Silly commuting racing

blu3cat

Just like to say - wow what a morning for a commute - fantastic, sunny, not too hot, and only a moderate headwind.

Leaving early certainly reaped it's rewards as I managed to get a little action on the way in. Feeling so good decided to go for a lap of Richmond Park as a detour.

On the way through Wimbledon see someone filtering through traffic on a Tri and Run roadie, dropped him fairly easily on Wimbledon hill, although shocked at how poor I had become as I haven't done any hills (or to those who live in really hilly areas - little bumps in the road) for about a month.

Almost had another attempt at a scalp on Shepherds Bush Green, at lights with a guy on a boardman or specialized with a MASSIVE dent in his top tube - I mean it looked like someone had attacked it with a can-opener. HE proceeded to RLJ. I am sure if he actually tried to accelerate hard he would shear his top tube in half.

What a way to get to work, arrived with a massive smile on my face.

itboffin

PB this morning

still a lot more to squeeze out of that route, if I could just deal with those three hills.

UndercoverElephant

The wind gods were angry this morning, no quarter given; no quarter asked, naturally. It's a coastal commute, so the wind is vicious. At one point along some particularly exposed parts, my speed was beaten down to a lowly 10 mph. Normally I'm all for exposed parts, but this was somewhat ridiculous. I battled on, with ne'er a soul to race, just a constant battle against the wind.

Eight miles in, I see a chap getting his Specialized hybrid out of his shed, he arrives as I wait at a junction and it's business as usual, "Morning", I say. The junction clears and we're off, my legs are complaining but I'm not letting him get near me, 18, 19, 19.5 mph into a 20 mph headwind, my legs can't give any more. Nor can his, the bugger is just drafting and enjoying the lift. Normally I'd lay down some extra and pull away, but this morning the wind had sapped all my awesome.

He drafted me for the next two miles before turning off. Next time he shall pay for his weakness, in the same way as his soul must have this time.

Still, roll on the tailwind on the way home.

jedster

So I don't see many other riders on my out of town leg and even fewer put up much of a fight but today I got into a proper tussle.

Saw a roadie in the distance. Reeled him in quite nicely and was going to pass but had some traffic behind me so let that through first, freewheeling a little. My rack, panier, mudguards means I'm lower down the food chain and the scalp IS ON.

So I move wide and make the pass with a cheery good morning (don't get a reply) and spin up. Well for the next 15 minutes he is on my tail. It's only a 30-32 minute ride, mostly on open roads so I tend to average 18-19 mph including stops. Frankly this doesn't leave me with much of a sprint so I just keep churning away. Every now and again a gap opens but closes again when I have to ease off for traffic/junctions etc. He just won't disappear. Then a shoulder check and he's gone. Did he throw in the towel or just turn off? Don't know.

So is it a scalp?

J

biondino

Was very pleased to have a tailwind of sorts this morning as last night nearly killed me. I had an hour to kill on top of my journey so I thought "I know, I'll ride up to Hampstead Heath then head to Brentford". I'd just rely on street signs and my innate sense of direction.

BIG MISTAKE.

Not only was the wind a bitch - and one of those "headwind regardless of direction" evenings - but I got hopelessly lost in north London. I don't even know where Cricklewood is, only that I went through it. And Hampstead - what a lot of stations there are called Hampstead - I know this as I passed them all, several more than once.

When I set off from work, I had 45 minutes extra to play with. I ended up being half an hour late. Still, it felt like an achievement (I did 32 miles in all), it was followed by excellent beer and even better conversation, and a wonderful trip through Richmond Park in the pitch black. If I hadn't been so knackered I'd have done a couple of laps.

Gazzaputt

Can I ask with all this 'roadie' scalp are there factors to take into consideration?

Today I'm on the Focus full kit for a big ride tonight. Therefore I'm poodling in this morning not really looking to race.

So if you had come past panniers and all I wouldn't have bothered at all. Actually only took one challenge at the end from a fakenager up Moorgate. Lovely sprint for the end of the ride.

Just bear in mind a lot of roadies use committing as part of their training so may well be on a recovery ride or doing intervals. You speeding past and leaving them for dead doesn't actually mean anything to them.

UndercoverElephant

Gazzaputt wrote:

You speeding past and leaving them for dead doesn't actually mean anything to them.

Of course it doesn't.

lost_in_thought

'twas a bit of a howler last night, very exciting on the river indeed with a boat full of beginners trying to row as an eight. :shock:

The cycling was also hard work - not as much mileage as Blondie here, but nonetheless a decent amount! It did seem to be one of those winds that came at you from all directions. It surprised me from a side street in Acton and nearly knocked me sideways!

I properly pootled in this morning, my computer is saying nothing but 'unit' at the moment, and none of the cateye manuals tell me what that means, so I don't know how fast I'm going, but I reckon it was pretty slow!

Still, nobody passed me.

lost_in_thought

Gazzaputt wrote:

Can I ask with all this 'roadie' scalp are there factors to take into consideration?

Today I'm on the Focus full kit for a big ride tonight. Therefore I'm poodling in this morning not really looking to race.

So if you had come past panniers and all I wouldn't have bothered at all. Actually only took one challenge at the end from a fakenager up Moorgate. Lovely sprint for the end of the ride.

Just bear in mind a lot of roadies use committing as part of their training so may well be on a recovery ride or doing intervals. You speeding past and leaving them for dead doesn't actually mean anything to them.

MTFU.

Ruling has been passed that you don't know they're on the way to a training session and therefore should presume they are not.

Anyhow, any SCR-er will admit (under duress) that being overtaken by someone lower in the food chain hurts their soul, even if they have a 'good' reason.

Hell, I had just got my leg out of plaster in february and was riding my old commuter, and still didn't enjoy being overtaken...

il_principe

DonDaddyD wrote:

You shut the fluff up Jash or next time I'll properly race you at Richmond Park, this time loser shaves their legs so polish up your lady protector razor!!!

Oh man you are so on! No backing down now DDD, I have this in writing! Better warn your missus and stock up on blades.

blu3cat

Just bear in mind a lot of roadies use committing as part of their training so may well be on a recovery ride or doing intervals. You speeding past and leaving them for dead doesn't actually mean anything to them

Still a scalp though. Could have Eddie Mercx at his peak on a slow spin as part of intervals, but as long as I think I'm SCR-ing then the scalp is mine... (although Mr Mercx probably does slow spinning faster than me flat out).

Greg T

Gazzaputt wrote:

Therefore I'm poodling in this morning

You are poodling?

Is this French Dogging?

Mon Dieu!

il_principe

Gazzaputt wrote:

Therefore I'm poodling in this morning

Poodling:
The act of bleaching, then landscaping the pubic hair into a shape by shaving.

"Hey Charlie, will you shave and bleach my pubes into a white cloud?"
"Sure Crystal, I'm up for some poodling!"

Poodling:
Dogging in a luxury car

She went poodling in her Lexus

Greg T

Thanks Jash,

I must get my pubic topiary nomenclature up to speed, I'm straggling out the sides on the this issue.

il_principe

Greg T wrote:

Thanks Jash,

I must get my pubic topiary nomenclature up to speed, I'm straggling out the sides on the this issue.

PTFU Greg, PTFU.

funckchicken

I properly pootled in this morning, my computer is saying nothing but 'unit' at the moment, and none of the cateye manuals tell me what that means,

sounds like your battery is on its last legs.

lost_in_thought

funckchicken wrote:

I properly pootled in this morning, my computer is saying nothing but 'unit' at the moment, and none of the cateye manuals tell me what that means,

sounds like your battery is on its last legs.

I did wonder... but according to the cateye instructions that is indicated by the screen dimming... worth a try though!

I've reset it twice, works for about 10 minutes and then goes back to Unit.

Thanks!

biondino

A+ thread, would read again.

lost_in_thought

biondino wrote:

A+ thread, would read again.

Go on then, from the beginning...

UndercoverElephant

I've just soldered myself a complimentary upgrade to my VDO cycle computer. I bought the cheapest one, and now I have all the features of the next model up

tardington

:shock: detail please!

UndercoverElephant

tardington wrote:

:shock: detail please!

Quite simple actually, crack open said machine, suck out the big lump of solder next to the screen, and re-solder one of the solder points.

I changed my A4 into an A8, and now have fancy things like max and average speed. I could have changed it to the wireless one, but you need the fork transmitter. 8)

lost_in_thought

UndercoverElephant wrote:

tardington wrote:

:shock: detail please!

Quite simple actually, crack open said machine, suck out the big lump of solder next to the screen, and re-solder one of the solder points.

I changed my A4 into an A8, and now have fancy things like max and average speed. I could have changed it to the wireless one, but you need the fork transmitter. 8)

Hmmm, sounds a bit hit and miss, I'd probably manage to turn mine into a microwave emitter or a laser or something.

Cafewanda

biondino wrote:

Was very pleased to have a tailwind of sorts this morning as last night nearly killed me. I had an hour to kill on top of my journey so I thought "I know, I'll ride up to Hampstead Heath then head to Brentford". I'd just rely on street signs and my innate sense of direction.

BIG MISTAKE.

Not only was the wind a ***** - and one of those "headwind regardless of direction" evenings - but I got hopelessly lost in north London. I don't even know where Cricklewood is, only that I went through it. And Hampstead - what a lot of stations there are called Hampstead - I know this as I passed them all, several more than once.

When I set off from work, I had 45 minutes extra to play with. I ended up being half an hour late. Still, it felt like an achievement (I did 32 miles in all), it was followed by excellent beer and even better conversation, and a wonderful trip through Richmond Park in the pitch black. If I hadn't been so knackered I'd have done a couple of laps.

Reminds me of my early car driving days and my attempt to get to a running club just outside of Richmond Park :oops: :oops:

tardington

Nice!

It all seems very Dilbert, to screw up the decent model just to have a cheaper one to sell... Surely then it costs them a wee bit more to make the cheaper one?!

Kieran_Burns

UndercoverElephant wrote:

tardington wrote:

:shock: detail please!

Quite simple actually, crack open said machine, suck out the big lump of solder next to the screen, and re-solder one of the solder points.

I changed my A4 into an A8, and now have fancy things like max and average speed. I could have changed it to the wireless one, but you need the fork transmitter. 8)

We NEED photographs and instructions....

UndercoverElephant

lost_in_thought wrote:

Hmmm, sounds a bit hit and miss, I'd probably manage to turn mine into a microwave emitter or a laser or something.

Now how cool would that be? Couldn't find the right settings for either of those though.

Kieran_Burns

tardington wrote:

Nice!

It all seems very Dilbert, to screw up the decent model just to have a cheaper one to sell... Surely then it costs them a wee bit more to make the cheaper one?!

Single model productions costs vs multiple model...

UndercoverElephant

Kieran_Burns wrote:

We NEED photographs and instructions....

VDO printed the correct settings for each model on the back of the PCB. How very helpful.

lost_in_thought

UndercoverElephant wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

Hmmm, sounds a bit hit and miss, I'd probably manage to turn mine into a microwave emitter or a laser or something.

Now how cool would that be? Couldn't find the right settings for either of those though.

I forgot to add that it would probably kill me...