Tales from today's commute....

[GeekDadZoid]

Only commute of the week yesterday as I am off on holiday tomorrow.
Was a pretty wet one on the way in but not too bad on the way home, traffic was light but the city centre was full of crazy people not looking where they where going on the way home.

 

[ianrauk]

As in the words of The Fast Show. BRILLIANT.
Half term holiday and the roads are clear... making for a really nice, quick, clear roads ride in. BRILLIANT.

 

[Jenkins]

Buggerations

2 mile walk of shame when this happened going uphill on Gulphur Road

 

[Andy in Germany]

Buggerations
View attachment 647083
2 mile walk of shame when this happened going uphill on Gulphur Road

Oooff. Not nice. I'm assuming your weren't hurt.

 

[ianrauk]

Buggerations
View attachment 647083
2 mile walk of shame when this happened going uphill on Gulphur Road

Could have been nasty

 

[Jenkins]

It happened at low speed and under very little load - I'd just slowed down down down to allow an oncomming vehicle to pass on the narrow road and was maintaining a steady speed when it just went. My first thought that the chain had come off the inner ring having changed down a couple of hundred yards earlier. I've a feeling that it was a fairly high mileage chain (only the 3rd one on a bike that's done over 9,000 miles) but hadn't shown any indication of a problem before and nothing wrong was seen when I cleaned & lubed it last week.

 

[HLaB]

I enjoyed the distinct lack of traffic, particularly in the AM, today. Although part of me kinda likes when its congested and I can go straight down the middle of the dual carriageway and easily turn right at one of its roundabouts when it too free flowing and fast I usually take the option to pull off to the left and use the staggered Toucan.

As I was in the bike cage this evening it started to really chuck it down and it was still raining when I left. So I expected to be soaked but once out of town it faired. Which was much better than I expected. As I said to a colleague dress for bad weather and it never comes 🤞

Edit: I forgot the one eventful thing which probably means it wasn't. There was temporary traffic lights and I went by about 10 or 15 cars and slotted in the generous gap 3 cars from the front. It was a big car which would offer a good draft. I soon found out why it was pretty generous. The car I slotted in behind if it had an MOT tomorrow it would fail. I thought for a moment about drafting it but the thick clouds coming out of its exhaust convinced me otherwise 🙄

 

[HarryTheDog]

A nice commute in this morning, got a fair amount of good mornings and smiles from joggers dog walkers and other cyclists. The expected 3 plonker cyclists cycling the wrong side of the path towards me and 2 more going my way with headphones in who were oblivious to my bell and verbal requests to move over. The first cacked himself when I went past, the 2 nd apologised and cycled into the hedge ( slowly)
Spotted a pump in the undergrowth, stopped to pick it up, and looked like it had been there for some while so thought pointless leaving it there, whoever lost it, probably lost it some time ago and was unlikely to come back for it. It is only a cheap tesco one but with a guage and it works!

 

[HarryTheDog]

Unusually half empty train on the way in. Once on the Canal path it rained for the first 10 miles and was a maze of puddles which I didnt bother to dodge as I had my Spatz GravelR over shoes on. The rain kept most of the dog walkers, plonker cyclists and joggers at home so it was actually a very pleasant cycle.

 

[ianrauk]

Unusually half empty train on the way in. Once on the Canal path it rained for the first 10 miles and was a maze of puddles which I didnt bother to dodge as I had my Spatz GravelR over shoes on. The rain kept most of the dog walkers, plonker cyclists and joggers at home so it was actually a very pleasant cycle.

Rained for the whole ride in. Not heavy, more drizzle. It was still mildly warm so wasn't unpleasant. I was mostly grumpy that I spent an hour yesterday cleaning the bike.

 

[GeekDadZoid]

Nice sunny ride in this morning. Very light traffic too caused me to take the main road the whole way in, which I have not done since lockdowns where a thing.

 

[Alex321]

First time back to commuting on the bike since my crash in March.

Looed at the wind before I set out, thought it wasn't TOO bad, so went for it. Nice tailwind all the way to work, enjoyed the ride in, but was hoping the wind would ease a bit during the day.

Hah!. Far from easing, it got significantly stronger, and it had been a fairly close decision this morning. No incidents, but really hard work cycling against that wind Absolutely cream crackered when I arrived home, with an average speed of only 13.8mph - usually I'm over 15mph on the way home, while being a LOT less knackered.

Probably not the best day to choose for my first commute as I recover fitness. Next in the office on Friday, I will only use the bike if the wind is significantly less than today.

 

[Tom...]

Perfect weather this morning ☀

 

[rivers]

First day back to work after my latest bout with covid. It took me nearly 30 minutes as opposed to my usual 22 and my heart rate was about 20 beats higher than usual. Not very fun....

 

[HarryTheDog]

Having got totally fed up with the train part of my train/cycle commute I researched over the weekend how I could do a drive cycle commute instead . I picked on a route and tried it out but there was question over whether I would get parked a Bukhurst hill, I got parked no problem on the weekend but when I tried it yesterday no parking anywhere so I gave up. Researched a longer commute to a guaranteed free parking lot.

So I tried it this morning following my downloaded route. Outside of Chigwell 5 miles of A and B roads to Bukhurst hill, a mile of offroad up and down Pole hill just for giggles then a mile to the canal path and 10 miles up the canal path.

The first 5 miles was on B and A roads and was actually quite pleasant. A lot of up and down, more down than up so going home is going to be a chore. No close passes etc. Came across one cyclist who decided to push in front of me at some lights ( tall and skinny probably in his 50's) so I made him pay the price ie I drafted the cack out of him for half a mile before I turned off.
I then did a bit of offroad up pole hill and down the steep descent, it was a right giggle.
On the canal path I hit a kerb stone hard with the rear tyre and it "burped " some air. So I pumped it up.
Whilst I was pumping it up a guy on crutches wandered up and remarked what a nice bike. We got talking, he was a roofer and had fell off a roof, smashed pelvis, been off work for 3 months so far.
He obviously needed someone to to talk to and told me about the accident and his depression. I thought sod it I'd give him some of my time and he seemed grateful and shook my hand before we parted ways.
( I seem to have gained a face that people want to talk to in my old age, Saturday night a 70 yr old was telling me all about his terrible 3 yrs, 3 heart stents, cancer chemo etc and the saturday before a 63 yr old telling me all about his divorce, his wife of 38 yrs walked out on him to go back to her boyfriend of 40 yrs ago!)
Overall a slower commute and I used less calories but this was due to the fact I didnt really know where I was going for the first 7 miles.
Going home I may miss out the offroad Pole hill as I can see myself walking up it.
Now got over 2 weeks off though before I try it again, might get a 42 tooth cassette my 36 just I just not enough with my 42 x 1 11 speed set up.