The daily "I cycled to work" thread

[sleep envy]

This morning I think I've cracked it - if an arm goes out perpendicular to the body, and this is the crucial bit, with the palm of the hand facing down, it means stay the fk away from them.

Was behind a woman this morning who did this at a very small cross junction just behind The Angel, she signaled right (without sticking her chin on here shoulder) and looked left the entire manouvre until she cycled into a parked car.

[JQ]

Well, after 5 years of cycling with BMX pedals on my MTB I finally bit the bullet and fitted the spd's that have sat in my garage since I bought the bike. I had installed them briefly when I got the bike but one too many incidents of "joining that club" I swapped them off again. I managed the 8 mile commute home last night without falling off, which I was quite pleased with. It seems to result in a different technique of pedalling which may take some time to get used to.

[Gizmoish]

JQ said:

Well, after 5 years of cycling with BMX pedals on my MTB I finally bit the bullet and fitted the spd's that have sat in my garage since I bought the bike. I had installed them briefly when I got the bike but one too many incidents of "joining that club" I swapped them off again. I managed the 8 mile commute home last night without falling off, which I was quite pleased with. It seems to result in a different technique of pedalling which may take some time to get used to.

In normal shoes I pedal on the ball of my foot. With spds the cleat sits further back... Changes the rhythm slightly.

[Kermit power]

sleep envy said:

This morning I think I've cracked it - if an arm goes out perpendicular to the body, and this is the crucial bit, with the palm of the hand facing down, it means stay the fk away from them.

Was behind a woman this morning who did this at a very small cross junction just behind The Angel, she signaled right (without sticking her chin on here shoulder) and looked left the entire manouvre until she cycled into a parked car.

Thanks for that. Wonderfully descriptive!

The oddest I've seen recently was a chap with a big ginger beard yesterday morning on an ancient touring bike with mudguards and paniers cycling through Elephant & Castle at about 3mph with his hands in the drops, his back parallel to the ground and his knees up near his ears.

[theboymoon]

this morning 07.50



and will be heading back that way in an hour or so.

happy days.

[Kermit power]

Lovely ride in this morning.

Not so nice for the two cyclists who somehow managed to ride into each other going in a straight line on the A24 just after Colliers Wood, bringing them both crashing to the floor. Unfortunately, I didn't see what caused it, as it was a mystifying place to come a cropper.

[miln0039]

First ride after a few days off sick.

Pushed too hard on the way in and brought it all back on myself

Ride home was better though.

[JQ]

48hrs after putting spd pedals on my bike I make a complete tit of myself. Overtook about 10 cars all stationary at a set of lights and pulled in front of the first car, unclipped my left foot then ever so slowly fell to my right. The driver of the front car looked totally bemused by seeing me sprawled out across the road in front of him. Cue lots of people coming to my help thinking I'd had a heart attack or something - I could not have been more embarrassed if I'd tried.

Any tips for preventing this in the future, as I have no doubt it will happen again, or will I just get used to it?

[Gizmoish]

JQ said:

48hrs after putting spd pedals on my bike I make a complete tit of myself. Overtook about 10 cars all stationary at a set of lights and pulled in front of the first car, unclipped my left foot then ever so slowly fell to my right. The driver of the front car looked totally bemused by seeing me sprawled out across the road in front of him. Cue lots of people coming to my help thinking I'd had a heart attack or something - I could not have been more embarrassed if I'd tried.

Any tips for preventing this in the future, as I have no doubt it will happen again, or will I just get used to it?

Welcome to The Club.

It will happen again.

[will_]

JQ said:

Any tips for preventing this in the future, as I have no doubt it will happen again, or will I just get used to it?

The latter.

I think I'm on my fourth fall, although they are decreasing in regularity. "Finest moment" was in front of a packed open top tourist bus.

[miln0039]

will_ said:

The latter.

I think I'm on my fourth fall, although they are decreasing in regularity. "Finest moment" was in front of a packed open top tourist bus.

You are the reason I'm not brave enough to get SPD's!!!

[will_]

miln0039 said:

will_ said:

The latter.

I think I'm on my fourth fall, although they are decreasing in regularity. "Finest moment" was in front of a packed open top tourist bus.

You are the reason I'm not brave enough to get SPD's!!!

Go for it, I've only hurt my pride so far!

[sleep envy]

I saw Boris cycling down the Goswell Road this morning. You'd never have seen Ken do that, possibly because he'd have been deliberately run over by a black cab.

[Dizeee]

Gizmoish said:

Welcome to The Club.

It will happen again.

I must have been lucky so far, wonder if it will happen, I am pretty obsessive with clipping out. However, it almost happened yesterday. I was folliwing a tractor down a lane at the end of my ride, too close, and he decided to stop very abruptly to allow traffic coming the other way past. He had no break lights, so I had to emergency brake, back wheel skidding all over the place, whilst simultaneously unclipping one side and then managing to lean that side to come to rest and hop across onto the pavement. I was about a foot from the rear of this tractor, and I have a feeling that had I have fallen, it could have been ugly as I think having he stopped he backed up a bit to make the passing gap bigger!

[Laurel Green]

lepetitoeuf said:

Witnessed a speeding moped deck it this morning after a car mijudged the moped's speed and pulled out of a side turning. I hung around and gave my details as a witness anyway.

Really starting to get worried about the fact I've not had a major off for a very long time, I don't want to tempt fate but there seems to be a lot of idiots around!

Especially at this time of the year when the low sun is behind you.

[JQ]

I didn't cycle in this morning and got a lift into town from my wife. I'm ashamed to say that in our village just after leaving the house she tailgated a cyclist (couple of feet off his back wheel) for about 400m then proceeded to overtake him just as she was about to turn left. To say that we're no longer talking would be an understatement, should make for a quiet evening in front of the telly this evening.

[AyBee]

JQ said:

I didn't cycle in this morning and got a lift into town from my wife. I'm ashamed to say that in our village just after leaving the house she tailgated a cyclist (couple of feet off his back wheel) for about 400m then proceeded to overtake him just as she was about to turn left. To say that we're no longer talking would be an understatement, should make for a quiet evening in front of the telly this evening.

Stick her on a bike and mimic her actions from the drivers seat. It's mainly those who don't know what it's like to be a cyclist that drive like that.

[shouldbworking]

Just messing about with endomondo.. can you get to this? http://www.endomondo.com/workouts/93303408

fairly routine commute except for the horrendous session that is climb out of pensford, hit the roadworks.. wait wait wait SPRINT through roadworks to avoid getting squeezed by cars, celebrate the end of the sprint with a 10% hill.

Not sure whats going on with that heart rate early on though... dodgy datas i hope

[okgo]

AyBee said:

Stick her on a bike and mimic her actions from the drivers seat. It's mainly those who don't know what it's like to be a cyclist that drive like that.

Is this the same Mrs that said she can't see why you would cycle when there is a car outside?

Sounds like a catch.

[JQ]

okgo said:

Is this the same Mrs that said she can't see why you would cycle when there is a car outside?

Sounds like a catch.

Not me I don't think. She doesn't mind me cycling, but does worry I'll end up a statistic. Although she probably worries more when I'm driving my car as she thinks it's a death trap.