Tales from today's commute....

[Bazzer]

Wussed out for the journey home.
As I left work it was hammering down with rain, with black cloud covering the sky. And with the prospect of a driving wind in my face all the way home, headed for a train station.
Of course twenty five minutes later as the train left the station, the sky was full of sun and fluffy white clouds, with only my smell of damp and the puddles of water below my feet and bike as evidence of the earlier downpour.
Inevitably as the train approached my home station, the clouds gathered once again and I got another soaking.
I might as well have saved myself the train fare.

 

[dhd.evans]

*sigh*

 

[Heltor Chasca]

Found a World Book Day Alchemist on board today. This is ‘Rose’ by childrens’ author Holly Webb. AND I managed to do pancakes for breakfast. Put me forward for all Super-Dad nominations why don’t you?

 

[MrGrumpy]

Too wet and cold so drove in, bonus being I will be home early !

 

[gaijintendo]

Had my first Fixie chain drop, and it was significantly less dramatic than I had imagined. I had always expected a chain to snap and tangle causing immediate breaking - but it just slipped off onto the spokes. I'm glad i didn't pedal on and chew them out.

I booked the bike on a railingr andand ail the chain back on then booted up in safe mode... but there was an asymmetric wobble feeling - which was a loose left pedal.

Poor thing!

Edit: chain needs replaced, but it's doing the job. Slightly over tensioned the chain, so coming home was a real slog. It makes hills geel steeper and getting away from the lights arduous!

 

[Threevok]

very very very wet

 

[KneesUp]

Old boy pulled out on me today. I missed him because I took off a chunk of speed and also positioned the bike so that instead of riding into the back of his car, I pulled alongside, on the driver side of his car, as I continued to slow (it was downhill so I guess I was doing 25mph - ish) However, he was slowing too, so I just ended up stuck next to his drivers side, both of us going slower and sower. It turned out he was moving his car to a different parking maybe 5 car lengths further down the road from the first one. As he pulled in I asked if he had seen me. "Of course I did, that's why I put my left indicator on" he replied. "I don't mean for parking here, I meant when you pulled out of the other space" "Oh, no, sorry" Sigh.

Also had some Silly Commuter Racing. I commute in jeans and t-shirt because I'm northern (and have a very short commute). I ride a 30 year old mountain bike with slicks on it and panniers. About half of the other commuters wear 'all the gear' - cycling kecks, clippy shoes you can't walk in properly and all that, and have light weight bikes without mudguards or racks and stuff. Each to their own. These people generally go faster than me. One such rider caught up with me as I was waiting at some lights, and seemed quite determined to shoot off ahead of me. I set off as normal and my normal pace had me cutting the gap he'd gained at the lights. Not wishing to ride too close, I slowed to his pace and settled in a few lengths back and carried on. One of my 'things' is trying to maintain the same speed on inclines as on the flat, so on the next slight incline I got closer, so he sped up. I carried on, still a few lengths behind. He shot off again at the next lights. I carried on a few lengths behind. He got a bit further ahead as I slowed down more than he did on the shared path, but then on the next road I caught him again because he was slowing. As I settled in my few lengths behind, he did the 'I just have to stop and look at my bike' thing, which made me smile internally. Small things amuse small minds.

 

[kevin_cambs_uk]

Took the bso
It has mudguards but it don’t rain
Useless weather forecast!

I had forgotten just how unpleasant it is

Slow, uncomfortable and a head wind

It’s just torture!

 

[lazybloke]

Construction vehicles had tracked so much mud/clay/stones along the road this morning, it was like a bad bridleway. Have submitted a fix my street report.

 

[KneesUp]

Took the bso
It has mudguards but it don’t rain
Useless weather forecast!

I'm looking out the window at work. It's like someone turned the shower on. I have no waterproofs with me, but the bike has mudguards. I don't think it's going to be enough if this doesn't stop before home time!

 

[Dec66]

Nearest near miss I've had in years tonight; black Fiat pulled across me from the wrong side of the road (Lennard Road, Beckenham) no mirror, no signal, nothing.

I had *just* enough room to swerve around it. Needless to say, the air turned blue.

The girl driving passed me twice after that; no apology, or acknowledgement, or asking if I was OK, or anything. Just looked dead ahead.

I've had enough now, it's time for a camera.

 

[palinurus]

Very surprised to get a puncture today because they don't happen often. I use a slime tube in the rear on my fixed, I've never been completely convinced by them (and I know that a regular tube with a few globs of Stan's in would probably be better but I got them in the bargain bin at the LBS). Anyway, I didn't fix the puncture, just stuffed some more air in, then topped it up a bit further down the road.

Got home and there was this big shard of flint sticking out of the tyre, cut the tyre enough that I decided to patch it. The green goo had sealed around it even though the flint was right in the centre of the tyre track. There was a downside: the valve had got gummed up with slime and I had to improvise a spanner out of a chain tool to get the bastard undone so I could top up the tyre (I do un-gum it from time to time knowing that this happens, but I've been negligent lately)

Actually surprised how well it worked, the slime I mean- although the chain tool did make a fine spanner also.

 

[kevin_cambs_uk]

I over took someone on the BSO!

I should get an OBE for it!

 

[KneesUp]

I over took someone on the BSO!

I should get an OBE for it!

Was it another cyclist or a pedestrian?

 

[kevin_cambs_uk]

Was it another cyclist or a pedestrian?

Lol
Cyclist!
If we add the guy pushing his bike then 2 but that would be greedy!