Tales from today's commute....

[Sheffield_Tiger]

Unusually, not too windy around here.

Not a long ride but I love being able to get this out of a 14.5 mile commute home (4.5 miles is the normal non-detour). Not enough to even nearly tire, but enough to dump the stresses of a Monday at work

 

[summerdays]

Morning commute, really warm for 8am!

Evening commute, well the most noteworthy moment was seeing a Mum shouting at a child behind to keep up. The child was balling her eyes out and dragging a bike (20inch) in one hand, whilst holding the front wheel in the other. Moments hesitation - should I get involved, decide I can't let a child barely bigger than the bike drag it along the pavement, so offered to put the wheel back on. The mum keeps telling me she told the child to leave the bike at school (in other words it's her own fault). But I suggest it will be easier to push if it's back in the bike. Then realise the wheel is flat! I ended up giving her a puncture repair kit and pumping up the tyre (seemed to stay up in the short term). In not sure the mum appreciated my help but the child did!

 

[martint235]

A successful morning of scalping today. There I was minding my own business when I caught up to two roadies actually racing each other already by the looks of it. She's on what looked like a Dogma (it looked melted anyway) with Sky shorts and a yellow jersey, he was on the ubiquitous Spesh and also with a yellow jersey (shouldn't you at least pretend to be quick if you're going to wear yellow?). So anyway there you are pretending to be Lizzie Armistead racing Chris Froome through the streets of SE London when a fat bloke cruises past on a single speed. Wouldn't you give up and go home?

 

[number3]

A successful morning of scalping today. There I was minding my own business when I caught up to two roadies actually racing each other already by the looks of it. She's on what looked like a Dogma (it looked melted anyway) with Sky shorts and a yellow jersey, he was on the ubiquitous Spesh and also with a yellow jersey (shouldn't you at least pretend to be quick if you're going to wear yellow?). So anyway there you are pretending to be Lizzie Armistead racing Chris Froome through the streets of SE London when a fat bloke cruises past on a single speed. Wouldn't you give up and go home?

no-one likes a show off.

 

[MisterStan]

I set my fastest ever average speed for a commute last night; 21.8 mph for 18 miles, there was a little help from a tailwind, but i'm giving most of the credit to my legs.

This morning was a bit different, we had a very quick rain shower which was welcome TBH as it did cool me down a bit. Quite how @martinclive managed to stay upright as he took the corner at Staples in Cambridge, I don't know. A new pair of shorts will be required for the run home I suspect. Chapeau for the bike handling skills!

 

[HLaB]

The only thing of note last night was a left hook from a 4x4 but it was predictable and easy to handle on the fixie. Took around 12 miles instead of 1.8miles, on another night I would have went further as the weather was beautiful but I had things on my mind.
This morning was just the 2.4miles route and nothing particular happened except it looked like the weather was changed; I think it'll be a hot and muggy day :-/

 

[GrasB]

Note to SCR wannabies - pushing hard down hill to catch & pass someone who's clearly not pushing on the tops is only going to lead to having your legs ripped off when you get to the uphill section. It's even more funny when you make some sarcy comment as you pass.

Quite how @martinclive managed to stay upright as he took the corner at Staples in Cambridge, I don't know. A new pair of shorts will be required for the run home I suspect. Chapeau for the bike handling skills!

Gone all slippery or did someone jump the lights & avoiding action required?

 

[Fubar]

Went from setting a PB yesterday morning to work to one of my slowest rides this morning - wee headwind the whole way and I didn't feel like I had anything in my legs today. Also got burned by a guy on a mountain bike who looked like he wasn't even trying (low cadence, sitting upright, smiling) and disappeared suspiciously fast into the distance - I wondered at the time whether it was an electric bike, it didn't look electric though there was a hum of sorts - perhaps that was just my pride being p*nctured... :/

 

[MisterStan]

Gone all slippery or did someone jump the lights & avoiding action required?

Slippery when wet! There was a huge patch of (probably) diesel on the Elizabeth Way/Chesterton Road RAB too.

 

[Origamist]

Wet underfoot, but no rain. The wind was swirling around a bit so it was difficult to get a steady rhythm.

Getting used to the route and don't think it needs any tweaking.

Am thinking about getting a Genesis Flyer or Kona Paddy Wagon for commuting duties as they have road geometry, but will wait for the sales. The Revolution Track did catch my eye as it's cheap, but the angles are steep. I could put a carbon fork on and it would still be cheaper than the Kona and Genesis.

 

[MichaelO]

Am thinking about getting a Genesis Flyer or Kona Paddy Wagon for commuting duties

I'm considering exactly the same (along with Pearsons Now you see me) for winter. Will try & hold off until later in the year, but I can imagine I'll get itchy fingers & buy one before the sales!!

 

[martinclive]

Gone all slippery or did someone jump the lights & avoiding action required?

Yep - just that thin film of water, a poor road surface, reverse camber, probably a bit of oil and to be honest - just a bit too much speed for the conditions!

I should know better - have had the back end of my car twitch on that corner at perfectly respectable speeds and have warned people about it before...........but unscathed thank goodness

 

[AboutLee]

Easy morning lights were green 90% of the way which helped getting to work faster. Was also over taken by another MTB on the uphill part which I chased after but got pee'd off when he turned off at the top haha, but then made me look like I was racing myself haha.

 

[summerdays]

Saw tons of ambulances this morning, all not in a rush, took me a while to work out they were probably transferring patients from Frenchay hospital which closes at the end of the week to Southmead's new hospital.

In one of those drifting brain cell moments I thought I could drag a bed behind my bike since my route went nearby both hospitals. Then the sensible (lazy?) half of my brain over ruled the daft half to point out how much it would weigh, plus the machinery and someone to operate it.

 

[kevin_cambs_uk]

Another blistering ride home, at this rate I may have reconsider my application for the SKY Pro Team, (Seniors of course!)