Tales from today's commute....

[L Q]

Woke up early this morning and couldn't get back to sleep so left about 45 mins earlier than normal.

Legs felt great for a Thursday and got to work in 10 mins quicker than yesterday. Really enjoying the ride in at the minute. Just clicked over the 3000 miles for commuting this year and I have only been commuting the full route since June.

 

[MickeyBlueEyes]

Nice one Mick.. you've worked hard enough....

It's the same for me too. I am now in the realm of further then I have ever ridden in a year.. and it will be by a huge margin compared to previous years.

Planned to go further or just how the year has panned out Ian? I went for the non planned other than I knew I wanted further than last year, it was by how much I'd not thought about, that's just happening.

 

[ianrauk]

Planned to go further or just how the year has panned out Ian? I went for the non planned other than I knew I wanted further than last year, it was by how much I'd not thought about, that's just happening.

All non planned.
My usual yearly target over the years has been 10,000 miles and I have usually cracked that with ease. I'm not sure where all the extra miles has come from. Apart from the Geneva to home ride last month, it's been the usual commute, long weekend rides and Audax rides. It's looking like I'll finish at about the 12,500 mark this year. Next year I aim to drop it down a bit. My commute in the morning which is 20 miles has 2 12%ers which takes it's toll over the week, so may drop one of those and shorten the commute a little.

 

[Origamist]

Jet lag really kicked in on Tuesday evening and could only generate baby-watts. So much so, that I was passed by a chap on a singlespeed (not even fixed) in Mobberley. He proceeded to freewheel when he had passed to rub my nose in it. I looked at my Garmin and was only doing 16mph - no wonder. I had no energy or inclination to chase as my body/metabolism was telling me it was 1am and not 6pm. Struggled home for the next 15 miles...

This morning was better, temps hovering around 0C and felt more sprightly. 19mph+ average and good driving all round.

 

[donnydave]

Got a front puncture as I came to a stop when I got home on Tuesday. As I shifted my weight to unclip and get off, unavoidably wiggling the handlebars around for balance, the front tyre fell into a crack in the road and pinched the tube . Never mind I was at home so changed it in the shed but left my tyre lever in the shed . On the way home last night I thought "hmm this is more comfortable than it normally is" and sure enough the front tyre was going down . Luckily I was on the guided busway and its not yet cold enough for everyone to give up cycling so there were plenty of people about. Borrowed some snazzy pink tyre levers off one guy who stopped (cheers whoever you are!) and got myself sorted out. Absolutely loads of people stopped to ask if I needed help or ask if I had everything I needed, so much so that by the end of it in my head I was saying "EFFIN LEAVE ME ALONE I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING!!!" whilst trying to stay polite on the outside .

Closer inspection of the tyre revealed the original puncture on Tuesday - which I marked the position with an indelible pen - had a small bit of glass through which I had removed, but failed to notice the puncture resistant fibre stuff (gatorskin) had ripped and there was a bit of the fibre sticking out on the inside of the tyre which presumably rubbed on the new inner tube . That particular tyre has done nearly a year and a half, roughly 8000 miles and has had 3 punctures (I keep a maintenance log of everything) so maybe time for a new one.

 

[martint235]

No commute for me today as I had docs about my arm. Starving blood test scheduled for tomorrow so not working tomorrow either. And Monday I'll be at home writing my application for my own job. I may miss my 400 mile target for October.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Got caught in the rain at dinner time and then this afternoon it really lashed it down so I was expecting to get a drenching on the home leg. Nope, by the time I left work it had stopped and the wind had even died down a bit

 

[cosmicbike]

Headwind all the way in this morning, which meant a fast run home tonight. Got rained on a little on the way home, just enough to make it feel chilly

 

[MickeyBlueEyes]

Felt shattered this morning so had a real steady inbound trip. Would of liked to of applied the 'further on Friday' rule but unless I liven up a bit I think it will be the standard trip on the way back too.

 

[L Q]

Felt surprisingly good for a Friday, had a few close passes this morning and that's unusual for me, did have a schoolbus that gave me loads of room and waited till I got well out of the way before passing and that was good of him.

 

[JMT]

Ride in today was slow but legs didn't feel too bad so I'm not sure why, the dedicated cycle path did have a higher number of pedestrians on it then normal. A little chilly at the start of the ride but soon warmed up and rather it be chilly than rain.

Numpty Count 2: Man stares straight at me as go round a round about and then pulls out just in front of me, and a woman dropping her children off at school pulled out of the lay-by instantly doing a 180 degree turn ending up in the cycle line just missing me.

 

[captain nemo1701]

How’s this for arrogance today?. I’m sat at the dropped kerb on a cyclepath just up from Cattle Market Road in Bristol this morning. I’m waiting for a gap in the traffic to my right, outside Temple Meads. I waited for a ‘straggling car’ coming across from Clarence Road. Said car then pulls in and stops right in front of me, blocking my entry onto the road. Wifey lets hubby out of car who then walks about 100m up the road to a crossing near a branch of Kwik Fit where there is loads of room to pull in and stop. It’s nearer the damn crossing. So, driver completely blocks my entry onto the road inches from my front wheel by stopping on double yellow lines just to drop hubby off for work. It’s like I was invisible...

 

[fossyant]

How’s this for arrogance today?. I’m sat at the dropped kerb on a cyclepath just up from Cattle Market Road in Bristol this morning. I’m waiting for a gap in the traffic to my right, outside Temple Meads. I waited for a ‘straggling car’ coming across from Clarence Road. Said car then pulls in and stops right in front of me, blocking my entry onto the road. Wifey lets hubby out of car who then walks about 100m up the road to a crossing near a branch of Kwik Fit where there is loads of room to pull in and stop. It’s nearer the damn crossing. So, driver completely blocks my entry onto the road inches from my front wheel by stopping on double yellow lines just to drop hubby off for work. It’s like I was invisible...

Ride over the top Peter Saigan style.

 

[fossyant]

Bloody cyclists.

Stopped at lights. Another cyclist stops behind. Say morning. Next second wobbly belinda pushes past and starts to ride through lights.

Lights change. Get out of the faking way wobbly.

Bloody annoying. Fortunately it's rare we get more than one cyclist at lights. Must be mental in London

 

[kevin_cambs_uk]

Well after 3 weeks back after my lovely 2 weeks holiday, its finally Friday again and beer o'clock!

I will have one just for you all!!