Another short commute for me this morning (6 miles) but still great to get out for a short while. I spotted a cyclist up ahead about a mile in and thought it looked like my bike mechanic mate on his way to work in CRC but I'd never seen him anywhere near this particular area on my time commuting. Turns out it was him so a good yarn and good company for the rest of the way, not to mention plenty of 'I've a wee problem with...' and some 'Would you be able to take a look at..', all bike related before anyone starts!
Tales from today's commute....
- Thread starter martint235
- Start date
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humboldt
Well-Known Member
Had a marginally later start than usual as I'm covering a different shift. Dear god it was hot; even the linen shirt was barely helping. Much preferring the days when I have to come in early and I get the comparative coolness of pre-08:00 air (naturally I feel the opposite in winter when it's still dark and gloomy).
Sadly all the places in our shed were taken when I got in so I had to lock up at the public stands and was getting saddle theft anxiety, since I'm well aware we get bike thieves slouching around on our road. Then again the shed is feeling less and less secure lately: they only have wheel bender racks inside, there's recently been some idiot forgetting to lock the door and the other day I was grumbling to myself about how stiff the lock was feeling and realised I'd managed to unlock it with my front door key!
Sadly all the places in our shed were taken when I got in so I had to lock up at the public stands and was getting saddle theft anxiety, since I'm well aware we get bike thieves slouching around on our road. Then again the shed is feeling less and less secure lately: they only have wheel bender racks inside, there's recently been some idiot forgetting to lock the door and the other day I was grumbling to myself about how stiff the lock was feeling and realised I'd managed to unlock it with my front door key!
Darren Jeffrey
Über Member
- Location
- Newmains
Close pass by a blonde female driving a white BMW this afternoon on the ride home. She couldn't be bothered waiting the two seconds it took for the bus coming the other way to pass before she went past me safely.
Managed to perpetuate at least three stereotypes in one manoeuvre. Impressive!!!!!!!
Managed to perpetuate at least three stereotypes in one manoeuvre. Impressive!!!!!!!
HLaB
Marie Attoinette Fan
Got draughted for 5 miles this morning on the busway after which the bloke finally caught I think that I was on a wee ring session maintaining a circa 90 rpm cadence and not speed, so 18-20mph on the flat would fall to 15-17mph on drags. After that I settled into a more comfortable HR of around 75% which was my original target, it was a bit high before hand when I was too busy watching him rather than the computer.
12 mile midday ride in and midnight ride home, spoiled only by a snakebite p*ncture, at a quarter to one, a couple of miles from home.. And I thought I knew all the potholes on my regular commute!!
10 minute job, with mozzies buzzing around me, CO2 pumpup and on my way...
10 minute job, with mozzies buzzing around me, CO2 pumpup and on my way...
Bazzer
Setting the controls for the heart of the sun.
- Location
- On the edge of reality
At 5.15 it was cool enough in the countryside for a light jacket, just to stamp on the wind chill. But I could feel the temperature rising gradually as the suburbs gave way to the city environs, so that by the end of the journey, even taking it steady I was rather toasty.
First things first, i'm fine. Secondly, if you smell shoot everywhere you go check your shoes (this is referring to me and my cycling style).
Coming up the inside of stationary traffic and parallel to a car that suddenly pulls to go left without mirrorcheck or signal. Over the wing and bonnet and onto my shoulder. I am scuffed, bruised and scraped but otherwise intact. My good bike's good front wheel is toast, the carbon forks are questionable and the handlebars are minced into an s-shape.
Driver shaken up as well. Has offered to pay for damages but given the front wheel alone costs ~£200 on it's todd i feel we'll be proceeding down the insurance route. I told the driver it happens although they kept apologising profusely. Honestly, it's the risk i took going up the inside so i'll live with it. The driver took the risk turning without checking mirrors or signals and we all ended up in a mess. Police attended, took details and i have an incident number so the insurance can fire through it.
So, on the singlespeed today
Coming up the inside of stationary traffic and parallel to a car that suddenly pulls to go left without mirrorcheck or signal. Over the wing and bonnet and onto my shoulder. I am scuffed, bruised and scraped but otherwise intact. My good bike's good front wheel is toast, the carbon forks are questionable and the handlebars are minced into an s-shape.
Driver shaken up as well. Has offered to pay for damages but given the front wheel alone costs ~£200 on it's todd i feel we'll be proceeding down the insurance route. I told the driver it happens although they kept apologising profusely. Honestly, it's the risk i took going up the inside so i'll live with it. The driver took the risk turning without checking mirrors or signals and we all ended up in a mess. Police attended, took details and i have an incident number so the insurance can fire through it.
So, on the singlespeed today
Damn. Sorry to hear that @dhd.evans I hope the driver does the right thing and if not, the insurance quickly and correctly settles.
One thing I learnt a long time ago is to not undertake stationary traffic. I had exactly the same thing happen to me. However sometimes you do have to and in that case, not at any sort of speed.
Glad to hear you're not badly hurt.
One thing I learnt a long time ago is to not undertake stationary traffic. I had exactly the same thing happen to me. However sometimes you do have to and in that case, not at any sort of speed.
Glad to hear you're not badly hurt.
Hope you get everything sorted amicably!
I'd a very close call yesterday afternoon, closest in a long while. I was doing probably 22mph with the wind behind me. Cars are as always, dotted up the footpath along the 30mph city road. I'm sitting in the middle of the left lane, see sense flashing away when an Audi pulls slowly off the kerb into my path blocking my way. I didn't have any time to shoulder check to pull out into the right lane as it's a busy road. I locked the brakes, back tyre skidding with me shouting a 'woah, woah' as I was sure I was into it. He/she didn't react, just kept slowly driving off as a driver beside me acknowledged how close it had been. I had some juice in the air horn so it got a few sharp blasts, but still, nothing.
I'd a very close call yesterday afternoon, closest in a long while. I was doing probably 22mph with the wind behind me. Cars are as always, dotted up the footpath along the 30mph city road. I'm sitting in the middle of the left lane, see sense flashing away when an Audi pulls slowly off the kerb into my path blocking my way. I didn't have any time to shoulder check to pull out into the right lane as it's a busy road. I locked the brakes, back tyre skidding with me shouting a 'woah, woah' as I was sure I was into it. He/she didn't react, just kept slowly driving off as a driver beside me acknowledged how close it had been. I had some juice in the air horn so it got a few sharp blasts, but still, nothing.
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@dhd.evans Ouch! Good that plod attended otherwise people get selective memory about their liability..
All on helmet cam anyway - it's not cut and dried as @ianrauk says filtering up the inside is inherently dangerous (lesson learned this time for me!) but given the 50/50 element said driver pulled across without checking mirrors or signals on. Should be easy enough to sort out
biking_fox
Legendary Member
- Location
- Manchester
Best wishes for a smooth claim!
Such a lovely evening that I extended my usual ride past even my normal 'long' route home. Manchester city centre out along the Ashton cannal, right on the Peak forest (really lovely apart from the weird corkscrew bridges to change sides) cut down through Bredbury and Reddish to pick the fLoop home. 20miles. Won't do it every day, but fine riding. Would have been even better if I'd thought to carry some water with me instead of a heavier than usual rucksack!
Such a lovely evening that I extended my usual ride past even my normal 'long' route home. Manchester city centre out along the Ashton cannal, right on the Peak forest (really lovely apart from the weird corkscrew bridges to change sides) cut down through Bredbury and Reddish to pick the fLoop home. 20miles. Won't do it every day, but fine riding. Would have been even better if I'd thought to carry some water with me instead of a heavier than usual rucksack!
Bazzer
Setting the controls for the heart of the sun.
- Location
- On the edge of reality
@dhd.evans to repeat what has been said up thread, I hope it gets sorted quickly and that you are not too sore tomorrow. I hate nearside filtering for a host of reasons, but as @ianrauk says, sometimes you have to.
