The daily "I cycled to work" thread

[Fugazi]

So this happened on the way home which would be a tad inconvenient at the best of times... The fact it happened in a decidedly dodgy area and it took a good five minutes of swearing and poking with a discarded drumstick meant I was starting to attract attention from some local chaps. Managed to unjam and untangle the chain and get going again. No idea how it happened though, I'd already changed up and the dérailleur is setup fine. Scratched the side of the crank to buggery though will need to check to see if the chainring or dérailleur cage have been bent too, didn't want hang about to check at the time.

Edited by Fugazi on Monday 13th April 18:11

[Martyboy84]

16 stone bloke, all uphill, massive headwind.

Help.

[Gary C]

Bugger, left knee is a bit stiff and feels slightly swollen today.

Damn, want to get into a good habit of cycling to work this month and it feels as if it's off.

Strangely, was told to cover my knees last week as it was about 5deg c in the morning after a night shift as it would hurt them, never heard that before and never had a problem. He must have jinxed my knee

[Vocal Minority]

Caveat of slight tailwind in this morning, but only 7-8 mph and the traffic light/traffic gods were very kind.

Absolutely smashed it (by my standards). 21 mph average on the way in - which I am absolutely over the moon with.

[bakerstreet]

Gary C said:

Bugger, left knee is a bit stiff and feels slightly swollen today.

Damn, want to get into a good habit of cycling to work this month and it feels as if it's off.

Strangely, was told to cover my knees last week as it was about 5deg c in the morning after a night shift as it would hurt them, never heard that before and never had a problem. He must have jinxed my knee

Joints are affected by the cold, so there i some truth in that statement.

Nothing special to report on my commute this morning. Seeing much more cyclists now that the weather is getting better.

My bike was one of four folding bikes by the doors of the train today. The other three were all Bromptons and I felt they were quietly mocking my tern, especially as I have to strap it to a holding rail, so it doesn't fall over. Terrible design for a folding bike.

Edit: This mornings commute was powered by a banana and Frosties

[Usget]

Vocal Minority said:

Caveat of slight tailwind in this morning, but only 7-8 mph and the traffic light/traffic gods were very kind.

Absolutely smashed it (by my standards). 21 mph average on the way in - which I am absolutely over the moon with.

That's smashing it by anyone's standards if you've got any form of town to cope with (less impressive if it's all down country roads ). I tried to hit a 20mph average on the way home last night and missed, by 0.2mph - still my quickest ever ride home though, helped by trying (and just about succeeding) to keep up with a couple of significantly quicker blokes.

Ride in today felt good, sunshine was gorgeous, but lots of construction traffic (for some reason) so a bit disjointed.

[AyBee]

I think people should be made to ride through winter if they want to ride in summer

[Usget]

AyBee said:

I think people should be made to ride through winter if they want to ride in summer

Nah, fk 'em. You can tell the guys who didn't ride through the winter - they're the puffed-out ones behind you

Museli and a big mug of coffee.

[ewenm]

S10GTA said:

ewenm said:

Seemed quieter than usual on the Bristol end of the Bristol-Bath cyclepath at 7am today. Easter break effect still no doubt. Chilly and misty but bodes well for another nice day.

Friday treat fry up and coffee on arrival

I noticed the same here in Southampton. It was really quiet.

Back to normal cycle-traffic levels on the B2B path this morning - a steady stream of Bristol-inbound traffic with an occasional outbound like me (running!).


Refueled with Granola, whole milk and coffee.

[aclivity]

Usget said:

You can tell the guys who didn't ride through the winter - they're the puffed-out ones behind you

That's also me all year round?

[S10GTA]

Grumpy this morning. Went out to get the single speed which I rode last night....had a puncture. Problem was the cross bike got a puncture last Monday (which I had not yet fixed) and the MTB got a puncture on Sunday (also not yet fixed). 3 bikes with 3 punctures! Had to switch the cross bike wheels for another set, and I was late because of this. Grumble grumble.

[anonymous-user]

Both knee's have swollen up, Ibuprofen not really doing a lot so I think a visit to the quacks is in order as it's keeping me off the bike.

I rode all through Nov/Dec/Jan without any issues and out of nowhere my knees have gone to rat st.

Very frustrating as I want a new bike and the weather has obviously improved and yet I can't bloody ride

[TwistingMyMelon]

CS, I had knee pain years ago, I think riding through winter in shorts didn't help but I found:

I mashed the gears too hard, spin a lower gear
Ensure the bike fits and saddle isn't too low or too high
look up knee stretches

Complete pita knee pain as it can linger for months

[yellowjack]

S10GTA said:

Grumpy this morning. Went out to get the single speed which I rode last night....had a puncture. Problem was the cross bike got a puncture last Monday (which I had not yet fixed) and the MTB got a puncture on Sunday (also not yet fixed). 3 bikes with 3 punctures! Had to switch the cross bike wheels for another set, and I was late because of this. Grumble grumble.

Admin! ...it's not a dirty word. (Says he who has two punctures on two separate bikes awaiting repair in his garage )

[S10GTA]

yellowjack said:

S10GTA said:

Grumpy this morning. Went out to get the single speed which I rode last night....had a puncture. Problem was the cross bike got a puncture last Monday (which I had not yet fixed) and the MTB got a puncture on Sunday (also not yet fixed). 3 bikes with 3 punctures! Had to switch the cross bike wheels for another set, and I was late because of this. Grumble grumble.

Admin! ...it's not a dirty word. (Says he who has two punctures on two separate bikes awaiting repair in his garage )

Fair point. 3 punctures to fix this evening after my ride.

[GarryDK]

blooming foggy this morning.

[MC Bodge]

Shorter ride in than normal this morning.

Ended-up in a 2 man chain gang.

Other chap was riding a bit slower than me. I held back and then passed, but I wasn't busting a gut. A couple of minutes later he passed me and then slowed a bit. This Repeated numerous times.

It wasn't quite racing, but I was supposed to be taking it easier this morning after a more hilly effort last night. I should have just let him go!

[Vocal Minority]

I did get the opportunity to swiftly dispatch a tubby MAMIL on a Pinarello this morning...

I know this sort of scalp is common in the South East, but up in Worcestershire, it is rare that £800 of Chinese carbon will come into contact with someone so over-equipped.

[AyBee]

Usget said:

AyBee said:

I think people should be made to ride through winter if they want to ride in summer

Nah, fk 'em. You can tell the guys who didn't ride through the winter - they're the puffed-out ones behind you

Museli and a big mug of coffee.

That's the problem, they try and hide behind you - probably had someone on my wheel for about 5 minutes of my 30 minute commute yesterday!

[MC Bodge]

Vocal Minority said:

I did get the opportunity to swiftly dispatch a tubby MAMIL on a Pinarello this morning...

I know this sort of scalp is common in the South East, but up in Worcestershire, it is rare that £800 of Chinese carbon will come into contact with someone so over-equipped.

maybe it was a Chinese "tribute" to Pinarello? Somebody at our place had one of those.