Tales from today's commute....

[ianrauk]

Milder temperatures today and no rain. But reports show that the commute home is going to be a wet one.

So, I was tacking along the A21 blast this morning when I overtook a woman on a single speed. I got caught at a usual junction and she jumped left whilst I carried on. Carrying on meant having to deal with the bus turnaround which sometimes get's blocked up with the amount of busses.
Anyhow, got a mile or so further on having to turn right at a main road, when lo and behold she pops out from my left as I was waiting to turn.
I have been doing this route for nearly 20 years now and I have no idea of the route she had taken. I mentioned it to her at a set of lights. She gave me the low down so now I'll have to check it out.

 

[biking_fox]

Grey.
Seems to be a lot more other riders out cf last week though.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Most notable thing to happen today was noticing the chain was slightly rusty and lubing it before setting off...

 

[Mazz]

Back at it. Fair share of stupid drivers in the first and last mile.

Blimmin hate passing a particular high school, with a certain type of female driver that drops kids on double yellows, doesn't look, pulls out on you when there is nothing stopping them from waiting a second, and cyclists are just dirt. Usually in an expensive car, but this morning was just a new-ish Corrola.

Watch out for kids getting out of the car in a hurry (e.g. running late). Had one do that on me - I think the car ended up with a dirty tyre scuff mark on the inside of their door.

 

[fossyant]

Watch out for kids getting out of the car in a hurry (e.g. running late). Had one do that on me - I think the car ended up with a dirty tyre scuff mark on the inside of their door.

Oh yes. TBH I know what to expect, but this road is very busy. Why they can't pull off into a side street and let them out not on double yellows.... You also get the parents fully driving the cars on the pavement on the opposite side to stop to let the kids out... This is despite the schools having posters about not stopping in front of the school.

 

[Mazz]

So, I was tacking along the A21 blast this morning when I overtook a woman on a single speed. I got caught at a usual junction and she jumped left whilst I carried on. Carrying on meant having to deal with the bus turnaround which sometimes get's blocked up with the amount of busses.
Anyhow, got a mile or so further on having to turn right at a main road, when lo and behold she pops out from my left as I was waiting to turn.
I have been doing this route for nearly 20 years now and I have no idea of the route she had taken. I mentioned it to her at a set of lights. She gave me the low down so now I'll have to check it out.

Maybe I misread - she reappeared while you were waiting to turn right - which means your route is already shorter/quicker.

 

[ianrauk]

Maybe I misread - she reappeared while you were waiting to turn right - which means your route is already shorter/quicker.

I was waiting to turn right, she came from my left and had the lights.

 

[wafter]

Despite allegedly being on the right side of dawn, the fact that it was actually daylight when I left was a hard sell it was so grim.

Tiredness, rain forecast all day and yesterday's lacklustre sausage experience made it an easy decision to take the shorter route. Just about dry when I left, spitting once in the saddle but thankfully it didn't get any worse. Tow / cycle paths were quite deserted, which was largely nice.

Hoping the rain will hold off on the way home so I can put on a few more miles and maybe give the rings a tickle as I'm feeling particularly fat and miserable today.

 

[ianrauk]

Maybe I misread - she reappeared while you were waiting to turn right - which means your route is already shorter/quicker.

I was waiting to turn right, she came from my left and had the lights.

To make it clearer I made this thoroughly boring map.
Red of what I think she said her route was. Blue mine.
Her way is much quieter but has to contend with 2 busy right turns. If my route was clear. it is quicker.

 

[cyberknight]

3rd commute and 1st flat , farmer cutting the hedgerows and when I got the wheel back in the brakes are rubbing and couldn't fix it on the road so I had to loosen the brakes and not tighten the QR to much in an attempt to get it so it was rideable. It was raining too so I was in full wet weather gear 😡

 

[HLaB]

I replaced the 11-23 cassette (all the bike shop had) just before Christmas with an 11-28 and today was my first commute with that gearing. It made a massive difference this evening on the signalised town bridge, being able to confidently keep a primary from a standing start, the higher gear often had me pull to the side into the hatching. On the whole I enjoyed that commute, still leaves me 5 miles short of the UK annual average cycling miles, my only cycling target.

 

[cyberknight]

good frost tonight coming home so my garmin died after 9 miles , the front brake was rubbing slightly but it was the best i could get it till i get the bike home to fiddle with the alignment later on .

 

[Mazz]

good frost tonight coming home so my garmin died after 9 miles , the front brake was rubbing slightly but it was the best i could get it till i get the bike home to fiddle with the alignment later on .

I'm probably teaching you to suck eggs here, but just make sure your wheel's fitted correctly in the dropouts before making any brake adjustments.

 

[ianrauk]

A cold, bright and dry commute for this morning with a stunning sunrise.
Lovely compared to yesterday evenings wet, dark and grimy ride home.
Rainy commute #3 for the year.
Same period last year. No rainy commutes (no rain reported until early February)

 

[ianrauk]

@HLaB
Looks a different train to your usual.