Silly commuting racing

cjcp

Roastie wrote:

Welcome back!

Cheers.

I will always offer a helping hand; even if it looks like the rider has everything under control. Costs me nothing but having that functional pump or 5mm allen key can sometimes make all the difference to someone else.

Now, see, this is what I *tend* to do unless it's one of those cases where the traffic doesn't permit you to stop or slow down safely. The problem is that I don't always do it because, as JG and GT said, I look to see if they have things under control and sometimes do slow and sometimes don't. (Good to see that I'm nothing but consistent :roll: .). As JG said, I think it was those who didn't stop before the repair was well in hand which got me a bit miffed. Anyhoo, rant over. I'll chill out now.

jedster

Mixed fortunes today.

I went for a run, the first in a while, yesterday evening. THis is paticularly hazardous because with all the cycle commuting my heart and lungs seems to be able to write cheques that other bits of my anatomy can't really cash. Double problem because if you over tax your CV system you know immediately. If various underused leg muscles are being overworked then I don't feel it until after the damage is done.

So feeling particularly feeble this morning I decided to have a relaxed spinny ride in. Now I hardly ever see any proper cyclists riding my way but today I got passed by a lycra-clad roadie, I think the same one that I first encountered last week and who sat on my wheel for 15 mins. Anyway, I called in the favour this morning and picked up a draft for 10 minutes. Just what the physio ordered...

So far so good but then to the London leg. I was waiting at the lights to cross Park Lane. Stood up on the pedals as tthe lights changed. Started to lay down the SS power when with a mearest crunch the chain jumped off and wrapped itself round the cassette body and even stuck through the spokes. Needless to say, I didn't manage to make much forward progress but did get to inspect the surface of Park Lane at close quarters. Bobbed up and dragged the bike to the side of the road to avoid being flattened, inspect damage and make repairs. Fortunately not much to me or the bike although I have got an interesting scrape/bruise describing an arc up my inner thigh - reckon I must have slid across the raised pedal as I fell.

Mental note - check my chain tension more often...

J

jedster

oh and yes, I felt like a right t1t :x

salsajake

My first post here and its a bit of a desperate one. I passed someone who was probably a FCN9, but I left him on the big climb of the day (100m). When I have my panniers on, I am a 6, whereas without I am a 4. According to the rules, when I have no panniers on, I can only count those of the same and above (4+, which I've only ever passed once - he told me to pass him because he was "warming down", ignoring the fact that we had been passing each other for the last 5 miles at pace!) When I have my panniers on, and am a 6, is everyone fair game, like the bloke this morning? I ride in on a monday with stuff for the week in the panniers, and I ride home with used stuff on a friday, tuesday and thursday I am 'au naturel' so it seems I will have to seek out some real competition on those days...

Tomorrow would be good as I am on my nice road bike (Trek 2200) as opposed to the Kona Jake commuter.

blu3cat

I got scalped, and the worst part, it was my own stupid fault.

I was coming home the long way round, took a detour via richmond which is about a 4 mile extra leg to my commute, cruising around 20 mph, when I was passed by another cyclist. I greeted him with a cheery "evening" only to be stonewalled.

Now, I was wearing an old paint spattered Radio 2 polo shirt and baggies, he is about 50 in a campag t shirt all lycra-d up on a cinnelli (I think it was a willin). I thought F**K you then and decided, ahhhh SCR. :evil:

I picked up his tail and we cruised along for about a quarter of a mile with traffic passing us, as soon as there was a gap - Bam, I was up and off like a shot - pedalling like crazy, After about half a mile I turn around as we start to approach Putney and realise that he has merely tucked in behind me and got a lift. damn!

I keep the effort up, but by now I am starting to fade, and indicate it's his turn at the front, even slowed down and waved him on. After about a minute, he counters and left me with little left in reserves. Damn and blast

Blew all my energy giving a guy a free drag halfway home, and he repays me by scalping me as I approach beng spent, now that's gratitude.

Good job my SCR strategist and support car will be back in action later in the week.

Jay dubbleU

Roastie wrote:

Welcome back!

cjcp wrote:

Had a visit from the PF this morning too. An awful lot of bikes passed me too, and not one of them slowed to ask if I had everything, not even the roadie 20 yards behind me. Am I being a bit harsh? :?

I don't think so at all.

A few weeks ago on the way home on the run up to Big Ben, I botched a bunny hop and ended up snake-biting my front tube.

Countless cyclists rode by, most doggedly avoiding any eye contact as I repaired the tube. Others just looking on and then going straight past. The only person who offered me any form of assistance (even if it was just a sexy, sympathetic smile) was a shapely redhead wearing killer stilettos and a pencil skirt. I digress.

So annoyed was I that a) I had not repaired my spare tube and b) no cyclists even turned their heads to ask if all was OK (given they were stopped at the light) that I duffed the first repair and had to rip it off and try again.

While I will admit that I have passed a few cyclists in distress when I have been in a particular hurry - I will always offer a helping hand; even if it looks like the rider has everything under control. Costs me nothing but having that functional pump or 5mm allen key can sometimes make all the difference to someone else. In my home town it seemed to be the standard modus operandi, but I do despair that big city cyclists prefer to keep their big city blinkers on.

First long run on the bike just after I got it and I got a puncture - roadie stopped, lent me his pump and offered a tube (unfortunately it was a 700 and I was on 26's) but I've never forgotten and now I always offer - some people look at me as if I'm mad but most seem happy for the offer - what goes around comes around

cjcp

Put another face to a name tonight: met Roastie on Cannon Street.

I can confirm that he's extremely handy at the ol' track-standing and a bit rapid off the lights - I got dropped like a hot potato at every set of lights until we went our separate ways at Albert Bridge.

Blu3cat - that's a bit rude of him to take a tow!

blu3cat

I know, I know, but I blew it :roll:

cjcp

Jay dubbleU wrote:

First long run on the bike just after I got it and I got a puncture - roadie stopped, lent me his pump and offered a tube (unfortunately it was a 700 and I was on 26's) but I've never forgotten and now I always offer - some people look at me as if I'm mad but most seem happy for the offer - what goes around comes around

+1. I've handed out a couple of tubes and it's one of the reasons I patch up tubes - it can be used as a just-to-get-home tube.

cjcp

blu3cat wrote:

I know, I know, but I blew it :roll:

But was he higher up the food chain than you because of the lycra? If so, he technically didn't scalp you.

blu3cat

wipes forehead. phew.

Roastie

cjcp wrote:

Put another face to a name tonight: met Roastie on Cannon Street.

Yep, it was good to finally put a face to the name.

Thanks, CJ, for the kind words - but I can confirm that he is pretty handy on a bike himself!

We'll have to SCR sometime.

Roastie

Jay dubbleU wrote:

First long run on the bike just after I got it and I got a puncture - roadie stopped, lent me his pump and offered a tube (unfortunately it was a 700 and I was on 26's) but I've never forgotten and now I always offer - some people look at me as if I'm mad but most seem happy for the offer - what goes around comes around

Yup, 100%.

Moments like that (whichever way around) make you feel proud to be a cyclist.

gtvlusso

Very fast ride home last night - had to go and get drains sorted out.

Slow ride in this morning, bit of a ding dong with a PX Carbon SL, dropped him! And a ding dong with an old racer, eventuually got him before he turned off the road - kinda glad because I did not have much energy this morning.....

Another fine day in Gotham....

cjcp

Ooof! The pace was high from the Lower Richmond Road this morning. It was tit for tat with various roadies, tri-folk and an SSer in club kit. I had none of this before holiday! Where did everyone come from?!

Had to work hard to catch up after lights and then stay ahead and then catch up after more lights and filtering (and RLJing by some ( :? )). I now need to figure out how to stop sweating.

Gazzaputt

Good burn across London Bridge this morning. Great tow from a moped gave me a great sling shot.

biondino

I bumped into my ex this morning! She's just moved to Fulham so it was bound to happen sooner or later. Luckily we're on good terms at the moment.

I also had a really filthy, perverted dream last night. I was riding a BMX. And enjoying it.

I will understand if I am banned.

lost_in_thought

The mental image of you on a BMX is hilarious! You're so to tall! Aaaaahahahhaa!

My commute was entirely uneventful, apart from the fact that I overslept (even by my standards) and woke up at 9... :oops:

Traffic was a bit mad too...

Paulie W

There is rarely much opportunity for SCRing on my commute but three times in the last couple of weeks I have met with the same adversary in more or less the same place - the approach to a short but steep and nasty hill (Ankerdine Hill for those who might know it). Three times I have been 'forced' to cycle up said hill much faster than I would have wished at 7 o clock in the morning; twice he's blown my doors off - I think he was outside the spirit of the game because he was very clearly trying very hard - but today it was my turn to show him a clean pair of heels and this without getting out of the saddle or breathing too heavily.

biondino

Some fun bikes for you all:

http://www.oobject.com/category/crazy-bicycles/

il_principe

biondino wrote:

I also had a really filthy, perverted dream last night. I was riding a BMX. And enjoying it.

I will understand if I am banned.

Pah - I dreamt I was playing cricket the other night. Now that is perverted; I cannot stand cricket, dullest sport ever (after baseball).

benno68

Good run in this morning but still getting used to the saddle height adjustment, I think it will be better in the long run. So just took it steady and did 10 miles in today. No SCR action.

UndercoverElephant

On Friday I was officially handed my arse by a proper roadie. I was enjoying a nice tailwind on my way home, trundling at 20-21 mph through a town, and he was past me in a flash.

The bike, the lycra, even his tarty bike cap all branded with the same pro-team colours (Liquigas, does that mean anything?). I cranked up my pedals and followed him for a while just for a laugh. We were going along at 25-26, far too fast for my bike and tyres (knobbles screaming they were), and it was amazing how many car drivers were pulling out in front of him. He was pretty aggressive, shouting at them when they did, but I never really get this problem. Mind you, there's a good deal more of me to see than this guy. We got held up together behind a camper van that was turning, "That's four people have tried to kill me today!", he said.

I stayed with him for a mile or two, but couldn't hack the pace for any more, so I let him go. I swear that when I let him go, he actually sped up. I think he was just enjoying watching me try for a bit; must have been great fun watching this £40 BSO trying so hard.

Ah well, I was giving away a full 13 points, he was one below zero, and good god it was fun for a bit.

biondino

Il Principe wrote:

biondino wrote:

I also had a really filthy, perverted dream last night. I was riding a BMX. And enjoying it.

I will understand if I am banned.

Pah - I dreamt I was playing cricket the other night. Now that is perverted; I cannot stand cricket, dullest sport ever (after baseball).

How DARE you - baseball is the best sport in the world! I have become an enormous fan over the last few years, and spend almost as much time on a Colorado Rockies forum as I do here. So subtle, so immersive, such highs and lows. What a game.

lost_in_thought

Undercover Elephant, I put it to you that it was you who pwned him...

And I'm sure baseball is fun, despite my baseball education I still haven't watched any, but the best sport in the world? Nah, don't think so.

Also: subtle?

il_principe

biondino wrote:

Il Principe wrote:

biondino wrote:

I also had a really filthy, perverted dream last night. I was riding a BMX. And enjoying it.

I will understand if I am banned.

Pah - I dreamt I was playing cricket the other night. Now that is perverted; I cannot stand cricket, dullest sport ever (after baseball).

How DARE you - baseball is the best sport in the world! I have become an enormous fan over the last few years, and spend almost as much time on a Colorado Rockies forum as I do here. So subtle, so immersive, such highs and lows. What a game.

Oh god, the only other person I know that loves baseball is 40, lives alone, doesn't work (thanks to an inheritance), has the worst halitosis ever and is a complete social retard who enjoys regaling people with stories of his sex trips to Thailand - he alone has been enough to put me off the 'sport'

You read Moneyball?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moneyball

UndercoverElephant

lost_in_thought wrote:

Undercover Elephant, I put it to you that it was you who pwned him...

I guarantee you that was not the case.

lost_in_thought

UndercoverElephant wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

Undercover Elephant, I put it to you that it was you who pwned him...

I guarantee you that was not the case.

Ooooh I dunno... he was in full team kit, on a roadie, you stayed with him at speed on a BSO...

I'd be feeling pretty pwned if I was him.

cjcp

biondino wrote:

How DARE you - baseball is the best sport in the world! I have become an enormous fan over the last few years, and spend almost as much time on a Colorado Rockies forum as I do here. So subtle, so immersive, such highs and lows. What a game.

Sorry, mate, but I'm with IP here. Baseball's pants. They try to disguise the fact that it's duller than dishwater by citing lots of statistics. There's little difference between Captain Caveman's club and the common baseball bat. Ug. :P

Cricket, on the other hand, is a glorious game. Full of finesse. Just look at the majesty of David Gower's strokeplay.

itboffin

Great ride home last night using two very powerful headlights very cool cutting through the darkness, spooky

Riding in this morning was a fcuking challenge and a half damn you Jash and your one more beer... :roll:

Engaged super hyper mega POOTLE mode this morning only breaking double digits once :shock:

I'm now off to consume my body weight in greasy unhealthy food.