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Things I've learnt from commuting


zeabre

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Exactly why I've still got my old Gary Fisher. Crappy looking bike which runs beautifully and doesn't get offended when I chain it to a pole.

Your Fisher is an icon to those who know!

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That is a good idea, especially if you lock it near one of the lobby / lift areas where there is cctv cameras. Just ride into the parking garage, skirt around the boom and Bob's your uncle. Or take a ticket? I don't really mind paying if it is for the security. That's what I'll do next time. Those bike racks outside just looked to much like a bike take-away for my liking.

I cycle up the steep ramp and just go around the boom. No issues. 

 

Always use a U lock for rear wheel and attach to a pole. Front wheel gets locked to the bicycle frame.

 

I feel that's a fairly safe measure. 

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Exactly why I've still got my old Gary Fisher. Crappy looking bike which runs beautifully and doesn't get offended when I chain it to a pole.

I had an old repainted Gary Fisher that I used to leave locked up overnight at the Rhodesfield Gautrain Station. I did this for nearly a year without mishap.

 

Bike has now been donated to a Hubber's gardener

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You CANNOT carry a 25 litre jerrycan of diesel on a bike! One of the staff will just have to walk it from the garage around the corner to work, job description or not.The generators tank is running a bit low and I expect Escom to give us another black eye any day now. :thumbdown: 

 

I'm NOT bringing the Landy in for another stupid reason, Trance rules until school starts next week. Then I become dads taxi service again. 

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Rode to work today and forgot I had taken my towel home to wash, and I didn't carry one in my bag with me. So had a shower and had to wait around to dry before I could put on my work clothes.

 

Thank goodness it was my towel and not my shoes/jeans/t-shirt.

Edited by Catatonic_Joe
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And I learned today that I am not doing the driver-cyclist relationship any favours.

 

A business woman in a fancy Mercedes sedan waits til the light is red, then pulls out, almost taking me out. Then within 5 meters she's stuck in traffic again. This is where I lose it and give her some driving pointers i.e. look where the F@#$ you're going and STOP when the light is red! At full volume while flat-handing her passenger window as hard as I can without breaking my hand.

 

Didn't really make me feel any better, to be honest.

 

Next time I might attempt a friendly conversation. Um, yeah right!

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And I learned today that I am not doing the driver-cyclist relationship any favours.

 

A business woman in a fancy Mercedes sedan waits til the light is red, then pulls out, almost taking me out. Then within 5 meters she's stuck in traffic again. This is where I lose it and give her some driving pointers i.e. look where the F@#$ you're going and STOP when the light is red! At full volume while flat-handing her passenger window as hard as I can without breaking my hand.

 

Didn't really make me feel any better, to be honest.

 

Next time I might attempt a friendly conversation. Um, yeah right!

 

I'm a reserved person, so I kind of blow up without the drivers seeing it. But I love showing my disapproval at their driving skills by a simple shake of the head while we eye each other.

 

Friendly conversation? Not sure I will be able to do it... easier just to ignore them.

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School's back on again so sadly my daily commute gets culled big time to days that the missus can do the school run, and that is not often enough, never more than a day or 2 a week. Yes, I had a long face all day!

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http://40.media.tumblr.com/30830ad12a70a4183532f94f951205ac/tumblr_mgpw65Jpvb1qikmq1o1_500.jpg

http://40.media.tumblr.com/2dae60244cc93d877638a3b6a9e9be51/tumblr_mgpw65Jpvb1qikmq1o2_250.jpghttp://40.media.tumblr.com/cbebac10a5df6ea4acf09a5989e754cf/tumblr_mgpw65Jpvb1qikmq1o3_250.jpg

http://41.media.tumblr.com/32d39f8e3d1aff7502b76a3f27c7c11a/tumblr_mgpw65Jpvb1qikmq1o4_500.jpg

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Some nice bags that can used for commuting on sale at Cape Union at the moment. I bought a K-Way bag a while ago from them, has space for hydration pack/straw, helmet, shoes, rain cover and reflective pieces for visibility. Use it to pack my shoes, clothes towel, tools lunch when I ride to work.

 

Here are some of the bags on sale now:

 

1166952707.jpg R399

https://www.capeunionmart.co.za/k-way-airstream-hydration-pack

 

 

 

1166960127.jpg R699

https://www.capeunionmart.co.za/k-way-tsitsikamma-daypack

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I need a new backpack.

After about a year of abuse on my Knog backpack on of the zippers broke.  Can still open the bag, but I started to notice that the water proof plastic lining on the bag is starting to break.

But I got great service from the bag, so I am rather happy with the quality of the bag, but the hunt is on for the perfect new bag now.   So thanks for posting the bags that are on sale here...

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I need a new backpack.

After about a year of abuse on my Knog backpack on of the zippers broke.  Can still open the bag, but I started to notice that the water proof plastic lining on the bag is starting to break.

But I got great service from the bag, so I am rather happy with the quality of the bag, but the hunt is on for the perfect new bag now.   So thanks for posting the bags that are on sale here...

K-Way have a life time guarantee on the zips and will repair any fair ware on the bags. I have just replaced a 10 year veteran K-Way back pack. 

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K-Way have a life time guarantee on the zips and will repair any fair ware on the bags. I have just replaced a 10 year veteran K-Way back pack.

Awesome, i did not know that.

 

Also, the 'air vent backing system' that some of the K-Ways have is really awesome because the bag doesn't rest directly on your back, so your back doesn't get all sweaty when riding.

Edited by Catatonic_Joe
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Awesome, i did not know that.

 

Also, the 'air vent backing system' that some of the K-Ways have is really awesome because the bag doesn't rest directly on your back, so your back doesn't get all sweaty when riding.

Yup, those backpacks where there is a tight mesh thingy that keeps the pack away from your back are just brilliant. When you hike or climb with it the circulation is OKish, but when you ride the bike with it, it works just brilliantly.

post-17716-0-30337100-1421955037_thumb.jpg

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