Tales from today's commute....

[BalkanExpress]

Strong gusty wind and rain held of most of the time, but it is warm.

Scalped by the roadie on the white Giant again....
If only I had another quicker bike with no panniers/pannier rack/mudguards

Nah ...just think about the satisfaction you will get in a couple of months time when you sail past him panniers 'n' all

 

[HLaB]

I ordered new bib shorts so I thought tonight was a perfect opportunity to try them out I think I was just 10mph for the 4 miles through town but I couldnt resist putting the proverbial hammer down and it was 15.3mph 7miles later :-)

 

[stowie]

And breathe

The reason I cycle is that I find it so incredibly relaxing....

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Commute in this morning was not nice, cold and grey with showers, the bonus was a stiff tailwind. The ride home dinner time was lovely, warm with bright sunshine, the sweatshirt went home in my work bag, the fly in the ointment was that I now had a stiff headwind, cruising up to the Griff island I was passed by another cyclist, I got onto his wheel and followed him through the lights, when we got a little way down the road I pulled alongside and said "its a bit breezy today", at which point he looked down his nose at me and put the hammer down again, I let him go and he eased away from me, I lost him when I stopped at the cash point.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Lovely sunny ride home tonight, left work before five and rode most of the way without lights

 

[fribbleblib]

River levels have dropped quickly last couple of days. First 20 yards of cyclepath commute now managable without having to lift both feet off peddles to keep them dry.
Heard a woodpecker today as I went through a park by the river.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Mudguards are no bad thing squire. Embrace the mudguard.
They protect you, protects the bike and protects the components from all the crap that the wheels throw up.
I used to take mine off in the spring, but now can't be arsed and keep them on all year round.

Mudguards now on, also got a rack put on so I can go down the pannier route as well if I want to.

 

[ianrauk]

Mudguards now on, also got a rack put on so I can go down the pannier route as well if I want to.

Good stuff.
It is worth it in the long run.
I'm also going pack to panniers after a couple of years of rucksacking.

 

[potsy]

Been rucksacking all week as it's a new place and I wasn't sure about how safe things would be on the bike, by Friday I had the rack and panier back on, much better.

 

[fossyant]

Think I need a change of clothes for tomorrow. Hot hot hot.

 

[ianrauk]

Think I need a change of clothes for tomorrow. Hot hot hot.

Though weather report for London and the SE tomorrow and Tuesday is mild and cloudy with the sun making a glorious reappearance on Wednesday. No rain expected for at least 10 days.

 

[Chris Swift]

Commute in this morning was not nice, cold and grey with showers, the bonus was a stiff tailwind. The ride home dinner time was lovely, warm with bright sunshine, the sweatshirt went home in my work bag, the fly in the ointment was that I now had a stiff headwind, cruising up to the Griff island I was passed by another cyclist, I got onto his wheel and followed him through the lights, when we got a little way down the road I pulled alongside and said "its a bit breezy today", at which point he looked down his nose at me and put the hammer down again, I let him go and he eased away from me, I lost him when I stopped at the cash point.

Sounds like a typical dick round ear!

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Sounds like a typical dick round ear!

I think I surprised him, I was on my fixed, rear carrier with a bag on plus mudguards lights and using clips and straps, wearing steel toe capped boots, work trousers, they look like jeans, with an old red cycle jacket on top, I don't think he expected me to have the pace to catch him, my pace is down a bit compared with a few years ago, I'm in my early sixty's, but I can still shift a little bit in short bursts.

 

[martint235]

Absolutely no idea what was going on in Catford this morning but it was completely choked all round the eastern edge of the one way and up onto the bridge at the station. Then it miraculously cleared.

Fair play to the skip truck driver in Penge. He was in front of me and he saw a gap that he didn't think he could get through but went for it anyway. Cars strangely moved out of his way.

 

[fossyant]

Lovely morning. Traffic heavy in places and Styal Road was gridlocked with roadworks. Summer bibs on, and lighter weight top.