And today's commuting highlight is...
Discussion
CoolHands said:
Damn the roads are cold and slippy. Span the back wheel off a roundabout this morning. Locked up the front when braking hard this evening as I emergency stopped for a red light at Hanger Lane.
Those pesky red lights, coming out of nowhere like that! 
I went for a run tonight and found it slippery up/down hill.
E36GUY said:
Pothole said:
Not too cold on my 20 miles this morning...I'm loving my heated grips. I'd also recommend RST Pro Series kit if my new jacket is anything to go by - first really cold test this morning and toasty with just a long sleeved T and polo shirt underneath.
Question: why are 7-8am commuters so much worse at moving over to let me filter than my usual 6-7am bunch? Jealous, unhelpful lot!
I have that jacket and trousers. First jacket let in water, exchanged. Second one is now falling apart. Stitching on right cuff coming away and the yellow lining has become detached in the shoulders. Not desperately impressed since I only bought them in March. About to go in to the shop hopefully to be replaced as they have a three year warranty. Question: why are 7-8am commuters so much worse at moving over to let me filter than my usual 6-7am bunch? Jealous, unhelpful lot!
Agree nice and warm though and I'd be interested to hear how you get on over time with yours.....
Warmth wise it has been great, only minor compliant is that the collar could be higher and more fitted.
3DP said:
-5 this morning and the leaking watermain on my road turned to a sheet of ice. Crawling 200 yards at 10mph losing the front and rear whilst freezing my tits off at 6.15am was no fun 
Seen a fresh burst water main each day this week. Had no problem with frozen water but the lights at each of these new roadworks seems to take ages to change. Not the best weather to be hanging around. Generally road conditions haven't been too bad, no slides or locks as yet
That was nippy, but enjoyable.
d
head of the morning award goes to the bloke on the red R1 who filtered to the front, popped his hands on the engine to warm them and missed the light change. Thankfully I was tucked in next to the and kerb so didn't hold up anyon else.
Almost skittled a daft bunch of pedestrians who decided to wonder straight across the road at Kilburn after hopping off the bus.
Only gripe was sore finger tips, however ordered some heated grips last night.
d
head of the morning award goes to the bloke on the red R1 who filtered to the front, popped his hands on the engine to warm them and missed the light change. Thankfully I was tucked in next to the and kerb so didn't hold up anyon else.Almost skittled a daft bunch of pedestrians who decided to wonder straight across the road at Kilburn after hopping off the bus.
Only gripe was sore finger tips, however ordered some heated grips last night.
On Reddit they have a thing called TIL: Today I Learnt.
So.
TIL: If you wash your bike on a Sunday afternoon in winter, on Monday morning everything will be frozen up. That includes the ignition lock, the top box lock, the indicator switch, and oh-so-ironically, the switches for the heated grips and seats. That made me very late, not just because I had to defrost everything, but also because it meant that I put my topbox & lock keys down in a different place while I got togged up, and went out without them. And I keep my clean shirt and my lock in the topbox. Which meant I had to turn round and go and get them. Which I couldn’t do until I reached the next motorway exit. Which was 12 miles further up the road. Then another 12 miles home again. Then another 12 miles back to where I had already got to. Gotta love Mondays.
My mood lifted slightly as I approached the Blackwall. Pannier Prat on a Bandit in front of me (although to be fair, he wasn’t much worried about whether his panniers, which were wider than his bars, fitted any gaps or not. He must have clattered quite a few car wings). Anyway, as I followed him, I noticed that he had one of those triangular aftermarket exhausts. You know, the ones which are triangular so that you have a bit more ground clearance when cornering hard. Only trouble is, if you twist it through about 60 degrees when you fit it, the slopey side is next to the wheel and you have a large flat slab side facing the ground when you corner, removing all traces of triangular clearance benefit. Made me chuckle, which was quite an achievement given how cr@p the morning had been up til then.
So.
TIL: If you wash your bike on a Sunday afternoon in winter, on Monday morning everything will be frozen up. That includes the ignition lock, the top box lock, the indicator switch, and oh-so-ironically, the switches for the heated grips and seats. That made me very late, not just because I had to defrost everything, but also because it meant that I put my topbox & lock keys down in a different place while I got togged up, and went out without them. And I keep my clean shirt and my lock in the topbox. Which meant I had to turn round and go and get them. Which I couldn’t do until I reached the next motorway exit. Which was 12 miles further up the road. Then another 12 miles home again. Then another 12 miles back to where I had already got to. Gotta love Mondays.
My mood lifted slightly as I approached the Blackwall. Pannier Prat on a Bandit in front of me (although to be fair, he wasn’t much worried about whether his panniers, which were wider than his bars, fitted any gaps or not. He must have clattered quite a few car wings). Anyway, as I followed him, I noticed that he had one of those triangular aftermarket exhausts. You know, the ones which are triangular so that you have a bit more ground clearance when cornering hard. Only trouble is, if you twist it through about 60 degrees when you fit it, the slopey side is next to the wheel and you have a large flat slab side facing the ground when you corner, removing all traces of triangular clearance benefit. Made me chuckle, which was quite an achievement given how cr@p the morning had been up til then.
Frustrated with cold fingers! Decided the traffic is now so bad that I'll keep commuting on the bike through winter (instead of switching to the car or the train) I finally conceded that electricity can be a good thing, so I invested (mucho sponduliks) in some heated gloves of the Oxford variety. Arrived last week and fitted them over the weekend. Everything was fine until I started the engine, then they cut out. Couldn't find anything on the interwebnet-thing so contacted them today (retailer and manufacturer) for some advice... turns out they have a batch which are faulty and need a voltage regulator to fix the problem. They're going to send me one, just in time for the warmer weather! Thanks!!
Strangely quite a hassle free commute - there really are only a handful of bikers/scooterists about just after 8am now.
The only part of my commute I'm really wary on is the Limehouse link tunnel, I just don't get the lane jockying the drivers do since both lanes are solidly queued - I think its those playing with their phones not keeping up with the car in front which creates the gaps the other drivers decide makes that lane better. Additionally there seem to be far too many drivers that don't or can't position their cars in their lane i.e. white line hoggers
I think what also improved my commute is that I'm using my new Gerbing XRS12 heated gloves this week having finally got new AGM battery and power lead fitted to my Speed Triple. Its now starting with far less effort, additionally I up speced the battery to give it a bit more spare capacity for powering phones/satnavs/gloves etc.
The gloves are great and work really well round town currently just on min 25% setting. Some of the power cords could be longer and its seemingly impossible so far to get the power/temp controller button to press whilst wearing the gloves. Currently perfecting getting kitted up given this. So I need to investigate some spare longer cables which may aid repositioning the controller too.
Finally warm hands and also spotted someone else using them this morning at tower bridge lights too
The only part of my commute I'm really wary on is the Limehouse link tunnel, I just don't get the lane jockying the drivers do since both lanes are solidly queued - I think its those playing with their phones not keeping up with the car in front which creates the gaps the other drivers decide makes that lane better. Additionally there seem to be far too many drivers that don't or can't position their cars in their lane i.e. white line hoggers
I think what also improved my commute is that I'm using my new Gerbing XRS12 heated gloves this week having finally got new AGM battery and power lead fitted to my Speed Triple. Its now starting with far less effort, additionally I up speced the battery to give it a bit more spare capacity for powering phones/satnavs/gloves etc.
The gloves are great and work really well round town currently just on min 25% setting. Some of the power cords could be longer and its seemingly impossible so far to get the power/temp controller button to press whilst wearing the gloves. Currently perfecting getting kitted up given this. So I need to investigate some spare longer cables which may aid repositioning the controller too.
Finally warm hands and also spotted someone else using them this morning at tower bridge lights too
Today's commute was on the trian
Courtesy bike has gone back now, Insurance for the write-off has been cancelled (it wouldn't pass an MOT with bent forks despite riding) and they cancelled my Mod1 at Erith yesterday owing to the Ice/frost meaning my Mod2 afterwards was buggered too!
Now stuck on the train until the re-booked test on 19th - only issue is it's now in Gillinham....
Courtesy bike has gone back now, Insurance for the write-off has been cancelled (it wouldn't pass an MOT with bent forks despite riding) and they cancelled my Mod1 at Erith yesterday owing to the Ice/frost meaning my Mod2 afterwards was buggered too!
Now stuck on the train until the re-booked test on 19th - only issue is it's now in Gillinham....
st commute this morning. Another driver had managed to stack it in a straight line so miles of traffic and my fingers were bloody freezing.
Tried to fit some R@G heated grips over the weekend and they were lukewarm at best. Couldn't even feel them with gloves on so took them back off. Going to try with some oxford ones next.
t commute this morning. Another driver had managed to stack it in a straight line so miles of traffic and my fingers were bloody freezing. Tried to fit some R@G heated grips over the weekend and they were lukewarm at best. Couldn't even feel them with gloves on so took them back off. Going to try with some oxford ones next.
I chickened out & took the car due to very thick fog this morning. Some total nob wker driving a builder's Transit van, colour grey, decided to drive round the roundabout in front of me & then proceed a couple of miles up the road in front of me with no lights!! I flashed him multiple times, so did everyone coming the opposite direction, but only when they were nearly past him as almost impossible to make out the 'stealth' van. He didn't notice & carried on: narrow country road with thick woodland & overhanging trees on each side. What a wker 
ker driving a builder's Transit van, colour grey, decided to drive round the roundabout in front of me & then proceed a couple of miles up the road in front of me with no lights!! I flashed him multiple times, so did everyone coming the opposite direction, but only when they were nearly past him as almost impossible to make out the 'stealth' van. He didn't notice & carried on: narrow country road with thick woodland & overhanging trees on each side. What a wker Gassing Station | Biker Banter | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff