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

[TailWind]

Headed off towards Flinders St, stopped at a red light at the bottom of Russel St. While still stationary, there was a sudden loud bang that sounded like a firecracker going off.
Looked around, didn't see anyone acting suspiciously, looked down at my rear wheel ...arrrgh....'twas my tube that blew.

Punctures in the rain are unpleasant. Getting a hand is a bonus! Did you find the cause?

cruisy commute again

No idea, wasn't the SMP that was pentrated by something. The tube had a star-shaped tear in it, as if it just blew out. No sign of pinching or abrasion...prob done 6000km on it...

[gretaboy]

Was nice and warm for my ride this morning (21 degrees at 6:10am)..overcast also but didnt look like it was going to rain.

Had a gentle tailwind on the ride but supposedly the winds are going to pick up during the day, as they always do, so my ride home will be hot and into a strong wind.

Had a cement truck turn right at a set of lights despite it fully being red, I had the green and started to go across the intersection when this idiot started turning right across my front. Got him on the helmet cam so will review the footage and am going to ring the company about it and drop the hint that the driver shouldnt do something so dangerous to other people.

Apart from that idiot....was an uneventful ride

EDIT####
Played with the go pro software and this is the footage of the cement truck running the red

[ColinOldnCranky]

Perth:

Well, it was another breezy arvo going home but lots more cyclists around. And a cahtty lot you are too - I had six cyclists slowed for a chat - that would have to be a PB - which was a welcome release from thinking of the conditions. I tend to maintain my higher speed when in company and I got to Canning Bridge in quick time. Thanks for the motivation people.

However a mild storm has hit just now from the north, just as I am finishing up my cuppa and heading out. May not be so many on the roads this morning.

[Summernight]

Tuesday night the tram tracks got the cyclist in front of me. He wasn't going any speed and was turning right so waiting for oncoming traffic but the wet tracks must have just done their darndest to knock him off and down he went. As I was passing him after he got himself back in order and back on the bike and had crossed the intersection I asked if he was alright (he was) and he responded with an accent so he possibly hadn't experienced tram tracks before. They've claimed another victim!

And the pigeon I picked up off the road on Monday night wasn't there the next day so I am going to naively assume that he was just concussed and that he woke up from his stupor, dusted himself off and flew away. I am not going to think that some other person has picked up the body and placed it in the nearby rubbish bin.

Both Wednesday morning and this morning my legs have died on me and it has been a hard slog to work. I'm not feeling the mojo. I don't think it is 100% due to the headwinds either. I'm just T.I.R.E.D.

On the ride home yesterday on Collins St I almost got pushed into the gutter by a car who decided to move left and park in the unoccupied parking spots without looking or indicating. And then I did something I haven't done before - on Albert St a taxi had parked (correctly) in a parking bay (and the bicycle lane runs on the left of the parking bays). The passenger of the taxi decided he could fling his door wide over half of the bike lane as he took his time to pay the bill. I stopped right beside his door and said "Here's a little hint for you" and then closed the door on him (he hadn't even put his feet out yet so it wasn't a problem). I may have closed it with a bit more force than expected. He did say a confused sorry as I was shutting the door in his face. I then rode off in the now clear bicycle lane.

[TailWind]

Another wet ride yesterday afternoon, followed by drying and cleaning of kit & bike..that's five consecutive commutes of being soaked.
Windy this morning with a threat of more rain, so I modified my route accordingly. On top of that it was pretty cold at 6C, so I had opted for winter gear. Not a drop of rain, of course, and Melbourne seems to be having a few sunny breaks right now, go figure.

[Thrilloilogy]

Morning commute uneventful apart from the bird that poo'd on me! Only realised when I got to the office....

Evening commute I overtook a rider who was going slower; and then there were some bumpy sections shortly after the overtake which I slowed down for. He then decided he would try and overtake me on these narrow and bendy downhill sections as I was picking my speed back up to normal operating levels. I only realised when his front wheel is halfway, and I can see he wasn't enjoying his position, so he sensibly dropped back to my rear wheel and then further back...

[queequeg]

got up and there blue stuff on the radar heading my way. So I just went. Got a few drops but that was about it. will be hitting shortly.

Radar is not always right - yesterday's Sydney radar showed a huge storm, but there was in fact no rain - seems it was the embers and ashes from the bushfires in the blue mountains.

No "commute" for me today as the little boy has a cold & so it is daddy day care. Fortunately one of the best ways to keep him entertained is to take him for a ride

Actually, it was correct. The radar was showing a cloud formation known as "pyrocumulus". Here is the radar shots from the BOM radar last Thursday.



Pyrocumulus clouds are very high in moisture, which is why the radar picked it up.

[gretaboy]

well what an eventful week for me..

two flats in two days
magpie strike to the side of the helmet/head...actually think he may have dropped the shoulder to hit me
very very strong head winds all the way home
one strava KOM
been abused on youtube for video of the cement truck running the red

AND.....I reached 15 000 commute k's on my ride in to work today...yay for me

[Summernight]

AND.....I reached 15 000 commute k's on my ride in to work today...yay for me

Congratulations, Gretaboy!

Tired last evening and tired this morning, although I did feel a little less tired on the way in this morning. Bring on the weekend.

Oh and an old school mate of mine got doored yesterday in Melbourne. She's fine and the bike is fine, but once again it just shows that people don't look when opening doors. Ride out of the door zone (which is usually designated as the bicycle lane) people!

[TailWind]

AND.....I reached 15 000 commute k's on my ride in to work today...yay for me

Excellent work, gretaboy....that hopefully makes up for the annoying incidents you've had this week...
Meanwhile, I'm about 2 500km adrift of your total...just limped over the 12 500km commute mark.

Was rained on again yesterday afternoon, but there were only a couple of brief but intense showers... the one day this week that I was wearing boots, and didn't really need them.
Cold this morning at 5C but dry and a little windy.

Received the BV email newsletter yesterday - one news item stated that the MYT would be closed at Collingwood Children's Farm today...can anyone in Melbs that rides this way confirm?

Happy Friday!

[jasonc]

well done gretaboy - just clicked over 11000 commuting kms this morning for the year.

[Summernight]

Received the BV email newsletter yesterday - one news item stated that the MYT would be closed at Collingwood Children's Farm today...can anyone in Melbs that rides this way confirm?

Well, it wasn't closed at 7AM in the morning. They are installing a new fence for the CCF... Maybe that is it?

[TailWind]

Received the BV email newsletter yesterday - one news item stated that the MYT would be closed at Collingwood Children's Farm today...can anyone in Melbs that rides this way confirm?

Well, it wasn't closed at 7AM in the morning. They are installing a new fence for the CCF... Maybe that is it?

Thanks Summer, the newsletter mentioned cutting back trees and other vegetation....think I may choose an alternative route outbound today...

[Summernight]

Thanks Summer, the newsletter mentioned cutting back trees and other vegetation....think I may choose an alternative route outbound today...

That's good because I've been having to duck my head under a few branches on the trail.

[find_bruce]

Had a laugh the other day. Miss MGIF roared past me, only to have to execute the U-turn of shame as it was a no through road - except for bikes of course as there was a path that continued.

[oxonabike]

well what an eventful week for me..


been abused on youtube for video of the cement truck running the red

Probably just a comment troll(s). I though YouTube was doing something about this. When I get similar comments, I follow the users link back to their own page on the tube. Nine out of ten times they have no videos of their own on display, and all the comments they make on other videos conform to a similar theme as that posted on your own work. Just there to troll. In those cases I'm happy to delete the comment and block the user.

[TailWind]

Multi-hop commute via my brother's place on Friday afternoon, a bit of rain made it 7/10 wet commutes for the week.
This morning the radar showed a rain band approaching Melbourne, so I was bracing for another damp start to the week, but I got into the CBD before the rain did, hooray.

[gretaboy]

Cool and overcast morning for my commute...no issues experienced thankfully.

[Aaron.B]

Warm ride in today, felt I was pretty quick, but the watch said otherwise

Got to the top of the Roma St Parklands rise, and couldn't get out of the bottom two (biggest two) rear gears, the levers moved, but nothing at the back moved. So I spun like crazy the last couple of K's to work.

Had a look at work, and it looks like the cable had come out of the channel on the bottom of the frame and wouldn't move... So it might be time to replace them.

In other news, I've almost got my hands on my new bike! http://www.merida.com.au/2012-bikes/roa ... to-907.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[oxonabike]

Took off down the steep driveway this morning, and thought the rear end felt a bit strange. After rounding the first curve, still on a descent, things were definitely not right in the handling department. Soft rear tyre, but not fully flat, but didn't want to risk a pump and run, so back up the hill to home, emptied the panniers into a back pack and took off to work on the roadie. God that thing is fast, although not as 'comfortable' as the commuter. Probably extend the commute home via the long hilly route seeings as I'm on the light bike.

[Summernight]

In other news, I've almost got my hands on my new bike! http://www.merida.com.au/2012-bikes/roa ... to-907.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Nice bike.

Legs felt less tired today, but that may be because of the two day break (although I did use the quads and calves on the weekend riding the ponies, but at least I don't have to do the pedalling motion as well). Thought I'd risk the 'no booties' ride this morning and got a few rain drops, but that was it so I was counting my lucky stars. Friday night I also thought I'd risk the no booties but I did get a bit wetter than this morning. Luckily the rain wasn't on the road yet so the gunk wasn't flying up and dirtying my white shoes.

I cleaned the rain gunk off my wheel rims on Sunday night, so be prepared for more rainy commutes due to my maintenance.

[Tomca74]

On the way home this afternoon, neither Magpie at Sherwood Rd attacked me, because I shot past them so fast, they had no time to react.

That's what I reckon happened anyway (avg 22.7km/h according to my tracks )

[find_bruce]

Developed a strange ticking noise on my commute home - checked the wheels & there was a bit of wire with both ends embedded in the rear tyre. Couldn't remove it but tyre was still inflated so twisted it out of the way & finished ride home.

Got home & discovered it was part of the wire bead of the tyre. Don't understand how it had come out without a free end, but the tyre was pretty much shot anyway & replacement on hand.

[rheicel]

Developed a strange ticking noise on my commute home - checked the wheels & there was a bit of wire with both ends embedded in the rear tyre. Couldn't remove it but tyre was still inflated so twisted it out of the way & finished ride home.

Got home & discovered it was part of the wire bead of the tyre. Don't understand how it had come out without a free end, but the tyre was pretty much shot anyway & replacement on hand.

Ohhh what a feeling! You should be proud finishing another tyre

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

[gretaboy]

I had a tyre issue myself. Riding home yesterday I stopped at a set of lights and looked down at my front wheel...what I saw didnt make me smile. A huge u type cut in the tyre. Not sure when it happened but I certainly didnt feel it. What made the cut had to be large.

Any other tyre than the SMP and I would have had to bin the tyre. I was a little bit hesitant riding the rest of the way home also as the blue strip under the rubber was clearly visible. Luckily I made it home, had 30 k to go from when I noticed it, and started my repairs...roof sealant. Went into the gap fine and didnt cause a bubble point either.

Seemed to hold up really well on the commute this morning..checked it about halfway and all looked good. Will see how it goes long term. I think the front tyre had over 13000 k's now and still has a fair bit of tread left.