Silly commuting racing

rjsterry

.

It was clear coming the other way so I pulled over and put the hammer down and didn't see them again!

That'll be those new bars

Had a pretty good run home tonight as well. Kept pushing hard to try and work off some of the frustration of a difficult day at work. Not many about, but have the scalps of those that were drying on the radiator in the hall. Got one roadie chap (with hi-viz draped over rucksack) twice after he RLJ'd.

The traffic got much heavier down into Tooting, and it seemed to be Tooting Open Your Doors To Cyclists Day :roll: - 5 within half a mile - so I pootled for a bit. Waited for a minute or so at Tooting Broadway lights and who should arrive but hi-viz roadie. Couldn't get him a third time though as he headed off to Colliers Wood. Oh well.

itboffin

News just in, there was no tailwind tonight :shock: I was actually faster uphill :shock:

Oh and the very sheepish local TV weather man hinted that there could be snow on Wednesday or maybe there won't - genius! I must try that at work.

"Yes this software might solve all your problems! or maybe it won't..... do we still get paid?"

Right that's it the weather people are going on "the list" :evil:

amnezia

Nice and warm out there this morning, hope its stays like this. Its supposed to snow tomorrow :?

MonkeyMonster

Wheeeeeee. Picked up a ribble and a focus I think after hammersmith roondaboot with a bit of chasing going on all the way up HSK. Focus pulls off into the gates at Royal Albert and Ribble and I continue to the turn off to do the dog leg only ribble beetles off towards harrods way. Huge volume of cyclists overall today. Saw a massive volume coming round parliament square as I waited from birdcage walk :twisted:

Lights and traffic were being annoying incl gosh darn cyclists in my way Joined traffic flow instead and netted myself a couple of new wigs. One big chap on a genesis kept up with me and then turn off up blackfriars - those new lights where cyclists are supposed to stop and traffic can flow round are totally ignored (unsurprisingly). avg hr of 161...

rjsterry

They must have all been over your way MM, 'cause there was diddly squat on my route this morning. One RLJing lunatic on a silver and red Giant SCR, who nearly ended it all when he zoomed up the inside of stationary traffic and didn't see someone turning across - less haste, more speed is it?

Only one other half-decent roadie to chase, but traffic very heavy this morning so kept getting boxed in. Ho-hum.

Clever Pun

Good ride in this morning, legs are tired still so tried to take it easy… heh that opportunity rarely arises and this morning was no exception… Who should I spot but the london phoenix rider who I consistently couldn’t scalp last year… oh no I think, I stay with him…just (he’s on his bianchi winter hack with no bag) after the 2nd mile he starts to slow I take my opportunity and pass him… now the fear is in as I want to make this stick, I life saver check after 7-800 metres as I change lanes and he’s there a little way back… then we hit some traffic which for once I get bang on and I’m through it like a ninja, he’s nowhere to be seen

I’m a little concerned over the distance is this a scalp?

I’m guessing his early season fitness isn’t as good as mine yet

MonkeyMonster

There were billions and billions of them in park, hyde park corner and all down constitution hill - its still a lovely lovely surface for putting the hammer down. Parly sq was chocka and then embankment had them ten abreast at all times... What route you take?

I never exaggerate.

UndercoverElephant

First time this year I've seen other cyclists!

Was chatting to a bloke on a hybrid when we were going through traffic in Musselburgh, he seemed pleased to be keeping up at 20 mph or so. Too pleased. In the end I said I'd better get moving or I'd be late and set off at about 27, uphill.

Also saw my first roadie pull up beside me at a red light, nice Colnago. Wearing bib-shorts, it was chuffing freezing here! Only had about a quarter of a mile on the flat before I turned off, but by that time he was about 15 m back. Best I could do, given the short distance.

jonginge

There's always someone faster.

Had a bit of a "duel" last night with a ninja chap. He was fully-assossed-up but in shorts :shock: Passed him just after Lambeth rbt, gave him my normal hand raise and nod to which he gave a laugh. He then sat on until the lights at Chelsea bridge. He filtered to the front beyond the line and on the change to green he had 30m on me after I'd negotiated a slower cyclist. That gap took a lot of effort to shut down. The same happened at the Albert and Battersea br. lights. It was status quo along the start of NKR and I was looking forward to renewing the tussle through Parsons Green and towards Col de Putney Bridge. That expectation was dashed when he RLJed the lights after the NKR chicane. Boo.

Thing is, you can tell when someone isn't really giving it full beans. If the guy had put some effort in I'd have been shelled pretty quickly...


Was way too hot last night. Switched back to shorts and warmers this morning. Still too hot. May have to revert to SS tops and warmers...

Clever Pun

JonGinge wrote:

There's always someone faster.

Had a bit of a "duel" last night with a ninja chap. He was fully-assossed-up but in shorts :shock: Passed him just after Lambeth rbt, gave him my normal hand raise and nod to which he gave a laugh. He then sat on until the lights at Chelsea bridge. He filtered to the front beyond the line and on the change to green he had 30m on me after I'd negotiated a slower cyclist. That gap took a lot of effort to shut down. The same happened at the Albert and Battersea br. lights. It was status quo along the start of NKR and I was looking forward to renewing the tussle through Parsons Green and towards Col de Putney Bridge. That expectation was dashed when he RLJed the lights after the NKR chicane. Boo.

Thing is, you can tell when someone isn't really giving it full beans. If the guy had put some effort in I'd have been shelled pretty quickly...


Was way too hot last night. Switched back to shorts and warmers this morning. Still too hot. May have to revert to SS tops and warmers...

it's cold tomorrow... hold off on that.. also is my post above a scalp?

Sewinman

I am amazed at some of the speeds you guys reach. 27mph...30mph!? :shock: I go about 22-23 when i am giving it some!

Chapeau!

jonginge

Clever Pun wrote:

JonGinge wrote:

Was way too hot last night. Switched back to shorts and warmers this morning. Still too hot. May have to revert to SS tops and warmers...

it's cold tomorrow... hold off on that.. also is my post above a scalp?

Probably depends on the gap you had before you started filtering. It's most likely a scalp.

jonginge

Sewinman wrote:

I am amazed at some of the speeds you guys reach. 27mph...30mph!? :shock: I go about 22-23 when i am giving it some!

Chapeau!

The only way to ride faster is to... ride faster

It is true, too. The legs and lungs eventually get the idea that going fast isn't going to damage them beyond repair...

MonkeyMonster

JonGinge wrote:

Sewinman wrote:

I am amazed at some of the speeds you guys reach. 27mph...30mph!? :shock: I go about 22-23 when i am giving it some!

Chapeau!

The only way to ride faster is to... ride faster

It is true, too. The legs and lungs eventually get the idea that going fast isn't going to damage them beyond repair...

I've been trying to mtfu and keep speed when I can feasibly - ie the flat longer bits at 20 allowing myself dips into 19's. Hurts and chuffin knackering for an unfit git but makes the grin bigger, when its not a grimace at least...

The day I actually meet one you guys properly on the commute I want to at least give you a little scare - bar ginge who I still plan to attach a rope to...

Clever Pun

JonGinge wrote:

Clever Pun wrote:

JonGinge wrote:

Was way too hot last night. Switched back to shorts and warmers this morning. Still too hot. May have to revert to SS tops and warmers...

it's cold tomorrow... hold off on that.. also is my post above a scalp?

Probably depends on the gap you had before you started filtering. It's most likely a scalp.

about 3-4 bike lengths..

jonginge

Clever Pun wrote:

JonGinge wrote:

Clever Pun wrote:

JonGinge wrote:

Was way too hot last night. Switched back to shorts and warmers this morning. Still too hot. May have to revert to SS tops and warmers...

it's cold tomorrow... hold off on that.. also is my post above a scalp?

Probably depends on the gap you had before you started filtering. It's most likely a scalp.

about 3-4 bike lengths..

*sucks through teeth* Verging on marginal, if that's not being tautological

Clever Pun

JonGinge wrote:

Clever Pun wrote:

JonGinge wrote:

Clever Pun wrote:

JonGinge wrote:

Was way too hot last night. Switched back to shorts and warmers this morning. Still too hot. May have to revert to SS tops and warmers...

it's cold tomorrow... hold off on that.. also is my post above a scalp?

Probably depends on the gap you had before you started filtering. It's most likely a scalp.

about 3-4 bike lengths..

*sucks through teeth* Verging on marginal, if that's not being tautological

yeah I know... facts are I passed him he didn't pass me I was making space between usand he couldn't keep up

Bassjunkieuk

Sewinman wrote:

I am amazed at some of the speeds you guys reach. 27mph...30mph!? :shock: I go about 22-23 when i am giving it some!

Chapeau!

That isn't a consistent speed! I might be able to hit that on a sprint but sustaining it on level road is hard going! If you watched the pro's racing around London they did that as an AVERAGE!

Most fun ride in this morning, was joined by a veritable gaggle of SS, roadies, hybrids and even a punching-well-above-his-weight MTB rider in Camberwell and didn't really get a chance to back off "The Game" until I turned off for Fenchurch Street

After pulling out to the front heading off through Camberwell I went through a set of lights on amber, a quick shoulder check confirmed I only had 1 guy sitting on my ar$e! SS so he'd done well to keep the pace up. The group then expanded and contracted through the high street area with me pulling out a lead with what some might call dangerous filtering - I gave a kick of acceleration to pass a bus and avoid a traffic island :-D

Good riding up Borough High Road and it was again here that the gent on the Giant MTB kept pushing to the front at lights. Giving him his due he was going some at one point (around 23mph, in his silly spinny gear!) but I despatched him over London Bridge after letting a nice gap develop!

@JG - Sounds like you had fun last night, if someone can give you problems they must be proper rapid!

Wrath Rob

Last night was too warm for all the clothes I was wearing! Still, had a nice tussle with a few roadies. Was slightly spoilt by 1 guy who seemed to be out for a training ride, fully lycra'd up in World Champions gear, ear phones and cycling like he owned the road, cutting up other cyclists with nare a care in the world. He wasn't that fast, we were doing the same speed along Chelsea Embankment but his head start at the lights made the difference. I was overheating and couldn't MTFU to put him in his place

And was it just me or was there an easterly wind this morning?

UndercoverElephant

Sewinman wrote:

I am amazed at some of the speeds you guys reach. 27mph...30mph!? :shock: I go about 22-23 when i am giving it some!

Chapeau!

Like BJ says, it's not like I can do that all the time. On the flat I can go about 27-28 when I'm showing off, and have touched 30 when fighting for my (or someone really quick's) scalp. I can't really sustain those speeds for more than a mile or so.

vorsprung

Sewinman wrote:

I am amazed at some of the speeds you guys reach. 27mph...30mph!? :shock: I go about 22-23 when i am giving it some!

Chapeau!

You just need the motivation

This morning I was on my new bike. It is so new that I finished building it at 11pm last night. As it is not a bike I am used to I am taking it easy. But you 20 somethings on red slicked up MTBs shouldn't take this as an excuse to go past me!

A quick burst of 25 mph uphill usually sees off such challenges and it did this time too. It seems that the new bike can accelerate ok

rjsterry

MonkeyMonster wrote:

There were billions and billions of them in park, hyde park corner and all down constitution hill - its still a lovely lovely surface for putting the hammer down. Parly sq was chocka and then embankment had them ten abreast at all times... What route you take?

I never exaggerate.

Carshalton, Hackbridge, Mitcham, Tooting Broadway, then A24, A3, A23 up to Lambeth, round The Cut to Blackfriars Br. then up to Old Street via Smithfield. I almost never see anyone past Tooting on the way home. I keep wondering whether I should put in a massive diversion to ride the mythical Const. Hill black velvet.

itboffin

2 visits from my old friend on the way in this morning, one each end of the commute, 2nd visit was smack bang "inside" condor

Several long mins of retail therapy later all is well with the world again and I now own 2 x white Vittoria Zaffiro Pros and a lezyne HPG to pump those bad boys up to 145 PSI :shock:

Jash I think black & white is the new red/black & white

MonkeyMonster

Sorry to hear she's been visiting but part of me glad she's back haunting you so less time on the rest of us...

markshaw77

Not so sure about that MM - I've had 4 visits in the past 24 hours!! (Note to everyone - Continetnal Ultra Sport tires are thin, flimsy and practically made of tracing paper!!)

Anyone else noticed that some of the "emergency" grit used last week (and still left on the road) is rather more pointy and sharp than normal - my tyres look like hedgehogs when I finished riding through Hyde Park yesterday!!

il_principe

itboffin wrote:

2 visits from my old friend on the way in this morning, one each end of the commute, 2nd visit was smack bang "inside" condor

Several long mins of retail therapy later all is well with the world again and I now own 2 x white Vittoria Zaffiro Pros and a lezyne HPG to pump those bad boys up to 145 PSI :shock:

Jash I think black & white is the new red/black & white

Two things:

1: Black and white without red will never count.
2: I've heard bad things re Zaffiro's... you want Rubino's mate.

itboffin

Il Principe wrote:

itboffin wrote:

2 visits from my old friend on the way in this morning, one each end of the commute, 2nd visit was smack bang "inside" condor

Several long mins of retail therapy later all is well with the world again and I now own 2 x white Vittoria Zaffiro Pros and a lezyne HPG to pump those bad boys up to 145 PSI :shock:

Jash I think black & white is the new red/black & white

Two things:

1: Black and white without red will never count.
2: I've heard bad things re Zaffiro's... you want Rubino's mate.

But the dripping blood from my bag of scalps takes care of that :twisted:

King Donut

markshaw77 wrote:

Anyone else noticed that some of the "emergency" grit used last week (and still left on the road) is rather more pointy and sharp than normal - my tyres look like hedgehogs when I finished riding through Hyde Park yesterday!!

Yep. My tyres have taken a battering lately. And I musta hit a few potholes as i cracked a rim last week. Will keep me out of action till the weekend.
There was a time when I would have MTFU'd and jumped on the full susser.

MonkeyMonster

King Donut wrote:

There was a time when I was a man, now I'm a little girl that cries when I can't wear my pink wellies

Fixed that for yer

King Donut

MonkeyMonster wrote:

King Donut wrote:

There was a time when I was a man, now I'm a little girl that cries when I can't wear my pink wellies

Fixed that for yer

That's motivation enough to get out there and scalp your ass silly. The MTB will bring me well in to your league. If that wind/rain/snow holds off tomorrow... ok you're right.