Silly commuting racing

iPete

Nope, my attempts to destroy everything in sight are constantly hampered by London traffic and by other people choosing to take more risks and jump red lights!

I may give up on SCR and do some actual racing, somebody needs to put me in my place!

WesternWay

iPete wrote:

Nope, my attempts to destroy everything in sight are constantly hampered by London traffic and by other people choosing to take more risks and jump red lights!

I have the same problem. That and those buggers with stronger legs than mine.

notsoblue

iPete wrote:

Nope, my attempts to destroy everything in sight are constantly hampered by London traffic and by other people choosing to take more risks and jump red lights!

I may give up on SCR and do some actual racing, somebody needs to put me in my place!

High speed filtering is part of the challenge, surely!

Greg T

notsoblue wrote:

High speed filtering is part of the challenge, surely!

Nope - Just a sure fire way to get yourself creamed.

HamishD

notsoblue wrote:

iPete wrote:

Nope, my attempts to destroy everything in sight are constantly hampered by London traffic and by other people choosing to take more risks and jump red lights!

I may give up on SCR and do some actual racing, somebody needs to put me in my place!

High speed filtering is part of the challenge, surely!

I respectfully disagree . . . As far as I'm concerned, SCR is suspended in heavy traffic. To be recommenced with a vengeance as soon as the road opens up again

lost_in_thought

Bus lanes are where the SCR restarts in heavy traffic.

Unless there are buses in them.

Inconsiderate bus-driving so-and-sos.

How dare they.

Greg T

lost_in_thought wrote:

Bus lanes are where the SCR restarts in heavy traffic.

the bus lane up the fearsome Northern slope of the Col De Putney Bridge....

You gte caught at the lights. Stopped dead just before the slope really "kicks in".

Green.

Calves strain, eyes glaze, nostrils flare.... not trying has never been so hard.

If the lane is clear to the summit expect hearts to be broken and reputations to be ruined...

Lower Richmond Road and the Bolan Death Bridge are all very well but the Col is the preffered scalping ground of the connousier (however you spell it)

lost_in_thought

Greg T wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

Bus lanes are where the SCR restarts in heavy traffic.

the bus lane up the fearsome Northern slope of the Col De Putney Bridge....

You gte caught at the lights. Stopped dead just before the slope really "kicks in".

Green.

Calves strain, eyes glaze, nostrils flare.... not trying has never been so hard.

If the lane is clear to the summit expect hearts to be broken and reputations to be ruined...

Lower Richmond Road and the Bolan Death Bridge are all very well but the Col is the preffered scalping ground of the connousier (however you spell it)

I don't bloomin' well know. Been out for 3hr a bonding lunch with new boss.

Now pissed as a fart.

:oops:

rjsterry

Ooh that's a risky strategy getting drunk with the boss, let alone a new boss.

@ GregT: I always preferred Putney Hill to the bridge (when it wasn't stacked with stationary traffic, and the lights half way up were green).

kona_matt

lost_in_thought wrote:

Been out for 3hr a bonding lunch with new boss.

Now pissed as a fart.

:oops:

i went for a cheeky pint at lunchtime and now have a massive headache! not sure what that's about, very unusual for me.

El Capitano

Major fail on the ride home!

Had a fully blown Hypo (I'm a diabetic) about half way. Took two prescription gels and a 'normal energy gel to put me into a condition where I could crawl home.

Fortunately there was no one else riding otherwise I'd have been a sitting duck.

Just downloaded the GPS data and my heart rate spiked at 235bpm :shock:

TBH, its my own fault. I'd forget to eat my pre-ride banana and flapjack before leaving the office.

Time for some serious food and a mug of tea methinks.

itboffin

kona_matt wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

Been out for 3hr a bonding lunch with new boss.

Now pissed as a fart.

:oops:

i went for a cheeky pint at lunchtime and now have a massive headache! not sure what that's about, very unusual for me.

You didn't drink enough, sic!

If anyone wants me i'll be in the pub topping up my tan :roll:

Cafewanda

El Capitano wrote:

Major fail on the ride home!

Had a fully blown Hypo (I'm a diabetic) about half way. Took two prescription gels and a 'normal energy gel to put me into a condition where I could crawl home.

Fortunately there was no one else riding otherwise I'd have been a sitting duck.

Just downloaded the GPS data and my heart rate spiked at 235bpm :shock:

TBH, its my own fault. I'd forget to eat my pre-ride banana and flapjack before leaving the office.

Time for some serious food and a mug of tea methinks.

I think your punishment should be 2 days off the bike and using public transport. Very naughty. Stick reminders in your phone to flash up.

Bassjunkieuk

@EC - Must have been something in the water today as I had a bit of a faint feeling whilst lugging a big ol' Cannon MFP around at work! Had to guzzle half a bottle of water and a banana to feel OK again but thought I'd take the shorter route home (I know I can already hear the calls of MTFU coming........)

Still it wasn't all bad, found a few good scalps and had a "moment" at Stockwell with a motorcyclist :-) Arrived in the ASL just behind a SS and person on a road bike. Person on a roadie was actually a rather attractive brunette in lycra cycling shorts :-) I glanced across at the MB rider and he was staring in the same direction then looked and me and we collectively acknowledge the fine "scenery" :-D

Alas that was all the chance to got to admire the view as the lights changed to green and I soon overtook....

Fairly boring after that really although I did seem to have a good run on the lights through Clapham :-)

cjcp

@King Donut - good to see you tonight. Apologies again for not speaking to you until Priory Lane - was in a foul mood, especially with those RLJing choppers on the Giants. Gimps.

Anyway, good form up Broomfield, sir. Dropped me a treat.

rjsterry

Tried a new route variation this evening, as I needed an easy run, and couldn't face another slog through the traffic on the Embankment.

So, went over Blackfriars Bridge, and turned right along past Waterloo, Lambeth Palace Road and down to Vauxhall, then round on to Wandsworth Road, which was weirdly deserted. A nice steady clear run down to North Stret and the climb up to Clapham Common, which was equally like a scene from 28 Days Later. Fairly normal after that. No real scalps given or taken bar that chap I've come across before in full Pearson kit (including socks), and a matching blue and white Ridley who was properly pootling.

Wrath Rob

Had a pleasant run in with a roadie in a hi-viz top along Embankment tonight. I don't know where I picked him up but I was pulling an easy 28mph along DSC thanks to the tail wind, just made it through the lights before Chelsea Bridge, stopped at CB and he appeared shortly afterwards. I had a major clip-in fail with the new Time i-clics so he lead down the ramp and slowly wound it up to 28 again, and kept glancing back at me all the time. Unfortunately the traffic at Albert Bridge saw him filter left and me go up the centre of the road and I didn't see him again. Honours even, and it was nice to find someone at the same pace. Chapeau!

Bassjunkieuk

Had a fun early morning ride in today. Managed to get off about 15 minutes earlier then yesterday so I was out of the house by about 6:50ish..........

One thing I do love about the earlier starts is that the roads are relatively empty, now this can be a blessing (in the case of cars/buses/lorries etc.) but also a curse for the avid SCRer as it can also mean less bikes. This mornings proved quite fruitful. Nothing much of note until I hit NKR except for the young lady in the rather see-through leggings on WBR, she was on a MTB/hybrid so going considerably slower otherwise I'd have not overtaken, (un)fortunately the traffic did allow for a pass Incidentally the bike lane was lovely and clear on that stretch this morning as a street sweeper van was doing it's rounds up there!

Now I'm not sure if this rider is on the forums, if you are chapeau sir you certainly got me. High-vis jacket, face mask, blue SS/FG with blue bar tape. Very good speed and by this I mean a consistent 25mph+ along practically the whole Embankment! We traded places a couple of times once I'd caught up with him but your pre-empting of the lights and that annoyingly close pass you made did irritate me but nonetheless I do believe my scalp is yours as I couldn't hold you off :-( Well done!

On the plus side I did set a PB for the ride in today, I think in part due to the lack of traffic and aforementioned guy making sure I didn't let off the gas on the final leg - 18mph average for the 12.4 miles :-)

iPete

notsoblue wrote:

iPete wrote:

Nope, my attempts to destroy everything in sight are constantly hampered by London traffic and by other people choosing to take more risks and jump red lights!

I may give up on SCR and do some actual racing, somebody needs to put me in my place!

High speed filtering is part of the challenge, surely!

Read the rules, not getting splatted for SCR!

In my frustration I took to Richmond park last night for 1 and 2/3 laps with 1 fully loaded pannier, nobody rose to the challenge, it is satisfying out climbing people loaded and getting back upto speed quicker :twisted:

BR 1979

anton1r wrote:

Your scalps are all well and good guys but today as far as I'm concerned anyway, they just dont cut it. I'll explain...

While attempting to pootle to work today I was overtaken by a female Roadie in team kit and on tri bars. Now normally when roadies power past i'm not overly bothered i'm more of a "meh, its just a dirty roadie, it's not like I lose my scalp to them." but today (and i'm mostly putting this down to the tri bars) cue the red mist.This red mist was the catalyst for an epic combination of man and machine pushing the speed barriers to catch up with sed dirty roadie. Now, I won't lie, it took me a while to catch her and at one point I didn't think I was going to, but thanks to some epic effort and luck at the lights I managed to get closer as we filtered at the road works at Murrayfield. Next up was the climb up Westercoats past Donaldson's School and to Haymarket where I turn off.

Now I knew this was my moment, I started to put the "power" down and moved round a couple of other people on bikes (a couple of folks on MTBs with slicks and a one dude on a folder). Now it was only me and the tri barred, team kitted, dirty rotten roadie woman left. Ooh now she's out her seat trying to get up here, too late missus i'm already at "Mach1"... zooooooooom past i go... I leave the power on despite the legs telling me to slow down and I build up a nice lead, I leave 3/4 power on until I turn off up the road.

A proper scalp, hells and yeah! 8)

In hindsight, I don't care if she wasn't racing, I was. I don't care that she was, well a she, If you were team kit and use tri bars you've gotta be able to cycle when needed. I don't care if she was on the last leg of an epic length commute and i'm only doing a 5miler. Simply put it's a roadie scalp, I don't get many and i'm taking it!

So, you overtook a girl (with great effort).

asprilla

Went home via Sawyer's Hill last night, which I've not done for a long time and demonstrated to myself that I've improved greatly as a cyclist in the last six months. I used to toil up there in the lowest gear while all and sundry would glide past like swans.

Last night was my turn to do the gliding over taking everyone up the hill and then down the other side.

Most pleasing.

bigmat

El Capitano wrote:

Major fail on the ride home!

Had a fully blown Hypo (I'm a diabetic) about half way. Took two prescription gels and a 'normal energy gel to put me into a condition where I could crawl home.

Fortunately there was no one else riding otherwise I'd have been a sitting duck.

Just downloaded the GPS data and my heart rate spiked at 235bpm :shock:

TBH, its my own fault. I'd forget to eat my pre-ride banana and flapjack before leaving the office.

Time for some serious food and a mug of tea methinks.

Ouch, been there done that! At least you were prepared and had gels handy, worst one for me was towards the end of a sportive, I was completely out of food and had to zombie soft-pedal to the nearest village shop where I downed two Mars bars and a bottle of lucozade sport!

lost_in_thought

Went home on the choob last night as I had an early start across town this morning, and mistakenly (and stupidly) thought that it would be logistically easier if I took the tube in.

WRONG.

THE TUBE IS NEVER THE ANSWER.


:x :evil:

ketsbaia

Pay attention, Sirrus boy. No one drafts me on the smooth tarmac of Great Dover Street. No one. You looked in a right old 808 by the time you got to the Borough High Street. So did I, but awesome power = vital seconds R&R in the ASL while waiting for scalpees to turn up, which explains my unflustered demeanour and cheery nod.

Wrath Rob

Earlier start this morning and suffered from serious end-of-week legs. With the imaginary cries of "MTFU" from the forum loud in my head I toiled in and avoided a scalping. At least the early start meant a lack of roadies, apart from one in what looked like team kit catching me just before Blackfriars underpass and then drafting me through the tunnel. My spidy sense told me he was there so I gave plenty of notice when turning off and got a thumbs up in return.

Not looking forwards to the ride home

Greg T

Handed out shame and "must try harder" tokens like confetti this morning....

Apparently had the Giro leader giving me a lesson on bad filtering ettiquette this morning. I'm waiting behind a big 4 x 4 by charing cross bridge - tight squeeze on left - I've dropped him before but he thinks three car lengths is worth it.....

It is a slow start but all to the good. The draught from an X5 is significant.

I do a very bad thing......

I let the X5 tow me up to 30......

I spot Rosa dude toiling and puffing like Ivor the Engine ahead.....

I drop out of wind shadow 5 m behind him Stop pedalling, sit up and adjust my bag as I go past him like nonchalant flash. I'm in a big gear - fully spun up - I enagage the big motor and drop the hammer....

No it wasn't fair. But war isn't.

WesternWay

Asprilla wrote:

Went home via Sawyer's Hill last night, which I've not done for a long time and demonstrated to myself that I've improved greatly as a cyclist in the last six months. I used to toil up there in the lowest gear while all and sundry would glide past like swans.

Last night was my turn to do the gliding over taking everyone up the hill and then down the other side.

Most pleasing.

The hills are where I notice my improvement too. I know that London doesn't have big ones and even medium ones slow me down, but I now quite look forward to Archway Hill, whereas I used to find it damn hard.

rjsterry

Sounds like a good'un Greg T.

Had a split journey today: up to Fulham for a meeting - lots of fun blasting down Trinity Road, and a scalp - for a meeting, then a run along the Embankment later. No-one about later, but did come across this:



Fred Flintstone's car, Del Boy's Reliant van, an the Batmobile. Tailed them up from Battersea Bridge, and passed them at P. Sq.

ketsbaia

That's quality cartoon caper scalping out of the top drawer, RJS.

Wrath Rob

Chapeau to Greg T. Quality scalping