Silly commuting racing

biondino

It's the watercooler thread, the racing thread, and the gay dating thread it seems.

Seriously - the women on this forum are a lot less mimsy than most of the blokes. With your disdain for Heat and reality TV, well, you won't fit in exactly, but you can feel superior to most

Jen J

Gay dating thread? Interesting. Gay men or gay women? Although I'm neither so probably not much use to me...

I do like to feel superior. Although I've found that when you catapult over your handlebars in spectacular style it hurts less if you're a little less high and mighty

Brough back down to earth with a bit of a bump, you might say...

DonDaddyD

Happy Birthday ITBoffin.

Welcome Jen J and all other new people.

Corrie if that is you in your avatar I had you as being in your 20s :oops:

Biondino, personally I think the 'I look so gay, I'm clearly not gay look' is almost as chic as the I'm am absolute geek look - that I tend to rock... Superhero motif underwear is the future... next to garlic bread, naturally.

GregT if Greg66 grooming involves making me a better cyclist, teaching me how to put down a thick layer of Armageddon... no wait... it didn't read like this in my head....

Greg66 wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

I do feel kinda bad because you basically came in to put Greg T in his place having lectured me about that mediocre Cannonball film and Flash Gordon.

Don't think I've forgotten that for one second, young man.

That patch of road you "own"? I'm heading down there. Think of yourself as being under an eviction notice. :twisted:

You once wrote in this thread:

Greg66 wrote:

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

I think its fitting my retort should be:

DondaddyD wrote:

Now you may be a veteran, but that also means your old and I have youth on my side!

Don't injure something on the way down as you pick the gauntlet off the floor... lol :roll:

Sorry Greg66 as much as I like you and respect the sheer mythos around your legendary FCN Zero status. My lower FCN score means that your always a target and prey to me. The circle of life must be upheld!

Naturally, if you do scalp me I'll just shamelessly blame my bike and FCN score....

---

Anywho,

Cycle back home: Having dropped and wiggled my handlebars around (that's what the kids call it nowadays) I must have put an extra 2 - 3 mph on my bike. Sure I lowered the seat but a none fully stretched leg meant that I could put the hammer down even more for longer periods of time. I got to Clapham, was a little earlier than usual, 5.45pm, so I - and this is why I have come to the conclusion that I have no life - waited around for all the other commuters I know would be traveling back home at and after 6pm later... :shock:

True to form several guys/gals popped up at around 6pm at Clapham South train station on the way to Balham, friendly too as one girl (a lot of girls out today but I'll come to that....) smiled at me....

Down towards Balham I did loose a charge plug but pulled it back in the sprint between Balham train station and Tooting Bec. There were loads of cyclist I mean a good 8 - 10 in a chain and me out near the front. Too be honest whilst I could have been that pr*ck "that's purposely racing on a bike that you wouldn't club race on so why race now?" It was just nice to be holding 20mph taking over the slower riders and keeping up with the front chase group. Being in a gaggle of competent cyclist (most roadies) on a clear day is real nice place to be.

At the lights there was this girl with the most perfect definition in her legs, calf, thigh even her knee, when on tip toes so stretched, was perfect. Me, the guy on the bike next to me, the guy on the moped and the guy in the car couldn't help but stare too the point that we didn't notice the lights going green.

At Tooting Bec train station I turned left and I counted at least 6 cyclist heading towards Tooting Broadway, Colliers Wood and Wimbledon. Three cyclist including me turned left.

I need to hurry up and move to Wimbledon-ish with my girlfriend (that's the plan anyway) so that I can enjoy daily commutes like that hopefully everyday... - might sound naive but everyday on the way home more cyclists head in that direction home than go my way....

Such a nice commute home :P

Jen J

Hey DDD, I live in Wimbledon. Sadly I don't get to do that particular commute that you describe as I, um, also work in Wimbledon, about a mile away from home. :oops:

I usually go home via the scenic route though

Coriander

DonDaddyD wrote:

Corrie if that is you in your avatar I had you as being in your 20s :oops:

DDD, I love you.

No, seriously, I do.

Can I have your babies in the few years left to me?

biondino

Hey Jen and DDD, I went to school in Wimbledon for 10 years, can I join the club?

Jen J

I didn't go to school in Wimbledon for 10 years, does that mean I can't join the club?

Anyway, Putney practically *is* Wimbledon

DonDaddyD

U'all are too posh for me. I went to school in South Norwood, it was ranked third from bottom and they've since torn it down! I was kinda hoping they'd turn it into something useful like a Tesco's but I think Harris Tech has simply bought it out.

Anywho yes Binodino you can join the club! That or you and Jen can have your own Putney club....

Jen is cycling around Wimbledon nice, anytime I've been there in car the cars seem to go awfully fast but the roads feel flat and smooth. Top marks for cycling to work though, distance no matter how short or far shouldn't deter someone from riding a bike - unless they work next door to where they worked or literally above the shop....

:oops: Corrie :oops: I'm honored (and stunned given how bad my grammar and spelling is/can be I'm half expecting you to have a field day with me... which in and of itself might actually be fun... in a masochist sort of way.... :twisted: ). Though I'm curious about whether I can reach BassJunkie's levels of fertility (seriously you can literally see the aura of fertility around him....) I love my girlfriend I'm afraid... and wouldn't disrespect you both by sharing a night of wanton-carnal-ravenous-passionate-unforgiving-unrepentant-sinful-rampant-hard-sex. 8)

Jen J

Posh? I'm originally from Croydon. Innit mate.

The 1 mile journey to work is frustrating, as it involves 11 sets of traffic lights

Roads seem a bit bumpy to me, but maybe I'm just in the wrong place.

I've only been biking for a few weeks, but I've been over to Richmond Park at weekends a couple of times, and it's a good 5 miles each way on quiet roads if I go early enough, and then it's as many 6 mile laps as I want once I'm there.

biondino

Woah.

I discovered the other day my school was the best in the country at A-Levels and equivalent! Weren't when I were there.

DonDaddyD

Jen J wrote:

Posh? I'm originally from Croydon. Innit mate.

The 1 mile journey to work is frustrating, as it involves 11 sets of traffic lights

Roads seem a bit bumpy to me, but maybe I'm just in the wrong place.

I've only been biking for a few weeks, but I've been over to Richmond Park at weekends a couple of times, and it's a good 5 miles each way on quiet roads if I go early enough, and then it's as many 6 mile laps as I want once I'm there.

Wah Gwan!

I'm right by Croydon, Norbury to be exact!

Been meaning to get myself over to Richmond Park probably will do when I move to Wimbledon

Wrath Rob

I can't believe that I've been away for 6 hours and all hell has broken loose. I also can't believe that no-one has picked up on Gay69's post using a picture of 4 strapping young men in lycra to prove his point about manliness. I mean, come on! Just in case you missed it:

Gay69 wrote:

Right.

Enough of this. Red can be a very flattering colour.

See here, for example



I think's all that needs to be said.

Yes Greg, that was all that needed to be said

On other topics of the day, welcome to the new players - your lives have been changed for the better. Also, I'm 33, I can remember watching Cannonball Run and Smokey and the Bandit (come on, who needs to look that one up?) and live between Putney and Wimbledon, so can I be in both clubs?

biondino

Jen, DDD, I'll show you round Richmond park if you like! I am very near the bottom of the 3-lap times on the roadie thread

il_principe

biondino wrote:

Woah.

I discovered the other day my school was the best in the country at A-Levels and equivalent! Weren't when I were there.

KCS?

biondino

'Fraid so.

(p.s. Cori, come to Richmond Park too, okay?)

attica

God I love this thread.

to business.... ...ish

Heading out of town I turned on to a cycle path in order to cross the river without going on the scary dual (or should that be duel?) carriageway.

A group of cyclists were pottering along in front, I realised as they headed straight on past the bridge that there wasn't a deraileur between them. So, being a sociable chap, I pulled up next to them and said "hello", turns out they were all out for a quiet Thursday ride (not sure exactly why but the chap I spoke to was very emphatic about the fact that it was Thursday, glad he cleared that one up for me),

The group pulled out onto the road (Cumberland Road, think Embankment for yokels) and I got a good look at them all, fakengers to a man, Things I saw included:- rolled up trouser legs, white tyres and a model straight out of the window of the Bristol Evans, one of these.


Anyway it all got a little confusing here, I thought I was being sociable, I was chatting to the guy at the back who was obviously a newbie to the group. We pulled onto the road and started spooling up to speed, I noted the fact that I had probably the shortest GI there, but I moved up on the outside of the two fastest guys, enjoying the exuberance of speed, not really racing, then they all blew up, dropped backwards at such a speed it was like the Millenium Falcon dropping out of light speed, or Tom Cruise pulling that illegal move in his fighter plane so he could get home and start greasing up ready for a game of (strictly non-homoerotic, Tom is a man's man you know. Hang on that came out wrong, he's really butch, er, I mean he loves the laydees, honest) Beach Volleyball.

I looked back and there was a car up my arris, so I coasted for a bit, and the fixie gang had vanished, no idea why or whether they tried to tell me they were turning off.

My detour took me another mile before the next bridge where I could double back for home, still there are far worse nights to extend your ride home on. Hope this lovely weather holds til the weekend.

In other news, I'm up London way from the 12th to the 14th of November on a course, being held at a place on Old Street, what are the chances of me finding an hotel such that I can commute along the Embankment folks, recommendations please.

Oh and drinks at the Morpeth Arms on the 14th of November then? I'm looking forward to meeting one or two of you.

The Chingford Skinhead

DiggingDeeper wrote:

So no longer the new boy then...........................................I see another hopeful chalked up his first post (Its tough here, as I found out yesterday!), Welcome, not in manor I see, however you never know!!

Anyway...................43



That's not my thigh size either!

Where's the "top end" of Chingford?
:oops: Drat, I've been found out. My postcode is E4 but I didn't think anyone would have heard of Highams Park - and besides the Chingford Skinhead had a more familiar ring to the HP skinhead

Still haven't got used to this Board yet. Can anyone tell me how the PM system works. I have sent one but have no idea where to look to see if I ever got a reply :oops: :roll:

greg66_tri_v2.0

Wrath Rob wrote:

I can't believe that I've been away for 6 hours and all hell has broken loose. I also can't believe that no-one has picked up on Greg66-the-King-of-Awesome's post using a picture of 4 strapping young men in lycra to prove his point about manliness. I mean, come on! Just in case you missed it:

Greg66-the-King-of-Awesome wrote:

Right.

Enough of this. Red can be a very flattering colour.

See here, for example



I think's all that needs to be said.

Yes Greg, that was all that needed to be said

So, Rob, did you go all doe-eyed at that picture? Did it inhibit your higher brain functions? In particular the ones that enable you to count beyond four?

Five. Count them from left to right.

If you don't believe me, put a finger on them on your screen. You'll have a thumb left for the one on the end, I guarantee it.

F-I-V-E.

Now who's the Daddy? Eh? Who's the Daddy? 8)

greg66_tri_v2.0

Attica wrote:

In other news, I'm up London way from the 12th to the 14th of November on a course, being held at a place on Old Street, what are the chances of me finding an hotel such that I can commute along the Embankment folks, recommendations please.

You'll want a good warm up before you get to the Embankment. And a good night's sleep. Any of the cheap hotels around Heathrow should do you fine. It's a nice ride in from there. :twisted:

Attica wrote:

Oh and drinks at the Morpeth Arms on the 14th of November then? I'm looking forward to meeting one or two of you.

I think we're all away* that day.

**that may not be strictly true

DiggingDeeper

Hello to the Chingford Skinhead -- in answer to your question, 'The Top End' and it's not how multimap describes it

Sunday afternoon if you are 14 fat and spotty come and sing yer heart out at the Bull & Crown in North Chingford's premier karaoke bar. Failing that they will pretend to ban under 18's the rest of the week. I live a few doors down cleaning up the sick off my car as they all stagger home.

(er car, did I say that......I don't really use it, I have cobwebs on my wing mirrors)

Highams Park, good heavens you don't need to get off the big chain ring to get there! (the mere reference of big ring should get GregT going!!)

The mornings are a bit easier for me as I sweep majestically down the hill past Big Reg/Rons grave. I feel like joining em on the way back up though. I avoid Highams Park except when I am doing the nipper run on my dog of a hybrid with child seat. With a 6 year old on the back I gotta be +5 so you better watch out. I'll give her the camera so we can snap you as we breeze past.

If Jen J thought the last one was scary this one should top it.

Anyway back to your skinhead reference. Is it that you are attempting to oust some of the forums more seasoned vets by adopting a more streamlined demeanour or are you really Tebbits child/grandchild/great granchild [delete as age appropriate]. That was for the Sarf Londoners who are either too young (possibly not the case the way the stats are stacking up - Is it me or am I the oldest so far?) or if you are not into 80's politics. Talking of politics the next time IDS wanders down my road as he has a mind to do once in a while I will ask him if Mr Cameron indulges in 'The Game' when his bike isn't being stolen.

CS are you a Walthamstow bike shed regular or do you like to stretch your legs a little longer down the Seven Sisters road from time to time (I am assuming you work in the city/west end or the slums thereabouts, narrow minded possibly and a little presumptuous but hey..)

This note should have gone thursday night but a kindly gent advised me on 'Virgin 151 how can I not help you' that the northern london conurbation were having a technical problem. Virgin media (20MB my a*se) so it will go tomorrow some time.

Rock all to report on the bike front save some fat herbert decided to ignore my presence at a mini roundabout in Hoe Lane...Had just sailed past some old codger only to end up pulling a huge 160 degree skid 1 inch off aforementioned idiots bumper, but managed to keep it going. Caught up with him then did my mad cyclist impression by thumping on his window and hurling abuse.

What am I doing must go to bed...............Birmingham tomorrow so no 2 wheeled issues planned.

Bassjunkieuk

Blimey having spent the last 15 minutes catching up on all the posts since yesterday evening circa 5:15 when i stopped reading it's certainly made me feel a bit better!
Lets start with last night and work from there. Had not so much as a bean (as has been usual for the last week) on my way home when suddenly as I'm approaching one of the nice fast stretches I spot a guy heading across the junction with aero bars :-) Upon closer inspection I discovered that it was a rather nice carbon Scott and the rider was in full lycra and no backpack, so a couple of points above me by my quick reckoning!

We join the road that runs along Mitcham Common but my fellow cyclist seems to ignore the cycle path and chooses to instead antagonize the mini 4*4 behind us. I think "I'll leave him to pi55 the driver off, I'm gonna concentrate on getting the awesome down!"
He obviously either was a cr4p cyclist or in "active recovery" as he didn't put up anything like the chase I was hoping for, eventually arriving at the lights about 3/4-1 mile down the road about 25 seconds after me, still on the RHS of traffic!

Anyhow rest of the journey was fairly rububish which brings me to this morning. Had a bit of a "todo" with the other half and so left the house rather irrate this morning. Seemed to be gunning it everywhere (which was good) but had 3 cars pull out in front of me (2 didn't even stop once they could see me) within 3 miles so maybe it wasn't all good!
Did manage to average 17.2mph tho which is PB for this site and as it's my longest ride (13.25miles) I was fairly happy!

Just thought I'd chip in with the local thing, I also went to a "failing" school in lovely Croydon, which has since been rebuilt and holds on the largest computer fair in the south every fortnight!

As for DDD aura comment it's funny it comes up now as a couple of days this week I have arrived at work and whilst chaining my bike up the sun has just caught me right as I can see the "steam" coming off my arms from where I'm so hot, looks really cool!

attica

Greg66 wrote:

F-I-V-E.

I think you'll find that the chap second from the left is somewhat less than - ahem - strapping

Greg T

Attica wrote:

I think you'll find that the chap second from the left is somewhat less than - ahem - strapping

Anyone picked up the team - "Polska"

Poland.



Geddit

Oh come on - do I have to spell it out for you

Pole-land

got it now?

Jaysus!

DonDaddyD

Biondino would love a to join you on a cycle around Richmond, can't do this weekend however. In fact we should open this up to everyone, the more the merrier! But not necessarily one of those critical mass thingys... just a friendly cycle ride between like-minded-online-cycling-buddies.

If this takes off it combined with traditional friday 'Mopeth Arms drinks' (which I've yet to attend) might even qualify us as an informal cycling group.... all we need now is matching cycling kits. I suggest that Greg66 doesn't pick the colour 'iridescent-cinnamon' (or dark shade of orange - because to me they mostly amount to the same thing) is not a colour....

attica

@ GT

Groan...

Like Bianchi T, that was laboured.

(now you'll tell me Mrs T had a C section)

ride_whenever

One thing, I borrowed my GF's road bike this morning as we need both her bikes at mine this weekend. Top speed 39.4 MPH, in jeans and with flats. Needless to say, no-one scalped me...

DonDaddyD

ride_whenever wrote:

One thing, I borrowed my GF's road bike this morning as we need both her bikes at mine this weekend. Top speed 39.4 MPH, in jeans and with flats. Needless to say, no-one scalped me...

Was this on a flat road? What deity blessed road bike does she have?

attica

Nothing to report Game-wise this morning, but chapeau to the chap who just rode through central Bristol with an unladen trailer attached to the back of his hybrid.

It was bouncing around like mad, must be quite unnerving for him.
He was still putting out a reasonable pace though.

Wrath Rob

Greg66 wrote:

So, Rob, did you go all doe-eyed at that picture? Did it inhibit your higher brain functions? In particular the ones that enable you to count beyond four?

Five. Count them from left to right.

If you don't believe me, put a finger on them on your screen. You'll have a thumb left for the one on the end, I guarantee it.

F-I-V-E.

Now who's the Daddy? Eh? Who's the Daddy? 8)

Ahh the merry banter continues! What I am worried about here is that you have spent some considerable time lovingly gazing at that picture. Personally, I quickly looked at it, found nothing of interest and moved on. I also note that you attacked my ability to count rather than refuted the suggestiong relating to you and the several young men

And its a very kind offer, but as I don't swing your way I won't be engaging in your father/son roleplay anticts either :P

ride_whenever

DonDaddyD wrote:

ride_whenever wrote:

One thing, I borrowed my GF's road bike this morning as we need both her bikes at mine this weekend. Top speed 39.4 MPH, in jeans and with flats. Needless to say, no-one scalped me...

Was this on a flat road? What deity blessed road bike does she have?

Down headington hill in oxford, maybe 500m long. Bested her top speed of 33mph (which will really piss her off) I arrived at the lab and found her tyres were really soft (almost rolled them off the rim going round a roundabout) so hopefully I can break 40mph some other time.