Silly commuting racing

jedster

didn't know what to do and ended up taking my feet out of the clips. At 30mph.

Ooosh. DId you wet your chamois? I think I might of.

biondino

Shoulder of Orion wrote:

Passing someone who is going full guns while down on the drops is a great feeling.

On a similar note, as I entered RP at Roehampton Gate last night, a kitted up triathlete in aero position sped through the roundabout ahead of me. I eased up to cruising speed on the fixie, assuming he'd just pull away - and he didn't... indeed I seemed to be catching him, so I grinned to myself and thought "game on", before overtaking him just before the turnoff to Sheen Gate.

I then sullied my scalp slightly by turning left towards the ballet school about 100 yards after overtaking him, but sod it, it felt great

biondino

jedster wrote:

didn't know what to do and ended up taking my feet out of the clips. At 30mph.

Ooosh. DId you wet your chamois? I think I might of.

There was quite a lot of spray from the surprise puddle, yes Funnily enough, last night was my first go with Arsos chamois cream, so it was already moist to a degree :shock:

It's this kind of incident that makes me worry about riding my bike, to be serious for a second. Travelling at 30mph, in a tunnel, with cars (and a bike) close behind me, is not a time and place to have an accident. And I so easily could have. To be sure, I won't do it again - but what's the next unexpected life-threatening situation?

tardington

What you need is a bike with a stronger frame and tyres.

I have been chasing a middle-aged bloke on green oldish tourer every morning this week. I can just keep up but no chance of an overtake. Closed I came was today when a car swerved in front of him to go into kwik fit. Didn't seem sporting though!

il_principe

biondino wrote:

jedster wrote:

didn't know what to do and ended up taking my feet out of the clips. At 30mph.

Ooosh. DId you wet your chamois? I think I might of.

There was quite a lot of spray from the surprise puddle, yes Funnily enough, last night was my first go with Arsos chamois cream, so it was already moist to a degree :shock:

It's this kind of incident that makes me worry about riding my bike, to be serious for a second. Travelling at 30mph, in a tunnel, with cars (and a bike) close behind me, is not a time and place to have an accident. And I so easily could have. To be sure, I won't do it again - but what's the next unexpected life-threatening situation?

Well next time you cross the road you may get hit by a bus...

blu3cat

Well next time you cross the road you may get hit by a bus...

probably driven by the RLJing Tw@t on an on*one mtb with slicks who I repeatedly overtook all the way from Hammersmith to Tooting last night *sigh*

Roastie

Bright skies, what looks like a tailwind. Can't wait to get out there!

blu3cat

Roastie wrote:

Bright skies, what looks like a tailwind. Can't wait to get out there!

Seemed humid though....

cjcp

blu3cat wrote:

Roastie wrote:

Bright skies, what looks like a tailwind. Can't wait to get out there!

Seemed humid though....

Ride faster. It'll cool you down.

itboffin

The last two days in London have been gladitorial between me and the motorised traffic FFS people get a grip avg speed in a car etc. Across town is little more than walking pace JTF over it.

Okay okay did anyone noticed the trainstopper headwinds this morning? I had
more than one or two words with myself on the way in 'this afternoon' ah it's good too be the king

not looking forward to the journey home

blu3cat

Managed to repeatedly scalp a chap on a trek who kept RLJing iand overtaking me in the process, finally managed to put enough distance between me and him on Fulham Palaace Road (until Putney traffic - Pah), I then turn off.

best bit was I did actually scalp a car 8)

It's occupant was probably an octogenarian, who did that pull out in front of you just far enough away to be annoying, yet no close enough to be dangerous trick.

I slowed waiting for the older driver to put their foot down and accelerate. It never happened.

She was actually driving with a clear road ahead of her at 12MPH, I mean 12 MPH it was like taking sweets from a child. I don't think she even used second.

Kieran_Burns

blu3cat wrote:

best bit was I did actually scalp a car 8)

I scalped about 20 cars, two vans and a tractor on very last stretch tonight. 8)


Yeah, yeah, yeah... so the 20 cars & 2 vans were being held up by the tractor :roll: but I was belting up the inside of the this huge line of traffic down the 1 mile straight and it felt GREAT

Just before that I was passing through the last village before mine, slight downhill where I am normally in 6th (50/16) and pushing on the pedals - this time I was in 8th (50/12) and holding in excess of 28mph :shock:

I actually held it all the way out as well, standing on the pedals and just enjoying myself. Then I got to pass down the inside of this huge line of traffic while holding 23 - 24 until I was slowed by the tractor (which had this mahoosive big sharp pointy thing at the back)

God that was a fun ride home again!

cjcp

Um, where was that tailwind tonight?

I'm not liking the commute with carbon soled shoes (Poggios). It's a bit hard on the ol' hooves. Need to pour some coke (recommended by LiT last year some time) on the thread to unstick the bolts on the cleats.

cjcp

Christophe - were you in Richmond Park tonight?

Christophe3967

cjcp wrote:

Christophe - were you in Richmond Park tonight?

Twas indeed me - with the family (although I did manage a quick solo lap ) trying out the boy's new bike, He did 23 milles so is feeling chuffed. A quick drink in the Plough to round of a pleasant evening. Where were you? The wind was all over the place :?

cjcp

The wind was indeed all over the show. It was hard going in parts.

I think I saw you approaching Sheen roundabout from Richmond Gate sans backpack but avec sunnies when I was headed in the other direction. I sorted out of shouted - but might have been a yelp - "Christophe", but cars behind me prevented me doing the usual, perfect 180 turn (yeah, maybe not).

Christophe3967

cjcp wrote:

The wind was indeed all over the show. It was hard going in parts.

I think I saw you approaching Sheen roundabout from Richmond Gate sans backpack but avec sunnies when I was headed in the other direction. I sorted out of shouted - but might have been a yelp - "Christophe", but cars behind me prevented me doing the usual, perfect 180 turn (yeah, maybe not).

Sounds like me - a bit deaf, a bit blind. Shouldn't be allowed out really. 8) I was going clockwise and went up Broomfield in the big ring.

itboffin

Yup as I suspected a crap journey home, started the minute I left the office every car & bus on the road tried to kill me including a truck that passed me so close I could feel the paintwork yet the the road was completely empty, I caught him at the lights and explained a few FACTS about his parentage.

Then on the train some moron with a Halfords pile of crap used my bike as a rest for his and took a large chunk of paint off the top tube :twisted:

An finally the swarms of tiny flies on the way home were so bad I actually came off my bike twice, arriving home with eye so swollen I could barely see, then spent a painful hour trying to scrape bug remains off my eyeballs with a cotton bud :?

I'm ret fecked off and seriously contemplating taking the car for the rest of the week :evil:

lost_in_thought

cjcp wrote:

Um, where was that tailwind tonight?

I'm not liking the commute with carbon soled shoes (Poggios). It's a bit hard on the ol' hooves. Need to pour some coke (recommended by LiT last year some time) on the thread to unstick the bolts on the cleats.

Or, a great new discovery, a spray called 'duck oil' - spray on, leave overnight to soak, stuck things come undone easy as pie the next day!

In other news, I LOVE being incognito...

Fire alarm went off at home time today, so I only had time to quickly throw on the bottom half of my bibshorts under the dress and go.

So basically, to the untrained eye, I'm a blonde girl in non-cycling sunnies, a paisley dress and geeky sandals, who, inexplicably, is riding a SS.

Imagine the horror of the lycra-ed roadie as I sped past...

Bwahahahahahaaaaa :twisted:

AyrshireBacon

lost_in_thought wrote:

In other news, I LOVE being incognito...

Fire alarm went off at home time today, so I only had time to quickly throw on the bottom half of my bibshorts under the dress and go.

So basically, to the untrained eye, I'm a blonde girl in non-cycling sunnies, a paisley dress and geeky sandals, who, inexplicably, is riding a SS.

Imagine the horror of the lycra-ed roadie as I sped past...

Bwahahahahahaaaaa :twisted:

When the fire alarm goes off at work our instructions are to exit the building without collecting any belongings or clothing, so the bibshorts should have stayed at home. THAT would have brought horror to many untrained eyes

cjcp

lost_in_thought wrote:

Or, a great new discovery, a spray called 'duck oil' - spray on, leave overnight to soak, stuck things come undone easy as pie the next day!

Thanks, LiT! This stuff:

http://www.tool-up.co.uk/shop/diy/SWASDO5L.html

or

http://www.lawson-his.co.uk/scripts/det ... duct=25128 ?

cjcp

itboffin wrote:

An finally the swarms of tiny flies on the way home were so bad I actually came off my bike twice, arriving home with eye so swollen I could barely see, then spent a painful hour trying to scrape bug remains off my eyeballs with a cotton bud :?

I'm ret fecked off and seriously contemplating taking the car for the rest of the week :evil:

Sunglasses?

Bet you didn't take the car.

Kieran_Burns

Oh, my I paid for that 28mph this morning.... :oops:

Easterly wind has picked (which does auger well for this evening) so I struggled in on tired legs, but the cooler temps did mean much less sweat.

I did contemplate the car when I woke up (gasp!) but some days you just have to get out there. I'm glad I did as I managed to destroy a hybrid thing and really nark off a guy in the office just as I approached the building :twisted: (he was mashing in top gear on his rockhopper doing something like 1 turn per second, it was painful to watch)

itboffin

cjcp wrote:

itboffin wrote:

An finally the swarms of tiny flies on the way home were so bad I actually came off my bike twice, arriving home with eye so swollen I could barely see, then spent a painful hour trying to scrape bug remains off my eyeballs with a cotton bud :?

I'm ret fecked off and seriously contemplating taking the car for the rest of the week :evil:

Sunglasses?

Bet you didn't take the car.

no no I did not I took the dolan and very nice it was too especially seeing as I was wearing yet another new pair of glasses, I look even more odd today with the puffy eyes.

gtvlusso

Scalped 2 mopeds in the traffic. (post M$ accident, everything go diverted through Brizzle).....strong headwind this morning, scalped 5, nothing else about to play with....

Fireblade96

First commute on the new roadie today:
No panniers obviously, but heck it's summer so I don't need much. I still have to carry a laptop, change of clothes etc, so the rucksack is bursting at the seams - I must get a slightly bigger one.

It was a lovely ride in, extended by a mile or so since I forgot my water bottle and had to go back home to pick it up, I reckoned I would expire otherwise.

I beat my commute PB, but not sure by how much - the bl**dy computer reset itself when I tried to detach it from the bike :evil:

...and the Wilier is now living within my view in the office (so far I haven't been asked to move it elsewhere...) - well, it lives in the house, why should I leave it outside at work ?

As ever, next to no competitiion en route though. Passed many cars, got passed by 2 MTBs on the M4 footbridge section cos they werre more willing to jump up/down the kerbs at speed than me. Took 'em back with a casual "morning!" once back on the road 8)

cjcp

Christophe3967 wrote:

Sounds like me - a bit deaf, a bit blind. Shouldn't be allowed out really. 8) I was going clockwise and went up Broomfield in the big ring.

Yep, definitely you in that case.

Good effort. I'm actively avoiding it at the moment. I'm going anti-c/w and getting some Dark Hills under my belt.

cjcp

Fireblade96 wrote:

First commute on the new roadie today:

Congrats! What you riding, Fireblade?

greg66_tri_v2.0

itboffin wrote:

Yup as I suspected a crap journey home, started the minute I left the office every car & bus on the road tried to kill me including a truck that passed me so close I could feel the paintwork yet the the road was completely empty, I caught him at the lights and explained a few FACTS about his parentage.

Then on the train some moron with a Halfords pile of crap used my bike as a rest for his and took a large chunk of paint off the top tube :twisted:

An finally the swarms of tiny flies on the way home were so bad I actually came off my bike twice, arriving home with eye so swollen I could barely see, then spent a painful hour trying to scrape bug remains off my eyeballs with a cotton bud :?

I'm ret fecked off and seriously contemplating taking the car for the rest of the week :evil:

Oh, FFS.

Does this really need to be said?

Take a good look at yourself in the mirror. Then

M

T

F

U.

:twisted:

lost_in_thought

cjcp wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

Or, a great new discovery, a spray called 'duck oil' - spray on, leave overnight to soak, stuck things come undone easy as pie the next day!

Thanks, LiT! This stuff:

http://www.tool-up.co.uk/shop/diy/SWASDO5L.html

or

http://www.lawson-his.co.uk/scripts/det ... duct=25128 ?

Mine was this one:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Swarfega-Spray-Du ... dZViewItem

but I'm sure any of them would do the same thing...