Silly commuting racing

lost_in_thought

Yep, that's it, but without the weird stuff on the front wheel and the bars. It's a cr@pper.

And my views here are a lot better

biondino

:P

(when are you back? Want to go on a fixie ride round the park, and you can tell me all the things I'm doing wrong? Such as, uh, failing to get up any of the hills)

lost_in_thought

biondino wrote:

:P

(when are you back? Want to go on a fixie ride round the park, and you can tell me all the things I'm doing wrong? Such as, uh, failing to get up any of the hills)

Fo' shizzle.

Back first week of April.

Christophe3967

lost_in_thought wrote:

Yep, that's it, but without the weird stuff on the front wheel and the bars. It's a cr@pper.

And my views here are a lot better

Cool bike 8) Think of the energy you can save trackstanding with one of those handy stands. Strewth

Bassjunkieuk

biondino wrote:

:P

(when are you back? Want to go on a fixie ride round the park, and you can tell me all the things I'm doing wrong? Such as, uh, failing to get up any of the hills)

If I'm not mistaken I think LiT is expecting the Maxima to arrive whilst she's away so when she gets back, and if it has arrived, you can both go out on your new rides :-D

biondino

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

biondino wrote:

:P

(when are you back? Want to go on a fixie ride round the park, and you can tell me all the things I'm doing wrong? Such as, uh, failing to get up any of the hills)

If I'm not mistaken I think LiT is expecting the Maxima to arrive whilst she's away so when she gets back, and if it has arrived, you can both go out on your new rides :-D

Hahaha no but really.

Once she gets the Maxima I don't think I'll be doing any more rides with LiT - I'm sure I'll be able to wave her off as she accelerates into the distance and welcome her back for a cup of tea once she's finished stopping the earth from turning, like Superman does, but riding together? Nah.

Citizen Smith

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

So it's Friday tomorrow and I just thought I'd throw this out to the group - who's up for a drinks tomorrow evening? I'll mention it to the missus now and hopefully I might be able to get a couple in!

I could have a swift one early doors as I'm out to dinner this evening....

gtvlusso

Attica wrote:

Folks I feel slightly sheepish about this, I don't mean to keep dropping in and blowing my own trumpet but this one is a classic, if perhaps not quite a scalp:

I was pootling behind a chap on a tourer through the Cumberland Basin this evening (a 40mph multi-laned nightmare of a section) I was easily faster but didn't want to pop out into the flow of myopic speed merchants in tin boxes to get past him, besides I had my laptop in my courier bag on my back and I was feeling far from comfortable with the extra weight.
Then BAM, two roadies came past me, one on a Trek, one on a Litespeed, both wearing Assos tights and tops, those four items of clothing alone would buy me another Paddywagon. I jumped on the back of their train with two swift pedal strokes out of the saddle, maybe BAM was overstating it a bit, we dropped down heading for LA (Long Ashton) and had a brief chat at the lights, I established that I had about 3 miles of duelling with these two before our paths diverged, they really weren't pushing that much so after the about half a mile I took the lead (never one to be a drafting fairy when I can do some work) I pulled them right through LA and got to some temporary traffic lights at red just before the last little rise (massive hill in Londonese) out of LA and then the nice long mile straight before we were due to spilt.

Another brief natter before I led them away from the lights again. On clearing the town I looked back and was shocked to see them about 20 or 30 yards back, working their way back onto my tail, I eased up thinking they'd like the draft. Cheeky buggers rode straight over the top telling me I'd run out of gears, red rag to a bull I'm afraid, I pulled out and only had time to nose ahead before the roundabouts and adieu.

Now I'm not sure I can claim a scalp as I didn't run them ragged but two guys out on a training ride accepting a draft from a commuter on a single speed with something from Bletchley Park strapped to his back must have been quite a sight to behold.

I got home, dumped the laptop in the garage and went straight back out, loving this weather. Wish I'd thought to take a water bottle with me though.

Excellent story - you can have them both! We must do beers again - probably going to go out with www.fixedbristol.org.uk crew.

As for me, I got my butt handed to me by a bloke on a full on TT bike - just left me standing, could not get him no matter what I did.....I feel violated. First time I have been duffed up this year.....I am a very sad panda :-(

Greg T

gtvlusso wrote:

As for me, I got my butt handed to me by a bloke on a full on TT bike - just left me standing, could not get him no matter what I did.....I feel violated. First time I have been duffed up this year.....I am a very sad panda :-(

There's alot of it about...

The change in weather has brought out the masses on the embankment....

Whilst the weather was baltic it was a group survival exercise with no cannibalism allowed, 23 mph tops and no-one gets left behind in the head wind.

Now it's double digit degrees however the christmas truce is well and truly over and the big guns are firing once again.

I'm getting me a smaller cog this weekend as I need to up my rounds per minute count.

Bassjunkieuk

GT - I think I spotted a 13T sprocket in Evans the other day if you need a smaller cog...........either that or enlarge your ring ;-)

Think I'm gonna have to pass on drinks this evening, missus has plans for mothers day w/e and I'm gonna need to dash out to collect my replacement works laptop which I'll need for next week once I get in...........now could I get away with cycling it? Could do but I can claim petrol money if I take the car :-D

vorsprung

Greg T wrote:

gtvlusso wrote:

I'm getting me a smaller cog this weekend as I need to up my rounds per minute count.

I'm using the bike with a cassette! I seem to remember it has 27 gears including a 13x52
And it's lighter than the SS. And I won't have a 23 litre Carradice bag on it. And the handlebars are very low. It has Orbea written on it.....

vorsprung

vorsprung wrote:

Greg T wrote:

gtvlusso wrote:

I'm getting me a smaller cog this weekend as I need to up my rounds per minute count.

I'm using the bike with a cassette! I seem to remember it has 27 gears including a 13x52
And it's lighter than the SS. And I won't have a 23 litre Carradice bag on it. And the handlebars are very low. It has Orbea written on it.....

oh yeah I forgot..it has 25mm pro race on it instead of 28mm marathon plus

itboffin

Clever Pun wrote:

Absolutly flew home tonight.... didn't have the speedo rather annoyingly. got my new record levers on yesterday and it's now a beast, the power courses from the carbon levers and fuels my blood with the power of awesome

That would be the carbon nanotubes seeping into your body :twisted:

itboffin

Whilst scouting the fair city of Dublin yesterday I observed the strangest cyclist style I've ever seen, along side the bus I was on (taxi strike, grrrr) was a fully jeans clad bloke riding something similar to a hardtail MTB with had two old skool motorbike huge wing mirrors, he was wearing a helmet so large darth vader would have been proud and either this bike was single speed with the lowest GI possible or he was unaware that it's possible to change gears, RPM so far that his legs were a blur and sticking out so far that the knees almost touched the end of the flat handlebars and moving no more than 5 mph, I did consider that perhaps this bike was in fact chainless and all momentum was due to his freaky body movements.

:shock:


I was pleased to note large numbers of locked bikes and even the odd fixie chick, bright pink, yellow tyres, drop bars, jeans with one leg rolled up

redvee

There is a cyclist I see in Bristol I've seen a few times now who doesn't know what the gear levers are for. He continues to ride along in 38/26 on a MTB which most people do on the pavement but he rides through Newfoundland Circus at 8am in the rush hour with cars and pedestrians overtaking him, not a scalp to brag about TBH.

itboffin

On my new cross bike I have a 34/30t combo I like to call it the vomit range.

at 100 RPM you'd just be touching 9MPH woooo! to get to my avg cruising speed of 17mph you'd need to be doing 195RPM :shock:

Buns sounds like a challenge for you matey

Kieran_Burns

What the hell was this doing on page 2?

Anyway, you lot did it to me again. :roll:

I'm nursing my right knee at the moment so I pick and choose the commutes and with a stonking tail wind today I had to cycle in. :twisted:

I got a personal best for a commute (natch) and was actually tail gating a car at one point (for 1/2 mile!) so whatever fuel was in the system (Alpen) was clearly working.

On the second to last stretch there's a flat 1/2 mile section running alongside the A52 and I come up behind a guy on a slicked out MTB while waiting to pull out. As he pulled out he shoulder checked, saw me and CLEARLY put the pedal down.

Well what could I do? I had to give chase.

I catch up to him fairly quickly as he's had to slow for a car pulling right (naturally the car takes position on the LEFT of the lane :roll: ) and we pull off... I tail him for a 50 yards, check the gear, step up one, shoulder check (clear) and pull out.

Now please note (and why this is so good) he was REALLY trying to get away from me, and as I pull alongside, I glance across to deliver a cheery "Good Morning!" with a winning smile and the guy has his chin in his hand, looking for all the world like he has no idea I'm there and he's just out for a morning stroll

Naturally I keep the power on and pull steadily away and when I get to the end of the stretch I glance back and he's WAY WAY back and pootling.

Now I know by your standards this is non league sides battling out on a Sunday afternoon but it was fun for me 8)

Greg T

vorsprung wrote:

Greg T wrote:

I'm getting me a smaller cog this weekend as I need to up my rounds per minute count.

I'm using the bike with a cassette! I seem to remember it has 27 gears including a 13x52
And it's lighter than the SS. And I won't have a 23 litre Carradice bag on it. And the handlebars are very low. It has Orbea written on it.....

Re-arrange these words to make a commonly used sentence

It Ram.

In your own time.


Gears are the last refuge of the scoundrel - it wouldn't surprise me in the least if you sell secrets to the Russians.

Backsliders like you cost us a bridge.

cjcp

The Dossard on the Giant appeared again this morning. Didn't even tell me he was on my rear wheel, as ever hiding from the (tail)wind. :?

Then he RLJ'd and didn't manage to catch him. (I had a really bad run on the lights this morning, too.) Darn it. Next time. Hopefully, on the commute home, because then I'm just gonna light the fires. :twisted: :P

Greg T

cjcp wrote:

The Dossard on the Giant appeared again this morning. Didn't even tell me he was on my rear wheel, as ever hiding from the (tail)wind. :?

Has anyone else noticed that on a Monday as you are coming into someones bum bubble, about to execute a "wide enough so they can't grab my shirt tails" over taking swoop that you suddebnly get a huge waft of washing powder and fabric conditioner?

By Friday you are leaving a vapour trail of ming and crud behind you. Should I invest in a second bike top or does everyone's kit look like salad?

Edited to add - that was the 9,800 th post by the way - hey but who's counting?

itboffin

You're just lurking because the 500th page is coming up AGAIN.

don_don

Is there going to be a prize for the 10000th post?

Maybe BR will donate a new bike, in return for the biggest forum thread of all time (presumably!)??

Greg T

itboffin wrote:

You're just lurking because the 500th page is coming up AGAIN.

I can think of no better reason to lurk than to capture the plaudits and glory associated with bagging the big 5.

I've heard that Spielberg is looking into buying the film rights - it will be like Saving Private Ryan but about guys wasting time in the office talking about bikes on the interweb, no-one gets shot but there are more references to Shimano.

I will be played by Vin Diesel.

biondino

You will be whatted by Vin Diesel? I'm not sure anyone wants to see that.

il_principe

ADVANCED WARNING

My good lady rode her first ever commute this morning, 9 miles including Kilburn, Edgware Road, Park Lane and Embankment. Busy roads for a newbie and I'm chuffed for her.

HOWEVER - she's a bit unsure of the return route and I'll be escorting her home ce soir, so if any of you lot pass me on the Embankment it will NOT COUNT AS A SCALP. Not sure how I'm going to cope with tooling along at 11mph whilst other cyclists shoot past, but needs must and all that.

ADVANCED WARNING

Jay dubbleU

jashburnham wrote:

ADVANCED WARNING

My good lady rode her first ever commute this morning, 9 miles including Kilburn, Edgware Road, Park Lane and Embankment. Busy roads for a newbie and I'm chuffed for her.

HOWEVER - she's a bit unsure of the return route and I'll be escorting her home ce soir, so if any of you lot pass me on the Embankment it will NOT COUNT AS A SCALP. Not sure how I'm going to cope with tooling along at 11mph whilst other cyclists shoot past, but needs must and all that.

ADVANCED WARNING

Sympathy Jash - i have the same problem - I meet Mrs JW from work on the bike ( browny points) and have a good fast run of about 5 miles to fetch her - however on the way home we travel at a more sedate speed - very hard to resist when others pass you

cjcp

Sorry, mate. Everyone's game. :P

Kieran_Burns

jashburnham wrote:

ADVANCED WARNING

My good lady rode her first ever commute this morning, 9 miles including Kilburn, Edgware Road, Park Lane and Embankment. Busy roads for a newbie and I'm chuffed for her.

HOWEVER - she's a bit unsure of the return route and I'll be escorting her home ce soir, so if any of you lot pass me on the Embankment it will NOT COUNT AS A SCALP. Not sure how I'm going to cope with tooling along at 11mph whilst other cyclists shoot past, but needs must and all that.

ADVANCED WARNING

Anyone passing Jash this evening is legally required to go:

NNNNNEEEEEEEEOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!

as they swish past

lost_in_thought

jashburnham wrote:

I'll be escorting her home ce soir, so if any of you lot pass me on the Embankment it will NOT COUNT AS A SCALP. Not sure how I'm going to cope with tooling along at 11mph whilst other cyclists shoot past, but needs must and all that.

*calls singapore airlines*

20-odd miles today, in 36-ish degrees. There was a breeze, a northerly, which I mistakenly thought would bring cool air. Southern hemisphere, you dolt, it was like a blast furnace. I believe I may have melted at one point, only to reform, teminator-like, from my component parts. Made it up the 'hard way' to the war memorial, and then officially bonked. Bleurgh.

Hit 43mph on the way back down though - I now have concrete proof of my girliness because it was really bloomin' scary! I think part of my fear stemmed from a general lack of faith in the integrity of my bike... and the efficacy of its brakes. :shock:

roger_merriman

speed on a bike can and is a worry but thats a good thing! a better or a bike your more sure off is less scary and if you do it more, you do get used to it.

heat is one thing i can't cope with, i nearly melted when down in melbourne last year let alone on a bike...