Tales from today's commute....

[Panter]

Another nice tailwind on the way home last night, great fun
This morning, not so much. There were points where I was on the flat, grinding away in the middle ring just to make progress against it. Times like that I'm glad I don't have a speedo!

 

[confusedcyclist]

Had to rest my legs and drive in today

But it's good news because I'm going to Manchester Velodrome tonight for a 2 hour coaching session. Woop! #

Up much earlier than usual though to walk the dog and avoid the traffic.

 

[HarryTheDog]

Nasty cross wind on the way in but not as bitter as I thought it would be. Saw no one till coming out of Barking ,I got stuck at some lights and it ended up with 3 of us waiting for greens. I went on the road, then cut back onto the cycleway, they went on the cycleway so I got ahead. I did my usual charge up the mini hill before the A406/A13 roundabout but coming down the other side one of the other 2 cyclists on what I think was a white Moda pushed on and made it onto my back wheel . I thought he wanted to go past so pulled left so he could, also to give me the opportunity to blow my nose. No he would not go past so I pulled on the front for a while. After the next junction I again pulled left to let him go past, in the end he got the message and did his turn keeping it at around 19 mph in the strong wind. Looking at his calves he should have been pulling me along all the way. He tired after a while and I resumed on the front trying to keep it to a constant 19-20 mph. At the next junction we took different lines, I took to the road, he stayed on CS3 and I never saw him again. It had kept it interesting for a couple of miles and had helped us both, so win, win really.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

I hit the mother of all storms this morning, rain, then hail then sleet, all into a headwind like I've never ridden into before. Was one of those downpours that instantly goes through everything and freezes you. I was about to turn home it was that bad, and then all of a sudden it stopped, still arrived at work very cold and very wet though.

 

[Simontm]

For work and home reasons have had four days of the bike so ended up with some very eager legs this morning

Numpty count: 1 and a half. One Rover 75 that had to cut me up just so it could turn left a couple of yards up ahead and, er, very nearly me as I took a junction too fast, hit some oil or summit and the front wheel started going from beneath me. Somehow managed to steer into it and up onto the pavement where it regained grip then back onto road...which was fun

 

[ianrauk]

I hit the mother of all storms this morning, rain, then hail then sleet, all into a headwind like I've never ridden into before. Was one of those downpours that instantly goes through everything and freezes you. I was about to turn home it was that bad, and then all of a sudden it stopped, still arrived at work very cold and very wet though.

Woweee.. sounds horrid.
Luckily here in the SE, we just had a bad case of wind...

 

[summerdays]

This morning I discovered S.Glos had got to my other main commuting route and shut this one. I don't remember seeing any signs up saying that it was going to be closed, and it doesn't say for how long.

And the other thing is - IT LIES
That was the first and last diversion sign that I saw, if it wasn't that I knew the alternative route I would have been lost. I saw plenty of yellow signs but all were for Christmas trees!
Bet you they aren't even going to improve that section which gets very narrow so that it is unpleasant to pass other cyclists and really horrible in summer when the vegetation grows over the path at the narrow bit just around the corner. Still it will be nice to have lights to stop the motorway slip road traffic rather than judging the gaps. Especially for those I see going along here with children.

 

[Spartak]

Ice tyres and strong headwind = bloody hard work.

At least it was warm and dry

Yesterday I ordered some Schwalbe Studded tyres from Planet X ( yesterday's deal of the day ) .....

.... Just in case !!!

 

[Spartak]

This morning I discovered S.Glos had got to my other main commuting route and shut this one. I don't remember seeing any signs up saying that it was going to be closed, and it doesn't say for how long.

And the other thing is - IT LIES
That was the first and last diversion sign that I saw, if it wasn't that I knew the alternative route I would have been lost. I saw plenty of yellow signs but all were for Christmas trees!
Bet you they aren't even going to improve that section which gets very narrow so that it is unpleasant to pass other cyclists and really horrible in summer when the vegetation grows over the path at the narrow bit just around the corner. Still it will be nice to have lights to stop the motorway slip road traffic rather than judging the gaps. Especially for those I see going along here with children.

View attachment 74068

Saw somebody else taking a picture at same spot on Tuesday !

 

[kevin_cambs_uk]

It just dries out and then it rains again
Not fair !

 

[summerdays]

Saw somebody else taking a picture at same spot on Tuesday !

I had a day off on Tuesday and a different route yesterday so it was a bit of a surprise this morning. But I haven't managed to find out how long it is going to be diverted.

 

[DWiggy]

New Wheels, Brake callipers and cables delivered to work all fitted during lunch ready for the commute home....hope they work as intended

 

[MisterStan]

New Wheels, Brake callipers and cables delivered to work all fitted during lunch ready for the commute home....hope they work as intended

Nothing quite like a full commute as a test run!

 

[summerdays]

Evening commute just beat the rain, and didn't notice the wind so perhaps for once it was behind me, and even better the cycle path diversion that I had to take this morning was gone. (Whether it's a temporary morning one or they have finished I'm not sure). So a better return journey than I was expecting

 

[paul04]

Lucky this morning, missed the rain, but on the way home I found out that hailstones hurt, even worse with a headwind, so pulled in to a bus shelter for a few minutes.

Only 5 work days left, then finished for Christmas
And 5 work days to complete my 100% commute this year