This morning's commute and other commuting stories

Checking my strava, it actually went up to 22km/h before I broke free, rather than 40km/h

@iltmimi would rep if I could.

Did LOL

(Sorry Ed!)

Not surprised he carried on, he had a dead body next to him.

I put a 25mm Conti 4S on the front and a 28mm Thickslick on last night. I glided (glid?) into work this morning. Lovely stuff.

9/10 Would float again.

following on from your post i have just ordered a pair of 25mm thickslix. only 14 queenquidz each on CRC.

THANKS, OBAMA!

Fuji track bike that I park next to in the work secure parking hasn't moved in 6 months, I made a mark on the front tire and it hasn't budged. Now it's nice weather I am starting to get really annoyed with this person who has taken the primest spot, easy to get in and out of. I'm starting to think about stripping down their bike. There are cyclists with child seats who could really do with an easy spot to get in and out from. Some people

They were ridiculously easy to put on. Felt good this morning. Plenty O'grip (in the dry).

@beenbrun - Oi, you better not have damaged my front tyre bruv!

Left earlier this morning, Lovely quiet ride in, no crazy people on bikes, in cars or on pavements. will leave early again

10/10

Been cut up a few times over this week, and have definitely jumped a fraction of the red lights I've seen others do.

Going up the end of Walworth Road, coming round to the lights to go right to E&C (where left goes Kennington). A little busy, late morning, and I rolled through to filter between buses and vans into the ASL, it was with enough space.

But a few moments earlier, just before the turn, going under the railway bridge I thought it a bit weird the middle aged guy on his tatty folding bike going on the outside, wide around the buses.

I move past the bus into the ASL and slam on the brakes, inches before going into his side as he zips right in front of me with a "s'ry mayt". Having gone the whole width of the ASL, he parks himself diagonally in front of me, with no clue if he wants Kennington/Oval or E&C.

Sunshine, eh?

Finally found the source of my shifting issue on the new Kinesis. No, it wasn't my dodgy indexing skillz, the fucking chain was dead! I changed the stem this morning so thought the slight drop in bar position had messed with the indexing again. Tweaked it while riding = no difference. Got worse climbing up Pent thingie and skipped all the way to work. Reindexed from scratch in work carpark until I was happy it was sweet. Then spun up and down the carpark changing gears until.. argh fucking skipping again! Thought "ooh might be a stiff link" and watched it while spinning pedals backwards. Sure enough, one of the links buckled when spun over the cog. Gotchya! But then wiggled all the links and none were stiff. WTF?! Then wiggled them all again side to side...

PING!

Motherfucker. Bike now in shop getting new chain fitted.

Fuck you KMC!

Southbound on Cavendish Road in Balham yesterday evening. That bit near the primary school where there are 2 or 3 "give way" pinch points.

Nearing a pinch point I take the lane. Hear a horn behind me, but I don't budge. As I go through the pinch point I hear the horn again. As soon as we're through and I'm about to move back across (honest), a driver pulls alongside me with her passenger-side window open.

"Get out of the road!" she screams.
"I'm allowed to be in the road." I reply, much more civil than I wanted to be.

Her overtaking manoeuvre was not only dangerous, but our little exchange had distracted both of us from the zebra crossing outside the primary school, which we both sped through without really looking. Luckily the family about to cross were wise to what was going on and stayed on the pavement - could've been much worse.

I peeled off left onto Hydethorpe Road, partly for my own safety but mostly because that's the way home, so I didn't even get a chance to see if she'd stop and discuss the matter further. It's a pity - I had this uncontrollable urge to calmly and patiently explain the merits of primary position to her.

Gauging her reaction very much doubt you could have gotten through to her.

Nice chat with fellow Pompetamine rider on Waterloo bridge this morning. First time I've seen another one on my commute.

Spent the last few commutes finding as flat and quiet a route as possible from Beckenham to Camden to incentivise a certain Little rider who hates hills to give this commuting lark a go. Found lots of parks and quiet routes north of the OKR, which despite adding a couple of miles makes it much more pleasant.

9/10, would discover again.

Does anyone have any routes heading south west from the Theobald's Road / Proctor Street area that don't involve busy roads and land you on Millbank? That whole area of one way streets and busy main roads seems like a nightmare.

Back-track a bit to Hatton Gardens, Shoe lane to get on to Embankment?

Red Lion St > pedestrian crossing then wheel bike down ally way in to Lincoln Inn fields > side of Royal Courts of Justice (Bell Yard) > Arundel Street or Middle Temple Lane down to the Embankment

You can cut through Russel square , and then through the bloomsbury cycle lane to goodge street and then to marble arch pretty much. Then it's a main road all the way to SheBu roundabout (or cut through Hyde Park to high street Ken), but you dodge the zone 1 madness.

Mands is right too - embankment is a lovely ride when the weather is like this!

Hey @bezzin this is what I'd do:http://ridewithgps.com/routes/7514675

Shout out to @|³|MA3K who posted that cut through to avoid Kingsway.

ah thanks for all the ideas everyone!

I dunno, screwdriver vs. eyeball, I reckon you could've got through her.

Thanks to still being a little half-cut in the wake of a wine tasting last night I absolutely hammered my commute, pretty much flat out for 10 miles. Felt like a champ getting to work about 25 minutes early which allowed me to wallow in the sun as I enjoyed those lovely endorphins running around, as I cooled off.

Who says alcohol isn't a performance enhancing drug?

The other day I got a harangued by a woman for pulling out in front of her. I did make a mistake and came out of a side road without looking properly, but she was a long way from me anyway, even though she did have to brake for me. Plus it was a two lane one way road, and immediately after the side road I emerged from there's a 90 degree turn, which she would have had to brake for anyway. Felt bad so waved an apologic hand at her. Immediately after the turn there are some lights, which were red. Despite this she skimmed me and then cut across me, and then wound down her window to whinge at me as I cycled past her again. For some reason I said nothing, feeling sheepish for my mistake, even when she was complaining about drivers always get the blame when a cyclist is hit. I pulled away from the light and she accelerated and skimmed me a second time, before pulling over and parking. I remained stoically silent, think it annoyed her even more.

Next time I would apologise for the mistake, before telling her to shut her cakehole

Just witness an accident on Bishopsgate, women ran across the road between two vans and got hit by the fella on the bike. Nothing the cyclist could do, woman's friend now trying to fight the fella on the bike. Police are on the scene no need to hang about. Women is going to be very bruised.

might be worth mentioning to someone you witnessed the incident, in case it is needed

Yes, quite. Do hang about and leave your details/give a statement. As this is one of the busiest areas of London, there may, of course, have been other witnesses.

Sounds as if it was close to Bishopsgate Police Station.