Silly commuting racing

holybinch

<--- Lazy bugger!
Couldn't get out of bed in time this morning, and ended up taking the tube.
Worse part will be coming back tonight, yuk...

asprilla

holybinch wrote:

<--- Lazy bugger!
Couldn't get out of bed in time this morning, and ended up taking the tube.
Worse part will be coming back tonight, yuk...

Boozing tonight (quiz in aid of Sport Relief) so took public transport today; Signalling problems coming into Waterlook mean it took an hour and 45. God I hate public transport.

cjcp

W1 wrote:

cjcp wrote:

What steed are you riding, W1?

I'm trying to maintain an air of mystery, which in reality is shame/fear/embarassment. But I think you've mentioned me in one of your posts on this thread previously....

Huh?

Hang on. Do you ride with a bum bag and flats?

il_principe

cjcp wrote:

W1 wrote:

cjcp wrote:

What steed are you riding, W1?

I'm trying to maintain an air of mystery, which in reality is shame/fear/embarassment. But I think you've mentioned me in one of your posts on this thread previously....

Huh?

Hang on. Do you ride with a bum bag and flats?

Pffffffttt, like anyone's gonna admit to that.

vorsprung

kelsen wrote:

vorsprung wrote:

I saw the tractor ahead of me holding up some cars

It is yellow with a cab and a digger bucket

As we got to the top of a small rise in the road I filtered past all the cars behind it
On the downhill I went past. ....l

:shock: Wow! Were you trying to lead it over a cliff?

No, all commutes on the Devon - Somerset border involve a lot of up and down

Have you thought about selling the rights to this as a remake of Duel?

Heh, actually you are right it was a bit like "Duel". I never saw the driver either....:D

Roastie

Riding into the mean streets of Wimbledon this afternoon, I found myself slowly catching up with a hi-vizzed up dude on a hybrid (carbon forked and tailed Sirrus). I was in civvies, him in Lycra; nevertheless, I had expected to pass him a lot sooner than I did. Very irritating indeed.

gbsahne001

Took the hybrid in today, as I was feeling guilty about neglecting it. I'd forgotten how hard it was to make it go fast.

At least it will be ok for the pootle home... unless I see someone in front of me

il_principe

Had a good race with a bloke on a red S Works this am all the way along 9 elms and down to the Imperial War Museum. I did him properly on 9 Elms and again on Albert Embankment but lights and filtering kept letting him back in until! Still, good race fella (we did a good job of being nonchalant) but I'm claiming your scalp - twice in fact. Also kept seeing a bloke on a Black Focus with a yellow jacket. Dropped him thoroughly in Battersea (or so I thought) until I saw him behind me again at Lambeth Bridge, the penny dropped when he RLJ'd at Southwark Crown court - dude, don't cheat. You were RLJing and I still scalped you. Shame.

Bassjunkieuk

Il Principe wrote:

Black Focus with a yellow jacket. Dropped him thoroughly in Battersea (or so I thought) until I saw him behind me again at Lambeth Bridge, the penny dropped when he RLJ'd at Southwark Crown court - dude, don't cheat. You were RLJing and I still scalped you. Shame.

Such a nuisance when someone riding a decent bike RLJ's! Not sure if it's just me but I assume if your on a carbon bike your obviously a keen rider so play by the rules! I had a chap on a carbon Pearson RLJ in Streatham the other day, I but a dent in his lead but turned off the A23 before I scalped him proper :-(

itboffin

Don't you love it when you just finish your ride, go inside and it starts raining

I think this mornings commute was the only time I've been not cold and not to hot this year, bliss! - today's commute was brought to you by itboffin & castelli

cjcp

@Citycommuter - was that you I spoke to on the green Roberts tonight?

cjcp

Left before 7.30 this morning. Had to work hard and worked up a bit of a sweat. Can't decide whether that was down to me being over-dressed. Frost in RP, but warmed up in Putney.

Fantastic ride. Summer's a' comin' 8)

asprilla

Where was everyone this morning?

I don't think I saw a single roadie going into London today, just nodders. Everyone stay in bed, or go out to play in the sun?

amnezia

That was awesome.

Sunny with a nice little tailwind to help the legs after a long ride yesterday.

Check out all the new bikes this morning, there was a guy on a white trek in front to me at the lights at Bank that was so clean he must have just collected it from the shop.

Saw a few roadies but no real competition, although a guy on red specialized MTB was keeping up a decent pace.

gbsahne001

Got my clips sorted at the weekend, so good ride in this morning up until the point where I failed to release my shoes and would have fallen had I not grabbed hold of a convenient car :oops:

Then there was the undertaking incident of an artic, as it started to move :shock: , which was just me being a pillock :oops:

Realised what I was doing and slipped onto a convenient bike path adjacent to me; I now remember why I dont use them; horrible bumpy thing, with manhole covers and people, ugh.

The Running Man

Lovely weekend of riding : pootled over to Devizes and back on Saturday.

Club Audax on Sunday and including the ride over to the meet and back gave me 80 miles and without being silly I really felt as though I had plenty left. We did 75 miles at 17 mph which was a cracking pace.

The ride took us twice through the motorcycle cavalcade route that was heading into Wotton Bassett. It was a fantastic tribute and a magnificent spectacle but very sad as well.

Quiet ride in this morning despite it being beautiful I didn't see another cyclist til the London Road : where is everyone??

rjsterry

Was slightly dreading this morning after yesterday's loop out to Kingswood and back. Only 16.5 miles, but very hilly and on terrible road surfaces (nearly shook . It was supposed to be a bit of a shake-out ride, but ended up with sore legs for the rest of the day. Thankfully sore legs were slept off.

Lovely ride in the sun, and so warm I got the knees out. Roads relatively quiet (where does it all go on those days?) and as mentioned a little wind assistance. Met up with 3 or 4 other roadies over Clapham Common, and we took it in turns all the way up to Lambeth. No scalps, but a good speed.

Saw a few new bikes myself, including a very shiny flat bar SS on The Cut. All tricked out with white rims, red hubs, white stem and bars and red & white frame - could have out-tarted IP I reckon.

King Donut

cjcp wrote:

Left before 7.30 this morning...

You what?! Lucky I didn't see you this morning - flat route / pootle / PT was on the agenda so I'm glad I avoided the 2009 SCR'er of the year

Coulda also done without seeing some upstart in Astana shorts on a blue/grey Trek coming through DSC.

He whips past me as I pulled away from the lights after the railway bridge and it's all I can do to keep within 20 metres of his tail watching the sinews of his calves (at least I know he's trying). He pulls me past the Morpeth north of 30 and then gets a jump at the Lambeth bridge RAB. Through PS and I'm back in touch for the home straight down Embankment.

He takes a breather behind a WVM so I seize my chance and pass them both. Unfortunately he was just toying with me and a quick traffic check reveals he's caught my wheel. I can only assume he turned off towards Blackfriars as (thankfully) he's gone by the time I hit the tunnel and there's no way I dropped him.

CXXC

amnezia wrote:

Check out all the new bikes this morning, there was a guy on a white trek in front to me at the lights at Bank that was so clean he must have just collected it from the shop.

was it an asian-looking guy on a madone 5.1/5.2, i crossed CB with him and turned right onto the track before leaving him for dead.....hope my dustcloud didn't dirty his frame :P

nice looking bike tho 8)

cjcp

King Donut wrote:

cjcp wrote:

Left before 7.30 this morning...

You what?! Lucky I didn't see you this morning - flat route / pootle / PT was on the agenda so I'm glad I avoided the 2009 SCR'er of the year

Heh heh.

I was too early for Cambs I think, but I did have my eyes peeled for you (easily identifiable now, I would have thought, in a vest?) and Amnezia.

I managed to repel a few keen beans. However, has anyone seen the tall chap on an old SS (red frame), wearing lycra shorts which reveal howitzers for legs? :shock: He must also have the lungs of a moose. Got to be a rower.

He wears a lumo jacket flapping over his backpack, and lycra shorts, whatever the weather. I've seen him on the way home when I've been on the crosser and with his drafting and general rapidness, he's left me breathing very hard, particularly when he did a 2-Up between CB and AB with the chap on the LeMond (also a rower).

Well, I encountered him this morning on the way in for the first time. I eventually pulled alongside just before Temple. Ye Gods! It looks like he's running a 53 or 54t with what looked like an incy, wincy sprocket in comparison. It answered a lot. And why I'm a bit sleepy now.

King Donut

cjcp wrote:

King Donut wrote:

cjcp wrote:

Left before 7.30 this morning...

You what?! Lucky I didn't see you this morning - flat route / pootle / PT was on the agenda so I'm glad I avoided the 2009 SCR'er of the year

Heh heh.

I was too early for Cambs I think, but I did have my eyes peeled for you (easily identifiable now, I would have thought, in a vest?) and Amnezia.

I managed to repel a few keen beans. However, has anyone seen the tall chap on an old SS (red frame), wearing lycra shorts which reveal howitzers for legs? :shock: He must also have the lungs of a moose. Got to be a rower.

He wears a lumo jacket flapping over his backpack, and lycra shorts, whatever the weather. I've seen him on the way home when I've been on the crosser and with his drafting and general rapidness, he's left me breathing very hard, particularly when he did a 2-Up between CB and AB with the chap on the LeMond (also a rower).

Well, I encountered him this morning on the way in for the first time. I eventually pulled alongside just before Temple. Ye Gods! It looks like he's running a 53 or 54t with what looked like an incy, wincy sprocket in comparison. It answered a lot. And why I'm a bit sleepy now.

Ouch. Luckily I've never crossed him.

The vests are washed and pressed, ready for summer service! Been leaving the house around 6ish for the past few weeks at which point it's not quite there yet. Tomorrow could be the day...

cambs

@CJ Yeah bit early for me, didn't hit RP until 7:50 this morning. No vest though :shock: , base, jersey and jacket for me. Weather thingy said 2.7C today, so not taking any chances with that, though was properly warm after 20 mins.

Got buzzed by a guy on a blue trek around VB who was pretty handy. Stalked him through Millbank to judge his pace and decided by Parly Sq that it was Letrek to-lose at the first opportunity. Saw my chance at embankement stn as he was drafting a double decker and overtook both keeping to outside lane through 2 sets of lights. Felt great but needed a red light to be sure of the scalp and to catch my breath.

rjsterry

A good art pun to start the week.

Paddy O Dawes

Lovely lovely lovely! Shorts 'n fingerless mitts for the first time this year. Hallo birds, hello trees...

iPete

A great start to the week, have to say I'm loving being a loaded pannier rider.

Came onto the Chelsea Embankment this morning & found myself behind some roadies with some team kit on show at Battersea Bridge. Pulled away as normal but they got off slow in high gears, pounced on this and found myself cruising down at 30mph with no chance for them to catch.

Slowed for traffic and then took a left turn, quick safety check and noticed they were in hot pursuit. I've become a real target with a loaded pannier, in the days of a back pack people just let me go, makes the scalping far more satisfying

King Donut

iPete wrote:

A great start to the week, have to say I'm loving being a loaded pannier rider.

Came onto the Chelsea Embankment this morning & found myself behind some roadies with some team kit on show at Battersea Bridge. Pulled away as normal but they got off slow in high gears, pounced on this and found myself cruising down at 30mph with no chance for them to catch.

Slowed for traffic and then took a left turn, quick safety check and noticed they were in hot pursuit. I've become a real target with a loaded pannier, in the days of a back pack people just let me go, makes the scalping far more satisfying

That's great and all, but you still have to put up with the fact that you are old enough to ride with a pannier
I'll be keeping my eyes peeled

iPete

King Donut wrote:

iPete wrote:

A great start to the week, have to say I'm loving being a loaded pannier rider.

Came onto the Chelsea Embankment this morning & found myself behind some roadies with some team kit on show at Battersea Bridge. Pulled away as normal but they got off slow in high gears, pounced on this and found myself cruising down at 30mph with no chance for them to catch.

Slowed for traffic and then took a left turn, quick safety check and noticed they were in hot pursuit. I've become a real target with a loaded pannier, in the days of a back pack people just let me go, makes the scalping far more satisfying

That's great and all, but you still have to put up with the fact that you are old enough to ride with a pannier
I'll be keeping my eyes peeled

Ha, I do hope 24 isn't past it? I love the sweatless back after 17 miles but I'm using them for tour training, not a fan of the added weight! Great for that wolf in sheeps clothing look though... :twisted:

King Donut

iPete wrote:

Ha, I do hope 24 isn't past it? I love the sweatless back after 17 miles but I'm using them for tour training, not a fan of the added weight! Great for that wolf in sheeps clothing look though... :twisted:

24? Good God boy, I'm going to have words with your parents about all this pannier carry on. You know the rules, if you can't grow a proper beard you haven't earnt you panniers.

tgotb

iPete wrote:

fastest pannier laden cyclist in the city!

Hmmm, we'll have to see about that...

itboffin

The Running Man wrote:

Lovely weekend of riding : pootled over to Devizes and back on Saturday.

Club Audax on Sunday and including the ride over to the meet and back gave me 80 miles and without being silly I really felt as though I had plenty left. We did 75 miles at 17 mph which was a cracking pace.

The ride took us twice through the motorcycle cavalcade route that was heading into Wotton Bassett. It was a fantastic tribute and a magnificent spectacle but very sad as well.

Quiet ride in this morning despite it being beautiful I didn't see another cyclist til the London Road : where is everyone??

I was thinking about entering some of the local audax, i'd like to starting pushing up my ride distances but find sportives to fast to really go much further than say 125 mls can you recommend a local club?