Silly commuting racing

Kieran_Burns

Well I had one of my rare full on scalps, but I won't celebrate the victory as the pair of us were struggling like you wouldn't believe on the way home.

I almost offered to give the guy a tow, but he couldn't match my 'pace' even when he was behind me.

Gawd that was hard work.

walt jabsco

it appeared to me, reading The Times and drinking a cup of tea.

I would love to pass a full roadie, maybe ask if they know what 8 down was in the crossword.

BentMikey

Asprilla wrote:

Scalped a recumbent on the way home tonight, twice. First time I've seen one in the flesh, so it felt good.

I hope it wasn't me!! I did get passed by one fixed wheel rider in the morning. I was faster than him on the flats, and he only went past me by jumping lights and using the pavement. I don't recall anyone passing me on the way home (A2/A21).

MonkeyMonster

Sorry roadies. If you're going to get up in the morning, apply named lycra outfits and then ride slowly... Prepare to lose thy hair.
Couple of reasonable speed hybrids out today too, one saw me coming up quite fast and then head bobbed for a few metres to keep up so I up shifted, applied monkey juice, hit 27, over took 2 roadies and said goodbye to the lot of them.

2nd to last time I'll be on that section of road in the morning. Not holding anything back tomorrow for sure

lost_in_thought

Well, that kept me honest.

My body's finally objecting to going back to commuting after 11 months off, I knew it would, it was just a matter of time. It'll pass.

Last night's commute home was hard work, I hope there was actually a headwind and it wasn't just my imagination, fortunately everyone else seemed to be struggling, and I ended up in a silent pact with 2 roadies that we'd share the towing. Tres uneventful, with the exception of the reappearance of the huge dreadlocked black guy on the MTB with the tri-bars. He's pretty rapid, that he is. :shock:

This morning was better, but no real competition about, held a roadie up the 'hill' to HPC, he was to the right of the traffic, I was to the left. Come out and play, speedy commuters!

UndercoverElephant

Last night was the first ride on the Orbea with a speedometer, there was a tailwind and I was in the mood for gunning it. Turns out the Orbea is a nippy little beast, got home in 33:15, which is about 45 seconds slower than my fastest ever run on the BeOne. Add into that the fact that it was a decent day weather-wise yesterday, so Portobello prom was stacked with peds and it looks like I may even be faster on the Orbea.

But, oh my god, this morning... My legs were empty as hell, I had nothing! If anyone resembling a cyclist had tried it on this morning, they'd have got a scalp no bother. Looks like the wind's changing direction later too, so a double tail-wind. :evil:

asprilla

BentMikey wrote:

Asprilla wrote:

Scalped a recumbent on the way home tonight, twice. First time I've seen one in the flesh, so it felt good.

I hope it wasn't me!! I did get passed by one fixed wheel rider in the morning. I was faster than him on the flats, and he only went past me by jumping lights and using the pavement. I don't recall anyone passing me on the way home (A2/A21).

Nope, this was in Richmond Park and then in Kingston. He went out though Ham gate and I went though Kingston, but he must have taken a shorter route.

Sewinman

I think I may have seen the ultimate roadie scalp in Brixton last night. Full pink lycra kit, pink helmet (of head variety) and totally pink (including wheels) super pricey looking carbon road bike! He headed off towards Tulse Hill. :shock:

Why would you want to look like that!!!!!!!!!?

kona_matt

Sewinman wrote:

Why would you want to look like that!!!!!!!!!?

because he likes pink?! whatever floats your boat

Bassjunkieuk

Nice early ride into town today. No real competition until Queenstown Road as I happily sat at the lights by Clapham Common watching all my victims cross the road and draw out an inconsequential lead :twisted:

Lights at crossroad are red so I pull up in the middle of the ASL so I have clean air ahead, don't want to be slowed by those people.......have a nice looking SS with green wheels next to me - the pilot has MAHUSIVE thighs *gulp*. A gent on a black Allez with blue bar tape is wobbling across the junction and tries to get a lead off the lights. I had caught him by the humped crossing and cruised casually past after that, his Fulcrum 7 freewheel buzzing behind me as we approach some lights but my lead meant I had the upper hand in filtering :-) He arrived alongside me on the norf side of CB and turned right onto DSC but I didn't see him after that.

VB lights brought a few nice looking chances with a guy on a red/white Lemond. I buried it along there and turned left at the roundabout, plenty of clean air behind me. The best spot of the day and I have no doubt he'd have crushed me if he wanted was a chap aboard a rather nice looking Cervelo TT bike waiting at the lights of Horseferry Road to cross Victoria Street - bleeding lovely piece of kit!!

WesternWay

I was gutted this morning. As I was coming out of my road a roadie had just come down Barnet Hill and was heading my way and ahead of me... The lack of a seat post clamp allied with a complete lack of MTFU on my part meant that he was off without me in moments.

I was gutted, there is very little sport to be had at 6am in Barnet.

dondare

WesternWay wrote:

I was gutted this morning. As I was coming out of my road a roadie had just come down Barnet Hill and was heading my way and ahead of me... The lack of a seat post clamp allied with a complete lack of MTFU on my part meant that he was off without me in moments.

I was gutted, there is very little sport to be had at 6am in Barnet.

Barnet to London is my commute but I'm not much into this scalping lark. Are you really riding this without a seatpost clamp? 4Y?.

WesternWay

dondare wrote:

WesternWay wrote:

I was gutted this morning. As I was coming out of my road a roadie had just come down Barnet Hill and was heading my way and ahead of me... The lack of a seat post clamp allied with a complete lack of MTFU on my part meant that he was off without me in moments.

I was gutted, there is very little sport to be had at 6am in Barnet.

Barnet to London is my commute but I'm not much into this scalping lark. Are you really riding this without a seatpost clamp? 4Y?.

I stupidly stripped the thread late last night. Cycled in regardless as I am /SO/ close to 500 miles for June. Just been to bloody Evans in the City to get a new one and they didn't have one now... I ended up buying a front mech hanger to get me home and have placed an order with wiggle for something more suitable.

I come from close to the bottom of the hill in Barnet into Bank station, so say hello if you see a fat man on a dirty grey Ridgeback :-)

MonkeyMonster

oh - are the roads round st pauls properly bolloxed atm btw? I saw briefly last night that there was a multitude of plastic barriers...

Need to get from barbican to monument tonight.

dhope

Workmate bought a Hybrid/Slick MTB through the C2W scheme after a few of us were talking about doing likewise. He cycles to and from the station in the morning so that his wife doesn't have to drive him to the station. It's purely for convenience... he doesn't want to be a cyclist, he's much more into lifting.
It's been a month or two since all the C2W vouchers turned up and everyone has their bikes. I asked him just now if he was still cycling to the station...

Apparently, on Monday, he was taking a leisurely ride back home when, ahead, he spied an elderly chap on a road bike. "I'll just see if I can catch him up" he thought, and upped the pace a little. Sure enough he began to coast up to said gent but as he got near he noticed a curious thing; his target nonchalantly reached down, flicked into a higher gear and began peddling a little faster. "I'm not having this" thought my mate, and continued to push a little more to complete the overtake, making certain that the increased exertion wasn't too obvious. As he passed, the target appeared to be leaning forward a little, quite possibly subconsciously noting the 3 point FCN discrepancy and fearing for his scalp.

Anyway, without wanting to further dress up what was a simple pass along a straight road on a short journey, my mate maintained the lead for the half a mile or so and before turning off to complete the journey home. Arriving, his wife asked what happened. Red faced and sweating, he smirked and said, "I just won a race home".



I've sent him a link to itsnotarace.org of course.

SamWise1972

Very frustrating afternoon on my short run down Kingsway to Waterloo. Saw off a bus on Kingsway in a drag race, but the only really viable prey came on Waterloo Bridge. I'm following a us as a guy on a road bike hauls up beside me. I up the workrate a bit to stay ahead, but there's a limit, because there's a bus in front of us, and it's narrowed to one lane for a lot of the bridge. Still, I was hopeful for a decent sprint with him when it opened up, but I backed off a bit, because as the lane narrowed, the space he was in was going to disappear and be occupied by a taxi. He then dived up the side of the bus, and wriggled through a fast closing gap that I would never have gone for, making an ass of the rules of SCR! I was stuck behind the bus, and when the lanes opened, he was nowhere in sight. I tried to make up for it by sprinting like Cavendish anyway, but my ego was left unsatisfied. Oh well. Truth is, if he was any cop at all, he would have drawn ahead when I ran out of ratio on my single speed, but I was well up for having a go.

Bunneh

I got passed by a guy on a shed mountain bike a week or so back. I was in semi road gear and just taking my time. The urge was there to tear him to shreds but he got stuck behind a lorry, then swerved erratically. I watched him go down the nearby road and he never even bothered to signal on his right turn.

rjsterry

lost_in_thought wrote:

Last night's commute home was hard work, I hope there was actually a headwind and it wasn't just my imagination, fortunately everyone else seemed to be struggling, and I ended up in a silent pact with 2 roadies that we'd share the towing.

I'd say there was a bit of a westerly breeze last night.

Split commute this morning via Fulham again. Trinity Road was gridlocked along its entire length, until the dual carriageway bit, which was a bit of a bore, then got a visit from the Fairy on WBR, so late for my meeting :evil: . Th Embankment was almost empty by 11.30, but still rather lovely all the same, whizzing along in the sun.

Bit of bike/train/bike this evening to get to an appointment in Croydon (needed to turn up vaguely non-sweaty), but did get to blast back down the A232 to Wallington, which is extrasmooooooooth. Kept up with the traffic all the way [/quote]

WesternWay

Embarassed another roadie, this time on a grey Bianchi coming up Archway Road today, so much so in fact that he had to RLJ at the top of the hill to get in front.

Chapeau to the guy who passed me twice, once on the Holloway Road and then I /think/ he must have gone up Highgate Hill because I don't think I passed him, yet he passed me again towards Finchley.

and finally a vision in blue lycra on the final stretch out to Barnet. My lungs were bursting by the time we had to stop at the Zebra and I spoke to the pedestrian who I happenned to know.

Still no seatpost clamp, I am using a front hanger instead,,,, GRRR

redvee

lost_in_thought wrote:

My body's finally objecting to going back to commuting after 11 months off, I knew it would, it was just a matter of time. It'll pass.

Does this mean I'm in with a chance of getting around RP before you on 10/07

Bassjunkieuk

Nice ride home this evening, bit too early for the good competition but it did mean I had the embankment pretty much to myself :-) Took in the full run this evening to eek out the mileage so came down WBR and Trinity Road.

Was nice tho being able to sit up and take it a tad easier, it really is lovely being able to ride home through a city that many people fly thousands of miles to visit :-)

gaz545

OH MY GOD! the head wind all the way home was awful.

lost_in_thought

gaz545 wrote:

OH MY GOD! the head wind all the way home was awful.

Oh thank god... It wasn't just my imagination. Or do you live in the east?

Actually, it wasn't that bad. Champagne helps. :oops:

lost_in_thought

Bah. I don't care for pootling. :x

MonkeyMonster

Evil headwind this morning. Evil. Naughty lights too meant scalps caught up More monkey power applied and they are behind once more.

lost_in_thought

There was a headwind?

I guess at super-no-sweat-pootle-speed I don't notice these things.

Still only got passed by 2 roadies.

UndercoverElephant

Was riding in brakeless this morning most of the way, the cable slipped on the front brake and the rear is awful in the wet. Makes for an interesting, but slow ride. The Tekro brakes on the Orbea don't use Allen bolts, and I didn't have a spanner.

As I was coming along the prom, my last-year's nemesis came past. He's a time-trialler, and pretty damn quick, but I can't race today, no brakes see. Actually, he has a beard, that must mean he carries tools, right?

He does, an adjustable spanner is just what I need. Get my brakes fixed and we're off at pace. I figure that I've delayed him and in order to get him to work on time, I should go all-out and tow him, it's the least I can do. He starts to loose my wheel at 29 mph, so I ease off a bit to let him come back. The next couple of miles we're going like the clappers, he's no match for my legs at the moment - how times have changed from last year.

I turn off where I work and thank him again. I'm not claiming his scalp today. Tomorrow will do.

coopster_the_1st

I have never been scalped on my commute 8)

Came close Monday evening but a bit of power and MTB slipped off my wheel!

But then I hardly ever see anyone going my commute direction, think I have only ever had 2 SCR events.

I am putting that all at risk this afternoon when I ride from Staines(leaving @ 1pm) to St Pancras and tomorrow evening when I am riding from St Pancras(leaving 5pm) to Chalfont St. GIles.

I am particularly at risk as I am carrying enough for an overnight stay! :roll:

Not too worried about being scalped, I just want some SCR fun :twisted:

King Donut

dhope wrote:

Workmate bought a Hybrid/Slick MTB...

Brilliant grass roots SCR

HamishD

2 miles in at Brockley, rear gear cable on the S1 goes. The remaining 13 miles were done in 53x11. Cadence rose above about 20 once I think. Red lights got away from at about 0.02mph.

Different, I’ll give you that, but if I ever decide to go FGSS I shall go for a slightly lower ratio!