Back on the saddle...
Discussion
Last night wasn't much fun. There was hardly any wind but it felt like I was towing a caravan. Sure enough I got to work on time but my front tyre was 30PSI and my back tyre was 35PSI. Those tubes are close to two years old now but I suspect foul play. 
The ride in wasn't all that bad. If anything it reminded me of my old bike. Only a couple of idiots and the bus I used to draft into town now runs ten minutes earlier (due to a timetable change) and I panicked a little when it passed me a good few miles from usual spot.
The ride home was weird. I was hot but my feet and hands were cold. The wind had picked up and if it wasn't for that I'm sure it would have been a wall of fog as the air was so humid. A few degrees above freezing but ice had formed on my spokes, cables and lights by the time I was in my village. It was light enough for the Cows to stare at me, a rather welcome intrusion as it means it'll soon be Spring.
The ride in wasn't all that bad. If anything it reminded me of my old bike. Only a couple of idiots and the bus I used to draft into town now runs ten minutes earlier (due to a timetable change) and I panicked a little when it passed me a good few miles from usual spot.
The ride home was weird. I was hot but my feet and hands were cold. The wind had picked up and if it wasn't for that I'm sure it would have been a wall of fog as the air was so humid. A few degrees above freezing but ice had formed on my spokes, cables and lights by the time I was in my village. It was light enough for the Cows to stare at me, a rather welcome intrusion as it means it'll soon be Spring.
I had a decision to make this morning thanks to a local drug runner crashing into a listed building.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-31522...
1/ Go home, get changed and drive to work.
2/ Go back two miles and go an extra two miles round.
3/ Take the slightly longer route via the road I was attacked on last thread (nothing ever came of it even though I described all the vehicles involved, make, model, colour, number plates etc; and the address the vehicles were based it was my word against fifteen of them. It will be dealt with as soon as they least expect it).
The alternative route isn't a bus route so it wasn't gritted. Clear patches were dry but bumpy; sheltered areas were sheet ice. So I used the dry and open lines as much as possible and knocked my speed down where unavoidable. I was six minutes late.
The wind picked up during the day so I was looking forward to the ride home. Sure enough it dropped when the Sun set so I had neutral wind again.
Tomorrow looks like it's going to be fun. Dry strong breeze in the morning and monsoon in the evening.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-31522...
1/ Go home, get changed and drive to work.
2/ Go back two miles and go an extra two miles round.
3/ Take the slightly longer route via the road I was attacked on last thread (nothing ever came of it even though I described all the vehicles involved, make, model, colour, number plates etc; and the address the vehicles were based it was my word against fifteen of them. It will be dealt with as soon as they least expect it).
The alternative route isn't a bus route so it wasn't gritted. Clear patches were dry but bumpy; sheltered areas were sheet ice. So I used the dry and open lines as much as possible and knocked my speed down where unavoidable. I was six minutes late.
The wind picked up during the day so I was looking forward to the ride home. Sure enough it dropped when the Sun set so I had neutral wind again.
Tomorrow looks like it's going to be fun. Dry strong breeze in the morning and monsoon in the evening.
Friday I overslept and drove in.
Saturday I bought some new tyres but don't ride at the weekends due to austerity measures the roads are simply not safe.
Sunday fitted my new tyres in time for a monsoon.
Today. Hmmmm. I might cycle in depending how much work I get done on my Panda.
I mentioned before that I have been keeping count of the number of safe or silly over takers. Tonight I'll tabulate those results and see if my theory about Tuesday being the most dangerous day of the week stands in rural Norfolk.
Saturday I bought some new tyres but don't ride at the weekends due to austerity measures the roads are simply not safe.
Sunday fitted my new tyres in time for a monsoon.
Today. Hmmmm. I might cycle in depending how much work I get done on my Panda.
I mentioned before that I have been keeping count of the number of safe or silly over takers. Tonight I'll tabulate those results and see if my theory about Tuesday being the most dangerous day of the week stands in rural Norfolk.
This morning was pleasant, quiet -2'C, little wind and apart from my new tyres dragging a little on the front mudguard it was all fine.
Continental CityRIDE. Not bad at all. Reflective walls, wider, rounder, nice directional tread and a good lean angle. It's a sham I can't chuck the bike about as much as my old one. I gave it a go and the lack of suspension meant the bike would shake loose. Nice confidence builder but still a million times better than the old ones.
My journey home was a typical Friday "90% of the drivers should be locked up for attempted murder" ride home but I made good time.
Very good time.
Thirty six minutes and ten seconds!!!
So what? I'm supposed to be aiming for a sub-thirty four time; right?
I spent at least two minutes sat at traffic lights, with another few seconds braking for the red and taking off at green and it would have been a thirty four fifty-something.
Just need a green light day and either terrible drivers to motivate me negatively or be a good mood to break my barrier.
Continental CityRIDE. Not bad at all. Reflective walls, wider, rounder, nice directional tread and a good lean angle. It's a sham I can't chuck the bike about as much as my old one. I gave it a go and the lack of suspension meant the bike would shake loose. Nice confidence builder but still a million times better than the old ones.
My journey home was a typical Friday "90% of the drivers should be locked up for attempted murder" ride home but I made good time.
Very good time.
Thirty six minutes and ten seconds!!!
So what? I'm supposed to be aiming for a sub-thirty four time; right?
I spent at least two minutes sat at traffic lights, with another few seconds braking for the red and taking off at green and it would have been a thirty four fifty-something.
Just need a green light day and either terrible drivers to motivate me negatively or be a good mood to break my barrier.
This morning I was woken up by the wind at half four. Sure enough it was a blastard headwind all the way and I was knackered most of the day.
The ride home was a very impressive 34.30
Part tail wind and part motivated by the monsoon that was minutes behind me. I got flashed by all three 30mph warning signs.
A little late with the update as after a nice long hot shower I sat with a well deserved Becks Blue (I've given up alcohol for Lent) and nodded off.
Oh well, same again tomorrow.
The ride home was a very impressive 34.30
Part tail wind and part motivated by the monsoon that was minutes behind me. I got flashed by all three 30mph warning signs.
A little late with the update as after a nice long hot shower I sat with a well deserved Becks Blue (I've given up alcohol for Lent) and nodded off.
Oh well, same again tomorrow.
Head wind in, tail wind home.
So it's time for the top three pillocks of the week.
3/ PoB tonight, dark grey hoodie, black trousers, no lights, barely inflated tyres, wobbling about on the road at about six miles per hour. I breezed past and as I waited at a red traffic light he pootles up, and mounts the path to jump the light.
2/ De-badged 04-reg BMW three series in black with blacked out rear windows. I looked over my shoulder as I approached the end of a road and Mr BMW was a hundred yards behind me. I signaled and moved over to the right. Fifteen yards before the junction line and with a car turning into the road Mr BMW decided to overtake and I had to stop so's to avoid a collision with Mr BMW so he could avoid a head on with the car that turned in. Best of all as I had stopped in the middle of the road a white employment agency minibus blasts his horn for holding him up a few seconds.
1/ Temporary lights in one of the villages I ride through. I was waiting at the red and noticed a bus and few cars were behind me. So instead of holding them up through the works I moved over to the left and waved them through when the light changed to the green. I was a few yards behind the last car when we reached the end of the traffic control zone. I could see the amber light reflected in the windscreen of the car waiting. That driver took off and would have hit me head on if it wasn't for his passenger grabbing the wheel. Drivers window open and a barrage of abuse for holding the world up. I pointed out the light wasn't green when he launched it and pointed to the camera on my handlebars. Wheel spin away and held first and second on the limiter as he drove away.
My camera is completely knackered but he didn't know that.
So it's time for the top three pillocks of the week.
3/ PoB tonight, dark grey hoodie, black trousers, no lights, barely inflated tyres, wobbling about on the road at about six miles per hour. I breezed past and as I waited at a red traffic light he pootles up, and mounts the path to jump the light.
2/ De-badged 04-reg BMW three series in black with blacked out rear windows. I looked over my shoulder as I approached the end of a road and Mr BMW was a hundred yards behind me. I signaled and moved over to the right. Fifteen yards before the junction line and with a car turning into the road Mr BMW decided to overtake and I had to stop so's to avoid a collision with Mr BMW so he could avoid a head on with the car that turned in.
Best of all as I had stopped in the middle of the road a white employment agency minibus blasts his horn for holding him up a few seconds. 1/ Temporary lights in one of the villages I ride through. I was waiting at the red and noticed a bus and few cars were behind me. So instead of holding them up through the works I moved over to the left and waved them through when the light changed to the green. I was a few yards behind the last car when we reached the end of the traffic control zone. I could see the amber light reflected in the windscreen of the car waiting. That driver took off and would have hit me head on if it wasn't for his passenger grabbing the wheel. Drivers window open and a barrage of abuse for holding the world up. I pointed out the light wasn't green when he launched it and pointed to the camera on my handlebars. Wheel spin away and held first and second on the limiter as he drove away.
My camera is completely knackered but he didn't know that.
festive cheer said:
Riding in broad daylight.
I can see where I want to go.
Riding in broad daylight.
No mystery;
just the open road.
I won't be needing by big bike light for my night shifts from now on. I can see where I want to go.
Riding in broad daylight.
No mystery;
just the open road.
Trouble is I can see the cavernous potholes and I annoyed a few drivers yesterday avoiding them. That's one of the reasons why you need to give cyclists six feet when you overtake.
Edited by Liquid Knight on Tuesday 3rd March 13:32
Yesterday evening on my way into work I was nearly hit by an overtaking Audi on Lynn Road, Wisbech. Obviously that driver hasn't seen the Penis Experiment clip or has and needs one of those vacuum pump things.
Anyway I lift my right hand off my bars to give a hand gesture not part of the Highway Code when I am overtaken again by someone with blue lights on the roof.
Mr Audi is pulled over in the next lay by and the passenger of the Police car flags me down.
It would have been a conversation if he kept his gob shut.
On my way in to work...
...and on my way home this morning...
...I took a moment to appreciate calm before the storm.
Anyway I lift my right hand off my bars to give a hand gesture not part of the Highway Code when I am overtaken again by someone with blue lights on the roof.
Mr Audi is pulled over in the next lay by and the passenger of the Police car flags me down.
Norfolk's Finest said:
Did he hit you sir?
Me said:
No, but it was bloody close though.
Norfolk's Finest said:
As he didn't hit you we'll give him a warning this time if that's okay with you?
Me said:
Brilliant! Thank you officer.
A couple of hours later I found out via a colleague Mr Audi gave the Police attitude so they ended up giving him three points and a hundred Pound fine for SP50 as he was doing over sixty when they played back the video of the overtake. It would have been a conversation if he kept his gob shut.
On my way in to work...
...and on my way home this morning...
...I took a moment to appreciate calm before the storm.
I had a funny dream today. I was knocked of my bike and paralysed from the waist down so I donated my legs to Help for Heros so someone who'd had his legs blown off could have mine before they went into atrophy. I don't know if it's medically possible but still a pretty nice idea.
Right off to work again.
Right off to work again.
I slowed to have a chat with a PoB on the way into work so I had to make up a little time. Along the thirty stretch just before a set of traffic lights I turn right as I was being followed by a Land Rover Discovery, keeping a safe distance so I gave an early signal to go on the right hand side of the road. The lights went red so we both stopped at the line. I gestured for the driver to open his window and thanked him for not trying to overtake.
As it's Friday for me I took it easy coming home and watched the sunrise over fields of lamb heavy looking sheep and recently released cows. That would have been a blur if I were driving.
Disco' Driver said:
I couldn't you were doing thirty two.
As it's Friday for me I took it easy coming home and watched the sunrise over fields of lamb heavy looking sheep and recently released cows. That would have been a blur if I were driving.
So between avoiding twilight drivers, fog this week and smashing my foot as I slipped in the shower I haven't moved my bike for a fortnight. I have just bought a Renault Megane Scenic, horrible hateful pile of plastic but I can get my bike in the back and ride somewhere nice instead of limiting myself to my commute. The idea of driving somewhere so I can ride is a little contradictory but the principal is sound.
I'm taking this whole wearing orange thing too seriously. Sports Direct had another sale. Orange shoes (not clippy ones, Orange Muddy Fox jacket; should have been £105, spent £28
Today I was back in the saddle after the whole toe issue and a minor operation on my back. Doctors orders were six weeks so two and a bit was more than enough.
This morning was -2'C little wind and humid. Tonight was 13'C, three quarter and tail wind.
Twilighters as usual. When I left at 05:40 everyone had their headlights on, by 05:50 half and by 06:00 hardly any. It was still dark enough for me to see my light on the road at the low setting so it was dark enough for everyone else.
A bit of a diversion due to a house fire closing the street apart from that an uneventful thirty eight minute cruise.
Today I was back in the saddle after the whole toe issue and a minor operation on my back. Doctors orders were six weeks so two and a bit was more than enough.
This morning was -2'C little wind and humid. Tonight was 13'C, three quarter and tail wind.
Twilighters as usual. When I left at 05:40 everyone had their headlights on, by 05:50 half and by 06:00 hardly any. It was still dark enough for me to see my light on the road at the low setting so it was dark enough for everyone else.
A bit of a diversion due to a house fire closing the street apart from that an uneventful thirty eight minute cruise.
Liquid Knight said:
I had a decision to make this morning thanks to a local drug runner crashing into a listed building.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-31522...
)
Which bit I wonder is over 400 years, doesn't look that old.http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-31522...
)
So Doctors orders prevailed. I cycled to work last night and it was odd.
22'C there the usual 3/4 headwind. Warm enough to leave my mask and jacket at home. This morning was 2'C and now I feel rough as heck.
Yesterday was transition day so I was up at 07:45 to take my nephew to school, worked on my car, went to work, got home at 07:10, waited about a bit and did the school run again so I got back to bed twenty five hours after I left it. Three hours later I was wide awake again. so I'll be driving in tonight.
A couple of nice unhurried sub-forty minute runs but I haven't explained what was odd about it yet. On the way in I was overtaken and cut up a little bit by an Audi A4. I didn't think anything of it to be fair and carried on. The Audi driver stopped at a shop about a mile further down the road, flagged me down and was very apologetic for the maneuver.
As I approached a roundabout a learner driver kept her distance behind me. I entered the roundabout and a red Citroen Berlingo locked up to avoid hitting me and nearly hit the learner. Normal order was resumed from that point. The usual poor overtaking, cutting up and people pulling out of junctions. I did have fun in the thirty zone, marking time behind a car when the one behind me decided to overtake (I was in a cycle lane) and nearly hit the back of the car in front. I filtered past them at the lights.
22'C there the usual 3/4 headwind. Warm enough to leave my mask and jacket at home. This morning was 2'C and now I feel rough as heck.
Yesterday was transition day so I was up at 07:45 to take my nephew to school, worked on my car, went to work, got home at 07:10, waited about a bit and did the school run again so I got back to bed twenty five hours after I left it. Three hours later I was wide awake again. so I'll be driving in tonight.
A couple of nice unhurried sub-forty minute runs but I haven't explained what was odd about it yet. On the way in I was overtaken and cut up a little bit by an Audi A4. I didn't think anything of it to be fair and carried on. The Audi driver stopped at a shop about a mile further down the road, flagged me down and was very apologetic for the maneuver.
Audi Driver said:
Sorry mate. I didn't mean to do that. I underestimated how fast you were going.
As I approached a roundabout a learner driver kept her distance behind me. I entered the roundabout and a red Citroen Berlingo locked up to avoid hitting me and nearly hit the learner. Normal order was resumed from that point. The usual poor overtaking, cutting up and people pulling out of junctions. I did have fun in the thirty zone, marking time behind a car when the one behind me decided to overtake (I was in a cycle lane) and nearly hit the back of the car in front. I filtered past them at the lights.
So I ventured out again on Friday.
Two issues, everyone was so self-absorbed looking forward to the long weekend they completely forgot how to drive. The other the bus that usually passes me with a mile to go overtook at the three mile stage.
I got my head down to make up what I thought was lost time but arrived twenty minutes early for work completely f
ked.
So I overdid it and had cold/flu symptoms for the next couple of days.
I'll give it another try this week.
It's almost been a year since I got the new bike and I have hardly used it.
Two issues, everyone was so self-absorbed looking forward to the long weekend they completely forgot how to drive. The other the bus that usually passes me with a mile to go overtook at the three mile stage.
I got my head down to make up what I thought was lost time but arrived twenty minutes early for work completely fked. So I overdid it and had cold/flu symptoms for the next couple of days.
I'll give it another try this week.
It's almost been a year since I got the new bike and I have hardly used it.
Which is better???
RST M7-T or Suntour Swingshock forks?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Suntour-Swingshock-700c-...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RST-700c-Road-Bike-Bicyc...
I need to make my bike a little more pothole friendly.
RST M7-T or Suntour Swingshock forks?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Suntour-Swingshock-700c-...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RST-700c-Road-Bike-Bicyc...
I need to make my bike a little more pothole friendly.
That was annoyingly relaxing. I need to start again from almost scratch and thought Sunday would be a perfect day to start. Little traffic, the weather was nice and I could take it nice and easy 40-60%
Nope as soon as I got on my bike the headwind picked up to near bloody gale force. 90-100% effort for forty six minutes. It's okay I thought I'll have a strong tail wind going home and give it the beans.
Nope; the wind dropped just after dawn.
Today's forecast is for blustery showers there, so breezy headwind and driving rain and gusting 70mph tail wind home with more rain.
Fun.
Nope as soon as I got on my bike the headwind picked up to near bloody gale force. 90-100% effort for forty six minutes. It's okay I thought I'll have a strong tail wind going home and give it the beans.
Nope; the wind dropped just after dawn.
Today's forecast is for blustery showers there, so breezy headwind and driving rain and gusting 70mph tail wind home with more rain.
Fun.
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