Silly commuting racing

Initialised

I was behind another guy riding the same way. I caught up with him on a slight incline and I think nah, wont bother and fall into his pace. Anyway we were going along and I see a horse and trap. Then it dawns on me that were going faster than it. He overtakes, I overtake. I think one bike was OK but two bikes was to much for the drivers ego. He took the reigns and tried to make the horse pull faster, it couldn't (we were on another incline) by this point. The horse whinnied and slowed again.

Bikes 2 : Horse'n'trap 0

Bassjunkieuk

I just want to apologize to Cafewanda for being a bit impolite through Clapham. After spotting her again I gave a cheey "Evening" as I drew up alongside, got a response then duly buggered off up the road after a hybrid who'd just passed me. I really need to try and reign my competitive side in!

Not much action on the way home today. Couple of quick looking chaps along Embankment and through DSC. Both where halfway across the junction before the lights changed at VB which sort of gave them a sporting chance! I was back ahead after the lights by Shell garage :-D

QTR was nicely devoid of other riders, just a few hybrids to brush aside - rather nice being able to semi-pootle!

lotuseater

Scalped the lady on the moped again this morning at the same spot where our commutes meet on the descent of the Col de la Great Ellingham.

What made this different was at bottom of the decent I had a mech - changing down to the smaller ring for the immediate shorter but sharper ascent of the Col de la hospital St Lukes, the chain jammed across the chainrings.

Powerless, I was losing speed rapidly and feared being being counter-scalped by the moped again, in true Contador/Schleck style. I had built a big lead having opened the taps on the descent, but was it enough?

Just prior to coasting to a complete halt on the ascent I freed the offending chain and restored power, spinning up and keeping my lead by what turned out a healthy gap in the end.

Bassjunkieuk

Seems my stuffing myself silly on tuna pasta last night gave me a nice little energy boast today, was feeling rather energetic considering it was mid-week and if anything my legs felt better then on Monday!

Positively smashed a bunch of riders on the brief uprise on CS7 with a seated 25mph effort then had some fun chasing down a rather quick hybrid rider down QTR, he had very good acceleration but as I suspected lacked the stamina to maintain the pace. I reeled him in then held a lead after a bit of rather "ambitious" filtering :-)

Embankment was a joy, was briefly drafting a dump truck until I decided it was going just too slow so swung round and instead thought the Boxster ahead may give me a better tow. Undertook him and arrived at VB lights as they changed and got another lift off a coach. A brief out of the saddle effort got my upto a nice speed and I picked off a few roadies who I'd seen crossing CB whilst I was waiting for the lights to change :-D

One guy on a Giant TCR provided a final bit of fun along towards PS and I nearly went into another rider coming off towards Whitehall due to be "distracted" by a rather attractive young lady in a short skirt on the bike ahead :-P

Checked the computer when I got to work and the 17mph average confirmed that it was a pretty quick one this morning!

ketsbaia

Last night's jaunt up College Hill must have shaken some of the cobwebs off, because I was untouchable this morning. A bloke on a red fixie tried to build up a lead from the lights at PPR, but was soon caught napping and dispatched with consummate ease.

Only thing hampering my serene progress were the lights, most of which I passed on amber but one or two of which cruelly wrecked my momentum.

Still, I'll take a 19mph average on a morning like this.

asprilla

Came in late today; more baggies than lycra around and all going backwards.

Highlight was skipping past the massive traffic jam in Richmond Park. It's pretty sad that something as ugly as a traffic jam appears on such a beautiful place.

Beautiful day for cycling but I'm going home on PT this evening.

King Donut

cjcp wrote:

@KD - btw, I have an early departure today. I'll get my excuses in now. I'm *not* racing.

I was late in the end last night. Had to peg it home to catch the mighty Spurs. This morning was definite pootle mode, enjoying the last day of summer

Butterd2

Lots of traffic queuing along Evelyn St this morning, don't know what the cause was but good to sail past so many lazy people stuck in their tin boxes.

Bassjunkieuk

Butterd2 wrote:

Lots of traffic queuing along Evelyn St this morning, don't know what the cause was but good to sail past so many lazy people stuck in their tin boxes.

I think you answered your own question there, the traffic jam was most likely caused by lazy people sitting in their tin boxes :-) Shame none of them really realize that they themselves are contributing towards the traffic jams.....

MonkeyMonster

King Donut wrote:

cjcp wrote:

@KD - btw, I have an early departure today. I'll get my excuses in now. I'm *not* racing.

I was late in the end last night. Had to peg it home to catch the mighty Spurs. This morning was definite pootle mode, enjoying the last day of summer

How did you like last night's "mighty" Spurs then

martinc

A rare bit of commuting for me after a month off the bike. (MTFU.)
Beautiful evening mtb ride last night along the Thames from Chertsey to Kingston. Blasting past various peeps with no competition.
Then back on the road bike this morn for Kingston to Chertsey. Nobody going my way. Nothing to race against but the clock and my unfit sorry ass.
Doing the LON-BRI offroad on Saturday. Jeez I'm in trouble. Anyone else here doing it and can give me a tow?

:roll:

Cafewanda

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

I just want to apologize to Cafewanda for being a bit impolite through Clapham. After spotting her again I gave a cheey "Evening" as I drew up alongside, got a response then duly buggered off up the road after a hybrid who'd just passed me. I really need to try and reign my competitive side in!

Not much action on the way home today. Couple of quick looking chaps along Embankment and through DSC. Both where halfway across the junction before the lights changed at VB which sort of gave them a sporting chance! I was back ahead after the lights by Shell garage :-D

QTR was nicely devoid of other riders, just a few hybrids to brush aside - rather nice being able to semi-pootle!

Bass, that's more than ok. As slow as I ride I now try to do the same thing so I completely understand and would have egged you on if I had enough breath! Damn you move fast! :shock:

King Donut

MonkeyMonster wrote:

How did you like last night's "mighty" Spurs then

I thought our kids acquitted themselves quite well against an internationally experienced Arsenal team.

I put a gooner to the sword this morning along NKR just in case he was feeling smug..

mr_ribble

Caught up with a two man train just by temple. Brown pant moment when going through a set of lights on amber, as a moped rider was very hot off the mark (he must have seen out lights turn) and nearly took us out.

They were doing a good turn of pace and I pulled up besides the lead man to comment on his nice bike. (Blue Ribble...snap). He was in an all white Italian kit.. but im sure he wanst from the continent. Two man train peels off up the Blackfriars up ramp. Good day to you sirs.

Flyingbogey

So, that'll teach me complaining of a lack of spice riding against the commute. OS Foxtons Balham 745am a grey Van decides i have far too much road and squeezes me against the kerb at around 25ish. My response is a firm hand on his van to remind him i'm here. Result, he tries to kill me the old fashioned way Queensberry style on the pavement. I'm no fighter but the anger was coursing so we exchanged vulgar unpleasantries and kept checking my back after i left, (Not Fled, Honest)....

Pufftmw

ketsbaia wrote:

Last night's jaunt up College Hill must have shaken some of the cobwebs off, because I was untouchable this morning. A bloke on a red fixie tried to build up a lead from the lights at PPR, but was soon caught napping and dispatched with consummate ease.

Only thing hampering my serene progress were the lights, most of which I passed on amber but one or two of which cruelly wrecked my momentum.

Still, I'll take a 19mph average on a morning like this.

I've had a couple of runs recently where once through the traffic lights at the new New Cross Junction, I've gone all the way to Tescos NKR before having to stop. In fact, I got just past that before I hit a red today.So that was 2 miles at a good lick without stopping which must be quite rare coming in towards central London.

Otherwise the journey was reasonably steady with no real dramas. Got stuck for a minute on the red at Tower Hill - hate that TL, such a slow one - so overall time was 26 mins. I don't think I was challenged anywhere but had a couple of good drag races off of lights which I won. One day....

Wrath Rob

Friday legs arrived 2 days early this morning. Managed to hold my scalp but it wasn't a pleasant ride in. Something to do with the acid I'm snotting out of my nose me thinks...

Bassjunkieuk

It is fun when you have a run of greens! I've been that "lucky" a couple of times this week.

Best was leaving work on Monday and I got greens on the way to and around Trafalgar Square. Great fun blasting off the mark and zipping past/terrifying the tourists :twisted:

Harveytile

A nice change of scene last night. After a self imposed "tour of London" (got lost :roll: ), I joined a mate for a run down Embankment and on through Clapham, WImbledon, and further afield to home.

Good fun keeping 20-22mph along Embankment and still getting scalped by numerous roadies. Good on ya chaps. Pretty sure most were higher in the food chain but happy to share my hairless scalp amongst you.

Gentle pootle in this morning on my usual route through Crystal Palace/Dulwich/LB/Stratford. No SCR action, just a RLJ idiot using his phone whilst riding a folder! I know - there's no excuse for riding a folder... (Just joking, some of my best friends ride folders, honest.) :twisted:

dhope

Felt quite out of sorts yesterday, gym after work and was completely dead, ended up bailing halfway through. Home on PT to pick up the bike from LBS, pootled the 2 miles home - really pootled, was still wearing work suit, trainers resting on clipless pedals - and was still knackered and sweating when I got back. Not breathing heavily, not tired legs, just weak. Ugh.

Bit better this morning, nobody moving fast on the commute in so no real scalpers or scalpees. May need to MTFU and give it some on the way home.

redvee

Does doing a scooter on a heavily trafficed rounabout count? Was sat behind her at the lights onto the RBT and filtered better than her. Got the footage on the camera to edit later.`

ketsbaia

Just pootling tonight as I wanted fresher legs for the College Hill challenge. Surprisingly few people around, which is just as well as I'm not sure I could have resisted were the gauntlet laid down.

asprilla

On PT tonight (very drunk) but I do miss music on my commute sometimes;

Hendrix - Crosstown Traffic
Bobby Womack - Across 110th Street
Credance Clearwater Revival - Bad Moon Rising
Lynyrd Skynyrd - Freebird
Prodigy - Out of Space
King B - Back by Dope Demand
Daft Punk - Da Funk

These are the tunes that have entertained me tonight.

That is all.

cjcp

Very quiet tonight (just home), apart from the maniac hybrid I waved past between CB and AB .

Chicane-UK

Caught up to a commuter on his bike this morning (think it was a Trek Hybrid of some kind, I was on my Giant Bowery fixie) and he was not exactly going very quick... got past him only to immediately get caught by traffic lights at a pedestrian crossing so stopped. He slowed as he came past me and said "Knew I'd catch up with you!" and went straight through the red lights! Nice one mate!!

I patiently waited for them to change before putting down as much as I could manage, hammered past him about 75 metres up the road JUST in time to turn off into work Felt better for that!

mr_ribble

Was kept honest by a guy all the way from the descent of the Col du Chutney Mary to the east exit of Blackfriars Tunnel. Riding a s/s, black London to Paris Shorts and a brilliant white London to Paris "Team Disney" jersey. Sans backpack.

No Mickey Mouse though, jostled for position all the way, Good day to you sir

Bassjunkieuk

Chicane-UK wrote:

Caught up to a commuter on his bike this morning (think it was a Trek Hybrid of some kind, I was on my Giant Bowery fixie) and he was not exactly going very quick... got past him only to immediately get caught by traffic lights at a pedestrian crossing so stopped. He slowed as he came past me and said "Knew I'd catch up with you!" and went straight through the red lights! Nice one mate!!

I patiently waited for them to change before putting down as much as I could manage, hammered past him about 75 metres up the road JUST in time to turn off into work Felt better for that!

Would have been funnier if you said "Knew I'd catch up with you" after chasing him down ;-)

Had a great ride in this morning, my last full ride in this week as I'll be PT & BB tomorrow :-S

All pretty quiet until I hit Embankment and picked up a couple of quick ones, got to the north end of CB when the filter had already changed for the right turn so no hanging around there!
I managed to pass the guy on a Giant with tri-bars and another guy on a Specialized (?).
As we blasted through DSC I came past the first guy and went just ahead of the 2nd, did a shoulder check and dropped back in line. After we passed the Shell garage I heard yelling from a WVM "Take him!" Not sure which of us he was egging on but it certainly put a smile on my face and made a pleasant change to the usual behavior you get from them :-)

Marginally quicker then yesterday with a 17.8 average which is weird as I don't think I was really pushing it. Seems maintaining a "sensible" speed without the racing and ensuing recovery makes for a much quicker (based on moving average) ride!

dhope

Curious.

Yesterday my commute was 25mins and felt fairly normal. Today as I passed Cutty Sark a guy I've seen before on a SS black Pearson with Crane jersey flew past me and continued to romp along the whole way to London Bridge. Seems his stock pootling speed is about 25mph. Stuck with him, knowing that I could pass him but wouldn't have the pace to make it stick. End result? A second quicker. Okay, traffic lights, filtering etc, but surprising how much effort goes into chasing someone down with very little net benefit. Don't get me wrong, it was fun and I was kept honest the whole way to work, but time-wise, no difference.

Still, I said a brief hello and commented on his pace just before London Bridge. Ta for the wake up.

HamishD

New route this morning. Half a mile shorter and LOTS quicker thanks to not having to do any of the following where the traffic is gash: Trinity Road, South Circular, Wandsworth Bridge Road, Fulham Palace Road. . . .

Route now: Elmers End, Anerley Hill (still horrible first thing in the morning), College Road, Sunray Ave, Denmark Hill, Camberwell New Road, Vauxhall Bridge Road, Hyde Park and then it's a toss up between Harrow Road and HSK/Uxbridge Road to North Acton . . . Not sure if it's possible to break the hour. One day!

No action to speak of, plus ca change. I raced a moped from Crystal Palace to Camberwell Green with honours even but I don't think he was trying on some of the bits. . . .

MonkeyMonster

Woo, 3 days off and I was suffering a tad. Met up with dude from the summer ride in Richmond - totally forgotten both his real and forum name... Go me. Very useful rabbit to chase all the way to Millbank and then with lights a go go took the lead to lambeth bridge and beetled off over the river. That roundabout is rather annoying because so many people mis-use it. If I'm in the insdie lane I will be using the last junction, not illegally turning in early... and I don't want to take a hand off to signal given the crap driving...