The daily "I cycled to work" thread
Discussion
What is it with wheel suckers?
there's a bloke that seems to share most of the same route home as me, which includes a 1.1 mile drag with about 100m of ascent. He will quite happily trundle along at 8-12mph, slower than I want to ride, but when you overtake him he will stick right to your back wheel the whole way up the hill
Last night I really went for it to try to build a gap, 17-20mph all the way up (I'm on a 26" MTB, he's on a road bike)and he was right behind me tutting when I stopped for the traffic lights. well if you weren't so close you wouldn't have to slam the brakes on so hard. prick.
there's a bloke that seems to share most of the same route home as me, which includes a 1.1 mile drag with about 100m of ascent. He will quite happily trundle along at 8-12mph, slower than I want to ride, but when you overtake him he will stick right to your back wheel the whole way up the hill
Last night I really went for it to try to build a gap, 17-20mph all the way up (I'm on a 26" MTB, he's on a road bike)and he was right behind me tutting when I stopped for the traffic lights. well if you weren't so close you wouldn't have to slam the brakes on so hard. prick.
Matt_N said:
Whilst the afternoon sunshine is lovely, it's getting chilly in the mornings.
Should have put knee warmers on today.
Should have put knee warmers on today.
Chilly again first thing. And some mahoosive noober in a Passat CC decided to sit behind me beeping his horn and then yell at me as he drove past. The odd man. Everyone knows its a Passat in a posh frock. 
lufbramatt said:
What is it with wheel suckers?
there's a bloke that seems to share most of the same route home as me, which includes a 1.1 mile drag with about 100m of ascent. He will quite happily trundle along at 8-12mph, slower than I want to ride, but when you overtake him he will stick right to your back wheel the whole way up the hill
Last night I really went for it to try to build a gap, 17-20mph all the way up (I'm on a 26" MTB, he's on a road bike)and he was right behind me tutting when I stopped for the traffic lights. well if you weren't so close you wouldn't have to slam the brakes on so hard. prick.
Timely dab of the brakes should sort him out there's a bloke that seems to share most of the same route home as me, which includes a 1.1 mile drag with about 100m of ascent. He will quite happily trundle along at 8-12mph, slower than I want to ride, but when you overtake him he will stick right to your back wheel the whole way up the hill
Last night I really went for it to try to build a gap, 17-20mph all the way up (I'm on a 26" MTB, he's on a road bike)and he was right behind me tutting when I stopped for the traffic lights. well if you weren't so close you wouldn't have to slam the brakes on so hard. prick.
Last time I had a wheel sucker and I was on my mtb, I had to brake for some slow woman on a Boris bike and the guy behind hadn't clocked her, straight into my back wheel and off his bike. The problem with trailing a mtb with disc brakes when you're on a roadie...I had a personal headwind today. Anyone else get them? They don't affect trees, and they drop to a gentle breeze when you stop at the lights, but when you move along, they're Force 6.
2-3mph slower on every segment than normal, despite what felt like a lot of hard work. I'm hoping for a personal tailwind on the way home (Thai Curry soup at lunchtime should help with that)
2-3mph slower on every segment than normal, despite what felt like a lot of hard work. I'm hoping for a personal tailwind on the way home (Thai Curry soup at lunchtime should help with that)
No riding to or from work today.
I can barely walk. Hilly fast 100k on Sunday followed by a mere 5k run Monday night and one of my Calves has seized up.
I knew it was borderline after the sunday ride, thought I'd be ok. I know where I pulled it too, overtaking clubmates on a 17% climb seemed like a really good idea at the time.
I can barely walk. Hilly fast 100k on Sunday followed by a mere 5k run Monday night and one of my Calves has seized up.
I knew it was borderline after the sunday ride, thought I'd be ok. I know where I pulled it too, overtaking clubmates on a 17% climb seemed like a really good idea at the time.
Usget said:
I had a personal headwind today. Anyone else get them? They don't affect trees, and they drop to a gentle breeze when you stop at the lights, but when you move along, they're Force 6.
2-3mph slower on every segment than normal, despite what felt like a lot of hard work. I'm hoping for a personal tailwind on the way home (Thai Curry soup at lunchtime should help with that)
Virtually every day on the fens, and the bugger goes the other way on the return ride 2-3mph slower on every segment than normal, despite what felt like a lot of hard work. I'm hoping for a personal tailwind on the way home (Thai Curry soup at lunchtime should help with that)
Took my arms nine hours to warm up.
WinstonWolf said:
Usget said:
I had a personal headwind today. Anyone else get them? They don't affect trees, and they drop to a gentle breeze when you stop at the lights, but when you move along, they're Force 6.
2-3mph slower on every segment than normal, despite what felt like a lot of hard work. I'm hoping for a personal tailwind on the way home (Thai Curry soup at lunchtime should help with that)
Virtually every day on the fens, and the bugger goes the other way on the return ride 2-3mph slower on every segment than normal, despite what felt like a lot of hard work. I'm hoping for a personal tailwind on the way home (Thai Curry soup at lunchtime should help with that)
Took my arms nine hours to warm up.
I can finally join this thread.
This morning was my first ride in for over two years (14 miles - Snaresbrook to Hammersmith), I have hardly been on the bike at all in that time. A lovely morning to ride in and a lesson learned.
I knew it could be rather a struggle after all that time, (although I had been out for a few rides locally in the past couple of weeks to build up to it), I took it steady and didn’t try too hard, just a gentle ride and I found that I was only a couple of minutes slower than previously when I had been a regular commuter.
I can quite easily fall into the trap of always trying to better my times so I end up pushing too hard to soon, tiring before the half way point and then absolutely knackered by the time I get to work. The ride becomes a chore and not enjoyable so motivation slips away and the gap between rides grows until eventually I stop altogether. So I must forget times and just enjoy the ride.
This morning was my first ride in for over two years (14 miles - Snaresbrook to Hammersmith), I have hardly been on the bike at all in that time. A lovely morning to ride in and a lesson learned.
I knew it could be rather a struggle after all that time, (although I had been out for a few rides locally in the past couple of weeks to build up to it), I took it steady and didn’t try too hard, just a gentle ride and I found that I was only a couple of minutes slower than previously when I had been a regular commuter.
I can quite easily fall into the trap of always trying to better my times so I end up pushing too hard to soon, tiring before the half way point and then absolutely knackered by the time I get to work. The ride becomes a chore and not enjoyable so motivation slips away and the gap between rides grows until eventually I stop altogether. So I must forget times and just enjoy the ride.
Nothing quite like a car almost wiping you out to wake you up in the morning. Was filtering down the middle where the biggest gap was and some twunt decided he was going to try and change lanes outside to inside without looking - no idea how I got through the gap but was shaking for a little while afterwards!
AyBee said:
Nothing quite like a car almost wiping you out to wake you up in the morning. Was filtering down the middle where the biggest gap was and some twunt decided he was going to try and change lanes outside to inside without looking - no idea how I got through the gap but was shaking for a little while afterwards!
I am constantly waiting for this to happen on the Wandsworth one-way system. To my shame, I've also *been* the twunt in the car, nearly giving a motorbicyclist a very painful SMIDSY story to add to his collection. He stopped up ahead, I stopped to check he was OK and apologised for driving like a half-blind bellend, and we shook hands, but it's influenced my driving and riding in traffic ever since.
Usget said:
AyBee said:
Nothing quite like a car almost wiping you out to wake you up in the morning. Was filtering down the middle where the biggest gap was and some twunt decided he was going to try and change lanes outside to inside without looking - no idea how I got through the gap but was shaking for a little while afterwards!
I am constantly waiting for this to happen on the Wandsworth one-way system. To my shame, I've also *been* the twunt in the car, nearly giving a motorbicyclist a very painful SMIDSY story to add to his collection. He stopped up ahead, I stopped to check he was OK and apologised for driving like a half-blind bellend, and we shook hands, but it's influenced my driving and riding in traffic ever since.
There was no warning, no indication and no gap in the inside lane for the car to actually move into, it just shut off the gap down the middle. The sooner Putney Bridge reopens, the better 
AyBee said:
Nothing quite like a car almost wiping you out to wake you up in the morning. Was filtering down the middle where the biggest gap was and some twunt decided he was going to try and change lanes outside to inside without looking - no idea how I got through the gap but was shaking for a little while afterwards!
When I did my advanced motorcyole test my instructor told me to "watch the wheels". You'll see the wheel turn - either rotationally or laterally - before you see the car move. Can often give a good indication that some blind t
t is about to pull out in front of you.
Took the cross bike and left a bit early today so headed off road..was hacking it down a track which I have ridden before but hit a boggy bit and stopped dead. Fell off into a lot of mud then had to ride the 10 miles into work.
It was fun.
pic in here http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
It was fun.
pic in here http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Edited by S10GTA on Wednesday 10th September 10:28
Moved right over to the side of the path (shared use) as a lady was walking towards me with a dog. Moved over a bit too far, evidently hadn't quite woken up yet, and shoulder barged a fence panel. Nice cut and grazes down my arm, thankfully stayed on the bike as it was right in front of dog lady. Scuffed the bar end on that side too. Was fully awake after that!
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