How was your commute ... today, yesterday, last week ...

gretaboy
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Re: How was your commute ... today, yesterday, last week ...

Postby gretaboy » Wed Aug 07, 2013 8:55 am

When I left the office yesterday my headwind was running at 39 k/h. Closer to home it was supposedly running at 31 k/h. Was a simple matter of head down, bum up and keep turning the peddles over. With about 15 k to go it seemed like the wind had really dropped off, I wasnt struggling as much as I thought I should have been. Got home and the gods had looked down on me kindly, headwind had dropped to just 13 k/h.

This mornings commute was a great one. BOM was indicating rain clouds and I really thought I was going to get wet. Not a drop the whole ride. Some roads were wet so obviously it had rained at some point. The wind had turned around during the night also so was now a headwind ...got to love those headwinds. Despite the headwind the ride was great. The body felt good, the riding was fluid and overall it felt like magic. Picked up another Strava KOM also so I must have been feeling good.
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jasonc
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Re: How was your commute ... today, yesterday, last week ...

Postby jasonc » Wed Aug 07, 2013 8:57 am

coot-tha commute this morning. perfect weather, again.

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TailWind
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Re: How was your commute ... today, yesterday, last week ...

Postby TailWind » Wed Aug 07, 2013 9:02 am

Commute back via MYT through to Greensborough and across to Bundoora. There was a tree down on the MYT near Swan St, which required a scramble from the shared path up a steep grassy embankment up to the footpath to detour around it. Spotted the usual troop of roos close to the path at Bundoora.
This morning I encountered another unexpected path closure (which was not advertised, rode the same route yesterday morning), this time the footbridge over the Darebin Creek at Greenhills Rd. As there is no "Other Footpath", I had to backtrack back up to Plenty Rd and travel along there pretty much all the way though to Kingsbury.
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So my commute routes now detour around 4 significant closures:
- MYT between Hoddle and Burnley Harbour (no remedial acitvity observed since the closure weeks ago)
- A bridge that was burnt down over the Darebin near La Trobe Uni at Kingsbury (no remedial acitvity observed since the closure at the beginning if the year)
- The Darebin Creek Trail underpass under the M80 Ring Road - closed since the beginning of this year for the M80 expansion works
- The shared path/bridge closure over the Darebin Creek at Greenhills Rd
Plus assorted other closures at various times and locations...never quite know what I'm going to encounter...

Other than having to backtrack, all was good...
Soma Double Cross 2012 - Commuter || Giant CitySpeed (Alfine 8 IGH) - Commuter || Bakfiets Long 2011 - Cargo Bike

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bychosis
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Re: How was your commute ... today, yesterday, last week ...

Postby bychosis » Wed Aug 07, 2013 9:13 am

Feeling much better yesterday arvo, so decided to use the tailwind to my advantage (it had dropped off a bit by commute time) and attempt a local Strava segment. The segment is within a privacy zone so went for it, exited the zone and went home. Turns out I didn't exit the zone properly before getting home so my effort didn't count. :x next time I'll extend the ride further outside the zone to be sure the segment is counted.
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Tornado
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Re: How was your commute ... today, yesterday, last week ...

Postby Tornado » Wed Aug 07, 2013 9:24 am

Rain was pouring as I left home. Met a mate half way and we rolled into work. Porbably rained for 20 mins of an hour journey. Was a pretty good ride along the Roe Hwy. Only saw one person coming the other way. Not sure if we were too early or too nuts going out in what was predicted to be pretty bad weather.
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Summernight
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Re: How was your commute ... today, yesterday, last week ...

Postby Summernight » Wed Aug 07, 2013 10:17 am

TailWind wrote:...

So my commute routes now detour around 4 significant closures:
- MYT between Hoddle and Burnley Harbour (no remedial acitvity observed since the closure weeks ago)

...
I believe they have changed the surface on the pontoons - it looks different from Alexandra Avenue and there were photos up on the Bicycle Victoria website of workers doing work there. Whether they were real photos and not staged photos is another question. :P

I (and the bike) got very gritty and dirty on the way home last night, no rain but the rain from 30 minutes before had brought out all the grit. And I'd just cleaned my chain that lunch. Typical. :P

Bit cold this morning but had an uneventful and quite nice ride in, even with claiming the lane the cars behaved behind me. It is so unusual an occurrence when a car will just sit behind me and proceed at my speed (I'm doing about 35 in a 50 zone) that I get a bit nervous wondering whether they are about to do something silly, but when they don't and I can move across into the dedicated bike lane I try to tell them that I appreciate their good behaviour. :)

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TailWind
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Re: How was your commute ... today, yesterday, last week ...

Postby TailWind » Wed Aug 07, 2013 3:22 pm

Snapped spoke just as I Ieft work, stopped at nearby LBS, but they had no time. Recovery vehicle on its way after collecting kids nearby. Bah. :(


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DavidS
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Re: How was your commute ... today, yesterday, last week ...

Postby DavidS » Thu Aug 08, 2013 12:23 am

Bah indeed, I broke 2 the other day and rode home. Geez I'm good at breaking spokes :(

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jasonc
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Re: How was your commute ... today, yesterday, last week ...

Postby jasonc » Thu Aug 08, 2013 8:08 am

posted in the puncture thread but last night on the way home I had something cut the side wall. Cost me 2 tubes in the end :(

alkhoo
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Re: How was your commute ... today, yesterday, last week ...

Postby alkhoo » Thu Aug 08, 2013 9:27 am

Took the bus in Wednesday morning with plans to ride the bike back. Around 3.15, I said to another colleague that it's starting to drizzle lightly. He said, that's nothing mate - there's a lot more rain coming. Didn't pay much attention to that. When I pulled up BOM 10 minutes later - holy crap! I'm outta here. Got to Southern Cross relatively dry - only a light drizzle on the way to the station.

Rode in this morning from Southern Cross - roads were pretty wet with some huge puddles. Thankfully, traffic was pretty light and I was able to ride around the puddles.

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oxonabike
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Re: How was your commute ... today, yesterday, last week ...

Postby oxonabike » Thu Aug 08, 2013 10:17 am

Cairns: Clear skies up in these parts has finally seen wintery conditions arrive in the tropics. Simply beautiful riding in as the sun rises, however there is a slight issue with the temperatures: 12 degrees for the past two mornings. For this tropical sook, that means three layers to survive these conditions. Fortunately mid to high 20's for the trip home, with prevailing head winds relatively light. Just a great time of the year to be riding.

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CXCommuter
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Re: How was your commute ... today, yesterday, last week ...

Postby CXCommuter » Thu Aug 08, 2013 10:32 am

Beautiful weather over here in Perth, blowing a west/nor wester up to 70km/h and fairly solid rain, last nights ride home was extra special, a slight clunk that developed in the rear hub yesterday morning turned into a full blown cacophany about halfway home, eased it home and pulled it all apart- turned out the freehub nuts (hope it is the correct terminology) had come loose, pulled it all apart- not obvious damage, regreased and retightened. Absolutely magic ride in comparison from this perspective, unfortunately still raining and windy though..

BTW it is a Soul Prodigy hub but all of my wheelsets have had this loosening problem at some point or other.
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TailWind
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Re: How was your commute ... today, yesterday, last week ...

Postby TailWind » Thu Aug 08, 2013 10:38 am

So after snapping a spoke yesterday (I actually heard it let go as I was climbing up the car park ramp, but thought it was the chain skipping a tooth or something) I rode, blissfully unaware of the issue, towards Clifton Hill, with the idea of stopping off in Eaglemont to wait for the rain to blow over.
I looked down at my rear wheel because somehow the bike felt odd and saw a wildly out of true rim, and suddenly I knew what that twanging sound earlier had been. The LBS at Clifton Hill couldn't help as they were booked out, so I called Mrs TW, who was in the vicinity, to pick me up.

On the flat-bar for today's commute, lots of rain straight out of the gate this morning and moderate showers all the way into the Melbournce CBD. Not the worst soaking I've had and not too bad a ride.
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Summernight
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Re: How was your commute ... today, yesterday, last week ...

Postby Summernight » Thu Aug 08, 2013 12:17 pm

Almost had an 'Oh ship!' moment on the rainy way home last night (see at 10 seconds):



Please always have a clear line of sight before turning, Mr Motorist!!! The taxi had to brake to stop from colliding with you too.

But way before that little moment, I was sitting in traffic on Collins Street waiting for the light to change in the pouring rain and the car waiting on my left rolled down her driver's window and said "Isn't it too rainy to ride?" To which I responded "It's never too rainy to ride." (Oh, I'm good... Tehehe) :P

Then she said she'd ridden today but that her passenger (another woman) hadn't because of the rain. It made me smile. Why can't people be nice all the time? Oh, and it made me feel hardcore. :P

The bike had to get a wipe down after that ride because it got filthy. Ah well.

This morning the overshoes hadn't dried yet and the gloves were a bit funky smelling, but it was quite a good ride in. A tradie may have failed to look before opening his door on Collins between Swanston and Elizabeth right as I went past. I hope he looked and saw the coast was clear (which it was because I was well into the vehicle lane).

Video (see at 14 seconds):



It just reinforced to me to stay away from those bike lanes (yes the little strip on the left and the broken lines section is apparently a bike lane) unless you're doing a speed where you can stop or not get sent flying. Which also reminds me that on Albert Street the two bikes in front of me this morning were hugging the 30 cm space between the dotted line and the parked cars instead of being in the left vehicle lane. They were just asking to be doored by any of those parked cars.

Big_Red
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Re: How was your commute ... today, yesterday, last week ...

Postby Big_Red » Thu Aug 08, 2013 12:43 pm

Had my first magpie bombdive today, riding along Barrack Rd, in between Ivy and Cedar streets north of the Cannon Hill train station. It swiped my helmet and missed the ears thankfully, perhaps it was only a beginner?

Riding down Wynnum Rd at Norman Park at 50kph+ and was needing to use the brakes due to the traffic slowing and I pulled into a driveway instead of stopping the traffic in the right hand lane so I could use a sidestreet to get to Mowbray park. While waiting for a gap in the traffic, some bogan yells out "get orf the road" while driving by. Laughable by the fact I wasn't on the road at the time and their driving in a car was causing the congestion. Some people don't even have to try to be a moron it seems that it comes naturally.

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Lizzy
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Re: How was your commute ... today, yesterday, last week ...

Postby Lizzy » Thu Aug 08, 2013 6:05 pm

Was behind the 8-ball this morning plus it was raining, and because I have just cleaned my bike (again!) and am meant to be dropping her off for her warranty service tonight, I gave myself special leave to bail onto the train instead of getting her filthy and looking like an abusive bike owner. But got halfway to the station carefully avoiding all the puddles, it was nice and cool with a light misty drizzle so I decided to keep going. They're just like dogs that way aren't they! You wash them up nice and they just go straight out and roll in the dirt ... *tsk*
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Mugglechops
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Re: How was your commute ... today, yesterday, last week ...

Postby Mugglechops » Thu Aug 08, 2013 8:38 pm

So cold this morning in the rain. I rode the SS 29er with a bush detour and the rain started at 5kms into 25.

I stood in the shower with red stinging legs for about 15mins.

jasonc
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Re: How was your commute ... today, yesterday, last week ...

Postby jasonc » Thu Aug 08, 2013 8:43 pm

headwind. ouch

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DavidS
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Re: How was your commute ... today, yesterday, last week ...

Postby DavidS » Fri Aug 09, 2013 12:41 am

Summernight, I have always avoided Collins St, there just isn't much space. I'm only going between Swanston and Elizabeth but even for one block the options going East West in town are somewhat limited.

Geez, it was wet on Wednesday night, but today was quite pleasant. Certainly been feeling a bit like spring of late.

Day off tomorrow so no riding. Might try and fix the back wheel again, it's off centre after replacing so many spokes.

DS
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TailWind
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Re: How was your commute ... today, yesterday, last week ...

Postby TailWind » Fri Aug 09, 2013 8:16 am

Rode past the LBS yesterday afternoon to pick up some pads for the front disc brakes on the flat-bar and to check on the progress of my rear wheel. Wasn't ready, so continued on home to fit the brake pads, as the standby commuter was going to be called into action again the next day.

Woke up to a grim sight on the BoM radar - two rain bands with a small gap in between. Decided to head out early and catch the tail-end of the first rain, heading along the shortest possible route, hoping to make the the most of the gap between the two bands. Well, it wasn't much of a gap. Another day, another soaking.
But hey, it's Friday! :D
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gretaboy
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Re: How was your commute ... today, yesterday, last week ...

Postby gretaboy » Fri Aug 09, 2013 9:31 am

Had a day off yesterday....todays ride was perfect weather. Took a little while for the legs to warm up after the day off but all up it was a nice enjoyable ride to work. Too bad it had to actually end at "work"
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Summernight
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Re: How was your commute ... today, yesterday, last week ...

Postby Summernight » Fri Aug 09, 2013 12:03 pm

gretaboy wrote:Too bad it had to actually end at "work"
Amen to that. :lol:
Lizzy wrote:They're just like dogs that way aren't they! You wash them up nice and they just go straight out and roll in the dirt ... *tsk*
A perfect analogy, except it isn't really their fault they are getting dirty. :)

I also have been cleaning my bike almost every night due to the rain.

I didn't sleep that well last night due to the constant rain. Woke up and it was still pouring.

But I got up as per usual and went for a jog in the early morning rain and got soaked as it didn't stop the whole way, but I was running, so hey, at least I was keeping the core warm (legs and arms were pretty cold though). I had a shower and was a bit later than usual to work (no motivation either due to this looming redundancy carp that still hasn't happened even though I was told they'd make the decision at the end of July :| ). I got all geared up in the rain gear and was ready to ride in a steady downpour but the rain had practically stopped at 8:50AM in the morning. Darn it, got sweaty under the rain jacket! Roads were still wet though.

I had an uneventful ride in, which was good. The crazies must go and hide once the rain has stopped.

gretaboy
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Re: How was your commute ... today, yesterday, last week ...

Postby gretaboy » Fri Aug 09, 2013 12:08 pm

Summernight wrote: I had a shower and was a bit later than usual to work (no motivation either due to this looming redundancy carp that still hasn't happened even though I was told they'd make the decision at the end of July :| ).
It really isnt a nice feeling is it....the motivation do any decent work really goes when you are so uncertain about when your job will go. But being a legal eagle in this day and age, long live litigation, you should be able to get work eslewhere otherwise hang up your own shingle :)
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Hamster
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Re: How was your commute ... today, yesterday, last week ...

Postby Hamster » Fri Aug 09, 2013 12:32 pm

It’s been a while since I’ve made a post here. The Tannus tyre on my front wheel at 4,000 kms has heaps of stuff embedded in it and is looking decidedly worn however it’s far from worn out and should reach at least 10,000. I suspect that the manufacturer’s claim of 30,000 would see me rolling around on the rims. The replacement Tannus on the rear has done 1,500 kms and is getting its own collection of various bits and pieces of road debris.

My carrier seems to be holding together which is good. I had fallen behind somewhat in my progress toward achieving 10,000 kms for the year but now I catching up with my target and should be back on track by the end of next week :D .
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jasonc
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Re: How was your commute ... today, yesterday, last week ...

Postby jasonc » Fri Aug 09, 2013 12:37 pm

welcome back hamster

I've had a big week commuting. so far just shy of 330kms.
this morning I rode with the fast boys and was feeling good. we get to a hill and all of a sudden the pace dies. I just take off. I realised why the pace died - it was a hill :roll: . i died about 100m up the road. regathered myself and beat the target time I'd set myself on the ride this morning. so 2 goals in a week - I need some new goals.

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