Tales from today's commute....

[fossyant]

Cold, but sunny. Frosty side roads so took it easy. Meeting in Manchester today, so took a longer winding route into Manchester, just over 15 miles. Traffic much quieter in Manchester districts.

Driver of a Passat estate pulled up next to me on the A34 at a set of lights near Levenshulme, having been behind me. Thought uh oh, but he leaned over and asked me what my rear lights were. Explained they were magicshine, said he had heard of the make and would be looking into some (bear in mind I had Astrums on as well). Must be Working quite well in the low sun. The chap wished me a safe ride and off we went.

Oh, and keep your lights on folks. Same road where I saw two cyclists knocked off over a year ago due to low sun, this morning it was two cars. Sun obstructing view, one car turned, other smacked into it.

 

[fossyant]

Knocked off again. Bike OK. Enthusiasm sorely dented. White Van coming out of side turning, looks right, sees me, looks left, clear, looks right, sees me. Goes.

Fundamentally bored of this now.

Ouch.

Hope you and the bike are OK

 

[arallsopp]

A very quick commute today.

I took advantage of being the last one out of office yesterday to stick back and get the bike back in shape after my off. Nice to do it in the warm, for once. Wheel trued, bars straightened, boom positioned, brake lever and mirror remounted. Seems right.

Of course, by the time I was done it was far too late to actually ride the bugg3r home, so I've thus far walked from it, to the kitchen, and back to my desk. No problems so far. Traffic is light, and its surprisingly warm and soft underfoot

 

[ianrauk]

Minus 2and half when I left this morning. Very bright low sun. Thank gawd for the Optilabs reactolite cycling glasses.

Loving this half term thing. Very little traffic on the roads. And at the school I have to cycle pass, no numpty's in 4x4's blocking the way or pulling out without indicating.

I was overtaken by an amazingly fast cyclist today. I had to check my speedo. I was doing 20mph just pootling along. I thought about ramping it up to catch him but he was fast, very fast. Haven't seen him before on my route. He only let himself down by jumping a red light.

Got to work and the Thames is shrouded with fog.
I can usually see Canary Wharf from my office..... not today.

 

[BSRU]

Hopefully my main commuter will be back on the road very soon , dropping off at the LBS tonight and decided to buy a SRAM chain instead of a Shimano, as it is the second Shimano chain problem I have had on this bike.
Would be using the ice bike this week anyway but slightly depressing seeing my main bike on the workstand in the garage looking forlorn .

 

[DWiggy]

Really chilly this morning, there's a part of my journey where there is a constant stream of water just at the bottom of a hill, this was slush when I got there at 7am this morning had to think on my feet to stay upright!!

 

[EthelF]

Glorious day for commuting, only really spoiled by the need to go to work at the end of the ride. Beautiful crisp sunny air and frost on the Common, no sign of the forecast fog so I went off in search of it, found some mist down by the river. Roads still nice and quiet, but plenty of cyclists around.

Got chatting to a chap on CS8 by Vauxhall Bridge. His kit was advertising a hotel in the next village to where my wife is from in Germany. Small world! Turns out he often goes there on cycling holidays. Can't blame him, cycling around the Black Forest beats London any day!

 

[ianrauk]

Hopefully my main commuter will be back on the road very soon , dropping off at the LBS tonight and decided to buy a SRAM chain instead of a Shimano, as it is the second Shimano chain problem I have had on this bike.
Would be using the ice bike this week anyway but slightly depressing seeing my main bike on the workstand in the garage looking forlorn .

Mate, Shimano chains are crap... really.
I gave up on them long ago.

 

[mrmacmusic]

Today was much like yesterday, if a degree or too colder according to my Garmin and I was enjoying another crisp, fresh and dry commute muttering to myself that I was doing OK back on un-studded tyres. It was then, whilst negotiating a familiar bend in the footpath over the M876 that my front wheel decided not to go where I pointed it......

So, after thousands of miles in over two-and-a-half years pain free and relatively un-eventful commuting, I've had my first off

Bike: front wheel buckled, rear hanger (and maybe the mech too) bent and my rh bar end is now filed to a nice chamfer.
Me: graze above knee, bruised hip and really rather annoyed with myself. And sore

Handily enough there's an LBS near work so I've dropped the bike off for some straightening up, however the chap reckons the front wheel can't be trued up – more of a bend than a buckle he said, demonstrating that the rim needs to go that way but the spokes are tight.....

With a bit of luck I'll get home OK tonight – post "off" the gear change was OK despite the bent bits but the wobbly front wheel was a bit disconcerting. The burning question is whether or not I fit the replacement Marathon Winter tyres that arrived yesterday (in hindsight, I should've fitted them last night, eh?!) I had been debating exactly when to switch back to the un-studded Conti's and was forced to change a bit earlier than planned due to the Winters failing, but clearly smooth and frosty tarmac could be a problem for a few weeks yet.

Of course it could've been worse, as I also had my first "near-doored" experience half a mile from work too Not a good morning.

 

[ianrauk]

It was then, whilst negotiating a familiar bend in the footpath over the M876 that my front wheel decided not to go where I pointed it......


Not a good morning.

Damn, not a good morning indeed.
And those moments when you get thrown to the ground are not nice.
BAM... and your down.. no time to react.

Heal quick Sir.
Sorry to hear about the wheel, that's a pain also.

 

[mrmacmusic]

Damn, not a good morning indeed.
And those moments when you get thrown to the ground are not nice.
BAM... and your down.. no time to react.

Heal quick Sir.
Sorry to hear about the wheel, that's a pain also.

Thanks Ian – I suppose I can be thankful it's the first time I've come off and I've been at this commuting thing for a while now....
I suspect I shall be posting asking about wheel recommendations shortly in the Equipment forum, as the chap at the LBS really wasn't positive about being able to straighten up the wheel for me.

 

[BSRU]

Mate, Shimano chains are crap... really.
I gave up on them long ago.

I have always read the same but only just come to the same conclusion myself, unfortunately a day too late.
The road bike needs a new 10 speed chain so it will be a SRAM chain for that one as well.
Still could have been worse and at least I have a spare bike to continue commuting on

 

[HLaB]

Tried out a new route, something like this (obviously without the start and end bits ) The rowing lake path was a bit icy but its mostly straight an flat so it was OK. Turned on to the A605, Oundle Road which was a busy as usual but the direct route enabled me to reach the Greyhound/Riverside to Northbank path in time to explore safely (the path was new to me); to my delight, it was well surfaced, wide and ran along the crest of the riverbank so was flood free; it was a bit subsided in patches due to this though but it was perfectably navigatble at a reasonable speed on 23mm tyres. It was quite atmosperic with the river on one side and a open fen drain on the other it was a bit misty in points Suprisingly I only passed one other cyclist going the otherway (citybound), I expected more on what I found to be a decent cycle path. I then turned onto the familiar Northey Road and looped Round by Pearces Road, Oxney Road, Eastfield Road and Broadway; before turning into Northminster and meeting the SMIDSY I was expecting, a driver heading the opposite way to me decided to turn right straight across my path; the fixed gear coped with no problem eith the emergency stop I had been dreading my first fixed encounter with a SMIDSY, I needn't have worried

 

[BSRU]

Today was much like yesterday, if a degree or too colder according to my Garmin and I was enjoying another crisp, fresh and dry commute muttering to myself that I was doing OK back on un-studded tyres. It was then, whilst negotiating a familiar bend in the footpath over the M876 that my front wheel decided not to go where I pointed it......

So, after thousands of miles in over two-and-a-half years pain free and relatively un-eventful commuting, I've had my first off

Bike: front wheel buckled, rear hanger (and maybe the mech too) bent and my rh bar end is now filed to a nice chamfer.
Me: graze above knee, bruised hip and really rather annoyed with myself. And sore

Handily enough there's an LBS near work so I've dropped the bike off for some straightening up, however the chap reckons the front wheel can't be trued up – more of a bend than a buckle he said, demonstrating that the rim needs to go that way but the spokes are tight.....

With a bit of luck I'll get home OK tonight – post "off" the gear change was OK despite the bent bits but the wobbly front wheel was a bit disconcerting. The burning question is whether or not I fit the replacement Marathon Winter tyres that arrived yesterday (in hindsight, I should've fitted them last night, eh?!) I had been debating exactly when to switch back to the un-studded Conti's and was forced to change a bit earlier than planned due to the Winters failing, but clearly smooth and frosty tarmac could be a problem for a few weeks yet.

Of course it could've been worse, as I also had my first "near-doored" experience half a mile from work too Not a good morning.

In this weather it can be a difficult choice between studded and un-studded tyres, the roads are dry but you know any water and it will be ice. Such as the guy this morning using hot water to defrost his windows, lots of lovely fresh water on the road which will turn to sheet ice very quickly.

Hope your bike and injuries are better soon.

 

[HLaB]

Not a good morning.

Sorry to read that Mr Mac. I was a bit dubious about using a path my self this morning but apart from one solid ice bend, it wasn't too bad but it only reached -3deg overnight it was probably a lot colder in the central belt