Tales from today's commute....

[HLaB]

A relaxed commute in for me today thanks to a strong tailwind. What I wasn't expecting was at the crap surfaced (circa 5%) section of Blakemore End Road a driver hung back. I've had it once or twice before but most don't and those that do overtake when there's plenty of room at the top and I'm still crawling. 1.8miles later they were still there (albeit I'd sped up) and only passed when I pulled off.

That meant it was a constant headwind tonight though

 

[markharry66]

Nice ride in not to cold getting used to it as next week supposed to dip further, not feeling great, nice puncture on way home followed by idiot trying to turn right in line of traffic saw me coming stalled his car then decided to drive at me there are some morons on the road, they are the exception rather than the rule. One more day for me this week and I am done with cycling for another week. New bike off to bike shop sat looking forward to new cassette and chain and to take it for a spin (back up bike yeah right).

 

[fossyant]

Ride home was a little slower on the studs. Nearly got left hooked, but a 'oi oi' stopped them - why do people think it's OK to come alongside, then indicate and think you can magically get out of the way. I got beeped at, but they had to stop.

Ride in this morning actually felt colder, although I'd switched back to the 'summer' wheels, as we didn't have frost. I'm just defrosting now. Suspect it's time to dig out the Decathlon thermal and windproof jersey. My colleague had three tops on rather than his usual two !

 

[biking_fox]

Ride home was a little slower on the studs. Nearly got left hooked, but a 'oi oi' stopped them - why do people think it's OK to come alongside, then indicate and think you can magically get out of the way. I got beeped at, but they had to stop.

Ride in this morning actually felt colder, although I'd switched back to the 'summer' wheels, as we didn't have frost. I'm just defrosting now. Suspect it's time to dig out the Decathlon thermal and windproof jersey. My colleague had three tops on rather than his usual two !

3C on the Oxford road cycle lane counter - 422 cyclists but I'm not sure if that's 24 hours or since midnight. UK damp cold feels worse than a dry frost.

 

[wafter]

A cold, grey and misty start.

Pushed the boat out this morning with an SS merino layer beneath the usual heavier zipped LS effort and nibbled a bit of flapjack while packing lunch in the hope it might help keep me warm.

Did my best to manage the temperature in the car to keep my hands from getting cold before departure on the bike, without cooking myself / causing myself to feel the cold more. Traffic was especially bad with a couple of significant, inexplicable delays well outside the city.

As the car portion dragged on the sun began to burn through the mist; providing some much-appreciated light and warmth. Thin gloves donned it was a pleasure as always to get onto the tow path; however the usually nice atmosphere was soured by some man-child who apparently went out of his way to obstruct my passing; despite my early use of the bell and polite verbal request that he GTF out of my way. Hopefully if littleman persists with this pathetic behaviour someone will put him in the canal where he evidently belongs.

A bit later I had to stop for a bloke slowly reversing a van onto the road - I was visible to him throughout and he could have waited for 10 seconds to let me past, but instead decided to perform his manouver on my time.. now I'm berrating myself for not positioning myself so as to waste some of his time too.

The additional base layer definitely helped but again I'm chilly now I've cooled down; sat in the office in a feece and beanie while the feeling in my fingers and toes slowly ebbs away. Not particularly looking forward to the ride home..

 

[fossyant]

Maybe it's not time for the thicker top. Looks to be 9c tomorrow

 

[markharry66]

Down came the rain and all the tos**S came out.
Another dark cold start in the south london cess pool, spitting and cold my two favourite combinations. Usual rain infested traffic, 2 reverse outs into the road without looking, several close passes to the traffic lights to sit in the line leading up to it, which is fine as just filtered past them at traffic lights and sat at the front in the box . New personal favourite of mine is cars sitting facing on coming traffic with head lights on full beam. Last day of commuting as you can probably tell I have had enough for one week. A safe journey home would be nice. will look for a new route this weekend had enough of this one.

 

[Maylian]

Trying to up my consistency in riding in this week. I am loving my new front light with handlebar controller so I can put it on "full beam" on the darker parts of the shared path and when going through the parks on the way home. Certainly been helpful avoiding the horse muck and the worst of the piles of leaves yet to be cleared. However, it scares me how many cyclists I'm seeing that have bad lights or even no lights going around at the moment.

I even enjoyed the drop in temp as it means when I get to work/home I'm not actually very sweaty.

 

[biking_fox]

Trying to up my consistency in riding in this week. I am loving my new front light with handlebar controller so I can put it on "full beam" on the darker parts of the shared path and when going through the parks on the way home. Certainly been helpful avoiding the horse muck and the worst of the piles of leaves yet to be cleared. However, it scares me how many cyclists I'm seeing that have bad lights or even no lights going around at the moment.

I even enjoyed the drop in temp as it means when I get to work/home I'm not actually very sweaty.

Please dim/angle it back down when you encounter oncoming people! Half my ride home is on an unlit path and I agree you do need quite a bright light to cycle comfortably at speed - but there are way too many cyclists who blind me to such an extent I can barely see the path. Yesterday's evening ride home definitely needed full power in the cloud/drizzle/wet air.

This morning by the turn into the city centre it had all burnt off and it was fine sunny riding notably less cold.

 

[wafter]

Please dim/angle it back down when you encounter oncoming people! Half my ride home is on an unlit path and I agree you do need quite a bright light to cycle comfortably at speed - but there are way too many cyclists who blind me to such an extent I can barely see the path. Yesterday's evening ride home definitely needed full power in the cloud/drizzle/wet air.

This morning by the turn into the city centre it had all burnt off and it was fine sunny riding notably less cold.

Unfortunately I've noticed this a lot recently too; plenty with bar-mounted lights that seem to be pointing dead ahead rather than angled down, plus a few tossers with very bright flashing front lights.. both of which makes perceiving anything around / behind them nigh-on impossible.

 

[fossyant]

Damp start, although on the ground only - looked like we'd had some fog. Low lying mist on fields, and it was only as I was nearing the city did I hit fog again, but was clear by the time I got to work. Looks like it was a miserable journey for many due to the fog patches (many - car drivers ).

 

[Maylian]

Please dim/angle it back down when you encounter oncoming people! Half my ride home is on an unlit path and I agree you do need quite a bright light to cycle comfortably at speed - but there are way too many cyclists who blind me to such an extent I can barely see the path. Yesterday's evening ride home definitely needed full power in the cloud/drizzle/wet air.

This morning by the turn into the city centre it had all burnt off and it was fine sunny riding notably less cold.

Yeah, I've got it on the underside of my out-front mount so it's pointed to the ground as much as possible. I have to push it back down once or twice during the ride as on the rougher parts of the ride it jiggles up towards the horizontal but I'm conscious I don't want to blind people.

Unfortunately yesterday morning I hadn't realised it was on "full beam" so one walker did shield her eyes which made me realise and correct it. There are a few rear lights that I've come across that are painful, not sure if that's a combo of refraction from it being slightly damp and just very powerful lights but makes me put the effort in to get round them.

 

[fossyant]

There are a few rear lights that I've come across that are painful, not sure if that's a combo of refraction

That's probably mine you can see in Bristol, from Manchester !

 

[Dadam]

Please dim/angle it back down when you encounter oncoming people! Half my ride home is on an unlit path and I agree you do need quite a bright light to cycle comfortably at speed - but there are way too many cyclists who blind me to such an extent I can barely see the path. Yesterday's evening ride home definitely needed full power in the cloud/drizzle/wet air.

This morning by the turn into the city centre it had all burnt off and it was fine sunny riding notably less cold.

I agree, people should do that, but I find the modern LED car headlights far worse than the odd badly adjusted or overbright cycle lamp. Even if they're dipped and adjusted properly, they're way too bright.

 

[ianrauk]

I find the modern LED car headlights far worse than the odd badly adjusted or overbright cycle lamp. Even if they're dipped and adjusted properly, they're way too bright.

100% they are far too bright and aimed far too high.