Tales from today's commute....

[EthelF]

I had a heart stopping moment this morning when I thought I was going to witness a nasty collision. Lady on a bike going the other way, a fair way behind her a car approaching at a fair pace (faster than I tend to drive along that particular road), the cyclist gives the briefest of indications to the right and starts pulling out to turn right, the car driver quite patently has not spotted or anticipated this, no change of speed or line. At this point the cyclist is just past me, the car nearly upon me, and I spot the child in the seat on the back of the bike. Thankfully at the last moment the driver does spot the cyclist (the look on her face turned to panic), dives down the inside and pretty narrowly avoids the bike. Phew, what a relief!
Frankly not great riding or driving by either party.

Apart from that, and discovering my rear brake pads have worn out, it was a pretty uneventful commute. My signalling for the remainder of the ride was even bolder and more ostentatious than it normally is though!

 

[summerdays]

I was overtaking a line of parked cars and about to turn right at the lights this morning, normally fairly easy but this morning I realised the car behind, wasn't going to stay behind so let it go past and noticed the phone in hand as it went by and joined the back of the line. So I filtered past her, and pulled into the gap and then had to gesticulate and mimic putting the phone down several times. The look of confusion even when she looked at the phone was almost amusing. But she did put it down then she was obviously a little afraid of the weird lady as she she stayed behind until I turned off.

 

[400bhp]

A bit chilly this morning, but lovely commute weather.

It is increasingly likely that my commute will grow to 31 miles each way (Sandbach to Sallford Quays). I reckon I'll have to get the train on Wednesday to rest my body (2 days on, one off, 2 days on).

@fossyant Nice sturdy looking MTB. I used to have a Diamond Back mountain bike in the late 90s. They had been through a rebranding and mine was a DBR (Diamond Back Racing) - it was a composite frame and pretty lightweight. Good bikes back then.

@gaz Just saw your Daily Mail copyright battle - v good work!

There's a guy I met out cycling once that used to commute from Sandbach to Broadheath. Good thing it is very flat and the main road (A535?) from Sandbach to Middlewich is fast and wide. Equally so, the road from Middlewich through Byley is quick too. You could do it in a pretty good time.

 

[fossyant]

@Origamist that will be a big old commute. Fortunately 20 of those miles will be quite rapid.

It's an early 90's MTB it is.

Well my return was even muddier. Added in an extra section through Reddish Vale and through past Haughton Green on the TPT. Filth everywhere. Loved it. Bike now shiny clean to get mucky again tomorrow .

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

So...on helmets. What's your opinion?
Should mice wear them?

Woken up this morning by cat clattering around, he had caught a mouse that was remarkably dry and unscathed. So little mouse had a bicycle ride on my way in to work to the woods/nature reserve, in my racktop bag, in an old takeaway container with holes punched in it.

 

[summerdays]

So...on helmets. What's your opinion?
Should mice wear them?

Woken up this morning by cat clattering around, he had caught a mouse that was remarkably dry and unscathed. So little mouse had a bicycle ride on my way in to work to the woods/nature reserve, in my racktop bag, in an old takeaway container with holes punched in it.

We've done that in the past, but I'm hardened now (I think).

 

[MisterStan]

Much chillier this morning, a hard frost on the cars and some ice out in the sticks.
Got squeezed at a pinch point just after the same guy had missed me on a mini RAB. Scared the crap out of him when I banged his rear window. Got the usual shoutyness from him, until he suddenly backed down, his excuse - SMIDSY!

 

[BSRU]

Despite the non-icy forecast last night at 9pm, it was icy this morning but ice bike has slicks on, oh bugger, meant I could not go for my normal ride into the countryside.

 

[martint235]

On a train today. Travelling to Swansea later in the day. Have no fear though, I've brought my passport.

 

[Origamist]

There's a guy I met out cycling once that used to commute from Sandbach to Broadheath. Good thing it is very flat and the main road (A535?) from Sandbach to Middlewich is fast and wide. Equally so, the road from Middlewich through Byley is quick too. You could do it in a pretty good time.

I’m glad to hear that there is someone else who does a similar route!

I’m not sure if I have been on the A533 between Sandbach and Middlewich – but if it is pretty wide that is a bonus. There is also a back way to Middlewich from Sandbach, and it’s a tad shorter. Whether it’s quicker, I’m not so sure. I have been along Byley Road and that was part of my intended route (via Lower Peover, Middlewich Road onto the A50 for a bit, Knutsford, Tatton Park and then Ashley, Hale etc). I should be able to keep a pretty good average to Hale, but it’s the return trip I am not looking forward to as the prevailing winds are from the SW. If I don’t fancy a ride all the way back I could always jump on a train at Wilmslow.

Possible Route:
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=6223870

Bit drizzly and chilly this morning, but otherwise if feels like Spring is here!

 

[Supersuperleeds]

It was cold and I've got a stinking cold. Ice bike second day running.

 

[Stephen C]

Nice fresh morning, but a huge amount of traffic for some reason, queues all the way from Cambridge out to Fulbourn, about 5 miles in total!

 

[fossyant]

Up early, went into the garage, moved the MTB to get to the fixed, pumped tyres up, hssssss. Valve/tube interface had gone on the front tube. Couldn't be bothered to fix it there and then, so just grabbed the MTB for more mud ! Thought about taking the Ribble, but I'd have had to go in and find more keys to unlock it.

On with the new tyres and tubes tonight I think !

 

[Arjimlad]

Had a lovely 8.5 miles in today, dropping my daughter off at nursery on the way. She sang and chatted all the way.

We were grinding our way slowly up a quiet backstreet hill in Frampton Cotterell when a chap in a little red car came speeding up behind me. I could tell he was going to try to squeeze past us at a parked car pinch point so I pulled out and took primary, with a "back off" hand gesture.

Thankfully the driver did back off, and I waved him past when the road widened again. He then seemed to struggle with getting the right gear to accelerate past me up the hill. So he wasn't very happy but next time he might engage his brain a bit more. Some hope...

 

[DWiggy]

Nice ride in today but scary with that low sun especially if your riding east in the morning....take it easy guys