Silly commuting racing

veronese68

rower63 wrote:

cjcp wrote:

Yep, that's the reason I generally wear leg warmers before arm warmers, but they're in need of some needlework, and the only other options are the too-toasty-for-now 3/4 bibs or full length leg warmers.

Surely the tremendous amount of, er, insulation you already have is enough to protect your knees?

Harsh, but

cjcp

Veronese68 wrote:

rower63 wrote:

cjcp wrote:

Yep, that's the reason I generally wear leg warmers before arm warmers, but they're in need of some needlework, and the only other options are the too-toasty-for-now 3/4 bibs or full length leg warmers.

Surely the tremendous amount of, er, insulation you already have is enough to protect your knees?

Harsh, but

You're thinking of my thighs and backside. My knees are very svelte and quite sensitive to cold air.

veronese68

cjcp wrote:

You're thinking of my thighs and backside.

:shock: Believe me I'm not

sgt.pepper

Nice bit of competition today. Ran into really quick dual suspension guy again, and got into a little mini race with a woman (?) on an aero bike with flowers on it.

Also had a slightly hairy moment while cruising up to a roundabout, using the 'suicide brakes,' but suddenly needed to brake sharper for a turning car that was hidden behind a van. Lesson learnt.

martinc

Had 3 near misses within 500 yards last night:

1.Lower Kings Road, going up the inside bike lane past stationary traffic and a guy steps out of a taxi. A yelp and disc brakes just saved me.
2. 50 yards later at the corner with the wine shop a woman in a Range Rover pulls straight out on me. Ditto.
3. At the traffic lights onto Putney bridge a cab turns left on me away from lights without looking. Ditto x3!

The cyclists around me at the lights all agreed i was a feckin' danger zone and to stay away!! Apologies to all.

Spookily at Parsons green I was only just thinking hadn't had an off for about 5 years now and must be due one soon!!

Off to the Alps next week so decided to stick to PT this morn.. just in case.

hopkinb

New bike shoes, so I shook off the Friday legs and "smashed" it in, under 35 mins moving time from Raynes Park to the City, 36 mins elapsed time. I don't think I've seen average speed over 27 kph for my commute - traffic lights etc normally get in the way, so I must have been lucky with lights. Saw spinny single speed guy again, he can make his legs revolve at enormous speeds, I almost felt like telling him to get a taller gear, then Iooked and saw how quickly I was going to pass him, and realised he probably didn't need one.

errorist

hopkinb wrote:

New bike shoes, so I shook off the Friday legs and "smashed" it in, under 35 mins moving time from Raynes Park to the City, 36 mins elapsed time. I don't think I've seen average speed over 27 kph for my commute - traffic lights etc normally get in the way, so I must have been lucky with lights. Saw spinny single speed guy again, he can make his legs revolve at enormous speeds, I almost felt like telling him to get a taller gear, then Iooked and saw how quickly I was going to pass him, and realised he probably didn't need one.

Jeez, I live in Raynes Park and have never made it into the city in less than 43 mins! You must've been on a flyer!

hopkinb

To be fair, I am just at the north end of Southwark bridge, so I don't have the stodgy bit on shared paths to add to the journey time any more. So it's a bit of a cheat, but I was consciously pushing on a bit.

hopkinb

Plus new shoes. Carbon soles. Must be all the difference...

anonymousblackfg

Is that spinny leg man on the flat bar with panniers?

P.s. you live more South Wimbledon than Raynes Park I though...

hopkinb

anonymousblackfg wrote:

Is that spinny leg man on the flat bar with panniers?

P.s. you live more South Wimbledon than Raynes Park I though...

Nah, black spesh ss with red bar tape.

In between Wimbledon and Raynes Park, a mile to Wimbledon mainline station and half a mile to Raynes Park station. It's about 2 km to South Wimbledon tube taking the cycle path past the school and then Kingston road.

roubaixmb

hopkinb wrote:

anonymousblackfg wrote:

Is that spinny leg man on the flat bar with panniers?

P.s. you live more South Wimbledon than Raynes Park I though...

Nah, black spesh ss with red bar tape.

In between Wimbledon and Raynes Park, a mile to Wimbledon mainline station and half a mile to Raynes Park station. It's about 2 km to South Wimbledon tube taking the cycle path past the school and then Kingston road.

Sounds like the posh bit of Wimbledon to me

smokey_bacon

Mental out there this morning, came in from Surbo. Chelsea Embankment was properly messed up for some reason. No ambulances just a load of plod and a parked Merc. Also seemed like a million cyclists on a cat 6 chopperfest, so i did not engage!! Spotted Rhodrich giving a moped rider an earful for blocking the ASL at the north end of Putney bridge just as I arrived. Lights changed so didnt get a chance to say hi and enquire what the green bike was.

rhodrich

Smokey Bacon wrote:

Mental out there this morning, came in from Surbo. Chelsea Embankment was properly messed up for some reason. No ambulances just a load of plod and a parked Merc. Also seemed like a million cyclists on a cat 6 chopperfest, so i did not engage!! Spotted Rhodrich giving a moped rider an earful for blocking the ASL at the north end of Putney bridge just as I arrived. Lights changed so didnt get a chance to say hi and enquire what the green bike was.

Moped rider caught me in a bad mood! Really gets my goat when there are a number of cyclists trying to join the ASL box, and a motorbike rider zooms into the box in front of them, blocking it for everyone.

I'm guessing the Merc driver had knocked someone down at the zebra crossing. Not what you want to think about on a Monday morning. Doubt it'll be all over the news though, unlike when a cyclist/e-bike rider does the same.

The green bike? That's just the one in my sig below.....

rower63

I avoided Roehampton Gate this morning on the basis it's due to be closed 16th to 19th. is it open for cyclists?

smokey_bacon

rower63 wrote:

I avoided Roehampton Gate this morning on the basis it's due to be closed 16th to 19th. is it open for cyclists?

Yes, went that way this morning. The ped gates are open.

Rhodrich wrote:

Moped rider caught me in a bad mood! Really gets my goat when there are a number of cyclists trying to join the ASL box, and a motorbike rider zooms into the box in front of them, blocking it for everyone.

I'm guessing the Merc driver had knocked someone down at the zebra crossing. Not what you want to think about on a Monday morning. Doubt it'll be all over the news though, unlike when a cyclist/e-bike rider does the same.

Totally agreeI was 4 or 5 riders back who couldnt get passed him. I dont get why they do it, not like they get any advantage from it.

inbike

Try to fit tyre.
Buy tyre jack.
Fit tyre.
Buy chain whip tool.
Swap cassette to new wheel.
Find out you don't have the right tool to fit a center lock disc brake and the shops are now shut.
Buy train ticket.

This cycle commuting lark is expensive.

asprilla

Got dressed in the dark this morning. It appears that putting on on my black Rapha shorts with the black print, black highlights and black pad I put them on inside out. And rode all the way in like that.

mattsaw

That's a completely logical way to lengthen the span between washes IMO

smokey_bacon

Mattsaw wrote:

That's a completely logical way to lengthen the span between washes IMO

Wear them back to front on the way home???

anonymousblackfg

That tail wind in didn't help on shedding the chopper/nodderdom. Had an e-bike rider sit on the right at the Oval segregated bit only to think it's perfectly sensible to just squeeze on thorough me when he ran out of road. At least I got a 'sorry'before being undercut before the tedium of have to re-overtake him once we were both back up to speed.

tgotb

rower63 wrote:

I avoided Roehampton Gate this morning on the basis it's due to be closed 16th to 19th. is it open for cyclists?

Yep, all open for bikes. Priory Lane was jammed for almost its full length, with most cyclists using the bike lane on the pavement, but the roads round that part of the park were relatively quiet.

W1

Rhodrich wrote:

I'm guessing the Merc driver had knocked someone down at the zebra crossing. Not what you want to think about on a Monday morning. Doubt it'll be all over the news though, unlike when a cyclist/e-bike rider does the same.

There was an ambulance there when I went through at about 7:40am - two cars seemed to be involved but couldn't see much else. Was causing chaos both ways, including with the classic "immediate U-turn" brigade.

ryan_w-2

Anyone coming along CS8 ever seen the RLJ'ing knobber of the generic white Trek / Scott?

He had pink socks on this morning, headphones in, drafting a lorry by 6" down Embankment... I was spinning next to a couple on a moped agreeing with them what a chopper he was.

The aforementioned incident on Embankment had just happened. He squeezed his way through it and then approached a van that was completing a 3 point turn, and he decided to have a go at the driver, arms all over the place.

Full on tw@t.

In other news, destroyed everything in site including chopper above.

edrobbin

any cheltenham to Gloucester commuters?

kingstonian

Proper Tailwind Charlie weather this morning. Fairies despatched with comical ease.

Not so looking forward to the raging headwind tonight though, or RP deer-dodging in the dark which nearly put paid to me twice last night.

blackstar500

edrobbin wrote:

any cheltenham to Gloucester commuters?

More like a crosswind ... it was terrible experience for me this morning... need to figure out when and when not to cycle ...

asprilla

Doing the two mile swim at Swim Serpentine this weekend so I'm trying to take it easy and stick below 150w. Couldn't resist Millbank with a tail wind though.

All were torn asunder.

hopkinb

Kingstonian wrote:

Proper Tailwind Charlie weather this morning.

Yep. Apparently I hit 59 kph alongside Clapham Common this morning. I don't think I've ever felt the need to shift into 50/11 on the flat before. I didn't, but I could have done.

anonymousblackfg

hopkinb wrote:

Nah, black spesh ss with red bar tape.

This the little guy with with red bits on the tyres and a white helmet with the vents blocked up?

Chopperdom out there, come of dark wet November, where are you?