Tales from today's commute....

[Graham]

I guess you're right. I'm usually really careful - take primary, check my shoulder etc, etc. Just left one 'gap' assuming no car driver would go for it, and hey presto, one did.

 

[400bhp]

You could actually just stay on the new chevrons they have placed down. I'd probably just do that, but there's no way in hell i would commute down that stretch of road post 8am

 

[Andrew_P]

Nice and normal today, no aggro and normal weather, nice end to the week.

 

[subaqua]

bit cool on the ride in today, but the flooded CS2 was a pain. not on the road , just the CS2

 

[thefollen]

Don't I feel silly.

Picked up a puncture on the road bike around 4miles in to my ride. Managed another 1.5miles of 'stop and pump' before deciding to switch inner tube. Couldn't get the last bit of tyre on so did the big no no of using the lever. Naturally I tore my spare inner tube. Nice clip clip walk for pushing the bike for the final 2.5 miles. 45 mins late for work.

Fixed a few punctures before without an issue, but this morn the tyre was being particularly stubborn- it's quite a stiff one. Watching youTube vids, the people fixing make the last section of tyre look particularly easy. Hoping to improve my technique later on today.

 

[Graham]

You could actually just stay on the new chevrons they have placed down. I'd probably just do that, but there's no way in hell i would commute down that stretch of road post 8am

I didn't get as far as the chevrons - they are on the other side of the lights. Those chevrons are dangerous too - Had a few occassions where I was about to move into them only for a car (which should have gone left towards the ring road) come up the inside of me. Hey ho, guess a rethink of my route is in order. I hate going the long round round to get anywhere though - A to B as fast a possible is best!

 

[Beebo]

Watching youTube vids, the people fixing make the last section of tyre look particularly easy. Hoping to improve my technique later on today.

It might look easy in a nice warm clean workshop, but when it's cold and wet the tyre seems much less supple, and your fingers quickly get cold and stiff.

 

[400bhp]

I didn't get as far as the chevrons - they are on the other side of the lights. Those chevrons are dangerous too - Had a few occassions where I was about to move into them only for a car (which should have gone left towards the ring road) come up the inside of me. Hey ho, guess a rethink of my route is in order. I hate going the long round round to get anywhere though - A to B as fast a possible is best!

No need to go the long way round. Follow this route. You go over a shared footbridge that takes you over the mancunian way.

That's 3 miles, whereas the direct a56 route is 2.9 miles.

 

[martint235]

Don't I feel silly.

Picked up a puncture on the road bike around 4miles in to my ride. Managed another 1.5miles of 'stop and pump' before deciding to switch inner tube. Couldn't get the last bit of tyre on so did the big no no of using the lever. Naturally I tore my spare inner tube. Nice clip clip walk for pushing the bike for the final 2.5 miles. 45 mins late for work.

Fixed a few punctures before without an issue, but this morn the tyre was being particularly stubborn- it's quite a stiff one. Watching youTube vids, the people fixing make the last section of tyre look particularly easy. Hoping to improve my technique later on today.

I nearly always use a lever to get the tyre back on but I've never punctured the tube with it. I do have some quite wide levers though.

 

[Harry_Palmer79]

Lovely ride in today until I got to the big roundabout in Manchester city centre on the A56 (you know, with the old church next to it where the traffic goes through the middle). Rollling gently up to the lights (which were red), some middle aged woman decides that she's still got to get past me - Front passenger side wing slides up my leg (to push me to one side) and then hits me with the wing mirror for good measure. Then starts shouting at me through the windscreen. Thought I was restrained with my language and only called her stupid beach twice. And before someone says it, "yes", I had taken a decent primary.!

A WVM tried to squeeze past me this morning on the approach to a roundabout in Glasgow (Eldon Street/Woodlands Road) forcing me to swerve to avoid him hitting me. He dropped back just behind me, but I was so annoyed I turned round to give him a two fingered salute and a few choice words. Unfortunately as I turned my right foot slipped off the pedal which the nobber found hilarious... I did manage to regain my balance sufficiently to gesture more successfully - not particularly big or clever I know, but satisfying none the less! Slightly annoyed I didn't get his number to report him to his boss, though chances are they wouldn't give a f**k anyway... (To add insult to almost injury I snapped the tail off my mudguard this morning as I was getting on my bike so I arrive at work with a slightly muddy back but I suppose it could have been much worse)

Oh and I can definitely recommend Bontrager RLX split finger gloves - Incredibly warm - I had to switch to my Endura Strikes part way through. Got them off ebay for £20. Although they have not been tested in the wet yet - I'll leave someone else to do that

I think I need to get some proper gloves as my fingers were freezing today - my fingerless weight-lifting gloves aren't really cutting the mustard these days.

 

[scouserinlondon]

Had my first (and hopefully last) ped crash today. Was flitering slowly down the right hand side of some stationary traffic, was therefore in the middle of the road and a guy steps out into me from in front of a bus. Low speed, and nobody hurt, bloke just grunted and walked off. Scary enough though.

 

[martint235]

Had my first (and hopefully last) ped crash today. Was flitering slowly down the right hand side of some stationary traffic, was therefore in the middle of the road and a guy steps out into me from in front of a bus. Low speed, and nobody hurt, bloke just grunted and walked off. Scary enough though.

It's not great is it? But so long as no one is hurt, it's just learn and move on.

My commute was quiet really. Bad traffic near home cos the A2 has been closed so traffic clogging alternative routes.

 

[Miquel In De Rain]

Surprised by motorist who squeezed into a roadworks pinch point in Walthamstow and slightly annoyed but perhaps I shouldn't have been(im sure she deliberately ignored me to get through) ,whoa and behold I caught her up at Bakers Arms and I know I shouldn't have but I waved at her at the traffic lights at which I had caught up to her.Lights change and I was aware she was letting me go into another sort of pinch point road,so I let her go first,still caught her two other times till she pulled right at another set of lights we stopped at.I have an idea she may have learnt a little lesson today.

 

[scouserinlondon]

It's not great is it? But so long as no one is hurt, it's just learn and move on.

My commute was quiet really. Bad traffic near home cos the A2 has been closed so traffic clogging alternative routes.

I was a mixture of guilty, scared and annoyed. He bent my bloody brake lever too.

 

[martint235]

I was a mixture of guilty, scared and annoyed. He bent my bloody brake lever too.

Bent it or just twisted it round? Bent and I would have been annoyed. Possibly enough to ask him to pay for it.