Silly commuting racing

jonginge

Got overtaken by an MTB last night. An MTB. On knobblies! The bike looked pristine.

He was pretty nippy over short distances, overtook on Cheyne walk at about 28mph. I'd heard him approaching a mile off He went straight on instead of turning left onto the NKR, though. It would have been interesting to see if he could have maintained it. His pace wasn't great along CE where I'd previously passed him.

I'm trying to maintain a decent pace without going all out due to having a cold. It's hard work, I tell you. So easy to give it the beans just for the fun of it.

aneesh99

Well, yesterday, in the great country known as Wales (not ^^), I had my first SCR experience!

I was on the way back from work (Cardiff City Center) and lo and behold, some dude (dude is probably the wrong word here but I can't think of a better one) dapped up in full Saxo Bank gear riding a Spesh Tarmac SL3 get's in my way.

At first I thought, out of respect for the roadie, I'd back off and leave him be. Then I though, what the hell? I'm a mountain biker. Clicked down a few gears on the trusty Iron Horse, I mashed it past him and pulled ahead! Then I take a quick peek over my shoulder and the lycra lout was towing, so I mashed it some more, taking an impromptu shortcut over some jumps. Fair play, I got home and was shattered, but then again I beat a roadie on a 160mm singletrack monster. I love commuting

cjcp

rjsterry wrote:

cjcp wrote:

Asprilla wrote:

On the SCR topic I've decided to keep these legs; 31.2kph moving average was a good effort this morning over 17 miles.

Yup - precisely why I've not made the club run in two years .

The turbo's dull, but makes a real difference. An hour of pain on that thing goes a long way - always very handy when you have to juggle the needs of SWMBO and ankle-biters. Send SWMBO out shopping (for herself, not your needs) and say you'll look after junior. Junior falls asleep, you get quality time in on the turbo.

What's your trick? Hypnotism? Chloroform?

Plus, anyone know of a handle bar mount for a baby monitor?

Mine are older now, so occupy themselves. .

ketsbaia

Pufftmw wrote:

Off to Great British Beer Festival now - may not ride home later....

Wouldn't advise it. I've a hefty bill for bike tools to sort out my coming together with the OKR on Friday after an evening on the sauce.

PT this morning as I'm off to pick up 'the flyer' this evening. I'll be distraught if anyone gets past me on that on the way home.

Wallace1492

Was doing well last week, couple of scalps on the Maryhill Road on way home. However got done by 2 going down Garscube this morning. My excuse for now is that sprained wrist at weekend, so having to be careful on the bumps, and ride a little one handed.

rjsterry

aneesh99 wrote:

Well, yesterday, in the great country known as Wales (not ^^), I had my first SCR experience!

I was on the way back from work (Cardiff City Center) and lo and behold, some dude (dude is probably the wrong word here but I can't think of a better one) dapped up in full Saxo Bank gear riding a Spesh Tarmac SL3 get's in my way.

At first I thought, out of respect for the roadie, I'd back off and leave him be. Then I though, what the hell? I'm a mountain biker. Clicked down a few gears on the trusty Iron Horse, I mashed it past him and pulled ahead! Then I take a quick peek over my shoulder and the lycra lout was towing, so I mashed it some more, taking an impromptu shortcut over some jumps. Fair play, I got home and was shattered, but then again I beat a roadie on a 160mm singletrack monster. I love commuting

Chapeau sir. Said roadie has, I assume, just thrown his Saxo Bank kit in the Taff and put the SL3 on Ebay.

redvee

The power in my legs and pushing a bigger gear was too much for one of the spokes in the rear wheel and it gave up the ghost which left me at the side of the road trying to diagnose the ratlle which turned out to be the nipple in the rim. Tried two LBS on the way home and neither had straight pull spokes in stock, hopefully the Specialised Concept store will.

cjcp

rjsterry wrote:

aneesh99 wrote:

Well, yesterday, in the great country known as Wales (not ^^), I had my first SCR experience!

I was on the way back from work (Cardiff City Center) and lo and behold, some dude (dude is probably the wrong word here but I can't think of a better one) dapped up in full Saxo Bank gear riding a Spesh Tarmac SL3 get's in my way.

At first I thought, out of respect for the roadie, I'd back off and leave him be. Then I though, what the hell? I'm a mountain biker. Clicked down a few gears on the trusty Iron Horse, I mashed it past him and pulled ahead! Then I take a quick peek over my shoulder and the lycra lout was towing, so I mashed it some more, taking an impromptu shortcut over some jumps. Fair play, I got home and was shattered, but then again I beat a roadie on a 160mm singletrack monster. I love commuting

Chapeau sir. Said roadie has, I assume, just thrown his Saxo Bank kit in the Taff and put the SL3 on Ebay.

+1. Drafting a mtber <winces, sucks air through the teeth> is, well, words fail me.

ketsbaia

Hahahaha. Well that was a giggle. Picked up the new-framed flyer at London Bridge this evening and pootled down Weston Street to Long Lane. At that junction, some cheeky scamp on a Charge Plug rounded me. Can't let that stick, so within yards and with a bit of a tut, I passed while adjusting the knapsack. Gave it a little to shake him off, but he was still clinging to the back wheel manfully when I turned off towards TBR. Lost him after that, but give him fleeting respect for having at least tried.

Usual peloton of cannon fodder punctuated the rest of the journey, but to be honest I was too busy admiring the HiMod frame the manufacturers have seemingly mistakenly replaced my non-HiMod frame with when they found they couldn't fix it.

lost_in_thought

I like different routes home I do.

I may try to vary them even more.

And it's fine to cycle at a decent pace having only had a croissant all day! Hungry now though. Failed to eat dinner last night, pledged to mend my ways today by ordering some of London's Best Pizza.

cjcp

A few drafting fairies tried to take a tow tonight. Sorry, chaps.

jonginge

cjcp wrote:

A few drafting fairies tried to take a tow tonight. Sorry, chaps.

Nice work

Me, I don't like a-pootling. It means you catch quite a few more red lights. Stupid cold

itboffin

lost_in_thought wrote:

I forget the route home frequently I do.

FTFY

:P

dhope

lost_in_thought wrote:

I like different routes home I do.

I may try to vary them even more.

And it's fine to cycle at a decent pace having only had a croissant all day! Hungry now though. Failed to eat dinner last night, pledged to mend my ways today by ordering some of London's Best Pizza.

Or one of London's best lunches, though not certain if there are any Fuzzy's Grubs over your way.

lost_in_thought

I thought Fuzzy's went bust?

Not over-keen, used to have their roasts as a buffet twice a week at the hedge fund. Kinda don't want it any more.

dhope

lost_in_thought wrote:

I thought Fuzzy's went bust?

Not over-keen, used to have their roasts as a buffet twice a week at the hedge fund. Kinda don't want it any more.

Still a few around, one off Bow Lane being my local. Certainly good fuel if you're out later, though does tend to induce a bit of a food coma in the afternoon.

lost_in_thought

dhope wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

I thought Fuzzy's went bust?

Not over-keen, used to have their roasts as a buffet twice a week at the hedge fund. Kinda don't want it any more.

Still a few around, one off Bow Lane being my local. Certainly good fuel if you're out later, though does tend to induce a bit of a food coma in the afternoon.

Yeah, I'm trying to avoid heavy carbs at lunch because of the resultant massive slumps.

Carby breakfast, protein-y lunch with some rice, light dinner.

Failed miserably today. :oops:

rjsterry

Bit of fun with a couple of chaps, both on black CAAD5s and both wearing orange/red jerseys and black baggies. (EDIT: was one of these you prj45?) One had an unusual red Garneau helmet. They both set off out of PS at speed, so kept on their tail over LBR and onto Millbank, then all three of us passed a bus, with me taking the lead, only for the bus to insist on overtaking and pulling in just after the ped crossing. FFS. At least he waited to make sure we were clear before pulling in. Recommenced after VB, with me jumping on the front again until another ped crossing light stopped play. Really had to drop the anchors as we were shifting (hope I didn't scare Mr Garneau who was fairly close behind).

The other CAAD5 RLJed, so I chased after him with Garneau snapping at my heels, then he did it again at the lights before the railway bridge, and again at CB lights. Tut tut. Anyway, thanks for the competition Mr Garneau (or should that be Monsieur?), I had to work for that.

@LiT: :shock: Not for me it isn't. I'd have passed out from lack of food. Enjoy the change of scenery.

EDIT: Yeah, the post-prandial is a bit of a problem. I've started beginning the afternoon with a big mug of strong coffee, as occasionally I'd need to go for a quick walk around he block to snap myself out of it.

roger_merriman

normally don't see any bikes at all, and certainly no SCR action,

But picking up a old boy on a tourer though the back streets heading for bushy Park. passed before Bushy Park, once into park I rolled slowly down the park sitting back looking at the deer etc with hands off the bars, and the cheaky so and so overtook just before the turn, making a bit of a hash of the corner.

he was out of the saddle and giving it a good go, so I put him out of his misery and he dropped off soon as I passed.

not much of SCR but was at least one!

tailwindhome

First commute for ages today.

Rain obviously

rjsterry

Passed and repassed an RLJing hipster on a a rather tarty fixie - red white and blue frame, with 5-spoke rear wheel - coming up through Balham to Clapham South. Came past him again on the Common and this was obviously once too many for him as 30 seconds later he came past spinning like a man possessed despite quite an upright position. My first reaction was to laugh rather than give chase. I half-toyed with the idea of retaking him just to ruin his morning, but the Embankment seemed a more profitable use of time, and I turned off to head for CB.

Nobody of note about this morning, but I did manage to hit 31mph between the railway bridge lights and the petrol station. Must have been a tailwind.

Pufftmw

After what I thought was a very messy run in this morning, sub 25 mins

No scalps though but I don't care.


I did ride home last night despite the afternoon supping nice beers. Ate quite a bit so wasn't mashed/crawling/dribbling so decided would be OK. I also decided that I wasn't piddled enough to have to take the old Gary Fisher just in case. Uneventful especially as my breathing was all over the place...



Going back to that sleepy feeling mid-afternoon we sometimes get? I tend to wander out to my car in the car-park and catch a 20 minute nap - works wonders

lost_in_thought

Tried going the Chiswick High Road way in this morning.

There's a reason I thought it was slower.

Oops.

Quite a nice run in though, fair few idiots on bikes around in HSK, one guy marooned himself on the wrong side of a large traffic island trying to filter, and had to deal with a lot of oncoming traffic.

If there's ever a time I'd condone hopping onto the pavement... :shock:

HamishD

rjsterry wrote:

Must have been a tailwind.

Well it was quite a nasty headwind in the opposite direction at times . . .

Nothing of note to report on the OKR this morning, unlike yesterday morning at 06h40ish when there was a mas rapido geezer in full Bigfoot kit who caught me completely by surprise - he must have been doing 30. Chapeau sir!

asprilla

Nothing to report this morning, but I'd like to think that guy on the Pinarello who roused me from my ennui between Hampton Court and Walton last night. I hate that bit of road; it's dull, the road surface is poor and it's a wind tunnel and as a result I was pootling with my hands on the flats whe Mr Pinny shot past me and quickly opened up a lead.

I contemplated going after him but I wasn't in the mood and his lead was strething out to 75m.

Hang on, his lead isn't streatching any more, I could have him.

No, I'm tired and I'm nearly home.

I know I'll just up the pace a tiny little bit and see what happens.........

I'm soon right on his wheeland we are cruising. It's a 40 limit road and there is too much traffic around to go for a hard fought overtake to I take a draft. As we pass over the next roundabout at kid on a hardtail with fat nobbly tyrescomes round and joins the back of the train. He must have been spinning some because he was still there when I turned off a miles later. Good work fella.

W1

Saw someone had taken a tumble just after Chelsea Bridge - not sure what happened but there seemed to be a few cyclists who had stopped. I also slowed to ask if I could help but all was under control. Whoever it was - best wishes for a speedy recovery!

cjcp

W1 wrote:

Saw someone had taken a tumble just after Chelsea Bridge - not sure what happened but there seemed to be a few cyclists who had stopped. I also slowed to ask if I could help but all was under control. Whoever it was - best wishes for a speedy recovery!

+1. A female was on the 'phone and a chap was tending to him. Had a nasty gash above his left eye.

cjcp

Anyone on here ride a Boarman (alu, I think) along Embankment and turn off just before Trinity House? Ooo, at, say, 9am today?

aneesh99

cjcp wrote:

rjsterry wrote:

aneesh99 wrote:

Well, yesterday, in the great country known as Wales (not ^^), I had my first SCR experience!

I was on the way back from work (Cardiff City Center) and lo and behold, some dude (dude is probably the wrong word here but I can't think of a better one) dapped up in full Saxo Bank gear riding a Spesh Tarmac SL3 get's in my way.

At first I thought, out of respect for the roadie, I'd back off and leave him be. Then I though, what the hell? I'm a mountain biker. Clicked down a few gears on the trusty Iron Horse, I mashed it past him and pulled ahead! Then I take a quick peek over my shoulder and the lycra lout was towing, so I mashed it some more, taking an impromptu shortcut over some jumps. Fair play, I got home and was shattered, but then again I beat a roadie on a 160mm singletrack monster. I love commuting

Chapeau sir. Said roadie has, I assume, just thrown his Saxo Bank kit in the Taff and put the SL3 on Ebay.

+1. Drafting a mtber <winces, sucks air through the teeth> is, well, words fail me.

I'll have a look on the way back for the SL3 , although since Saxo Bank, in my books, isn't what it was without Andy and Frank, I think it could still fetch some dosh on Ebay

Well, since mtb's aren't exactly aero machines, I guess the prospect of towing an mtber was too good to miss, I mean, I must have been displacing a stupid amount of air

amnezia

W1 wrote:

Saw someone had taken a tumble just after Chelsea Bridge - not sure what happened but there seemed to be a few cyclists who had stopped. I also slowed to ask if I could help but all was under control. Whoever it was - best wishes for a speedy recovery!

must have passed through about the same time as you as i saw this as well