Tales from today's commute....
- Thread starter martint235
- Start date
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OP
OP
martint235
Dog on a bike
- Location
- Welling
Well yesterday morning was good. Yesterday afternoon and this morning, the legs have completely gone!!
In the good news, the work I did on the headset of the commuter had a positive effect so, having taken Lelly out on Sunday, I can confirm that both bikes are now operating silently and well. Only cause for concern remains the tyres on the commuter but I'm not getting visitations so I'll buy a couple as spares and see how long I can run the existing ones for.
Next job I think is to convert the SS to a fixie. I've accepted I'm never ever going to use it for commuting (the original idea) but I may as well try to get used to it.
In the good news, the work I did on the headset of the commuter had a positive effect so, having taken Lelly out on Sunday, I can confirm that both bikes are now operating silently and well. Only cause for concern remains the tyres on the commuter but I'm not getting visitations so I'll buy a couple as spares and see how long I can run the existing ones for.
Next job I think is to convert the SS to a fixie. I've accepted I'm never ever going to use it for commuting (the original idea) but I may as well try to get used to it.
Simontm
Veteran
Drive like an idiot day for those cars that were put there. Strangely quiet both cycles and cars and I got a bit of wet feet/legs thanks to a burst main on Upper Richmond Rd.
Numpty count: 2 coming up to the Richmond Bridge roundabout from Petersham and took my usual strong primary. Nope, not for the driver behind me who decided to go onto the other side of the road then cut in for the roundabout.
Second was WVM exactly at the point where Jeremy Vine's last video just past Olympia. Again took a strong primary but WVM needed to turn left so moved in on me so I had to slam on brakes to avoid being pushed onto pavement
Numpty count: 2 coming up to the Richmond Bridge roundabout from Petersham and took my usual strong primary. Nope, not for the driver behind me who decided to go onto the other side of the road then cut in for the roundabout.
Second was WVM exactly at the point where Jeremy Vine's last video just past Olympia. Again took a strong primary but WVM needed to turn left so moved in on me so I had to slam on brakes to avoid being pushed onto pavement
I think it was everyone who has a car drive to work today. It seemed that the whole of SE London was blocked up with traffic. It made for frustrating progress. But at least the temperatures are a little milder. Half a degree below when I left home.
Leaway2
Lycrist
- Location
- Manchester (Sale)
Icy this morning, so came in on the hybrid. The main roads were not too bad. The panniers allowed me to bring some extra kit in though.
A nice slow ride.
A nice slow ride.
Arjimlad
Tights of Cydonia
- Location
- South Glos
Dropping daughter off at school means I have to take the shortest route to work. Sadly it is along Trench Lane, where the number of dim-witted early morning commuting drivers means it is a close-pass festival. They overtake in long streams with the last cars not checking for oncoming traffic. Or simply not caring & passing as close as possible !
united4ever
Veteran
came off this morning - nothing more than a few scratches on the elbow though. Turning round a 90 degree bend on an ungritted quiet residential street. Going slowly but not slowly enough it seems. Not been icy in Manchester this last week but today there was a thin layer of frost, thought it would be ok, should have took the tram with hindsight.
Simontm
Veteran
Well that was warmer, almost tropical at Pen Ponds 
left dead on time for a change and I guess that's the tale end of the school run. Bit busy round Fulham/Putney.
Numpty count: 2 merc pulled out and nearly clipped me on Maple Road then as I took primary on the bend for Thorkhill Road, a BMW decided to overtake me on the bend
luckily there was no one coming the other way. Needless to say the lights were red at the end! 
left dead on time for a change and I guess that's the tale end of the school run. Bit busy round Fulham/Putney.Numpty count: 2 merc pulled out and nearly clipped me on Maple Road then as I took primary on the bend for Thorkhill Road, a BMW decided to overtake me on the bend
luckily there was no one coming the other way. Needless to say the lights were red at the end!
Last edited:
- Location
- Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Back to ice tyres for me this morning. I wasn't really sure if they were necessary when I set out but there were quite a few patches of ice and when the studs went silent in the middle of one corner I knew I'd made the right choice.
I've set up a regular, repeating, 'mobile progress meeting' every Friday- for ever- at 16:00.
OP
OP
martint235
Dog on a bike
- Location
- Welling
Your place obviously isn't like ours then. Here they check your diary, see you're booked in a meeting and then assume theirs is more important and book you in anyway. As chair.
shoot, hope you're feeling better today. I often ride when it's just a bit frosty on the roads and almost always it's OK (that crunchy kind of frost is pretty grippy! but the stuff I had this morning was more a greasy kind of frost), here's my reminder to follow the (gritted) bus route in future or dig out the 'cross bike and studs more often.
OP
OP
martint235
Dog on a bike
- Location
- Welling
Cold again. Forecast cold again tomorrow but possibly milder by Monday. No issues today. Numpty count 3, all on bikes:
- in Penge a guy with a red flashing light on the front of his helmet. No lights at all on the bike though.
- Further up from Penge a guy with loads of high viz and no lights. Nobber
- And in Norwood, some nobber has put a cycle lane in on the approach to the crossroads so one poor cyclist felt obliged to use it. Despite the fact he was turning right. I really felt for him. And he may still be there for all I know.
