Tales from today's commute....

[fossyant]

Decent commute home last night.

Pulled up at a set of lights and a chap on a motor scooter pulled up next to me. 'Excuse me, what pressure do you run your tyres'. Me, 'about 40 PSI'. Transpired the chap had recently got a pedal bike with similar sized tyres on the advice of his doctor as he had arthritic knees. Can't have chat's like that in a car !

 

[wafter]

Can you get or make a shim for it? I had this with my MTB and I made a shim out of a pop can and it hasn't shifted at all since. It was driving me crazy before falling down all the time.

Thanks and yes - a good chunk of my working day yesterday was spent fashioning a shim from one of the million discarded energy drink cans in the recycling bin.. it's neither ideal nor a long term solution, but does the job for now

I found the QR alone was not enough to hold the seat post firmly but nipped that up that and then tightened the nut on the other side with a spanner.

Thanks - I'd urge caution with that to avoid distorting the frame by over-tightening the nut; if you weren't aware Brompton recommend no more than 3.0mm clamp bolt protrusion past the top of the nyloc nut on the clamp 👍



This morning has been a mixture; woke up looking like I'd had ten pints previously when in reality this was probably because I'd dared to eat some strawberries last night.

Dry but grey out of the window, first outing for my £5 Mountain Warehouse ebay trousers given the temperature in the forecast. Took ages to cross the main road outside the house due to a seemingly never-ending stream of traffic, and when I finally did I was met by an HGV speeding towards me

The car portion was surprisingly stress-free; less traffic than recently and everyone was pretty sensible. Although I felt the instant descent of calm once on the bike quite a few budget bellends were encountered - the cyclist on the tow path who just pulled out in front of me from a standstill, the woman and kid who just stopped in front of me blocking the route, the pillock on cornmarket who, after taking up all of the space turned left across me (admittedly as I was trying to undertake out of desperation) without signalling.. the stupid woman in a car who did the same to me without checking her mirrors who would have hit me had I not also been turning left...

All that said, while slightly chilly and overcast getting out was a net win and the usual ride along the still-beautiful towpath did a lot to dissipate this morning's groggy head and existential dread. The bike even largely behaved itself too, for the first time time week..

 

[fossyant]

Dodgy e-motorbike is still in the bike parking. By chance was contacted by a colleague about how I access the parking as they had just started to use it and was having difficulty with the car barriers as the parking is inside a car park. I explained about the outer door. Anyways mentioned the ebike and they said they had been to look at it themselves with the Facilities Manager and they just thought it was a chunky ebike.

I've replied to them and the Manager with the bikes specification and the UK regulations. 65kph and a 1500w motor isn't a pedal bike.

They are going to address it.

 

[markharry66]

Fed up after puncture last night, proffesional cyclist came out of the pub jimmy five bellies telling me how to re-pair a puncture, reminded me of harry enfield " you dont want to do it like that". Rubbish cycle into work, cut up as usual end to a rubbish week of cycling, bike staying at home tomorrow, I am done for one week had enough of ignorant pricks for one week.

 

[wafter]

Left work feeling that at I'd done something useful for once, having spent the afternoon doing an OCD-positive spreadsheet-based task.

Overcast skies had cleared for a cool, sunny evening. En-route to Kennington it made me smile to pass some cyclists who (no doubt entirely unbeknown to them) could only fit under the overhanging hedge due to the absent brambles I'd removed last week.

Indulged in some more trimming on the cycle path then through town against a northerly to the park for a reasonable session on the rings, given this weeks exhaustion.

Back into town and out to Botley for fish and chips from Harrisions which were fantastic as always and consumed while sat outside the business school by the station.

By the time I'd finished I was pretty knackered, the light fading and temperature dropping significantly as I made my way back to the car.

About 18 miles on top of the morning's 8 for about 26 for the day. Sadly I can feel the changing seasons increasingly limiting my post-work time on the bike but I want to keep the distance up as much as possible before the horrors of winter are once more upon us..

 

[fossyant]

Bit of an update from a colleague. They are looking into the e-motorbike issue, but also looking at the accessibility issues in the cycle parking. They were a bit concerned the main door is 'heavy' and may stop less able people being able to open it, but I explained the main issue is the vertical stands - they aren't easy if you have some physical issues, especially if you have an e-bike. The good news is they are doing a full review of bike parking, and also parking for motorbikes, as recent major building works etc have meant some of this has been overlooked more recently.

 

[ianrauk]

Drizzle for the whole ride this morning. That and the backed up school traffic and crappy drivers made for a not very pleasant commute.
Drizzle is hear to stay for the day so looking wet for the ride home too. Shouldn't really complain about the drizzle though, it has been 2 weeks since I last had a wet commute.

So, Rainy commute # 28 for the year
Last year compared 30 rainy commutes

Tommorrow is looking pretty bad rain wise. Luckily I have a day off.

 

[Alex321]

So, Rainy commute # 28 for the year
Last year compared 30 rainy commutes

Given how much wetter this year has been than last, that is surprising.

And that isn't just a perception that weather has been worse. Our solar output has been significantly lower than last year in each of April, May, June, about the same in July and August.

And with Morris dancing, we normally dance out every Thursday evening from May to mid September, weather permitting, but we have been rained off half a dozen times this year, as opposed to just once last year.

 

[ianrauk]

Given how much wetter this year has been than last, that is surprising.

Not really a suprise to us here in the South East of the country.

 

[Moodyman]

Black BMW SUV, tinted windows. 3D private number plate.

All warning signs and they didn’t disappoint.

Spidey senses kicked in and I slowed before they turned left without looking or indicating.

Later, another BMW.
This time a coupe. Private number plate. Phone held up in left hand, steering with right. Eyes on phone.

Yep, turned left without looking.

On both occasions, I was in a bus lane and there was a give way for them to stop and check nobody coming on the inside before turning left.

September is a dicey month. Stay safe folks.

 

[markharry66]

Coming into work today this capped off a brilliant week of cock wombles, width restrictions both sides of the road, prick in the car decides doing 20 in a twenty zone is not fast enough, of course prick has no lights on (dark due to rain and thudery weather, floors it and goes straight through the opposite width restriction. I really need to get a camera some of the pricks shouldnt be on the round or be aloud to have a driving license.

 

[cyberknight]

The beauty of early shift is you miss most of the idiots although I wish that wind would go away as combined with the 3 lots of roadworks where the workmen have yet to do anything means I'm nearly 2 mph down on my AVG commute speed

 

[HLaB]

A walk/ train commute on Tuesday. They are refurbing the secure bike cage and whist they did provide Sheffield stands in the covered car park which you'd have to out of your way to find the car park being paranoid I decided not to use it. I was rewarded with a dose of 'runners tummy' on the walk home so I decided to WfH the rest of the week back on a more regular mode of transport to a local cafe tomorrow :-)

 

[markharry66]

Got up, looked out the window and asked the question can I be bothered. Some how got on the bike couldnt be bothered to go fast one I hit the rain (which according to google weather there would be any of today). Had new boil in a bag Hi-viz on not that it made any difference or the five lights on the bike. Some how enjoyed cycle into work plenty of idots out there as normal but who cares they have to go home to someone and someone has to put up with them on a daily basis, more fool them.

 

[GeekDadZoid]

My first commute after two weeks of leave was an e-bike kind of day. It tested my ride in what I work in plan as I am now sat in slightly damp jeans. However, I didn't mind the ride at all. It was roughly 45 minutes door to door, 38 minutes of Strava time, faster than the train, bus, or car.