This morning's commute and other commuting stories

I really really dislike blinding bike / car / whatever lights at eye level. So dangerous as you can’t see what’s happening as they approach and pass.

My first few days commuting by bike and riding a cargo bike after over a month off cycling due to health issues, followed by Christmas/new year. My god I'm unfit.

Not this morning's commute, but a weird moment on the way home. Cycling up Mare Street, I look to my right and see a guy on a hybrid with negative rake on his forks, like on one of those old track bikes for motor-paced events (derney bikes? something like that). In the dark I didn't initially spot that there was a front brake sat behind the crown. Asked him why his fork was on backwards and he said "What?" so I suggested that he might find the bike rides better with the front wheel turned all the way around, and he told me "It's a work bike - this is how they gave it to me." and rode off in a slightly wobbly fashion.

Not blaming the guy for not knowing, but who on Earth sends a bike out of the workshop looking like that?

Halfords

Also surely riding with constant strobe lighting everywhere (especially on a tow path or similar) must be an unpleasant headfuck for the owner of the strobe?!

Innit... I can't wrap my head around why they think it's a good idea. Maybe it comes out of the box with the flashy setting and they never bothered to try and change it?

Saw the same thing the other day, but from the car so couldn't make any suggestions. I hope the lad is still alive.

@ekudduke commuting on a lime bike yesterday in Bethnal Green?

Yeah, punctured + so just took bike home to fix on a lime bike 🥲

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Ha - skills!

This should be part of Rapha's next campaign.

-14
😬

What with getting Covid and Christmas and not commuting by bike any more and stuff, I haven't been on my bike since before the cold snap. Wow, that took its toll on the roads didn't it? Had a few OH SHIT moments where the road was so bad I nearly binned it.

Pretty busy on cs7 this morning at seven’ish. After sloggin home into a head wind last week decided to treat myself and use a geared bike I keep at work, which hasn’t been used in a year or so at least, multiple gears are quite nice. Cs7 through Tooting remains a bag of shite though.

Year 13 of Austerity plus a prolonged freeze shows the inadequacies of term contracting for local authority highways.

Way down: A small flock of pigeons aligns on a food company truck hoping there are grains on the tarp. No such luck, and they all look down on me with "can I have some food..." eyes.

Way up: No flying rats, but an actual rat crossing the road.

And side cramps and coughing...had to walk for a bit. I'm going to blame my cold & going back to the gym.

5 metre moto GP slide on ice. I'm OK, bikes ok, only 3 mins late 😮‍💨

Haha boss move

I've still never used a hire bike :(

glad I WFH on Tuesdays. it's properly grim here this morning.
I even drove the kids to school which is extremely rare.

Nice soggy one this morning. I'm just enjoying being on the bike again after a month off due to illness anyway.

Seriously grim out this morning, but wasn't so bad once you get going. Good wet weather kit always helps. Also got a puncture on the way in which thanks to tubeless, held just enough air to get me to the office. All in all, not too bad.

Echo all that. First year with proper winter waterproof spds - so good. Also, new semi waterproof mountain bike trousers did a decent job on their maiden voyage. However, I'm now trying to get things dry for the return leg. Office has had a revamp and I think the old built in radiators are now defunct so my old methods are not working!

A few floods to negotiate this morning, some of the roads were raging torrents on the way in. Hopefully my shoes will dry out before home time! Must buy some winter boots.

I’ve got some sidi boots in 45 I’m not using if anyone wants cheap

I would be interested, how much do you want? Could you send some pics please?

spotted on the commute this morning. looks like it got pretty warm.

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