This morning's commute and other commuting stories

I was in full winter kit because I was too hungover to make alterations to my process. Then had to smash it to make meeting. Very moist.

I noticed that myself and others were indicating in an Amsterdam supermarket once. Bieks < 3

Had a rare outing into the city in the car last night, lots of tarck bike wide bar action around that i never normally see on my commute. Riding brakeless is your choice and running reds doesn't bother me that much these days but jeez fellas, get some fucking lights, you can easily take them of before meeting your mates.

Assuming that a lot of folks will be out on the piss tomorrow night and thus not riding, remember to give your bike a good wash before leaving it in the garden/garage/hallway for 10 days. London roads have been gritted and last night my bike was covered in that horrible black crap. I once for got to do that a few years back, and the bike almost dissolved. What we need is a sodding great downpour to wash all the shit away.

sound advice. been here for many years from oz and during the first winter could never understand why i had to change my chain so often.

The shit is so caked on to my bike, it is like an archaeology of grit and grime and i cleaned the fucken thing on SUNDAY!

What is this “cleaning” you’re all talking about?

I last rode my road bike back in August on a horrible rainy, gritty, muddy day. I rode weakly and had a pretty bad day, only doing 60 of my intended 100 miles.

The mucky bike has been marinating in grime ever since.

Oops.

This is the one you’re hoping to sell soon, yes?

What is this “cleaning” you’re all talking about?

Because, my commute... these are Summer conditions :-)
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.5551906,-1.0575724,3a,75y,35.93h,81.11t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1szsxCfkW01r3JH2Of1Izd6w!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?dcr=0

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Yep. I've resigned myself to the fact that it won't sell on here. eBay all the way probably.

Don't worry, I'll use my new found mechanical skills to give it a service before selling.

Many years back I had a beautiful Vitus-framed Peugeot Roubaix race bike, Mavic kit etc. It was November, I was about 21 and I had glandular fever. I could hardly go for a piss without feeling exhausted. Eventually, because I was so depressed and sick of being ill, one day I decided I was going to do some retail therapy and go and buy myself one of those new Sony Walkman things, so I got on the Peugeot and rode about 1.5 miles to a store in Walthamstow to get it. It was grey, a bit icy and the roads were filthy. I got the Walkman, and by the time I got back I was so shattered I put the bike in the shed and left it. I took it out about three months later, to find that every component had corroded - the brakes and derailleurs were seized solid, the rims pitted, cranks ruined, the chain immovable - everything just looked like shit. Virtually everything bar the frame was scrap.

Wash your bike, kids.

In which case, it’s not grime, it’s ‘patina’...

Tis the Friday before xmas.....

Working till 19.00 tonight.
We are expecting the road network to turn to shit around midday, everyone knocking off early, boozy office do's down the pub etc etc etc
People trying to escape to get away for xmas, more bad driving than normal.
Expect the unexpected.

Most of our place have left already. Another bunch aren't in today.

I'm expecting the expected which is to ride on my brakes from where I cross Chapel Market all the way down to Balham Station!

Eerily quiet on my way in today. Was told by manager yesterday that we could just finish up once the last client was done only to find one of the newbies has decided to take it upon herself to book someone in at... 4 pm. Would have left just after lunch in daylight if she hadn't done that.

Tell her to cancel and then shit on her bonnet for your trouble.

Lovely ride in today, final one for the year. Wouldn't it be great if there were that few cars every day? Plenty of black salty paste on the road tho.
Not many people here today, hoping for a pub lunch and early ride home.

snow in balham this morning, continuing and getting heavier all the way to my office in Leatherhead. My fingers have feeling again but my toes are taking a bit longer to regain their normal sensation and colour

Yep. Grim sleet headwind all the way in. Not nice.

Fabulous day here in that there London. 2C and clear blue skies, lovely. I'm not working til next week but I'm tempted to get the bike out and rumble into town while the other half is at work today, just to get out in it.

Empty roads the whole way from Mile End to Soho. Bliss.

With regards to gritting, after riding several hours in that crap sleet last week I came home with what looked and felt like a sunburn on the skin that was exposed on my legs between overshoe and knee warmer.

Put some HC45 cream on it and the horrible itching feeling and redness went away eventually but was wondering if that was caused by grit chemicals. Never had anything like that from just riding in cold weather.

Grit is just salt isn't it. Which if a lot of it gets on your skin wouldn't be to good for you.

Chilblains?