How was your cycle commute?

[gentlegreen]

My Conti Country Plus tyres are very nearly impenetrable and pop off and on like butter - bit I still carry a pump, tube and repair kit.

 

[Ponyutd]

Off on a 60- miler from 9 o'clock this morning. Hottest day of the year so far(London)...........

 

[ChrisFilter]

A bit. In my experience, the best gains in speed would come from:

Getting down to a sub 22 BMI
Correct tyres properly inflated
Making sure the bike is sized correctly with the right seat/stem position. (Get a Retul session)
Clipless pedals
Not carrying a load of useless shit on your bike
Get a HRM and Strava to structure training

Do all that then worry about getting a Dogma.

All entirely valid points, but I'd argue that gg would see a big jump in speed on a road bike. My mtb is painful on the roads and it's a 29er.

 

[gentlegreen]

You can tell I've been watching the TDF ...
Where insanely fit riders do over 30MPH for 100 miles before they get to the mountain and ride up it in a gear that I would struggle being limited to on my commute. (39 x 23)
That last thing would be a huge mental block for me buying a road bike - no "granny" chainwheel...

 

[a_chap]

Off on a 60- miler from 9 o'clock this morning. Hottest day of the year so far(London)...........

Wish I was doing a 60 miler instead of spending time in an office today.

Hope you have a good ride. Keep yourself well hydrated though.

 

[Orang Utan]

It's not that difficult to get up to 30 on the flat with a road bike, but it's tough to maintain it. I do my best to stay over 20 on my commute in the morning as the roads are virtually empty.

 

[ChrisFilter]

You can tell I've been watching the TDF ...
Where insanely fit riders do over 30MPH for 100 miles before they get to the mountain and ride up it in a gear that I would struggle being limited to on my commute. (39 x 23)
That last thing would be a huge mental block for me buying a road bike - no "granny" chainwheel...

Just get a road bike with a triple chainset.

 

[DownwardDog]

All entirely valid points, but I'd argue that gg would see a big jump in speed on a road bike. My mtb is painful on the roads and it's a 29er.

Over a hilly 10km ride my Orca was worth about 5 minutes over my Disc Trucker. I might try it on my 29er Cohutta MTB in the interests of science. I think it might be quicker than the DT.

Not going to do a Pugsley attempt!

 

[ChrisFilter]

In entirely unscientific tests, I go about 4mph faster on roads on my road bike than on my 29er. But that was with nobblies. Will see with slicks this weekend.

 

[gentlegreen]

Fecking hell.
Lovely sunny ride home, so on form I found I'd done two miles on my big chainwheel ...
Only spoiled by four utter cunts on the way home - in fact one overtake was so bad it was the first time I have ever used the wanker gesture.

 

[a_chap]

One advantage of cars without air-conditioning in hot weather is that they have their windows wound down. So anything you shout at them at least has a chance of being heard.

This morning, on the way to work, a driver of some sort of cabriolet made extra room for me so I was able to say "Good morning and thank you" as I rode past knowing she would hear it as the roof was down.

 

[gentlegreen]

Trouble is so many of them DO have air-conditioning - and tinted windows.
I think it was air-conditioning the silly MGIF-er was nervously playing with as I loomed in her rear window.

 

[a_chap]

Just been to the off licence. Full eccentric gear on - cloth cap, plus fours, etc

Managed to doff my cap to a driver who gave way to me at a parked car.

I really must get a stick-on handle bar moustache.

 

[Frances Lengel]

Just been to the off licence. Full eccentric gear on - cloth cap, plus fours, etc

Managed to doff my cap to a driver who gave way to me at a parked car.

I really must get a stick-on handle bar moustache.

Grow a proper one.

 

[Crispy]

Stopped at the lights.
Him, white racing bike, white shorts, white jersey, white helmet, white tires - the rear one completely flat.
Me, tapping him on the shoulder: Your tire's fucked mate.
Squeezing it to demonstrate it has no air in it whatsoever.
I know it is.
That'll knacker your wheel.
I gotta get home.
The lights turn green.
And off he goes, sprinting, standing up on his clipped in white shoes, calf muscles bulging, running his lovely white tires into the ground.

 

[Ponyutd]

Wish I was doing a 60 miler instead of spending time in an office today.

Hope you have a good ride. Keep yourself well hydrated though.

Absolutely magnif!
What a cracking day's riding. Hottest day of the year,so what. Eventually did 72 miles, we got back to London too late to put bikes on tube, took the canal rout which added another 10 plus miles.
Saw this little bike set up in this blokes front garden, stopped and had a chat...what a nice laid back fella.

On the Bath road came round a corner and thought I had stumbled into the mid west U.S.A..

.
Cycling, you gots to love it!

 

[joustmaster]

I got a 30mph bumble bee in the face this morning.
I made the very manly noise.

 

[gentlegreen]

Bye Bye Brooks.

Amazingly I got all the way home on it perched on the back.
I didn't realise just how broken it was until I got off the bike.

 

[fredfelt]

Mod bike special on Gideon Coe, R6 at the moment - noting to do with commuting but Gideon playing some good bike related tunes to mark the Tour coming to an end. Tune in if you fancy.

 

[Ponyutd]

Bye Bye Brooks.

Amazingly I got all the way home on it perched on the back.
I didn't realise just how broken it was until I got off the bike.


View attachment 36941

 

[fredfelt]

Just been to the off licence. Full eccentric gear on - cloth cap, plus fours, etc

Managed to doff my cap to a driver who gave way to me at a parked car.

I really must get a stick-on handle bar moustache.

A while back I went into one of the few remaining independent pubs in Oxford, now closed down, wearing full cycling gear. The pub's frequented by real ale fans, computer nerds and affable / somewhat dodgy drunkards. When I put my order in the local standing at the bar beside me said 'he'll have a Babysham'

Anyway why plus fours, and not lycra?

 

[a_chap]

Anyway why plus fours, and not lycra?

I was riding the Pashley. It's actually against the law to ride a Pashley whilst wearing lycra.

You'll be delighted to learn I've just ordered a Bowler hat to be used as my new cycling headgear

 

[joustmaster]

Bye Bye Brooks.

Amazingly I got all the way home on it perched on the back.
I didn't realise just how broken it was until I got off the bike.


View attachment 36941

I got a boris bike across london the other day. There was a choice of two bike outside Saint Pancreas station. One where the rear wheel wouldn't turn properly, and one whose seat wouldn't stay locked up. I took the wonky seat bike.

I managed to jam the seat in its highest position, regardless of the fault quick release lever.
But every time I went over a pothole, speed bump, twig , or stone, the seat would fall to its lowest setting. And at every traffic light I would jam it back up to its highest setting.

I would have ridden standing up, but my hangover and lack of sleep was making it difficult enough as it was.

 

[joustmaster]

I was riding the Pashley. It's actually against the law to ride a Pashley whilst wearing lycra.

You'll be delighted to learn I've just ordered a Bowler hat to be used as my new cycling headgear

For god's sake man.. grow the 'tache.

 

[8115]

Someone fixed my brakes so I am fast again now. Can do 6 miles in 25 minutes and it's a proper knotty ride, designed for cars that like sitting in traffic.

 

[DownwardDog]

I was riding the Pashley. It's actually against the law to ride a Pashley whilst wearing lycra.

You'll be delighted to learn I've just ordered a Bowler hat to be used as my new cycling headgear

Just because you're on a bike that doesn't make this not cosplay.

 

[DownwardDog]

Bye Bye Brooks.

Amazingly I got all the way home on it perched on the back.
I didn't realise just how broken it was until I got off the bike.

Why don't you go for a railless BMX saddle you can't break?

Also WTF have you done that seatpost? Jesus.

 

[gentlegreen]

I sent the photo and this email to their Italian sales office :-

Please cancel my order.I will never buy another brooks saddle.
There is black paint inside half the crack on one side - this saddle was supplied with a dangerous flaw built-in.
I have had only 2 years' use from it.

------------------

Si prega di annullare il mio ordine.
Non potrò mai comprare un altro sella Brooks.
C'è vernice nera all'interno metà della fessura su un lato - questa sella è stato fornito con un difetto pericoloso incorporato.
Ho avuto solo 2 anni di utilizzo da esso.

(Google Translator)

A new frame is 22 Euro.

 

[gentlegreen]

Unfortunately my eyes deceived me about the paint in the crack - but it clearly started with a flaw - and there's no water splashing under there ...

 

[Geri]

Cycled to Beeses Tea Gardens today. Too hilly in this weather!