This morning's commute and other commuting stories

people who can't trackstand

Beat me to it.

I've commuted in SPD SL for the last 5+ years because I wanted the same pedal system on all of my bikes and most of my miles used to be on road bikes.

I've just switched to SPDs and the only difference I can tell is that they offer a smaller contact point with my shoes and feet. That could just be the fact that I'm riding in £30 shoes instead of £250 shoes now though.

Stiffer sole makes all the difference. I moved from touring shoes to MTB shoes, the increased stiffness was a welcome upgrade. I have some £70 or so Shimano ones. Cheapest ones with a ratchet buckle. I really rate them.

I'm pretty sure one of these yoots lives round the corner from me. I see him quite regularly pulling wheelies on the roads near me. Always balaclavad up.

Notice that a lot when I visit LDN, just about all of the commuters are head down, don't look up or even acknowledge others existence. Not that I want a detailed discussion with every passing rider on the finer points of the weather that day, but still a nod and an 'awright goes a long way

Word.

pollution

I've started my own carbon capture programme by only buying carbon frames and components.

Trees and dolphins and shit can thank me later.

That could just be the fact that I'm riding in £30 shoes instead of £250 shoes now though.

There you go.

That could just be the fact that I'm riding in £30 shoes instead of £250 shoes now though.

Fucking Osborne and his austerity cuts, eh?

Doesn't think of the 'Man in the street on a bike' who needs his Rapha shoes to get to work.

Its getting tough, thats for sure. Have you seen the price of ermine bib tights recently?

Bust spoke on way in.
Pootled to LMNH where it was fixed whilst I waited. Enjoyed coffee and ham/cheese croissant. Pootled into work.
8/10 for commute 2/10 for likelihood of having to spend much more on wheel in near future.

So thought i'd post about my crash on the way in the other week.
Was riding through the olympic park on my daily commute in the pissing rain when BAM! went straight into one of the way finding poles that was slightly sticking out into the cycle path. It was approx 6.30am so was pitch black (even though i have decent lights). I was probably going at a fair pace as well.
Apparently I was unconscious for 20 mins or so until a jogger found me on the floor. The pic is from a cctv still. There is no footage as it was completely dark when it happened. Once the light came up I became visible on the cctv. Ended up with broken collar bone, fractured sternum, fractured rib and possible dislocated shoulder (still getting that checked out - it's agony 2 weeks later!).
Hit the pole slap bang head on. Smashed my helmet up as well. So if that's not a good enough reason to wear a helmet i don't know what is.

3 Attachments

Fucking hell!

GWS. No concussion?

Holy hell, sounds scary. Hope you're on the mend soon.

@AirTime That's horrible. Hope you're mending well. How'd you get the CCTV?

Impressive work, heal up soon.

Jeez - 20mins knocked out - that's some hit.
Looks as though it hit the top of your helmet? You may have put your head down just in time and so could have been even worse

Fuckin hell @AirTime, that looks proper nasty. I know you're v banged up but I'm also glad it wasn't worse, especially with knock your helmet took. Hope you HealTFU soon dude.

thanks for the comments and concerns guys. I was definitely lucky i had my head down because if i had hit it with my head up I would definitely be needing reconstructive face surgery now!

I contacted the olympic park as i didn't actually know what happened or what i'd hit. They said the footage was useless but they managed to locate me spread eagle'd round the pole when the light came up. I guess it would have been a silver lining if they had the footage, that way I could have sent it in to You've been framed and made £250!

Not a very good spot for a pole, in the corner, nothing reflective on it...would be better in the grass perhaps...

There's a very poorly placed fence on my route lately. I will nag the area responsible as it's very hard to see too. And it's a crowd control fence, no idea why it's been there for weeks. Before someone hits the deck :/

Built up fixed commuter for the first time since summer, chain was a bit slack, but not so slack as to cause worry. Gear felt a bit big into the headwind as I rolled away from home, but it was probably me just getting used to riding fixed again.
First big downhill, chain jumps off cog, too much track slack! Backwheel locks and I skid to a halt, without hitting the deck.
Check wheel and chain and try to get it back onto the cog, but it's locked solid in there. Couple of spokes sheared off. Walk to Evans, looking for a lock ring tool and a chain whip, no mechanics in till eleven, walk round the corner to Cycle Surgery, not open for another hour.
Walk to nearest train station, get train back to close to my house, carry bike home, jump onto summer road bike and ride into work, only two and a half hours late.

wouldn't do again..

Fuck me dude, thats a horrible crash.

I fractured my sternum once and it is not something I'd care to repeat. Heal up quick!

Dude that's an awful smash. Heal up. Also in case it ever affects anyone else. If you are captured on cctv you can put in a freedom of info request and unless the footage is being used in an active police case they have to release images of you within a certain timeframe. A mate of mine tried this route when someone tries to garb his daughter but got knocked back due to criminal investigation.

Looks like he already has the footage judging from the photos.