The Tyne and Wear Commuter Thread

1…3233353738…46

Comments

  • Initialised
    Initialised Posts: 3,047
    Long Time Lurker wrote:
    In which case no...
    The only ones on the coast are aged 30 - 40, pootling along at 10 mph in an attempt to lose weight.
    Have you been stalking me?
    I used to just ride my bike to work but now I find myself going out looking for bigger and bigger hills.
  • Tony Mc
    Tony Mc Posts: 180
    Looks like a glourious day out there... unfortunetly I'm on school run duty So no fun for me
    Getting there
  • Long_Time_Lurker
    Long_Time_Lurker Posts: 1,068
    Initialised wrote:
    Have you been stalking me?
    Are you the one in the white see-through lycra? In which case, yes I am :twisted:

    And Tony Mc - in the same boat. But at least it is supposed to be good this weekend so i should get a few hours in on Saturday and Sunday morning...
    2007 Felt Q720 (the ratbike)
    2012 Cube Ltd SL (the hardtail XC 26er)
    2014 Lapierre Zesty TR 329 (the full-sus 29er)
  • markhewitt1978
    markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    Looks glorious for the North East on Sunday. But I won't be here I'll be riding in the Evans Langholm sportive, and it's not going to be sunny there :(. Nevermind, should still be good :)
  • anthdci
    anthdci Posts: 543
    Lovely morning ride in, just jersey and bib shorts required. Still seeing people in full boil in the bag florescent coats. If I was wearing a coat I would have passed out!
  • Captain Slackbladder
    Captain Slackbladder Posts: 175
    anthdci wrote:
    Lovely morning ride in, just jersey and bib shorts required. Still seeing people in full boil in the bag florescent coats. If I was wearing a coat I would have passed out!

    Light jersey for me as its still a tad nippy at 06-30, quite enjoying the new bit of sport thats appeared over the last couple of weeks...demolishing part timers on hartails and halfords specials alike...its not big nor clever but we all do it right?
  • andy9964
    andy9964 Posts: 930
    I made the mistake yesterday of putting my Ron Hills on, for an expected chilly-ish ride home last night (11:30pm)
    Wrong move, cooked myself on the way in, and still managed a slight perspiration on the way home.
    Shorts today
  • anthdci
    anthdci Posts: 543
    Captain Slackbladder wrote:
    .its not big nor clever but we all do it right?

    oh yes, cant be helped. I always seem to get a little bit extra energy to pull away quickly after overtaking.

    My commutes are roughly 8am-9am and 4.30pm-5.30pm so its not like it is early or late, I can see up a road from the windows next to my desk and see people in full coats going up on their bikes all day long.
  • andy9964
    andy9964 Posts: 930
    Too nice a day for any of this commuting nonsense, so I took the day off and went for a run out on the bike.

    South Shields - Roker - Downhill Lane - Felling Bypass - Quayside + sandwich/coffee at Cyclehub, then North Shields Ferry and home. 30 miles in total

    Cyclehub is nice, easy to find, friendly staff and a lovely tuna melt and coffee. Sat out in the sun looking up the river while I snacked, and could have sat there all day
    Hadrian cycleway...........wouldn't like to go down there in the dark :shock:
  • Captain Slackbladder
    Captain Slackbladder Posts: 175
    Silly question but does anyone actually have/use a bell? I've had a couple of snide comments along those lines recently when commuting along shared lanes (Hadrians Way etc) I usually just say excuse me please to warn walkers and other cyclists i'm behind...
  • markhewitt1978
    markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    Captain Slackbladder wrote:
    Silly question but does anyone actually have/use a bell? I've had a couple of snide comments along those lines recently when commuting along shared lanes (Hadrians Way etc) I usually just say excuse me please to warn walkers and other cyclists i'm behind...

    I don't have one, although I would like to have one for the rare occurrence I use the likes of the hadrians way, but I can't find one which will fit on my handlebars or not look stupid and totally in the way.

    From time to time I'm also a pedestrian on those sorts of routes and appreciate it when cyclists ring their bell to warn of their approach.
  • Long_Time_Lurker
    Long_Time_Lurker Posts: 1,068
    I've put a bell on my MTB. I find that the high-pitched 'ting' catches people's attention quicker than a voice.
    Works particularly well on dogs too, who normally wouldn't acknowledge a shout unless it was from their owner.

    A quick 'ting' and a thankyou also seems to keep walkers happier. Shouting can be seen by some as a bit rude/aggressive.
    It does mess with the athestetics of handbars, but it was that or continually shout at people.
    2007 Felt Q720 (the ratbike)
    2012 Cube Ltd SL (the hardtail XC 26er)
    2014 Lapierre Zesty TR 329 (the full-sus 29er)
  • jongooligan
    jongooligan Posts: 223
    I whistle something along the lines of the 'charge' bugle call. It's quite friendly - sounds like 'I'm here and I'm getting closer' rather than 'get out of my way'.
  • jomoj
    jomoj Posts: 777
    considering half the drones I encounter on the way have musical earplugs in, I would consider an airhorn to help get their attention.

    @Andy - re Hadrian's cycleway in the dark - I commute on it regularly and to be honest I've had only one 'incident' where some scrotes threw something at me as I passed. Oh yes - and some washing line strung across the path once...Most of it is fine, just a couple of the sections through Walker / Wallsend have chavas loitering about at times. I tend to use the riverside path and the parallel road (White St) anyway, less glass and sh1t on the path.

    lovely weather at the moment - looks set to break tomorrow though
  • Captain Slackbladder
    Captain Slackbladder Posts: 175
    jomoj wrote:
    considering half the drones I encounter on the way have musical earplugs in, I would consider an airhorn to help get their attention.

    @Andy - re Hadrian's cycleway in the dark - I commute on it regularly and to be honest I've had only one 'incident' where some scrotes threw something at me as I passed. Oh yes - and some washing line strung across the path once...Most of it is fine, just a couple of the sections through Walker / Wallsend have chavas loitering about at times. I tend to use the riverside path and the parallel road (White St) anyway, less glass and sh1t on the path.

    lovely weather at the moment - looks set to break tomorrow though

    I use it and find it ok, even in the dark . There's only a couple of small sections unlit..
  • Long_Time_Lurker
    Long_Time_Lurker Posts: 1,068
    I tend to avoid the Hadrians route at night around the Wallsend / Walker area too. I've never had any bother with the scrotes (except the odd 'funny' comment) - it's more that you can't see the smashed glass until you are right on it.

    Last year I had 3 punctures in 1 commute - 1 on the way in and a double-puncture on the way back. I only had 2 inner tubes, so I had to wheel my bike from Hadrian's Road to Tynemouth which wasn't much fun.
    2007 Felt Q720 (the ratbike)
    2012 Cube Ltd SL (the hardtail XC 26er)
    2014 Lapierre Zesty TR 329 (the full-sus 29er)
  • Captain Slackbladder
    Captain Slackbladder Posts: 175
    Long Time Lurker wrote:
    I tend to avoid the Hadrians route at night around the Wallsend / Walker area too. I've never had any bother with the scrotes (except the odd 'funny' comment) - it's more that you can't see the smashed glass until you are right on it.

    Last year I had 3 punctures in 1 commute - 1 on the way in and a double-puncture on the way back. I only had 2 inner tubes, so I had to wheel my bike from Hadrian's Road to Tynemouth which wasn't much fun.

    The glass is a pain mind, although my marathon plus tyres cope very well. (kiss of death :D )
  • jomoj
    jomoj Posts: 777
    A nuclear powered light comes in handy along there for sure. I quite like it in the pitch black along the river, just need to look out for lurking doggers and fishermen.
  • Long_Time_Lurker
    Long_Time_Lurker Posts: 1,068
    I ride with 2000 lumen MTB offroad lights. Causes problems when I'm blinding the locals as I ride past.
    2007 Felt Q720 (the ratbike)
    2012 Cube Ltd SL (the hardtail XC 26er)
    2014 Lapierre Zesty TR 329 (the full-sus 29er)
  • jomoj
    jomoj Posts: 777
    Long Time Lurker wrote:
    I ride with 2000 lumen MTB offroad lights. Causes problems when I'm blinding the locals as I ride past.

    but you always dip them for cyclists don't you? 8)
  • andy9964
    andy9964 Posts: 930
    Has anyone here had any hand built wheels built by M Steel in Gosforth.
    I thought I'd go down the hand built route, after the wheel I replaced last year has several seized nipples, and has just snapped a NDS spoke, scuppering my bank holiday ride.
    I've been tweaking the spokes to keep the wheel true on a more frequent basis lately. and now this. So rather than pay to get spokes replaced on a cheap generic wheel if they start to go regularly, I'd rather have something a bit more durable.

    Opinions welcome, cheers
  • jomoj
    jomoj Posts: 777
    I haven't but I've heard generally good reports of them. I have had some wheels built at 'bike repairman' in Prudhoe and they are good. Also have some built by 'just riding along' who sell online and they are a lovely set.
  • Long_Time_Lurker
    Long_Time_Lurker Posts: 1,068
    If you were the bloke at Whitley Bay who warned me about my loose rear quick release mech - thanks. I was wondering why the bike was rattling.
    Probably saved me from an expensive repair bill or a nasty fall as my back wheel came flying off!
    2007 Felt Q720 (the ratbike)
    2012 Cube Ltd SL (the hardtail XC 26er)
    2014 Lapierre Zesty TR 329 (the full-sus 29er)
  • andy9964
    andy9964 Posts: 930
    Update on the wheels:

    Took it to a LBS (AS Cycles) to get the spoke fixed as an interim "get me going" thing. Turned out the whole wheel was knackered. Hub bearings shot (non serviceable), cassette hub worn, cassette worn and most of the other spoke nipples seized.

    With the prospect of having to wait till Saturday before going to Steel's, and a further wait for a build, I opted for a Shimano R500 for an internet equalling £64.. Gets good reviews for being long lasting and sturdy, and at 1900g for the pair they aren't the heaviest wheels around (not the lightest neither) so I'm happy enough with that.

    Obviously I'll have to buy the matching front next payday :)

    LTL: If that was me you were asking, no it wasn't, lucky escape though. Make sure you put the brake release back as well, been there, done that :D
  • jomoj
    jomoj Posts: 777
    Was that 64 for the pair or just the rear? Just in case, Merlin have the pair on sale for 70.
  • andy9964
    andy9964 Posts: 930
    jomoj wrote:
    Was that 64 for the pair or just the rear? Just in case, Merlin have the pair on sale for 70.

    Damn, just the rear. Never checked Merlin :(
  • y33stu
    y33stu Posts: 376
    Anyone know if there was some sort of sportive or charity ride on around Northumberland on Sunday? I headed out for a quick 15 mile spin at the back of the airport, up towards Tramwell woods and back around 3pm, and saw loads of cyclists of all varieties wearing the same red and white t shirts. Some of them had numbers pinned to their chests, although not all.

    Just curious really.
    Cycling prints
    Band of Climbers
  • anthdci
    anthdci Posts: 543
    Sunderland Clarion were running their yearly road race near middleton?
    https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/events/details/107821/Sunderland-Clarion-Road-Race#summary
  • markhewitt1978
    markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    I drove up to Whittonstall from Ebchester on Sunday just before 12pm and there were quite a few riders coming the other way (headed towards Ebchester) at least one had a number on their bike. They weren't in a group as you would expect from a race or club ride.
  • markhewitt1978
    markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    Times are bad for us fair weather cyclists this week.

Categories