Tales from today's commute....

[HLaB]

A nice quiet ride in this morning, helped by the gasworks closure and Friday's. What traffic I did see held back in the right places too. Still in shorts but it was my first commute in a while with arm warmers. It was quite a strong and chilly north wind. The skies (gloomy) probably made it feel worse!

I forgot to post Friday's commute pics, I'll post them now to brighten things up.

 

[fossyant]

Much better temperature today. Freehub working perfectly after a full service and de-gunking (causing the pawls to slip). Happy with mid teens temperatures.

 

[spen666]

A noticeable autumnal feel to the commute today. Lots of cyclists with lights on today - some good lights, some barely visible, some badly adjusted etc

 

[spen666]

This morning - at Trafalgar Square, saw a bloke who looked to be 40s/ 50s wearing a Kellogg's cornflakes cycling top, & cycling shorts - "so what?" you say
He was riding a Brompton - "So what?" you say
He was also wearing a full face motorcycle helmet


An interesting combination

 

[markharry66]

given six month repreive by work so back on the bike this morning, windy, gloomy morning, would say nice ride into work, now every route seems to have temporary taffic lights on it. Two thames water temporary traffic lights on long route this morning no sign of any work on one, lights placed half way up the hill creating havoc already at 6.30am. Rest of the ride nice grind into work slower than usual due to head wind. Nice close pass by warburtons delivery van, literally inches away must have been going 40 or 50mph in 30 near a school nice work d**khead, gave him the wave he deserved as he came round the roundabout. Rest of the ride in non- eventful. No point reporting to police as havent even come back to me on reported driver from three weeks ago, whats the point.

 

[straas]

Earlier this week, commuting home through rusholme and taking it fairly steadily as the pavements are narrow and the cycle lane is all over the place.

A delivery cyclist came out of a side road, straight into my path and then just stopped.

Disc brakes performed well, but the slippery surface of the cycle lane made it a real challenge to stop in time!

I really wish there was a viable alternative to rusholme, it's fairly consistently the worst part of my commute.

 

[ianrauk]

There's an autumnal chill in the air this morning, but not enough for long sleeves. Once I get going along the A21 race track it doesn't take long to warm up. A quite large peloton formed this morning along the route. Most cyclists I've seen in a morning for a long while. Only annoyance were a lad on a Lime bike swerving all over the place and a moped delivery driver who decided the cyclist ASL was for his exclusive use. I don't think he enjoyed getting surrounded by cyclists. Tough, stay out of the box.

 

[wafter]

Still enjoying the tail end of the honeymoon period commuting from the flat - minimal traffic thanks to the school holidays and temperate weather making most commutes in recent memory a pleasure.

That said this week has been the first for a long time where I've felt the cold on the odd occasion; a reminder of the perpetual passage of time, the unstoppable prospect of winter and with that the ever-present spectre of my own mortality...

Yesterday gave a perfect illustration of the seasonal extremes - chilly upon emerging both from the flat in the morning / work in the afternoon under an indifferent, overcast sky.. However the ride back at least was redeemed by a nose around Walter's menswear in the city centre; emerging after a rewarding and insightful hour into glorious autumnal sun - this joy celebrated with a cheeky halloumi wrap from the excellent Lebanese place in the covered market. Already high spirits were buoyed further by getting the eye off a half-my-age hottie, which of course I did nothing to pursue.

Trying as usual to acknowledge how pleasant this all is before the inevitable descent into the cold and dark; however it can't be as bad as last year as now I've moved the start is a little later, there's no driving involved and if I really need to I can forsake the sausages and make it to work in less than three miles

 

[captain nemo1701]

Coming in today, masses of fallen yellow leaves all over the railway path. I keep thinking its November

 

[spen666]

Today's commute in a word

Lawbreaking


From numerous non pedal assist electric bikes. Followed one for over a mile who in that time never pedalled once.

Cyclists - both pedal cyclist and electric bike users seemingly not required to stop at any traffic lights, even if on cross roads and traffic crossing their path

Cyclists riding wrong direction on cycle paths


Funniest bit was at Mile End, heading ionto town on A11, cyclist pulls out of cycle lane which had a green light, into adjacent left turn lane of road which had a red light - all whilst going straight on. If he had stayed in cycle lane, he would have been passing green light, but chose instead to swerve through red light - then on other side of lights joined back on cycle lane. No surprise that he was on a non pedal assist electric bike ( and therefore not a bike but a motorised vehicle without , number plates, helmet & insurance etc

To be fair, I did see at least one cyclist, other than me who stopped at a red light once. Strangely enough, not on an electric bike


Also, had to laugh at one of those on non pedal assist electronic bike, riding in full cycling kit - despite not doing any exercise. Sure he probably thinks just being sat on an electric motored bike counts as exercise

 

[captain nemo1701]

Today's commute in a word

Lawbreaking


From numerous non pedal assist electric bikes. Followed one for over a mile who in that time never pedalled once.

Cyclists - both pedal cyclist and electric bike users seemingly not required to stop at any traffic lights, even if on cross roads and traffic crossing their path

Cyclists riding wrong direction on cycle paths


Funniest bit was at Mile End, heading ionto town on A11, cyclist pulls out of cycle lane which had a green light, into adjacent left turn lane of road which had a red light - all whilst going straight on. If he had stayed in cycle lane, he would have been passing green light, but chose instead to swerve through red light - then on other side of lights joined back on cycle lane. No surprise that he was on a non pedal assist electric bike ( and therefore not a bike but a motorised vehicle without , number plates, helmet & insurance etc

To be fair, I did see at least one cyclist, other than me who stopped at a red light once. Strangely enough, not on an electric bike


Also, had to laugh at one of those on non pedal assist electronic bike, riding in full cycling kit - despite not doing any exercise. Sure he probably thinks just being sat on an electric motored bike counts as exercise

Frequently see blokes on the Bristol Railway Path doing about 20mph uphill not pedaling at all. Also those people on bikes with really fat motorbike type tires. The rolling resistance must be huge and you can't go that fast uphill either.

 

[Arjimlad]

My son sent me a photo of that very sub this morning, he was piloting a safety boat on the way to a bridge inspection I think!

He was facilitating an inspection of the railway bridge over which you travelled!

 

[Arjimlad]

Lovely old Datsun passed me this morning...

Followed by a sh*tt*ng Peugeot !

 

[Andy in Germany]

Frequently see blokes on the Bristol Railway Path doing about 20mph uphill not pedaling at all. Also those people on bikes with really fat motorbike type tires. The rolling resistance must be huge and you can't go that fast uphill either.

Don't know if it helps, but we occasionally get customers with this sort of bike at work. The bikes are invariably... imported, and while they generally conform to local regulations, the owners find that their internet bought bike has lots of non-standard parts, brakes with unknown hydraulic fluid, motors we can't repair; tyres we can't replace; batteries which no longer hold a charge that we can't order... and on, and on... and because the bikes are made very cheaply, the original parts are failing.

So look at it this way, in about five years many of these bikes will vanish and/or be replaced, leaving the owner with a large bill and a scrap bike, while you keep pedalling and getting fitter...

 

[markharry66]

Feels like autum is here, had to put full length Gloves on this morning luckily I carry them all year round downside of this is i had forgot to wash them last time I used them, they were a bit smelly also had boil in the bag (high Viz jacket on). Thames water still camped out on the hill with temporary traffic light, according to the sign should have been finished two days ago probably left it there to cause maximum annoyance over the bank holiday weekend. Upper wickham lane only finsihed digging road up about week ago. Bored with digging up the same section voer and over again they have moved 300 yards down the road this has of course caused maximu traffic carnage on the way home pi**sing everyone off mission achieved. Fiday legs, no cycling this weekend .