Silly commuting racing
Comments
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lost_in_thought wrote:Greg66 wrote:I don't think he liked it when I said "that's where you're supposed to cross", pointing at the studs, "there, between the studs. Can you see them? The square things on the ground. See them? Try walking between them."
Perhaps it was just my tone.
Maybe he thought you were calling him a stud.
A frightening experience for him, especially if you were in your best papa smurf outfit...
:twisted:
Actually, I'll have you know I was in red today.
Never mess with someone who looks like they may be a demon from the underworld. Now *that's* sound advice.0 -
dhope wrote:Butterd2 wrote:All the action seems to be on the west side of town, anyone playing SCR on the east side (Greenwich/Isle of Dogs/Cable street etc)?
Greenwich park hill great for cruising past people on the way up and Cable Street getting a very fast new blue surface on the cycle path though it's still going to be quicker to use the road when it's clear.
Steps at Greenwich foot tunnel closed for 20 weeks!! Now have to wait with all the lazy numpties who use the lifts- may have to go Deptford / Tower bridge?
FCN 4 due to a short beard so should be able to rack up some decent points against other hairy roadies.
That'd be around my neck of the woods.
First cycle in today, from Greenwich, Trafalgar Road, past the Cutty Sark and through Deptford, up to London Bridge and onto St Pauls.
Still on the fixed for now, I fear bringing out the carbon Boardman would betray my Cycle2Work-Newbie status so need to get my legs back first so I can fend off people looking for easy scalps.
I'm gonna have to try that route, cannot spend 20 weeks stood in the Foot Tunnel waiting for the lift - rode it once and though it was a little hairy - what's the life expectancy that way?0 -
Butterd2 wrote:dhope wrote:Butterd2 wrote:All the action seems to be on the west side of town, anyone playing SCR on the east side (Greenwich/Isle of Dogs/Cable street etc)?
Greenwich park hill great for cruising past people on the way up and Cable Street getting a very fast new blue surface on the cycle path though it's still going to be quicker to use the road when it's clear.
Steps at Greenwich foot tunnel closed for 20 weeks!! Now have to wait with all the lazy numpties who use the lifts- may have to go Deptford / Tower bridge?
FCN 4 due to a short beard so should be able to rack up some decent points against other hairy roadies.
That'd be around my neck of the woods.
First cycle in today, from Greenwich, Trafalgar Road, past the Cutty Sark and through Deptford, up to London Bridge and onto St Pauls.
Still on the fixed for now, I fear bringing out the carbon Boardman would betray my Cycle2Work-Newbie status so need to get my legs back first so I can fend off people looking for easy scalps.
I'm gonna have to try that route, cannot spend 20 weeks stood in the Foot Tunnel waiting for the lift - rode it once and though it was a little hairy - what's the life expectancy that way?
Today was first time I've ridden it at 8am but other times I've never had any problems. Don't have much to compare it to but it doesn't seem significantly better or worse than much of SE London...0 -
Greg66 wrote:lost_in_thought wrote:Greg66 wrote:I don't think he liked it when I said "that's where you're supposed to cross", pointing at the studs, "there, between the studs. Can you see them? The square things on the ground. See them? Try walking between them."
Perhaps it was just my tone.
Maybe he thought you were calling him a stud.
A frightening experience for him, especially if you were in your best papa smurf outfit...
:twisted:
Actually, I'll have you know I was in red today.
Never mess with someone who looks like they may be a demon from the underworld. Now *that's* sound advice.
Ah yes the satanic outfit :-)
I thought I'd spotted JG on the way in today, chap ahead with a ponytail on a roadie. The rather "large" build though immediately confirmed it wasn't our resident mountain goat tho
Tried the reverse of the alternative route I did home on Friday. Was pretty good until Chelsea Bridge at which point the traffic was sh!te!
Route overall was nice, riding through the middle of Clapham Common was lovely on this sunny morning and I saw plenty of other cyclist and even got a few scalps out of it :-) I also got the "descent" just right towards the cross-roads and got through the lights OK but had to back it off a tad to avoid undertaking a couple of big artics......0 -
Greg66 wrote:lost_in_thought wrote:Greg66 wrote:I don't think he liked it when I said "that's where you're supposed to cross", pointing at the studs, "there, between the studs. Can you see them? The square things on the ground. See them? Try walking between them."
Perhaps it was just my tone.
Maybe he thought you were calling him a stud.
A frightening experience for him, especially if you were in your best papa smurf outfit...
:twisted:
Actually, I'll have you know I was in red today.
Never mess with someone who looks like they may be a demon from the underworld. Now *that's* sound advice.
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It was obviously the day for scalping this morning. I switched back to the Boardman over the weekend so no more carbon commuting for me. However, with the addition of mudguards it does help my FCN :twisted:
Cue roadies and fixes applenty practically queuing up to throw their scalp at me along Embankment, Millbank and HoP. Slowly the others got the message but 3 seemed determined to let themselves be repeatedly scalped. One was a baggie roadie (no mudguards) with one of those little rear view mirrors on his helmet. Another was a lycra'd guy on a fixie and the 3rd was a lycra'd, tall ladie on a fixed (or SS, couldn't tell) Pearson.
Coming away from HoP they all pootle off so I roar past (1st scalp). The lights round the corner are red so I coast down to them and all 3 go past me, stop, unclip and then faff as the lights predictably go green and I sail past. Not a scalp but I turned on the power and made good my escape, confirming the scalping. Unfortunately I got held up at the lights before Temple which changed to green just as the 3 scalpee's arrived, letting them past.
Seeing the opportunity for another round of scalping I took off, winding up to 25mph, ignored the protests from my lungs and sailed past all 3 of them, before having to coast for the now red lights before Blackfriars . I think this pee'd off the tall lycra lady as with about 5m to go before the stop line, with a rider in front waiting to go, she barges past me just as the lights go green. Pretty poor form and cue crys of "Thanks, no really, thank you, after you", shortly followed by "Scalp" as I went past her again. Not strictly in the spirit of SCR but she'd annoyed me at this point.
Determined to prove my point I drove hard down the underpass, lungs now at full cry, blood rushing in my ears, 27mph was all I could reach, 24 all I could hold through the tunnel, thoughts of the chasing pack on my back wheel spurring me on to ignore the cardiac arrest I was about to suffer, the safety of turning off so close I can almost touch it.
Get to the lights, turn left, cruise up the hill to the ped/cyclo crossing and catch breath. Jobe done.
More scalps in 1 ride than the rest of June. Bring on the journey home though the lungs are still hurtingFCN3: Titanium Qoroz.0 -
lost_in_thought wrote:Greg66 wrote:lost_in_thought wrote:Greg66 wrote:I don't think he liked it when I said "that's where you're supposed to cross", pointing at the studs, "there, between the studs. Can you see them? The square things on the ground. See them? Try walking between them."
Perhaps it was just my tone.
Maybe he thought you were calling him a stud.
A frightening experience for him, especially if you were in your best papa smurf outfit...
:twisted:
Actually, I'll have you know I was in red today.
Never mess with someone who looks like they may be a demon from the underworld. Now *that's* sound advice.
We actually have some CCTV footage:
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Cafewanda wrote: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.
Yeah, yeah, I know, I know... Had to drive in on Friday as I was still feeling pretty crap. No riding over the weekend either (just some fettling). Rode in this morning, on the full suss MTB. Absolutely no-one about. Was a bit surprised as it's "Bike Week". Lovely still morning, no wind or breeze, nice warm temperature, with the promise of skin-crisping heat this afternoon. Hopefully there'll be some sport on the way home. 0 -
Sounds like I was the only one not having any fun this morning. Nuffink on the way up to Fulham, (split commute for a meeting again) and unsurprisingly, nuffink again for the trip up the full length of the Embankment. Lovely ride in the sunshine though, and did have a go at drafting a couple of coaches, but they were just a bit too quick to hang on.1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
Pinnacle Monzonite
Part of the anti-growth coalition0 -
Bassjunkieuk wrote:lost_in_thought wrote:Greg66 wrote:lost_in_thought wrote:Greg66 wrote:I don't think he liked it when I said "that's where you're supposed to cross", pointing at the studs, "there, between the studs. Can you see them? The square things on the ground. See them? Try walking between them."
Perhaps it was just my tone.
Maybe he thought you were calling him a stud.
A frightening experience for him, especially if you were in your best papa smurf outfit...
:twisted:
Actually, I'll have you know I was in red today.
Never mess with someone who looks like they may be a demon from the underworld. Now *that's* sound advice.
We actually have some CCTV footage:
That fella's stolen l_i_t's shoes!0 -
I was just thinking the same thing.1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
Pinnacle Monzonite
Part of the anti-growth coalition0 -
a mess age from my wife.
(in brackets from me)
Streets were quiet and our parking lot is pretty much empty (G20 summit later this week and people already working from home)- therefore a great cycle in. Got a GREAT scalp today- this guy passed me around were we go for a drink (on flat by the lake)- then I passed him going up the hill (not much of a hill either!)- he had proper road bike, tires and shoes. Haha loser
DFCN 120 -
Greg66 wrote:Bassjunkieuk wrote:lost_in_thought wrote:Greg66 wrote:lost_in_thought wrote:Greg66 wrote:I don't think he liked it when I said "that's where you're supposed to cross", pointing at the studs, "there, between the studs. Can you see them? The square things on the ground. See them? Try walking between them."
Perhaps it was just my tone.
Maybe he thought you were calling him a stud.
A frightening experience for him, especially if you were in your best papa smurf outfit...
:twisted:
Actually, I'll have you know I was in red today.
Never mess with someone who looks like they may be a demon from the underworld. Now *that's* sound advice.
We actually have some CCTV footage:
That fella's stolen l_i_t's shoes!
Well, it seems I got off lightly, he's got away with most of your cycling kit and your trident!0 -
Scalped a scooter today :-)
It probably doesn't really count, as I had to slipstream it for at least 1k going past a string of cyclists (this is Copenhagen, can't really play by the same rules, it was less slipstreaming more following the open road behind the scooter!) and had to turn off just after passing (I took it at the first safe opportunity, honest!)
My FCN appears to be around 10:
I think I'm on a fast hybrid, whatever that might be, it's not a tourer/racer, has 8 gears and flat bars, has mudguards, but frame is alloy of some sort and little sharper than what you'd put a basket on...
Adjusters:
Baggy shorts and t-shirt, flat pedals.
Anyway, points or not I was pleased :-) Am thinking of developing Copenhagen Rules though...Warning No formatter is installed for the format0 -
This weather's great. I'm actually seeing other bikes on my commute at last.
OK, so there was only 1 of note: a roadie in team kit. So he was out of the saddle up the 'climbs' to drop me, but he did admit it had taken him a mile and a half to catch me and complimented me on my speed as he came past.
Chapeau sir.0 -
Sorry if this comes across a little ranty at the end but I experienced possibly some of the worst driving I've seen in 3 years of cycle commuting and I don't think there was much I could have really done about it!!
First the good bits tho. The Embankment!! I'm loving it along there as it's finally giving me some good competition, something that was so rare on The Drag Strip! This evening saw me pick up about 3 or 4 roadies as I exited LBR and headed along Millbank. Kept at the head of the group along there until we arrived at the now red lights at VB. 2 of them went out into the junction, about 1/2 way across the S/B lane and so got a headstart once the lights changed. I wound it up and went past the couple of roadies ahead of me with the 2 RLJer's fixed in my sights. Had a close call with a BMW who was edging closer and closer to the kerb as I was alongside. I braked when I realized he obviously hadn't seen me and was actually so close my knuckle brushed his rear wheel arch whilst I was on the hoods :shock:
Unfortunately this lost me a few MPH and despite my efforts I could only hold the gap approximately level with the 2 man peloton ahead and eventually lost them at the lights by the Victoria railway bridge when they went red :evil:
Then had a chap on a grey Condor in a blue/orange Holdsworth top have a pop. He had a decent turn of speed and drew level then went past just before we hit traffic. We hit the lights at Battersea Bridge and then had a good run off the down ramp! I managed to get past and held that position until I turned off for WBR. Think I'd call it honours even with him :-)
Crossing WBR to head up Trinity Road I can hear a car accelerating behind me. I fully expected them to hare round me and swing onto the exit lane but no they wheren't content with overtaking just me they raced ahead to the poor chap on his BSO and narrowly missed him as they shot across his path, just before the hatching started! All to save what a second or 2 on their journey? I'm glad cyclist figure so low in their grand scheme of things. This however wasn't the incident I referred to at the start of this post....
That one occurred just before the final set of lights by Tooting Common before it heads to Mitcham Lane. It was rather busy so we had a few cars using the RH lane to turn off. One car did it then some chaps in an Audi went round a scaffold lorry and pulled into the gap the first car had left. As I'm coming up the scaffold lorry pulls out (rather large, I'd say about 10-15m long, not quite as big as a bendy bus) and proceeds down the RH lane. Now he's indicating left and barges into the now stopping queue!! As I go round him I look up into the cab to indicate that it wasn't a particularly clever move and the twunt is on his mobile! The lorry didn't have any company logo's on so I couldn't take any details down and I still had 10-15 minutes to ride before I got home so trying to remember the number plate would have been useless as the police would have just laughed at me......sods law the usually blocked Mitcham Lane 1-way system was completely clear so I ended up with a$$hat driver in the ASL with me as I wait to turn onto Streatham High Street - still on his phone! I was hoping for some traffic to put some space between me and him as I'm sure he saw me giving the w@nker sign when the guys on the Audi caught up with me and had a yell at him! It's times like this I really wish I had a helmet cam...0 -
neiltb wrote:a mess age from my wife.
(in brackets from me)
Streets were quiet and our parking lot is pretty much empty (G20 summit later this week and people already working from home)- therefore a great cycle in. Got a GREAT scalp today- this guy passed me around were we go for a drink (on flat by the lake)- then I passed him going up the hill (not much of a hill either!)- he had proper road bike, tires and shoes. Haha loser
D
Hay, not very sporting, innit?
Bassjunkieuk - aww, so did the guys in the Audi give stick to the lorry driver? Was he being a paint for them as well though?0 -
Valy wrote:Bassjunkieuk - aww, so did the guys in the Audi give stick to the lorry driver? Was he being a paint for them as well though?
The guys in the Audi where the same ones that had gone round the scaffold lorry in the first place to take the place of the BMW that had left the queue. They where acting like morons as well as they'd come round the RH side and I had to scoot ahead a bit in the ASL to let then in (I think they wanted to turn left at that junction as they didn't follow me towards Streatham.......) but with what the scaffold truck had done I wasn't as irritated by their idiotic driving, at least they weren't on a phone and in charge of something the size of a small coach!
Sorry if it came across a bit ranty I just needed to get it off my chest. Until that point the ride had been great with plenty of good racing action!
Still got a small bit of satisfaction out of a 35mph blast down the bus lane once I'd negotiated the moon like surface on the sharp right hand corner as I got onto Streatham High Road - up out of the saddle and raced the car that was behind me at the previous set of lights :-) Amazing how much abuse my bike can handle sometimes!0 -
I see.
Once I was on the way back home and all of a sudden I see a pretty big truck pull out on more or less my side of the road (comping in the opposite direction to me). I thought he was just going around some parked cars, but no - he was actually shooting for a parking space on my left...
I did h ave to brake and it was not life and death close, but still pretty close... a bit of a WTF moment for sure.
Oh and yeah - well if it came off ranty (seemed alright to me...
) , then it did. It can be well good to get things like that off your chest! 0 -
Rants are good for your health.
I saw a documentary about stress in the workplace and, according to their study, the most stressful job in the UK isn't an eye surgeon or bomb disposal expert but working in a call center. They said stress isn't brought about by working in a pressurised job, it comes when you can't do anything to make things better and don't get a chance to blow off steam.
A bomb disposal expert knows what to do to make things better and can blow off steam after cutting the blue (or was it red) wire. In a call center an irate customer rants at you and as soon as that call is over, your phone rings again with another caller ranting at you. You can't change company policy to make things better and the calls come thick and fast so you get stressed.
In conclusion, feel free to rant on here to people who understand why you are ranting.
Oh yeah, bang on the cars to let them know you are about to get squashed against the kerb. I'm sure I've left many a dent on cars that didn't react after my initial slaps on their wing/roof/door.FCN 3: Raleigh Record Ace fixie-to be resurrected sometime in the future
FCN 4: Planet X Schmaffenschmack 2- workhorse
FCN 9: B Twin Vitamin - winter commuter/loan bike for trainees
I'm hungry. I'm always hungry!0 -
lost_in_thought wrote:Greg66 wrote:Bassjunkieuk wrote:lost_in_thought wrote:Greg66 wrote:lost_in_thought wrote:Greg66 wrote:I don't think he liked it when I said "that's where you're supposed to cross", pointing at the studs, "there, between the studs. Can you see them? The square things on the ground. See them? Try walking between them."
Perhaps it was just my tone.
Maybe he thought you were calling him a stud.
A frightening experience for him, especially if you were in your best papa smurf outfit...
:twisted:
Actually, I'll have you know I was in red today.
Never mess with someone who looks like they may be a demon from the underworld. Now *that's* sound advice.
We actually have some CCTV footage:
That fella's stolen l_i_t's shoes!
Well, it seems I got off lightly, he's got away with most of your cycling kit and your trident!
Pah.
He's got your beard.
And your horns. :P0 -
Ah! I figured you had to be a player from the way you span it up as soon as I tried to overtake. Pleasure to do battle with you :-)Bassjunkieuk wrote:Then had a chap on a grey Condor in a blue/orange Holdsworth top have a pop. He had a decent turn of speed and drew level then went past just before we hit traffic. We hit the lights at Battersea Bridge and then had a good run off the down ramp! I managed to get past and held that position until I turned off for WBR. Think I'd call it honours even with him :-)
Was most disappointed when you disappeared down WBR...Pannier, 120rpm.0 -
EKE_38BPM wrote:Rants are good for your health.
I saw a documentary about stress in the workplace and, according to their study, the most stressful job in the UK isn't an eye surgeon or bomb disposal expert but working in a call center. They said stress isn't brought about by working in a pressurised job, it comes when you can't do anything to make things better and don't get a chance to blow off steam.
A bomb disposal expert knows what to do to make things better and can blow off steam after cutting the blue (or was it red) wire. In a call center an irate customer rants at you and as soon as that call is over, your phone rings again with another caller ranting at you. You can't change company policy to make things better and the calls come thick and fast so you get stressed.
In conclusion, feel free to rant on here to people who understand why you are ranting.
Oh yeah, bang on the cars to let them know you are about to get squashed against the kerb. I'm sure I've left many a dent on cars that didn't react after my initial slaps on their wing/roof/door.
Ineed and lol at the last bit!
Yeah as far as working in a call centre, I'm not sure if i would like it too much.0 -
Ow.
[pant]
ow
[pant]
That was me for the first 5 mins after I walked through the door. A while ago I had a run in with a guy in an Airnimal, today it was the rematch. I picked up him and a lycra'd guy on a Ribble and a racing whippet on a SS somewhere on the last stretch of Embankment before HoP. I tried to drop them but to no avail and once we'd got around HoP I realised that this wasn't going to be something that a little turn of pace would resolve. I lead up towards Lambeth RB before the Airnimal cam past me on Millbank while I was doing 26. MTFU and got on his tail when the guy on the Ribble went past us both. No real issue as by now we're heading to the red lights where various filtering (or lack of on my part) saw the SS in pole in the ASL, Mr Ribble leaning on the bus that was blocking the cycle lane, Mr Airnimal behind him and then me.
By now I was reminding myself that Mr Airnimal must be well over 6 foot tall and that he's bloody rapid. Lights change and hearts rev, legs turn, the 4 contenders pull away and drop the peleton like a pound coin with poo on it. Mr SS spins out leaving the 3 guys with gears in the title fight. We're now north of 28, not something I can hold for very long at all, Mr Ribble Leading, Airnimal on his heals and me in their slipstream. Knowning full well I can't pass and make it stick I hold on and pray that one or both is about to suffer chronic engine failure.
That was not to be the case. I held on to their coat tails Chelsea Bridge, still at 28. Lights change, down the ramp, back up to 28 and I'm on the hoods, suffering in silence. Mr Airnimal is also fatiguing as the Ribble rider powers into the distance. we meet again at lights down the road, I filter past at Albert Bridge but the damage is done, the pecking order established. I got the scalp of the SS but no more Both the others had me on fitness and speed. I now have a new target...FCN3: Titanium Qoroz.0 -
Had an odd ride this evening; a bit of a phoney war. Collected a guy on a Prince on Victoria Embankment. Wow, was he all show and no go. Rode away from him for him to re-appear at the HoP lights. He went off first, and then just evaporated. Weird.
Collected two more roadies heading for the LBR, including a quite quick red Colnago. We got a good run through LBR itself. I could feel the wind blowing a bit so I sat 10m back at 5o'clock rather than make a rash move. In the run up VB lights I could see three cars in lane 1, two of which were turning left, and a gaggle of riders. We picked the timing of the lights beautfully. Well I did: I took the lane 1/2 gap; Colnago rider took the lane 1/kerb gap and got blocked. That was the end of him.
Through the lights and I start picking off the debris that's upstream of me, and although some of these guys are on proper bikes, going reasonably quickly, no one wants to play; hell, none of them are either able or willing to grab my wheel, so I end up clearing the DSC all on my lonesome and staying that way.
Ho hum.0 -
TGOTB wrote:
Ah! I figured you had to be a player from the way you span it up as soon as I tried to overtake. Pleasure to do battle with you :-)Bassjunkieuk wrote:Then had a chap on a grey Condor in a blue/orange Holdsworth top have a pop. He had a decent turn of speed and drew level then went past just before we hit traffic. We hit the lights at Battersea Bridge and then had a good run off the down ramp! I managed to get past and held that position until I turned off for WBR. Think I'd call it honours even with him :-)
Was most disappointed when you disappeared down WBR... My first SCR "sighting" on The Embankment. The spin-up bit is now a natural reflex whenever a cyclist pulls alongside me :-)
NKR was a bit busy wasn't it! Did feel like having a go at a rider tho who was protesting at a van driver who indicated then turned left into a sideroad. Yes the van driver "should" have noticed the rider but I always expect them to not and don't just blindly carry on riding until I'm alongside them!! A little bit of foresight (or watching where your going......) pays off around town!0 -
2 Scalps tonight. one guy on a Giant Road bike, Caught and dropped over the barrage, then another roadie on a Bianchi on the climb up Paget Road to Penarth.
Normally not worth mentioning and wouldn't normally be Scalps for me, but I was on a full-suss MTB today, complete with 2.1 inch knobbly tyres. Overall average speed was well down, but the SCR opportunities made up for that.
I'll be on the TT bike tomorrow, so it will be open season...0 -
Aha, some good scalping tales and some in-house BR racing. Excellent.
No such excitement for me but once I'd cleared the morass of traffic east of HoP I did enjoy the blast along chelsea embankment. There seemed to be free speed being handed out this evening 0 -
Just remembered something I saw this evening that caused a triple take: a guy on a MBT with one of those front forks that only has a fork on one side. Feck me that's a spooky looking thing. I was completely hypnotized by it! It looked like it was going to collapse any second.0
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Greg66 wrote:Just remembered something I saw this evening that caused a triple take: a guy on a MBT with one of those front forks that only has a fork on one side. Feck me that's a spooky looking thing. I was completely hypnotized by it! It looked like it was going to collapse any second.
cannondale lefty - they do look well odd has to be said.Le Cannon [98 Cannondale M400] [FCN: 8]
The Mad Monkey [2013 Hoy 003] [FCN: 4]0
