Silly commuting racing

dav1

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

cjcp wrote:

Littigator wrote:

BenBlyth wrote:

I have tried everything, leaving at different times even waiting in bushes for people to pass to allow me to chase them down. Incidentally, this was how I made my only overtake in the last 3 months, she went past (Yes a girl, I know but I can't be picky, I was freezing sat in the hedge waiting) and I shot out like a scalded cat and blew her away. She looked amazed, so did her mum who was holding on to the handle on the back of her bike! :oops:

That's hilarious, I hope you uttered a shrilling dry of "BANZAI" as you rocketed past followed by lots of air punches after the manouvre.

I have to echo other suggestions of "Move House" really, join us in London, you'll marvel at the range of territory your cycling skills will be put to. Marvel at the sharp inclines of the Col de Putney, let the graceful ascent of the Alpe D'Tower Hill carry you away and test your nerve and mettle on the sharp switchbacks of Hyde Park!

And as for Embankment, it's like jumping into one of those particle accelerator thingys

The LHC is a walk in the park compared to embankment, I laugh in the face of 99.99999993% the speed of light!

Something tells me a particle in a synchrotron would have an FCN of -1x10^100, It would be a race that not even Lance Armstrong could win

snooks

DonDaddyD wrote:

I still feel rubbish for crashing into two kids on Sunday and my sheer inabiility to keep up with Bass on the journey back from Freewheel. I won't lie he is somewhat faster than me but for some reason the journey back home I had no power what-so-ever...

I do recall you having to cut off some of the course to rejoin myself (on knobblies) and BJK Or did the fall have an effect on yer memory....If it wasn't a one way system all the way around I'd have thought you took a wrong turn you were so long....and that was before you started wiping out kiddies!!!

Bassjunkieuk

snooks wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

I still feel rubbish for crashing into two kids on Sunday and my sheer inabiility to keep up with Bass on the journey back from Freewheel. I won't lie he is somewhat faster than me but for some reason the journey back home I had no power what-so-ever...

I do recall you having to cut off some of the course to rejoin myself (on knobblies) and BJK Or did the fall have an effect on yer memory....If it wasn't a one way system all the way around I'd have thought you took a wrong turn you were so long....and that was before you started wiping out kiddies!!!

I think to be fair he did get caught at a red marshal.....either that or just didn't feel like tackling Alpe de Tower Hill for a third time, it was quite a challenging climb with a nasty switchback before that perilous descent!

DonDaddyD

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

snooks wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

I still feel rubbish for crashing into two kids on Sunday and my sheer inabiility to keep up with Bass on the journey back from Freewheel. I won't lie he is somewhat faster than me but for some reason the journey back home I had no power what-so-ever...

I do recall you having to cut off some of the course to rejoin myself (on knobblies) and BJK Or did the fall have an effect on yer memory....If it wasn't a one way system all the way around I'd have thought you took a wrong turn you were so long....and that was before you started wiping out kiddies!!!

I think to be fair he did get caught at a red marshal.....either that or just didn't feel like tackling Alpe de Tower Hill for a third time, it was quite a challenging climb with a nasty switchback before that perilous descent!

My excuses:

Nerves of meeting people of such high calibre outside of a professional environment had me caught off-guard and loosing my composure.

I dropped back before the wind tunnel (for reasons I cannot fathom) and then couldn’t be bothered to catch you at full pelt.

Stopped by three Red wardens.

I have asthma....

snooks

DonDaddyD wrote:

My excuses:

Nerves of meeting people of such high calibre outside of a professional environment had me caught off-guard and loosing my composure.

I dropped back before the wind tunnel (for reasons I cannot fathom) and then couldn’t be bothered to catch you at full pelt.

Stopped by three Red wardens.

I have asthma....

The Game doesn't do "Excuses"

Clever Pun

DonDaddyD wrote:

My excuses:

Nerves of meeting people of such high calibre outside of a professional environment had me caught off-guard and loosing my composure.

I dropped back before the wind tunnel (for reasons I cannot fathom) and then couldn’t be bothered to catch you at full pelt.

Stopped by three Red wardens.

I have asthma....

my leg fell off & my wheel was buckled

hmm all very convincing

I'll be giving the brompton it's first embankment outing shortly... be warned or face humilation

Littigator

Dav1 wrote:

Something tells me a particle in a synchrotron would have an FCN of -1x10^100, It would be a race that not even Lance Armstrong could win

That depends on how many drugs he's done.

light blue touchpaper and tiptoe away

secretsam

Clever Pun wrote:

I'll be giving the brompton it's first embankment outing shortly... be warned or face humilation

I give up. I am officially the slowest moving thing on the planet, overtaken by techtonic plates, sloths and glaciers.

A Brompton would go past me like a rocket. Humiliation it is, then

DonDaddyD

snooks wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

My excuses:

Nerves of meeting people of such high calibre outside of a professional environment had me caught off-guard and loosing my composure.

I dropped back before the wind tunnel (for reasons I cannot fathom) and then couldn’t be bothered to catch you at full pelt.

Stopped by three Red wardens.

I have asthma....

The Game doesn't do "Excuses"

The Game doesn't do weekends and I definately don't work/commute on weekends.

Ah what the heck, I'll hold my hands up, I learnt a lesson on Sunday I was shown that I am not yet ready to challenge you blisteringly rapid OG's of commuting.

If I could change my username I would change it to 'Eternal Padawan' or something as fitting.

So I have two goals now: Get a bike equal to or better than Biondino's and become faster than Bass and Snooks!

Bassjunkieuk

DonDaddyD wrote:

snooks wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

My excuses:

Nerves of meeting people of such high calibre outside of a professional environment had me caught off-guard and loosing my composure.

I dropped back before the wind tunnel (for reasons I cannot fathom) and then couldn’t be bothered to catch you at full pelt.

Stopped by three Red wardens.

I have asthma....

The Game doesn't do "Excuses"

The Game doesn't do weekends and I definately don't work/commute on weekends.

Ah what the heck, I'll hold my hands up, I learnt a lesson on Sunday I was shown that I am not yet ready to challenge you blisteringly rapid OG's of commuting.

If I could change my username I would change it to 'Eternal Padawan' or something as fitting.

So I have two goals now: Get a bike equal to or better than Biondino's and become faster than Bass and Snooks!

This is very true, strictly speaking all scalps claimed (or lost) yesterday are null and void as they weren't taking during a proper commute. It was more like a training ride. Negotiating the hordes of floatsum and jetsum seeking out the true speedy riders was a joy! If they looked like they wanted to play I was only to happy to entertain them :-)

It was even more fun on the rare occasion's that I had open road ahead and I could open the taps fully :twisted:

I say go ahead and get the better bike, I await the challenge :-)

itboffin

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

Coriander wrote:

Nobody does any work on a Friday, though...

Or is that just me?? :oops:

I generally try to do as little as I can whilst appearing to be busy.......
As I ride home afterwards I try not to drink to much anyway, not helped by some people not understanding what a half is :shock: , so could in theory do most days!

Needless to say I felt like I flew home on Friday........

dum dee dum - cough! :roll:

Bassjunkieuk

I now truly believe in karma. After having such a lovely day's riding yesterday I think I had a high debt to be repaid and it was fully collected on my way home this evening........

It was all going so well. I had one of the best rides for a while on the way back from Brixton towards Streatham, I even found another guy on an identical SCR to mine (except his was a XL I think!)

Tussled with him and another guy on a fast hybrid all the way to the crossroads before Streatham High Road, at which point the SCR guy went straight through the red light :evil: I secretly suspect this was due to the fact that I had clearly done him on the run up to that junction and he didn't want to be done on the high street. Fast hybrid guy waited at the lights with me but I had him again before we passed the bus garage.

As I descended the gentle slope past the train station the light's changed to red so I had to scrub off all my speed, it was at this point my spidey senses went wild as I detected a boogey behind me. I set off down the road when the lights went green with my UFO (unidentified following object) lurking behind. The next lights where also red and we both picked a line through the 3 lanes of traffic to get to the ASL. It was at this point that I could fully understand what I was being followed by.
He was aboard a Rapha Condor racer with matching kit (tart, but was a jealous!).
A hybrid rider joined us but I knew he was going to be more of an appetiser to the main course that sat on my left.

The lights went green and we pulled off. Rapha guy rode off smoothly, building huge speed in a short distance. Hybrid guy was doing well and I got passed him before we hit the next lights which changed as we approached.

The next set of lights saw the 3 of us lined up again but this time when they changed, with a clear road ahead, Rapha guy just blasted off! Now I was paying attention but I'm sure I didn't see him light the rocket that was up his ar5e!
I set about trying to keep up but as I was reaching 29mph, my legs screaming with the small rise, I had to change down a bit and fell down to 26. He in the mean time was accelerating down the other side of this bump. As we got to the next junction half of me wanted him to ride towards Norbury on the A23 and half of me wanted him to turn up Long Lane with me. Unfortunately it was the latter and I didn't even get a breather at the lights! As we rode up the road the gap just widened......try as I might my legs just didn't want to give much more then 18-19 while he was cruising around 22! He turned off and I bid him "Chapeau" as I past - for he was extremely fast!

I felt slightly better tho and redeemed myself a bit on the last decent section tho. I saw a guy on a road bike on the opposite pavement, road was clear so he hopped off and moved over to my side of the road. He had spotted me as he was out of the saddle and pushing hard. I wasn't having any of it after the Rapha guy so I pulled up to him, but it in the big ring up front and blasted past at 29mph giving my best "I could do this all day" face! He was a very contrived rider, bomber jacket and trainers on a Trek road bike with aero bars.........almost as if he'd just nicked it :shock: still a scalp is a scalp and his was now firmly stowed in my backpack but it still didn't help with the stinging section I had from my freshly removed head

greg66_tri_v2.0

Well I too had a great day out at Freewheel yesterday, but today, it seems that the karmic balance is still well and truly in my favour.

Hit the Embankment just before 8 this evening, so wasn't expecting any Game action. Which was a shame, because tonight was one of those rides where the power is being fed from bottomless silos of awesome...

I pull up at Big Ben and wait for the lights. While I'm waiting, a big bloke on Giant pulls past me and waits just ahead of me.

"Now you're a big bloke, but you're out of shape, and I do this for a living"

We pull away, and on the short run down to Pt Sq I can sense his eagerness to put some pain into me. Let's see how this plays out.

We round the corner heading past the HoP, and he's straight onto the power. I sit just behind, on his outside waiting until I'm sure of my moment.

He thinks:

I've got a bogey at 5 o'clock

And he's so very right.

The road clears ahead as we come to the end of the metal barrier.

Weapons hot. Beep beep beep beep beeeeeeeeep

I've got tone. Missiles away!

BAM! He's gone as I fly by streaking up to Lambeth Br roundabout. I get a break in the traffic and take it at full pace, clipping the apexes as I go through. A quick burst and from the flash off street lamps past Millbank (absent The Invisible Wall Of Air In the Road tonight) I see I'm holding a steady 46 kmh. And there's more in the tank.

I spy the Vauxhall lights at red, and know from the traffic flow that I'll have a wait. I roll along the cycle lane to find three non-players in the in the green zone. I wait at the head of the cycle lane alongside a car, deliberately blocking big bloke if he's there. I've no idea whether he'll make it to the lights in time, but if he does, we'll see how well he does starting from behind.

Lights go green and I pull away to hear a click-click behind me. I'd bet the R3SL I know who it is. Three quarters of the way across the junction and I put down a thick layer of armageddon which propels me towards the motorbike ahead. I pull alongside him on the left as we arc to the right into the Death Star Canyon. Now I crank it up and charge towards the power station. There's no clicking behind me, but there's no reason to let up either when it feels this easy.

Just after I pass the power station a car slows alongside me with the passenger window open. The driver shouts across at me "I wanna be like you, man! That is so cool! Keep it up!" :shock:

Now it would be nice to say that that happens to me a lot, but not so much...

I check the computer when I get home. Maxed out at 50.0 kmh. No downhills on that route, either.

cjcp

All a bit quiet on the way home. Had to leave a shade before 5.30 due to the good lady being under the weather and there was precious little on the way home. A few drafting fairies - quickly despatched - but no real action.

The wind seems to have shifted, more easterly now, which would make sense given the drop in temperature.

(Dropped one of my long fingered gloves down the toilet this morning. My language turned the air blue. Daughter no. 1 drops toast; daughter no. 2 left open-mouthed, dummy drops tot he floor. You get the idea.)

DonDaddyD

Greg66 wrote:

Well I too had a great day out at Freewheel yesterday, but today, it seems that the karmic balance is still well and truly in my favour.

Hit the Embankment just before 8 this evening, so wasn't expecting any Game action. Which was a shame, because tonight was one of those rides where the power is being fed from bottomless silos of awesome...

I pull up at Big Ben and wait for the lights. While I'm waiting, a big bloke on Giant pulls past me and waits just ahead of me.

"Now you're a big bloke, but you're out of shape, and I do this for a living"

We pull away, and on the short run down to Pt Sq I can sense his eagerness to put some pain into me. Let's see how this plays out.

We round the corner heading past the HoP, and he's straight onto the power. I sit just behind, on his outside waiting until I'm sure of my moment.

He thinks:

I've got a bogey at 5 o'clock

And he's so very right.

The road clears ahead as we come to the end of the metal barrier.

Weapons hot. Beep beep beep beep beeeeeeeeep

I've got tone. Missiles away!

BAM! He's gone as I fly by streaking up to Lambeth Br roundabout. I get a break in the traffic and take it at full pace, clipping the apexes as I go through. A quick burst and from the flash off street lamps past Millbank (absent The Invisible Wall Of Air In the Road tonight) I see I'm holding a steady 46 kmh. And there's more in the tank.

I spy the Vauxhall lights at red, and know from the traffic flow that I'll have a wait. I roll along the cycle lane to find three non-players in the in the green zone. I wait at the head of the cycle lane alongside a car, deliberately blocking big bloke if he's there. I've no idea whether he'll make it to the lights in time, but if he does, we'll see how well he does starting from behind.

Lights go green and I pull away to hear a click-click behind me. I'd bet the R3SL I know who it is. Three quarters of the way across the junction and I put down a thick layer of armageddon which propels me towards the motorbike ahead. I pull alongside him on the left as we arc to the right into the Death Star Canyon. Now I crank it up and charge towards the power station. There's no clicking behind me, but there's no reason to let up either when it feels this easy.

Just after I pass the power station a car slows alongside me with the passenger window open. The driver shouts across at me "I wanna be like you, man! That is so cool! Keep it up!" :shock:

Now it would be nice to say that that happens to me a lot, but not so much...

I check the computer when I get home. Maxed out at 50.0 kmh. No downhills on that route, either.

:shock:

snooks

DonDaddyD wrote:

So I have two goals now: Get a bike equal to or better than Biondino's and become faster than Bass and Snooks!

Shave my legs and call me a roadie, Sorry DDD I've just moved the goal posts and got me one of these:

Felt Z65...So I'm expecting a few wobbly weeks of getting used to this thin wheeled way of life, then let The Game BEGIN! :twisted:

itboffin

Greg66 wrote:

Well I too had a great day out at Freewheel yesterday, but today, it seems that the karmic balance is still well and truly in my favour.

Hit the Embankment just before 8 this evening, so wasn't expecting any Game action. Which was a shame, because tonight was one of those rides where the power is being fed from bottomless silos of awesome...

I pull up at Big Ben and wait for the lights. While I'm waiting, a big bloke on Giant pulls past me and waits just ahead of me.

"Now you're a big bloke, but you're out of shape, and I do this for a living"

We pull away, and on the short run down to Pt Sq I can sense his eagerness to put some pain into me. Let's see how this plays out.

We round the corner heading past the HoP, and he's straight onto the power. I sit just behind, on his outside waiting until I'm sure of my moment.

He thinks:

I've got a bogey at 5 o'clock

And he's so very right.

The road clears ahead as we come to the end of the metal barrier.

Weapons hot. Beep beep beep beep beeeeeeeeep

I've got tone. Missiles away!

BAM! He's gone as I fly by streaking up to Lambeth Br roundabout. I get a break in the traffic and take it at full pace, clipping the apexes as I go through. A quick burst and from the flash off street lamps past Millbank (absent The Invisible Wall Of Air In the Road tonight) I see I'm holding a steady 46 kmh. And there's more in the tank.

I spy the Vauxhall lights at red, and know from the traffic flow that I'll have a wait. I roll along the cycle lane to find three non-players in the in the green zone. I wait at the head of the cycle lane alongside a car, deliberately blocking big bloke if he's there. I've no idea whether he'll make it to the lights in time, but if he does, we'll see how well he does starting from behind.

Lights go green and I pull away to hear a click-click behind me. I'd bet the R3SL I know who it is. Three quarters of the way across the junction and I put down a thick layer of armageddon which propels me towards the motorbike ahead. I pull alongside him on the left as we arc to the right into the Death Star Canyon. Now I crank it up and charge towards the power station. There's no clicking behind me, but there's no reason to let up either when it feels this easy.

Just after I pass the power station a car slows alongside me with the passenger window open. The driver shouts across at me "I wanna be like you, man! That is so cool! Keep it up!" :shock:

Now it would be nice to say that that happens to me a lot, but not so much...

I check the computer when I get home. Maxed out at 50.0 kmh. No downhills on that route, either.

Chapeau Beelzebub! - I still think you need red shoes

m0scs

Nice. What happened to your plans on getting the Trek?

DonDaddyD

snooks wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

So I have two goals now: Get a bike equal to or better than Biondino's and become faster than Bass and Snooks!

Shave my legs and call me a roadie, Sorry DDD I've just moved the goal posts and got me one of these:

Felt Z65...So I'm expecting a few wobbly weeks of getting used to this thin wheeled way of life, then let The Game BEGIN! :twisted:

That looks real nice Snooks. What made you decide on a Felt?

snooks

m0scs wrote:

Nice. What happened to your plans on getting the Trek?

DonDaddyD wrote:

That looks real nice Snooks. What made you decide on a Felt?

OK the story was this....Are you sitting comfortably? then I'll begin....

I wanted the Trek 1.9 08 model, so I ordered my cycle 2 work voucher, and waited, and waited some more...it arrived! hurrah! Went to the bike shop that isn't local, none left, end of stock, not in your size matie...Booo!

See the 09 model is coming out, no dates, same spec (ish) and £150 more. While I liked the trek I didn't like it that much.It also went too white for me :shock:

The Z65 was on the list from the start, but at £1200 was a bit too much...(well the Z35 was on the list at £1049) but during the whole decision process I didn't want to go down the carbon route, seen far too many snapped carbon masts in my time!! , so I was looking at high end aluminium with black bits. Finally found the Felt in my size in my nonLBS and took it out for a spin. Not too racey, the riding position can be adjusted well the stem can be be adjusted, so as I get more used to it I can lower the front end. It's built for speed and comfort. I'm not going to race, but I'd like to be able to spend a day in the saddle round the surrey countryside and it be a pleasure not a pain.

I was also going to test ride the bianchi (named after Gregs daughter I believe ) but the C2C was heavier and less well specced, and to be honest, it might have looked better, but just the extra weight put me off, and I bought the bike to ride, not to look at blasphemy I know, but I don't shave my legs, so what do I know??

It's well specced Ultegra all round (full specs here ), I read some good reviews on t'interweb, it's light and goes well, and I think we'll be happy together.

One thing a mate of mine said, was "you'll know which bike you want, when you see it", and "you've got to love it".

And to be honest I liked the Felt the first time I saw it, when I sat on the smaller fame it seemed "right", when I sat on the correct frame it seemed more right. I think it looks good without being tarty, understated and there to be used.

Or to put it another way it was red and shiny! Hmmmm Shiny! :roll:

Bassjunkieuk

Nice looking new steed snooks, glad to see you finally took the plunge and picked up a nice road bike! It does make me rather irked that my employer doesn't offer the B2W scheme (don't think take up would be high enough to justify the admin costs........)
Judging by how well you where doing on the knobbly Kona I should imagine, once you get used to the new riding position and narrow tyres, you'll be flying on the Felt!

cjcp

Greg66 - I'd be surprised if that chap got on his bike this morning.

Eyes peeled for Snooks everyone :twisted:

DonDaddyD

Snooks wrote
One thing a mate of mine said, was "you'll know which bike you want, when you see it", and "you've got to love it".

Truer words have never been spoken!

il_principe

Kudos for not buying a Trek. Nasty ugly things they are, mmm.

Bassjunkieuk

I put down a thick layer of armageddon

Love it!

Had a swarm of roadies join me in Upper Norwood. Some nifty filtering saw me well ahead by the next set of lights.

Not a bean through Brixton until I picked up a guy in Brixton Cycle's kit on the road up to Stockwell. He was shifting and laying down some serious speed. I could keep up but getting round was difficult! Followed him along South Lambeth Road and then parted way's at Wyvil Road.

Clever Pun

Last night was a scalpfest for me; racked up double figures plus I bagged one trainee roadie using flats 3 times the rlj’ing pelican crossing skiping biatch, I hope he cried himself to sleep. A dude on a brompton took went past you once you skipped the lights he does you again you then after you cycle straight in front of some peds on a zebra crossing and then once more before he turns off… for shame.

This morning back on the road bike… not a sniff… boo and my cycle computer is dying so I can’t really even race myself damnit

cjcp

Quiet morning once again on the roadie front, but feral, wild-eyed mtbers everywhere!

greg66_tri_v2.0

jashburnham wrote:

Kudos for not buying a Trek. Nasty ugly things they are, mmm.

Quite. And often ridden by oafs, as far as I can tell.

Felts are proper cool.

lost_in_thought

NIce bike Snooks!

Maybe I'll have to jump on the bandwagon and obtain myself a nicer road bike to replace the 'Mercurio RA52-18' that is my current steed... In fact almost any road bike would be nicer...

Absolutely no prey out on the road this morning, I blame the fact that I was leaving an hour later. One very determined big bloke on a hybrid, bless his heart...

womble88

The joys of commuting in London...why is that some days on the commute in, it seems like everyone is out to get you, on and off the bike? On my commute from Putney to Oxford Circus this morning, all life was out there...

Putney - Car reverses towards me from junction as I approach from behind. No, still not sure why.

Putney bridge - scaffolding van insists on being inches from my shoulder as we pass a bus at bus stop.

Parsons Green - Bus turns right across road as I try to cross junction on green. WTF??! Did he not see me or the other two cyclists alongside me as we crossed the junction? Looks like he did, from the eye contact and the faint smile on the bus driver's lips as he crosses in front of us. Unbelievable.

Fulham - Pedestrian looks to cross road through stationary traffic (not at a crossing). Sees me approaching in cycle lane. Makes eye contact, but rather than waiting for me to pass (no, there's no-one behind me), steps out in front with an amused little smirk on his face. I'm forced to brake, not too heavily, but still - why not just wait? Or cross at a crossing, of which there was one 20 yards away? Further up, a schoolkid shouts at me and waves a foot out as if he's going to knock me off, just for a laugh apparently. Hilarious.

Brompton-way: Car tries to pull out from parking space on left just as I approach, without warning or indicating, forcing me to take last minute evasive action (lucky nothing is behind me). Amazingly, I hear the driver shout at me, presumably for cycling along a road that he owns. Fakenger in khaki shorts RLJs as I and two other cyclists stop at junction. Idiot - he sneaks across in front of cars, and scatters some pedestrians on the far side. Thanks matey for helping our reputations.

Near Royal Albert Hall - sports car in side road to my left sees gap in traffic and pulls out. Except I'm cycling in that gap, but then I'm a cyclist so I don't really count do I? I slam on brakes, just stopping before I hit his car, and give him a dirty look. Not even a reaction from him; I guess I really must be invisible.

Hyde Park: Fool on a folder (FoaF) approaches from cycle lane on left (from Kensington Gardens). Simply shoots straight out across the cycle lane I'm on (and across the pavement too), without so much as a look either way.

In office: I knock over a fan with my rucksack, scattering papers everywhere, before proceeding to temperamental single shower which alternately scalds/freezes me, or stops altogether. Finally get to my desk to be confonted by avalanche of overnight emails....

BUT - even after all that, none of which is all that unusual as I'm sure more experienced commuters will agree...I'd still much rather have cycled than got the train/tube. Yes, the attracive girl with the nice legs and lovely...Bianchi...whom I followed through Fulham was a bonus, but just being out and about on the bike to start the day - well nothing can beat it can it?