The Tyne and Wear Commuter Thread

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  • Captain Slackbladder
    Captain Slackbladder Posts: 175
    markhewitt1978 wrote:
    Is that the Bowes Path? And no I don't know what's going on, one of my bugbears that local councils could install a cycle supermega highway and you'd only know if you stumbled across it.

    They've closed a section of hadrains way due to works of some kind nearby. No warning etc, tried to mail the council to no avail, apparently its closed for a while. This is the same stretch late last year where the lighting was down making it very dangerous AM/PM commuting times....
  • jefflad
    jefflad Posts: 315
    Man down :!: http://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/local/all-news/cyclist-killed-in-accident-with-bus-1-7051610
  • markhewitt1978
    markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    jefflad wrote:
    Man down :!: http://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/local/all-news/cyclist-killed-in-accident-with-bus-1-7051610

    That's really close by :(. It's a shame our road network is designed such that it's hard to avoid such busy junctions.
  • andy9964
    andy9964 Posts: 930
    Came off yesterday, turning onto theSunderland side of the A19 footbridge to Nissan.
    Came off this morning on the dirt track that runs from the BMW dealer to road bridge to Nissan

    Surprised I lasted as long today, I could hardly walk when I got up due to the ice. Bit of a sore ar$e, but no damage.

    Chances of completing a hat trick tomorrow??

    :shock:
  • andy9964
    andy9964 Posts: 930
    Yaaay!!!! No hat trick :)

    And, I can confirm the following.

    Being clipped in, or not, makes sod all difference in your ability to do anything about a fall. One minute your pedalling, the next, looking at the sky
  • andy9964
    andy9964 Posts: 930
    Yaaay!!!! No hat trick :)

    And, I can confirm the following.

    Being clipped in, or not, makes sod all difference in your ability to do anything about a fall. One minute your pedalling, the next, looking at the sky
  • Initialised
    Initialised Posts: 3,047
    markhewitt1978 wrote:
    Is that the Bowes Path? And no I don't know what's going on, one of my bugbears that local councils could install a cycle supermega highway and you'd only know if you stumbled across it.

    The Bowes Path was fixed at Kibblesworth last time I rode it, some time in December iirc, the rotters!

    In other news we have heavy snow inbound tomorrow evening, just in time for most people's how stretch. Enjoy!
    I used to just ride my bike to work but now I find myself going out looking for bigger and bigger hills.
  • anthdci
    anthdci Posts: 543
    I think you'd have to be crazy to cycle in that wind and rain, it is really disrupting me getting back into cycling :evil:
  • andy9964
    andy9964 Posts: 930
    #50 bus that passes Nissan, and goes through to South Shields - beaten into 2nd place for the third day in a row

    To be fair, he didn't know he was in a race :)
  • anthdci
    anthdci Posts: 543
    Have we all moved go Holland?
    ScreenShot2015-02-23at60342PM_zps8979e8fe.png

    27mph headwind for 13 miles to work tomorrow is not appealing, but I serviced my bike at the weekend and I'm sick of the metro.
  • andy9964
    andy9964 Posts: 930
    Do what I do, keep thinking about the return leg.
    Plan your attack on any KOMs you're close to. I got my first, by a second, last week ( 0.4 mile sprint in 48 seconds ) :D
  • anthdci
    anthdci Posts: 543
    Andy9964 wrote:
    Do what I do, keep thinking about the return leg.
    Plan your attack on any KOMs you're close to. I got my first, by a second, last week ( 0.4 mile sprint in 48 seconds ) :D

    yes but if you look on my way in at 8-9am it is 27mph but by the time Im going home at 5-6pm its dropped to 20mph. Still a nice tailwind but why is it never the opposite? I bet when it comes to it, it will be a southerly wind or something like that instead.
  • anthdci
    anthdci Posts: 543
    Bloody pesky students have pinched the shower head at work, it was like showering with a hose pipe :evil:
  • anthdci
    anthdci Posts: 543
    definitely no such thing a kama, i pull over to make sure a cyclist at the side of the road on their phone is ok, let them catch up to me and draft for a couple of miles. As soon as they go I get a puncture, change tube and replacement is flat in 50m :evil: rang for a lift after that, didn't want to risk changing it for another puncture if there was something in the tyre.
  • byke68
    byke68 Posts: 1,070
    Is there a canine green cross code that stupid dog owners can learn their pet instead of said dog running in front me without looking left & right first? Left some rubber on the tarmac this morning thanks to a Great Dane type pony saved by my quick reactions and newly fixed rear brake!
    Even better, use a lead attached to a collar, I'm sure good pet shops still stock them!
    Cannondale Trail 6 - crap brakes!
    Cannondale CAAD8
  • xbnm
    xbnm Posts: 116
    I get this quite a lot on the coast to coast route between Washington and Birtley, i'm courteous slow for dog owners give audible warnings and thank those that do anything. For the numptys i explain they might want to look up the liability of dog owners in accidents with out of control dogs.

    There was one partaciularly impressive numpty who in winter insisted on shining his headtorch direct at my eyes despite being repeatedly asked not too. Finally stopped when his handbag dog nearly got squished when running out from behind him and his light.
  • byke68
    byke68 Posts: 1,070
    I've even heard some dog owners tut because they have to grab their precious pooch! Fine, don't bother next time and let it get squished by a bike. If I'm approaching from behind, I shout out a warning, what more do they want?
    Cannondale Trail 6 - crap brakes!
    Cannondale CAAD8
  • markhewitt1978
    markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    Yup, it's dog walkers which mean the C2C route instead of being a pleasure can become a total chore :(. Pedestrians are fine, they tend to walk in a straight line, but dogs are just all over the place and totally unsuitable to be allowed off the lead on a busy cycle path.
  • Captain Slackbladder
    Captain Slackbladder Posts: 175
    Dogs off the lead are a pain, especially when approaching the headphone wearing owner from behind, you get some right dirty how dare you type looks. Not sure what they expect cyclists to do, jump off and bow courteously to owner and pooch. As already meantioned I try to be as cautious as possible as well...I see it most days along hadrains way cycle path...
  • byke68
    byke68 Posts: 1,070
    Brrr, didn't expect the frost this morning! Must be the coldest morning this year.... and a puncture to boot. good start to the day.
    Cannondale Trail 6 - crap brakes!
    Cannondale CAAD8
  • markhewitt1978
    markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    A mate invited me out for an hours ride to start at 6am, I declined after looking at the forecast for 1C.
  • Captain Slackbladder
    Captain Slackbladder Posts: 175
    One for the rants thread but bearing in mind how foggy it was saw a number of commuters with no lights this morning....crazy :x
  • anthdci
    anthdci Posts: 543
    lovely morning for a ride. Thought I'd be brave and leave the leg warmers and full finger gloves at home. Good choice in the end, can finally start working on my cyclist's tan.
  • markhewitt1978
    markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-31947264

    I rode this path on the GNBR and it was a good quality tarmac surface. Not sure why they felt the need to ruin it? Looks like the same sort of surface that's on the path up to Waskerley, which is ridable on a road bike but it's hardly ideal.
  • Captain Slackbladder
    Captain Slackbladder Posts: 175
    markhewitt1978 wrote:
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-31947264

    I rode this path on the GNBR and it was a good quality tarmac surface. Not sure why they felt the need to ruin it? Looks like the same sort of surface that's on the path up to Waskerley, which is ridable on a road bike but it's hardly ideal.

    Ridiculous that, just re-tarmac it.....

    Looks glourious outside atm, roadbikes getting prepped this weekend...been a couple of mornings this week where an early extended commute would have been great. The hybrid i've used over Winter is in need of a little TLC....
  • y33stu
    y33stu Posts: 376
    Ok who let the fair weather cyclists out this week?

    Must be twice the amount of riders out on my commute vs any other week since September. Many of whom are jumping red lights and deciding it's ok to to try and have a race.

    Does make for a much more interesting commute though :)
    Cycling prints
    Band of Climbers
  • andy9964
    andy9964 Posts: 930
    Hail.......Sun.......Hail.......Sun. repeat
    Waterproofs out..... waterproofs in etc. etc.
    At least the wind is constant :?

    Think I'll risk the "no waterproofs" approach, no sky water forecast for 11pm tonight
  • anthdci
    anthdci Posts: 543
    I didn't bother today when I saw the 50mph + westerly winds. Glad I decided that even with the metro being broken.
  • y33stu
    y33stu Posts: 376
    Think I choose a good week to be off work. Saw a couple of commuters riding at 45 degrees to stay upright. Stay safe out there folks.
    Cycling prints
    Band of Climbers
  • andy9964
    andy9964 Posts: 930
    Hopefully, some time this week, I'll be getting my first N+1. An old neighbour I talk to regularly about bikes, has kindly offered me one of these (from what I can find with the details given)............free :D


    8059753-lg.jpg

    Apparently has 753 tubing and 8 speed Campag Super Record groupset.
    Edit: And a G.O.D sticker
    Down side is, he fitted flat bars with indexed thumb shifters, and a single 42t chain ring (although the original parts are still around) and painted it blue to prevent some slight rust from getting worse, then stuck it behind the wardrobe for 30 years :).

    I'm sure he won't miss it, from what I can figure out, he has around 11 bikes that I know of
    Just got to arrange a test ride to see if it sizes up okay, and it's mine

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