September 15th 2014

Aggressive riders - these are the cyclists who think they own the road, queues are for other people and they can't possibly be in the wrong. Like the old joke goes ( paraphrased) "I have been cycling for 20 years and I have never had an accident, I have seen hundreds, but never had an accident", There seem to be more aggressive cyclists than usual. Am I wrong?
LCO

September 12th 2014

Panniers - a necessary evil for some. However, I am noticing an increasing amount of overloading with the consequence that there is an audible rubbing. The rubbing, it is assumed, is between the overloaded pannier(s) and the side of the tyre. I remember I used to have this problem but found a remedy in the form of a bungee. Hook the bungee on the bottom edge on side and attach to the frame and if in the case of two panniers, run the bungee from one bottom edge , across the to the other bottom edge. This should enable the pannier(s) to move off from the wheel and stop the rubbing. Any other ideas?
LCO

September 11th 2014

I notice that, post bendy buses, that the bus companies are repairing the areas in front of the bus stops. All seems reasonable except the bendy buses were much longer and the parts that are being resurfaced are in relation to length of the newer buses. Watch out for the ruts before and after the patches where sometimes bendy buses used to stand. Any one else seen any?
LCO

September 10th 2014

Following my blog post yesterday, my impression was that the No-Hands-Android-Using-Boris-Biker was the height of stupidity and yet, a day passes and lo and behold!
Boris Bikers are generally unsteady and in unfamiliar territory so any sense available would suggest that being aware and safe would be paramount. So, lets add a family, some with flowing sari's and a few children, a sprinkling of toddlers. Bingo! So in order to protect your children, what should an unsteady, sari wearing woman on a Boris Bike do with their children and toddlers? Yes you've guessed it, stick them in the basket and let them wiggle around. So just when you thought that was then end of it, you have to then form a pack of five bikers in similar circumstances and proceed to weave all over the cycle route in front of speeding cyclists going in the opposite direction. I just managed to miss an incident and I cycle at a much slower pace to some. Did a crash happen?
LCO

September 9th 2014

The amount of cycle traffic is still quite high and in some areas quite fast, so it was interesting to see a cyclist blissfully unaware of any danger in cycling a Boris Bike, at reasonable speed and with no hands on the handlebars. Ah, I hear you say, this is a more than common occurrence. Well, what makes this cyclist different is that the amount of concentration being given to using a pen on an android device. Dogs, small children, old people, other cyclists where on another planet, as far as this cyclist was concerned. I wish this chap well, as this genetic line can't last long. Can it?
LCO

September 8th 2014

Given the lovely weather and the fact that the schools are now open again after the summer holidays, the amount of cycle traffic has increased. I notice queue jumping is becoming prevalent at certain lights when trying to enter Hyde Park on busy days and that a couple of near misses have been witnessed because of the unexpectedness of  the queue jumping manoeuvre. I hate signs but perhaps we should start introducing them a key points and more importantly in foreign languages?
LCO

September 5th 2014

I saw a girl the other day really struggling to pedal a powder blue Pashley up an slight incline. This was obviously a brand new bicycle complete with a new basket. What I did notice however, was the tyres were very nearly flat. I wonder whether a quick half an hour basic maintenance introduction should form part of any sales contract?
LCO

September 4th 2014

A killer cycle today. I am 'cream-crackered'! The hardest part was the cycle up the hill from Kings Cross to the Angel, Islington. I then had to go all the away along Upper street which was interesting as I had not been there for 25 years. All in all I did about 22miles today. I have to state, that even with a low gear 2/2 it was tough going. Is there a worse hill in Zone 1?
LCO

September 3rd 2014

The schools are beginning to open again and as usual, I cycle with my youngest to school and chain to the public bike racks outside the school. Whereas the last couple of years there has normally been only one bicycle, there are now three. I am hoping this is a fair weather thing but it could be down to the fact that cycling in London, has increased by 155% over the last 10 years. From my perspective it seems it has been 155% in the last couple of years and flat-lining the previous 8 years. Am I wrong?
LCO

September 2nd 2014

My new saddle arrived today. Exactly the same as I purchased two years ago. The seam to the right light had come away and was wearing down the pace of my trousers at an alarming rate. As before, this saddle has gel padding and I know a lot of 'Lycra bikers' have gel in there shorts. I wonder how the two would get on together?
LCO

September 1st 2014

So the 'Green Monster' is about to go up again in Hyde Park. It's been nice to cycle along and see all the Park for the Month of August, but I knew it was too good to be true, as soon as I saw that the grass was growing back. This time it is Classical music I understand. Assuming that everything is cleared by the end of September, we should be fairly free until the Winter Wonderland arrives in November. I suggest having a Park space available for 2 months in a year is not enough. Am I being unreasonable?
LCO

29th August 2014

New Oxford Street to Bloomsbury Way is the worst bit of road in London. I came across a hole that was about 8 inches deep. I just missed it, but the are plenty that are just as bad. I think this area really suffered badly from the Bendy Buses. Is this the worst?
LCO

28th August 2014

Some Boris Bikers at midday are a menace. There are no barriers to entry to get a bike just a credit card and an ability to balance and steer at the same time. Sadly, the latter requirement is missing in most. For example, I was cycling to a meeting through Hyde Park to a meeting and this Boris Biker, in what appeared to a euphoric state, was weaving from side to side of the cycle path oblivious to everything around. Small children, squirrels, pensioners, dogs and other cyclists. Maybe it's time to issue some basic rules with the bike and in any preferred language?
LCO