Silly commuting racing

HamishD

First ride in four months this morning (for a number of reasons). . .

Got me new winter velo last night – a Kinesis Racelight with Ultegra, very nice it is too. Shame about the rider. Boy did I suck . . .

Route is Hither Green to North Acton and before I stopped at the end of June had got it down to 51 minutes (45 with a mahoosive tailwind). This morning it was 75. Previously I was very very rarely scalped – this morning almost everyone dropped me like a stone (including a couple of shoppers). :oops:

Beautiful morning for it though – looking forward to the ride home. Now if only I can kick the cigarette habit I picked up in the intervening months... Bring it on!

The Running Man

Absolutely floored it this morning into work (for me). Averaged just over 19 mph for the 21 miles. Didn't go flat out down Bowden Hill (surface a bit greasy) and there was some traffic congestion through Corsham but otherwise flew in.

And for the first time in ages saw loads of cyclists - all on either MTbs or hybrids but at least I had a few targets.

Improvement on last night when a dear dear friend passed me in his van going up towards Box Hill, wound down the window and helpfully yelled "Get a bloody move on you old git" which although entirely accurate as I am the other side of 50 was a little unsympathetic I thought ......

:roll:

amnezia

cjcp wrote:

amnezia wrote:

cjcp wrote:

@amnezia - were you wearing a Look-style short sleeve cycling top and black shorts at any point last week? I had a bit of a ding dong with a man on a silvery, bluey, black Giant last week. Tuesday or Wednesday maybe.

I don't have Look jersey but i do have a Santini short sleeve black/white which looks very similar to the Look Pro jersey.

if so then yeah that would of been me

Hmm. Did you ask me at Battersea Bridge where I was going to? Thing is, you didn't turn off down Lots Road for the WB route.

@MM -

nope lol, i don't go down lots road because the surface around there is pretty bad, i carry on round to kings road and then go left at the lights down wandsworth bridge road.

cjcp

Hehe. Someone else then.

DonDaddyD

For the time being I think I may go along Kennington Road, turn onto Baylis road by Lambeth North tube, then head on that to through the Cut turn left at Southwark Tube and go up Blackfriars Bridge.

On the way home, Aldwych, Waterloo Bridge, Baylis Road onto Kennington road until Oval tube tube turn right onto Clapham Road and head home.

(This may vary give or take my mood).

Oh and many scalps today, however my left knee is swollen so had to keep it down to 20mph, my average 14.4mph, yesterdays was 15.7mph, 10mile commute around 39 - 42mins (which is quicker than teh average time it took on my 7mile commute to Camberwell - on the same bike) not bad for me... - Though I know by the end of the month (if the weather holds) I'll be hitting that 35min target CJCP set me.

I think for the moment I'm going to forgo SCR and start racing myself, trying to increase my average speed and time door to door.

bigmat

DonDaddyD wrote:

For the time being I think I may go along Kennington Road, turn onto Baylis road by Lambeth North tube, then head on that to through the Cut turn left at Southwark Tube and go up Blackfriars Bridge.

On the way home, Aldwych, Waterloo Bridge, Baylis Road onto Kennington road until Oval tube tube turn right onto Clapham Road and head home.

(This may vary give or take my mood).

Oh and many scalps today, however my left knee is swollen so had to keep it down to 20mph, my average 14.4mph, yesterdays was 15.7mph, 10mile commute around 39 - 42mins (which is quicker than teh average time it took on my 7mile commute to Camberwell - on the same bike) not bad for me... - Though I know by the end of the month (if the weather holds) I'll be hitting that 35min target CJCP set me.

I think for the moment I'm going to forgo SCR and start racing myself, trying to increase my average speed and time door to door.

Sounds like the route I used to take when I worked on Aldwych, although I went over Waterloo Bridge both ways. I like Kennington Road, can get some good speed up along that bus lane. I particularly used to like turning right at the end and sprinting for the lights at Oval, regularly went from 0-30mph along that stretch! Why is it some bits of tarmac just feel so much faster than others?!

MonkeyMonster

MatHammond wrote:

Why is it some bits of tarmac just feel so much faster than others?!

Likely due to it being smoother. Try constitution hill for the creme de le creme of nice road surfaces.

biondino

I got overtaken (but not scalped) by a fellow on a blue Pearson SS on High St Ken today. Any of you lot? Had I not had to turn off I could have kept up but getting back ahead would have been beyond me. Decent pace there.

gtvlusso

The Running Man wrote:

Absolutely floored it this morning into work (for me). Averaged just over 19 mph for the 21 miles. Didn't go flat out down Bowden Hill (surface a bit greasy) and there was some traffic congestion through Corsham but otherwise flew in.

And for the first time in ages saw loads of cyclists - all on either MTbs or hybrids but at least I had a few targets.

Improvement on last night when a dear dear friend passed me in his van going up towards Box Hill, wound down the window and helpfully yelled "Get a bloody move on you old git" which although entirely accurate as I am the other side of 50 was a little unsympathetic I thought ......

:roll:

Box Hill - Chapeau!! use that as my "training hill".

itboffin

Nothing of interest for me this morning apart from the last gasps of fitness fleeing like rats on a sinking ship, however one of the cyclists in the office stacked it at Blackfriars last night, car in front of him did an emergency stop because some plum ped walked out into the road.

The Running Man

@GTVLUSSO

I wouldn't have minded the abuse but I had to get home early which meant pushing hard up Bowden Hill as well and it doesn't matter how fit I am Bowden is always a real test.

My "training hills" as part of my Sunday morning sessions are Clyffe Pypard and then straight up Hackpen....... evil evil evil

Jay dubbleU

You cycle up Hackpen Hill ? Whoa - chapeau sir

Clever Pun

Took a few other fixed riders easily enough today but that was spoiled by a roadie doing me all ends up.. I was pondering along thinking my tyre felt a bit squishy and was looking to see the displacment when I catch sight of a shadow whipping up on me I raise my head casual like and start to generate more power but it's too late and the roadie ragging himself on the drops whips past me.. I speed up and start to catch up as he's now back on the hoods but I've got to turn off... I feel cheated I was caught out...feck

itboffin

Jay dubbleU wrote:

You cycle up Hackpen Hill ? Whoa - chapeau sir

I do I do can I have a chapeau as well please, please!

DonDaddyD

I got well and truly scalped along Kennington Road by an older chap on a Canondale roadie. It was one of those life lessons that when I look back on it will make me a better person... :oops:

So along Kennington, t'was I a guy on a grey Cervelo and the older chap on a Canondale. We go for it, jostling for position. I see my opening and drop my power awesome, Ifly past everyone, the Cervelo the dude on the Canondale even the people who went through the light sequence prior to ours. Behind me is the Canondale, not faultering, not missing a beat. I get out of my saddle give the bike a wiggle to squeeze that little bit extra but nothing I feel him creeping, we look he says something, but I'm going to fast to make out words. I laugh, he shows me what awesome really looks like.

It wasn't until Stockwell Tube station (despite several lights on route), before I caught him again to congratulate him. He laughed it off as a 'bit of fun'.

(my knee was hurting at this point but I was on the bike so I'm not using it as an excuse)

Jay dubbleU

itboffin wrote:

Jay dubbleU wrote:

You cycle up Hackpen Hill ? Whoa - chapeau sir

I do I do can I have a chapeau as well please, please!

Absolutely - and well deserved - I once looked at Hackpen Hill :roll:

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgur ... l%26sa%3DG

bigmat

DonDaddyD wrote:

I got well and truly scalped along Kennington Road by an older chap on a Canondale roadie. It was one of those life lessons that when I look back on it will make me a better person... :oops:

So along Kennington, t'was I a guy on a grey Cervelo and the older chap on a Canondale. We go for it, jostling for position. I see my opening and drop my power awesome, Ifly past everyone, the Cervelo the dude on the Canondale even the people who went through the light sequence prior to ours. Behind me is the Canondale, not faultering, not missing a beat. I get out of my saddle give the bike a wiggle to squeeze that little bit extra but nothing I feel him creeping, we look he says something, but I'm going to fast to make out words. I laugh, he shows me what awesome really looks like.

It wasn't until Stockwell Tube station (despite several lights on route), before I caught him again to congratulate him. He laughed it off as a 'bit of fun'.

(my knee was hurting at this point but I was on the bike so I'm not using it as an excuse)

DDD it wasn't you I saw at the Burger King drive in on Balham Hill was it?!

itboffin

Jay dubbleU wrote:

itboffin wrote:

Jay dubbleU wrote:

You cycle up Hackpen Hill ? Whoa - chapeau sir

I do I do can I have a chapeau as well please, please!

Absolutely - and well deserved - I once looked at Hackpen Hill :roll:

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgur ... l%26sa%3DG

Have you tried Walbury Hill http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walbury_Hill it has several 20%+ sections :shock:

greg66_tri_v2.0

DonDaddyD wrote:

I got well and truly scalped along Kennington Road by an older chap on a Canondale roadie. It was one of those life lessons that when I look back on it will make me a better person... :oops:

So along Kennington, t'was I a guy on a grey Cervelo and the older chap on a Canondale. We go for it, jostling for position. I see my opening and drop my power awesome, Ifly past everyone, the Cervelo the dude on the Canondale even the people who went through the light sequence prior to ours. Behind me is the Canondale, not faultering, not missing a beat. I get out of my saddle give the bike a wiggle to squeeze that little bit extra but nothing I feel him creeping, we look he says something, but I'm going to fast to make out words. I laugh, he shows me what awesome really looks like.

It wasn't until Stockwell Tube station (despite several lights on route), before I caught him again to congratulate him. He laughed it off as a 'bit of fun'.

(my knee was hurting at this point but I was on the bike so I'm not using it as an excuse)

<sigh>

DDD, how many times have I had to tell you this?

It's *always* the old ones. Always.

DonDaddyD

MatHammond wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

I got well and truly scalped along Kennington Road by an older chap on a Canondale roadie. It was one of those life lessons that when I look back on it will make me a better person... :oops:

So along Kennington, t'was I a guy on a grey Cervelo and the older chap on a Canondale. We go for it, jostling for position. I see my opening and drop my power awesome, Ifly past everyone, the Cervelo the dude on the Canondale even the people who went through the light sequence prior to ours. Behind me is the Canondale, not faultering, not missing a beat. I get out of my saddle give the bike a wiggle to squeeze that little bit extra but nothing I feel him creeping, we look he says something, but I'm going to fast to make out words. I laugh, he shows me what awesome really looks like.

It wasn't until Stockwell Tube station (despite several lights on route), before I caught him again to congratulate him. He laughed it off as a 'bit of fun'.

(my knee was hurting at this point but I was on the bike so I'm not using it as an excuse)

DDD it wasn't you I saw at the Burger King drive in on Balham Hill was it?!

Yes, I wasn't the black guy having an argument, I was the black guy on the bike watching. Where you the guy arguing with the driver?

Jay dubbleU

itboffin wrote:

Jay dubbleU wrote:

itboffin wrote:

Jay dubbleU wrote:

You cycle up Hackpen Hill ? Whoa - chapeau sir

I do I do can I have a chapeau as well please, please!

Absolutely - and well deserved - I once looked at Hackpen Hill :roll:

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgur ... l%26sa%3DG

Have you tried Walbury Hill http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walbury_Hill it has several 20%+ sections :shock:

No why would I ? Tis outside Wiltshire :shock:

bigmat

DonDaddyD wrote:

MatHammond wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

I got well and truly scalped along Kennington Road by an older chap on a Canondale roadie. It was one of those life lessons that when I look back on it will make me a better person... :oops:

So along Kennington, t'was I a guy on a grey Cervelo and the older chap on a Canondale. We go for it, jostling for position. I see my opening and drop my power awesome, Ifly past everyone, the Cervelo the dude on the Canondale even the people who went through the light sequence prior to ours. Behind me is the Canondale, not faultering, not missing a beat. I get out of my saddle give the bike a wiggle to squeeze that little bit extra but nothing I feel him creeping, we look he says something, but I'm going to fast to make out words. I laugh, he shows me what awesome really looks like.

It wasn't until Stockwell Tube station (despite several lights on route), before I caught him again to congratulate him. He laughed it off as a 'bit of fun'.

(my knee was hurting at this point but I was on the bike so I'm not using it as an excuse)

DDD it wasn't you I saw at the Burger King drive in on Balham Hill was it?!

Yes, I wasn't the black guy having an argument, I was the black guy on the bike watching. Where you the guy arguing with the driver?

Was just passing. Thought it was probably you (have clocked you on the Kharma before) - if you'd been on the Kharma I would've known for sure and said hello!

Wrath Rob

It was a fun couple of rides today, punctuated with some silliness from other cyclists. My favorite was this morning coming east at Battersea Bridge, the lights were red so I coasted to a stop next to a couple of fellow riders in the left lane with a acar to our right. The vehicles coming over the bridge back up so by the time the lights go green there's a scafolding truck blocking our way. So the other cyclists, motorcyclists and I edge forwards and politely start letting each other through.

Cue Muppet Boy in black and grey lycra on a grey and sliver road bike come barging through in the sort of "I'm dressed for the part and on a road bike, get out of my way peasants" mannor. Only he then completely failed to clip back in, and floundered around at 1/2mph in the middle of the junction, getting beeped by the car behind. Well done fella!

In an effort to restore some pride he set of after me (in my team strip of baggie shorts and Hi Viz jacket), managed to get onto my wheel and then faded away. He caught up at Vauxhal but did the same and had evidently given up or turned off by Parliment Square.

Made I laugh anyways. And if that was you, your scalp is hanging up to dry on my bike stand at work :twisted:

DonDaddyD

MatHammond wrote:

Was just passing. Thought it was probably you (have clocked you on the Kharma before) - if you'd been on the Kharma I would've known for sure and said hello!

Shoulda took the gamble, but kinda glad you didn't as I was doing two things:

Watching the argument* (also just standing by to be a witness as this looked like it could get ugly, quickly)

Resting my knee as it began to really feel sore. I could only manage 15mph at best (in short bursts) on the way home. Took me fooking ages!

*The argument was awesome, two kids one black the other mixed race, driving dangerously around the cyclist. So dangerous in fact that even before they did anything (just waiting at the lights and I long-before I realised their ethnicity just in case I get accused of being a BNP sympathiser or something) I waited behind them at the lights. This was by Clapham South tube. Lights go green then beep the cyclist swerve around him and by the time they get to the shell garage at the top of Balham Hill traffic is stopped and the cyclist is saying "pull over get out and we'll sort this out". I'm thinking FIGHT!

They do so and the guy stands his ground, lectures them, gets into a scuffle when the more 'square dude' of the two gets animated and imitates that he wants some fisticuffs. He stands his ground even more. The cyclist had a friend or girlfriend with him so by this point I got bored, knee was sore so I rode home.

Bassjunkieuk

DonDaddyD wrote:

MatHammond wrote:

Was just passing. Thought it was probably you (have clocked you on the Kharma before) - if you'd been on the Kharma I would've known for sure and said hello!

Shoulda took the gamble, but kinda glad you didn't as I was doing two things:

Watching the argument* (also just standing by to be a witness as this looked like it could get ugly, quickly)

Resting my knee as it began to really feel sore. I could only manage 15mph at best (in short bursts) on the way home. Took me fooking ages!

*The argument was awesome, two kids one black the other mixed race, driving dangerously around the cyclist. So dangerous in fact that even before they did anything (just waiting at the lights and I long-before I realised their ethnicity just in case I get accused of being a BNP sympathiser or something) I waited behind them at the lights. This was by Clapham South tube. Lights go green then beep the cyclist swerve around him and by the time they get to the shell garage at the top of Balham Hill traffic is stopped and the cyclist is saying "pull over get out and we'll sort this out". I'm thinking FIGHT!

They do so and the guy stands his ground, lectures them, gets into a scuffle when the more 'square dude' of the two gets animated and imitates that he wants some fisticuffs. He stands his ground even more. The cyclist had a friend or girlfriend with him so by this point I got bored, knee was sore so I rode home.

Sounds like right fun! I learny my lesson after losing my rag with a driver obviously sufferering from a severe case of SWS in Brixton who was undertaking in the bus lane! Confronting them in the Esso garage and might have called the driver a pr!ck, had to make a sharpish exit tho as the passenger got out who was about 6ft tall and rather built. I stupidly repeated what I called the driver and he came over obviously looking to hurt me! I jumped on bike and narrowly missed being kicked off.
Now I just try and let it slide, safe in the knowledge that they only drive like an ignorant tw4t because they are trying to prove their masculinity!

Nothing to report on my cycle front. Took a different and quieter route home last night so no chance of a scalp.

MonkeyMonster

Lovely ride in this morning, not sure what combination of risotto for lunch and liquid dinner provided my legs with some new fuel but tis always nice to think by gum, this traffic is slow today, look down and see a cheeky 24 winking at you from the ol computer

More than a few scalps - lazy fixie pixies and forgetful roadies. Scalps non the less.

Morning all

The Running Man

Morning all : ride in this morning was a stinker : first one for ages : pressed the accelerator to get up my first little incline and there was absolutely nothing there - no power at all - flatter than the very flattest thing you can think of.

Made for a long journey in - just managed to av 16 mph : grim ....

@ITB - of course you get a grande chapeau : and no I've never tried Walbury : I'm away this weekend but will probably do a long one the Sunday following and will try and find a route to take it in. I should be rested and roaring to go by then

There is one other corker in Bath : I only dare whisper the name ...........

Brassknocker :evil:

biondino

There was a dirty RLJing idiot this morning in Piccadilly whose bike was basically an inverted V shape - his front wheel at one angle, the rest of his bike at another. It was screaming from dirt and rust and warpedness and looked like it would collapse at any moment. Which might be a good thing as the **** might not be able to lunge through a zebra crossing in use.

I'd like to offer a chapeau to the bearded guy on a hybrid with a multi-coloured hi-viz vest on Kings Road at about 7pm last night. You didn't half accelerate quickly! And although I caught you up as you tired no less than three times, you managed to hang on when I finally got to overtake on Lower Richmond Road, and I almost blew a gasket maintaining that speed. Nice work.

xfit

Scalp committee decision needed.

If you overtake a full shaved legged roadie in pinarello sponsored club gear but it's obvious he's not really trying does it still count? I'd love to say yes as surely his pride should dictate he not be dropped for any reason by a 'slow hybrid' in baggies. Surely a cause for a bit of celebration as I don't see too many commuters on my run but I ended up just feeling a bit childish.

MonkeyMonster

of course it counts if you stayed in front for long enough for it to?