The daily "I cycled to work" thread
Discussion
Had to turn back today and drive in.
Replaced my chain the day before, my original chain was a full 4 cm longer!
Anyway, I've clearly worn my cassette out as the new chain was slipping like mad every time i came to a hill, so much so the bike wasn't really rideable.
New cassette ordered and I've decided to change ratios while I'm at it.
Out goes the 12-26T and in comes the 11-28T. Should make some of the steeper climbs a little bit easier.
Replaced my chain the day before, my original chain was a full 4 cm longer!
Anyway, I've clearly worn my cassette out as the new chain was slipping like mad every time i came to a hill, so much so the bike wasn't really rideable.
New cassette ordered and I've decided to change ratios while I'm at it.
Out goes the 12-26T and in comes the 11-28T. Should make some of the steeper climbs a little bit easier.
I've just started riding to work again after a few years out of the saddle. After three weeks or so I've bought a new bike (Kona Dew hybrid) and it's starting to get easier. However this morning after a lovely ride in I was forced off my bike by a t
t in a diesel Focus who overtook me whilst I was alongside a traffic island. I hadn't held him up at all, he just changed down as he got to me and went for it. I dived for the kerb when I realised what he was going to do and hit it whilst swearing loudly at him. fking close and completely unnecessary.
Spoilt my morning that did!
t in a diesel Focus who overtook me whilst I was alongside a traffic island. I hadn't held him up at all, he just changed down as he got to me and went for it. I dived for the kerb when I realised what he was going to do and hit it whilst swearing loudly at him. fking close and completely unnecessary.Spoilt my morning that did!
williredale said:
I've just started riding to work again after a few years out of the saddle. After three weeks or so I've bought a new bike (Kona Dew hybrid) and it's starting to get easier. However this morning after a lovely ride in I was forced off my bike by a tt in a diesel Focus who overtook me whilst I was alongside a traffic island. I hadn't held him up at all, he just changed down as he got to me and went for it. I dived for the kerb when I realised what he was going to do and hit it whilst swearing loudly at him. fking close and completely unnecessary.
Spoilt my morning that did!
glad you are ok, It happens a lot, I tend to be very defensive, look over my shoulder and drift to the right approaching traffic islands t in a diesel Focus who overtook me whilst I was alongside a traffic island. I hadn't held him up at all, he just changed down as he got to me and went for it. I dived for the kerb when I realised what he was going to do and hit it whilst swearing loudly at him. fking close and completely unnecessary.Spoilt my morning that did!
williredale said:
I've just started riding to work again after a few years out of the saddle. After three weeks or so I've bought a new bike (Kona Dew hybrid) and it's starting to get easier. However this morning after a lovely ride in I was forced off my bike by a tt in a diesel Focus who overtook me whilst I was alongside a traffic island. I hadn't held him up at all, he just changed down as he got to me and went for it. I dived for the kerb when I realised what he was going to do and hit it whilst swearing loudly at him. fking close and completely unnecessary.
Spoilt my morning that did!
Crazy Doris in an Audi TT tried to pull one on me today in Guildford. I was in a bus lane, taking the lane as I was positioning to move to my right for the next junction, and there was a solid white line against her moving left. t in a diesel Focus who overtook me whilst I was alongside a traffic island. I hadn't held him up at all, he just changed down as he got to me and went for it. I dived for the kerb when I realised what he was going to do and hit it whilst swearing loudly at him. fking close and completely unnecessary.Spoilt my morning that did!
She got level with me, then began to indicate left. I stayed where I was, relying on her a) having seen me, and b) her obeying the road markings and staying put until the white line became broken anyway (by which time she'd have been comfortably and safely ahead of me, too).
But no, she started to deliberately and quite forcefully shove her way across the solid line, and only stopped when I thumped the side of her silly car THREE TIMES!!!
Then she had the gall to throw her hands in the air and get all snarky with me. I pulled over to the left to let her pass and to calm down, but she didn't stop to discuss things so I assume she's quite happy with the (sub)standard of her driving, and me having to punch her car to avoid a bone crunching collision. Scary, as there have been a couple of fatalities on that bit of road quite recently, and I had no escape route due to 'pedestrian safety' railings. Stupid stripey-jumpered old Doris!
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.2367959,-0.57709...
It's not showing as a bus lane in this GoogleMaps image, but rest assured, it is 'on the ground'.
Devil2575 said:
Had to turn back today and drive in.
Replaced my chain the day before, my original chain was a full 4 cm longer!
Anyway, I've clearly worn my cassette out as the new chain was slipping like mad every time i came to a hill, so much so the bike wasn't really rideable.
New cassette ordered and I've decided to change ratios while I'm at it.
Out goes the 12-26T and in comes the 11-28T. Should make some of the steeper climbs a little bit easier.
Hope you get away with just the cassette.Replaced my chain the day before, my original chain was a full 4 cm longer!
Anyway, I've clearly worn my cassette out as the new chain was slipping like mad every time i came to a hill, so much so the bike wasn't really rideable.
New cassette ordered and I've decided to change ratios while I'm at it.
Out goes the 12-26T and in comes the 11-28T. Should make some of the steeper climbs a little bit easier.
Never compared length when I swapped - but went out on Saturday to buy the cassette as well. Fitted Sunday. Removed it all and packed it away neatly as I need the rings as well - at an extra £100 +
So the old metal is back on after cleaning and applying fresh dry lube (in anticipation of good weather). The old metal will be ridden to its death - Thick end of £200 for 4000 miles - ouch (but my fault I never checked the chain earlier - not used to such a wear rate).
Hope for some good end of season prices to pick up some cheaper rings for fitting only when necessary.`
Was a bit late and had to confront an annoying east wind which slowed me down a bit. Got in, skipped the shower in order to make my first two meetings and felt really manky. I'd also lost my comb so was looking like Worzel Gummidge.
Quick trip to Boots and mid-morning shower and I'm back to normal.
Quick trip to Boots and mid-morning shower and I'm back to normal.
After a bit of a mishap on Friday where my Crank arm sheared off due to Evans recommending me a wrong BB converter with a 105 groupset, I have been commuting on my 1986 Batavus road bike.
Two good things have come from this ordeal. Evans are fixing the issues FoC and My retro racer is now promoted from sitting in the garage to daily commuter. There is something about down tube shifters that make the commute more fun. The gearing ratios are certainly different too. 52/42 on the front and 11/21 on the back (I think). Thank goodness there are no massive hills on the route home!
Two good things have come from this ordeal. Evans are fixing the issues FoC and My retro racer is now promoted from sitting in the garage to daily commuter. There is something about down tube shifters that make the commute more fun. The gearing ratios are certainly different too. 52/42 on the front and 11/21 on the back (I think). Thank goodness there are no massive hills on the route home!
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