Silly commuting racing

iain_j

And this is the one road in Liverpool which i HAVE seen some grit on :shock:

rjsterry

iain_j wrote:

And this is the one road in Liverpool which i HAVE seen some grit on :shock:

I think they're supposed to spread the stuff around, not just dump it in a heap at the bottom of a hill :roll:

Reports coming into the office of lots of people driving like nutters outside, so although I'm not proud about it, I'm quite glad I'm on foot/PT today.

blu3cat

MonkeyMonster wrote:

blu3cat wrote:

cjcp wrote:

blu3cat wrote:

I looked outside this morning and saw about 1cm of the white stuff and so got the tube. It took twice as long as a regular commute.



I now feel dirty and ashamed, I'm very, very, very sorry. :oops:

Go stand in the corner, with your back to us.

Looks outside, comes out of the corner feeling slightly smug and vindicated.

ehh, no - you're still jealous of us get back in

Yeah right, cycled home when we had lots of snow before Christmas - took 90 mins instead of 35, couldn't feel my fingers even with 2 pairs of gloves, got windburn and the chavs in Wandworth tried to bombard me with snowballs.

Actually now you come to mention it - maybe just a little jealous. :roll:

Bassjunkieuk

Well that was fun :-D After bringing myself to a rather abrupt stop using the back of a parked car last night whilst I stared at my cycle computer I was nursing a rather sore nose this morning! Made a terrible bl00dy mess and I know have the mother of all bunged up noses!!!

Rode in this morning after initially thinking I'd walk. It was only just over 2 miles and I can take main roads the whole way which turned out to be just a wet and sometimes slushy mess - have to say the Crud Roadracers have done a fab job of keeping the wet slushy sh!t off my bike! Had an early ride back to the kids school to collect them as Mrs BJUK was at an appointment. Once she got home I set off in the now blizzard like conditions to get back to the office only to find all those sissies had gone home (or been sent home, either way they all need a big dose of MTFU :-D)

Set of home again for the forth ride of the day and had a huge amount of fun! 700x25C Gatorskins provide rather amusing levels of traction on the side roads :-) Used a slightly lower gear then normal and found that pedalling slowly allowed better control of the ensuing wheelspin. Took it nice and easy and once I got on the main roads it was pretty smooth going. After the few snowier rides today I can give a double thumbs up for my dhb Amberley waterproof coat, the Endura Strike gloves and the dhb overshoes, all kept me dry during the sleeting snow, which along with the dry bum due to the Roadracers meant the rides in the snow where most enjoyable!

Wonder how tomorrow will be?

Clever Pun

fun??? terryfying more like, most ot is was just sludge but some had beeen compacted and was a little hairy to say the least; changing direction was nerve wracking

Filtering was a freaking nightmare, the selfish cars had all the safe bits

Still made it back ok and I think I even got a scalp but saying that I didn't really move my attention from the road directly infront on me

cjcp

That guy on the Brompton wrote:

cjcp wrote:

So I'm going home.

If you pass a rusty Marin with mahoosive knobblies doing about 10mph, give me a wave!

Saw very, very few riders along Embankment. Saw a couple of riders in the Park though, both going through the middle.

That was a bit wet slushy until I reached the Park. Came close to being taken out, albeit by a jogger just before Battersea Bridge. I spotted the non-vized-up jogger just about to step out in front of me when I shouted "heads up!". Gave him a bit of shock.

Twice had to stop to deflate the tyres a little in the Park to get more traction. The rear wheel was slipping all over the shop before then. No tracks through the middle - great fun.

Nearly lost the rear end on the roundabout by Kingston Gate. A blinding recovery. Good job too, because there were loads of people about!

Side roads around my house have lots of snow. Lots of slush too. When that ices up, they're going to be treacherous. Might work from home tomorrow.

Clever Pun

cjcp wrote:

Side roads around my house have lots of snow. Lots of slush too. When that ices up, they're going to be treacherous. Might work from home tomorrow.

I'm giving it consideration as well

jonginge

Clever Pun wrote:

cjcp wrote:

Side roads around my house have lots of snow. Lots of slush too. When that ices up, they're going to be treacherous. Might work from home tomorrow.

I'm giving it consideration as well

Well, conditions weren't that bad along the SW conveyor. Had one double-wheel slide turning onto col de putney bridge but that's about it. The roads are pretty wet so we'll see how they are in the morning. Metcheck says down to -6 tonight but I'm not sure I believe it.

Clever Pun

JonGinge wrote:

Clever Pun wrote:

cjcp wrote:

Side roads around my house have lots of snow. Lots of slush too. When that ices up, they're going to be treacherous. Might work from home tomorrow.

I'm giving it consideration as well

Well, conditions weren't that bad along the SW conveyor. Had one double-wheel slide turning onto col de putney bridge but that's about it. The roads are pretty wet so we'll see how they are in the morning. Metcheck says down to -6 tonight but I'm not sure I believe it.

I'm nowhere near that... the bit around deptford was not cool

I'd prefer to cycle in, I've got stats to maintain damnit but if it looks like I'll come a cropper I'll forgo the cycling and the gym :x

iain_j

Hmm BBC travel says that road in the photo is closed again due to ice, local news site says councils are running out of grit, weather sites say it's going to stay subzero for a while yet, and possibly more snow.

I just wanna ride my bike boohoo!

jonginge

Clever Pun wrote:

JonGinge wrote:

Clever Pun wrote:

cjcp wrote:

Side roads around my house have lots of snow. Lots of slush too. When that ices up, they're going to be treacherous. Might work from home tomorrow.

I'm giving it consideration as well

Well, conditions weren't that bad along the SW conveyor. Had one double-wheel slide turning onto col de putney bridge but that's about it. The roads are pretty wet so we'll see how they are in the morning. Metcheck says down to -6 tonight but I'm not sure I believe it.

I'm nowhere near that... the bit around deptford was not cool

I'd prefer to cycle in, I've got stats to maintain damnit but if it looks like I'll come a cropper I'll forgo the cycling and the gym :x

Guess I'm lucky. The roads near me are busy and always pretty well gritted. It's only the bit through Barnes and past the common (and its own strange microclimate) that can get a bit nasty. Oh, trying not to fall off just outside my flat is also a challenge

cjcp

The side roads between my house and the Park entrance are the trickiest bits. After that should be ok for the reasons JG said (which is near enough his route anyway).

iain_j

Damn.

Buses are back on this morning. I'd rather walk again - in fact I set off in my mountain boots this morning - but I can't justify being that late if I could have got the bus. I suppose I could walk home.

UndercoverElephant

-10 degrees this morning when I set off. First mile or so was compacted snow and ice as the roads haven't been gritted at any point since Christmas. 12.5 miles later, my drivetrain is completely thick with sludge.

Back on topic, and to stop the moaning; what's the FCN of a snow-plough? Overtook him on my way into Musselburgh. :twisted:

Clever Pun

My buff froze solid at the front and the top of my water bottle iced over

couple of tricky bits... main decision was choosing which bus tire track to use... the inside wrong was invariably wrong

itboffin

Okay so having studd tyres is no use if the trains aren't running, what's the point of running trains to Reading then stopping :?:

UndercoverElephant

Quite right, who'd want to actually be in Reading?

biondino

It'll be fine, I said, it's all main roads, I said, and it's above freezing anyway, I said.

I wish I'd remembered that because cars tend to take bends in roads (such as, say, the S bend on Kings road next to the tall yellow building) more centrally, the area of slush to the left will be bigger than on a straight bit of road, plus it's a bend so my weight wouldn't be over the bike. Result = a cut on the knee and a big bruise on the hip, and a couple of tears in Bob's fabric bits. Ah well, could have been worse.

rjsterry

iain_j wrote:

Damn.

Buses are back on this morning. I'd rather walk again - in fact I set off in my mountain boots this morning - but I can't justify being that late if I could have got the bus. I suppose I could walk home.

Still an opportunity for a bit of pedestrian SCR . I reckon moutain boots give you a pretty high FCN.

iain_j

I walked in my trainers yesterday but was slipping all over the place. I only got halfway to the bus stop this morning in the boots before seeing the buses and realising I didn't need them, but the difference was amazing. I hope we get more snow and ice and blocked roads so I can have a proper go

blu3cat

rjsterry wrote:

iain_j wrote:

Damn.

Buses are back on this morning. I'd rather walk again - in fact I set off in my mountain boots this morning - but I can't justify being that late if I could have got the bus. I suppose I could walk home.

Still an opportunity for a bit of pedestrian SCR . I reckon moutain boots give you a pretty high FCN.

Surely having mountain boots on would give you a super low FCN in weather like this, with strappy high heels being about FCN 10000

Braved this morning, and so can hold my head up high again. Saw a total of 3 other cyclists en route and they were moutain bikes with knobblies and everything.

The most dangerous part was pushing my bike down the sheer ice hill to the main road where it was clear.

iain_j

I did see a few girls yesterday morning walking on the ice in pointy-heeled shoes. I wondered if the point would actually dig into the ice and improve grip. Not that I'd try a pair...

blu3cat

iain_j wrote:

I did see a few girls yesterday morning walking on the ice in pointy-heeled shoes. I wondered if the point would actually dig into the ice and improve grip. Not that I'd try a pair...

yep I can't get decent ones in a size 11.

Bassjunkieuk

Pretty much plain sailing again this morning, one minor slip as I walked down the tyre tracks on my road to get to the main road but after that I'd say the roads today where much nicer then last night, not least cos I could see where I was going (until near the end but I'll get to that in a minute.....)
Was a little confused as I rode along the main road on my road bike to see someone PUSHING a knobblie tyred MTB along the pavement?? Couldn't quite fathom why they where riding, maybe because of an off or they just need to MTFU, I mean I have tubes on my bike about the same width as their tyres for christ sake!

As for my vision it was all OK until I got to the bus lane in central Croydon and stopped for some lights, my breathing was being sent up under my glasses by the buff I was wearing and caused them to fog up :shock: Took about 30 seconds of riding in the cold air to clear them but was a PITA as there are a few metal drain covers and craters to avoid after I pull away from there...

Clever Pun

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

my breathing was being sent up under my glasses by the buff I was wearing and caused them to fog up :shock: Took about 30 seconds of riding in the cold air to clear them but was a PITA as there are a few metal drain covers and craters to avoid after I pull away from there...

happens to me too... just move the buff down a bit then back up when you're up to speed

redvee

My glasses mist at the lights etc but I think this is down to the fact that there is nowhere for my breath to go when it gets to the top of the frame as it is against the beanie & headband I wear at the mo, the buff stays down on my neck.

Forgive but I sinned today. I left the bike in the cold flat with no TV or food :oops: , yep I walked to work which gave me longer to get ready for work but within 1 minute of walking I was on my well padded ar$e on the pavement. I felt my foot slipping then I'm led on the pavement and sat there for 2 seconds just composing myself.

itboffin

SPD are coming off the commuter tomorrow, balls to that, I want instant foot on floor and I want a fighting chance of being able to stand up when I unclip

rjsterry

After a day at home today looking after Little M, and two days gambling on Southern Railway, I am desperate to MTFU and get back on two wheels. I popped out for a walk today and so long as I wheel the bike over the ice rink of our side road, I should :fingerscrossed: be fine. The weather forecast is pretty good, so I'm determined to at least ride in.

Anyway, the trains seem not to be an option - M tried to get a train today but gave up as Southern seem to have abandoned the timetable altogether. :roll: she was told that there might be a train along at some point, but they couldn't be sure

Oh dear I've just seen the latest forecast suggesting that it'll be too cold for the salt to work, + a headwind...no I'm determined, although I might take my hiking boots with me as a backup.

rjsterry

All fine once I'd reached the main road on foot. Only saw a couple of cyclists until I got to Kennington/Lambeth. Scalped a Dolan SSer, around Stockwell but I don't think he was trying very hard. Did see a couple of roadies in Balham, but ended up on opposite sides of an RL so no chance to chase them down, but happy to take it easy today.

Also managed to pick up a sort of 'snow brake' with compacted slush stuck at the top of my forks either side of the wheel rim.

Sewinman

Cycled in today and it was fine after I got to the main road. Saw about a dozen cyclists. Quiet run in, pleased to be out again.