Yeah, that's a fair old commute. Fine in the nicer months, not so in the crappy ones.
Tales from today's commute....
- Thread starter martint235
- Start date
Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
Yeah, that's a fair old commute. Fine in the nicer months, not so in the crappy ones.
bonker
Guru
Back on the bike this morning after a nightmare Friday night commute home.
After getting a soaking earlier in the week ( from the wet road up) I re-fitted the mudguards but decided to leave the Conti gatorskins on ( they are a bit tired, no pun intended).
On the way home I suffered a catastrophic puncture on the A24 near Clapham South. Emptied out the toolkit ( I ride a fixed) but could only find one plastic lever. Eventually got the tyre off ( it was a big shard of glass that caused the flat, so picked it out) and changed the tube. Went to pump it up and the pump just wouldn't get any decent pressure in the tube ( I've had the pump for years and it's always been fine). Eventually got the the stage where I thought " that's as good as its going to get" and started packing up. Found the other tyre lever ( inside a nitrile glove I didn't bother wearing) but discovered my main back light now wouldn't turn on ( I had a little one on the stay and a helmet light).
Headed off on a slightly squidgy tyre and conscious of the lack of rear light . It was very busy but all was fine until Epsom. The roads there are in a right state and it was as busy as heck, long and the short is I hit a massive ragged pothole and the tyre started to go down. It eventually got to the stage where I had to stop.
Mrs Bonker is in the West Country sorting out her recently dead Dad's affairs so I had to call son No 2 (and hope he was around) to come and pick me up ( in a Fiesta) for the journey of shame.
Over the weekend the Schwalbe Marathons went on, some self adhesive patches went in the toolkit and a Co2 cannister to back up the pump.
Through all of that I didn't get a single offer of help.
After getting a soaking earlier in the week ( from the wet road up) I re-fitted the mudguards but decided to leave the Conti gatorskins on ( they are a bit tired, no pun intended).
On the way home I suffered a catastrophic puncture on the A24 near Clapham South. Emptied out the toolkit ( I ride a fixed) but could only find one plastic lever. Eventually got the tyre off ( it was a big shard of glass that caused the flat, so picked it out) and changed the tube. Went to pump it up and the pump just wouldn't get any decent pressure in the tube ( I've had the pump for years and it's always been fine). Eventually got the the stage where I thought " that's as good as its going to get" and started packing up. Found the other tyre lever ( inside a nitrile glove I didn't bother wearing) but discovered my main back light now wouldn't turn on ( I had a little one on the stay and a helmet light).
Headed off on a slightly squidgy tyre and conscious of the lack of rear light . It was very busy but all was fine until Epsom. The roads there are in a right state and it was as busy as heck, long and the short is I hit a massive ragged pothole and the tyre started to go down. It eventually got to the stage where I had to stop.
Mrs Bonker is in the West Country sorting out her recently dead Dad's affairs so I had to call son No 2 (and hope he was around) to come and pick me up ( in a Fiesta) for the journey of shame.
Over the weekend the Schwalbe Marathons went on, some self adhesive patches went in the toolkit and a Co2 cannister to back up the pump.
Through all of that I didn't get a single offer of help.
I try to offer assistance if I see a cyclist looking forlorn at the side of the road but am often politely turned away - always worth an ask though!
Recently however I offered a youngish chap who had punctured a few metres from my front door the use of my garage, stand and tools as it was raining. He very rudely made it clear he didn't need any help so I jumped in the car and went out as planned. When he was still there on my return I checked again and he again sent me packing. I must admit I let out a snigger when i saw him take the tyre off again 10 minutes later... I wonder if he'd have accepted help on the third ask if he'd still been there
I contemplated setting up a window display of spares and tools but he was gone before i could fully realise the dream 
Yeah, the main trouble is the frost/ice risk and the dark. When I'm in the swing of it, it's quite easy.
Jenkins
Legendary Member
- Location
- Felixstowe
-1°C first thing here and crunchy underfoot so I went to get my 13 flat bar out of the Asgard only to find the drive train locked solid despite having been cleaned a week or so ago and not used since (found out when I got home that it's the jockey wheels that need grease) so out with the Giant flat bar for the first ride since being fitted with 28mm GP4000s. Despite being run at the same pressure as the original Giant own brand tyres, I spent the first couple of miles looking down convinced they were going flat - guess it's the result of much softer sidewalls, but I've never noticed it on any of the other bikes with the same tyres in 23mm & 25mm sizes.
Can't remember the last time on the commute with that little wind and clear skies both ways.
Can't remember the last time on the commute with that little wind and clear skies both ways.
Thorn Sherpa
Über Member
- Location
- Doncaster
Crosswind and rain all the way home this morning, real struggle to build a decent speed up and seemed to hit every red light through town!
I must admit, having just had the full on lurgy last week this is my first time back on the bike. yesterday fine today back to normal wind and rain. the weather is truly starting to grate to the point i might drive! it's either rain or wind or really high wind. whatever happened to just cold....
kevin_cambs_uk
Guru
- Location
- Near Cambridge
Well I am glad January is over. 100% for January and the bike but wow some really awful days
But it almost light when I leave and February only had 28 days!
Winner
But it almost light when I leave and February only had 28 days!
Winner
straas
Matt
- Location
- Manchester
I've set up a little spreadsheet with my mileage each month for 2017 and a blank space for 2018 - my aim is to beat the previous years monthly total - a bit easier than chasing a yearly goal!
Beat last Jan by 30km! would've been by 100km or so if I hadn't been knocked off last week!!
Beat last Jan by 30km! would've been by 100km or so if I hadn't been knocked off last week!!
Yes i am with you on the driving, i ride or drive 9 miles unless i leave bang on 7am to drive it's horrible, where as by bike it's easy and takes me anywhere between 36-50 minutes depending on weather, legs and motivation
Jenkins
Legendary Member
- Location
- Felixstowe
Got caught out on the way home this afternoon by one of those combinations of rain & wind that are so cold it's painful on the face. Drafted an electrical assist bike for a bit of relief into the headwind - goodness knows how the rider managed without gloves!
headwind this morning slowed me to a crawl. 12.6mph average when I normally do about 14-15 on the way in. To add salt to the wound it then started raining mid afternoon in time to get some decent puddles forming for my ride home at 5... Fortunately the wind hadn't shifted so I got a wriggle on and got home in under half an hour at an average speed of 16.5mph. Unfortunately I was soaked to the core after a mile so overall it wasn't the most pleasant of days cycling
subaqua
What’s the point
- Location
- Leytonstone
I hope the cockwomble in all the gear with no idea of road sense gets hi comeuppance. you do not overtake on the right at a T junction when the other rider is on the line on the frickin right .
actually you dont overtake at a t junction do you . farking nobber
actually you dont overtake at a t junction do you . farking nobber
