This morning's commute and other commuting stories

@greenhell hell yeah I'm saying it aloud, much better than bike with a front rack and wide arse handlebars, and a small gear so spinny it feels like you're on a polo bike...
here's a picture for you

Is that @andyp ?

If he's rushing somewhere to unblock a drain, then it could be.

Headwind. Bloody cold headwind.
Rest as usual. Had to swerve to avoid flattening meandering peds three times.
6/10

Snapped a spoke on the way home on Friday but forgot until this morning, ride in was quite wobbly!

I left late but it seemed strangely busy. What's that about? Did school go back or something?

@hippy Christmas shopping

On a Monday? Didn't all the fuckwits get that out of their systems on Friday?

Its Cyber Monday Hippy. Duurrrrr.

Its The Big Freeze soon, then The Big Thaw.

Yeah cyber monday so some shops will be open late, got to get there early to get all the deals.

Surely Cyber Monday would mean people are at home ordering shit online?

People make no sense.

Had a karmically unbalanced ride this morning. The more consideration I showed for other people, the more cabs kept doing that manoevre/signal/mirror thing right into my immediate path that they seem to love when traffic's shitty.

Change in times at work sucks, the diversion past a school I have been taking I now pass at 8:40 and it is now full of drivers who pull over without indicating or stop randomly just anywhere by the school then doors fly open. In tomorrow then off for a week and some days so will look up an even longer route as I'm on these times till the new year.

Like cycling through a cold sponge this morning. Deceptively wet. Quiet though. 7/10

Saw someone drop their child off on the Bricklayers' Arms roundabout this morn in between two exits, roadie next to me did an exaggerated 'you-are-very-much-in-the-way' skid right up to their bumper.

A bit faster today, light bag. Fixed just is so much more work. Also it was quite windy and I've lost my clear lenses, so was quite teary when I got in.
I think I should drop the gearing, currently on 48:15 for a relatively lumpy commute.
Or I'll just swap back to gears, because I've not been able to go my favorite route as I'm too scared of the biggest hill.
Also GH is being steadily rebuilt ready for the shit weather.

@Clockwise. Just go in earlier ;)

First commute in on the new Rose CX bike. Getting used to the different crankset , and finally sorted out the tension on my Ultregra pedals which I haven't used in an age due to the tension. Think I might need longer steam, but all in all a good solid run in the drizzle.
8/10

Is everyone riding in a lot slower at the moment, or is it just me?

Yep. Cold air is thicker than warm.

20 hours in 14 days Strava challenge, having missed about 8 days trying to go as slow on my commute as poss. The embarrassment of getting over taken by a builder on a kids bike is getting to much.

If you're visiting Shepherds Bush Westfield this morning, be very careful. A bus seems to have dumped most of its fuel tank, covering the west-side lane for the entire length of the access road that runs around the centre from the roundabout to Wood Lane. Murderously slippery at the moment.

I informed the centre's management services, who will have contacted the bus station and it should be cleaned up eventually but from previous painful experience I know that can take a while.

rolled majestically through the misty water laden air, being unable to rush from point to point makes for a much more relaxed journey, as long as you've allowed yourself enough time. Rolling in ten minutes late for a meeting, despite looking surprisingly dashing and unsweaty does not make for a good impression...

"light drizzle" my ass

Was thinking the same, probably due to high level of congestion in Richmond.