Silly commuting racing

mamil314

What's heron's mouth like? o_O

kingstongraham

Was an ambulance attending a cyclist down just outside RP Ham Gate this morning - didn't see what was the cause. Hope they're OK, were still down and stretcher coming out as I passed.

asprilla

Dropped my chain at the top of Broomfield on the way home and still managed my fastest ever commute from Hammersmith to Walton via Broomfield, beating a record I set in 2012.

Still life in the old dog.

Gallywomack

Later this morning, loads of traffic (roadworks at Ladywell causing a massive tailback back to Catford and beyond, plus the usual on the OKR). Loads of cyclists too, very strange ride as I wasn't trying that hard (and that's not false modesty, I genuinely wasn't going that quick) or being particularly aggressive with my filtering, or even particularly lucky with lights, but I completely dropped everyone I passed - ie every rider I overtook (and there were lots) I never saw again. Some freak of timing I guess, but it was an oddly hollow feeling. I mean, I have a sackful of scalps but literally none of them stuck around long enough for it to mean anything. Ah well, nice day for it - arm warmers only, just right.

smokey_bacon

Super busy this morning with a lot of choppers out. 1st mists in RP signalling the onset of autumnal mornings.

For those that ride RP is there an unwritten rule for on overtaking on the Broomfield decent. I had a 10 odd strong group of Rapha RCC guys catch me on the upper slopes two got by which is not a problem but then two more tried to overtake into the right-hander at speed, one got through and chopped my line the other backed out of it after he realised there was no gap and I said something not very complimentary to his mate. Seemed all abit unnecessary to me.....

asprilla

30kph+ Average this morning on tired legs. Nice ride in. Not much in the way of scalps around though.

poweredbyidris

Smokey Bacon wrote:

Super busy this morning with a lot of choppers out. 1st mists in RP signalling the onset of autumnal mornings.

For those that ride RP is there an unwritten rule for on overtaking on the Broomfield decent. I had a 10 odd strong group of Rapha RCC guys catch me on the upper slopes two got by which is not a problem but then two more tried to overtake into the right-hander at speed, one got through and chopped my line the other backed out of it after he realised there was no gap and I said something not very complimentary to his mate. Seemed all abit unnecessary to me.....

Have had the same with a Dynamo chaingang shunting me towards the outside of the bend

Grrrrr

anonymousblackfg

Smokey Bacon wrote:

Super busy this morning with a lot of choppers out. 1st mists in RP signalling the onset of autumnal mornings.

For those that ride RP is there an unwritten rule for on overtaking on the Broomfield decent. I had a 10 odd strong group of Rapha RCC guys catch me on the upper slopes two got by which is not a problem but then two more tried to overtake into the right-hander at speed, one got through and chopped my line the other backed out of it after he realised there was no gap and I said something not very complimentary to his mate. Seemed all abit unnecessary to me.....

Weren't they all in RCC kit so you knew they'd behave like chumps, its a warning system, not a group of affiliated riders.

Nice sunny commute with a detour into Brixton (substantial penchant for jumping the lights round there).

kingstongraham

Got shouted at by a van driver last night for "breaking 7 or 8 laws". After he'd pulled up in the advanced stop box. I'll be honest I could think of one, the rest were probably related to "overtaking a van".

poweredbyidris

KingstonGraham wrote:

Got shouted at by a van driver last night for "breaking 7 or 8 laws". After he'd pulled up in the advanced stop box. I'll be honest I could think of one, the rest were probably related to "overtaking a van".

"which is the one you're not sure about?"

smokey_bacon

anonymousblackfg wrote:

Weren't they all in RCC kit so you knew they'd behave like chumps, its a warning system, not a group of affiliated riders.

Well yes, I always apply the abflg law to kit v predict actions but its the first time ive been "Dynamo'd" by the Rapha lot.

kingstongraham

PoweredByIdris wrote:

KingstonGraham wrote:

Got shouted at by a van driver last night for "breaking 7 or 8 laws". After he'd pulled up in the advanced stop box. I'll be honest I could think of one, the rest were probably related to "overtaking a van".

"which is the one you're not sure about?"

Nice.

He said it was for my own benefit that he was shouting at me, because the rules are there to stop me getting crushed. I looked at him, then at the bike painted on the road, then back at him. I was politely informed to ignore that.

asprilla

Smokey Bacon wrote:

anonymousblackfg wrote:

Weren't they all in RCC kit so you knew they'd behave like chumps, its a warning system, not a group of affiliated riders.

Well yes, I always apply the abflg law to kit v predict actions but its the first time ive been "Dynamo'd" by the Rapha lot.

They are terrible. They treat lone riders like they are part of their little peleton and swarm all over you rather than giving space as a group. Trouble with groups like that is that they provide a draft you don't want and so their overtake takes forever. If they stayed right it would make life much easier for all.

poweredbyidris

KingstonGraham wrote:

PoweredByIdris wrote:

KingstonGraham wrote:

Got shouted at by a van driver last night for "breaking 7 or 8 laws". After he'd pulled up in the advanced stop box. I'll be honest I could think of one, the rest were probably related to "overtaking a van".

"which is the one you're not sure about?"

Nice.

He said it was for my own benefit that he was shouting at me, because the rules are there to stop me getting crushed. I looked at him, then at the bike painted on the road, then back at him. I was politely informed to ignore that.

Is it 3 points and a fine for intentionally stopping in the ASL?

That's what I always tell people who try to roll past me at the lights

asprilla

PoweredByIdris wrote:

KingstonGraham wrote:

PoweredByIdris wrote:

KingstonGraham wrote:

Got shouted at by a van driver last night for "breaking 7 or 8 laws". After he'd pulled up in the advanced stop box. I'll be honest I could think of one, the rest were probably related to "overtaking a van".

"which is the one you're not sure about?"

Nice.

He said it was for my own benefit that he was shouting at me, because the rules are there to stop me getting crushed. I looked at him, then at the bike painted on the road, then back at him. I was politely informed to ignore that.

Is it 3 points and a fine for intentionally stopping in the ASL?

That's what I always tell people who try to roll past me at the lights

3pts and £100.

dekant

Not been very well at all recently so had to seriously hold back and make sure every commute is super steady. Unfotunately this means SCR has gone out the window and I've changed my route to the back way to try and avoid getting caught up in anything.

On the plus side, this means I've had to come up with something else to do on the way in and out of work and am now able to give you: Silly Comuter Trackstanding

Aim
Attempt to ride your entire commute without unclipping / putting a foot down

Rules
The only contact allowed is between you and your bike and the bikes two wheels and the ground (i.e. no leaning on fences)
No disregarding traffic laws

Scoring
Scoring can be done on total number of pts or highest consecutive number of pts (for pros)
1pt for each succesful trackstand where you would otherwise had to have come to a complete stop and put a foot down
-1pt If you roll over a stop line because you can't keep your trackstand in one place
+1pt if you out trackstand someone else higher in the food chain (probably need a new chain with those cheats on fixies at the top)

monkimark

Entering the asl after the lights go red is the same as running a red light so yes 3 points and £100 in the unlikely event that they are caught in the act.

Many years ago when I commuted up the CS7, not long after it opened, there was a 'crack down' on drivers stopping over the asl. It involved PCSOs handing out leaflets to offending drivers, I don't think it ever went any further.

-Dash

anonymousblackfg wrote:

Weren't they all in RCC kit so you knew they'd behave like chumps, its a warning system, not a group of affiliated riders.

Very common for that group to act a bit silly in the park. Often in a group of 20+ at 14mph.

elbowloh

dekant wrote:

Not been very well at all recently so had to seriously hold back and make sure every commute is super steady. Unfotunately this means SCR has gone out the window and I've changed my route to the back way to try and avoid getting caught up in anything.

On the plus side, this means I've had to come up with something else to do on the way in and out of work and am now able to give you: Silly Comuter Trackstanding

Aim
Attempt to ride your entire commute without unclipping / putting a foot down

Rules
The only contact allowed is between you and your bike and the bikes two wheels and the ground (i.e. no leaning on fences)
No disregarding traffic laws

Scoring
Scoring can be done on total number of pts or highest consecutive number of pts (for pros)
1pt for each succesful trackstand where you would otherwise had to have come to a complete stop and put a foot down
-1pt If you roll over a stop line because you can't keep your trackstand in one place
+1pt if you out trackstand someone else higher in the food chain (probably need a new chain with those cheats on fixies at the top)

I won't be taking part, as I automatically think that anyone trackstanding on the commute is a tw@t.

This is totally not because I can't do it. Tbf, i've never actually tried it.

elbowloh

monkimark wrote:

Entering the asl after the lights go red is the same as running a red light so yes 3 points and £100 in the unlikely event that they are caught in the act.

Many years ago when I commuted up the CS7, not long after it opened, there was a 'crack down' on drivers stopping over the asl. It involved PCSOs handing out leaflets to offending drivers, I don't think it ever went any further.

Yeah, i remember them doing it near Tooting Broadway station, but inevitably it turned into an exercise for the PCSOs to actually have a go at cyclists.

tgotb

elbowloh wrote:

I won't be taking part, as I automatically think that anyone trackstanding on the commute is a tw@t.

Either:
1. You can clip in first time, every time, without looking at your feet. If this is the case, and assuming you're in a sensible gear, you'll get away from the lights far more quickly than anyone who was trackstanding.
2. You can't reliably clip in first time. If this is the case, why would you waste the opportunity to practice it 50-odd times a day, and learn to get it right?

elbowloh

TGOTB wrote:

elbowloh wrote:

I won't be taking part, as I automatically think that anyone trackstanding on the commute is a tw@t.

Either:
1. You can clip in first time, every time, without looking at your feet. If this is the case, and assuming you're in a sensible gear, you'll get away from the lights far more quickly than anyone who was trackstanding.
2. You can't reliably clip in first time. If this is the case, why would you waste the opportunity to practice it 50-odd times a day, and learn to get it right?

I can generally clip in first time, and even if don't i'm still able to pedal without being clipped (SPDs with A600 pedals). the lights often stay red for a while so I can just take a rest rather than having to concentrate. Plus, i just don't want to be one of those peeps who are really bad at it and slowly make themselves into the middle of a junction because they can't hold it!

hopkinb

I can't trackstand. I can clip in. Easy enough decision.

Good way to liven up your back route commute though dekant. I tried it to see whether I was missing a trick. Soon discovered I wasn't!

Gallywomack

I did a foot up commute the other week. Trouble is with trackstanding is that I can do a steady one maybe 7 times out of 10, so I'm still at the stage where I can't be sure I won't end up doing an embarrassing crapstand. I do persist with it cos I think it's good carryover for my MTBing skillz, but would be nice if I could nail it every time. The worst is when you get yourself into a perfectly balanced position, hold it for ages looking poised and graceful, then have a wobble and have to suddenly put a foot down or crapstand your way over the line.

NB I'm on a single speed, on flat pedals, so trackstanding is definitely much slower than just putting a foot down. A good shove off from the foot on the ground makes a big difference to how quickly I get away.

dekant

elbowloh wrote:

I won't be taking part, as I automatically think that anyone trackstanding on the commute is a tw@t.

This is totally not because I can't do it. Tbf, i've never actually tried it.

That's the people who stand up and consistently jerk their bike back and forth while creeping ever forwards (then eventually put their foot down anyway)

You can also do it with style, which reminds me: +1 pt if you don't get out of the saddle.

dekant

Also, while I can clip in pretty much first time every time, I don't agree that it is quicker than the trackstand.

If you combine it with pro commuting skillz then you can prejudge the light change and get the power on instantly as it changes.

Hopkinb - the route is a nice change and will probably stick with it a few times a week when I'm better. There aren't as many traffic lights and certainly less cars to deal with so you stop less often. Downside is the roads themselves don't support high speeds like the straight flat sections of CS7 but overall it's only a few extra minutes vs CS7

tgotb

dekant wrote:

Also, while I can clip in pretty much first time every time, I don't agree that it is quicker than the trackstand.

If you combine it with pro commuting skillz then you can prejudge the light change and get the power on instantly as it changes.

Which you can also do if you have one foot on the ground. Additionally, if you have one foot on the ground you can already be applying some downward pressure on the front pedal, you're guaranteed to be pointing in the right direction, and you're in the optimum gear for a quick getaway (all the trackstanders I see are in quite a hard gear).

Assuming you're out of the saddle, the instant you release the brake and lift your foot off the ground you're applying max torque. Get the other foot clipped in as its pedal reaches the top of the stroke, stay out of the saddle, and you're away.

rick_chasey

About 90% of people who think they are trackstanding are actually just creeping forward quite slowly.

They also take up about 3 times more space than your normal foot down person, for a gain that is, at best, marginal.

cjcp

Smokey Bacon wrote:

Super busy this morning with a lot of choppers out. 1st mists in RP signalling the onset of autumnal mornings.

For those that ride RP is there an unwritten rule for on overtaking on the Broomfield decent. I had a 10 odd strong group of Rapha RCC guys catch me on the upper slopes two got by which is not a problem but then two more tried to overtake into the right-hander at speed, one got through and chopped my line the other backed out of it after he realised there was no gap and I said something not very complimentary to his mate. Seemed all abit unnecessary to me.....

I'm overtaken a lot down there, and overtake occasionally. My view is that, whether on a descent or not, the overtakor shouldn't chop the overtakee's line. End of.

cjcp

Rick Chasey wrote:

About 90% of people who think they are trackstanding are actually just creeping forward quite slowly.

They also take up about 3 times more space than your normal foot down person, for a gain that is, at best, marginal.

I can't trackstand. Never will. Something about old dogs and new tricks, I think.