Silly commuting racing

flamite

cjcp wrote:

flamite wrote:

cjcp wrote:

That was a bit quicker than the legs needed this morning.

Did a turbo session last night and legs felt fairly heavy, so decided to "spin" into work. That plan went out the window when I came across two nippy roadies: one on a black Spesh (Roubaix, I think), and a blue Dolan SS. All the way along Embankment. I'm rather thankful that it was wet, otherwise they would probably have been going faster and I would have been scalped all over the shop. I want to go to sleep now.

what time was this? was trying to pootle in too this morn, heavy legs today, on my blue dolan ss, but had to try and up the ante...

trying to rest the legs for tonight...!

Ooo, about 8.30am getting on to Embankment. The Dolan SSer was wearing black shorts, I think. Rode all the way along Thames St. That you?

haha yes sound like it, will have next time...

cjcp

cambs wrote:

cjcp wrote:

I was on a Scott, but CR1, not CX. Were you dressed in black?

Yeah, sounds like me, orange cover on the backpack too. You went past me at Roehampton lights and had me skinned by Chelsea but for some favorable red lights along Grosvenor Rd.

Yeah, you're the chap. Nice steed.

cjcp

@cambs - that was a bit late for you, wasn't it? I thought you left earlier.

@flamite - . Out of interest, what gear are you riding?

flamite

think its about 78 inches, have one massive hill to get up, so dont dare go higher...

King Donut

Rolf F wrote:

You lot would be rubbish at blind dates

I got slaughtered on Dark Hill by a mtb this morning :oops:
Trying to put in some extra lengths of the RP stretch between Kingston and Robin Hood gates. Was on my third run when some guy in plastic trousers comes spinning past. Prompty re-took him but oh the shame. I haven't felt this bad since my Mum found my stash when I was 15.

cambs

Yes, bit slow out of the blocks today and late for work :oops:

Small Cambs no.1 developed that chucking-up virus thingy at 1am last night, chicken and rice all over two carpets. Not ideal.

DonDaddyD

My nutritionist gave me a banana before I left for my 10mile ride and a breakfast bar for when I got in the office.

Worked like magic. Saw a few roadies on the way but none wanted to match my sustainability and quickly dropped off. A distinct lack of cyclist with balls I decided to get on with my training.

No more sprinting but back in the big ring after the ankle incident I was determined to maintain a 19.6mph in a gear inch of around 73. I got to work in 38mins - possibly my fastest time, 15mph average and a 23.7 max. I'm happy with that.

Bikequin

Really enjoyed my ride in the morning – had a couple of beers last night so thought I’d be feeling a bit ropey but as soon as I got under way all was good. Unfortunately I barely saw another bike all morning and so nothing to SCR against.

The big question for me at the moment is which route to choose – I have two choices:

Route A: Much nicer and avoids some pretty busy main roads but virtually no SCR.

Route B: Slightly longer and on busier roads but with plenty more SCR???

cjcp

Bikequin wrote:

Really enjoyed my ride in the morning – had a couple of beers last night so thought I’d be feeling a bit ropey but as soon as I got under way all was good. Unfortunately I barely saw another bike all morning and so nothing to SCR against.

The big question for me at the moment is which route to choose – I have two choices:

Route A: Much nicer and avoids some pretty busy main roads but virtually no SCR.

Route B: Slightly longer and on busier roads but with plenty more SCR???

A third possibility: move back to where you used to live.

@KD - :shock: (although no doubt the winter training will pay off ).

redvee

Seems the fools were out on the roads today besides myself. One van driver couldn't be ar$ed to wait in line for the lights so used the pavement and 4' of road left on the inside. Another fool came speeding up behind me under Cattle Market Bridge to a pinch point created by a pedestrian island and whilst I stayed in primary he had try and be patient but I knew it wouldn't happen and within 30 yards of a red light he made an overtake but did stop before the ASL for me to sit in and be slow off the lights. Knew I should have put the camera on the bike this morning.

waddlie

Where's cattle market bridge?

Standard of driving is appalling in Bristol at the moment. Almost killed by an Audi driver yesterday - he decided he needed to overtake me despite me being in primary AND tucked up behind the car in front. Bullied his way through, only to find himself missing a wing mirror at the next set of traffic lights. The twunt.

redvee

Waddlie wrote:

Where's cattle market bridge?

Cattle Market Road under the railway beside Temple Meads and the river.

Another thing about this morning, it felt a little colder than the previous day and didn't really worry about it until I got to work and realised I'd forgotten to put my LS top on and only had a SS top and Night Vision jacket protecting my svelte beer belly from the elements.

rjsterry

Well, I could have done with a snorkel this morning! Had a site visit in Bristol, so the morning run was Carshalton to Paddington via Clapham Common, Battersea Bridge and Sloane Street, and overslept slightly, so didn't have time to train/tram/tube it anyway. Set off thinking, "Well, this isn't too bad", but it got wetter and wetter as I rode in. The roads could really do with a damn good scrub from one of those heavy duty street cleaner lorries - my shins were a sort of greyish colour from all the winter grot, and it's destroying my brake blocks. I think I took a couple of scalps this morning, but wasn't really paying attention as I was concentrating on getting to Paddington by 0830 (didn't make it - missed train by about a minute :evil: ) Lots of swearing at traffic lights, etc.

I have discovered that the toilet on an intercity train is just big enough to get changed in to/out of cycling gear, but a word of advice: if you end up using the disabled loo (more space, queue for the other one) Make. Sure. The. Lock. Is. Properly. Activated.

I'll let you work out what happened.:oops::oops:

This evening much more pleasant. An easy pootle at about 4pm with the boss down the backstreets from Paddington back to the office. I'm sure it's bad form to scalp your boss (plus a bit antisocial when you're having a chat). Also, I was keen to pick up a few tips on how to avoid Oxford Street.

The homeward commute was pretty good as well. Scalped a fairly nippy guy on a red SS (grey baggies I think) on Clapham Common and kept an MTB in his place down into Tooting, although the traffic meant neither of us was really pushing. Nahhfink south of Tooting again though. My hopes had been raised by the couple of guys the other day, but it seems they were the exceptions.

itboffin

Wiggled my way across town tonight after meeting some friend for a swift one, I love nailing cars away from the lights, sure they catch up but we meet again at the next set woohahahaa

Bassjunkieuk

itboffin wrote:

Wiggled my way across town tonight after meeting some friend for a swift one, I love nailing cars away from the lights, sure they catch up but we meet again at the next set woohahahaa

I had a few cars last night after getting a excellent run of lights in town, managed to keep it in the mad speed area for practically the whole stretch! Something rather satisfying about nailing just north of 30 after flying through lights ahead of the cars and overtaking a bus!

Roll on next Friday when I get a proper commute again......

flamite

wow that was quick!

drafted a scooter down embankment, then took a wilier, trek, look and something else fast looking on the highway to CW...

feeling the pain now though!

kurako

Bikequin wrote:

Really enjoyed my ride in the morning – had a couple of beers last night so thought I’d be feeling a bit ropey but as soon as I got under way all was good. Unfortunately I barely saw another bike all morning and so nothing to SCR against.

The big question for me at the moment is which route to choose – I have two choices:

Route A: Much nicer and avoids some pretty busy main roads but virtually no SCR.

Route B: Slightly longer and on busier roads but with plenty more SCR???

I've just moved up the hill from Tooting Broadway to nr Wandsworth Common. I was fed up of the Clapham/ Kennington route and now go past the common, up Battersea Rise then take the left at Elspeth Road. There's a fast downhill on Latchmere Road, filter through traffic at Battersea Bridge and then onto the racetrack. Finally got my roadbijke out of winter storage. Gonna go that route from now on.

cjcp

flamite wrote:

wow that was quick!

drafted a scooter down embankment, then took a wilier, trek, look and something else fast looking on the highway to CW...

feeling the pain now though!

Good effort. You had good pace yesterday, too.

rjsterry

Came in late this morning so nobody to race. Almost had a serious off when turning off Farringdon Road into Snow Hill. Didn't see the chap coming down the hill until the last second. He managed to swerve and just clipped my front wheel. Sincere apologies if you are reading this - entirely my fault.

:oops::oops::oops:

He did also prove the sturdiness of my R560s: the wheel and forks got twisted round relative to the bars by about 15˚ (and my quill stem was done up pretty tight as I couldn't bend them back with out loosening the bolt), but the wheel seems to be fine.

Ironically, I think this was partly caused by me looking at some guy on one of those grey and orange belt-drive bikes, and muttering to myself about how badly he was riding.

Even more :oops:

rjsterry

Another frustrating day battling with my computer trying to get it to boot up, giving up and moving to another desk, only to have all my calls directed to the other desk, and no phone on the new desk :evil:

Let it all out on a scooter at the lights coming onto Clapham Common. You know that bit in Mad Max when he pushes the red button to kick in the supercharger? Well it was like that (in my head at least)

He only came past after I'd had to wait for the ped crossing halfway over the Common.

EDIT: Forgot to mention, this was from a standing start, so was quite pleased with myself. I haven't scalped a scooter for some time now and was beginning to think I'd lost the ability. I think the fact that he was hogging the ASL gave me a bit more motivation as well.

mtb-idle

Hey, Lost in Thought, were you riding through Stockwell on the A24 last night about 5-30 to 5-45pm?

Saw someone who could have been you but with me being a 45 year old male thought it would appear a bit sleazy to start questioning said rider.

So come on, was it you?

The Running Man

Going looking for hills now as prep for the Dragon. Out of Bath up Bannerdown across to Ford then the A4 up to Chippenham and onward to Calne up Derry Hill. Good fun but not another bike anywhere to be seen ......

Still tomorrow I've a 100 km Audax with the club. I'll ride the 7.5 miles over to the start and home again afterwards so it'll be my longest ride to date at around 75.

Just going to amble the first 40 or so and try and finish feeling like I've got something left. It's going to need so much discipline not to go tearing off over the first half of the ride ...

Oh - and I bought myself a Specialized Roubaix Pro this morning.

Lovely machine - much too good for me : ATG-NI .....

cjcp

The Running Man wrote:

Oh - and I bought myself a Specialized Roubaix Pro this morning.

Lovely machine - much too good for me : ATG-NI .....

Nice one.

benno68

cjcp wrote:

The Running Man wrote:

Oh - and I bought myself a Specialized Roubaix Pro this morning.

Lovely machine - much too good for me : ATG-NI .....

Nice one.

Yes nice one Running Man - lovely machine, I'm sure you'll do it justice.

I'm craving for a new bike - got no chance though!

Got to try to scrub mine up after a week of commuting before going on a jaunt tomorrow, life's tough with only one bike and working 6 days a week :roll: - violins please .

lost_in_thought

MTB-Idle wrote:

Hey, Lost in Thought, were you riding through Stockwell on the A24 last night about 5-30 to 5-45pm?

Saw someone who could have been you but with me being a 45 year old male thought it would appear a bit sleazy to start questioning said rider.

So come on, was it you?

Erm, nope, I was in Brighton at the time queueing for a train ticket. I don't even know where stockwell is, I'm afraid.

Aidy

Couple of contenders last night, which was rare. Despite working in Central London, I don't often see many people worth racing.

Fast guy on a pinkish singlespeed with a hi-viz stripe thing last night nearly had me up Rosebery Avenue, and then Upper Street.

Couldn't match his acceleration (in my defence, I did have a pannier), but I think I was a touch faster overall.

Some guy on a flat barred road bike spun past me at lightning speed past Manor House too, before turning off. Bah. Nearly changed my route to attempt to catch him.

stuaff

lost_in_thought wrote:

Erm, nope, I was in Brighton at the time queueing for a train ticket. I don't even know where stockwell is, I'm afraid.

South of the river Between Lambeth and Brixton, basically. Have spent many an evening in/passing through it, going to the little-known venue at 211 Stockwell Road.

Roastie

Not really commuting as such ... but, in normal clothes off to meet a mate of mine (and then on to Condor) I came across a dude on a Genesis SS wearing Cyclefit kit. Couldn't hep but chase :twisted:.

Arrived all sweaty, but it was fun!

cjcp

Came across a very tall chap on a very large Trek last night on the NKR. Fast, to boot. He passed me, then I passed him at the lights - he seemed to be in a big gear and was even slower than me off the mark (hurrah! ). He then passed me again in the bus lane on Putney Bridge. My excuse was that I was spinning, but I was complacent and should have tried harder . Bigger gear next time...

The Running Man

So went out on the Roubaix today. There was a 100km Audax ride around Chippenham, Wooton Basset, Kemble, Cirencester (ish), Castle Combe - all over the bloomin place and it was fantastic.

I cycled the 6.5 miles over to the start : then after promising myself I'd take it steady for the first 30 or 40 miles went off like a nutter and basically held a pace I would not have thought I was capable of all the way through. I and another chap made a really important 4 mile detour at Lyneham (we got lost) and at the end SWMBO rang to say she was still in Bath and would I like to cycle over to meet her ......

:roll:

which means in total I've done 82 miles and feel like I could happily ride home tonight. (can't as I've no lights)

Having just bought the Roubaix you would expect me to say it's a great bike. But genuinely I finished fast, fresh and perfectly happy to ride the extra 12 or 13 miles from the finish in Chippenham to Bath. The riding position is more upright, more akin to the tri-cross but it was like cycling in an armchair the ride was so smooth.

I rode with some guys who'd done some impressive mileages in 12 and 24 hour time trials and they were pretty full on but every time they pushed the pace (especially up the hills) as soon as I got out of the saddle the thing took off. The acceleration was instant. Downhill it was very quick and the cornering and general handling was impeccable even when I twitched round the odd pothole.

I know I'm blathering on but for me this has been my dream bike for ages and it will be the best and biggest purchase I'll probably ever make on a bike, and I cannot tell you how thrilling it was to ride it.

Roll on the Dragon ....

One footnote : the nature of Audax rides is that there are numerous cake and coffee stops (3 in this case plus a feast at the finish) and I swear this has to be the only ride when I've finished heavier than I started!!