Silly commuting racing

prj45

I can imagine you lot tomorrow on your "not a race".

You'll start off pootling around, chatting to each other, switching places.

Then somebody will be drafting somebody else on an incline, go round them as they "could be going a little faster"; that somebody else will take them and again, then you'll be trying to drop each other on the flat, gears will be dropped, chains tightened, sweat starting to run into your arse crack, you'll bend down into your drops, sprinting for Sheen gate which will be closed becuase it's after dark and you'll all end up having a big knackered bad tempered FIGHT!

Best black eye on Monday morning get's a Mars Bar.

Bassjunkieuk

Thought I'd just try and steer us roughly back OT for a change :-)
The ride home last night was actually a bit busier then I expected, with most of the bike traffic going the wrong bl00dy way!
The highlight of it all was a guy on a Pearson Touche (a bit far out for JA!) down near Morden Park Hall. I caught up with him as we filtered down the middle of 2 lanes of slow moving traffic and we went our seperate ways at the lights.

DId have 2 other positives from the ride tho. Due to a slight route change I saved 1/4 mile - not a huge saving but the change of route was welcome!
The other was the kind gent who pulled forward at the lights to let me through alongside him. Initially when I pulled up there wasn't enough room for me to get between him and the car in the next lane. I was quite happy to sit in behind him as I was only 2 cars from the front (one car was stranded in front of the stop line, was minor to major junction). He pulled forward and to the right so I pulled up just ahead of him and gave him a thumbs up :-) It was really nice that a) he noticed me and b) he moved to let me through!

lazymedievalist

I started commuting about a month ago on a rusty hybrid I bought from a friend who had to move to Bratislava in a hurry.* It's a feeble 14 mile round trip from Streatham to Greenwich, but as it's the only exercise I've done for about five years other than running for buses, it's taking a while to get used to. Because I don't go to/from central London I usually only see proper cyclists occasionally (as they're overtaking me), but the New Cross/Peckham part of the route is fairly rich in half-asleep undergraduates who go even slower than me when they aren't jumping red lights.

Anyway, to the point: I've worked out my FCN, using the calculator, as 11. I have some questions, though. What's the modifier for the fact that the rear mudguard is held up with string and that there's something wrong with the gears that means I can't use the top 6? Is my FCN actually so high that it will be physically impossible to truly scalp me until I can afford to get some repairs done on the crapmobile, as I (not so) fondly refer to it?

* To teach English, not, sadly, to escape a hit put on her by an international drug-running cartel and/or other exciting background.

The Chingford Skinhead

lazymedievalist wrote:

I started commuting about a month ago on a rusty hybrid I bought from a friend who had to move to Bratislava in a hurry.* It's a feeble 14 mile round trip from Streatham to Greenwich, but as it's the only exercise I've done for about five years other than running for buses, ...

Hey, nothing feeble about any distance on a bike - and 14 miles is pretty good. You're on the bike and enjoying it (imagine how much more you'll enjoy it when you get the thing patched up).

Jay dubbleU

Actually I'm having problems working out my FCN - when my bike (finally) arrives it will be a Giant Escape M2 - frame and wheels are MTB but with no suspension, tyres are slicks run at 80 psi, cassette 11/32 chainset 28-38-48 - so is it an MTB on skinnies or a fast hybrid?

DiggingDeeper

LazyMed & jUU

I am also new to the game (not strictly true - I am new to the website - huge difference)and due to the lack of the usual forum people being too knackered or too hammerred due to excessive Hampton Park shennanigins earlier today I'll step up to the the plate and give my opinion.

The web site FCN calculator will give you a realistic value to within +- 1 I reckon, thereafter it is on your own conscience. I am flying solo here, I have liitle cred on the website but I am out there and will race yuh if encountered FCN 4/3 so its really your call on the old FCN......

Tommorow morning you will have to make a judgement - cycle or bottle it. Its a call we all have to make to make. Have I got the fanciest Cervelo ala Greg66, site racing snake, or a welded SGB scaffolded folding herbert bike piloted by the fattest pie eating monster known to man (possibly me but hopefully not quite).

Do not go thro the tick list of how rotten my transport medium is to get that that huge overtaking score- its the motor that counts. Give it your best and ultimately who gives a toss. The people that scalp you will be elated, but if you are out there giving it your best then fair enough in my book.

I've got a bike Mr Hawkins would be proud of and I have a bike Mr Armstrong won Le Tour on. I ride like MR Hawkins on LA's bike and vice versa at times. Lets not get hung up on the technology. It's a zoo out there and we all have off days.

Should you have beaten him/her or not? No excuses just straight Yes/No Thats the call, no my bike has blah this, blah that wrong with it.

Just for reference and a heads up to the Chingford Skinhead..I will be on the on the Hawkins monster tomorrow. Blow into the bag sir issues with any other form of transport I reckon.

Mr Wrath............................Keeping it real with SCR, respect (will endeavour to give full details of SCR related achievements tomorrow)

For those who wish to train/whatever HogHill.co.uk. Took a punt over there on Saturday (Olympics bulldozered Leyton's Eastway stadium for new stadia and velodrome - this is its replacement - Hainualt) I loved it but my daughter said it all. Whined all way from swimming lessons about going to Daddy's nonsense only to go to wanting a new bike and wanting to ride around the track/mtb circuit there and then when she saw it.

Moday commute, come on..............As for the Embankment peleton, could be a few scalps tommorrow due to under performance due to excessive training, or beers I reckon. There would be at least 10 pages on the site otherwise.

Bristle and Edinburgh - don't sweat it, you have as much chance as greasing one of those embankment types as I have and I live in North London. This aint regional, it's personal..........................

Digging Deeper

The Chingford Skinhead

DiggingDeeper wrote:

...

Just for reference and a heads up to the Chingford Skinhead..I will be on the on the Hawkins monster tomorrow. Blow into the bag sir issues with any other form of transport I reckon.

Hi again - I replied to your earlier post a few pages back - but your earlier post was about 271 - I wanted to get the regulars dope tested because they were all clearly typing too fast.

I shall be on the hybrid tomorrow - though I managed to get the Ribble roadie out for a proper road test this morning, having adjusted the seat to take some pressure off the arms - still probably need to raise the handlebars slightly but need the LBS to do that for me :oops:

Anyhow - got to Chingford mount eventually and thought about heading home when I remeber your mention of the hill so, like a fool, I went for it. Good god it's steep and as I'm unfamiliar with the gears I went the wrong way when it got tough by going down on the chairn ring. The crest of the hill past the cemetary was a thing to behold until I remembered - all too late - that there was only a very slight dip before it climbed again! I scalped nobody but nobody scalped me (i managed to distract the 3 year old on the trike by throwing sweets behind me (is that technically cheating?). Going to have to use the Ribble for a commute soon but tomorrow I'm dragging the laptop and 200 lbs of books back to work

Bassjunkieuk

TCS, I'm vaguely familiar with Chingford Mount as my gran used to live over there and we used to visit her when I was younger. I think at one point her and my grandfather where actually Mayor and Mayoress, but that would have been back in the late 80's!

My only sniff of competition on my FCN radar today turned out to be asleep or in active recovery as they just didn't have any omph (Maybe it's cos Monday??) - spotted him from a way back then as I approached I spotted the drop handlebars. I was holding back to wait for my attack but got impatient and overtook him before one of the double mini-roundabouts I have to tackle!

I did manage to hold off a Royal Mail van as I came down from the crossroads that lead to Tolworth towards Surbiton High Street.

Wrath Rob

All I'm going to say about this morning's ride is that active recovery sucks. No scalps taken or given but I had a couple of close calls. I swear those MTBs are getting faster. Or am I getting slower?

Greg T

Right.

I've had a road to Damascas type moment.

It wasn't Damascas by the way it was the Road to Canary Wharf, specifically it was the speed testing area of the Blackfriars underpass, 300m of smooth, flat, wind free bike speed testing laboratory.

Now I'm feeling good this morning and whilst my fixed 48 18 gearing isn't going to blister any paintwork anytime soon when I'm spooled up to 110 -120 rpm I'm pushing on 23 mph / 36 kmh. Now this isn't VERY fast but it will keep me out of trouble in the majority of cases.....

So I use the downramp under Blackfriars bridge to spin up, cream a hairy roadie as he runs out of juice on the up swing just before the tunnel starts and I hit the big red spin button to enagage the pain generators and make the world go backwards. No traffic - ideal.

I spin up to circa 120 rpm and am feeling good, smooth - BAM.

I get done by a dude of a road bike as if I was stood still. He must have had 6 mph on me, pushing on 30 mph. I was executed, mafia style by a faceless assasin.

Now even if I had my MTFU labs approved 16 cog on the back that would only have bought me 2 mph or so and I'd still have been done like Jude Law's Nanny at interview.

So then - I propose that the same dude on a road bike would scalp himself on a singlie any day of the week - therefore - Siblings we must consider the final demotion of the Proper Singlie to beneath that of Road Bike (Hairy)......

Top of the tree would therefore be occupied by Roadieladyboys and proper hairy roadies.......

Discuss

UnworthyPapaLazaru

I shouldnt have been on the bike this morning. Still drunk from last night.

The Fall. What a band.

biondino

Greg, I agree with you and always have, though demote the fast singlies and I'll have no-one to scalp ever I thought I saw a shaved roadie today but it was a girl. She was quite quick too but it felt like an unchivalrous scalping. And it was all I got.

Wrath Rob

Greg, you said it yourself:

M

T

F

U

(Ducks and runs for cover!)

cjcp

Greg T wrote:

I get done by a dude of a road bike as if I was stood still. He must have had 6 mph on me, pushing on 30 mph. I was executed, mafia style by a faceless assasin.

Now even if I had my MTFU labs approved 16 cog on the back that would only have bought me 2 mph or so and I'd still have been done like Jude Law's Nanny at interview.

So then - I propose that the same dude on a road bike would scalp himself on a singlie any day of the week - therefore - Siblings we must consider the final demotion of the Proper Singlie to beneath that of Road Bike (Hairy)......

Top of the tree would therefore be occupied by Roadieladyboys and proper hairy roadies.......

Discuss

Greg T - 30mph is normal on a bike with gears along that stretch. Singlies should be pushed down the FC. Makes it more fun. :twisted:

Greg T

Wrath Rob wrote:

Greg, you said it yourself:

M

T

F

U

(Ducks and runs for cover!)

It's not a question of effort it's a question of spinning.....

"She cannae take it Cap'n" said my Chief Engineer Scotty in my head, "I cannae change the laws of Physics"....

cjcp

Greg T wrote:

Wrath Rob wrote:

Greg, you said it yourself:

M

T

F

U

(Ducks and runs for cover!)

It's not a question of effort it's a question of spinning.....

"She cannae take it Cap'n" said my Chief Engineer Scotty in my head, "I cannae change the laws of Physics"....

But Capt Kirk always found a way round it. In this case, that would be to procure the proper gearing.

Bassjunkieuk

cjcp wrote:

Greg T wrote:

I get done by a dude of a road bike as if I was stood still. He must have had 6 mph on me, pushing on 30 mph. I was executed, mafia style by a faceless assasin.

Now even if I had my MTFU labs approved 16 cog on the back that would only have bought me 2 mph or so and I'd still have been done like Jude Law's Nanny at interview.

So then - I propose that the same dude on a road bike would scalp himself on a singlie any day of the week - therefore - Siblings we must consider the final demotion of the Proper Singlie to beneath that of Road Bike (Hairy)......

Top of the tree would therefore be occupied by Roadieladyboys and proper hairy roadies.......

Discuss

Greg T - 30mph is normal on a bike with gears along that stretch. Singlies should be pushed down the FC. Makes it more fun. :twisted:

Very true, I think I hit 30+ on each pass through the underpass on the FW, so there is only really one solution, asides from running something bigger then 48*16:

"gears are the way forward......" sorry I couldn't resist!

il_principe

I've long thought us SS riders should be bumped down the list, the reality is that we'll never be as fast as proper geared Roadies. CJ could have done me up like a kipper when we met on Embankment the other day, him on gears me on SS. Of course he's a gentleman so he didn't, but I'm well aware of how much faster I am geared and frankly I'm amazed that I don't get scalped all the time by gearied roadies - it's actually only happened once which shows how slow many commuters are...

Of course i'm on the bl00dy bus today thanks to poorly timed meetings, grrrrr.

Totalnewbie

Some bloke on a hybrid was trying to scalp me, bless him, but at every lights he struggled with his spds, so he was unsuccessful.

I also scalped a girl on either a fixie or SS. I caught her at the lights and gave chase; we came to a line of traffic and she chose to filter down the inside, I went down the outside and soon got in front.

She eventually caught me at some lights and wasn't happy, esp as I had the lead on a small incline going over the railway at Victoria (what with gears and all). We came to some traffic at a red light and she launched herself into a tiny gap in between vans and lorries. Well, I don't do stuff that I consider dangerous, and being the meat in a van/lorry sandwich doesn't appeal, so I left her to it, especially given recent events.

Greg T

Wise words TN...

Filtering Don't count as it encourages nobbish behaviour. Best wait until the range is clear before unloading the big guns.

mjac

Morning everybody I’ve been reading and laughing for a while now and thought I would say hello
I have been commuting by bike for about 4 months now 18 mile round trip from Chertsey to Windsor and its getting cold and wet and frankly a-lot less appealing so to maintain my motivation (and as a good excuse for a new toy), I am considering a move up the FCN list by changing my FCN 13 MTB with slicks (+pannier + baggies + beard + flats) to a FCN 11(I think) tourer/cyclocross with mudguards (+pannier + baggies + beard + flats) having never ridden a drop bar Bike before I am throwing myself on the mercy and superior knowledge of my betters and asking some questions.
1) Will the cyclocross count as a road FCN9 or a tourer FCN11 if I fit the mud guards?
2) Will it make a difference or am I just lining myself up to be scalped by even more people?
3) Why do I get an extra point for having a beard ?
4) Why (as a rational man) would anybody choose to shave their legs?
5) When will car drivers start noticing the frankly rather fat, 6’2”, exceptionally hairy, luminous yellow clad, sweaty, panting man on the bike in front of them and stop trying to kill me?!?!?!
Wow I had more to ask than I thought and a bit of a rant too sorry I now kneel in the presence of my superiors and await their judgement.

lost_in_thought

Greg T wrote:

Wise words TN...

Filtering Don't count as it encourages nobbish behaviour. Best wait until the range is clear before unloading the big guns.

Yeah, safety over scalping, definitely. Don't think it counts as a scalp though TN, it has to be on open road, and I don't think filtering counts...

As for moving single speeds down the FCN, I have to say it makes sense. However, if that does transpire, could I perhaps buy a billboard on the Uxbridge road to tell all the other riders to MTFU so I can actually have some competition?

Nobody wanted to play today

dafruk

Greg T wrote:

Wise words TN...

Filtering Don't count as it encourages nobbish behaviour. Best wait until the range is clear before unloading the big guns.

Or to cry off over spinning out...

Surely there is a lower SS category, it's called Fakengers

Greg T

dafruk wrote:

Or to cry off over spinning out...

Surely there is a lower SS category, it's called Fakengers

This is my point.....

Even high end singlies can't live with the equivalent roadie...

It's only because so many roadies don't push on that the thinking that top end singlies were rapid developed.

Bar nine foot tall blue Ribble massive guy singlie God 30 MPH on one cog hero who is just proper stupid rapid all other singlies do spin out and get snaffled by competent roadies....

Also don't think I didn't notice your "cry off" comment, I'm waiting sunshine, waiting and watching , oh yes. Like a panther. Oh Yes.

Bassjunkieuk

Cor blimey, so first we had beers, then talk of a SCR club and kit and then an organized (?) ride over the weekend.

Now we have players suggesting we buy advertising space :-) Surely this goes against the "not trying" rule? Having said this a nice n simple black on white billboard with "MTFU" in huge 15ft tall letters would look awesome - We could even get one of those electronic ones, fit trackers to all the players and display rankings!

Greg T

mjac wrote:

Morning everybody I’ve been reading and laughing for a while now and thought I would say hello
I have been commuting by bike for about 4 months now 18 mile round trip from Chertsey to Windsor and its getting cold and wet and frankly a-lot less appealing so to maintain my motivation (and as a good excuse for a new toy), I am considering a move up the FCN list by changing my FCN 13 MTB with slicks (+pannier + baggies + beard + flats) to a FCN 11(I think) tourer/cyclocross with mudguards (+pannier + baggies + beard + flats) having never ridden a drop bar Bike before I am throwing myself on the mercy and superior knowledge of my betters and asking some questions.
1) Will the cyclocross count as a road FCN9 or a tourer FCN11 if I fit the mud guards?
2) Will it make a difference or am I just lining myself up to be scalped by even more people?
3) Why do I get an extra point for having a beard ?
4) Why (as a rational man) would anybody choose to shave their legs?
5) When will car drivers start noticing the frankly rather fat, 6’2”, exceptionally hairy, luminous yellow clad, sweaty, panting man on the bike in front of them and stop trying to kill me?!?!?!
Wow I had more to ask than I thought and a bit of a rant too sorry I now kneel in the presence of my superiors and await their judgement.

Mjac, welcome.

You pose a number of questions.....

1, My head hurts trying to work out your bike score, take the higher and MTFU if you are getting predated - the big question is did you die a little inside when that toddler on a trike dropped you in the park.
2, They'll scalp you anyway, the number is just a rough indicator - your inner scoreboard will keep you honest.
3, You like folk music and wear sandals with socks - ergo beard +1
4, Don't ask me, ask the RoadieLadyBoys
5, Get a herman safety lollipop and flag?

jedster

I'm going to challenge the emerging (and frankly shameful) consensus that fixies should be pushed down below hairy roadies.

Obviously a fixie should be slower than a geared road-bike under normal conditions but the point is that by CHOOSING fixed or SS you are making a statement about your cycling prowess, insider knowledge and general too-cool-for-schoolness. In the terms of The Game you are saying "I can still mix it with you lot on greared bikes despite the handicap". It's this presumption that leaves you vulnerable to scalping by unshowy, pragmatic hairy roadies.

(another illustration, although there is no official FCN penalty, I think we all know that if you pass someone who is wearing sidi road shoes, you have earned a scalp. The shoes certainly don't make them faster but if you're going to make a statement...)

Given I ride both a road bike (in a hairy fashion) and a SS everyday (although not simultaneously) I feel like I'm an impatial observer here.

So to summarise, stop wingeing and MTFU.

J

Kieran_Burns

jedster wrote:

I'm going to challenge the emerging (and frankly shameful) consensus that fixies should be pushed down below hairy roadies.

Obviously a fixie should be slower than a geared road-bike under normal conditions but the point is that by CHOOSING fixed or SS you are making a statement about your cycling prowess, insider knowledge and general too-cool-for-schoolness. In the terms of The Game you are saying "I can still mix it with you lot on greared bikes despite the handicap". It's this presumption that leaves you vulnerable to scalping by unshowy, pragmatic hairy roadies.

(another illustration, although there is no official FCN penalty, I think we all know that if you pass someone who is wearing sidi road shoes, you have earned a scalp. The shoes certainly don't make them faster but if you're going to make a statement...)

Given I ride both a road bike (in a hairy fashion) and a SS everyday (although not simultaneously) I feel like I'm an impatial observer here.

So to summarise, stop wingeing and MTFU.

J

Indeed or else why would you get +1 for wearing kit? Or wrap-arounds.

You are standing (sitting) there saying "I am making a statement" (in case of shaven legged types that statement is: "come and get me big boy" but I digress)

This is why I prefer the obscurity of mudguards, flatbars, baggies and the like. I am a coward and proud.

lost_in_thought

jedster wrote:

I'm going to challenge the emerging (and frankly shameful) consensus that fixies should be pushed down below hairy roadies.

Obviously a fixie should be slower than a geared road-bike under normal conditions but the point is that by CHOOSING fixed or SS you are making a statement about your cycling prowess, insider knowledge and general too-cool-for-schoolness. In the terms of The Game you are saying "I can still mix it with you lot on greared bikes despite the handicap". It's this presumption that leaves you vulnerable to scalping by unshowy, pragmatic hairy roadies.

(another illustration, although there is no official FCN penalty, I think we all know that if you pass someone who is wearing sidi road shoes, you have earned a scalp. The shoes certainly don't make them faster but if you're going to make a statement...)

Given I ride both a road bike (in a hairy fashion) and a SS everyday (although not simultaneously) I feel like I'm an impatial observer here.

So to summarise, stop wingeing and MTFU.

J

Much as I usually support all calls that people MTFU, I don't ride a fixed gear for any reason other than simplicity - not trying to mix it with the big boys, that's involuntary .

And I don't think I count as showy.... I wouldn't know a sidi shoe if I fell over it!

dafruk

Indeed a return to the true spirit of SCR is required.

You know when you have been scalped, you know when a scalp isn't really a scalp and finally you know whether you appeared to be trying or not.

Everything else is just categories to help the week minded justify their rampant statistics lust.