Tales from today's commute....

[dodd82]

Nice commute this morning - quite non eventful and feeling like some fitness is returning.

The cold was quite something though... particularly as I still haven't bought leggings and am in my good old football shorts!

The gloves that someone recommended on here are amazing, though. It was only when I went out for a short ride with a friend yesterday that I realised my hands never get cold on the bike.

 

[fossyant]

Might have done

Oops.... Sorry. 6 seconds off the KOM on the Stockport - Parrs Wood. Hmm, need to get up earlier to avoid the dog walkers.

 

[martinclive]

LOL!
I think I saw you yesterday, just turning left at the click tower, red jersey/coat I think?
I was about 200 yards behind.

That would be probably be stan - we had just split at that stage - I have a nice bright blue jacket - you will not miss it when you see it!!!

 

[ianrauk]

The very nice, thoroughly cleaned and lubed Kona commuter was itching to get on and ride the commute this morning.
Even though it was bitterly cold with a bit of a wind, the roads were dry.
So.. off we headed down the A21. About a mile and a half into the ride my back disc brake sounded like it had started to eat itself so had to stop and check. Sounded like the pads had worn through. So decided to head back home to replace the pads. When home, took the old one out and indeed they were worn right down so was braking metal on metal.

But can't really complain. They have lasted a whole year, nearly 7000 commuting miles in all weathers. Not bad for a £5.75 pair of pads. I used to go through normal rim brake pads at a rate of every 2 or 3 months.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Mallions Lane, aka the cliff, big gust of side wind as I'm winding up the hill. I overcorrect into the wind. Front wheel goes into the loose stuff, ice, crap at the side of the road. And we're off. Smack. No permanent damage done to bike (or me).

 

[ianrauk]

Mallions Lane, aka the cliff, big gust of side wind as I'm winding up the hill. I overcorrect into the wind. Front wheel goes into the loose stuff, ice, crap at the side of the road. And we're off. Smack. No permanent damage done to bike (or me).

Making a habit of kissing the tarmac squire.
Glad the bikes ok... and you as well.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

The very nice, thoroughly cleaned and lubed Kona commuter was itching to get on and ride the commute this morning.
Even though it was bitterly cold with a bit of a wind, the roads were dry.
So.. off we headed down the A21. About a mile and a half into the ride my back disc brake sounded like it had started to eat itself so had to stop and check. Sounded like the pads had worn through. So decided to head back home to replace the pads. When home, took the old one out and indeed they were worn right down so was braking metal on metal.

But can't really complain. They have lasted a whole year, nearly 7000 commuting miles in all weathers. Not bad for a £5.75 pair of pads. I used to go through normal rim brake pads at a rate of every 2 or 3 months.

I wore a pad out in two weeks! Was a cheapy one from Halfords, it didn't help that the rear brake was knackered so one pad was doing all the work. The front ones that I put on at the same time are still on the bike

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Making a habit of kissing the tarmac squire.
Glad the bikes ok... and you as well.

I make it three times in a year on tarmac

and about three times a per ride off-road!

 

[HLaB]

Fancied a tail wind into work this morning so I looped around to the north east; and I got away before the school peak so I've nothing significant to report other than tiny patches of Ice.

 

[3outof5]

Couple of patches of snow to avoid but overall nice and clear with a slight wind behind me. Bike felt good again after stripping and rebuilding crappy mechanical disc brakes at the weekend. New Shimano PDM324 pedals also felt good.

 

[400bhp]

Bloody headwind- looks likely to continue all week

 

[fossyant]

Bloody headwind- looks likely to continue all week

Looks like it, but take advantage on some Strava sections. Might stay on the MTB for a couple of days - need some more attempts on the Trans Pennine - only need 6 seconds to get KOM over 1.8 mile segment - had to slow 3 times for dogs. Down side is the slog home. I put an extra 10 PSI in the snow studs this morning. Could slash the time if I stuck the summer MTB tyres on, and ditched the mudguards.

 

[400bhp]

Looks like it, but take advantage on some Strava sections. Might stay on the MTB for a couple of days - need some more attempts on the Trans Pennine - only need 6 seconds to get KOM over 1.8 mile segment - had to slow 3 times for dogs. Down side is the slog home. I put an extra 10 PSI in the snow studs this morning. Could slash the time if I stuck the summer MTB tyres on, and ditched the mudguards.

I know (strava sections), my legs are pretty tired today (a bit of purported threshold training in the last 7 days) but the easterly won't last. Perhaps another week of it, then the odd day until October.

 

[Beebo]

Not a good start to the week!

Bit icy so I took the hybrid, cycled 12 miles to work with no major issues. Parked the bike, got showered and sat down at my desk just as the phone rang. It was my wife telling me she had locked her and our 18month old son out of the house!

So it's back down stair, put my cold, sweaty bike kit back on, cycle 12 miles home into a biting head wind. Give keys to wife, cycle 12 miles back to work, by now I'm very cold and tired; having had nothing to eat or drink since last night.

So i have done an unexpected 36 miles already before 11 am, and all on my hybrid!

 

[jarlrmai]

That's pretty heroic, I would have got a taxi.