Silly commuting racing

Harry182

cjcp wrote:

Porgy wrote:

Does anyone know why the traffic in South London was so bad this morning. I chose to time my ride properly for the first time hoping it would come in under an hour, but becasue of all jams i ended up taking an hour and ten minutes, and that doesn't include all the time i just couldn;t move at all.

Must have migrated from the North side because it was better this morning.

And the tube was almost empty. Don't ask me how I know. :oops: Did I mention it's supposed to thunder storm later? Yeah, I know what you're thinking - 'MTFU', right?

il_principe

Harry182 wrote:

And the tube was almost empty. Don't ask me how I know. :oops: Did I mention it's supposed to thunder storm later? Yeah, I know what you're thinking - 'MTFU', right?

MTFU. I got from Willesden to Borough without seeing a drop of rain.

biondino

I pootled today - it's my equivalent of tapering before the big ride tomorrow (sponsorship still welcome - see sig!). It felt weird, especially since I was back on the Focus making sure all was in working order, having fitted Brun's wheel last night (I hadn't realised how knackered my Fulcrum 3s were till I compared the two - no chance of me slipping you my dodgy one back, you'd wonder how I'd managed to add 2000 miles to it in only 24 hours), given it a loving clean (possibly prematurely if it storms on the way home) and tightened the loose headset (dangerous, this, since I have a 33% chance, on past evidence, of breaking something I can't replace).

However, this morning it was riding beautifully, with the only negative being my left knee which is consistently, but not badly, sore, increasing in discomfort the more power I put down. I suspect it's the effect of riding fixed and will get better soon. Right?

cjcp

biondino wrote:

I suspect it's the effect of riding fixed and will get better soon. Right?

Possibly. However, further effects of riding fixed include (i) avoiding soap and hot water, and (ii) buying The Guardian. You need to watch for those.

Try Deep Heat.

Deadeye Duck

I used to have a pain in my right knee when riding my old bike. It turned out it was because my seat was too low. I've got bad knees anyway and can get fluid trapped under my knee cap (you certainly hear it escape, it sounds like i've shot it with something), and basically because I wasn't extending my leg far enough, I was trapping a little bit of fluid in it every time. Because the old bike was too small for me and I'd ran out of seat post, the only option I had was to leave my leg straight off to the side of the pedal for a bit, then resume. Since getting my new roadie, the problem has gone, as the bike fits me and the seat post is plenty long enough.

Probably didn't need to give you the story but yeah, is your saddle high enough?

Clever Pun

No real action this morning just a couple of hybrids but scalp is a scalp

Last night however I reached double figures along the embankment and also took 3 roadies willingness to live away by blowing them out of the water... only one dude on a hybrid offered resistance as he took me back really leaning fwd and gurning I simply switched gears and left him for dead.. nice try but you still got whipped by a bearded chap looking ridiculous on a folder

As the the 3 roadies.. I suspect motorcycles are probably better for you or maybe a pink scooter

DonDaddyD

Had a good one yesterday.

My entire commute was hindered by the fact that my left cleat has been ground away into a mound of plastic and metal on the bottom of shoe. Terrified that at any moment my knee would flyy out into my chest I took it slow right until I met up with a guy on an rather large Allez Elite (the Tiagra model).

I bet he felt awesome having kept up with me through Clapham.

Balham/Tooting drag strip the would be hopeful on the Allez and I line up. I could feel what he was thinking. He' s gonna try and smoke me. A older guy on a Condor, with carbon bits, and flame print cycling jersey and shorts joins us. The lights go green and I think to myself "how am I going to do this without being hugely dangerous to my safety".

I can't loose on the drag strip. I can't. Unable to spin there was only one thing for it. I shifted to my second to last rear cog and maintained my cadence to benefit from the additional gear inches. I was flying. Slowly. But I won!

By the end of the drag strip I was crying, I wanted to pass out and my butt cheeks have never felt so sore in my entire life... :shock:

Christophe3967

cjcp wrote:

biondino wrote:

I suspect it's the effect of riding fixed and will get better soon. Right?

Possibly. However, further effects of riding fixed include (i) avoiding soap and hot water, and (ii) buying The Guardian. You need to watch for those.

Try Deep Heat.

You're probably right. Riding fixed completely stuffs my knees, and whilst I'm sure that they would eventually get used to it, having already had the hassle of one anterior cruciate ligament operation, I can't see any good reason to to push my luck. Its faster for me on SS in any case.

biondino

cjcp wrote:

biondino wrote:

I suspect it's the effect of riding fixed and will get better soon. Right?

Possibly. However, further effects of riding fixed include (i) avoiding soap and hot water, and (ii) buying The Guardian. You need to watch for those.

Try Deep Heat.

Anyone who reads a paper that isn't the Guardian votes for the BNP. FACT.

il_principe

biondino wrote:

cjcp wrote:

biondino wrote:

I suspect it's the effect of riding fixed and will get better soon. Right?

Possibly. However, further effects of riding fixed include (i) avoiding soap and hot water, and (ii) buying The Guardian. You need to watch for those.

Try Deep Heat.

Anyone who reads a paper that isn't the Guardian votes for the BNP. FACT.

Anyone who reads Polly Toynbee's column is a tw@t.

FACT.

Stuey01

Scalp city last night.

Took a detour along the embankment in honour of the nice weather, tipped a nod toward the Morpeth, saw a few guys in bike gear outside, any of you lot? (about 6:20pm).

Saw off a few hybrids and a lycra clad roadie on the way but things really got interesting at chelsea embankment when I pull up behind what can only be described as a peleton - must have been 20 riders. Among them the usual rag tag bunch of hybrids, shoppers and MTBs, but in addition to that we have:

Time carbon roadie with full Francaise Des Jeux pro team kit
Unidentified carbon roadie with full nalini lycra
Condor Time Trial (!) bike
Full team kitted roadie complete with RACE NUMBER pinned to his jersey
At least two other lycra's roadies.

So I'm at the back of this rolling mass, hybrid man is giving it some beans trying to go passed a roadie. I check the shoulder, no traffic, move out into the lane and put the hammer down. Hybrid/shopper/mtb crew are despatched within a couple of pedal revolutions and I'm after the aforementioned low FCNers. Condor TT man has put 40 metres on the others, I'm at 32mph and gaining fast, cruise past all the team kitted roadies then go to the drops to get after TT man. Hold 30-32mph all the way to the next bridge, passed condor TT like he is stood still. A cursory shoulder check as I slow for the bridge confirms, none on my wheel, none even close. Big bag of scalps

Porgy

Il Principe wrote:

Anyone who reads Polly Toynbee's column is a tw@t.

FACT.

I read it occasionally - but only to wind myself up. :twisted:

DonDaddyD

Does anyone remember the days when this thread was about the epic journeys we would have commuting and racing?

il_principe

Stuey01 wrote:

Scalp city last night.

Took a detour along the embankment in honour of the nice weather, tipped a nod toward the Morpeth, saw a few guys in bike gear outside, any of you lot? (about 6:20pm).

Yeah - I think we saw you looking...

Porgy

DonDaddyD wrote:

Does anyone remember the days when this thread was about the epic journeys we would have commuting and racing?

No

Roastie

Porgy wrote:

Does anyone know why the traffic in South London was so bad this morning. I chose to time my ride properly for the first time hoping it would come in under an hour, but becasue of all jams i ended up taking an hour and ten minutes, and that doesn't include all the time i just couldn;t move at all.

Roadworks by London Bridge messed up the whole of Borough High Street this morn'.

My ride in was s-l-o-w this am (Hog Hill last night ), and thankfully I met no other SCRers, so wasn't picked on in my vulnerable state.

UndercoverElephant

Well it was a lovely trip to the Scottish Real Ale festival last night, but this morning I had a couple of cobwebs left over Anyway, I don't usually have anyone even trying it with me along my commute, but this morning I had my first challenge in a while.

Coming through Mussleburgh this morning, my inner radar started going off with big, flashing lights and sirens. Looked back, and saw a guy on a hybrid coming at me and gaining fast. I looked down at my computer, and I was only going about 17 mph, he could obviously smell my beer-scented weakness and thought this would be the time to have a pop.

Weakened I may be, but not to the extent that he was going to get me easy. Four big cranks later, I was up to 19.5, then over 21. I left it half a mile before checking back, and he was nowhere to be seen. Arrived at work feeling much brighter than the other participants too.

Stuey01

Il Principe wrote:

Stuey01 wrote:

Scalp city last night.

Took a detour along the embankment in honour of the nice weather, tipped a nod toward the Morpeth, saw a few guys in bike gear outside, any of you lot? (about 6:20pm).

Yeah - I think we saw you looking...

Really? White bianchi, dressed in black.

Might stop and say hello next time, had a pub quiz to win last night.

lost_in_thought

Wheeeeeeeeeee! I have had such a fun time on the bike since I was last here...

Went over to Brixton last night, didn't get lost (yay!) and cycled home at about 11:15, got back to Ealing at bang on midnight. Roads were pretty quiet once I left Brixton itself, and a beautifully still, warm night.

This morning, got up early (0815:)) and left at 0835 to head over to Crosswall. Made a slight navigational error in deciding to hit the Embankment due south of Earls Court, which was a bit of a detour, but I just love cycling alongside the river. Reeled in a guy on a blue and silver Giant with a Prologue top on, followed him until a little before Vauxhall Bridge, before deciding he was going too slowly and overtaking. +1 to meee!

I got to Tower Hill, found Crosswall without a map (yay!) went to my appointment, had some brekky at Pret, and got back on the bike to head back to Kensington at about 1030, just as the sun came out! Ahhhhhhh wonderful.

I am a happy bunny today.

cjcp

Stuey01 wrote:

Scalp city last night.

Took a detour along the embankment in honour of the nice weather, tipped a nod toward the Morpeth, saw a few guys in bike gear outside, any of you lot? (about 6:20pm).

Saw off a few hybrids and a lycra clad roadie on the way but things really got interesting at chelsea embankment when I pull up behind what can only be described as a peloton - must have been 20 riders. Among them the usual rag tag bunch of hybrids, shoppers and MTBs, but in addition to that we have:

Time carbon roadie with full Francaise Des Jeux pro team kit
Unidentified carbon roadie with full nalini lycra
Condor Time Trial (!) bike
Full team kitted roadie complete with RACE NUMBER pinned to his jersey
At least two other lycra's roadies.

So I'm at the back of this rolling mass, hybrid man is giving it some beans trying to go passed a roadie. I check the shoulder, no traffic, move out into the lane and put the hammer down. Hybrid/shopper/mtb crew are despatched within a couple of pedal revolutions and I'm after the aforementioned low FCNers. Condor TT man has put 40 metres on the others, I'm at 32mph and gaining fast, cruise past all the team kitted roadies then go to the drops to get after TT man. Hold 30-32mph all the way to the next bridge, passed condor TT like he is stood still. A cursory shoulder check as I slow for the bridge confirms, none on my wheel, none even close. Big bag of scalps

Heh heh.

(That God I left a bit later last night.)

benno68

Finally left work last night at 9:30ish. Thunder and lightning with heavy rain to boot, pootling along Newport Road trying to time the lights which were 30 yards ahead when I had a gut wrenching moment....

A guy on a tourer with two panniers fitted goes passed me and then RLJ's. I see him in the distance and he RLJ'd again, he's not particularly quick but not much I can do if the lights are on red. Off I go again in a bit of a panic (slight clipless moment) and I can see him in the right hand lane 150yards ahead, I give it some welly and just manage to pull ahead at the next junction where we split in different directions - a close call.

The way I felt last night, I think I'd be on valium if I was commuting in London. Strange how this SCR business has got to me .

Got a lift in with my lovely lady today, under duress I'd like to add. Unfortunately had an appointment with the accountant

biondino

Seriously Benno, I struggle way more when I ride in other towns and cities. London is pretty easy as long as you're aware. There's more gridlock, so fewer cars doing unpredictable things at speed. Also, because driving in the centre of town is insane, it's mainly only professional drivers who do this, and while we diss WVM and cabbies and truckers, most of them can drive.

Compare that to other places, where road layouts are often weird, there are loads of dual carriageway with FAST driving, and also a lot more numpties per dozen in terms of crappy road sense. I'll take my chances in London!

benno68

@ Blondie - it would be interesting to cycle around London - maybe one day. Cardiff's not bad and I tend to cycle in and out after rush hour so it's usually uneventful.

Talking of cars and speed - I was out and about on Sunday and had to filter onto the A469 where traffic coming off the M4 joins too - the result was cycling along the centre white line of the dual carriageway for 300 yards with cars doing 70+ mph either side of me :shock:

A good 10 cars whizzed past before some kind soul slowed down to let me over.

Bassjunkieuk

biondino wrote:

Seriously Benno, I struggle way more when I ride in other towns and cities. London is pretty easy as long as you're aware. There's more gridlock, so fewer cars doing unpredictable things at speed. Also, because driving in the centre of town is insane, it's mainly only professional drivers who do this, and while we diss WVM and cabbies and truckers, most of them can drive.

Compare that to other places, where road layouts are often weird, there are loads of dual carriageway with FAST driving, and also a lot more numpties per dozen in terms of crappy road sense. I'll take my chances in London!

My wife has always said that the roads in London are so bad that the only people who would be using them are those that have no other option, I used to hate doing field work in central London when I first started out with my current employer. Eventually I realized it was easier to park at one car park and walk with the parts (thankfully I did only laptop repairs!) to each place I needed to visit :-)

As BD said riding in London is actually quite fun and I sure do miss the busier roads and SCR action when I'm working out of town!

cjcp

biondino wrote:

Seriously Benno, I struggle way more when I ride in other towns and cities. London is pretty easy as long as you're aware. There's more gridlock, so fewer cars doing unpredictable things at speed. Also, because driving in the centre of town is insane, it's mainly only professional drivers who do this, and while we diss WVM and cabbies and truckers, most of them can drive.

Compare that to other places, where road layouts are often weird, there are loads of dual carriageway with FAST driving, and also a lot more numpties per dozen in terms of crappy road sense. I'll take my chances in London!

+1.

I was explaining this to someone on holiday last week, comparing it with my hometown of Cardiff.

For example, I don't think that North, Penarth and Newport Roads would be much fun, and I don't think much of Penarth Road either. (All are major roads into town from the outskirts.)

It was pootle time tonight. The legs need resting. The red wine should help.

redvee

Had to give directions to a cycler looking for Bristol Parkway whilst in the centre of town today. He said he had ridden from a town called London and wanted to catch the train home :shock: Soon got him on his way when he found the station on his Garmin 705. As he pootled off he said the riude to the station will bring the days total to 200km+.

biondino

I could feasibly hit 200km by Sunday lunchtime, though I might not be at my most livly when I get to meet Nicole Cooke...

benno68

redvee wrote:

Had to give directions to a cycler looking for Bristol Parkway whilst in the centre of town today. He said he had ridden from a town called London and wanted to catch the train home :shock: Soon got him on his way when he found the station on his Garmin 705. As he pootled off he said the riude to the station will bring the days total to 200km+.

Did you tell him to MTFU and cycle home (cough, splutter)...

benno68

@Bass... - looking at some of the SCR headcam clips it does look like fun, I just never seem to get up to London - ho humm.

CJ - Penarth Road has recently been resurfaced in parts and runs like a dream from the Pumphouse to Halfords stretch, in fact I was thinking how good it was this morning. Also went onto North Road for a short stretch, that can be interesting especially when getting into the outside lane for a right turn into Corbett Road. To be fair I've found the majority of drivers to be considerate and let me out - I think that there are a higher percentage of "aggressive" drivers in London, but I maybe wrong.

Hope the red wine helped your legs without affecting your head too much this morning

redvee

Benno68 wrote:

redvee wrote:

Had to give directions to a cycler looking for Bristol Parkway whilst in the centre of town today. He said he had ridden from a town called London and wanted to catch the train home :shock: Soon got him on his way when he found the station on his Garmin 705. As he pootled off he said the riude to the station will bring the days total to 200km+.

Did you tell him to MTFU and cycle home (cough, splutter)...

It did cross my mind. We had our conflab just before 5pm so daylight would have been the issue.