Silly commuting racing

blu3cat

Nothing this morning, left work late this evening, and nothing was around, thought I may take Roasties advice and try a cool off.

Until, I realise for once everthing has clicked. I have been pegging it up through Shepherds Bush and Hammersmith, averaging just shy of 20 mph (including stops for lights and stuff) ( PB on). :evil:

Did take the scalp of a roadie on an retro steel roadie, absolutely flew past - although he was about 60 and obviously with a mate on a brompton).

Wandsworth and bloomin buses do their best to bleed the speed. It worked, no matter how hard I pushed after that arrived home in an absolute mess, and missed 19mph average by a smidge. Cool off - pah

cjcp

Better. Much better this evening.

Quiet until VB lights, when a Scott with tri bars rolls up. He rolls to the centre of the junction. Didn't see the point: I was past him before the bend into DSC.

Got to CB lights and put some effort in down the slope and kept the power down on the stretch to AB. Quiet until the lights at WBR when another roadie appears. Seen him before and he's got form when it comes to drafting, but he also likes to put the power down. He accelerates away and I stay 10 yards back, but then a SSer nips into the gap between me and the roadie. He looks handy, but "plums to this", I thought. Hammer goes down and I'm past both. The gap grows quickly, but my progress is halted by a zebra crossing. This allows the roadie and SSer to pass me. The roadie zips down the bike lane on the inside of the traffic on the NKR and then down the middle. SSer and me are taking things much more cautiously, so the roadie is gone, although I know he follows my route to the Park.

SSer breaks off into Putney; I go down the LRR. I scalp a roadie just after we get onto Queen's Ride. Pace is good. I just about make the lights at the LRR/URR junction, and I spot the roadie. Game On. He turns into Priory Lane, as do I. And I pass him and I see from his shadow that he's out of the saddle to get on my wheel. I decide not to wave him through to see if I can keep the pace up, which I do. We pass another roadie. There's no attempt to pass and I get to the Park first. No "thanks for the tow" though as we walk through the gates. :?

I pass Roehampton Gate Cafe and check back to see if anyone's coming my way. There is. Hurrah! About 150 yards back. This must be the other roadie scalped on Priory Lane. A bit like G66 yesterday, I'm the hare. So I keep the effort going to see if he falls back. No. The lights are still 150 yards back. Uh oh. I'm not at Robin Hood Gate yet. I get to the Gate and I'm still not losing him. Crumbs, DM. I'm pretty much giving it everything I've got without falling sideways.

I keep the effort going up Broomfield and when I look back, the lights aren't gaining, but they're not dropping back either. This remains the case all the way to the top of Dark Hill, when I ease off. I've buried myself and my scalp remains intact. Result, but Ive had to seriously work for it.

greg66_tri_v2.0

Now *that* was top work. We need a little yellow bubble man who applauds for stuff like that.

cjcp

(More of the same needed tomorrow though.)

redvee

Nothing to report from me for the last 4 days as I've been away in Ilfracombe but know tomorrow is going to hurt after not riding for a week.

MonkeyMonster

i do hope i see at least 1 of you tomorrow morning

MonkeyMonster

Alas no, although maybe...

I had a little tet-a-tet starting from birdcage walk when a bianchi with bianchi bottle no less - perhaps a fcn adjuster needed for that? - overtakes and then slows for the corner! There I'm thinking ho-hum, this man doesn't know his bike... So I drafted him all the way along into parliament sq where he did some rather dodgy filtering and caught him again at the start of the racetrack. While waiting for more players I was just content to sit in behind him again till we get to embankment. He's flagging so I take point. Rocket assisted start and I leave em all for dust with no comeback - up blackfriars and a crappy bus slows me and I snag a red light. Decide to push up Farringdon st at 20 as a bit of self chastisement plus I was pretty sure I heard a gear snick behind me at the bottom and didn't want a tail. Taking it easier on st john st when all of a sudden the sneaksy little bianchi bottler tries to charge past. What ho bertie and I leap to take him back taking what's left of his scalp before he swings off somewhere behind me.

And thus starts a good friday!

gtvlusso

Dark, dank, miserable morening - but oddly warm.

First time I used my lights today....

Some dud got me on a downhill, then slowed up, so I nailed him on the flat and that was the end of that saga.

Headwind too....bugger.

cjcp

Pursued a RLJing Colnago I've seen a few times recently. He looks a bit of a racing snake and managed to gain on him down Millbank.

Also bumped into that chap on the Marin. A real drafting fairy. Waved at him to pass twice along Chelsea and Victoria Embankment and, true to form, he declined to do so. :roll: Despatched him along DSC and again along Millbank after he crept into the junction to get a head start. He's very hard to shake if he's on your wheel. Not so muich if he's having to deal with the wind. :twisted:

Got a bit annoyed by a girl who filtered past me when I was stopped at lights on Embankment and stopped at my 10 o'clock, blocking me in. I asked her why she did it. No response. What's with that thought process?

Cafewanda

CJCP, she could have been Marin man's (late) secret weapon

Bassjunkieuk

cjcp wrote:

Got a bit annoyed by a girl who filtered past me when I was stopped at lights on Embankment and stopped at my 10 o'clock, blocking me in. I asked her why she did it. No response. What's with that thought process?

I think the mistake there is assuming that any thought goes into it! Bugs the hell out of me when riders that I've previously destroyed away from the previous set of lights then push ahead of me and the next set :evil:

Greg T

I had a run in with Blue Pearson, all in black fast Ninja guy last night......

I was lining him up for some fireworks after the lights by The Rugby Club before Sheen. The nine foot tall roadie I was playing with had started to bore me.

He led off and then flagrantly RLJed the ped lights 600 m away. He was motoring by then and gone by the time I was back in the saddle.

I was disappointed that he looked like Big Game but proved to be a bit of a dick

Clever Pun

tired tired legs and fuggy head after getting to bed leathered around 2.30 last night, took an injection of MTFU and ground my way in... not much action but I did take a roadie and a SS'er, plus one other dude on a ss that frankly looked ridiculous, flouro tabard ill fitting helmet, beige socks up to the middle of his shins... probably called colin.

The police blocked off a lot of Evelyn street and had the blue tent up, couldn't see cars or bikes though, so no idea who or what had happened, someone had lost a life though...

cjcp

Greg T wrote:

I had a run in with Blue Pearson, all in black fast Ninja guy last night......

I was lining him up for some fireworks after the lights by The Rugby Club before Sheen. The nine foot tall roadie I was playing with had started to bore me.

He led off and then flagrantly RLJed the ped lights 600 m away. He was motoring by then and gone by the time I was back in the saddle.

I was disappointed that he looked like Big Game but proved to be a bit of a dick

He does take a liberal attitude to the RLs.

blu3cat

After last nights motoring home, paying the price slightly this morning with a bit heavier legs than normal. I was also really pleased to be cycling into a force 10 headwind as well. Still MTFU.

Got to Putney bridge and put down the power ready to get ahead of the van next to me and ping 2nd spoke in a week. Anyone else had problem with Shimano wheels?

End of SCR until next week.

biondino

Greg66 wrote:

Now *that* was top work. We need a little yellow bubble man who applauds for stuff like that.

King Donut

Greg T wrote:

The nine foot tall roadie I was playing with had started to bore me./quote]
Bored you?... As in he was too much for you?

Greg T

King Donut wrote:

Greg T wrote:

The nine foot tall roadie I was playing with had started to bore me.

Bored you?... As in he was too much for you?

How's the tiara Princess?

cjcp

blu3cat wrote:

After last nights motoring home, paying the price slightly this morning with a bit heavier legs than normal. I was also really pleased to be cycling into a force 10 headwind as well. Still MTFU.

Got to Putney bridge and put down the power ready to get ahead of the van next to me and ping 2nd spoke in a week. Anyone else had problem with Shimano wheels?

End of SCR until next week.

Glad you found there was a strong headwind. It was feckin' hard going through RP this morning.

Are you re-tensioning your wheels or is a shop doing it?

blu3cat

cjcp wrote:

blu3cat wrote:

After last nights motoring home, paying the price slightly this morning with a bit heavier legs than normal. I was also really pleased to be cycling into a force 10 headwind as well. Still MTFU.

Got to Putney bridge and put down the power ready to get ahead of the van next to me and ping 2nd spoke in a week. Anyone else had problem with Shimano wheels?

End of SCR until next week.

Glad you found there was a strong headwind. It was feckin' hard going through RP this morning.

Are you re-tensioning your wheels or is a shop doing it?

Took it to my LBS, they've always been great and when I did pop a spoke last year on my *ahem* hybrid said replacment lasted another couple of thousand miles before I got rid of the bike.

Tension seemed to be fine after they had done the wheel (quick squeez), sheared off at the nipple same as last week.

TBH, wheels are a bit of a dark art to me in terms of building / tensioning, although I can see the value in learning to do it after the past week.

All I need is the RS10s to last till spring. I've got my eye on a pair of DT Swiss 1450s for summer (assuming I can stretch to that much next year).

King Donut

Greg T wrote:

King Donut wrote:

Greg T wrote:

The nine foot tall roadie I was playing with had started to bore me.

Bored you?... As in he was too much for you?

How's the tiara Princess?

I'm glad you didn't put the hammer down. Been trying to save some legs for the weekend, so I wasn't happy when you span past on Embankment, then popped up again after Queens Ride.

Saw you eyeing up the Pearson and yep he was riding like a numptie so I let him get on with it. Stopped off at Prologue for some winter gloves and a quick service. Big mistake as it gave you time to catch up and take me quickly before turning off :twisted:

Greg T

King Donut wrote:

I'm glad you didn't put the hammer down. Been trying to save some legs for the weekend, so I wasn't happy when you span past on Embankment, then popped up again after Queens Ride.

Saw you eyeing up the Pearson and yep he was riding like a numptie so I let him get on with it. Stopped off at Prologue for some winter gloves and a quick service. Big mistake as it gave you time to catch up and take me quickly before turning off :twisted:

You wear a sleevless top....

Oh the shame!

King Donut

@ CJ, great efforts last night!

This morning was like two different rides. Through the park was dark with rain and a definite headwind, but once on LRR plain sailing.

Really wanted to give the legs another day off today, but it just means I arrive on Embankment with more energy than normal.

A bit of action with a fast looking black Spesh through Kingston then on in to Richmond Park. You could tell neither of us were in to it (but still too proud to give in) as we repeatedly jostle for position without even troubling 20 mph :oops: Was like playing chess in lycra. All very civilised.

All quiet until I see a De Rosa turn on to Embankment from Albert Bridge who I know is quick. By Millbank I've reeled him in but my passing merely kicks him in to action. I must admit I was quite happy to see him give it guns from the lights at HoP. I let him go with a long ride tomorrow in mind.

King Donut

Greg T wrote:

You wear a sleevless top....

Oh the shame!

You know you love it!

Let's be honest here, most of us wear lycra so it can only be uphill from there.

blu3cat

King Donut wrote:

Greg T wrote:

You wear a sleevless top....

Oh the shame!

You know you love it!

Let's be honest here, most of us wear lycra so it can only be uphill from there.

some of us hide it under baggies though. For decency reasons

Bassjunkieuk

King Donut wrote:

Greg T wrote:

You wear a sleevless top....

Oh the shame!

You know you love it!

Let's be honest here, most of us wear lycra so it can only be uphill from there.

Didn't we do the whole sleeveless top debate back in the summer?

KD - Sounds like you had a fun ride! This week in the car has gone by quicker then I expected and I can't wait to get out on the bike tomorrow, might even be able to scare a few Saturday morning riders :twisted:

Greg T

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

Didn't we do the whole sleeveless top debate back in the summer?

KD last night.

itboffin

I nailed it like a m***** fu**** d-lock'n C*** this morning.... for about 100 yards before settling back into a gentle warp speed, I actually took a couple of legit scalps along the way, fellow slightly higher FCN single speed and a full lycra roadie - get in 8)

Seems my forced two weeks of low miles <20 mpw :oops: has finished off the last remaining traces of stamina, lets just say I was glowing when I arrived at the office.

:roll:

greg66_tri_v2.0

King Donut wrote:

most of us wear lycra

I don't.

I allow it to grace my form.

8)

cjcp

Greg66 wrote:

King Donut wrote:

most of us wear lycra

I don't.

I allow it to grace my form.

8)

My freshly-made coffee just nearly decorated my monitor.