Silly commuting racing

rjsterry

Asprilla wrote:

London_Nick wrote:

dhope wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

WesternWay wrote:

I generally have to be at work from 7am, so an early start is a bit of an unwelcome necessity. I sometimes though manage to do a bit more of a normal start on Mondays and Fridays :-)

The nice thing about the early starts is that I am generally on my way back by 5pm so home by 6.

George

What? 7 until 5 is not a nice short day... 7 until 3, surely?!

+1
Those that start at 7am make a point of leaving at 3pm on the dot, those that start at 9 often get stuck around long after 5. Thought that was was a benefit of starting early.

Not me, pretty much a 7 to 5 every day (give or take 15 mins)

I work 9 to 5, what a way to make a living; barely getting by, it's all taking and no giving. They just use your mind and never give you credit, it's enough to drive you crazy if you let it........

I think you have to change you avatar after that

asprilla

rjsterry wrote:

Asprilla wrote:

London_Nick wrote:

dhope wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

WesternWay wrote:

I generally have to be at work from 7am, so an early start is a bit of an unwelcome necessity. I sometimes though manage to do a bit more of a normal start on Mondays and Fridays :-)

The nice thing about the early starts is that I am generally on my way back by 5pm so home by 6.

George

What? 7 until 5 is not a nice short day... 7 until 3, surely?!

+1
Those that start at 7am make a point of leaving at 3pm on the dot, those that start at 9 often get stuck around long after 5. Thought that was was a benefit of starting early.

Not me, pretty much a 7 to 5 every day (give or take 15 mins)

I work 9 to 5, what a way to make a living; barely getting by, it's all taking and no giving. They just use your mind and never give you credit, it's enough to drive you crazy if you let it........

I think you have to change you avatar after that

Really? Tits.....

dhope

Rotherhithe tunnel closed, traffic barely moving from London Bridge down to Deptford. Filter filter filter, boring boring boring.
Technically I must've scalped a dozen peds but they probably have to be moving to count.

rjsterry

Missed you again BJUK, and I went through P. Sq. just before 6.10pm. There were quick roadies everywhere, so I couldn't hang back. Went the long way round via WB as well to see if you caught up later. Good fun down Millbank and DSC, and it was all going fine until I turned onto NKR and hit stationary traffic all the way to the foot of the bridge. At least there's a cycle lane down WBR.

Did spot a chap in a blue and white jersey on a red Condor with pannier, who came past at the Albert Bridge lights when I got stuck behind a couple of dawdlers and a bus who couldn't decide which lane he wanted. You seemed familiar; anyone on here?

London_Nick

Busy ride home for me tonight. Lots of roadies (I assume by that we mean road cyclists? new to this lingo), and a woman who was shifting along rather rapidly, and was going the same twisted route from the bottom of Notting Hill to Hammersmith as I was.
I then got my ass whooped along CHR as I was knackered, need more stamina

Bassjunkieuk

@rjsterry - you would have been ahead of me then, I hit LBR and a wall of wind at 18:14 (checked the cycle comp once I was off the r/b)
I was hoping the wind would have taken had a bigger effect on other riders and had it pretty easy until VB lights. There was someone lined up ahead on what appeared to be a de-decaled Ribble winter trainer, had that very distinctive blue frame! I got through DSC ahead of him but he then opened if up at the lights just before the railway bridge. I spent the stretch upto CB trying to keep the gap at something sensible. Not a good start........

I had a nice breather at CB and then headed south once the lights changed and made my way down towards QTR. Once I get to the lights by Wandsworth Road I'm joined by yet another RIbble rider, this one on a very nice looking carbon (I suspect) machine and a guy on a SS. As we snaked under the railway bridge chicane Ribble and SS guy come past in quick succession FFS!!! This is turning into a really bad ride........I dig a bit deeper but just can't seem to find my usual mojo. A change of lights ahead offers a brief respite and I ease up and manage to sneak a pass and keep ahead until the lights by the crossroads. I stubbornly refuse to change gears, instead hoping I can use some power off the lights (and uphill, I was feeling rather cocky!) to put some distance between them. Well some distance was certainly put between us as once the lights changed SS guy was off like a whippet in his tiny gear! I followed Ribble rider across the junction and managed to edge past once the road levelled out but he followed my right turn at the end of the road and come past again as we skirted round the edge of Clapham Common. We eventually parted when I turned off towards Balham/Clapham.

I picked off 2 Bianchi roadies before hitting The Drag Strip and then a suicidal SS rider and a roadie shortly after the Burger King Hill (see what I did there!), no thanks to traffic and the wind, it was a lot more effort then it should have been. I then pretty much limped home with the tattered shreds of my scalp barely hanging on.......it never rains but it pours!!

notsoblue

Awesome ride home tonight Was slow from Blackfriars to NKR to Putney Bridge because of god awful traffic, but that just give me better legs for Richmond Park. Entered via Sheen Gate, went clockwise, kept a high (for me) average speed. Uneventful until Queen's Road, which for some reason I manage to power pootle all the way up to Richmond Gate at about 20mph. Speeding up down the rise to the the roundabout, then I see two kitted out roadies (one in a yellow kit, the other in NZ colours) just ahead of me on the rise up to Sawyers Hill, and overtake them, they take notice and speed up. I just crest the hill and sensing that they're gaining on me decide the put the hammer down making as much use of the downhill as I can. I'm practically spinning out, but still powering down at a ridiculous cadence, the bike computer peaks 40mph and I'm loving it! Manage to sustain the cadence on the flat, and am doing 30 when I start to break for the left turn up Sheen lane to the exit. Up the slight rise on the lovely red tarmac, and I'm hoping that thats the last I've seen of the two roadies, but they turn left too. I'm forced to maintain pace. Out of the park and down Sheen Ln at high 20s. As I approach the lights, I'm quietly pleased that they're on red, and at that point my phone rings. As I'm at the lights, on the phone, both roadies zoom past through red and down to Mortlake Station. I hang up, lights go green, and I'm in pursuit, hoping that the level crossing is up. It is, and I'm gaining. Right at the roundabout and on Mortlake Highstreet I overtake, hoping they'll bite. Subtle glance back on the approach to Barnes Station and theres no sign of them, which disappoints me. On I go down Lonsdale Road, still energized from the competition, cruising at ~23mph on terrible tarmac, quick glance over my shoulder and the yellow kitted rider is right in my slipstream. I shift up and Its on again. The whole length of Lonsdale Road I give it everything I've got and by the time I get to the (thankfully) red lights at H'smith Bridge/Castelnau I'm running on empty, and they split, one RLJs and goes north over the bridge, the other goes south. They drafted the whole way, was most disappointing. Don't think I've ever been that fast on that part of my commute though. Was fun, made up for the NKR carpark!

tl;dr - Hybrid rider with inferiority complex bursts a lung while domestiquing for random roadies :P

Stevo_666

Won a nice joust with a bloke on a blue and silver BTwin (?) between Elephant & Castle and Camberwell Green - he provoked me a couple of times before I took the bait and then claimed put a bit of space between me and him before turning off at C'Well Green. Seems to be a regular on that route - anyone here?

lost_in_thought

Found a quicker way to kayaking from work. Minimal SCR action, but there was one eejit on an MTB who thought he was in the TDF.

Soon showed him why they don't tend to use MTBs.... or indeed conduct the race on cycle paths.

What I'm trying to say is he had an encounter with a bollard while trying to re-overtake me.

Funny it was.

WesternWay

lost_in_thought wrote:

Soon showed him why they don't tend to use MTBs.... or indeed conduct the race on cycle paths.

What I'm trying to say is he had an encounter with a bollard while trying to re-overtake me.

Excellent, that has proper made me smile.

No SCR action from me, I appear to have been visited by the Let's-chop-his-legs-off-and-replace-them-with-those-of-a-sickly-seven-year-old fairy.

rjsterry

Well I wasn't that hopeful as I set off this morning - legs a but tired from yesterday's extended and pretty quick run, but as soon as I got out of Carshalton things started to improve. I think it was the quick chap on a carbon Ridley coming into Mitcham that made me MTFU, and it sort of stayed that way. trailed him with a few tit for tat passes to Tooting, then lost him in traffic and had a cyclist-free run up to Clapham Common.

Spotted (I think it was the same person) the lady with the ripped calves again (:shock: again), riding a Spesh Tarmac of some kind, but she carried on into Clapham, while I turned off to head for QTR, so avoided getting scalped (the most likely conclusion judging by those legs).

All went very well once I'd turned off CB, with a good run up to DSC, then scalped a scooter just before VB lights. He might have been slowing for the lights, so to make sure, I did him again on the left hand bend on Millbank. Managed to push it up past 30 as well, so reached LBR with a big smile on my face, and a bit of a giggle (under the mask), but gasping a bit. No further action, but a good fast run along the rest of the Embankment, and up to Old Street.

@BJUK: sounds like you had a bit of a rough one last night, but at least you missed the queues on NKR and WBR.

ketsbaia

Nice tussle with a bloke in full lycra kit on a Chorus-equipped black Condor on the OKR this morning. Either you didn't have the legs or your stamina is badly lacking (or you just couldn't be aris'ed ), because I barely had to strain for your scalp along GDS. And I did the ruddy Marmotte on Saturday, so I should have no legs to speak of.

Roastie

Had some dude trying it on on my 0.5 mile run to Bath Spa station. Must be the shortest scalping in history.

asprilla

Was trading places with a guy last night who appeared to have some kind of wind-up monkey / squirrel stuck to the top of his helmet. I was going to him it was dangerous because I was looking it trying to work out what it was rather than concentrating on traffic. I snapped out of my trance I realised I should have kept looking at the thing on his head because his shorts were stretched see though.....

Unfortunately, as with so many, he jumped the lights turning left on to Priory Lane and was gone.

Guy on an MTB this morning was really powering though the park today. He over took me and the car I was stuck behind about 250m short of Roehampton Gate, considering I'd originally overtaken him at Ham Gate he must have really been going for it. Unfortunately he turned right onto Danbury Lane at the rooundabout on Priory Lane before I could come back to him.

paulbox

I envy you London town commuters, so many targets...

I had my first major scalp on Tuesday, took a guy on a Boardman road bike. He pulled out in front of me when I was already about 3 miles in to my ride. I trailed him for about 4 miles before taking him through Uxbridge. He then trailed me for about 2 miles before going our seperate ways.

Me = 8
Him = 3 (I forgot to check his legs so gave him the benefit of the doubt)

Does that mean I get 5 points?

amnezia

My god there are a lot of people on bikes today,

My legs felt strong but any hopes of dishing out punishment were ruled out by severe lack of sleep.

lost_in_thought

Hot hot hot.

Don't like it.

Colder please.

London_Nick

Heat is good, contributes to the tan I'm getting.

dondare

Got passed by a couple of people today; both rljers though so they don't count.

One was slightly faster, but then slightly slower so I caught up; then faster, then slower, then jumped a red then slowed right down... wossit all about?

cjcp

Bit of a tussle tonight with a big chap on a Soloist. Strong lad, too. Traffic stopped play along the stretch from CB to AB.

WesternWay

4 scalps on Archway Hill today, all with valid FCNs, really loving the hill now.

diplomacy

i had a rare chance to ride the embankment stretch during commuter time today and i have to say i feel i can understand this whole FCN / SCR scene a little bit now. freewheeling past guys in lycra that's coordinated with their bike (or vice versa?) does wonders for the self esteem.

rjsterry

Weirdly quiet along Millbank and DSC tonight. Just a couple of hybrids and an MTB, but a bit of fun with a couple of other roadies (one on a rather fancy black/dark grey Felt (I think) with disc brakes and red ano hubs) on the run up QTR, and North Street on to Clapham Common. Dawdled after that, so thanks to the chap on the black hybrid wearing a grey top, who passed me on Mitcham Road, and forced me to pull myself together.

flurblefish

Well talk about making yourself a SCR target. The scalp I took this morning belonged to a roadie with mahoosive shaved legs in team kit and topped off with a yellow TdF jersey.

Strangely, despite the leg muscles and looking fairly fresh, he was struggling to stay north of 20 on the flat. I wonder if the Yellow Jersey will be consigned to the back of the wardrobe for a while now he's been casually passed with a cheery "Morning!" by me in baggies on a mtb.

Wrath Rob

Flurblefish, I think you just made him put it back in the wardrobe!

Quiet ride home for me too, the traffic didn't help much on Embankment and Lotts Road. Tonight was the first ride that I really felt the heat though. You know its hot when you sweat so much your eyebrows overflow and blind you shortly before getting home.

SamWise1972

I have a single speed road bike, amongst a number of other bikes, and she's beautiful. Recently I started riding her for London commmutes, initially just once because my tourer had an issue I couldn't fix on the spot, but it was so fast and fun that I've ridden nothing else since on visits to the Smoke. Trouble is, I'm 38, and my knees are starting to hurt. I've tracked it to 2 thing; there's a Mt Ventoux steep cycle path just outside Southampton station, with a right angle turn through a narrow gap from the road at the bottom, so you can't hit it with any speed. I have to absolutely grind up it, and I've stopped doing that and started pushing. Then, there's Big Starts. I'm a big bloke, and proud of my ability to fire myself away from the line. Particularly satisfying is when I find myself alongside a fakenger in full gear; Ramones t-shirt, long shorts, SPDs, on a proper SF look fixie with a low gear (and white wheels, stupidly narrow bars, Oury grips etc etc). With their biggish gears, these guys are quick of the mark, but I can usually stay with them through sheer effort. Then comes that moment, just when they are starting to feel "Wow, I'm really good at this cycling lark! I can stay with this big lad! I'll reward myself with some girl's jeans", and then, they start to spin out, and guess what? I'm just coming on cam; in fact usually I'm at the point where I'm accelerating fastest. So, while they flap desperately trying to find a bit more speed, I'm away like a bat out of hell. Well, the point is, that involves heavy mashing, not good for knees, so I ought not to do it.

This was frustrating when I caught up with just such a biking weasel at the top of Kingsway today. The lights turned, and he threw himself onto the pedals and was away from me, ended up nipping between some buses and going out of sight. By the time I reached the other side of the junction, I was at a speed where I could give it some welly without really grinding, and a gap opens in the traffic in the middle lane. I was in there like a shot, out of saddle, hauling on the levers, and making headway on the three buses. I see ratboi again as I shoot the buses like a valkyrie (in my mind, there was probabbly a whistling or howling noise heralding my approach), and of course, I'm going to catch him; he's at the limit of his feeble gear and I'm still accelerating. I'm on him like a 1000 pound hammer; I'm going so much faster that he and the cluster of nodders he was inching past must have heard an audible *whump* as the bow wave of London pollution that I was shoving aside like an F1 powerboat hit them. Of course, he didn't try to react; I was already in the Premier League of speed, whilst he was in the Blue Square League Southern Conference Div 2, and out of legs, so he made no effort, and if he had, I wouldn't have seen it from so far down the road anyway, which actually sapped the joy out of the scalp. So the moral is, being fast is nice, but being in a position to see the results is priceless.

BSRU

I was "scalped" this morning by a roadie dressed in full blown race gear on a very nice looking Cannondale road bike, myself on a heavy hybrid, full mudguards, pannier rack, panniers, lots of lights, cameras and dressed in work clothes.

The quotes around scalped signify I think it was not a genuine scalp, ingoring the fact he is high up the food chain and I am very low down the chain.

I was cruising in primary behind traffic approaching a stop/start RAB, the roadie overtook me at a speed I would have been going at if not for the traffic and approaching a RAB. He then recklessly overtakes the car in front on the RAB entrance, so he actually undertook it on the RAB. I thought about attempting to scalp him back but I would have had to ride illegally and dangerously at the RAB, not worth it, also I was at the end of my 22 minute commute and looking forward to my beans/mushrooms on toast with a mug of tea in the works restaurant.

cjcp

Bumped into KD this morning in RP. The man's enormous! Am sure he can see over the lines of traffic for miles and miles. A bit like when a plane flies above the clouds. Me, not so much.

Good to see you, sir.

Roastie

Reading the tales has me missing London. There isn't so much SCR on my routes nowadays.

cjcp wrote:

Bumped into KD this morning in RP. The man's enormous! Am sure he can see over the lines of traffic for miles and miles. A bit like when a plane flies above the clouds. Me, not so much.

Good to see you, sir.

LOL!

Norky

London_Nick wrote:

Busy ride home for me tonight. Lots of roadies (I assume by that we mean road cyclists? new to this lingo)

I've always understood "roadies" to mean people riding road bicycles, yes. Though of course that invites debate about what exactly constitutes a "road bicycle" (generally something with drop handlebars and skinny 700C wheels/tyres). I would call myself a roadie because I ride a Focus Cayo (though today I did ride my bag-of-spanners mountain bike for a bit of off-road action on the way back. That was a shock - had there been any SCR action where I live then my scalp would have been gone in seconds)