Silly commuting racing

rjsterry

At last a bit of sunshine No need for the lights on the way in this morning. Toes and ears a bit frozen though

Although I seemed to find it difficult to wind it all the way up (no obvious reason, just felt like I was dragging something :? ) I had a bit of fun with a chap in full lycra on a silver TriandRun between Stockwell and Oval. I pulled past him as we passed the lights at the end of Caldwell Street: not really a scalp as the lights had only just changed and he was pulling off while I still had some momentum, but I did stay out in front until the ped crossing just before Oval where he got the advantage in return as I arrived first at a red. He stayed ahead through Oval lights and although I was closing, if I had followed him up to E&C, I think he would have made me work for it. Chapeau, sir!

Tried to make up for not catching him by blasting down Kennington Road, but with no worthy opposition, it wasn't the same. Still, all good fun until a potato-head taxi driver decided it was my fault that he nearly broadsided me when he swung out with out realising that I was already along side. I would have ignored it, but he felt the need to beep me and give some verbal as he drove past :roll: .

blu3cat

First full week back after about a month out of the saddle and my fitenss has plummetted. Luckily there has been no-one to SCR with this week, and my aching legs have been telling me I am out of condition.

(only whiff of SCR and the very quick lady on the Trek who pulled over and got off as I got about 10 metres away from her rear wheel yesterday. Me a sweating puffing mess, her not even a glow and demureness personified.) :oops:

However what a week to get back in the saddle, the rain and the double visit from a certain Miss P. Fairy have made it all worthwhile.

So if anyone wants an easy scalp, I'm your target.

Bassjunkieuk

My plan to take it easy this morning went out the chuffing window once I hit Borough High Street just off E&C. First a gent on a white Bianchi nips past just before the temp lights by the choob. I hang back thinking "I really don't need this today!"

I found myself winding it up to pass him as we hit the bus lane by Sainsbuty and thought that would be the end of it when someone streaks past on a white Dolan SS.....FFS :evil:
We hit standing traffic on the south side of the bridge and the main players all filter through it to leave us baying for the bridge.

My hopes of a "normal" speed ride over the bridge are looking rather jeopardised now as I have SS guy behind me, with Bianchi chappie somewhere further back. Think I nudged 25 over the crest before hitting the north side. Bianchi chappie catches up as the lights change and gets to carry some momentum from the lights. I duly set about chasing him but don't take a chance on a late amber which he clears.......I can hear DDD's sig being repeated in my head as I mentally kick my self in the ar$e for not going on through!!

Once they change to green I set off as quick as I can to catch him and pull him back at the lights further ahead. I don't usually ride up this far as I normally turn off at Fenchurch Street but I'm having good fun!

Got the exam out the way without to many issues (I'm now Comptia A+ certified :-D) and headed back home with legs that felt like lead......not sure why and I could only put it down to poor eating over the last few days. Chose the flatter route via Brixton and Streatham spurred on by the promise of a lasagne when I get in for lunch :-D

Citizen Smith

Glad to say banished the demons from Tuesday on the very same Embankment stretch last night.

Conscious of making the same mistake twice in a week, I took it easy away from VB lights and hung back from the leading peleton of about 6-8 bikes. I gave the cars a chance to speed away so the right hand lane was clear and then made by move. Slowly building up speed on the big ring I passed everyone without response and took the lead chap with a significant speed differential. When I looked back at CB lights, there was no one to be seen.

Hurrah, back in the game. To temper my ego massaging, my soul told me that there was no real upper echelon FCNs in the pack but I'm sure there were a few scalps for moi. I allowed myself a spiritual fist pump as I crested CB.

Here's hoping that Tuesday was an anomaly. The Lungs are back to max strength.

Bassjunkieuk

Good ride in this morning, managed to find possibly the least aggressive scooter rider in the whole of south London this morning heading through Dulwich. Held me up a little due to his hesitant filtering :evil: He also nearly left hooked me after failing to perform a shoulder check before swinging round a car as he joined Denmark Hill from Sunray Avenue.........needless to say I chased him down on the hill and arrived at the lights at the bottom before him :-D

Few quickish SSer's through Camberwell gave me a chance to stretch the legs before picking up some roadies heading through E&C. Thought I was going to have a bit of fun with one particular chap who certainly gave it some beans away from the lights heading from the bus lane towards the southern end of Waterloo Bridge Road. No doubt chasing the SS/FG gent who RLJ and was now making good ground up the road ahead. I swung past thinking "Come on mate, bite!" hoping he'd hop on my wheel but he didn't..........damn shame as I blasted through on an amber at the lights ahead leaving him to bask in it's red glow :twisted:

Eventually caught SS/FG chap up over WB but he bl00dy well knew I was there, he spent almost as much time looking backwards as he did forwards with shoulder checks every 5 seconds! Maybe he could sense the impending removal of his scalp? The roadworks on the bridge make for a rather nasty SCR bottleneck as you don't have the bus lane to use until about half way over and by that time the cyclist are bunching up. Still once it opens you can swing out to primary in the bus lane and open it up to clear them, whilst avoiding the various craters that appear in your path :-)

gtvlusso

Phew - mountain bike today. Not cycled for 2 weeks after a bit of time off for health reasons.

No one out though!

OldSkoolKona

After 5 months of work enforced incarceration in 'ull, I've escaped back doon sooth. Tomorrow's the first day back on the bike commute (the Silly Commuter Stats tell the story :-() and can't wait. Will be interested to see if there are any new commuters on my route to Leatherhead :-)

The Running Man

Had my first bit of proper SCRing on Thursday night.

I'm quietly pootling up London Road and spy an MTB on slicks up ahead so stretch out a bit and catch him up at the brow of the incline before the pedestrian lights. I pull up as they turn red and he RLJs through (there was no-one on the crossing but it makes no difference really).

So he's hitting the downslope just before the Bath RFC training ground as I sweep past already doing about 25mph and I raise my hand as I pass him to let him know he's been well and truly scalped. The lights at the junction 50 yards ahead turn red and I'm caught slightly unawares and have to slam on the anchors.

Mr MTB then has the cheek to pull up on my outside with pretensions at overtaking as the lights turn back to green so dropping into a smaller gear I proceed to wreck the remainder of my ride home by blasting absolutely flat out up the hill, out of the saddle, quads screaming, to the bypass roundabout and put 40 or 50 yards into him.

The thing is these moments are so few and far between that when they do happen the red mist flares up, everything goes in to overdrive and reason takes a back seat ....

Why can't I just be sensible and mature???

1 to me I think!!

itboffin

No one on the roads this morning but then again it was 6:20 AM

My clothes have been hanging on the heated towel rail, still damp! :shock: with less than an hour to go until kick off

I need more winter bibs

itboffin

How odd it appears to be raining

Clever Pun

not over here... setting legs to spin now

esamenoi

Nothing much to report today. Scalped a civvy on a supermarket bike that looks about 6 years old... But I don't know if I get any points for that lol.

All I know is I got utterly soaked and the only other idiots out on my way home were going the other way

Roastie

To the dude on the red Pinarello, you know who you are.

If you make a challenge (esp. on a dude riding a MTB :shock: ), you'd best have the legs to make it stick. Sorry you didn't. Ta for the scalp. :twisted:

itboffin

Phew that was hard work, I actually had to MTFD half way, that kind of riding was how I damaged my knee in the first place :oops:

Steady and slow, get those base miles in :twisted:

jonginge

I appear to have picked up a niggle in my right knee. Slow and steady it is.

DonDaddyD

To everyone on Kennington road, through Clapham and Balham around 6.30pm

WHO ELSE WANTS SOME!!!

Is there no one else, no one else!?

To the girl on the Tri-and-run bike, chapeau! Great rider.

itboffin

DonDaddyD wrote:

To the girl on the Tri-and-run bike, chapeau! Great rider.

What are you saying DDD, a bird on a tricycle took your scalp? :twisted:

The shame :P

MonkeyMonster

Metcheck says rest of week looks good plus saturday...

DonDaddyD

itboffin wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

To the girl on the Tri-and-run bike, chapeau! Great rider.

What are you saying DDD, a bird on a tricycle took your scalp? :twisted:

The shame :P

Hell's no, she was just a strong cyclist and deserves a chapeau.

cjcp

JonGinge wrote:

I appear to have picked up a niggle in my right knee. Slow and steady it is.

Old injury?

Slow and steady for me all the way to Christmas too.

jonginge

cjcp wrote:

JonGinge wrote:

I appear to have picked up a niggle in my right knee. Slow and steady it is.

Old injury?

Slow and steady for me all the way to Christmas too.

A brand new one, I think. The outside of the knee below the cap felt odd on the short ride I managed to get in yesterday and on the way in today. Wasn't so noticeable on the way home. Still, a few days taking it easy would probably be for the best... although the temptation of nipping to the park when I'm WFH tomorrow may prove too much.

cjcp

A quick four laps wouldn't hurt...

jonginge

cjcp wrote:

A quick four laps wouldn't hurt...

*mumble, mumble. six was the plan if I can switch the boss off IM for long enough. mumble, mumble*

rjsterry

Spent a couple of hours yesterday cleaning all the cack off the bike from the previous week. This after doing exactly the same two weeks ago! The weather is not kind to steel bikes at the moment. Nowt today as had day off so bike is still lovely and clean, and running smoooothly.

DonDaddyD wrote:

To everyone on Kennington road, through Clapham and Balham around 6.30pm

WHO ELSE WANTS SOME!!!

Is there no one else, no one else!?

Well we'll see shall we? (little voice in head informs me I may be building up to a scalping, but nothing ventured...) Sounds preferable to the wobbly hybrids and suicidal RLJers I normally get later on at any rate. If I get my act together and leave work on time, I would normally be there at about that time, but tomorrow M (Mrs RJS) is off out with her post-natal friends so I MUST be home by 5 to look after little M. So I'll be passing through around 4.30. Wednesday?

Oh. Just watched the weather - seems the bike is not going to stay clean tomorrow evening. Must remember to clip on 'guards.

cjcp

Weather says ok for tomorrow. Ok, it's the BBC website.

DonDaddyD

Mmmm sounds like I've got a challenge. Though if your over the age of 35 then you'll have that poxy muscle memory thing that I can't overcome.

:x

cjcp

JonGinge wrote:

cjcp wrote:

A quick four laps wouldn't hurt...

*mumble, mumble. six was the plan if I can switch the boss off IM for long enough. mumble, mumble*

Dooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit.

itboffin

mmmm dark ride again, hope my damn light arrives soon, the force is weakening :?

gert_lush

I had to catch the bus in today as its the xmas party and it all just seemed easier, unfortunately.....

1) buses are slow
2) buses are dull
3) buses don't race each other
4) they dont leave from my house or stop in the work carpark
5) cycling takes 16 mins door to door, bus rigmarole took 45mins ..ggrrr
6) bus costs£2.35, cycling cost - flapjack at work (i'll forget about the cost of the bike :roll: )

cant wait for hangover cycling tomorrow

fairweatherbiker

gert_lush wrote:

I had to catch the bus in today as its the xmas party and it all just seemed easier, unfortunately.....

1) buses are slow
2) buses are dull
3) buses don't race each other
4) they dont leave from my house or stop in the work carpark
5) cycling takes 16 mins door to door, bus rigmarole took 45mins ..ggrrr
6) bus costs£2.35, cycling cost - flapjack at work (i'll forget about the cost of the bike :roll: )

cant wait for hangover cycling tomorrow

Wait for the night bus home then you'll find
1) buses are fast (its like a bloody roller coaster in there)
2) buses are exciting (there's likely to be a fight inside)
3) If there is another bus, they will race
4) You'll probably get off at the wrong stop anyway
5) It will seem like no time at all (Stellaportation)
6) You'll wonder where all the money in your wallet went when you get home

And you'll forget to drink that pint of water before bed that everyone tells you will alleviate a hangover.

E njoy the party