Eccentric Commuters

redddraggon

I see very few people commuting by at 7am around me, but there is one bloke. Old(ish), but probably well maintained, steel touring/road bike, 2 nearly full panniers, very large saddle bag and rucksack on his back. Don't know how he can carry so much on his bike. Normal clothes, and bobble hat, and goes flat out at a high cadence

I always give him a cheery greeting when I see him, and I always get one back.

Anybody else have any wierd and wonderful fellow commuters on their route?

prj45

The guy on the unicycle on my route makes I larf.

Looks like bluddy hard work!

prj45

And I did see what I though was a UFO coming at me in the dark down Constitution Hill on the cycle path there the other night, lit up like something out of Close Encounters it was, I was staring a bit and the pilot "har-honk"ed at me, I think his horn should have gone, doo DOO doo de da.

Mog Uk

I see one elderly bloke EVERY morning on an old style hybrid. No matter what the weather he will be wearing his shorts, boating shoes and a hi vis jacket...

Makes me feel quite overdressed in my thermals, hat, gloves, overshoes etc etc.....

Fuzz Monkey Five

I pass the same bloke almost every day and we always exchange a 'hello' when passing. Then after two years we bumped into each other in the pub one Friday evening and chatted for hours about bikes.

tardington

There is a fit woman jogging I always go past in the mornings... But I come from behind her (you know what I mean!) so I've never said hello...

And there is a guy who comes out his drive on his bike at the same time every morning, his wife and wee kid stand at the front window and wave him off. That's cool. 8)

ChrisLS

...I probably am the eccentric bloke riding to work at 7am!

graeme_s-2

I used to occasionally see a guy leaving the Warwick Uni Campus who would loudly whistle a tune while filtering through traffic. It always made me smile, and I thought it was a really pleasant way to alert people to your presence.

I've slightly altered my route now, so haven't seen him in ages .

Totalnewbie

When it was raining hard the other day I cycled past a girl cycling along in a floaty skirt and wellies. Made me feel most unladylike!

Have also seen the unicycle guy going down the cycle path in hyde park. I guess he must hold onto something at traffic lights etc, it is so high!

scalamanga007

I occasionally see a grown man in full reflective yellow suit and no lights riding a childs bike, makes me laugh as it looks so uncomfortable.

el_presidente

scalamanga007 wrote:

I occasionally see a grown man in full reflective yellow suit and no lights riding a childs bike, makes me laugh as it looks so uncomfortable.

That is totally mexico. I love Nathan Barley

cupofteacp

I see a large oldish women cycling down the mile end road wearing a knitted hat.

I say hello to her as I always see he and I'm impressed that she keeps going whatever the weather.

I also noticed that she's getting smaller as the years go by, and the bike does it's thing

jedster

I sometimes whistle when filtering - does that make me eccentric? oh dear...

jjojjas

I see an old looking guy in a green tweed suit with the day glo belt and sash thing every day. He has a big white beard a and rides an old Thorne bike I think?
Looks like a museum curator:

patchy

There's a guy regularly riding down the middle of Euston Road (the stupidly busy bit just before the underpass as you come from king's cross) with a huge trailer at about 8.30 every morning - generally enraging bus and taxi drivers as they can't get past him). I think he must work for or run an office sandwich scheme as there's always sarnies in the trailer.

He always gets a celebratory ding and a thumbs up as i go past... i haven't tried to heklp myself to lunch yet though.

graeme_s-2

jedster wrote:

I sometimes whistle when filtering - does that make me eccentric?

Yes it does, but that's a Good Thing

ChrisLS

...let's face it, if you ride a bike in this country you are considered eccentric... :? :roll:

Crapaud

scalamanga007 wrote:

I occasionally see a grown man in full reflective yellow suit and no lights riding a childs bike, makes me laugh as it looks so uncomfortable.

Occassionally, I would see a fat (read obese) bloke in predominately red lycra with a yellow bit struggling up the hill in Castlemilk. He always reminded me of Captain Chaos from the Cannoball Run.

(Tried to post a pic, but somehow it wouldn't preview :? )

dirk_van_gently

ChrisLS

...let's face it, if you ride a bike in this country you are considered eccentric...

My commute involves passing through a security area, and I always get some funny looks, especially when it's cold. I get comments like "you must be mad cycling in this weather" to which I often retort "not as mad as you standing around in it" with a big smile. Usually raises a titer.
I rarely see another cyclist.
Bit worried about the ride home, the wind is very strong, it will be on my back most of the way, but never happy when it's blustery.

dirk_van_gently

Crapaud, make the effort, I just have to see that picture now :-)

redddraggon

Crapaud

Dirk Van Gently wrote:

Crapaud, make the effort, I just have to see that picture now :-)

I just realised that I might have given the impression that I'd taken a photie of the actual guy - sadly, no. I was trying to link to the one that redddraggon's (cheers - and why are there 3 d's in your username? I've only just noticed) kindly posted.

The resemblance was uncanny, though! I've been chuckling to myself since I remembered about him. Whatever picture's in your head is probably pretty accurate.

redddraggon

Crapaud wrote:

(cheers - and why are there 3 d's in your username? I've only just noticed)

It's my xbox live account name, it wouldn't let me have Red Dragon, or even Red Draggon, so I filled the space with an extra d and it worked.

dirk_van_gently

Crapaud, I had thought you were going to post a photograph of the guy on the bike, but that one made me laugh anyway :-D

I do see one exceptionally eccentric chap on my way to my "other office" ( I work out of 2 locations). Elderly Chap, quite a large fella, rides an old butchers or bakers bike, with huge old basket on the front, Union jack and England flags all over the bike. He wears one of those floppy waxed cotton hats. Always smiles, and gives a wave. I'm sure he's barking mad, but he's happy.

This is my favourite thread at the moment, been some superbly funny examples. :-D

tardington

It sounded great! (the fat guy that is)

Years ago I always used to go past a fat guy with a supermarket plastic bag on each side of his handlebars. He was so slow - not surprising since he was really fat AND always had a fag hanging out his mouth!

Once I slowed down to say hello, and his bags were full of cheap supermarket brand pies! 8) 8)

I didn't say "I know what your problem is, mate" but I really wanted to.

magicroundabout

Have also seen the unicycle guy going down the cycle path in hyde park. I guess he must hold onto something at traffic lights etc, it is so high!

What? No! Any unicyclist worth their weight would "rock" at a standstill. That is, forward a bit - back a bit - forward a bit.

Any other unicyclists on the forum? I can ride and turn but, I confess, I'd have to hold something if I was waiting. (Does that make me eccentric?!)

Mountain Unicycling...now there's something impressive to watch!

MR

Underscore

magicroundabout wrote:

Mountain Unicycling...now there's something impressive to watch!

Yeah, I followed one of those madmen round part of the black route at Thetford. Despite the route barely warranting being called a red anywhere else, it was still both bizarre and impressive to watch!

Totalnewbie

magicroundabout wrote:

Have also seen the unicycle guy going down the cycle path in hyde park. I guess he must hold onto something at traffic lights etc, it is so high!

What? No! Any unicyclist worth their weight would "rock" at a standstill. That is, forward a bit - back a bit - forward a bit.


MR

Ah right. Like a unicycle trackstand type thing. Didn't think of that.

prj45

Totalnewbie wrote:

I guess he must hold onto something at traffic lights etc, it is so high!

Nope, he wheels back and forward balancing.

If he had some juggling balls to juggle whilst doing this it would make my day.

prj45

magicroundabout wrote:

Any other unicyclists on the forum?

A unicycle does seem the natural progression: -

Start with a MTB style bike

remove mudguards

a little later

Remove derailers front and rear, put a single sproket on

a little later

Fix back sproket and remove back brakes

a little later

Remove front brake

a little later

shorten handlbars so you hands barely fit on them

a little later

totally remove front wheel, handlbars and chain, and several trianlges from your frame

BulletBob

1. Sometimes pass a guy wearing nothing but a pair of speedos - it's quite disconcerting as you approach as you can't see the speedos and he's quite fat - he looks totally naked...

2. Have overtaken a middle-aged guy commuting on one of those "chopper" motorbike-style kids bikes with the massive back tyre... must have borrowed his son's bike for the morning but it was a odd sight.

Bob