Tales from today's commute....

[Arjimlad]

You need to get a set of spare wheels so you can quickly switch. After a winter of doing that you will then realise you need to get a specific bike just for winter

I have a spare front wheel - just switch the back tyres over - maybe a spare back wheel with cassette is a good plan ! This is all on my Giant revolt which is the go-to commuter/family rides/rough duties machine.

 

[confusedcyclist]

Roads very quiet, shame it will be back to normal on Monday.

You need to get a set of spare wheels so you can quickly switch. After a winter of doing that you will then realise you need to get a specific bike just for winter

I've been riding marathon winter's since October. You just get used to it. I'm not so sure why people fuss about maintaining average speeds so much. Underlying fitness is still there, even if top speed isn't.

 

[confusedcyclist]

I have a spare front wheel - just switch the back tyres over - maybe a spare back wheel with cassette is a good plan ! This is all on my Giant revolt which is the go-to commuter/family rides/rough duties machine.

Nah, stick with one cassette. Two reasons, it takes seconds to whip one off with the tool to hand. Otherwise you'll have twice as many cassettes to keep clean and when one wears predominantly with more use than the other, you'll get skipping on the less worn cassette (unless you religiously check for wear and replace chains).

Better yet, just run winter tyres all autumn/winter until the last frost. Much less faffing!

 

[JhnBssll]

First commute of the year done. A pleasant but cold Suffolk morning, 3 degrees when I left the house. 4 degrees and unforecast rain on the way home this evening which was an unexpected delight. Its due to be colder tomorrow morning, might be thick glove weather I expect I'll be wearing a different pair of shoes too as todays will no-doubt still be wet

 

[kevin_cambs_uk]

I actually enjoyed the ride today, going in, this was only the second journey in 60,000 miles of commuting where I did not stop once! For Cambridge where they love traffic lights , its quite a feat!

 

[hennbell]

First ride to work of the new year and the weather is outstanding, zero degrees with a heavy tail wind, just 24 hour before it was - 30 C .

 

[Arjimlad]

Why wait for the clear gap in oncoming traffic when you can slowly squeeze past if the car coming the other way gets right over ? !

 

[Slick]

Why wait for the clear gap in oncoming traffic when you can slowly squeeze past if the car coming the other way gets right over ? !

View attachment 445384

Took me a few seconds to work out exactly what I was looking at but it really shouldn't have as I see it often enough, unfortunately.

 

[JhnBssll]

I had a similar experience a few weeks ago, overtaken by a tiny Ford Ka being driven by a young lady at the crest of a hill on a blind bend. Nothing coming the other way but had I twisted my elbow out a few degrees it would have snagged on her wing mirror. If she'd waited 10 seconds there was a clear straight road waiting for her.

I was unimpressed

 

[Arjimlad]

What was really odd was the mahoosive gap behind the Volvo SUV coming the other way. The Golf driver passing me in the picture tailgated me for a short while before creeping past so would have been able to see the opportunity to overtake safely if she'd been able to focus her attention a bit further up the road. Not very confident driving and hazardous for me & for others so I have reported it - and the Police have just confirmed that they agree it is an unacceptable standard of driving & are sending a letter of advice.

 

[dhd.evans]

Hard, slow and generally unfit commute.

I have put on at least a stone over the Crimbo break...

 

[ianrauk]

Thought I'd tot up mine too

224 days commuting, 6312 miles
53 rainy commutes (31 for 2017)

 

[confusedcyclist]

Hurrah, new year, new deliberate close pass and ranting about road tax, farking simpleton.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8b4LSvOV84E

 

[straas]

Hurrah, new year, new deliberate close pass and ranting about road tax, farking simpleton.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8b4LSvOV84E

That looks seriously close! definitely report to police

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Believed the weather forecast of -4C this morning. My commute has a couple of really nasty permanently waterlogged sections on a main road which ice up lethally, so I decided to go for the MTB, newly equipped with ice spiker tyres, and togged up an extra layer for the cold.

Big mistake.

No ice or frost at all, roads mainly completely dry after a rain free holiday, succeeded only in adding 10 minutes to my usual time, getting a headache from the spectacularly loud noise, and overheating.

Ah well, good for the fitness I guess.