Silly commuting racing
Comments
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Greg66 wrote:God that was fecking irksome!
Got to VB lights and Millbank was shut. Diverted south over VB lights into chokka traffic and threaded by way south of the river. Traffic was so bad past the hospital that I was stuck in the middle of the road unable to get into the bus lane. That gave me an opportunity to admire all the debris in the middle of the road. And wonder which bit of it embedded itself in my rear tyre. FECK!
So I do a tyre change at the south side of Westminster Bridge. Can't find the sharp in the tyre, and that's never good. Put a new inner in to find that the valve isn't long enough. Well done genius. Really smart to be carrying that around in the saddle bad all this time.
So I mount the other inner (which is OK), hit the CO2, and hear a little "hiss". Ah. So that's where the fecking sharp is. No more inners. Hmm. Ok, well, it's losing air slowly, and Evans in the Cut is close. So hare over there standing all the way to keep weight off the rear tyre. Get some new Co2 and a couple of new inners. Rear tyre seems to be holding air now. Oh bollocks. Decide against another replacement; instead finish the journey standing.
On a day when I really need to be in early, that was not a great success.
Woohahahaha! :twisted:
Seriously now city commuters stop this suffering and get a set of Conti Gator Hardshells folding natch!
http://www.conti-tyres.co.uk/conticycle ... hell.shtmlRule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.0 -
Still no a bean of SCR action on my commute in this morning although I was having fun with a child on his scooter last night - think having a bike constantly overtake and stay ahead of him may have irritated him somewhat :-)
I did however manage to set a new PB for speeding down the hill towards Surbiton today - just north of 35MPH just after I swung out wide round a bus and crossing peds :twisted: Not sure where I had the energy from this morning either as I positively sprinted up one of the other small hills earlier in the ride :-)
Back in the game proper tomorrow as I'm working up opposite Mornington Crescent for the next 2 days so I can have a pop at all those roadies through Dulwich and Camberwell and then lay down a thick layer of Awesome over Waterloo Bridge :-D0 -
itboffin wrote:Greg66 wrote:God that was fecking irksome!
Got to VB lights and Millbank was shut. Diverted south over VB lights into chokka traffic and threaded by way south of the river. Traffic was so bad past the hospital that I was stuck in the middle of the road unable to get into the bus lane. That gave me an opportunity to admire all the debris in the middle of the road. And wonder which bit of it embedded itself in my rear tyre. FECK!
So I do a tyre change at the south side of Westminster Bridge. Can't find the sharp in the tyre, and that's never good. Put a new inner in to find that the valve isn't long enough. Well done genius. Really smart to be carrying that around in the saddle bad all this time.
So I mount the other inner (which is OK), hit the CO2, and hear a little "hiss". Ah. So that's where the fecking sharp is. No more inners. Hmm. Ok, well, it's losing air slowly, and Evans in the Cut is close. So hare over there standing all the way to keep weight off the rear tyre. Get some new Co2 and a couple of new inners. Rear tyre seems to be holding air now. Oh bollocks. Decide against another replacement; instead finish the journey standing.
On a day when I really need to be in early, that was not a great success.
Woohahahaha! :twisted:
Seriously now city commuters stop this suffering and get a set of Conti Gator Hardshells folding natch!
http://www.conti-tyres.co.uk/conticycle ... hell.shtml
Tyre advice from ITB.........pretty much like a prostitute offering advice on contraceptives ;-)0 -
cjcp wrote:Greg66 wrote:God that was fecking irksome!
Got to VB lights and Millbank was shut. Diverted south over VB lights into chokka traffic and threaded by way south of the river. Traffic was so bad past the hospital that I was stuck in the middle of the road unable to get into the bus lane. That gave me an opportunity to admire all the debris in the middle of the road. And wonder which bit of it embedded itself in my rear tyre. FECK!
So I do a tyre change at the south side of Westminster Bridge. Can't find the sharp in the tyre, and that's never good. Put a new inner in to find that the valve isn't long enough. Well done genius. Really smart to be carrying that around in the saddle bad all this time.
So I mount the other inner (which is OK), hit the CO2, and hear a little "hiss". Ah. So that's where the fecking sharp is. No more inners. Hmm. Ok, well, it's losing air slowly, and Evans in the Cut is close. So hare over there standing all the way to keep weight off the rear tyre. Get some new Co2 and a couple of new inners. Rear tyre seems to be holding air now. Oh bollocks. Decide against another replacement; instead finish the journey standing.
On a day when I really need to be in early, that was not a great success.
That's a "please don't speak to me for about an hour" journey. What the heck was Millbank doing closed???
Yep, I missed the pollen. Result. Looking at the way the trees are swaying, may have more problems tonight. Oh, hang on, I've got my awesomely cool wrap-arounds on. S'all good. 8)
Good job old G66 isn't a judge, hanging would be back in no time.
"Take him down"....Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.0 -
Bassjunkieuk wrote:itboffin wrote:Greg66 wrote:God that was fecking irksome!
Got to VB lights and Millbank was shut. Diverted south over VB lights into chokka traffic and threaded by way south of the river. Traffic was so bad past the hospital that I was stuck in the middle of the road unable to get into the bus lane. That gave me an opportunity to admire all the debris in the middle of the road. And wonder which bit of it embedded itself in my rear tyre. FECK!
So I do a tyre change at the south side of Westminster Bridge. Can't find the sharp in the tyre, and that's never good. Put a new inner in to find that the valve isn't long enough. Well done genius. Really smart to be carrying that around in the saddle bad all this time.
So I mount the other inner (which is OK), hit the CO2, and hear a little "hiss". Ah. So that's where the fecking sharp is. No more inners. Hmm. Ok, well, it's losing air slowly, and Evans in the Cut is close. So hare over there standing all the way to keep weight off the rear tyre. Get some new Co2 and a couple of new inners. Rear tyre seems to be holding air now. Oh bollocks. Decide against another replacement; instead finish the journey standing.
On a day when I really need to be in early, that was not a great success.
Woohahahaha! :twisted:
Seriously now city commuters stop this suffering and get a set of Conti Gator Hardshells folding natch!
http://www.conti-tyres.co.uk/conticycle ... hell.shtml
Tyre advice from ITB.........pretty much like a prostitute offering advice on contraceptives ;-)
You'll eat those words on the puncture fest that is the Magnificat, trust me you've never seen anything like it, imagine riding TT tyres pumped to 300 psi over a river of broken glass it's not if, more when!
I laughed my arse off at the people riding carbon deep rims, this is soooo not the right sportive for those wheels :twisted:Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.0 -
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Ahem. How many kids now, Mark?Bassjunkieuk wrote:itboffin wrote:Greg66 wrote:God that was fecking irksome!
Got to VB lights and Millbank was shut. Diverted south over VB lights into chokka traffic and threaded by way south of the river. Traffic was so bad past the hospital that I was stuck in the middle of the road unable to get into the bus lane. That gave me an opportunity to admire all the debris in the middle of the road. And wonder which bit of it embedded itself in my rear tyre. FECK!
So I do a tyre change at the south side of Westminster Bridge. Can't find the sharp in the tyre, and that's never good. Put a new inner in to find that the valve isn't long enough. Well done genius. Really smart to be carrying that around in the saddle bad all this time.
So I mount the other inner (which is OK), hit the CO2, and hear a little "hiss". Ah. So that's where the fecking sharp is. No more inners. Hmm. Ok, well, it's losing air slowly, and Evans in the Cut is close. So hare over there standing all the way to keep weight off the rear tyre. Get some new Co2 and a couple of new inners. Rear tyre seems to be holding air now. Oh bollocks. Decide against another replacement; instead finish the journey standing.
On a day when I really need to be in early, that was not a great success.
Woohahahaha! :twisted:
Seriously now city commuters stop this suffering and get a set of Conti Gator Hardshells folding natch!
http://www.conti-tyres.co.uk/conticycle ... hell.shtml
Tyre advice from ITB.........pretty much like a prostitute offering advice on contraceptives ;-)0 -
@JG
@BJ anymore and you're gonna have start taking your shoes and socks off to count :P
BTW when is the latest edition due?Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.0 -
I'm meant to be doing the magnificat....
Does it come with a PF warning???Fixed gear for wet weather / hairy roadie for posing in the sun.
What would Thora Hurd do?0 -
Greg T wrote:I'm meant to be doing the magnificat....
Does it come with a PF warning???
:twisted:
Forget food you'll be wanting a pull along filled with spare tubes
I'm not kiddingRule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.0 -
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@rjsterry - Were you at Tooting Broadway crossroads approx 8.30am this morning - white helmet, red top....I was coming out of Cafe Nero and wondered whether it was you?"Come at the king, you best not miss." - Omar, The Wire
FCN 4: Willier Izoard XP
FCN 7: GT Legato 4.0
*GAME* competitor0 -
Greg T wrote:I'm meant to be doing the magnificat....
Does it come with a PF warning???
Here you go old bean I popped out and snapped these fine examples of our lovely country lanes ATM, when it rains these wonderfully sharp stone spread completely cross the road.
In this example we have what should be the double white lines of a junction, at the bottom of a small descent on a bend :?
and seen from another angle
Now see why I had so many visits last year?Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.0 -
#Managed to hold an attempted overtake as I moved out for some roadworks, was halfway across the lane about to break the single white line when I heard and looked for the female Pug 206. Wish the Audi driver further on was as spacially aware, six inches might be enough for his lover but it is no way near enough when passing a cyclist, unfortunately the camera was into direct sun so missed the reg. Had some SCR fun on the way home with a red Speccy Allex along Anchor Road, was in semi pootle mood and he came past in 3/4 tights, shaved legs, trainers and toeclips :shock: Caught him back up and drafted a little then went for it but the traffic was against me and he filtered that little bit better.I've added a signature to prove it is still possible.0
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Managed to claim a couple of "technical" scalps on the way home. I say "technical" as they where only scalps as far as the FCN goes i.e they where at least my level but in my heart of hearts I know the other rider certainly was no competition. Besides I was spurred on by chasing down a learner driver as I knew the instructor :-D
Also who ever the hell ordered the big helping of wind this evening? Going from the relatively easy breezy ride home yesterday where I was practically sweating the moment I stepped outside todays southerly certainly made it a much bigger effort to get home, especially as I was practically riding into a wall of wind from the moment I turned onto Portsmouth Road from the office!!0 -
Greetings fellow Gamers -
i'm new to BikeRadar, but I have to offer my sincere thanks for the hours of reading and hearty laughter I've enjoyed in going through this SCR thread - this is doubtless one of the funniest "insider" threads I've found anywhere.
I'm a bearded, baggied, pannier laden, hybrid rider with SPD's so I figure proper sandbagging with a FCN of 10. Unfortunately, my commute times leave me less than "ample" scalping opportunities where I make my twice daily 10.5 mile commute. Nonetheless, I've managed to take advantage of those that present themselves, and get proprely skinned by kitted roadies as well - still looking for that perfect bragging right .. .
Curious - are there many yanks who play THE GAME? I know i've had to work to get past some riders and most roadies here (shorn, and hirsute) revel in dropping me, but my efforts at chatting up fellow commuters about SCR get me a dumb "what're you talkin' about?' look - any other US gamers out there?FCN - 10. Bearded, baggied, panniered, clipless hybrid.
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Most enjoyable evening commute
Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.0 -
Fly Guy wrote:Greetings fellow Gamers -
i'm new to BikeRadar, but I have to offer my sincere thanks for the hours of reading and hearty laughter I've enjoyed in going through this SCR thread - this is doubtless one of the funniest "insider" threads I've found anywhere.
I'm a bearded, baggied, pannier laden, hybrid rider with SPD's so I figure proper sandbagging with a FCN of 10. Unfortunately, my commute times leave me less than "ample" scalping opportunities where I make my twice daily 10.5 mile commute. Nonetheless, I've managed to take advantage of those that present themselves, and get proprely skinned by kitted roadies as well - still looking for that perfect bragging right .. .
Curious - are there many yanks who play THE GAME? I know i've had to work to get past some riders and most roadies here (shorn, and hirsute) revel in dropping me, but my efforts at chatting up fellow commuters about SCR get me a dumb "what're you talkin' about?' look - any other US gamers out there?
Howdy
There's a Yank (he doesn't say "aboot" or "eh", so I ruled out Canadian) on my commute. Rides a dark red Condor, also panniered up. He goes like sh!t off a stick.FCN 2-4.
"What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
"It stays down, Daddy."
"Exactly."0 -
Welcome Fly Guy :-) The short answer to your question regarding US players of the Unspoken Game would be to check The Game page on the Book of Face in my signature below. I'm fairly sure we have a rather widespread group on there with a fair few international members :-D0
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Thanks BJUK - in fact, I've signed up or "liked" or whatever passes for joining to "The Game" a few weeks back. this thread is clearly more active than the FB page.
I did join the "give cyclists space" FB group as a spinoff from "The Game" and got some good information to share with our local media (not that they did anything with it, the bastrids) and posted it to my personal page with some positive mojo . ..so it's all in the (+) column for me.
So scooters - idk how in the hell one would properly drop the scooters that zip around here (Idaho - USA) - i'm sure they're similarly spec'd elsewhere but they go a lot faster than any human powered vehicle in these parts - is the traffic in the urban UK so much more congested that the scooter-scalp is an easier reach?
BTW - we have "park police" who drive underpowered golf cars on the park trails here, and they are definitely catchable - problem is they always slow down and wave you on, thus taking all of the proper kudos from you ...FCN - 10. Bearded, baggied, panniered, clipless hybrid.0 -
Over here in the UK we have scooters that the 16yr old oiks can ride around that amount to pretty much nothing more then a hairdryer motor attached to a pair of wheels (you can imagine the noise......) and plenty of pizza delivery riders out on smaller engined bikes.
TBH I think scooters where only added to the FCN scale to provide a target for those looking for a proper challenge! I have found that in the right conditions it's more then possible to scalp scooters (making it stick is more difficult!) and even cars when coming downhill and they are "held up" by another car obeying the speed limit :-D0 -
Fly Guy wrote:So scooters - idk how in the hell one would properly drop the scooters that zip around here (Idaho - USA) - i'm sure they're similarly spec'd elsewhere but they go a lot faster than any human powered vehicle in these parts - is the traffic in the urban UK so much more congested that the scooter-scalp is an easier reach?
Hell, yes! Cycling is comfortably the fastest way to get around central London. I think most people are talking about the low-end 50cc type of scooters, rather than the motorbike-without-a-bit-between-your-legs things, but there's always the odd one.1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
Pinnacle Monzonite
Part of the anti-growth coalition0 -
This evening I was lucky enough to witness an outstanding display of cockfoolery riding on the way home:
I made my way down the nose to tail traffic on Fulham Road and noticed a guy on a Prince come out of NKR as I made my to Putney Bridge. He obviously jumped the lights, but nothing new there. Anyway, traffic is chocka and I'm looking for a gap, looking right round a bus to see what's happening and if I can go when a voice next to me shouts 'Go on then!' and surprise, surprise it's Prince boy about a foot to my left. Without waiting for a response he tuts and shoots off round the bus (even though form his position he couldn't see anything).
I go on after him and reel him back as we cross the bridge. The right turn onto LRR is crowded, so I pull in behind the first car, but Prince Monkey barges past other cyclists ot the front. Lights go green and we are off with Prince in the lead, but again I reel him in, getting just behind him as we have to slow for traffic building; we go to filter as traffic stops, but so does a scooter who eventually comes to stop behind a bus. At this point Prince screams at the scooter rider 'Well go on then, you pussy!' indicating that the scooter should filter down the left of the bus! Without waiting for a response Prince mounts the pavement and sprints past the bus.
You could be under the impression that he's in a hurry but obviously not since cruising at 22-23mph is enough to be on his back wheel over Bolan Bridge, when he sees me he puts the hammer down, but not my much, just enough to keep ahead over the speed bumps. I stop at the lights for Upper RR, but Prince is straight over only to be stopped at the next, so it's a quick sprint to Priory Lane with a tourer getting in between. Again stopped at the lights, but Prince goes though and turns left.
I figure I've lost him now, the sequence is so long, but as I turn into RP I see him off his bike standing by the side of the road with two other roadies. He's with his mates, I think , was probably rushing to meet them for a blast round the course. Discretion is the better part of valour so I'll not offer him a organ card. However, as I pass I hear one of the other cyclists say something along the lines of 'Well I hope they lock up on you next time as well!' I guess he nearly came a cropper and I missed it.
Shame, maybe next time.Mud - Genesis Vapour CCX
Race - Fuji Norcom Straight
Sun - Cervelo R3
Winter / Commute - Dolan ADX0 -
rjsterry wrote:Fly Guy wrote:So scooters - idk how in the hell one would properly drop the scooters that zip around here (Idaho - USA) - i'm sure they're similarly spec'd elsewhere but they go a lot faster than any human powered vehicle in these parts - is the traffic in the urban UK so much more congested that the scooter-scalp is an easier reach?
Hell, yes! Cycling is comfortably the fastest way to get around central London. I think most people are talking about the low-end 50cc type of scooters, rather than the motorbike-without-a-bit-between-your-legs things, but there's always the odd one.
They're called Chicken Chasers and the noise is best described as a nymphomaniacs rampant rabbit.
They have a top speed of 33mph so are catchable for the better cyclists on full-on road bikes. There WAS a time I could cycle alongside them (for a short distance) but those days are long gone... I fondly remember being to "get f*cked" by one such youth when I asked why his toy wasn't quicker....Chunky Cyclists need your love too! :-)
2009 Specialized Tricross Sport
2011 Trek Madone 4.5
2012 Felt F65X
Proud CX Pervert and quiet roadie. 12 mile commuter0 -
Citizen Smith wrote:@rjsterry - Were you at Tooting Broadway crossroads approx 8.30am this morning - white helmet, red top....I was coming out of Cafe Nero and wondered whether it was you?
Could well be. Was I looking faintly ridiculous on a blue-grey Dahon in lycra? I so need my proper bike back. Heaving that thing around with no SPDs is hard work. Oh and I've remembered why I demoted my old saddle to the Dahon.1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
Pinnacle Monzonite
Part of the anti-growth coalition0 -
Kieran_Burns wrote:I fondly remember being to "get f*cked" by one such youth when I asked why his toy wasn't quicker....
I don't see the point in scooters. I mean, I do, but I don't.
@FlyGuy - some are very scalpable. Think of them as the sicker or slower members of the herd. (It might just be that they drive/scoot slower, but that's not good for the ego, so we push that possibility to one side and forget about it. ) FCN 2-4.
"What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
"It stays down, Daddy."
"Exactly."0 -
Asprilla wrote:I stop at the lights for Upper RR, but Prince is straight over only to be stopped at the next
This always cracks me up. The lights at Roehampton Lane/URR only go green after the Queen's Ride/URR lights have gone green and when you arrive atthe Roehampton/URR lights. As pointless RLJing goes, that's about the most pointless I can think of on my route.FCN 2-4.
"What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
"It stays down, Daddy."
"Exactly."0 -
cjcp wrote:Kieran_Burns wrote:I fondly remember being to "get f*cked" by one such youth when I asked why his toy wasn't quicker....
I don't see the point in scooters. I mean, I do, but I don't.
@FlyGuy - some are very scalpable. Think of them as the sicker or slower members of the herd. (It might just be that they drive/scoot slower, but that's not good for the ego, so we push that possibility to one side and forget about it. ) My favourite "sheep wolfs clothing" are those motorbikes that look like the faster bikes but in fact have the same crappy engine that the lower end scooters have! You can normally spot them quite easily when they aren't squelling along with a chav on-board as they have much narrower tyres then the proper-engined ones. 0 -
Just to let everyone know, Millbank is still closed until the end of the week.1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
Pinnacle Monzonite
Part of the anti-growth coalition0 -
Bit chilly with the feint after taste of a headwind too. No doubt it will swing round and get us later on the way home too...
A few scalps - and a hello to the large chap who comes in from HSK to parliament sq and then over the bridge. Thanked him for his rather nice freewheel draft down constitution hill - he was a rather nice large windbreak Le Cannon [98 Cannondale M400] [FCN: 8]
The Mad Monkey [2013 Hoy 003] [FCN: 4]0
