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

[Lizzy]

Very quick ride home today with the wind at my back. I was riding in my tights, skirt and high heels too.

I tried doing that once to get to a function... Except I tried riding in a tight knee-length skirt. Didn't work even before I left the office (couldn't even really get my leg over the bike to hop on) and I ended up having to hoik the skirt up to my waist (I was wearing leggings underneath so all was good. )

I need to invest in some loose flowing skirts...

Seen this? I tried this on the weekend, heading to a kid's party followed by a concert. Worked a treat, ten cent instant pantaloons and positively no underthing exposure! But yes, best results require some billow and ideally stretch, Metalicus make a few nice things on those specs. I used an empire line/babydoll dress that is already crinkled by design, so it does not suffer from being bunched up with a lacky (a favourite for the bike - it's also black, so I can wipe off chain grease on it if I have to).

As for this morning, chillier ride in than I was ready for this morning. Zoned out a little as I reached the campus ring road and nearly went into the back of a bus that hit the skids at a roundabout, oops

[bychosis]

Cool, not cold this morning, slight headwind, that the forecast is telling me will be a decent tailwind for the return.

Spied a gent of retirement age this morning, with his two dogs on lead. Wary that the leads were long enough to cross into my path I backed off a little. Just as I did the dog on the left (far side) made a lunging movement which rang some alarm bells. I wasn't prepared for the outcome though. A cockatiel had been disturbed by the dog and flew across in front of me before landing in the grass a metre or so off the track. The flight was close enough that the landing occurred after I had passed. Looks like someone has lost a pet. Pcs on GoPro, but no uploading until home time.

[TailWind]

Took the hilly route home yesterday - first time in 3 months or so. Bad move, given there was a very gusty northerly. Between the hills and the wind I appear to have strained something in my left knee, which flared up again during this morning's commute.
Will be a painful ride home

that 3 weeks off is needed. take care of that knee.

I am trying - self medicating of course . The wind in Melbs isn't really making it easy, headwind will be hectic this afternoon.
This morning took me 10mins longer than normal due to trying to save the knee...

[westab]

This morning took me 10mins longer than normal due to trying to save the knee...

Mate glad the "gretaboy" challenge is all about the number of kms not the speed - or I would be realy stuffed.

Ride in this morning was simply great - nice bright sunny day, cool weather, birds this morning were the finches. I felt a little flat and tired so the ride was slow but I didn't care.

Currently there is a steady strong headwind for the ride home but the temperature is 25 degrees C i Sydney's west. The almost perfect recipe for along ride home - just hope I can get away from work on time.

[kb]

Windy morning in Melbourne. One slightly hairy moment on a hill start when I forgot I'd left it in the lowest gear. Accidental monos and 60kph cross wind gusts don't mix. Fun apart from that. Most others I saw were wearing silly grins.

[MattyK]

Won't be grinning on the ride home tonight though...

[jasonc]

This morning took me 10mins longer than normal due to trying to save the knee...

STOP riding. last time I had a knee pain I had a forced 10 days off the bike. go straight to a physio. 10 days off the bike is better than 2 months.

[DavidS]

Yeah, fairly wild day today. Massive headwind this morning. Late in the afternoon the temperature plunged and the rain turned up. Luckily not too wet on the way home and the wind change wasn't as bad as I thought, so the ride home was ok.

DS

[TigerFilly]

Very quick ride home today with the wind at my back. I was riding in my tights, skirt and high heels too.

I tried doing that once to get to a function... Except I tried riding in a tight knee-length skirt. Didn't work even before I left the office (couldn't even really get my leg over the bike to hop on) and I ended up having to hoik the skirt up to my waist (I was wearing leggings underneath so all was good. )

I need to invest in some loose flowing skirts...

Seen this? I tried this on the weekend, heading to a kid's party followed by a concert. Worked a treat, ten cent instant pantaloons and positively no underthing exposure! But yes, best results require some billow and ideally stretch, Metalicus make a few nice things on those specs.

I've seen that idea - looks handy! A lot of my work skirts are fairly straight knee length but with some stretch so they seem to work ok. I had to do the school drop offs this morning, then was very glad I didn't cycle when it stormed later. They are predicting hail tomorrow so I will leave my bike safely at home.

[find_bruce]

Seen this? I tried this on the weekend, heading to a kid's party followed by a concert. Worked a treat, ten cent instant pantaloons and positively no underthing exposure! But yes, best results require some billow and ideally stretch, Metalicus make a few nice things on those specs.

I've seen that idea - looks handy! A lot of my work skirts are fairly straight knee length but with some stretch so they seem to work ok. I had to do the school drop offs this morning, then was very glad I didn't cycle when it stormed later. They are predicting hail tomorrow so I will leave my bike safely at home.

Aye, but I can't see it working with my skirt

[Summernight]

Well hello there Winter! I thought you'd given up the ghost to sprightly Spring. Oh no, looks like you're back for a least a little while.

Cold and wet-ish (not too bad rain) ride home last night, but I'd prepared and wore the rain jacket and overshoes so wasn't particularly affected. Spidey senses on Collins St at the intersection of Spring had me hanging back behind a car that sure enough turned left into Spring St without indicating whatsoever. Their passenger window was down so I shouted at them to use the indicator next time.

This morning was chilly and head-windy, but not as bad as yesterday morning's wind and at least it wasn't raining.

[bychosis]

Yesterday arvo was windy, in the tailwind direction. Met up with my brother in law and added a couple of extra kms. Pushed a bit where the tailwind was right behind me and 'encouraged' BIL to get a PR on one segment (left him behind for a bit).

This morning the legs weren't loving me so it was a cruisy ride in.

Got to do something about the headset (threaded) on the fixie. It keeps coming loose, the lock nut doesn't seem to want to lock it.

Here's the surprise birdy from yesterday morning.

[Lizzy]

Cold morning in the wild west! Since when is an Easterly so cold around these parts?! Was very glad to have my cuppa with me on the way - the lid has flown off my thermos mug at inconvenient moments once or twice so now it gets stuck down with electrical tape pre-departure.

Tired but hung in there. Busy morning on the PSPs actually, Fridays are usually quieter.

Great ride home last night - collected a challenger somewhere up around Parliament, kept him behind me all the way home, only just though, and I worked for it! ... with consideration of the Mill Pt detour being in place, got a homeward PB into the bargain. Happy friday, boiz & grrls!

[TailWind]

This morning took me 10mins longer than normal due to trying to save the knee...

STOP riding. last time I had a knee pain I had a forced 10 days off the bike. go straight to a physio. 10 days off the bike is better than 2 months.

I hear you...am in damage-control mode, shorter route, less effort..getting better daily. Twinge in the knee starts about 20kms into the ride, so I then change down to the smaller chain ring and spin a bit more.
The weekend off should fix it....

As for yesterday arvo in Melbs...one of the wilder rides I've had. Cross-winds in the CBD were extreme, had my front wheel snatched quite scarily a couple of times. Only one downed tree on the Darebin Creek Trail, but out of my way. Almost beat the rain, but because of an unscheduled stop at the shops, I caught some of it. The temp drop was something else though. Left the CBD in short sleeves at 18C, got overtaken by the front, and stopped to rug up. Must have been a drop of 10C or so, felt like riding into a refrigerated room.

Chilly but dry this morning.

Happy Friday!

[jasonc]

left early yesterday to have the biomechanical fit on the new steed. Oh to ride in warm weather and sunshine! This morning I joined a group ride I hadn't done since March. What a blast!

My new overshoes turned up yesterday and used them this morning (I use overshoes for cold weather - overshoes don't last more than 10 minutes when it's really raining up here anyway). They are definitely warmer than the replacement pair. I ordered exactly the same as what I had.
Take it easy TW - have you got a physio roller?

[__PG__]

Cold and windy on the way home last night in Melbourne, but thankfully not that wet. Light steady rain as opposed to a huge deluge. So in the end it wasn't too bad.

[bychosis]

Tailwind FTW. 3rd best time on 2 segments on the fixie. Maxxed at 126rpm, 45km/h on the flat, but was saving a little for the not-so-wind-assisted bits. 3rd best commute home time. That is including a short stop at traffic lights and a flatering start when my shoe unclipped on an upstroke while concentrating on clipping in the other. I didn't think I would get close to best times given I didn't have gears. Happy Friday!

[malnar]

My commute to the station is 95% on a shared path. On the road section I was riding on the rhs of the lane to discourage overtaking as 80m ahead the road has a sharp 90 degree turn. Normally this works fine but this morning was overtaken by a thoughtless MGIF car driver. As she passed I waved my hand in a Say What? way but she didn't look at me as she had tunnel vision for the car park ahead. Unsurprisingly a car came from the opposite direction so she had to swing back to her side of the road. Luckily I was riding slower than normal & she was just far enough past me to swing in with time for me to brake. Then straight away she had to stop as there was a queue to get into the carpark. I was going to slap her bonnet but it was out of reach as I passed.

[TigerFilly]

No cycling for me today, but I did get some Knog tail lights in the post. I am slightly annoyed that they aren't adjustable. You couldn't tell from the picture and I assumed the strap would be adjustable like my Serfas lights. They're not. They are clearly made to fit around a seat post, but my seat isn't high enough to put lights on the post. The only place I have to put them is on my pannier rack which is too narrow. I'll have to come up with something to wrap around part of the rack frame to make it thick enough to accommodate the lights.

[Lukeyboy]

After racking up nearly 1000 on the Strava training load from a couple rides last week the legs still felt tired on the way to work. Hopefully they'll be a bit more responsive for tomorrows crits

[DavidS]

Rain, hail and wind this afternoon. Not real pleasant.

DS

[queequeg]

Nasty cold westerly winds coming straight off the blue mountains (where it has been
snowing tonight!)
it was a battle all the way home in that wind, with my speed on the M2 really struggling to even get into the 30s!
Was glad to get home and collapse!

[malnar]

Seriously cold riding along the Werribee river. My gloves which are usually fine weren't good enough this morning.

[jasonc]

happy I didn't clean the bike over the weekend. rain stopped not long before I left. wet roads and it hadn't rained for a while = filthy bike

[Summernight]

Friday night a work colleague got back from the gym just as I was leaving and she was soaked from pouring rain coming from the gym back to work. So I get all dressed up prepared for a wet wet ride home. I get out there and, apart from the puddles and running streams everywhere, the sky stays clear. Just as I get home the first bolt of lightning lights up the sky. I'm inside and done and the deluge comes down. Good timing!

This morning it was "Fingers, meet armpits. Armpits meet fingers. Please warm them up as they don't like being in the cold." It was okay where there was sunshine, but where the buildings blocked the Sun it was cold. The toes didn't have as good a friendship as the fingers and were cold the whole way in. It was still a lovely ride.