Tales from today's commute....

[Dec66]

I decided to cut through Dulwich Park today for a change.

A dog ran out in front of me from some bushes (no apology from the owner who saw me coming the other way before she called her dog, but hey....). I yanked the right lever and heard a "ping".

I didn't think anything of it until feathering the brake coming down Denmark Hill, when I sense there wasn't quite the purchase I was used to.

A quick check at the next set of lights revealed that the front cable is hanging on by one strand. All the others have sheared.

I think I'll take the train home.

 

[mjr]

A quick check at the next set of lights revealed that the front cable is hanging on by one strand. All the others have sheared.

I think I'll take the train home.

Why not grab a new cable from a corner shop and just fit it? Doesn't sound bad enough to resort to the train... but that's how much I like train commutes!

 

[mjr]

Uneventful ride in along the cycleways. Got there far too early, so grabbed a bean-to-cup machine coffee in the Hillington Square Community Cafe that opens at 0830 and saw to some emails. It's great we've got some cafes with some heart instead of the chains that seem to be slowly taking over the town centre. If it opened until 6.30pm and had proper bike parking instead of railings, it'd be perfect!

 

[Leaway2]

The airport had a free bike safety check this morning complete with free sausage barm . In got there at 7:30 and they had not started the grub and it wouldn't be ready for another hour .
Still, the bike got a check over and a clean bill of health. They were taking pics of the event, so I will no doubt be in the newsletter.

 

[Sixmile]

I'd an appointment with a kitchen fitter after the school drop off. He wasn't away until 10:15am so I decided on an impromptu half day as I fancied some breakfast, I've a book to read by Friday and taking the halfer means I'll be able to get away earlier tonight instead of working late to make up time.

I don't normally mismatch my gear and would dress somewhat 'appropriately' for either bike. My hybrids in getting a new crankset so I'm down the road bike only. For the school drop off I just had on MTB shorts and long sleeve sports top and normally I would change before getting onto the road bike but decided not to bother today. So I'd the SPD-SL shoes on, baggy shorts and a long sleeve non cycling top. In my backpack I'd a pair of gutties that I drove in. I found a new (to me) coffee shop a few miles later where I could leave my bike outside in partial view. I had a great seat upstairs in the heat and enjoyed a relaxing hour before spinning the final 7 miles to work.

 

[J1888]

New route to work as have changed jobs, the amount of crazy cycling on my new route is something to behold. Riding defensively I think I’m viewed as some sort of moron.

 

[Lonestar]

With a bus behind me at Canning Town yesterday was quite badly left hooked by a car that cut from turning left into my path from the right hand lane which caused me to lock the back wheel up and go into a skid...good control help me scrub the speed and avoid colliding.Not impressed...younger inexperienced driver but I had no time to be worried about it..Almost same scenario today apart from left hook,today.Talking of beemers...lucky Mr Beemer was on the alert as some twat (in a car) had jumped the lights at Plaistow and caused Mr Beemer to swerve near me.All good clean fun,though.

 

[Dec66]

Why not grab a new cable from a corner shop and just fit it? Doesn't sound bad enough to resort to the train... but that's how much I like train commutes!

I did better than that, actually; Will at Evans in Holborn squeezed me in at lunchtime and replaced it while I waited, £7.50 all in.

Smashing. Thanks, Will.

 

[Tin Pot]

My first train connection was cancelled again today, so just a brief 10min 3.2km ride to the connecting station.

Lovely rather, especially weaving around all the stuck motorists

Bike to train rocks. Nice to be outdoors with no pressure to work hard.

 

[biking_fox]

Nice pootle up the oxford road (manchester) cycle lanes again today, much better riders without much RLJ compare to last time I went this way. Seemed to be disproportionately female riders out, which given the recent study saying 75% of women have never cycled, was nice to see. The only? bloke was riding a BSO head on the wrong way down the cycle lane! They're not exactly wide, and it caused much confusion. There is an equally fine lane on the other side, so I've no idea why he though that necessary.

 

[straas]

Nice pootle up the oxford road (manchester) cycle lanes again today, much better riders without much RLJ compare to last time I went this way. Seemed to be disproportionately female riders out, which given the recent study saying 75% of women have never cycled, was nice to see. The only? bloke was riding a BSO head on the wrong way down the cycle lane! They're not exactly wide, and it caused much confusion. There is an equally fine lane on the other side, so I've no idea why he though that necessary.

Through rusholme? druggy looking guy?

 

[mjr]

... riding a BSO head on the wrong way down the cycle lane! They're not exactly wide, and it caused much confusion. There is an equally fine lane on the other side, so I've no idea why he though that necessary.

The usual reasons for "salmoning" are avoiding two right turns across the road or failure to spot the lane on the other side (they're rarer in the UK than having a bidi lane on one side).

 

[Dec66]

Intriguing and unusual commute today.

I'm on the train to Avignon

 

[JhnBssll]

A visit from the P-fairy prevented my commute this morning. I didn't notice until I climbed on and the rear rim hit the tarmac as there was just enough air left for the tire to hold its shape I jumped in the wife's car as she'd taken mine and ended up directly behind her a few miles down the road, where I noticed something hanging off the bottom of my car Fortunately only a plastic under tray which I'll fix back up when the opportunity arises

 

[Ciar]

my tale for today = Wind! that's it lovely weather apart from that