Tales from today's commute....

[GeekDadZoid]

New wheel day so commute was my test run, running 8 speed on this wheelset courtesy of @Darius_Jedburgh which worked fab with my shifters friction mode, also got 28mm fitted which rolled really nicely. Really love my luggage setup too.

 

[Jenkins]

What a lovely day - too good to waste in the office so, as I was owed a couple of hours, I knocked off at 2pm and did an extended commute home

 

[Tom B]

Tootling up to a pelican crossing today on red. Just as it was about to change a bloke started to amble diagonally across towards me slowing all the while. As the lights turned green I was about to stop at the line he'd slowed almost to a stop in front of me.

He then looked at me and said "if you come near me on that bike I'll _&#@*!+ knock you off"

Properly amused me!

I went around him and let the cars usher him into the next pub.


Got home and decided to put a few squirts of air in the tyres. Unscrewed the valve and the the inner part snapped off. Gah

 

[Thorn Sherpa]

Fairly warm no wind and next to no traffic (4:30am) not a bad way to get back into commuting to work. Very kind bloke I work with is lending me his bike till he decides wether he's keeping it or selling it. Hill from Barnburgh to High Melton got my legs burning its been a while! 12.5 mile then same again after my shift

 

[ianrauk]

What a glorious morning cycle commute. You really can't beat cycling on a sunny day.
It started off a little chilly as I was wearing short sleeves. A couple of miles of work and I warmed up nicely.

 

[Andy in Germany]

View attachment 636680 Fairly warm no wind and next to no traffic (4:30am) not a bad way to get back into commuting to work. Very kind bloke I work with is lending me his bike till he decides wether he's keeping it or selling it. Hill from Barnburgh to High Melton got my legs burning its been a while! 12.5 mile then same again after my shift

That's a very nice 80's bike. Built like a tank and will go on forever...

 

[Thorn Sherpa]

That's a very nice 80's bike. Built like a tank and will go on forever...

I'm not 100% sure on the age I think your right either late 80's or early 90's. It is a very nice ride I love steel framed bikes

 

[Andy in Germany]

I'm not 100% sure on the age I think your right either late 80's or early 90's. It is a very nice ride I love steel framed bikes

True, to be fair my trusty M-Trax was set up like that and bought in 1997, although it was getting a bit dated by then.

Those Canti bosses would take V-brakes, and it has the threads for things like luggage racks and mudguards too, a minimum requirement for any civilised bike (otherwise one may get mud on ones tweeds).

 

[Thorn Sherpa]

True, to be fair my trusty M-Trax was set up like that and bought in 1997, although it was getting a bit dated by then.

Those Canti bosses would take V-brakes, and it has the threads for things like luggage racks and mudguards too, a minimum requirement for any civilised bike (otherwise one may get mud on ones tweeds).

Yes mud guards are the next purchase definitely a must for the wet. It's only on loan but if he does sell it to me I will upgrade components as they wear out

 

[fossyant]

Good ride in and back on the canal on the old MTB. Only down side, noticed rear brake was a bit grabby (cantis) near home. Couldn't see a buckle. At home, dispatched the panniers and looked closer. Rim worn and cracked in a couple of areas on the braking surface. Mavic Crossrides.

Can't complain as they have seen loads of use the last 6 years off road. Never touched the bearings once. New cheap 26" wheels ordered via Decathlon. Will see if I can find a rim at some point and rebuild it.

 

[Thorn Sherpa]

Slight head wind today but not too bad, my rear end is feeling it after a good 3 years off riding I think some padded shorts are needed! Next to no traffic again other than a few waggons passing me giving me lots of space. Happy days!

 

[GeekDadZoid]

Ride in this morning on my own was without incident, but I needed to head to our other site this afternoon which is near my house, so perfect early Friday finish. However on my ride home a student stepped out Infront of me with about 21.5 m gap between us, I was just entering a section of segregated cycle path as he stepped off the pavement and there was no escape route. I don't remember it all as it was a flash but I slowed as much as I could and the majority of impact was body on body before we hit the floor.

Fortunately at this point I have no lasting damage just a bit sore and a few cuts and scrapes, the lad was the same and was a really nice guy, he admitted to not seeing me and had his headphones in. We both waited for a while to check each other was ok.

I had been stopped at the lights/crossing about 30 m before this and had gone fairly slow from their as lots of people run across this road after the lights change to green. So I can't have been going fast, obviously my Garmin failed to record the entire ride or even bother sending and SOS.

Had a steady ride back from them and just came home for a lie down. Back up and feeling ok now.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Ride in this morning on my own was without incident, but I needed to head to our other site this afternoon which is near my house, so perfect early Friday finish. However on my ride home a student stepped out Infront of me with about 21.5 m gap between us, I was just entering a section of segregated cycle path as he stepped off the pavement and there was no escape route. I don't remember it all as it was a flash but I slowed as much as I could and the majority of impact was body on body before we hit the floor.

Fortunately at this point I have no lasting damage just a bit sore and a few cuts and scrapes, the lad was the same and was a really nice guy, he admitted to not seeing me and had his headphones in. We both waited for a while to check each other was ok.

I had been stopped at the lights/crossing about 30 m before this and had gone fairly slow from their as lots of people run across this road after the lights change to green. So I can't have been going fast, obviously my Garmin failed to record the entire ride or even bother sending and SOS.

Had a steady ride back from them and just came home for a lie down. Back up and feeling ok now.

View attachment 636968

Glad to hear you're both okay.

We have been seeing more and more "cycle streets" here, where cars are permitted but actively discouraged, and I've noticed one danger when they're in cities is that people seem to have a logic that says "No cars = no traffic = no need to look" and wander into the street looking the other way and/or with headphones on.

 

[Andy in Germany]

I went the "other way to work today, because I'm brash and daring like that. On the other side of this bridge there's a junction; Right goes into an industrial estate and left along the riverbank. They meet near the white building in the distance so there's not much in it, but with a headwind smooth tarmac is preferable to the gravel.

Today was a Riverbank day, which meant I travelled about five of the ten kilometres (3 of 6 miles) along the river.

 

[GeekDadZoid]

Glad to hear you're both okay.

We have been seeing more and more "cycle streets" here, where cars are permitted but actively discouraged, and I've noticed one danger when they're in cities is that people seem to have a logic that says "No cars = no traffic = no need to look" and wander into the street looking the other way and/or with headphones on.

This road has quite a bit of no car sections, but it's all very busy with buses, legend has it that it's the busiest bus route in Europe so it's certainly not the kind of road to step out onto without looking.

Bike looks fine too now I have had a better luck, helmet more dings and scuffs that I would have imagined so I will order a new one tonight l