On the commute today

[L CC]

The wind blew. I (predictably) forgot I was going to $PIGFARM until I'd passed the turning and took a swig from my water bottle which usefully had a large piece of paper with $PIGFARM in bold marker pen held round it with an elastic band. So that's crosswind there, headwind back and a glorious straight kilometre where I was spinning out on the flat on 74". Splendid purple sunset, too.

[Adam]

My speedo went from 13 mph to 5 mph in about 2 seconds, it was that gusty.

On the positive side, whilst stopped at the lights, I glanced down and noticed 20p which went straight into my pocket.  Last week at another set of lights I saw 2p (but didn't bother with it).

So for all you Red Light Jumpers out there, if you stopped at the lights, you'll soon earn yourself a (small) fortune. 

Stop at red - you know it makes cents sense.   

[clarion]

I'm pleased the wind has died down a bit today.

[Sergeant Pluck]

I'll be pleased when it dies down even more tomorrow.

I've transferred my stuff over to the Bob Jackson - time to revert to commuting by fixed after a long period of getting everything Just Right on my Van Nicholas.

[Wendy]

B0ll0x, arallsop down via collision involving a white van at Vauxhall tonight.  Currently in hospital awaiting xrays, but communicating with wifey and supposedly OK.  V. shaken up though.

[clarion]

Oh poo.  Glad he's still with us.  Send our best wishes.

[Sergeant Pluck]

arallsop down

Not good   Best wishes to him.

Very frustrating, this van business. I see it every day, every ride. It seems to be accepted that these people can drive to a lower standard than that expected of everyone else.

[Butterfly]

arallsop down

Not good   Best wishes to him.

Very frustrating, this van business. I see it every day, every ride. It seems to be accepted that these people can drive to a lower standard than that expected of everyone else.

Not their vehicle and sometimes hired, so not even their employer's or a vehicle they are familiar with. After hiring a car the other day and recognising the effect on my own driving of a £1000 insurance excess, I came to thge conclusion that all vehicles should have an appropriate one - £1000 for an average car, £2000 for a van or 'executive' car.

Hope Arallsop is ok.

[clarion]

Loadsa cars

Lots of morons

Some on bikes

Eyes streaming & problematic

Wind barely evident

Fresh nip in the air

Reasonable pace

Interesting bikes

Lots of riders on the road

[clarion]

I stopped to help a chap with an upside down Foffa.  He was turning his spanner on the non-drive side nut (which I noticed was quite rounded, being made of poor quality material), and it was just spinning.  I advised him to stop, as the threads were probably stripped, and it wasn't going to get any better.

I didn't have anything which could help him.  First time that's happened.   Even a load of washers to step the nut out onto a better bit of axle thread (assuming there was anything left inside the nut to grip with) would have worked, but I didn't have anything.

He showed me that the wheel wobbled on the axle, too, which he thought was part of the same thing, but was just loose cones.  Bit of a rubbish wheel, really.

We were between Stockwell & Oval, and he was on his way to Blackfriars.  My best suggestion was Brixton Cycles, but it was somewhat out of his way

I just had to apologise, remount and carry on.  I feel sorry for the poor chap, and rather embarrassed myself that I was no use.

[Andrij]

Can I be allowed back in the club, please?  After 11 commutes on the Tube I was back on the bike this morning.   Can't say it was a great commute, but it was far from the worst.  More importantly, I feel much better having cycled again.

All those wannabe racers in London really should slow down and enjoy the scenery.  I could have cycled behind that lady all day long.   And the two guys made made a great show of zooming past her really weren't that fast.  After the lady in questioned turned off my route I quite easily caught up with, and passed, the two blokes in question.
 

[vorsprung]

Bit of a rubbish wheel, really.
....
I just had to apologise, remount and carry on.  I feel sorry for the poor chap, and rather embarrassed myself that I was no use.

Don't be.  You stopped, his BSO was fubar.  You aren't an alchemist.

I stopped to help two shagged BSOs last month.  The first one was easy, it had a really cheap n nasty QR skewer that needed pliers to tighten it up..it had worked loose.  The second one, the rear derrailluer hanger/dropouts had snapped.  I tried to convert to single speed but there wasn't enough dropout left to hold the rear wheel.

We can't win against bent bikes every time when people start off with the cheapest cheese-o-metal that money is barely needed to buy

[pdm]

Broken seatpost on the way to work this morning. Fortunately occurred only 2 miles from home so went back and swapped it out.
Metal fatigue after about 30kkm.
I really MUST remember that unexplained little creaks are NOT to be ignored even if they do sound as if they are coming from the bottom bracket...

[hbunnet]

Windy, cold and snowing. BUT first commute on bike for 5 weeks since knee injury so 

[Notsototalnewbie]

Eyes streaming & problematic

Mine have been bad for the last two days, too. Terribly itchy. Can't be hayfever season yet? 

[Wendy]

We can't win against bent bikes

And that's why we were banned!!!


More seriously, well done clarion.  It's not your fault his bike had a major problem, you should only feel good about yourself.

[smurphboy]

I commuted inside a cloud today. I've not seen fog like that in Bristol in years. Even my eyebrows were soggy by the time I got to work and every surface of the bike was wet despite the lack of rain. I really need Rain-X for my specs though.

I was shocked by the number of cyclist without lights today. I nearly took one out who came out of a side road and I really didn't see him until I was almost on him. Luckily, the road was clear so I was able to swing out and pass (and also apologise) - I'm not sure he realises I almost piled into him.

[clarion]

Eyes streaming & problematic

Mine have been bad for the last two days, too. Terribly itchy. Can't be hayfever season yet? 

This ain't hayfever.  I think it's just my eyes overreacting to the cold

[simonp]

I did a commute!

[clarion]

Can I be allowed back in the club, please? 

You were never really out of it

[matthew]

Feeling returned to my toes during my meeting this morning, ouch.

I really should have taken the time to put my overshoes on and then filtered past the lady in the Discovery3 who just wouldn't make the right turn onto the A30. After 4 minutes waiting behind her I filtered past, and in the first gap from the right got across and through the cars that were queueing to turn right off the A30.

[Andrij]

Can I be allowed back in the club, please? 

You were never really out of it

It sure felt like it, especially while walking in from Whitechapel and watching all the cyclists travelling along what will become CS2.*

I'm hoping tonight's wind will be as benign as this morning's.


* My borough has blocked CS2.   Knowing the roads involved, I doubt it would be as good as CS7, and *I* don't need a 'facility' along those roads, but a lot of people would benefit from it.  CS3 does run through my borough, but consists entirely of a re-painted pre-existing pavement route.  Hmm... CS3 is OK and happens to not actually be on any roads; CS2 would be road based and has been blocked.  Coincidence?

Sorry for the rant-ette
 

[arry_b]

I spotted a really nice looking high end Colnago.

That someone had fitted butterfly bars onto....

[αdαmsκι]

I was able to cycle in today because I didn't have to do my 23 mile, one-way, commute today and it was soooooo much more enjoyable than driving. I feel more, erm, alive this morning having blown the cobwebs away and getting a nice dose of exercise too. I'm sooooo looking forward to post-Easter then this long commute is over!

[clarion]

Even though I went out a bit earlier this morning, it was almost light when I left