What I love most about cycling in England through the winter is...

Quality trade off : Push through pain >> Get speedy pleasure.
Win

... putting on full waterproofs only for hail shower to pass. Taking them off only for next hail shower to arrive. Glass shard puncture requiring tyre replacement. Putting on full waterproofs only for hail shower to pass... Sweating. Face full of puddle from a passing bus.

I had a great morning. Welcome back foul weather, where've you been hiding?

Seriously, it was fun.

My 7 yr old rode home from school today in 40mph+ winds.
NTFU.

Am I the only moron that finds it hard to control my bicycle in the wind? Doesn't even take a lot of wind, either. A tiny little gust on the side and it's like I've got a parachute tied to my front wheel. Is it because I've got feeble little girly arms?

Most people in London seem to find it difficult to control their bikes in all weather..

ahh first year i buy full winter gear and the first real day of autumn today i guess today 70 miles in jean shorts nd long sleeved tee, wind zapped my soul, how ironic

What a beautiful day for commuting ~40 miles, I loved it. AWESOME. In the true sense of the word. Rode across RP as dusk settled, just perfect riding tonight. Yipee, the warmth is over. I fucking hate summer.

What a beautiful day for commuting ~40 miles, I loved it. AWESOME. In the true sense of the word. Rode across RP as dusk settled, just perfect riding tonight. Yipee, the warmth is over. I fucking hate summer.

Lies.

You've never experienced summer.

Do me a favour you wingebag, are actually doing mick dundee: 'that's not a knife, THIS is a knife' ??? You weren't here in the summer of '76 man, what do you know?

I wasn't anywhere for the summer of '76 but I watched an Abba video once.

I was born in the summer of '76.

Did you also watch Abba videos?

I cannot reveal that

I wasn't anywhere for the summer of '76 but I watched an Abba video once.

Once?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_HoPPk9r2w

I think I've seen some of that movie. I also think Abba was in another Aussie feature fillum.
Muriel's Wedding perhaps? That had Abba in it I think but really I am referring to their videos, the ones you would associate with the song's release. "Music Video" I think is the term youngsters use.

I haven'tbeen young for quite some time.

I have never willingly watched an abba video.

It was like 'nam man.

Yesterday was one of the hardest 40 mins on a bike I've ever had.

Honestly, I was fucked. Rain and hail horizontal right into my face, riding uphill for two miles without a waterproof.

Top of the hill, freezing wind! Sucked all the heat out of me.

Drivers were being horrible cunts too, forcing me into the flooded gutters full of all kinds of branches and debris.
Then I lost control of the bike on a flooded manhole cover and nearly slid under a car, just got control in time.

There was wheelie bins blown into the road, grit and glass everywhere, and a hefty sludge of watered down horseshit from all the horses that have been ridden on my commute during the warm weather.

When I got home it was shower, jogging pants and whiskey, in that order.
Then the missus served up a mustard glazed pork chop with a 'Close Encounters' size pile of mash and gravy.

I am recovered.

Generally speaking though, I don't mind Autumn/Winter riding, but this was just a bit much.

Exciting recumbent fact #23 discovered yesterday. Hailstorms + approximately horizontal crotch = proper brass monkeys.

Joy.

The constant drizzle.

Has somebody already said that?

Luci repped for words (again).

Watch all the oil on the roads. Not sure if It's just me but I tend to notice more oil on the roads in winter.

Get some gloves and a hat the rest of your body will be warm anyway, I usually have to cover my knees as well before the rest of my body as I get sore knees from the cold.

Enjoy the roads as you won't see many other cyclists about. The ones you do see on the snow/shit weather days will look at you with the look of approval, take it all in because before you know it the warm weather will be here and so will the cyclists zig zagging down the road on the way to work.

Didn't get to use the studded tyres last winter. Will be beasting it on the snow when it comes.

I was tempted to go for studdy numbers myself actually and get some carbon forks but I may leave them off till after christmas now. The forks I mean I'm worried I'll fall off and break them :(