Silly commuting racing
Comments
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BentMikey wrote:
Well I never. Years ago, I used to go out with a girl who lived in the house on your left as you go through the roundabout (before the roundabout was there, in fact).0 -
Got well ambushed this evening. Came off VB lights, accelerated and settled into the DSC just in time for a shaved roadie to blow past me, shifting at quite a rate. I dug in and held him at ten metres on the run to the last set of lights before it opens up and sweeps to the right, then dug some more and closed to his wheel at eight o'clock. Thought (briefly) about a crafty counterattack before realising that things would have got gory very quickly if I did, and that we were about to hit the tail of some traffic queuing for the lights before the Victoria railway bridge. Maybe next time. Maybe.0
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Greg66 wrote:Got well ambushed this evening. Came off VB lights, accelerated and settled into the DSC just in time for a shaved roadie to blow past me, shifting at quite a rate. I dug in and held him at ten metres on the run to the last set of lights before it opens up and sweeps to the right, then dug some more and closed to his wheel at eight o'clock. Thought (briefly) about a crafty counterattack before realising that things would have got gory very quickly if I did, and that we were about to hit the tail of some traffic queuing for the lights before the Victoria railway bridge. Maybe next time. Maybe.
Similar experience going down DSC tonight: looked like it was winding up into something interesting them got caught at both sets of lights then the tail end of a big queue. Bah! Looks like the NE homeward tailwind will be in full effect tomorrow as well :twisted: , so fingers crossed for a clearer run.1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
Pinnacle Monzonite
Part of the anti-growth coalition0 -
BentMikey wrote:
More interested in the older cars you overtook. Some sort of classic car show?I've added a signature to prove it is still possible.0 -
BentMikey wrote:
There are some lovely cars in that queue :-)0 -
Grrrr, 2 weeks of not even seeing another cyclist on the road, and the first one I did see shot past me and didn't even say good morning. He was wearing lycra and on what looked like a very serious road bike. I was wearing baggies, on my knobbly MTB. I did think about trying to keep up for a bit, but as my legs were already screaming at me I just sighed, put my head back down and pretended it didn't bother me. I also had a wobbly moment where I nearly considered buying a road bike, thankfully it very quickly passed and I'm still on for my test ride on Sat/Sun on a newer, shinier MTB.0
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Right. Still no innertubes. I am going to Selfridges today come hell or high water. Grrrrrrrrr tube.0
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took a roadie in disguise this morning; nice bike and man on civvies riding it, until I look a bit closer and then I see some lycra peeking out of his baggies.
He kept up with me (presumably drafting) for about 5 miles and then I lost him on some fast straights0 -
lost_in_thought wrote:Right. Still no innertubes. I am going to Selfridges today come hell or high water. Grrrrrrrrr tube.
As far as I'm aware, the Cyclesurgery in Selfridges closed quite a while back.
You might be able to pick up some boob tubes though...0 -
Was a bit sluggish from last nights extra effort (was late so made a vain attempt to make up some time), plus the nasty headwind, but thought I was generally not doing to badly until i got done good and proper on Kennington Road by twin-panniered roadie (not a tourer I hasten to add). Rather cleverly, he let me through as the group started to spread out, then came round the outside when I was already giving it most of what I had. Pushed a bit harder to try and get on his wheel, but it just wasn't happening. Oh well.1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
Pinnacle Monzonite
Part of the anti-growth coalition0 -
massive hole on embankment approaching dsc going west?? wtf?
also scalped a troop of gendermes on horseback, thought I was in France for a minute0 -
lost_in_thought wrote:Right. Still no innertubes. I am going to Selfridges today come hell or high water. Grrrrrrrrr tube.
You're expecting the postman to deliver your vital innertubes before 9am :roll: They only deliver bills that early, stuff you want/need gets delivered later.I've added a signature to prove it is still possible.0 -
Well... absolutely ridiculous run from hammersmith to royal albert hall... I think only 1 light was green. Every single other fecking light on the entirety of HSK was red or went red at approach. Bantered with the fellow sufferers but still. It was ridiculous.
Some overall bad driving of bikes and cars drifiting across lanes to keep me on the toes. Reasonable chase along the racetrack with some roadies though.Le Cannon [98 Cannondale M400] [FCN: 8]
The Mad Monkey [2013 Hoy 003] [FCN: 4]0 -
OK, so WFH today so decide to go to the gym early and on the way back hit the famous embankment, never before tackled in rush hour. This could be fun, thinks I, in Brasil national cycling team kit (just cos theyre plying today) and "Scalp me please" in neon flashing lights on my back.......
And it was nose to tail from the Fulham Road to Chelsea Bridge. Bloody roadworks. Very disappointing Open the taps from CB to Vauxhall where I turn off and no-one went with me.
Another day with scalp still intact.
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kelsen wrote:lost_in_thought wrote:Right. Still no innertubes. I am going to Selfridges today come hell or high water. Grrrrrrrrr tube.
As far as I'm aware, the Cyclesurgery in Selfridges closed quite a while back.
You might be able to pick up some boob tubes though...
Noooooooooooooooooooooooooo
So where the heck am I meant to get my innertubes from? Damn you Mayfair.0 -
Riding the steel Orbea today, first proper SCR on it. Coming along Portobello Prom, I spy a pair of roadies having a race about a hundred yards ahead of me. Excellent, time to spoil their fun.
The loser is fairly easy pickings, I overtake him by the cat and dog home, before the rise to Seafield Road. I blitz said rise and am on the tail of the winner by the top. We cross onto Seafield at roughly the same time and I dig in to overtake. As I'm winding up, I see another roadie waiting to turn on to Seafield from a side-street. I disregard him, due to the hi-viz jacket and baggies. I overtake the second roadie with a cheery, "Good morning!". And cruise on down to victory.
It turns out that said Hi-viz roadie was not one to be disregarded. He attacked about a quarter of a mile further on, impressive speed, I just couldn't move the Orbea any faster, but he wasn't getting away. He had calves that said he was pretty serious and he was going for it. I didn't manage to get him back, as we ran into traffic, I'm not sure I would have been able to even if we hadn't though. On the BeOne I'd have killed him, obviously.
So, the Orbea. Fast, but lacking top-end speed. I think it may be the old tyres, I haven't replaced them yet; They seem softer than my normal ones, even at the same pressures.0 -
lost_in_thought wrote:kelsen wrote:lost_in_thought wrote:Right. Still no innertubes. I am going to Selfridges today come hell or high water. Grrrrrrrrr tube.
As far as I'm aware, the Cyclesurgery in Selfridges closed quite a while back.
You might be able to pick up some boob tubes though...
Noooooooooooooooooooooooooo
So where the heck am I meant to get my innertubes from? Damn you Mayfair.
arse it did - great portland st now...Le Cannon [98 Cannondale M400] [FCN: 8]
The Mad Monkey [2013 Hoy 003] [FCN: 4]0 -
lost_in_thought wrote:kelsen wrote:lost_in_thought wrote:Right. Still no innertubes. I am going to Selfridges today come hell or high water. Grrrrrrrrr tube.
As far as I'm aware, the Cyclesurgery in Selfridges closed quite a while back.
You might be able to pick up some boob tubes though...
Noooooooooooooooooooooooooo
So where the heck am I meant to get my innertubes from? Damn you Mayfair.
Evans 62 Mortimer Str, north of Oxford Circus. They can probably manage to sell you an inner tube without ballsing it up. Probably.0 -
lost_in_thought wrote:kelsen wrote:lost_in_thought wrote:Right. Still no innertubes. I am going to Selfridges today come hell or high water. Grrrrrrrrr tube.
As far as I'm aware, the Cyclesurgery in Selfridges closed quite a while back.
You might be able to pick up some boob tubes though...
Noooooooooooooooooooooooooo
So where the heck am I meant to get my innertubes from? Damn you Mayfair.
Are there no knights in shining armour on this forum willing to pick up and deliver some inner tubes to a damsel in distress?
I would offer but I'm the other side of London in the City.0 -
Harry182 wrote:
Oh, I'm not that fast, maybe 24-25mph. I can nose breath at 20 on the flat if there's no wind. I was digging quite deep when I passed that chap.redvee wrote:More interested in the older cars you overtook. Some sort of classic car show?
They're great, aren't they? Some sort of car show in Norman Park in Bromley.0 -
Approach a guy on some flatbar milarky on the only bit of cycle path I use (roads to rough) he's riding in the middle of it so I call out 'on your left', no response so i put my foot down and pass him, He didnt try to give chase though. Wouldnt have counted anyway but the pickings are so slim between 4:30 am and 5:30am a bit of a chase would have been nice and it was 15 miles into my 17miles commuteNovice runner & novice cyclist
Specialized Tricross
Orbea (Enol I think)0 -
It's a shame the bike hire scheme isn't up and running or you could easily pootle over to one of the big chains and back using one of theose - only £1, so cheaper than stumping up for the tube each day.lost_in_thought wrote:kelsen wrote:lost_in_thought wrote:Right. Still no innertubes. I am going to Selfridges today come hell or high water. Grrrrrrrrr tube.
As far as I'm aware, the Cyclesurgery in Selfridges closed quite a while back.
You might be able to pick up some boob tubes though...
Noooooooooooooooooooooooooo
So where the heck am I meant to get my innertubes from? Damn you Mayfair.
Is there only one of your stable that is suited to commuting? Or are the rest back in Essex?0 -
Good bit of SCR on the way home last night from Cardiff to Barry. First off a chap on a Focus road bike in full HTC Columbia strip (including socks) went past me as I was waiting for my GPS to locate satellites outside the office. I caught him and passed him in the filtering traffic, then turned off towards the Stadium (Heol Y Porth – Westgate St). He carried straight on the A4161.
Got caught up in the traffic at the back of the station and along Penarth road. Caught up with a chap on a Specialized flat bar road bike at the lights with Hadfield road, got past him and he then sat on my wheel until the road climbed towards the junction of the A4055, where I managed to drop him.
I got delayed at the lights, only to see the chap on the Focus, who I’d passed earlier cross over from the Bay towards Barry and the chap on the Specialized catch up. I started to chase the chap on the Focus down, again being held up by the traffic moving slowly. The chap on the Specialized managed to get past me on the inside of the cars (a bit of a dodgy move IMO), and he started chasing down the chap on the Focus.
Between the lights at Cogan and the set in Dinas Powys, I’d first passed the chap on the Focus, then the chap on the Specialized, who again, sat on my wheel. At the climb to the railway bridge, I again rode him off my wheel, only to have him get back onto it on the newly laid section of road on the run into Barry – the surface resembles a fire-road and not much fun with 115psi in 25c tyres…
He managed to stay with me over the roundabout and I put my foot down for the last couple of miles, managing to time the lights by Dow Corning, so I hit them at full bore on green. Somewhere between there and the Dock Offices on Ffordd Y Mileniwm the chap on the Specialized either turned off or gave up. Wound it down a bit then for the last stretch home.
Legs were dead this morning, but fortunately nothing around to scalp me. Looking forward to the ride home this evening (with a tailwind!).0 -
Twas rubbish this morning! I left a bit later then anticipated so had to take the more "direct" route in rather then my preferred Embankment commute :-(
As it happened I may have been quicker sucking up the extra 2 1/2 miles as the traffic in Balham with the lane restrictions was sh!te! First time I've been through with them in place and I, along with about 20 or so other cyclist, all got held up. A big bunch got away and I missed a filtering opportunity so could only watch as a veritable gaggle of potential scalps disappeared down the road
Once I got a the tiniest bit of gap I made a break for it and set about chasing a couple of scooter riders towards Stockwell. Almost had them as we approached the lights by the station before swinging round up SLR. A roadie in 7-Eleven jersey looked quick but also missed a filtering oppo that I snatched before stomping on the pedals to "make hay whilst the sun shines" :twisted:
Little word of advice for the lady trying to filter round the right of traffic on SLR? Think you could look back behind you before worrying about traffic coming towards you? Makes it a damn sight easier to spot incoming riders!! I saw her edging out but at no point did she check it was clear from behind and I could have easily been a motorbike.
Hoping to get a sneaky few miles in after lunch as I have to visit Covent Garden to setup a laptop :-) Don't have to ask me twice to get out on the bike, although it is rather blowy!!0 -
Specialized Needs wrote:
It's a shame the bike hire scheme isn't up and running or you could easily pootle over to one of the big chains and back using one of theose - only £1, so cheaper than stumping up for the tube each day.lost_in_thought wrote:kelsen wrote:lost_in_thought wrote:Right. Still no innertubes. I am going to Selfridges today come hell or high water. Grrrrrrrrr tube.
As far as I'm aware, the Cyclesurgery in Selfridges closed quite a while back.
You might be able to pick up some boob tubes though...
Noooooooooooooooooooooooooo
So where the heck am I meant to get my innertubes from? Damn you Mayfair.
Is there only one of your stable that is suited to commuting? Or are the rest back in Essex?
Well, I could have taken the Old Commuter, but it's painfully slow... And yeah, the hire scheme would be very handy!
But............. wiggle have delivered my tubes! I now have 7 of them! Yaaaaay bike tomorrow!
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Bassjunkieuk wrote:it is rather blowy!!
Pah.
I'm not struggling at all.....
Never has sitting up the exhaust of a skip van being driven by a crackhead with ADHD and heavy right foot looked so attractive....
I was fading in a big way by the time I got to the wharf this morning...Fixed gear for wet weather / hairy roadie for posing in the sun.
What would Thora Hurd do?0 -
El Capitano wrote:Good bit of SCR on the way home last night from Cardiff to Barry. First off a chap on a Focus road bike in full HTC Columbia strip (including socks) went past me as I was waiting for my GPS to locate satellites outside the office. I caught him and passed him in the filtering traffic, then turned off towards the Stadium (Heol Y Porth – Westgate St). He carried straight on the A4161.
Got caught up in the traffic at the back of the station and along Penarth road. Caught up with a chap on a Specialized flat bar road bike at the lights with Hadfield road, got past him and he then sat on my wheel until the road climbed towards the junction of the A4055, where I managed to drop him.
I got delayed at the lights, only to see the chap on the Focus, who I’d passed earlier cross over from the Bay towards Barry and the chap on the Specialized catch up. I started to chase the chap on the Focus down, again being held up by the traffic moving slowly. The chap on the Specialized managed to get past me on the inside of the cars (a bit of a dodgy move IMO), and he started chasing down the chap on the Focus.
Between the lights at Cogan and the set in Dinas Powys, I’d first passed the chap on the Focus, then the chap on the Specialized, who again, sat on my wheel. At the climb to the railway bridge, I again rode him off my wheel, only to have him get back onto it on the newly laid section of road on the run into Barry – the surface resembles a fire-road and not much fun with 115psi in 25c tyres…
He managed to stay with me over the roundabout and I put my foot down for the last couple of miles, managing to time the lights by Dow Corning, so I hit them at full bore on green. Somewhere between there and the Dock Offices on Ffordd Y Mileniwm the chap on the Specialized either turned off or gave up. Wound it down a bit then for the last stretch home.
Legs were dead this morning, but fortunately nothing around to scalp me. Looking forward to the ride home this evening (with a tailwind!). Always nice to read about SCR action from near my home town. That's a good distance for SCR action. FCN 2-4.
"What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
"It stays down, Daddy."
"Exactly."0 -
That was good :-) Not even 4 miles round trip but I did get some action.
First up on the outward leg a chap aboard a SS came past mashing on The Strand. THe wind seemed to be heading straight towards us so I gritted my teeth and despite the extra wind resistance from the keyboard box poking out my backpack I re-took him :-)
Way back was interesting as I wanted to do it "properly" so no dodgy turns or ignoring one-way signs! I managed to thread myself back through the back streets off The Strand and found my way back to Bedford Street.
All in a nice ride and I found a couple more elephants ;-)0 -
Bassjunkieuk wrote:despite the extra wind resistance from the keyboard box poking out my backpack I re-took him :-)
Keyboard likely more than doubled your normal surface area Le Cannon [98 Cannondale M400] [FCN: 8]
The Mad Monkey [2013 Hoy 003] [FCN: 4]0
