Tales from today's commute....

[Arjimlad]

Five miles north along country lanes and five miles south again down the A38 resulting in a nice ride not spoilt by a scary close fast pass from a white van, a BMW overtaking around a blind bend at speed & stinking of weed, and a close pass approaching traffic lights from a flat-bed LDV truck. Just means 3 drivers to report !

I know Mondays are tough but fancy needing a spliff to get to work?!

 

[rivers]

Five miles north along country lanes and five miles south again down the A38 resulting in a nice ride not spoilt by a scary close fast pass from a white van, a BMW overtaking around a blind bend at speed & stinking of weed, and a close pass approaching traffic lights from a flat-bed LDV truck. Just means 3 drivers to report !

I know Mondays are tough but fancy needing a spliff to get to work?!

When I used to ride the B2B to work, some mornings it would stink of weed the entire way. Like the entire corridor between Bristol and Bath decided to wake and bake...

 

[Arjimlad]

When I used to ride the B2B to work, some mornings it would stink of weed the entire way. Like the entire corridor between Bristol and Bath decided to wake and bake...

Colour me surprised !!

At least they weren't all driving, I hope.

 

[Tom B]

So after crowing about escaping puncture season unscathed I got a puncture on my first propper early commute for a while. Of course it was raining too.l Basted it up again with a co2 cartridge (sorry Greta) and made my way smartly to work. Thought I'd fix it at lunch but then forgot so had to do it when I finished. Grr

On the way home noticed the free hub was not engaging sometimes. So orders a new unit as this one has a lot of wear it's been cleaned a good few times, has been feeling sloppy and got through last winter by being doused in hot water.


Fingers crossed it lasts until the new one arrives.

 

[ManiaMuse]

Had a Range Rover close overtake me at a pedestrian Island only to hear a sudden 'pop' sound followed by the sound of rushing air and then see that it had got a right rear puncture in the process.

Karma I guess? Puncture fairy strikes cars as well.

 

[Alex321]

Nice easy ride in this morning. No wind, overcast, so not cold, wet roads and bits of drizzle at times, but nothing heavy. 16.9mph average (over 15.74 miles with 686ft climbing)

 

[ianrauk]

No rain was forecast on any off the apps or channels for today....so wtaf? OK not heavy rain, more of a drizzle, but wet never the less. Thankfully mild temperatures.
Rainy commute # 31 for the year.

 

[Arjimlad]

Had a Range Rover close overtake me at a pedestrian Island only to hear a sudden 'pop' sound followed by the sound of rushing air and then see that it had got a right rear puncture in the process.

Karma I guess? Puncture fairy strikes cars as well.

Poetic justice. Maybe next time they'll be more patient.

 

[GeekDadZoid]

When we where choosing new offices in the city centre at every opportunity I demanded cycling facilities and they came up trumps, to a degree.

I wouldn't want to store an expensive bike in here but it very warm, secure enough for all but my Brompton, which comes in the office, and I am in negotiations for them to install a shower.

Once that's done I'll get on to them about improving the racking.

My preferred route into Manchester involves a stretch of the Fallowfield Loop, which anyone local will know it has a reputation for being a bit dodgy, especially in the dark riding a nice bike. So I recommissioned the Saracen as the new build is not ready yet and today took it for its first commute since last winter. I also tried an alternative route both ways which I need to fine tune but am quite happy with for the darker rides.

 

[Alex321]

My commute home wasn't as straightforward as the one in today.

It turns out there are big steel solid gates which get closed across the exit from the Ely trail onto Bwlch road. According to documents I found later, they are supposed to be closed from 7PM to 5AM, but I found them closed at about 5:03PM.

Stupidly, I then tried to find my way via an alternative without first looking at maps, which lead to a significant detour, and going round in circles in a housing estate until I did stop and get my phone out to look at the map - I know the normal route well enough now that I didnt have it o my Elemnt Roam for it to be able to re-route me once I went away from the normal route.

Only ended up being just over 2 miles extra, but about 20 minutes as I kept stopping to decide which way to try.

 

[GeekDadZoid]

Fab if changeable weather commute today.

Rode over to a friend's house in Cheadle at 0645 to help out with something, about 7km all down hill, then met my colleague and we rode pretty decent route into Manchester from Cheadle, I think we hit every light the whole way in on green, no close passes and the rain disappeared. Had time for a breakfast before the office.

Ride home pretty much the same way but I do diverted off to cut some of the extra km off my ride and ended up the last 15 mins in horrible rain. Classic rainy driving from many drivers, who seem to lose all skill when it rains.

Ended up doing 37km in total for the day which is 7km more than my normal commute bit no bother really.

The Saracen performed fab again but I really need to do a cable swap on it as I can feel there is quite a bit of friction in the gear shifts. Might order one of the jagwire kits of eBay and just get it done.

 

[rivers]

First day of the new commute today. It is a bike-train-bike commute now instead of just bike. Started off okay, got on the train, got to Temple Meads to switch, and that's where it went horribly wrong. Got on the wrong train- headed to Bath Spa instead of Keynsham. Not a massive deal as it's still the same distance from work, but I only had a ticket to Keynsham. The woman at the ticket gate took pity on me and let me out. Then, I got lost in Bath... Commute:1, Me:0

 

[ianrauk]

First day of the new commute today. It is a bike-train-bike commute now instead of just bike. Started off okay, got on the train, got to Temple Meads to switch, and that's where it went horribly wrong. Got on the wrong train- headed to Bath Spa instead of Keynsham. Not a massive deal as it's still the same distance from work, but I only had a ticket to Keynsham. The woman at the ticket gate took pity on me and let me out. Then, I got lost in Bath... Commute:1, Me:0

Did you have to get a folding bike for the train?

 

[rivers]

Did you have to get a folding bike for the train?

Nope. Thankfully. The last thing I want is a folding bike

 

[ianrauk]

Nope. Thankfully. The last thing I want is a folding bike

Indeed. I had to go down that route a few years back when I moved. Bike/Train/Bike. I bought myself a Brommie, which I just didn't enjoy riding. Luckily the train route I was using wasn't fantastically busy so I changed back to a big boys bike.
So your train company are allowing non foldable bikes at rush hour then?