This morning's commute and other commuting stories

Tbh Tom, it was brutal. I was shivering by the time i got to the top of farringdon/blackfriars . Fucking hated every minute of it after that. I couldnt get warmth going with stop/starting. And was overly cautious even though i had fitted 28 gks on though

WFH tomorrow.

Yeah it's so slow through that bit with all the cycle lane lights. Hard to warm up again. Think you were right to be cautious though, judging by the experiences of others on here :S

Rode in fingerless but smartly anticipated needing something more substantial this evening. Basic semi-pro self-supported 10k commuting.

Still got home with mildly cold fingers and a slightly wet bum. Neither of which are uncommon at this time of year although the latter is an increasing cause for concern when it's not raining.

luckily I was riding in with someone and a 28c tube stretched to 35mm.

I was carrying a 700c 18-28mm inner tube, and I ran a 650b 48mm tyres.

It was pretty scary riding the 3 miles to the nearest bike shop.

Y'all just went home too early...

All the slush has refrozen overnight. Be safe out there people.

Don't lean

Wore ALL the clothes this morning to compensate for finger agony last night. Was too toasty, but happy. Had to walk out of local side streets but there was no ice on the main routes.

Washed my gloves last night, they're those ones with the thinsulate type inner liner.

Terrible idea, it turns out. The liner had turned into a mangled mess inside the glove. Couldn't get them on my hands for the ride to the station, so had freezing fingers.

Now on the train and have spent the first half of the journey looking like I'm birthing an invisible cow, one hand pulling the glove on, fingers of the other hand wiggling furiously, face a mask of furious concentration.

Just about got them back to normal now, although I fear at least a couple of fingers will never be quite straight again after the rest of the commute.

My sealskin ones did that... They come right eventually

My gloves were still damp from last nights ride home. Typing is hard so I'll just keep it easy and drink Tea untill 5pm.

Fingers went numb straight away again this morning even with adequate gloves. Tips must be still recovering from last night's adventure.
I feel like I know how Ranulph Fiennes felt now.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-24951702

Lovely ride in, nothing like some shit weather to cull the amount of cycle warriors on the road.

Talking of warriors, rode home last night and acted like it was no big thing in front of my girlfriend when i got in, put my hand under the warm tap cue Home Alone aftershave incident - Twat.

Don't lean
Don't put cold extremities under the hot tap

The roads around my part of Bristol were pretty gnarly this morning. Drove 2yo to the swimming pool at about 10 mph and still had a few turning-wheel-but-nothing-happening moments. Was very impressed with people cycling - esp the guy with full panniers front and back.

Took a spill on some ice on my way home from work, and my frame is now done for. Wish I had gone for a dedicated commuter bike during the winter months. Be careful out there!

Impressive blowout along the Mall this morning (8.30ish), the BANG! from the tyre sounded like a firework going off.

Someone else not me

Somewhat confused driver trying to get out of the east-west cycle highway lane on Upper Thames Street this morning. Oops.

Still ill from the weekend, and completely didn't check the weather report heading out, lucky I wore more clothes to compensate how I was feeling.

Embankment is feeling like Richmond park where there is some proper cat6 riders think it alright to full gas on this road and looking down on there handlebars and totally ignoring the red lights and the safety of others.

#rantover

7/10

Same thing on Blackfriars Rd. Having made his turn, he clocked me waiting in the lane, processed the bike pictograms adorning the road and awkwardly backed out.

Saw a motorbike take a wrong turn down the bike lane on blackfriars, got 20m down before realising - cue awkwardly getting off his bike and pushing it down the pavement until he got to the next driveable road. Can't imagine that happening if he'd just driven in the white lines that were there before.

Saw an inordinate number of people wearing helmets on the backs of their heads today. I don't understand why you'd put a helmet on like that.

Also, the two-way cycle lane bit through and across Blackfriars is full of dickheads. The worst is people riding to the front of a red light at the bike lane bit, past everyone waiting patiently. They invariably pull away incredibly slowly, wobble around in front of people and almost always are wearing a helmet on the back of their head and a pair of rugby shorts. WTF?

Unprecedented cuntiness. Also dickheads who overtake into oncoming cyclists and/or without looking.

I think every rant i've had on here has included the words Blackfriars, dickheads and rugby shorts