Shorter commute as I accompanied my wife on the school run before she dropped me a few miles closer to work. Unsuckered the bike from the roof and headed on. My nose felt it for the first few miles, I'm thinking it might be an idea to invest in anti-fog glasses so I can pull the buff over my nose on such mornings. Looking forward to the challenge of the ride home all the same.
Tales from today's commute....
- Thread starter martint235
- Start date
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mjr
Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
- Location
- mostly Norfolk, sometimes Somerset
There are limits to anti-fog. A balaclava of something more permeable like wool-style Thinsulate (I think) keeps me warmer with less fogging, as it keeps most wind out but when I breathe out forcefully enough, it passes through (I can see the vapour consensing), unlike a buff.
It seems my ride home last night passed the first emergency vehicles arriving at https://www.klfm967.co.uk/news/klfm-news/2479936/two-men-have-been-killed-in-a47-crash/ - that road design is poor even in a car and I've cycled it only once in the last decade, preferring miles of detour to trying again. There's just too many drivers making mistakes at the current 40mph limit due to the counterintuitive and undersignposted layout. I wonder whether this will finally make Highways England pull their heads out and bring it up to current standards with the usual geometries, cambers, gradients and signs - too late for the occupants of that van
Getting incredibly lucky this week and have managed to dodge most of the showers and haven't had a single drenching.
My chain has jumped off the jockey wheels a couple of times though. Chain and cassette probably done about 1500-2000 miles. Bike is absolutely filthy and needs a thorough clean at the moment but have I bent my derailleur cage or something without noticing? Haven't crashed or dropped this bike yet...
My chain has jumped off the jockey wheels a couple of times though. Chain and cassette probably done about 1500-2000 miles. Bike is absolutely filthy and needs a thorough clean at the moment but have I bent my derailleur cage or something without noticing? Haven't crashed or dropped this bike yet...
mjr
Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
- Location
- mostly Norfolk, sometimes Somerset
But not unexpected:Had ANOTHER puncture today despite new Gatorskins purchased two weeks ago.
I must have had eight now in just over 2 months...... demoralising
gaijintendo
Veteran
- Location
- Scotchland
At times like this, definitely worth checking the patch instructions, how you put the tube back in, how you put the tyre back on/take them off, your rim tape, your tyre for sharp objects, the valve and finally, your route.Had ANOTHER puncture today despite new Gatorskins purchased two weeks ago.
I must have had eight now in just over 2 months...... demoralising
hennbell
Guru
- Location
- Lloydminster, Alberta , Canada
for the first time in 12 winters I encountered a fellow cyclist on the trip to work. We have a few summer cyclist but very few winter ones.
Was fascinating to see the different approaches to the winter commute.
I was riding a 105 equipped cyclocross, he was on on a department store bicycle.
He wore work coveralls and rubber boots, I was in high tech cycling gear.
I have front and rear lighting system, He had reflective bands on his coveralls.
My winter cycling boots cost as much as his entire bicycle.
Was fascinating to see the different approaches to the winter commute.
I was riding a 105 equipped cyclocross, he was on on a department store bicycle.
He wore work coveralls and rubber boots, I was in high tech cycling gear.
I have front and rear lighting system, He had reflective bands on his coveralls.
My winter cycling boots cost as much as his entire bicycle.
Very windy this week but despite being on the heavy bike, I seem to have got my pace right, in that I'm not blowing out my arse after 10 minutes cycling into a headwind. Usual collection of twatty drivers overtaking on the right to instantly whack the indicator and turning left without any consideration - inexplicably stupid. Usual complement of twatfoolery on the segregated lane between Farringdon and Blackfriars, but I'm well prepared for it, such is the regularity.
All done mate.
The punctures (other than one) have all been pretty standard and spread out over different areas of the tyre and at different points of my journey too......
Threevok
Growing old disgracefully
- Location
- South Wales
Had a nasty off on some ice this morning on the way to work.
My own fault - in Hindsight, should have taken the bike with the ice tyres on but I was in a rush
The handlebars ended up 45 degrees off centre and I had to reset the headset as a result
Luckily, having an expensive bulletproof wheels paid off - the front wheel is as true as ever and all is OK
Had that been a cheap front wheel I have no doubt it would have buckled or broke.
The same cannot be said of my expensive Jacket and brand new over-trousers, which now have a rip in the elbow and knee respectively
My own fault - in Hindsight, should have taken the bike with the ice tyres on but I was in a rush
The handlebars ended up 45 degrees off centre and I had to reset the headset as a result
Luckily, having an expensive bulletproof wheels paid off - the front wheel is as true as ever and all is OK
Had that been a cheap front wheel I have no doubt it would have buckled or broke.
The same cannot be said of my expensive Jacket and brand new over-trousers, which now have a rip in the elbow and knee respectively
Arjimlad
Tights of Cydonia
- Location
- South Glos
kevin_cambs_uk
Guru
- Location
- Near Cambridge
The way the weather changes in unreal !
After yesterdays hazard being the wind today it was the ice.
To be honest I'd feared the worst because last night when I was almost home it had started hailing and the temperatures overnight were quite low which meant that the hail hadn't really disappeared and there were large patches of ice this morning.
However I made it to work on one piece and I'm in East Anglia where we've not really had any snow and there are places in the UK that have had it much worse than here (not to mention what it's probably like for hennbell in Canada) so I've not really got anything to complain about.
Hope that everyone has a good weekend.
To be honest I'd feared the worst because last night when I was almost home it had started hailing and the temperatures overnight were quite low which meant that the hail hadn't really disappeared and there were large patches of ice this morning.
However I made it to work on one piece and I'm in East Anglia where we've not really had any snow and there are places in the UK that have had it much worse than here (not to mention what it's probably like for hennbell in Canada) so I've not really got anything to complain about.
Hope that everyone has a good weekend.
mjr
Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
- Location
- mostly Norfolk, sometimes Somerset
