The daily "I cycled to work" thread
Discussion
z4RRSchris said:
anyone enjoying the selected bits of embankment that have the cycle path? I'm a fan
Massive design flaws for any cyclist who has been riding to work for a while already.Kerb almost impossible to see at night, it looks like it could be dropped, but you slow right down and notice it isn't, why they have not painted the join points I've no idea. Speedbumps? Why?!?!
Two way, going to cause a nightmare when fully in use. Also hard to pick bikes out from the oncoming headlights on the other side of the road, you really have to concentrate very hard to see if there is someone coming towards you. Also due to that dazzling its hard to see peds stepping out etc, which we all know is a very common thing.
Personally I will probably avoid them altogether and go south of the river, but for dawdlers on boris bikes I can see it as a good thing, and worried types who think its too dangerous now.
okgo said:
z4RRSchris said:
anyone enjoying the selected bits of embankment that have the cycle path? I'm a fan
Massive design flaws for any cyclist who has been riding to work for a while already.Kerb almost impossible to see at night, it looks like it could be dropped, but you slow right down and notice it isn't, why they have not painted the join points I've no idea. Speedbumps? Why?!?!
Two way, going to cause a nightmare when fully in use. Also hard to pick bikes out from the oncoming headlights on the other side of the road, you really have to concentrate very hard to see if there is someone coming towards you. Also due to that dazzling its hard to see peds stepping out etc, which we all know is a very common thing.
Personally I will probably avoid them altogether and go south of the river, but for dawdlers on boris bikes I can see it as a good thing, and worried types who think its too dangerous now.
But all-in-all I'm a fan, I commute 2-3 times a week southbound in the evening and I since New Year, I've always been able to ride from White Lion Hill to Westminster Bridge without stopping. Northbound in the mornings, it won't be so convenient as I'll need to cross over, but I'll give it a go. Nowadays I'm more interested in safety than speed, so I think it's a general positive from me.
Didnt seem particularly frosty in Warwickshire this morning and seemed about the same temp as yesterday with the usual wet surface but must have hit some black ice on a sharp left as I immediately went down after taking it at the same speed I did the day before. A friend in my club apparently was also on hiss ass this morning so some pretty dodgy roads around here eventhough it doesnt look particularly icy..
So many morons about on my commute home this evening, had 3 people walk directly into my path in the space of 5 minutes. The first one I didn't see as wasn't paying attention so just yelped and brushed them, the next one started giving it when I told them to get out of the road then a minute later some female started running straight at me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mt2BaRUs6DM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mt2BaRUs6DM
untakenname said:
So many morons about on my commute home this evening, had 3 people walk directly into my path in the space of 5 minutes. The first one I didn't see as wasn't paying attention so just yelped and brushed them, the next one started giving it when I told them to get out of the road then a minute later some female started running straight at me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mt2BaRUs6DM
NSFW due to some swearing, not that I blame you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mt2BaRUs6DM
I've got a lovely smug glow this morning. The whole of Manchester was totally gridlocked last night, circa 10 mile radius of the city centre, primarily due to a perfect storm of issues - jobs fair at Manchester Airport gridlocked the M56, City were playing at home and the M62 was shut due to a bad crash. There are numerous colleagues who took over well over 2 hours to get home, on commutes that normaly take less than 30 mins.
It took me my standard 35 mins on the bike, same as the day before.
It took me my standard 35 mins on the bike, same as the day before.
ruddy nightmare last night, worked late till 8pm, set off on rural lanes home, hit a pot hole on a pitch black lane at 30mph.....burst inner tube
Would be the rear wheel on the worst ever bike to fix...bloody single speed. Had to use a spanner to take off wheel, another spanner to take off chain tensioner, another spanner to loosen brake, then take chain off, then finally get to the wheel....All in the pitch black
Taken my time...thinking at least its not raining...then it starts raining, get wheel fixed, then pump doesn't work great. Finally put wheel back on , line up wheel and tension chain, then dismantle rear brake to get wheel on.
Talk about pita, now noticed there is play in wheel and wheel is buckled so will have to fix that at weekend! Only just had the bike serviced and the rear wheel trued!
Would be the rear wheel on the worst ever bike to fix...bloody single speed. Had to use a spanner to take off wheel, another spanner to take off chain tensioner, another spanner to loosen brake, then take chain off, then finally get to the wheel....All in the pitch black
Taken my time...thinking at least its not raining...then it starts raining, get wheel fixed, then pump doesn't work great. Finally put wheel back on , line up wheel and tension chain, then dismantle rear brake to get wheel on.
Talk about pita, now noticed there is play in wheel and wheel is buckled so will have to fix that at weekend! Only just had the bike serviced and the rear wheel trued!
Laurel Green said:
untakenname said:
So many morons about on my commute home this evening, had 3 people walk directly into my path in the space of 5 minutes. The first one I didn't see as wasn't paying attention so just yelped and brushed them, the next one started giving it when I told them to get out of the road then a minute later some female started running straight at me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mt2BaRUs6DM
NSFW due to some swearing, not that I blame you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mt2BaRUs6DM
Gorgeous ride in this morning but bitterly cold (garmin had -2.1 degrees at one point and never went above 0!) but I had my winter leggings on winter long sleeve jersey, reflective Gilet, arctic overshoes, thick gloves and a windproof skull cap so I didn't feel too bad.
Pitch black when I left but going over the top of portsdown hill this morning with clear blue skies and the sun rising was absolutely wonderful!
Does anyone else find they're generally slower when the weather is cold and dark? I wasn't exactly pushing but was only a 15.5 average this morning! But I was a bit careful going round corners or roundabouts!
Some very dark lanes I cycle on and have a 1200 lumens exposure race front light on my handlebars, a 600 lumen light mounted to my helmet so I lit the roads up well when I wanted
E65Ross said:
Pitch black when I left but going over the top of portsdown hill this morning with clear blue skies and the sun rising was absolutely wonderful!
That's a good climb in the morning. I used to drive up the single track past the Nelson monument in the morning and occasionally see cyclists plodding their way up, looked like hard work on a morning commute Rained all the way to work this morning, looks like it'll rain all the way home too.
E65Ross said:
Does anyone else find they're generally slower when the weather is cold and dark? I wasn't exactly pushing but was only a 15.5 average this morning! But I was a bit careful going round corners or roundabouts!
Having only started commuting in October, the vast majority of my rides have been in the dark but I quite like it to be honest. I do find that I am much more up for the ride in the morning rather than at night and I don't eat before my morning ride. Does anyone else have that? Gassing Station | Pedal Powered | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff