Silly commuting racing

Greg T

victor ludorum wrote:

I made sure to lay down some significant awesome on the Euston Road and chewed up a true brakeless fixie, two shaven roadies and five hairy ones like they were standing still. (Apart from the fixie who didn't jump a red, but rather sneakily used the little driveway in front of St Marylebone Church to circumvent a set and overtake me while I was stopped...) but it doesn't matter. My beautiful clean sheet is in tatters.

I'd say riding shotgun for pregnant wifey counts you out of the game large style. You are officially impeded as if you were braking for the lights.

Of course this doesn't take away from the self loathing fuelled Gotterdammerung you unleashed when sans wifey. Of course our spiritual leader - Obi Wan Kenobi would suggest that anger is the fastest path to the dark side.

This doctrine is strongly resisted by the "attack coach" Thor, who's approach is generally defined as getting off your tits on mead before getting heavy with the really big hammer.

CP wrote:

GregT I ordered a singlespeed freewheel (Condor pista) only at the weekend as well 48-18 as it's the first one and I've got to be weary of the hills on the way home

Why are we all getting into singlies? Is is due to their high FCN?

I just want to be cool and am jumping on this bandwagon big style.

victor ludorum

Totalnewbie wrote:

I bet you've got lots of brownie points from Mrs Ludorum though!

That is true, at least.

It didn't do my stress levels much good though. I felt (not sure Mrs Ludorum would welcome the comparison) like a destroyer to her aircraft carrier. Constantly orbiting and chasing off potential threats. Normally I just shrug my shoulders at crap and inconsiderate driving, but my sensitivity was turned up to full gain. I yelled at six people to stop using their mobiles while driving. Things that were actually probably okay actions by drivers started looking like near misses. Two actual near misses (what's the likelihood of two utterly unnecessary bits of outrageously dangerous driving, neither in anyway related to impatience with a lack of speed just total ignorance, on a single relatively quiet journey?) drove me to near apoplexy. I reported one of them to the police (it won't make any difference, but you have to try... )

Mrs L was knackered afterwards, and she didn't cycle in today, but she might again tomorrow. I just hope I become a little more relaxed about the situation.

ChrisLS

...so what's a pregnent woman on the FC? :twisted:

victor ludorum

ChrisLS wrote:

...so what's a pregnent woman on the FC? :twisted:

Well, no normal human being should feel any sort of pride at passing an obviously pregnant woman (except for me in this case, obviously, but that is for a slightly different reason...)

However, I would suggest that anyone overtaken by an OPW should be required in the rules to dismount immediately, find someone more deserving and give their bike to them, then walk the rest of the way home.

Clever Pun

Greg T wrote:

CP wrote:

GregT I ordered a singlespeed freewheel (Condor pista) only at the weekend as well 48-18 as it's the first one and I've got to be weary of the hills on the way home

Why are we all getting into singlies? Is is due to their high FCN?

I just want to be cool and am jumping on this bandwagon big style.

been meaning to pick one up for a while for winter/wet riding... obviously I got all excited and over spent as usual... I'm pretty sure I didn't specifically need those time atac XS carbon pedals still the other ones were heavy and on that gearing I need as much help as possible.

xio

I can see that my campaign to rid the 'chain of scooters is bearing little fruit. How about another tack - if we're leaving scooters in, then I think we should also add those silly little electric cars. They have fun value - you let them come alongside on the hills then slowly ease away from them and watch their frustration. I know it's an easy kill, but it's got to be worth half a point at least; I mean, those things are allowed on motorways ffs!

biondino

What about learner drivers?

Bassjunkieuk

biondino wrote:

What about learner drivers?

Well in theory they should be good for spot on 30 down most roads, assuming the instructor is keeping an eye on the speedo!
In my experience they tend to drive a little under and are quite slow out of the blocks :-)
I did manage to keep pace with a queue of cars and once that was being lead by a learner driver towards Thornton Heath - it was especially satisfying when I got a rather impressed smile and nod from the minibus driver as I pulled up alongside them at the lights, at about the same time, having entered the opposite end of the road with them! Not that I was racing or anything........

victor ludorum

biondino wrote:

What about learner drivers?

Firstly, cars don't count. Which is why g-wizzes aren't in the lists. (Whether they are actually cars or not is open to debate, but they have the same limitations as other four wheeled vehicles plus some more of their own.)

Secondly, learner drivers aren't technically commuting, so they don't count. Almost everyone else on the road is going somewhere. Their intention is to get there quickly and safely (which is why silly commuter racing exists). Learner drivers don't really have a destination.

Thirdly, learner drivers are, by definition, inexperienced. Doing something which might unnecessarily fluster a learner (i.e. anything) endangers them, you, and other people, which contravenes the principle rule of the game, which is 'Don't ride like a c*ck'.

Greg T

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

I did manage to keep pace with a queue of cars and once that was being lead by a learner driver towards Thornton Heath - it was especially satisfying when I got a rather impressed smile and nod from the minibus driver as I pulled up alongside them at the lights,....

There is a particular glow to be gained from sitting in primary and laying down some handsome to keep your spot in the convoy.

If it slows down all the better as you can (Yes Dad CAREFULLY) choose one side or the other and smoothly transition into a fly by.

Of course this puts you into collection danger from sudden turners / opening doors / suicide pedestrians etc. But given good forward vision and lines of sight - whizz.

Another game within the game - holding your spot in moving traffic.

I'll not be winning this sub game until I sort my gearing out and graduate out of stabilisers.......

victor ludorum

xio wrote:

I can see that my campaign to rid the 'chain of scooters is bearing little fruit.

The thing about scooters, as opposed to little electric cars, is that they behave fairly similarly to cyclists in many ways. They are within our sphere in a way which cars are not.

Maintaining scooters at the top of the list also gives those riders who are at the upper end of the foodchain something to aim at, as opposed to having to ride a solely defensive game.

attica

http://www.bikeradar.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=14903238#14903238

We've been noticed over on the Road forum!

2wheelzgood

Greg T wrote:

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

r impressed smile and nod from the minibus driver as I pulled up alongside them at the lights,....

There is a particular glow to be gained from sitting in primary and laying down some handsome to keep your spot in the convoy.

I've never impressed a bus driver on my bike or otherwise. Bassjunkie, you are a funny one!

But yes you have a point about keeping pace with cars. The roads are less congested up here (especially when I get out of bed or cycling at odd times of the day). Into town at 6pm is not right for "silly commuter racing", nor is 11pm out of town.

But I did keep pace and re-take a double decker (yum, better than boost for bonk food btw) when it started to slow for 2 more stops on a 40mph road. Nah I didn't keep up to 40 but 32 in it's wake was nice. I'm guessing here that my cadence was causing the cartilage in my knees to self combust!

I was only too aware of the vulnerability side of things as you say Greg, having that slip stream is nice but you have to trust no cars are turning into the gap behind it.
I was quite tempted to hold onto the bus but you never know when it's about to stop cos some granny presses the button 5 foot before her stop.

Littigator

Sea_Green_Incorruptible wrote:

What about roadie tarts in full rapha? Must run close to the yellow jersey in terms of the satisfaction of burning them off...

That'd be my wife on the Embankment then! Burning off a girl on a hybrid, you should be ashamed of yourself!

victor ludorum

Littigator wrote:

Sea_Green_Incorruptible wrote:

What about roadie tarts in full rapha? Must run close to the yellow jersey in terms of the satisfaction of burning them off...

That'd be my wife on the Embankment then! Burning off a girl on a hybrid, you should be ashamed of yourself!

But she wouldn't be a roadie on a hybrid (or have I misunderstood?)

Besides, anyone wearing enough rapha on a commute to count as a rapha tart is asking for it.

Littigator

victor ludorum wrote:

But she wouldn't be a roadie on a hybrid (or have I misunderstood?)

Besides, anyone wearing enough rapha on a commute to count as a rapha tart is asking for it.

That's verr true! What you would get every morning is my scalp handed to you on a plate as I am forced to follow the wife all the way along from Battersea Bridge to London Bridge at 16mph whilst numpties on nobbies whistle past me!

GAAAAAAAAH! Oh the shame of it all. Only slightly relieved as I drop said wife at work and cane it back along the Embankment at mid 20s speed to burn off some of the embarrassment

Greg T

Littigator wrote:

FCN 4

Whoa there neddy.......

So before we all get chummy here I think you need to justify your FCN of 4, +2 on your base of 2.....

Now I'm all for inclusion.....

Actually that's complete arse - I'm an elitist and deeply insecure OCD sufferer with an inferiority complex and a hugely undergunned bike sitting downstairs.....

Do you have a beard and flip flops?

Come clean now - you are in the circle of trust after all (also watch Greg66 around your Mrs - he's been acting odd since that burd turned up with a very unhealthy interest in gentlemen swapping thigh measurements - perfectly normal.... cough ..... sideways glance.).

Littigator

Greg T wrote:

Littigator wrote:

FCN 4

Whoa there neddy.......

So before we all get chummy here I think you need to justify your FCN of 4, +2 on your base of 2..

So that's what I'm checking, I start from a base of 2 then as per Citrusskies? -1 for clipless does that put me on 1... Holy Christ that simply can't be right, I might shave my legs but I'm not some Cavendish style cavorter along Embankment of a morning!

2wheelzgood

you shaves yer legs and you pays yer price!

shoulder checking is ungamesmanly by the way!
reet work time again! This thread has done NOTHING for my productivity :shock:

attica

I think that's why we allowed scalping between any roadie (hirsute or not) and proper fast singley/fixed types (not faux fixed).

Otherwise you'd never get a sniff of a scalp.

After this morning's soaking I'm seriously considering shaving my legs too, just so they'll dry off before hometime! Oh, and to boost my FCN!

Dunston_checks_in

On a slightly different topic, has anyone noticed that THE GAME group on facebook has swelled quite considerably in membership. Is this independent of this discussion thread do you reckon? Is THE GAME on the verge of becoming a FACEBOOK PHENOMENON?

Greg T

Littigator wrote:

So that's what I'm checking, I start from a base of 2 then as per Citrusskies? -1 for clipless does that put me on 1... Holy Christ that simply can't be right, I might shave my legs but I'm not some Cavendish style cavorter along Embankment of a morning!

You are a 2 and are biffing the calculator if you ask me.....

Presume you ride in on your road bike, in lycra, lid, clipped in, oiled up legs waxed gleaming like burnished copper.......

(clipless doesn't count for the higher orders of FCNs)

Holy Christ that simply can't be right, I might shave my legs but I'm not some Cavendish style cavorter along Embankment of a morning

Bet you are tonight.....

Remember that obvious shows of effort are frowned upon and basically everyone else on two wheels are out to get you....

Running traffic and a good run is basically fair game, in and out of lights don't count, being impeded by traffic also safe play only......

Littigator

Greg T wrote:

You are a 2 and are biffing the calculator if you ask me.....

Presume you ride in on your road bike, in lycra, lid, clipped in, oiled up legs waxed gleaming like burnished copper.......

(clipless doesn't count for the higher orders of FCNs)

Thank you Squire!

Holy Christ that simply can't be right, I might shave my legs but I'm not some Cavendish style cavorter along Embankment of a morning

Bet you are tonight.....

Remember that obvious shows of effort are frowned upon and basically everyone else on two wheels are out to get you....

Running traffic and a good run is basically fair game, in and out of lights don't count, being impeded by traffic also safe play only......

Wish I was, but tonight I'm heading for Hillingdon to get my a*se torn off by quicker better people

attica

Curses curses curses

I've got so much work to do, and all I do is read this bloomin thread!

Bassjunkieuk

2wheelzgood wrote:

Greg T wrote:

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

r impressed smile and nod from the minibus driver as I pulled up alongside them at the lights,....

There is a particular glow to be gained from sitting in primary and laying down some handsome to keep your spot in the convoy.

I've never impressed a bus driver on my bike or otherwise. Bassjunkie, you are a funny one!

Why thank you :-) I'll have to correct the previous statement a bit tho. It was actually his passenger that acknowledged me rather then the driver and it was a small transit type minibus, the sort with 12-15 seats.

It all started when we turned off Streatham High Road (just passed the common) to head towards Thornton Heath. The corner isn't sharp and I can usually carry a nice dose of speed through but the learner was holding us up! As it was warm and I was feeling a bit energetic I decided to try and keep up. The road is probably about 2 miles long, and practically flat. It also has a short 20MPH zone in the middle. I turned in the bottom of the road about the same time as the mini bus and never really lost them the whole length :-) Sometimes I'd gain on them other times they'd overtake me, but each time I could see the passenger watching me as we passed! When we eventually got the the traffic lights at the opposite end I was only a few seconds behind, and pulled up at the front of the queue with them. I glanced over to them and we had one of those knowing looks!

Anyhow it's a world apart from scalping, which i'm really missing at the moment. Had a few nice targets last week but otherwise pickings are few and far between at the moment, god how I miss central London!!

greg66_tri_v2.0

Right Gamers, a reality check for all of us.

I went out this evening filled with rage at having let myself down this morning. I rode with fury boiling in me ... right into a huge treacly mass of traffic on the Embankment from the Eye to Vauxhall Bridge. This did nothing for my temper, but a fellow rider I was chatting to in one of the innumerable stops in traffic said something that did.

In the road in the run up to Westminster Bridge & Big Ben, where it was closed, was a scooter, a helmet and a covered body.

My anger subsided rapidly after that.

So BE CAREFUL when you're out there.

Greg T

Greg66 wrote:

So BE CAREFUL when you're out there.

This is the truth.

Keep yourself and everyone else safe.

prj45

Greg66 wrote:

In the road in the run up to Westminster Bridge & Big Ben, where it was closed, was a scooter, a helmet and a covered body.

Yup, I saw this, quite sobering after seeing some really agressive riding and driving in the queues leading up to the scene.

guinea

Just seen this thread for the first time and am bursting to join in.
I commute on the nobbly MTB with baggies and flatties.
FCN 11.

I also go around town on road rides on the Willier. Unshaven, clipless, Lycra (some team) and no baggage.
FCN 2.

I am now very excited about tomorrow's commute. This morning I actually got dropped by a 'fast hybrid' but this will not happen again. I promise. The only guy I can't hold on to is a rider on a blue Pinarello that commutes along the Uxbridge Road on weekday mornings around 9.

On wednesday nights I see a lot of bling. I don't know why but there is always a lot of expensive carbon going west. I should be able to get a load of points from shaved, capped, team issue bikes tomorrow. Of course, the might fight back - especially if they're members here...

Bassjunkieuk

I had what I thought was going to be a bit of fun on my way in today (still cooling off before I get changed!). As I approached the last main set of lights on the road to work I spotted 3 other cyclist in the queue, waiting at the red light. One was filtering around the outside of the cars and 2 where stuck 2 cars from the front with another behind them.

The rider that caught my eye tho was a lycra'd up roadie! I slowed on the approach not wanting to come to a complete stop and managed to time it just right, as I lined up behind the Alfa the lights changed and we set off, albeit at a rather slow pace.

Hankering for some fun after having sod all the past 2 days I used the bus stop ahead to nip around the Alfa and catch up with the roadie ahead, dropping the other 2 cyclist quite easily (on hybrids or MTB - I wasn't paying much attention, flat/wide bars are pretty much ignored in this area as they pose no threat!). He then proceeded down the road at a rather slow pace :-( I couldn't go round him yet as the Alfa is coming up alongside. As it passes I do a quick shoulder check and it's clear so I pull round and pick up the pace. I check the shadow down the side of my bike and can only see mine, looks like I got away with it!

I didn't see him again until I was waiting to turn into work a few hundred yards down the road, having stopped and waited for a gap to cross :-)