Silly commuting racing

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  • Lovely morning where it seems I beat all limited opposition... last night though I was overtaken by a chap as I accelerated from lights in Clapham in a lot of Rapha (even gloves FFS), canyon, pasty legs, no calf definition, pot belly. Thought i'd leave it up the high street then put the squeeze on past the common, stupid me meant I gave him far too much rope and got done by the lights at the top of the high street as he nodded off into the distance.

    I took great pleasure this morning in telling some little douche his bag was open after watching him sail by on the pavement at Balham.
    If I know you, and I like you, you can borrow my bike box for £30 a week. PM for details.
  • mtb-idle
    mtb-idle Posts: 2,179
    We must be declaring tit Monday today???

    How's that diversity training going Smokey? :lol: :roll:
    FCN = 4
  • mamil314
    mamil314 Posts: 1,103
    Veronese68 wrote:
    What a beautiful morning, loads of people out on bikes even on my suburban ride. There were at least 7 or 8 at the Hampton Wick lights, with a couple of wobbly trackstanders among them. Then got caught napping in Bushy Park by a chap on a tasty looking Cervelo after I slowed for a family group. Caught him again at the gate and stupidly wound up ahead of him and he was riding the same way as me, only lost him through my more aggressive filtering. Got to work and coughed up a lung. Good fun though.
    Yesterday I had a tryer on a Boardman, wasn't quick enough but was jumping on the pavement and running red lights which just made me more determined to stay ahead of him. Finally dropped him when the road opened up.


    So you can do only 1 more SCR? Make it worth it.
  • inbike
    inbike Posts: 264
    Work starts soon on the Lambeth North junction.

    Design here https://microco.sm/out/gHnEh

    Going from kennington road to waterloo bridge road you have to make an early choice - bike lane or road. Could be a bit of a decider at the end of some morning SCR.
  • mtb-idle
    mtb-idle Posts: 2,179
    inbike wrote:
    Work starts soon on the Lambeth North junction.

    Design here https://microco.sm/out/gHnEh

    Going from kennington road to waterloo bridge road you have to make an early choice - bike lane or road. Could be a bit of a decider at the end of some morning SCR.

    Couldn't understand that, i never did get my map-reading badge in the Scouts.

    But I did read the following on Twitter, tweeted by Ned Boulting:

    Seville built an integrated cycle network in 4 years. It cost €32m. It takes 70,000 trips every day

    Seville also has a metro system that cost €800m. it takes 44,000 trips every day.
    FCN = 4
  • veronese68
    veronese68 Posts: 27,931
    mamil314 wrote:
    No, I'll be fine. Inhaled sharply and gulped it back down.
    Kinesis Pro6
    Marin Nail Trail
    Cotic Solaris
    Hmmm, should add a few more to this…
  • wolfsbane2k
    wolfsbane2k Posts: 3,056
    Loads of SCR this morning with people* on bikes.
    Great fun, didn't lose, must be a first.

    Don't normally take that road, but had to drop something off to a friend. Might take it more often.

    * Teenagers on bikes, cycling to school for bikeweek.
    And yes, almost every single kid had a go.
    Intent on Cycling Commuting on a budget, but keep on breaking/crashing/finding nice stuff to buy.
    Bike 1 (Broken) - Bike 2(Borked) - Bike 3(broken spokes) - Bike 4( Needs Work) - Bike 5 (in bits) - Bike 6* ...
  • elbowloh
    elbowloh Posts: 7,078
    Had a bit of action last night on the CS7 with a chap on a black Spesh, with a black backpack (with red and white bits).

    Had a bit of back and forth, but then he "Froomed" me on the bridge between Tooting and Colliers Wood, really low gear, spinning like a mad man past me and over the hump. Anyone here?

    On another note, eyes streaming and pollen choking up the back of my throat all the way back though.
    Felt F1 2014
    Felt Z6 2012
    Red Arthur Caygill steel frame
    Tall....
    www.seewildlife.co.uk
  • hopkinb
    hopkinb Posts: 7,129
    Bit fresh this morning, felt like a headwind too. Certainly a couple of folk sheltering on my wheel from time to time. Lots of cyclists about, but I've perfected going to the far right of the advanced stop box and getting away with a bit of anticipation and a lot of effort into the first few pedal strokes.
  • Earlier than usual but still lots of cyclists. A bit of action against various including a nice chat with a sweaty on a green Kinesis.

    Last night I had a good run against a chap on a matt black supersix but just as I was about to come around him past the common some d1ckhead pulled out on us. He was riding with a mate (deep sections and a phone mount on the bars, a very confusing set up, Clapham man with money?) who we kept dropping and I was intrigued to see whether I could fully separate them.
    If I know you, and I like you, you can borrow my bike box for £30 a week. PM for details.
  • rower63
    rower63 Posts: 1,991
    hopkinb wrote:
    Bit fresh this morning, felt like a headwind too. Certainly a couple of folk sheltering on my wheel from time to time. Lots of cyclists about, but I've perfected going to the far right of the advanced stop box and getting away with a bit of anticipation and a lot of effort into the first few pedal strokes.
    don't forget the small ring :wink:
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    Hoy Sa Calobra 002 2014 [off duty]
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  • hopkinb
    hopkinb Posts: 7,129
    rower63 wrote:
    don't forget the small ring :wink:
    :lol:
    I reckon there would be gonad/top tube interface if I tried the small ring :shock: - I have a compact chainset, 50/23 is a small enough gear for me to get going quickly and not have the faff of a front change while accelerating.
  • tgotb
    tgotb Posts: 4,714
    hopkinb wrote:
    :lol:
    I reckon there would be gonad/top tube interface if I tried the small ring :shock: - I have a compact chainset, 50/23 is a small enough gear for me to get going quickly and not have the faff of a front change while accelerating.
    Don't laugh, he's serious!

    34x21 off the lights for me (unless it's uphill, in which case 34x23.) Out of the saddle, obviously...

    Edit: A bit of spinning should see you comfortably up to 25mph before you have to worry about the big ring.
    Pannier, 120rpm.
  • hopkinb
    hopkinb Posts: 7,129
    TGOTB wrote:
    Don't laugh, he's serious!

    34x21 off the lights for me (unless it's uphill, in which case 34x23.) Out of the saddle, obviously...

    Edit: A bit of spinning should see you comfortably up to 25mph before you have to worry about the big ring.

    I know he's serious! I was laughing because I once referred to the small ring as the rower ring, and rower gave me some gip about it at Xmas drinks, and how you'd put him onto the spinny getaway.

    I hate front changes unless absolutely necessary. Possibly because my FD is not well adjusted and gummed up with crap.
  • j_mcd
    j_mcd Posts: 473
    Anyone know what was going on with the road closure outside the Art Warehouse (just before the common) in Putney last night? When I got there there was a car parked across the road, police and ambulances but no obvious sign of an accident.
    Giant Defy Advanced 0 - Best
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  • njee20
    njee20 Posts: 9,613
    Always big ring for starting off! 34-23 is far too spinny after about half a pedal stroke! Makes clipping in less predictable too as your pedals are more likely to spin around. Decent lead stroke, catch the pedal nicely as it comes up to 12 o clock and you're away, whilst all the inner-ring folk are still looking down at their pedals and destroying front mechs with painful shifts!
  • veronese68
    veronese68 Posts: 27,931
    hopkinb wrote:
    I hate front changes unless absolutely necessary. Possibly because my FD is not well adjusted and gummed up with crap.
    I always use the front. Drop onto the small ring approaching the lights and then spin away before changing back. I could probably get away with a front shifter only for my commute as I only really adjust the rear according to wind direction or hangover affecting speed.
    Kinesis Pro6
    Marin Nail Trail
    Cotic Solaris
    Hmmm, should add a few more to this…
  • hopkinb
    hopkinb Posts: 7,129
    On a typical commute I suppose I use 5 or 6 cogs at the back with the 50 tooth ring. 23 through to 15 or 14. But I don't have any hills on the commute. I use the small ring for hills.
  • njee20
    njee20 Posts: 9,613
    I've not used the front mech on a commute yet this year! 178 rear shifts this morning though. 242 on Monday, just being lazy this morning!
  • wolfsbane2k
    wolfsbane2k Posts: 3,056
    njee20 wrote:
    I've not used the front mech on a commute yet this year! 178 rear shifts this morning though. 242 on Monday, just being lazy this morning!

    How the hell do you know that?
    Intent on Cycling Commuting on a budget, but keep on breaking/crashing/finding nice stuff to buy.
    Bike 1 (Broken) - Bike 2(Borked) - Bike 3(broken spokes) - Bike 4( Needs Work) - Bike 5 (in bits) - Bike 6* ...
  • njee20
    njee20 Posts: 9,613
    I count, makes the time go quicker...

    Di2, it's in the Garmin ;-)

    Edit: you can also get geeky data on gear use: like this. Looks like I like 52-19 or 52-21 for starting, and don't change gear within 5 seconds of setting off. Also didn't use the 28, 11 or 12t sprockets on that particular ride!
  • ricky_h-2
    ricky_h-2 Posts: 119
    Had to use the granny ring for the first time this year on the commute when a bust gear cable left me with a choice of 52*11 or 36*11. Not a fan of shifting to the granny ring unless it's hilly normally
  • rower63
    rower63 Posts: 1,991
    njee20 wrote:
    Always big ring for starting off! 34-23 is far too spinny after about half a pedal stroke! Makes clipping in less predictable too as your pedals are more likely to spin around. Decent lead stroke, catch the pedal nicely as it comes up to 12 o clock and you're away, whilst all the inner-ring folk are still looking down at their pedals and destroying front mechs with painful shifts!
    I used to think the same until I once very quickly found myself 25m behind TGOTB from level standing start at the Vaux Bridge junction when I thought I was being quick off the mark. That learned me.
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    Ridley Noah FAST 2013
    Bottecchia/Campagnolo 1990
    Carrera Parva Hybrid 2016
    Hoy Sa Calobra 002 2014 [off duty]
    Storck Absolutist 2011 [off duty]
    http://www.slidingseat.net/cycling/cycling.html
  • roger_merriman
    roger_merriman Posts: 6,165
    Veronese68 wrote:
    I always use the front. Drop onto the small ring approaching the lights and then spin away before changing back. I could probably get away with a front shifter only for my commute as I only really adjust the rear according to wind direction or hangover affecting speed.

    my wife does similar shifting down a ring for Col de Kingston Bridge, I now have the old MTB on a 1*9 so only the rear shifter but I always did favour the rear shifter.
  • abbster
    abbster Posts: 3
    hopkinb wrote:
    Echo the lovely weather. Definite probable SCR for me though, with a woman. Stockwell until she turned off right in Borough. Long dark hair, yellow bar tape. She was definitely probably trying, and though I was quicker than her (extra weight = extra watts), she was competitive. Bunny hopping iron works in the road too (her, not me - I just bulldoze them). Good start to the day! Except having to go over London bridge, which is a sh!tshow of buses.

    That was me! I normally ride fixed so I've been enjoying the extra speed of gears. Were you on a silver/ti bike? Very good start to the day indeed.
  • njee20
    njee20 Posts: 9,613
    rower63 wrote:
    I used to think the same until I once very quickly found myself 25m behind TGOTB from level standing start at the Vaux Bridge junction when I thought I was being quick off the mark. That learned me.

    Not knowing TGOTB beyond a forum pseudonym, but having never consciously ended up very quickly 25m behind someone from a standing start I'm happy with my technique ;-)
  • hopkinb
    hopkinb Posts: 7,129
    abbster wrote:

    That was me! I normally ride fixed so I've been enjoying the extra speed of gears. Were you on a silver/ti bike? Very good start to the day indeed.

    Hello abbster, yep, that was me on the ti bike :) . I normally turn off and take Southwark bridge, but was having too much fun definitely probably racing, so carried on to E&C & beyond. I'll say hi if our paths cross again.
  • tgotb
    tgotb Posts: 4,714
    njee20 wrote:

    Not knowing TGOTB beyond a forum pseudonym, but having never consciously ended up very quickly 25m behind someone from a standing start I'm happy with my technique ;-)
    :D

    'tis basic physics. You can only apply a limited torque (roughly speaking, your weight multiplied by your crank length), so the only way to get more power down is to increase your rpm. Your 52x21 is 50% longer than my 34x21, which means you're doing 2/3 the cadence and therefore limited to 2/3 the power, and 2/3 the acceleration.
    Clipping in shouldn't be a problem in any gear; you probably practice it 100 times per day, so there's no excuse not to nail it first time. As for the shift to big ring, that can happen well beyond 20mph, so there's ample opportunity to soft-pedal for half a revolution without losing much of the distance you've gained.

    To give an analogy: It's a bit like pulling away from the lights with your car in third gear. Yes, you can do it; yes, you waste less time changing gear; it's still not as pulling away in first.
    Pannier, 120rpm.
  • mamil314
    mamil314 Posts: 1,103
    Is this right? I thought bodyweight was not a limit?

    if single.leg.squat > 2 x bodyweight
    then begin stay_in_seat_and_hold_bars_tight;
    crush pedals(much);
    print ('Next Red Light Already?!'); end;
    else if gym_member=true then deadlift(much);
    else get_fixie=true;

    Knees might not like it.
  • njee20
    njee20 Posts: 9,613
    TGOTB wrote:
    :D

    'tis basic physics. You can only apply a limited torque (roughly speaking, your weight multiplied by your crank length), so the only way to get more power down is to increase your rpm. Your 52x21 is 50% longer than my 34x21, which means you're doing 2/3 the cadence and therefore limited to 2/3 the power, and 2/3 the acceleration.

    There's basic physics and there's basic physics, that's a gross over simplification shirley. By your logic changing up a gear and marginally reducing cadence would result in a reduced power output. I accept that starting from 56-11 would be a hindrance, but assuming you can get on top of the gear quickly enough then smaller isn't better.

    I agree that over (say) 1" a smaller gear may be preferable, but within a couple of pedal strokes the bigger gear will be beneficial. Speaking as someone who's led out a lot of mountain bike races, and never once from my easiest gear! ;-)

    You also suggest that the heavier a person is the quicker they'll get off the line, as more bodyweight = more torque, and clearly that's nonsense.

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