Silly commuting racing

Bassjunkieuk

lost_in_thought wrote:

To the guy on the red SS with the flat bars who went down Hammersmith and Chiswick high street: you may have all the trackstand-y moves, but you're not fast enough to make them look cool.

Welcome back to The Game LiT, it's been rather dull around here without your tales of emasculating various riders :-)

As it appears you have found from your last past pootling just never seems to happen for players of The Game :-)

MonkeyMonster

All the scr action i saw today as I walk to the tube booooo - was seeing the lovely LiT as she prepared to cycle the chez bu roundabout on her way to scalp all and sundry...

Interview today...

lost_in_thought

MonkeyMonster wrote:

All the scr action i saw today as I walk to the tube booooo - was seeing the lovely LiT as she prepared to cycle the chez bu roundabout on her way to scalp all and sundry...

Interview today...

Oh really? Haha! Next time shout at me!

I think I was probably muttering to myself about a spinny guy on a hybrid who was quicker off the mark than me so kept overtaking, only to be overtaken again seconds later. In fact, I must have been wearing a big 'overtake me off the lights' sign on my back this morning.

Bassjunkieuk

lost_in_thought wrote:

MonkeyMonster wrote:

All the scr action i saw today as I walk to the tube booooo - was seeing the lovely LiT as she prepared to cycle the chez bu roundabout on her way to scalp all and sundry...

Interview today...

Oh really? Haha! Next time shout at me!

I think I was probably muttering to myself about a spinny guy on a hybrid who was quicker off the mark than me so kept overtaking, only to be overtaken again seconds later. In fact, I must have been wearing a big 'overtake me off the lights' sign on my back this morning.

That is the problem with a high GI, annoyingly slow off the lights but once you get upto speed all hell breaks loose!

Oddjob62

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

That is the problem with a high GI, annoyingly slow off the lights but once you get upto speed all hell breaks loose!

I never have that problem... probably party due to my 16stone body and many years of squatting. I think i could be a decent team sprint lead off man (i could just about manage a lap of the track before gassing :oops:)

cjcp

To the chap on the BMC (with no bar tape - WTH?) and the guy on the SS who tailed me down Thames St (not very clever, eh) and then RLJed: All. Ends. Up. :twisted:

Bassjunkieuk

Oddjob62 wrote:

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

That is the problem with a high GI, annoyingly slow off the lights but once you get upto speed all hell breaks loose!

I never have that problem... probably party due to my 16stone body and many years of squatting. I think i could be a decent team sprint lead off man (i could just about manage a lap of the track before gassing :oops:)

Now that is a valid point, I have 7 stone less to assist with the pressing down :-) I seem to have found my sweet spot gear tho (hardly change out of it actually!) which allows for reasonable enough acceleration away from stops whilst allowing me to despatch all but the most keen riders once I'm upto speed!

@CJCP - Good work! I was rocking the sans-bar tape look earlier this year for about 3 days, but that was because I'd snapped my original handledars earlier in the week and had to fit a new one during a lunch break! I didn't want to faff with bar tape until the weekend when I coudl take my time with it, really was interesting to feel the difference!!

MonkeyMonster

lost_in_thought wrote:

MonkeyMonster wrote:

All the scr action i saw today as I walk to the tube booooo - was seeing the lovely LiT as she prepared to cycle the chez bu roundabout on her way to scalp all and sundry...

Interview today...

Oh really? Haha! Next time shout at me!

I think I was probably muttering to myself about a spinny guy on a hybrid who was quicker off the mark than me so kept overtaking, only to be overtaken again seconds later. In fact, I must have been wearing a big 'overtake me off the lights' sign on my back this morning.

You'd already set off with a determined face and with that traffic there I thought better than distract you with an "Ahoy Milady LiT"

lost_in_thought

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

MonkeyMonster wrote:

All the scr action i saw today as I walk to the tube booooo - was seeing the lovely LiT as she prepared to cycle the chez bu roundabout on her way to scalp all and sundry...

Interview today...

Oh really? Haha! Next time shout at me!

I think I was probably muttering to myself about a spinny guy on a hybrid who was quicker off the mark than me so kept overtaking, only to be overtaken again seconds later. In fact, I must have been wearing a big 'overtake me off the lights' sign on my back this morning.

That is the problem with a high GI, annoyingly slow off the lights but once you get upto speed all hell breaks loose!

Oh, I can zip off the lights, I was just being lazy!

lost_in_thought

MonkeyMonster wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

MonkeyMonster wrote:

All the scr action i saw today as I walk to the tube booooo - was seeing the lovely LiT as she prepared to cycle the chez bu roundabout on her way to scalp all and sundry...

Interview today...

Oh really? Haha! Next time shout at me!

I think I was probably muttering to myself about a spinny guy on a hybrid who was quicker off the mark than me so kept overtaking, only to be overtaken again seconds later. In fact, I must have been wearing a big 'overtake me off the lights' sign on my back this morning.

You'd already set off with a determined face and with that traffic there I thought better than distract you with an "Ahoy Milady LiT"

Yeah, fair play, I do need to put some thought into holding the lane there as I'm turning right at the roundabout... although to be fair drivers are very accommodating.

Hope the interview goes/went well!

rjsterry

Based on the weather forecast this morning I was expecting a hefty headwind, especially as I opted to swing down Queenstown Road and over CB rather than my usual Clapham-Stockwell-Kennington route. But no, didn't really notice anything . Looks like a good NE tailwind this evening though. No real competition this morning, bar one shaved roadie who slipped past on the decent from Clapham Common. Caught up with him at the bottom but my frightened-rabbit style filtering let me down when we hit QTR.

Roastie

Now that I am imminently leaving London, my work situation means I have been on the London commute a few times a week. The irony.

I am finally getting back to reasonable form, some good SCR today. The London Bridge sprint was fun where some flatbar roadie was getting a bit cheeky. Thanks for playing.

But the best part was driving into the headwind up Nine Elms - first time I've made the lights by Bentley in a headwind without bug assist.

SamWise1972

I've been the fastest thing on the road for 2 weeks now! One guy did pass me at a set of lights because I was stopped and he was clipping along when the lights changed. I caught hm, but was too close to my turnoff to pass him without being a pain in the arse. I've been riding my single speed roadie, need to switch back to my 8 speed IGH tourer, and see if I can repeat my form. I doubt it!

ketsbaia

I'm similarly torn, Sam. After a couple of days on the flyer last week when not even speed itself knew how to deal with me, I've returned to the commuting hack, which is at least twice as heavy. Means almost whatever I overtake counts as a scalp, but it's bloody difficult to wind it up to any kind of speed, no matter how much I MTFU.

SamWise1972

Yeah, because I ride in my suit or jacket and trousers, I do okay for FCN regardless, but on a really fast bike, with a messenger bag, not much prey out there nonetheless. On my tourer, with panniers, it's a different ballgame, but it's heavier, and sometimes the mudguards drag, and by God the Schwalbe Marathon Supremes don't run as smooth as Vittoria Rubinos. On the SS I fly past everyone, on the tourer, people fly past me, and I have to work hard to keep pace.

Citizen Smith

With an agency in Clerkenwell today..... Jeeze...it's like fixie/fakenger circus round these parts!!!

Bonus about being up this way meant I could retrace my old commute and take in full embankment to Blackfriars. I was out early doors - hit Millbank wind tunnel at 7.15. Unfortunately, no roadies around but was happy to just bury myself as the lights were kind....legs feel heavy now!

Only problem I have is that my right Speedplay cleat is playing up so I can't clip in which is right PITA. Need to have a proper look tonight.

WesternWay

Cycling home to Barnet tonight was bloody windy, but generally enjoyable.

Made all the more enjoyable by going by a guy on a Shorter Rochford bike for the last couple of miles. OK, so of course he could have had me, but I'll take my wins where I can.

cjcp

Ooof! Nice and fast tonight.

But WTH was up with the traffic? First off, WBR was clogged up. This was jamming these up back to Chelsea Embankment. Then, the NKR and Putney Bridge was at a standstill. Something wrong with the A3??

Bit of a duel with a fast chap on a Trek.

jonginge

cjcp wrote:

Ooof! Nice and fast tonight.

But WTH was up with the traffic? First off, WBR was clogged up. This was jamming these up back to Chelsea Embankment. Then, the NKR and Putney Bridge was at a standstill. Something wrong with the A3??

Bit of a duel with a fast chap on a Trek.

Yeah, traffic was awful tonight. Shame coz the tailwind was epic along CE and NKR

lost_in_thought

Yeah, from HSK to shebu was horrendous, looked pretty awful off the other way towards Hammersmith too...

No scalpy action to report!

asprilla

lost_in_thought wrote:

Yeah, from HSK to shebu was horrendous, looked pretty awful off the other way towards Hammersmith too...

No scalpy action to report!

At 5.45 the queue for Putney Bridge started at Shebu. It was wicked flying past the traffic, especially in the bus lane down Fulham Palace Road.

rjsterry

+1 on the awful traffic tonight. I extended my route all the way down to the Wandsworth Bridge, just so I could re-scalp a guy (is that wrong?) on a white carbon frame (Wilier I think) with blue, red and white jersey, who I passed on DSC, but regained the lead by RLJing at the lights by the Shell petrol station. As I pulled up at the lights, he went past on the inside at about 25, which I thought was pretty damned cheeky. Had to re-scalp him after that, but due to the queue at CB, I only caught him at the lights. As we pulled away , I overtook him again, but we both soon hit the MASSIVE queue. Definitely a scalp, but I'm not sure it was worth it with that traffic. Tried the Lotts Road route, and almost rode straight into the barrier (had heard about it on here, but wasn't expecting it and just swerved at the last minute). Another massive queue after that round to WB. Not the best run.

kurako

Headwind on the way home. I made it from Canary Wharf to Wandsworth Common in about 43 mins which was pretty rapid considering all the roadworks on the A23. Didn't really spot any worthy opponents but I had to laugh out loud at the bloke who did a rather inelagant track stand between the kerb and the taxi only to lose his balance and put his foot down as he tried to move off once the lights had changed

rjsterry

How'd you manage to find a headwind gong west this evening? It was a strong E to NE.

On the other hand if there was a headwind, I have suddenly become chuffing AWEsome.

Roastie

How was that tailwind! Annoying though (apart from the scooters) was the twunt on the Spesh who drafted everything he could, including me through DSC to CB. As I slow for the lights there isn't even a "thank you" - so I say loudly "YOU'RE WELCOME" (I was still very angry) - twunt just looks at me.

In retrospect I should have ridden through every pothole I could spot. W**ker.

notsoblue

Traffic from Parliament to Putney Bridge was mental! It was all about the filtering technique most of the way. Some quick and nasty racing between the cars, quite enjoyed it Quite aggressively chased and kept ahead of this chap on a singlespeed. I think I can claim the scalp, my filtering was far more reckless/skilled 8)

Was going to take it easy today to save some for a weekend ride, but ended up extending my commute for a quick circuit of Richmond Park for some extra mileage as I was feeling spritely. I tend to enter and leave at Sheen. Is there any particular reason why most riders seem to go anti-clockwise?

kurako

It fel like a headwind. Maybe it was cos I was going sooooo fast

HamishD

Well so much for heavy rain all morning . . . about 3 bikes in 15 miles this morning - everyone's taken one look at the forecast and thought "sod that".

Mas rapido chap on a SS though from Lambeth to Hyde Park Corner. Was on the Cervelo this morning though, so even though I felt like pootling and letting him do his thing, I couldn't . . .

El Capitano

kelsen wrote:

cjcp wrote:

@El Capitano - wot the others said, mate.

So basically there's nothing for you to write about on this thread other than being scalped

What's the ruling on overtaking cars? Not filtering, but sticking to the 30 speed limit. Managed to overtake 2 cars on yesterday's ride home, thanks to the uber-tailwind.

WesternWay

Really, really enjoyed a trip down from North Finchley to Archway with a pretty quick guy on a slick-tyred MB (who we lost before the top of the hill) and a guy on an Orbea who I stayed with but who I guess turned off at Archway roundbout because I didn't see him again.

Legs are empty now though.