Author Topic: On the commute today (Read 2483845 times)

quixoticgeek · « **Reply #21275 on:** 01 February, 2022, 09:47:31 am »

He just stepped out, no looking, nothing. From a gap in the fence of a building site, he stepped into the fietspad, carrying a load of metal in his arm.

I tried to avoid him, I tried to brake, but it wasn't enough, we collided.

I'm gonna have a bruise on my arm, and am quite shaken. He seems OK I think.

Suppose it was gonna happen sooner or later. At least it wasn't a tourist for once.

J

psyclist · « **Reply #21276 on:** 01 February, 2022, 10:01:50 am »

Sorry to hear that QG, but glad you both appear to be relatively fine.

Sounds like one of those things ... sometimes people can do the most unexpected things seemingly without thought. Can only hope the other person takes this as a learning opportunity.

Sergeant Pluck · « **Reply #21277 on:** 09 February, 2022, 08:21:16 pm »

Unfortunate rider just ahead of me in a group moving off on a green light. Bars and stem spontaneously detached from bike - thankfully this was at low speed and there were cyclists behind rather than some impatient arsehole driver.

Also unfortunately, his bike bore a remarkable similarity to my Tern folder - I think it was a Dahon. Fairly typical folder stem, an item I regard with deep suspicion which has not been alleviated by this event:

He untangled himself and I paused to briefly check he was OK. I couldn’t see if the break was at the base of the stem itself, or if the top of the steerer had fractured.

sg37409 · « **Reply #21278 on:** 10 February, 2022, 11:19:39 pm »

Started a new job on Monday, and I can work in the office a few days/week. So today was my first commute in ages. Wet sleet for most of the 20km ride in, but nice drying facilities meant warm dry clothes for the sunny ride home. Its good to have a commute again.

Paul · « **Reply #21279 on:** 10 February, 2022, 11:54:27 pm »

Amen.

fd3 · « **Reply #21280 on:** 18 February, 2022, 10:05:17 am »

Windy: so far so good.

hatler · « **Reply #21281 on:** 05 March, 2022, 12:06:58 am »

Wahey. A run to work and back yesterday for a leaving bash. I do still have legs. No dramas, though the new 'safe' CS7 is a bit of a 'mare.

Tim Hall · « **Reply #21282 on:** 08 March, 2022, 10:50:13 pm »

First time for far too long. 24km or so, on a mixture of town, country lane and A23. Bar bag was not properly fastened (forgot to smooth the velcro shut) on the way home and popped open. I quickly stopped, shut it properly and set off again. About a minute later I looked down at my handlebars to see my sunglasses hanging on the stem. They'd made a bid for freedom when the bag opened but my mad bike handling skillz meant I'd caught them. Or I'd got lucky.

sg37409 · « **Reply #21283 on:** 09 March, 2022, 09:31:11 pm »

The other day on the canal path I found a tenner !. Today I got a puncture on the same section.

matthew · « **Reply #21284 on:** 16 March, 2022, 09:48:01 am »

surprisingly me!

Far too long since I last rode to the office but as teh car needed it's annual service and MOT I multi moded with the bike in the car.

All rather pleasant though I have lost my suppleness and had to break to control my cadence on a decent off a motorway overbridge as I was at least on the commuting fixie.

The new cycle cages at the office are rather swanky, but the stands don't work well with full mudguards.

fd3 · « **Reply #21285 on:** 16 March, 2022, 09:49:57 pm »

I guess I picked the wrong day this year to forget my waterproof trousers.

fd3 · « **Reply #21286 on:** 25 March, 2022, 12:10:01 pm »

If you are going to drive with DRLs that obscure your indicators ...

CrazyEnglishTriathlete · « **Reply #21287 on:** 20 April, 2022, 11:36:57 am »

First commute in since February, now that workload has reduced to civilised levels. As the clocks have changed, took my summer route across Tweseldown, through Aldershot and south of Woking into London. It didn't feel like summer. Not having overshoes, lost feeling below the ankles for the second half of the ride, and a slight headwind added to my legs telling me it wasn't summer. Hopefully the predicted ENE wind will stay long enough into the evening to propel me WSW back home.

sg37409 · « **Reply #21288 on:** 22 April, 2022, 11:18:43 pm »

A few things on the commute recently.
Hit a pigeon - some old guy feeds a load of them under a canal bridge and the morning they were v sluggish to take off as I approached. Been shat on by this flock(presume its them) a few times

An early morning kayak club on the canal, their trainer riding some old raleigh shopper thing with his stopwatch in hand, Total cliche

A few paddle boarders, including Polish guy in a kilt and a ghetto blaster making his way towards auchinstarry

A mink swimming. Other wildlife, heron, cormorant, bold foxes, small deer, rabbits. I check in on a swans nest each trip, no sign of the cygnets yet.

Big increase in electric scooters, some very fast.

School leavers day today, an entire 6th year from local high school in special leavers hoodies, graffitied shirts and a bit pissed all over the path. No hassle at all, they weren't that pissed yet.

Lastly, Some new bike magic today on my new low-end trek domane al3. Lovely. Coincided with first trip in shorts - it felt nice and speedy.

Canal path is getting busier, I might have to take the road home on nice days.

rogerzilla · « **Reply #21289 on:** 26 April, 2022, 08:30:19 am »

Just had to swerve onto the pavement to avoid an oncoming chav in a Clio, who wasn't going to slow down or wait, despite having parked cars on his side of the road. I know where he lives.

CrazyEnglishTriathlete · « **Reply #21290 on:** 27 April, 2022, 10:10:02 am »

Last week's commute was interesting because the front disk brakes on the Enigma Machine faded badly.
So this week' commute was on the Roberts Audax. About a mile in, changing down on the rear casette there was a clunk. The mechanism in the lever had finally failed, having been a bit tetchy for while. I could change up but not down, so effectively had a 3-speed machine (the joys of a triple chain ring). Good fortune was that I had exactly the right combination for the commute. Silly me, ten miles later, having congratulated myself on turning off my rear light whilst riding, I instinctively changed up and gave myself a slightly harder set of 3 gear combinations. At least I had a good long strength training session for the remaining 40 miles into the office.

In traffic, on the Embankment, on the way back, somehow, the gear increased by one. I swear I didn't do it deliberately - leaving me with 53-14, 40-14, and 30-14 as my gear combinations on the way home. Gives me huge admiration for those who ride Audax on fixed. Most of the ride was done on the 40-14, with a front mech rattling 30-14 to get up the steep hill in Richmond Park. At least both bikes are booked in for a complete overhaul. Next week's commute with be done on the Roberts Race bike, with the Carradice bag attached.

fd3 · « **Reply #21291 on:** 05 May, 2022, 11:15:05 pm »

Yesterday on a short sharp hill I was overtaken by another cyclist - which is odd as there are not that many cyclists and being an every day commuter && fixie I tend to win on the commuter hillclimb challenge. Rider on a flat bar, steady pace, seems to be going smoothly - chapeau think I. Then I notice the e-bike battery.
I could have called out "that's cheating" but really I was just relieved.

fd3 · « **Reply #21292 on:** 07 May, 2022, 01:07:32 pm »

Gloves? This week I've been through lobsters, mid season and am now onto track mitts. Would the weather make up its mind please?

SteveC · « **Reply #21293 on:** 09 May, 2022, 06:36:07 pm »

This was going to be a 'Yay back in the saddle again

' post.
First commute on the bike since the morning after Boris's 'stay home' broadcast and only the second time on the bike since then.
The ride is was fine. Went to come home. Back tyre is flat and has come off the rim. Will not re-inflate. Phone MrsC to come and get me (it's less than three miles and it's easy to get a bike into our car).
I do not have time to sort the issue tonight so back on four wheels. :'(

geraldc · « **Reply #21294 on:** 09 May, 2022, 09:56:29 pm »

My commute takes me through Hyde park. It's normally a pleasant enough pootle, the times of day I commute, the bike lane is empty, and most of the people are on Santander bikes or equivalent sensible bikes. I had a run in with someone on an ebike today. I was happily pedalling along when I heard a whirring behind me, and it was some guy on an ebike who was unhappy that I wasn't cycling as far left as possible, so in order to overtake me he would have to move into the oncoming (albeit empty) cycle lane. This has never been an issue previously as normally you can hear road bikes coming behind you, and act accordingly, ie I'd move to the left, but this was an ebike that wasn't even being pedalled, so no cranks or pedals squeaking to give you a heads up) and then he shouted at me for not signalling when I slowed down for oncoming pedestrians. I think there are a new breed of e bike commuters who have just traded one powered method of transport for another and they seem to be total dicks.

fd3 · « **Reply #21295 on:** 10 May, 2022, 12:57:45 pm »

Yob on illegal bike?

Ashaman42 · « **Reply #21296 on:** 11 May, 2022, 06:51:31 pm »

Rain on and off all ride and a blustery wind.

But wasn't cold. The motor made it not a trudge. And I had waterproof jacket and trousers on.

I did nearly lose the front end at a t junction though which didn't half get the heart going! Plus given the geometry of the situation I think I'd have failed to unclip if I had lost it completely and I'd have landed on hip and elbow/shoulder. So I'm glad I stayed upright. Felt like it slid about a foot and a half but I suspect it was a few inches at most.

CrazyEnglishTriathlete · « **Reply #21297 on:** 12 May, 2022, 01:20:14 pm »

Its very pretty at the moment. My work-bound summer commute route takes me along the A323, A324, and B380 south of Woking, through Fox Corner, Mayford, and Old Woking. At the time I do it the traffic is light, so I have fast roads through forest, low sun glittering through the trees. And I save the astronomic daily train fare into London. When I was on weekly tickets it didn't seem so bad, but the cost of going in for 1 day works out at 49p/mile. If I rode in once a week for a year, I'd save enough for a reasonably good new bike.

velosam · « **Reply #21298 on:** 13 May, 2022, 09:04:09 pm »

First cycle from work in nearly 2 years. Was memorable for 2 reasons - first it was on a non electric bicycle, secondly it was on a heavily laden folder.

Only one way mind as I stayed at a friend's in London, so the ride in was 2 miles!

Gosh it was hard work but the overall time nearly 1.5 hrs for 17 miles was roughly winter pace.

It was not fun though, a westerly wind wore me down and the seat post was slipping.

On the plus side, rode up all the hills (in first gear!) and didn't stop for a break.

SteveC · « **Reply #21299 on:** 16 May, 2022, 05:51:35 pm »

A successful commute both ways today!

I'd forgotten quite how much I enjoy the process. (Not the destination, mind.)