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On my first-ever London cycling commute, I am already running 10 minutes later than I should have been.

Who choses a Monday for their first trial of a bike commute? Nobody likes Mondays, and Mondays don’t like you, either. Everyone’s just getting back in the routine after the weekend. No one is paying attention. Next time just take the bus.

Pretty day though.

The sun is shining-ish. The traffic is jammed enough that I can weave through without risk of death or insult. The river is looking shiny and wavy as I wait for this light to change.

And oh, look! The thin metal rods holding my fenders in place have popped loose, are waving free in the breeze, and I have no way to reattach them! And as a bonus, I can’t just take the fenders off easily – I have to totally remove the wheel and that requires the wrench that was confiscated by Gatwick Airport Security (but that’s another story).

Stellar.

Thank heavens a fellow bike commuter pointed me toward the bike shop just out of sight but mercifully right behind me a few steps away.

I probably shouldn’t ask this mechanic to just replace the rubber band that *had been* holding the fender in place, right? Yes, okay, FINE, use your fancy screw-and-nut technology to hold it in place IF YOU MUST. I guess I’ll just have another fun day of not flying over the handlebars.

Alrighty. Ten minutes and £2 later, I am back on the bike! I am pacing myself so as not to be *too* sweaty when I arrive at the office. Should I even bother putting on makeup? I’ll probably forget even though I’ll be in the bathroom to change out of these clothes aaaaaaand my chain fell off.

Tomorrow I am taking the tube.