And today's commuting highlight is...

[sjtscott]

creampuff said:

Neillox said:

Today’s highlight was bike cops in St. James (London) handing out free covers, offering security advice and asking what they can do to reduce bike crime. Suggested more ground anchors or posts, removal of chains left in the anchors rendering them useless, CCTV covering the bays, and predictably more cops roaming around looking for trouble and doing this kind of outreach.

Fifteen fking thousand or one in fking seven bikes stolen in London every year. Moped thugs openly riding around in balaclavas with no plates. And the police have to ask what should be done to reduce bike crime? What the actual fk?

We have a massive problem with the moped lot round my part of East London
One went walkies from our flat carpark overnight, I was awoken to the sound of a scooter and chain rattling but didn't think much to it as one guy who lives in the block is an all the hours deliveroo scooter rider, he always properly chains his scooter up. They'd cropped the chain of someone elses 125, and were riding off with it, nothing I could do, even calling it in a complete waste of time, they'd turn up to see nothing, scooter doing the pushing nicked and I couldn't get the plate. Bike taken did have the most pathetic security of all the bikes and he never used the cover just tucked it in the back wheel. This bike hadn't moved for a number of months, it had been clearly lined up and they came equipped accordingly.

[Dakkon]

So much for the kids off school, the M4 was as bad as ever this morning. Quite a few other bikers out which makes a change.

[sjtscott]

Dakkon said:

So much for the kids off school, the M4 was as bad as ever this morning. Quite a few other bikers out which makes a change.

Didn't notice any difference this morning other than traffic was more like a normal school day Friday i..e still busy but queues start that little bit closer to central london.

[SBDJ]

Dakkon said:

So much for the kids off school, the M4 was as bad as ever this morning. Quite a few other bikers out which makes a change.

Not all schools have broken up yet, both of my kids (at different schools) have their last day tomorrow. I was heading west on the M4 from Newbury around 8am and it was lovely and quiet

[dibblecorse]

Dakkon said:

So much for the kids off school, the M4 was as bad as ever this morning. Quite a few other bikers out which makes a change.

M4 was fine for me once I passed J6 .. was busy 8-9 to 6 but after that was good, usual bottle neck at M4/A4 lane squeeze and then really quiet all the way to Paddo ....

[airsafari87]

Pulling my helmet on only to find it was still a bit damp after yesterdays hot and sweaty ride out.

Clammy.

[itcaptainslow]

Anyone else thinking it's just too hot to ride at the moment? In this heat I feel my concentration going pretty damn quickly-I'm wearing some half decent warm weather kit too, a vented textile jacket (my Dainese leather one is good in warm weather too as it seems more "breathable") and bike jeans.

Any suggestions?

[Lee540]

itcaptainslow said:

Anyone else thinking it's just too hot to ride at the moment? In this heat I feel my concentration going pretty damn quickly-I'm wearing some half decent warm weather kit too, a vented textile jacket (my Dainese leather one is good in warm weather too as it seems more "breathable") and bike jeans.

Any suggestions?

I'm really enjoying the weather and the warm dry tarmac for such a long period..

Slow moving London commute it isn't pleasant to be melting inside my textile jacket either.. vented or not.. it is still a thick layer to be wearing.

[kiethton]

I'm probably young and stupid (but also fat compounding heat issues) but have taken to commuting in a light fashion jacket and chino's to manage the heat.

No protection beyond lid and gloves but I reason that I'm not travelling materially faster than I am on the push bike (20/30mph speed limits only) so am taking the risk and riding appropriately(ish).

[308mate]

itcaptainslow said:

Anyone else thinking it's just too hot to ride at the moment? In this heat I feel my concentration going pretty damn quickly-I'm wearing some half decent warm weather kit too, a vented textile jacket (my Dainese leather one is good in warm weather too as it seems more "breathable") and bike jeans.

Any suggestions?

stay hydrated
have a banana before you homeward journey,
if you have a full face helmet wear good sunglasses and leave the visor up
screen right down if its adjustable
at the traffic lights flick the bike off and flick it back on again just before green
stay hydrated

Think calmly and chill out. A lot of feeling hot is thinking "fk I'm hot".

Edited by 308mate on Monday 23 July 21:27

[supercommuter]

Full leathers for me. Not too bad until i hit london, then its pretty hot, jackets opened and gloves come off.

[Sea Demon]

I dived into the kids paddling pool with all my gear on when I got home yesterday (minus boots as I didn't want to put a hole in it) - left it all out last night and was dry this morning

[pessimal]

am in vented jacked and jeans.

praying that it dosent hose it down this afternoon!

Edited by pessimal on Tuesday 24th July 14:15

[sjtscott]

I'm in fully vented summer gloves, partially vented half main zip open leather jacket, standard jeans and my usual year round daytona boots. Shoei GT Air main visor up sun visor deployed - to maximise airflow. But then I'm just riding in London.
My gortex textiles are just way to warm even with all the zip close vents open

[CAPP0]

Seems to be a distinct lack of "school holidays = absent traffic" this week. If anything some points are worse. I am disappoint.

Also, bike down on Commercial Rd this morning Police and Ambulance in attendance, no sign of biker, police were picking up the bike (orange, ER6n-type thing I think). Hope you're ok chap/chapess.

[Sea Demon]

CAPP0 said:

Seems to be a distinct lack of "school holidays = absent traffic" this week. If anything some points are worse. I am disappoint.

Also, bike down on Commercial Rd this morning Police and Ambulance in attendance, no sign of biker, police were picking up the bike (orange, ER6n-type thing I think). Hope you're ok chap/chapess.

Round my way it seems that the councils decided to carry out its roadworks whilst the kids are off, cant win!

[sjtscott]

CAPP0 said:

Seems to be a distinct lack of "school holidays = absent traffic" this week. If anything some points are worse. I am disappoint.

Also, bike down on Commercial Rd this morning Police and Ambulance in attendance, no sign of biker, police were picking up the bike (orange, ER6n-type thing I think). Hope you're ok chap/chapess.

You're right I'm not really noticing a lot of difference in traffic levels, the schools are definitely out round where I live though in East London. Traffic was as bad as ever on the highway into town. Traffic Police were running their regular truck/van checkpoint on lower thames streets which nicely backs all the traffic up - so this may have had something to do with it.

[Dakkon]

Completely, agree, despite schools being off, roads are still pretty busy

[CAPP0]

I wonder why. I've been really looking forward to the hols, usually shaves 10mins + from my journey!

[airsafari87]

CAPP0 said:

I wonder why. I've been really looking forward to the hols, usually shaves 10mins + from my journey!

Is it a case of not all schools breaking up at the same time?

I know around here they break up a week or so apart from each other in some cases.

It could be that some schools are still open, which is why there isn't the full reduction of traffic usually seen once they are all closed?