Silly commuting racing

Bassjunkieuk

Actually had some proper fun on my commute this morning :-) No sooner had I set off from the house when I was joined by a fully lycra'd up dude on a Ribble. A bit of back and forth between us as we filtered through traffic towards Upper Norwood/Tulse Hill.

I took the lead on Knight's Hill (down) and started chasing another cyclist I could see ahead. Got held up as the car ahead was turning left, just past a traffic island so no room to get round. The other roadie was also really shifting (already on a the steeper part of hill) and it wasn't until I was pushing 35 that I was gaining! Overtook her (on another blue Ribble!) as we got towards the train station at the bottom and eased off a bit was the cars down there are a bit manic. The gent on the Ribble took the oppo and overtook then RLJ'd a bit further ahead! HAHA scalp intact ;-)

It wasn't until Brixton tho that I found another 2 sparring partners, both on roadies (Giant OCR and a Specialized) and fully lycra'd up. Had them both with me from the turn off of Brixton High Road towards Stockwell (me ahead at lights) and then down South Lambeth Road until I turned off down Wyvil Road (me first again!). There was a bit of back and forth as we all jostled for position but I was the first to each set of lights so claimed the double!

As I pulled out of Wyvil Road I was feeling pretty pleased with myself, having held off 2 roadies. Imagine my surprise then as I found the same 2 guys sitting at the lights at Vauxhall Cross! I had assumed I would miss them as they didn't follow me down Wyvil Road and it's unusual to find cyclist there as it's not the "normal" way you'd go round - they must have taken a contra-flow a bit further up to avoid the lights I got caught at!
We pulled off and the 2 of them are clearly racing :-) I pull ahead and try to remain composed and have the lead as I turn onto Vauxhall Bridge. As the incline starts the wind kicks in and one of them slipped past :-( He filtered out to the middle bus lane and whilst I managed to maintain it over the bridge I couldn't quite get passed. I was going to call it a draw as I'd already done him at the previous 3 sets of lights and the roads from them......even so it was probably one of the best "game" morning's I've had in a while but bl00dy heck was it cold!

linsen

There will be no scalps for me today as I am going to try a "recovery ride" (finding a speed between stop and go will be hard work, but I'll see what I can do)

Has anyone lost any fingers today to the cold? I just walked the dog and I am not looking forward to the chilly ride in - though it is a beautiful day for it

attica

Fingers intact although the cold did get to my jaw a bit, I spoke like a drunk at the dentists for 5 minutes once I got to work.
Saw a total of 6 other cyclists this morning, despite riding to the centre of Bristol none scalpworthy.

Come on yokels MTFU, the frost wasn't THAT bad.

biondino

Had a pootling morning today - only one cyclist worth her salt, a confident lycra girl on a fast hybrid - and she got stuck while filtering. Just didn't have much energy - it was a very boozy, very foody weekend and I think my body's just a bit tired/heavy.

gert_lush

Bbbbbbbbbbbloody nippy this morning at 7am!

was a double glover AND a double socker! Decided not to wear shorts this morning for the first time (i.e. wore trousers...not nothing)...wow that makes a difference, warm knees!


Still no scalps for me.....or scalped either...one day I shall find someone to overtake! BMX bandit on the pavements doesn't really count!

rb1956

Only just discovered this. I reckon full mudguards ought to be separated off into the accessories section, especially if they've got a home-brewed extra-large rubber flap. But then I'm already sandbagging by riding a folder (in baggies, but with SPDs, so starting FCN=10?).

Greg T

Why would anyone in Aus need mud guards? I thought it hadn't rained there in ten years.....

Or are you in the North and therefore tropical and underwater most of the time?

Also G'day.

ChrisLS

...a mental struggle to climb aboard the Trek this morning...will power alone got my legs turning the pedals...one scalp...held well back, left it until the last minute and caught them on the last uphill just for some sport...like playing a fish on a line...turns out, as I zipped past, that they had a basket on the front...I felt ashamed...

martinc

cold toes this morning and just to start the week.. a puncture at parsons green. it appears my bonti lites are actually made of paper.. that's about 5 punctures in a week. how long are tyres meant to last? i've done about 1000k on these this year.

no notable scalps for me but got done by a guy in full sigma sports team kit and bike on jim morrison bridge in barnes. he disappeared before i blinked.

london seemed to be full of lorries determined to squash me this morning. must be xmas deliveries.

gtvlusso

Attica wrote:

Fingers intact although the cold did get to my jaw a bit, I spoke like a drunk at the dentists for 5 minutes once I got to work.
Saw a total of 6 other cyclists this morning, despite riding to the centre of Bristol none scalpworthy.

Come on yokels MTFU, the frost wasn't THAT bad.

Funny you should say that Attica - I saw 2 other cyclists this morning, one in Ug boots the other in full on kit, but very slow on his commuted MTB. MTFU Brizzle!

My commute is a bit dry of scalping activity until summer, then it is a race between the lights by people who only cycle for a month a year- easy meat......but then I take a 20 mile route as it is nice weather, so I still see no one except people on horses...

I think I have only been scalped once this year, by a dude on a Carbon Wilier in full on kit.....I suspect he was not a commuter though....Again, it is more down to the lack of seeing people going out to Aztec West than my speed - roll on that fixie!

linsen

Bizarrely my "recovery ride" took 5 minutes longer and my HR stayed the same as usual - WTF??

attica

haha, I bet you could make a set of "overboots" out of a pair of Uggs, now that would be a serious bit of stealth scalping kit, if you could bear to wear such monstrosities!

gtvlusso

Attica wrote:

haha, I bet you could make a set of "overboots" out of a pair of Uggs, now that would be a serious bit of stealth scalping kit, if you could bear to wear such monstrosities!

She was quite a fox too - I suspect UWE.....To be honest, I was tempted to follow her....for certain reasons...but I had to change both tyres this morning and was running late for work (damn accident outside my crib - glass everywhere).

I am in my ever classy green and white rugby socks - I may start a new thread called "How I embarass myself daily in my cycle kit"....pictures only!

Added to the fact that I have put my wife's combat pants in my bag this morning - went to get showered and changed, tried to jam them on and it suddenly clicked, these are not mine - judging by the fact they don't get over my knees!!

Felt like a right tit. Cycle kit all day pour moi!

Clever Pun

was feeling a bit rusty after the weekend and a week of non cycling... it wasn't until a roadie on an old dawes damn near left me for dead at some lights I got up to speed and saw him spinning away at quite some rate, I dug deep and stepped up and kept pace with him for a while... I knew there was a good overtaking spot ahead and stepped up some more, legs were spinning and I binned him smooth as you like... back in the game...yes

I kept up the pace to make damn sure it stayed intact... pleasing.

attica

Nice work CP, which bike were you on?

TheBrogueadier

Agree on the lack of scalping action in Brizzle..

Yet another ride in with no compitition, not even the chap on the charge plug I normally take delight in thrashing (if you're going to track stand at every set of lights, well... the few you don't jump, and dress like a courier then at least be able to back it up by cycling at more than 12mph)

Just a hand full of folk on mtb's and hybrids who seem to think that 8mph is an acceptable cycle speed.

I miss my old commute from Filton to the Centre.. Had some good fun on Gloucester Road, though the last I saw of one person I'd always try to compete against was his bike being picked off the back of a bus, presumiably to follow the ambulance that had just left.

ride_whenever

Absolutely nothing in oxford this morning, and i mean nothing. My only competition were cars, which just aren't any fun. It was freezing though...

flattythehurdler

My water bottle was frozen to slush puppy by thetime I got to work and frozen solid over the nipple so no water. Cold cold cold. Now snowing.

Bassjunkieuk

flattythehurdler wrote:

My water bottle was frozen to slush puppy by thetime I got to work and frozen solid over the nipple so no water. Cold cold cold. Now snowing.

:shock: Where the hell do you commute to, a polar monitoring station???

virtuoso

Still never been scalped in two years commuting the Bristol/Bath cycle path, and never found anyone I couldn't scalp. I used to put geniune effort into 'the game' but now I just feel unmotivated. Might be time to try a 'proper' race I think.

gert_lush

I'm starting to think maybe I should change my route and head into Brizzle do a potter around before heading back out again so I can get in on the action! either that or get a job in Bath so I can get on Bath cycleway race!

attica

I took a slightly different route today, in order to possibly get a scalp, came along Coronation Road (Bristle Embankment?) ducked across the footbridge and towards the centre past Mud Dock/Queens Square.

The result - nada.

Not a sausage.

Bu99er all.

Feltup

No bike for me today as I overslept Would have been nice to get the legs moving again after doing an 80 on Saturday. Boy was that cold, took til Sunday for my feet to turn from blue back to pink/white!

Oh yeah on Friday cycled my usual Winter Hill route home and nearly had to get off and walk it was that slippery. I reckon it was the mix of smooth tarmac, salt and damp that made it impossible to put the power down. I had to call on LiT's phrase and think "smooth like turbine". Just like the mtn bike days, no power spikes. Wasn't quick but atleast I wasn't walking.

p.s. will MTFU and cycle in tomorrow, promise!

lost_in_thought

'twas nae me! That's buns's phrase that is.

And I had big bad hotaches in my feet in the shower at work this morning... brrrrrr...

Such a stunning day though.

Also, does anyone else feel like the air is rather heavy on these cold, humid mornings? My lungs appear to be suffering a bit at the minute.

gtvlusso

Attica wrote:

I took a slightly different route today, in order to possibly get a scalp, came along Coronation Road (Bristle Embankment?) ducked across the footbridge and towards the centre past Mud Dock/Queens Square.

The result - nada.

Not a sausage.

Bu99er all.

Some nice cobbles around there and Princes St Bridge, Paris - Roubaix in Brizzle?! As for me - Coldharbour Road, kellaway Avenue, Gloucester Road to Sadly Broke and then Woodlands Road to OJ....bu99er all there though at 7:30am (except Ugg boot girl).

May do: Coldharbour Road, up to The Downs, Through Sneyd Park, Avonmouth Port up to Severn Bridge (Old), Thornbury, Then back down Gloucester road.....but it is a bit cold at the moment for an Estuary side ride....maybe I should MTFU, have to leave at 06:30 though!

TheBrogueadier

Attica wrote:

I took a slightly different route today, in order to possibly get a scalp, came along Coronation Road (Bristle Embankment?) ducked across the footbridge and towards the centre past Mud Dock/Queens Square.

Ah, part of my normal commute de jour.. And sadly it's normally as free of worthy opponents as you found it today - The occasional mtb or some such risking body, face and limb on that mockery of a cycle path while those with sense risk the same at higher speed on the road.

Sea_Green_Incorruptible

Agree on the lack of Brissle action. Not had a real duel since the end of August when sadly I was scalped by an old shaved roadie on an Ambrosia..

In fact, the ony place on my commute where I seem to get a sniff of other 'competitors' is on the Gloucester Rd. but even then most fall into the 'MTB driftwood' category. Kind of satisfying to blast past at 25 when they're doing 10, but in the end a hollow kind of victory.

Where are all the other roadie commuters? That's what I want to know..

cjcp

Yep, distinct lack of roadies this morning, but pushed myself reasonably hard. Have a cold so the chest was a bit "tight". Still gave it some stick along Embankment, despite the wheezing. Am not, getting, the train.

gtvlusso

Sea_Green_Incorruptible wrote:

Agree on the lack of Brissle action. Not had a real duel since the end of August when sadly I was scalped by an old shaved roadie on an Ambrosia..

In fact, the ony place on my commute where I seem to get a sniff of other 'competitors' is on the Gloucester Rd. but even then most fall into the 'MTB driftwood' category. Kind of satisfying to blast past at 25 when they're doing 10, but in the end a hollow kind of victory.

Where are all the other roadie commuters? That's what I want to know..

Whats your commute then SGI? From and to?

gert_lush

In fact, the ony place on my commute where I seem to get a sniff of other 'competitors' is on the Gloucester Rd. but even then most fall into the 'MTB driftwood' category. Kind of satisfying to blast past at 25 when they're doing 10, but in the end a hollow kind of victory.

Where are all the other roadie commuters? That's what I want to know

yeah I get the MTB crew on Clifton suspension bridge covered in mud after a night ride sometimes, all a bit easy though.....except when i'm one of them

Maybe i should go via Clevedon!