Commuter Racing

kelvindavies11 · June 2007

I have just come across this on the internet. Have anyone had experience of this. Sure some of you have some stories.

kelvin

always need help, always give help.

Sh4rkybloke · June 2007

Racing commuters???

Shock! That's outrageous. Who would do such a thing???? [;)]

Nothing in life is foolproof, fools are ingenious

Eat My Dust · June 2007

Well there are some people out there who try and keep up, but I wouldn't call that a race!![:D]

SNAPS

kelvindavies11 · June 2007

I guess its only a race if you win, and a childish silly thing to do if you lose ?

kelvin

always need help, always give help.

chuckles · June 2007

Mr Davis,

Are you throwing down the gauntlet sir?

Chuckles

kelvindavies11 · June 2007

Chuckles, My fat arse isn't designed to race lol. I was just after some stories (bored in work). Why do you think you good enought?????

kelvin

always need help, always give help.

WyS · June 2007

i had a guy in full race gear overtake me and procede to ride with no hands like how you relax at your desk.. hands behind your head.

I was taking it quite easy as i just came from the gym, but i wasnt having that. So i booted it, and left him in the dust. up a hill then down a hill then up a massive one, he couldnt catch me.. a baggy short wearing mountain biker.

muahaha.

kelvindavies11 · June 2007

I bet you were on a high after that

Did he try to keep up with you WyS.

Is this a regular thing (people trying to race you)?

always need help, always give help.

FatBlokeFromFelixstowe · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by kelvindavies11

I have just come across this on the internet. Have anyone had experience of this. Sure some of you have some stories.
kelvin
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

As much as I keep telling myself not to do it the moment I spot someone in front I feel a surge of power go to my legs and I just cannot resist the temptation. It makes the ride to and from work more interesting.

My e bay bargain œ 31.05
http://tinyurl.com/366awv

Eat My Dust · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by WyS

i had a guy in full race gear overtake me and procede to ride with no hands like how you relax at your desk.. hands behind your head.

I was taking it quite easy as i just came from the gym, but i wasnt having that. So i booted it, and left him in the dust. up a hill then down a hill then up a massive one, he couldnt catch me.. a baggy short wearing mountain biker.

muahaha.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Then.........what's that beeping noise. Oh, it's WyS's alarm clock, waking him from a MTBer's wet dream!![:D][;)][;)]

SNAPS

walkercp · June 2007

I had a race only this morning. Bit hard in the London Traffic though and with the constant red lights

Rhino's are the new Elephant

WyS · June 2007

lol, twas not a dream i tell you.

Im getting about 28mph max out of my mtb, and its a fairly heavy one. (down hill..24 on straights) been looking a cheap old racing bikes on ebay to single speed to see what its like.. i imagine its bumpy as hell through london.

richteacp · June 2007

No, never. [;)]

--
esta elefante del beb‚ me molesta

Eat My Dust · June 2007

24mph on the straight. You're sssssoooooooooo slowwwwwwwwwwww!![;)]

What's that in the distance??? Oh it's WyS on his mountain bike![:D][;)]

SNAPS

WyS · June 2007

I assume you're looking forward when you refer to distance you see, or that would be dangerous. muahah!

Im gonna get an ebay bargain and see if its quicker. roughly how much will it cost to convert to single speed, assuming all the other bits work?

Feel a bit bad commuting on my mtb. was rather expensive and belongs in the woods.

Eat My Dust · June 2007

Be careful with eBay "bargains" not always what they are cracked up to be. I've never converted a bike to fixed, but it's got to be pretty cheap. Nip over to Special Interests, someone will be able to help you there.

SNAPS

Unknown · June 2007

Eat My dust do you have some kind of inferiority complex about MTB riders!!!!???

I used to have a road bike but jacked it in as I love off road riding. Skills have to be sharper and more of a adrenaline rush I find. But my fitness level is just as high.

I love a race when commuting in and like a thumbs up or wave at the end in recognition of the other rider's input.

Be bright Be seen

Eat My Dust · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by gazzaputt

Eat My dust you so have some kind of inferiority complex about MTB riders!!!!

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

LOL, no complex, just ribbing WyS. But I do laugh when I see MTBer's legs pumping away on their teency gears trying to keep up!![;)]

SNAPS

walkercp · June 2007

The people who love to race are the Hybrids or Top end MTB riders who want to chase down us boys on road Bikes. The amount of time I've had them sitting on my back wheel I notice them, give it a little effort then have them pass me on a red light. I just sit and wait then as soon as it goes green chase them down and pass them again, great training if you ask me

Rhino's are the new Elephant

FatBlokeFromFelixstowe · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by WyS

Im gonna get an ebay bargain and see if its quicker. <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Go for it, there are some real bargains to be had out there. I have only had my road bike for 4 months now but I wish I had changed a lot earlier.

My e bay bargain œ 31.05
http://tinyurl.com/366awv

dsoutar · June 2007

As someone said on a similar topic previously:

One person = commute. Two people = race

I do the same as Walker but I'm on a really crap mtb (if you can call it that, as I think it's made out of old skips) and the other guys jumping reds are on road bikes.

My mantra is, if I can catch them, great. If I can't, I would on my lovely carbon road bike which I use at the weekend. Either way, I can't lose !!

"Get a bicycle. You will not regret it if you live." ~ Mark Twain, "Taming the Bicycle"

kelvindavies11 · June 2007

Sounds fun, I think I'm going to have to find someone to race lol. So if anyone of you see a fat b**tard trying to race you off the lights. Then guest it will probabily be me lol.

kelvin

always need help, always give help.

Phil Scp · June 2007

Honestly the amount of people slagging off bad driving but who think it's ok to "race" on city streets - a bit hypocritical methinks. If you want to race then enter a race. Busy streets with other road users are not the place to do it.
And by the way, what is "full race gear" and how do you know someone on a road bike isn't just cruising at recovery speed/enjoying the scenery?

miffedcp · June 2007

lighten up Phil S

Normally a commuter race is merely trying to catch/overtake a cyclist that happens to be ahead of you. Theres normally no danger to yourself or other road users merely you cycle a little faster.

DavidTQ · June 2007

Commuter racing does not in my limited experience encompass dodgy overtaking maneouvres or lack of control just harder work from the legs. The speeds our bikes get up to during these races is hardly amazing, Ive yet to clock over 30

.

Cyclists in my limited experience arent travelling at certain speeds for safety reasons but for personal comfort \ fitness reasons, theres plenty of scope to go faster safe just a question of whether the legs are up to it.

Its not the same thing at all as cars where the limit is more how close to the safety limit is a driver prepared to push it. Commuter racing is about fitness levels not grip and traction. Ive yet to see anything in the way of remotely dangerous cycling from commuter racing. All Ive seen is who's got the ability to push their legs that bit harder.

If people were jumping on to pavements, drifting around corners running the ragged edge of vehicle control I would be against it completely. But in my few months of commuting its all been just about pushing the pedals a little harder.

Phil Scp · June 2007

Ok, being a racer I just associate 'racing' with going balls out at high speed and I'd never consider it safe in everyday traffic conditions

WyS · June 2007

by full race gear i meant some one with a fancy fast racer and team coloured lycra that is colour co-ordinated with his bike.

He wasnt recovering cos he was behind me when the lights changed, and he over took me then cycled no hands which to me was taking the michael.

But its not all out madness like that vid that was posted.. just who can accelerate/keep pace/ overtake safely.

Great fun and makes the commute a bit more interesting. Plus there is feck all scenery to take in.. unless hgvs/buses/building sites and the new eurostar station currently under construction tickle your fancy.

XD

Phil Scp · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by WyS

He wasnt recovering cos he was behind me when the lights changed, and he over took me then cycled no hands which to me was taking the michael.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I can be doing a recovery ride and still overtake most other folk on bikes, doesn't mean to say I am racing them

DavidTQ · June 2007

I think its a very gentlemanly bit of one physical one-up-manship rather than red mist and balls out. Its not uncommon for there to be a cheery hello as you pass or get passed. Of course you dont want to look as if you are trying to hard either [:D].

Having come from a national championship level motorsport background its not the same sort of competition at all. I suspect serious cycling racers competeing in a race will involve far more cycling on the limit and hard cornering and strategy.

Its a bit like my jogging days, you wanted to be able to keep pace with the fastest fittest person in the group, but you didnt run out in front of cars or jump down steps to do so.

Eat My Dust · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Phil S

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by WyS

He wasnt recovering cos he was behind me when the lights changed, and he over took me then cycled no hands which to me was taking the michael.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I can be doing a recovery ride and still overtake most other folk on bikes, doesn't mean to say I am racing them
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

No, as I posted earlier, they're just trying to catch you. Sometimes you don't even know you're in a race until you get to a set of lights, and some poor sod nearly having a heart attack pulls up beside you, smiling like an idiot!

SNAPS

walkercp · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Phil S

Ok, being a racer I just associate 'racing' with going balls out at high speed and I'd never consider it safe in everyday traffic conditions
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Nothing like the racing round Chertsey or Crystal Palace Phil. I wouldn't waste my effort on busy streets

Rhino's are the new Elephant

Commuter Racing

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