This morning's commute and other commuting stories

sadly it kinda is always like this, she just needs to decide if she's prepared to put up with it.

Its a shame as for the last few months she's really gotten into and was feeling much better about cycling in London. Now back to square one, will try and get her out for the freecycle thingy on Saturday.

i've gone the opposite direction and said straight up that i'd prefer it if Mrs Hell didn't ride to work at all. I did the route with her once - she works 3 days a week in Croydon - and the level of straight up, death shaving cuntery was astounding, so much so that I wouldn't consider it if it was my commute and i've been riding in london for nearly 17 odd years now.

i genuinely think the standards of driving get worse the further away from central london you go. Possibly due to fewer jams.

not that I could stop her if I wanted to.

How can I tell the wife that it's not always like this and get her back on the bike?

But it kind of is though isn't it?
Would pointing out the cost saves help?

Croydon

my sympathies

Defo agree that it is 'safer' in central London than the outer suburbs.

^ In the context of riding bikes

Not that I doubt your abilities, but - and this is not the forum joke - has she considered cycle training?

She could get an objective opinion from someone who is not her partner which may help.

As an aside, I've often felt that riding with a partner in traffic often results in more aggression than when I'm solo.

I've had a similar situation where my gf will absolutely not ride in primary position no matter how much I explain it's safer to do so to avoid being doored or dangerously passed by. She can't get past the fact that she's in the middle of the road and feels exposed/inconveniencing other road users. However, when being told by someone other than me to do this she seems to have taken on board as something that other cyclists consider to be the 'done thing', and thankfully shes begrudgingly doing it. Sometimes some external influence can help a lot haha.

you can do the A1010 but thats shit and boring...or take the canal from nearer Lee Valley or Picketts Lock down to the Hale..
https://www.strava.com/activities/1083309384

or stay left of Enfield and go down Wood Green or nearer towards Ally Pally....https://www.strava.com/activities/1099850628

Croydon

my sympathies

Oi,, it ain't all bad there,,,

Well, a little bit shite

First time through Blackfriars in a while...

Waiting at a red minding my own business when a courier rolls through the other way and mutters something at me, presumably about my lameness in waiting when there was no one crossing. I fail to acknowledge him and then i hear his mutterings turn to rants. I turn round and he's stopped 25 feet away and starts calling me out asking me "what the fuck i'm looking at?". I tell him i have no idea what he's banging on about but if he wants to explain he should come to me. By this point he's going a bit mental and it's getting a bit embarrassing so i roll of into the sunshine (lights changed...). Not a bad effort but with rather awkward safety gap i would class it as "mild peril" rather than actually threatening.

Saturday en route to RHC: yeah front wheel not quite true nah fear

Tuesday commute home: yeah front wheel and direction feel a bit wobbly don't care

This morning's commute: spoke breaks, wheel defo not true any more.

Should have known better/10

ack, been there/that recently. I'd just hit the variable roads of Surrey on my way to Brighton and heard a spoke go > sudden violent wheel rub > couldn't make it sit right enough to get me to a station > walked miles back to Coulsdon.

A very boring lesson learned.

only?

It's a jump of more than 10%

Guy on a BSO wearing one of these on Gower St last night

Saw a guy this morning towards London Bridge from Elephant and Castle will full on motorbike type lid a camera and the irony of it,,,he was a RLJ

Wierd. Sometimes anger explodes inside people and you really don't know why ... I did that to a guy in Brockley a while back, totally overreacted to something he really had no idea had happened. C bomb and everything. #confessionsthread

@pastrybot

I've often felt that riding with a partner in traffic often results in more aggression than when I'm solo.

This^. I get very very upset if riding with nipper at the sorts of driver dick-moves I'd probably not really notice if riding alone.

Stolen valor!

This^. I get very very upset if riding with nipper at the sorts of driver dick-moves I'd probably not really notice if riding alone.

I sort of meant from drivers. But your perspective works too.

For instance, if you're in a pair and not perfectly single file in the gutter where the driver wants you, some people think that's permission to 'persuade' you out of the way with a nice close pass.

maybe it's that any plural of cyclists = "bloody cyclists! think they own the road etc"
doesn't work so well with just one, although some do their best.

Fatbike, but an electric one, for commuting. Why?

In Mallorca I saw a folding electric fatbike.

Why not?

Fun and comfort with minimal effort. What's not to like?

Maybe when I'm 50.