Tales from today's utility ride

[mjr]

I could load my shopping onto any bicycle, but being able to shop like I had the car and then plonk the stuff into the basket is very convenient.

Bucket panniers. You can get ones where you can drop two reasonably well-filled typical shopping bags (or one of those large bags for life) into each side. Then your capacity would be a bag and a bit up front, 2-4 bags on the back, plus whatever you strap to the top... and a saddlebag... and a trailer...

Market day today. No trailer, but I did take an insulated cool bag so the cheese, fish and so on stood some chance of getting home without being cooked. It worked but I noticed the bag needs repair or replacement - I went before work, so it wasn't too hot, but I still needed to take it easy on the way home to avoid sweating. I must remember to allow extra time for trips in this heat. I think motorists will have to too, because the roads seem very busy for some unknown reason. Hooray for cycle bypasses.

 

[mgarl10024]

On Saturday, I had to run an errand and took the long way back home. Cycled along the Bristol-Bath Path, stopping at the now derelict Mangotsfield Railway station for a breather (it's very peaceful and I love looking at the remnants).
http://l7.alamy.com/zooms/f3cec1388...uilding-bristol-to-bath-cycle-path-bgfc6b.jpg (not my picture).

Got chatting with an older chap (70s+) and told him about Arnold Ridley (Private Godfrey from Dad's Army) who wrote a play about the station. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ghost_Train_(play). The guy pointed to a sign back up the path with further info, and I made a comment about loving cycling on a weekend as rather than rushing around you can take a moment to enjoy looking at the signs. He chuckled and said "I don't rush around at all now - too old!".

The guy was with about 6-7 friends, all around the same age, all kitted head to toe in cycling gear and with lovely bikes. I set off a few minutes after them, and despite their age I had to work hard to keep on their tail!

 

[mjr]

Market day. Didn't need much this week, so went the opposite way round to usual: quayside, fishmonger, greengrocer, smaller supermarket. Usually, I visit the fishmonger last so the fish doesn't spend too long unrefrigerated, even with the small cool bag I use.

It seems to be camera week here: after passing a Norwich camera crew by the middle level main drain on Middle Drove last night, today I rode past a removals company taking photos of their vans and workers in King Staithe Square and then an unknown camera crew on the steps of the Red Mount Chapel on the way home. I didn't stop to ask because I wanted to get home to enjoy the cake I'd just bought and although there was definitely no danger of sweating this week, I was slightly worried about another source of water:

I'd put the cape in but this morning's rain missed me. Just a light sprinkling, not what was on the TV forecast. It's now being a bit more serious and if it doesn't stop, I'll don the cape and go out again to take a coat to someone who forgot to pick up theirs.

 

[simon.r]

I do like the carrying ability of the Brompton. Popped out to drop a parcel off at the P.O. and pick up a box of 40 sachets of cat food and some milk. In B and M a bargain box of crisps caught my eye and fitted on top of the cat food quite neatly:

 

[simon.r]

I'm really pleased to report that MrsR has just undertaken her first ever utility ride.

She's not a confident cyclist, especially on busy roads, but has just ridden to the post box to post a couple of letters. OK, it's not an epic journey, but from small acorns...

 

[KneesUp]

I've fitted a rack to my 'road' bike because a bike without a rack is fun but useless, and it means I can get the shopping on the way back from a ride, which makes a ride more domestically acceptable. The rack has a 25kg limit. I went to Sainsburys for 'a few bits' and weighed the bags when I got in. 24.5kg.

 

[mjr]

Top optimisation!

Anyone know why this thread is no longer in the utility section of the forum? Or where the utility section has gone?

 

[Hugh Manatee]

As close as I get to a commute but still a utility ride. My car needs it's twice/thrice yearly service and I need to drop it off. Merc charge a fortune for a pick up whereas with Ford it was free.

I don't do public transport and it's only five or six miles so why not ride? With the seats folded down I don't even have to take a wheel off. Just as well because my old mountain bike has those anti theft wheel 'quick' releases. Came home the longer way so I could take in a climb.

Even managed to do a bit of silly racing on the Tettenhal Road. A guy came past me on a proper road bike with clip on bars and everything. Managed to get on his wheel and stay there for a mile or two. He didn't seem keen to let me do a turn but I was mightily relieved and rather sweaty when we both went down opposite side roads.

 

[Pale Rider]

Anyone know why this thread is no longer in the utility section of the forum? Or where the utility section has gone?

Good question.

I think someone has renamed this section - again - because I started the thread soon after the word 'utility' was added, as I mention in the first line of the OP.

With a nod to the recent change in this board's title

 

[mgarl10024]

Day off last Thurs so went visiting a family member which took me across Bristol. Avoiding the tight hills around Blaise, I went up and through the estate - lovely scenery on a sunny but misty morning. Stopped at the top near the museum to have a drink and cool off after the climb and just watched the world going by. Very pleasant.

 

[mjr]

#threespeedoct2017 week 2 off to a good start using the A10 space4cycling to do some quaxing before work. That was uneventful and the upgraded Dutchie and renovated pannier worked fine. I heartily recommend bolting Ortleib QL spare handles (about £10) onto any broken-hooked single pannier to let it serve out its natural life.

On the way back, I passed the remnants of this morning's car crash. Happily, this one looked like a straightforward nose-tail distraction shunt (queue stopped moving, rear driver failed to notice it - phoney driving?) so I expect no bystanders were hurt. The pictured car had been shoved into a farm gateway and the other into a driveway which isn't great (they'll need moving before the farmer or householders want in) but at least the cycleway was unobstructed. I say "this morning's car crash" because there will be another one before long. Some people think cycling is dangerous, but it's motorists who appear to crash all the time.

 

[simon.r]

@mjr Quaxing is a new one on me - a Twitter search led me to your profile!

I’m about to take a bag load of books to a charity shop. Is this reverse quaxing?!

 

[Deleted member 1258]

@mjr Quaxing is a new one on me - a Twitter search led me to your profile!

I’m about to take a bag load of books to a charity shop. Is this reverse quaxing?!

yes, its a new one on me as well.

http://www.executivestyle.com.au/why-quaxing-is-trending-globally-with-cyclists-ggzobh

 

[mjr]

@mjr Quaxing is a new one on me - a Twitter search led me to your profile!

I’m about to take a bag load of books to a charity shop. Is this reverse quaxing?!

Xauqing?

Named after a stupid Backland politician: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quaxing#.23Quaxing

 

[simon.r]

I think I’ve found the practical weight limit for a Brompton front carrier.

10l of ad-blue, 2l of milk, 0.5l of water, a see-sense light (thanks to @Sixmile on the “found a bargain” thread) and a few other bits and bobs (d-lock, etc. not pictured), adding up to a bit over 14kg.

The front tyre squirmed a bit, but everything’s survived

I think Brompton’s recommended weight limit is 10kg.