Silly commuting racing

Jay dubbleU

cjcp wrote:

Anyone know who this Littigator chap is? Name rings a bell, just can't place it.

SCR's answer to Banksy,apparently 8)

He's not the Messiah he's a very silly boy

DonDaddyD

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

Argh! I'm really upset! Credit crunch stricken World withdrawing a Membership/Business Development role I was ideal for. The FOOLS do they not know what they have passed up! F8ckers.

Tonight's journey I swear I'm going to take it out on my cranks, wage war on the World!

"What? No! That's not me going forward thats my wheels pushing the World backwards!" :twisted:

At the end of it all I'm going to be screaming

"Who else wants some!"

That's the fighting spirit!

Just looked out the window.........hmm getting rather dark! Guess I'll be chasing the red flashing lights on the way home :-)

ARAAAGGGGGHHHH!!!!!

And I mean this!!!! Is me right now!!!


One absolute idiot steps out in front of me to cross the road with dog only looking left so he didn't see me coming down the road, then a guy coming from side road onto main road pulls out basically into me making me swerve like my life depended on it! And finally a motorcyclist attempted to get intimate with me along Clapham High Street. I have four flucking lights on!!!! Two on my helmet and two on my bike! How the hell can you not see my four lights and red bike on a well lit road!

I had just about enough so stopped in Evans in Clapham to ponder a coat (anything but those ghastly hi-viz things that says "look at me I'm being safe and boring like everyone else!") and perhaps yet another light. Couldn't bring myself to buy a high-viz coat because I didn't want to be one of those mass-produced-cyclist with the Altura yellow high-viz jacket and hump rucksack cover - seriously when did they start mass producing people? It rained like one day in September and literally everyone and their dog suddenly had a hump rucksack on. I had been in Evans many times before and had never seen these bright yellow covers, is there some conspiracy that everyone is in on except me?

Anyway, I bought some lube from Evans as my bike needed it (thanks Greg it works quite nicely) and headed off towards Balham. Several cyclist on route so "Great". I put the hammer down and on the first up stroke my left leg flies out of the pedal. "This isn't right" I'm thinking so begin to experiment, yep! Need new cleats so essentially 1 foot pedal all the way home!

I did, however stop off in Cyclopolis in Balham near the other older bike shop across the road. Bought new cleats and a new Altura white showerproof jacket (as I have yet to see anyone wearing those) to cheer me up :oops: However this now means my girlfriend is gonna kill me before I get a chance to explain because I've taken my coat collection to 14/15/16.....

Edit: - Yes, chewed my head off. I really don't see how "I'm a Lawyer and a girl" really justifies having that many handbags and high heeled shoes if "I'm a cyclist and a man - god dammit woman" doesn't justify why I can't have between 15 - 20 coats...

pigeon42

Not me then I was out that way in those very colours and at that time but on Sat.

Meant Saturday not Sunday - so maybe it was you whizzing down the hill into Hungerford (said personage was going too fast and I was to busy trying to make my pedals continue going round to notice what bike etc)

m0scs

Hi DDD

I understand you not wanting to wear a high viz jacket. Horrible, very uncool.

When I was at school many, years ago I was encouraged to wear one of those high viz belt things, affectionately dumbed a "gay band".
So of course I never did.

Anyway, from a motorists perspective, (I am one of those as well), that is motorist, not gay, nothing attracts the attention like a luminous jacket.

I dont like them any more than you but have to admit that I have succummed. I am now the not so proud owner of a Montane high viz jacket and Endura Gillet.

Actually the gillet is quite good as a wind stopper, so I wear this in preference.

I guess you have to ask yourself, whats better, dead cool or just dead? :shock:

For max high viz pose, get one of these.

http://www.rapha.cc/index.php?page=434

A bargain at £170.00 (Ouch)

Im sure you can sell the safety benefits to your better half. Pretty impressive jacket tally by the way, I only have 5.

Wrath Rob

Well, that was truly crap. Got to my bike, rear tyre was as flats as this mornings front one. Swap the repaired tube on and head out into the night. Get to Embankment and all is well right up to in between Battersea and Albert Bridges when the I feel something wrong with the front. Yup, puncture number 3 for the day. So I had to find the hole with the traffic roaring past, fix it and then try to re-inflate the tyre with an empty CO2 cartridge as I'd already used the 2 that I carry with me.

Fortunately I managed to flag down a very helpful man on a MTB who had a pump I could borrow (see, MTBs do have their uses on the commute) to inflate the tyre to get me home. Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day. I can't wait to get the new bike back with the puncture proof tyres. After today it cant come soon enough

Jay dubbleU

DDD - "I'm a Lawyer and a girl" really justifies having that many handbags and high heeled shoes if "I'm a cyclist and a man - god dammit woman" doesn't justify why I can't have between 15 - 20 coats...

I have the same problem - try and explain to a non-cyclist and non-climber why you can't wear the same jacket for both activities - as for crampons/snowshoes/skis - don't even go there

DonDaddyD

m0scs wrote:

Hi DDD

I understand you not wanting to wear a high viz jacket. Horrible, very uncool.

When I was at school many, years ago I was encouraged to wear one of those high viz belt things, affectionately dumbed a "gay band".
So of course I never did.

Anyway, from a motorists perspective, (I am one of those as well), that is motorist, not gay, nothing attracts the attention like a luminous jacket.

I dont like them any more than you but have to admit that I have succummed. I am now the not so proud owner of a Montane high viz jacket and Endura Gillet.

Actually the gillet is quite good as a wind stopper, so I wear this in preference.

I guess you have to ask yourself, whats better, dead cool or just dead? :shock:

For max high viz pose, get one of these.

http://www.rapha.cc/index.php?page=434

A bargain at £170.00 (Ouch)

Im sure you can sell the safety benefits to your better half. Pretty impressive jacket tally by the way, I only have 5.

I've always been addicted to coats/jackets I don't doubt its a problem but I think its a nice one to have.

Thanks for the suggestion

Personally - the whole hi-viz thing - I'm of the thought that riding around London you don't need to be in high definition you just need to be seen. Four lights should do it. That said I bought this in an effort to help:

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/alt ... e-ec011646

Now if you can't see a very white mostly reflective jacket at night with four lights - 2 that are helmet mounted - (that cast some light on the very white reflective jacket) then that person shouldn't have been driving in the first place.

The jacket by the way is awesome, I didn't get too hot and it kept the chill off my body while my beard-in-training kept the wind off my face.

Also because its not technically a jacket but a "race cape" it helps me go faster.... :roll:

I wonder if it affects my FCN score?

lost_in_thought

I don't usually come on here late at night, but I've just had the BEST ride home...

Went to get bike from liverpool street, then headed to a mate's house in Wapping for a beer.

Left hers at 11pm exactly, and this is when the excitement starts... She lives very near Wapping tube, and I suddenly realised when I got on to the embankment that I hadn't had to stop for a light yet, they'd all been green... weird.

I continue along the embankment, and amazingly every light turns green as I approach it. I'm a bit slower than the minimal traffic, they're having to stop and go, but I seem to be travelling at some kind of optimum speed, and don't have to slow down! This is bizarre.

Even more bizarrely, as I head up to Victoria, take my sneaky shortcut, and head over to the queen's house (evening ma'am), still not a red light has blocked my path. This is worth some additional effort.Through HSK, Shebu roundabout nearly gets me, some serious creeping took place, and I managed one brief trackstand... along Uxbridge road, much of the same with some sprints thrown in, and still haven't put a foot down! I nearly get foxed at the A406, but manage to grab a railing... cheating, I know, but I made it from Wapping to Ealing without putting a foot down!



No idea what my average time was, but Wapping to Ealing in about 45 minutes can't be bad!! Just checked the distance - 14.7 miles on google maps... I realise now I could have gone a shorter way!

Pleased with myself!

However, looking forward to the arrival of my tights... brrrrrrr.

itboffin

pigeon42 wrote:

Not me then I was out that way in those very colours and at that time but on Sat.

Meant Saturday not Sunday - so maybe it was you whizzing down the hill into Hungerford (said personage was going too fast and I was to busy trying to make my pedals continue going round to notice what bike etc)

Then it may very well have been me I was having one of those easy fast days most enjoyable, although I seriously need to buy some winter kit I was freezing by the time I got home.

Wrath Rob

This is getting ridiclious. Another puncture less than a mile from my house so I'm currently averaging 1 1/3 punctures a journey. I think I might go and get some of these

itboffin

Wrath Rob wrote:

This is getting ridiculous. Another puncture less than a mile from my house so I'm currently averaging 1 1/3 punctures a journey. I think I might go and get some of these

At £5 that's a bargain, I run conti's on my MTB, Fixed & Hybrid, very happy with the puncture resistance and rolling speed.

Edit - Stupid question but you have checked inside the tyres for glass or some such other sharp object?

In my case flint

el_presidente

Wrath Rob wrote:

This is getting ridiclious. Another puncture less than a mile from my house so I'm currently averaging 1 1/3 punctures a journey. I think I might go and get some of these

You defo need new tyres, when I started getting punctures that frequently new tyres sorted it

Wrath Rob

I just checked, they haven't got any in any of the SW London stores or in fact anywhere that I can reasonably get to

cjcp

Wrath Rob wrote:

I just checked, they haven't got any in any of the SW London stores or in fact anywhere that I can reasonably get to

There's an Evans in my building. Do you want me to check at lunchtime? Alternatively, it's the one on Cullum Street. Give them a call, see if they have one in. If they do, tell them to hold it back and I'll pop down and get it. We can sort money out later.

Clever Pun

I've found cars give me more space when I'm wearing the hat a selection of red and black with lights than the various other numpties wearing generic yellow coats

Had an interesting tete a tete with a roadie on embankment, I did him twice the firsttime mid twenties I cruised him... he chose a better filtering line near embankment then I binned him on that striaght after that where the traffic opens up. At the roundabout (lamebeth I think) I cruise over it and he then come past in nearly his max gear churning his little heart out didn't have time to readdress the balance as I had to turn up toward pimlico.

I took him twice he did me once.. where does that leave things? no scalp?

cjcp

Clever Pun wrote:

I've found cars give me more space when I'm wearing the hat a selection of red and black with lights than the various other numpties wearing generic yellow coats

Had an interesting tete a tete with a roadie on embankment, I did him twice the firsttime mid twenties I cruised him... he chose a better filtering line near embankment then I binned him on that striaght after that where the traffic opens up. At the roundabout (lamebeth I think) I cruise over it and he then come past in nearly his max gear churning his little heart out didn't have time to readdress the balance as I had to turn up toward pimlico.

I took him twice he did me once.. where does that leave things? no scalp?

Victory for you, I'd say.

It's on that stretch up to Lambeth Bridge roundabout that you find out about yourself as a person; it's a voyage of discovery in many ways. How deep can you go? How much pain can you bear? He's just found out that he had no answer when asked the question, and he desperately tried to gloss over the humiliation by passing you. However, when he sits down in front of the fire tonight, pondering over his day, your victory on that stretch will be the first thing that comes to mind.

UnworthyPapaLazaru

Another good cycle to report form yesterday! Heading home from work and I spot waaaaaaaaaaaaay off in the distance a guy travelling at good pace. Im holding 22mph and I dont seem to be catching him at all. Im beging to think he is so far ahead that he might actually be in the future. I up the cadance and I begin to slowly catch him. After what seem like an age I behind him and he knows it. Constant checks over his shoulder show me keeping the pace and we head for a hill over a bridge. He slams the hammer down, he is pumping the pistons and Im rotating the turbines as we approach the top. Im make my move, and as I pass I notice he has given up! Not only did I scalp him, I left him dismayed. The poor guy, and quite a big guy to, destroyed to the point of stopping by the skinny lad showing no signs of effort. It was the dictionary definition of the scalp.

RESULT

Clever Pun

cjcp wrote:

Clever Pun wrote:

I've found cars give me more space when I'm wearing the hat a selection of red and black with lights than the various other numpties wearing generic yellow coats

Had an interesting tete a tete with a roadie on embankment, I did him twice the firsttime mid twenties I cruised him... he chose a better filtering line near embankment then I binned him on that striaght after that where the traffic opens up. At the roundabout (lamebeth I think) I cruise over it and he then come past in nearly his max gear churning his little heart out didn't have time to readdress the balance as I had to turn up toward pimlico.

I took him twice he did me once.. where does that leave things? no scalp?

Victory for you, I'd say.

It's on that stretch up to Lambeth Bridge roundabout that you find out about yourself as a person; it's a voyage of discovery in many ways. How deep can you go? How much pain can you bear? He's just found out that he had no answer when asked the question, and he desperately tried to gloss over the humiliation by passing you. However, when he sits down in front of the fire tonight, pondering over his day, your victory on that stretch will be the first thing that comes to mind.

Nice... cheers

as I was heading north today I saw a wheel appear in my peripheral vision and thought cr@p I'm about to get done.. luckily it was a motorbike

m0scs

Wrath Rob wrote:

This is getting ridiclious. Another puncture less than a mile from my house so I'm currently averaging 1 1/3 punctures a journey. I think I might go and get some of these

I use these on my MTB, since June. Never had a puncture once.

I hate punctures too.

Greg T

I pull up last night at the Vauxhall mega junction, earlier than usual so the bike traffic is very light. It's a nice night and I'm feeling good.

What is this?

In the middle of the ASL is a helmetless guy in endura tights astride a.....

Three aerospoke wheeled track bike with groovy down sweeping bat wing track bars and a frankly viscious geometry, his saddle was level with the top of the streetlights and his handlebars with my brakes. His trackends and axles were a cleverly machined boxy looking integrated affair.

It was a serious bit of kit and no mistake.

He half jumps the lights and by the time I'm away he's two hundred metres down the road and I don't think I've got a chance.

I settle into wait and see sub max rythm.

I'm gaining - reeling him in.

By Battersea Power station I'm on him and decide to invoke the "chat" rule and given his bike is very trick he should be open to it.

"That's a serious bit of kit"

I say as I draw level with him.

He looks less than impressed with me

"Do you race?" he glares and shakes his head, I think he's under the impression that I'm taking the piss. In fairness given the bike he's riding and the slooooow pace he's setting, combined with the fact that some guy on a Schwalbe klad (seems more schwalbe nein) tractor is reaming him is probably half true....

"Not me - you know - on the track" this doesn't go any better and he's looking well hacked off now.....

I shrug and drop him.

Next lights - yep - he nips round me and takes up the pole position.....

Ah! He is a racer and now he's going to batter me away from the lights in a Hoyesque display of firepower.

No - he's slower than geological time and I do him in ten revs. If he's that grumpy why bother?

It was a mixed bag - great bike - god awful pilot.

lost_in_thought

Greg T wrote:

I
Ah! He is a racer and now he's going to batter me away from the lights in a Hoyesque display of firepower.

No - he's slower than geological time and I do him in ten revs. If he's that grumpy why bother?

It was a mixed bag - great bike - god awful pilot.

All show and no go... my greatest fear...

Also, the reason he was grumpy was probably being caught up on his supersonic machine by an ian hislop-alike. Shouldn't imagine it does wonders for his ego.

I hope he goes home, looks at his £couple of k track bike and thinks about what he's done.

Nice work! :twisted:

Feltup

WHY didn't I put my long finger gloves on last night for the ride home? I wore them in the morning and my hands were fine. I got home last night and had to endure 10 minutes of excruciating hotaches. Is there anything worse than hotaches? On the plus side I managed the 14 miles in 39 mins which I think is the fastest I have done it. (maybe it was the extra blood that had drained from my thumbs? )

Kieran_Burns

Feltup wrote:

Is there anything worse than hotaches?

Frostbite? :shock:

Feltup

Frostbite doesn't hurt according to my mate. We sat there drinking beer in Chamonix and only when he took his boot off did he realise his big toe was totally white and frozen. Ten days later after some seriously evil and painful drugs he emerged from hospital with a nicely reshaped big toe!

OK so in the long run frostbite is worse but hotaches man they just suck! I nearly cried with the pain but sucked it up for fear of being told by Greg T and LiT to MTFU

lost_in_thought

Feltup wrote:

Frostbite doesn't hurt according to my mate. We sat there drinking beer in Chamonix and only when he took his boot off did he realise his big toe was totally white and frozen. Ten days later after some seriously evil and painful drugs he emerged from hospital with a nicely reshaped big toe!

OK so in the long run frostbite is worse but hotaches man they just suck! I nearly cried with the pain but sucked it up for fear of being told by Greg T and LiT to MTFU

Haha!

It does hurt, a couple of years ago I used to have flat pedals on my old commuter (link in sig) and kept the sandals too late into the year, cue a lot of suppressed yelling in the hot shower when I got to work. Ow ow ow.

Obviously the only way forward is to shake it off and MTFU.

Greg T

Whilst frostbite doesn't hurt the "warmed up" phase that follows is apparently massively painful as your necrotic tissue dies away and your nerves get shredded....

Did anyone see Top Gear with Sir Ranulph Fiennes talking about his experience?

So he gets frost bite in the ends of two fingers from carrying a fridge up Everest for his 80th birthday party or something....

He gets casevacced back to Blighty where he's told that he has to allow the necrotisation process to run it's course (for some obscure medical reason) and that the surgery could then be done to crimp off his dead digits.....

So he's carrying around two fingers, the ends of which have turned black and are in the process of dying.

They are massively painful and of course he keeps catching them on stuff and it's very very bad.

He takes this for a week and a half and has four days to go before the chop op.

He decides that four days is too long and......

Goes down to his shed.......

Gets out his jig saw........

Yes........

And takes off the ends of two of his own fingers, with his jigsaw, in his shed.

Drives himself to hospital.

Nails.

Sir Ranulp Fiennes does not need to MTFU.

Edited to add.....

HOLY SWEET JAYSUS......

I checked my "facts" this by the great man himslef

Evacuated by air the following day, Fiennes underwent emergency treatment in Ottawa but was told, back in the UK, that he would have to wait five months while the only partially damaged tissue healed and his "gnarled, mummified, witch-like talons" - or the top third of all his fingers, plus the top half of his thumb - could be safely amputated. Worse, he was informed, the pre-op costs were likely to be somewhere in excess of £6,000. (Feel free to skip the next paragraph if you are squeamish.)

So he decided to do the job himself. "I purchased a set of fretsaw blades at the village shop, put the little finger in my Black & Decker folding table's vice, and gently sawed through the dead skin and bone just above the live skin line," he writes. "The moment I felt pain or spotted blood, I moved further into the dead zone. I also turned the finger around several times and cut into it from different sides. This worked well, and the little finger's knuckle finally dropped off after some two hours of work." It took him five days to do the rest; a job, he says, well done.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2007/oct/05/features11.g21

el_presidente

Classic Fiennes. I read somewhere that the doctors thought he was a grade-A idiot as not only is your avge shed jigsaw not exactly sterile, when they chop 'em off in hospital they do a proper job, try their best to sort the nerves out, skin grafts etc. So basically he was showing off and made them worse than they coudl have been.

Still, great story eh?

Massimo

What happens in the winter when the majority of commuters in Birmingham go into hibernation - I've not seen one at all so far this week so there's no-one to play with. Do I get bonus points just for showing up? (A bit like showing the 'working out' in O level maths)

DonDaddyD

:shock: Is it safe, are the horror stories over?

Ok....

Wheels!

Yesterday saw a guy on a bike - I was too enraged to figure out what the hell it was but it looked like it had been pieced together with the parts of other peoples very fast bikes - I tucked in behind him ready to make my shapes and scalp. He stops pedalling and the sound of his freewheel put the fear of god in me! My bike started slowing down without me actively touching the breaks.

I want wheels that have a freewheel sound that 'crys havok and let slip the dogs of war' Fulcrum's are supposed to do this, are there any other wheels that can do this.

attica

I think most Campag Freewheels are more than a little clickety