Silly commuting racing
Comments
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Fixed gear for wet weather / hairy roadie for posing in the sun.
What would Thora Hurd do?0 -
well... i hope there are more than a few lamenting roadies out there now shaking their head in both pain and disbelief. How could that happen to me I hope they ask themselves. Sloppy work i say. Lots of scalps and I really wish I could recognise some of you guys to at least salute as I pass by. Chapeau to the lady on the fixed spez - very smooth cycling, shame I had to turn off briefly at millbank but I came back a few minutes later to rid slackers of their hair pieces
Weather is lovely too though I am now a sweat beast.Le Cannon [98 Cannondale M400] [FCN: 8]
The Mad Monkey [2013 Hoy 003] [FCN: 4]0 -
Sticky Commuter Racing1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
Pinnacle Monzonite
Part of the anti-growth coalition0 -
Well that was fun. Picked up a squeaky chained Trek hybrid on Tower Bridge Road who followed me all the way home (bar a brief intermission when he took what looks like a rather nifty short-cut I'll be investigating sooner or later). Couldn't drop you no matter how hard I tried to make it look like I wasn't really trying, so chapeau sir. Fairly pleased you went under the bridge at Cold Blow Lane too as I was getting to the point where I might have started to flag.
However, my civvies and flats beats your shorts and cleats, so you'll be disappointed not to have overhauled me, no doubt.
Great fun, though. Cheers for the hurry-up.0 -
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Messed up the approach to a set of lights this morning and left in too high a gear and my legs were kaput for the rest of the ride, struggled to hold any decent speed
Luckily had already planned to ride the 7 mile ride instead of the 10 I had been doing recently. I've added a signature to prove it is still possible.0 -
lost_in_thought wrote:So then, what's my FCN.......?
LiT - I was kidding in those tweets :-)
So how many weeping roadies did you leave in your wake!!
I had a bit of a hairy moment and I wasn't even 20 yards from the office. Just rolled into the ASL on Traf. Sq. and go to unclip to find my foot doesn't want to un-clip.
I panic briefly before managed to free my foot and put it down, narrowly avoiding flopping sideways in possibly THE busiest spot in London......
I figured something was up with my left cleat as I couldn't unclip my flicking out, only in. Once I'd cleared Embankment, which brought some nice racing with the other roadies only getting past by using the shared cycle path on the pavement by by the railway bridge! I got to the relative safety of Queenstown Road.
A quick feel on my left foot confirmed I'd lost part of my cleat somewhere.......namely the rubber foot to the left of it, which must have an effect on my un-clipping (I use road SPD's)
Spent the rest of the ride un-clipping on the approach to stops just to make sure I don't flop over sideways! Managed a temporary repair at home by swapping the rubber feet bits over between feet which means my right foot is now the awkward one to get out. Not as big an issue as that rarely gets un-clipped on the commute :-)
As rjsterry says it was certainly "Sticky Commuter Racing" and I was certainly glistening when I got home!!0 -
MonkeyMonster wrote:Woo hooo
Lovely ride in this morning. Legs at full power too. Silly (fluro caped ,blue ribble I think) roadie rode very dangerously on the race track to weave between large dumper and a bus to retake his scalp only to lose it 30 seconds later as I came storming round past at 29 mph at Temple... He was not seen again.
Wonder if the legs will still have anything left for way home. Hope so
29mph - I assume that was on the signature bike. What chainset you got (teeth)?
Today I was just talking to one guy about how awesome it would be to catch a draft on little stretch of motorway on my way (about 1 mile). So today I was on my way home and there was a lorry just at the beginning of this stretch.
Got up behind it and got up to ~75KM/h - that did not last long as I seriously ran out of gears (26" wheels/42//11) :P0 -
48 and 13 i think is best i can do. front is a deore xt with rear sram x-8Le Cannon [98 Cannondale M400] [FCN: 8]
The Mad Monkey [2013 Hoy 003] [FCN: 4]0 -
Got ambushed tonight by a rapid SSer on Queen's Ride. I was sort of dawdling, surveying the common on my left , and this chap eases by. He ups the pace and easily holds 23-24. He looks as if he has plenty more in the tank, so I didn't fancy trying my luck with the road running out. Don't think it would have ended well.
Then got overtaken by a chap on a flat bar road bike up Broomfield. He'd drafted a guy I'd overtaken, but still. WTH?
Terrific night by all accounts. I may take the train tomorrow.FCN 2-4.
"What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
"It stays down, Daddy."
"Exactly."0 -
Managed to take it fairly easy and still bag a shaved roadie scalp on DSC. Took the QTR route this evening to avoid the Stockwell cones. but didn't spot you BJUK. Was a bit late though.1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
Pinnacle Monzonite
Part of the anti-growth coalition0 -
MonkeyMonster wrote:48 and 13 i think is best i can do. front is a deore xt with rear sram x-8
I see. I caught a glance of the XT chainset recently - though with me having an 8 speed set up atm, it would mean getting more or less a whole new drivetrain!
Would come to about £300 from CRC with X9 shifters, X9 rear dérailleur, XT front dérailleur, 9 speed chain and cassette. Not any time too soon though...0 -
Valy wrote:MonkeyMonster wrote:48 and 13 i think is best i can do. front is a deore xt with rear sram x-8
I see. I caught a glance of the XT chainset recently - though with me having an 8 speed set up atm, it would mean getting more or less a whole new drivetrain!
Would come to about £300 from CRC with X9 shifters, X9 rear dérailleur, XT front dérailleur, 9 speed chain and cassette. Not any time too soon though...
yeah, i spent about 400 or so with new bb as well. x8 rear cassette, x9 derail, x9 chain, x7 shifters, xt bb and chainset. Was well worth it though. Have fun when you do
Le Cannon [98 Cannondale M400] [FCN: 8]
The Mad Monkey [2013 Hoy 003] [FCN: 4]0 -
Got ambushed again this morning. This time by BJUK on Millbank . First meet up on the commute, iirc. FCN 2-4.
"What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
"It stays down, Daddy."
"Exactly."0 -
cjcp wrote:Got ambushed again this morning. This time by BJUK on Millbank . First meet up on the commute, iirc.
Sneaky little devil that one, don't know he's there till its too late... Not that I've actually met him on the road yet. I just imagine he is Le Cannon [98 Cannondale M400] [FCN: 8]
The Mad Monkey [2013 Hoy 003] [FCN: 4]0 -
cjcp wrote:Got ambushed again this morning. This time by BJUK on Millbank . First meet up on the commute, iirc.
:-) It's all to do with me changing my routes so I can play in the Premier League :-D
The fact that it also adds a few extra miles and so boasts the TFL stats is a bonus!
That was certainly a fun ride in! A few very nice looking SS/FG on the run down QTR and gave the other riders a masterclass in filtering on the approach to CB - also took the chance with the empty bus lane to casually ride no-handed past a couple of roadies using the shared pavement/cycle path :twisted:
Got to VB lights and it was busy! I sat behind some motorbikes about 2/3 cars back and when they went green I immediately eye-balled the lead cyclist and set after them :-) Passed the bulk by the Morpeth and only had 2 left on the approach to Millbank Tower. It was as I pulled round I recognised the red Sigma bike!
Nice to get a 2nd SCR sighting in a week! I'm on that route for the rest of the week so I may find you again, return leg will commence from Traf. Sq. around 17:35.......0 -
Ah, so light blue shorts rower guy with the mahoosive thighs can put the power down. Saw him on millbank this am. He was at the front of the queue and I was a couple back. He maintained 30 all the way to the ped crossing just before lambeth rbt. I'd closed from ~15m down to 5m but nowhere near good enough to attempt a pass. Chapeau, sir.
Saw Ian.B for the second straight morning. Ian, I assume you just fixed a mechanical/unscheduled deflation when you were remounting your steed opposite the eye.0 -
Fun, fun, fun this morning.
I'm waiting on Chelsea Bridge (stupid Albert Bridge repairs) to join the melee, and see a guy (later id'd as on a Colnago) waiting at the lights coming west to east. He looks serious. In my group there's a guy on a Trek with a couple of circular tats on his right calf - not sprocket man, I think, but he's making a statement.
We roll down tot he first lights after the railway bridge. Lane 1 has a 3.5 tonne lorry, not indicating, and a car behind it that is indicating left. I station myself on the rear o/side 3/4 of the lorry, foot down, and wait.
Trek doesn't, and as we pull away, he's out front with the lorry slow out of the gate. Hmm, I think. Time for cunning fox to catch the rapid hare.
The lorry pulls away at *precisely* the right rate for me to sit right in his ample draft. As the road straightens to come past Dolphin Sq, Trek is in lane 1 with the lorry gaining. He can see it coming, and he's looking to grab a ride. So I slide across the back of the lorry to give him some space. As I do, I shoulder check and see Colnago on my wheel.
"Ah, that's better" says Trek, as the three of use sit in in a classic sprint training session triangle formation behind the team, err, lorry.
The lorry collects a red light just before the sweeping left hander leading to VB lights though, so we have to step to the front. Colnago is first off, me in P2 and Trek behind. As to round the corner, I can see the cross traffic means we're about to get a green. Colnago doesn't seem too bothered so I give it some gas and catch the green. I think I've made the break, but by the time I'm rolling up to LBR, I can hear clicking, and it's Colnago, who must've got the lights too and is now back on my wheel. Trek is nowhere to be seen.
Ended up having a chat with Colnago around Pt Sq before before peeled off up the Mall. Turns out he's just acquired some Edge 45 tubs, and was curious to know whether my fork was made by the same Edge. Pretty nice guy.
Not really proper SCR'ing, and in many ways pretty damned stupid, but excellent fun!0 -
JonGinge wrote:Ah, so light blue shorts rower guy with the mahoosive thighs can put the power down. Saw him on millbank this am. He was at the front of the queue and I was a couple back. He maintained 30 all the way to the ped crossing just before lambeth rbt. I'd closed from ~15m down to 5m but nowhere near good enough to attempt a pass. Chapeau, sir.
Was this chap on a red and silver LeMond? If so, then, yes, he can shift.FCN 2-4.
"What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
"It stays down, Daddy."
"Exactly."0 -
Yes, good to see you - sorry, I didn't spot you yesterday though.JonGinge wrote:Saw Ian.B for the second straight morning. Ian, I assume you just fixed a mechanical/unscheduled deflation when you were remounting your steed opposite the eye.
My saddle broke and fell off the rails - the shell is completely shot. TBH it was broken at the nose when I got home last night, but it seemed pretty secure even so and I didn't expect it to give up the ghost completely. I had to do the rest of the journey standing, and a trip to Evans or CycleSurgery is in prospect at lunchtime I think, to see what they can offer, I don't fancy standing all the way home!
The saddle's been a bit annoyingly creaky for a while, and now I know why.0 -
Come one, who turned on the Millbank wind tunnel last night? Big sweaty mess by the time I got home
Saw a chap on a nice, 80's style steel Colnago in mixed team kit this AM. Nice looking machine with chrome highlights covering the weld points and a dark blue frame. He was pretty rapid too, it took me all the way from VB to Temple to get in front. I was on the posh bike this morning which helped, its a lot easier to get to 26mph for the pass on that than it is on the BoardmanFCN3: Titanium Qoroz.0 -
(Up North, Where it's boring and slow)
So im riding in this morning, spinning at around 23 in a lowish gear, due to the dire road surface, when a Chap on a CF Giant comes past me. He turns left infront of me, and I follow him towards the main road for the final two miles before I take my final turn into work.
I stopped in the queue of traffic after some 'soft' filtering, but he took the aggro approach and weaved in and out of vans and 4x4 until the whole queue looked like a carpet.
He was well ahead, and I watched him dive through the oncomming traffic when the lights went green, I thought 'Yo mine, Carbon Man' as I pulled of a good 15 seconds later from behind my little column. I didn't expect it to be so easy, he never got past 25 mph.
I would have loved to over take, but we ended up wedged down the side of a lorry.
Consequently I lost a good minute on my time.
So, for you Mr Carbon, next time, DRAFT me, or I'll crush you. :evil:0 -
cjcp wrote:JonGinge wrote:Ah, so light blue shorts rower guy with the mahoosive thighs can put the power down. Saw him on millbank this am. He was at the front of the queue and I was a couple back. He maintained 30 all the way to the ped crossing just before lambeth rbt. I'd closed from ~15m down to 5m but nowhere near good enough to attempt a pass. Chapeau, sir.
Was this chap on a red and silver LeMond? If so, then, yes, he can shift.
Indeed. I've seen him dragging whole pelotons behind each thigh.0 -
That's the thing. I assumed he was fast but I've either seen him in traffic or I've just sailed on by. Obviously, it seems, he wasn't trying in the latter casesnotsoblue wrote:cjcp wrote:JonGinge wrote:Ah, so light blue shorts rower guy with the mahoosive thighs can put the power down. Saw him on millbank this am. He was at the front of the queue and I was a couple back. He maintained 30 all the way to the ped crossing just before lambeth rbt. I'd closed from ~15m down to 5m but nowhere near good enough to attempt a pass. Chapeau, sir.
Was this chap on a red and silver LeMond? If so, then, yes, he can shift.
Indeed. I've seen him dragging whole pelotons behind each thigh.0 -
JonGinge wrote:
That's the thing. I assumed he was fast but I've either seen him in traffic or I've just sailed on by. Obviously, it seems, he wasn't trying in the latter casesnotsoblue wrote:cjcp wrote:JonGinge wrote:Ah, so light blue shorts rower guy with the mahoosive thighs can put the power down. Saw him on millbank this am. He was at the front of the queue and I was a couple back. He maintained 30 all the way to the ped crossing just before lambeth rbt. I'd closed from ~15m down to 5m but nowhere near good enough to attempt a pass. Chapeau, sir.
Was this chap on a red and silver LeMond? If so, then, yes, he can shift.
Indeed. I've seen him dragging whole pelotons behind each thigh.
No, he *always* tries. He positively hates being overtaken or threatened with it. He pushes down hard off the lights, but you can reel him in on the longer stretches e.g. CB to AB. He's not fond of "smaller" red lights orr ped crossings, either...FCN 2-4.
"What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
"It stays down, Daddy."
"Exactly."0 -
Ah, lacks endurance. That could be it, thencjcp wrote:JonGinge wrote:
That's the thing. I assumed he was fast but I've either seen him in traffic or I've just sailed on by. Obviously, it seems, he wasn't trying in the latter casesnotsoblue wrote:cjcp wrote:JonGinge wrote:Ah, so light blue shorts rower guy with the mahoosive thighs can put the power down. Saw him on millbank this am. He was at the front of the queue and I was a couple back. He maintained 30 all the way to the ped crossing just before lambeth rbt. I'd closed from ~15m down to 5m but nowhere near good enough to attempt a pass. Chapeau, sir.
Was this chap on a red and silver LeMond? If so, then, yes, he can shift.
Indeed. I've seen him dragging whole pelotons behind each thigh.
No, he *always* tries. He positively hates being overtaken or threatened with it. He pushes down hard off the lights, but you can reel him in on the longer stretches e.g. CB to AB. He's not fond of "smaller" red lights orr ped crossings, either...0 -
JonGinge wrote:Ah, lacks endurance. That could be it, then
That's where I like picking people off.....I've found a few times now that I've had people who have put on a spurt only to blow-up a bit further up the road :-)0 -
That's the key. But he likes to draft.
On the subject of which, I spied a known fairy on my wheel this morning. He then jumped on the wheel of another rider just after Victoria Bridge on the stretch to DSC when I got boxed in behind those nitwits who stop ahead of the lights and then pull away with the speed of a one-legged giraffe.FCN 2-4.
"What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
"It stays down, Daddy."
"Exactly."0
