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How was your cycle commute?

Back on it today after three weeks working away (work provided a hire car, seventy miles is a bit far for two wheels on a daily basis). 31:52 overall time wasn't bad, pushed it a bit in places although I don't think the wind was in my favour.

I'm not quite hitting the speeds I was getting earlier in the summer despite being 5kg lighter, I swapped out the bottom bracket cartridge for a slightly less fucked second hand one at the workshop and I think it's a bit stiffer and might be holding me back. I'll pop a brand new one in fairly soon to see if that helps (any brand recommendations? It's an Isis system one). I'm also aneamic at the moment which won't be helping (due to a chronic illness I have - should be getting an iron infusion in a few weeks which'll restore things). Nice to be back on the road though, and nice not to have anyone piss me off significantly on my first day returning. It won't last.
 
First day back for me too. Just the dreary succession of idiots with nasty lights on the shared path.
I started off in "Sergeant Wilson" mode seeing as it wasn't actually dark.
I forsee an upgrade to my weaponry - it just irks me to have to gamble £20 on a lamp with a separate battery to charge .. or I have to pay another £20 for a 12 volt driver board.

flashingtwat.jpg

Since I need to fit a new middle front cog anyway I think I'll order a new bottom bracket of the correct length - rather than refitting the previous one that had 17000 miles or so on it.

The thing is I'll go for ages without the chain ever falling off the granny and then I just can't get it right.
It's either that or learn to drop down before engaging the biggest rear sprocket...
 
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Well the first day back on the bike in 7 days was relatively painless - in spite of bacterial infections having sneaked in on the back of the viral one.
I think that now makes 3 years where I'd finally worked up a bit of enthusiasm to make use of the fading light and got hit with the lurgy. This evening, though a bit murky, would have been fine for a 20-miler on the way home.
Somehow I don't think it will happen before the weekend ... coincidentally I've been forced to step up to the plate for Saturday because no one else was available. Not sure what I'll spend the extra £40 on.
That said, I rarely do more than shopping on a Saturday and I can do that on the way home.
 
If I can find the margarine tub I have stashed away (difficult to find a round one these days - I wish I'd known in advance), I need to get stuck in to making my steampunk light switch console.
I'm only using copper because I stand a chance of bending and soldering it - it's quite a thin sheet that I have so I may need to brace it a bit.
 
Crispy said:
Part of my route is being resurfaced so the road is closed. There's an alternate route that takes me round it, but every day, without fail, I ride on autopilot right up to to the "road closed" sign and then have to walk it round on the pavement :facepalm:
Click to expand...
I finally remembered to take the diversion.
They've finished the resurfacing now :facepalm:
 
The traffic was so backed-up today I bit the bullet and filtered.
I couldn't help remarking out loud that these people actually pay "road tax" to sit in traffic.

Almost perfect cycling conditions - shorts, tee shirt and arrived satisfyingly drenched in sweat.

The Sudafed I'd employed before I left had the desired effect.
This lurgy is taking its time to shift. I definitely won't be getting any extended rides in before the weekend. :(
 
rubbing the mods the wrong way on brixton chitter chatter thread, along with onket. 1 day.
 
Another day, another lorry pinching onto your cycle route as it curves round a bend. It would have hit me if i had been a little less attentive and/or hadn't known to be extremely careful on that stretch. This is why cycle lanes are mostly useless and sometimes actively dangerous. ;mad:
 
Plagued by idiot car drivers who are too scared to overtake today. So instead they sat just behind me clearly wanting past and making me feel like I should be going faster (than top gear :mad: ) or riding closer to the parked car doors (er, no) instead of just putting the foot to the floor and overtaking. There was ample space to do it if they just knew how to fucking accelerate. It's more dangerous than actually overtaking sometimes.
 
weepiper said:
Plagued by idiot car drivers who are too scared to overtake today. So instead they sat just behind me clearly wanting past and making me feel like I should be going faster (than top gear :mad: ) or riding closer to the parked car doors (er, no) instead of just putting the foot to the floor and overtaking. There was ample space to do it if they just knew how to fucking accelerate. It's more dangerous than actually overtaking sometimes.
Click to expand...
Yeah they kind of rev too, to me. I hate them. I got beeped again today when I wasn't really doing anything wrong (someone wanted to overtake coming onto a roundabout, I was going straight ahead while they wanted to go left.) Second beeping this week, people need to f*** the f*** off.
 
Cycle commute has been decent recently - some nasty potholes on my route have been filled in, new chain and cassette are running like a dream, and I keep managing to miss the rain :)

Riding the recumbent (which I've been doing for the past month or two) is always more fun, and you tend to avoid scrapes and aggressive situations in traffic, cos drivers just see you and think 'what the fuck is that?!' and stay out of your way :D
 
The weather is nearing that stage whereby it's not quite warm enough to ride in short sleeves anymore, but way to hot to do so in a jacket :mad:

And yes, I am aware there are many garments in the market that cater for this kind of temperature, but I don't want to (or rather, cannot) spend any money on them- unless we're talking under a tenner.
 
Another tee shirt and shorts day.:)

But after Friday's tumble, my left wrist is now one big bruise.
I've built up the left twist grip with three layers of inner tube and rotated the brake lever so I'm reasonably comfortable, but I have to let go when a big bump is coming up.

I'll be maxing out on the Voltarol over the next few days - Thursday looks like being positively Indian summery and I haven't cycled more than 5 miles in 3 weeks now....
But I've suddenly started feeling a bit lurgified again. :p
 
Onket said:
Changing of the seasons, etc. Both my children have custard noses. My tip (for adults) is to have a Berocca style soluable vitamin tablet every day. Lidl ownbrand (or anyone else really) are about a quid or just over for about 20.

This sort of thing (I can't find the Lidl one, but they do a nice Tangerine flavour)- http://groceries.asda.com/asda-webs...tle&referrer=cookiesDetecting#product/5881379

That ASDA one is a bit more expensive but it is 1250% of your RDA for Vit C.

I rarely have colds or anything like that these days.
Click to expand...

Streaming cold & son has got tonsillitis, no doubt I will pick it up before long.
 
gentlegreen said:
Another tee shirt and shorts day.:)

But after Friday's tumble, my left wrist is now one big bruise.
I've built up the left twist grip with three layers of inner tube and rotated the brake lever so I'm reasonably comfortable, but I have to let go when a big bump is coming up.

I'll be maxing out on the Voltarol over the next few days - Thursday looks like being positively Indian summery and I haven't cycled more than 5 miles in 3 weeks now....
But I've suddenly started feeling a bit lurgified again. :p
Click to expand...

You shouldn't be riding your bike you numpty. Get a bus.
 
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