Tales from today's commute....

[MickeyBlueEyes]

Tired legs this morning on a ride in conditions that were stiller than a still thing from planet still. Amazing lack of air movement meant there are no weather excuses available for a lower than average pace. I should of extended further but for once I took the sensible approach and gave the legs a little respite.

 

[summerdays]

Ok I have a cold so brain isn't functioning properly. Today I set off and look down at my legs, there is supposed to be two layers: thin bamboo layer, and leggings on top. Looks wrong, oops I only have the thin bamboo layer! And I'm going to have to stay lik this all day!

 

[Arjimlad]

Getting up a little earlier at the moment (as my son is getting up early to do a paper round) means that I can take the 12 mile route into work, riding up to the interestingly named village of Itchington and then trundling back down the A38.

This morning I overtook two ostensibly slower riders, one on a hybrid with panniers and the other in hi-vis on a blue framed road bike.

I think it was the latter rider who accepted the "challenge" of being overtaken, and stayed on my tail all the way to the Aztec West roundabout, so I will be intrigued to see the Strava data later on.

Got used to being the only bike on the road in the winter time, perhaps its the earlier starts that mean there are more riders about.

 

[Origamist]

0C and a tailwind. Made good progress.

Dealt with an awkward situation this morning. Pulled out of the recessed junction at Tatton Park - a car was coming on my left at speed, but I could still make the gap comfortably. The problem was there was then a car coming in the opposite direction (which I could not see when I pulled out), meaning the driver coming from the left could not overtake at 60mph. This irritated him as he had to brake, so, dutifully, he gave me a beep (my first "angry" beep of 2015) I instinctively and rather perfunctorily raised my arm in the air, he waited behind me for 5 secs, passed me wide and I then carried on my way. Probably not my finest hour - I’ll tackle that junction a little more gingerly in future.

Other than that, a nice day to be on the bike…

 

[400bhp]

Watch the road surfaces folks. They are greasy.

Thanks for the advice. I didn't listen...

Went my old way to work this morning. Through Ashley and onto Mill Lane. It's a way I haven't used for 6 months as, guess what, it gets a bit slippy in parts. So, this morning, I came off at the bottom of the descent on Mill Lane - gah.

Probably doing 30 odd down the hill, braked to scrub off speed for the corner, then felt the rear fishtail. I stayed in a straight line but was approaching the kerb so it was either plough into the kerb where there was 100% chance of fall or try and steer out of it. I chose the latter and bam, down.

Knocked the stuffing me and thankfully the driver behind me missed running over my stationary bike in the middle of the road. He stopped to see if I was OK which was nice. I think I got off pretty lightly - cuts and bruises on right knee, elbow and shoulder and some small cuts on left hand. There's a hole in my Aldi longs at the knee so they will be going in the bin when I get home. Annoyingly there's a tear in the storm cover on my Northwave shoes where the fastening must have pierced through - a bit of gaffer tape will have to suffice and they can probably live on. The bike is fine and lives on.

Fortunately at the moment I'm showering at the local gym so I raided their first aid box for plasters and antiseptic wipes.

The Strava segment for that part of Mill Lane is called "Mill Lane Death Corner"...can't think why....

Could have been much worse. Suspect it will dent my confidence for the next few days - hey ho. I'm still here.

 

[Origamist]

@400bhp was it the last right hander before you get to the buildings - that corner is tighter than it appears, particularly when you've picked up speed - if it was greasy you would not have stood a chance. The dark, salty, gritty snow melt gunk is like a diesel on a bend (there's been no rain of late to flush it away).

Glad it was not more serious (and good that the driver stopped and avoided the bike!). Hope you're not too achey/sore tomorrow. Maybe a rest day?

 

[400bhp]

@400bhp was it the last right hander before you get to the buildings - that corner is tighter than it appears, particularly when you've picked up speed - if it was greasy you would not have stood a chance. The dark, salty, gritty snow melt is like a diesel on a bend.

Glad it was not more serious (and good that the driver stopped and avoided the bike!). Hope you're not too achey/sore tomorrow. Maybe a rest day?

That's the one. There's a track that comes right out on the corner and there's mud dumped on the road because of it

Rest day - nah. If i dont jump straight back on the bike i will lose some confidence. I'll just plough on.

I'd not fallen off for quite a while so it was about time...

 

[Hacienda71]

@400bhp was it the last right hander before you get to the buildings - that corner is tighter than it appears, particularly when you've picked up speed - if it was greasy you would not have stood a chance. The dark, salty, gritty snow melt gunk is like a diesel on a bend (there's been no rain of late to flush it away).

Glad it was not more serious (and good that the driver stopped and avoided the bike!). Hope you're not too achey/sore tomorrow. Maybe a rest day?

That is a nightmare corner. Always scares the crap out of me. Bad surface tight corner at the bottom of a steep hill.

GWS @400bhp

 

[400bhp]

That is a nightmare corner. Always scares the crap out of me. Bad surface tight corner at the bottom of a steep hill.

GWS @400bhp

To be fair fella, it was a schoolboy error. I shouldn't be venturing out down there in February when we had snow the week before and there's been no rain.

Lesson hopefully learnt.

 

[fossyant]

To be fair fella, it was a schoolboy error. I shouldn't be venturing out down there in February when we had snow the week before and there's been no rain.

Lesson hopefully learnt.

Òch. GWS.

PS needle and thread will repair the odd hole in your kit.

 

[kevin_cambs_uk]

At my door at 6 pm. So that's 50 mins door to door.
I am beginning to think I must be ill !

 

[fossyant]

Skud has crashed on a roundabout today. It's slippy out there. He crashed last week too.

 

[400bhp]

Oh bum. Hope he's OK

 

[400bhp]

Survived on the way home. Bizarrely my legs felt good.

 

[potsy]

Skud has crashed on a roundabout today. It's slippy out there. He crashed last week too.

Oh bum. Hope he's OK

Sounds like a few of you are having a tricky time at the minute, almost glad I'm only an occasional cycle commuter these days

Reckon you got lucky there 400bhp, nasty place to lose it

@skudupnorth might be on later to tell his latest tale