This morning's commute and other commuting stories

To contrast your generalisation about people who ride small-wheeled folding bikes being slow off the lights I generally find it's the can't-pedal-before-being-fully-clipped-in-oh-i-have-to-look-down-to-get-my-foot-in-as-i-slowly-wobble-forward riders that take the longest to get going, and I am much faster than them off the lights (riding my small wheeled folding bicycle).

I don't think you've read my rant properly.

It's not very often I get caught only 100 yards up the road, in London there's generally another junction before then.

Do you think everyone is trying to catch you?

Have you done any more touring on your Brompton recently with Mr Doctor_Cake? I did enjoy your last thread.

Edited thanks to @laner

Mr Doctor_Cake*

No, but perhaps you don't appreciate that for people who are quicker off the lights, they don't necessarily want to be stuck in a big queue of people who wobble slowly off the lights, particularly if there is space for them to pull up at the front of the junction. I will often get myself to the front of a bunch because I don't want to be stuck down the side of a long line of cars (some of whom might be turning left, but aren't indicating). I try to make up for moving to the front by making sure I'm not slow in moving off.

Most of those small-wheelers will have SA hub gears that go from wheelie-inducing, through to easy, then normal pedaling. So it's easy to accelerate.

Agree with you that they're great fun! Love commuting on my Raleigh Twenty. It makes me feel like a big kid (and probably look like I'm having a mid-life crisis and can't afford the Porshe).

You're just adding scenarios I didn't include. And I wasn't ranting about your riding style personally or suggesting that everyone with a small bike is included in my rant.
I'm now bored with this but thanks.

I love gliding past roadie douchebags* on my Brompton only to hear them click through their gears in vain to try to keep up. Never not funny.

*Of which I am one regularly, but not on my commute.

I've just this week switched my BMX to 42x12, which is mid 60s GI, purely in order to annoy people on sensible bikes round town. It's well fun, though srs roadies do tend to come huffing and puffing past eventually.

Is wheelsucking on the commute OK?

I say it is. It's all fair game. If someone RLJs and I catch up: wheelsuck. If someone overtakes me then lows down: wheelsuck. Push past me at lights but are not that fast? You'd best believe that's a wheelsuckin'.

If someone's wheelsucking me I deliberately go slow to tempt them into overtaking, then I wheelsuck them!

It's all part of my massive plan to photograph every open rear brake QR lever in London.

My view is if you can't drop someone then you can't moan about them wheelsucking. A small flick of the elbow is sufficient to indicate that they should do some work, if they don't then you can be safe in the knowledge that they either aren't strong enough to overtake you or are one of those terrible nouveau cyclists who haven't learned manners or etiquette yet so deserve your pity and mild derision.

Or they want to make sure that when they do come through you have done too much to respond and they can make their move stick.

don't even know what wheel sucking is

sounds saucy though

Why? Surely you've barely warmed up when you start riding up (I'm assuming up) it?

i always do a full warmup on the rollers before beginning the commute

Guy at the lights asks me if you can turn right, I say yes as I'm also turning right. He thanks me, lights change he's a little ahead of me then without warning turns left straight across me and also the cab who is also turning right. Cabbie and I look at each in amazement, then cabbie mouths something along the lines your all cu^ts.

Had three cars run red lights at three junctions in quick succession on today's commute home, chatted with a classic cabbie over how it was 'one of those days' and how everyone was driving like a cunt. Felt warm inside, I think we bonded.

This evening, while cycling south on City Road riding primary at about 25mph, I go to change lanes into the bus lane and very nearly come off my bike... going over the bus lane road marking. A taxi was right up my arse too and I would've been straight under it, but I somehow managed to regain traction and balance. Lifted the heartrate somewhat I tells ya.

Was after a bit of rain, over a recently painted line marking (in my view too thick), hitting it at a low angle and on fully pumped up gator hardshells.

Reminded me of how easily accidents can happen, it's such a common manoeuvre you wouldn't think twice about it.

csb etc etc

I've had that before heading towards angel on upper Street, just off the H&I squareabout. Ended up with a wheel either side of the white line for a few metres, crabbing along like my tracking was out. Near enough shit myself.

22.00 - had a row with a cabbie just past Monument, which with hindsight was probably at least partially my fault.

Ten minutes later a massive puncture, the one day I leave my pump at work.

6 mile walk home in torrential rain.

1/10 - would not get fucked over by karmic forces again.

this, so much this

So this.

I only wheelsuck in the circumstances above or when I'm really shattered and even then I try and have a go in the front.

I don't get why its soo taboo.

I don't get why its soo taboo.

Because if you're close enough for it to have any useful effect, you're too close to be safe.

A complete stranger, in busy and unpredictable conditions a couple of inches off your back wheel? No thanks.