Tales from today's commute....

[RoubaixCube]

Well... I really must of angered the God's today...

Its pissing down with rain and im stuck at BP with another P+ awaiting a recovery vehicle as i dont have a spare inner tube. It was the front wheel that went this afternoon and this time its the rear wheel.

Better pack two inner tubes next time....

FML. It doesn't help that im in a dodgy part of town aswell. I could of really done without this...

 

[GrahamS]

Well... I really must of angered the God's today...

Its pissing down with rain and im stuck at BP with another P+ awaiting a recovery vehicle as i dont have a spare inner tube. It was the front wheel that went this afternoon and this time its the rear wheel.

Better pack two inner tubes next time....

FML. It doesn't help that im in a dodgy part of town aswell. I could of really done without this...

Ouch.

You deserve a chicken and mushroom slice and a milkshake.

And maybe new tyres.

 

[RoubaixCube]

Ouch.

You deserve a chicken and mushroom slice and a milkshake.

And maybe new tyres.

Ive gotten a good 3-4 months out of these conti GP 4S.

I wonder if the damage was done from earlier as that was quite a gnarly pothole i went over. I tried to baby the Triban as much as i could on the way home because the valve core came out of the new inner tube as i was using Cyclesurgery's track pump.

Thank god im home now and tucking into my dinner. I'll faff about with the bike tomorrow.

 

[Twizit]

Starting to think of a switch to more wintry wear. Any recommendations for proper winter spd boots?

I've been using Shimano MW81 boots for the last 4-5 winters. Excellent bit of kit although they're just about past their best now. Just picked up the newer MW7's which are currently on sale at Wiggle for about £98 - pretty good price for gore-tex boots, although I've now to wait until Xmas before I get my hands on the new ones!

Just remember to size up. In normal shoes I'm a 45. I take a 46 in Shimano road shoes and my winter boots are a 47.

 

[Twizit]

Back on topic... fairly uneventful commute yesterday except the lady car driver through Richmond Park who somehow managed to find a large pot hole full of water just as she overtook me - my right hand side got a right soaking

 

[HarryTheDog]

Got a helping hand this morning from a slow moving articulated lorry, whilst still in the rural part of my commute it pulled out on me and then made for the perfect draft vehicle keeping it below 25mph. It really peed off the early morning backlane car speedsters and I had to fend off a over eager Audi driver trying to get between me and the lorry. After the 2nd attempt he gave up and had to sit there for 2 miles, he eventually turned off releasing the large queue of traffic.
Later a white van driver gobbed it off at me for not being in the cycle lane, I then gave him a demo of why I wasnt, as I overtook him in traffic. Must be the season nobody has had a pop at me all summer, last week 2 in the space of one mile and this one today.

 

[Arjimlad]

Nice older chap thought it wasn't his fault that he had to abort an overtake and get very close to my back wheel, because of the oncoming traffic choosing to overtake the cyclist on the other side of the road rather than keep over out of his way.

One of those where you see the bonnet alongside your right foot and think you might unclip and give it a kick if the road wasn't so bumpy !

Reviewing the footage, I think it was rather stupid to try to overtake me and the cyclist in front of me on this road with so much oncoming traffic. My words were polite - perhaps he will wait next time but I doubt it somehow..

 

[si_c]

Definitely starting to get a bit colder today. Fog all the way in too.

 

[Sixmile]

Much earlier start for me this morning but I was more prepared for the cold today. 3 layers up top, full finger gloves and covered up the legs for the ride in. Much more enjoyable ride in compared to yesterday.

Passed probably a few hundred drivers with no problem but then encountered one horn happy taxi driver who was abusing the bus lane as he didn't want to sit in the queue.

 

[subaqua]

Arrived in Knightsbridge at 8.20 parked bike on Sloane street by millennium hotel . Zebra crossing right next to me. Police sat in car correctly waiting at crossing . 3 cars overtake to turn left . Copper looks at me and I laugh and mention #bloodycyclists hey . He laughs and puts blues on then follows the offenders . Popped head round corner and watched 2 getting a ticket.

 

[tallliman]

Cheers @ianrauk and @GrahamS, will see what I can get!

On another note, freezing this morning, boiling coming home!!

 

[13 rider]

Cheers @ianrauk and @GrahamS, will see what I can get!

On another note, freezing this morning, boiling coming home!!

Hard to dress correctly at this time of year . Sweaty ride home ahead

 

[tallliman]

I've been using Shimano MW81 boots for the last 4-5 winters. Excellent bit of kit although they're just about past their best now. Just picked up the newer MW7's which are currently on sale at Wiggle for about £98 - pretty good price for gore-tex boots, although I've now to wait until Xmas before I get my hands on the new ones!

Just remember to size up. In normal shoes I'm a 45. I take a 46 in Shimano road shoes and my winter boots are a 47.

Cool, thanks! Not sure if upsizing is needed for me, 45 seems fine in my summer shoes with thickish socks.

 

[kevin_cambs_uk]

Plodded home!
No rush as have day off to pick the mother in law from airport

What did I do to deserve that?

As my reward for such a task I
Am off to get me a cream
Cake!

 

[Bazzer]

Oddly really enjoyed the ride in to work.Hard to describe but the best I can muster is that for the first 7 miles or so in countryside, was like a night ride in a place with no background light, so the darkness, or in this case fog, envelopes you completely. The main difference being the light scatter from the front light, although the fog meant that in a couple of places on an unadopted road, I was grateful for memory of what was beyond my front light beam.
Once warmed up, felt lovely and fresh, but weird arriving at work in shorts when those travelling by train and car were all wrapped up. Sweaty ride home though even without gloves..