This morning's commute and other commuting stories

Spicy! I used to do Deliveroo full time in Leeds on a fixed gear. Fittest I've ever been by far!

checking my crank bolts regularly

By check do you mean tighten? IIRC that’s something that breaks square taper cranks ( constant tightening periodically). If it’s just check then no need for concern hehe 😅

No definitely been tightening them. I guess I’ll stop doing that!

Jesus that’s serious effort. 6 miles each way on the commute is enough fixed for me.

I definitely couldn't do it these days. Flat London has made me soft. As much as I enjoy riding fixed still, if I commute on my Pompino my knees get really upset with me.

Nice one for tipping your rider by the way, I'm sure they appreciated it! It's not an easy job.

very relatable

Failure from "over-tightening" is caused by repeated re-tightening of properly installed cranks. In use, an aluminum crank squirms on its taper, and because the retaining bolt prevents it from moving off the taper, it elbows itself away from the bolt and up the taper ever so slightly. The resulting loss of preload, after hard riding, can be detected by how easily the bolt can be turned.

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/brandt/installing-cranks.html

Am I going crazy or did everyone outside zone 2 get a range rover for christmas?

Yes, they did.

Has anyone else found Elmers End to be particularly bad for aggresive drivers?

I used to commute through from Beckenham to Croydon. I didn’t get a lot of aggression tbh. Nobody used to look before flying out onto that huge roundabout at Elmers End so you used to have to take that one with caution.

Yesterday in broad daylight I had a big numb 4x4 pull out on me without checking their mirrors, jack-knifing me into a car parked on the opposite lane. Their screaming response - 'NO HI VIS'.

I'm pretty thick skinned and cycled on the roads since god knows how long but Is anyone else finding that drivers are getting worse and worse, and more aggressive?

Seriously considering upping sticks and moving to Holland when I've finished my Masters if it was possible cos it's draining my mental health.

Indeed. I had to Google 'huaraches'. I'm assuming OP was referring to the Nike version rather than the sandals

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No bushy bushy blonde hairdo?

It was just the busted modern pair that I bought used. Wouldn't dare ruin the 679083's

Also getting that feeling. The bike storage in my block is full of bikes bought during COVID, now unridden. Don't blame them. I'm fairly confident, but it's just the presence of so many (often massive) cars that makes riding no fun -the noise, the sense of competition and threat.

I am from the Flatlands, if you are seriously considering moving give me a shout.

Sorry to hear your commute sucks so much.

As soon as I get off the greenway near New Beckenham on the way home the driving just turns to absolute sh*t (from an already low starting point). I presume it just gets worse the further out you go.

Maybe its having been away from traffic for so long but it really is just lots of angry loons. Even got beeped by the local MP in his massive saloon last week for reasons. Maybe thought I was a minority though, so understandable.

I'm now trying to change my commute around potholed roads as they're getting increasingly worse. Had to readjust my handlebars this morning.

It’s the Mercedes Belt, runs just inside the Green Belt which is mostly golf courses around there

I'm now trying to change my commute around potholed roads as they're getting increasingly worse.

I think I’m swapping bikes tomorrow. I’m usually rule 5 with a lot of these things but I’m spending too much time with my eye on the road surface when I need to be watching what’s going on ahead.

When do people change from their winter bike/commuter to a summer commuter? Do people actually make any distinction or just always commute on the same thing?

I'd like to try and do the weekly shop after work on my nicer bike with gears and a rack so I can load panniers, but they are out gritting the roads tonight, so I'd rather not risk rusting it up. Am I being fussy or is this a wise choice?

I use the same bikes year round and just accept the frames get trashed. I don’t tend to use my 30s bike in wet salt though - it’s made it this far and it’s not fair to destroy vintage stuff unnecessarily. I used to run a Vitus 979 and that thing was basically immune to bad weather!

I use the same bikes year round

Same. Wash it every now and again with a hose and it's been good to go. Mudguards are good in summer too for dust etc.

I use the same bikes year round. Just clean them(especially the drivetrain) regularly! Both of my bikes are more winter bikes anyway though. I probably wouldn't want to ride something with skinny tyres and no guards all year.

I think I’m swapping bikes tomorrow. I’m usually rule 5 with a lot of these things but I’m spending too much time with my eye on the road surface when I need to be watching what’s going on ahead.

This didn't happen, lol. Rode round to the lockup to swap bikes and the weather was too nice to not ride fixed gear!

Foggy as fuck this morning. Had to stop every few minutes to wipe all of the moisture from my glasses. That'll show me for being a speccy little prick I suppose.