Silly commuting racing

Greg T

Asprilla wrote:

Asprilla wrote:

I came in on the fixed this morning for that very reason.

I'd forgotten how relaxing, how much fun and how quick fixed is

I retract the above statements.

I did 60 miles on Sunday, the Surrey Hills standard, Hungry, Crocknorth and Box.

Not too shoddy a time for a solo effort...

Ride in was not great yesterday morning... I went for the fixed as it's my wet weather workhorse, mudguarded and doesn't clag up.....

Ride home into the headwind was an absolute epic of despair, futility and pain.....

My ride home is normally 1 hr....

The ride last night was 1hr 15 mins - 25% more...... I arrived home a broken man, headed for the fridge and ate anything with sugar in it.

london_scottish

to everyone between bexley and baker st, "all your scalps are belong to me"

iPete

Its been a solid 6 months of destroying or equaling everything I can come across but today, somebody pulled a fast one on me. I'm still shocked. Caught a moped down embankment after giving it some from the lights and sat in his draft at 29 with my exit coming I was ready on the brakes before god himself (it could only be him, surely!) flew past me a good 4-5mph quicker. It was a dick dastardly maneuver that left me with no response as I swiftly pulled off.

Was tempted to follow into London and run late for work

Pufftmw

Went to the gym last night then hit the OKR for the run home about 8pm. As usual ever hopeful of some competition and I got a bit excited when a young lad (20/30) on a SS hit a set of lights I was waiting at just as they changed. I can see he's pedaling like billeo (sp), so I set off in persuit. All to soon I had caught him up, he was still spinning like crazy yet he wasn't going fast enough to draft so I had to overtake him. We then hit virtually every set of lights from Bricklayers down to New Cross so it went - we would start off, I would leave him behind, he would catch up at the next lights. I eventually lost him in New Cross where he either continued down the A2 or couldn't make it so fast up Lewisham Way
Today, once again, no competition, I am begining to despair...

HamishD

Beautiful morning today - fresh, sunny, almost perfect cycling weather (were it not for the wind).

Nothing of note SCR-wise; although a quintuple roadie scalp on Wandsworth Bridge was a quite satisfying, some competition would have been nice.....

asprilla

Glorious ride in this morning, no competition other than a bit of cat and mouse with a chap on a fixed along LRR but lovely all the same.

Had the gears indexed and front wheel trued a little at the weekend; a silent drive train is a beautiful thing.

W1

rjsterry wrote:

We-hell, that was eventful. Got shoulder barged by a motorcyclist as I pulled away from the lights to turn right from Moorgate into Gresham St, just so he could get 5 yards ahead of me. I consoled myself with the thought that judging by the shape of him, he's probably not seen his c0ck in years without the aid of a mirror. :evil:.

I had that at PS yesterday morning - chap on a scooter hit my back with his wingmirror to get to the front! The cheek of it.

rjsterry wrote:

A bit fired up after that, so hit Upper Thames St fairly hard, pushing a nice big gear through the tunnel continued at a reasonable pace along the Embankment, picking up a drafting fairy somewhere around Temple. I wasn't sure at first, but he was definitely hugging my wheel by the time we got to PS. Pushed on out of the square, past LBR and down Millbank, and he was still right behind me. Hmmm.

I've given up on north of the river in the evenings, and now cross Blackfriars and come back over at Lambeth bridge. I reckon it's 3-4 minutes quicker for me. Mornings are still PS-Temple-Blackfriars, but I got fed up of getting stuck in traffic every evening. Has the new cycle lane made any difference?

Only action this morning was a chap riding a dark blue old school fixie who was quick and consistent. Just managed to hold onto him.

rjsterry

All quiet this morning until I got to VB lights. A tall chap in F des Jeux shorts and an HTC Columbia jersey weaves to the front, sunlight glinting off his polished calves. Too tempting for me, but slightly disappointingly, I passed him before we got round the left hand bend on Millbank. Heavy traffic thereafter, so have to throttle back, then he überfilters through at LBR and I don't se him again. Bother.

Also passed a VB lights, is a chap on a Bianchi fixie (converted CX, I think), who also outfiltered me at LBR. I managed to catch him at PS, then pass on the way past Horseguards. Seems like his gearing is a bit low, as although he can accelerate fast, he tops out at the low 20s. Green lights all the way Queen Street, which was rather hurty, then bumped into JG on Moorgate again, before retaking a cheeky MTBer, who thought he'd have a go.

amnezia

iPete wrote:

Its been a solid 6 months of destroying or equaling everything I can come across but today, somebody pulled a fast one on me. I'm still shocked. Caught a moped down embankment after giving it some from the lights and sat in his draft at 29 with my exit coming I was ready on the brakes before god himself (it could only be him, surely!) flew past me a good 4-5mph quicker. It was a dick dastardly maneuver that left me with no response as I swiftly pulled off.

Was tempted to follow into London and run late for work

hi

iPete

amnezia wrote:

iPete wrote:

Its been a solid 6 months of destroying or equaling everything I can come across but today, somebody pulled a fast one on me. I'm still shocked. Caught a moped down embankment after giving it some from the lights and sat in his draft at 29 with my exit coming I was ready on the brakes before god himself (it could only be him, surely!) flew past me a good 4-5mph quicker. It was a dick dastardly maneuver that left me with no response as I swiftly pulled off.

Was tempted to follow into London and run late for work

hi

haha brilliant, It could have only been another SCR rider, chapeau

DonDaddyD

amnezia wrote:

iPete wrote:

Its been a solid 6 months of destroying or equaling everything I can come across but today, somebody pulled a fast one on me. I'm still shocked. Caught a moped down embankment after giving it some from the lights and sat in his draft at 29 with my exit coming I was ready on the brakes before god himself (it could only be him, surely!) flew past me a good 4-5mph quicker. It was a dick dastardly maneuver that left me with no response as I swiftly pulled off.

Was tempted to follow into London and run late for work

hi

Classic!

Wrath Rob

Last nights ride was indeed not much fun. Apart from the wind I met a a very rapid roadie with shaved legs wearing a black top and Lycra Enduro shorts riding a Ribble. He was proper rapid, doing a solid 25 into the wind, and yes, that is mph. He came past me on Embankment near Temple but the traffic and lights stopped him getting away, something that changed after Lambeth bridge where he pulled out a decent lead. MTFU I cried and held his lead before catching back up at CB lights. He and 2 other roadies "anticipate" the lights leaving me 15 meters to make up.

Legs to maximum, taps fully open, hammer down and I'm after them. I'm reeling them in but then I notice that the roadie at the front is being passed by Mr Ribble and the 2nd roadie. By the time I catch the first (now last) guy, I'm too spent to power past and try and catch the others. I get past him at BB, catch Mr Ribble at AB lights but I know I'm having to take second best so slot in behind and thank him for the tow as I peel off for Lotts Road.

Must do more weekend riding!

jonginge

Good to see you Ian.B and RJSRerry! And you, Livvy. I don't mean to blank you, honest!

My first commute since last Wednesday. I determined to take it a bit easy to see how the legs were feeling. However, I was running a bit late this morning...

I was doing some decent speed along Chelsea embankment when a guy on a fast hybrid/slicked-up mtb thing zoomed past. I knew it was going to happen as I'd spied him waiting for the draft of a mahoosive lorry as I passed him earlier The lorry was still accelerating as it passed me and the drafter couldn't hang on in there. He dropped off and was spent. I re-took and carried on up the rise at 30. Have it! :twisted:

itboffin

JonGinge wrote:

I was doing some decent speed along Chelsea embankment when a guy on a fast hybrid/slicked-up mtb thing zoomed past. I knew it was going to happen as I'd spied him waiting for the draft of a mahoosive lorry as I passed him earlier The lorry was still accelerating as it passed me and the drafter couldn't hang on in there. He dropped off and was spent. I re-took and carried on up the rise at 30. Have it! :twisted:

Why does this image spring into my mind ...?



Chapeau

Ian.B

JonGinge wrote:

I was doing some decent speed along Chelsea embankment when a guy on a fast hybrid/slicked-up mtb thing zoomed past. I knew it was going to happen as I'd spied him waiting for the draft of a mahoosive lorry as I passed him earlier The lorry was still accelerating as it passed me and the drafter couldn't hang on in there. He dropped off and was spent. I re-took and carried on up the rise at 30. Have it! :twisted:

I saw him as he picked up the draft - it looked pretty suicidal

Harveytile

Just left the safety of the office for a bit and got properly sand-blasted! :shock:

I cannot wait for the 20 miles home into what could safely be described as a "stiff breeze. A Drafting Fairy's Heaven. No doubt pick up a few on the way.

After the brilliant ride in this morning I fear the balance will be restored in about an hour and a half...

Yea, yea: MTFU!

redvee

On the ride home tonight I didn't have any close passes, in fact all the cars that overtook me gave me a wide berth. This, I put down to the free track pump & cone spanner that came with the £28 bags of Haribos.

Kieran_Burns

I'm ashamed to say I wheel sucked up the last hill to my house.... behind a full roadie chap who turned out to be the really nice guy I met on one of my longer forays out.

The guy who was 68 years old, recovering from prostate cancer and only recently back on the bike now he could, ahem, sit down properly.

What made it worse was I found him going a bit slow (before I realised who it was!) and decided to power up the last incline and 'show him who's the boss'.

God, I felt such a pratt :oops:

rjsterry

Left a bit later than planned (just before 1900) and the wind didn't seem too bad - a good gust on Millbank, and generally breezy, but really not too bad. Maybe it's because I head more south than west. Chased a guy on a dark blue flat bar Genesis - very short red shorts, Giro Ionos helmet, think I've met him before - from VB to CB, but didn't have the speed to pass him, then we hit the back of a big queue. This queue ran all the way over CB, and turned out to be because the petrol station on QTR roundabout was cordoned off with police everywhere and a mangled bike in the road. Looked like more than just a shunt, and obviously hope whoever got knocked off is OK.

jonginge

rjsterry wrote:

Left a bit later than planned (just before 1900) and the wind didn't seem too bad - a good gust on Millbank, and generally breezy, but really not too bad. Maybe it's because I head more south than west. Chased a guy on a dark blue flat bar Genesis - very short red shorts, Giro Ionos helmet, think I've met him before - from VB to CB, but didn't have the speed to pass him, then we hit the back of a big queue. This queue ran all the way over CB, and turned out to be because the petrol station on QTR roundabout was cordoned off with police everywhere and a mangled bike in the road. Looked like more than just a shunt, and obviously hope whoever got knocked off is OK.

I left at a similar sort of time. I must have just gone through before the incident coz I saw nothing of it. Hope they're ok.

I agree that the wind wasn't that bad. I led a trail of drafting fairies from VB. To be fair, though, a big chap with a blue sleeveless vest* did do a turn on the front at a decent speed. Chapeau.


* not KD

MadammeMarie

I rule.... 8)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sRHgtM2WDk

Stelvio_W

Wrath Rob wrote:

Last nights ride was indeed not much fun. Apart from the wind I met a a very rapid roadie with shaved legs wearing a black top and Lycra Enduro shorts riding a Ribble. He was proper rapid, doing a solid 25 into the wind, and yes, that is mph. !

That was me .... enough said!

SamWise72

Chased an RLJer from Waterloo Bridge to Blackfriars; well, I say that, he got 30 secs start, and I still passed him half way, at about 28mph. Must have made him wobble like a truck was going past (I have about the same tonnage as a gravel truck). Anyway, he RLJed again when I was waiting for the lights at Blackfriars, and the hopped a pavement fill of people. He was nowhere in sight by the time the lights changed, but I still gave it plenty over the bridge and up Farringdon, just in case, leaving a pile of twitching bodies in my wake. Got to Holborn Bars and thought my left foot felt funny, looked down and saw the above. Yep, I'm a monster! Just wait til my longer seatpost arrives, and I get some work with a bit of a longer ride. Everyone is going down.

SamWise72

Damn this mobile Photobucket! Also, I seem somehow to have remembered the login details to my old account, rather than the new one I made when I couldn't remember the login to the old one! Damn, IT is a tricky business, especially on my Blackberry.

mr_ribble

Stelvio_W wrote:

Wrath Rob wrote:

Last nights ride was indeed not much fun. Apart from the wind I met a a very rapid roadie with shaved legs wearing a black top and Lycra Enduro shorts riding a Ribble. He was proper rapid, doing a solid 25 into the wind, and yes, that is mph. !

That was me .... enough said!

In fact, due to Rob's words I decided on a name change. Just call me Mr Ribble

pitchshifter

Last night was brutal. Especially when going over Putney bridge...

Many thanks to the guy in the yellow jersey and blue bike for dragging me home on Upper Richmond Road..

I got dropped by some roadie on a white carbon giant (rabobank decals) with a american jersey on, he was a machine...

jonginge

Well, I enjoyed that until an incident with a grunt on a moped.

I was availing myself of the new bike lane on victoria embankment and approaching the back of a slow-moving queue of motorised traffic but my way was clear. At the last moment the aforementioned mopedder jinked into the bike lane just in front of me. Cue a shouted 'whoa' and a slamming on of the anchors. He monosyllabically intimated it was my fault. I asked him if he knew what both mirrors and bike lanes were for. He told me to f&ck off. A winning argument, sir!

lost_in_thought

Holy Crêpe, that was fun!

:shock:

So I've been a bit 'meh' about my commute recently, it's undoubtedly the best way to get to work, but still, I get a bit meh about it sometimes.

But this morning I took other greg's point, and rode the maxima in.

God I love that bike, I forget just how bloody brilliant it is when I haven't ridden it for a while.

Pufftmw

Last night left a bit earlier than normal & hoped that I might find some competition but no, nothing doing. I blasted down OKR and into New Cross. Coming out and on the 3 lane bit where it splits into A2/A20 and I'm in the far right lane, a car comes from a side-road across all lanes at speed into mine, forcing me to brake sharply and steer into the gutter -(Me top of voice) "OI!!!! WATCH WATCH OUT YOU IDIOT!!!" - (Idiot) "I DIDN'T SEE YOU - YOU C**T!" wtf?? I shouted some abuse back at him and nearly went into the back of a motorbike that had stopped in front ( :oops: ). But what a k**b head!

This morning, I was running a wee bit late for work meeting so hit the awesomeness button on my way in and was lucky with most of the lights. There was a white trek that pulled up 20 secs later to me at the NKR roundabout having been at a set of lights with me at New Cross. He must've put a spurt on somewhere as he was no-where behind me on the run up. Nothing of note over Tower Bridge or the rest of the journey though.

dhope

Out of shape legs and irritating RLJ in black leggings on a Bianchi road bike all the way from Greenwich to London Bridge. Catch RLJ, caught by lights, catch RLJ, caught by lights... repeat ad 25minitum.