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How was your cycle commute?

Had to cycle up into Harley Street for the 1st time in a while. Lovely morning, I'd forgotten how amazing London can look. Lots of kilts on display. Only downside was some tool zooming across a zebra crossing while someone was crossing. For the first time ever I felt obliged to catch up with him and tell him what a tool he was.
 
Might have saved someone's life, or at least from a maiming. I was waiting in the ASL feeder lane, alongside pavement-edge scaffolding with a waist-high concrete base, behind a lorry turning left. The lights had turned green, the lorry was moving, and a plonker squeezed between me and a taxi, and started riding into the lorry-scaffolding gap. So I shouted (screamed, even) STOP, and told him that's where cyclists go to die you plonker. He did stop, so didn't ride into the gap, which had narrowed to nothing as you'd expect. He otherwise didn't acknowledge me.

While I was gathering my composure, the cyclist behind me barked "Green. Go!" as if my consideration for someone else's safety was of less worth than 2 seconds out of his commute.
 
The only lights fit for purpose for general road use IMHO are made by Philips and B&M.
It's amazing what B&M do with proper optics and 60 lumens. (1 electrical watt) - I rode home on an unlit path with someone who had one so was able to compare.
My 6 watt dipped beam probably produces two or three hundred and I reckon I could probably get used to the B&M.
Mine throws too much light near the front wheel and shuts down my night vision.
But it's lack of high / dip switching that's the biggest failing in commercial lights. I believe Philips's latest one has this.

It just shows what a mess cycling in the UK has become when "a bicycle" is a highly geared road bike and "lights" are ones designed for off-road use.

If I was strapped for cash and didn't know how to solder, I might look at 7Day Shop's £25 Magicshine clone and add my own yoghurt pot.

There are so many variables. I switch my three front lights and two rear lights through a variety of modes during a half hour commute as I pass through several different kinds of situation.

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

... but I've repeated this stuff so many times I ought really to do a Pogo...
All I can say is that my lights have been pretty well unchanged for several years now and the only thing that might motivate me to upgrade would be to have something as unpleasant as an off-road light to fire back at idiots who've assaulted me with theirs.
 
The only lights fit for purpose for general road use IMHO are made by Philips and B&M.
It's amazing what B&M do with proper optics and 60 lumens. (1 electrical watt) - I rode home on an unlit path with someone who had one so was able to compare.
My 6 watt dipped beam probably produces two or three hundred and I reckon I could probably get used to the B&M.
Mine throws too much light near the front wheel and shuts down my night vision.
But it's lack of high / dip switching that's the biggest failing in commercial lights. I believe Philips's latest one has this.

It just shows what a mess cycling in the UK has become when "a bicycle" is a highly geared road bike and "lights" are ones designed for off-road use.

If I was strapped for cash and didn't know how to solder, I might look at 7Day Shop's £25 Magicshine clone and add my own yoghurt pot.

There are so many variables. I switch my three front lights and two rear lights through a variety of modes during a half hour commute as I pass through several different kinds of situation.

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

... but I've repeated this stuff so many times I ought really to do a Pogo...
All I can say is that my lights have been pretty well unchanged for several years now and the only thing that might motivate me to upgrade would be to have something as unpleasant as an off-road light to fire back at idiots who've assaulted me with theirs.

I just want 2 lights. One to be seen & one to see with. If I can leave the 'one to see with' on a lower setting when it's not needed to actually see, that would be a bonus, otherwise I'd turn it off.

I've already got the one to be seen with. Just need the other one. On a budget.

It's not a particularly complicated request. But as you rightly say, gg, there are so many variables when buying lights, lumens or watts, from a couple of quid to a couple of hundred quid. Not easy to negotiate.
 
Might have saved someone's life, or at least from a maiming. I was waiting in the ASL feeder lane, alongside pavement-edge scaffolding with a waist-high concrete base, behind a lorry turning left. The lights had turned green, the lorry was moving, and a plonker squeezed between me and a taxi, and started riding into the lorry-scaffolding gap. So I shouted (screamed, even) STOP, and told him that's where cyclists go to die you plonker. He did stop, so didn't ride into the gap, which had narrowed to nothing as you'd expect. He otherwise didn't acknowledge me.

While I was gathering my composure, the cyclist behind me barked "Green. Go!" as if my consideration for someone else's safety was of less worth than 2 seconds out of his commute.

I think this pretty much says it all, sadly. :(

Perhaps 1 in 3 cyclists are considerate road users. Perhaps it's the same ratio with drivers. It's so clearly not a cyclist Vs driver issue, it's a considerate road user vs fucking bellend road user issue.
 
it's primarily an infrastructure issue. the fact that we live in a town where the road layout and lack of provision forces cyclists into a situation where a momentary lack of reason can result in their swift and unavoidable death is woeful.
 
The fact cycle lanes run up the inside of lorries at lights, yet if the lorry turns across it and squashes a cyclist then it's the cyclist's fault pisses me off. The fact that if a lorry or bus can't see you therefore it's the cyclists fault pisses me off. If there's a cycle lane there then left turning traffic must give way. If the vehicle can't see you then it's not equipped or designed properly. The lane is there, cyclists will probably be there, it's a responsibility for motor vehicles to check and give way, and have the proper equipment to allow this check. It's ludicrous that this isn't a legal requirement and enforced, and that corporate manslaughter charges aren't considered for operators or manufacturers of unsafe vehicles.

Until then, stay out of this gap I guess. It is the sort of thing that catches out inexperienced cyclists, but the situation shouldn't arise at all. Even cars, which do have wing mirrors and good visibility still don't check properly. It's not really good road design either.
 
In the main I agree but TBF I see plenty of riders who aren't 'forced' up the side of left-turning vehicles but choose to do so of their own accord.

I've not been on the bike y'day or today, I miss it - trains are utterly abominable. Looking forward to trying to get my new (found) road bike sorted out at the weekend, def need to get some new forks and it's good to go - I've been wanting a roadie for a while, but don't have the ££.

9472613542_d4c3fbccdf.jpg
 
I do still find it amazing how badly designed cycle infrastructure still gets created, even stuff I've seen that's been put in this year. We've just got 18 million quid up here for a superhighway that'll almost go door to door for me from home to work, but I already know it'll involve pressing buttons at crossings and stuff like that, since that generally seems to be the approach the council takes.

Maybe, just for balance, they could have one or two sets of crossings where car drivers have to get out and press a little button. It's only fair.
 
Had to cycle up into Harley Street for the 1st time in a while. Lovely morning, I'd forgotten how amazing London can look. Lots of kilts on display. Only downside was some tool zooming across a zebra crossing while someone was crossing. For the first time ever I felt obliged to catch up with him and tell him what a tool he was.
Kilts on display?
 
I've ridden part way into work on my road bike for the first time today - it's been off the road since the Great Flood of 2006 but I've managed to get it back into a just about rideable condition at the weekend (thanks as ever to http://pedallers-arms.org/). I brought it up to work with the assistance of the train so I could pop back into the workshop on the way home tonight and try and get more than two gears working and swap the seat post over for something fatter that doesn't swivel round when riding. The back hub is a little rough and the freewheel not entirely free running, but it's good to be back out.

It's been about seven years since I rode anything with drops but I'm getting used to it pretty fast. The non-indexed gears on the down tube are taking a little longer to get used to, but since it'll only ride smoothly on the 3rd and 4th cog then I'm not using the changer much - pretty much riding it like a single speed. Not sure why it's jumping about so much - the sprockets aren't worn (they're old steel ones, but the chain is new) and it's all aligned correctly - wondering if it may just need links taking out of the chain to tighten it up a bit? On the largest cog the chain just rides over the top of it loosely.
 
I just want 2 lights. One to be seen & one to see with. If I can leave the 'one to see with' on a lower setting when it's not needed to actually see, that would be a bonus, otherwise I'd turn it off.

I've already got the one to be seen with. Just need the other one. On a budget.

It's not a particularly complicated request. But as you rightly say, gg, there are so many variables when buying lights, lumens or watts, from a couple of quid to a couple of hundred quid. Not easy to negotiate.


You could try this front light.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5w-Cree-L...K_SportGoods_CyclAcces_RL&hash=item20cb35f5a1

For their price the throw a good beam and are very sturdy. If you get it I recommend you get 3 x aaa rechargeable batteries.

'Cree' to quite a few different designs of budget lights and they aren't always the best quality - but they are cheap.

You may as well throw the rear light away that this comes with - it's rubbish!
 
Last time I bought an identical one of those it turned out to be a measured 1 watt.
Handy for camping, but I don't even use it as a backup these days - not nearly bright enough for unlit roads.

Chinese LED lamp manufacturers can't help lying insanely - even on Amazon when someone (me) has written a bad review (the only review).
They then almost always try to bribe me to change my opinion.
 
found?

also - get decent pedals, those are gash.


found, yep, dumped outside my house - rusty, flats, cobwebs all over it. I don't want to spend much (forks are bent so *need* replacing) so pedals etc will have to wait.
 
sweet! please get that frame checked by your LBS before you take it out for a spin - looks like that bike has been in a nasty crash, there could be metal fatigue or stress cracks elsewhere on it that could result in catastrophic oh fuckity fuck fuck frame failure when you least expect/need it.
 
Have already ridden her 2 miles (to LBS who wanted £100 for forks!) and back...No visible signs of cracking / etc, and other than visual inspection not sure what LBS would do anyway? Though it's apparent, as you say, that it's been ridden into something pretty hard to bend forks that much!

I'm planning on doing as much of the work as I can myself - can't afford an LBS really. Seen some £12 forks on ebay - know they need doing.
 
well ok - don't say we didnt warn you ;)

those forks are awesome - also they are red so you will go faster. i hope they fit.
 
Might have saved someone's life, or at least from a maiming. I was waiting in the ASL feeder lane, alongside pavement-edge scaffolding with a waist-high concrete base, behind a lorry turning left. The lights had turned green, the lorry was moving, and a plonker squeezed between me and a taxi, and started riding into the lorry-scaffolding gap. So I shouted (screamed, even) STOP, and told him that's where cyclists go to die you plonker. He did stop, so didn't ride into the gap, which had narrowed to nothing as you'd expect. He otherwise didn't acknowledge me.

While I was gathering my composure, the cyclist behind me barked "Green. Go!" as if my consideration for someone else's safety was of less worth than 2 seconds out of his commute.
Not one fuckwit but two in one incident. Sometimes I think most road users (whether on foot, two wheels or four) are too fucking dumb to be allowed out.
 
Calories....

Can this be remotely possible ? :-

21.1 miles, 449 feet of climb, 1 hour 33 mins, ave 13.5 MPH, ave 232 watts, 1450 calories ?
And that was without the erroneous Cat 4 climb ...

Is Strava less accurate with offroad paths ?
Or is it overlapping segments ?
 
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