Tales from today's commute....

[Exile]

Fast commute in, slower home. Less windy than yesterday, and not as cold first thing. Chippy at lunch in exchange for oiling the chain on a colleagues bike, "Grease for oil" is apparently a fair exchange at the moment and I'm more than happy with that.

After getting home I realised I'd ticked over a milestone today as total distance this year now stands at 1,004.1 miles. Should be able to push for 1,500 before the year's out, I reckon

 

[confusedcyclist]

Well, first commute on the road bike this morning, was wobbly and definitely very different feel to it with the shifters, took the whole journey to get used to which way to move the levers to shift! Though I did manage a couple of PBs on strava. Presumably lots more comming, will be interesting to see how the gearing compares to my MTB as there are some STEEP hills on the way home...

Only one incident approaching a mini roundabout, but actually my fault for once.
I was holding on to the hoods and didn't reach far enough down to my front brake, so most of braking power came from the rear wheel resulting in an embarrassing skid into the roundabout out in front of a car, fortunately for me it was travelling slow... definitely need to tone it down a bit until I am more used to using the bike... no club runs for me this weekend despite my good intentions!

 

[w00hoo_kent]

Had a guy in a Merc pull out on me from a side street this morning, fortunately I'd seen him coming up to the junction a bit fast and judged he wasn't going to stop so had slid out toward primary and he missed me by a foot or so, still far too close and rather than just shout and ride on I turned the bike 180 after him. He pulled straight over, window wound down and gave the classic word for word "sorry mate, I didn't see you." I suggested he pay more attention next time, told him he scared the shoot out of me, and he said he'd scared himself too. Thanked him for not hitting me and went on my way. All surprisingly amicable although I'd prefer if it hadn't happened at all...

 

[Drago]

Good ride in, with the wind behind me much of the way. Beasted my PB on on segment, and bettered a Chief Inspectors PB on another (I can feel my career slipping away...!). I'm hoping the promised light rain won't have arrived when it's time to ride home at 11.

 

[MickeyBlueEyes]

Heavy legs this morning after a 112 miler yesterday. Still, a nice ride, light drizzle in places kept me cool too. September has no holidays in it for me so should be a decent mileage month at last.

 

[Beebo]

traffic was heavy this morning, and the schools arent back yet.

 

[Origamist]

Ditto on the heavier traffic.

Rainy and grey this morning in Cheshire, but the wind has died down a bit and it looks to be brightening up for the rest of the week...

 

[BSRU]

Hooray, first commute/ride for ages due to family holiday, August a bit of a disaster cycling wise but that will teach me to concentrate so much time off in the same month.
Drizzly and dark this morning but an extremely enjoyable 33km ride in.

 

[harveymt]

Interesting last week in cycling. Last Wednesday I headed down to the gym from work and got a great run down. Smashed a PB for a segment on Strava to end up 8th overall. 5 of the 7 above me are pro riders who must have set the times when over for the Giro on practice runs. I even beat three pro riders, I'm looking at you Jussi Veikkanen! The remarkable slow down in the following segments was NOT due to me being wrecked rather I slowed down to take in the applause for my power and technique and to inspire the onlooking masses.

The shine was rather taken off when a 4x4 nearly side swiped me as I about to turn right. Not quite sure where he thought he was going. I had signaled my intention to turn right and was moving into the lane to do so when he overtook me on my right and then immediately moved in causing me to have to brake sharply. Why he needed to I don't know as 2 secs and I would have been out of his way. Going to get a camera for Christmas as these types of incidences seem increasingly common or maybe I'm just cycling more. A record of my sweary rants and mumblings at bad driving should be worth a lol at the very least.

Weird noises out of the bike on Thursday. Had a check of the bike on way home and there was a broken spoke. I removed that but the noise was still there. Closer inspection at home revealed what I think are cracks around the rear spoke nipples. So new wheels orderd. Went for R501s. I want to see how I get on with 20/24 spokes compared to the stock Triban's 32.

They'll not be here till later in the week so driving for a few days. I normally go in later in the morning to avoid the traffic but want to be in for 8 all this week and going at that time means driving is at least as long as cycling it. Took 30 mins this morning compared to the usual 25 on the bike.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

BBC weather forecast yesterday said we was going to have a warm and dry week, so obviously it rained on me this morning, at least they got the warm bit right and the wind was a lot lighter as well.

 

[fossyant]

Wet one. Cracked out the Altura Varium as it was too warm for waterproofs.

Suffered a deflation in West Didsbury. 10 mins down time only.

New wheels with annodised brake surface now have no coating and down to the alloy like they should be.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Heavy legs this morning after a 112 miler yesterday. Still, a nice ride, light drizzle in places kept me cool too. September has no holidays in it for me so should be a decent mileage month at last.

Same problem here, only 94 miles yesterday but legs a bit dead this morning, dry start to this mornings commute, half way to work it lashed it down, first time in a very long time worked the first half hour of the shift in wet trousers, at home time tonight I put my jacket on and it was still cold and damp from this morning, soon dried out though.

 

[Exile]

Wet this morning waited for a break in the weather and one came. Result! Five minutes later it was bucketing it down again so I got wet. Sun came out just as I got to my desk. At least it was dry on the way home.

Pushed to catch up with a RLJ'er and finally latched back on to him a mile up the road. Not bad going considering he over half a minute to put some distance between us. Sometimes I just feel the need to prove it got them nowhere compared to stopping and waiting.

 

[potsy]

Woke up, saw the drizzle, went back to bed, maybe tomorrow

 

[avsd]

Woke up, saw the drizzle, went back to bed, maybe tomorrow

My initial reaction was 'wimp' then I read the "completed 2348 of 4000 miles. The word 'wise' seem a much more appropriate adjective