Tales from today's commute....

[PJ79LIZARD]

Dry all day, then it decides to chuck it down as I leave work............ still a worry free commute

 

[potsy]

Can somebody let @colinj know ir rained again in Manchester today, I'm sure he'd like to update his database

Was proper muddy on the trail coming home, I might have to clean the bike at the weekend

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Showed 'the boss' the fast way home at night, leaving at 18:00 The route isn't suitable for side by side conversation riding but is good for a hard and fast spin.

 

[ColinJ]

Can somebody let @colinj know ir rained again in Manchester today, I'm sure he'd like to update his database

Was proper muddy on the trail coming home, I might have to clean the bike at the weekend

Ha ha!

Yesterday's forecast here was for sunshine all day, and it seemed to be accurate until I heard the rumble of thunder. About 30 seconds later I heard a frantic knocking at my back door. It takes me quite a long time to get to the door these days and as I hobbled down the stairs I heard a mate cursing outside - "Where the hell are you Colin, you're supposed to be too ill to go out!"

I shouted to him to hang on and when I finally got the door open, he darted inside with his bike. It was fair peeing it down outside. He had set off from Todmorden in sunshine but had been pursued down the valley by a freak thunderstorm!

By the time I'd boiled the kettle for a cuppa, the storm had blown over and the sun had come out again.

 

[Nocode]

Got up this morning and was raining lightly, looked at weather report and seemed to indicate heavy rain between 07:00 to 10:00, light rain for rest of day solid and then heavy rain again from 18:00 onwards... Thought I'd abandon my attempt to cycle into work given the inclement weather, only to find that by the time I'd left the house to get the train the rain had stopped and I didn't need my brolly once on the way into work. Argh!

 

[PJ79LIZARD]

Dry commute in, but a bit nippy so put a good time in this morning

 

[mangid]

Attempt at a gentle short trundle ended badly as legs got all excited and started spinning away, why can't they ever moderate themselves ! Otherwise great here in Cambridge, traffic backed up all over the place due to roadworks in the centre of town, always nice to cruise past people stuck in their cars.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

"Oh look he's got white wheels" said one of the small gaggle of independent school schoolboys that I pass every morning as they are waiting for their day pupil minibus.

Quite made my day. As did the apology I got from the driver of the 2.0L Golf with big bore pipes after he misjudged his overtake and had to bail.

 

[Lee_M]

chucking it down in East London this morning, but put my head down and set off anyway

stopped raining by the time I got to Hackney, and more or less dry (apart from my feet) when I got to work

typically this was the one day I didnt wear my sealskinz waterproof socks!

 

[potsy]

Dry, little wind and around 9c this morning, perfect
Even added a loop of the housing estate near work as I was a wee bit early.

Still seeing far too many other riders without lights though.

 

[Graham]

Got 20 yds from the house this morning before the rear hanger snapped and the derailleur wrapped itself around the cassette! Just managed to unclip in time to get my foot down. Lucky in that not far home and it didn't wreck the chain or spokes. My own fault really, the mech has been brushing the spokes for a week or so - I should've sorted it out. Was looking forward to the ride too.

Has anyone ever managed to bend a (Tiagra) derailleur back into shape? The upper jockey wheel looks fairly 'in-line' but the botton wheel (or the cage around it) has twisted round a fair bit. I have ordered another from Chainreaction just in case - £22 didn't seem too bad. Evans £20 for the hanger seems ruddy outrageous though! Couldn't find it any cheaper anywhere else. Its only a bit of aluminium after all.

 

[Steve Saunders]

Had a bit of an "oh crap" moment. Was going along nicely, doing an easy 23mph down a gentle downhill (2%), rounded the corner to be met with a lorry on my side of the road (overtaking parked cars) but he was about 100 yards in the distance at this point. If I'd stopped he would have had to squeeze past me, which I didn't fancy, but I noticed a dropped kerb up ahead so I went for it. I slowed down slightly, and once up on the pavement it was only then that I noticed a 1 foot high wall on the outer edge of the pavement nearest the road ... next thing, bang, and a loud scrape as I caught the edge of it with my right pedal on the downstroke.

Caused a bit of a tail-slide, which thankfully I managed to catch ... though I did get a bit of a scare. I've come to the conclusion that wearing orange tinted Oakley's in the dark maybe isn't such a great idea ... think I`ll be getting some clear lenses.

 

[martint235]

Got beeped on the way home. Partly my fault as I swerved slightly as I looked behind me before overtaking a bus. Cursed slightly under my breath. Then took the right hand lane going on to a roundabout and got beeped again by the same guy. That was it, bike down in road, asked him what exactly his problem was. Cars started beeping him cos he was blocking the roundabout, he said he'd pull over. He did eventually and unusually he actually got out of his car when invited to do so. There was a bit of argument (he told me I should be on the pavement???). He then told me I'd almost made him knock me down. Told him I hadn't made him do anything. I accepted part responsibility for the first beep but said the second was completely out of order. Ended amicably though, he said we all needed to calm down and I agreed, shook hands and off we went.

I felt a bit sorry for him because about 5 miles down the road he ended up stuck behind some muppet in a filter lane who was trying to get back into busy traffic who weren't having any of it. I swerved round it and on my merry way but the poor bloke was obviously on a bad day!

 

[GrumpyGregry]

poxy schwalbe luganos
poxy pouring rain
poxy dullard who put the wrong length valve tube in his carradice

thank goodness for lovely wives with lovely cars who do lovely rescue services.

I hang my head in shame...

 

[martint235]

[QUOTE 2112733, member: 1314"]Left home in the fog this morning. 6.30. Within the first 1.5 miles I saw 5 other cyclists, all with no lights/no reflective gear. Completely hidden in the dark and fog.[/quote]
Me too. I had every light I own on this morning, including the Hope1 at setting 2 (bright enough for a country lane at night!) and was amazed at the cyclists out there with no lights at all. Down our way it was borderline* for me whether to cycle or not the fog was so thick. Crazy people!

*My test is whether or not I can see the car headlights 200 yards away across Shoulder of Mutton green.