Silly commuting racing

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  • kingstonian
    kingstonian Posts: 2,847
    Gear cable gave up the ghost yesterday evening as I was a qtr of the way through RP, got home fine then single speeded it to work today. Bike is in my friendly LBS just along the road from the office where they've replaced the cable, plus also the chain and cassette which I knew were both on the way out.

  • nipmeister
    nipmeister Posts: 8
    anonymousblackfg said:

    Nice commute in, gaggle of regulars including shouty hail mary morvello willier guy, Mr Spatz on his aero bike and the bearded unit of a guy who can always crank out good pace. I hung back and chatted to the older chap on his green bike (not on here but is always friendly, drives to Epson then rides in).

    Ha ha! Love this!! Mr Spatz!? Yes, I do shout a bit. Yes, I do a hail mary at most sets of lights (superstition). No, it's not a Willier, it's a Merida. Is 'Mr Spatz' referring to the fact that i spit a lot? Yes, I do but if i didn't I would drown - I found out recently that I have a nasal allergy which is probably aggravated by the pollution. And yes, I have tried wearing a mask!

    Anything else I can clear up for anyone?

    x

  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    Well that was a bugger of a headwind this afternoon (left early).
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    edited December 2019
    Oh ffs (it censored "b u g g e r")
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • mtb-idle
    mtb-idle Posts: 2,179
    nipmeister said:

    anonymousblackfg said:

    Nice commute in, gaggle of regulars including shouty hail mary morvello willier guy, Mr Spatz on his aero bike and the bearded unit of a guy who can always crank out good pace. I hung back and chatted to the older chap on his green bike (not on here but is always friendly, drives to Epson then rides in).

    Ha ha! Love this!! Mr Spatz!? Yes, I do shout a bit. Yes, I do a hail mary at most sets of lights (superstition). No, it's not a Willier, it's a Merida. Is Mr 'Spatz' referring to the fact that i spit a lot? Yes, I do but if i didn't I would drown - I found out recently that I have a nasal allergy which is probably aggravated by the pollution. And yes, I have tried wearing a mask!

    Anything else I can clear up for anyone?

    x

    I think it's a brand of overshoe
    FCN = 4
  • mtb-idle
    mtb-idle Posts: 2,179
    had a quiet day today and fancied editing a vid so I had a dig around my hard drive and pulled out some footage shot in the summer, mainly on 2nd July but also featuring a few other bits and pieces I had to make it more interesting.

    features @rower63 not once but twice (once by design and the second time I only noticed him once i was rewatching the edit).

    Already posted this in the gallery section but just in case you don't check that thought i would re-post here

    Grown Man Sport (Gandhi mix)

    intro from Enter Shikhari and main choon from Pete Rock

    Enjoy
    FCN = 4
  • anonymousblackfg
    anonymousblackfg Posts: 2,029
    nipmeister said:

    anonymousblackfg said:

    Nice commute in, gaggle of regulars including shouty hail mary morvello willier guy, Mr Spatz on his aero bike and the bearded unit of a guy who can always crank out good pace. I hung back and chatted to the older chap on his green bike (not on here but is always friendly, drives to Epson then rides in).

    Ha ha! Love this!! Mr Spatz!? Yes, I do shout a bit. Yes, I do a hail mary at most sets of lights (superstition). No, it's not a Willier, it's a Merida. Is 'Mr Spatz' referring to the fact that i spit a lot? Yes, I do but if i didn't I would drown - I found out recently that I have a nasal allergy which is probably aggravated by the pollution. And yes, I have tried wearing a mask!

    Anything else I can clear up for anyone?

    x

    Mr Spatz was someone else, big guy, in spatz and riding an aerobike, Neil Pride one I think.

    Good to make the connection.
    If I know you, and I like you, you can borrow my bike box for £30 a week. PM for details.
  • keyser__soze
    keyser__soze Posts: 2,067
    edited December 2019
    cjcp said:

    I read your post yesterday and confess to riding very tentatively along Cable Street yesterday evening. At which part did it happen?

    Going eastbound one morning, Christian St junction. A van closely tailgating another van (that carried straight on) turned right across me, despite it being my right of way. Grabbed the brake as soon as I saw him turning but collided with his wing mirror and I ended up fracturing my cheekbone/skull in several places as well as snapping the forks on my bike clean through. Fortunately I was wearing sunglasses else surgeon reckoned I could've lost an eye. Nothing I could have done.

    I've always hated Cable St. Before I moved out of SW London back in 2013 I used to take The Highway all the time but since moving back in 2017, due to the way the segregated lane funnels you towards Cable St I tend to take Cable St on the way in and The Highway on the way home. Even after they changed the priority at most of the junctions on Cable St a while back, the number of times cars just pull out from side streets or off the main road across the cycle lane is insane. Sutton St (by the school) where one doesn't have priority but has to look three different directions at once to check if one can cross and Watney St (by Shadwell DLR station) where one does have priority but cars pull in or out on a whim are particularly bad. The endless wait for a green light at each of the traffic lights is insane too, especially when there's invariably no road traffic for an entire phase. Having to stop and press a button then wait for hours for a green light instead of defaulting the lights to being green for cyclists and turning red only on presence of motor traffic is an unfathomable decision for a 'cycle superhighway' - I guess no-one's bothered changing it as roughly 75% of cyclists jump them instead.

    Jersey is back in action today btw. Not my night to do nursery pick-up so will be running quite a bit later than last time we crossed paths.
    "Mummy Mummy, when will I grow up?"
    "Don't be silly son, you're a bloke, you'll never grow up"
  • wolfsbane2k
    wolfsbane2k Posts: 3,056
    Who's the best person on here to contact re the Kingston Wheelers? Dm me...
    Intent on Cycling Commuting on a budget, but keep on breaking/crashing/finding nice stuff to buy.
    Bike 1 (Broken) - Bike 2(Borked) - Bike 3(broken spokes) - Bike 4( Needs Work) - Bike 5 (in bits) - Bike 6* ...
  • smokey_bacon
    smokey_bacon Posts: 1,639
    Absolutely nothing of note except rain this morning. So in other news.....
    https://road.cc/content/tech-news/269601-sex-cam-website-launches-bike-seat-vibrator-pocket-give-sexual-pleasure
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,227
    There's just enough rain to be annoying and keep the roads wet without making it feel heroic to still be riding.

    Also, my back wheel has started making a horrible noise. Might need to do something about that.
  • silverstreak
    silverstreak Posts: 49
    Back in the saddle after getting taken out by (prone) roadworks sign on Priory Lane last week. Knee still sore but good to be out and about again. Missed the wind and rain.
  • davidmiller
    davidmiller Posts: 320
    Before they started upgrading the old A14 my drive into Cambridge was 45-50 mins.
    When they were doing the work if went to about an hour or an hour and 15 mins.
    Now they have closed the old road and opened the new one my journeys have been 90 mins, 90 mins, 90 mins, 90 mins, 120 mins and 60 mins.
    So today, not out of the love of the bike but out of sheer frustration, in the dark and wet and rain at 5 dC I rode the 30 k into work. Did n't get overtaken once ;-)
    Thought you peeps might appreciate that more than the wife will tonight!!
  • anonymousblackfg
    anonymousblackfg Posts: 2,029
    wolfsbane2k said:

    Who's the best person on here to contact re the Kingston Wheelers? Dm me...

    I'd suggest CJ, not sure who else on here is in the upper echelons of the club as a ex low level member.

    Despite rain this morning I was quite happy, better than hitting standing water and buried and unburied debris all along the Kingston Hill cycle path last night. Pleasure to see 5 cars parked on the raised section out side Dominos as usual.
    If I know you, and I like you, you can borrow my bike box for £30 a week. PM for details.
  • smokey_bacon
    smokey_bacon Posts: 1,639
    anonymousblackfg said:



    Despite rain this morning I was quite happy, better than hitting standing water and buried and unburied debris all along the Kingston Hill cycle path last night. Pleasure to see 5 cars parked on the raised section out side Dominos as usual.

    I see those cars and bikes there every night on my way through. But then I also think its the most useless bit of cycle lane and use the road so let them have it.
  • anonymousblackfg
    anonymousblackfg Posts: 2,029
    Fully agree, utterly useless but if people are going to complain about the ocst of that half arsed effort at cycling infrastructure you might as well collect money off the muppets who park in it.

    If I know you, and I like you, you can borrow my bike box for £30 a week. PM for details.
  • wolfsbane2k
    wolfsbane2k Posts: 3,056
    anonymousblackfg said:

    wolfsbane2k said:

    Who's the best person on here to contact re the Kingston Wheelers? Dm me...

    I'd suggest CJ, not sure who else on here is in the upper echelons of the club as a ex low level member.

    Ta - someone's pinged me.
    Intent on Cycling Commuting on a budget, but keep on breaking/crashing/finding nice stuff to buy.
    Bike 1 (Broken) - Bike 2(Borked) - Bike 3(broken spokes) - Bike 4( Needs Work) - Bike 5 (in bits) - Bike 6* ...
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    wolfsbane2k said:

    anonymousblackfg said:

    wolfsbane2k said:

    Who's the best person on here to contact re the Kingston Wheelers? Dm me...

    I'd suggest CJ, not sure who else on here is in the upper echelons of the club as a ex low level member.

    Ta - someone's pinged me.
    Sorry, just seen.

    Glad someone's pinged you. TGOTB is another KWer, so feel free to drop us a DM as well if we can help.
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    anonymousblackfg said:

    Fully agree, utterly useless but if people are going to complain about the ocst of that half arsed effort at cycling infrastructure you might as well collect money off the muppets who park in it.

    I've complained about this and nothing is ever done. Every night, without fail, you see scooters and cars parked on it.

    I've never seen the point of that part of the cycle lane, but, like you say, why did they bother spending that money on it, just so people can have a smooth bit of path to park on.
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    keyser__soze said:

    cjcp said:

    I read your post yesterday and confess to riding very tentatively along Cable Street yesterday evening. At which part did it happen?

    Going eastbound one morning, Christian St junction. A van closely tailgating another van (that carried straight on) turned right across me, despite it being my right of way. Grabbed the brake as soon as I saw him turning but collided with his wing mirror and I ended up fracturing my cheekbone/skull in several places as well as snapping the forks on my bike clean through. Fortunately I was wearing sunglasses else surgeon reckoned I could've lost an eye. Nothing I could have done.

    I've always hated Cable St. Before I moved out of SW London back in 2013 I used to take The Highway all the time but since moving back in 2017, due to the way the segregated lane funnels you towards Cable St I tend to take Cable St on the way in and The Highway on the way home. Even after they changed the priority at most of the junctions on Cable St a while back, the number of times cars just pull out from side streets or off the main road across the cycle lane is insane. Sutton St (by the school) where one doesn't have priority but has to look three different directions at once to check if one can cross and Watney St (by Shadwell DLR station) where one does have priority but cars pull in or out on a whim are particularly bad. The endless wait for a green light at each of the traffic lights is insane too, especially when there's invariably no road traffic for an entire phase. Having to stop and press a button then wait for hours for a green light instead of defaulting the lights to being green for cyclists and turning red only on presence of motor traffic is an unfathomable decision for a 'cycle superhighway' - I guess no-one's bothered changing it as roughly 75% of cyclists jump them instead.

    Jersey is back in action today btw. Not my night to do nursery pick-up so will be running quite a bit later than last time we crossed paths.
    Zoiks!!!!

    I was riding along there yesterday morning, in the rain, avoiding the slippery ruts, over the slippery man-hole covers, over the slippery drains, over the gravel which remains from the recent works, past the pedestrians in very close proximity, past the junctions where you're wondering "Has that driver seen me? Will they stop?", and thought "This is actually a really cr@p bit of cycling infrastructure."

    Grrr.

    Got to work and was chatting with a fella who'd gone down the highway, and he'd arrived at Tower Hill just after me, but still beat me to Canary Wharf.

    I can see why you don't use it. I thought I'd warm to it, but not so far.



    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • smokey_bacon
    smokey_bacon Posts: 1,639
    Absolute shocker last night. Got a front flat and couldn't get the tube to stay up because of sodding removable cores! gave up and walked the 3 miles home. During which the back decided to go flat! Went shopping for a new pump that you dont have to screw onto the valve when I got home!

    Tentatively rode in this morning praying that i wouldn't get a visitation because I had no tubes left. Got scalped by Rower and his entourage over Chelsea Bridge then saw a bus and a car being towed pull out on the group nearly wiping the lot of them out! All in all quite eventful couple of rides.
  • rower63
    rower63 Posts: 1,991
    edited December 2019
    Haha yes that Lorry and/or Van/Car tow (on Millbank IIRC?) was odd ... took a while to work out what was going on until I spotted the rope! Lucky nobody tried to go through the gap!

    My entourage today was a Paceline chap luckily with 30+ miles in his legs so not quite as sharp as usual, and the green-frame fixed-gear track guy who has a superb burst...
    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
  • smokey_bacon
    smokey_bacon Posts: 1,639
    I've admired that green Cannondale fixie many times before he disappears into the distance recently as I see him regularly.
  • asprilla
    asprilla Posts: 8,440
    rower63 said:

    Haha yes that Lorry and/or Van/Car tow (on Millbank IIRC?) was odd ... took a while to work out what was going on until I spotted the rope! Lucky nobody tried to go through the gap!

    My entourage today was a Paceline chap luckily with 30+ miles in his legs so not quite as sharp as usual, and the green-frame fixed-gear track guy who has a superb burst...

    I was behind you from Hampton to RP, but had to stop and unzip my jersey an inch because it felt like if was strangling me; two weeks off with drinking and lurgy have taken their toll.

    Front tyre is very low but the valve appears to be clogged. I can unscrew it and then push it in, but no air comes out when I do. Can't get any air in either. Not sure whether to risk it on the way home, try to take the core out and clean it, or just put a tube in.
    Mud - Genesis Vapour CCX
    Race - Fuji Norcom Straight
    Sun - Cervelo R3
    Winter / Commute - Dolan ADX
  • hopkinb
    hopkinb Posts: 7,129
    https://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/health/heroic-man-cycles-to-work-even-when-its-raining-20191218191949
  • smokey_bacon
    smokey_bacon Posts: 1,639
    Last night was my last commute home before hanging up the wheels for Christmas/New Year/Drinking/Star Wars. Another 4.5k miles in the bank. Happy Christmas everyone. See you on the other side.
  • anonymousblackfg
    anonymousblackfg Posts: 2,029
    That was warm, good to know how ballsed up our climate is.

    Needing head down Portsmouth Road this week from Kingston to Surbo. I took the road last night for the first section rather than the bumpy horribly cambered bike path, keeping up with traffic, 200m before a long line of backed up cars. Of course I had some bint behind me busy on the horn. Let her through to prove a point but the level of patience of everyone out there staggers me.
    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
    smokey_bacon said:

    Last night was my last commute home before hanging up the wheels for Christmas/New Year/Drinking/Star Wars. Another 4.5k miles in the bank. Happy Christmas everyone. See you on the other side.

    Aye, me too. I have resolved to try and get a few km in over Christmas, but let's see.
  • anonymousblackfg
    anonymousblackfg Posts: 2,029
    Not done yet, 8683.6 km for the year, 2,5 max commutes left and little extra time for cycling means 9k or higher than last year's 8,960km isn't going to happen
    If I know you, and I like you, you can borrow my bike box for £30 a week. PM for details.
  • magictrumpet
    magictrumpet Posts: 54
    I've done just the 3,100km this year, which is doubly annoying as last year was 4,050km.

    Need to up the work rate next year!

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