Tales from today's commute....

[cyberknight]

Fell off on a muddy patch this morning on a corner of the cyclepath i have to use, didn't even see it as the streetlights have been out for ages, reported to the council repeatedly but all the have done is put signs up saying that the lights are not working ...............

 

[13 rider]

Fell off on a muddy patch this morning on a corner of the cyclepath i have to use, didn't even see it as the streetlights have been out for ages, reported to the council repeatedly but all the have done is put signs up saying that the lights are not working ...............

Hope you and bike are ok . Starting 2018 like 2017 was stay safe

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

Left the bike at work, walked into town to pick up one of the new Sheffield OFO bikes to try

They're for midgets! Knees Up, Mother Brown!

A fun diversion but I think I'll walk the whole way in tomorrow rather than pick another one of these up. They're OK for what they are though, 50p to whizz across town 2 or 3 miles

 

[JhnBssll]

I nearly got splatted by the same van twice in 10 metres yesterday Fortunately he had his window open so he heard the full fury of my swearing and looked quite sheepish when I finally went past..!

He was pulled over indicating left on double yellows when I approached to go around him. Just as I was about to come along side he pulled out sharply (still indicating left) so I veered and braked and let him go. Idiot thought I as I merged into the cycle path and turned left. I went past him at the junction a few metres later (on said cycle path) only for him to come past when the traffic started flowing and cut straight across the cycle path in front of me to park on that curb instead He clearly hadn't seen me either time so I made sure he heard my expletives and hope he checks next time

 

[John_S]

It wasn't the best commute because I had a puncture on my Schwalbe Marathon front tyre.

When I took the tyre off I found a very large thorn straight through the tyre and the inner tube didn't really stand a chance.

I'm going to use this as an excuse to try out my Marathon winter spiked tyre for the first time. Now for me in the U.K. these might not be strictly necessary and also overkill. However I spotted them really cheap quite a long time ago and decided to buy them on a bit of a spur of a moment whim just in case they ever came in useful.

Now the fact that I've put them on means that temperatures are now bound to warm up and be nowhere near freezing for the rest of the winter.

 

[Thorn Sherpa]

Drizzle and very foggy this morning, roads very quiet at 5am though luckily. No wind which was nice

 

[Bazzer]

With TLC to the legs, not had to train and bike, which was looking in prospect at the start of the week as my legs were rubbish on Monday. Just one more commute for the week. Many more cyclists than usual, including three of us stopped at one junction, all going the same way; something I have never before experienced at 6.15 am on a commute.
Depressingly, the number of cars ignoring stop lights at junctions, both early in the morning and in the afternoon seems to be increasing, as do the number of morning dope smokers.

 

[Arjimlad]

It wasn't the best commute because I had a puncture on my Schwalbe Marathon front tyre.

When I took the tyre off I found a very large thorn straight through the tyre and the inner tube didn't really stand a chance.

I'm going to use this as an excuse to try out my Marathon winter spiked tyre for the first time. Now for me in the U.K. these might not be strictly necessary and also overkill. However I spotted them really cheap quite a long time ago and decided to buy them on a bit of a spur of a moment whim just in case they ever came in useful.

Now the fact that I've put them on means that temperatures are now bound to warm up and be nowhere near freezing for the rest of the winter.

I have these on my commuting bike at the moment.

I put them on last weekend in anticipation of an icy commute on Monday - the second time I have put them on this winter - and of course it was nowhere near freezing.

The rest of the week it is 4-6 degrees as well. If I take them off this weekend you can be sure that the following week will chill down to below zero. They are heavy and slow and make a racket like riding over ice but I guess that it is good training. If a car gets too close behind, the spikes will wear a groove in its bumper too.

The effect that they have on the weather, though, is some sort of alchemy !

 

[cyclinglamb1010]

It's the train strike here in the UK and as I commute (with a bike) around an hour and a half to work it's a real pain! Not only that it's bloody cold, facing jam-packed trains and lack of safety on board! Wonder if any other long-distance cycling commuters feel my pain? Even if you're not from the UK?

 

[Sixmile]

I had to leave work sharpish at 4pm to make it home for 5pm to meet a builder coming out to price a job for us. I got changed in the shower room and went down, unlocked bike and put all the lights on only to realise then that I'd left my 'to see' front light charging at my desk. I was in a hurry, it was 4pm so still some light and I've never walked through the office in my bike gear so I just headed off with only my See Sense 'to be seen' front light which is rubbish to see the road with. A favourable tailwind had me home a few minutes early and it was still light enough to see the road outline clearly even just short of 5. The nights are certainly getting better! Builder arrived minutes after me, I'm still geared up, sweating. He rides a bit in the summer, seen me at the door and told me that's the kind of night where people get killed.

 

[si_c]

Not so cold in this morning. Not such a hard ride in either, the headwind from yesterday seems to have dissipated.

Took an extended commute home last night, really impressed with the new dynamo lighting setup, not as much illumination as the Fenix battery light on full, but that only lasts an hour.

 

[Leaway2]

Not so cold in this morning. Not such a hard ride in either, the headwind from yesterday seems to have dissipated.

Took an extended commute home last night, really impressed with the new dynamo lighting setup, not as much illumination as the Fenix battery light on full, but that only lasts an hour.

Pictures of the dynamo please!

 

[straas]

First commute of the new year - thankfully not too painful.

Did a relatively quick 30km yesterday though - that was really painful. serves me right for taking 2 1/2 weeks off the bike.

Revolve in Manchester are doing a January sale on servicing - sorely tempted.

 

[bonker]

It's the train strike here in the UK and as I commute (with a bike) around an hour and a half to work it's a real pain! Not only that it's bloody cold, facing jam-packed trains and lack of safety on board! Wonder if any other long-distance cycling commuters feel my pain? Even if you're not from the UK?

Yes, on the bike from Surrey into Herne Hill/ Brixton today, it was eerily quiet on the Tooting, Balham, Clapham stretch.
On Monday I was on the train ( with the Brompton). Southern and SWR had a strike going but the timtable said things were running. On the way in passengers were kicked off a brand new Thameslink train because of a technical fault. Journey ended up taking 2 hours.
On the way home I got stranded changing trains at Wimbledon, they were just too overcrowded to get on. I finally got within one stop from home ( I ended up getting a lift to finish the journey). Another 2 hours I'll never get back. Journey price £13.20.
Yesterday ( no strike) Wimbledon had short trains coming out of Waterloo and there were loads of people left standing on the platform.

As the trains were on strike again today I cycled in. It was free, took 1hr 15 mins and I felt better for doing it.

 

[ianrauk]

s the trains were on strike again today I cycled in. It was free, took 1hr 15 mins and I felt better for doing it.

A start of a nice daily commute that