The Tyne and Wear Commuter Thread

Captain Slackbladder

Soaked this morning...another Met Office fail.

I've tried a couple of times commuting along the coast road and imo its not great, much prefer hadrians way along the river.

Council still haven't sorted that stretch of cycle path that goes over the tyne tunnel, appartently its Northumbrian Water carrying out the work. Basically they skimmed the top off the path 3 weeks ago and its just been left at that....great planning. The temp one thats been created resembles a mud fest BMX track at the moment.

jefflad

Lost my Lezyne Micro Drive rear light this morning on my commute, somewhere in Hebburn on the stretch from Campbell Park Road to York Avenue/Leam Lane via Marine Drive on Lukes Lane so if anyone rides that route and has seen it let me know I'm sure I can stretch to a small reward for its return

Excellent ligh,t so gutted but was never confident the bracket would hold it in long, surprised it's lasted 2 years tbh.

bucklb

The one advantage to the kind of vile weather this morning is that there are a lot fewer pedestrians on shared use paths. The downside is that the ones that are out are even harder to see than usual

andy9964

bucklb wrote:

The one advantage to the kind of vile weather this morning is that there are a lot fewer pedestrians on shared use paths.

And more spaces in the lock up at work

jomoj

lovely day today, worlds apart compared to the utter soaking I got on the ride home on tuesday, my shoes still havent dried out. I definitely start feeling more vulnerable at this time of year with the darkness and wet so have bought a nuclear orange jacket and added even more lights - Magicshine front and back lights, white and red LEDS on the helmet, a red LED on my mudguards and some cateye spoke lights. Even found some reflectors that fit my SPDs.

As a winter product recommendation, I really rate the Cateye Orbit spoke lights. They're eye catching and add some good side and diagonal visibility. Great product but I've hardly seen anyone else using them.

andy9964

I got some black 3M reflective tape, and cut to shape on my helmet. Also some spoke reflectors filling the two cables running under the top tube, and pressed onto the ends of the mudguards. As well as an array of various rear lights, and two Cree front lights

bucklb

jomoj wrote:

As a winter product recommendation, I really rate the Cateye Orbit spoke lights. They're eye catching and add some good side and diagonal visibility. Great product but I've hardly seen anyone else using them.

Do they not throw the wheels off balance? I guess it depends how heavy they are. I'm always wary of odd battery types too; big fan of rechargeable AA & AAA's

jomoj

Well they do a little bit but if you place them opposite the valves then it's only really noticeable if you're going pretty fast. I've been using them for a couple of years and it's never bothered me. You can always put both on one wheel as well.
Battery wise, life is pretty good and you can get 20 cells in eBay for £2.50 so they aren't expensive to run

Tony Mc

Damp out there this morning Gents need to invest in those mud guards

Long_Time_Lurker

Sunday was very muddy. So muddy I didn't see the rotting fox on the trail.
Grim. No amount of washing and showering could get the smell out.

itboffin

smelly you say?

anthdci

Broken rear hanger... Again. It has snapped one part of the jockey wheels frame, bent the other half, and bent the mudguard. Not a happy chappy sitting waiting to be picked up

andy9964

anthdci wrote:

Broken rear hanger... Again. It has snapped one part of the jockey wheels frame, bent the other half, and bent the mudguard. Not a happy chappy sitting waiting to be picked up

What the hell are you doing, off roading it? Could it be a 'set up' problem, or a manufacturing defect?

Had my 1st visit from the glass fairy on Friday afternoon luckily I managed to get into work on a partially deflated tyre and swapped the tube when I got there. Not the best time to find out my rear tyre had no markings on it, must have scrubbed the lettering off with my enthusiastic cleaning. Took a while to find the little shard poking through the tyre, which reminds me, I must fix the damaged tube.

anthdci

Andy9964 wrote:

anthdci wrote:

Broken rear hanger... Again. It has snapped one part of the jockey wheels frame, bent the other half, and bent the mudguard. Not a happy chappy sitting waiting to be picked up

What the hell are you doing, off roading it? Could it be a 'set up' problem, or a manufacturing defect?

I have no idea what the cause it. But jt has happened in the same place on the road both times. Up a slight incline coming off a junction, so i can only guess I'm putting too much through it, but I must have done it 300times on my old bike and 200times on the defy. Cycleworld said Im the only one who has been back to them with a snapped hanger on this bike. I used their stock last time so I am having to wait for a replacement to come in which wont be until Tuesday. Need a new derailleur too.

markhewitt1978

I bet a few Eastbound KOMs were set today!

Long_Time_Lurker

markhewitt1978 wrote:

I bet a few Eastbound KOMs were set today!

But I live on the Coast! Everywhere I went was into the wind. :x

jongooligan

First ice of the winter this morning. Felt the back wheel lose grip a couple of times. Just enough light to see the ice and take avoiding action. Not looking forward to riding in the dark when it's icy.
Fantastic sunrise this morning.

anthdci

jongooligan wrote:

First ice of the winter this morning. Felt the back wheel lose grip a couple of times. Just enough light to see the ice and take avoiding action. Not looking forward to riding in the dark when it's icy.
Fantastic sunrise this morning.

I'd have rather been on my bike on the ice than standing frozen on the metro platform waiting half and hour for a rammed metro to come. The delay was due to "Low rail adhesion" so slippy tracks then...

Captain Slackbladder

Chilly wet one this morning...as with last winter will be trying to use the bike as much as possible.

bucklb

At least there was no ice this morning.

I'm resigning myself to resorting to roads more & wagonways less as the ice and darkness encroach. It's still a long, long time 'til the longest night too.

markhewitt1978

I always find this time of year quite depressing really as the long, dark, cold winter stretches out in front of you. Was worse last year when winter persisted right up until the end of March. Hopefully spring will be a bit quicker in arriving in 2014!

In any case I'm telling myself that December is my month off from cycling; start my 'training' again in January - probably on the turbo. To be ready for sportive season in March.

Long_Time_Lurker

Love this time of year (the morning commute anyway). No-one about, pitch black, lights on, clear and cold.
The evening commute in the dark with the traffic is a pain.
Got the mud tyres on now. Great on the Wagonways, but it is bloody hard work on the roads.

jongooligan

Long Time Lurker wrote:

Got the mud tyres on now. Great on the Wagonways, but it is bloody hard work on the roads.

Think how much fitter you'll be getting though.

Ice all over the place this morning. Bottled it and went in the car.

anthdci

Picked the bike back up from getting fixed on my way home so ill be back on it tomorrow. New lights fitted too. Fingers crossed no more problems for awhile.

anthdci

My post from the big lights thread

couple of images of my defy ready for my commute tomorrow. Finally got it back and the new xml-u2 front lights fitted. Rear is a cateye, I normally have this on solid, with the 2 fibre flares on flash but looking at it now I might leave them all on solid as I think I looks quite good

bucklb

Impressive! Looks like I should fit a fibre flare or two myself.

Nice to see front lights that are illuminating the road rather than set to dazzle everyone in front of you too (not that it's a real bugbear of mine or anything )

anthdci

bucklb wrote:

Impressive! Looks like I should fit a fibre flare or two myself.

Nice to see front lights that are illuminating the road rather than set to dazzle everyone in front of you too (not that it's a real bugbear of mine or anything )

Thanks. Its a bug bear of mine too. I was walking to the metro at 4.30 in newcastle and a guy came up claremont road blinding me. If i was on my bike i'd have said something. My front lights are just cheap chinese cree LED, I've got them set to be quite dipped. Any lit road and they are on low power, but unlit and I have to go to full power to see what I am going, but they remain pointing at angle.

Long_Time_Lurker

Nice lights. I've decided to buy a flare for my backpack.

andy9964

Back in the saddle next week
After fixing my recent glass interaction, I discovered I hadn't fitted the tyre properly somehow. Refitted and inflated to 100 psi, and parked up in the passage. 10 minutes later, the loudest bang ever......the tyre had popped off the rim and the tube exploded
On closer inspection, there was some wear on the sidewall and a kink in the bead. Just the excuse needed for some new tyres for the winter
Two Gatorskins Ultras for £17.99 each from halfrauds (with BC discount), messed up 'reserve+collect' meant I couldn't collect till Thursday
Now fitted, along with Fizik Bar Gel and double wrapped bars with new tape means the bars are super comfy

jongooligan

Andy9964 wrote:

Back in the saddle next week

Now fitted, along with Fizik Bar Gel and double wrapped bars with new tape means the bars are super comfy

Just got some of this on my new bike as I've been having trouble with my hands for a couple of years. Haven't ridden it yet so don't know how effective it is. Anybody tried it? Is it any good?