Silly commuting racing

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  • Clever Pun
    Clever Pun Posts: 6,778
    cjcp wrote:
    Clever Pun wrote:
    CJCP, seems you're very close to where I am, might even overtake you in waitrose

    Yep, it's about the only place I've ventured for my lunch so far. Well, there and The Dickens.

    into wapping a little is the Town of Ramsgate... that's nice

    The pepper pot is cack, Brown Bear is nice enough.. Hoop & Grapes at Aldgate is great, but a little way to go for you
    Purveyor of sonic doom

    Very Hairy Roadie - FCN 4
    Fixed Pista- FCN 5
    Beared Bromptonite - FCN 14
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    Clever Pun wrote:
    cjcp wrote:
    Clever Pun wrote:
    CJCP, seems you're very close to where I am, might even overtake you in waitrose

    Yep, it's about the only place I've ventured for my lunch so far. Well, there and The Dickens.

    into wapping a little is the Town of Ramsgate... that's nice

    The pepper pot is cack, Brown Bear is nice enough.. Hoop & Grapes at Aldgate is great, but a little way to go for you

    Not tried the first two. The BB is run by a mate of a mate (watched England v Sweden in there some years ago). Yeah, Hoop is a bit far. There's one in Wapping, near the leisure centre, which has an outside area overlooking the river. Can't remember it's name (is it the Ramsgate?). I remember that being nice though.
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • DonDaddyD
    DonDaddyD Posts: 12,689
    Off the pace in a big way today.

    No scalps.

    27.2mph (Donovan not Karen) on the Balham/Tooting drag strip before I ran out of road.

    Not impressed! Friday I managed 29.7mph and was physically tired with it being the end a weeks commute and I was disappointed with that....

    Personal thoughts the gear inch between the third and forth sprocket is too big a jump. This disrupts my pedal technique as one moment I'm spinning, I shift and then I'm suddenly mashing again trying to spin. I can only get around 20mph on the third sprocket before spinning but I'm well into 25mph before spinning-out in the forth. Gotta compensate and pedal harder. It's about me and my confidence, not the bike.

    Can't help thinking I'm holding back as I don't feel stable reaching those speeds and anticipating braking distance gets difficult. I know I'm faster, I know it.

    Will say that 19 - 21mph is enough to dispatch most on my current commute. Can't wait for the new commute and stepping into the big (Embankment, London proper) leagues!
    Food Chain number = 4

    A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game
  • MonkeyMonster
    MonkeyMonster Posts: 4,629
    and seems the weather might hold out most of the week too - hopefully the nasty traffic can piss off and we can get some good racing going.
    Le Cannon [98 Cannondale M400] [FCN: 8]
    The Mad Monkey [2013 Hoy 003] [FCN: 4]
  • greg66_tri_v2.0
    greg66_tri_v2.0 Posts: 7,172
    DonDaddyD wrote:
    Personal thoughts the gear inch between the third and forth sprocket is too big a jump. This disrupts my pedal technique as one moment I'm spinning, I shift and then I'm suddenly mashing again trying to spin.

    I sense someone is about to figure out that they really want an 11-21 for London and something a bit gentler for outside London... :wink:
    Swim. Bike. Run. Yeah. That's what I used to do.

    Bike 1
    Bike 2-A
  • Clever Pun
    Clever Pun Posts: 6,778
    cjcp wrote:
    Not tried the first two. The BB is run by a mate of a mate (watched England v Sweden in there some years ago). Yeah, Hoop is a bit far. There's one in Wapping, near the leisure centre, which has an outside area overlooking the river. Can't remember it's name (is it the Ramsgate?). I remember that being nice though.

    I look down on the BB from my desk... it taunts me :cry:
    Purveyor of sonic doom

    Very Hairy Roadie - FCN 4
    Fixed Pista- FCN 5
    Beared Bromptonite - FCN 14
  • MonkeyMonster
    MonkeyMonster Posts: 4,629
    Youngs or Fullers?
    Le Cannon [98 Cannondale M400] [FCN: 8]
    The Mad Monkey [2013 Hoy 003] [FCN: 4]
  • lost_in_thought
    lost_in_thought Posts: 10,563
    I'll be over in st k's tomorrow eve, having dinner with my friend who lives there, but not 'til 7:30. Eastern beerz?
    FCN 7/1
    Viner Maxima, Tifosi CK7, Giant Bowery, Old commuter.
  • biondino
    biondino Posts: 5,990
    Somehow I managed to fix the Focus - well, true the rear wheel, which was pretty straightforward as it was one non-driveside spoke that was completely tension-free, and as there are only 7 of them in total it was making a pretty big difference. Which means I can now take the fixie to the lbs to sort out the re-emergence of the spider-arm-striking-chainstay problem that they fixed for me a few months ago, sigh. I don't want to literally wear a hole in it...
    My Focus / My Bob Jackson
    Blog (incl. bikes)
  • cambs
    cambs Posts: 235
    New to the game so still working out my strategy. I think its got to be defensive as I can't reach the speeds mentioned elsewhere here : short bursts of acceleration at the right point and hope the lights change red behind me, leaving the predators on the other side of the divide.

    Got caught tip-toeing down the hill in Richmond Park by a lycra-ed MTBer. I heard his tyres before i saw him but i guess he was better on the loose gravel now all over park roads.
    Pulled him back, but he slipped away at the lights while I was being berated by a ped for walking (!) my bike on the pavement around a bus to get to the ASL.

    A guy on a yellow Bianchi, and a seal pup down each leg of his tights swam past me on Chelsea Embankment but then he seemed to lose heart after Chelsea bridge lights and disappeared from from my rear view - i'll claim that one.

    Lastly, a roadie i've seen before with a style so languid you could put it in a smoking jacket and play it opposite Noel Coward. Good to go past him but i know he just wasn't playing. And if those shorts of his get any more threadbare i'll get him a new pair myself.
  • Bassjunkieuk
    Bassjunkieuk Posts: 4,232
    DDD - If you can try popping the details of your crankset and cassette into Sheldon Browns gear thingy, you can get it to output the GI of each combination you can then see the difference between each gear. I've settled on one at the moment (I think about 42*14) that is comfortable at about 20mph and that I can spin upto 25mph ish before needing to drop a cog at the rear which will then take me towards 30.

    However if I switch up to the "daddy" ring up front (the 52) I can go up a few at the back and have practically the same gear but the next one up isn't such a big jump (the difference between a 74 - 85 gap compared to 73 - 81) which means it feels smoother when winding up the power :-)
    Who's the daddy?
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    Giant SCR 3.0 - FCN 5
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    cambs wrote:
    New to the game so still working out my strategy. I think its got to be defensive as I can't reach the speeds mentioned elsewhere here : short bursts of acceleration at the right point and hope the lights change red behind me, leaving the predators on the other side of the divide.

    Not many places to hide. The NKR between Cheyne Walk and Wandsworth BR impedes SCR, so I treat it as a "neutral" zone. On the way home, the traffic pretty much makes the whole of NKR is a no-SCR zone too.
    Got caught tip-toeing down the hill in Richmond Park by a lycra-ed MTBer.

    It's an unpleasant atm. I don't like it. It's all very well trying to stay in the gravel ruts, but what happens if we have to dodge cars overtaking but coming up the hill? We have to try to change our line whilst on gravel. The continuing failure to clear the detritus at the top of Dark Hill is also a right PITA.


    Lastly, a roadie i've seen before with a style so languid you could put it in a smoking jacket and play it opposite Noel Coward. Good to go past him but i know he just wasn't playing. And if those shorts of his get any more threadbare i'll get him a new pair myself.

    What bike's he on?
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • King Donut
    King Donut Posts: 498
    cambs wrote:
    New to the game so still working out my strategy...

    Got caught tip-toeing down the hill in Richmond Park by a lycra-ed MTBer. I heard his tyres before i saw him but i guess he was better on the loose gravel now all over park roads.

    Welcome! I share a fair chunk of your route but I'm normally out a bit earlier than that.

    RP is a bit of a nightmare again. It seemed like the gravel had bedded in, but yesterday it was back on Sawyer's and Broomfield.

    It didn't stop me giving one poor soul a lesson on Dark Hill this morning. Beautiful morning for it.
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    King Donut wrote:
    It didn't stop me giving one poor soul a lesson on Dark Hill this morning. Beautiful morning for it.

    Heads up, all: KD's working on his hills as well as his Blackfriars Tunnel sprints.

    Rumbled! :)
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • Roastie
    Roastie Posts: 1,968
    First day back on the bike after nearly 3 weeks off the bike with a chest infection. Given the knee injury just before that, it has been ages since I've been riding regularly.

    My chest is not quite right yet, so I'm taking it easy. Thankfully the weather is turning and there are far fewer guys out on bikes. Even with empty roads this morning, I barely managed to keep my scalp - two bogeys on hybrids forced me to ride faster than I wanted to on Borough High St.

    Don't expect the same on the way home. So if you do see me, please have mercy. Take the scalp as quicky and painlessly as possible. :(
    David
    Engineered Bicycles
  • King Donut
    King Donut Posts: 498
    cjcp wrote:
    King Donut wrote:
    It didn't stop me giving one poor soul a lesson on Dark Hill this morning. Beautiful morning for it.

    Heads up, all: KD's working on his hills as well as his Blackfriars Tunnel sprints.

    Rumbled! :)

    :lol: I've extended the commute via Leatherhead as part of the winter programme :wink:
    To be honest after the effort it took to get up Broomfield last time I saw you I had to do something! :oops:
  • MonkeyMonster
    MonkeyMonster Posts: 4,629
    Roastie wrote:
    Don't expect the same on the way home. So if you do see me, please have mercy. Take the scalp as quicky and painlessly as possible. :(

    Roger ;)
    Le Cannon [98 Cannondale M400] [FCN: 8]
    The Mad Monkey [2013 Hoy 003] [FCN: 4]
  • Clever Pun
    Clever Pun Posts: 6,778
    lost_in_thought wrote:
    I'll be over in st k's tomorrow eve, having dinner with my friend who lives there, but not 'til 7:30. Eastern beerz?

    nice idea, but I've got a tech test I need to take tomorrow night... this doesn't coincide with beer :x
    Purveyor of sonic doom

    Very Hairy Roadie - FCN 4
    Fixed Pista- FCN 5
    Beared Bromptonite - FCN 14
  • DonDaddyD
    DonDaddyD Posts: 12,689
    Bassjunkieuk wrote:
    DDD - If you can try popping the details of your crankset and cassette into Sheldon Browns gear thingy, you can get it to output the GI of each combination you can then see the difference between each gear. I've settled on one at the moment (I think about 42*14) that is comfortable at about 20mph and that I can spin upto 25mph ish before needing to drop a cog at the rear which will then take me towards 30.

    However if I switch up to the "daddy" ring up front (the 52) I can go up a few at the back and have practically the same gear but the next one up isn't such a big jump (the difference between a 74 - 85 gap compared to 73 - 81) which means it feels smoother when winding up the power :-)

    Did this recently

    Front crank 53 (I think)

    Third rear cog (from top) 19.

    Forth rear cog 17.

    So I'm going from 73.3 to 81.9*

    (Give or take an inch as I'm working from memory)

    The smaller front ring is a 39 and for it to be comfortable on a flat I have to be using the last 2 cogs, which gives a higher gear inch than the one I'm using but easier ride but I'm in chain rub territory there.

    I'll try the 39 and 12 or last 3 cogs on the way home. See how I go.
    Food Chain number = 4

    A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game
  • jonginge
    jonginge Posts: 5,945
    itboffin wrote:
    :cry:

    I'm outta the game for a while at least
    Knee-related SCR outage? Not good
    FCN 2-4 "Shut up legs", Jens Voigt
    Planet-x Scott
    Rides
  • greg66_tri_v2.0
    greg66_tri_v2.0 Posts: 7,172
    JonGinge wrote:
    itboffin wrote:
    :cry:

    I'm outta the game for a while at least
    Knee-related SCR outage? Not good

    Nah. He's just p!ssed again. Difference is, he realises it this time.
    Swim. Bike. Run. Yeah. That's what I used to do.

    Bike 1
    Bike 2-A
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,064
    Greg66 wrote:
    JonGinge wrote:
    itboffin wrote:
    :cry:

    I'm outta the game for a while at least
    Knee-related SCR outage? Not good

    Nah. He's just p!ssed again. Difference is, he realises it this time.

    I was just about to post here, anyway I've been trying to hunt down a local physio or osteopath to fix my twisted mess of a body but alas they all seem pretty busy or my work schedule doesn't fit, it's looking like London is my best bet.

    Any recommendations?
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • MonkeyMonster
    MonkeyMonster Posts: 4,629
    http://www.belsizeosteopaths.co.uk/

    Saw this guy many many times. Big strong and knows his shit. He'll sort you out.
    Le Cannon [98 Cannondale M400] [FCN: 8]
    The Mad Monkey [2013 Hoy 003] [FCN: 4]
  • greg66_tri_v2.0
    greg66_tri_v2.0 Posts: 7,172
    Check yer PM.
    Swim. Bike. Run. Yeah. That's what I used to do.

    Bike 1
    Bike 2-A
  • Bassjunkieuk
    Bassjunkieuk Posts: 4,232
    DDD - Glad to see you've already tried it, being a bit of a geek I love anything which will give me cold hard numbers to work with when trying to understand someting!
    Have you tried a similar exercise with the gear setup of Karen?
    Who's the daddy?
    Twitter, Videos & Blog
    Player of THE GAME
    Giant SCR 3.0 - FCN 5
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,064
    Greg66 wrote:
    Check yer PM.

    I'm not even sure that's legal you pervert :lol:
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • Bassjunkieuk
    Bassjunkieuk Posts: 4,232
    itboffin wrote:
    Greg66 wrote:
    Check yer PM.

    I'm not even sure that's legal you pervert :lol:

    I saw an advert in a local newsagent for strict and stern massages if that's what your after I can get the number ;-)
    Who's the daddy?
    Twitter, Videos & Blog
    Player of THE GAME
    Giant SCR 3.0 - FCN 5
  • DonDaddyD
    DonDaddyD Posts: 12,689
    Bassjunkieuk wrote:
    Have you tried a similar exercise with the gear setup of Karen?

    Nope not yet, but I need to. Right now Donovan has a bigger top end and probably gear-inch range than Karen despite only having 8 at the back. That frankly brutal 53crankset makes a huge difference.

    Karen is easier to ride so I'm not bothered about gear inches yet, Donovan is more of a workout and where I fettle and figure out numbers... (as it should be).
    Food Chain number = 4

    A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game
  • Bassjunkieuk
    Bassjunkieuk Posts: 4,232
    DonDaddyD wrote:
    Bassjunkieuk wrote:
    Have you tried a similar exercise with the gear setup of Karen?

    Nope not yet, but I need to. Right now Donovan has a bigger top end and probably gear-inch range than Karen despite only having 8 at the back. That frankly brutal 53crankset makes a huge difference.

    Karen is easier to ride so I'm not bothered about gear inches yet, Donovan is more of a workout and where I fettle and figure out numbers... (as it should be).

    IIRC, and I'm assuming Karen has a double, you'll probably find more "useable" gears on Karen once you account for the overlaps on Donovan. As for the top end the only times I've found that I'm spinning out in the 52*13 or 12 are when I'm nudging close to 40mph which requires a decent hill - not something often found around London but certainly came in useful (despite only getting down to the 13 cog) in Wales :-D

    I have wondered if some of the gears I'm "missing" on the SCR 3.0 would prove to be of any use, but I think the idea is to try and match your effort to the conditions and the finer control offered by more gear choices helps with that!

    All this makes me realize I really want a better bike :cry:
    Who's the daddy?
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    Player of THE GAME
    Giant SCR 3.0 - FCN 5
  • Greg T
    Greg T Posts: 3,266
    Bassjunkieuk wrote:
    I saw an advert in a local newsagent for strict and stern massages if that's what your after I can get the number ;-)

    Speed dial?
    Fixed gear for wet weather / hairy roadie for posing in the sun.

    What would Thora Hurd do?

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