Silly commuting racing

Chewy Cheeks

Loving these south westerlies - weeeeeee.

Only over taken once this morning, that is amazing for me

On the way hame I have a time dependancy so it will be a right slog
unless it turns to a SE by 5.30 ish?

Ian.B

JonGinge wrote:

Span up to above 33mph on Chelsea Embankment today. No scalps in sight, just for the fun of it. MTFU.

You were in view as far as Royal Hospital, but no matching that! Then I just caught the red at CB.

UndercoverElephant

Right, chaps. Where do we stand on electric mopeds?

I encountered one this morning, and it was the spookiest thing ever. I got my spidey sense tingling and I looked round. He was about 200 yards back, "moped", I thought and carried on. It was a headwind this morning, I'll have a dig at mopeds on a tailwind, but on long, straight, flat roads, they tend to grind you down eventually. Came to a roundabout, shoulder-checked and he was right behind me. This thing was so silent, it was like he was playing grandmothers footsteps. It was like those horror films where there's a flash of lightening, and you see the killer in the distance, then on the next flash he's right at you with his axe.

Silent, yes. Powerful, no. He topped out at about 25 mph on my speedo. I held him off for a few miles, but his battery had a larger charge than mine in this wind.

asprilla

UndercoverElephant wrote:

Right, chaps. Where do we stand on electric mopeds?

Same as GoCycles; spawn of Satan sent to crush your will.

Oh look there's a bloke on a bike just about to go up that hill in this headwind. I'll reel him in before he's halfway up. Hang on, I don't appear to be gaining on him, I'd better completely destroy myself in order to prove that this guy on a sit up and beg flat bar isn't better then me.

Much pain and failure exiting the body later; CHEATING BARSTEWARD AND HIS MOTHER FUDGING ELECTRIC BIKE! i HOPE HE GETS BUM BOILS.

Pufftmw

UndercoverElephant wrote:

Right, chaps. Where do we stand on electric mopeds?

I encountered one this morning, and it was the spookiest thing ever. I got my spidey sense tingling and I looked round. He was about 200 yards back, "moped", I thought and carried on. It was a headwind this morning, I'll have a dig at mopeds on a tailwind, but on long, straight, flat roads, they tend to grind you down eventually. Came to a roundabout, shoulder-checked and he was right behind me. This thing was so silent, it was like he was playing grandmothers footsteps. It was like those horror films where there's a flash of lightening, and you see the killer in the distance, then on the next flash he's right at you with his axe.

Silent, yes. Powerful, no. He topped out at about 25 mph on my speedo. I held him off for a few miles, but his battery had a larger charge than mine in this wind.

I've ridden one of those things and it is even eerier to ride, believe me! You expect noise and there is none but the rush of wind in your helmet, you are being propelled along without any effort but the worst thing is that NOBODY HEARS YOU COMING! The amount of pedestrians that could be wiped out if they became widespread is amazing. Similarly, no cars can hear you either so you are more vulnerable to them doing stupid things. The one I rode was mechanically (electronically!) limited to 35mph but the acceleration is linear and quick. Handling was a bit on the wollowy side and I sure as heck wouldn't like to have a crash with one.

The electric vans I have driven tend to make a bit more road/wind noise but are still bloody quiet.

rjsterry

JonGinge wrote:

What is this talk of wasting tailwinds? Just because there is no sport? Disappointed by you all *shakes head*

Race yourself! Say,'Take that, last week me!'

Span up to above 33mph on Chelsea Embankment today. No scalps in sight, just for the fun of it. MTFU.

I'd love to, but a) my computer is on the blink, so I can only guess whether I'm going faster or not, and b) the only bit that wasn't chokka this morning was the first half of Millbank - the comp did blink into life for a few minutes to reveal that I was up to 28mph. I've also just fitted some new Ashima pads on the front brake as Pearson's didn't have any Koolstop Salmons or Dual Condition ones - I'm not entirely convinced on today's performance.

BTW, Mrs RJS picked these up for me earlier in the week, and got a whole lot of 'not sure what you mean, love' despite her asking specifically for Koolstop Salmons - cut that out Pearson!

Pufftmw

I stayed in Bow last night, so my commute this morning was both into the wind and short. I was also a bit late (after 9) so there was no scalps worth claiming. However, I was fair flying along into the wind, that longer commute is doing wonders for my fitness

Respect to the chap at the lights with CambHeathRd who was politely (yes, politely!) remonstrating with a moped rider for stopping in the ASL

Kieran_Burns

Asprilla wrote:

UndercoverElephant wrote:

Right, chaps. Where do we stand on electric mopeds?

Same as GoCycles; spawn of Satan sent to crush your will.

Oh look there's a bloke on a bike just about to go up that hill in this headwind. I'll reel him in before he's halfway up. Hang on, I don't appear to be gaining on him, I'd better completely destroy myself in order to prove that this guy on a sit up and beg flat bar isn't better then me.

Much pain and failure exiting the body later; CHEATING BARSTEWARD AND HIS MOTHER FUDGING ELECTRIC BIKE! i HOPE HE GETS BUM BOILS.

Happened to me when on the last stretch of a days ride out. I buried myself trying to catch this fat old geezer on a flat barred thing while he merrily span up a nasty little hill that I couldn't get out of the middle ring on. :shock:

I was effing and blinding when I went past him on the flat - all he would've heard is

"huuuh..... whhhheeezzzzeeee.... fffffffoooorrrr..... bbbbaaaaarrrssss"

I may have to invest in an EMP bomb to destroy all such smug sods.

WesternWay

richred_uk wrote:

Damn you all coming North with a tailwind - you know what we call it travelling North - South? A bleeding 'orrible headwind everything felt like I was 2 gears higher this morning - no ability to get any speed going.

Rich

Bloody windy wasn't it?

I was uncharacteristically late, so saw loads more people than normal. A guy on a Cervelo whizzed past the end of my road and I vaguely gave chase. Passed a few people slowly, slowly catching him, then just north of the cinema and swimming pool had my first puncture in months.

Grrr,

And then it rained. Double grr

Bizarrely though, I quite enjoyed the ride.

jonginge

rjsterry wrote:

JonGinge wrote:

What is this talk of wasting tailwinds? Just because there is no sport? Disappointed by you all *shakes head*

Race yourself! Say,'Take that, last week me!'

Span up to above 33mph on Chelsea Embankment today. No scalps in sight, just for the fun of it. MTFU.

I'd love to, but a) my computer is on the blink, so I can only guess whether I'm going faster or not, and b) the only bit that wasn't chokka this morning was the first half of Millbank - the comp did blink into life for a few minutes to reveal that I was up to 28mph. I've also just fitted some new Ashima pads on the front brake as Pearson's didn't have any Koolstop Salmons or Dual Condition ones - I'm not entirely convinced on today's performance.

BTW, Mrs RJS picked these up for me earlier in the week, and got a whole lot of 'not sure what you mean, love' despite her asking specifically for Koolstop Salmons - cut that out Pearson!

Excuses, excuses

To be fair, CE, Millbank and Blackfriars were the only places where the traffic opened up for me.

Funnily enough, I just put some ashimas on my Pearson. First impressions are probably similar to yours: OK but not great.

rjsterry

The Ashimas (see below) look as though they should be good, with their funny shape, but they don't sem to grab the wheel as convincingly as the Koolstops.



Mind you, given how greasy the roads were this morning, all Koolstops would provide is the ability to lock up the back wheel and fish-tail all over the place.

MonkeyMonster

Don't worry lads, back on the bike tomorrow so you'd better be looking over your shoulder
I don't draft merely use you as a rabbit before spying the next one ahead and moving on.

Hopefully now a bit more organised its back on the bike most days - pita is I have a 10 min walk to nearest gym for morning shower. Those that met me in the park on saturday can attest to me needing a shower - a few wet wipes won't do the trick.

gazeddy

am i right in thinking i move up the chain by overtaking people higher up and move down when i get overtaken by kids on three wheelers.

Norky

JonGinge wrote:

What is this talk of wasting tailwinds? Just because there is no sport? Disappointed by you all *shakes head*

Race yourself! Say,'Take that, last week me!'

I'm such a contrary bugger that last-week-me will likely come back with a boat load of awesome, just to put this-week-me in my place. However, it's a splendid sentiment: there's always at least one person on the road to race.

Norky

gazeddy wrote:

am i right in thinking i move up the chain by overtaking people higher up and move down when i get overtaken by kids on three wheelers.

SCR rules

Your place in the chain is set by your bike, attire and accessories etc. The only way to change your Food Chain Number is to change one of those. E.g. you might wear jeans and ordinary shoes one day, then lycra team kit the next, bumping yourself a couple of places up the chain.

Passing someone with a lower FCN (i.e. someone who is 'higher' up the chain) means you can claim their scalp and you get a point (and they lose one). You might pass 8 people who were higher up the food chain on the way in, but have been passed by two people who were lower, netting you 6 points that day.

At least that's what I understand, sadly, it's all pretty moot for me - while I commute through some lovely countryside there's precious little action, unless scalping a horse-rider counts.

cjcp

Oh, Lordy; the headwind did not make for a pleasant pootle tonight.

Saw the Stephen Roche-led peleton going the other way in RP.

asprilla

cjcp wrote:

Oh, Lordy; the headwind did not make for a pleasant pootle

I have to lose weight because I apparently look like a tug boat from the back and consequently everyone expects me to tow them around the place.

Buggers.

cjcp

Asprilla wrote:

cjcp wrote:

Oh, Lordy; the headwind did not make for a pleasant pootle

I have to lose weight because I apparently look like a tug boat from the back and consequently everyone expects me to tow them around the place.

Buggers.

jonginge

Turns out I'm not awesome after all. Damn.

stuaff

JonGinge wrote:

Turns out I'm not awesome after all. Damn.

Oh, fuss and nonsense. We all know better!

Butterd2

StuAff wrote:

JonGinge wrote:

Turns out I'm not awesome after all. Damn.

Oh, fuss and nonsense. We all know better!

StuAff, I see a guy in Greenwich foot tunnel with the top in your avatar, I'm guessing from your location that's not you? I had assumed that was a one off top he had somehow got made up but maybe not. Ride the Ligtning was one of the first albums I bought- many years ago now.

conanius

I need help with what happened yesterday.

Me, less than a month into doing a 13 mile each way commute.
Bike, Trek FX 7.3 Hybrid. Mud Guards, Rack, Pannier Bags, grubby white Asics Trainers, black shorts (*cough padded lycra*) 2001 England strip t-shirt, florescent yellow rain proof kagool type top.... fingerless nike cycling gloves

Him - Racing glasses, it looked like a 1 piece bright yellow (my eyes still hurt) lycra shorts and t-shirt combo with I think his name and web address across arse. Legs like tree trunks, full race bike, clip ins

Kept with him from Lewisham Ladywell Hospital to Vauxhall (7 MILES). Caught up every time he jumped a red light, and overtook several times. Last time I saw him was when I overtook going up over Vauxhall bridge....Only posting it as for the last 3 weeks I've been consoling myself that a small child being pulled on a strike was probably quicker than me.

To me, this felt like an epic scalp. Am I being disillusional?

Butterd2

Well yesterday was a day of 2 halves;

On the way in I catch, ride with for a little while and then pass (despite his speeding up when I get onto his shoulder) an SS/FS going through Deptford, all well and good so far then we come to a set of lights, and whilst I'm not entirely averse to a bit of RLJ when I consider it safe to do so, he just flew straight through a Red and I stopped. After a full sequence on the lights I set off considering the race null and void but then a couple of minutes later I see Fixie up ahead, he has run out of puff and slowed down so with only a few hundred meters to the right turn onto Tower Bridge I'm out of the saddle giving it large and I get onto his wheel with 50 yards to go, sit down, and cruise past as if I hadn't even recognised him. I stop at the lights and this time he stops behind me. Justice is served and your scalp is mine.

On the way home it's another matter, I've been in the pub all afternoon and the legs aren't feeling too flash. Coming out of Greenwich a roadie in a "Kross" top passes me so not wanting to look a gift horse in the mouth I hop onto his wheel and he drags me all the way through to Charlton. We stop at the roundabout under the A2 and I thank him for the tow, which he accepts graceously before turning up Victoria Way.

Kieran_Burns

conanius wrote:

I need help with what happened yesterday.

Me, less than a month into doing a 13 mile each way commute.
Bike, Trek FX 7.3 Hybrid. Mud Guards, Rack, Pannier Bags, grubby white Asics Trainers, black shorts (*cough padded lycra*) 2001 England strip t-shirt, florescent yellow rain proof kagool type top.... fingerless nike cycling gloves

Him - Racing glasses, it looked like a 1 piece bright yellow (my eyes still hurt) lycra shorts and t-shirt combo with I think his name and web address across ars*. Legs like tree trunks, full race bike, clip ins

Kept with him from Lewisham Ladywell Hospital to Vauxhall (7 MILES). Caught up every time he jumped a red light, and overtook several times. Last time I saw him was when I overtook going up over Vauxhall bridge....Only posting it as for the last 3 weeks I've been consoling myself that a small child being pulled on a strike was probably quicker than me.

To me, this felt like an epic scalp. Am I being disillusional?

Adjudication my arse - you're just showing off

MonkeyMonster

Wheeeee. Well I hope you lazy roadies will thank me later for a) the repeated tows and b) for making you work as hard as you know you should have! Hit 28+ from millbank eastward to see who that shook off. Most of them tbh bar one chap who never thanked either...

Grey bianchi with sky jersey dude - its polite to thank people when you sit behind them covering in fear from a mere bit of wind but you do have some speed. I wish ginge or cj had been there to show you how you *should* be riding a bike with tri bars.

Please remember people that jumping red light lights invalidates you taking your scalp back - its still here in my pocket, albeit a bit sweaty.

I shall be homeward bound normal time so watch out

Clever Pun

Pain Cave all the way home for me last night, no fu<king way was I extending that

One fella who managed to stick on my tail tried to overtake got level with me and dropped off immediatly... he was obviously some sort of goldfish as he tried it a mile or so later I kicked on as he did it leaving him out in the open... heh. When I say I kicked on I turned the pedals a little bit faster for about 20 metres


This morning however I damn well flew in nearly getting 19mph average on fixed... not too shabby

Pufftmw

It were bad last night

Tues/Thurs after work I do an hours karate near my office - lots of low stances, kicks etc - then cycle back down to Lewisham. Those days I tend to take a bit easier on the way down but last night by the time I got to New Cross my calf muscles were cramping up Going up Lewisham Way was agony

I need to sort out some fueling inbetween karate and cycling home...

This morning, the wind was all over the place :?

cjcp

Red and black really is my colour combo; I look awesome in it. I was a sartorial tsunami this morning.

Anyway, in other news, I had to give it some beans this morning - was wearing my Marmotte top. Managed to get enough speed up down Embankment and Millbank to fend off challengers.

A bit late, but still worthy of a mention: I saw a Kingston Phoenix rider give the best display of track standing short of the Olympics on Wednesday. It was on the NKR. He barely flinched.

W1

On the train today as out on the sauce tonight. Had forgotten what a soul sapping experience PT is. The less I use it, the more I hate it when I do....

WesternWay

Tired on the way home last night and dropped by a guy on Archway Hill. We both passed 5 cyclists of various descriptions, but he dropped me at the top.

Then up by the North Circular a guy came by me in team kit... It was on a bit od downhill so I reckon I was doing high twenties but might as well have been stood still, he belted along.

And then again in Whetstone, another roadie whizzed by on the flat, in black and white kit. We stopped at lights and he was very slight, I have no idea how so much speed came out of his legs :-)

On the way in this morning, I was late and saw a guy on a folder heading towards Whetstone so I assumed it was richred... Cue one entirely confused man ona folder who knew nothing about bikeradar or richred...