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How was your cycle commute?

Lots of road rash up left arm and leg, broke a fingernail off, and suspect I've broken something in my foot also cause walking hurts a lot.

Rebroke a toe that I broke in June, fractured a metatarsal in the same foot, and fractured scaphoid bone where thumb joins wrist. Six weeks in a plastic boot and wrist supports.

Six weeks on trains. Beyond gutted.
 
I did some HIIT this morning for the first time in ages, and, despite really easing off in the rest periods, I managed to average almost 17mph. I also overtook another road rider, although he was trying to push a preposterously large gear up a fairly shallow hill.
 
Not great this morning. Firstly I missed a turning I was planning to take. It wasn't a disaster as I found a new bit I hadn't done before.

Secondly, something's up with my derailleur, whereby, after starting pedaling again after freewheeling, the chain doesn't immediately engage with the sprocket. This means I'm pushing against nothing for about 120 degrees before things happen, and it's happening on all three chainsets. My basic mechanics skills can't tell if it's the chain, the mech or what, so I'm going to have to take it to a shop for a pro to do their stuff.
 
Leeds is a very different city to London for cycling. Very few bicycle lanes and those in the centre are appallingly planned. I have learnt not to cycle on the Ring Road as it's no fun being passed by cars at 70mph.
But there seems to be a degree of cameraderie between cyclists with nods and smiles being passed amongst us. Driving seems to be better and more considerate though (apart from on the Ring Road).
And my local bike shop is the friendliest one I've ever been in. had a nice long chat slagging London off with the owner and his daughter who'd also just come back from there.
 
I just found the location of your accident VB, and it's clear as day the van driver was in the wrong (you were heading South, right?)

Take em to the cleaners
 
I just found the location of your accident VB, and it's clear as day the van driver was in the wrong (you were heading South, right?)

Take em to the cleaners

Yes I was heading South - right opposite The Piano Works (bloody nice bloke that owner).
Yep, I'm taking all I can and getting a proper doctor's report on Monday for an injury claim.

The driver won't speak with me.
I spoke with his superior and he claimed that I was cycling on the middle of the road (they allegedly have dash cam footage). I said that I was on the middle of the road as I swerved to avoid the idiotic driver.

Regardless, it was my right of way and I know those road rules!!
 
Blimey you lot have been in the wars lately, wtf is going on?

I pulled something in my knee on Tuesday so the last couple of days commute have been hard work - easier than walking though!
 
my cycling attire has changed because of this damn heat.
it's now a scruffy black/ or grey tee shirt, long shorts, a pair of ray bans and a flat hat.
my bike is slow as hell but i'm managing to push at an average of 14.2mph.
 
anyone else notice that there aren't as many cyclists?

cycled through streatham - stockwell - thameslink - kings cross - warren street.
smooth as fuck and my paranoia of other vehicles has surpassed. :)
 
I have a new commute. Journey home is ten minutes shorter than the out bound trip thanks to gravity.

There are also five strava segments where yesterday I was fastest or second fastest. All downhill, natch.
 
anyone else notice that there aren't as many cyclists?

cycled through streatham - stockwell - thameslink - kings cross - warren street.
smooth as fuck and my paranoia of other vehicles has surpassed. :)
I was in a peloton on the way home, glad to hear the paranoia is going.

I got a boiler plate brush off letter from the cops, didn't even spell my name right. :rolleyes:
 
A twat collided into my this morning whilst overtaking me in a place where he shouldn't have - sent me into a big wobble and Clerkenwell Road is not somewhere you want to be wobbling. The twat didn't even apologise - he just sped off. What sort of a twat cyclist doesn't apologise to another cyclist after having ploughed into them? :mad:
 
Still rocking some fastest time for the day on a couple of downhill segments. The fact that I'm a lardy bastard who can't crack the top 50 on the hills is irrelevant.

Oh, and I went out without my lights this evening (still daylight when I left), so down £30 quid after popping into EBC for a new set.
 
I have a new commute. Journey home is ten minutes shorter than the out bound trip thanks to gravity.

There are also five strava segments where yesterday I was fastest or second fastest. All downhill, natch.

That's exciting!
What bike is it?

Those Strava segments, are they only on Premium?
 
A twat collided into my this morning whilst overtaking me in a place where he shouldn't have - sent me into a big wobble and Clerkenwell Road is not somewhere you want to be wobbling. The twat didn't even apologise - he just sped off. What sort of a twat cyclist doesn't apologise to another cyclist after having ploughed into them? :mad:

That stretch from Blackfriars, Thameslink and into Farringdon is full of twats - it's the same place where the BMC fat wanker started hurling abuse at me...I mean c'mon...fucking newbie bellends.
 
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Rebroke a toe that I broke in June, fractured a metatarsal in the same foot, and fractured scaphoid bone where thumb joins wrist.
Six weeks on trains. Beyond gutted.

Been back on the bike this week, couldn't handle more train fuckery.

Been taking it slowly, about 14 mph average over the commute.
The first ride I got not one but two flats. My fault on the second, I must have missed the piece of glass when I was changing the tube from the first :facepalm:. I used to always go to LBS for punctures, happy I can now do it myself, on this bike. My hybrid I still can't do, tyres are crazy tight.

And agreed on the Blackfriars area, that's the tail end of my commute in, and the worst section also, less pleasant now the CS infra is in, I think...

Still, it beats the hell out of public transport in all ways.
 
That stretch from Blackfriars, Thameslink and into Farringdon is full of twats - it's the same place where the BMC fat wanker started hurling abuse at me...I mean c'mon...fucking newbie bellends.

Yeah - there are plenty of other routes I could take - and normally do - but to mix it up a bit I sometimes find myself going in that way and generally regret it!
 
I can't figure out the southbound cycle track there - I usually come on from Smithfield, am I supposed to wait at some traffic lights before crossing to the other side? Fuck that, I'll stay on the road.
 
I can't figure out the southbound cycle track there - I usually come on from Smithfield, am I supposed to wait at some traffic lights before crossing to the other side? Fuck that, I'll stay on the road.
That's right.

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A modicum of patience is required. Mix it with the traffic if you like, but I love being out of it :) If you include the barely-trafficked side streets round the back of Elephant, it's car-free all the way from Smithfield to Newington Butts. Lovely :)
 
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It tends to be weekends or at night when I'm going that way, often not many cars about, so not much hassle staying on the road. There didn't just seem to be an option for swinging across the road and getting on it without lights. They could have put an island in somewhere so that you could wait in the middle if you wanted a quicker way on.
 
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