Carbons out of hibernation

[Aperitif]

Indeed, and I think they do find it a tad annoying themselves when they are overtaken and left for dust by a guy with a pannier..

Had one the other day, nice new clean blingy Trek and all the gear, overtook me, I took him back and kept him behind me. He tried his hardest to keep up with me up the A21. I wasn't having any of it. ................He soon gave up.

I described much the same thing to young iLB earlier this week. I get spotted - the passees see a 'big fat guy on clunky bike with back pannier. Ooo! single speed too'. It invariably happens on the Finchley Road, with the long drag up past Swiss Cottage. They pass, I watch the chain shift inwards and..., road kicks up and I'm gone!

Shiny Orbea and a blue Trek this week. I couldn't care less who overtakes me, but at least they might say hello, or nod, or look around if the conditions permit (I always raise a hand if I need to pass, or say hello / morning etc) - we're all human. It's this damn nice weather for cycling. I do my best to keep it average and enjoy the open air - and there's always someone...

Enjoy the weather y'all the warmth certainly adds a nice dimension.

 

[gaz]

The only thing which does damage carbon... squirrels

 

[Aperitif]

That is the original 'Roadrat' Gaz!

 

[DrSquirrel]

Doubt it. They're likely to be fair weather cyclists. I've seen a surge in expensive road bikes and numbers of riders at the same time. The (proper)

cyclists I saw regularly in December / January are still riding the same bikes now as they were then.

I don't see the problem with fair weather cyclists. Half commute is better than none. Are they not proper?

And carbon summer, alternative winter - snobbery? Are you sure they just don't change from a light unencumbered bike in the summer to a full guarded up, with light mounts off every stay and a rack for the winter?

The only thing which does damage carbon... squirrels

I love this pic (sadly) although squirrels crossing the road... one after the other is a brown trouser moment!

If they had a wider spoke pattern, the squirrel might have just made it through

 

[Glover Fan]

Well I for one ride a MTB in winter and a carbon bike in summer. What's the issue?

 

[Gandalf]

Well I for one ride a MTB in winter and a carbon bike in summer. What's the issue?

Ditto. Call me old fashioned but when it's pitch black and cold I prefer full mudguards and 1.75 Marathon Plusses.

 

[515mm]

Thirded -

Ti, 'guards, lights, fat(ish) tyres in the rain and

Glorious unencumbered carbon rocketship for the dry days

I'm so happy Summer is officially here with it's light evenings - Gower Peninsular here I come!

 

[Panter]

I'm a carbon snob

Well, not a snob but, to be perfectly honest, I'm too lazy to clean my bike after every ride and I don't want my shiney new carbon one (well the drivetrain/brakes/gears etc anyway) getting crudded up like they do on my Winter ride.
I'm going to dig the carbon out for tomorrows run in though

 

[BentMikey]

My bike has more carbon than three blinged up carbon bikes, plus quite a lot of kevlar. Gets ridden year round.

 

[Panter]

Don't get me wrong, I'm well aware that the frame on my carbon bike is far more resilient to Winter grime than my alloy commuter, but the components aren't and they're far shinier (and more expensive) than those on my commuter

If I commuted every day, all year round, then I think I would ride a carbon bike, just for the comfort really

 

[400bhp]

. I couldn't care less who overtakes me, but at least they might say hello, or nod, or look around if the conditions permit (I always raise a hand if I need to pass, or say hello / morning etc) - we're all human.

That's interesting.

I used to do this but stopped. I remember on several separate occasions when I uttered a hello to cyclists who I passed. They must have heard it as "feck you loser" or somesuch as they then decided they "must past the cyclist who passed them"

I have had 1 "race" this year. Joke really as I was on a hybrid with a childs seat on the back and he was on a mountain bike with a large bag strapped to his back.

 

[400bhp]

I think there is some inverse snobbery going on here.