Silly commuting racing

itboffin

Jen J wrote:

Have you switched it off and on again?

damn why didn't I think of that reply

itboffin

jashburnham wrote:

Chainline is all good. I'll check the rear sprocket, actually does anyone have a ss freewheel removal tool i could borrow at friday drinks one week?

Yes what make/type of freewheel?

pigeon42

I was involved in first pursuit today!! Man on a bike (slightly surly) got to the kissing gate onto the common just after me - needless to say I made my way through the gate and effortlessly pedalled off as fast as I could. Lost time in my haste as I overshot the left turn by the boggy pond (it's gravel - a bit tricky), but managed to hold my lead down the straight (no headwind today - hooray!) even managed to control my breathing enough to shout "hello" to 2 jogging ladies I work with as I whizzed by.

Bearing off right, him crunching over the gravel behind me. Past slightly less boggy pond, slightly more cautiously past 2 cows: one with big scarey pointy horns and a slimy nose that looked like it might gore me. Up the incline and onto the home straight, pinging my bell politely at the lady with dog and giant offroading pushchair. Arrive at the gate on the other side of the common, trying not to skid to a halt (as that would look like I was trying!) - through the gate, even holding it open to let him go past.

Clearly that doesn't count as a scalp for him as I let him go first - what a lady

biondino

DonDaddyD wrote:

The 09 Focus Cayo is no longer Dura Ace (with a cheeky not listed Ultegra front derailuer). For £999 its components are 105 :shock: I can't willingly spend £1000 for a 105 component bike knowing that the previous year it sported Dura Ace. The £1500 Cayo Ultegra (equivalent to the Focus Cayo Expert 08 price point) is well Ultegra, which isn't that bad - though I can't live with a 50/34 front crank thingy....

Why on earth not? You said in the previous para you'd consider a compact, just not a triple. Unless you're regularly going to be going above 40mph the lower gearing on the compact is way more useful. MTFD and stop worrying about it.

DonDaddyD wrote:

I'm finding it hard to adjust to the more expensive lower spec approach most manufactuers have gone for with the '09 range.

Well, in most of the real world things do get more expensive, especially a world that's seen raw materials and transport costs rise hugely over the last 12 months and in an economy where living on the margins needs to be avoided if at all possible.

By the way, everyone, I own a CAYO EXPERT. Not a Cayo. I've even got upgraded wheels on my Expert! It's an Expert. It's not a Cayo. Just to be clear 8)

peejay78

i got to the junction at congresbury and a man whizzed past on an argos fixed wheel. i was so shocked to see someone else riding fixed that i let him go. then somehow i caught him up - probably cos my gear was bigger than his, then he went past me.

he had no bag and was not laden down with commuting gear, in the end i had to let him go. he looked svelte.

Bassjunkieuk

DonDaddyD wrote:

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

jashburnham wrote:

Yeah go on, early Xmas pressie to yourself...

It'll make you faster and stronger and your girlfriend will fancy you even more*

*Wilier Guarantee.

Not a good thing for someone who plows into innocent children :-)

When I scalp you, will you promise to stop?

Yes......:-D Speaking of the incident don't you think it's about time you dropped your FCN penalty?

R34PER

gaining on people today on my commute, exciting as there are normaly no others going my way, got caught by a red light. attempted to make a quick powerful start on the green light and my chain snapped :shock: and no spare and it also got run over a lot it was knackered and only about 20miles old. oh, also bang on the mid point of my 9 mile commute. 'twas gutting. oh well. LBS in the morning to replace it.

oh and schwalbe marathons on an mtb, knobbley or slick? fcn rating for these?

attica

peejay78 wrote:

i got to the junction at congresbury and a man whizzed past on an argos fixed wheel. i was so shocked to see someone else riding fixed that i let him go. then somehow i caught him up - probably cos my gear was bigger than his, then he went past me.

he had no bag and was not laden down with commuting gear, in the end i had to let him go. he looked svelte.

Yer Peejay, you local too? (surely there can't be two St Congars?) How comes you didn't post on the yokels thread?

I'm quite shocked to hear that there are two other SSers out this way, we'll be having SCR drinks at the Crown in Churchill before we know it, now THAT is a yokels pub.

il_principe

Had a relatively eventful commute this am, some dozy cow in a mini managed to drive into my back wheel whilst I was waiting at a roundabout, gave me a nice jolt forwards. Luckily the bike is fine although I suspect the air around Lambeth Bridge may well still be blue...

...fcuking motons.

Surf-Matt

Thrashed a bloke I often see going the other way (he's a miserable sod) up a nasty hill today. But nearly killed myself in the process. Oh the physical costs of a male ego!

Been doing my fake commute for 2.5 years now and only been overtaken twice - by roadies. Gits.

Bassjunkieuk

jashburnham wrote:

Had a relatively eventful commute this am, some dozy cow in a mini managed to drive into my back wheel whilst I was waiting at a roundabout, gave me a nice jolt forwards. Luckily the bike is fine although I suspect the air around Lambeth Bridge may well still be blue...

...fcuking motons.

I saw something similar between a brand new Clio (new reg plate, 08 I think) and a van when the driver just pulled out in front of him from a side road. I was a way back in the queue in my car and just couldn't believe why she thought she could go!

Some drivers really don't seem to notice anything beyond their steering wheel

greg66_tri_v2.0

Had to take a different route last night in order to inspect swimming club in Balham. So over Waterloo Bridge, down to Elephant & @rsehole, and then down the A3 to Balham.

All rather nice (except for the filtering on the approach to e&@: some knob crossing lanes didn't spot me and had to brake so hard he lifted his rear wheel. Haha). The A3's pretty good fun. Nice wide bus lane with no buses in it, not many lights, and lots of riders to pick off. Had a few "woaahh!" moments attempting to swing to go right around a bus to find chocka traffic that I almost barrelled into - oopps. But overall v good and v fast.

cjcp

Greg66 wrote:

Had to take a different route last night in order to inspect swimming club in Balham. So over Waterloo Bridge, down to Elephant & @rsehole, and then down the A3 to Balham.

All rather nice (except for the filtering on the approach to e&@: some knob crossing lanes didn't spot me and had to brake so hard he lifted his rear wheel. Haha). The A3's pretty good fun. Nice wide bus lane with no buses in it, not many lights, and lots of riders to pick off. Had a few "woaahh!" moments attempting to swing to go right around a bus to find chocka traffic that I almost barrelled into - oopps. But overall v good and v fast.

Always preferred that route after you passed Stockwell. Got hit by a coach at Stockwell at the roundabout/lights bit.

DonDaddyD

biondino wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

The 09 Focus Cayo is no longer Dura Ace (with a cheeky not listed Ultegra front derailuer). For £999 its components are 105 :shock: I can't willingly spend £1000 for a 105 component bike knowing that the previous year it sported Dura Ace. The £1500 Cayo Ultegra (equivalent to the Focus Cayo Expert 08 price point) is well Ultegra, which isn't that bad - though I can't live with a 50/34 front crank thingy....

Why on earth not? You said in the previous para you'd consider a compact, just not a triple. Unless you're regularly going to be going above 40mph the lower gearing on the compact is way more useful. MTFD and stop worrying about it.

Basically I see no practicality having a 34t crank thingy. I would much prefer a 39 or 42 - but then it wouldn't be a compact I guess....

biondino wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

I'm finding it hard to adjust to the more expensive lower spec approach most manufactuers have gone for with the '09 range.

Well, in most of the real world things do get more expensive, especially a world that's seen raw materials and transport costs rise hugely over the last 12 months and in an economy where living on the margins needs to be avoided if at all possible.

By the way, everyone, I own a CAYO EXPERT. Not a Cayo. I've even got upgraded wheels on my Expert! It's an Expert. It's not a Cayo. Just to be clear 8)

Compared to what?

Seriously, how can you justify a:
Focus Cayo '08 with Shimano Dura Ace cost £999
and the
Focus Cayo '09 with Shimano 105 for £999

With the throw away statement 'in most of the real world things do get more expensive'.

Who in their right mind would spend £1000 on the 105 (middle of the range components) Cayo knowing that only last year practically the same bike with Dura Ace (top of the range components).

Obviously I disagree with you, things do not always get more expensive in most of the real World. However, one of the few exceptions is during the times of an economic recession. Yet that rule doesn't actually apply to technology. Obsolete or older technology will always be cheaper than newer more advance technology. Even then the entry price point of the newer item may be the exact same price point as its predecessor when it was first introduced: Example; an X-box 360 when it first came out was no more expensive than the original Playstation when it first came out.

(Its been a while since I sat in a Business Finance lecture but here goes) The state of the economy and the strength of the curreny determines the cost price items are sold to the consumer. When the economy is strong (and subsequently the national currency) items/materials become cheaper (using average disposable income as a point of comparison for measuring the afforability of said item determines whether its cheap or not). Equally when an economy is weak or gets weaker items/materials become more expensive. This however is obviously regulated by supply and demand.

Yes things do get more expensive in times of economic recession. But then during these times people tend to spend less and save more (it has to do with interest rates). I believe my post that you responded to was merely echoing that fact.

What I was refering to was that during these progressively harder times I'm finding it hard to justify spending the same amount of money on a lesser item when just last year I could have got a superior item for the same price. - I don't think there is anything wrong with thinking that.

Also just to reiterate in the real world things don't always get more expensive. Last year I bought a 26inch LCD HD TV for just shy of £500. I can now buy the 32 inch model for the same price. - Just to give an example.

greg66_tri_v2.0

cjcp wrote:

Always preferred that route after you passed Stockwell. Got hit by a coach at Stockwell at the roundabout/lights bit.

I can believe it. Going through there at speed was a bit like something from the Edinburgh Military Tattoo.

DonDaddyD

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

jashburnham wrote:

Yeah go on, early Xmas pressie to yourself...

It'll make you faster and stronger and your girlfriend will fancy you even more*

*Wilier Guarantee.

Not a good thing for someone who plows into innocent children :-)

When I scalp you, will you promise to stop?

Yes......:-D Speaking of the incident don't you think it's about time you dropped your FCN penalty?

Yes, if some one can send me a link to the FCN calculator

DiggingDeeper

Just stepped out of the office to get some lunch and was practically blown down the Euston Road in the direction of Essex. That's good for me, but it should provide you western bound commutes a little sport tonight - good luck

greg66_tri_v2.0

DonDaddyD wrote:

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

jashburnham wrote:

Yeah go on, early Xmas pressie to yourself...

It'll make you faster and stronger and your girlfriend will fancy you even more*

*Wilier Guarantee.

Not a good thing for someone who plows into innocent children :-)

When I scalp you, will you promise to stop?

Yes......:-D Speaking of the incident don't you think it's about time you dropped your FCN penalty?

Yes, if some one can send me a link to the FCN calculator

Google "citrus skies FCN" (sooooo obvious).

No excuses now.

il_principe

DonDaddyD wrote:

biondino wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

The 09 Focus Cayo is no longer Dura Ace (with a cheeky not listed Ultegra front derailuer). For £999 its components are 105 :shock: I can't willingly spend £1000 for a 105 component bike knowing that the previous year it sported Dura Ace. The £1500 Cayo Ultegra (equivalent to the Focus Cayo Expert 08 price point) is well Ultegra, which isn't that bad - though I can't live with a 50/34 front crank thingy....

Why on earth not? You said in the previous para you'd consider a compact, just not a triple. Unless you're regularly going to be going above 40mph the lower gearing on the compact is way more useful. MTFD and stop worrying about it.

Basically I see no practicality having a 34t crank thingy. I would much prefer a 39 or 42 - but then it wouldn't be a compact I guess....

Chapeau, a 42 would put you well into MTFU territory, although you'll not find many (if any) road bikes offering a 54/32, that's more Tri specific I'd think.

I actually think a 34 is pretty handy. 50/34 is ideal for us amateurs; allows for the nasty short steep hills you get in the UK but also allows the tackling of European mountains. I'm pretty happy with the 50 too, yes I spin out on fast descents, but I can get up to 35 on the flat with a cadence of just under 100 which is perfectly comfortable.

cjcp

jashburnham wrote:

I actually think a 34 is pretty handy. 50/34 is ideal for us amateurs; allows for the nasty short steep hills you get in the UK

M.
T.
F.
U.

il_principe

cjcp wrote:

jashburnham wrote:

I actually think a 34 is pretty handy. 50/34 is ideal for us amateurs; allows for the nasty short steep hills you get in the UK

M.
T.
F.
U.

Damn you and your selective quoting sir.

Kieran_Burns

DiggingDeeper wrote:

Just stepped out of the office to get some lunch and was practically blown down the Euston Road in the direction of Essex. That's good for me, but it should provide you western bound commutes a little sport tonight - good luck

see here: http://www.bikeradar.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12591846

cjcp

DiggingDeeper wrote:

Just stepped out of the office to get some lunch and was practically blown down the Euston Road in the direction of Essex. That's good for me, but it should provide you western bound commutes a little sport tonight - good luck

Ar$e.

Look out for the drafting fairies tonight. :twisted:

Jen J

Well the weather won't affect me tonight as I had to resort to getting the bus to work, as my nearly-broken thumb won't allow any holding of the handlebars

biondino

Along with Jash I'm happy to represent the mincing spinning mimsy-boys of bikeradar and DDD, I think you're being very foolish disregarding a 34-inch chainring.

Just going on your posts here, you're not the strongest or lightest rider but you love riding, right? So on steep hills do you kill yourself, or get off and walk? If you have a compact chainset you can climb even 20% hills, as long as they're not too long, without having a hernia. I don't spent hours in 34/27 but I do use it - for example on my 5th lap of Richmond Park the other day, the last 30 yards of Dark Hill, and no-one would pretend that's a challenging climb.

For riders who aren't pretty strong, or avoid hills like the plague, or require the ability to go 50mph+, the compact chainset is a godsend without any disadvantages. 50/34 is plenty for 99.9% of the riding you're going to do, and on steep climbs it's the difference between a challenge and a nightmare.

il_principe

biondino wrote:

Along with Jash I'm happy to represent the mincing spinning mimsy-boys of bikeradar

:shock: Hang on one cotton picking minute there! Do not tar me with this brush, I commute on 50/16 SS dammit.

Greg T

jashburnham wrote:

biondino wrote:

Along with Jash I'm happy to represent the mincing spinning mimsy-boys of bikeradar

:shock: Hang on one cotton picking minute there! Do not tar me with this brush, I commute on 50/16 SS dammit.

I was going to suggest that you'd be less than pleased with being tarred with the same mincing brush but then decided - ah well so what.

cjcp

jashburnham wrote:

biondino wrote:

Along with Jash I'm happy to represent the mincing spinning mimsy-boys of bikeradar

:shock: Hang on one cotton picking minute there! Do not tar me with this brush, I commute on 50/16 SS dammit.

Too late; the damage has been done. However, a week is a long time on the SCR thread, so all will be forgotten next week. I'm sure it will...

DonDaddyD

biondino wrote:

Along with Jash I'm happy to represent the mincing spinning mimsy-boys of bikeradar and DDD, I think you're being very foolish disregarding a 34-inch chainring.

Just going on your posts here, you're not the strongest or lightest rider but you love riding, right? So on steep hills do you kill yourself, or get off and walk? If you have a compact chainset you can climb even 20% hills, as long as they're not too long, without having a hernia. I don't spent hours in 34/27 but I do use it - for example on my 5th lap of Richmond Park the other day, the last 30 yards of Dark Hill, and no-one would pretend that's a challenging climb.

For riders who aren't pretty strong, or avoid hills like the plague, or require the ability to go 50mph+, the compact chainset is a godsend without any disadvantages. 50/34 is plenty for 99.9% of the riding you're going to do, and on steep climbs it's the difference between a challenge and a nightmare.

I think none of you are taking into appreciation "individual preference".

I currently own a bike with a 52/39/30. The only ring I use is the 52 even up hills. Very steep hills like the 1in7 (or something, steep fcuker) in Norbury sees me on the 39 though I go around and up not simply up it. I've never liked the smaller rings on any bike I've ever ridden since I was a teenager.

Maybe you are right I may need a 34 but I know my thighs and it just seems a little on the small side.

Just to clarify I don't get off my bike and walk anymore. That's just not cricket.

Greg T

cjcp wrote:

Too late; the damage has been done. However, a week is a long time on the SCR thread, so all will be forgotten next week. I'm sure it will...

Are you sure?