How was your cycle commute?

[gentlegreen]

Who said anything about braking. Just ease up on the pedalling.

He was inches from my wheel at 15mph.

 

[Lemon Eddy]

Seriously, not following the complication here. Just ease up on pedalling. Worst case scenario is he clips your back tyre, which is a lot more likely to send him flying than you.

 

[gentlegreen]

Seriously, not following the complication here. Just ease up on pedalling. Worst case scenario is he clips your back tyre, which is a lot more likely to send him flying then you.

Having been knocked off my bike 3 weeks ago by someone trying to undertake me and still being in some pain, I wasn't in the mood to take chances.

 

[Crispy]

Wind not an issue. Wet leaves, however were *everywhere*. Guy behind me slid and crashed on a curve and nearly took 2 others out with him

 

[gentlegreen]

Left work at 4.30 and there were a couple of lightning flashes - luckily there was no hailstorm and my shorts only got slightly damp.

 

[Crispy]

Sunshine all afternoon
Torrential rain and 20mph headwind all the way home

 

[Hellsbells]

I'm so annoyed I was too wimpy to cycle today. The wind had totally died down this evening and the rain had stopped and I wasted stupid money on tube fares and the pleasure of being squished against stinky, sick, sweaty people with colds and coughs.

 

[gentlegreen]

My line manager was prevented from cycling by his mrs.

 

[joustmaster]

Gloves today. First time this season. A sad day..

Not a serious pair though. Some cheap thin ones. those wool style ones that stretch

 

[DJWrongspeed]

Saw a terrible near crash today. Speedy truck weaving lanes and then suddenly turning left even though there was a cycle next to them. The cyclist veered left hugging the truck until it sped off. I'm 100% sure it didn't signal.

It was around the tricky Kennington Lane/Road junction.

 

[gentlegreen]

Gloves today. First time this season. A sad day..

I couldn't ever ride without gloves..

It's long trousers that's my dilemma this time of year - I have two new pairs of combats on the way, but I'm worried the new pocket arrangement might turn out to be annoying.
Last year I learned to put them though the machine before wearing them - but I don't currently have one at the moment ...

 

[Onket]

Wore jogging bottoms for the first time today. It wasn't bitterly cold but it was dry and a lot more comfortable.

 

[Utopia]

wasted stupid money on tube fares and the pleasure of being squished against stinky, sick, sweaty people with colds and coughs.

How people in London suffer this daily chore beggers belief, If you're relatively healthy, have basic road sense, and you work with 10 miles of home I really see no decent reason(apart from fear & laziness) in cycling in at least a couple of times a week. I feel weird all day if ever I don't cycle in.

 

[Hellsbells]

tbh alot of people I work with say they'd like to cycle but are terrified of London roads & the frequent reported deaths of cyclists.

 

[gentlegreen]

It does look rather a macho business - either that or an activity for the blissfully unaware ...

Watching video footage, I would worry almost as much about the other cyclists as the traffic.

 

[Utopia]

tbh alot of people I work with say they'd like to cycle but are terrified of London roads & the frequent reported deaths of cyclists.

Knowing what you're doing, realising a bikes limitations, spatial awareness, having decent technical skills and you understand and are able to spot danger in advance is all part of what a Cyclist does. (all transferrable skills from driving & being a pedestrian)

Lifes too short for fear IMO, do something everyday that scares you.

 

[Hellsbells]

yeah, cycling is the one thrill i get in the average, boring, mundane office work day. It's also pretty much the only time in my life when I'm assertive and confident.
The skills you gain as a cyclist are pretty impressive really.

 

[gentlegreen]

Who was it used the p* word on here on Sunday ?

A short rusty pin must have hit it at just the right angle when I was almost at work - so I didn't find out until I got to the bike shed at 4.30 .. I would have been on the road within 15 minutes, but the valve on the shitty Specialized spare tube broke off in the pump, so I had to actually fix the original one.

And my shitty pump achieved all of 30PSI compared to my usual 60 - so it was a slightly squidgy ride home.

My back one isn't even that worn -but three new tyres arrived today so a new one will go on the back and the back one will go on the front.

It may be time to bite the bullet and order some tubes with car-type valves - not that I pass any garages on the way home - but it might come in handy when touring - I never had any success with adaptors.

 

[ChrisD]

Sorry to hear of deflated tube.... checked website for my son's bike and it claims "p - proof tyres"!
Won't you need to drill out rims for schrader valves? Isn't a new pump easier?

 

[gentlegreen]

I suspect my rims are set up to make it easy and I can use adaptors if I change my mind.

I'm just annoyed at having to invest £20 in a pump I hope not to use more than once a year ... I might as well go the CO2 route given the effort it takes to use a small pump compared to my track pump.

 

[gentlegreen]

Brrrrrrrrrrr ..

Definitely need leg lag from now on.

 

[gentlegreen]

But I'm sweltering in the office at work wearing my combats.

Though my young colleague is off with the flu - hopefully I can't get it THREE times in one year..

 

[Dogsauce]

Chilly start up here in the north too. I'm on the full-fingered winter gloves, but on the last two commutes I've got warm enough on the climb section to remove just one of them (isn't really room in my pockets for both with the stuff I already have in them). Seems an odd solution but was about right.

The problem with my commute is it's a fast downhill to start with then a long climb (and similar in reverse obviously) so I need to be wrapped up quite warm when I set out then shed layers once I start climbing. It's better in the summer when you can do the whole lot in a T-shirt without pissing about (though I usually do a speedy strip at the red lights so it doesn't hit my journey time much).

I'm currently on calf-length ex-girlfriend's gym leggings with cycling shorts over the top, t-shirt, light fleece top and cycling jacket over that. On the return journey I'll normally set off without the fleece as it's warmed up during the day. Next step is the ex-girlfriend's over-the-knee socks (black!) overlapping the leggings once the exposed bit of leg can't take the cold anymore. I'll wear a thin buff-type mask over my nose all year round, in winter I pull it up over my ears and may add a second one under my helmet. Only snow or ice will stop me.

 

[a_chap]

Definitely full-fingered glove weather this morning. But much milder at lunchtime.

The Pashley's a bit poorly so this weekend will be spent on TLC for the bike and... more apple pressing for next year's cider

 

[weepiper]

So, what counts as 'enough effort' for a cyclist to be seen in the dark? Two rear lights, reflective arm/ankle bands, reflective bits on your jacket and gloves doesn't, according to the wifie who just undertook me as we were both turning right at a junction. Unless of course she's just a horrible selfish cow who doesn't give a toss whose life she endangers, that could be it

 

[a_chap]

I think the latter Weeps. Sorry.

ETA: Unless manufacturing your own lights a la Monsieur Gentle Green and clinically blinding them counts as "enough effort"...

 

[a_chap]

Due to nursing a poorly doggy I've yet to commute in the dark so far this week. Tomorrow I will ride home after dark, so tonight I'll be bolting something bright, high tech (and not home made) to the bike.

 

[gentlegreen]

ETA: Unless manufacturing your own lights a la Monsieur Gentle Green and clinically blinding them counts as "enough effort"...

My lighting project is hugely misunderstood.

I only use my big rear light in fog or on an A road - I'm thinking of wiring it up as a brake light.

http://mccraw.co.uk/blinding-lights...m_campaign=blinding-lights-reduce-road-safety

My usual tail light is about 1.8 watts of LEDs - so no more than a single car tail light - odd that - I used to have a 21 watt utility light on the back - but it was a big splodge.
The 4 watt 48 LED lamp really cuts through the fog like lasers.

 

[gentlegreen]

I hope I'm not sickening for something a month after a week's worth of flu-lite.

I was carrying a fair bit of stuff on the way home - including a new tyre - but it wasn't windy .. my speed on the main road section was down by several MPH.

 

[a_chap]

My lighting project is hugely misunderstood.

-snip-

The 4 watt 48 LED lamp really cuts through the fog like lasers.

Misunderstod???

I've had laser eye surgery. I know what lasers can do to eyes!!