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How was your cycle commute?

Too iffy for me. And if the main roads were clear enough, the idiots on it were much too scary, and I would have had to push on the final exposed hill that had a decent layer of firm slush - I really can't figure out how other people ride on untreated paths.

At 3am I struggled to get up the stairs to the bathroom - yesterday's hiking had done something nasty to one of my big thigh muscles - to the extent that I didn't see any point in going to work and not being able to walk around - which is the nature of my work...

Maybe this caused me to oversleep, but when I woke up, I realised my leg was better - I took far too long to get out of the house but thought it better to walk - I had managed to find sufficient change, but really couldn't face two buses.

Touch wood, though I'm not without a little discomfort, I made the right choice.

I suppose it's significant that over the past year I pushed myself even harder on the bike to the point where I no longer got cramp if I push it to the max. I now have sprinter's muscles and can no longer walk 3 1/2 miles without it feeling like an expedition.
 
Wasn't sure about cycling in today but decided i'd take the risk & was very glad i did. The side roads near my house were a bit hairy but once I got on the main roads it was fine and I was quite snug and warm in my many layers and heated pads i now put between my socks :cool:
 
I have to confess I felt a bit wimpy - given I saw some very non-macho cyclists about this morning, but I'm holding out for a bit yet - no snow falling in Bristol yet today - in spite of a great dollop sitting over us on the radar.
If it wasn't for the leg pain, I wouldn't really be that bothered since it's a pleasant walk for most of the way along a route I don't get to use very often, and I have musical accompaniment.
 
I actually felt alot safer on my bike than if I'd been walking on the pavements. It was like an ice rink out there this morning.
 
meanwhile in Alaska :cool:
fatbike_wide-164cd8ec13fef873bbe985a9cabd3d90ad03744a-s4.jpg

Back on the trail, Breitenbach says fat biking is more fun than skiing, even when temperatures hit 50 degrees below zero.
Click to expand...
fatbike_2_custom-f424a2276b2e181a04327b0c9689f363b0a6b434-s2.jpg

http://www.npr.org/2013/01/20/169814506/welcome-to-alaska-where-winter-is-cold-and-bikes-are-fat
 
Thankfully Bristol's "snow" actually washed a lot of the slush away and it's getting wetter and warmer here.
I couldn't have walked for another day - my calves are killing me.
I could feel the strain in my thigh muscles too - all from walking a few miles. :(
I am going to have to consider doing a bit of recreational walking - I rarely ever do more than a few hundred yards.

I had to get off and push in a couple of places and my inadequate SPD blanking plates leak. :p
I will be getting out the bathroom sealant at some point.
 
i am safe! in work
didn't come off, took it slow and foot down on corners
one wanker merc driver came too close too fast and zoomed off to the next red light 40yds away, shouted at him and he wound window down to dismiss me with a wave, dickhead.
only saw 2 other cyclists

walking and train yesterday cost me and took at least 3 times as long
and i missed cycling
 
yeah wondering if i should do a short day so can cycle back in the light
sunset about 5ish now roughly?
 
Hellsbells said:
I actually felt alot safer on my bike than if I'd been walking on the pavements. It was like an ice rink out there this morning.
Click to expand...

Yep, that's how I felt when I cycled in yesterday, roads look even better today in London (but no commuting for me today, working from home).

Once again my toes were numb for about an hour after I stopped cycling - funny because they (and the cold) don't bother me while I'm actually cycling...
 
A few iffy bits on the way home on off-road paths.
I really can't understand how people can happily plough through slush - even overtake sometimes.
Perhaps it helps to have really crap lights so that they can't tell where the slush begins and ends.

Plenty of vanishingly-dim lights - almost OK from a not pissing me off point of view, but do they really ride on the roads at either end of the railway path ?
Just as I was setting off, someone in the bike shed had switched on this crap flashing front light that also had red LEDs. :confused:

Tailgaters :- Two cars, two bikes. I suggested the last one save up for an Audi.

Thankfully the ride seems to have eased up my shins/calves, I was limping all day at work.

I forgot to reset my computer, but the two journeys only added an extra 10 minutes to the winter average of about an hour.
 
I got to test my new horn on the way home.


Not the last encounter with speeding morons this evening.

And masses of ninjas.

I reckon they really think bike lights are nerdy.
 
I straddle a pair of them.

It is a lot of fun, weaving round the back streets of london, looking for little pubs you haven't seen before. Whilst trying to keep inside of the dockingstation zone.
 
On Wednesday, (yes, a delayed report) a shout came from a passing car along the lines of 'Use the cycle path' - which was still very clearly covered with snow and ice. Ffs.
 
tosser in jeep stopped in the narrowest bit of a street yesterday, waited for him to pull off as he was talking to mate outside window, passenger had baby on lap :facepalm:
then the fucker started reversing and almost done me so i shouted and him and his mate started shouting and swearing at me and as i was getting round them i thought they said somethign threatening about nice bike :hmm:
 
They like to pretend we aren't there.
Which is why I like to make it almost impossible.
I feel I'm doing it for all the silent cyclists too - but maybe they simply treat me as a one-off.
(As I've said before, perhaps sometimes they think I'm a copper)
 
Today I did a recce cycle to my new place of work and it's not a fun ride. :(
Lots of roundabouts, dual carriageways and disappearing cycle lanes = fast traffic passing too close to make it a nice relaxing ride. It didn't seem that fast either considering the big roads - 8.5 miles in an hour or so. There is another, quieter route but it would take too long (it will be nice for a return ride in the spring and summer as most of the route is on the Thames Path).
Anyone know any big-road-avoiding routes from Deptford to Erith?
 
I have to confess I disagree slightly with cyclestreets on my route to work and my local Council's one seemed designed to let them off the hook from actually fixing the mess they've caused to cyclists.
 
Have you got an A-Z? That's what I did when I had a London cycle, just sat down with an A-Z and planned a route that went through residential areas.

From google maps it looks like there's loads of options through residential areas, just need to get over the railway line somewhere and you're laughing, no?
 
Yeah, cyclestreets is less than helpful on this route. I have to get through Greenwich somehow and that involved crossing the Blackwell tunnel approach somewhere, so it's either crossing a huge junction on a busy road or going all the way up into the North Greenwich peninsula to cross a massive pedestrian bridge. Neither route is 'fun'.
 
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