Silly commuting racing

hopkinb

WarrenG wrote:

I was over your left shoulder and kept up with you until the roadworks at Balham Hill. I stopped off at the Barley Mow to celebrate the sighting and then got home, woke the kids up and told them all about it

Nice to nearly meet you.

elbowloh

hopkinb wrote:

Pootled, then caught up with spinny single speed guy in the Tooting area, then went like the clappers where traffic allowed. I'm too old & knackered for going like the clappers. I might take up audax. Anyone got any mudguard/sandal/beard advice?

Also, I forgot/was too lazy to wipe down and relube my chain after yesterday's rain. My bike sounds like a bag of rusty cr@p being dragged down the road, with added dying mouse sound effects. I must smother my chain in wet lube for the winter, so that the resultant black gunge keeps everything running quietly.

I was asked if I was on a bike forum at Oval. It seems that a guy with a ti bike & deep wheels keeps getting asked if he's me. I think I remember kingdav mentioned this a while back, that he had thoroughly confused some guy.

If he's wearing a pink gilet and is on a litespeed, that's not me. If the bike has no decals and prime wheels, then it might be me.

I think i might know who that is though.

sgt.pepper

Wife's accident seems to have sucked a lot of the joy out of commuting. Seems to be a lot more stressful now, hoping that passes.

cruff

Sgt.Pepper wrote:

Wife's accident seems to have sucked a lot of the joy out of commuting. Seems to be a lot more stressful now, hoping that passes.

Generally takes a couple of weeks for me after an accident. First few times out I'm super-edgy - any side roads, left-hook opportunities, pinch points etc have me sh*tting meself, but it passes after a couple of weeks.

Much more relaxed on the bike in general since I stopped commuting most of the time - think I'd be nervous for a good few weeks if I went back to it every day

rhodrich

What's going on at Westminster bridge? Looks like those roadworks will be there for a while.....

Slow ride in for me this morning, as I had a Mavic Aksium wheel strapped to my backpack, which I'm selling to a workmate. Surprisingly hard work.

asprilla

Rhodrich wrote:

What's going on at Westminster bridge? Looks like those roadworks will be there for a while......

This. I detoured down Whitehall and then right down Horseguards Ave to get back onto Embankment. I didn't see if the cycle lane route from PS to Embankment was still open. Is it?

rhodrich

Asprilla wrote:

Rhodrich wrote:

What's going on at Westminster bridge? Looks like those roadworks will be there for a while......

This. I detoured down Whitehall and then right down Horseguards Ave to get back onto Embankment. I didn't see if the cycle lane route from PS to Embankment was still open. Is it?

It is. The road is closed, but the Big Ben side of the road has been temporarily converted into a cycle lane, to maintain bike access.

rower63

Asprilla wrote:

Rhodrich wrote:

What's going on at Westminster bridge? Looks like those roadworks will be there for a while......

This. I detoured down Whitehall and then right down Horseguards Ave to get back onto Embankment. I didn't see if the cycle lane route from PS to Embankment was still open. Is it?

Yes it is, though the various redundant sets of lights between the square itself and the start of the cycle lane were still going through their sequences, causing much confusion, some people observing them, others not.

elbowloh

Cruff wrote:

Sgt.Pepper wrote:

Wife's accident seems to have sucked a lot of the joy out of commuting. Seems to be a lot more stressful now, hoping that passes.

Generally takes a couple of weeks for me after an accident. First few times out I'm super-edgy - any side roads, left-hook opportunities, pinch points etc have me sh*tting meself, but it passes after a couple of weeks.

Much more relaxed on the bike in general since I stopped commuting most of the time - think I'd be nervous for a good few weeks if I went back to it every day

First time i went past the place I had my accident I deliberately went slower, well at least I thought i did. When I got home I got a PR on that section.

hopkinb

Nice day, slightly swarmed by "PE shorts over baggy tights and a heavy fluoro yellow jacket" types shoaling and flailing their legs about to little effect, so utterly goosed myself by pointlessly chasing mopeds away from lights. Slightly overdressed, so a red sweaty mess by the time I got to work.

rower63

I took it relatively easy home last evening until the Queen's Ride section, which is where I often first open up my throttle. There were a couple of people around me up for it, taking a bit of a turn now and again. All 3 of us headed off towards Broomfield, but by the time we got to Robin Hood roundabout it was clear they'd used up all their bullets and had nothing left for any gradient. But I was still wary and in comp mode so somewhat pushed it up there, nothing particularly spectacular but setting a 3rd or 4th on-the-day for the Robin Hood to Car Park entrance section. At 82kg, I'm reasonably happy with that, 2 of the 3 people faster than me were only by a handful of seconds, so ego intact.

But the fastest up there was an ego- deflating full 20+ seconds quicker, admittedly perfectly possible for a proper cyclist at 65-70kg. But I recognized the name, and he isn't one of those. He's a colleague, I know him reasonably well, and he's, let's say, very keen but not very fast. What's more he's been putting in a few other pretty decent Strava performances lately, for one of which a few weeks ago I complimented him when I bumped into him. His response was “well I do like to push it from time to time”. Perhaps I'd misjudged him, and he’s a former good cyclist coming back to form.

For last night’s ride, briefly, it showed what bike he was using, one I’d never heard of: a Specialized Turbo Levo. I looked it up. It’s an e-bike. Which would be fine if the ride wasn’t still up there, contaminating the record, and for the disingenuous way my earlier compliment had been accepted.

kingdav

Oh dear, e-bike strava stats pollution...

Travelling through Streatham this morning I spoke briefly to a reasonably competitive commuter with a kid in the hamax behind him. Excellent training no doubt.

Bumped into dekant this morning for some SCR chat towards the end of the ride.

Gallywomack

For last night’s ride, briefly, it showed what bike he was using, one I’d never heard of: a Specialized Turbo Levo. I looked it up. It’s an e-bike. Which would be fine if the ride wasn’t still up there, contaminating the record, and for the disingenuous way my earlier compliment had been accepted.

Report him to HR, ought to be a sacking offence at the very least...

tgotb

kingdav wrote:

Travelling through Streatham this morning I spoke briefly to a reasonably competitive commuter with a kid in the hamax behind him. Excellent training no doubt.

I used to do that from time to time, ended up creating a monster; 10 years later she drops me up every hill...

kingdav

That's the gist of our conversation, I said the lad owes his Dad a tow as payback in time.

My boys owe me, but I never commuted with them.

cookeeemonster

rower63 wrote:

I took it relatively easy home last evening until the Queen's Ride section, which is where I often first open up my throttle. There were a couple of people around me up for it, taking a bit of a turn now and again. All 3 of us headed off towards Broomfield, but by the time we got to Robin Hood roundabout it was clear they'd used up all their bullets and had nothing left for any gradient. But I was still wary and in comp mode so somewhat pushed it up there, nothing particularly spectacular but setting a 3rd or 4th on-the-day for the Robin Hood to Car Park entrance section. At 82kg, I'm reasonably happy with that, 2 of the 3 people faster than me were only by a handful of seconds, so ego intact.

But the fastest up there was an ego- deflating full 20+ seconds quicker, admittedly perfectly possible for a proper cyclist at 65-70kg. But I recognized the name, and he isn't one of those. He's a colleague, I know him reasonably well, and he's, let's say, very keen but not very fast. What's more he's been putting in a few other pretty decent Strava performances lately, for one of which a few weeks ago I complimented him when I bumped into him. His response was “well I do like to push it from time to time”. Perhaps I'd misjudged him, and he’s a former good cyclist coming back to form.

For last night’s ride, briefly, it showed what bike he was using, one I’d never heard of: a Specialized Turbo Levo. I looked it up. It’s an e-bike. Which would be fine if the ride wasn’t still up there, contaminating the record, and for the disingenuous way my earlier compliment had been accepted.

Flag him!! Even if he manages to unflag it he'll at least know he's been rumbled.

Also, compliment him on his new e-bike in the ride comments, mention you saw him that day or something (use the dont appear on flyby option so he can't check!)

veronese68

On the bike again today as didn't need to ferry the Mrs around today. I'm back to working 8.30 - 5.30 so had a bit of time in hand. I considered taking a slightly extended route as I should have had time, the alternative was to stop at my mate's coffee shop in Hampton Wick. Coffee shop won.

cruff

CookeeeMonster wrote:

rower63 wrote:

I took it relatively easy home last evening until the Queen's Ride section, which is where I often first open up my throttle. There were a couple of people around me up for it, taking a bit of a turn now and again. All 3 of us headed off towards Broomfield, but by the time we got to Robin Hood roundabout it was clear they'd used up all their bullets and had nothing left for any gradient. But I was still wary and in comp mode so somewhat pushed it up there, nothing particularly spectacular but setting a 3rd or 4th on-the-day for the Robin Hood to Car Park entrance section. At 82kg, I'm reasonably happy with that, 2 of the 3 people faster than me were only by a handful of seconds, so ego intact.

But the fastest up there was an ego- deflating full 20+ seconds quicker, admittedly perfectly possible for a proper cyclist at 65-70kg. But I recognized the name, and he isn't one of those. He's a colleague, I know him reasonably well, and he's, let's say, very keen but not very fast. What's more he's been putting in a few other pretty decent Strava performances lately, for one of which a few weeks ago I complimented him when I bumped into him. His response was “well I do like to push it from time to time”. Perhaps I'd misjudged him, and he’s a former good cyclist coming back to form.

For last night’s ride, briefly, it showed what bike he was using, one I’d never heard of: a Specialized Turbo Levo. I looked it up. It’s an e-bike. Which would be fine if the ride wasn’t still up there, contaminating the record, and for the disingenuous way my earlier compliment had been accepted.

Flag him!! Even if he manages to unflag it he'll at least know he's been rumbled.

Also, compliment him on his new e-bike in the ride comments, mention you saw him that day or something (use the dont appear on flyby option so he can't check!)

Even better, share the Strava segment so we can all comment on just how nice his ebike looks... :twisted:

kingstonian

You've got to be an absolute tool to use an e-bike to set a quick time on a strava segment and not be up-front about it.

Talking of e-bikes, there was a guy on one yesterday and along Chelsea Embankment when I was doing 25mph he was happily still pulling away from me. Judging by the gap he put in between us he must have been at 30mph. So much for it having a 16mph limiter.......

5milestogo

Early start tomorrow (I hope). What time does RP open given the cull?

cjcp

It's been open around 6.40 this week.

martinc

Got schooled by a young woman on a pretty titanium bike last night. Possibly Peta according to Flyby.
All the way along the Embankment and along to Bolan bridge she was quick and had a trail of MAMILS towing behind. Chapeau madam.
Today was a sea of fluoro.

mtb-idle

I'm still struggling to get back up to SCR race pace but I took a trip along embankment last night as far as Chelsea bridge before turning left/south and a slightly convoluted way home.

I'm just enjoying being back on the bike. The mild weather is an added bonus.

Here's my attempt at a moody shot of various riders at the Vauxhall Bridge/Morpeth Arms junction. Didn't notice until I published it but one rider appears to be nekkid from the waist down...

martinc

Jeez, too much information from the male leggings in that pic.

kingdav

A bit cheeky init

rhodrich

cjcp wrote:

It's been open around 6.40 this week.

More to the point, what were you doing posting at 4.15am????

itboffin

Rhodrich wrote:

cjcp wrote:

It's been open around 6.40 this week.

More to the point, what were you doing posting at 4.15am????

just getting in from work or perhaps on the way to work

cjcp

itboffin wrote:

Rhodrich wrote:

cjcp wrote:

It's been open around 6.40 this week.

More to the point, what were you doing posting at 4.15am????

just getting in from work or perhaps on the way to work

Not any more, thankfully

Was up to take the eldest swimming.

kingstonian

Absolute breeze of a ride this morning, zipped along at a decent speed, maybe it was because my legs were lovely and fresh as yesterday I was trainw@nkering as I took my dog into the office for the day.

kingstonian

cjcp wrote:

itboffin wrote:

Rhodrich wrote:

cjcp wrote:

It's been open around 6.40 this week.

More to the point, what were you doing posting at 4.15am????

just getting in from work or perhaps on the way to work

Not any more, thankfully

Was up to take the eldest swimming.

Bad choice of sport for her, should have steered her towards something that can only take place during daylight hours !!!