Your Anti-Rants here

SmellTheGlove

Took the new road bike in (n+2) for the first time today. Even on crap outer London roads and with somewhat dodgy tyres, a small corner of heaven is reserved for us.
My jaw fair aches with all the smiling.

Cafewanda

Thanks to the grey security company van who dropped back to let me move ahead last night on Balham High Road, just outside Psubliminal bike shop. That lifted my mood no end

Kieran_Burns

Zen-like calm and peace is restored

The last stretch of the A60 before I turn off into the business park is becoming the place for things happen at the moment

Coming up the hill where the traffic is slow and I'm matching the speed of it, then going slightly quicker, I start to come up behind a tipper truck.... getting closer and approaching the point of "what to do next"

Golden rule: do NOT undertake lorries.

So this leaves me with slowing down and being patient, or overtaking on a long stretch where any acceleration by the motor traffic will have them faster than me.

I'm edging to "being patient" and getting closer to the truck (between him and the car behind him) when.... he swings RIGHT out to the edge of our lane and gives me HUGE amounts of room to undertake :shock:

Down the inside I go, and with a big wave of thanks - I get right down the road and past loads more cars (even the jag that tried to race me )

I'll upload the vid tonight and if I can see the name of the company they will be getting a thank you email

evil_breakfast

To the old codger in the Silver Skoda Fabia Trailer combo that was doing less than the 30 speed limit and allowing me to draft.
You kept checking your RVM, so i'm assuming it was deliberate.
At the end of 30 miles it was very much appreciated.
Chapeau

Aguila

Glorious sunshine, cool crisp air, country lanes lined with unfeesible numbers of daffodils. Rode past 2 partridges strolling in the grass.

Also first day of the year on the best/summer bike, felt so fast and nimble after the iron horse. Oh and my knee is definitely nearly 100% thanks to the nice physio I saw 2 weeks ago.

I expect to wake up any moment.

Kieran_Burns

Nice little incident this morning - not long after starting off, out into the countryside proper I glance across to my left and I'm being paralleled by an Owl 8)

Flew alongside of me for a good 100 yards or so, and I'm REALLY hoping I've caught it on camera!

Valy

Just after levelling off from going down hill, a taxi pulled out in a "SMIDSY" fashion. The distance between me and him was not "jam the brakes for all they are worth NOW" but still had to slow down a bit.

The guy did not speed up too much and as I started catching him (while shouting profanities :oops: ) he moved over into the cycle lane, (me on the outside, trying to pull up to his side, I think :oops:) wound his windows down and quite sincerely apologised. I was like "Oh, kay, no problem"

As he pulled away, he waved out of the window, I thumbed up and held my palm up.
_____________________________________
Reckon I gotta cut down on the auto pilot "whatever comes into my head first" swearing.

Kieran_Burns

Kieran_Burns wrote:

Nice little incident this morning - not long after starting off, out into the countryside proper I glance across to my left and I'm being paralleled by an Owl 8)

Flew alongside of me for a good 100 yards or so, and I'm REALLY hoping I've caught it on camera!

Well - I got it on camera 8) not the greatest image as I forgot to set the ContourHD to the low light setting, but it's not bad. I'll edit it tonight and post up in the commuting footage thread

pastryboy

Powering up hump of railway bridge at 20+ and spotted two guys wanting to cross standing on an island in the middle - a car suddenly stopped for them when it shouldn't have (cars behind). They were halfway across when thy saw me stop on a sixpence (fixed gear power + brake) to let them go and looked at me aghast and went 'wow, nice cycling'. On the outside; modest smile of acknowledgement, on the inside agreeing fully and thinking about how I have big balls and awesome power

pianoleo

On my way into work this evening (about 6.10), at that little LCN Route 23 cut-through to Rodney Road (towards Elephant), a whole bunch of cyclists coming towards me thanked me for giving way to them. All felt incredibly sociable despite the fact I was going in the opposite direction.

Thank you nice cyclists of London!

mudcow007

driving down Queens Drive (main ring road around Liverpool), just about to drive past a funeral car procession, notice a car blocking their lane so i slow the traffic in my lane allowing the whole procession toovertake the parked car and proceed together.

all the drivers thanked me. tis was my good deed of the week

SimonAH

Quadruple whammy this morning!

1) It's Friday
2) The sun is shining
3) I'm working from home
4) The reason for 3) is I'm waiting for delivery of my shiny new car.

...........ooo yeah (chicadicaaaa) 8)

Gussio

Sunshine. God it was lovely this morning.

unscarred

I don't know if Evans Cycles have anyone who looks at these forums, but I just wanted to say that I had a brief but pleasant experience of an Evans delivery truck this morning. We were going though Tower Hill about 8 this morning and the driver was very considerate, waiting well back from me at the red light and giving plenty of space on the road.
Most impressive was his or her lightning-quick reactions required to not run over a Boris Bike riding nutter/nodder who attempted to ride under the lorry's front wheels at a pedestrian crossing.
Bravo and thank you!

northstar

Credit to the bus driver (85 or ended in 5 least - double decker) who waited paitently behind me past The Tiffin Schools in Kingston tonight, I invited you to pass due to your initial holding back but you showed a lot of consideration - nice one.

SimonAH

Feeling very smug and virtuous.

Fully expensed company car parked outside........................... my house. Came to the office on the bike, in the rain.

Sun is now shining and a glorioius blast home awaits.

SickAsAParrot

Summer's here!!

Kieran_Burns

My word. :shock:

Tricross off the road and I couldn't miss another ride in, so out came the Madone 8)

12 miles has been taking 50-55 minutes (on a GOOD run it would be 45 mins)

This morning? 37mins.

Flipping 'eck.

I'm taking the tights off for the ride home - I was sweating cobs by the time I got to work, spring gloves (lightweight full fingered) and the road shoes and I was over-heating.

Scared stiff every time I got to traffic though, I'm really not used to being clipped in butmy God that was quick!

mattsaw

Thanks to the guy in the Scotscape van in Long-Ditton today who slowed and flashed me as I waiting to turn right on a busy main road.

My normal experience of WVM is having to bail as they cut me up, this afternoon was a pleasant surprise.

MadammeMarie

What a lovely, lovely, LOVELY ride I had this morning! I'm coughing my lungs out (got a cold), and was out of breath a couple of times (I welcomed the red lights that gave me a chance to stop), but the sun was out (about bloody time, too!) and had two good-looking coppers riding behind me (felt very safe). I LOVE THAT SPRING IS HERE!!!!! Gorgeous sun!

I can't believe I only have a few commutes left (redundancy). I'm soooo gonna miss them!

Happy spring my fellow cyclists!

walkingbootweather

First ride of the season in shorts, t-shirt and sunnies (no long trousers or sleeves). Two minutes off my quickest time of the year. Averaged over 15mph. Will be taking the long way home perhaps via some nice country pub

bails87

Cracked the 18mph average barrier yesterday (18.1mph over 15ish miles).

And today is a glorious day so I cycled in again (first ever consecutive bike commute), wore my long sleeved base layer on the way in, but going home will be just shorts and t-shirt

I might try to do 4 out of 5 days on the bike if the weather stays like this.

walkingbootweather

^good pace bails87 and makes my 12 miles at 15mph seem very pedestrian. In my defence I was carrying a full pannier and my bike is nearly old enough to vote

If the sun keeps shining I shall have to break out the summer bike early.

Kieran_Burns

Yep - I may well leave the wind-proof in the rucksack and cycle in just my shorts and base-layer this evening.

ride_whenever

the sun is shining and I'm riding my caad, plus I've finished work so I can now head out for a ride!

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY

suzyb

^^ it makes my 12 miles at 12mph look very pathetic. But in my defence I'm fat and unfit

It's positively summer like today. The sun is shining, the birds are singing (at least I think they are, couldn't actually hear them over the sound of the cars whizzing by) and I'm returning home with a face the colour of beetroot.

Tis warm for sure.

bails87

Yep, feels very summery.

I can't wait to get out. That's the only problem with enjoying commuting, you end up being desperate (or more so than usual) to get out of work!

cee

Hurrah to the bicycle works in edinburgh.

I phoned 3 bicycle shops to get them to fit a cassette and straighten my gear hanger (long story)

I led with the question...do you have time and stock to fit a new cassette and straighten my hanger today at lunchtime....

shop 1 gave me attitude..saying he didn't know he would have time until he looked at it..and had a full diary....and might need to order parts.
The 2nd had a full diary
The bicycle works said...cool....bring it in and we will squeeze you in...its a 5 minute job, we have a number of cassettes in stock at various levels.

And to top it all off....the labour charge was half what i expected!

So...bicycle works in edinburgh....you are now my first port of call!

Valy

Booya,

Shorts and jersey for the morning commute.. .and evening... OBVIOUSLY!

Drysuitdiver

personal best for door to desk today . 18 minutes , shaving 5 minutes off. amazing what a bit of sun can do for you