Tales from today's commute....

[PeteXXX]

Now I'm in the Commute thread....
A brief story of me, my commute, and then a tale from the day (night) before last!

I am, as many here know, an HGV driver (for my sins) and am on late shift, starting between 13:30 & 15:00, finishing at any godforsaken hour that our transport planners decree. I w*rk 5 days out of 7 at present, and try to ride in once or twice a week. I live in Northampton and w*rk in Burton Latimer, a distance of about 12 miles. Bike of choice is a Canyon Inflite8 CX, with a Giant Defy2 as a backup.
Shortest possible commute is 11 miles, but that's through a farmyard and best only ridden in the daylight!! A 'Normal' commute is 12 to 15 miles, depending on my mood, and I'm lucky enough to have a choice of many different country lanes to choose from.
My homeward ride is always after dark, on unlit roads until the final 250 yards.

Anyways.. The night before last, I got to the bike shed and found that I'd had a visit from the p*ncture fairy. No problem, we're all prepared for such a visit. Wheel off, tube out, inner tyre surface checked, new tube inserted, pump attached to presta valve... pump not working
Not a jot of air happening. I checked all the other bikes in the shed, and none had a pump on them, typically.
Only thing to do? Pop my Hi Viz back on and walk half a mile across to the far side of the depot to the garage and see if the fitters could help me out. Obviously, they only had a commercial grade air supply suitable for HGV's with Schrader fittings.
BUT, with a bit of Blue Peter sticky back plastic tape and some rubber tubing and air escaping everywhere, we got the tyre pumped up to a usable level. Just as well as I didn't fancy a 12 mile walk at midnight
I now have a new pump.

Hello.

 

[Slick]

Now I'm in the Commute thread....
A brief story of me, my commute, and then a tale from the day (night) before last!

I am, as many here know, an HGV driver (for my sins) and am on late shift, starting between 13:30 & 15:00, finishing at any godforsaken hour that our transport planners decree. I w*rk 5 days out of 7 at present, and try to ride in once or twice a week. I live in Northampton and w*rk in Burton Latimer, a distance of about 12 miles. Bike of choice is a Canyon Inflite8 CX, with a Giant Defy2 as a backup.
Shortest possible commute is 11 miles, but that's through a farmyard and best only ridden in the daylight!! A 'Normal' commute is 12 to 15 miles, depending on my mood, and I'm lucky enough to have a choice of many different country lanes to choose from.
My homeward ride is always after dark, on unlit roads until the final 250 yards.

Anyways.. The night before last, I got to the bike shed and found that I'd had a visit from the p*ncture fairy. No problem, we're all prepared for such a visit. Wheel off, tube out, inner tyre surface checked, new tube inserted, pump attached to presta valve... pump not working
Not a jot of air happening. I checked all the other bikes in the shed, and none had a pump on them, typically.
Only thing to do? Pop my Hi Viz back on and walk half a mile across to the far side of the depot to the garage and see if the fitters could help me out. Obviously, they only had a commercial grade air supply suitable for HGV's with Schrader fittings.
BUT, with a bit of Blue Peter sticky back plastic tape and some rubber tubing and air escaping everywhere, we got the tyre pumped up to a usable level. Just as well as I didn't fancy a 12 mile walk at midnight
I now have a new pump.

Hello.

I'm surprised the fitters didn't want to put more gel in they're hair and plug your bike into a computer diagnostic gizmo before declaring that you would need to go and see the main dealer.

 

[PeteXXX]

I'm surprised the fitters didn't want to put more gel in they're hair and plug your bike into a computer diagnostic gizmo before declaring that you would need to go and see the main dealer.

Fortunately, our fitters are 'in house', and are susceptible to caffeine based bribery!

 

[Sixmile]

Anyways.. The night before last, I got to the bike shed and found that I'd had a visit from the p*ncture fairy. No problem, we're all prepared for such a visit. Wheel off, tube out, inner tyre surface checked, new tube inserted, pump attached to presta valve... pump not working

It's unfortunate that your pump wasn't working but I'm astonished at how many folk go out riding without one. Only in the last week or so 2 friends have encountered flats when far from home. I was commuting home down a country road last Wednesday and stumbled across a mate walking his bike home as he'd a flat and no pump. He'd tyre levers, spare tube and patches, but no pump. "Aye, I kept thinking I should get one.." he said. I fixed his puncture at the roadside or else he'd another 4 or so miles to walk back. In fact, he was with the other friend when he got a flat in the forest on the MTBs only a week or so before. They had to ring his wife who picked one of them up, drove home to get his van, to drive back and pick up both bikes. All that instead of just having a pump and knowing how to fix a flat.

Anyway, back on topic. I decided to shed my base layer and just go with a football top for the 12 miles in today. Instantly regretted my lack of base but warmed up after about 5 miles when I'd finished my climbing. Lots of bikes out this morning which was great to see.

 

[si_c]

Steady commute in this morning until I was knocked off. Filtering through largely stationary traffic when a gap opened up ahead and to the right of me. Of course someone tried to get into it quickly and just moved over, indicating after they had started to move. I'd slowed down quite a bit, but still went into the rear of the car.

No damage done, just an unshipped chain as far as I can tell, the front wheel took the brunt of the impact and is still true. Driver very apologetic - so I just pointed out that he needs to be much more careful.

Today is one of the few days recently where I bothered to fit my camera as well.

 

[clippetydoodah]

First ride in for a week or so, due to being off and needing the car. Was windier than anticipated, and I am glad I put my Summer jacket on. The weather improved as I went
along and it ended up being a pleasant commute. One of my colleagues was genuinely shocked when I said I had ridden 20 miles to work this morning. It's all relative innit.

 

[clf]

Pump fell off, traffic was too busy to retrieve it when I'd realised what had happened, That pump had done some miles with me, god speed my phallic friend

 

[Maverick Goose]

After starry skies and riding in the moonlight, it's a bit of a shock when it rains!

 

[palinurus]

The frequency with which I get dog shoot on my cycling shoes doesn't make sense.

 

[palinurus]

ARE DOGS LEAVING TURDS ON MY PEDALS?

 

[Salty seadog]

ARE DOGS LEAVING TURDS ON MY PEDALS?

Probably not dogs but a dog. It sounds personal.

 

[ianrauk]

ARE DOGS LEAVING TURDS ON MY PEDALS?

Are you banking round corners too steep scooping up poop as you turn?

 

[PeteXXX]

20 mile commute this afternoon as I had to pick my new pump up from the clack and collect.
My route from there took me past the sewerage treatment plant.
If you could photograph the smell, it’d be dark purple with swirling greens and browns...
I cannot ride half a mile holding my breath

 

[John_S]

My commutes have been a struggle this week after a friends stag do in Dublin over the weekend leaving me feeling jaded on the bike this week! Monday was dull & drizzly which didn't help the motivation and yesterday morning was pretty chilly due to a cold wind.

However Monday's ride home was really nice because I ended up with someone for about half of my ride and we had a really good chat about all things cycling. In a few weeks time they are off to ride the North Coast 500 in Scotland which sounds like a great ride and I was jealous.

This chat distracted me from the fact that I felt rubbish on the bike and it made for a really nice ride home.

 

[Sixmile]

After a few hours off watching my eldest run in her sports day, I set off on the bike to work. As I was officially on a half day I was in no rush in so took a detour. One of my cycling buddies had posted his morning ride on Strava with a little boasting about PB's and the like and also sent a picture of him sunbathing in his back garden with 'enjoy work fellas' in our group whatsapp. My detour took me up the country a bit and actually past this guys house where I seen his BMC out the front. I turned up his drive and stashed his bike in hedges to the side of the house, got back on my bike and rode on to work. An hour later, the whatsapp goes mad. "My bikes been stolen from the front of my house!". I let him sweat a bit, then posted up my ride and named his road among the areas that I covered, still it didn't click. It turns out he'd reported it stolen already to the peelers before it clicked with him. Apart from that just any ordinary pleasant ride in glorious sunshine.