Silly commuting racing

Clever Pun

Started off the ride pretty tired a festival at the weekend followed by a gig do not make great bedfellows with cycling fast over any distance, I managed to pick myself up after my legs has warmed up and at the bottom of beckenham hill it seemed it was christmas 4 roadies went by in a group… Sadly these boys must have been jehovah’s witnesses as there were no presents being dished out.

I give chase and manage to lose the one who had popped out the back of the group; I look at the speedo… 26mph and I’m not really gaining that much, I drop a cog and grit my teeth and join them just as the lead guy hooks onto a bus we’re now nearly at 29 yet it feels ok.. We overtake the bus as it slows to pick up passengers and still keep at 25, after another mile or so we all head our separate ways. Then I’ve got a face full of wind, glad I didn’t attempt to drop the group that might have been embarrassing

Manage to drop a few other lesser lights during the rest of the journey and notch an average of 19mph for 15.9 miles, and only 12 seconds outside of a 50 minute ride… the traffic right at the end did me over… reckon in the summer holidays I can break 45, well fingers crossed

il_principe

Clever Pun wrote:

Manage to drop a few other lesser lights during the rest of the journey and notch an average of 19mph for 15.9 miles, and only 12 seconds outside of a 50 minute ride… the traffic right at the end did me over… reckon in the summer holidays I can break 45, well fingers crossed

Top work, I managed my av in a paltry 7 miles! Although I didn't cheat by drafting...

Clever Pun

Il Principe wrote:

Clever Pun wrote:

Manage to drop a few other lesser lights during the rest of the journey and notch an average of 19mph for 15.9 miles, and only 12 seconds outside of a 50 minute ride… the traffic right at the end did me over… reckon in the summer holidays I can break 45, well fingers crossed

Top work, I managed my av in a paltry 7 miles! Although I didn't cheat by drafting...

When you start doing grown up miles we'll see shall we?

tgotb

King Donut wrote:

Think I picked up that guy on the Trek in BNP shorts that CJ has duelled with recently. Definitely walks the walk. Battle lasted for a few miles from Putney Bridge. Passed him for the final time by Embankment stn but I wouldn't be foolish enough to claim that I broke him.

Again, not really what I needed but got a couple of enforced rest days at end of the week so got to make hay.

I had a bit of a battle with the same guy this morning; picked him up at the end of NKR, and could tell he was up for it by the way he tried to out-accelerate me down Cheyne Walk.
Went out fairly hard from Albert Bridge, around 25mph along the straight, and thought I'd lost him until he reappeared, tucked in behind a lorry, just before Chelsea Bridge.
Stayed with him on the run to VBR, but we picked different lanes in the traffic and I was thoroughly snookered by a moped jamming itself into a gap that it couldn't get through :-(
Took all the way to Parl Square to catch up; he was still hanging on to my coat tails approaching Embankment Tube, but didn't see him again after that.

KD, were you the other rider that arrived at Chelsea Bridge on the back of that lorry? I was on a dark grey Condor with single red pannier and white top...

King Donut

That guy on the Brompton wrote:

KD, were you the other rider that arrived at Chelsea Bridge on the back of that lorry? I was on a dark grey Condor with single red pannier and white top...

Gotcha! Chapeau sir... your pick up from the lights was quite something!

I had lost BNP boy at lights through Parsons Green. Clocked him again after Battersea Bridge and we both ended up sitting behind that lorry taking a breather. There were a few guys that tried it on through DSC but they were riding a bit erratically so I sat back until Vic Embankment. I passed him and got a lucky break in the outside lane with a clean run straight through to Upper Thames St.

I must have been within spitting distance of you. Where do you turn off Embankment in the morning?

Bikequin

Been out of the office for a week or so, so was first ride in for a bit today - so much nicer in the sunshine! But no SCR action - which I was quite glad of because I'm feeling very unfit at the moment.

I had bought a couple of slime inner tubes in the hope that they'd at least allow me to get to work on time if I got a flat - however cycling along the Kings Road this morning there was a loud bang and the next thing i knew my rear end was snaking all around. I pulled over to find my entire rear wheel covered in green slime. No clue what cause the blow out but it was a pain in the arse to clean up. I don't know if anyone else has tried these Slime Tubes with any success but I certainly won't be using them again.

tgotb

King Donut wrote:

I must have been within spitting distance of you. Where do you turn off Embankment in the morning?

I turn off at Blackfriars; think you might have been just ahead of me at that point. What are you riding? Hope to do battle again :-)

SCR really seems to have been picking up in the last week. Duelled with a very quick guy on a Pearson fixed (with full Pearson kit) last night, all the way from Parl Square to the garage on LRR; last week I raced a guy all the way from Millbank to Sawyers Hill (where I finally managed to lose him)...

King Donut

That guy on the Brompton wrote:

I turn off at Blackfriars; think you might have been just ahead of me at that point. What are you riding? Hope to do battle again :-)

SCR really seems to have been picking up in the last week. Duelled with a very quick guy on a Pearson fixed (with full Pearson kit) last night, all the way from Parl Square to the garage on LRR; last week I raced a guy all the way from Millbank to Sawyers Hill (where I finally managed to lose him)...

I might regret telling you this but I'm on a red/white Trek. Pretty long, normally wearing black with a small red ruksak.

If I ever see you anywhere near Sawyer's I'm standing well back!!

King Donut

Bikequin wrote:

... if anyone else has tried these Slime Tubes with any success but I certainly won't be using them again.

I'm sure someone will tell me otherwise, but I've never heard a good word about these. Admitedly I've never tried them myself, simply because I think that many people can't be wrong

Bassjunkieuk

King Donut wrote:

Gotcha! Chapeau sir... your pick up from the lights was quite something!

I wish it was TGOTB who pulled up ahead of me earlier on Houndsditch. I was ready for the sprint from the lights when this ejit pulls in front of me. I know DDD has moaned about this but he set off at a glacial pace and I just managed to move round him whilst muttering about "If your going to get in front of me try and move a bit quicker!"

tgotb

King Donut wrote:

I might regret telling you this but I'm on a red/white Trek. Pretty long, normally wearing black with a small red ruksak.

If I ever see you anywhere near Sawyer's I'm standing well back!!

Cool, I'll look out for you, sounds like we're fairly well matched... Wouldn't worry about the hills; I reckon I just had a bit more left in the tank :-)

cjcp

King Donut wrote:

That guy on the Brompton wrote:

KD, were you the other rider that arrived at Chelsea Bridge on the back of that lorry? I was on a dark grey Condor with single red pannier and white top...

Gotcha! Chapeau sir... your pick up from the lights was quite something!

I had lost BNP boy at lights through Parsons Green. Clocked him again after Battersea Bridge and we both ended up sitting behind that lorry taking a breather. There were a few guys that tried it on through DSC but they were riding a bit erratically so I sat back until Vic Embankment. I passed him and got a lucky break in the outside lane with a clean run straight through to Upper Thames St.

I must have been within spitting distance of you. Where do you turn off Embankment in the morning?

Good skilz, gents 8) .

Bikequin

Tough work tonight - I really hope I was battling against a headwind. Not much SCR action at all - although on the way home I was thinking that every time someone jumps a red light they should lose one FCN that way repeated passes of RLJ'rs slightly out of your FCN range would count for something.

redvee

A quick decision from the assembled masses. Do scalps count on the Bristol - Bath cyclepath? Plenty of fodder asking for it on their BSOs et al. Took a route that made use of this today and wished I lived on that side of town. Coming home on the cyclepath I had a drafter on my wheel but wasn't all bad. I pulled him up the 113ft ascent past the chocolate factory to Clay Bottom and could see his shadow all the way, as we crossed the bridge he reciprocated the tow I'd just given him but he had the lesser climb to pull me up, anyhow I was grateful after saving face and working myself into the ground to keep him behind me.

whyamihere

This morning, I was waiting in a queue about 10 vehicles back (the lights are long enough that I knew I could get through, so filtering further forward was pointless) at a busy junction in Perry Barr. Guy on a roadie flies past me on the footpath, then drops onto the road just ask the lights turn and is gone across the junction.

"Right then," thinks I, "I'm 'aving you lad."

'ave him I did. Crushingly. Short uphill drag up to a roundabout, keeping pace, him about 50 metres ahead. Hit the afterburners off the roundabout, sprinting out of the saddle and I'm 10 metres back in no time. Back in the saddle, switch to breathing through the skin mode, even manage a nonchalant 'Morning' as I fly past. It would have been textbook, but the lights at the next junction changed on me so he caught me up. Just another chance to crush my opponent...

Full beans off the line and I'm gone. After 100 metres I glance back under the pretence of pulling around a parked car, and he's struggling, his head down, his spirit broken. I may be imagining it, but in that instant, I'm sure I heard a pained whimper...

mudcovered

redvee wrote:

A quick decision from the assembled masses. Do scalps count on the Bristol - Bath cyclepath?

Don't see why not assuming you apply the normal FCN handicapping. I'd add an additional exception for family groups which automatically get the FCN of the crappest bike in the group. Seems a bit unfair to claim the scalp of a roadie while he's pootling along at 5-10mph with his missus on an MTB.

Mike

itboffin

whyamihere wrote:

This morning, I was waiting in a queue about 10 vehicles back (the lights are long enough that I knew I could get through, so filtering further forward was pointless) at a busy junction in Perry Barr. Guy on a roadie flies past me on the footpath, then drops onto the road just ask the lights turn and is gone across the junction.

"Right then," thinks I, "I'm 'aving you lad."

'ave him I did. Crushingly. Short uphill drag up to a roundabout, keeping pace, him about 50 metres ahead. Hit the afterburners off the roundabout, sprinting out of the saddle and I'm 10 metres back in no time. Back in the saddle, switch to breathing through the skin mode, even manage a nonchalant 'Morning' as I fly past. It would have been textbook, but the lights at the next junction changed on me so he caught me up. Just another chance to crush my opponent...

Full beans off the line and I'm gone. After 100 metres I glance back under the pretence of pulling around a parked car, and he's struggling, his head down, his spirit broken. I may be imagining it, but in that instant, I'm sure I heard a pained whimper...

Chapeau sir a scalp well earned

rjsterry

Bikequin wrote:

Tough work tonight - I really hope I was battling against a headwind. Not much SCR action at all - although on the way home I was thinking that every time someone jumps a red light they should lose one FCN that way repeated passes of RLJ'rs slightly out of your FCN range would count for something.

Headwind confirmed. Barely held above 20 all the way home, but no-one came past except filtering in traffic over Battersea Bridge, so everyone else was going slow as well.

jonginge

Was going to have a bit of a pootle on the way home. Didn't happen.

Caught up with a roadie chap, reasonably rapid as it turns out, in a yellow jacket by Big Ben. A bus past Parliament and down Millbank gets in the way and slows us down. I follow across VB lights when they change and wait for the traffic to clear. I overtake giving my customary hand raise and nod as I do so. He sits on. For most of the way to Battersea Bridge, where he catches up again and filters to the front of the queue.

He heads down Lots road and I continue along Cheyne walk. I next see him turning left on red into the Kings road. We repeat the overtake-draft-drop saga along NKR and then along LRR after the lights on col de Putney bridge. Was hard work... now tired.

jonginge

rjsterry wrote:

Bikequin wrote:

Tough work tonight - I really hope I was battling against a headwind. Not much SCR action at all - although on the way home I was thinking that every time someone jumps a red light they should lose one FCN that way repeated passes of RLJ'rs slightly out of your FCN range would count for something.

Headwind confirmed. Barely held above 20 all the way home, but no-one came past except filtering in traffic over Battersea Bridge, so everyone else was going slow as well.

Headwind? You what now?

itboffin

+1 on the headwind however I applied super buff power to defeat the evil wind

The Running Man

Had to go down to Swansea yesterday for an early morning meeting so at the last minute slung the bike in the back of the car.

Glad I did as I managed to get out for 20 miles lunchtime and it was glorious. Went out to Pennard then double backed and climbed up round Bracelet Bay and Limeslade, then pottered up and down the cycle path along the seafront. The sun was shining, it was warm, a bit breezy but you can't have everything

Really hard ride home in the evening though : nothing in the legs at all and then despite a blustery wind in my face this morning had a cracking ride in :

Looking forward to a longer one tonight.

rjsterry

JonGinge wrote:

rjsterry wrote:

Bikequin wrote:

Tough work tonight - I really hope I was battling against a headwind. Not much SCR action at all - although on the way home I was thinking that every time someone jumps a red light they should lose one FCN that way repeated passes of RLJ'rs slightly out of your FCN range would count for something.

Headwind confirmed. Barely held above 20 all the way home, but no-one came past except filtering in traffic over Battersea Bridge, so everyone else was going slow as well.

Headwind? You what now?

Well you wouldn't feel a headwind if you were stuck behind a bus, would you? :P It seems that Millbank is rather fickle at the moment. The other night CJ was complaining of a headwind, but I managed 29mph+ going through later. Last night the reverse.

Clever Pun

Last night: Started off really well got tired soon enough. My cycle computer ejected itself on the junction at the north side of tower bridge... I try to see it among the throng of cars, oh dear. A car pings it and luckily??? sends it flying on to a pedestrian area I retrieve it expecting it to be dead but it's actually fine it just has some battle scars now. Pretty lucky overall I guess

nice day today I went for the short sleeve and sleeveless base layer and arm warmers and was still plenty toasty...couldn't find my favourite fingerless gloves though and the ones in the shed confirmed I cant leave them in the shed over winter.
No SCR action of note though

DonDaddyD

I murdered my commute today. Left my house (Wimbeldon) at 8.24am. Got over Waterloo Bridge at 9.04am. Including traffic lights, traffic and filtering.

One guy on and Allez kept up with me through Clapham. Dropped him good and proper along Kennington road.

Gonna need to soak the knees this weekend.

amnezia

No SCR for me, both my rear brake cable and rear dérailleur cable have snapped this week meaning i have only 3 gears and one brake. Had to take it quite slowly.

Robstar24

had to take it easy in this morning as well as I have a cold/flu coming on and so trying to keep it steady (but there was no way i was taking the train in such lovely weather- i wore shorts ), ended up being scalped a couple of times by people on nice bikes.

to think i'd only gone the way through deptford and surrey quays to avoid what looked like a long tailback through lewisham, new cross etc :roll:

cjcp

Ducked out of SCR action between a TCR and a Wilier this morning. I know - I'm a jessy.

jonginge

cjcp wrote:

Ducked out of SCR action between a TCR and a Wilier this morning. I know - I'm a jessy.

il_principe

Duelled with two fellow SS'ers. Actually I say duelled but I opened a can of whoopass on them. One of them RLJ'd repeatedly from Battersea to Borough, so he got scalped several times. Av'd 18.2 (moving) a tad down on yesterday, but traffic was worse.

On another note I keep getting outfiltered (still catch the buggers) but it's annoying. I seem to have lost my filtering mojo post-accident. Maybe that's no bad thing?