@steveo, same again tomorrow, easterly in morning, strong westerly home. It is an injustice
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Commuting
"Severe weather warning"
(7425 posts)-
Posted 6 years ago #
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them be the breaks on the fife drift, gembo-san
we take that wind in our stride, no dramas
Posted 6 years ago # -
I don't see what the problem is (says the chap who travels the opposite way to @gembo)
Posted 6 years ago # -
Amidst the gusts bringing ye to a standstill and the occasional close pass there was a fair bit of banter and camaraderie amongst the cyclists battling the cyclone west the night.
Posted 6 years ago # -
Urgh. I should have taken the time to put my overshoes on before I set off this morning. My became wetter and colder as I cycled west. At least the wind is broadly favourable.
Posted 6 years ago # -
I took the motorbike today and transformed myself into Superlanesplitfiltergirl. The bypass was very wet and I only encountered two other bikers. I will shortly avail myself of the drying cabinet at work.
Posted 6 years ago # -
@steveo, same again tomorrow, easterly in morning, strong westerly home. It is an injustice
I KNOW!! After a slog home I am ENTITLED to an easy ride in. I'm getting my green pen out and writing to the met office this must stop!
Posted 6 years ago # -
Just to clarify that I was referring to my feet above.
Posted 6 years ago # -
I much preferred last night's random blasts of wind making me alternate between 5kph and 40kph every few mins to this morning's drenchathon. Also pinged a rear spoke meaning I am temporarily down to one working bike, which being a road bike made from carbon drinking straws is about as unsuitable as possible for my commute.
Posted 6 years ago # -
Future weather wondering: I'm off to Inverness on Dec 14th and spending the next three days gently riding south on Route 1 (easing the back back into longer distances). Helpful office mate has just pointed out that Drummochter & the Slochd Summit might maybe be snowy by then... Hrm. The 29er mtb? Studs? Extra socks?
Posted 6 years ago # -
Highlight of yesterday's ride home was stopping on Leith Street (Southbound) at the Calton Road traffic lights, and being blown backwards with sufficient force to lift my front wheel completely off the ground and pivot me 45 degrees. Driver behind was less than impressed at my flailing around in the road as the lights changed.
Posted 6 years ago # -
Another highlight was 5 or 6 racks of anti-pigeon spikes being blown off of a building Here (It's a newsagent or something rather than British Heart Foundation now) and landing among the pedestrians waiting to cross to Duke Street. I don't think anyone was hit by any of them at least.
Posted 6 years ago # -
Driver behind was less than impressed at my flailing around in the road as the lights changed.
Is there something about being inside a car that removes the sym/empathy circuits?
Posted 6 years ago # -
I really despair of driver attitudes these days. When I passed by test 1987 it was always drummed into you to show extra care around cyclists.
Posted 6 years ago # -
Waterproof socks were necessary this morning.
Posted 6 years ago # -
Got soaked. Changed into spare clothes in office. Ordered very unflattering but hopefully functional cycling poncho from Decathlon. Not ideal for wind but my route is pretty sheltered along NEPN.
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/500-cycling-rain-poncho-yellow-id_8397112.htmlPosted 6 years ago # -
@LivD: Not ideal for wind
Based on my cycling days as a callow youth when similar apparel was still widely available*, I'd say that's a bit of an understatement: those things can be lethal in strong wind, catching the air like a sail. They are also no use for keeping road spray off you, or if the rain chooses to travel horizontally or even upwards (which is far from unknown here in Scotland). So you'd likely still benefit from wearing waterproof trousers anyway.
Personally, I'd stick to more conventional waterproof separates.
Note that the description says "ideal for staying dry in moderate rain". Much of what was falling from the heavens this morning was far from moderate, at least on the ejstubbs "thank goodness I am able to work from home at short notice if needs be" scale (note: not recognised by the Met Office).
* I could regale you with my account of a ride across Romney Marsh in the teeth of an Easter gale back in the late 1970s. On second thoughts, though, perhaps not: the experience is not something I really want to recall in any detail even now.
Posted 6 years ago # -
Another highlight was 5 or 6 racks of anti-pigeon spikes being blown off of a building Here (It's a newsagent or something rather than British Heart Foundation now) and landing among the pedestrians waiting to cross to Duke Street. I don't think anyone was hit by any of them at least.
I assume they were wearing helmets so protecting them from all harm.Posted 6 years ago # -
@ejstubbs noted, however my route to work from home/school drop off is only about 3 miles, almost all on NEPN, and my waistline doesn't make cycling waterproof trousers comfortable.
If the weather is too bad for a 4 year old to cycle then I won't be cycling either!
Uig to Portree into the teeth of a Force 7 headwind is my benchmark for cycling misery...
Posted 6 years ago # -
For second time today I do not regret getting the bus to work at all...
Posted 6 years ago # -
Once again, I chose not to stop and put on waterproofs when it started raining, thinking "Oh, it's not heavy and I'll be home soon". One day I'll learn...
Posted 6 years ago # -
@frenchy, I did the opposite. Dried my waterproofs on radiator throught the morning at lunchtime braced myself pit them all back on, including galoshes which are tricky then went out and after a few yards the rain petered out
Posted 6 years ago # -
Waterproof socks recommended from Aldi worked a treat despite still being wet from this mornings ride. Warm very quickly and comfortable to boot! Good old Aldi.
Posted 6 years ago # -
@arobcomp, do yours have the little yellow stripes at the toes?
Posted 6 years ago # -
“
cars wading through surface water on a flooded Saughton Road North.
“
Posted 6 years ago # -
Youngest had nuclear-grade tantrum this morning so had to leave house without waterproofs for lack of time. By the time drop-off was completed there was no point returning for them as I was completely drenched. Got drenched again as the evening rain started a minute after I left to complete football training pick-up and ended just as I finished locking up the bike on my return. Gahh.
Posted 6 years ago # -
Got a bit drookit around 1pm today.
Paying guests out on two trikes weren't worried though - great when people just get on with it.
A small urban tour included the Innocent tunnel where the Steps assist trike progressed uphill quickly and I struggled to keep up!NOTE: the half tarmacced Tarvit St into Home St junction. Here you have protruding drains and a 40mm edge to tarmac as you cross lanes to Lochrin Place. Not a problem for trikes but could bring down a two wheeler.
Hope they get top layer on soon.Posted 6 years ago # -
Do recumbents have an issue with water being trapped between one’s back and the seat in heavy rain?
Posted 6 years ago # -
Can happen on shell-type seats with no drain holes! Seat pads though are 3cm of open weave - invention of Bart at Ventisit in NL. So generally you aren't unfeasibly wet (sub kayak level!). Before these people used foam mats which were horrible.
The rain question is always an extra question. Of course I see people on uprights with no mudguards. I used to get a really wet left foot from a Hope front disc brake on our tandem. On 'bents your feet are above puddle splash but expect water in your lap.
One all weather answer is of course a velomobile.
Other option is a Hase Trigo e-trike with their award winning foldable fairing. Very clever but not to everyones taste (and budget!).Posted 6 years ago # -
Friday lunchtime tactical error: Ended up at John Lewis post-PY / Ed Bike Coop / dentist to buy a pillow. And then impulse-purchased a 2 metre curtain track. Then realised this might be harder to get home that I'd anticipated given the route (downhill, and over a lot of setts) and the sudden return of (a) cold, teeming rain (b) nasty gusts and (c) some sleety hail for good measure. On the plus side the whole lance-like nature of the carry did seem to persuade cars to give me more space that usual. The rest of Friday afternoon was spent avoiding Outside and its dreich horrors.
Posted 6 years ago #
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