This morning's commute and other commuting stories

My front brake squealed so loudly this morning that a pedestrian crossing my path (hence the braking) fell over in shock. Felt a bit guilty.

Sell your bike to the M.O.D! They've been researching this kinda thing for years! Well done on solving the Sonic Weapon problem :)

I apologised profusely and tried some sheepish explaining that 'it's always really squeaky when there's a high moisture content in the air even when it's not raining' but I don't think he was open to explanations. He just kept saying 'the noise, the noise'.

Squeaky brakes I found are more effective than cycle bells...you can overdo it it seems :p

Spotted one of the mythical Belfast "Pavengers": Adults on a proper fixed wheel cycling on the kerb.

He just kept saying 'the noise, the noise'.

Sell! Sell! Sell!

So humid! Commuting round Nottingham on a Brompton, in a suit is quite warm...
But I've been out to riddington and en route to Beeston. Been using the amazing cycling paths, barely any road riding!

Today's commute will be know as the Bin Van dash, they seemed to be everywhere this morning, nothing worse that drafting a bin van.

Indeed.

Bin Van dash

He was brilliant in Fast & Furious 7

RIP swete prins

I can't be alone in really enjoying this weather. Not too hot, not too windy, not too many cyclists AND it smells nice, bliss.

^^ lol

uwotm8?

It's muggy as owt. I'd happily knock 5 degrees off and have the air cleared.

F1-something truck... get to fuck. Blind cunt shouldn't be on the road.

Working in New York for a few weeks so took my Brompton and commuted in. Not as terrifying as I expected but the big fuck off potholes (and the stretches of road that they appear to have repaired with sheets of metal) don't go well with Brompton wheels.

Looking forward to commute home tonight as bags* are now 20kg lighter than on the way in.

* not a euph

Rode in just before 6 am. Although it was wet, the ride was really beautiful. Traffic down the New North Road kept to 20mph and I kept up with it. Hit lots of green lights and very little traffic.

Would do again.

Tried out a new route this morning, lots of shite road surfaces and road works but a lot less cyclist. Got shouted at by peds for running a green light when they were crossing on a red. Think they may be part of the natural selection at some point.

8/10 -1 for that drizzle

Decided to swap my tyres back to the original cross tyres that came with all-city and although it was slower, comfort and smile came back on my face, even when it started rain!

#ComfortOverSpeed

10/10

Whizzing up to work today along Dock Road near the Lower Lea crossing, there's a dedicated cycle lane that takes you up and over the river, I join it at the bottom with another fella behind me on a road bike and we start the climb. About 20M into the climb I hear "skid, slide, kerrrunch, slide, Oooofff" or summat and notice the fella is employing an unusual uphill overtaking procedure by sliding along the ground still connected to his bike! He was giggling thankfully and mostly unharmed, I stopped to make sure he was OK of course and he said he was going to overtake me on the Ped-side of the track but lost traction in a sludge-filled little hollow that was full of slimey looking muck and skidded off. Lucky fella! He remounted and zoomed off. He was fast! other than that, nothing to report.

1Hr 20Mins = Rock-Steady-Eddie.

Awful ride home last night in wet - I like riding in the rain but people doing fucking stupid things, riding too close at speed, too much traffic... ugh. Today had to take the train, but came straight back, grabbed bike and did three laps of Richmond Park. PR. 10/10 would swap commute for proper session again.

I generally ride outside main commuting hours, but today had to nip to Chatham House to hear the Ukrainian PM give a talk. So, riding around 17:30 was very much more stressful than normal... That thing when drivers do when they edge forward to try to get ahead of you at the lights and it just creates tension. Nearly every bloody cyclist was doing the same thing. Am glad I left enough time and was on the Brompton (which is too cumbersome to try to race anyone), so I generally stayed zen. But I now appreciate why there's a bitching thread. Wow.

Skidded through my tyre and tube on the way in yesterday. Bought a new 28 tyre at lunch. Turns out there's not quite enough clearance on the back for 28s. Many rubbing much panting (no euph)

Have been using a new route to work this week, and can now happily say good bye to the clusterfu*k of the CS7. Nice pleasant route through the park, nice sensible cyclist, even had a chat at the lights first time that's happen in forever.

Will use this route again, 10/10

What's your new route?

Did you mean clusterfuck? There was some kind of weird formatting problem with your post.

Gipsy Hill, Dulwich, Peckham, Across the OKR, round the back streets to Tower Bridge Rd, then turn off towards London Bridge.