A hard few weeks...

[magnatom]

In other good news, as a replacement for my missing light, I have just had delivery of a fibre flare from wiggle! Looks good. Here's hoping it can stay on the bike!

On the downside, I didn't have any sweets in the box! Grrrr!

 

[magnatom]

On the other hand I've just received my new helmet light (well Dealextreme torch and mount) and it's amazing how much more respect I'm getting on the road now. Also in the really bad winds the drivers have been (mainly) more friendly so it's not all bad.

What torch did you go for? I'm thinking a helmet light might help avoid some of the potholes!

 

[mcshroom]

Hadn't heard of these so looked them up: http://www.dealextre...ils.dx/sku.3425

It's really no surprise that you're getting more respect from car drivers, when they risk destruction of their vehicles if they cut you up!

That one looks tempting

What torch did you go for? I'm thinking a helmet light might help avoid some of the potholes!

I went for this one with one of these blocks for mounting it on my helmet. The light emitted is bright (well brighter than my Smart Lunar 35 anyway) but it's rather a narrow beam. I think I might go for something with a bit of beam adjustment next time.

The mount actually works surprisingly welland is quite a soft rubbery material so there's a little adjust-ability available.

 

[potsy]

Always a good idea to have a secondary way of fixing your rear lights,cable tie,or a couple of laccy bands for added security.
This weather (especially the wind) has made me a bit dubious about going on the bike somedays,up to now I have carried on regardless,but I'm sure there will be days soon when it just becomes too much,everyone needs a break now and again Magnatom,don't beat yourself up too badly you big girl

 

[al78]

I wouldn't want to use a hybrid for my trip. It's 11.5 hilly miles, so I know for a fact I wouldn't enjoy it as much. I'm going to be e-mailing the council about the state of the roads, but I won't hold my breath!

I have a 9.5 mile hilly commute and I have a mountain bike fitted with Schwalbe Big Apple 26x2.0 tyres and a 9 speed hub gear for those really foul days. Yes it is slower on average than the road bike and arguably not as much fun but it does cope better with the rough surfaces and it is much easier to clean the drivetrain at the weekend (no cassette or multiple chainrings).

Monday was pretty nasty in the SE but I was lucky in a sense that the wind was behind so I got to work in near record time. Bad news was that my feet got wet and stayed wet all day .

The studded tyres will be going on the MTB as soon as the cold weather arrives.

 

[Bird Brain]

Now that's more like it!

I apologise for that comment.I know it's colder up there in Scotland.

(and worse weather)

 

[magnatom]

I had a much nicer ride in this morning. A bit icey, but not too bad. No wind, no rain and traffic was fairly quiet. Back to good commutes, hopefully!

 

[fossyant]

Too many excuses boys and girls.........

Get pedalling..........

Sgt Major Fossy here.

 

[BSRU]

Too many excuses boys and girls.........

Get pedalling..........

Sgt Major Fossy here.

November is normally the month I stop commuting on two wheels due to not having suitable clothing or tyres. This year I have planned ahead so have everything I need to keep me going through the winter, unless it is heavy deep snow.
Once I am feeling normal again, hopefully no excuses from me except for being a big girls blouse on the odd cold wet and very windy day.

 

[goo_mason]

I was back on the bike today to ride to work - a bit dicey in places as some of the minor side-roads hadn't been gritted and were pretty iced-over, but overall a lovely, crisp morning with no wind and very light traffic on the road between 6.00 - 6.30am.

The hot shower at work was bliss too - I wasn't cold coming in, but the changing room was a bit cold once I'd got out of my kit and it was starting to make me feel chilly.

 

[beanzontoast]

You're a seasoned commuter Mag - you know how it works. Don't beat yourself up! The thing IMHO is to be flexible in your approach to cycle commuting. For years I used to commute in every weather and right round the year. Nowadays, I give myself the opt-out...

if the weather is pants and I don't feel like a soaking / risking icy roads
if I feel under the weather myself in any way
if the legs have had enough of the hills for a few days
if Mrs Beanz has kindly offered me a lift home at the end of the day (rare, but it happens!)
if I can't face sorting the bike out in the dark when I get home

Surprisingly, this isn't really that many days a year (and nearly all of them are in Winter). I'd rather not risk damaging the bike / damaging me / having a miserable commute. The days that it does affect, I take public transport without feeling any remorse about not being on the bike.

 

[fossyant]

Too many softies.........

 

[scouserinlondon]

I've come back from a week off with a stinking man cold and have just decided to write this week off and get the train. Looking at the mist this morning I'm glad I did.

May cycle in one or two days, but there's no point when you're sick in my view.

Take a couple of days off, we don't HAVE to cycle everyday to maintain our smug cyclist halo.

 

[Domeo]

I have heard the old wives tale of cyclists only getting 12 soakings in a year.

If I remember the old C+ article this was in, I think there was a caveat that it was south of a line from the Wash to the Severn Estuary

 

[fossyant]

It was 12 days of rain, so I reccon that's 288 hours a year, that will be between 7-9am and 4-6pm..... rather a lot..........