Silly commuting racing

jonginge

lost_in_thought wrote:

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.

dresbo

Had a nice little run with a guy from work who I didn't realise went the same way. Swapped all the way to Dulwich and up to the bottom of Crystal Palace hill with him drafting me to the bottom. I have to admit I tactically slowed slightly to give myself some recovery time before the hill and when I put the power down to lose him (almost giving myself a coronary in the process), I realised he didn't have anything. His was a proper road bike and lycra too - scalp.

CXXC

Col de Pont de la Tour in these blustery conditions is obviously proving a challenge to some....

....but not to me :P

Clever Pun

Last night I realised I had a drafter on my 6… he stayed there for what seemed like an eternity, the wind was all over the shop. Then he ramped up and flew past me, textbook stuff and exactly where I’d have done the same thing (without drafting) I gritted my teeth and gave chase I’m up to 32 before I start reeling him in, I catch up and I’m now following him for maybe a mile or so and a much more realistic pace given the conditions. He then slows and says “your turn” the cheeky fecker so I hit the after burners into the wind and brought the pain, I looked back a little later as I couldn’t see his shadow and I can see him floundering in the distance getting smaller, a bit like his ego.

Scalp?

I gave blood last night and was expecting to be a little tired.. nope, I flew in rocking an average of 18.5ish on the fixed. I suspect tonight will be slower and wetter.

maddernj

18 months of commuting and I don't think I have been involved in 1 SCR (Well that I am aware of). So if anyone see me on there travels then tell me when I have been scalped..

Mornings route is Beckenham > Sydenham > Lordship Lane > Barry road then OKR up through to London bridge

Evening route is Ldn Bridge > Walworth Road > Dulwich Village > up over the hill then Penge > Beckenham

Am on a Colnago Master with White bar tape......

Ta

CXXC

maddernj wrote:

18 months of commuting and I don't think I have been involved in 1 SCR (Well that I am aware of). So if anyone see me on there travels then tell me when I have been scalped..

Mornings route is Beckenham > Sydenham > Lordship Lane > Barry road then OKR up through to London bridge

Evening route is Ldn Bridge > Walworth Road > Dulwich Village > up over the hill then Penge > Beckenham

Am on a Colnago Master with White bar tape......

Ta

You can always go looking for SCR action, maybe you'll find some if you head down Beckenham Hill to the A21 and through Catford, Lewisham, OKR onto London Bridge?

Bassjunkieuk

maddernj wrote:

18 months of commuting and I don't think I have been involved in 1 SCR (Well that I am aware of). So if anyone see me on there travels then tell me when I have been scalped..

Mornings route is Beckenham > Sydenham > Lordship Lane > Barry road then OKR up through to London bridge

Evening route is Ldn Bridge > Walworth Road > Dulwich Village > up over the hill then Penge > Beckenham

Am on a Colnago Master with White bar tape......

Ta

If by that you mean College Road then I'll keep an eye out :-) Only occasionally tho when I'm on that route. Colnago's are fairly rarified in "that area" and I pretty much always assume all the nice kit heading up that way is heading towards Crystal Palace for racing :-)

Nice little ride in this morning, a welcome change from the car based commute I was anticipating for this week - such is the fun of doing a covering role :-) No proper SCR although I did have a yell at a RLJing twunt in Camberwell. Mind you if I was as slow as him I can sort of understand why he does it, the only reason he gained and eventually passed me was due to red lights. I lost him just before E&C due to volume of traffic.

Good fun chasing down a chap on a celeste SS over Waterloo Bridge, he hit the bus lane like a man possessed whilst I was waiting at the lights by the side of the imax. That was all he needed to do to put a big red X on his back :-) Shame he also RLJ'd at the norf side otherwise I could have played again.

maddernj

Yep college road...Am managing a steady 14-16mph over the hill at the moment so am feeling quite happy.

Am moving to Bexley soon so will have a different route that should take in the majority of the OKR. I would imagine that i won't have any trouble finding a SCR on that route.

Bassjunkieuk

maddernj wrote:

Yep college road...Am managing a steady 14-16mph over the hill at the moment so am feeling quite happy.

Am moving to Bexley soon so will have a different route that should take in the majority of the OKR. I would imagine that i won't have any trouble finding a SCR on that route.

Thats very respectable for the hill :-) I'd assume by heading to Penge you avoid the suicidal right turn I have to make at the r/b at the top! Still it's good training as you have to kick at the top to stand a chance!

maddernj

Yeah its a killer esp if you have traffic.....I can normally manage to stay seated all the way up until the last small incline where i have to get up and out to ensure i carry enough speed to not get trapped on the left as I move through the next r/b down to penge.

Pufftmw

maddernj wrote:

Yep college road...Am managing a steady 14-16mph over the hill at the moment so am feeling quite happy.

Am moving to Bexley soon so will have a different route that should take in the majority of the OKR. I would imagine that i won't have any trouble finding a SCR on that route.

OKR is my playground

I'm there around 08:40 - 09:00 though generally too late for "rush hour" on the return.

bigmat

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

maddernj wrote:

Yep college road...Am managing a steady 14-16mph over the hill at the moment so am feeling quite happy.

Am moving to Bexley soon so will have a different route that should take in the majority of the OKR. I would imagine that i won't have any trouble finding a SCR on that route.

Thats very respectable for the hill :-) I'd assume by heading to Penge you avoid the suicidal right turn I have to make at the r/b at the top! Still it's good training as you have to kick at the top to stand a chance!

14-16 up College Road is very good - I was trying to hold above 15mph the whole way up, managed it but have since recalibrated my computer and I'm now dipping to 13mph on some of the steep bits. I need to train more!

I was looking at the right hand turn at the top last night, I'm not sure why it is such a problem? There is a central reservation where you can wait and give way to any cars coming from the left that don't appear to be slowing down. Yes, that means ceding your right of way but I can't see why it would be a dangerous junction providing you assume that all drivers are nobs!

Bassjunkieuk

MatHammond wrote:

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

maddernj wrote:

Yep college road...Am managing a steady 14-16mph over the hill at the moment so am feeling quite happy.

Am moving to Bexley soon so will have a different route that should take in the majority of the OKR. I would imagine that i won't have any trouble finding a SCR on that route.

Thats very respectable for the hill :-) I'd assume by heading to Penge you avoid the suicidal right turn I have to make at the r/b at the top! Still it's good training as you have to kick at the top to stand a chance!

14-16 up College Road is very good - I was trying to hold above 15mph the whole way up, managed it but have since recalibrated my computer and I'm now dipping to 13mph on some of the steep bits. I need to train more!

I was looking at the right hand turn at the top last night, I'm not sure why it is such a problem? There is a central reservation where you can wait and give way to any cars coming from the left that don't appear to be slowing down. Yes, that means ceding your right of way but I can't see why it would be a dangerous junction providing you assume that all drivers are nobs!

Cheers MH, you've spotted my **cough** deliberate **cough** mistake. I was actually referring to the r/b at the top of Fountain Drive. The right turn from College Road is a walk in the park compared to that. I still however find myself alternating my route home when I start on College Road so I'll do C/R all the way one day then F/D the next time....

maddernj

Ahh fountain Drive.....that's what I meant also.

Wallace1492

Far too much SCR on in London - not enough of it on Maryhill Road!!

Bassjunkieuk

Wallace1492 wrote:

Far too much SCR on in London - not enough of it on Maryhill Road!!

TBF unless Maryhill Road is rather long and wide I imagine London is a **tiny** bit bigger.....;-)
More correctly tho only certain parts of London are good for SCR, The Embankment is usually a guaranteed scalping ground but the other trunk routes can be rather hit and miss......unless your on the same section of road as another fast rider you can both completely miss each other by literally a light sequence!

King Donut

Mr_Ribble/Stelvio_W wrote:

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

Nooooooooo, bring back Stelvio_W.

Every time I see [a post from] you I daydream of a tanned Adonis effortlessly holding 30 along Embankment with his dark locks flowing in the breeze and his smooth bronzed calves pumping to Eric Prydz.

Don’t deny me this simple pleasure that is often the highlight of my paralysed 9 to 5 day.

london_scottish

maddernj wrote:

Yep college road...Am managing a steady 14-16mph over the hill at the moment so am feeling quite happy.

Am moving to Bexley soon so will have a different route that should take in the majority of the OKR. I would imagine that i won't have any trouble finding a SCR on that route.

I do bexley to baker st taking in the OKR, generally leave before 7, so if you see something out of the corner of your eye then its gone that'll be me

bigmat

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

MatHammond wrote:

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

maddernj wrote:

Yep college road...Am managing a steady 14-16mph over the hill at the moment so am feeling quite happy.

Am moving to Bexley soon so will have a different route that should take in the majority of the OKR. I would imagine that i won't have any trouble finding a SCR on that route.

Thats very respectable for the hill :-) I'd assume by heading to Penge you avoid the suicidal right turn I have to make at the r/b at the top! Still it's good training as you have to kick at the top to stand a chance!

14-16 up College Road is very good - I was trying to hold above 15mph the whole way up, managed it but have since recalibrated my computer and I'm now dipping to 13mph on some of the steep bits. I need to train more!

I was looking at the right hand turn at the top last night, I'm not sure why it is such a problem? There is a central reservation where you can wait and give way to any cars coming from the left that don't appear to be slowing down. Yes, that means ceding your right of way but I can't see why it would be a dangerous junction providing you assume that all drivers are nobs!

Cheers MH, you've spotted my **cough** deliberate **cough** mistake. I was actually referring to the r/b at the top of Fountain Drive. The right turn from College Road is a walk in the park compared to that. I still however find myself alternating my route home when I start on College Road so I'll do C/R all the way one day then F/D the next time....

I did actually mean the top of Fountain Drive. In fact its not a central reservation (its a roundabout - doh!) but there is a concrete division in the road entering from the East - you could safely wait between that and the centre of the roundabout until any idiot drivers coming from that road were past. Slight risk of being rear shunted by anybody behind you on the roundabout, but I would assume idiot drivers would stop and wait for them so probelm wouldn't arise. You can see what I mean on google streetview.

Anyway, racing - I'm on the good bike tonight. Planning on meeting up for a Dulwich club run so will be on road between Fenchurch St and Elmers End between 6.30 and 7 - hopefully moving fast!

maddernj

[/quote] I do bexley to baker st taking in the OKR, generally leave before 7, so if you see something out of the corner of your eye then its gone that'll be me [/quote]

Cool, might see you around. Have done Liverpool Street to Joydens wood a couple of times and can just break the hour (ie 57-9mins). Come Sept / Oct it'll be my normal run so will give you a wave.

Bassjunkieuk

@MH - Just had a look on streetview and I don't ever remember seeing that island! Guess which way I'll be heading up this evening ;-)

Hope you have some good waterproof gear for that Dulwich club run, looks rather damp out at the moment!

bigmat

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

@MH - Just had a look on streetview and I don't ever remember seeing that island! Guess which way I'll be heading up this evening ;-)

Hope you have some good waterproof gear for that Dulwich club run, looks rather damp out at the moment!

Indeed - will see how wet and hacked off I am feeling when I reach Beckenham, I sense the temptation to go and have a nice cup of tea will be very great!

Clever Pun

MatHammond wrote:

Anyway, racing - I'm on the good bike tonight. Planning on meeting up for a Dulwich club run so will be on road between Fenchurch St and Elmers End between 6.30 and 7 - hopefully moving fast!

I knew someone from here would be on that run I see a load of you meeting up around that time... keep meaning to stop and ask about it but just keep on flying by thinking... yeah next time etc

CXXC

Clever Pun wrote:

MatHammond wrote:

Anyway, racing - I'm on the good bike tonight. Planning on meeting up for a Dulwich club run so will be on road between Fenchurch St and Elmers End between 6.30 and 7 - hopefully moving fast!

I knew someone from here would be on that run I see a load of you meeting up around that time... keep meaning to stop and ask about it but just keep on flying by thinking... yeah next time etc

Its a decent chaingang ride, usually 2 groups (fast/slow) with selection just nr Coney Hall, head out to the M25 and back via pilgrims way with a bit of "through and off". nice people, nice country lanes

redvee

Tried to scalp a girl on a scooter this morning but she twisted her wrist better than I could turn the pedals. There was a bonus to losing out to her as she was wearing a pink leather jacket at denim hotpants, must remember to keep my eyes on the traffic and not the totty.
We laughed at the colleague who brought his raincoat in from the car. At 10:00 when it started raining, and has only just stopped, we weren't laughing.

Clever Pun

Saw Mathammond on the way home, nice to meet you... didn't particularly want to hang around though as I was getting cold.

How'd the 'club' run go?

Bassjunkieuk

Tried to keep it fairly sensible on the way home last night due to the rain but that all went out the window when a chap on a yellow Argos started giving it some beans down Kingsway. I lost out a bit around Aldwych due to my overly cautious cornering but got it back on Waterloo Bridge. Down WBR I was initially leading but he put on a nice spurt which saw me dragging it upto 28ish to stay in contact. He then RLJ'd so nullified any scalps he took!

During this foray I had a couple of Specialized roadies and a red Trek on the radar, Trek rider also had some traffic light blindness but I managed to catch him up just after E&C. He then disappeared through the mess of traffic lights in Camberwell and I eventually spotted him again on Denmark Hill. A rather drawn out chase saw me catch him eventually by Dulwich Park! He had some rather impressive calves for someone riding on flat pedals so I suspect that wasn't his best bike........

@MH - Came up Fountain Drive and did spot the traffic island! Guess I've always blocked it out before as I head for either L2/3 at the top and the island would be to far to the right. Timed it nicely and got straight on and then *almost* had a run in with a Prius driver coming from the left, he spotted me at the last moment and stopped and waved me across like he was doing me a favour! Admittedly I may have not been that easy to see in a high-vis jacket but it would be a lot to ask for drivers to pay attention........

itboffin

Do I still have to lower my FCN if people can't see why.......?

Kieran_Burns

itboffin wrote:

Do I still have to lower my FCN if people can't see why.......?

shaved like a laydeee....

Pufftmw

Well, that will teach me :roll: :roll: :roll:

I have a gym in my garage so drove home to do some gym to find housemate using it as storage and faffing around so thought, nuts, I'll drive down to Lewisham instead (of going back to the office and getting on the bike) but about 2 mins before I got to the Blackwall Tunnel there was an accident and I was stuck for an hour and a half

So this morning, followed exactly the same route in that I ride on the bike and it took me just over 10 mins more than it does normally and I was dry and warm and safe (Volvo estate) and chill out before I got to work where I arrived on time, still clean and not sweaty and and and...

But I didn't enjoy it as much though. Sitting in the car allowed me to see the plethora of other commuters and potential scalps that I wouldn't see on a normal commute so there is hope.

I just have to ensure that I don't succumb to old age and comfort and start taking the car on a daily basis :oops: