Silly commuting racing
Comments
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I was bemoaning so many choppers this morning but I think it was so many cyclists so a proportional rise in choppers.
Good reminder by Rower, I'm a bit twitchy of pace in traffic given the old geezer who stepped out between two stationary vans last week, maybe time to calm it a little.If I know you, and I like you, you can borrow my bike box for £30 a week. PM for details.0 -
rower63 wrote:Object lesson this morning in why not to draft close while commuting in traffic. Going fast from Chelsea bridge, I’d just passed Claverton Street in the blue lane. There was a stream of slower-moving bikes, 18-20mph, on the left hand side of that lane, and at least a couple of us doing 25mph on the right side. Steady car and van traffic going faster than us in the black lane. I was following a guy at about 1-2 clear bike-lengths: he was pushing it and I was waiting for a chance to pass him. Suddenly he shouted and slammed on his brakes, followed immediately by me doing the same. There was nowhere to go either side, nothing for it but pure straight-line emergency braking. I JUST managed to slow down maintaining grip and avoided rear-ending him. One of the slow-lane riders had simply decided to pull out from the left without looking, directly into his path. He too barely managed to avoid a collision, I don’t know how. Cue much shouting, as I went past the perp I said “shoulder-check, shoulder check”. If I’d been “properly” drafting the guy in front, I’d have smashed into him without doubt.
Sounds similar to my experience in Regent's Park last weekend. Only I didn't manage to scrub enough speed and t-boned a casual cyclist at ~20mph. She escaped unscathed. But I found myself in A&E with a grade 2 acromioclavicular joint tear and a now "artfully distressed" paintjob on the new bike.
If I had been a car, that poor girl would not have fared so well. She didn't even hint at pulling out. But then again, what is the correct gesture to indiciate that "I'm about to make a sudden 90 degree turn and stop my bike?"0 -
Been totally, cleanly scalped today. Twice. In two minutes. First guy jumped the queue at a traffic light but his attire, shaved legs and mavic cosmic carbonne meant business. Kept nicely after the first set of lights but, once in the Roseburn shared path and after giving him breathing space, he was slighly faster.
As soon as I relised he was faster, and that we were too fast to be safe with pedestrians around, I shoulder checked, and got passed by someone doing probably over 30 mph (tailwind, to be fair), also shaved and w/ deep section wheels. Proper fast.0 -
Fcken nodder rljing at a glacial pace all the way home. I asked if it was colour blind after the 7th set of lights on the spin. I soon remembered why I don't normally bother after it turned itself inside out to catch up, then told me that "weaving in and out of traffic" is illegal and that I'm a hypocrite. I told it to Google filtering and the highway code, but it started arguing that no road rules in the world allowed passing on the right and "weaving". I just rolled my eyes and moved on, vowing to just ignore the silly fcukers in future.0
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jspash wrote:rower63 wrote:Object lesson this morning in why not to draft close while commuting in traffic. Going fast from Chelsea bridge, I’d just passed Claverton Street in the blue lane. There was a stream of slower-moving bikes, 18-20mph, on the left hand side of that lane, and at least a couple of us doing 25mph on the right side. Steady car and van traffic going faster than us in the black lane. I was following a guy at about 1-2 clear bike-lengths: he was pushing it and I was waiting for a chance to pass him. Suddenly he shouted and slammed on his brakes, followed immediately by me doing the same. There was nowhere to go either side, nothing for it but pure straight-line emergency braking. I JUST managed to slow down maintaining grip and avoided rear-ending him. One of the slow-lane riders had simply decided to pull out from the left without looking, directly into his path. He too barely managed to avoid a collision, I don’t know how. Cue much shouting, as I went past the perp I said “shoulder-check, shoulder check”. If I’d been “properly” drafting the guy in front, I’d have smashed into him without doubt.
Sounds similar to my experience in Regent's Park last weekend. Only I didn't manage to scrub enough speed and t-boned a casual cyclist at ~20mph. She escaped unscathed. But I found myself in A&E with a grade 2 acromioclavicular joint tear and a now "artfully distressed" paintjob on the new bike.
If I had been a car, that poor girl would not have fared so well. She didn't even hint at pulling out. But then again, what is the correct gesture to indiciate that "I'm about to make a sudden 90 degree turn and stop my bike?"
A bloke latched onto my wheel on the Lower Richmond Road this evening. When I braked to stop at the zebra crossing before the common, he didn't -or not fast enough anyway - so he had to move out and finished ahead of me.FCN 2-4.
"What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
"It stays down, Daddy."
"Exactly."0 -
Today's vuelta TT was won after ~40 minutes averaging over 30mph.
That'd a be bloody useful commuting skill.0 -
cjcp wrote:If your saddle is aggressively forward, that seems more of a TT set-up, which works if you are resting on TT bars, but not so much if your hands are further back (see Mamil's comments).
I don't have a TT bike, so don't know what the tube angles and stuff are, but I think the seat tube on a TT bike is a couple of degrees higher, so they're not quite as bent over.
Ignore what the pros do, otherwise we'd all be slamming our stems. (Always wanted to try that, but reckon my lower back would be in bits!)
Ah this makes a lot more sense. I have a bit of a seat angle on the GT with clip-on aeros, and never had any back troubles (in fact they're incredibly comfortable). I did try slamming my stem once, the pain afterwards was intense.
I keep getting into races with e-bikes when I'm planning on doing a recovery ride. Thankfully no ebikes this morning, did have a challenge from a guy on a gravel bike while I was faffing with my downtube-on-the-handlebars shifters though. Think I might move them to the actual downtube, always knock them with my knees when I'm out the saddle.
Spring and the improved bike lanes brought out many a casual this morning. Had to dodge one guy just drifting absent mindedly all the way across the bus/bike lane. Bit of a hazard.0 -
Let's make a distinction here, slammed stem, short headtubes and forward position is all good, if your body can handle it, but different from saddle angle. Just do it like us inflexible folks do and get a stubby saddle for that comfortable low position.
Also, by failing to recover you are robbing your own gains!0 -
cjcp wrote:jspash wrote:rower63 wrote:Object lesson this morning in why not to draft close while commuting in traffic. Going fast from Chelsea bridge, I’d just passed Claverton Street in the blue lane. There was a stream of slower-moving bikes, 18-20mph, on the left hand side of that lane, and at least a couple of us doing 25mph on the right side. Steady car and van traffic going faster than us in the black lane. I was following a guy at about 1-2 clear bike-lengths: he was pushing it and I was waiting for a chance to pass him. Suddenly he shouted and slammed on his brakes, followed immediately by me doing the same. There was nowhere to go either side, nothing for it but pure straight-line emergency braking. I JUST managed to slow down maintaining grip and avoided rear-ending him. One of the slow-lane riders had simply decided to pull out from the left without looking, directly into his path. He too barely managed to avoid a collision, I don’t know how. Cue much shouting, as I went past the perp I said “shoulder-check, shoulder check”. If I’d been “properly” drafting the guy in front, I’d have smashed into him without doubt.
Sounds similar to my experience in Regent's Park last weekend. Only I didn't manage to scrub enough speed and t-boned a casual cyclist at ~20mph. She escaped unscathed. But I found myself in A&E with a grade 2 acromioclavicular joint tear and a now "artfully distressed" paintjob on the new bike.
If I had been a car, that poor girl would not have fared so well. She didn't even hint at pulling out. But then again, what is the correct gesture to indiciate that "I'm about to make a sudden 90 degree turn and stop my bike?"
A bloke latched onto my wheel on the Lower Richmond Road this evening. When I braked to stop at the zebra crossing before the common, he didn't -or not fast enough anyway - so he had to move out and finished ahead of me.
The lack of space folks give others in central london is always mildly worrying/depressing. I get more close passes from roadies than cars, and I see very few other riders sometimes none.0 -
mamil314 wrote:Also, by failing to recover you are robbing your own gains!
I know, but there's something almost doubly offensive about getting passed by an ebike. I'm not going to pretend it's either rational or justified.0 -
Found my clip-on guards, so relatively dry shoes. Lubed chain with wet lube as well, so hopefully won't squeak later. Managed to take it easy as well, which my legs are pleased about.0
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Won't squeak, but will look like you've been riding it knee deep in black slime for a month. Made the fatal mistake of putting wet lube on a couple of weeks ago cos it was raining lightly. At the end of a two hour ride every atom of the drivetrain was covered in a 5mm deep layer of oozehopkinb wrote:Found my clip-on guards, so relatively dry shoes. Lubed chain with wet lube as well, so hopefully won't squeak later. Managed to take it easy as well, which my legs are pleased about.Fat chopper. Some racing. Some testing. Some crashing.
Specialising in Git Daaahns and Cafs. Norvern Munkey/Transplanted Laaandoner.0 -
PT today- rammed, yet again I wonder how these mugs do it daily.If I know you, and I like you, you can borrow my bike box for £30 a week. PM for details.0
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Saw Rower at the top of Broomfield last night. I was the one who shouted your name, sorry if you were confused!Canyon Ultimate CF Disc
Vitus Energie Disc0 -
Cruff wrote:
Won't squeak, but will look like you've been riding it knee deep in black slime for a month. Made the fatal mistake of putting wet lube on a couple of weeks ago cos it was raining lightly. At the end of a two hour ride every atom of the drivetrain was covered in a 5mm deep layer of oozehopkinb wrote:Found my clip-on guards, so relatively dry shoes. Lubed chain with wet lube as well, so hopefully won't squeak later. Managed to take it easy as well, which my legs are pleased about.
Yep, and that 5mm layer of ooze stays there until March/April, when I hoy the chain and cassette in the bin, put new ones on & get back on the dry lube.
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hopkinb wrote:Cruff wrote:
Won't squeak, but will look like you've been riding it knee deep in black slime for a month. Made the fatal mistake of putting wet lube on a couple of weeks ago cos it was raining lightly. At the end of a two hour ride every atom of the drivetrain was covered in a 5mm deep layer of oozehopkinb wrote:Found my clip-on guards, so relatively dry shoes. Lubed chain with wet lube as well, so hopefully won't squeak later. Managed to take it easy as well, which my legs are pleased about.
Yep, and that 5mm layer of ooze stays there until March/April, when I hoy the chain and cassette in the bin, put new ones on & get back on the dry lube.
This genuinely gives my OCD the shivers. On PT for the rest of the week for me. I try to stick to the bus, you get a better class of zombie I find. As a result ive only got two more days on CS7 before I retire to the burbs....
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Smokey Bacon wrote:
This genuinely gives my OCD the shivers. On PT for the rest of the week for me. I try to stick to the bus, you get a better class of zombie I find. As a result ive only got two more days on CS7 before I retire to the burbs.... A bit of an exaggeration - I'll chip the worst of the gunge off with a chisel every couple of weeks and reapply wet lube.
Where in the burbs smokey? Will you still be commuting on the bike?0 -
hopkinb wrote: A bit of an exaggeration - I'll chip the worst of the gunge off with a chisel every couple of weeks and reapply wet lube.
Where in the burbs smokey? Will you still be commuting on the bike?
Im moving to Tolworth. Still planning on being on the bike, probably less at first while I get used to the distances because it will be roughly double my current mileage.0 -
hopkinb wrote:Smokey Bacon wrote:
This genuinely gives my OCD the shivers. On PT for the rest of the week for me. I try to stick to the bus, you get a better class of zombie I find. As a result ive only got two more days on CS7 before I retire to the burbs.... A bit of an exaggeration - I'll chip the worst of the gunge off with a chisel every couple of weeks and reapply wet lube.
Where in the burbs smokey? Will you still be commuting on the bike?
It's also essential for the smooth running of the drivetrain that you leave the gunk on the jockey wheels for a good period of time. No point cleaning them regularly, is there.FCN 2-4.
"What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
"It stays down, Daddy."
"Exactly."0 -
Smokey Bacon wrote:hopkinb wrote: A bit of an exaggeration - I'll chip the worst of the gunge off with a chisel every couple of weeks and reapply wet lube.
Where in the burbs smokey? Will you still be commuting on the bike?
Im moving to Tolworth. Still planning on being on the bike, probably less at first while I get used to the distances because it will be roughly double my current mileage.
I'd take the suffering legs over the SW train any day.
Tolworth to the College roundabout, through Fairfield, and up to the Park?FCN 2-4.
"What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
"It stays down, Daddy."
"Exactly."0 -
AHA! I did wonder. Belated greetings!Arsey wrote:Saw Rower at the top of Broomfield last night. I was the one who shouted your name, sorry if you were confused!Dolan Titanium ADX 2016
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Smokey Bacon wrote:hopkinb wrote: A bit of an exaggeration - I'll chip the worst of the gunge off with a chisel every couple of weeks and reapply wet lube.
Where in the burbs smokey? Will you still be commuting on the bike?
Im moving to Tolworth. Still planning on being on the bike, probably less at first while I get used to the distances because it will be roughly double my current mileage.
Heading past Tolworth daily up into the City it's nothing to be scared of. I assume you bought the Tower.
My gearing has truly gone to pot so hopefully some shiny new jockey wheels waiting for me at home tonight, there is obviously movement in the top one but the whole mech had movement in it so hopefully it isn't worn out in a way which you lot said wasn't possible.If I know you, and I like you, you can borrow my bike box for £30 a week. PM for details.0 -
cjcp wrote:I'd take the suffering legs over the SW train any day.
Tolworth to the College roundabout, through Fairfield, and up to the Park?
Yeah you are probably right. My usual non commute rides were out into Kent. Looking forward to seeing what Surrey has to offer.
I think my route at the moment will be King Charles Rd > Villers Ave > RP > City. I havent given it much more thought than that so will check out your suggestion.anonymousblackfg wrote:Heading past Tolworth daily up into the City it's nothing to be scared of. I assume you bought the Tower.
Absolutley! got it for a tenner and some harribo. You're right though, nothing to be scared of. Just a few more proper hills.0 -
Does that include shipping to Arizona?Smokey Bacon wrote:anonymousblackfg wrote:Heading past Tolworth daily up into the City it's nothing to be scared of. I assume you bought the Tower.
Absolutley! got it for a tenner and some harribo. You're right though, nothing to be scared of. Just a few more proper hills.Pannier, 120rpm.0 -
rower63 wrote:Object lesson this morning in why not to draft close while commuting in traffic. Going fast from Chelsea bridge, I’d just passed Claverton Street in the blue lane. There was a stream of slower-moving bikes, 18-20mph, on the left hand side of that lane, and at least a couple of us doing 25mph on the right side. Steady car and van traffic going faster than us in the black lane. I was following a guy at about 1-2 clear bike-lengths: he was pushing it and I was waiting for a chance to pass him. Suddenly he shouted and slammed on his brakes, followed immediately by me doing the same. There was nowhere to go either side, nothing for it but pure straight-line emergency braking. I JUST managed to slow down maintaining grip and avoided rear-ending him. One of the slow-lane riders had simply decided to pull out from the left without looking, directly into his path. He too barely managed to avoid a collision, I don’t know how. Cue much shouting, as I went past the perp I said “shoulder-check, shoulder check”. If I’d been “properly” drafting the guy in front, I’d have smashed into him without doubt.
I wrote off the back of a Citroen Picasso last year due to the same scenario as above yet trying to bend around the guy in front. Not fun.
Glad you stayed upright mate.0 -
TGOTB wrote:
Does that include shipping to Arizona?Smokey Bacon wrote:anonymousblackfg wrote:Heading past Tolworth daily up into the City it's nothing to be scared of. I assume you bought the Tower.
Absolutley! got it for a tenner and some harribo. You're right though, nothing to be scared of. Just a few more proper hills.
Ha, no. I couldnt deprive the locals of their amazing monumnet.0 -
Smokey Bacon wrote:cjcp wrote:I'd take the suffering legs over the SW train any day.
Tolworth to the College roundabout, through Fairfield, and up to the Park?
Yeah you are probably right. My usual non commute rides were out into Kent. Looking forward to seeing what Surrey has to offer.
I think my route at the moment will be King Charles Rd > Villers Ave > RP > City. I havent given it much more thought than that so will check out your suggestion.anonymousblackfg wrote:Heading past Tolworth daily up into the City it's nothing to be scared of. I assume you bought the Tower.
Absolutley! got it for a tenner and some harribo. You're right though, nothing to be scared of. Just a few more proper hills.
After Villiers, the popular cut-through is Albert Rd, then Victoria Rd.FCN 2-4.
"What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
"It stays down, Daddy."
"Exactly."0 -
Ryan_W wrote:rower63 wrote:Object lesson this morning in why not to draft close while commuting in traffic. Going fast from Chelsea bridge, I’d just passed Claverton Street in the blue lane. There was a stream of slower-moving bikes, 18-20mph, on the left hand side of that lane, and at least a couple of us doing 25mph on the right side. Steady car and van traffic going faster than us in the black lane. I was following a guy at about 1-2 clear bike-lengths: he was pushing it and I was waiting for a chance to pass him. Suddenly he shouted and slammed on his brakes, followed immediately by me doing the same. There was nowhere to go either side, nothing for it but pure straight-line emergency braking. I JUST managed to slow down maintaining grip and avoided rear-ending him. One of the slow-lane riders had simply decided to pull out from the left without looking, directly into his path. He too barely managed to avoid a collision, I don’t know how. Cue much shouting, as I went past the perp I said “shoulder-check, shoulder check”. If I’d been “properly” drafting the guy in front, I’d have smashed into him without doubt.
I wrote off the back of a Citroen Picasso last year due to the same scenario as above yet trying to bend around the guy in front. Not fun.
Glad you stayed upright mate.
Given your weight, you'd probably write off most things short of a HGV.
I've come into contact with the rear of an Aston Martin in the past. It's one reason why I have BC insurance.FCN 2-4.
"What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
"It stays down, Daddy."
"Exactly."0 -
cjcp wrote:
After Villiers, the popular cut-through is Albert Rd, then Victoria Rd.
Thats the way I go when I stay at my better half's in Surbiton. Whats the general consensus on an RP avoid route when it gets icy?0 -
Haven't put the mudguards back on the commuter yet so got absolutely soaked this morning, especially my shoes. Don't think they'll be dry for the ride home.
That feeling when you put your feet in wet shoes....0
