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

[eldavo]

Beautiful start to summer in Perth with a cool change and fresh breeze. Someone told me we had 50kph average wind speed early this week, I know it was a good tail wind we were enjoying each night passing the flag in the distance of this pic always full of breeze ripping through it, but the pedestrians hair tells it better =D



I've had a great time revisiting commuting on my little Hooligan these past couple weeks, fun popping the front wheel at cruise speed and the odd wheel up on small hill climbs after passing somebody as a cheeky "that's how you do it" stamp, that has seen karma get me back when I've upshifted on the Biopace chainring hastily at top speed over bumps and dropped the chain off... it brings you back to DNF reality when you've just carried the climb speed past someone who happens to be a Tri-Woman* with smoking tanned legs and commuter pannier doing a good pace, sweep through the following downhill underpass bend, switch back for the next underpass becoming uphill and "ka-chink!" rolling through uphill and hairpin turn into side path service area, the glory robbed from your handlebar death grip =D
* As Stereophonics sung "those are model's legs, but are they women's or are they men's?"

Last week there was a similar pace MTB guy in the morning with loaded backpack, chunky tyres, we caught the perfect morning tailwind a NW'er for our SE bearing. I was trying to take it easy late in the week but topped fastest time for the week without any cries from the legs. We did the leap frog thing a few times with my 20 inch wheels helping pass on climbs and his bigger ones carry downhill and on flats. I saw him again that afternoon had a brief chat to acknowledge him from the morning and we did it again against the headwind. This week similarly I found a couple similar paced riders in a leap frog sequence, one with an Azzurri roadie, and the next day a roadie with swish Mavic Cosmic Carbone with the Hooligan in its comfort zone.

Love the longer summer days, early starts early finish means good time for tinkering on bikes in the workshop.

[DavidS]

Getting very tired of strong blustery headwinds along the beach in the afternoon. I am used to the wind but this year seems more severe than usual. Too damned dangerous this arvo so I dropped a couple of KMs off the distance I rode.

DS

[TailWind]

Your average mid-winter afternoon in Melbourne yesterday, blustery and rainy and cold. Oh wait...this is the first week of summer!
Had rain for most of the way along the MYT, through to Greensborough, Bundoora and beyond.

Getting very tired of strong blustery headwinds along the beach in the afternoon. I am used to the wind but this year seems more severe than usual. Too damned dangerous this arvo so I dropped a couple of KMs off the distance I rode.
DS

I know what you mean - I was heading downhill along Yarra Boulevard towards Chandler Highway at speed, just about level with the Royal Talbot, when I got hit by a gust from the right. Felt the tyres losing grip and sliding sideways for a split-second. Scary.

Still winter this morning, with a chilly 6C start. Cold south-westerly headwind into the CBD, but no rain.

Happy Friday!

[gretaboy]

Well, looks like I am not the only one thinking it was a winters morning this morning, maybe not as cold as other locations, but cold enough for me to put a singlet under the top.

Yesterday I didnt ride and was glad for it, the westerly (headwind my entire ride home) was blowing around the 40-50 k mark.....I found out this morning I lost a Strava KOM to someone who used those winds to their advantage.

My commute this morning had somewhat of a nice breeze going my way, so I used it and achieved a few things...picked up 2 Strava KOM's and achieved my best ever commute avge...35.6 k/h...so I am happy. No incidents on the ride either so that makes me even happier. Going to be a nice cruisey ride home this arvo.

[oxonabike]

And meanwhile up north, those wintery conditions have been prevailing since Tuesday Morning. That means bright sunny conditions, low breezes, lowish humidy and low 20's min temps - just perfect for the morning commute. Normally would be expecting hot muggy and generally overcast conditions so while this lasts I'll take it. Noticed that for the trip home this arvo, combined (commute and recreational) kms will hit 10000. This is still 2000 less than the purely commuting KM's achieved by the next person above me on the ACF commuting challenge ladder!

[Summernight]

Gusty crosswind and headwind on the way home, not to mention the rain.

It's always fun when you're stopped at the lights and a cyclist who thinks he is faster than you then burns past you as you are accelerating on the green and you then have to move into the vehicle lane to overtake them. *sigh*

Oh well, it gives me something to work for - making sure that once they've been passed they stay that way!

There had been a plastic orange horse toy in the basement hallway leading to the car park that I'd seen on the ground and placed on a little ledge that was on the side of the hallway. I think someone else prior to me had had the same idea as this plastic horse had a fair bit of dust accumulated on its back and I'd found it near the only ledge in the whole place. I used to go past morning and night and check it was there and say hello to it. It had pride of place for weeks and weeks but last night it had gone. RIP plastic orange horse. Clearly someone doesn't appreciate your splash of colour in an otherwise colourless, boring, nondescript hallway.

Headwind on the way in too this morning and cold. A ute driver at Hoddle and Albert clearly didn't like the idea of the three cyclists getting in front of him when the light changed (I was the third in line) and so started inching and gunning his engine just before the light changed and then gave no room to the cyclists in front of me. I called a warning so they were aware he was coming but he passed a bit too closely to them.

And the same two cyclists seemed to know bunch rules as they signalled to me to look out when a blue car had its nose out and was pulling out to enter the street (said blue car only checking after already starting to move). The only problem with their riding was that they failed to claim the lane and that is why the car caused them issues as, if they'd been in the middle of the lane like I was behind them, they wouldn't have had to alter their line or bang on the side of the car. Riding in the door zone isn't the best idea.

[jasonc]

humid last night but perfect this morning. Like Ox we're enjoying the unseasonal cooler mornings in Brissy

[poohkies]

Made the wife ride to work this morning, hopefully more days to come, had the kids in the back with the trailor, what a slog, the head wind home from brissy was insane was nearly in the granny gear along the river, but lovely morning and so many riders it was fantastic

[jasonc]

Made the wife ride to work this morning, hopefully more days to come, had the kids in the back with the trailor, what a slog, the head wind home from brissy was insane was nearly in the granny gear along the river, but lovely morning and so many riders it was fantastic

you're not in Darwin any more mate. And you went the wrong way!

[poohkies]

Made the wife ride to work this morning, hopefully more days to come, had the kids in the back with the trailor, what a slog, the head wind home from brissy was insane was nearly in the granny gear along the river, but lovely morning and so many riders it was fantastic

you're not in Darwin any more mate. And you went the wrong way!

you can say that again, the difference riding there to here is insane, the plus side is the heat is nothing like there, didn't even use half my water bottle! road in with her then road home

[jasonc]

Made the wife ride to work this morning, hopefully more days to come, had the kids in the back with the trailor, what a slog, the head wind home from brissy was insane was nearly in the granny gear along the river, but lovely morning and so many riders it was fantastic

you're not in Darwin any more mate. And you went the wrong way!

you can say that again, the difference riding there to here is insane, the plus side is the heat is nothing like there, didn't even use half my water bottle! road in with her then road home

you missed a ripper this morning

[myforwik]

YEah the wind in SE QLD was a killer.

Made it to work easy, not realising the wind must have carried me up a few hills. Going back was a massive slog. At least it was a very unusually cold day with a very cool breeze.

[gretaboy]

Commute home on friday was a leisurely one as it was a simple roll the legs over commute, plus it was a little hot.

This morning my legs were sore from racing yesterday so I didnt push hard but made sure I maintained a ride average greater than 30. It is supposed to be a very hot day here today, around 35 degrees where I live but the morning started off quite overcast and at one point I thought I may get some rain. The rain stayed away luckily and the whole ride was uneventful. Lots of traffic on the roads however, more than usual and it didnt appear to be holiday traffic either.

[TailWind]

Rode home via the Darebin Creek Trail on Friday, and decided to check out the closed section under the M80. It's still cordoned off well ahead of the underpass, but people seem to have trodden/ridden a path around the cordon. Then there's a gate closer to the underpass, but that stood slightly ajar, so I kept on going. The path is in reasonable shape, just one small section has been cut out for re-surfacing. Can't believe it's almost a year now that the trail has been closed along here.
Lots of creatures about on the paths this morning, came across a couple of adult foxes, and a little further on a cub was lying/crouching on the path:. I initially thought what I was seeing was a pile of leaves, but when the "pile" leaped up and made a mad dash for the bushes I almost rode into the creek out of surprise. Lots of rustling in the undergrowth, and lots of pairs of eyes reflecting in my lights..
The 4:30am dog walker and his blinky-equipped furry friend were also out and about again today. Cruisy ride all in all, just the way I like it on a Monday morning.

Edit: spelling.

[ColinOldnCranky]

Perth:

For many weeks now I have been nursing an injury and reducing my riding somewhat, I got sucked into the Christmas pageant on Saturday, had a long ride all over the place with one of the others in it, did some heavy work in the pageant itself and finished with a decent sweat andtired feet.

But I was very pleased that this morning the ride was easy, the feet were fine.

And the morning was as it should be - not cold, sun shining, wildlife out and fresh muffins at Sassys.

[gabrielle260]

As I rode home I struck up a conversation with a guy on a red single speed On One Inbred. It's a brand I really like and 3 yrs ago I visited the shop/warehouse in Sheffield.
Anyway - he said he has 6 bikes and this is his favourite even though it is the cheapest and probably the heaviest.
So, standby; I need to sell off some stuff so I can get one for my 13 yr old who needs a new bike!!
Andrew

[poohkies]

Well my commute to work was mmm interesting! First time I've ridding, might need to find a better route. Took 1hour 1/2 and the head wind killed me, see how I go when I finish

[jasonc]

Well my commute to work was mmm interesting! First time I've ridding, might need to find a better route. Took 1hour 1/2 and the head wind killed me, see how I go when I finish

the wind is stronger than normal today in brissy

[poohkies]

Turning onto the airport road was like a brick wall

[Big_Red]

Well my commute to work was mmm interesting! First time I've ridding, might need to find a better route. Took 1hour 1/2 and the head wind killed me, see how I go when I finish

Whereabouts in Brissie are you leaving from and going to poohkies? Perhaps the regulars here can suggest an appropriate route for you. I'm looking forward to doing a early riverloop before work myself before the wind picks up. Living out towards the bayside, the winds in the afternoon are usually great resistance training...

[poohkies]

Hey big red, Jasonc has been helping me out a lot, I work shift work so late shift I start at 16:45 till 01:30 And mornings are 4am till 12 so sort of commuting at all times! Riding Kenmore to airport GA section

[rabbit stew]

Two flats today, ended up being a slither of glass in the tyre. used my two spare tubes that i carry, so had to make a rescue phone call. Got home, removed the slither of glass inserted new tube. Commuting to the local shopping centre and realized didnt put my helmet on so turned back to home. Got to the shops and realised id taken my lock off the bike lastnight before my 30km evening ride and forgot to put it back on, So pedaled home and went to the shops a second time. Just one of those days.

[rheicel]

Two flats today, ended up being a slither of glass in the tyre. used my two spare tubes that i carry, so had to make a rescue phone call. Got home, removed the slither of glass inserted new tube. Commuting to the local shopping centre and realized didnt put my helmet on so turned back to home. Got to the shops and realised id taken my lock off the bike lastnight before my 30km evening ride and forgot to put it back on, So pedaled home and went to the shops a second time. Just one of those days.

Good excuse to ride more!

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

[poohkies]

well the commute home was fantastic, next to no cars, maybe 10 passed me from sandgate road till moggill road, had a blast and really enjoyed the ride home, and was 4km shorter than the way there! and did airport to kenmore in just over an hour

[TailWind]

More rain and wind yesterday afternoon for the ride home - wet ride door to door, but otherwise without issues. Shoes went in front of a fan to dry out overnight, the rest of the kit went into the tumble-drier.
Looked like more of the same this morning when I checked the radar, but fortunately the rain front passed south of my route. Fairly strong westerly though that had me working hard along some sections of the ride into the CBD.