London Commuters Where Were You Today?

lost_in_thought

Littigator wrote:

Still in slightly ranty mood from yesterday...it annoys me slightly that many MTB riders have those daft attach to your seat post rear mudguards attached so high on their stem that the person behind still gets sprayed.

Surely the only reason you have them set high is for off road on a suspension set up so the mudguard has ample clearance? No need for it on flats road in town?!

And before anyone says, no I do not draft nobbly MTBers, I just get sprayed as I waft past them

I think it's probably because they don't look 'off-road'-y enough with the full wheel-hugging mudguard... they're the MTB equivalent of white bar tape... mentioning no names...

Littigator

lost_in_thought wrote:

Littigator wrote:

Still in slightly ranty mood from yesterday...it annoys me slightly that many MTB riders have those daft attach to your seat post rear mudguards attached so high on their stem that the person behind still gets sprayed.

Surely the only reason you have them set high is for off road on a suspension set up so the mudguard has ample clearance? No need for it on flats road in town?!

And before anyone says, no I do not draft nobbly MTBers, I just get sprayed as I waft past them

I think it's probably because they don't look 'off-road'-y enough with the full wheel-hugging mudguard... they're the MTB equivalent of white bar tape... mentioning no names...

oiiiiiii!

girv73

Littigator wrote:

...it annoys me slightly that many MTB riders have those daft attach to your seat post rear mudguards attached so high on their stem that the person behind still gets sprayed.

Surely the only reason you have them set high is for off road on a suspension set up so the mudguard has ample clearance? No need for it on flats road in town?!

Speaking as a knobbly MTBer...

If you mount those guards too low down you still get sprayed. You need to mount them high up on the seatpost to get the angles right to catch the spray off the back wheel. Also it makes you look rugged and manly and the chicks dig it.

(ahem)

They're not as good as "proper" mudguards. I'd love to convert that knobbly MTB to a slicked, rigid forked commuter cruiser with proper guards and maybe even panniers, but I'm limited to one do-everything bike at the moment so compromises have to be made.

Sewinman

I don't know about the other hardy souls on here, but i just looked out the window and am feeling UBER smug. Its simply glorious out there! 8)

Kieran_Burns

We had a HUGE black cloud wander over Derby at 3 ish but that's gone now.

Only thing is... I guarantee that if i don't wear the tights and shower top it's gonna tip it down on the way home.... decision, decisions :?

lost_in_thought

It's looking luvverly... The rain jacket is definitely going in the rucksack.

Kieran_Burns

It might be nice down there but in the Midlands there is a huge cumulo-nimbus heading this way... and it's over home at the moment. Wet gear on standby!

Kieran_Burns

My wife has just texted me from home to tell me that I might be cycling into a thunderstorm

Scratch that - there IS a thunderstorm at home right now.

Oh arse.

biondino

Wish I had my bike. Shall I pop over to Condor and buy a fixie on impulse?

Kieran_Burns

Further update - it's a HUGE thunderstorm...

Oblox.

lost_in_thought

biondino wrote:

Wish I had my bike. Shall I pop over to Condor and buy a fixie on impulse?

YES

girv73

Dark clouds gathering and some light pre-rain starting. Think I'll wait half an hour and give it time to get going

biondino

Okay, bought this:



Well, I say "bought". Perhaps that's a slight exaggeration. How about "drooled over"?

biondino

Or, rather more practically...

cjcp

biondino wrote:

Wish I had my bike. Shall I pop over to Condor and buy a fixie on impulse?

Or, you could buy a proper bike; one with gears.

lost_in_thought

biondino wrote:

Okay, bought this:



Well, I say "bought". Perhaps that's a slight exaggeration. How about "drooled over"?

Look at the angle on that stem! I'd never be able to get one of those to fit me... But then I'd probably have to sell a kidney to afford it... and I like to have my blood filtered.

biondino

Thing is, if I were to buy another proper bike it'd have to be an improvement on the one I have now, and the Focus wasn't exactly cheap! I do like the look of a couple of the Condors, but after having a massive crush on anything Condor-shaped for a while, I've sort of almost gone off them. Almost.

I honestly don't actually covet any road bikes - I just can't imagine one being that much better than my Focus. I mean sure, if someone gave me a top of the range De Rosa I'd be pleased but I don't long for one.

andrewc3142

On topic: I was there playing in the rain for my usual 28 miles this morning. Great fun.

Continuing the slightly off topic: On a Condor, but Acciaio rather than fixed.

Kieran_Burns

Massive Massive thunderstorm hit 5 minutes after I started the commute home. Within 30 seconds my showerproof and given up the ghost.

1 minute the roads were flooded

2 minutes I was in the train station..... :roll:

Bassjunkieuk

I was out as usual, just not up in town and on a rather shortened route. It was however my first time out in proper rain on a bike with mudguards and I have to say it was rather nice to arrive with a dry bum. I'm still not sure if it was so nice to arrive with a dry bum that I can sacrifice the clean look on my usual road bike to fit race blades........besides the usual race blades only go up to 23C so I'd need the (more expensive) XL's which might be a bit to obvious!

Rain doesn't bother me, once you've been out for 10 minutes or so and are wet you can't get much wetter! The only real problem is trying to get everything (well at least your cycle shorts!) dry for the trip home. I still had slightly damp gloves at the end of the day, lovely and cool in the sun :-) Bl00dy weather!

Clever Pun

biondino wrote:

Thing is, if I were to buy another proper bike it'd have to be an improvement on the one I have now, and the Focus wasn't exactly cheap! I do like the look of a couple of the Condors, but after having a massive crush on anything Condor-shaped for a while, I've sort of almost gone off them. Almost.

I honestly don't actually covet any road bikes - I just can't imagine one being that much better than my Focus. I mean sure, if someone gave me a top of the range De Rosa I'd be pleased but I don't long for one.

do it... go on you know it makes sense, I bought a pista a while back it's a dream to ride...

itboffin

lost_in_thought wrote:

Littigator wrote:

Still in slightly ranty mood from yesterday...it annoys me slightly that many MTB riders have those daft attach to your seat post rear mudguards attached so high on their stem that the person behind still gets sprayed.

Surely the only reason you have them set high is for off road on a suspension set up so the mudguard has ample clearance? No need for it on flats road in town?!

And before anyone says, no I do not draft nobbly MTBers, I just get sprayed as I waft past them

I think it's probably because they don't look 'off-road'-y enough with the full wheel-hugging mudguard... they're the MTB equivalent of white bar tape... mentioning no names...

hey hey I heard that young lady and there's nothing wrong with white bar tape or white saddles.