On the commute today

[caerau]

Yes I had a cable issue in the pissing rain this evening.  Not as bad as a brake cable though. I fitted a new gear cable and derailleur yesterday.  It seems I hadn't tightened the clamp bolt on the derailleur enough - amazing how you never find stuff like this out when it's not in biblical flood mode. Still at least the cycle paths were blessedly pedestrian-free.

[CrazyEnglishTriathlete]

Back from Uxbridge, slippery horrible roads, stair-rod stuff through Crowthorne and Eversley and just plain miserable after that.  But, on the plus side, the usual May gear of base layer long sleeve top, and thick rain jacket, bib tights and thick winter gloves did me proud.

Any armchair critic who wants to have a go at Bradley Wiggins for cautious descending is welcome to have a go at sliding round Britain on saturated roads and see how long their nerves hang out.   It wasn't fun out there, especially with two filled panniers that don't do the braking distance any favours either.

Oh.  And arrived home at exactly 8pm on time to the minute to that promised.      And Mrs CET had already cooked mince 

[SteveC]

Tonight's ride home was wet.

But that was better than yesterday which was windy and that sort of horrible wind which is both a headwind and a gusty sidewind at the same time.  The wind-inflicted wobble coming through the narrowest part of the village was scary.  Tonight's wind had the good grace to be mostly behind me.

[Basil]

FFS!  D'ya think it might rain?   

I rode home (+ the extra loop) in a bleedin' downpour.  I got in and realised that I was supposed to have picked up a script from the doc's as I was completely out of Staying Alive magic.
Rode to the doc's - in a downpour.
Rode to the chemist's - in a downpour
Rode to the chemist's that was open - in a downpour.
Rode home - in (guess what?)
Got home and the boy reminded me that we'd agreed to do Chish & Fipps tonight.
Rode to the Chip Shop (actually - it didn't matter any more)

It's summer, then. 

[mcshroom]

I'll guess mentioning I've just been out for a 20 miler with a friend in sunshine and light winds is not going to go down very well

[Basil]

I'll guess mentioning I've just been out for a 20 miler with a friend in sunshine and light winds is not going to go down very well

GIT!

[Kim]

Maybe I should put my rainlegs back on?

[Basil]

Please do. 
About 7:30 a.m. tomorrow would be nice.

[caerau]

I can only apologise.  That nice day we had the other weekend.  We got our garden table and chairs out of the garage.

Cleary this has angered the rain gods. Soooory.

[Speshact]

I cycle around Enfield in the rain for the afternoon. I love my cape.

[fuzzy]

I too got very moist on the way home. Being low to the ground and having an extra wheel out front makes for confident descending though.

[Kim]

I too got very moist on the way home. Being low to the ground and having an extra wheel out front makes for confident descending though.

This is why the ICE mudguards are worth every ludicrously expensive penny.

Avoiding the rain pooling in your crotch is covered in the advanced class.

[fuzzy]

I too got very moist on the way home. Being low to the ground and having an extra wheel out front makes for confident descending though.

This is why the ICE mudguards are worth every ludicrously expensive penny.

Avoiding the rain pooling in your crotch is covered in the advanced class.

Well, Boss has a rear mudguard but no fronts 

I accumulated a wet crotch and arse and discovered rainlegs make for good air brakes.

It was tremendous fun though.

[Kim]

I don't seem to get an air braking effect with the rainlegs, though the knee-covery bit does look fairly ludicrous at the highest point of the stroke.  They also do a reasonable job of keeping my crotch dry (I suspect your problem may be related to the relatively sponge-like properties of the ICE seat compared to Ventisit).  The wet arse is, I suspect, inevitable - but at least it's not gritty wet like you get on an un-mudguarded DF bike.

Have you had the cold water pooling inside the elbows of your jacket thing yet?  That's good fun too.  The trick being to extend your arm downwards to let it drain out *before* raising your hand to your head/face for whatever reason.

[fuzzy]

Have you had the cold water pooling inside the elbows of your jacket thing yet?  That's good fun too.  The trick being to extend your arm downwards to let it drain out *before* raising your hand to your head/face for whatever reason.

No I haven't. I may have been inadertantly prepared for that by cinching the cuffs tight to keep the wind out.

[Basil]

Gah! 

[tiermat]

The ride back last night was a good deal less urgent than the ride in.

Also less windy.

It was wetter, though.

I have discovered that I can do about 10 of the 13.5 miles on either bike paths or quiet country roads, so only have to brave the traffic for 3.5 miles.

That, I like!

No CBB today, though as I am going to look at a house share and it's blooming windy today!

Back to it tomorrow, though, if I can find my mojo again, I think it is skulking under the pile of damp and dirty clothes at the digs.  I must really really fit mudguards to the Dave Yates, my arse ended up covered in a layer of Cambridgeshire's finest grinding paste (AKA skog)

[Kim]

Have you had the cold water pooling inside the elbows of your jacket thing yet?  That's good fun too.  The trick being to extend your arm downwards to let it drain out *before* raising your hand to your head/face for whatever reason.

No I haven't. I may have been inadertantly prepared for that by cinching the cuffs tight to keep the wind out.

It's a fine balance.  Too little airflow and you overheat.  The usual ventilation doesn't work very well on a recumbent seat, so I only really wear a jacket in extremely cold or extremely wet weather.

[Marco Stefano]

Yesterday's commute sounds like many on here; damp & headwindy. I decided to take the longer alternative route alongside the river as my usual route will be closed for road rebuilding for 6 weeks from mid-June. Morning ride was fab, evening ride was hard and triggered calf cramping, which made me even slower...

Am trying again tomorrow. Still wearing (and having to wear) winter stuff in mid-May; what's going on?

[Marco Stefano]

According to xcweather, tomorrow looks better here.

Kim must have her rainlegs on. (Thanks Kim - taking another one for the team!  )

[clarion]

One of my loveliest moments awheel was in Bowland, when I came around the corner to find the road completely blocked by livestock (I can't remember if it was sheep or cattle; it makes no difference) ambling in the same direction.  I slowed right down, and enjoyed having a natter with the farmer on his quad idling up the road behind the flock/herd.  Sunshine, nowhere particular to get to, and a shared giggle.  Splendid.

[fuzzy]

As I rode along the crest of Winter Hill, the valley in which the Thames meanders Londonwards was completely full of mist. A beautiful sight with the sun on my right shoulder and the mist filled valley on my left, with the Chiltern Hills visble beyond.

[Vince]

Madam, the thing attached to your windscreen; no, not the air freshener; the shiney mirror. If you looked in it occasionally you would see me behind you, and you might then be persuaded not to randomly put on your brakes for no reason.

[spindrift]

The warm weather means lots of bods on BSOs weaving all over the road like I shouldn't wonder. They annoy me and puncture my zen-like calm.

[ian]

Gah! Splutter! Flies!

South-East London was full of them this morning. I arrived at every light with several dozen little green lazy hitchhikers. I also swallowed several and took numerous eyeball kamikaze hits. Hopefully they'll have all had their crazy bug sex and died by this evening. Or have taken over the world.

I, for one, welcome our new little green insect overlords.