This morning's commute and other commuting stories

Ass-less chaps =\= trousers

On normal sized people they would be shorts.

#lazyforumjokes

Merino T and shorts. It's definitely not cold enough for anything more yet. Prime boil-in-the-bag time in anything waterproof.

travelling in pissing rain and having to teach outdoors, i'd like to arrive relatively dry

Had all my kit by a radiator but forgot to turn my jacket inside out at lunchtime so the inside of the sleeves were warm and sweaty on the way home. Toasty shoes were nice though

Was going to wear trousers but forgot. Cold in shorts.

Merino top.

clarks work for me...

@dancing james Re: rain capes
I can't recommend the carradice cape as it's waxed cotton - heavy dry or wet, and not partucularly waterproof. However I'm thinking of commissioning a double Ventile or Analogy version based on the same cut (just with a couple if imprivements). I have talked to Hilltrek and they're interested.

How's your greenspot held up over the years? Mine's a bit worn but still keeps water out.

My greenspot is great but I'd prefer analogy as its lighter. Have hilltrek indicated likely price for the cape?

Hence raincape. No boiling. I got papped at fashion week in mine. Such style.

Traffic was nose to tail, wandsworth to richmond, thinking its pre emptive Rugby World Cup adaption.
Lovely day for the commute this morning, but the shrapnel in my knee was aching so it's time to swap over to the 3/4's. Wind jacket was a lifesaver as well, kept the chill out when riding in the shade, which was 80% of my journey in...
Would do again.

Lot of nodder on nodder action today along the CS7, highlights include the yellow snake of hi-viz pavement warriors about 15 of them going along the pavement due to a queue of buses which had stopped at the red lights. Then watching as they all tried to get back on the road.
The bloke who came bombing past only to stop suddenly outside the Tesco's for what appeared to be no reason at all, as he was soon on his way again.
And the highlight I was the first in the ASL box waiting paternally by the time the lights changed I was about 4th in line, even though there was plenty of room to my right everyone wanted to be first.

Will change my route again 8/10

Lots of plonkers about but rather nice none the less.
Quality sunshine outweighs people turning without looking or indicating.

True, true

the yellow snake of hi-viz pavement warriors about 15 of them going along the pavement due to a queue of buses which had stopped at the red lights

Kennington Park Road where it meets Kennington Lane?

Yep

1st commute in a while on them Solid Tyres again now we're entering Punkcha season. Added 7 min's onto the benchmark 1Hr 20mins, but weighed up against peace o' mind/laffing at shards of glass for 20 miles its a win win. Plus my little legs and lungs get to stretch a bit more, thats good yah?

CS7 is currently a game of traffic-queues = red lights void, followed by much lemmings-like sheepery in terms of all the dickheads following the other dickhead in front through the reds.

Shame to hear that, I had my eye on the Duxback. Still seems like it might be the best option out there. Would you say that waterproofing's good for under 30 minutes of heavy rain?

First proper commute in 2 years, up and over Hampstead Hill twice. Minimal berks, excellent.

Run-in with an old guy on the magic roundabout, deliberately changing lanes to cut me up, forcing me along to the next roundabout.

(magic roundabout is a maze, see here - http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/media/images/63119000/jpg/_63119443_msn_magic_roundabout_470x350.jpg - I was in the correct middle lane at 11 o'clock, he cut across me to go left, should have been in leftmost lane).

Traffic is stopped, I filter, moved round to in front of him, to ...

He shunts forward, nearly into my leg, I look down, look at him. He's making shout-y faces. So I move in front of his car completely and look, shrug, he motions I'm a wanker, I point to my crotch and mime "really?"

Of course the poor woman in the passenger seat is grabbing at his wank-hand telling him to stop, so I position myself, wheel central to number plate, and appear to be lost, looking around for a place to go, check my pockets, throw the spokey dokey I had in there over my shoulder, take a few deep breaths, then do a U-turn around the next roundabout to get back to where I should have been going.

Of course, I could have been knocked off, I could have also just let it go. But the minute or so of inconvenience to his journey had me wondering if I'd meet him at cycle training.

I typed all of that out just to say I rode home 52x15 single speed and it hurt. Gears have made me soft.

Do you always carry emergency spokey dokeys?

Who doesn't?

Price from Hilltrek: Nope.

I intend to send them the carradice cape, and a tweak list, and see what they say.

@Silly_Savage It really is an excellent garment, I love it. Like a big cuddle on top, keeps knees dry, but not sweaty like waterproofs.

But I'd really want it made of a better fabric. I'll let you know what the Ventile one comes out like. Or start a Capes thread. Or something.