Silly commuting racing

Kieran_Burns

I had a great SCR incident this morning.

Last stretch into work: the rain was pouring, the glasses were misting, and I was sniffing. I was however tanking along at 19 (yeah, yeah I know shaddap up bleeding drop bar types) in 5th (I think it is a 48/17 on 700s), just get to the end of the cycle path and I see a fully lycrad roadie go whizzing past on the road ahead


"Ohhhh" thinks I, "I wonder if I can match that pace?"

I get onto the road and he's gone! I wasn't THAT slow.... Ah hah!!! the prey has cheated and leapt across the road and onto the path to miss the HUGE roundabout.

Made of sterner stuff (well actually, it's SAFER on the roundabout if you're turning right) I step up a gear (downhill entrance) and pedal around.

I look up and he's managed to jump across the traffic and is ahead of me still!

Right, let me see.... lycra. SHAVEN legs, and what's this??? SS!!! Woohoo!!! You're mine now bitch.

Keeping in 6th I stand on the pedals and narrow the 150 yard lead he has - now holding 23 on the flat and closing. Only damn it! End of the road stretch and he's seen me. Those little legs of his start to blur. God only knows what gear he's using 'cos you can't SEE his feet!

I realise - he is Leonides, this is Thermopylae, *I* am Xerxes. No, worse - he is Gandalf - I am the Balrog and this Moria "YOU SHALL NOT PASS".

Balls to that. I step up the cadence, now holding 25 on the flat and closing again. His arm sticks out and he pops out into the middle of the road without looking for the roundabout coming up. A CLEAR sign of desparation. He's seen the hairy legs, he's seen the mudguards, the panniers, the FLAT BARS. He is panicking. I. Smell. Your. Fear.

There's a lorry behind me - i need to pull out for the roundabout ahead, i look behind me, sit up and make eye contact with the driver, my arm goes out. He acknowledges and changing the hand to a thumbs up I smile and pull out.

Disaster!!!! My road sense has lost my speed - now down to 19 again and the SS guy is on the roundabout and away.

Off the saddle. Speed up - flick a look to the left - clear entrance for joining traffic. the lorry behind me is accelerating to match me. I blast (ahem) onto to the roundabout and swing over, straight back behind the blurring SS roadie type. Speed is now at 24 and I'm there.

Oh, Sod. Work. I have to slow. I let him go. My victory is not complete, but I know you now, and you will be mine. Oh Yes.

ride_whenever

I had an interesting commute into the lab this morning. I decided for a change to ride my silly little bike (see below), now I don't have a picture of my on it, but let's just say it is very silly and very small, but very fun to ride...

I think the FCN for it is around 12! and I scapled, whilst pedalling standing up (because i can't pedal sitting down because the saddle is waaaaaaaaaaaay too low), a singlespeed, of the dirty functional variety...

Just to make sure he knew I really wasn't trying I bunnyhopped over the sppedbump as I overtook him and sped off into the distance.

However, Thor clearly was not pleased with my jumpbike shinnanegans (sp) cos cycling through a passage to the lab i completely washed out in front of two pedestrians...

biondino

cjcp wrote:

And a falling leaf hit me in the face.

Oh mate, are you okay? I've always dreaded that happening to me when I'm on the roads. I reckon the risk is a large part of why many people are too scared to commute on a bike.

You look after yourself, okay?

Newbury chap

itboffin wrote:

Newbury chap wrote:

Newbury Chap, hereafter NBC (get it? mask in nine etc etc) did you sneer at the old Lady as you went by and then barge in in front?



Hey Greg

I have always thought one should respect your elders so I let her be today. Then of course, she did not look averse to carrying a pocket full of tacks for tomorrows duel. Its slim pickings out here.

Oh to be in the city....

Greetings from windy Wiltshire NBC and welcome to the SCR, I use various stretches of the country lanes from Hungerford to Newbury for training erm! fun rides, care to post your exact route to work and timetable, so that I can make sure we don't accidentally bump into each other, dum dee dum!!! :twisted:

Good Morning ITBOFFIN

Newbury Road Club often goes out to Marlborough on Sundays if that is anywhere close to you, I imagine you use the A4? It would be good to see your route if you dont mind, I know the back roads are quite something in that part of the world.

I am terribly embarrassed to say my commute is a mere 1.3 miles :oops: (you can think of it as a morning blast rather than a commute). I hit Newtown road at about 0815 and reach Northbrook street within five minutes pending on the traffic. I may have to get one of those garmin things to race myself... http://www.mapmyrun.com/route/united-ki ... 5835819979

Go safe dudes...

Greg T

ride_whenever wrote:

However, Thor clearly was not pleased with my jumpbike shinnanegans (sp) cos cycling through a passage to the lab i completely washed out in front of two pedestrians...

That is a silly little bike and no mistaking.

Also, unless I am wrong (and I very rarely am) Sommerville is a Girl's College.

girv73

itboffin wrote:

The beard must be a conscious effort not a I couldn't be arsed to shave stubble type of affair.

It's a proper beard alright, small but perfectly formed. The 'cant be arsed' comes in because it saves me shaving that part of my face (you have no idea of the depths of my laziness). I also usually don't shave except at weekends so I've an almost full face beard thing going on by Friday.



Think I might just award myself the point anyway.

il_principe

biondino wrote:

cjcp wrote:

And a falling leaf hit me in the face.

Oh mate, are you okay? I've always dreaded that happening to me when I'm on the roads. I reckon the risk is a large part of why many people are too scared to commute on a bike.

You look after yourself, okay?

Yeah condolences mate, those leaves can be brutal. I hope it wasn't a wet leaf; they're simply hateful

girv73

@Kieran_Burns: I think you're trying too hard for that to count as a scalp, what with the standing up on pedals and whatnot. Or does that rule only apply as you pass, but anything goes when you're playing catch-up?

Nothing for me on the way in, and I was feeling fast after finally pumping my tyres up to a proper pressue (not 17psi like they were) All I encountered was a lady cyclist - MTB, (oh-so) tight jeans, flats and a chain with more squeak than a slowly contracting box of mice. I passed her up the hill and bid her good morning, then was gone. That's not ungentlemanly, right?

snooks

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

I really do hate that fine rain, as others who wear glasses to allow them to see beyond their front wheel will I'm sure be aware, it just sticks to them and you can barely see a damn thing!

One reason I only used to commute when the weather was dry ....Then I got contacts and lost my excuse

Seriously, in rain and drizzle contacts are the only way to see without glasses 8)

Jen J

jashburnham wrote:

biondino wrote:

cjcp wrote:

And a falling leaf hit me in the face.

Oh mate, are you okay? I've always dreaded that happening to me when I'm on the roads. I reckon the risk is a large part of why many people are too scared to commute on a bike.

You look after yourself, okay?

Yeah condolences mate, those leaves can be brutal. I hope it wasn't a wet leaf; they're simply hateful

I didn't realise a falling leaf was a regular hazard of commuting. Why didn't somebody warn me?

girv73

jashburnham wrote:

biondino wrote:

cjcp wrote:

And a falling leaf hit me in the face.

Oh mate, are you okay? I've always dreaded that happening to me when I'm on the roads. I reckon the risk is a large part of why many people are too scared to commute on a bike.

You look after yourself, okay?

Yeah condolences mate, those leaves can be brutal. I hope it wasn't a wet leaf; they're simply hateful

Should we open condolence book for the Great Leaf Disaster ? I think it would be a nice gesture for the family.

Clever Pun

Reading back into the annuls of battle I'm inclined to agree with Greg T about SS and fixed not being as fast as roadies

Any 1/2 decent geared bike with a rider worth their salt should be able to take a F/SS there will be exceptions of course but if I'm on my road bike I fly past people I struggle to pass on the fixed and also couriers are easy to drop on the open road... with gears

I took a nice scalp yesterday: on the way to the westferry roundabout I notice the blinking lights of someone drafting me he then zipped in front of me at the entrance to the roundabout so I follow him through it knowing open road lies ahead... no place to hide. So we hit the road down to the tunnel and he's spinning his little heart out getting up to 22 I decided the road is clear and it's time to pass I ramp it up and buzz past him but the little git caught my wheel and I see the light again... I hold the pace for a bit and ramp it up for the hill, up and over I go and he's way back in the distance... yeah

ride_whenever

Greg T wrote:

ride_whenever wrote:

However, Thor clearly was not pleased with my jumpbike shinnanegans (sp) cos cycling through a passage to the lab i completely washed out in front of two pedestrians...

That is a silly little bike and no mistaking.

Also, unless I am wrong (and I very rarely am) Sommerville is a Girl's College.

Greg, you are entirely wrong, Somerville was a girls college originally, but accepted men in the late 90's. There are now no female only colleges at oxford, although there are some men only ones.

Clever Pun

snooks wrote:

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

I really do hate that fine rain, as others who wear glasses to allow them to see beyond their front wheel will I'm sure be aware, it just sticks to them and you can barely see a damn thing!

One reason I only used to commute when the weather was dry ....Then I got contacts and lost my excuse

Seriously, in rain and drizzle contacts are the only way to see without glasses 8)

wear a cap... it shields the glasses

Kieran_Burns

girv73 wrote:

@Kieran_Burns: I think you're trying too hard for that to count as a scalp, what with the standing up on pedals and whatnot. Or does that rule only apply as you pass, but anything goes when you're playing catch-up?

I have a double figure FCN. I NEED all the help I can get :P

This guy was clearly trying when he saw what was behind him (Balrog, lava in the veins, HUGE fiery whip) so I figured I was perfectly justified in giving it some to catch him.

My cruising speed is generally 17-18mph, so peaking at 25 is not something to sniff at (and I had 3 more gears available, all the way to 48/11 on 700c: something I only EVER use on a good hill! :shock: )

cjcp

Clever Pun wrote:

snooks wrote:

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

I really do hate that fine rain, as others who wear glasses to allow them to see beyond their front wheel will I'm sure be aware, it just sticks to them and you can barely see a damn thing!

One reason I only used to commute when the weather was dry ....Then I got contacts and lost my excuse

Seriously, in rain and drizzle contacts are the only way to see without glasses 8)

wear a cap... it shields the glasses

Unfortunately, not all the time. A rse. :?

cjcp

girv73 wrote:

jashburnham wrote:

biondino wrote:

cjcp wrote:

And a falling leaf hit me in the face.

Oh mate, are you okay? I've always dreaded that happening to me when I'm on the roads. I reckon the risk is a large part of why many people are too scared to commute on a bike.

You look after yourself, okay?

Yeah condolences mate, those leaves can be brutal. I hope it wasn't a wet leaf; they're simply hateful

Should we open condolence book for the Great Leaf Disaster ? I think it would be a nice gesture for the family.

The impact damage was minor, but it caught me off guard, so shock and then post traumatic stress disorder kicked in.

snooks

cjcp wrote:

girv73 wrote:

jashburnham wrote:

biondino wrote:

cjcp wrote:

And a falling leaf hit me in the face.

Oh mate, are you okay? I've always dreaded that happening to me when I'm on the roads. I reckon the risk is a large part of why many people are too scared to commute on a bike.

You look after yourself, okay?

Yeah condolences mate, those leaves can be brutal. I hope it wasn't a wet leaf; they're simply hateful

Should we open condolence book for the Great Leaf Disaster ? I think it would be a nice gesture for the family.

The impact damage was minor, but it caught me off guard, so shock and then post traumatic stress disorder kicked in.

I got home last night, looked at my leg and thought I had some sort of flesh eating virus that was nibbling away at my skin as I rode home....then I noticed it was a leaf.

It could have been really serious :shock:

Greg T

ride_whenever wrote:

Greg, you are entirely wrong, Somerville was a girls college originally, but accepted men in the late 90's.

Like I said, Girl's College.

girv73

cjcp wrote:

The impact damage was minor, but it caught me off guard, so shock and then post traumatic stress disorder kicked in.

You poor, poor soul. You are clearly in need of counselling and a recuperative holiday, somewhere sunny and without falling leaves, so you can come to terms with your experience. It'll be tough love but you'll thank us for it in the end.

attica

I couldn't commute today.

Wrong type of leaves on the road.

Greg T

What can be done about the leaf menace.

Snooks - can you work on a Poster?

"Cyclist and HGVs Unite! - beware the falling leaf menace that blights our Roads. Chop down the trees and free the roads of photosynthesising death from above!"

Bassjunkieuk

cjcp wrote:

Clever Pun wrote:

snooks wrote:

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

I really do hate that fine rain, as others who wear glasses to allow them to see beyond their front wheel will I'm sure be aware, it just sticks to them and you can barely see a damn thing!

One reason I only used to commute when the weather was dry ....Then I got contacts and lost my excuse

Seriously, in rain and drizzle contacts are the only way to see without glasses 8)

wear a cap... it shields the glasses

Unfortunately, not all the time. A rse. :?

Tis true, I used to have one of those visor things on the front of my helmet that helped a bit. But after a run-in with a ped getting off a bus when NOT at a bus stop the part that holds it down in the middle snapped. In the end I took it off as it constantly flipped up whenever I picked up speed!

As for contacts I have only just got new glasses and I'm not sure I quite like the idea of paying out each month for them! Guess I'll just have to MTFU and wipe em more often or learn to ride blind :-D

cjcp

Falling leaves represent a clear and present danger. They must not be underestimated.

Bassjunkieuk

Greg T wrote:

What can be done about the leaf menace.

Snooks - can you work on a Poster?

"Cyclist and HGVs Unite! - beware the falling leaf menace that blights our Roads. Chop down the trees and free the roads of photosynthesising death from above!"

We could setup a Relief appeal.........but I do think this is a genuine threat, I mean trains have to slow down when they get leaves on the track!

lazymedievalist

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

As for contacts I have only just got new glasses and I'm not sure I quite like the idea of paying out each month for them! Guess I'll just have to MTFU and wipe em more often or learn to ride blind :-D

I wipe my glasses at red lights. Unfortunately I don't have anything dry to wipe them with in easy reach so they end up smeary wet instead of fresh raindrop wet, which I'm not sure is actually any better. Still, cars are big enough that you can sense them when they get near enough to actually be a problem...

Bassjunkieuk

lazymedievalist wrote:

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

As for contacts I have only just got new glasses and I'm not sure I quite like the idea of paying out each month for them! Guess I'll just have to MTFU and wipe em more often or learn to ride blind :-D

I wipe my glasses at red lights. Unfortunately I don't have anything dry to wipe them with in easy reach so they end up smeary wet instead of fresh raindrop wet, which I'm not sure is actually any better. Still, cars are big enough that you can sense them when they get near enough to actually be a problem...

I use the toweling bit on my gloves, which is usually quite wet! They air-dried quite well this morning as it only rained "properly" for about 5 minutes, then went all misty and finally stopped!

itboffin

Good Morning ITBOFFIN

Newbury Road Club often goes out to Marlborough on Sundays if that is anywhere close to you, I imagine you use the A4? It would be good to see your route if you dont mind, I know the back roads are quite something in that part of the world.

I am terribly embarrassed to say my commute is a mere 1.3 miles :oops: (you can think of it as a morning blast rather than a commute). I hit Newtown road at about 0815 and reach Northbrook street within five minutes pending on the traffic. I may have to get one of those garmin things to race myself... http://www.mapmyrun.com/route/united-ki ... 5835819979

Go safe dudes...

Don't be embarrassed some people would actual drive :shock: :shock: :shock:

"Marlborough on Sundays you say" interesting.. :idea:

This is my commute but i'm starting a new 4 week training routine as of today, which includes my current fav Marlborough loop

Jay dubbleU

I'm in Swindon so maybe we could arrange a 'yokels' meeting sometime if you guys are in the Marlborough area - mind you I think I would get all the hills on my way over

cjcp

This is like watching love blossoming.