Silly commuting racing

UndercoverElephant

One of the things I'm really enjoying most about SCR, is being a spectator to the other battles going on. Last night, along the prom, I saw a couple of chaps giving it a real go. Contender one was on what seemed to be a brand new, and rather expensive looking hard-tail mountain bike. Contender two was on an old sit up and beg hybrid.

It was a hard-fought and close affair, first one took the lead, then the other clawed it back. They were most definitely trying, and giving it everything they had. Quick speed check as I followed them said it was roughly 23 mph at the time, chapeau lads, given your low-rent steeds. You could see they were giving it everything, they were red-faced and gasping for breath. Finally they were neck and neck, about six feet apart from one another as we cyclists have this bit to ourselves, they were giving it such a go, there was no stopping them....

Until I swished between the pair of them at 28 mph with a cheery, "Good evening" and a smile. :twisted:

dandy dan

Ooooohh this game is shrink visiting lie on the couch tell me about your childhood crazy!!
I've been commuting for years, sometimes ride fast, sometimes pootle, sometimes overtake, sometimes get overtaken. Right, no problem, everything cool and zen in the dandy dan head. But then I sign up to the SCR lunacy!! Took the single speed out this morning, dropping the kids off at school so decide to go fashionista stylee with rolled up jeans and fishermans cap and a gentle ride in. I'm a happy hippy pootler - for the first 200 yards!! After that I'm peddling like a loon, whizzing past hi-viz hybrids and trying to work out people's FCNs! Get to Loughbrough Junction and I can feel the breath of another cyclist on my back. He's on a hybrid, he's wearing Lycra, he's got panniers, but he's about 12 years younger than me. He shoots off from the lights - grinning!! I go after him, my minds a mess, I can't work out his FCN AND get up to speed ffs! But I'm a gaining, I'm a-gaining and a-matching, he's got his head down and playing the Game, but I'm a-gaining and a-matching and a-overtaking and a-pulling away. I HAVE HIS SCALP!! I carry on, with some weird bloodlust making my eyes narrow and my brain sting. The hippy part of my brain is crying "easy man, we just wanna pootle and whistle Bob Dylan songs" but the new warlord part of my brain is shouting "shut up you lentil munching peacenik, increase your cadence, MTFU, and FEED ME SOME SCALPS". So I do - a couple down Kennington Road, yum, a roadie down Baylis, chomp chomp, the X68 bus over Waterloo Bridge, gulp yummy yummy!
I get to work - I'm a mess. My jeans are sweaty, my Converse have got grease on them, my fishermans hat is stuck to my head. But I 'm so HAPPY....so happy that I compliment my boss's new haircut even though it makes her look like an extra from Prisoner Cell Block H. "You're very happy this morning Dan" she says. She has no idea, no idea heh heh. I'm knackered so tonight I expect I shall be handing back these scalps on the ride home.
SCR - Live It, Love It, Ride It!

UndercoverElephant

dandy dan welcome to the team! Chapeau, Sir!

Kieran_Burns

dandy dan wrote:

Ooooohh this game is shrink visiting lie on the couch tell me about your childhood crazy!!
I've been commuting for years, sometimes ride fast, sometimes pootle, sometimes overtake, sometimes get overtaken. Right, no problem, everything cool and zen in the dandy dan head. But then I sign up to the SCR lunacy!! Took the single speed out this morning, dropping the kids off at school so decide to go fashionista stylee with rolled up jeans and fishermans cap and a gentle ride in. I'm a happy hippy pootler - for the first 200 yards!! After that I'm peddling like a loon, whizzing past hi-viz hybrids and trying to work out people's FCNs! Get to Loughbrough Junction and I can feel the breath of another cyclist on my back. He's on a hybrid, he's wearing Lycra, he's got panniers, but he's about 12 years younger than me. He shoots off from the lights - grinning!! I go after him, my minds a mess, I can't work out his FCN AND get up to speed ffs! But I'm a gaining, I'm a-gaining and a-matching, he's got his head down and playing the Game, but I'm a-gaining and a-matching and a-overtaking and a-pulling away. I HAVE HIS SCALP!! I carry on, with some weird bloodlust making my eyes narrow and my brain sting. The hippy part of my brain is crying "easy man, we just wanna pootle and whistle Bob Dylan songs" but the new warlord part of my brain is shouting "shut up you lentil munching peacenik, increase your cadence, MTFU, and FEED ME SOME SCALPS". So I do - a couple down Kennington Road, yum, a roadie down Baylis, chomp chomp, the X68 bus over Waterloo Bridge, gulp yummy yummy!
I get to work - I'm a mess. My jeans are sweaty, my Converse have got grease on them, my fishermans hat is stuck to my head. But I 'm so HAPPY....so happy that I compliment my boss's new haircut even though it makes her look like an extra from Prisoner Cell Block H. "You're very happy this morning Dan" she says. She has no idea, no idea heh heh. I'm knackered so tonight I expect I shall be handing back these scalps on the ride home.
SCR - Live It, Love It, Ride It!

IT'S ALIVE!!!!

crumbschief

Felt the need to post wow what a ride dandy dan i laughed hard reading that as i have done on alot of the other posts here,really felt the journey how that was written,great thread,great game.

dandy dan

Keiran - you are sooooo right with that pic! There's now a conflict going on in my head - Hippy Brain wants soup, wholemeal roll, and some fruit for lunch. Warlord Brain says "are you mental in the head?! Your in the SCR now sonny and we are having steak for lunch - RARE!

And thanks for the welcome Undercover - it's like being part of the family. You know, THAT slightly dysfunctional family who the rest of street is weary of but secretly would like to be in!

Clever Pun

Dandydan overtaking a hybrid on a SS aint a sclap as a rule but good read nonetheless...

I had an 8 mile race/ride with a fella on a blue ribble (I think it was, I've drunk since then) he luckily for me had aero bars dropping his fcn just below mine... we both took each other fair and square twice and both laughed when a car beeped us when they were trying to pull out into the road (practically through us) on the flat at 25 seemed the standard speed and stepping it up to overtake which happened less and less as time went on

Needless to say I got home in excellent time and was really glad when we parted as I was starting to feel the pace

dandy dan

Clever Pun - yep, got well and truly caught up in the moment but have now re-checked the rules. Guess I should be gunning for roadies when on the SS. Warlord Brain will be happy with that, Hippy Brain may just have deal with the whole ying and yang of the matter. That sounds like a worthy opponent you had there! Aero Bars eh.....reckon he would have grabbed that scalp if he was wearing a fishermans hat and vibing Joni Mitchell!

Clever Pun

dresbo wrote:

Clever Pun wrote:

you don't perchance have a mustache?

I don't but, that is an idea. I've never tried that route, but I have thought of it. Any chance it avoids the big hill between me and central London?

yes beckenham jct way avoids the super hill and it's pretty quick with all the bus routes and the like

a cyclist with a tache used to live on the same street as me and was part of the Addiscombe CC I think... I thought you might be that chap

cjcp

This morning: was treated to the cycling equivalent of a Top Gun-style fly-by in Richmond Park by a Sigma Sport rider. Not a scalp because he was shaved and sans backpack, but I was blitzed out of sight - looked back, nothing; next thing, whoooooooosh. WTF did he come from?! :shock: Turns out he was doing an interval because he eased up about 100 yards ahead of me, but, even once he'd gathered himself together again, he started to pull away.

Then, on the NKR, had a chap on a Ribble behind me. He was in red and black and I initially thought it was Speedy Gonzalez in the Sigma kit and duly waited for him to hit the turbos. However, pulled up at the lights and it was a mere mortal like me. He boosted my ego hugely - said I was going nicely and it was like trying to keep up with Cancellara (I should have mentioned the Sigma guy...), and he also complimented me on my wheels, specifically, the classic-looking hubs.

Then tried out the new route. Wen all the way along Thames St. Got scalped by two roadies because I was taking things easy. Then exchanged words with a cabbie who tried to cut into my lane. I shook my head as I weaved around him and he pulls up very clsoe to me at the next set of lights at Tower Bridge. Window goes down and he asks "if I was giving him jip because it looked like I was giving him jip and he wanted to know why I would be giving him jip". I said I wasn't giving him jip because he'd know if I was giving him jip. He continued to bleat on, but I didn't catch it because I was concentrating on what were a new set of traffic lights for me. But he took the same route as me down to the office until he turned off and shouted out "t0$$ser". Goon.

This evening: not much going on really. Backpack felt super-heavy, so could've done without the headwind.

MonkeyMonster

Get in, back in the game after 2 weeks. Chest still a bit dodge but facemask helps

A few low level roadie scalps throughout journey before the race track. Bad mist on the glasses wasn't helping. Contacts for home me thinks.

flamite

back in the game too after a week off due to being run over!!

where is everyone?!

Gazzaputt

flamite wrote:

back in the game too after a week off due to being run over!!

where is everyone?!

It's raining, cold and dark.

MonkeyMonster

Gazzaputt wrote:

flamite wrote:

back in the game too after a week off due to being run over!!

where is everyone?!

It's raining, cold and dak.

Don't think I'll be alone in crying out MTFU

jonginge

Also back in the game after 2 and half weeks sans bike.

A little piece of me died inside this morning. There was no stealth SCRing this AM, my pearson sounds like an air raid siren Twas the first ride on it in several months and I knew it was developing a tick-tick in the drive-train so I did some fettling last night: now it creaks resoundingly on every pedal stroke. *sob, sob* Soooo embarrassing when passing people...

DonDaddyD

The rain comes out, the sun goes in and the real boys are out to play.

Cold weather, blurred sight, limited visibility, tetchy drivers, riding conditions that tested the grit of my soul, mind and upper limits of my riding ability. Not a hybrid in sight! Bliss!

I set out today not realising it was raining, by the time I get to the end of my road I’m desperately seeking out my jacket from the bottom of my bag.

At South Wimbledon I spot another cyclist who, while lost in the delirium of a road soaked commute, I’d like to think was Bassjunkie. He turns onto my road and heads towards Colliers Wood. Now he wasn’t wearing glasses, but he was about B’junkies height and because he was wearing a pollution mask I couldn’t see his face, helping me to fanaticise more. Riding on a medium red Giant OCR4 his 5yr old calfs would blur as they spun that 42t front ring just like our little bassy’s does…. Ahhhh!

His little body helped him weave in-between cars through most of Colliers Wood but once the road opened up my large thunderous thighs scalped him heading towards Tooting and I stayed ahead past the Broadway and onto Tooting Bec. During this we pick up another guy, hi-viz on a roadie with all the decals covered up with tape (why do cyclists do this?). This guy was going slow but after Fake-Bassjunkie and I over take him he mans up and starts riding like a proper man.. A closer look and I realise he’s riding carbon, a Focus no less. Why would you tape up a carbon bike, why?

Tooting Bec to Balham drag strip and my domination reigns supreme. However as I come up to the lights by Balham tube a guy on a Canondale - CAAD something, silver and red, Kingston wheelers kit - joins myself, Fake-Bassjunkie and taped-up carbon bike dude. Through the lights at Balham and we are again joined by another road bike, this time by a dude on a Pearson single speed like Jash’s. Not a hybrid insight in proper rainy conditions, wonder why? (Pearson and Canondale I’ve ridden against/with before Pearson I can take, Canondale gives me trouble).

At the lights by the Waitrose I’ve gunned it. School boy error! I was eager it’s been a while since I’ve lined up against proper men on proper bikes riding in proper weather. I’ve got to stay ahead and I know Canondale has got the legs. We come up to a lights by Cyclopolis (bike shop) and Psubliminal (bike shop) on the other side of the road.

Now at these lights there is a side road on the main road where cars can park, these aren’t affected by the lights. I take the side road and sprint to get ahead before the lights go green. The lights go green as soon as I’m in line with them. I’ve got a proper sprint now or I’m going to have to wait to join the road and have the other roadies laugh at me as they pass. Wasn’t the smartest move I’ve done, I won’t be doing it again, but I was still in the lead for Balham hill.

I pound the hill in my 82inch gear thinking this should be enough Canondale Is giving it the beans but he was at the bottom and I’m ¾ of the way up. I get to the top and Canondale has overtaken me, no time for my two second recovery I’ve got to get back on it along Clapham Common. I’m giving chase and in dry conditions would have overtaken him by now…

Alas water, grit or salt drips into my eye and with my contact lenses in I’m in a world of pain the stinging kind. I ain’t stopping, I ride through the pain (just like that dude in that song ‘Performance’). Nope riding with one eye shut is doable it just isn’t safe, especially in the rain. I slow to a manageable speed while my eye sorts itself out. By the time I get my vision back I’m at the end of Clapham Common shaping to turn to Acre Lane, it’s over but it was great while it lasted!

attica

... and I'm back in the game.

After an extended SCR lay off due to having to cart a laptop around, I've finally bitten the bullet, put panniers on my bike and started riding in again.
My bike now looks absolutely ridiculous - a singlespeed with panniers but no mudguards looks just plain daft.
Gladly I'm still pulling 20mph on the flat but false flats are now hills and hills are mountains. Braking and getting out of the saddle are very different experiences now and worst of all, I saw nobody on my commute this morning, I overtook nobody, no-one, nada.

Anyway, I'm just off to citrus skies to work out my new FCN. Be warned Bristol, I'm slower, but more of you are targets for me now mwhahahaa!

Clever Pun

felt rough as @rseholes this morning after a hefty weekend

pootled into the drizzle wishing I was in bed, a roadie went past me easily and that spurred me on to mtfu and drop him like a stone at the next opportunity, didn't see him again after that... Felt a lot better when I started spinning my legs properly

feel ropey again now though

attica

DDD, do you often fantasise about BJUK? :shock: :shock:

blu3cat

no-one to play with on the commute in this morning......

probably good, as I was cruising down Blackshaw road, and by brake pads might've well not been there, and when they did work both wheels locked up.

Alright who stole all of the grip on the roads this morning.

DonDaddyD

Attica wrote:

... and I'm back in the game.

After an extended SCR lay off due to having to cart a laptop around!

That's not an excuse! Not an excuse of any kind.

Dude Laptops are large iPods easily folded away in the back of a messenger bag.

You should be riding around with your laptop lapping in the wind behind you holding on for dear life as the straps of the bag dig into your persons.

MTFU!

jonginge

blu3cat wrote:

no-one to play with on the commute in this morning......

probably good, as I was cruising down Blackshaw road, and by brake pads might've well not been there, and when they did work both wheels locked up.

Alright who stole all of the grip on the roads this morning.

It was the wrong type of rain. Not enough to truly wet the road surface so very slippy. Had a moment on some ironwork when crossing lothbury: woke me up nicely

attica

Dude, my laptop is OLD, not just a bit old but seriously ancient.
I found the folder C:\documents and Settings\Alan.turing on it the other day.
It's made of breeze blocks and lead. also 120 miles is a big ask for a commute (I may have neglected to mention this bit)
no chance of this bad boy ever "lapping in the wind" or in fact flapping.

Besides, I wasn't looking for excuses just relaying the fact that I'm back in The Game.

DonDaddyD

Attica wrote:

Dude, my laptop is OLD, not just a bit old but seriously ancient.
I found the folder C:\documents and Settings\Alan.turing on it the other day.
It's made of breeze blocks and lead. also 120 miles is a big ask for a commute (I may have neglected to mention this bit)
no chance of this bad boy ever "lapping in the wind" or in fact flapping.

Besides, I wasn't looking for excuses just relaying the fact that I'm back in The Game.

Oh one of those laptops circa Windows 95 - 2000, when they weren't actually portable because the minute you unplugged them the battery would run out...

Ok my apologies, you actually get 'Man points' for having the nuts to be seen with one of those things...

Oh and glad that you are back in the game, Brizzle beware!

girv73

I've been having a bit of a time of it on the commute lately.

First, last week, I broke my personal best and passed 5 on the way home. I didn't clock the FCNs exactly, but I was on my slicked MTB winter bike and they were all in the same ballpark. One was a flat bar hybrid on 700c wheels and I was expecting a bit of a fight from him at least, but when I reached the end of the cycle path and caught a glance of what was behind me (reflected in the eye of a passing sparrow naturally, of course I didn't look back myself) there was a mile of nothing.

The next morning, I'm moving off from a roundabout, applying power to the left pedal, when my foot suddenly goes a lot further than I'm expecting. Somehow I managed to stay upright, not get run over and limp the bike over to the footpath to inspect what had gone wrong - I'd only pulled the pedal right out of the crank! The giveaway was the pedal being missing from the crank arm, where it should have been, and being attached to my shoe instead, where it shouldn’t have been. I tried to reattach the pedal, but I’d stripped some, if not all, of the threads off the crank arm and it wouldn’t screw back in. Guess who needs new cranks on the winter bike then?



I limp home again (mostly downhill so it's not too bad), swap bikes and head back out, only to be nearly run over by a silly woman pulling into the bus lane for a shortcut. I think only her passenger saw me, and also if she hadn’t I think there would have been an actual collision. Then two sets of two iPeds to avoid.

Then on the way home again, I'm pushing along a bit at 20mph when I hear the buzz of an idling freewheel behind me. I continue on for a bit but it's clear my pursuer is keeping pace without too much effort, whereas I'm at max powa. "He" pulls alongside, and it's two club looking riders who are decent enough to thank me for the draft and offer drafting them in return. I duly pull in at the back of the train (we're still at 20mph) and they fecking take off like there are rockets in their sprockets! I gamely hang on at 25 or so for a mile, and I've never been so glad to see the traffic lights where our paths diverge The remaining 3 or 4 miles of my commute are done at a snails pace...

choirboy

Strange ride in this morning. Legs didn't want to work and I'll swear there was an easterly headwind out by Heathrow... Got half way along the straight section of A4 through Hounslow/Isleworth one of contact lenses did a runner just as it started to rain so the specs had to go on and promptly mist up. Then the traffic stopped. Finally got bored of filtering and used the cycle path - proved to me just how $hite it is and how right I am to stay in traffic. Queue was down to a truck across two lanes in Brentford which has caused about a 3 mile tailback.

Nice and quiet from there in as everyone was still sitting behind the van somewhere in Hounslow apart from lots of "blues and twos" action from various emergency vehicles which prompted drivers to move into the cycle lane to let them past....

Definitely autumn now though.

choirboy

DonDaddyD wrote:

Oh one of those laptops circa Windows 95 - 2000

No young man, those are perfectly portable compared to these from my youth:

redvee

Attica wrote:

My bike now looks absolutely ridiculous - a singlespeed with panniers but no mudguards looks just plain daft.

Get thee off to Cyclelife in your lunchbreak and purchase a set of Crud RoadRacer guards, play with them iun the afternoon then fit them whilst the kettle is boiling.

attica

Cheers RV, I tried to fit my raceblades to them, strange fork geometry meant they wouldn't go on - very odd.

Got some proper mudguards in the garage at my wife's place that I shall try to liberate at some point.

Clever Pun

Attica wrote:

Dude, my laptop is OLD, not just a bit old but seriously ancient.
I found the folder C:\documents and Settings\Alan.turing on it the other day.
It's made of breeze blocks and lead. also 120 miles is a big ask for a commute (I may have neglected to mention this bit)
no chance of this bad boy ever "lapping in the wind" or in fact flapping.

Besides, I wasn't looking for excuses just relaying the fact that I'm back in The Game.

I see what you've done there but I just can't be bothered to pick out the glaring inconsistency

try and keep the panniers balanced especially if it's wet