Silly commuting racing

kingstongraham

Isn't the footpath shared use down there? I used to run down there occasionally when it was dark. I wouldn't fancy riding it unless there was no other option. Traffic isn't expecting a bike to be there.

Ben6899

TGOTB wrote:

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!

This kind of thing happens all too often. Having a breather, taking a slurp from a bidon at 150W... and they're strung out behind, in the drops.

"FFS, lads!"

prhymeate

Just had my bike stolen from outside the new Aldi in Balham. Had two of those hiplock z-locks on it and was in the store for literally 30-45 seconds to get a bag of salad...came out and it was gone. Aldi said it's clear to see on their CCTV, reported to police, updated as stolen on bike bikeregister, not insured as I almost never lock it outside unless I'm going to be a few seconds. ffs. Gonna be a train so and so for at least the rest of the week, weekend plans to go away riding ruined, bike was about £1,500 all in. :evil:

-Dash

That sucks but I do have to wonder how you managed to be in and out of Aldi in 30-45 seconds? The queues are usually at least 5 mins and then they lob your shopping through the scanner at you.

itboffin

you secured your 1.5k bike with 2 cable ties?

wolfsbane2k

Prhymeate wrote:

Just had my bike stolen from outside the new Aldi in Balham. Had two of those hiplock z-locks on it and was in the store for literally 30-45 seconds to get a bag of salad...came out and it was gone. Aldi said it's clear to see on their CCTV, reported to police, updated as stolen on bike bikeregister, not insured as I almost never lock it outside unless I'm going to be a few seconds. ffs. Gonna be a train so and so for at least the rest of the week, weekend plans to go away riding ruined, bike was about £1,500 all in. :evil:

Balls, sorry to hear that

prhymeate

-Dash wrote:

That sucks but I do have to wonder how you managed to be in and out of Aldi in 30-45 seconds? The queues are usually at least 5 mins and then they lob your shopping through the scanner at you.

There was no queue and I grabbed something at the end of a row nearest the entrance. I'd probably have seen it if I'd looked up whilst at the till. Train nkering today.

smokey_bacon

Prhymeate wrote:

Just had my bike stolen from outside the new Aldi in Balham. Had two of those hiplock z-locks on it and was in the store for literally 30-45 seconds to get a bag of salad...came out and it was gone. Aldi said it's clear to see on their CCTV, reported to police, updated as stolen on bike bikeregister, not insured as I almost never lock it outside unless I'm going to be a few seconds. ffs. Gonna be a train so and so for at least the rest of the week, weekend plans to go away riding ruined, bike was about £1,500 all in. :evil:

Sh!t sorry to hear that mate. Little b@stards!

smokey_bacon

Shamelessly stole ABFG's route off strava. Lovely ride through old stomping grounds of CS7. Quicker and arguably more enjoyable than the racetrack. All the old CS7 memes present and correct including a vicious left hook at the foot of the Col du Balham. Rider managed to keep it rubber side down somehow and was ok! Somethings never change!

asprilla

Committed sacrilege and took URR instead of LRR this morning after yesterday's snarl up. I think this is going to be a perm route change for me. Other than the junction with PBR it was 40kph cruising.

In other news I've started taking a bit of a scientific approach to how much effort I put in after discovering that my triathlon HRM is also capable of measuring Heart Rate Variation. The theory is that the greater your HRV (the variation in time between heart beats) the greater your ability to handle stress (physical and mental). So, I do a HRV test every morning and it tells me whether to go hard or pootle, rather than going on how my legs feel.

So far I'm finding it very useful.

rower63

Asprilla wrote:

... So, I do a HRV test every morning and it tells me whether to go hard or pootle, or book an appointment at the Doctor

ftfy

asprilla

rower63 wrote:

Asprilla wrote:

... So, I do a HRV test every morning and it tells me whether to go hard or pootle, or book an appointment at the Doctor

ftfy

It's supposed to be a good indicator of impending illness so it might come to that, although it's more likely to be by blood glucose checks that trigger a visit to the Doc.

HamishD

itboffin wrote:

you secured your 1.5k bike with 2 cable ties?

Just that.

Sorry for your loss though, that sucks.

Gallywomack

No shower in the office today as it's being replaced, so showered at home and took it veeery easy on the way in. Seems to have worked - I've had no complaints, anyway. Pleasant enough in its way but by gum it has hard holding back at times. Particularly challenging was the bloke on an old MTB who came gunning past in Lewisham, and the studenty-looking guy in several layers of street clothes, on a rusty old tourer, hunched right down in the drops (that is definitely a 'type' btw) who shot off down Victoria Embankment/CS3 from the Blackfriars crossing then ran out of steam and dangled temptingly 100m down the road. But I stayed firm and maintained a gentle pootle despite all provocation.

In other news, jersey and arm-warmers this morning, hopefully marking the retirement of the jacket until about November.

mtb-idle

Gallywomack wrote:

In other news, jersey and arm-warmers this morning, hopefully marking the retirement of the jacket until about November.

Yip, first day sans Gabba for me today; ss top, arm-warmers and gilet. Also removed my gloves at Kennington.

I do find cycle clothing is a very personal thing though. I ride weekends with a multinational group and when we all rode the Flanders sportive t'other week we all had the same bespoke long-sleeved top & bib shorts in superRoubaix (SRX) material. The range of additional kit went as follows:

- 30+ Brit - SRX kit and nothing beneath
- 50+ Brit (me) - SRX kit and ss top beneath + kneewarmers
- 40+ South African x 4 - SRX kit and ss top beneath + kneewarmers
- 40+ Italian - SRX kit, ss top beneath but with a buff pulled up over his head and ears + full length legwarmers
- 30+ Brazilian - SRX kit, merino base layer + Gabba 2 beneath plus buff around his face cowboy mask stylee+ full length legwarmers

asprilla

I only really wear a Gabba when it rains. Otherwise it's just SS Jersey and arm warmers. Needs to be below freezing for me to swap shorts and leg warmers for full bibs over shorts.

I always wear a base, it's just a question whether it's a summer or a winter one. Summer today.

kingstongraham

Prhymeate wrote:

Just had my bike stolen from outside the new Aldi in Balham. Had two of those hiplock z-locks on it and was in the store for literally 30-45 seconds to get a bag of salad...came out and it was gone. Aldi said it's clear to see on their CCTV, reported to police, updated as stolen on bike bikeregister, not insured as I almost never lock it outside unless I'm going to be a few seconds. ffs. Gonna be a train so and so for at least the rest of the week, weekend plans to go away riding ruined, bike was about £1,500 all in. :evil:

Sucks. My insurance insists on sold secure silver for a £1500 bike, so having it would only have added to the annoyance.

ShandyH

Long time, no post! Kids, eh! Faaaaaaa......

Just a hello to everyone again; it’s been a while. Very occasionally see Magnus, CJ, JonGinge but say hello if you see some tool on a Lampre Wilier along Embankment (or south of the river in the morning). Chat will save me from pretending-I’m-not-racing-but-am-actually-racing!

Also, eyes out for very nice chap called Callum in red Edinburgh Cycling Club gear who caught me and told me my pants were about to float onto Chelsea Embankment. Top man. Used to race so.... beware! Told him about this forum so if he shows up, make him feel welcome.

Ciao for now. Hopefully meet a few more of you.

anonymousblackfg

Getting quiet out there but raced spinny guy most of the way in, I'd like to think I took more segments than him but I did lose a few.

Annoying diversion last night as the po po blocked off Parliament Sq to crack some skulls.

poweredbyidris

anonymousblackfg wrote:

Getting quiet out there but raced spinny guy most of the way in, I'd like to think I took more segments than him but I did lose a few.

Annoying diversion last night as the po po blocked off Parliament Sq to crack some skulls.

Ah - that's annoying - was quite nice to roll through Parliament Sq the other day without dodging taxis and massive lines of tour groups crossing the road

rower63

ShandyH wrote:

Long time, no post! Kids, eh! Faaaaaaa......

Just a hello to everyone again; it’s been a while. Very occasionally see Magnus, CJ, JonGinge but say hello if you see some tool on a Lampre Wilier along Embankment (or south of the river in the morning). Chat will save me from pretending-I’m-not-racing-but-am-actually-racing!

Also, eyes out for very nice chap called Callum in red Edinburgh Cycling Club gear who caught me and told me my pants were about to float onto Chelsea Embankment. Top man. Used to race so.... beware! Told him about this forum so if he shows up, make him feel welcome.

Ciao for now. Hopefully meet a few more of you.

Welcome back to the forum Andy. But you've been absent long enough I think you need to re-take your test...

smokey_bacon

Loads of TT bikes out in RP this morning. The RP TT must be soon!

ryan_w-2

Smokey Bacon wrote:

Loads of TT bikes out in RP this morning. The RP TT must be soon!

I only saw a couple.

RPTT isn't till mid June, but quite a few events this Easter weekend.

analogueboy

Arrived at the lights from LRR by the bridge this morning and there was a woman on a hybrid with flat pedals and trainers track-standing towards the right of the ASL. I didn't pay much attention initially but she put the hammer down when the lights changed and just kept going the whole way to PSQ. I was with another guy on a road-bike and we weren't hanging around but she still caught up at every set of lights and was never too far behind in between.

I get the worrying feeling she might be a rower, if she is, she's wasted, she should be competing on two wheels

smokey_bacon

Ryan_W wrote:

Smokey Bacon wrote:

Loads of TT bikes out in RP this morning. The RP TT must be soon!

I only saw a couple.

RPTT isn't till mid June, but quite a few events this Easter weekend.

I counted 6 of which at least 3 needed a service of some kind!

tgotb

Smokey Bacon wrote:

I counted 6 of which at least 3 needed a service of some kind!

Triantelopes?

mtb-idle

Smokey Bacon wrote:

Ryan_W wrote:

Smokey Bacon wrote:

Loads of TT bikes out in RP this morning. The RP TT must be soon!

I only saw a couple.

RPTT isn't till mid June, but quite a few events this Easter weekend.

I counted 6 of which at least 3 needed a service of some kind!

Not a tri bike but I passed by a woman riding a hybrid on my commute yesterday and I felt like saying to her "you know that squeaking you can hear? That's your chain crying out for some oil..."

smokey_bacon

MTB-Idle wrote:

Not a tri bike but I passed by a woman riding a hybrid on my commute yesterday and I felt like saying to her "you know that squeaking you can hear? That's your chain crying out for some oil..."

Always tempted to have a word but never have. Some of these bikes this morning sounded like a bag of spanners.

tgotb

Smokey Bacon wrote:

Some of these bikes this morning sounded like a bag of spanners.

Sorry, that'll be my bottom bracket.
Actually, it's probably the rear hub. Or the headset. Or my knees.

asprilla

Duplicate.