Silly commuting racing
Comments
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The clear roads brought about by the school holidays were slightly spoiled by a big tail back on Clapham Common (a 6' square hole right in the centre of the road, so temp lights - crap all over the new CS7). This was a pity, as I was just getting suck into a chap in black kit with red and white stripes on the sleeves on a shiny new black/red Ridley with deep section wheels.
Traffic cleared up again, once I was past the common, and had a good blast down the Embankment drafting a Norman and Underwood truck (Est. 1835), then swinging past just before VB lights. Millbank was busy at the LBR end, and the traffic was backed up all the way to P. Sq. Didn't spot any regulars along Vic. Emb., but there was a bald/shaved chap in an orange black and white jersey on an MTB (large tyres, but not sure if knobblies) with panniers. He was shifting some for such a large bike.1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
Pinnacle Monzonite
Part of the anti-growth coalition0 -
JG caught me up on the NKR this morning. Nice swift ride, interrupted slightly by the WTF traffic in Parlt Square. Anyone know anything abotu that?
Comedy clipless moment pulling off from the lights just before B'friars Tunnel. The right foot didn't want to go in, so I veered wildly left, knackers nearly clattering the top tube, before getting back on track. This may have greatly amused the rider behind. And rightly so. :oops:FCN 2-4.
"What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
"It stays down, Daddy."
"Exactly."0 -
The WTF traffic started at HSK quite frankly... some bonkers driving.
Took a few scalps and some super numpty on a red spez wearing trainers wobbling all over the place as he was applying power I didn't bother with.
Almost wiped myself out with a skid on lambeth roundabout with that small bit of rain making it all nasty slidey - took control and shifted back end other way for a counter slide before beetling off
Woke me up!
Lubed my cleat and shoe and got rid of 50% of the weird creaking i've been getting right hand side. Still getting crank creak but until I get some tools that's gonna be around. Amazing how much a quiet bike can make it seem more effortless and fun.Le Cannon [98 Cannondale M400] [FCN: 8]
The Mad Monkey [2013 Hoy 003] [FCN: 4]0 -
I'm on the choob for the foreseeable
Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.0 -
That was fun. First time on the geared bike for a while and I loved the additional easy speed
Caught up with CJ at Parsons Green. Normally we'd have a chat and a pootle. Today the chat was still there but the speed was on. I guess the fatigue from the marmotte has gone
The traffic was rubbish around parl. sq. due to a bus parked over one of the exits. I salute you, Mr bus driver. Not in a good way, though.
Vicky embankment opened up around Temple and it was easy 28-29s all the way to the tunnel where the sprint began.
Good ride. 0 -
Hmmmmmm. Geared bike faster you say?
*hatches plot*0 -
lost_in_thought wrote:Hmmmmmm. Geared bike faster you say?
*hatches plot*
Are you the same LiT who abused me in a sadly non physical way for having a geared summer bike for riding in on.....
"MTF Down" were your words.....
anyhoo..
You'll all be glad to know that I thought it might rain today - I'm on my fixed + mudguards so I expect it to be bright brilliant sunshine by 1700hrs.Fixed gear for wet weather / hairy roadie for posing in the sun.
What would Thora Hurd do?0 -
FCN ruling please.
How many minus points for a water bottle in the bottle cage? Said water bottle being the free one they gave you at the Marmotte?
No matter. Nothing came close this morning. Thought there might be some action with a couple of roadies, but they had zero fight in them.0 -
Sewinman wrote:itboffin wrote:I'm on the choob for the foreseeable
Sorry to hear about your accident mate. Get well soon.
Yeah, to you and stuaff too. My bro in law is currently due for spinal surgery this afternoon after having a very nasty face plant on saturday afternoon. T7 fractured and a lower one crushed.Le Cannon [98 Cannondale M400] [FCN: 8]
The Mad Monkey [2013 Hoy 003] [FCN: 4]0 -
Purveyor of sonic doom
Very Hairy Roadie - FCN 4
Fixed Pista- FCN 5
Beared Bromptonite - FCN 140 -
Its here, its built and I had to stop to work out how to change the gears DOWN :oops:
Effortless speed though - need a speedo now...1997 Gary Fisher Big Sur
2009 Scott Spark 60
2010 Ghost 5000
2011 Commencal Ramones AL1
2012 Commencal Meta AM10 -
Greg T wrote:lost_in_thought wrote:Hmmmmmm. Geared bike faster you say?
*hatches plot*
Are you the same LiT who abused me in a sadly non physical way for having a geared summer bike for riding in on.....
"MTF Down" were your words.....
Well, I figure if everyone else is M-ing TFD, I may as well join in...
Physical abuse is reserved for when you get a 'bent for your ailing spine.0 -
zanes wrote:Pufftmw wrote:Its here, its built and I had to stop to work out how to change the gears DOWN :oops:
SRAM Groupset?
Road racer, Shimano 105s - I'm used to SRAM twist grips on my MTB, never tried the ones in the brake lever before :oops:
Que lots of braking whilst changing up for a while :roll:1997 Gary Fisher Big Sur
2009 Scott Spark 60
2010 Ghost 5000
2011 Commencal Ramones AL1
2012 Commencal Meta AM10 -
Pufftmw wrote:zanes wrote:Pufftmw wrote:Its here, its built and I had to stop to work out how to change the gears DOWN :oops:
SRAM Groupset?
Road racer, Shimano 105s - I'm used to SRAM twist grips on my MTB, never tried the ones in the brake lever before :oops:
Que lots of braking whilst changing up for a while :roll:
105, you say? Don't worry. I've been used to STI shifting for a good few years and I'm still trying to work out how to operate the left hand shifter properly. Think I've got one of the incredibly large bad batch.0 -
my 105 left shifter has gone, have had to send it back to shimano for a replacement part. Cant say im impressed with the durability of shimano kit at the mo, have gone through a shifter, a rear brake and a chain without much use on the bike.0
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mkirby wrote:my 105 left shifter has gone, have had to send it back to shimano for a replacement part. Cant say im impressed with the durability of shimano kit at the mo, have gone through a shifter, a rear brake and a chain without much use on the bike.
Unlucky. Can't comment on the brakes but my shifters have done 2 years and 8500 miles and seem to be just as good as they ever were. I'm just replacing the chain (and cassette) for the second time. 4200 miles per chain seems reasonable to me. I suspect I'd probably have replace the chain after 1000miles if I was trying to avoid cassette wear though.
This seems to be about the same level of durability as the 9speed SRAM chain/Shimano shifters combination I use on my MTBs.
Mike0 -
Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.0 -
JonGinge wrote:
Seriously, I was test riding a Kuota a couple of weeks ago with a Rival groupset, took me quite a while to figure out why the brake lever wouldn't move sideways (First time out with SRAM kit, and for some reason had convinced myself it was a Shimano build!) :oops:
It then took me even longer to master shifting down a single sprocket. Great system though, and the bike was insane.0 -
Ah, I thought you were making a TdF joke. You mastered the shifting system more quickly than the Schleckletzanes wrote:JonGinge wrote:
Seriously, I was test riding a Kuota a couple of weeks ago with a Rival groupset, took me quite a while to figure out why the brake lever wouldn't move sideways (First time out with SRAM kit, and for some reason had convinced myself it was a Shimano build!) :oops:
It then took me even longer to master shifting down a single sprocket. Great system though, and the bike was insane.
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lost_in_thought wrote:Greg T wrote:lost_in_thought wrote:Hmmmmmm. Geared bike faster you say?
*hatches plot*
Are you the same LiT who abused me in a sadly non physical way for having a geared summer bike for riding in on.....
"MTF Down" were your words.....
Well, I figure if everyone else is M-ing TFD, I may as well join in...
Physical abuse is reserved for when you get a 'bent for your ailing spine.
Oooh, oooh.
Sign me up for some physical abuse from LiT! 0 -
Ummm..... having only used the Shimano brake shifters, how do the other manufacturers do the same job?
Thumb changers?Chunky Cyclists need your love too! :-)
2009 Specialized Tricross Sport
2011 Trek Madone 4.5
2012 Felt F65X
Proud CX Pervert and quiet roadie. 12 mile commuter0 -
Kieran_Burns wrote:Ummm..... having only used the Shimano brake shifters, how do the other manufacturers do the same job?
Thumb changers?
Campy have little thumb shifters on the inner side of the hoods. Not to everyone's taste, but on balance I think I prefer them. Easier for my tiny hands, you see.
SRAM have a double-tap system that I know nothing about other than the name, but am assuming you just flick the little lever twice, in quick succession, to change down.0 -
ketsbaia wrote:
SRAM have a double-tap system that I know nothing about other than the name, but am assuming you just flick the little lever twice, in quick succession, to change down.
Push the lever halfway for a upshift, and through it's complete stroke for a downshift, I believe.0 -
Kieran_Burns wrote:Ummm..... having only used the Shimano brake shifters, how do the other manufacturers do the same job?
Thumb changers?
I'm not changing from Shimano. Change is bad.
Not much on the roads after 8.30pm. Humpf.FCN 2-4.
"What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
"It stays down, Daddy."
"Exactly."0
