Author Topic: On the commute today  (Read 2462669 times)

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20325 on: 10 May, 2018, 01:30:33 pm »
Does the sunshine drag folk out into their cars?
Sun, rain, hot, cold, school run, work, leisure, shopping, weekday, weekend, shopping; everything gets people into their cars.

Sunshine makes them open the windows and be shouty.  Or drive to the local park.  If it's really sunny in Birmingham, they'll drive all the way into the park.

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20326 on: 11 May, 2018, 08:31:03 am »
Change of scene for a nice Friday, through the linear park and down the NCN on the best bike. I'm going to have to slow down mind, I had no idea I was moving that quick, that bike is just so easy to ride fast on that terrain these days, even with a headwind. Possibly worthy of a DOTD post  :-[

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20327 on: 11 May, 2018, 06:46:39 pm »
Took a slightly more scenic route the last 2 evenings, even did some climbing, it's been quite enjoyable.

TheLurker

  • Goes well with magnolia.
Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20328 on: 11 May, 2018, 07:01:27 pm »
First Hirundine, couldn't say if Swallow or Martin, of the year.    Huzzah!
Τα πιο όμορφα ταξίδια γίνονται με τις δικές μας δυνάμεις - Φίλοι του Ποδήλατου

Steph

  • Fast. Fast and bulbous. But fluffy.
Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20329 on: 12 May, 2018, 04:40:35 am »
My plan is to take it along to my LBS, which is within walking and bike-carrying distance, and see what he says about welding. If he can do it/knows AMWC, I shall go from there.
Are you thinking Mellow Miles? If so beware, he suffers from body part dyslexia1. The person I last used for Al welding in Copthorne will have long shuffled off his highly skilled mortal coil unfortunately. I shall insult (required) and then consult a mate in Horley who is one of those that knows everybody.

1Doesn't know his arse from his elbow.

That would be spiffy, ta
Mae angen arnaf i byw, a fe fydda'i

Tim Hall

  • Victoria is my queen
Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20330 on: 12 May, 2018, 10:23:13 pm »
Steph, I'll ask my chum with the unfeasibly well equipped garage in Vicarage Lane too,if needed.
There are two ways you can get exercise out of a bicycle: you can
"overhaul" it, or you can ride it.  (Jerome K Jerome)

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20331 on: 14 May, 2018, 03:24:49 pm »
For the first time in about a couple months, I rode my bike to work.

I'm pretty sure someone made those hills steeper.

D.
Somewhat of a professional tea drinker.


Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20332 on: 14 May, 2018, 06:28:40 pm »
Very steady and peaceful except the prick on a motorbike on the canal path wearing a full balaclava whilst it's 20*C

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20333 on: 15 May, 2018, 10:18:18 am »
Late leaving due to trying to get a poorly dog to swallow it's pills, so pycho astra-van driver again with the close pass and an added swerve to the gutter this time  ::-)

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20334 on: 15 May, 2018, 02:29:42 pm »
Chilly this morning, but not as cold as yesterday morning's Motown temperatures (3 degrees, 4 tops).  Lovely riding home though, despite the bulging Carradice containing all the extra clothing.

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20335 on: 16 May, 2018, 11:49:45 am »
There are always some drivers who hang back waiting for 2 or 3 oncoming vehicles, then the impatience threshold is reached, and no more... They floor it, in desperate attempt not to wait another second, and almost have a head on.  Dolts.
Cycle and recycle.   SS Wilson

Paul

  • L'enfer, c'est les autos.
Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20336 on: 16 May, 2018, 02:49:40 pm »
Indeed. And sometimes it's on a narrow, hump-back bridge with little visibility (because of the hump), requires crossing a solid white line, and the car is a police vehicle*.

(*okay, police dog van, but still - you'd expect them to consider the irony, if not the law).
What's so funny about peace, love and understanding?

TheLurker

  • Goes well with magnolia.
Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20337 on: 16 May, 2018, 08:01:09 pm »
Yup.  Had that on the way home today as well.  Pillocks.

However the prize for idiocy has to go to the berk in the red hatchback with an Orbea TT (or possibly triathlon) bike on the rear who overtook the car behind me (and myself obv.) by going around the wrong side of a large grass "island" with restricted visibility because the driver behind me was, quite sensibly, waiting until we'd got past the pinch point caused by said grass "island".

A less than satisfactory day today.  Headwind in both directions (how!?) and a damned irritating click/clunk on mashing the pedals surfaced on the way home.  I expect it's the annual "RH pedal has worked infinitesimally loose again" but still it _is_ irritating.
Τα πιο όμορφα ταξίδια γίνονται με τις δικές μας δυνάμεις - Φίλοι του Ποδήλατου

ian

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20338 on: 17 May, 2018, 11:19:21 am »
A most disconcerting wobble in the bike’s nethers.

ian

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20339 on: 18 May, 2018, 11:55:44 am »
Bike shop did that traditional suck-air-through-the-teeth that every mechanic does (before I inevitably kill them to death, patronising shit bags). Something bottom bracket and demise thereof related. Apparently not a tightening job. Fortunately, I took the train home (due to beer) and it made from the station to home without calamity. I expect my own wobbles cancelled out those of the bicycle. I didn't try the final hill, it involves honking and my testicles are too precious (to me, at least) to dash them on the crossbar.

I think it might be time to replace my trusty stead with something that isn't derived from a 2006-era cheapo MTB made out of neutronium. If I ask a shop to replace the BB they'll probably notice that everything else needs replacing. Then suck that air through those teeth before mocking my lack of mechanical knowledge.

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20340 on: 18 May, 2018, 12:17:58 pm »
Something bottom bracket and demise thereof related. Apparently not a tightening job.

I think it might be time to replace my trusty stead with something that isn't derived from a 2006-era cheapo MTB made out of neutronium.

Your bb has lasted 12 years. Be careful when buying a new bike - those press fit bottom brackets are designed to run silently until you get home. For ever after it will creak and groan like a tea clipper in a Southern ocean gale.
Hear all, see all, say nowt

ian

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20341 on: 18 May, 2018, 01:00:21 pm »
Hmm, I did have replaced about five years back – the shop replaced the entire drive train gubbins and the replacement crankset didn't agree with the original BB, so that was done too. Anyway, it's an unsophisticated one. The bike itself has been creaking like a unseaworthy galleon for a while, but I think that's the chain and other parts. Possibly pirate ghosts.

All said, the bike cost me £130 new back in 2006, and it's done many thousands of miles in all weathers. The frame, forks, handlebars and front wheel are unadjusted originals. The backend couldn't keep up with my furious pedalling. I dare people to steal it. They'd probably bring it back.

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20342 on: 18 May, 2018, 01:49:52 pm »
No idea what is up with my legs today, knew straightaway this morning I'd got nothing, now they really, really ache  ???

Torslanda

  • Professional Gobshite
  • Just a tart for retro kit . . .
    • John's Bikes
Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20343 on: 18 May, 2018, 04:00:47 pm »
Too much salt in last night's takeaway? In addition to being just old, my hips hurt like hell the morning after a 'cheat' night...

Re: Astra van. Anyone know why we *can't* have Exocet missiles fitted...?
VELOMANCER

Well that's the more blunt way of putting it but as usual he's dead right.

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20344 on: 18 May, 2018, 04:34:47 pm »
Too much salt in last night's takeaway? In addition to being just old, my hips hurt like hell the morning after a 'cheat' night...

Re: Astra van. Anyone know why we *can't* have Exocet missiles fitted...?

Actually I'm wondering if it's lack of salt, Mrs S has a thing about salt and it's been a bit warm lately.

Astra van - an exocet is going to be too quick and painless, the guy's a first class twunt, I did wonder if it's personal but I've seen him do exactly the same shit to other cyclists.

Feanor

  • It's mostly downhill from here.
Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20345 on: 18 May, 2018, 06:22:10 pm »
Nice summer evening, and it's Friday.
So I opted for a longer route home tonight, coming in at 55k.
Now I'm having a beer.

https://www.strava.com/activities/1580216444

ian

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20346 on: 21 May, 2018, 08:42:03 pm »
Wetter than an incontinent Marti Pellow's undergarments. Thunderstorm and torrential rain over south-east London, with another fifteen miles home, the prospect of combining the two triathlon events that don't involve running didn't appeal so I baled for the nearest bus shelter. Which proved provident as the sky choose that moment to really open up in a thunderous flush of god's almighty cistern. Lots of cyclists slooshed past evidently thinking why didn't I do that five minutes ago? You could see from the looks on their faces that the icy deluge had already claimed their pants and once you've lost them there's no point stopping. It's not possible to get wetter. You could be tied to a big rock and dropped in the Mariana Trench and you wouldn't get that wet.

One young woman had evidently had enough and piled into my bus shelter. She was very wet. Now I know I'm a gentleman of ill-repute, but you'll have to take my word I was finding a lot of interesting things to look at that weren't contiguous with a woman in tight wet clothes that had turned near transparent. Trees. My shoes. The pavement. A dog. The sky. Clouds. Rain. Litter. Cars. Houses. For sale signs. To let signs. Discarded newspapers. Puddles. Rocks. Walls. Railings. Gravestones. Shrubs. Weeds. Grass. It was going quite well. At least three uneventful seconds had passed and I hadn't even nearly run out of things not wearing wet lycra to find interesting. Then she sighed loudly and said I may as well be naked.

Now if I were sensible I would have accepted this rhetorical overshare for what it was, made a noncommittal noise and started to count raindrops or somesuch. If. And if I hadn't had my conversation centre replaced with the mechanism from an old pub fruit machine where the symbols have been taped over with bits of masking tape with random words written on them. My brain put in 10p and pulled the lever. The reels spun and despite my brain saying no, no, no, I had to say what comes up on the first reel. Which was yes. Brilliant ian, brilliant.

Anyway, embarrassment aside, I gave her my not-especially-waterproof and slightly smelly jacket to protect her modesty for the remainder of her journey (not by much, she should have found a fat bloke). She insisted on giving me her phone number so I could go get it back.

I just explained this to my wife, who was at great pains to point out that it was an old and smelly jacket that needed replacing, and how far out of my way it would be for me to collect it, and anyway, she'll get me replacement, no bother at all.

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20347 on: 21 May, 2018, 09:12:35 pm »
:-)

Very loud laughs here to that account.

That storm skimmed me just a tiny bit. I think I had three drops hit me on the way home.
Rust never sleeps

ian

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20348 on: 21 May, 2018, 10:34:14 pm »
I'm now mildly terrified it's someone here.

In which case, I'll add context that her comment was a less a declaration and more a lament on the perils of wearing pale blue leggings and a small white t-shirt during a thunderstorm. Outside of the context of a rap video.

It's probably also a reminder that I've hit the age were I'm sexually irrelevant to any female under the age of 25 and most of those above. And it's true, my brain is built out of tired machines.

Mr Larrington

  • A bit ov a lyv wyr by slof standirds
  • Custard Wallah
    • Mr Larrington's Automatic Diary
Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20349 on: 22 May, 2018, 11:38:06 am »
Too much Thought Leading leaves your head-branez in no fit state to do anything else.
External Transparent Wall Inspection Operative & Mayor of Mortagne-au-Perche
Satisfying the Bloodlust of the Masses in Peacetime