Silly commuting racing

tgotb

Accidentally dropped my GF this morning, so I was pootling down Priory Lane at around 100BPM to let her catch up. Looked round to see where she was, only to see 4 fairies strung out behind me. Sheesh!

wolfsbane2k

Veronese68 wrote:

itboffin wrote:

yeah but what have the Romans ever done for us?

Well, there’s the roads...

Now now, we all know that roads were built for cars, and therefore couldn't have existed until 1900.

anonymousblackfg

Quiet and running on empty into a head wind...

Anyone bought a little Islabike for kids? was outbid at £180 on ebay for one on Sat and wondering are they really worth it for tieing up that much cash in little N+1

kingstongraham

DrLex wrote:

KingstonGraham wrote:

On public transport for a few days, but Hammersmith Bridge closed to motorised traffic until further notice because of structural faults. It was only a matter of time - I've been commuting over it for 4 years and it's been a known imminent problem for all that time, and years before. It sounds like there is no plan to fix it, and no money to fix it. So that's good (as long as they make it so we can actually cycle over it and don't have to walk the bike).

Still not fixed? Wowsers! I remember being in school next to it, hearing a crack like a rifle shot and wondering what the fook had happened. Closure will no doubt make all the smug rich residents of Barnes even more insufferably smug about their “village feel”.

I walked across the bridge on Friday - and it is really quiet. Once they get used to not being able to drive across the bridge, the people who live nearby will surely love it. At the moment, I guess they are annoyed. My MP isn't happy. Weird for someone who prides himself on being such an environmentalist.

wolfsbane2k

anonymousblackfg wrote:

Quiet and running on empty into a head wind...

Anyone bought a little Islabike for kids? was outbid at £180 on ebay for one on Sat and wondering are they really worth it for tieing up that much cash in little N+1

It's not known as the Isla tax for nothing...

I've been bidding on a few recently, but just can't afford the uplift when so many frogs are going for significantly cheaper.
In my view, having seen my kid go from the 3rd hand bike we had for him to learn to ride stabiliser free on, to the frog, the difference in his comfort & endurance when going to the frog has been absolutely unbelievable.

Still, with an islabike, (and less so with a frog bike) is the re-sell price is very high, so if you've get it second hand & hold on to it for a year, when you go to sell it, you'll probably only lose about £40 - or possibly actually make money.

tgotb

anonymousblackfg wrote:

Anyone bought a little Islabike for kids? was outbid at £180 on ebay for one on Sat and wondering are they really worth it for tieing up that much cash in little N+1

Very well worth getting good quality bikes (eg Islabikes) for kids - apart from the fact your cost of ownership will probably be lower, this is the time when your kid will be making up their mind whether or not they like riding their bike. Even the best bikes are a decent proportion of the kid's bodyweight, so weight savings make a massive difference.

If you can't afford to tie up that much cash, fair enough, but don't be one of those people who refuse to spend £200 on their kid's only bike, then blow the same or more on a fancy wheelset for themselves...

poweredbyidris

Just heard a whisper of roadblock protests later today at Marble Arch, Oxford Circus, Waterloo Bridge, Piccadilly Circus and Parliament sq, but can't see anything on social media.

Any of you heard owt?

poweredbyidris

PoweredByIdris wrote:

Just heard a whisper of roadblock protests later today at Marble Arch, Oxford Circus, Waterloo Bridge, Piccadilly Circus and Parliament sq, but can't see anything on social media.

Any of you heard owt?

Hmmmm... further report suggests that 'hundreds' of protesters camped out in Hyde Park last night. I saw one small tent this morning, and that was it

tgotb

PoweredByIdris wrote:

Just heard a whisper of roadblock protests later today at Marble Arch, Oxford Circus, Waterloo Bridge, Piccadilly Circus and Parliament sq, but can't see anything on social media.

Any of you heard owt?

Yep - I saw a flyer advertising a "Extinction Rebellion" protest on the inside of a loo cubicle at Heston Services. If I recall correctly it's based around Parliament Square; think it might be intended to go on through the week. As is generally the way with these things, it was scheduled to start at 11am so that no-one has to get out of bed too early.

I think the intention is to highlight climate change and other man-made environmental issues, which I generally support, but I have a nagging suspicion it'll transmogrify into the standard anti-capitalist anti-establishment rant...

wolfsbane2k

TGOTB wrote:

PoweredByIdris wrote:

Just heard a whisper of roadblock protests later today at Marble Arch, Oxford Circus, Waterloo Bridge, Piccadilly Circus and Parliament sq, but can't see anything on social media.

Any of you heard owt?

Yep - I saw a flyer advertising a "Extinction Rebellion" protest on the inside of a loo cubicle at Heston Services. If I recall correctly it's based around Parliament Square; think it might be intended to go on through the week. As is generally the way with these things, it was scheduled to start at 11am so that no-one has to get out of bed too early.

I think the intention is to highlight climate change and other man-made environmental issues, which I generally support, but I have a nagging suspicion it'll transmogrify into the standard anti-capitalist anti-establishment rant...

Waterloo bridge has become the garden bridge.
https://twitter.com/se1/status/1117733723825426432

rower63

Front gear cable gave up and snapped at the start of my ride this morning, just over 4,000 miles old. Not too much of a problem into THAT headwind, but unless I can be bothered to get and fit a replacement from Bespoke Cycles downstairs, my tailwind-assisted journey home might be a bit more annoying.

anonymousblackfg

TGOTB wrote:

anonymousblackfg wrote:

Anyone bought a little Islabike for kids? was outbid at £180 on ebay for one on Sat and wondering are they really worth it for tieing up that much cash in little N+1

Very well worth getting good quality bikes (eg Islabikes) for kids - apart from the fact your cost of ownership will probably be lower, this is the time when your kid will be making up their mind whether or not they like riding their bike. Even the best bikes are a decent proportion of the kid's bodyweight, so weight savings make a massive difference.

If you can't afford to tie up that much cash, fair enough, but don't be one of those people who refuse to spend £200 on their kid's only bike, then blow the same or more on a fancy wheelset for themselves...

I am with you on this, we have a hand me down which is a) is crap and b) too big hence mini ABFG find it too difficult and doesn't enjoy it. Weight and Q factor are the two things, it seems now lots are hitting the 6kg's of Isla bikes so I can get a 6.2kg saracen new for less than £200, the only doubt is that it'll depreciate more and a £200 second hand Islabike. The advantage being I'm not missing out on ebay finds and having to cross London to collect it.

veronese68

Wolfsbane2k wrote:

Veronese68 wrote:

itboffin wrote:

yeah but what have the Romans ever done for us?

Well, there’s the roads...

Now now, we all know that roads were built for cars, and therefore couldn't have existed until 1900.

I had no recollection of posting that, then I saw when it was posted and wasn't surprised. That was shortly after cycling home from Tooting Bec along the delightful CS7, felt much safer at midnight than it did at 7pm. Partially alcohol fuelled bravado perhaps, but mainly significantly fewer people around. Riding to Tooting I had two cars pull across the front of me and one ped step out in front of me, no noticeable incidents riding home.

Gallywomack

Well Waterloo Bridge is definitely shut at the moment, although heading south bound, there's nothing stopping you riding onto the bridge if you don't mind using the wrong side of the road (there's nothing coming the other way tbf).

I just rode over it S-N on a Bozza (just cocking about at lunchtime), but there's no access from the imax roundabout so I had to ride round to Upper Ground and use the bike path to get onto the bridge. The bridge itself is full of protestors doing protestor things, but you can rode slowly across. I think I'll avoid it on the way home as I've already seen it.

Re Islabikes, buying new and selling on eBay can work out very cheap, my little 'uns first bike (Cnoc 16) cost me £50 for two years in the end, although I gather prices have gone up now. She now gets her Islabikes on a hire scheme from the Go-Ride club she's a member of.

matt.j

TGOTB wrote:

anonymousblackfg wrote:

Anyone bought a little Islabike for kids? was outbid at £180 on ebay for one on Sat and wondering are they really worth it for tieing up that much cash in little N+1

Very well worth getting good quality bikes (eg Islabikes) for kids - apart from the fact your cost of ownership will probably be lower, this is the time when your kid will be making up their mind whether or not they like riding their bike. Even the best bikes are a decent proportion of the kid's bodyweight, so weight savings make a massive difference.

If you can't afford to tie up that much cash, fair enough, but don't be one of those people who refuse to spend £200 on their kid's only bike, then blow the same or more on a fancy wheelset for themselves...

I got my youngest daughter an Isla bike when she was 11. It was a game changer compared to the MTB it replaced. Light, 700c wheels, tiny brakes that she can actually use.... simple gears. She was more confident when we put CX tyres on it, due to the increased stability.

We cycled Guildford to Brighton together last year, along the Downs Link and the end of Ride London, Esher to the Mall which they ran for the first time. She absolutely loved both and I am pretty sure her Isla bike has been a significant factor in increasing her enjoyment of cycling.

I would thoroughly recommend them!

smokey_bacon

Back on the bike after a while out with back and leg issues. Took it easy to test the waters and was not wholly successful so scalped left right and centre. Loving the free ride through PS though because of the protests.

london-red

Carnage all along LRR this morning - is this the new normal now that Hammersmith Bridge is closed? Will be even worse after Easter... It's a shame, because I was looking forward to a nice relaxing ride in.. Unexpected traffic, unexpectedly strong headwind and a tonne of erratic cyclists put paid to that... :roll:

smokey_bacon

London-Red wrote:

Carnage all along LRR this morning - is this the new normal now that Hammersmith Bridge is closed?

Yeah, I think it will be. Joyful isn't it!

anonymousblackfg

Called it >>

Else, nice to chat to Mike for the first time who wasn't on his normal white fixie

Gallywomack

Had an argument with and then got offered to pull over for a fight twice by a motorbikist who beeped me for being in the middle of the lane (overtaking other cyclists) going through New Cross then punishment passed me, and for good measure blocked my way into the ASL - by entering it himself, topical. The satisfying aspect of this unsavoury nonsense is that multiple offers to fight were made possible by me staying with him the whole length of the Old Kent Road, thus allowing me to send my favourite parting shot of 'didn't get you very far, did it?' - that'll learn 'im...

Waterloo Bridge protest again today, made for a very pleasant slow pootle across - much better than the usual hard effort to avoid being scalped then squeezing through solid traffic to get to the lights.

asprilla

Lovely ride it. rower and I almost crossed paths several times throughout the commute, but not quite.

LRR was terrible. I might have to start going down URR and onto the South Circ on the other side of Putney Bridge Road.

Speaking of other routes, don't suppose anyone goes down the A3 to either Robin Good Gate or over Kingston Hill? Is it an unspeakable hell of fast moving metal and brown trouser lane changes?

smokey_bacon

Asprilla wrote:

Speaking of other routes, don't suppose anyone goes down the A3 to either Robin Good Gate or over Kingston Hill? Is it an unspeakable hell of fast moving metal and brown trouser lane changes?

Kingston Hill is fine imo. There's pointless cycle lane works on atm but plenty wide enough up and over the top. Bit narrow for bits on the downhill where there's works but you should be going quick enough not to have any problems. A little bit of shared pavement gets you to the entrance to RP and away.

tgotb

Asprilla wrote:

Speaking of other routes, don't suppose anyone goes down the A3 to either Robin Good Gate or over Kingston Hill? Is it an unspeakable hell of fast moving metal and brown trouser lane changes?

I've ridden the Robin Hood Gate route quite a few times. Heading home, you have two options:
1. Hammer down the hill in order to be fast enough to take the right hand safely, and then go through the lights as if you were a car; it's actually fine if the traffic's not too heavy; there's a speed camera on the hill that keeps the cars down to a sensible speed. Wouldn't like to try it in heavy traffic though, and you'd have to be careful if it's very quiet in case there's a boy racer flooring it away from the camera.
2. Switch to the cycle lane at the bottom of the hill and then use the pedestrian/horse crossing. Works fine, but breaks the rhythm a bit.

I quite like the climb up from Wandsworth to Tibbets Corner; so long as you get a clear run it's a nice gradient to get stuck in and do some work...

london-red

TGOTB wrote:

Asprilla wrote:

Speaking of other routes, don't suppose anyone goes down the A3 to either Robin Good Gate or over Kingston Hill? Is it an unspeakable hell of fast moving metal and brown trouser lane changes?

I've ridden the Robin Hood Gate route quite a few times. Heading home, you have two options:
1. Hammer down the hill in order to be fast enough to take the right hand safely, and then go through the lights as if you were a car; it's actually fine if the traffic's not too heavy; there's a speed camera on the hill that keeps the cars down to a sensible speed. Wouldn't like to try it in heavy traffic though, and you'd have to be careful if it's very quiet in case there's a boy racer flooring it away from the camera.
2. Switch to the cycle lane at the bottom of the hill and then use the pedestrian/horse crossing. Works fine, but breaks the rhythm a bit.

I quite like the climb up from Wandsworth to Tibbets Corner; so long as you get a clear run it's a nice gradient to get stuck in and do some work...

With the intense taste of diesel making the effort even more pleasant?

rower63

Grosvenor Road and Claverton Street junction. Only a matter of time before there's a serious casualty there, if it hasn't happened already. Owing to the road designers not fully factoring in just how utterly, utterly stupid cyclists can be. I've now seen the identical scenario played out for the second time in a month or so.
A couple of months ago, I wrote:

rower63 wrote:

I saw someone come as close to becoming a KSI as it's possible to get and survive unscathed this morning, on CS8 approaching the Claverton Street junction. Approaching it, the left lane is taken with blue paint, and there was a steady and constant stream of cyclists. A really big van wanted to turn left at the junction, and he signalled his intention well in advance, indicating, slowing and gently veering into the left lane. I, and perhaps 10 riders around me, stopped to let him across. Of course, there were several gung-ho riders who thought they'd chance it and accelerate straight on across his front, the last of whom actually partly turned turned left into Claverton St, with a fairly violent swerve left and right. She made it across in front of him by perhaps a centimetre, after she'd forced him to jam to a stop.

Today, it was two who should've known better: one "Morvelo" roadie and a guy on a fixed, whom I'd been swapping places with along Embankment. I was behind, and we were approaching said junction. There was a small lorry in the motor-vehicle lane, had been indicating left for a while, plenty early for the turn, and it started to move to the left lane. Lots of riders, including me, slowed and stopped to let him through. But not these two. Instead they accelerated and had to execute a REALLY violent left-jink to barely clear the front-left bumper of the lorry as it made the turn. Everyone around me shouted and gasped, thinking it was the end for the second rider, which it so nearly was.

poweredbyidris

rower63 wrote:

Today, it was two who should've known better: one "Morvelo" roadie and a guy on a fixed, whom I'd been swapping places with along Embankment. I was behind, and we were approaching said junction. There was a small lorry in the motor-vehicle lane, had been indicating left for a while, plenty early for the turn, and it started to move to the left lane. Lots of riders, including me, slowed and stopped to let him through. But not these two. Instead they accelerated and had to execute a REALLY violent left-jink to barely clear the front-left bumper of the lorry as it made the turn. Everyone around me shouted and gasped, thinking it was the end for the second rider, which it so nearly was.

That's just utter insanity

anonymousblackfg

Sadly, darwinism seems to fail so many of the idiots i see each day.

monkimark

I go down the A3 that way when I'm on the motorbike but I wouldn't take it when cycling, traffic can quickly go from stationary, up to 40 and back again so changing lanes would be tricky
A route through RP is far more pleasant and probably not much longer unless you're in a mad rush to get somewhere.

Asprilla wrote:

Speaking of other routes, don't suppose anyone goes down the A3 to either Robin Good Gate or over Kingston Hill? Is it an unspeakable hell of fast moving metal and brown trouser lane changes?

asprilla

monkimark wrote:

unless you're in a mad rush to get somewhere.

Yeah, I was just thinking about days when I need to get home quick-sharp. Those are infrequent. Just measured it out and it only saves 2km so probably not worth it, although distance probably ins't the biggest time saver there.

tgotb

Asprilla wrote:

monkimark wrote:

unless you're in a mad rush to get somewhere.

Just measured it out and it only saves 2km so probably not worth it, although distance probably ins't the biggest time saver there.

Depends on your alternate route. If you're coming from Tibbet's Corner anyway (which I was), hammering down the hill in excess of 30mph and nipping through Robin Hood Gate was *a lot* quicker than turning right at the top of the hill, picking your way through Roehampton and then riding through Roehampton Gate. I'd always go that way if time was critical, you just need to be sensible about whether to divert onto the cycle path at the bottom of the hill. It's effectively one side of a 1-mile triangle at 30mph, vs 2 sides of the triangle at 20mph.