How was your cycle commute?

[Dogsauce]

It's those sharp sticky out bits on the side that look like they'll leave a big fucking hole in someone's shin if they happen to go a bit to close to one side or the other. Clearly not designed for the job, just used what they could find at short notice I presume.

 

[iamwithnail]

Got them on all of the bridges afaict, vauxhall is a nightmare, lost a third of the cycle lane going north as well.

 

[Dogsauce]

The solution to this problem is to live North of the River, obviously.

 

[iamwithnail]

Standard 'that sounds like the source of a problem'. Or get a job south, i suppose.

 

[not-bono-ever]

sweating last nights beer out of me was awful this morning. Note to self :No beer on schoolnights.

 

[iamwithnail]

It was prettty joyous cycling in this morning, I could get used to this, except obviously I won't be able to.

 

[a_chap]

The anti-terrorist barriers on Blackfriar's bridge are a fucking joke.

Massive bottleneck and completely over-engineered. What's wrong with slim bollards?

Because "terror", innit. Have to be seen to Do Something.

 

[Crispy]

What about the other 10 billion metres of unobstructed pavement in the city. It's stupid.

 

[not-bono-ever]

hot hot hot. everyone in burgess park was smoking weed and having a cool tinnie tonight.mostly the schoolies from the academy 200m away

 

[iamwithnail]

What about the other 10 billion metres of unobstructed pavement in the city. It's stupid.

So much this. Bridges are protected but not embankment. Or Oxford Street.

Was melting yesterday, totally blissful weather to cycle in, just really struggling when I stopped at the lights! Nearly got a ticket for going down a one way (yeah, on me) - it had been suspended for four months while there was building work, and I just got.into that habit. It's literally 30m of one way next to start Vincent's square, or a U route of about 800m extra. Cop said he'd be issuing tickets next week, but didn't give me one. Fair enough. Still never had one in 9 years of London cycling.

 

[craigxcraig]

What about the other 10 billion metres of unobstructed pavement in the city. It's stupid.

I cross Waterloo - going south they've moved the barrier onto the pavement, North is still in the road. Not sure if this is the same on other bridges but the barriers only cover the river - the 100m or so either side are free of barriers iykwim? Said terrorist would surely choose there. Or Oxford Circus?

 

[stavros]

Although riding in the secondary position, i.e. on the left, I think I must've held up some drivers behind me yesterday, as one passenger yelled as they overtook me, "Ride on the pavement, you silly cunt!".

I'm many things, but I'm not silly.

 

[Crispy]

one passenger yelled as they overtook me, "Ride on the pavement, you silly cunt!".

Espirt d'escalier response:
"Drive in the sea, dickhead!"

 

[gentlegreen]

My hand-built rear wheel needs a rebuild - 4 years and 70 to 80,000 miles - not bad for 90 quid ... it's rare for one of my wheels to last longer than 18 months - Spa Cycles - Sputnik rim...
As usual, though I noticed the broken spoke 2 weeks ago, it's taken me until today to order a new wheel - so it's getting a bit spongy - hopefully there will be enough left to rebuild once I've found a suitable bike shop.

 

[plurker]

4 years and 70 to 80,000 miles

That's a whole lot of miles; I do about 4k a year (only commuting, I don't ride for pleasure) and thought that was a lot!

 

[iamwithnail]

Yeah, that's a helluva lot! I probably top out about 3k a year!

 

[Virtual Blue]

Streatham to Paddington - it's a shit commute.

Really miss smashing through Waterloo Bridge

 

[sleaterkinney]

They've messed up Southwark, bollards reducing it to one lane on entry and big concrete blocks at the spaces where you could come in off the road, you couldn't have got a car in there anyway.

 

[gentlegreen]

That's a whole lot of miles; I do about 4k a year (only commuting, I don't ride for pleasure) and thought that was a lot!

- I mean 7,000 to 8,000

My commute is 1700 a year ..

 

[gentlegreen]

Today I deliberately left my leaky Asda jacket at home to force myself to try my £8 army poncho.

Not fantastically successful - a bit too sail-like and it kept riding-up at the front so my shorts got wet

 

[gentlegreen]

My second, as yet unused, horn fell off this morning and got a bit damaged - I anticipated the mounting bracket shearing by attaching a string, but unfortunately it was the nut that fell off
I'm hoping I have an old one I can nick the horn part off .

 

[a_chap]

Your bike has two horns...?

Spoiler

 

[gentlegreen]

Indeed

(they come in pairs)

And I have plans for an electric bell.

My battery can rarely supply sufficient current to fire both at once in any case so my plan is to have the bell wired directly to the button, then if the button continues to be held, after a short delay the first horn sounds, then after a further delay, both horns ... so I can give three levels of severity of warning.

You would be surprised how often I find it useful at junctions - as well as the usual attempt to embarrass drivers with passengers who do something really stupid.

 

[gentlegreen]

My broken spoke somehow got wrapped up in my chain on the way home last night during a clumsy uphill gear change - because I hadn't thought to simply unscrew it from the nut

Wheels are one thing I've never been happy to tackle myself ...

 

[a_chap]

And I have plans for an electric bell.

My battery can rarely supply sufficient current to fire both at once in any case so my plan is to have the bell wired directly to the button, then if the button continues to be held, after a short delay the first horn sounds, then after a further delay, both horns ... so I can give three levels of severity of warning.

Please upload more pics of your, er... unique bike.

 

[gentlegreen]

Actually it's a bit embarrassing at the moment - I never seem to get around to doing all the upgrades I have planned - so no real updates ...

It seems likely that it will actually go to France with me - where I will have the time on my hands ...

 

[gentlegreen]

I posted this one last year :-

 

[iamwithnail]

 

[Winot]

Very Mad Max.

 

[Winot]

Anyway, the first 5 mins of my cycle commute (northbound on Clapham Rd) featured:

1. A southbound car pulling right across the traffic at speed without indicating. He thought he could get across before the northbound traffic pulled away from a pelican crossing. He almost wiped out the 2 cyclists ahead of me (who hadn't jumped the lights).

2. A minicab parking in the red route bus lane to drop passengers at Stockwell tube, holding up at least 3 full buses.

3. A car going straight through red and left into South Lambeth Rd (across the northbound cycle path). A 2nd car almost did the same but luckily saw the cyclists in his path and stopped.

It got better after that.