Tales from today's commute....

[Nocode]

You talking about the bus lane past the hospital I guess?
Very dodgy bit of road/Bus lane. See a good few bike/car interactions along there over the years. Including some myself. Both from cars emerging from the left and cars entering from the right.
Got to be real careful down there as it's easy to get a good amount of speed up.

Yeah, that's the exact stretch I'm talking about. I do tend to get up a bit of speed down there (certainly in the mornings, I'm more tired in the evenings!) and you certainly do have to have your wits about you.

This morning the cars blocking the bus lane were all clearly visible ahead (no last minute pull-outs) but I had to either stop or filter - which isn't a problem, just annoying that people are prepared to block the flow of traffic. At least one driver apologised to me and looked rather guilty when I shook my head at him.

 

[mrmacmusic]

It's NOVEMBER! Best bikes should have been wrapped up at least a month and a half ago!

Really?! I was still on the Madone last week... OK so it got a bit wet, but it didn't melt

To be honest, I had planned to continue commuting on it through the Winter, but at least I have the option of being mildly sensible and taking the Boardman when the risk of ice is higher – I really don't fancy having a fall and cracking something (bike, or bones).

 

[Nocode]

I'm still on my best bike (Madone 2.1) and was going to swap it for my old MTB with slicks when the roads start to get gritted.

 

[Maz]

Nooooo! My freehub is playing up bad style!
Bike doesn't seem to know the difference between coasting and pedalling at the moment.

 

[Matthew_T]

Frosty ice on the cycle path this morning. Very cold.

Typical insane traffic trying to get into the college car park. I was able to do some good filtering though.

Went to Aldi on the way home to get some Dolly Mixture. And had a lovely chat with a nice old woman in the store who offered for me to go infront of here but I persisted that I wasnt in a rush. She mistook me for a motorcyclist (I still had my helmet on).

 

[mrmacmusic]

I'm still on my best bike (Madone 2.1) and was going to swap it for my old MTB with slicks when the roads start to get gritted.

I switched my lights over to the hybrid at the weekend knowing it was going to be cold this week – didn't really expect any grit yet, but it was there this morning. And it was cold as expected, especially noticeable having to repair a flat at the roadside

 

[LCpl Boiled Egg]

Went to Aldi on the way home to get some Dolly Mixture.

Dolly Mixtures... old school not had those for years... (adds to shopping list)

 

[RiflemanSmith]

I have a very short commute,3 miles round trip but I do it twice, I normally cruise along at 15 mph, today being the day after Brighton I was managing 8/9 mph

 

[Schneil]

I'm still on my best bike (Madone 2.1) and was going to swap it for my old MTB with slicks when the roads start to get gritted.

Apart from fatter tyres helping reduce skids, any reason why it's better to ride your tank bank in the winter?
Does salt knack up the chain and cassette?

 

[Nocode]

Apart from fatter tyres helping reduce skids, any reason why it's better to ride your tank bank in the winter?
Does salt knack up the chain and cassette?

That's what I'm led to believe. Grit will knacker components and those components on the 'good' bike are typically more expensive to replace. Also, I suspect grit can damage frames.
But there's much more knowledgeable and experienced guys/gals on here that could comment.

 

[ianrauk]

That's what I'm led to believe. Grit will knacker components and those components on the 'good' bike are typically more expensive to replace. Also, I suspect grit can damage frames.
But there's much more knowledgeable and experienced guys/gals on here that could comment.

Grit will eat components so best to keep on top of it and wipe down after every commute in wet weather.
And a good clean at the weekends.
Grit wont trouble a frame.

 

[Christopher]

Grit will eat a modern cassette with thin teeth - I had a hybrid which had the cheapest 7-speed cassettes I could find and the teeth would be worn out in ~1100 miles. A good rewason for commuting SS/fixed - I have a stainless steel 1/8" cog on the back and can't even see any wear after ~500 miles. Distances approximate as I don't really use cycle computers.

 

[ohnovino]

I'd forgotten how much I love commuting with a buff over my face. Drivers show me so much more respect when I'm dressed like an armed robber

 

[stowie]

Cycling along Mile-End Road towards Stratford this morning around 8:30am. 205 bus close passes me even though the next lane is empty. I think grrrr and overtake it when it pulls in just down the road. It then close passes me again at speed whilst undertaking the traffic lane. I mutter under my breath and overtake it as it pulls in again. Third time I hold primary - bus driver overtakes with only inches to spare and starts to pull in immediately to undertake the traffic. I get forced into the kerb and have to brake heavily to avoid an accident. Next time it pulls in I stand in front of the bus and do a passable impression of Michael Douglas in "falling down". Explain to the driver that I have recorded all three passes and will be passing it onto the police and TfL. Explain that my friend works at TfL (kind of true) and I shall not rest until this driver is permanently removed from the roads and never allowed to drive a bus again. At this point I am drawing a reasonable crowd to look at the middle aged man having some kind of breakdown in front of the bus. I start to cycle off as the bus pulls away and am shouting at the driver "Go on, pass me again like before, I effing double effing dare you". Bus driver overtakes again very, very wide, so clearly he knows how to do it if he tries.

Got home to realise the camera hadn't been switched on.

Normally buses are wonderful around me. This one was a total cockwomble.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Cycling along Mile-End Road towards Stratford this morning around 8:30am. 205 bus close passes me even though the next lane is empty. I think grrrr and overtake it when it pulls in just down the road. It then close passes me again at speed whilst undertaking the traffic lane. I mutter under my breath and overtake it as it pulls in again. Third time I hold primary - bus driver overtakes with only inches to spare and starts to pull in immediately to undertake the traffic. I get forced into the kerb and have to brake heavily to avoid an accident. Next time it pulls in I stand in front of the bus and do a passable impression of Michael Douglas in "falling down". Explain to the driver that I have recorded all three passes and will be passing it onto the police and TfL. Explain that my friend works at TfL (kind of true) and I shall not rest until this driver is permanently removed from the roads and never allowed to drive a bus again. At this point I am drawing a reasonable crowd to look at the middle aged man having some kind of breakdown in front of the bus. I start to cycle off as the bus pulls away and am shouting at the driver "Go on, pass me again like before, I effing double effing dare you". Bus driver overtakes again very, very wide, so clearly he knows how to do it if he tries.

Got home to realise the camera hadn't been switched on.

Normally buses are wonderful around me. This one was a total cockwomble.

It was either on the Mile End or the Romford road when I had a silly bus overtake last month. He pulled into the stop before he had passed me. When I knocked on the driver's window his explanation was that I was going too slowly so he'd overtaken! Think about it! If I had been going too slowly he'd have been able to pass. Maybe it was the same retard at the wheel.