Author Topic: On the commute today (Read 2504224 times)

Wycombewheeler · « **Reply #18250 on:** 18 March, 2016, 12:10:43 pm »

dress down day, so rode in Dutch style, casual clothing on all the shared use cycle paths rather than the road. So nice and relaxed, only a little slower, and no need to shower. Not dressing for cycling made m forget my gloves though, not so good pretty cold this morning.

Si S · « **Reply #18251 on:** 21 March, 2016, 02:21:19 pm »

Very steady today, legs are somewhat sore - this hiking lark can't be good for you, probably should have caught the cattle car but just couldn't face it.

mcshroom · « **Reply #18252 on:** 21 March, 2016, 04:22:37 pm »

Faster than expected this morning. My legs are in better nick than I feared they would be after the weekend.

davelodwig · « **Reply #18253 on:** 21 March, 2016, 08:20:07 pm »

Ride in was too warm for the jacket and too cold for bare arms so popped into the bike shop and picked up some arm warmers, quite impressed not warm and toasty but kept the cold out enough.

Ride home seemed to mark the arrival of the first fair weather cyclists of the season on my route, I set the scene thus,

* You'll have to imagine an overweight but active cyclist on a black thorn with dynamo lighting and a single ortlieb pannier chugging up the hill at a moderate pace wondering if I should sing along to my ipod (single side ear bud) or ride faster.

"Oh hello are you touring" - other cyclist.

"No just commuting" - me

"It's just you've got panniers and everything" - other cyclist

"It's where I put my sandwiches and spare pants" - me

"Oh why don't you take those things in the car" - other cyclist

I gave up at that point and reflected on the fact I'd love to stick his flashing lights that were giving me a headache so far up his arse he could be a night light.

That's another thing, flashing bloody lights, they should be banned IMO! If your light won't last a couple hours to get you home buy a better light cos the one you've got is rubbish, christ knows how he saw the potholes, I struggle and I've got two a edelux and a 1500 lumen monster.

Paul · « **Reply #18254 on:** 21 March, 2016, 09:22:05 pm »

Quote from: davelodwig on 21 March, 2016, 08:20:07 pm

"Oh why don't you take those things in the car" - other cyclist

It's hard not to scoff at that. That sort of logic was never, well, logical, but it should have died a proper never-to-be-resurrected death after this.

Kim · « **Reply #18255 on:** 21 March, 2016, 09:24:33 pm »

Quote from: davelodwig on 21 March, 2016, 08:20:07 pm

"Oh why don't you take those things in the car" - other cyclist

Quote

That's another thing, flashing bloody lights, they should be banned IMO! If your light won't last a couple hours to get you home buy a better light cos the one you've got is rubbish, christ knows how he saw the potholes, I struggle and I've got two a edelux and a 1500 lumen monster.

I don't think they're generally using flashing lights to extend runtime, I think it's more about being obnoxiously visible. Which makes sense, in an arms race sort of way, up to the point where your view of the road ahead - potholes and all - is in strobe-o-vision. People who are more concerned about being driven into by oncoming cars than hitting unlit potholes have something seriously wrong with their risk assessment, IMHO.

davelodwig · « **Reply #18256 on:** 21 March, 2016, 10:39:08 pm »

Quote from: Kim on 21 March, 2016, 09:24:33 pm

Quote
That's another thing, flashing bloody lights, they should be banned IMO! If your light won't last a couple hours to get you home buy a better light cos the one you've got is rubbish, christ knows how he saw the potholes, I struggle and I've got two a edelux and a 1500 lumen monster.

I don't think they're generally using flashing lights to extend runtime, I think it's more about being obnoxiously visible. Which makes sense, in an arms race sort of way, up to the point where your view of the road ahead - potholes and all - is in strobe-o-vision. People who are more concerned about being driven into by oncoming cars than hitting unlit potholes have something seriously wrong with their risk assessment, IMHO.

There's one stretch that is fast downhill and the road surface is slowly sliding down the hill, let's be blunt gun crews at the somme would take a look at it and go another way. It's the reason I bought the second stupidly bright light, I kept expecting to find the crippled remains of mr flashy. I suspect I'm just risk averse and normal people just ride through the holes and buy a new wheel occasionally.

Andrew Br · « **Reply #18257 on:** 22 March, 2016, 12:48:54 am »

The most benign weather conditions so far on my new commute; no rain, moderate wind and not very cold.
What made the ride memorable was the badger that scuttled across the TPT in front of me on the way home.
It wasn't very big so I assume it was fairly young.
It's only the 3rd live badger that I've seen.

Under the arches · « **Reply #18258 on:** 22 March, 2016, 08:34:39 am »

Nice run in. Yes nice, no sun, no wind, no cold. Just a dead cat, dead rabbit .

Si S · « **Reply #18259 on:** 22 March, 2016, 08:56:10 am »

A very pleasant run in, muscle soreness is beginning to ease. I see there are yet more holes being dug on Kings Road, no doubt the infill will be of the same standard as the previous works, that is filled with a catapult by Bodgit & Scarper, I'm convinced someone on the council is getting backhanders, why else would you sign off on such shoddy work? It may well be time to give this route up as bad job and take the run through Chorlton.

iddu · « **Reply #18260 on:** 22 March, 2016, 08:58:12 am »

Brrrrrrp....t'chunk....t'chunk....(woosh)....TING....TING....TING....parp

Well, that could've been exciting, as the Fenix dropped into the front wheel going downhill at 35mph

Indestructible little buggers tho', it bounced for 50 metres - though field testing in this manner is not much recommended

Riggers · « **Reply #18261 on:** 22 March, 2016, 09:02:51 am »

Quote from: Deano on 17 March, 2016, 10:10:37 pm

Bit of a traffic jam on Cleasby Lane today...

(click to show/hide)

If it was me, I'd have jokingly taken the middle of the road, and waved the tractor back! But I'm a cheeky monkey and can get away with things.

iddu · « **Reply #18262 on:** 22 March, 2016, 09:04:53 am »

Quote from: Riggers on 22 March, 2016, 09:02:51 am

Quote from: Deano on 17 March, 2016, 10:10:37 pm
Bit of a traffic jam on Cleasby Lane today...

(click to show/hide)

If it was me, I'd have jokingly taken the middle of the road, and waved the tractor back! But I'm a cheeky monkey and can get away with things.

Naw, you'd get underneath with a low enough bent - Deano just needs N+1

mcshroom · « **Reply #18263 on:** 22 March, 2016, 09:36:09 am »

Only the 1 mile ride down from the off-site car park this morning. See 'I could have commuted in today' thread for why.

Hopefully I'll get to extend the return a bit.

matthew · « **Reply #18264 on:** 22 March, 2016, 09:52:15 am »

Nice run in this morning. Why when the weather has just got so much better was there so much more traffic on the roads

I was passing queuing traffic for about 1/3rd of the ride.

Oh and my commute for tomorrow has just been approved... Berkshire to Warrington by a combination of Bike and Train.

davelodwig · « **Reply #18265 on:** 22 March, 2016, 10:05:11 am »

A roe dear close to the fence as I pedaled up the hill into Painswick, buggered off before I manged to get the camera out alas.

menthel · « **Reply #18266 on:** 22 March, 2016, 10:25:11 am »

Pootle in with a silly grin enjoying the sunshine and the lack of traffic because of my lateness!

L CC · « **Reply #18267 on:** 22 March, 2016, 01:10:26 pm »

60 minutes and 33 seconds. That offends my sense of righteousness. I blame the 5 mph site speed limit.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #18268 on:** 22 March, 2016, 05:37:48 pm »

Quote from: davelodwig on 21 March, 2016, 08:20:07 pm

* You'll have to imagine an overweight but active cyclist on a black thorn with dynamo lighting and a single ortlieb pannier chugging up the hill at a moderate pace wondering if I should sing along to my ipod (single side ear bud) or ride faster.

Surely this is not a choice. Once you start singing, you will ride faster, if only to get away from the awful noise that somehow keeps pace with you the whole time and drowns out your music. Oh...

Basil · « **Reply #18269 on:** 22 March, 2016, 05:48:58 pm »

Well, other than making a complete arse of myself on the way in this morning.

(see the Oiks shouting things thread), nothing of note happened at all today.

Except the fact that was my last cycle commute. EVER.
(I'll be commuting by train for my last day tomorrow, for reasons that I'm sure most of you can work out.)

sg37409 · « **Reply #18270 on:** 22 March, 2016, 09:25:36 pm »

Never say never Basil. You might get a wee job stacking shelves or serving old dears teas at hospital waiting rooms or something.

My commute today was ace. The bit between the morning and evening rides was sh1t though.

Under the arches · « **Reply #18271 on:** 23 March, 2016, 08:02:45 am »

Quote from: Under the arches on 22 March, 2016, 08:34:39 am

Nice run in. Yes nice, no sun, no wind, no cold. Just a dead cat, dead rabbit .

Dead badger on the way home. I was hoping the ride in would blast my cold away. It didn't

Si S · « **Reply #18272 on:** 23 March, 2016, 08:35:32 am »

Engaged lazy mode, the rest of the week will be pootling. Added an extra km by running down to Chorlton-Cum-Hardy, worth it for the smoother ride.

Si S · « **Reply #18273 on:** 24 March, 2016, 08:45:54 am »

Very pleasant finish to the week, a buddy I've not seen for a while who does a mixed mode commute from Liverpool caught me at the lights at Urmston and the traffic was light enough that we could ride two abreast pretty much all the way to Stretford, very civilised

MagnusOpus · « **Reply #18274 on:** 24 March, 2016, 09:52:52 am »

I caved in and started using Strava at the weekend....I just wanted to log the distance and rough speed I go as I tend to avoid putting a computer on bikes.....

But the segments thing is hooking me in......the usual gentle trundle to work puts me towards the bottom of most of them.....a bit embarrassing so I've been trying to see how fast I am when I make an effort.....that's a bit better....not bad for a 48 year old smoker who rarely pushes hard enough to get out of breath.....around a third the way down when I try.....

Consequently, this week I've been arriving at work increasingly sweaty and knackered.....

Hopefully the novelty will wear off soon (apart from when I got a good tailwind!)