roubaixtuesday
self serving virtue signaller
Much improved on the way home - cold; wet.
Tales from today's commute....
- Thread starter martint235
- Start date
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Much improved on the way home - cold; wet.
HLaB
Marie Attoinette Fan
Almost daylight this morning which I maybe could have done without. It meant the temperature had dropped and it was on the edge of frosty so I was a bit cautious out of the estate. The estate actually seemed busy with traffic or maybe it was because I was slower. Once out though I got most of the traffic lights on half empty roads, except the toucan crossing of the dual carriageway which had little but though traffic that peds trying to cross without pushing the button had got caught. If they had pressed it I would have been green all the way and they wouldn't have become stuck!
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biking_fox
Legendary Member
- Location
- Manchester
Clear frosty morning, thought I'd take the SS in on the empty half-term roads. Mostly I ride on M+ commuter, and don't think about tyres. Forgot how much more effected the SS is when the tyres are just a little soft. Stopped half way in to get them properly hard, makes a huge difference. Fun after that.
Thankfully a far better ride than yesterday - left late but feeling OK despite the usual sleep deficit.
The morning was cold but gloriously sunny, the apparant remnants of grit on the road reminding me to take it steady.
Maintained an uncharacteristically high speed in despite the partial headwind, thankfully encountering no proper bellends on the roads.
My resolve faltered in the face of today's absolutely sublime sausages; scoring three and a big bag of proper pork scratchings.
Left the covered market three minutes after tow-path-curfew but took that route anyway hoping that the wind would assist my swift egress from the city.
Turns out that wasn't really the case but had a relatively nice ride anyway, cutting it short and taking one of the more recently discovered routes to work and arriving just on time to a thankfully closed and warm office.
Think I've just spotted a treecreeper out the window too - I'm very grateful for the world looking very different to how it did this time yesterday...
The morning was cold but gloriously sunny, the apparant remnants of grit on the road reminding me to take it steady.
Maintained an uncharacteristically high speed in despite the partial headwind, thankfully encountering no proper bellends on the roads.
My resolve faltered in the face of today's absolutely sublime sausages; scoring three and a big bag of proper pork scratchings.
Left the covered market three minutes after tow-path-curfew but took that route anyway hoping that the wind would assist my swift egress from the city.
Turns out that wasn't really the case but had a relatively nice ride anyway, cutting it short and taking one of the more recently discovered routes to work and arriving just on time to a thankfully closed and warm office.
Think I've just spotted a treecreeper out the window too - I'm very grateful for the world looking very different to how it did this time yesterday...
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
WFH again, full of a cold. Wouldn't have ridden as it's icy anyway. Got to drive in tomorrow as daughter needs a lift, so hopefully above zero for Thursday. Got to test out the re-greased headset and new front straddle wire.
cyberknight
As long as I breathe, I attack.
- Location
- Land of confusion
Got the bike out and managed maybe 1/4 mile to a junction where I found out my brake pads had glazed so I braked and kept going.i tried adjusting but they were rubbing but still had no power so I had to turn around and get the car 😕
EltonFrog
Legendary Member
I dip into this thread from time to time, and I’m genuinely in awe of how you all do it day in, day out. The frustrations, the tiny triumphs, the full emotional rollercoaster that comes with a cycling commute — you lot document it better than any documentary ever could.
At the risk of sounding a bit soft, you really are heroes in your own way, keeping roofs over your heads and food on the table while dodging potholes, weather systems, and the occasional motorist who appears to be navigating via echolocation.
I’ve never had a proper cycling commute myself, and honestly, when I read some of the stories on here, I’m not entirely sure whether to applaud you or wrap you all in bubble wrap.
Massive respect to every one of you.
At the risk of sounding a bit soft, you really are heroes in your own way, keeping roofs over your heads and food on the table while dodging potholes, weather systems, and the occasional motorist who appears to be navigating via echolocation.
I’ve never had a proper cycling commute myself, and honestly, when I read some of the stories on here, I’m not entirely sure whether to applaud you or wrap you all in bubble wrap.
Massive respect to every one of you.
HLaB
Marie Attoinette Fan
This is the busiest train I've been on in a while. Someone trespassed on the line south of St'Evenage. Canceling the Cambridge line so alot of them were on my train that usualy stops every 2nd-3rd stop. Its only 8 carriages long which isn't a problem with the usual stop pattern an St'Evenage being the first stop out of London. But it was every stop today subbing for the Cambridge train to Arlesey.
My line is usually full of kids anyway on half term trips to London, it was no different today. The woman opposite is going to have to bus back from Pottyboro to Cambridge with hers which are knackered!
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
It's better than sitting in traffic. And that's in a vehicle with super heating/air con, heated seats, automatic gears (no clutch leg issues) great radio... still prefer the bike. And don't mention the train. You pay £10 to be treated like battery hens.
HLaB
Marie Attoinette Fan
Well after the chaos on the trains when I got back to Pottyboro (only 15mins later than I'd normally be) the city centre was dead and there was only about 10 cars when there would usually be 100s. It resulted in a very uneventful commute with thankfully only very patient drivers about.
For what reason? Half term?
Morning folks.
Cold but cloudy with nice and clear traffic free roads making for a nice and rapid ride in this morning. Rain is incoming for this afternoons ride but am hoping I at least get to the station before it hits.
The Tern folder is needing a bit of love. It's a 9 speed jobbie and it seems I do work the thing rather hard as the chain is well past it's useful date and is now skipping on the cassette. So ordered new cassette and chain from Bike Parts (my new favourite supplier) and will get those changed over at the weekend.
Reading your thread has had me thinking about all my years of cycle commuting. I cycled to school almost religiously, Yellow Chopper, Grifter and an old Coventry Eagle racer, leaving school at 15 and a half to go straight to work where I cycle commuted. This was back in the very early 80's on a Raleigh Banana from Wimbledon to Tooting. Cycling infrastructure wasn't even a thing but road traffic was less manic and busy as it is now. I've been cycle commuting on and off ever since, back to it full time 20 years ago. Many years (44 so far), many miles and many bikes later and I still thoroughly enjoy it. Of course there have been some really bad times but the good times far outweigh those.
Cold but cloudy with nice and clear traffic free roads making for a nice and rapid ride in this morning. Rain is incoming for this afternoons ride but am hoping I at least get to the station before it hits.
The Tern folder is needing a bit of love. It's a 9 speed jobbie and it seems I do work the thing rather hard as the chain is well past it's useful date and is now skipping on the cassette. So ordered new cassette and chain from Bike Parts (my new favourite supplier) and will get those changed over at the weekend.
Reading your thread has had me thinking about all my years of cycle commuting. I cycled to school almost religiously, Yellow Chopper, Grifter and an old Coventry Eagle racer, leaving school at 15 and a half to go straight to work where I cycle commuted. This was back in the very early 80's on a Raleigh Banana from Wimbledon to Tooting. Cycling infrastructure wasn't even a thing but road traffic was less manic and busy as it is now. I've been cycle commuting on and off ever since, back to it full time 20 years ago. Many years (44 so far), many miles and many bikes later and I still thoroughly enjoy it. Of course there have been some really bad times but the good times far outweigh those.
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EltonFrog
Legendary Member
I haven’t cycle‑commuted since I was 17, when I got my first motorcycle. Before that it was all cycle to school paper rounds, Saturday jobs, and during the school holidays, cycling from Willesden Junction to Welling, Kent to stay with an aunt. All of it on a Dawes Kingpin.
From 22 onwards I never had a job based in one place, so cycling just wasn’t practical.
About five years ago I had a part‑time job where my Brompton suddenly became very useful. I wasn’t “commuting” exactly, but I used it to get to and from commercial vehicle garages for servicing work—about 10 miles per trip, though not every day. I did once cycle from home to the office: 18 lumpy miles each way. I didn’t repeat that experiment.
From 22 onwards I never had a job based in one place, so cycling just wasn’t practical.
About five years ago I had a part‑time job where my Brompton suddenly became very useful. I wasn’t “commuting” exactly, but I used it to get to and from commercial vehicle garages for servicing work—about 10 miles per trip, though not every day. I did once cycle from home to the office: 18 lumpy miles each way. I didn’t repeat that experiment.
HLaB
Marie Attoinette Fan
I suspect so, I've never seen it so quiet just after 6pm.
