Spartak
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- Location
- Bristolian
Makes the freezing cold ❄ commute worthwhile... 👍
Tales from today's commute....
- Thread starter martint235
- Start date
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biking_fox
Guru
- Location
- Manchester
STarted raining just as I was walking through the door into work, so a small blessing. Cold. Legs feeling very under-powered today and the front brake needs attention. Just one of those rides.
Arjimlad
Tights of Cydonia
- Location
- South Glos
Lovely! I left home a little too late to get the sunrise or even the best of the sunshine but it was still beautiful.
Last night I went home via Waitrose on the Botley rd as I needed a few bits. A little out of my way but incentivised by their decent quality, good value brie and garlic. Was in a hurry to get out the office door to do as much of the ride in daylight as possible, the skies opening once I was on my way and battling a headwind as I chased the blue sky to the west.
By the time I got to the shop the highly unpleasant weather had abated somewhat and I quickly carted the Brompton round the isles. Having spent £18 on not a lot and had a nice chat with a decent bloke on the checkout I was on my way. Fancied heading back into town via Willow walk (and thus avoid the roads and bottleneck at the station due to all the work going on) however predictably that part of the world remained a lake so it was back the way I'd come..
The weather remained reasonable for the rest of the ride to the car; progress being slow thanks to the wind and my knackered legs. No great distance but a bit of an epic one thanks to the existing tiredness / aching / lots of small tasks / hinderances and a few hours later I was very glad to be fed and in bed, following a nice hot shower.
This morning was bright, clear, cold and thankfully less windy; with a beautiful sunrise. Passed epic coat dude who this time was sporting a less epic, more conventional single-breasted wool effort. Scored some sausages and pushed the boat out with some scotch eggs, toes were still cold when I got the office and I'm now straddling the small heater that lives under the desk..
By the time I got to the shop the highly unpleasant weather had abated somewhat and I quickly carted the Brompton round the isles. Having spent £18 on not a lot and had a nice chat with a decent bloke on the checkout I was on my way. Fancied heading back into town via Willow walk (and thus avoid the roads and bottleneck at the station due to all the work going on) however predictably that part of the world remained a lake so it was back the way I'd come..
The weather remained reasonable for the rest of the ride to the car; progress being slow thanks to the wind and my knackered legs. No great distance but a bit of an epic one thanks to the existing tiredness / aching / lots of small tasks / hinderances and a few hours later I was very glad to be fed and in bed, following a nice hot shower.
This morning was bright, clear, cold and thankfully less windy; with a beautiful sunrise. Passed epic coat dude who this time was sporting a less epic, more conventional single-breasted wool effort. Scored some sausages and pushed the boat out with some scotch eggs, toes were still cold when I got the office and I'm now straddling the small heater that lives under the desk..
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fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
I was talking to a cycling buddy when getting a pannini at work. He just got caught in it. I'd been in an hour by then.
cyberknight
As long as I breathe, I attack.
- Location
- Land of confusion
set off for home about midnight and it was starting to get a bit frosty , i thought i should be ok as long as i kept moving so i didnt go full thermal but then after about 3 miles i heard a hiss and by the time i had stopped the rear tyre was flat .
Changed the tube and used the c02 to inflate it quickly as i was starting to get cold but the valve head froze so i couldnt tighten the head , by the time i had knocked it about enough to loosen it most of the pressure was gone so i had to pump by hand.
All this mucking about meant my hands and feet were suffering and didnt warm up till i got home and got in the shower, cars were frosting over on the street .
Changed the tube and used the c02 to inflate it quickly as i was starting to get cold but the valve head froze so i couldnt tighten the head , by the time i had knocked it about enough to loosen it most of the pressure was gone so i had to pump by hand.
All this mucking about meant my hands and feet were suffering and didnt warm up till i got home and got in the shower, cars were frosting over on the street .
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Jenkins
Legendary Member
- Location
- Felixstowe
First commute without needing lights this year when leaving at the normal 7am. Rear inner tube has picked up one of those annoying very slow punctures which has held up for the full inward leg and will need to be given a full top up from the track pump I keep in my locker before home time. I'm refusing to change the tube as, after tomorrow the wheels, tyres & tubes will be binned at the end of their commuting duties.
Alex321
Veteran
- Location
- South Wales
My first without needing the front light on steady at all in either direction was last Friday.
I still have both front and rear on flashing though, whenever it is bit dull, which includes anywhere near dawn & dusk.
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
More sausages !
Yeah, I currently have one of those on the front - really should learn from the last one which shat the bed on the way in after a week or two of misbehaving; but probably won't.
If there's any life left in your bits, is it worth offering them gratis on here? Would be a shame to waste serviceable stuff and might do someone a favour
And Scotch eggs - keep up!
And no pork pies?
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
Jenkins
Legendary Member
- Location
- Felixstowe
There's almost zero life left on any of the bits I'm discarding - when I remove everything I'll post a picture of the rear rim after 6100 miles of all weather (mostly grotty) use. It's safe to say I'm hardly using the rear brake at the moment just in case!Yeah, I currently have one of those on the front - really should learn from the last one which shat the bed on the way in after a week or two of misbehaving; but probably won't.
If there's any life left in your bits, is it worth offering them gratis on here? Would be a shame to waste serviceable stuff and might do someone a favour
As for the rear tyre & tube - they're already in the bin. I went to add 'get me home' air on leaving work only to be able to hear the air start to escape as it got up to pressure. Back into the locker room with the wheel, off with the tyre and out with the tube to find out that the valve stem was coming away from the tube so in the bin it went. In with the emergency spare tube from the locker (glad I'd not cleared that out yet), add air, replace the wheel on the bike and off home. Guess what then suffered from a loud "phut" followed by an almost instantanious deflation 2.5 miles from home? Gave up and walked from there.
Inspection in the shed found a large cut to the tyre and that the central rubber surface was lifting away from the tyre carcase so into the bin and on with one of the tyres I picked up from the 'For Sale' section on CycleChat. The tube was patchable so has been re-used.
