Silly commuting racing

il_principe

Well what a few days I've had.

Saturday am. Waiting at the junction of Lupus st and Embankment, astride the Prince and heading to RP, the lights are red and I'm adjusting the iPod (shut it you lot) when what do I see cruising through the Greens ahead of me but another Prince (mainly red colour scheme) ridden by a bloke in an Rapha/recycling jacket and Assos. "What do we have here?" I thought. Lights go green and I'm on his tail. No need to get silly here as I'm just warming up. Stay with him for a a bit but he's cheeky at lights and we take different routes. Catch him again just before RP, but he RLJ's again and I loose him. Today's training calls for 1 lap of the park at "balls out" speed. I duly comply and demolish several small pelotons, 3 cars and a scooter anti clockwise. Finish the lap and I'm having a breather and a stretch by the gate. Been there 4 mins or so and who comes pootling past me on his way home but my fellow Prince rider. Must have passed him in the Park but I don't remember seeing him, anyway we exchange looks and we both know that he's just had his arse handed to him, perhaps managing a 22/23 lap, not good enough when you're just doing one lap... I win! Sit on his tail for a bit until Putney where I take him - he takes me back via some slighty mental filtering and we're together until Fulham. It's one of those amusing rides where you can tell the bloke in front is really trying and having you sitting on his wheel (well 10 metres back or so) is starting to get to him. I take a little short-cut round Chelsea Harbour, and then lay down 30+ mph of awesome on the Embankment, no sign of him by this stage but I'm not sure he had the stomach for the duel...



Day off the bike yesterday as I had to spend the day in Brum, or Aston to be precise (what a sh1thole). Anyway rode to the GF's last night and spotted my first ever Asian roadie, no scalping opps as we were going different ways. Then this AM, Kilburn high road and I end up behind a Specialized roadie (perhapsd an new Allez or low spec Tarmac.) Anyway, this bloke has done his best to fcuk the bike up - he's using an enormous cassette, a mudguard that he must have liberated from a tractor and flats. Easy meat clearly, but he's not having it and attempts a few cheeky filtering and RLJ manœuvres in a attempt to re-pass me. Traffic thins out and I drop him so hard no amount of RLJ'ing is going to help, I'm in souplesse mode and loving it, upper body steady, RPM's high. 2 more roadies fall by the wayside on Edgware road including a bloke on a trek with shaved legs who really should have put up a fight, but no game.

It's good to be back in the saddle.

greg66_tri_v2.0

Bone dry here in the big smoke, old chap.

No hot SCR action this morning for me. No one around.

Just as well too. Although I'm getting over a cold. my legs feel distinctly viral - slow, lactic-y, stiff, achy. Very unpleasant.

lost_in_thought

Calll on me.... spin spin sugar... I am spinning up a storm on the old commuter. My glutes ache. Max speed = a little quicker than walking. 7 miles in 36 minutes today.

And I had a fun one this morning, keeping up with a guy on a hybrid, he disappeared around shebu, and then reappeared on HSK as I cruised past him!

He looked very surprised.

Not a scalp though, as I think we were going at about the same speed. My route is just better than his!

I had also forgotten the old commuter's secret weapon - uphill acceleration! I did a guy on an MTB, a guy on a hybrid and a tourer up a tiny hill in Acton. No scalp- I couldn't stay ahead on the flat...

Christophe3967

jashburnham wrote:

Been there 4 mins or so and who comes pootling past me on his way home but my fellow Prince rider. Must have passed him in the Park but I don't remember seeing him, anyway we exchange looks and we both know that he's just had his ars* handed to him, perhaps managing a 22/23 lap, not good enough when you're just doing one lap... I win! Sit on his tail for a bit until Putney where I take him - he takes me back via some slighty mental filtering and we're together until Fulham. It's one of those amusing rides where you can tell the bloke in front is really trying and having you sitting on his wheel (well 10 metres back or so) is starting to get to him. I take a little short-cut round Chelsea Harbour, and then lay down 30+ mph of awesome on the Embankment, no sign of him by this stage but I'm not sure he had the stomach for the duel...

Brilliant. 22/23 on a Prince sound pretty average really - I think I'd have slunk off to the cafe rather than taking you on again. On that basis though, sounds like you were in the 18s - for your lap. I wonder what DDD's best RP one lap time is?

il_principe

Christophe3967 wrote:

jashburnham wrote:

Been there 4 mins or so and who comes pootling past me on his way home but my fellow Prince rider. Must have passed him in the Park but I don't remember seeing him, anyway we exchange looks and we both know that he's just had his ars* handed to him, perhaps managing a 22/23 lap, not good enough when you're just doing one lap... I win! Sit on his tail for a bit until Putney where I take him - he takes me back via some slighty mental filtering and we're together until Fulham. It's one of those amusing rides where you can tell the bloke in front is really trying and having you sitting on his wheel (well 10 metres back or so) is starting to get to him. I take a little short-cut round Chelsea Harbour, and then lay down 30+ mph of awesome on the Embankment, no sign of him by this stage but I'm not sure he had the stomach for the duel...

Brilliant. 22/23 on a Prince sound pretty average really - I think I'd have slunk off to the cafe rather than taking you on again. On that basis though, sounds like you were in the 18s - for your lap. I wonder what DDD's best RP one lap time is?

I forgot to set the timer, but if felt like a fast lap. prob a 19 though. I'm not sure DDD has ever cycled in RP tbh. Hitting the Turbo tonight, 2nd week of the regime and the required mileage is starting to climb. I cannot wait to get last year's fitness back!

Bassjunkieuk

Excellent riding there JA, sounds like you had a right blast!
I think DDD has been round RP, I remember seeing a past where he commented that he arrived and thought "f**k me, there are dears here!" a while back!

No action for me this morning, asides from wanting to shoot the stupid bint in the small red car that doesn't know what her indicators are for!

Clever Pun

Gave blood last night for the first time so didn't know what to expect today, felt a little tired but still gave it some on the way in... destroyed another fixed guy but that was it, quiet of any high end riders.

cjcp

jashburnham wrote:

I cannot wait to get last year's fitness back!

+1. Have a few more miles in the legs this winter compared to last, but the speed is suffering a little. Am presently 7-10lbs over my preferred weight and this is slowing me down.

itboffin

I'm off out on the beast this morning, a slow couple of miles then I might take my SS to "the road" sssh!

jonginge

cjcp wrote:

jashburnham wrote:

I cannot wait to get last year's fitness back!

+1. Have a few more miles in the legs this winter compared to last, but the speed is suffering a little. Am presently 7-10lbs over my preferred weight and this is slowing me down.

I just wish I had the fitness I had over xmas. Serial colds, too much work and a dodgy wrist since then. Boooo

lost_in_thought

cjcp wrote:

jashburnham wrote:

I cannot wait to get last year's fitness back!

+1. Have a few more miles in the legs this winter compared to last, but the speed is suffering a little. Am presently 7-10lbs over my preferred weight and this is slowing me down.

+2

I am fed up of being unfit!

Bassjunkieuk

lost_in_thought wrote:

cjcp wrote:

jashburnham wrote:

I cannot wait to get last year's fitness back!

+1. Have a few more miles in the legs this winter compared to last, but the speed is suffering a little. Am presently 7-10lbs over my preferred weight and this is slowing me down.

+2

I am fed up of being unfit!

Could we invent a new acronym?

GTFF? (Get The F**k Fit)
FTFU? (Fitten The F**k Up)

I'm putting my less then stellar perfomance down to cold weather, ergo it takes me longer to warm up and I always got my PB's when sprinting on the boiling hot days!

il_principe

FTFU... I like it.

*adds to list.

lost_in_thought

Ooooh I like FTFU a lot.

A lot.

il_principe

Oi LiT - FTFU!

Yes! Podium.

greg66_tri_v2.0

Also doubles as Fatten The Fcuk Up.

And Fcu- ... errr .... never mind. As you were.

lost_in_thought

jashburnham wrote:

Oi LiT - FTFU!

Yes! Podium.

*wanders off looking for board with nail in it*

Bassjunkieuk

I call it the tetanus stick!

itboffin

As I no longer have an actual commute I guess my only even slight cycle journey is the school run, with me so far...

well "the beast" a real eye turning beauty from Halfords :? is at long last starting to look and feel a little tired and me being me I was wondering okay it be wrong to put new 9 speed Campagnolo kit on that frame, all i'm missing is a headset

Halfords XT or whatever kitted out with Campagnolo sounds good to me

iain_j

The roadworks/congestion situation round here is getting ridiculous. The authorities seem to be picking every major route in my end of the city and digging it up. Left the house way early this morning to beat the traffic and get in early, and still got caught in a 1 mile queue for some traffic lights. I'm running out of alternative routes. And the roads are "quiet" at the moment with it being half-term.

Didn't see any other cycling action but saw a bus driver nearly wipe a car out. Bus is caught up in roadwork congestion, just like everyone else. Despite having a green light it couldn't get across the junction because the space is restricted by all the cones and there's too much other traffic about. Lights go back to red with bus having hardly moved, though he'll probably make it now on the next green. Crossroad gets green and traffic starts moving.

Bus driver thinks "sod it" and pulls out again, sticking his hand out towards the traffic crossing the junction traffic-cop style, and charges across the junction right into the path of a car going across fairly quickly. Screech of brakes, car skids towards kerb narrowly avoiding the corner of the bus, pedestrians crossing in the path of the bus panic, bus driver carries on regardless.

Fcuking lunatic :twisted:

Christophe3967

Very quiet this morning but light enough to use Ken Gardens and Hyde Park. There are pros & cons with this, but amongst the pros are the visual distractions, one of which I followed for a while along Rotten Row this morning. Fortunately, she was doing 20ish so it wasn't too obvious that I was making no effort to overtake. Arrived at work to find the showers only had cold water.

cjcp

All quiet until Albert Bridge and then one, two, three roadies (one with tri bars) appeared at the lights. Faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan-tastic. I've seen them before and they're swift. All a bit neck and neck through DSC due to some traffic until I got blocked in behind a hybrid and then a MTBer, in a very bizarre move, pulled in front of me.

The roadies were got away on the outside and were heading for the green lights at VB. Right, time to go, as Lance would say. So, unleashing, what in my mediocre books, could be described as a bit of a sprint (it was more of an acceleration), I pulled out and headed for the green lights. Made it. Easily. And then carried on going past roadies one, two and three, past a couple of motorbikes ( ) and wasn't caught. TTFN, chaps, as Tigger would say.

Did a lap of the Park again on my way in. Again without breakfast. I need food.

il_principe

cjcp wrote:

And then carried on going past roadies one, two and three, past a couple of motorbikes ( ) and wasn't caught. TTFN, chaps, as Tigger would say.

Time Trialists, Fcuking Numpties?

cjcp

jashburnham wrote:

cjcp wrote:

And then carried on going past roadies one, two and three, past a couple of motorbikes ( ) and wasn't caught. TTFN, chaps, as Tigger would say.

Time Trialists, Fcuking Numpties?

Clever Pun

Pretty quiet this morning, the legs are feeling it after the mofo of cardio blast yesterday coupled with the higher gear inches, still only really affecting me on the hills.

getting to the business end of the commute and I take a fixed chap on a red rocket and I thought that was my lot until I get to the racing traffic lights, it's quite a bit set and 3 lanes wide, the cyclists all line up looking across at each other sizing up bikes and legs plus the next set can be got through if you're fast enough, always an incentive. There are a couple of roadies I'd just past that are smarting from me whipping them easily. I'm standing there playing with my gloves knowing there's time before the light changes while other grip the handlebars calves tensed... ready and we're off they pull a little ahead as I've got only reasonable acceleration but then bam I'm out on my own and make the next lights with only one other guy with both duly dispatch another fixed and then it's time for me to turn off.

I do enjoy that bit, no matter how tired you can always find some reserves to show people what you got

Bassjunkieuk

Having been relegated to the car today I was actually gobsmacked at the utter lack of driving skills I witnessed from not 1 but 3 drivers!

We are on a residential road with speed humps (those lovely split ones!), I'm behind 3 cars with a little Fiesta at the front, a silver golf and something else in front of me. I then saw the Golf race round the Fiesta to get onto that oh-so important bit of clear road ahead! I'm sitting there wondering just why you need to perform such a dangerous and un-necessary pass on such a road. The Fiesta was doing between 20 and 25 so perfectly reasonable given the road and traffic calming. This however was surpassed by the utter w4nker in the escort/astra van behind me who I saw pull around me in my rear view mirror. I wondered WTF he was doing and he overtook all 3 of us before pulling back in just ahead of the Fiesta driver :evil:

As I turned off at the mini-roundabout a bit further ahead I'm sure I also saw a third car go round the Fiesta. Just what these 3 drivers needed to get to in such a hurry at 7:25 in the morning I don't know but I did catch up with the Gold driver at the next set of lights, so his wreckless overtaking saved him SSSSOOO much time!

God I miss my bike and it's only been 1 commute :-(

greg66_tri_v2.0

cjcp wrote:

All quiet until Albert Bridge and then one, two, three roadies (one with tri bars) appeared at the lights. Faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan-tastic. I've seen them before and they're swift. All a bit neck and neck through DSC due to some traffic until I got blocked in behind a hybrid and then a MTBer, in a very bizarre move, pulled in front of me.

The roadies were got away on the outside and were heading for the green lights at VB. Right, time to go, as Lance would say. So, unleashing, what in my mediocre books, could be described as a bit of a sprint (it was more of an acceleration), I pulled out and headed for the green lights. Made it. Easily. And then carried on going past roadies one, two and three, past a couple of motorbikes ( ) and wasn't caught. TTFN, chaps, as Tigger would say.

Did a lap of the Park again on my way in. Again without breakfast. I need food.

Good effort. I saw nowt on the way in, and good thing too. I've still got this weird post-viral sh!t thing going on with my legs. And a nose that's filled with snot and a throat that feels like a drinking straw, so o2 uptake is probably not great either. I wonder if they are connected.

But worse than that was the headwind that seemed not to trouble the leaves on the plants between AB and CB, which never seemed to be blowing when I stopped, but was very definitely pushing me backwards when I was moving.

Gah.

cjcp

Of course, the Doc would probably tell you to not cycle while you recover...


(Like that's going to happen.)

greg66_tri_v2.0

cjcp wrote:

Of course, the Doc would probably tell you to not cycle while you recover...


(Like that's going to happen.)

Sorry. Used up my quota of Doc visits for the next few years.

Doc = does not compute.

martinc

back on the bike after 2 weeks off due to snow and sickness.

seem to have lost all my fitness and doubled in weight. regularly scalped yesterday and today, at least they were on decent machines though - a cervelo at battersea bridge yesterday and a pair of PlanetX carbons on the embankment today.

think i need to buy a Pashley women's shopper bike so my FCN matches my ability. :oops: