Tales from today's commute....

[Lonestar]

Starting my ride home soon. Noticing a fair few cyclists wizz past with no lights.

Nowt unusual there (no lights a plenty).Ride in was good today...after my repairs of missing magnet/chain replaced after realising it was really stretched and worn and also a new rear tyre after a recent slow p*nct*r*...So met my workmate at Bow...wasn't sure if I would get there ok but all my repairs held up as I had done no test ride.Arriving at Tower Gateway and on a whim we decided to go via Tower Bridge (instead of Westminster) and mix with the cars and up to the Elephant without any problems but had to guide my workmate into the new layout at Elephant and Castle.On the way back (no workmate as he finished later than me) a sprinkling of boy racers and dodgy traffic lights.Noticed the annoying click has gone which troubled me before the new chain was fitted.That's been bugging me for a while.

 

[RoubaixCube]

7.16miles in 28mins. thanks to at least 3 or 4 traffic lights being green as soon as i arrived so i was able to keep my cadence and speed! I was overtaken by a racing snake on a Scott Addict though, couldnt be arsed to get a little sprint on and try to chase him down so carried on my 18mph cruise. He eventually widened the gap by jumping a red light then turned off my route. Roads were fairly quiet but then again its a 3 day weekend

 

[Bazzer]

Due to leave, first commute for almost 2 weeks. In fact, apart from a 7 - 8 miler yesterday afternoon, where it was a little like a house party, bike can I reintroduce you to legs, legs can I reintroduce you to bike, it was my first ride for the same period.
Dark mornings now at 5.15. Upside was a lovely sunrise timed just right in semi rural area so it wasn't hidden by buildings and managed to time all bar one set of traffic lights just right.
Down side was two cyclist RLJers in Salford and almost getting left hooked by a "Wee Shred" van. - Luckily from my point of view, one of those occasions where you suspect a motorist is going to do something, even though there are no obvious signs.

 

[Simontm]

And I'm back. New job, knitted bones and a new route into Paddington. 17 miles in all as I really couldn't be arsed with either Kingston Hill/Putney Vale nor Broomfield in Richmond Park so went via Richmond& Kew and joined the very fast Chiswick High St through to Kensington and a lovely wind-down to work.
Also back:numpty count. Heading through Richmond, a WVM thought I didn't need any space as he edged towards the kerb after failing to overtake me but his mate saw me to just managed not to squeeze me out

 

[Arjimlad]

When waiting to turn right into a side road, an oncoming cyclist is not to be regarded as a gap in traffic for you to scoot into.

 

[fimm]

Loadsa traffic today. Mostly going to other way, so more of a problem to the drivers behind me... I think there must be roadworks somewhere that people are trying my usually fairly quiet route to avoid.

 

[Simontm]

So there's a reason I avoided hills this morning...
Straight down to Fulham Rd and join the SCRs at Putney, up to Sheen Gate then over the top of Richmond Park at White Lodge with a hefty 10mph
Made a joke to an SCR just after Kingston Gate to be met by a sneering comment about it not being cars that slows him down so I did what anyone who'd just returned to the bike and done a commute for the first time in over two months and burned him
Well gotta defend the honour of us fat boys
Numpty count:0

 

[martint235]

A change to my commute route this morning for reasons that can't be discussed on an open forum. I went up Beckenham Hill and followed most of my homeward commute, it was very pleasant and as it was "new" in that direction I seemed to notice more.

 

[Lonestar]

Yesterdays commute was back to normal after the dream bank holiday commute.Car crossed the junction @ Stafford from my right without stopping and cut across me.Saw the move but it was one of those CGAF moments from the motorist to which I shouted "5h1t driving" to which I got a blast of the horn so my next words weren't so complimentary.On joining the CS 3 from Caroline Street...Looking wrong way up the one way road bit just to spot a car coming in the wrong direction and hidden by parked van with the boy racer crossing into the road I was in...to which I commented "you are driving in the wrong direction" to which the driver replied "I know"...so after that classy reply I was on my way and that was that.On the return late night commute wasn't too bad but still quite busy at midnight +.

 

[Starchivore]

Took a detour yesterday on the way back, up the hill from Walsden to go up via the sheperd's rest pub and lumbutts church, then down to the main road to Hebden.

I haven't done much climbing and it showed at first, but it was well worth it for the view (example below). I think I will take that detour once a week from here on, as a treat. I don't lose much time at all by it but the downside is I cycle in my shirt and it makes it sweaty.

 

[Arjimlad]

When an ambulance is coming towards you with lights flashing & sirens wailing, it is better not to pull out round the cyclist in your large SUV. Simply wait behind until the road is clear.

 

[steveindenmark]

Its getting a bit tricky to work out what to wear for my 5.30am commute. Its either cold for the first 10 minutes or stop after 10 minutes to take gear off.

 

[RoubaixCube]

Had to cycle to my work HQ in Surry Quays Canary Wharf today. Googlemaps told me it was about 10miles. Garmin on the other hand told me it was just over 11. I went via the river, Hackney marshes through to Bromley by bow before coming out near the Thames walkway and then on the road for the rest of the route. Traffic is absolutely Gnarly down here. So much construction and road works going on here.

Looking forward to taking it easy for the ride home. I have my go pro with me so might be able to get some half decent footage. I had it recording as soon as i hit the river but somewhere on route the battery died currently have it on charge though

 

[RoubaixCube]

22miles on the clock! Almost lost my balance and went into the river at one stage but i manage to regain my balance. Nobody was there to see me go almost arse over tit into the river like a Scottish winter salmon. One worrying thing is how narrow some of the shared towpaths are. around the limehouse cut & bromley-by-bow area -- along that stretch is where i almost went off.

Time for a shower food then checking the gopro footage for good stills for 'your ride today' I dont think they are going to be any good as i had the gopro mounted 'out front' on my bar just below my garmin. we shall see

 

[martint235]

1510 pages, 22,640 posts all because I made a mistake in filtering years ago