Silly commuting racing

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  • tgotb
    tgotb Posts: 4,714
    hopkinb wrote:
    hopkinb wrote:
    Wfw. I have put cx tyres on. If I fall off twice in the first mile or so, I'm giving up.
    Cx tyres and headwind just made it effortful and slow. Weather forecasts are bollox.
    What tyres and pressure? I find a Grifo tread at ~50psi is quite a lot better than a crappy road tyre (eg Marathon), I'll happily ride it to work and back if I'm training in the evening. Just remember to let a bit of air out before trying to corner on anything slippery!

    CJ seems to commute full time on his, and still manages to be reasonably quick. Mind you, I suppose he has to use it for something...
    Pannier, 120rpm.
  • rhodrich
    rhodrich Posts: 867
    Obligatory snow pictures attached....

    qT6BnjcSm1Y7natcyWPc1o-H-rk9gQhMVEwbvlhznLc-2048x1536.jpg

    07Vx_gzjuB0i_T-5X3lItdCUseVKXOLkkk9WVngyuZs-2048x1536.jpg

    _SQ0e_J2OZewta4eH3Q3BVL1yY6Oh_J9oQkaPSqdgGo-1536x2048.jpg

    Things weren't too bad in Richmond Park. I'm glad I had my Schwalbe Marathon Winter studded tyres fitted, but I'm sure I could have got away without them.

    Bib shorts worked well. It wasn't too cold....
    1938 Hobbs Tandem
    1956 Carlton Flyer Path/Track
    1960 Mercian Superlight Track
    1974 Pete Luxton Path/Track*
    1980 Harry Hall
    1986 Dawes Galaxy
    1988 Jack Taylor Tourer
    1988 Pearson
    1989 Condor
    1993 Dawes Hybrid
    2016 Ridley Helium SL
    *Currently on this
  • rower63
    rower63 Posts: 1,991
    hopkinb wrote:
    Wfw
    :)

    main roads and RP were all fine this morning, as they always are on day 1 of snowfall onto dry roads. It was just wet and slushy. More tiresome was THE GRIM 12 MPH NE WIND. Very few cyclists.
    Dolan Titanium ADX 2016
    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
  • hopkinb
    hopkinb Posts: 7,129
    TGOTB wrote:
    hopkinb wrote:
    hopkinb wrote:
    Wfw. I have put cx tyres on. If I fall off twice in the first mile or so, I'm giving up.
    Cx tyres and headwind just made it effortful and slow. Weather forecasts are bollox.
    What tyres and pressure? I find a Grifo tread at ~50psi is quite a lot better than a crappy road tyre (eg Marathon), I'll happily ride it to work and back if I'm training in the evening. Just remember to let a bit of air out before trying to corner on anything slippery!

    CJ seems to commute full time on his, and still manages to be reasonably quick. Mind you, I suppose he has to use it for something...

    Cheap Vittoria ones from Planet X at approx. 65 psi. I think it's a grifo tread (I put them on in the direction for "traction" rather than "speed", expecting to have to bite into 10 cm of fresh snow :lol::lol:). I normally commute on gp4000s2, so there's a bit of a difference.
  • frogonabike
    frogonabike Posts: 157
    Quietest roads I've experienced in a while :D

    Headwind was definitely the worst part of the "conditions", I stuck with the Durano 28's and had no issues

    Bit of SCR with a de-restricted ebike. He won. Got me up Balham Hill while I was barely hitting about 19mph :lol:
  • hopkinb
    hopkinb Posts: 7,129
    Given comments from rower and frogonabike, maybe it was the headwind, rather than the tyres that made things feel stodgy.
  • shamrock134
    shamrock134 Posts: 714
    First ever commute where I've wished for waterproof bib tights. :shock:

    Barely any cyclists out on the CS7 at 7am.
  • tgotb
    tgotb Posts: 4,714
    hopkinb wrote:
    Given comments from rower and frogonabike, maybe it was the headwind, rather than the tyres that made things feel stodgy.
    Yeah, see what it's like on the way home; you have the exact same tyres as me, so if it's as bad this evening I'm clearly talking b*ll*cks...
    Pannier, 120rpm.
  • kingstonian
    kingstonian Posts: 2,847
    Decided to trainw@nker it today............

    Saw one guy absolutely stack in on the Jubilee line, he stepped into the carriage and fully hit the deck. Then when he stood up for the rest of the journey he was struggling to stand upright - wear some shoes with grip, man.
  • rhodrich
    rhodrich Posts: 867
    Kingstonian wrote:
    Decided to trainw@nker it today............

    Saw one guy absolutely stack in on the Jubilee line, he stepped into the carriage and fully hit the deck. Then when he stood up for the rest of the journey he was struggling to stand upright - wear some shoes with grip, man.

    Was he wearing a helmet? :wink:
    1938 Hobbs Tandem
    1956 Carlton Flyer Path/Track
    1960 Mercian Superlight Track
    1974 Pete Luxton Path/Track*
    1980 Harry Hall
    1986 Dawes Galaxy
    1988 Jack Taylor Tourer
    1988 Pearson
    1989 Condor
    1993 Dawes Hybrid
    2016 Ridley Helium SL
    *Currently on this
  • DrLex
    DrLex Posts: 2,142
    I’m calling shenanigans - there’s never enough space to measure your length in a tube carriage during rush hour.

    Rolled down the hill to work at a satellite office - journey time barely over 1 minute. More snow, please.
    Location: ciderspace
  • hopkinb
    hopkinb Posts: 7,129
    I'll say one thing in favour of the 31mm cx tyres at a relatively low pressure. You can batter over the shyte road surfaces and ironworks. Takes a while to get up to speed, but once you're there, you're basically a tank.
  • roger_merriman
    roger_merriman Posts: 6,165
    hopkinb wrote:
    I'll say one thing in favour of the 31mm cx tyres at a relatively low pressure. You can batter over the shyte road surfaces and ironworks. Takes a while to get up to speed, but once you're there, you're basically a tank.

    One of the reasons I persist with the old MTB, with full sized Marathon plus Touring, it just steamrollers poteholes and what not, and it’s size also means that unless your truly brutal you’ll not run out of grip. Even braking on wet metalwork/cobbles doesn’t seem to do it, though ice will!
  • sgt.pepper
    sgt.pepper Posts: 300
    Bit of an annoying one this morning. Passed a guy on full TT setup cruising rather gingerly on the shared path that gets littered with earth. Think no more of it, presume he's just having an easy morning. I'm doing a respectable but not amazing pace to stay fresh for work - cue him coming down the road five minutes later as I'm navigating off the shared path, down on the aeros, full gas. I gave chase and closed up a bit, but he had made far too much ground and getting the Raleigh up to speed is like accelerating a barge. Technically doesn't count as a scalp either way, but I'd have appreciated some warning to at least have a sporting chance :|
  • smokey_bacon
    smokey_bacon Posts: 1,639
    Sgt.Pepper wrote:
    Bit of an annoying one this morning. Passed a guy on full TT setup cruising rather gingerly on the shared path that gets littered with earth. Think no more of it, presume he's just having an easy morning. I'm doing a respectable but not amazing pace to stay fresh for work - cue him coming down the road five minutes later as I'm navigating off the shared path, down on the aeros, full gas. I gave chase and closed up a bit, but he had made far too much ground and getting the Raleigh up to speed is like accelerating a barge. Technically doesn't count as a scalp either way, but I'd have appreciated some warning to at least have a sporting chance :|

    Schoolboy error that...

    Wetter than an otters pocket this morning. Absolutely no cyclists out on the road which I count as a good thing because you can crack on abit. Hopefully the kit dries before the return leg which looks to be positively tropical at this point.
  • hopkinb
    hopkinb Posts: 7,129
    Still in tank mode with CX tyres. Much fun, especially with the tailwind. No stealth overtaking - the roar of the tyres as they spin up to speed is quite something.

    Many cyclists dissolved by the rain, but a few hardy souls left out there. I had to shed my waterproof by Tooting Broadway - too bloody hot.
  • martinc
    martinc Posts: 422
    edited February 2019
    Put the cx tyres on yesterday to do my first proper commute of the year this morn.
    Looked out the window at the rain and northerly and thought... nope.
    PT again. Must MTFU.
    Always in stealth mode
  • tgotb
    tgotb Posts: 4,714
    It helps that I can't actually remember what combination of clothing works to keep office clothes dry in the rain, whilst avoiding overheating on the train. Faced with that conundrum, riding in with my office clothes in a waterproof pannier is the simple option...
    Pannier, 120rpm.
  • roger_merriman
    roger_merriman Posts: 6,165
    TGOTB wrote:
    It helps that I can't actually remember what combination of clothing works to keep office clothes dry in the rain, whilst avoiding overheating on the train. Faced with that conundrum, riding in with my office clothes in a waterproof pannier is the simple option...

    For myself the lack of a reasonable public transport journey, by bus and train which best case is (just) sub 2 and 3hrs.

    I could drive, which is sometimes quite fast, though says something that I and other chose to use the M25 than the direct route, horrible route. cycling is oddly the least effort, and by far the most pleasant as the most sane route I've found is linking parks and back streets until picking up one of the old shared paths next to the bypass. its just over the hr, so not the fastest but not much slower and vastly less effort and quite pleasant. I get to see Deer in Bushy and the flash of some in Hounslow heath, together with rabbits/foxes and I pass a field with some Donkeys all good.
  • drhaggis
    drhaggis Posts: 1,150
    roger merriman wrote:
    TGOTB wrote:
    It helps that I can't actually remember what combination of clothing works to keep office clothes dry in the rain, whilst avoiding overheating on the train. Faced with that conundrum, riding in with my office clothes in a waterproof pannier is the simple option...

    For myself the lack of a reasonable public transport journey, by bus and train which best case is (just) sub 2 and 3hrs.

    I could drive, which is sometimes quite fast, though says something that I and other chose to use the M25 than the direct route, horrible route. cycling is oddly the least effort, and by far the most pleasant as the most sane route I've found is linking parks and back streets until picking up one of the old shared paths next to the bypass. its just over the hr, so not the fastest but not much slower and vastly less effort and quite pleasant. I get to see Deer in Bushy and the flash of some in Hounslow heath, together with rabbits/foxes and I pass a field with some Donkeys all good.

    Add to that: you keep fit, commute times are more regular than by car and all the money saved on fuel can be put to good use (i.e. cycling clothes)

    Plenty of rabbits nearby Bushy House, too. They apparently love NPL more than I do...
  • veronese68
    veronese68 Posts: 27,816
    DrHaggis wrote:
    Plenty of rabbits nearby Bushy House, too. They apparently love NPL more than I do...
    Can they get over the haha?
    Rather moist in Bushy Park this morning.
    Kinesis Pro6
    Marin Nail Trail
    Cotic Solaris
  • anonymousblackfg
    anonymousblackfg Posts: 2,029
    Back to bike commuting tomorrow! Cant come quick enough.
    If I know you, and I like you, you can borrow my bike box for £30 a week. PM for details.
  • daveholla
    daveholla Posts: 12
    Bloody soaked this morning. Decided it was necessary to do my normal monday morning route outwards to Twickenham and back in via Brentford. Big mistake. Kit still sodden when I left this evening. On the plus, didn't see anyone along the CS7 so roads were pretty quiet for cyclists. Long may it continue.

    If anyone spots a chap on a neon / blue planet X with Edco wheels or a converted single speed Red/black Giant defy feel free to holla.
  • sgt.pepper
    sgt.pepper Posts: 300
    Smokey Bacon wrote:
    Sgt.Pepper wrote:
    Bit of an annoying one this morning. Passed a guy on full TT setup cruising rather gingerly on the shared path that gets littered with earth. Think no more of it, presume he's just having an easy morning. I'm doing a respectable but not amazing pace to stay fresh for work - cue him coming down the road five minutes later as I'm navigating off the shared path, down on the aeros, full gas. I gave chase and closed up a bit, but he had made far too much ground and getting the Raleigh up to speed is like accelerating a barge. Technically doesn't count as a scalp either way, but I'd have appreciated some warning to at least have a sporting chance :|

    Schoolboy error that...

    I know, he even glanced over, which in my mind was 'who do you think you are'. Probably wasn't though.

    Had a funny one this morning - had a guy behind me, and whenever I glanced to check my blind spots he was never properly in my tow - but just there about 10 yards behind like a phantom. I kept accelerating and he was still there - this went on for about 3 miles. He stayed with me until I really ramped up into a semi-sprint. It was almost like a nightmare. Curious to check the camera tonight.
  • Gallywomack
    Gallywomack Posts: 823
    I sometimes do similar. Anathema I know but I can't always be bov'd with SCR, and will occasionally just sit at a safe distance behind a rider who is giving off the vibe, rather than passing and potentially provoking a counter-attack. This inevitably means going slightly slower than I'd like, so should the other rider speed up, I'll gladly do likewise and maintain the gap. If the acceleration continues, a certain air of grim determination may set into my pursuit, at which point the SCR I'd sought to avoid has sprung unbidden into life, just in a slightly different form.

    I could avoid such shenanigans by only going at my own pace at all times, but...nah.
    Pompino
  • sgt.pepper
    sgt.pepper Posts: 300
    Gallywomack wrote:
    I sometimes do similar. Anathema I know but I can't always be bov'd with SCR, and will occasionally just sit at a safe distance behind a rider who is giving off the vibe, rather than passing and potentially provoking a counter-attack. This inevitably means going slightly slower than I'd like, so should the other rider speed up, I'll gladly do likewise and maintain the gap. If the acceleration continues, a certain air of grim determination may set into my pursuit, at which point the SCR I'd sought to avoid has sprung unbidden into life, just in a slightly different form.

    I could avoid such shenanigans by only going at my own pace at all times, but...nah.

    You mean like an adult, just getting to work? Ridiculous.

    I made my colleague who also bikes snort the other day when I explained how letting someone else take a turn on the front is a sign of weakness.
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    TGOTB wrote:
    hopkinb wrote:
    hopkinb wrote:
    Wfw. I have put cx tyres on. If I fall off twice in the first mile or so, I'm giving up.
    Cx tyres and headwind just made it effortful and slow. Weather forecasts are bollox.
    What tyres and pressure? I find a Grifo tread at ~50psi is quite a lot better than a crappy road tyre (eg Marathon), I'll happily ride it to work and back if I'm training in the evening. Just remember to let a bit of air out before trying to corner on anything slippery!

    CJ seems to commute full time on his, and still manages to be reasonably quick. Mind you, I suppose he has to use it for something...

    Ha ha, hardy ha...

    Running Marathon Supremes at between 40-50 psi. I had to ride the nice bike last Tuesday (bad idea given that evening's downpour), but, wow... what a difference that was.
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • sgt.pepper
    sgt.pepper Posts: 300
    Checked the cameras - my phantom was a guy on a road bike, baggy t shirt and flat pedals.

    Definitely not my proudest scalp.
  • anonymousblackfg
    anonymousblackfg Posts: 2,029
    Due to the lights I needed keep overtaking the same guy in jogging bottoms with his hairy arse crack hanging out. Stopping for 5 minutes and letting him go would have made for a much more pleasant commute from Tooting onwards.
    If I know you, and I like you, you can borrow my bike box for £30 a week. PM for details.
  • hopkinb
    hopkinb Posts: 7,129
    Still a tank. It's hurting my legs trying to keep turning the same ratios at the same cadence as on the road tyres, especially while trying to affect an air of nonchalance and lack of effort at all times. Must be a good thing for when I finally get round to putting them back on.

    Couple of quick blokes last night, and a couple again this morning, enough to force me into making a proper effort, rather than just pootling.

    Slowed up in front of, and shouted at some woman who clearly thought she was a bus, as she drove all the way up the inside of the normal queue of traffic on Kennington Park Road in the "at all times" bus lane. To be honest - the crazed look in her eyes, I reckon she was in a hurry to go and score some crack, so I left the scene rapidly before she nicked my bike and my wallet... :shock:

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