On the commute today

[EllysH]

I was pretty shaken up when I got home, but a hot shower and large glass of whisky soon revived.

There's very little a large whiskey won't fix.

Sent from my PLK-L01 using Tapatalk

[mcshroom]

Drivers: When there's a cyclist riding towards you turn your stupid full beams off you selfish idiots!

Oh well, one more 2018 commute to go, and despite the dazzling prats my extended ride home today means I'm just 40km short of my target for the year - perhaps I should take the magicshine tomorrow and fight fire with fire

[quixoticgeek]

Drivers: When there's a cyclist riding towards you turn your stupid full beams off you selfish idiots!

Oh well, one more 2018 commute to go, and despite the dazzling prats my extended ride home today means I'm just 40km short of my target for the year - perhaps I should take the magicshine tomorrow and fight fire with fire

When cycling on rural lanes of Kent, I had taken to using 2 x 300lumen lamps. This was great, I could see really well and also be seen from a long distance. More importantly, car drivers would see me, and dip their beams as they approached.

What drives me insane in this however, is the number of drivers who upon realising I was a bike, would then wack the main beam back up. Usually this was done when they were only a few meters in front of me, and thus it would blind me for a couple of seconds. Not impressed...

J

[slowfen]

Drivers: When there's a cyclist riding towards you turn your stupid full beams off you selfish idiots!

Oh well, one more 2018 commute to go, and despite the dazzling prats my extended ride home today means I'm just 40km short of my target for the year - perhaps I should take the magicshine tomorrow and fight fire with fire

When cycling on rural lanes of Kent, I had taken to using 2 x 300lumen lamps. This was great, I could see really well and also be seen from a long distance. More importantly, car drivers would see me, and dip their beams as they approached.

What drives me insane in this however, is the number of drivers who upon realising I was a bike, would then wack the main beam back up. Usually this was done when they were only a few meters in front of me, and thus it would blind me for a couple of seconds. Not impressed...

J

As some one who drives and cycles. I pass a cyclist (Fens) with a very bright flash and stupid bright steady, its at the point I slow due to degraded night vision. Have you considered that 2x300 with a std cone pattern of light might be blinding to the oncoming driver. I may be wrong, but set up your bike and the walk away and look at it.

[quixoticgeek]

When cycling on rural lanes of Kent, I had taken to using 2 x 300lumen lamps. This was great, I could see really well and also be seen from a long distance. More importantly, car drivers would see me, and dip their beams as they approached.

What drives me insane in this however, is the number of drivers who upon realising I was a bike, would then wack the main beam back up. Usually this was done when they were only a few meters in front of me, and thus it would blind me for a couple of seconds. Not impressed...

J

As some one who drives and cycles. I pass a cyclist (Fens) with a very bright flash and stupid bright steady, its at the point I slow due to degraded night vision. Have you considered that 2x300 with a std cone pattern of light might be blinding to the oncoming driver. I may be wrong, but set up your bike and the walk away and look at it.
[/quote]

No idea. These days I use an Edelux II. Does the trick.

J

[L CC]

Last crossing of the year. The time off the bike means the decs haven't reached the full length of the pedestrian compartment.

Next year.

[iddu]

Because of $JOB reasons, first 24Km tryout of the Dangerous Banananana (N+1 - ooops, how did that happen? )



Them pedals are gonna have to go, in favour of M520's, and the stopping's a bit "Yeah Yeah, I'll get around to it whenever..."

Mmm, Ashbury Hill on the way home - could be fun.

[PaulF]

Because of $JOB reasons, first 24Km tryout of the Dangerous Banananana (N+1 - ooops, how did that happen? )



Them pedals are gonna have to go, in favour of M520's, and the stopping's a bit "Yeah Yeah, I'll get around to it whenever..."

Mmm, Ashbury Hill on the way home - could be fun.

Going up it or down?

[iddu]

Up (came down this morning...)

[Sure some COR on the Ridgeway as an alternative would be fine ]

[Kim]

Because of $JOB reasons, first 24Km tryout of the Dangerous Banananana (N+1 - ooops, how did that happen? )



Them pedals are gonna have to go, in favour of M520's, and the stopping's a bit "Yeah Yeah, I'll get around to it whenever..."

Bromptons are IMHO the only bike that looks good in bright yellow.   

Consider quick-release SPD pedals, of the type made my MKS or Wellgo.  This allows you to pull the left pedal off so it doesn't stick out when folded.  Or indeed swap in a set of flat pedals as appropriate.

Brompton brakes are something of a polite suggestion (more so with the pre-2013 designs).  I swapped to Koolstop salmon pads, which made for a slight improvement in the wet and seems to reduce rim wear a bit, but descending proper hills is still an exercise in hand stamina.

[yorkie]

Brompton brakes are something of a polite suggestion (more so with the pre-2013 designs).  I swapped to Koolstop salmon pads, which made for a slight improvement in the wet and seems to reduce rim wear a bit, but descending proper hills is still an exercise in hand stamina.

When I bought my Brompton in 1998, the original brakes were less a polite suggestion in the wet, more something to keep you occupied until you arrived at the inevitable crash!

When Brompton brought out the "New, Improved Brakes and Levers" a few years later, I upgraded my Brompton so that I could stop without having to give three weeks notice in writing of my intention to decelerate.
I suppose one of these days I will eventually remember to put some decent blocks on the bike, but not until the old ones wear out. If indeed they ever will! (Tight Yorkshireman!!)

[markcjagar]

eerily quiet on the way home tonight, only really needed to filter once (near Meadowhell)

[Mr Larrington]

Bromptons are IMHO the only bike that looks good in bright yellow.   

Pish and, moreover, tosh!  Whither the Kingcycle?  Very few have even been resprayed

[Kim]

Bromptons are IMHO the only bike that looks good in bright yellow.   

Pish and, moreover, tosh!  Whither the Kingcycle?  Very few have even been resprayed

Yes, I was specifically thinking of the Kingcycle when I wrote that 

You might as well dress up as Bananaman...

[LittleWheelsandBig]

A flat tyre this morning. In the words of that great Aussie philosopher "Such is life"

[Andrij]

Central London road closures made getting home this evening a right PITA.  Earlier, I was surprised how soon they started shutting down Whitehall/Westminster this afternoon.

[andyoxon]

Good sunny ride in, frosty, but no ice...

IMG_20190109 by a oxon, on Flickr

Low sun conditions though make me a tad 'edgy'...

VIRB by a oxon, on Flickr

[djrikki]

Drivers: When there's a cyclist riding towards you turn your stupid full beams off you selfish idiots!

Oh well, one more 2018 commute to go, and despite the dazzling prats my extended ride home today means I'm just 40km short of my target for the year - perhaps I should take the magicshine tomorrow and fight fire with fire

When cycling on rural lanes of Kent, I had taken to using 2 x 300lumen lamps. This was great, I could see really well and also be seen from a long distance. More importantly, car drivers would see me, and dip their beams as they approached.

What drives me insane in this however, is the number of drivers who upon realising I was a bike, would then wack the main beam back up. Usually this was done when they were only a few meters in front of me, and thus it would blind me for a couple of seconds. Not impressed...

J

When this happens to me I waft my hand in front of my light to simulate "flashing my lights" - doesn't always work, but I've known it to on many occasions.

[mattc]

BN: first punct**e of this winter. (in the dark, -2'c, lovely)

GN: located the thorn* wiv headtorch (always nice to know there was some point to dragging such things around for years), and after about 10mins a little-old-lady came over and offered me "a hot drink".

I declined, but it was a lovely offer 



*I never get thorns in my tyres (just flints). Except in hedge-trimming season, and our Sustrans route was carpeted with debris last night, so it wasn't surprising in hindsight. I shall detour tonight ...

[rogerzilla]

I was following a very loud Ford Mustang for a bit.

[quixoticgeek]

Not on the commute as such, but rush hour city cycling. I was riding along just after sunset, and I noticed 2 bike cops loitering very close to a building, maybe 2-3m from the cycle path. Then I realised why they were there, and slammed on the anchors. Turned on front and rear lights, nodded to them both, and rode off. 50m further down I spotted another cop loitering close to a building in the shade of some brickwork pillar type affair, where you wouldn't notice him.

I'm guessing they were out looking for people without lights, or brommers being brommers. Sneaky tho...

Hadn't realised how much I'd got used to the Dynamo lights on the big bike. Having to turn on the battery lights of the Brompton feels weird now...

J

[sg37409]

Starting a new job next week after having worked from home the last 10months.
I'm kind of looking forward to the commute, its a bit longer than ideal (20km each way) but I can use the canal path.
I'm going to do a trial commute tomorrow morning for timing / dodgy bits / etc.

[jimmea]

Starting a new job next week after having worked from home the last 10months.
I'm kind of looking forward to the commute, its a bit longer than ideal (20km each way) but I can use the canal path.
I'm going to do a trial commute tomorrow morning for timing / dodgy bits / etc.

Commuting into town? you'll have to get a helmet cam and perfect your high pitched scream 

[diapsaon0]

Not on the commute as such, but rush hour city cycling. I was riding along just after sunset, and I noticed 2 bike cops loitering very close to a building, maybe 2-3m from the cycle path. Then I realised why they were there, and slammed on the anchors. Turned on front and rear lights, nodded to them both, and rode off. 50m further down I spotted another cop loitering close to a building in the shade of some brickwork pillar type affair, where you wouldn't notice him.

I'm guessing they were out looking for people without lights, or brommers being brommers. Sneaky tho...

Hadn't realised how much I'd got used to the Dynamo lights on the big bike. Having to turn on the battery lights of the Brompton feels weird now...

J

Better if they were out catching real villains!

[sg37409]

I think I was spoiled by my Edinburgh commute. Traffic seemed very aware and I had bus lanes most of the way.   My OCD was irritated by my total of 799 commutes with very few issues ( only 1 shouting match with a taxi). east Dunbartonshire drivers are very different and I am thinking about a camera 🙁