Tales from today's commute....

[BalkanExpress]

Was not too bad this mornin...apart from getting over Blackfriars Bridge and getting slammed by the strongest gust of wind I've ever felt.

The north London carefree cyclists struck again this morning - well one did; didn't affect my ride at all so not sure why I care, but this very glam lady riding in high heels and a trench coat on a 'sit up and beg' style bike (how she did it is anyone's guess), gladly jumped a red at the junction with Old St, which is (IMO) a dangerous junction...having then nearly got hooked by a black cab pulling an equally stupid stunt, she then merrily cycled down a one-way street. How do these people not get seriously injured or nicked?

A close encounter with a Beautiful Godzilla http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Beautiful+Godzillas

 

[fossyant]

The flood under the bridge was much deeper tonight. The poor guy riding with me didn't have overshoes so got waterlogged. My overshoes held up fine, some water over the top though.

 

[fossyant]

The flood was like this...

Obviously common occurrence (photo from a local cyclist from a couple of years ago) Deep

 

[subaqua]

best bit of today was being able to track stand sitting down as the wind was holding me upright. was a weird feeling/

worst bit was riding no handed in the sheletr of the former athletes village for a gust to suddenly get me and wobble the feck out of me. I didn't fall off though

 

[Nocode]

Wow that was a blustery ride home. A couple of times the wind nearly blew me over sideways. But when the wind caught me from behind.. wow.. flying...

Got to Bromley and pulled up next to another cyclist. Decided to say hello to the young fella. And blimey he recognised me. It was @Nocode from this very board. We only live a 5 minute walk apart but have never seen each other on the commute. So today was a first. It was only because I decided to ride the wind home rather then going my usual convoluted extended route that we bumped into each other.

So really nice to cycle part way home with some one, both being shoved along by the wind, but not helped by crappy traffic

We encountered a complete arse of a driver who decided to weave left and right to try stop us from filtering. Didn't work though and we left him acting and looking like a complete tool.

Anyway, a nice quick ride home, shorter the usual. Dicky knee playing up. No more commute for me until next tuesday as have a couple of days off.

Nice to meet you @ianrauk. Been a couple of years riding the same route but our paths have never crossed until tonight.

After we parted ways I headed down to Otford, Shoreham and Eynsford to extend the commute to 35 miles. Boy did I regret that. Obviously got the headwind on the loop back and had a mini-bonk. Don't think I ate enough at work today!

Looks like another windy day tomorrow!

 

[fossyant]

Someone's video from the Fallowfield loop today.

Deep....

 

[Stephen C]

Nothing beats the feeling of cruising along at 25mph on the big ring, with just the noise of the chain purring away and no feel of any wind...makes up for pushing into the brutal headwind this morning!

 

[DWiggy]

Tough old head wind this morning!

 

[Simontm]

No discernible wind this morning. Nice and sunny and quiet roads again. Lovely. Numpty count: 0
I met another cyclist in the car park - maybe one of the Cycling Weekly/Active etc crew - who commutes about the same distance and he was complaining about how cold it was - One of those days when I'm glad I run hot
Unfortunately tonight will be my last commute for the week as I have yet another car to review over Easter so will have to head to the hills on this long weekend coming up to make up for it

 

[MisterStan]

Going home last night was bloody hard work. All the way into a headwind. Body was aching.

This morning was a great run in, nice tailwind and sunny spring morning.

 

[fossyant]

Windy and the flood was still there. I still rode through it with a big grin.

 

[BigAl68]

I rode the steel in today and left late so I cycled in the sunshine which was very nice. Still a bit blowy but nothing like yesterday.

 

[HarryTheDog]

Coming out of Dagenham, bloke with his bike upside down and no chain. Stopped to see if I could help. His chain had snapped at the quick link, front mech bent to hell. He had a spare quick link but had pinged half of it into the grass and could not find it. I counted his cogs, 9, and pulled 2 quick links from my bag. He started to put them on and I found his missing link in the grass. He decided to use the link I had found , but could not get it on. Turned out his spare was a 10 speed. I gave him my 9 again. He managed to ping one side of the link into the grass again, we could not find it so I gave him another. Finally he got it on and straightened his mech as best he could. turned out he worked 50yds from me so I gave him my business card so he could contact me to give me a new packet of links. Also turned out he worked for a high profile customer of the company I work for so all good. We decided to cycle in together but even tucked up right under my rear wheel he could not keep to my reasonable pace so he asked me several times not to wait as I had to keep freewheeling to let him get back on. I was now half hour late so I said ok and pressed on.

 

[MisterStan]

Coming out of Dagenham, bloke with his bike upside down and no chain. Stopped to see if I could help. His chain had snapped at the quick link, front mech bent to hell. He had a spare quick link but had pinged half of it into the grass and could not find it. I counted his cogs, 9, and pulled 2 quick links from my bag. He started to put them on and I found his missing link in the grass. He decided to use the link I had found , but could not get it on. Turned out his spare was a 10 speed. I gave him my 9 again. He managed to ping one side of the link into the grass again, we could not find it so I gave him another. Finally he got it on and straightened his mech as best he could. turned out he worked 50yds from me so I gave him my business card so he could contact me to give me a new packet of links. Also turned out he worked for a high profile customer of the company I work for so all good. We decided to cycle in together but even tucked up right under my rear wheel he could not keep to my reasonable pace so he asked me several times not to wait as I had to keep freewheeling to let him get back on. I was now half hour late so I said ok and pressed on.

Well done that man!

 

[subaqua]

Coming out of Dagenham, bloke with his bike upside down and no chain. Stopped to see if I could help. His chain had snapped at the quick link, front mech bent to hell. He had a spare quick link but had pinged half of it into the grass and could not find it. I counted his cogs, 9, and pulled 2 quick links from my bag. He started to put them on and I found his missing link in the grass. He decided to use the link I had found , but could not get it on. Turned out his spare was a 10 speed. I gave him my 9 again. He managed to ping one side of the link into the grass again, we could not find it so I gave him another. Finally he got it on and straightened his mech as best he could. turned out he worked 50yds from me so I gave him my business card so he could contact me to give me a new packet of links. Also turned out he worked for a high profile customer of the company I work for so all good. We decided to cycle in together but even tucked up right under my rear wheel he could not keep to my reasonable pace so he asked me several times not to wait as I had to keep freewheeling to let him get back on. I was now half hour late so I said ok and pressed on.

Chapeau.

may your legs feel fresh and you have a tailwind always .