Tales from today's commute....

[azir]

Deviated slightly to drop my bike off at Evans - gears not run properly since repaired (utterly unrideable in the middle ring). Very nice Evans man informed me that without the mechanics notes from the original repair (which was carried out at another store) it's hard for them to understand what's wrong with it. He sent me on my way assuring me that the bike would now run in the middle ring except for if it was also on the 2 smallest at the back. No worries I thought, I'll live with that for now. Bike still doesn't run at all in any combination when in the middle ring *sigh* - chain jumps and clatters if any sort of effort is put through the cranks. Now trying to get my mitts on the mechanic's notes.....

In other news saw a cyclist ride towards a crowd of pedastrians crossing against the lights (queueing traffic), she did a bit of (relatively polite) shouting and most peds ducked out of her way, bar one who was on the phone. They had a very undramatic slow-mo collision which left the cyclist on the floor but unhurt - all she kept saying was "green light, green light!" - I mean, yes, it was, but she could easily see the peds crossing and could easily have slowed down to allow for it and thus miss the straggler.... Ahh well, no one was hurt at least.

 

[fossyant]

Back on the bike after two days with school drop off's and hospital runs. Tired but glad of the fresh air. Got the week off next week, so the road bike is coming with us to the caravan (all the bikes are going) so I can go chase after a few 'local's' strava PB's !!!

 

[philk56]

Due to various commitments I've only just started cycling to work again this year. So this morning going down inside a queue of traffic, plenty of space as it's a car width's wide, had to pull out to go past a couple of parked vehicles, passing the final one when a car in the queue decides to cut inside. Result is me colliding with the car and on the deck with obviously broken collarbone. The driver was justifiably shaken but at least he did the right thing and drove me to A&E. He left his details and after coming back from x-ray I had a visit from two policemen as he'd reported the incident to the police. After going through the story they weren't keen to take it any further and to be honest I'm not sure if there is anything in it. Now have my arm in a sling and a wait for the bone to heal. At least there's some cycling on tv to watch!

 

[PJ79LIZARD]

Rode in on my new ribble this morning. Fantastic, nothing like riding a brand new bike. Smooth, silent, gleaming and fast, couple of weeks on the mtb have obviously put some extra muscle growth into my thighs, looking forward to the return journey, suns out happy days que pharrell......"because I'm happy"

 

[Black Country Ste]

I used to live at the top of a big hill (7% average gradient in 3/4 mile). I'd toyed with the idea of cycling to work back then to save a bit of petrol on my 90mi/wk commute but the hill and other factors put me off.

Fancied having a ride up there straight after work yesterday to see how long it would have taken. Garmin tells me I did the 8.2 miles in 45 minutes, the same as it usually took to drive but you don't take 640ft of climbing in a car into account after an eight-hour day grafting on your feet. Of course, I still had to cycle home so that was a 20-mile commute and was barely able to walk this morning. Aside from being cut up right at a pinch point and later on being tailgated by an Audiot at 25-30mph, I enjoyed that.

 

[kevin_cambs_uk]

Was truly left for dead today. I caught one guy and we swapped turns on the front, then caught another guy, not a commuter but some club run chap on a day out ride sort of thing. Anyway he hung on the back of for about 3 miles, at the next junction, I waited behind purposely for him to go in front, as I was fed of towing him, as I knew he was the strongest of us three, so he went in front and just gradually wound the gears up, until the guy I was with had dropped off, and I hung on but at 26.3 mph on the flat even drafting him I fell off the back wheel. I don't think the guy broke sweat.

However!!

I was glad that I kept up for a wile and made him work to drop me cause he kept looking round every 4 seconds to see if I was still on, he was at least half age and was as thin as a rake, he must have been half my weight, plus he had no ruck sack with a bottle of wine in it for the wife!

So back on the diet, loose more weight and get faster.

 

[Wobblers]

[QUOTE 3023333, member: 1314"]

Bike sexy as **** though.

[/QUOTE]

Yeah, but the problem is that we can't actually see what sort of bike that cyclist's riding because there's some ghastly fixed bike in the way. So how can we tell that it was as sexy as ****?

 

[Ollie W]

Tried to guide my CX onto the grass while on Southampton common on the way home, trying to avoid a pug who was roaming around. Unfortunately I then tried to get back on the path and almost came off when my front tyre got stuck on said kerb. Bit worried about the state of my front wheel (no P**** Fairy but it's a bit wobbly when trying to cycle straight) - any easy ways to check for damage? Also cut my leg doing it which is my first injury since commuting

 

[Glow worm]

Pleasant enough this week with things warming up, but seem to have encountered a lot more f*ckwit drivers than usual. Glad it's the weekend anyway.
I couldn't face any more idiots on the way home, so chose the quiet route instead.

There are times on a bike when you really do see the very worst in folk with their dangerous, impatient, selfish and just dumb driving. Its been a bit like that here this week and on my way home, if I never had to see another bloody human being again it would be too soon.

Still, plenty of yellow and green about to cheer me up (maybe we can beat Fulham after all tomorrow)

With Jobsearch.nl turning up few results tonight, thoughts of emigration to a more civilised land will have to be put on hold for now as battle recommences next week. Sigh. Mutter. Grumble....

 

[I like Skol]

Just done a most awesome commute! I took the road bike to work last night and rolled into the works bike shed after 10.4 miles showing an average speed of 18mph. After doing a 12hr night shift I somehow found a burst of energy on the way home this morning and absolutely monstered the 10.9 miles home and arrived showing an average speed that had now risen to 19.4mph. I have done the maths and this means my average speed for the homeward leg (which is slightly uphill) was a fraction short of 21mph I really should be on Strava.....

Bizarrely, after I sat on the garden wall for a couple of minutes to get my breath back I found my back tyre was flat as a pancake . I suppose that was good timing really? Time for bed now

 

[Ollie W]

Forgot to mention, I saw a bunch of kids riding down the wrong side of the road on the dual carriageway outside my house last night with no lights or anything, as if trying to endanger themselves as much as possible. Do they not do the cycling proficiency test anymore? That said, I overtook a 40 year old guy who had no lights and was in all black clothing too. Worrying.

 

[Ollie W]

Update from Friday: went to ride today and got a hideous vibration in the front. I think it might be a loose spoke as one of the middle ones was a totally different tone to the others when I plucked it. Easy to fix...?

 

[MickL]

Schools are on Easter Break, so roads have half the normal traffic for the next two weeks, cracking ride in this morning

 

[Beebo]

nice ride in with clear blue sky and light traffic, ruined slightly by the a cold head wind and short sleeves. The ride home should be majestic!

 

[GrasB]

Lovely ride this morning but did get blinded a few times by the sun.