Silly commuting racing

victor ludorum

cjcp wrote:

dafruk wrote:

victor ludorum wrote:

I didn't strictly commute today, instead I rode a set of first category climbs in a stage of the Tour de London...

They have hills in London?

Cols more like!

Ascending Putney Bridge from either direction is brutal, while the rise in Richmond Park is practically a cliff face.

It might be interesting to compile a list of slopes in the greater London area which are worth a look. It would be interesting to see how urban climbs compare across the country...

I'm not suggesting that there's anything to rock people's worlds, but to those of us who have gotten lazy and complacent, where Holland Park Avenue (and off it, perhaps, a diverting jaunt up the tiny but crazily steep Hillsleigh Rd (which cars struggle up)) and Richmond Hill are the most challenging climbs we have to face, there are a few decent short sharp climbs.

Unfortunately, I can't find much information on the heights or gradients on the roads in that area, but Sydenham and Weston Hill are a brisk 112m and 110m respectively. Tulse Hill is not particularly tall, but I reckon its not far off Highgate (100m) which gets big-upped quite often, and it is a long climb with an inconsistent gradient. Knights Hill is short but steep and makes for a lively sprint after you've recovered on the false flat on topping out Tulse Hill.

However, I only attempt the forbidding ascent of Putney Bridge if I've had my EPO shots and been driven to the foot of it in an oxygen tent...

victor ludorum

That said, I used to live in Addington East of Croydon and commute into Central London each day, and there was a hill there (I think it was gravel hill) that actually had around a 90% gradient on it at one point...

There was a tree growing out into the cycle way, and the path had been laid around in such a way that it was almost a 1m vertical. You had to step off the path and walk up the grass slope next to it, it was genius! :roll:

DonDaddyD

Having figured out what my Food Chain Number was I gave this a proper go yesterday.

I changed my route from 5.5miles to 10miles to encorporate Clapham High street and through Balham. So many scalps roadies and hibrids mostly.

Then it happened, a most beautiful women on a roadie in front of me, how could I pass her... same thing happened this morning on the way to work as well, a most beautiful cyclist infornt of me, couldn't help notice the lycra, it was so enticing I missed my turn on the way to work and had to improvise a new route....

attica

What purpose do Pearly Kings and Queens fulfil exactly?

Actually there's a sensible point to be made here.

Bristle might be hilly but every once in a while I visit a friend who lives on Exmoor for a ride. Now Exmoor has absolutely no flat bits. I'm no slouch on the hills around here, but the relentless, punishment I get when I try to keep up with Johnny Exmoor just kills me.

I think it's probably all relative, the more hills you can ride up, the better you are at them, I should really stop sneering at you all over there in flat London. Just because you haven't got hills to ride doesn't mean you're all pussies.

Humble apology profered

Coriander

Golly, that wind tonight was horrible. And I was only going from Charing Cross to Lewisham. For once I was not sad not to be a part of the elite SW London posse. Did you all enjoy it?

cjcp

Coriander wrote:

Golly, that wind tonight was horrible. And I was only going from Charing Cross to Lewisham. For once I was not sad not to be a part of the elite SW London posse. Did you all enjoy it?

Sweet. Baby. Moses.

:shock:

That was just silly. Left early too, so I was all my on own until the lights at the foot of the descent of Col de Putney Bridge, when I got skinned alive by a shaved roadie with truly enormous thighs. An RLJer though. :roll:

cjcp

Attica wrote:

What purpose do Pearly Kings and Queens fulfil exactly?

Actually there's a sensible point to be made here.

Bristle might be hilly but every once in a while I visit a friend who lives on Exmoor for a ride. Now Exmoor has absolutely no flat bits. I'm no slouch on the hills around here, but the relentless, punishment I get when I try to keep up with Johnny Exmoor just kills me.

I think it's probably all relative, the more hills you can ride up, the better you are at them, I should really stop sneering at you all over there in flat London. Just because you haven't got hills to ride doesn't mean you're all pussies.

Humble apology profered

Are you one of these crazy larries who chases cheese down a hillside?

cjcp

victor ludorum wrote:

cjcp wrote:

dafruk wrote:

victor ludorum wrote:

I didn't strictly commute today, instead I rode a set of first category climbs in a stage of the Tour de London...

They have hills in London?

Cols more like!

Ascending Putney Bridge from either direction is brutal, while the rise in Richmond Park is practically a cliff face.

It might be interesting to compile a list of slopes in the greater London area which are worth a look. It would be interesting to see how urban climbs compare across the country...

I'm not suggesting that there's anything to rock people's worlds, but to those of us who have gotten lazy and complacent, where Holland Park Avenue (and off it, perhaps, a diverting jaunt up the tiny but crazily steep Hillsleigh Rd (which cars struggle up)) and Richmond Hill are the most challenging climbs we have to face, there are a few decent short sharp climbs.

Unfortunately, I can't find much information on the heights or gradients on the roads in that area, but Sydenham and Weston Hill are a brisk 112m and 110m respectively. Tulse Hill is not particularly tall, but I reckon its not far off Highgate (100m) which gets big-upped quite often, and it is a long climb with an inconsistent gradient. Knights Hill is short but steep and makes for a lively sprint after you've recovered on the false flat on topping out Tulse Hill.

However, I only attempt the forbidding ascent of Putney Bridge if I've had my EPO shots and been driven to the foot of it in an oxygen tent...

I used to live on Highgate Hill. Never cycled up it, but wouldn't be pleasant. Also, running down it is tricky. Especially when you've had a couple of pints on a Saturday night at The Flask and you've not left yourself as much time as you perhaps should have to get home for Match of the Day...

Nightingale Lane is a right nasty little peg further down from Richmond Hill - gets up to 18% I'm told.

hucking_fell

Is 50% a 1 in 1 hill?

or would that be 100%? :?

Thanks.

Clever Pun

Grange Road near croydon is quite a beast... there are a few round there which I certainly wont attempt on the SS

Gravel hill isn't that bad surely, there's a nice short ride from addiscombe to the White Bear... coming back is really damn quick I'll give you that


I went back on the A23 today through brixton and stretham.. holy moly it was so damned windy I was nearly blown off sideways and was practically stopped a few times with a freakish headwind...

loads of scalps early on in the ride but it really cleared out at sreatham

victor ludorum

Clever Pun wrote:

Grange Road near croydon is quite a beast... there are a few round there which I certainly wont attempt on the SS

Gravel hill isn't that bad surely, there's a nice short ride from addiscombe to the White Bear... coming back is really damn quick I'll give you that...

I've just had a look at google maps, I think it was on the stretch called Shirley Hill Road which leads off the top of Gravel Hill. I'm not claiming that it was a monster hill (although I seem to remember that it was pretty stiff first thing out the front door...) just that there was a single section of the cycle path away from the road that, by dint of extraordinarily poor workmanship and lack of thought, curved around a tree so tightly that it actually went vertical. The outside of the curve was also extremely steep, such that the only real way around it was to get off the path and go round on the grass.

DonDaddyD

Wind was horrendous!

Up Cold harbor lane, Acre Lane, onto Clapham High Street, through to Tootin Bec station (where I do most of my scalping) then turning left onto the fast road that leads to Streatham there was nothing but wind blowing me sideways or just preventing me from hunkering down and getting some speed.

Anywho, I got scalped twice by two roadies on Clapham High street not too bad they had SPD-SL's, one looked like his thighs were made from the torso's of other men. The other was stick thin too the point that his bike was probably heavier than him. - He could have quite possibly be the most aerodynamic man alive!!!

So, I attempted to reclaim my scalp when, for a moment, the World went silent. The wind that was blasting around my ears begun to gust again but this time had turned into a sweet Italian symphony as to my left, powering along, was a Bianchi C2C 928 (carbon Shimano 105 - black primary colour, white secondary colour). The bike I dream of owning and racing on. And as it claimed my scalp on it was the youngest boy ever! I didn't even have the heart to chase it down.

There is something quite sickening about being scalped by the bike you want and dream of owning...

Bassjunkieuk

I'd have to agree Gravel Hill does like it could be quite a nice hill climb, I'd forgot how steep it was at the top until I was driving down it the other day! As for Grange Road that is a regular part of my commute when going in via Brixton (I use the steeper side road for heading towards Dulwich as it brings me out earlier on the main road) and I always try to finish off with a decent of it as I live off a road near the bottom, scalping cars is quite possible if I'm feeling energetic and they obey the law :-)

As for other hills in the area VL has already pointed out Tulse and Knights Hill, but in all honesty most roads upto Crystal Palace (near the 2 tv aerial towers) can prove some nice hills. Cypress Hill (or road) that leads upto South Norwood Hill is another short and sharp one, which I once did without dropping into the granny ring (of my triple) at the front - I was determined to get up it.

I'd also recommend having a look at some of the roads leading from Beckenham to Bromley North and for a real challenge I'm gonna head over towards Chislehurt Caves, the road that was on appears to be some sort of valley, steep in then steeper out :-)

UnworthyPapaLazaru

http://www.arthursseatchallenge.co.uk/details.htm

Here is the climb I undertake (slowly) on a regular basis. Its actually getting more diffcult last few times. I blame the weather.

Check the link.

Greg T

DonDaddyD wrote:

There is something quite sickening about being scalped by the bike you want and dream of owning...

This is the truth, it's like going to the wedding of girl you've always fancied but never had the cojones to make play for......

The moral of the story.

Ask her out you wimp, she can only say no and was never a "friend" anyway.

I'm feeling a sub game of doing ballsy things in general coming on........

il_principe

Epic ride last night. Left work feeling good despite the wind - wow it was strong, not much fun riding with deep rims I'll tell you. Anyway my short burst along Embankment saw me scalp the geared roadies, 1 on this own and then 2 who appeared to be working together (come on fellas who here rides a yellow roadie on Embankment - PM me if you want your scalp back... ). Also took another white Dolan track bike on Lambeth Bridge - not sure if it's the same as the other day but how many White Dolan's can there be pootling around the Embankment. No game to be had on the ride up to Willesden, but this morning I was done at the lights by a red jerseyed skinny tyred hybrid rider. He was going a fair bit so I sat on his tail plotting my move down Kilburn road only for his bidon to pop out at the top of Maida Vale, so I passed him. He caught me later at the lights and then tried to stay with me all the way to Marble Arch, thanks to the lights. He filtered better than me and I lost sight of him until Park Lane where I took him again - that was the last I saw of him, but Chapeau fella, best battle I've had for a long time (even if I did claim your scalp). Bloody wind though how has it managed to be against me last night and this morning?!

Littigator

First morning out on the new singlie. Not content with off the peg buy what everyone else has type riding (my Allez has a bright red saddle), I have immediately commenced tarting it right up.

White spd pedals, with white saddle and white bar tape to be added today. You can see where this is going yeah?

Before I get all misty eyed a la Greg T about gear ratios...I'll save that for another forum, can I just say despite the inadequate shop supplied ratio of 46/17 I still managed a respectable pace in this morning without bouncing around on the saddle like a yo yo and bought me a few scalps on the way.

The funniest was a hairy roadie, mudguards, baggies etc who when passed by my wife at a fair clip, dropped a cog and gave her pursuit. The only passing he managed to do was pushing to the front at every set of lights, only to be passed again by the Missus along the next straight. I tell ya, her technique is coming along verr nicely.

cjcp

This morning was good, which means tonight will be a battle against the elements yet again.

I'm clearly taking things too easily on the journey in. A, ahem, hybrid overtook me whilst I was seemingly waving at the aeroplanes. Not. Happening. Again.

Gave me the boot up the backside I needed and had a tit for tat with a chap on a very nice Seven Axiom (what a lovely bike that is. Understated and very classy), who had plenty of speed in him.

cjcp

jashburnham wrote:

Also took another white Dolan track bike on Lambeth Bridge - not sure if it's the same as the other day but how many White Dolan's can there be pootling around the Embankment. quote]

I'm fairly sure I've seen two in the last two weeks.

Greg T

Littigator wrote:

First morning out on the new singlie. ..... I have immediately commenced tarting it right up.

White spd pedals, with white saddle and white bar tape to be added today. You can see where this is going yeah?

Delivery for Lits

Littigator

cjcp wrote:

Gave me the boot up the backside I needed and had a tit for tat with a chap on a very nice Seven Axiom (what a lovely bike that is. Understated and very classy), who had plenty of speed in him.

Crikey, that's some serious titanium bike porn that is. I'd have fallen off in awe if I tried sparring with something like that!

il_principe

cjcp wrote:

Gave me the boot up the backside I needed and had a tit for tat with a chap on a very nice Seven Axiom (what a lovely bike that is. Understated and very classy), who had plenty of speed in him.

Bloody hell, commuting on a £2k Titanium whisper... whatever next?

cjcp

Yep, I couldn't help staring at it. It even looked clean.

Coriander

If anyone on here is the chap on the road bike with a yellow ss jersey and black lycra shorts who passed two cyclists on Lewisham Way this morning just before 8, you might want to buy a new pair of shorts.

Your current ones are completely see through. My gay friend loved every moment of the time we spent behind you!

Littigator

Greg T wrote:

Littigator wrote:

First morning out on the new singlie. ..... I have immediately commenced tarting it right up.

White spd pedals, with white saddle and white bar tape to be added today. You can see where this is going yeah?

Delivery for Lits

Ahhhh why thank you kind sir! I do feel a little bit tarty this morning, by crikey if it gets any worse I'll be peddlin to work in a tutu!

Littigator

Coriander wrote:

If anyone on here is the chap on the road bike with a yellow ss jersey and black lycra shorts who passed two cyclists on Lewisham Way this morning just before 8, you might want to buy a new pair of shorts.

Your current ones are completely see through. My gay friend loved every moment of the time we spent behind you!

Brings a whole new meaning to 'bike porn'...oh dear!

ride_whenever

That is really grim. I've noticed that often it is only the fat people whose lycra goes see-through as they tend to buy a bit small so it has to stretch more...


that is not pleasant!

il_principe

Greg T wrote:

Littigator wrote:

First morning out on the new singlie. ..... I have immediately commenced tarting it right up.

White spd pedals, with white saddle and white bar tape to be added today. You can see where this is going yeah?

Perhaps going this way?



Combined with these:

Littigator

Ooh you naughty naughty white wheelset....ahem, (cough) sorry, forgot where I was for a minute!

cjcp

Top gear!!!












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