How was your cycle commute?

[iamwithnail]

Yeah, it was great to be out in this morning, except the closure of Camberwell New Road has added 25% onto my journey time. (Admittedly, this takes it to about 27 minutes, so hardly arduous, but still annoying.) can't work out if it's better to go round through the hospital and up towards far end of CNR towards Oval, skipping out the closed bit, or wheel the bike through the closed bit which has very narrow paths. Doesn't seem to be much in it in terms of times.

 

[moon]

I just saw this
'An Italian prince died of 'catastrophic injuries' after being dragged under the wheels of a lorry in London while cycling to a university lecture.'
Filippo Corsini dies of 'catastrophic injuries' after he was dragged under lorry | Daily Mail Online

and they want to attract more rich people to live in London, yet they don't want to fix the transport network issues and are happy to have millions of aircraft flying low over the city.
Such a joke

 

[Virtual Blue]

I just saw this
'An Italian prince died of 'catastrophic injuries' after being dragged under the wheels of a lorry in London while cycling to a university lecture.'
Filippo Corsini dies of 'catastrophic injuries' after he was dragged under lorry | Daily Mail Online

and they want to attract more rich people to live in London, yet they don't want to fix the transport network issues and are happy to have millions of aircraft flying low over the city.
Such a joke

That's a big story - surprised it wasn't on last night's local news.

 

[Orang Utan]

I just saw this
'An Italian prince died of 'catastrophic injuries' after being dragged under the wheels of a lorry in London while cycling to a university lecture.'
Filippo Corsini dies of 'catastrophic injuries' after he was dragged under lorry | Daily Mail Online

and they want to attract more rich people to live in London, yet they don't want to fix the transport network issues and are happy to have millions of aircraft flying low over the city.
Such a joke

Dozens of cyclists have been run over and killed over the years I've been cycling and it's never been on the tv news

 

[Crispy]

I saw the headline on the Standard last night "KILLED CYCLIST WAS ITALIAN PRINCE" which to my mind was three words too long.

 

[a_chap]

Bloody freezing when I got up so put on thick wolly hat and Alpine gloves. Sweltered by the time I got to work. So that was a mistake.

Surprisingly mild when I left work so no gloves and just a cycling cap. Bloody freezing by the time I got home. So that was a mistake.

 

[joustmaster]

Gloves on, here.

 

[Orang Utan]

Glove weather? Ha! You jessies

 

[sleaterkinney]

Might have to stop wearing shorts soon.

 

[iamwithnail]

I put my bigger jacket on, and compensated by cycling along with it open.

 

[Virtual Blue]

Some cunt who lives off Blenheim Gardens spat at me while cycling (he spat to the right while I overtook him - fortunately it missed my face by about 30cm).

I called him a whole bunch of names - (the holy trinity of 'cunt,' 'fuck' and 'wanker').
He was very apologetic but somewhow, I felt he got off lightly.

It was a nice day until that happened.

 

[plurker]

Might have to step wearing shorts soon.

I wear shorts for all but the coldest days. Put fingered gloves on today though, and got a chilly ear. Just the one.

I'm starting to get really shouty at people typing on their phones whilst driving. Might get myself into trouble!

 

[Crispy]

As long as my ears and fingers are warm, it's shorts for everything but actual snow for me.

 

[Dogsauce]

I was riding about in a T-shirt two days ago. I'd be digging the leggings out if I could be arsed to do a ride tonight, but I can't be bothered.

Does anyone have a recommendation for a bright but not very heavy front light? For my late night rides I'm currently using a small Catseye halogen one which is OK for being seen, but there's a few dark roads up North London where I could do with something better to pick out the potholes. I have a super bright Cree eBay special, but it's bulky and probably more brightness than I need. Happy with a shortish run time as I'm usually only out for about an hour at the moment, two max.

 

[DownwardDog]

Does anyone have a recommendation for a bright but not very heavy front light?

The Exposure Race Mk.11 is 190g but has 1,700 lumens - I don't think that can be beat for light output per gram.

The Garmin Vario is very good but it's "only" 600 lumens and you don't really get the full value from it unless you already have a Garmin Edge. My Vario is the light I use the most because it adjusts itself based on your speed and the ambient light.

 

[iamwithnail]

Crikey, thought my lights (£80 &£30) were expensive.

 

[not-bono-ever]

the dark nights are here, so I spunked 5.99 on an additional pair of sports direct made lights, as everywhere else in EC2 wanted about £50 a pair

 

[iamwithnail]

I got a good set for the kid's bike, £12.99 from Cycle Surgery (ugh) of all places. Considering getting a set as backup for mine.

 

[a_chap]

There are usually pretty good deals on bike lights from PlanetX.

Road Bikes, Mountain, Track & Triathlon/Time Trial Bikes | Planet X Bikes

 

[braindancer]

You need a challenge like "Randonneur Round the Year". You complete one ride of 200km (125 miles) each month for a year and get...
...a badge

More info here - http://www.highergrangefarm.fsnet.co.uk/PeakAudax/rrty.htm - sorry for the crap web site tho.

Oh dear. I'm now attempting this. September and October done - and November's 200 planned for Sunday. Not currently looking forward to December, January or February!

 

[a_chap]

I did five consecutive years...

 

[tommers]

.

 

[braindancer]

Oh dear. I'm now attempting this. September and October done - and November's 200 planned for Sunday. Not currently looking forward to December, January or February!

A ride of too halves - the morning was bright, but with a cold northerly bastard of a headwind - the afternoon was sopping wet, but at least I had the tail wind. I need some new gloves - mine got waterlogged pretty swiftly in the rain this afternoon and my hands became so cold I could hardly use my gear shifters.

Any suggestions?

 

[not-bono-ever]

cold and slightly scarey when going through parks as the wet leaves are treacherous. I didnt know Burgess park was unlit until last week. I have dumped the Northern Ireland leather gloves for some fleece ones, purely to wipe the drooling snot from my nose.

Upside ? the T34 on mandela way has been repainted and I only called one driver a cunt today. and my legs are looking great in cycling shorts. The rest of me is grotesque.

 

[Winot]

Harleyford Rd closed at Oval tube and heavy congestion all the way back to Stockwell. Apparently Brixton Rd busy too.

BBC traffic site reporting that road closed for 'police incident'.

 

[iamwithnail]

Went past there, looked like an accident. Lots of sirens, lots of blue light vehicles - probably 4/5 police cars and a couple of ambulances. whatever it was must've been grim. We got diverted up Kennington Road and whatnot, I got a bit lost and ended up coming over Lambeth Bridge.

 

[a_chap]

I'm London today (and tomorrow ) and am surprised how few people there are riding bikes compared to the last time I was down here. Are they all riding on the superhighways now?

 

[joustmaster]

I'm London today (and tomorrow ) and am surprised how few people there are riding bikes compared to the last time I was down here. Are they all riding on the superhighways now?

Was it summer last time you where here?

 

[a_chap]

Yes. How on earth did you know that?

 

[joustmaster]

Yes. How on earth did you know that?

There are still a lot of cyclists. But only during rush hour, and everyone is a bit more serious.