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How was your cycle commute?

BigTom said:
My cycle commute will hopefully be changing radically later this year or next year.. consultation is just out for a segregated route which I can use instead of my current route Birmingham Cycle Revolution city centre to Selly Oak route - Birmingham City Council - Citizen Space
Not sure there's anyone else from Birmingham but if you are please respond to this.
Click to expand...

and also now for the A34 north: Birmingham Cycle Revolution city centre to Perry Barr route - Birmingham City Council - Citizen Space

beesonthewhatnow

Feel confident these will get built as they are not taking any space away from drivers but fear they are too short to be heavily used or get many more people cycling, and that will make it harder to extend them or build more but hopefully they'll be well used and the start of a network.
 
First day's commute this year. I was cycling along the Thames Path and there's a raised manhole cover that seems to have gone about 2 foot taller over the Winter. Looking at it the phrase "rising like Olympus above the Seren-geti" popped into my head and then boom! right into Africa by Toto for the rest of the trip.
 
What's worse than a dangerously close pass by a vehicle? A dangerously close pass by a fucking ambulance :mad:
 
Jesus, was horrible cycling in today. Has everyone been on the moonjuice?

Guy at the lights missed his pedals and then had a go at me for 'undercutting' - I was just pulling away from the lights, and we were both at the front, I was by the pavement. Sanctimonious prick then rode up on the pavement past some pedestrians and jumped a red light. :rolleyes: Car cut in front of me across the cycle path along to vauxhall without indicating, saw a lorry driver screaming at some cyclists along Camberwell New Road, and a lollipop lady yelled at us for 'going too fast' past Westminster school. (She wasn't trying to cross anyone, btw, just heckling from the side of the road.) :hmm::hmm: ??? (And never mind the usual phalanx of Range Rovers and that dropping their kids off at school, they're fine to zoom past, ofc.)

Christ. Was totally het up by the time I got here.
 
the better weather brings out the cycling arseholes I find, the overwintered cyclists *usually* act better as they have had to survive the end times of winter darkness, wet and gloom, This week it seems that everyone has dug out their bikes and is on some kind of mating season display / death by lorry binary choice path. A special mention goes to the twat on a brand new several £K koga track bike - yea a real velodrome track bike with no brakes or lights - on London bridge this morning. Looking like a shit chris hoy as he sped between the buses and dumper trucks
 
Started chewing sugar-free gum again.
Bit my tongue and drew blood right at the start of what was otherwise a relatively uneventful journey.

Was sweating like a pig when I got to work - still not ready to lose a winter layer even when the temperature is a few degrees higher ...
 
[QUOTE="gentlegreen, post: 14970740,
Was sweating like a pig when I got to work - still not ready to lose a winter layer even when the temperature is a few degrees higher ...[/QUOTE]

I'm riding in a t-shirt and shorts this week, bloody lovely up here (ldn). Cloudy today but still warm enough
 
Yeah, I was hopeful to ditch my jacket today but no such luck. Had it on and was frozen when I got in. (And another day of lunacy on the roads :( ) Camberwell New road continues to be a shitfest.
 
I can't remember how many years ago it was since I last had a puncture during my commute. Oh, how I chuckled at sight of the flat tyre in the knowledge that I stopped bringing a pump and repair kit along.

So, I've just had to walk four miles home :facepalm:
 
fast and fraught. Was chased for 2 miles around SE15 by a fool who beleived I should not have gone up the cycle lane on the inside whilst he was waiting at the lights, thus getting the march on him as we both turned left on green. I used bad words. he used bad words. I stopped after a mile to open a calm dialogue on a quiet side street and explained his small but important error at the lights. He advised me that he lives local and will knock me down one night soon. Oh yes. I remarked that he had a nice registration plate as we parted.That did not calm him down .

not an audi driver oddly enough. maybe it was his wifes car he was in.

eta I am a fucking annoying mouthy cunt when riled

eta2- i am not a hard man,just a wanker
 
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A relatively uneventful start to my ride, then when I pulled off the cycle path at my usual place, first of all there was a bloke tucked into the hedge having a smoke, then I rounded the corner and there was a young woman dressed for a night on the town, with what looked like a quarter pint of cheap white wine in a beer glass in one hand and a pink mobile phone in the other. She asked for my help, but I weighed up the options and decided against stopping - there was a whole street of houses there and it was 7.30 in the morning ...

I really need to get my bike cameras fired up.
 
I've broken yet another saddle - a Spa Cycles Nidd. :(

First the tension adjuster, then, while I was dreaming up an improved design, first one rail failed then the other ... the last mile and a half of the ride home was distinctly interesting ...

Since I deliberately bought a seatpost from them at the same time, I will attempt to claim - even though it's lasted a whole 16 months this time.

And the price has gone up too :(

If I was handy with a welder, I could probably come up with something better - so if I possibly can, I will be taking the now several broken ones with me to France - where welding is a skill I will have the time to acquire.

It's a literal pain in the bum because it takes me months to break them in.
Luckily I probably won't be doing any long rides for a while.
 
<londoncentric post>

Recently made a few adjustments to my route, going via Balham and Clapham Common which has shaved about 3 minutes off my commute.
I ride up and along Kennington Lane, and then turn right at the War Museum, joing CS6 there to head over Blakfriars Brisge

I pass one guy regularly along by Stockwell, and he then pops out ahead of me near Blackfriars - got chatting and he said he goes via Elephant & Castle - which must be quicker cause he's in front, so am planning to change that section too.

Every time I go Elephant & Castle I get lost in the back streets though - trying to join up the CS7 and to CS6 is a big fail for me; it looks so simple on the map but I can;t find it in real life! - so might have to chance it on the main roundabout :eek:

Shall report back
 
In all my years of cycling, I don't think I've ever gone to the shed to get my bike out and found that both tyres were flat. Some quick patching solved the problems and I had quite a lot of adrenaline when I finally got out.
 
plurker said:
<londoncentric post>

Recently made a few adjustments to my route, going via Balham and Clapham Common which has shaved about 3 minutes off my commute.
I ride up and along Kennington Lane, and then turn right at the War Museum, joing CS6 there to head over Blakfriars Brisge

I pass one guy regularly along by Stockwell, and he then pops out ahead of me near Blackfriars - got chatting and he said he goes via Elephant & Castle - which must be quicker cause he's in front, so am planning to change that section too.

Every time I go Elephant & Castle I get lost in the back streets though - trying to join up the CS7 and to CS6 is a big fail for me; it looks so simple on the map but I can;t find it in real life! - so might have to chance it on the main roundabout :eek:

Shall report back
Click to expand...

Approaching E&C from south, stay in the bus lane

upload_2017-4-1_22-41-46.png

Don't follow the blue paint through the junction; stay on the RHS of the bus lane. There's often buses in the bus stops.

upload_2017-4-1_22-43-10.png

Take the next left after the bus stops. Note the manhole cover in just the right place to fuck you over when it's wet.

upload_2017-4-1_22-44-17.png

Turn right at the end. Worth getting ready to stop for, cos it's a bit of a blind corner

upload_2017-4-1_22-45-22.png

Next left

upload_2017-4-1_22-46-5.png

The junction at the end is light controlled now. This photo is out of date. I have enhanced it.

upload_2017-4-1_22-47-55.png

The crossing cycle traffic is not light controlled so watch it!

upload_2017-4-1_23-1-32.png

Go all the way down past the war museum gardens. Watch out for buses as you turn right. They're supposed to KEEP CLEAR

upload_2017-4-1_23-5-45.png

This next road has a school on it so watch out for kids & parents dropping off (seriously? driving in zone fucking 1 to drop your kids off? jesus.)

Hard to get a good angle on this but you go left at the end

upload_2017-4-1_23-8-52.png

And now you're on the way to Blackfriars' bridge. Do the reverse on the way home, except you take a slightly different route on the South side of E&C. Just follow the herd.
 

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Crispy did you not used to go right/left at the end of Elliot's Row? That's what I've been doing.

Also :mad: at the bus drivers keeping the buses running when parked outside that school.
 
Crispy said:
Approaching E&C from south, stay in the bus lane

View attachment 103356

Don't follow the blue paint through the junction; stay on the RHS of the bus lane. There's often buses in the bus stops.

View attachment 103357

Take the next left after the bus stops. Note the manhole cover in just the right place to fuck you over when it's wet.

View attachment 103358

Turn right at the end. Worth getting ready to stop for, cos it's a bit of a blind corner

View attachment 103359

Next left

View attachment 103360

The junction at the end is light controlled now. This photo is out of date. I have enhanced it.

View attachment 103361

The crossing cycle traffic is not light controlled so watch it!

View attachment 103364

Go all the way down past the war museum gardens. Watch out for buses as you turn right. They're supposed to KEEP CLEAR

View attachment 103365

This next road has a school on it so watch out for kids & parents dropping off (seriously? driving in zone fucking 1 to drop your kids off? jesus.)

Hard to get a good angle on this but you go left at the end

View attachment 103367

And now you're on the way to Blackfriars' bridge. Do the reverse on the way home, except you take a slightly different route on the South side of E&C. Just follow the herd.
Click to expand...


My route this morning.
 
gentlegreen said:
I've broken yet another saddle - a Spa Cycles Nidd. :(
Click to expand...

Welding saddle rails is an absolute pain in the dick as it's really hard to get any penetration on the top of the rail without setting the saddle on fire.

Are you clamping in the centre of the rails?

Is the inner surface of the clamp smooth, free of shit and a good fit on the rails?

Do they always snap on the same side?

I've never seen a carbon fibre rail snap so maybe it's time for an upgrade.
 
I had a meeting in Mayfair this morning, but didn't have time to research a decent route. Got gmaps to make me one and then put my phone in my bag strap pocket in the hopes of being able to hear the directions. Didn't quite go according to plan :D

upload_2017-4-5_12-58-59.png
 
I hadn't thought of the fire problem ...
I'm thinking of subverting the saddle clamp and welding on a laminated leaf spring of some sort.
The nose and / or tensioner usually fail first and I fully intend to try carving a solid plug.

To make it fit me and the bike, I'm having to mount it as far back as I can - I think my post has extra layback ...
Usually they fail both sides . And at the front - where my weight isn't.- though thinking about it, that means there's more leverage.
I will be seeing if I can find a metallurgist at work to figure out what's going on.

This last time I bought a brand new post from the supplier ...

My weight is around 100KG, so I'm on the upper limit according to some manufacturers...
 
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There comes a point where you give up with a particular inner tube, and I reached that point this afternoon as the eighth leak appeared.
 
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