Silly commuting racing

rjsterry

Met that chap on the black Condor SS with mudguards and yellow jacket again at VB lights. Left the lights ahead of him, but not too briskly to see what would happen. A quick glance over the shoulder revealed him checking my back tyre for sharps (I presume ), so I changed up a ring, dropped a cog, and left him for dust - not exactly nonchalant, but never mind. Saw him again as I pootled across CB, catching my breath, where he regained his scalp. That'll teach me.

Kieran_Burns

My word :shock:

A full on, if polite and gentle, scalp this morning

Turning through East Leake (larger village) I saw a roadie turn down the road I was about to take.

"Thank God" I thought, "I won't have to suffer him spinning past me"

So I turn the corner and there is he is ahead of me... and... I'm... catching... up :shock:

Err.... :? Check my speed - cruising gear and holding 17 and a bit. Yup catching.

Road bke, matching kit, no guards, rack or panniers - I'm way down the food chain....

Doesn't take long to catch and it's a very quiet road at 6:45, so a quick spin to come alongside and we have a natter, a quick plea to NOT accelerate and we part ways, me off to Bunny and him Gotham (some great place names 'ronud here!)

Most odd, I personally think he was on the last leg of some epic marathon and winding down. Laughing at this middle aged podgy bloke thinking he's quicker

dhope

Aidy wrote:

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.

Yup, that's the one

rjsterry

Well, last night's showing off on DSC has cost me: Came across the chap on the red and dark grey BH with the white Giro Ionos lid coming up to P. Sq. Left the square just ahead of him, and we were pretty even until he got a lead at Charring Cross railway bridge. Pulled that back, and a bit further along, I decided to try for a pass...

...which lasted about 20 seconds before he left me for dust and disappeared off to Blackfriars tunnel. Must learn to not blow everything on a mad dash on Monday night - it ruins the rest of the week.

rolf_f

Reeled in an olderish bloke on an old steel bike (not madly dissimilar to mine) on a slight uphill and passed him at a junction. I then proceeded to hit every traffic light on red after which he roundly humiliated himself each time by latching on to my wheel for a bit until I dropped him before hitting the next red light (at one point he did the 'cross the red light and stop ahead of the junction so you can't actually see the lights and end up getting in the way of everyone else for a bit' thing).

So, is the ultimate SCS humiliation hanging on to someones wheel and not passing them? I think that is worse than being honestly scalped!

rjsterry wrote:

...which lasted about 20 seconds before he left me for dust and disappeared off to Blackfriars tunnel. Must learn to not blow everything on a mad dash on Monday night - it ruins the rest of the week.

Yeah yeah - excuses, excuses

Citizen Smith

@rjsterry - saw the Ridley Noah guy you toyed with the other day. Yeah, nice bike, deep section rims - he was wearing a yellow jersey today so even more of a target. We traded places up thru Stockwell but the roadworks around the Common meant we couldn't really open up the taps.

There two other pacesetters this morning - chap on a trial and run and also big guy on a Charge Plug. Chapeau to both as they forced me to awake from my post Loire holiday slumber and slothness.....amazing what a week of cheese and wine and no exercise can do to one's fitness....

Oh and can someone turn off the heating....please can we have a proper thunderstorm to get rid of this humidity.

rjsterry

Citizen Smith wrote:

@rjsterry - saw the Ridley Noah guy you toyed with the other day. Yeah, nice bike, deep section rims - he was wearing a yellow jersey today so even more of a target. We traded places up thru Stockwell but the roadworks around the Common meant we couldn't really open up the taps.

There two other pacesetters this morning - chap on a trial and run and also big guy on a Charge Plug. Chapeau to both as they forced me to awake from my post Loire holiday slumber and slothness.....amazing what a week of cheese and wine and no exercise can do to one's fitness....

Oh and can someone turn off the heating....please can we have a proper thunderstorm to get rid of this humidity.

Amen to that, I was dripping when I got to work this morning. I think Mr Noah has a PowerTap hub as well so he obviously means business. Just begging to be scalped :twisted:

OldSkoolKona

I shed a tear of happiness this morning when Mrs OSK emailed me about her exploits on her purple Brompton, proper proud I am:

I always say I am going to take it easy - even let one guy pass me on upper ground, only to chase him down on the bridge. maybe one day i'll manage to cycle serenely to the office. i am a bit like a greyhound when it sees a rabbit...

asprilla

Forgot to sign up for spin this week so did three laps of the park instead. Didn't get passed but my neck hurts from all INRs.

ketsbaia

Great ride home last night. Passed a bloke on a SuperSix at the entrance to Grange Road. "Nice bike," I said as I rode past. "I've got one of those at home," I smiled, before showing him a clean pair of tyres.

Caught and passed the two other roadies who were going hammer and tongs at each other down Crimscott Street and made it stick all the way down Willow Walk. Didn't see what bikes they were on as it would have been dangerous to look back given the speed I was going.

Which leads me to an odd observation I noted last evening. Average speed on the journey in yesterday was a paltry 16.9 mph, but on the way home (a different route, I might add, and longer) it was a more respectable 18.6 mph. Does anyone else take a different route home than they do on the way in and, if so, are you quicker or slower that way?

roger_merriman

ketsbaia wrote:

Great ride home last night. Passed a bloke on a SuperSix at the entrance to Grange Road. "Nice bike," I said as I rode past. "I've got one of those at home," I smiled, before showing him a clean pair of tyres.

Caught and passed the two other roadies who were going hammer and tongs at each other down Crimscott Street and made it stick all the way down Willow Walk. Didn't see what bikes they were on as it would have been dangerous to look back given the speed I was going.

Which leads me to an odd observation I noted last evening. Average speed on the journey in yesterday was a paltry 16.9 mph, but on the way home (a different route, I might add, and longer) it was a more respectable 18.6 mph. Does anyone else take a different route home than they do on the way in and, if so, are you quicker or slower that way?

I have a number of ways to work, being londonish it's not so much the rise and fall of the land but how many lights etc I pass.

I've got it down to one set that I have to wait at the rest are ped ones so normally on green.

I never see action only slow hybrids and the odd lost and hopeless roadies (trainers and on the insteps etc). so normally one can freewheel past...up a hill......

Aidy

ketsbaia wrote:

Which leads me to an odd observation I noted last evening. Average speed on the journey in yesterday was a paltry 16.9 mph, but on the way home (a different route, I might add, and longer) it was a more respectable 18.6 mph. Does anyone else take a different route home than they do on the way in and, if so, are you quicker or slower that way?

I'm generally a bit quicker home than to work.
I kinda figure it's due to two things:

a) I really want to get home
b) I'm warming up in the slow London-y bit, rather than on the faster spinny bit.

Pufftmw

ketsbaia wrote:

Which leads me to an odd observation I noted last evening. Average speed on the journey in yesterday was a paltry 16.9 mph, but on the way home (a different route, I might add, and longer) it was a more respectable 18.6 mph. Does anyone else take a different route home than they do on the way in and, if so, are you quicker or slower that way?

It may be down to lighter traffic? but I generally find the same as well. Not sure which way you go but the wind generally comes from the SW so it could also be that heading down the OKR you get some assistance..

HamishD

ketsbaia wrote:

Great ride home last night. Passed a bloke on a SuperSix at the entrance to Grange Road. "Nice bike," I said as I rode past. "I've got one of those at home," I smiled, before showing him a clean pair of tyres.

Caught and passed the two other roadies who were going hammer and tongs at each other down Crimscott Street and made it stick all the way down Willow Walk. Didn't see what bikes they were on as it would have been dangerous to look back given the speed I was going.

Which leads me to an odd observation I noted last evening. Average speed on the journey in yesterday was a paltry 16.9 mph, but on the way home (a different route, I might add, and longer) it was a more respectable 18.6 mph. Does anyone else take a different route home than they do on the way in and, if so, are you quicker or slower that way?

Oh to think that 16.9 is paltry – the route I take that is pretty respectable. 18.6 is pie in the sky; too much traffic, too many lights. (Hither Green-Brockley-A2-Elephant-Birdcage Walk/Constitution-Hyde Park-Lancaster Gate-Harrow Road to North Acton). Going via Peckham, Camberwell, Embankment,Fulham,Hammermith is even slower!

I did a 60 mile pootle on Sunday with a considerably higher av. Speed (for clarification, we are talking about MOVING averages yes?) than a balls out 15 mile sprint through London.

maddernj

Hi, generally quicker on the way in.....

Beckenham > Sydenham Hill > Barry Road > Peckham > OKR > Liverpool Street
aprox 35 mins

Home is

Liverpoll Street > Elephant and Castle > Camberwell > Dulwich Village > College Road (up the hill) > Penge > Beckenham
Aprox 40mins

normaly quicker on the way in as its downhill for most of the way. About 20miles all in..

Origamist

Citizen Smith wrote:

@rjsterry - saw the Ridley Noah guy you toyed with the other day. Yeah, nice bike, deep section rims - he was wearing a yellow jersey today so even more of a target. We traded places up thru Stockwell but the roadworks around the Common meant we couldn't really open up the taps.

There two other pacesetters this morning - chap on a trial and run and also big guy on a Charge Plug. Chapeau to both as they forced me to awake from my post Loire holiday slumber and slothness.....amazing what a week of cheese and wine and no exercise can do to one's fitness....

That's me on the Charge - what bike do you ride Citizen Smith?

The guy on the Ridley has a CycleOps Powertap and often tells you the wattage your putting out at the lights - nice chap. He claimed 800w up Bedford Hill this morning...

Citizen Smith

Origamist wrote:

That's me on the Charge - what bike do you ride Citizen Smith?

The guy on the Ridley has a CycleOps Powertap and often tells you the wattage your putting out at the lights - nice chap. He claimed 800w up Bedford Hill this morning...

Hey, yeah, thought you might be a fellow SCR'er - I recollect seeing you on one of Gaz's vids on the same stretch.

I am on a wide barred GT grey hybrid, red/silver helmet, had black DHB top + black Castelli bibs today. I trailed you guys up Bedford Hill and just managed to stay in touch and was directly behind you at Clapham South tube. I think I lost you at Union Rd junction because you made the lights....whereas I didn't because of a sluggish pull away from Clapham North in a ridiculous GI....

lost_in_thought

I'm always quicker on the way in. Don't know why, but the way in always seems like fun, whereas the way home is always an arse.

I think it's partly due to the route, and partly due to my being tired!

Butterd2

Picked up a wheel fairy in Greenwich who sat there all the way to Tower Bridge. Well in fact not quite, 'cos just before the bridge he undertook me at some lights, however he soon discovered that he could not sustain 20+ without the pull and slowed down so I went by again just before the right turn onto the bridge.
"Hope you enjoyed the tow" I said and just got a smile back.

If you are reading this (roadie / full lyrca - you know who you are) then I have no problem with pulling you along if your legs are not up to it but please have the courtesy to say thanks (oh and overtake on the right).

Bassjunkieuk

No competition bike wise as usual for me on my short commute so I've upped the ante a little bit by cranking up the gearing a notch. Had good fun yesterday as after 5 days off the bike my legs and me needed a release!! Pretty much as soon as I hit the main road and BHAM I'm upto 25 and pushing it out of the saddle over the small bridge over the railway line.

I arrive at the next set of lights and when they go green I get lined up brilliantly behind a mini-bus and give it some beans. It was all going great until the drivetrain started making some weird noises, I think it was complaining about the awesome I was pouring onto it ;-)

On the way home this evening I was working out a rather stressful day at work so had great fun pacing a couple of blondes in a blue Audi back over the same small bridge from earlier, except heading the opposite way. As they pulled ahead the kid in the back seats looked back and I gave a wry smile as I overtook again and disappeared through the traffic ahead!
Felt much better once I was in and must have been going some as the 18.1 average is WAY up on what I normally do for that little sprint home :-)

cjcp

Towed a SSer from BB to VB lights this morning. He said, "Cheers, Boss".

There was then this chap who I see jumping reds and drafting anything that moves. He took a tow from a coach through Blackfriars Tunnel. "That's cheating", I thought. So, wound it up and passed both him and the coach. Get in.

Had a new one this morning. Chap goes through a red at the end of Priory Lane and says to the group of waiting cyclists, "it's green for us, chaps". So, red is the new green this season.

Tonight, I saw Canyon Man. "Bugger", I thought. Got separated from him down DSC because of the traffic. Gutted. Was building myself up for a right ol' chase. Had a good chat with a Dynamo I see every now and again and did an extra lap of RP with him.

SamWise1972

Silly Commuting Disappointment tonight, though it wasn't technically commuting.

I was out on our tandem with the missus, with our 2.5 year old on the back. It weighs perhaps 60 lbs, has a 3 speed Sturmey Archer gear hub, and flexes like an absolute bugger; not a speed machine then. As we're pootling out of town, we get overhauled by a roadie, not team kit but full lycra, SPDs etc. He wasn't going all that fast, and he really didn't look like he had the legs to go with the gear. We kept in touch, and as he crept up to a roundabout, we caught him. He had a peep over his shoulder, and when he saw a gap, kicked into it. We went too, and my instincts kicked in. The missus wasn't surprised when I steamed into the roundabout; that's just good safe riding, but as we came off the other side, I knocked it up a second time into top gear, and was out of the saddle, ready to chase the bugger down. "Are you alright?" she said "Yeah, just want to see if we can catch this guy" I said. She was having none of it.

I swear, solo on the tandem, I would have caught him. The wife actually slows us down, but when my 13 year old (openside flanker for his local rugby club, and 5'10 already) is on, and turns the motor on, I get a real kick in the back. If he'd been there, the bloke would have had no chance, but I reckon I would have caught him even dragging the missus and the little nipper. Alas, no opportunity, and he creaked gradually away into the distance. Grrrrr.

rjsterry

Felt a bit bushed this evening after a thrashing it down DSC last night, then being woken up by the littl'un at 0115-0245hrs, then again at 0545hrs (amazing how quickly you lose the knack of managing on 4 hrs sleep), so just a power pootle down to CB, with no competition to speak of. A zippy chap on something posh in Castelli tights and a white l/s jersey (in this weather :shock: He must struggle in the winter) kept it interesting along QTR and up to the Common, but he peeled off after that. Settled in for an easy ride home, when an RLJer in an orange jersey on something blue came past in Mitcham. Couldn't let that go so reeled him in and passed with a cheery 'Evening" at the top of Green Wrythe Lane, then opened up all the way to my turning Sceee-alp.

El Capitano

Some good SCR this morning… I’d decided to take the XTC to work today. Just coming up to the lights at Dow Corning and Flat Bar Roadie chap whizzes past. We’ve battled before, but normally I’m on the Focus and can ride him off my wheel on the climbs. He gets the better jump at the lights and has a good 100 yards on me before I can get going. I start to wind up the gears, only to run out of them by the time I get to McDonald’s roundabout. He also gets the better run at the island as I had to brake to avoid going into the side of a Merc.

On the road to Dinas Powys, I’m closing him down, slowly, very slowly. I’m about 30 yards behind him as the climb over the railway line looms. I lock the forks and stomp on the pedals up the climb, reducing the gap considerably. On the descent I wind it up and pull to within 10 yards.

By now I’m sucking in air like a K&N 57i and my HR is at a level my doctor doesn’t approve of…

At the lights in Dinas Powys, he gets caught briefly at the filtering and I’m right behind him. I have to stay there through Dinas Powys to the lights at Cogan, drafting him all the way. We both have to stop at the lights. I’m comforted to see he’s also puffing like a steam train. We’re side by side as the lights change. He pulls ahead slightly and I, again, have to sit on his tail. I follow him down the hill on Cardiff Road, but he’s slowing down, I can keep up easier now. On the slight incline under the link road, I pass him and take over the pace setting. Along Cardiff Road, 3 good light changes, mean no slowing down. He’s still sat on my wheel, but I can’t drop him and TBH, I don’t think he’s got the energy to pass me.

At the back of Central Station, I turn left towards the Hayes and he goes straight on.

Scalp retaken, but it took some serious effort on my behalf.

itboffin

Nice work El Capitano have you stopped sweating yet :-)

Origamist

Citizen Smith wrote:

Hey, yeah, thought you might be a fellow SCR'er - I recollect seeing you on one of Gaz's vids on the same stretch.

I am on a wide barred GT grey hybrid, red/silver helmet, had black DHB top + black Castelli bibs today. I trailed you guys up Bedford Hill and just managed to stay in touch and was directly behind you at Clapham South tube. I think I lost you at Union Rd junction because you made the lights....whereas I didn't because of a sluggish pull away from Clapham North in a ridiculous GI....

I think I've seen you before - I'll say "hello" next time.

I don't think I qualify as fully fledged SCRer as I don't chase people down who pass me.

Butterd2

Well that was without doubt my most difficult commute ever.

As the legs are feeling tired from commuting 5 days a week plus rides at the weekends and given that I am out on the source tonight I thought I would take the MTB in today and force myself to ride really slowly effectively making today a rest day.

This I did and got overtaken by pretty much everything on the road (even a Brompton coming off Tower Bridge!).

Whilst I feel quite pleased with myself for exercising such levels of self control my ego feels like it has taken a right kicking, I thought I would be able to handle it but I'm not sure I can.

Can I get a top with "I'm on a rest day" on it?

dcurzon

got owned on journey home from Epping station to Harlow, by a fella on a Specialised Allez, and also a fella on a situp n beg with a side pannier... damn i need to get quicker! Still, that was my first day of riding so i'll let them have that scalping they issued...

cjcp

Lovely morning for a ride. JG caught up with me just after DSC - spotted his reflection on the back of a car filtering up to VB lights.

A black cab obeying the speed limit and driving very sensibly prevented a sprint finish through Blackfriars Tunnel. Drat.

lost_in_thought

It is a lovely morning, isn't it?

Alas I was on the choob due to some impromptu boozing and curry with my new boss over by Smithfield.

I also slept right through my alarm, which is both annoying and impressive, as it's my radio as loud as it goes for an hour, as well as a beepy alarm.

Ah well. Once I wake up I'll feel refreshed.

:oops: