Silly commuting racing

kingdav

I saw a guy on titanium with deep sections tonight on the road from Toulouse to Oval, thinking he might be hopkinb I asked if he was on bikeradar. It wasn't hopkinb...
Made up for the embarrassment by finding a friend to chat to later about his recent TCR finish.

inbike

Meanwhile, over here in Singapore, met someone who commutes on TT tyres with latex tubes.

What life is like with no potholes and no littering, folks.

sgt.pepper

Signed up for 'Steptember,' using it as good motivator to up my training - they convert all different types of exercise to 'steps'. Also used it as an excuse to get my Raleigh Competition build done - planning on take the long route home a couple of times a week now the evenings are getting longer Would ask for donations, but not quite sure if they convert to NZD.

asprilla

A surfeit of choppers this morning, all pedalling with furious anger.

I glid amongst them with swan-like grace*.

Also, I swapped the cranksets between the TT and commuter and now it only creaks when I'm out of the saddle, so that was a massive improvement.






*Not the grace of a swan riding a bike.

veronese68

I had a good bit of racing on Saturday, but there isn't a thread for silly riding home from a pub after a few pints racing so I'll post it here. On the pub hack having just broken a spoke in the back wheel I spied a lycra clad roadie ahead. Managed to pass him and open a gap, then the back wheel got louder so I slowed to take a look and was re-passed. He then jumped the lights by Teddington Lock, I took them as an opportunity to jump off and check the wheel. It was holding up so I just bent the broken spoke around an adjacent one to keep the noise down. Caught him again after the bridge and made the pass again, made it stick that time. I thought that was alright for a bloke in jeans on an old MTB with a few pints swilling around inside him. But it's not on Strava so did it happen?
Had to drive in today as taking some customers out for lunch. Traffic is definitely back to normal after the holidays.

mattsaw

I thought this should be useful for some of us..

Richmond Park resurfacing schedule

Week 1, Monday 3 to Sunday 9 September
Location: Kingston Gate and Kingston roundabout
From Monday: Park gates will be closed to cars. Cyclists can use pedestrian gates Wednesday to Friday.
Friday: Kingston Gate roundabout will have two-way traffic lights at all times. Cyclists can use pedestrian paths and gates.
Saturday and Sunday: All gates and roads open as usual.

Week 2, Monday 10 to Sunday 16 September
Location: Sheen Cross and road to Sheen Gate
Monday-Friday: Sheen gates, road and pedestrian, will remain open as usual. Two-way traffic lights will be in operation on road and Sheen Cross roundabout, so expect delays. Car park shut for resurfacing of drive. Road to White Lodge and Royal Ballet school will be closed, so staff and residents will drive via Pen Ponds.
Saturday: All gates and roads open.
Sunday: All road gates and roads closed for London Duathlon.

Week 3, Monday 17 to Sunday 23 September
Location: Roehampton Gate and roundabouts
Monday: Roehampton Gate will be closed for works in carriageway between the gate and the roundabout.
Friday: Two-way traffic lights at roundabout at times.
Saturday and Sunday: All gates and roads open as usual.

Weeks 4-6, Monday 24 September to Friday 13 October
Location: Richmond to Ham
Details to be confirmed. There will be works to Richmond Gate, Richmond Roundabout and the road between Richmond Gate and Ham Cross. Expect road closures and diversions for this stage of the programme. Roads will be open as usual at weekends.

Autumn 2018/Spring or Summer 2019
Location: Robin Hood Roundabout to Pen Ponds Car Park
Resurfacing. Dates and details to be confirmed.

mattsaw

Also..

The work begins today (Monday 3rd September) and is scheduled to last six weeks. Weekend cycling will not be impacted, except for the London Duathlon on Sunday 16th September (and good luck if you are taking part!). During the week, you will need to walk on the pavement, use pedestrian gates and wait for two-way traffic lights. From week three (around 17th September onwards), you may need to use the Tamsin trail or the pedestrian path between Richmond and Ham at times.

If the schedule changes or the Royal Parks give us any more information, we will let you know. Check our Facebook and Twitter for updates before our next monthly bulletin.
We also hope to have confirmation that any gravel used for the resurfacing will be higher quality than the type used in 2009, which was a widespread cause of punctures due to the sharpness of the small stones.

asprilla

Mattsaw wrote:

Also..

The work begins today (Monday 3rd September) and is scheduled to last six weeks. Weekend cycling will not be impacted, except for the London Duathlon on Sunday 16th September (and good luck if you are taking part!). During the week, you will need to walk on the pavement, use pedestrian gates and wait for two-way traffic lights. From week three (around 17th September onwards), you may need to use the Tamsin trail or the pedestrian path between Richmond and Ham at times.

If the schedule changes or the Royal Parks give us any more information, we will let you know. Check our Facebook and Twitter for updates before our next monthly bulletin.
We also hope to have confirmation that any gravel used for the resurfacing will be higher quality than the type used in 2009, which was a widespread cause of punctures due to the sharpness of the small stones.

Two chaps standing at Kingston RBT were being most helpful this morning, answering everyone's questions. 99% of the questions were 'Yeah, but will I still be able to cycle through here?'

hopkinb

kingdav wrote:

I saw a guy on titanium with deep sections tonight on the road from Toulouse to Oval, thinking he might be hopkinb I asked if he was on bikeradar. It wasn't hopkinb...
Made up for the embarrassment by finding a friend to chat to later about his recent TCR finish.

Heh heh. No, not me. I'll be back on CS7 later this week, considerably fatter and less fit after 6 weeks off.

dekant

We also hope to have confirmation that any gravel used for the resurfacing will be higher quality than the type used in 2009, which was a widespread cause of punctures due to the sharpness of the small stones.

Good god, that surface dressing was utterly retarded from whoever signed it off. Hopefully they'll have learnt from that episode and not be cheapskates this time around...

asprilla

dekant wrote:

We also hope to have confirmation that any gravel used for the resurfacing will be higher quality than the type used in 2009, which was a widespread cause of punctures due to the sharpness of the small stones.

Good god, that surface dressing was utterly retarded from whoever signed it off. Hopefully they'll have learnt from that episode and not be cheapskates this time around...

When they did the last resurface they finished the main carriage way but didn't grout the cobble rumble strips. That cost me a pair of Fulcrum Racing 1s. Fortunately the Royal Parks paid up with the absolute minimum of fuss.

anonymousblackfg

Choppergeddon out there this morning but some people with pace. Good to know a slower version of Hopkins will soon be back.

mtb-idle

Mattsaw wrote:

I thought this should be useful for some of us..

Richmond Park resurfacing schedule

Week 1 etc.

I hear they are putting speed bumps every 250m to ensure riders keep to the 20 mph speed limit

poweredbyidris

MTB-Idle wrote:

Mattsaw wrote:

I thought this should be useful for some of us..

Richmond Park resurfacing schedule

Week 1 etc.

I hear they are putting speed bumps every 250m to ensure riders keep to the 20 mph speed limit

Would think it would take them a lot longer than 3-4 weeks to do that. The last lot took about a month to put in

itboffin

they've just resurfaced a local village high street near me with what can only be described as gravel, not even surface treatment quality, i couldnt ride on it at all evens cars seem to be struggling, had to take to the equally terrible pavement.

Give a few more years and we'll be back to mud

kingstonian

So I'm guessing we can still get through Kingston gate, albeit perhaps through the pedestrian entrance ? I've been at home today, back on the commute tomorrow, so haven't had the fun and games of seeing the carnage for my own eyes today

-Dash

Kingstonian wrote:

So I'm guessing we can still get through Kingston gate, albeit perhaps through the pedestrian entrance ? I've been at home today, back on the commute tomorrow, so haven't had the fun and games of seeing the carnage for my own eyes today

Looked like it. Roundabout was still functional for full laps of the park. It's just closed from the roundabout to kingston gate but I guess you can hop on the grass/gravel track to get to pedestrian gates.

asprilla

Kingstonian wrote:

So I'm guessing we can still get through Kingston gate, albeit perhaps through the pedestrian entrance ? I've been at home today, back on the commute tomorrow, so haven't had the fun and games of seeing the carnage for my own eyes today

Correct. It's a bit of a ball ache but not too bad.

Rower63 was about 10s ahead of me at Ham Cross where he went straight on and I went down to Kingston Gate. I think I arrived at the junction of Kings Road and Richmond Road about a minute before him.

In other news I got told to 'Move your arse!' by a Hugo on a sit up and beg this evening. My crime was to hold back at VB to allow a left turning van to do so without crushing me. Also saw full face helmet guy getting angry and spinning furiously. Its been a while and I was surprised he was still alive.

drhaggis

A bit OT: what sort of lube are folks here on? Especially for the winter. I'm fed up with MucOff

itboffin

DrHaggis wrote:

A bit OT: what sort of lube are folks here on? Especially for the winter. I'm fed up with MucOff

the tears and or blood of my victims of SCR

hopkinb

DrHaggis wrote:

A bit OT: what sort of lube are folks here on? Especially for the winter. I'm fed up with MucOff

Black evil road gunk in the autumn/winter/spring. Keeps everything quiet but discourages changing gear. Some fancy ceramic stuff in the summer. I don't worry too much about it.

hopkinb

Kingstonian wrote:

So I'm guessing we can still get through Kingston gate, albeit perhaps through the pedestrian entrance ? I've been at home today, back on the commute tomorrow, so haven't had the fun and games of seeing the carnage for my own eyes today

Yep, I went through today.

smokey_bacon

Really mental out this morning. So so many choppers and crazy riding added to the sheer number of people on the road meant I was surprised that there was not a crash at some points. Sometimes I think the me first mentallity is worse in cyclists than it is in drivers!

njee20

Agreed, absolutely horrendous. This has to be the worst week, it'll settle down.

anonymousblackfg

You lot banging on about oil finally encouraged me to clean the chain...

Else, do we have a term for the pro nodder? has bought SPD's, deep sections (will have never have slammed the stem) and bibs, rides better than a chopper and has some pace but still makes from very naive filtering decisions? lovely ride with one where I could just sit at a strong tempo before you know they'll blow. This one in DT this morning lost about 10kph instantly this morning when he went.

asprilla

Chap on an eMTB making 'good progress' into London this morning. Must admit they look a lot of fun and my legs were feeling very envious.

norks74

Smokey Bacon wrote:

Really mental out this morning. So so many choppers and crazy riding added to the sheer number of people on the road meant I was surprised that there was not a crash at some points. Sometimes I think the me first mentallity is worse in cyclists than it is in drivers!

Absolutely. It was fine until about half way between Clapham North and Stockwell this morning. After that folks be just drifting across the whole lane without so much as a cursory glance over the shoulder. Really grim. I was very happy to turn off at Oval and head east as there's hardly any other 'cyclists' going that way to Canary Wharf to contend with.

dekant

Asprilla wrote:

Also saw full face helmet guy getting angry and spinning furiously. Its been a while and I was surprised he was still alive.

Is this the chap who shoals on the right at every single light, then sets off a second or two early, spinning furiously, before moving left across everyone's path and getting in the way?

What a tw@t he was.

norks74

dekant wrote:

Asprilla wrote:

Also saw full face helmet guy getting angry and spinning furiously. Its been a while and I was surprised he was still alive.

Is this the chap who shoals on the right at every single light, then sets off a second or two early, spinning furiously, before moving left across everyone's path and getting in the way?

What a tw@t he was.

Is this the very tall bloke with a red top with white chevrons on the back by any chance?

drhaggis

Out of curiosity, what's the pace of a London nodder in the flat? 15 mph? 20 mph? 25 mph? I only very rarely see people doing over 20mph in Edinburgh.