Tales from today's commute....

[ianrauk]

Oh well.. time to join the great unwashed and get the train home.... broken freehub wheel in hand.....

 

[Spike on a bike]

Oh well.. time to join the great unwashed and get the train home.... broken freehub wheel in hand.....

Be careful in Lycra on the train mate

 

[HarryTheDog]

Well had a week off and back to it this week and so far been just dull boring but safe commutes, today with sunshine and a tailwind home I was grinning like a loon, even the youngster drafting me for a couple of miles without helping out did not dampen my spirits. ( he has done it before, he thinks he is clever but drafting a bloke twice your age just looks lame) I must have missed something however as my Garmin had my top speed down as 89 mph and top cadence as 180 rpm. Arrived home a sweaty mess but positively joyful.

 

[ianrauk]

Be careful in Lycra on the train mate

Hehehe.. I take work clothes with me every day.

 

[Pale Rider]

Hehehe.. I take work clothes with me every day.

You being in the music bizzo I expect your cycling gear is more conservative.

 

[ianrauk]

You being in the music bizzo I expect your cycling gear is more conservative.

The music biz is far from conservative.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

Australian motorists must be among the worst in the world. They're

• intolerant;
• aggressive;
• impatient;
• lacking in empathy;
• prejudiced against cyclists; and
  
• ignorant of the road rules pertaining to sharing the roads with cyclists.

They're more than prepared to put a cyclist in danger just to shave a few seconds off their trip time. I wish I could leave this country.

 

[ianrauk]

Australian motorists must be among the worst in the world. They're

• intolerant;
• aggressive;
• impatient;
• lacking in empathy;
• prejudiced against cyclists; and
  
• ignorant of the road rules pertaining to sharing the roads with cyclists.

They're more than prepared to put a cyclist in danger just to shave a few seconds off their trip time. I wish I could leave this country.

I have just been reading Mark Beaumont's book of his round the world trip. He said that Melbourne drivers where the worst that he came across.

 

[martint235]

Well I didn't get wet. I think that's a first for this week. It was a really nice day out there today and no numpties. I entered an almost Zen like state and came up with a new Operation Kalm (this was when I forced myself to calm down and stop putting my bike on the floor in front of cars). I'm going to have some Sept Resolutions. Here's the first few:

• I will not kick off at drivers for close passes, racing me into pinch points etc. By the time I kick off it's over and therefore pointless.
• I will not put my bike down in front of cars in order to hold them up while I bang on the driver's window
• I will wave my thanks and give a cheery smile to drivers that do nice things. Even if they are things that they really should be doing. Examples include hanging back at pinch points; giving me more room than I need (and judging by some youtube videos I don't really need a lot)
• I will attempt to be calm; zenlike and enjoy the ride
• I will remember that it should be more than just getting it to work, it should be a fun start to my day.

Right, now I'll start up the book on whether or not I get to the end of Tuesday........

 

[HarryTheDog]

Well a ride full of different emotions this morning. Riding out of the village past the old peoples sheltered housing, 2 paramadics cars were parked with 2 crying women consoling each other at the roadside, brought my spirits down a bit. My spirits were brought up again by a large tipper truck following me through Hornchurch and Rainham for nearly a mile ( kept wantng the guy to go past he was worrying me a bit) then pulled up at a set of lights next to me wound down his window and complimented me on my riding, gave me a huge grin and a thumbs up.
Then caught up with a guy I have dubbed Mr Miserable in Barking ( He is a fast rider but always pootles around 15 mph then if anyone goes past he latches onto them then goes past later and usually zooms off, he is fast but bloody miserable never talks or smiles etc) He did his normal let me go past then a mile later went past. However this morning I got some good advantages at 2 crossings by taking the road whilst he stayed on the cyleway and I topped the Canning Town flyover with him not even in sight, which makes a nice change,( he usually times his attack to beat me up it) cheered me up no end.

 

[donnydave]

Seriously could not be bothered today so drove

 

[ianrauk]

Seriously could not be bothered today so drove

Wow.
Sorry to hear that.

I must say there are times that I do feel like that, but have never actually not cycled. Once on the bike the 'not bothered' just slips away.

 

[Berk on a Bike]

Is it me or has this been one of the worst Augusts ever for wind and rain? I only worked two days this week but day one was miserably wet on the way in and leg-achingly windy on the way home. It was my first early start in a while too and my shoulders slumped a little at the realisation that, hey, it's completely dark at 5am. Winter draws on, as they say...

 

[donnydave]

Wow.
Sorry to hear that.

I must say there are times that I do feel like that, but have never actually not cycled. Once on the bike the 'not bothered' just slips away.

Thanks, just needed an easy day. Normal service should be resumed next week.

Related to the weather, has this year also been terrible for cold mornings? I'm sure I remember previous years where I would don shorts and short sleeve top without even thinking but all this summer I've been wearing longs and thermal tops, and on a couple of occasions a coat

 

[L Q]

Well a nice bit of tailwind for a few miles helped no end, well that's me done till Wednesday next week as I am getting picked up tonight as we are going away for a few days.

Commute this week 233 miles in total.