Silly commuting racing

Roastie

Scalped badly tonight. By a Dynamo on a Trek and some hipster on a fancy fixie with green chain, rolled up jeans, etc.

The shame. :oops:

cjcp wrote:

Dirk Van Gently wrote:

I think my FCN is 7, there was nothing specific for CX bikes, so I plumped for hybrid.

No way - you're as good as a roadie. I always take a CX bike seriously - there are two of my route, both of whom can stay on my wheel if they get it.

Yup, I've seen a dude riding very well in the 3/4 race on a Crosser. Practically a road bike.

Bikequin

Nice cycle in this morning - plenty of scalps, one chap had my wheel all the way across Richmond Park but then I pushed a bit harder and finally dropped him. The got to play dodge the suicidal hybrid all the way up the Kings Road. Bumped into some with a 25 mile commute - Fair play to him especially as he was pretty quick.

Way home not so great - flew down the Kings Road pretty quick - got to Putney Bridge and blew up into a bug pile of smoke- rest of the way home was quite quick but very painful. A couple of guys got away from me at a set of lights - was a bit distressing.

Tomorrow I think my dad's cycling in too - so I'll be a sitting duck.

Specialized Needs

insomniboy wrote:

...along to Eltham then across to Lewisham. On to New Cross, then A2 to Elephant...

Hmm... what bike and what time do you generally travel?

Perhaps then I'll be able to work out how many times you've overtaken me :roll:

insomniboy

duncedunce wrote:

Hmm... what bike and what time do you generally travel?

I'm on a black Giant SS with red pedals, silver front wheel, black rear, white helmet and a look of steely determination/exhaustion on my face... Wearing football shorts over Lycra due to certain recent issues with, er, transparency...
Bit of a late start for me usually, leave just after 9, arrive just before 10. On the return, any time between 6 and half past as a depart.
Haven't encountered anybody more than once yet, though there have been some interesting bikes along the way (Pauls Custom Cycles Road Rage, anyone?)

cjcp

Roastie wrote:

Scalped badly tonight. By a Dynamo on a Trek and some hipster on a fancy fixie with green chain, rolled up jeans, etc.

The shame. :oops:

Oh boy. :shock: How's the counselling coming along? *

*I've been overtaken uphill in RP by someone on a fixed wearing the same gear.

Gazzaputt

insomniboy wrote:

Rich158 wrote:

I come through Bexley Village, Blackfen, Kidbrooke Park Road onto Blackheath and Greenwich Park.

My mention of Greenwich was perhaps misleading, but I'm still refining my route...
I start down by Waring Park in Sidcup, then head up to the High St., along to Eltham then across to Lewisham. On to New Cross, then A2 to Elephant, and now Blackfriars and Embankment to Somerset House...
In terms of traffic and lights and flow, would it make more sense to follow up through Kidbrooke to Blackheath, then down Greenwich and follow the river/Jamaica road right in?
Where can the most scalps be found? :P

Mostly the route I do.

Bexley-Blackfen-Eltham-Lee-Lewisham-New Cross-Old Kent Rd- London Bridge-Moorgate. I leave Bexley about 7.30 and the ride can take about 40 minutes. Average speed between 18 - 21mph.

Had a few nice people help with my interval sprinting this morning thank you very much. Especially the guy who went past me at the lights from Old Kent Road onto Great Dover Road really gave me something chase

Rich158

Gazzaputt wrote:

insomniboy wrote:

Rich158 wrote:

I come through Bexley Village, Blackfen, Kidbrooke Park Road onto Blackheath and Greenwich Park.

My mention of Greenwich was perhaps misleading, but I'm still refining my route...
I start down by Waring Park in Sidcup, then head up to the High St., along to Eltham then across to Lewisham. On to New Cross, then A2 to Elephant, and now Blackfriars and Embankment to Somerset House...
In terms of traffic and lights and flow, would it make more sense to follow up through Kidbrooke to Blackheath, then down Greenwich and follow the river/Jamaica road right in?
Where can the most scalps be found? :P

Mostly the route I do.

Bexley-Blackfen-Eltham-Lee-Lewisham-New Cross-Old Kent Rd- London Bridge-Moorgate. I leave Bexley about 7.30 and the ride can take about 40 minutes. Average speed between 18 - 21mph.

Had a few nice people help with my interval sprinting this morning thank you very much. Especially the guy who went past me at the lights from Old Kent Road onto Great Dover Road really gave me something chase

I'm probably chasing you most of the way Gazza, I leave home about 7 so don't get to Bexley untill 7:45'ish. I'll have to leave a bit earlier in future, not that I could keep up with you the last time our paths crossed.

Gazzaputt

Where do you start from Rich?

il_principe

I had some drating fun with 2 geared roadies on Edgeware road last night. One was in an Aire Valley Cycles kit (I think) neither were in commuting garb - i.e no bags. One of them tried to scalp me but I jumped on his tail and made a point of freewheeling every now and again, he was clearly trying to shake me but lacked the ability to MTFU. His mate (club kit) just sat on my tail. I thought about passing the one in front given that he looked like he was really working but then they RLJ'ed and turned right up towards Lords. Pu$$ies. If you're on a geared roadie, in club kit and bagless, then you should be ashamed at drafting a SS'er with a big old courier bag. Lucky you turned off or it would have been SHAME time.

I was on fire last night! Even scalped a car heading up to Hyde park corner from Victoria, ok so it was a Nissan Micra but a cars a car and the 2 buses don't count! Pimlico to Willesden green in a total time of 23 mins. That's a new record I believe.

Rich158

Gazzaputt wrote:

Where do you start from Rich?

Gravesend :shock: :shock: I've normally done about 12 miles by the time I hit Bexley. I used to vary my route between Bexley and a fairly flattish run or Crayford via Shooters Hill. Now I'm on the fixie I won't be trying Shooters Hill for a few months.

insomniboy

This morning was a disaster! Cycling up the short slope to Eltham it begins to rain, and as I reach the High St. I wonder to myself whether I should stop and put on my overshoes. Having arrived just the previous morning I was looking forward to any excuse to wear them, but then would my feet be too hot? Would it keep raining to justify wearing them, or was it a short shower with no resulting surface water to worry about? Lost in cogitation, my pace slows, and that's when he strikes.
All black gear, black Cannondale, gloves, helmet, 3/4 tights. He knew what he was doing, and with more than one gear he'd escape me on the downhills. And he was obeying traffic lights.
It was on.*
I somehow end up in front down the high street, and through the subsequent lights, but as we fly past the Gala bingo I know the long downhill means my lead is shortlived. Sure enough, he cruises by with barely a pedal turn as my legs spin furiously (time to up the 44x16 to something a bit more serious, maybe...). At the junction we equalise, take the same gap and begin the head-down push to Lewisham, him setting the pace and me being sprayed by his back wheel. I overtake. He overtakes. We pick differing sides of traffic and we lose track. We rejoin. This morning, Lee High Road was a battle ground. But no! A misjudged path results in a sudden and slippery stop, he squeezes by and keeps going. A traffic light phase holds me back. And the next one. By the time I reach my planned 'fly past as if it's nothing' moment of Loampit Hill, he is gone. Instead of victory (my preferred low-fat breakfast option) I can taste nothing in my mouth but the bitter tang of diesel and surface water.
(Took a Boardman and a white SS on the Old Kent Road to keep things equal, hopefully the ride home will be easier...)

(* the following may contain mild exaggeration...)

Gazzaputt

Gravesend :shock:

Bloody good going especially on a fixie. Is that everyday?

dirk_van_gently

Kieran_Burns wrote:

Am I allowed to claim the whole Tissington Trail?

I rode that a couple of years ago, there's a really, I mean really steep section train was pulled up by cable I believe, there was a guy on a tourer, full panniers the works, and he was no spring chicken, and he rode the whole thing without missing a beat. I did it on my mtb and was F'd by the time I got to the top.

Kieran_Burns

Dirk Van Gently wrote:

Kieran_Burns wrote:

Am I allowed to claim the whole Tissington Trail?

I rode that a couple of years ago, there's a really, I mean really steep section train was pulled up by cable I believe, there was a guy on a tourer, full panniers the works, and he was no spring chicken, and he rode the whole thing without missing a beat. I did it on my mtb and was F'd by the time I got to the top.

I think you're talking the High Peak trail which does have a couple of goodly steep bits in it. The Tissington Trail is really one long hill up from Ashbourne... not steep but fun going down when it's empty!

Rich158

Gazzaputt wrote:

Gravesend :shock:

Bloody good going especially on a fixie. Is that everyday?

In the words of that bloody annoying dog from the advert

Ooohhh yes

Well this week is my first full week on the fixie, so my legs will probably feel like they don't belong to my body by Friday Going up through Greenwich Park was interesting last night, still took one scalp on it though

dirk_van_gently

Kieran_Burns wrote:

I think you're talking the High Peak trail!

yes that's the beast.

Kieran_Burns

Dirk Van Gently wrote:

Kieran_Burns wrote:

I think you're talking the High Peak trail!

yes that's the beast.

I know the bit you mean - it's labelled as: Get off and walk 8)

jonginge

Ah, that's where everyone has gone: they're just less lazy than me. Left the house 20mins earlier than has been my wont of late and there they were: an entire peloton of roadies. Quite a few were on their carbon obviously pootling and quite probably racing this evening...

Exchanged incredulous glances with a chap on lo-pro TT machine with tri-spoke rear wheel when a dustbin man walked across the two moving lanes of traffic on embankment expecting everyone to stop. Nutter

Gazzaputt

Just sold my Cannondale Capo to go back to having a geared bike. I liked the singlespeed, had a 50x17, but having 3 bikes bikes is a no-no with the SO.

Rich158

I'm running 50x16, it's killing me :shock: :shock: :shock:

jonginge

Rich158 wrote:

I'm running 50x16, it's killing me :shock: :shock: :shock:

Think of the leg strength you're getting.

52x16 is my gear of choice on the commute. I have been known to lap RP for a couple of hours in that gear.

insomniboy

Starting from traffic lights must be massively tedious, surely? or do your knees get used to the strain after a while?

jonginge

insomniboy wrote:

Starting from traffic lights must be massively tedious, surely? or do your knees get used to the strain after a while?

No. Yes.
It's fun watching people assuming they'll outdrag you away from the lights.... one turn of the cranks and they're gone (Childish, I know, but still fun)

il_principe

50x16 is the choice of champions! It's certainly improved my leg strength.

insomniboy

Hmm this sounds slightly mental, but ever so fun. A visit to the LBS was on the cards for a 53 for the real bike, maybe I should invest in something larger for the commute...

cjcp

Il Principe wrote:

53x16 is the choice of champions! It's certainly improved my leg strength.

Fixed (no pun intended) that for you.

cjcp

JonGinge wrote:

Ah, that's where everyone has gone: they're just less lazy than me. Left the house 20mins earlier than has been my wont of late and there they were: an entire peloton of roadies. Quite a few were on their carbon obviously pootling and quite probably racing this evening...

I've noticed this. There's more action when I leave earlier.

Rich158

JonGinge wrote:

Rich158 wrote:

I'm running 50x16, it's killing me :shock: :shock: :shock:

Think of the leg strength you're getting.

52x16 is my gear of choice on the commute. I have been known to lap RP for a couple of hours in that gear.

That's what I'm aiming for. I do have a couple of blips that approach 12-14% though (well in my mind they do) so I think a couple of months on my current gearing are in order before I man up and get some proper GI's

cjcp

JonGinge wrote:

Rich158 wrote:

I'm running 50x16, it's killing me :shock: :shock: :shock:

Think of the leg strength you're getting.

52x16 is my gear of choice on the commute. I have been known to lap RP for a couple of hours in that gear.

It's your only gear! The others don't work, do they?

blu3cat

52x16 is my gear of choice on the commute. I have been known to lap RP for a couple of hours in that gear.

Clockwise or anti?

No fellow SCRers this morning, did manage to take a detour via RP, and added a lovely, damp lap and 10 extra miles to the commute. Great start to the morning.