The daily "I cycled to work" thread
Discussion
Very wet this morning. I actually wore my MTB shoes yesterday, as it was getting too warm for the Northwave Artics. Heaving it down this moring, so back to the toasty and very water resistant Northwaves.
It was dry in London, so waterproof jacket meant I was was too warm. At least its Friday though and according to my stats I'm up to 38 miles on the Brompton for April and £50.60 saved
It was dry in London, so waterproof jacket meant I was was too warm. At least its Friday though and according to my stats I'm up to 38 miles on the Brompton for April and £50.60 saved
bakerstreet said:
Very wet this morning. I actually wore my MTB shoes yesterday, as it was getting too warm for the Northwave Artics. Heaving it down this moring, so back to the toasty and very water resistant Northwaves.
It was dry in London, so waterproof jacket meant I was was too warm. At least its Friday though and according to my stats I'm up to 38 miles on the Brompton for April and £50.60 saved
First I have heard of them. I will be ordering a pair for next winter. I only have a 6/7mile commute (total!) but still feet get bloody cold, even with overshoes.It was dry in London, so waterproof jacket meant I was was too warm. At least its Friday though and according to my stats I'm up to 38 miles on the Brompton for April and £50.60 saved
Just back from a cycle. Got soaked.
Let down by a mate who was due to join me, so waited 10 mins, then got rained on for the last 10 mins of my ride.
Came in on the Brompton. Love that bike.After a week off the bike due to driving JQ Jnr's to holiday club it was good to be back on it today. A perfect morning for it. Even better when I got to work to the email that my new 105 brakes will be delivered to my office today. The generic Decathlon brakes on my bike are pretty shocking even with Swisssssstop pads, so looking forward to the upgrade.
I don't ride to work, as I'm not working at the moment.
But - loads of fun yesterday, in Greenwich Park, watching 'commuter racing' up the hill to the Observatory. Mental. My first time in that part of London in ages, and I didn't realise that there are quite a few tasty hills in London after all.
Generally speaking, though, how do those of you who ride in London manage to do it and stay sane. Between some of your fellow cyclists riding as if it's their first day on planet Earth, and a strong proportion of drivers who are seemingly out to kill you, it seems a stressful thing to be doing.
I watched one woman in an old BMW cabrio last night. She was leaving a side street ahead of me, turning left into solid traffic. Smartphone glued to her ear, no-one moving to let her in even if they wanted to. She appeared to wait, but then, just as a fast-moving cyclist got close on the nearside cycle path, she rolled forward causing him do brake hard to avoid going over the bonnet. He gave the universal "WTF?" shrug, and got a torrent of abuse in return. Once she broke into the traffic flow, she immediately signaled to turn right. And promptly did so against oncoming traffic. But the van approaching got on the horn and forced her to yield. Then she completed her turn anyway, nearly taking out two more cyclists, while leaning on the horn as if it were her absolute right to cross the path of traffic whilst turning right. All the while still on her blasted phone. The male passenger next to her made no attempt to persuade her to put the phone down either.
I'm not saying that I wouldn't commute by bike if I lived up there, but from an outsider's perspective it looks like a very stressful way to get about. Significantly faster than driving, but stressful nonetheless.
But - loads of fun yesterday, in Greenwich Park, watching 'commuter racing' up the hill to the Observatory. Mental. My first time in that part of London in ages, and I didn't realise that there are quite a few tasty hills in London after all.
Generally speaking, though, how do those of you who ride in London manage to do it and stay sane. Between some of your fellow cyclists riding as if it's their first day on planet Earth, and a strong proportion of drivers who are seemingly out to kill you, it seems a stressful thing to be doing.
I watched one woman in an old BMW cabrio last night. She was leaving a side street ahead of me, turning left into solid traffic. Smartphone glued to her ear, no-one moving to let her in even if they wanted to. She appeared to wait, but then, just as a fast-moving cyclist got close on the nearside cycle path, she rolled forward causing him do brake hard to avoid going over the bonnet. He gave the universal "WTF?" shrug, and got a torrent of abuse in return. Once she broke into the traffic flow, she immediately signaled to turn right. And promptly did so against oncoming traffic. But the van approaching got on the horn and forced her to yield. Then she completed her turn anyway, nearly taking out two more cyclists, while leaning on the horn as if it were her absolute right to cross the path of traffic whilst turning right. All the while still on her blasted phone. The male passenger next to her made no attempt to persuade her to put the phone down either.
I'm not saying that I wouldn't commute by bike if I lived up there, but from an outsider's perspective it looks like a very stressful way to get about. Significantly faster than driving, but stressful nonetheless.
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