On the commute today

[Si S]

Maybe I'm getting soft but I'm really feeling the cold at the moment, minus 3 leaving this morning, gradually warms up as you head deeper into the city but I still can't believe those who are in shorts, mind you the guy pushing his single speed up Kings Road who was in short sleeves as well looked to be regretting his decision

[Feanor]

-3.8 on the way past  Crathes this morning.
Back roads all treacherous, will probably stick to main road on way home.

[Pingu]

I should've had thicker gloves on this morning 

[fuzzy]

First 'proper' cold one this morning. I spent about a third of my commute (the bit on the road that is beyond the back of the back roads I use) with a real case of TEH FEAR expecting my wheels to part company with friction and dump me on my arse. The 7 3/4 mile ride took me a good 4 minutes longer than usual

[Tim Hall]

The Boy reported it was colder coming home from work, at around 08:00, than it was going to, at 03:30.

[velosam]

-2.2c this morning and I was taking it very cautiously due to the possibility of black ice.

Aldi ski gloves were not warm enough but the ski socks were.

Once my fingers started working again it was quite pleasant but then my toes got cold!

[hatler]

..ant, until they dropped off.

[sg37409]

-3.8 on the way past  Crathes this morning.

Nippy. Lowest for me was +3.5
Not too bad. 3/4's now, and thicker gloves.

[Riggers]

..ant, until they dropped off.

Well, if nobody else is going to recognise this, for fast-thinking and quick-wittedness, I will! 

[hatler]

..ant, until they dropped off.

Well, if nobody else is going to recognise this, for fast-thinking and quick-wittedness, I will! 

Ithangyewwwwwww !

[Andrew Br]

-3.8 deg. C for me as well this am*. Since the roads were bone dry and had been gritted I wasn't worried about ice but I did feel the cold.
I overtook a couple of shorts wearers en route, one of whom wasn't wearing gloves  . My fingers had only begun to warm up when I'd reached Didsbury about 5 miles into the ride. Like Si S I really don't understand how people can do this. Judging by what they were riding and the rest of the kit they were wearing, it wasn't because they couldn't afford gloves........
The other note-worthy episode was a collision where I cross the A34 to get to work. One of the small Range Rovers (Evoque, rhymes with "Cock" the way I pronounce it) had been in a bump. Both airbags were visible but the people looked OK and were exchanging details. I didn't see what damage there was to either car and I couldn't work out what had happened.

Coming home I was glad that the forecast was wrong; it wasn't raining and I rather enjoyed the ride.
I took the "old" route down Styal Road but, as an experiment, I rode along the Cheshire bank of the Mersey instead of crossing over to get on the TPT. A few diversions had me ascending some steep, leaf covered rises. It wasn't fun on slicks and I was expecting the "wheel slip of doom" despite my being sat down and pedalling carefully. I shan't go that way again.......

Annoyingly, my front, flashing light showed the "low battery" warning on the way in. I'd only charged the bloody thing on Saturday and used it on the low, flashing setting for a couple of hours. I know it was cold but I didn't expect it to hammer the battery that much.
It's the cheapest Knog Blinder that Planet X were selling off a few months ago. Battery life aside (and, it has to be said a few other niggles) it's a good light and I really appreciate the alternate lens flash mode. I'd be really pissed off if I'd paid the full price for it.
Meanwhile, the trusty IQ Speed with the 6 AA Eneloop battery pack is still going strong. I haven't charged it since the MCR-Morecambe FNRttC.

It's an 06.00 start tomorrow. That would mean getting up at 03.45 if I were to ride in.
I'm going to have an extra hour in bed and take the car. Sorry.



* I think the Garmin lies thobut.

[mcshroom]

It wasn't that cold here this morning. If anything yesterday was colder. Very wet on the way home though. If it turns to snow anywhere there'll be a decent covering.

[SteveC]

The road between home and work is no longer gritted due to AUSTERITY so I tend to drive if there's a danger of ice (call me a wimp if you like, but the last time I tried was both scary and painful). So I was all set to drive this morning but when we got up there was no frost on MrsC's car windows and it was actually warmer than yesterday. So I rode in. 
Colder and wetter on the way home, though.

[Ashaman42]

Well the last five miles of the commute saw me getting rather chilly when I'd been alright for the preceding 20. Whether it got colder or I'd just run out of heat/capacity to keep warm I don't know 

I did have more clothing in my pannier but didn't want to stop and get colder whilst putting it on so I plugged away, not sure if that was the best choice or not.

Anyway I'm in my dressing gown now and am about to make a second mug of tea to wrap myself around.

[TheLurker]

... so I tend to drive if there's a danger of ice (call me a wimp if you like, but the last time I tried was both scary and painful)....

Nope.  I use exactly the same rule.  As much as I hate* driving I'd rather miss a few days on the bike than have it written off and me too badly hurt to ride for weeks or longer. 


*You have no idea how much. No, really you do not..

[velosam]

Missed the rain yeah

[Si S]

Wet and cold, although my suspicion it was not cold enough for the lobsters I'd deployed this morning was confirmed, it'll be the other gloves on the way home.

[Ham]

You could have guessed that today would be blessed by a visitation

9/11 ? 11/9 ? someone got a bit confused.

[fuzzy]

It was pissing down with rain from the moment I left till the moment I arrived.

On getting the wet weather gear off, the rain stopped.

Fuck You Trump

[Mr Larrington]

Aten't you heard, Fuzzy?  Climate change is a myth being spread by the Chinese.

[fuzzy]

As I said- Fuck You Trump. The climate most definitely changed between me leaving for work and arriving.....

[matthew]

First fixed commute for a few months, no 'freewheel' moments though there were a couple of occasions where I would have done on the tourer. I had over dressed for the temperature encountered though.

[velosam]

..ant, until they dropped off.

No it was great!  I should read before I hit the post button lol



Well, if nobody else is going to recognise this, for fast-thinking and quick-wittedness, I will! 

[Si S]

I had over dressed for the temperature encountered though.

+1

Especially in the hat department, and sod's law applies in that I took my ear band thing out my bag last night so it's going to be very warm on the way home.

[Si S]

Overheating was avoided since I recalled my fleece hat is actually a half fleece half cotton buff so just turned it into a cotton bandana 

Got it right this morning and layered so should be right on the way home, it's only taken all week to figure it out, you'd have thought that by now I'd know how to do this   

There's a scary amount of chutney about at the minute, all summer I've been seeing a streetsweeper between Stretford and and Flixton every Wednesday, now it's actually needed it's rather conspicous by it's abscence