Tales from today's commute....

[GeekDadZoid]

Meant to add, our bike parking is insecure. Outer door (to the street) is catching the floor and sticking, so isn't closing properly, and the 'inner door' isn't locking on the magnetic lock, so anyone can walk in from the car park.

Fall back option is Velo Lockers on the surface car park, except, 90% of them have folk's own padlocks on them, and I know only one or two are in use out of about 40. Had to hunt for a locker that had a 'keyed alike' padlock on. The process is all lockers have a 'keyed alike' padlock, you come along, pop the padlock inside the locker, and use your own lock. Upon leaving you remove your lock, and put padlock back on. Except folk haven't and this has meant the lockers can't be used.

Emails fired of to Estates.

We are moving buildings in a few months and it looks like ill lose my secure bike parking but gain showers. I think I will start paying for the Cycle Hub in Piccadilly Plaza

 

[cosmicbike]

I'm afraid I just couldn't do the fifth 12 hrs shift with the cycle commute, so last night resorted to the car. I have put new tyres on the commuter though, I think the originals did well to get to 13,500 miles and the new ones have notably more rubber on them...

 

[cyberknight]

got to the bike shed and it started to rain, then it turned torrential, thunder , hail so i waited till it had passed over before setting off although i needed full gear as the 1st couple of miles i run against the flow of lorries along a dual carriageway so the spray and play dodge the the drenching from puddles

 

[ianrauk]

I've been very lucky this week so far. Managing to dodge all the rain showers. But this morning my luck ran out. rain for the whole hours commute. Thankfully it wasn't cold.
Of course, as soon as I walk into work, the rain bloody stops and the sky clears.


So. That's rainy commute # 20 for the year
Last year for the same period, 27 rainy commutes.

 

[cosmicbike]

A poor start today, got bike out of shed, front tyre flat. Spent breakfast munching granola and replacing inner tube. Very steady wet ride in, brand new tyres combined with wet roads not very nice. At least I missed the rain on the way home. Popped into the bike shop lunchtime, the new commuter is still on track for delivery on 22nd

 

[GeekDadZoid]

Just got caught in a proper downpour on the way home, nice and warm though.

 

[cyberknight]

another torrential downpour i couldn't wait out as it looked set for a while, 2 punctures in the space of 3 miles changing the tube in the downpour and it went down again even though i checked the tyre the best i could in the conditions , had to phone mrs ck to pick me up .
Luckily it ruddy stopped raining and the sun came out by the time she arrived but i was soaked to the skin and my reynauds was kicking in .

 

[GeekDadZoid]

Felt like the first ride of autumn this morning, lights on, gloves on and leaves all over the road. It rained most of the way in too.

Got to try out my Castelli Gabba and was very impressed with it, temp is still a little warm for it.

 

[ianrauk]

Felt like the first ride of autumn this morning, lights on, gloves on and leaves all over the road. It rained most of the way in too.

Got to try out my Castelli Gabba and was very impressed with it, temp is still a little warm for it.

Where are you?
Here in lovely SE London, it was very mild bordering on a bit muggy.

 

[biking_fox]

Missed all of last week's heavy showers - it only needs to be dry for the 20odd minutes I'm riding. Even today which was forecast non-stop rain was only a few sprinkles.

On Manchester's new Bee-line cyclelanes go past plenty of side roads. 3 out of 4 cars at the junctions had at least half a bonnet sticking out into the way. It really doesn't help.

 

[fossyant]

Tried my 'old' route on the Fallowfield Loop last week.

With the weather changing, and more days in the office, the canal is going to be very muddy - the bike is geared up for it - long mud flaps etc, but drive chain wear is heavy, and the constant bumping for 13 miles is a bit wearing. Also, when ICY there will be a few cobbled climbs/descents at the canal locks, that I don't think even my studs will be helpful - slippy as heck when wet !

Old route is 10 minutes quicker (2 miles less). Only down side is there is a section between an off road section and the 'Loop' which is proper rubbish with traffic/drivers, and this is the section I broke my spine on. A bit of assistance with google maps and I've plotted a slightly longer route at this point which nips through a couple of back streets and a local park. One other option was down a small lane, but looking on google street view, it was leading to a small industrial estate, with lots of HGV's using the small lane - Nope.

Revised route is much less muddy and a bit better in the hissing rain. - Three days in the Office this week !

 

[Arjimlad]

Nice ride into work today, and I came across packs of riders from the Deloitte Ride Across Britain.

 

[GeekDadZoid]

Where are you?
Here in lovely SE London, it was very mild bordering on a bit muggy.

Manchester

Missed all of last week's heavy showers - it only needs to be dry for the 20odd minutes I'm riding. Even today which was forecast non-stop rain was only a few sprinkles.

On Manchester's new Bee-line cyclelanes go past plenty of side roads. 3 out of 4 cars at the junctions had at least half a bonnet sticking out into the way. It really doesn't help.

I find that very frustrating too, which of the routes do you use?

Tried my 'old' route on the Fallowfield Loop last week.

With the weather changing, and more days in the office, the canal is going to be very muddy - the bike is geared up for it - long mud flaps etc, but drive chain wear is heavy, and the constant bumping for 13 miles is a bit wearing. Also, when ICY there will be a few cobbled climbs/descents at the canal locks, that I don't think even my studs will be helpful - slippy as heck when wet !

Old route is 10 minutes quicker (2 miles less). Only down side is there is a section between an off road section and the 'Loop' which is proper rubbish with traffic/drivers, and this is the section I broke my spine on. A bit of assistance with google maps and I've plotted a slightly longer route at this point which nips through a couple of back streets and a local park. One other option was down a small lane, but looking on google street view, it was leading to a small industrial estate, with lots of HGV's using the small lane - Nope.

Revised route is much less muddy and a bit better in the hissing rain. - Three days in the Office this week !

Hopefully, you have found a winner there, where about do you use the Floop from / too?

 

[fossyant]

Hopefully, you have found a winner there, where about do you use the Floop from / too?

North Reddish at Longford Road - that's the road I avoid and the junction due to sleepy idiots in cars. I'm coming from East Stockport, so road route was a mix of a long route via Hyde, Denton, Windmill Lane and Reddish North, Fallowfield Loop through to Whalley Range, then up to Hulme via Alexander Road or the Park. This route is similar, but goes via the TPT from where I live through to Reddish Vale Park, then picks up the Floop off Longford Road - it was my ICY weather route when the fixed gear stayed in. That bike has gone, and the old MTB is in service for commuting.

Other route I use is Peak Forest Canal, Ashton Canal into City Centre then out to Hulme on the bike routes.

 

[fossyant]

Hopefully, you have found a winner there, where about do you use the Floop from / too?

Route I've been using since returning to commuting last year - canals - just short of 13 miles each way and around 55-60 mins

And slightly revised route cutting commute time to 45-50 mins and 11 miles