commute rant...

What is it with all the fecking diesel over the roads today?

It was like trying to cycle on an ice rink... 

Holy crap, yes.  Fred has v. narrow tyres for me, and I had some interesting moments...

[teethgrinder]

that's why the track sprinters use straps as well. Roadman sprinters don't start from stationary.

Yup.

Are your shoeplates worn? They don't hold so well if they're worn.

[vorsprung]

What a lovery day.  Sun, dry roads: cold yes but in a crisp way.
The sun is now strong enough to actually warm you with it's early morning rays
No headwind and the kidz are still on holiday so the traffic is light

[clarion]

Yup.  All of that.  Fast too.  Two numpties to report to Roadsafelondon.  Done.  All is well

[MSeries]

Jacomus - you twit!      

Get better soon - or I shall be round with the 'salve'...   



And now for my commute rant...

What is it with all the fecking diesel over the roads today?

It was like trying to cycle on an ice rink... 

Yup, that's what contributed to my last crash, been unable to ride since

[tiermat]

Cool and windy last night, sunny and crisp this morning, WITH ZERO numpties....

Maybe I was too early for them

[matthew]

First day in shorts rather than longs. 

5 minutes faster than Tuesday and only one driver tring to give me a heart attack.

he was turning right out of the garage forecourt across the approaching 15 tonne lorry straight at my side. cue step change in cadence from ~90rpm (29kph) to ~105 rpm (34kph) to get out of the way.

[mrcharly-YHT]

7 miles out from york, a puncture (in the Pasela on the rear). NP, stop, pull out wheel, oh heck, it's the Pasela on Chrina, hell to get off. Discover on tyre lever is broken. NP, I have 3. Get tyre off. Can't find puncture. Traffic roaring by, so can't 'listen' for air coming out of tube. Check tyre over, can't find puncture. Replace tube. Break one of 2 remaining tyre levers getting tyre back on.

Wheel back in frame, pump up, get to 90psi, pump breaks. Oh buggeration. this is the nearly new RoadMorph, and the shaft has broken off from the valve/piston. I'm 18miles from work, 7 miles from home. Walk back to a junction, cross road and cycle home. Then take train to work.

[Tim]

Pleasant sunny pootle this morning, but I'm sure the bike is getting heavier.

I wonder how deep the open cast mine* is going to be just here when I go home.

Though it would be nice of them to reroute the road before the tunnelling to Oz started.

*The pot hole is producing lumps chunkier than half bricks.

[Regulator]

Lovely ride in this morning...

They've even started filling in the potholes along Mill Road*







*OK, they're only patch fills which will be all over the road within 24 hrs, but it was such a nie morning I don't feel justified in grumbling.

[her_welshness]

Flipping 'eck, the A202 between New Cross and Peckham was hairy today. It does not help that there are huge Thames Water roadworks and excavations going on which lets the traffic build up terribly, cars and vans feel very irritable about it all and they feel that they have to ride aggressively to get somewhere. Only the cyclists can serenely sail past them and the buses and onto better climes, like Camberwell, Elephant and Castle...

[TimO]

...Can't find puncture. Traffic roaring by, so can't 'listen' for air coming out of tube. ...

Handy hint; "feel" for it on your face.  If you hold the tyre up near your face and move it along, you'll often easily feel the air from the leak on your face (assuming that it's not in a howling gale).  You can also do it with the back of your hand, but I don't find that quite as sensitive.

[mrcharly-YHT]

Cars were passing 4 ft away at 60mph, and there was a gusty 15-30mph wind so it was a bit too rough for that trick. It's what I usually do.

I've emailed chain reaction about the pump. I'm a bit p!ssed that a £29 pump would break like this. Only used it 4 times.

[clarion]

Charly, ya daftie!  It's pointless trying to fix a p*nct*re beside the road.  Carry a spare tube - much easier.

[mrcharly-YHT]

I do and did.

Was trying to find puncture so I could locate whatever caused the puncture - no point putting in another tube if there is a thorn/glass stuck in tyre.  Suspect it was glass as I'd passed over remains of broken bottle 3 miles back (still no cuts in Kryllion).

[clarion]

OK, fair enough.  I'd not picked that up.  And you certainly don't want to put a new tube in just to have that p*nct*re.

I use a Marathon Plus in the first place, which means that, if anything gets through, it's something like a javelin or a pneumatic drill that you can see sticking out from 50m away

I also do a visual inspect of the tyre, inside & out, and cautiously run my hand round the inside.  In the past (i.e. with inferior tyres), I've found a few pieces of glass this way, and not injured my hand.

[CommuteTooFar]

I realised I am a weather god.  My birthday is at the start of the Month, I get presents and this makes me happy.  So the sun and gentle zephyrs create perfect cycling conditions.  All worship me