Silly commuting racing

Littigator

It was all going so well...

From Lambeth Bridge, past Chelsea towards Albert I was consistently dropping lesser beings left right and bunny hop centre...oh yeeaahhh! And in dynamo club kit as well so I was making sure I didn't behave like a tw*t.

And then it happened, as I slowly eased up the kerbside of cars waiting along Cheyne Walk a beemer was just a bit too close to the kerb, he saw me coming (almost walking pace by now) I thought he was going to move out...how naive! I clipped his wing mirror and KARUMPH! went down like a sack of spuds. Slightly bruised a*se and even more bruised ego as the last half dozen cyclists I'd passed filtered past me sniggering behind their hands at my idiocy...oh the shame!

Clever Pun

The more I ride the fixed the faster I'm getting on it... feels good and my legs are learning to spin at a higher cadence, which is nice

Took another fixed dude this morning, he was fast and I lost respect with his rlj'ing but I dropped him twice once on the flat but then immediatly having to slow for a traffic light which he bombed through damnit... still I kicked back on it and caught him and did him good and proper on the little hill coming north off the lombard roundabout towards greenwich

Clever Pun

Littigator wrote:

It was all going so well...

From Lambeth Bridge, past Chelsea towards Albert I was consistently dropping lesser beings left right and bunny hop centre...oh yeeaahhh! And in dynamo club kit as well so I was making sure I didn't behave like a tw*t.

And then it happened, as I slowly eased up the kerbside of cars waiting along Cheyne Walk a beemer was just a bit too close to the kerb, he saw me coming (almost walking pace by now) I thought he was going to move out...how naive! I clipped his wing mirror and KARUMPH! went down like a sack of spuds. Slightly bruised a*se and even more bruised ego as the last half dozen cyclists I'd passed filtered past me sniggering behind their hands at my idiocy...oh the shame!

doh... you and the bike ok?

lost_in_thought

cjcp wrote:

Right, if you heard a crack of thunder last night, just west of Chelsea Bridge, that was me bursting through the space time continuum. The flux capacitor was doing some serious fluxing.

Lol!

Love it. I just had a great mental image of your face being lit up by a flash of lightning in a horror movie stylee!

Absolutely no prey out on the roads today, none whatsoever. One guy on an MTB who got ahead at the lights then cut me up and turned off, but that was it. And it's such a nice day! Weird...

lost_in_thought

Littigator wrote:

It was all going so well...

From Lambeth Bridge, past Chelsea towards Albert I was consistently dropping lesser beings left right and bunny hop centre...oh yeeaahhh! And in dynamo club kit as well so I was making sure I didn't behave like a tw*t.

And then it happened, as I slowly eased up the kerbside of cars waiting along Cheyne Walk a beemer was just a bit too close to the kerb, he saw me coming (almost walking pace by now) I thought he was going to move out...how naive! I clipped his wing mirror and KARUMPH! went down like a sack of spuds. Slightly bruised a*se and even more bruised ego as the last half dozen cyclists I'd passed filtered past me sniggering behind their hands at my idiocy...oh the shame!

Oh no! You and the bike ok? Apart from the bruises? :shock:

Coriander

Littigator wrote:

It was all going so well...

From Lambeth Bridge, past Chelsea towards Albert I was consistently dropping lesser beings left right and bunny hop centre...oh yeeaahhh! And in dynamo club kit as well so I was making sure I didn't behave like a tw*t.

And then it happened, as I slowly eased up the kerbside of cars waiting along Cheyne Walk a beemer was just a bit too close to the kerb, he saw me coming (almost walking pace by now) I thought he was going to move out...how naive! I clipped his wing mirror and KARUMPH! went down like a sack of spuds. Slightly bruised a*se and even more bruised ego as the last half dozen cyclists I'd passed filtered past me sniggering behind their hands at my idiocy...oh the shame!

Oooh, Poor Litts. The embarrassment hurts much more than the bruises, doesn't it?

And yet you seem to be in a much happier mood today?

Wrath Rob

Big mistake last night. We had a "Town Hall" at work, basically we're talked to for an hour while our minds are all thinking about the free beer and food waiting for us at the bar. As soon as the last speaker stops its like the dash away from Vauxhal bridge as we all jostle to the bar. Once at said drinking hole I restrained myself to 1 beer like a good boy but I foolishly stationed myself next to the bar snacks and ate my fill. Needless to say the ride home was uncomfortable as my stitch made itself known early on and kept up with me like a malignant klingon for the entire ride home.

7.30 was pretty quiet for competition, the only action was a SS going from the Wandsworth one way up Merton road. I passed him by the shopping centre and took off in case he was a player. At the top of the hill I "checked for traffic" and he was a good 100 yards behind, so that's a genuine scalp for me.

This mornings ride was bereft of competition, even so my legs are already complaining about tonights ride home

Littigator

LiT, Coriander and CP thanks for your concern. Actually, it's far worse than I'm letting on. In addition to the HUGE bruise on my a*se...it much be at least 1 inch square...there is the catastrophic effect on my manhoodliness. Male pride, as we all kow, is such a fragile and delicate thing which needs to be nurtured and coddled in a manner akin to a faberge egg.

Mine took such a beating last night, particularly as the driver and passenger stared down at me in the gutter with looks of complete bafflement on their faces, that I suffered an almost overwhelming urge to run home crying.

Needless to say, I am still suffering the after effects of shock and awe and the wife has had to apply cold compresses to my bruised ego at regular intervals ever since! :shock:

m0scs

Thanks for the comments Jash.

Up until a year ago I hadnt riden a bike in 20 years, so when I went looking I wanted something that I could use on canal tow paths etc, the sort or riding I thought I would be doing. I didnt realise at that time that I would get hooked and become a dedicated road nut.

I also think at the time, and not knowing any better, I was largely influenced by my LBS, populated by long haired MTB types.

I think thats why so many people buy MTB's when they may not be the best solution for their needs..

Agreed, best to have 2 bikes. Not sure my Misses would take the same view, so to finance a road bike the MTB will have to go.

jonginge

Greg66 wrote:

See - told you - a Cervelo will make you more attractive to members of the opposite sex. Tests have shown that it will also make you up to 1.75 inches taller, reduce grey hair and eliminate the signs of aging!

Or turn you into a serial RLJing t0sser like the Soloist I saw between Parliament Sq and Putney last night. I re-caught him 3 times and dropped him mightily on Col de Putney Bridge... or would have done but he filtered me on the inside while I was in primary hehind a car on the run-in to the mini rbt. Don't get me started on the manoeuvre he made cutting into the traffic at the lights opposite Big Ben: inches from being wiped out by an unsuspecting van, another good bit of PR

spursn17

Sorry, I made a little change to the 'think' poster.



We don't kill HGV's, they kill us

lost_in_thought

m0scs wrote:

Thanks for the comments Jash.

Up until a year ago I hadnt riden a bike in 20 years, so when I went looking I wanted something that I could use on canal tow paths etc, the sort or riding I thought I would be doing. I didnt realise at that time that I would get hooked and become a dedicated road nut.

I also think at the time, and not knowing any better, I was largely influenced by my LBS, populated by long haired MTB types.

I think thats why so many people buy MTB's when they may not be the best solution for their needs..

Agreed, best to have 2 bikes. Not sure my Misses would take the same view, so to finance a road bike the MTB will have to go.

It's very true, people are often influenced heavily by the LBS's view. Not a criticism of either party, but often the case.

I also think that people returning to cycling tend to sway towards the MTB/hybrid over the roadie because it's a setup which looks more familiar. Before I got into cycling again I thought that a roadie looked horrendously uncomfortable to ride, for example.

Also, it's the problem of being 'all show and no go', if you buy a roadie you might feel that you buy a stigma, and that you have to be going everywhere at the speed of light.

In summary, none of the above is true, it turns out, but I can see why so many go for an MTB or hybrid, or even a beach cruiser in my case, to start out with before realising that a roadie is clearly the way forward

m0scs

Thanks for that LiT.

I heard another expression that summed up 'all show and no go' quite nicely.

"All the Gear- No idea"

greg66_tri_v2.0

JonGinge wrote:

Or turn you into a serial RLJing t0sser like the Soloist I saw between Parliament Sq and Putney last night. I re-caught him 3 times and dropped him mightily on Col de Putney Bridge... or would have done but he filtered me on the inside while I was in primary hehind a car on the run-in to the mini rbt. Don't get me started on the manoeuvre he made cutting into the traffic at the lights opposite Big Ben: inches from being wiped out by an unsuspecting van, another good bit of PR

That person, I am pleased to say, was not me.

Clever Pun

Littigator wrote:

LiT, Coriander and CP thanks for your concern. Actually, it's far worse than I'm letting on. In addition to the HUGE bruise on my a*se...it much be at least 1 inch square...there is the catastrophic effect on my manhoodliness. Male pride, as we all kow, is such a fragile and delicate thing which needs to be nurtured and coddled in a manner akin to a faberge egg.

Mine took such a beating last night, particularly as the driver and passenger stared down at me in the gutter with looks of complete bafflement on their faces, that I suffered an almost overwhelming urge to run home crying.

Needless to say, I am still suffering the after effects of shock and awe and the wife has had to apply cold compresses to my bruised ego at regular intervals ever since! :shock:

if it makes you feel any better I saw a bloke use an airhorn on two stupid bints walking in the cable street cycle lane they were shocked and said something he went a bit further and stopped to say something but ended up doing this massive 1 inch from faceplant endo and everyone just laughed at him and the message was lost, shame but still funny

those airhorns are pretty wicked

cjcp

Littigator: this one's for you, my friend:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXvV2ALV ... re=related

Coriander

I had a big row with a male driver at the Birdcage Walk approach to Parliament Square last night - he was cutting up lanes, sitting on his horn to intimidate drivers in front of him to go through red lights, etc. Just a horrible, vulgar, arrogant man. So, as I ended up alongside him at the lights, I lent towards his half open window and asked "Are you always a tw@t or just when you're driving?" (saving the taxi driver he'd tried to intimidate the bother - he was getting out of his taxi to remonstrate with him as well). We then exchanged words for the entire time the lights were red (which, as some of you will know, is at least 40 years); it was bizarre, I didn't get personal at all (other than my opening remark) but his entire attack was based on class and income. He kept going on about how I was too poor to be able to afford a car, the lowest of the low on my two wheels, etc. He told me I was common, fat and fifty. Which made me laugh because one is quite obviously not true, one is so patently true and the final so patently not even vaguely true. I finally shut him up when I said 'Well, you're the one driving the poor man's Rover'.

When the lights changed he cut up several cars as he sped across from the lefthand, Embankment bound, lane to the right hand Westminster Bridge lane.

I took great delight in passing him 5 minutes later at the approach to Elephant and Castle roundabout.

jonginge

Greg66 wrote:

JonGinge wrote:

Or turn you into a serial RLJing t0sser like the Soloist I saw between Parliament Sq and Putney last night. I re-caught him 3 times and dropped him mightily on Col de Putney Bridge... or would have done but he filtered me on the inside while I was in primary hehind a car on the run-in to the mini rbt. Don't get me started on the manoeuvre he made cutting into the traffic at the lights opposite Big Ben: inches from being wiped out by an unsuspecting van, another good bit of PR

That person, I am pleased to say, was not me.

Didn't think fpr a moment it was. TBH I wouldn't turn down a cervelo if it was offered but I needed to get the above off my chest and he just happened to be riding one. Now back to being tranquillo

Bassjunkieuk

Coriander wrote:

I had a big row with a male driver at the Birdcage Walk approach to Parliament Square last night - he was cutting up lanes, sitting on his horn to intimidate drivers in front of him to go through red lights, etc. Just a horrible, vulgar, arrogant man. So, as I ended up alongside him at the lights, I lent towards his half open window and asked "Are you always a tw@t or just when you're driving?" (saving the taxi driver he'd tried to intimidate the bother - he was getting out of his taxi to remonstrate with him as well). We then exchanged words for the entire time the lights were red (which, as some of you will know, is at least 40 years); it was bizarre, I didn't get personal at all (other than my opening remark) but his entire attack was based on class and income. He kept going on about how I was too poor to be able to afford a car, the lowest of the low on my two wheels, etc. He told me I was common, fat and fifty. Which made me laugh because one is quite obviously not true, one is so patently true and the final so patently not even vaguely true. I finally shut him up when I said 'Well, you're the one driving the poor man's Rover'.

When the lights changed he cut up several cars as he sped across from the lefthand, Embankment bound, lane to the right hand Westminster Bridge lane.

I took great delight in passing him 5 minutes later at the approach to Elephant and Castle roundabout.

Well done Cori, I'd have love to have been there for the Rover remark :-) I'd probably have also added a cheery wave as I passed him at E&C tho!
I've never understood why some drivers feel the need to drive like complete pr1cks other then the fact that they think they are invincible in their little tin boxes and so can act as such!

Sadly no SCR action for me today or for the next week as I need to get my mahusive laptop home today and it's rather uncomfortable to say the least to transport in my backpack and next week I'm on a training course near White City. Didn' want to take the bike there as I'm not familiar with the area enough yet and haven't been given the green light from the missus to do a reccy on the Sunday!

cjcp

UnworthyPapaLazaru wrote:

Bassjunkie/Snooks

This leaves me even more eager to join the road bike gang! Let me know how the weekend goes!

Cheers

Hang on! What's this?! You, don't, have, a road bike? :shock:

UnworthyPapaLazaru

cjcp wrote:

UnworthyPapaLazaru wrote:

Bassjunkie/Snooks

This leaves me even more eager to join the road bike gang! Let me know how the weekend goes!

Cheers

Hang on! What's this?! You, don't, have, a road bike? :shock:

Its true. But by building my speed and fitness on a bike not fit for purpose, when the time comes to stradle that road machine I will be invincible!!*

*or just slightly quicker/will feel like Im going quicker

:?

lost_in_thought

Roll up roll up...

Free long-haired scalp going this evening after work on the uxbridge road... free scalp, free scalp! Ideal for young girls to practice hair braiding, many other favourable qualities.

My personal trainer decided that we were doing legs in the gym today, and mine are now dead.

I think he's trying to scupper me after I challenged him to a road race - he teaches spinning classes and has just bought a SS... And I called him a girl for not going fixed... he's had his revenge now though... will be travelling home at approx. 6mph. :shock:

cjcp

UnworthyPapaLazaru wrote:

cjcp wrote:

UnworthyPapaLazaru wrote:

Bassjunkie/Snooks

This leaves me even more eager to join the road bike gang! Let me know how the weekend goes!

Cheers

Hang on! What's this?! You, don't, have, a road bike? :shock:

Its true. But by building my speed and fitness on a bike not fit for purpose, when the time comes to stradle that road machine I will be invincible!!*

*or just slightly quicker/will feel like Im going quicker

:?

Get on the road machine asap.

UnworthyPapaLazaru

You know, I have not even had a shot of a road bike!

And LiT, I was under the impression from the Fixie/gearing chat that you would have thighs like Chris Hoy and could handle this kind of punishment!!

lost_in_thought

UnworthyPapaLazaru wrote:

You know, I have not even had a shot of a road bike!

And LiT, I was under the impression from the Fixie/gearing chat that you would have thighs like Chris Hoy and could handle this kind of punishment!!

I wish! Stupid squat machine...

Actually, if we're going for anything Chris Hoy, I'll take... Chris Hoy!

cjcp

UnworthyPapaLazaru wrote:

You know, I have not even had a shot of a road bike!

Why's that?

UnworthyPapaLazaru

I dont own one! Most friends are on MTB's, those that arent have clipless pedals and there is no point having a shot without the shoes. I plan on a test ride or two before making a purchase.

Clever Pun

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

Sadly no SCR action for me today or for the next week as I need to get my mahusive laptop home today and it's rather uncomfortable to say the least to transport in my backpack and next week I'm on a training course near White City. Didn' want to take the bike there as I'm not familiar with the area enough yet and haven't been given the green light from the missus to do a reccy on the Sunday!

secretsam

Coriander wrote:

I finally shut him up when I said 'Well, you're the one driving the poor man's Rover'.

"Poor man's Rover"?

Wrath Rob

lost_in_thought wrote:

Roll up roll up...

Free long-haired scalp going this evening after work on the uxbridge road... free scalp, free scalp! Ideal for young girls to practice hair braiding, many other favourable qualities.

My personal trainer decided that we were doing legs in the gym today, and mine are now dead.

I think he's trying to scupper me after I challenged him to a road race - he teaches spinning classes and has just bought a SS... And I called him a girl for not going fixed... he's had his revenge now though... will be travelling home at approx. 6mph. :shock:

Avoid the Embankment and you might do alright! you know what will hapen though, you'll get overtaken and the shame will override any pain signals from your legs as you set off in persuit of your lost scalp