And today's commuting highlight is...
Discussion
Biker 1 said:
f
king weather forecast wrong AGAIN FFS!!!!!!! Even the the eye candy that is Lucy Verasami is in trouble over this one! Apparently it was going to be dry until around 7 or 8 in the evening, but started pissing it down shortly after lunch. £100,000,000 on a new super-computer at the Met Office, & they STILL get it utterly wrong!!!! Needless to say, my mesh jacket was like being jet-washed whilst wearing & colander, & my legs were cold & soaking. f
ks sakes!!!!! I got reasonably lucky, only rained for the last 25 miles and decided not to pull over and put the waterproofs on. Leathers kept it all out and dried out at home in no time at all 
Wish I could say the same for my lid (RPHA 11). It's a nightmare in wet weather; steams up very quickly. I've tried adjusting the pinlock to no avail. I recently bought my third replacement pinlock insert for it and had the shop fit it and it made no difference.
There's also a vent above the visor (which is really fiddly to operate with gloves) and if that's open you can literally see it rain inside the helmet!
Wish I could say the same for my lid (RPHA 11). It's a nightmare in wet weather; steams up very quickly. I've tried adjusting the pinlock to no avail. I recently bought my third replacement pinlock insert for it and had the shop fit it and it made no difference.
There's also a vent above the visor (which is really fiddly to operate with gloves) and if that's open you can literally see it rain inside the helmet!
Nothing like cold miserable heavy rain to thin out the summer posers and idiot bikers 
Goretex gear all round 100% waterproof while not the pro stuff my combi boiler is old school and sits in its own cupboard.. I turned it into a drying room basically by installing slatted shelving when I moved in. Means that overnight I can safely take fully wet kit to fully dry.
Still seeing commuters with frankly poor wet weather riding ability I guess everyone has to learn but pansying around in London given the aggressive nature of a large number of drivers just isn't safe. Even worse is when the poor riding/observation starts affecting and putting other bikers in danger too. Bloody mobile roadblocks.
Modern tyres have a ton of grip in the wet - just learning to instinctively add checking ahead for white lines, banding, manhole covers as part of riding means you can make virtually the same progress wet or dry (road riding here racetrack heros).
My highlight today being stuck making normal progress through limehouse link tunnel heading west due to matey with not just a huge top box but panniers too -( I still don't get those bikers that think panniers wider than the bike are ever a good idea) and then followed by my favorite the MP3 two up. Oh well they were dispatched quickly once we were out of the tunnel.
Other positive highlight 2 fellow commuters both riding well and each of us showing courtesy and respect, pulling forward to let the others join you at the front of the queue
Goretex gear all round 100% waterproof while not the pro stuff my combi boiler is old school and sits in its own cupboard.. I turned it into a drying room basically by installing slatted shelving when I moved in. Means that overnight I can safely take fully wet kit to fully dry.
Still seeing commuters with frankly poor wet weather riding ability I guess everyone has to learn but pansying around in London given the aggressive nature of a large number of drivers just isn't safe. Even worse is when the poor riding/observation starts affecting and putting other bikers in danger too. Bloody mobile roadblocks.
Modern tyres have a ton of grip in the wet - just learning to instinctively add checking ahead for white lines, banding, manhole covers as part of riding means you can make virtually the same progress wet or dry (road riding here racetrack heros).
My highlight today being stuck making normal progress through limehouse link tunnel heading west due to matey with not just a huge top box but panniers too -( I still don't get those bikers that think panniers wider than the bike are ever a good idea) and then followed by my favorite the MP3 two up. Oh well they were dispatched quickly once we were out of the tunnel.
Other positive highlight 2 fellow commuters both riding well and each of us showing courtesy and respect, pulling forward to let the others join you at the front of the queue
Commuting in the 'new' blade, thankful it wasn't chucking it down as forecast yesterday. didn't have too much of a smile on my face though, concentrating too hard to get to grips with the differences from a 600 (plus it seemed to international nut-case day, with pedestrians and cars doing all sorts of stupid things).
Bit disappointed with how much it warmed my right leg though at the lights, man that exhaust is hot. Surprised, it was hotter than the RR, I was rather hoping I'd lose that hot leg feeling.
Bit disappointed with how much it warmed my right leg though at the lights, man that exhaust is hot. Surprised, it was hotter than the RR, I was rather hoping I'd lose that hot leg feeling.
sjtscott said:
Nothing like cold miserable heavy rain to thin out the summer posers and idiot bikers
Goretex gear all round 100% waterproof while not the pro stuff my combi boiler is old school and sits in its own cupboard.. I turned it into a drying room basically by installing slatted shelving when I moved in. Means that overnight I can safely take fully wet kit to fully dry.
Still seeing commuters with frankly poor wet weather riding ability I guess everyone has to learn but pansying around in London given the aggressive nature of a large number of drivers just isn't safe. Even worse is when the poor riding/observation starts affecting and putting other bikers in danger too. Bloody mobile roadblocks.
Modern tyres have a ton of grip in the wet - just learning to instinctively add checking ahead for white lines, banding, manhole covers as part of riding means you can make virtually the same progress wet or dry (road riding here racetrack heros).
My highlight today being stuck making normal progress through limehouse link tunnel heading west due to matey with not just a huge top box but panniers too -( I still don't get those bikers that think panniers wider than the bike are ever a good idea) and then followed by my favorite the MP3 two up. Oh well they were dispatched quickly once we were out of the tunnel.
Other positive highlight 2 fellow commuters both riding well and each of us showing courtesy and respect, pulling forward to let the others join you at the front of the queue
Seconded. Especially the way it makes it more dangerous for other bikers part. It's bad enough that wet weather triggers the idiot gene in pedestrians, cyclists and cars; adding bikes to that list is really deflating.Goretex gear all round 100% waterproof while not the pro stuff my combi boiler is old school and sits in its own cupboard.. I turned it into a drying room basically by installing slatted shelving when I moved in. Means that overnight I can safely take fully wet kit to fully dry.
Still seeing commuters with frankly poor wet weather riding ability I guess everyone has to learn but pansying around in London given the aggressive nature of a large number of drivers just isn't safe. Even worse is when the poor riding/observation starts affecting and putting other bikers in danger too. Bloody mobile roadblocks.
Modern tyres have a ton of grip in the wet - just learning to instinctively add checking ahead for white lines, banding, manhole covers as part of riding means you can make virtually the same progress wet or dry (road riding here racetrack heros).
My highlight today being stuck making normal progress through limehouse link tunnel heading west due to matey with not just a huge top box but panniers too -( I still don't get those bikers that think panniers wider than the bike are ever a good idea) and then followed by my favorite the MP3 two up. Oh well they were dispatched quickly once we were out of the tunnel.
Other positive highlight 2 fellow commuters both riding well and each of us showing courtesy and respect, pulling forward to let the others join you at the front of the queue
Angrybiker said:
sjtscott said:
Nothing like cold miserable heavy rain to thin out the summer posers and idiot bikers
Goretex gear all round 100% waterproof while not the pro stuff my combi boiler is old school and sits in its own cupboard.. I turned it into a drying room basically by installing slatted shelving when I moved in. Means that overnight I can safely take fully wet kit to fully dry.
Still seeing commuters with frankly poor wet weather riding ability I guess everyone has to learn but pansying around in London given the aggressive nature of a large number of drivers just isn't safe. Even worse is when the poor riding/observation starts affecting and putting other bikers in danger too. Bloody mobile roadblocks.
Modern tyres have a ton of grip in the wet - just learning to instinctively add checking ahead for white lines, banding, manhole covers as part of riding means you can make virtually the same progress wet or dry (road riding here racetrack heros).
My highlight today being stuck making normal progress through limehouse link tunnel heading west due to matey with not just a huge top box but panniers too -( I still don't get those bikers that think panniers wider than the bike are ever a good idea) and then followed by my favorite the MP3 two up. Oh well they were dispatched quickly once we were out of the tunnel.
Other positive highlight 2 fellow commuters both riding well and each of us showing courtesy and respect, pulling forward to let the others join you at the front of the queue
Seconded. Especially the way it makes it more dangerous for other bikers part. It's bad enough that wet weather triggers the idiot gene in pedestrians, cyclists and cars; adding bikes to that list is really deflating.Goretex gear all round 100% waterproof while not the pro stuff my combi boiler is old school and sits in its own cupboard.. I turned it into a drying room basically by installing slatted shelving when I moved in. Means that overnight I can safely take fully wet kit to fully dry.
Still seeing commuters with frankly poor wet weather riding ability I guess everyone has to learn but pansying around in London given the aggressive nature of a large number of drivers just isn't safe. Even worse is when the poor riding/observation starts affecting and putting other bikers in danger too. Bloody mobile roadblocks.
Modern tyres have a ton of grip in the wet - just learning to instinctively add checking ahead for white lines, banding, manhole covers as part of riding means you can make virtually the same progress wet or dry (road riding here racetrack heros).
My highlight today being stuck making normal progress through limehouse link tunnel heading west due to matey with not just a huge top box but panniers too -( I still don't get those bikers that think panniers wider than the bike are ever a good idea) and then followed by my favorite the MP3 two up. Oh well they were dispatched quickly once we were out of the tunnel.
Other positive highlight 2 fellow commuters both riding well and each of us showing courtesy and respect, pulling forward to let the others join you at the front of the queue
Had to take the Tracer 900 in for its 1st (600 mile) service this morning, around 20 miles into 'Ull. Woke up to the sound of raining bouncing off the windows, so dragged out the 20 year old Frank Thomas waterproofs and went for it. With the softest throttle map selected, and traction control set to full on, it was actually a good fun run, and I arrived only slightly moist. Had a big boys breakfast at a Polish café 50 yards away from the dealers while they did the business.
Oddly enough my plan to buy some new waterproofs while there was scuppered by the fact they don't actually sell oversuits as such, so binned the ones I had worn in, and rode back in the (almost) dry.
Got a BIG cleaning job to do now though.
Oddly enough my plan to buy some new waterproofs while there was scuppered by the fact they don't actually sell oversuits as such, so binned the ones I had worn in, and rode back in the (almost) dry.
Got a BIG cleaning job to do now though.
Dakkon said:
Biker 1 said:
Farlig said:
Biker 1 said:
fking weather forecast wrong AGAIN FFS!!!!!!! k up, over & over & over again & still get to keep your job...
Biker 1 said:
fking weather forecast wrong AGAIN FFS!!!!!!! Makes up for my run home yesterday - a tosser in a red van took exception to my passing him and attempted to sideswipe me.
sjtscott said:
Modern tyres have a ton of grip in the wet - just learning to instinctively add checking ahead for white lines, banding, manhole covers as part of riding means you can make virtually the same progress wet or dry (road riding here racetrack heros).
I picked up a puncture in December and my local guy put a pair of pilot power (PP1) on and they've been far better in the wet than I expected.My highlights this week...
- a young lady decides to walk across a four lane carriageway between static cars listening to her phone oblivious to yours truly making progress through the traffic rather than her use the crossing 100yrds away... que a panicked expression and I have to brake so hard the rear wheel lifted off the ground and came down with quite a thump...
- a GS rider in high vis, panniers and video camera making VERY slow progress through traffic and simply chose to ignore the three bikers behind him trying to pass... I got bored quickly and diverted round a couple of cars before cutting back in ... I suspect I'll be on You Tube at some point given the finger wagging saw in my mirrors...
- a rider on a blandit with lots of chrome bling riding like a spanner with a complete lack of observation or forward planning and being aggressive with drivers... wouldn't move over either, so he got squeezed out whether he liked it or not. I suspect not given his insistence to try and keep up and kicking off again at drivers that won't move over. (why should they?)
- a rider on a speed triple that I overtook earlier through traffic who was pulling erratic moves to 'overtake' me ... I left him to it but caught up to him at the traffic lights before the sliproad / motorway... obviously I couldn't resist blatting away, but was a little concerned to see the chap nearly bin his bike into the barrier in my mirrors. A stark reminder not to encourage such people.
Ho Hum... Summer is here!
- a young lady decides to walk across a four lane carriageway between static cars listening to her phone oblivious to yours truly making progress through the traffic rather than her use the crossing 100yrds away... que a panicked expression and I have to brake so hard the rear wheel lifted off the ground and came down with quite a thump...
- a GS rider in high vis, panniers and video camera making VERY slow progress through traffic and simply chose to ignore the three bikers behind him trying to pass... I got bored quickly and diverted round a couple of cars before cutting back in ... I suspect I'll be on You Tube at some point given the finger wagging saw in my mirrors...
- a rider on a blandit with lots of chrome bling riding like a spanner with a complete lack of observation or forward planning and being aggressive with drivers... wouldn't move over either, so he got squeezed out whether he liked it or not. I suspect not given his insistence to try and keep up and kicking off again at drivers that won't move over. (why should they?)
- a rider on a speed triple that I overtook earlier through traffic who was pulling erratic moves to 'overtake' me ... I left him to it but caught up to him at the traffic lights before the sliproad / motorway... obviously I couldn't resist blatting away, but was a little concerned to see the chap nearly bin his bike into the barrier in my mirrors. A stark reminder not to encourage such people.
Ho Hum... Summer is here!
As I came up the A20 this morning, the traffic was backed up a bit approaching the Orpington slip (Crittall's Corner I think it's called?). People are ALWAYS jumping lanes here and I'm always wary as I filter there. Sure enough, about 100 yards in front of me, a small van dived from the left lane to the right.
As I caught it up, I saw a guy on a Monster alongside the passenger window remonstrating with the driver. I guess he must have cut in front of him. Clearly he didn't get the response he wanted, because next thing I saw was the biker delivering a massive right uppercut to the van mirror, which promptly exploded into about a hundred pieces - not just the glass, the entire mirror. Bits everywhere all over the road. Obviously the bike then shot off, and the van didn't stop either.
I didn't see where the bike was as the van swapped lanes so I didn't see how close a call it was but the biker smashing the mirror like that did seem rather extreme.
As I caught it up, I saw a guy on a Monster alongside the passenger window remonstrating with the driver. I guess he must have cut in front of him. Clearly he didn't get the response he wanted, because next thing I saw was the biker delivering a massive right uppercut to the van mirror, which promptly exploded into about a hundred pieces - not just the glass, the entire mirror. Bits everywhere all over the road. Obviously the bike then shot off, and the van didn't stop either.
I didn't see where the bike was as the van swapped lanes so I didn't see how close a call it was but the biker smashing the mirror like that did seem rather extreme.
My highlight today.. the warm weather has brought out some c**t/incompetent cycling this morning 3 incidents of complete and utter lack of road sense/observation just on my way in this morning. Two of the three was just blatantly not giving a flying f**k for any other road users round them or that their riding was remotely wrong - putting their safety in others hands not to 'interact' with them in the painful way. The third the guy assumed that it was perfectly fine to start far left of two lanes but turn right at blackfriars bridge but not start his move right until mid way across the box junction let alone indicate with absolutely zero checking behind or to his right it was clear to 'drift' across all the lanes- the fact the f**ker then shouted at me crossing straight over the junction when he was in the wrong was the icing on the cake - had I not been on a bike and noticed him and say it was one of these magic anti cyclist trucks he'd had been in hospital. The fact he was lycra clad on a full on racing/road cycle just made it even worse.
Edited by sjtscott on Monday 22 May 12:15
CAPP0 said:
As I came up the A20 this morning, the traffic was backed up a bit approaching the Orpington slip (Crittall's Corner I think it's called?). People are ALWAYS jumping lanes here and I'm always wary as I filter there. Sure enough, about 100 yards in front of me, a small van dived from the left lane to the right.
As I caught it up, I saw a guy on a Monster alongside the passenger window remonstrating with the driver. I guess he must have cut in front of him. Clearly he didn't get the response he wanted, because next thing I saw was the biker delivering a massive right uppercut to the van mirror, which promptly exploded into about a hundred pieces - not just the glass, the entire mirror. Bits everywhere all over the road. Obviously the bike then shot off, and the van didn't stop either.
I didn't see where the bike was as the van swapped lanes so I didn't see how close a call it was but the biker smashing the mirror like that did seem rather extreme.
How shiny was the bike and what was the rider wearing kit wise? Did it have race cans?As I caught it up, I saw a guy on a Monster alongside the passenger window remonstrating with the driver. I guess he must have cut in front of him. Clearly he didn't get the response he wanted, because next thing I saw was the biker delivering a massive right uppercut to the van mirror, which promptly exploded into about a hundred pieces - not just the glass, the entire mirror. Bits everywhere all over the road. Obviously the bike then shot off, and the van didn't stop either.
I didn't see where the bike was as the van swapped lanes so I didn't see how close a call it was but the biker smashing the mirror like that did seem rather extreme.
These will tell me a lot relating to if its an overreaction vs valid incident!
Nice ride in this morning, good temperature, light(ish) traffic and nothing to report bar one gripe...
Riding toward Lewisham past the hospital, in the NS lane (bus lane) going only marginally faster then traffic in the RH lane. Car level with me decides to simultaneously indicate left and pull to the NS to take a small turning/parking place. A squeeze on the brakes sees me slow to a near stop and a rev (not too much, it's still early) ensures she stops coming across me. I then carry on going and receive a blast on the horn for my troubles...WTF?
When do people think it's ok to turn left from the outside lane?!?! (both lanes available to all traffic at the time of day).
Riding toward Lewisham past the hospital, in the NS lane (bus lane) going only marginally faster then traffic in the RH lane. Car level with me decides to simultaneously indicate left and pull to the NS to take a small turning/parking place. A squeeze on the brakes sees me slow to a near stop and a rev (not too much, it's still early) ensures she stops coming across me. I then carry on going and receive a blast on the horn for my troubles...WTF?
When do people think it's ok to turn left from the outside lane?!?! (both lanes available to all traffic at the time of day).
sjtscott said:
My highlight today being stuck making normal progress through limehouse link tunnel heading west due to matey with not just a huge top box but panniers too -( I still don't get those bikers that think panniers wider than the bike are ever a good idea) and then followed by my favorite the MP3 two up. Oh well they were dispatched quickly once we were out of the tunnel.
Other positive highlight 2 fellow commuters both riding well and each of us showing courtesy and respect, pulling forward to let the others join you at the front of the queue
I always thought filtering The Highway looked a bit hairy, darting in and out on the hatching, trying to make sure you didn't strike the numerous islands split the carriageways. Lots of trucks and lethal East London Ubers too. I guess the A13 isn't much better. Other positive highlight 2 fellow commuters both riding well and each of us showing courtesy and respect, pulling forward to let the others join you at the front of the queue
Gassing Station | Biker Banter | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff