Silly commuting racing

EKE_38BPM

Norky wrote:

EKE_38BPM wrote:

No brakes and no visibility (rain on my glasses) do not a quick commute make.

Tell me about it. I have crap eyesight, so I wear cycling sunglasses (Rudy Project Rydons) with prescription inserts. Two sets of lenses, one behind the other, in this weather? A fog-fest. Despite the crap vision sometimes I can see more without any glasses at all. : /

I remember your glasses and the double lens set up. I also remember you leaving me for dead up the hill!
I wear clear Bolle Viper safety glasses (that I half-inched from work) to keep road dirt and insects out of my eyes. I once rode into the back of a parked up as I was cycling up a very steep hill because an gnat (or midge or mosquito or whatever) flew into my eye and I lost control (destracted trying to clear my vision). I had few cuts and bruises and like an idiot, when asked at school what happen, I told my mates that I rode into a parked car.

Took ages to live it down.

Since then I always wear some sort of eye protection when I'm on a bike (and that was over 20 years ago). They have saved me getting bees, beetles etc in the eye many a time.


I don't know how/why people ride without them.

cjcp

Asprilla wrote:

I wiped my glasses with Rain-x anti-fog wipes today. They seem to have worked treat but more testing is required.

I've gone down the contacts-route. I can now see in all conditions.

turnerjohn

Norky wrote:

EKE_38BPM wrote:

No brakes and no visibility (rain on my glasses) do not a quick commute make.

Tell me about it. I have crap eyesight, so I wear cycling sunglasses (Rudy Project Rydons) with prescription inserts. Two sets of lenses, one behind the other, in this weather? A fog-fest. Despite the crap vision sometimes I can see more without any glasses at all. : /

+1 when Rudys get water between the lenses its game over ! :-(

asprilla

cjcp wrote:

Asprilla wrote:

I wiped my glasses with Rain-x anti-fog wipes today. They seem to have worked treat but more testing is required.

I've gone down the contacts-route. I can now see in all conditions.

Toying with the idea at the moment and I've got some contacts on test, but I've only been bothered to put them in once in the last three weeks.

Also I know I'd get annoyed at having to by more sunglasses.

cjcp

Asprilla wrote:

cjcp wrote:

Asprilla wrote:

I wiped my glasses with Rain-x anti-fog wipes today. They seem to have worked treat but more testing is required.

I've gone down the contacts-route. I can now see in all conditions.

Toying with the idea at the moment and I've got some contacts on test, but I've only been bothered to put them in once in the last three weeks.

Also I know I'd get annoyed at having to by more sunglasses.

Commuted for three years with glasses. Always dreaded conditions like we had this week i.e. oncoming lights/street lights etc all in the rain.

For the winter, you just cheap, clear-lensed sunnies to keep the guff out of your eyes. I think DHB do a cheap pair.

jds_1981

No real competition on the way back - had someone zoom past me soon after I left work but I MTFU and took my place back.

Also stopped and had a chat with a wvm passenger today. Asked him if they could leave a bit more room in the cycle lane next time (he was well into it and so I had to squeeze down.) All was civil and the van pulled out a bit

flyingbanana

I'd taken the morning off work yesterday to to take delivery of the new steed and some charcoal and rubber goodies to put on it

Unfortunately the dolt from interlink express couldn't figure out the buzzer and just left a card wedged on the main door. Fedex man with the steed didn't seem to have any issues at least, can't see me getting that home on the pannier rack.

Anyway, as a reuslt had a much longer haul than usual for me today out to some god forsaken industrial estate in Broxburn to pick up goodies from cyclingbargains so I saddled up the backrollers, mounted the tourer and struck out west.

Decided to cut off having to pootle along the A8 on the tourer by taking a section of the canal towpath / NCN75. Figured as it was early and I was outwith the city limits I wouldn't have too many issues with joggers, mothers and prams or the omnipresent idiots in fluorescent jackets on faceless hybrids using the towpath as a racetrack and trying to clear a path by sounding their bell ceaselessly.

No issues apart from the chap on an MTB in shades (before the sun was up) who I had a Mexican standoff with about which side we were going to pass on. I ended up moving and (politely) reminded him that in this country we pass on the left. Unfortunately as I was forced to pass on the right my lance was on the wrong side for running him through and into the murky depths of the Union Canal.

Roads seemed devoid of bikeists on the run home into town. Slight headwind running and it was past 530 so most of Edinburgh had already jumped in their cars an hour ago and were still stuck in traffic. Caught a chap I know from work with tiny legs who rides a flat-barred carbon Boardman (and had to have the seat tube especially sawn down so that he could reach the pedals). Thought he might keep up so we could have a parley to pass the time but despite propelling 15kg of fat-wheeled steel tourer and hauling 7 or 8 kilos of pannier with me he disappeared in the rear view mirror as we gritted our teeth and dug deep to grind up the 26 feet climb from Roseburn into Haymarket.

I find that the width of yellow pannier and the commanding road presence of the tourer sends the necessary "keep back" signals to white van man and his friends in private hire cars, black cabs and cars with alloy wheels and spoilers.

Mr Plum

First morning in a long time I've enjoyed some SCR. One of the Hi-Vis hybrid brigade done me down the outside of a long queue of traffic (not strictly kosha by SCR rules, but I let it go...) - he was in my draft as I got wedged to the inside by a moped and couldn't do anything about it. As soon as the road was clear I smashed passed him but he kept with me for about a mile, trying to take advantage of any possible RLJ etc but never managed to make it past. My legs were jelly when I got to work...

ketsbaia

First ride in for more than a week due to illness. There was a bloke on a ss road bike around 100 yards in front of me on the OKR who I reeled in to around 30 yards, but we parted ways at the Bricklayers.

Otherwise, no racing. But I feel weak and was coughing a fair bit along the way. Reckon the scalp is well up for grabs on the way home.

Butterd2

Met a mate of mine on the ride in this morning, in the space of 15mins he had ridden into 2 cars and me! He is an ex tighhead prop though so I guess that's about par for the course.

Even without him though the roads in SE London were absolute chaos.

ketsbaia

Butterd2 wrote:

Even without him though the roads in SE London were absolute chaos.

They weren't too bad when I was on the way in. Admittedly that was around 09.30 :shock:

rjsterry

Roads all chuffed up by the tube strike, so mostly pootling past queues this morning, but did get to razz along the Embankment, hitting 31 between the railway bridge and the Shell petrol station, scalping a chap in a yellow Saeco jersey on an old purple/lilac 531 frame. Met up with him again around P. Square and repeated the manoeuvre on Vic. Emb. Also got sucked through Blackfriars tunnel by a white van, free-wheeling at 27mph

Bassjunkieuk

Anyone else get caught up in the royal feck up that was Chelsea Bridge this morning? Not sure who thought today, with all the extra cars on the road, would be the best day for the traffic lights to be turned off!!! Made the RH turn onto Embankment a bit of fun, especially as my preferred gear appears to be skipping! Any applications of power whilst moving away result in a nasty chain jump - really need to find a similar gear using the big ring up front and a larger cog at the rear.......

Good fun with a chap on a red Specialized. Took him first on the run towards DSC and then showed him and the blonde women a nice view of my new backpack along Millbank. He got a jump on me before LBR in filtering and then made the lights by PS :-(

snooks

First bit of action for ages.

Me the "I'm expecting it to lash it down later" knobbly MTB, with spds and cycling gear

Him devils spawn hybrid, fakenger get up, with spds

The scene of this battle, Lower Thames Street, going East this morning

He got the run up to the lights while I was waiting at red, he got through with speed on at green, I set off with him ahead. I set off chasing him down hill...pushing hard, (but still sat down), I catch up and perform a freewheel pass on the outside while he's still spinning, I considered a freewheel hovis pass, but though that being taking by a knobbly MTB was enough of an insult for one day

My speed is good, so good in fact I'm closing in on the back of a black cab ahead, whoosh, now drafting the cab. Traffic screaming by on the right, no way of pulling out into a stream of cars that have been stationary for the last 27 hours, so and have to slow. I could have cut up my prey, but I'm a gentleman, I let him catch up, and pass by on the inside.

The road ahead is clear and flat. I pull inside and pass the cab then head off after the hybrid again, his rolled up jeans some way ahead. Past the cab I'm up to speed, and closing. No lights to stop me, I'm on him, passed, and away. Never to see him again.

I miss the game

MonkeyMonster

Came in later post 10 am so missed the carnage - some roads were still mentally choca.

Don't like the huge volume of metal coverings on my route either. Hoping it doesn't rain anymore and dries up a little.

rjsterry

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

Anyone else get caught up in the royal feck up that was Chelsea Bridge this morning? Not sure who thought today, with all the extra cars on the road, would be the best day for the traffic lights to be turned off!!! Made the RH turn onto Embankment a bit of fun, especially as my preferred gear appears to be skipping! Any applications of power whilst moving away result in a nasty chain jump - really need to find a similar gear using the big ring up front and a larger cog at the rear.......

Good fun with a chap on a red Specialized. Took him first on the run towards DSC and then showed him and the blonde women a nice view of my new backpack along Millbank. He got a jump on me before LBR in filtering and then made the lights by PS :-(

Almost as much fun as the bus that pulled out of The Avenue on Calpham Common, then stopped across the entire A24, as he couldn't complete the turn due to stationary westbound traffic. Special.

I think the lights were half-working at CB, or at least the green was, just not the red and amber. Interesting.

Pufftmw

Butterd2 wrote:

Even without him though the roads in SE London were absolute chaos.

Agree with Ketbasia, traffic wasn't too bad overall. Nothing on Lee High Road, Lewisham Way was solid but not that I couldn't sail down the bus lanes, New Cross was fine and once onto the OKR absolutely nothing until I got to Bricklayers and TBR, which was a pig all the way up to Tower Hill. I do wonder when motorbikes go the wrong side of traffic islands and twice today the wrong side of traffic lights on islands at junctions :shock: Scary manoeuvres but I still beat the bikes up TBR!

No challengers though

Bassjunkieuk

rjsterry wrote:

Almost as much fun as the bus that pulled out of The Avenue on Calpham Common, then stopped across the entire A24, as he couldn't complete the turn due to stationary westbound traffic. Special.

Had a similar affair on the run towards QTR, stationary traffic heading NB and there is a lorry trying to turn into a side road from the opposite direction. The drivers heading NB in their infinite wisdom have failed to leave room for his to get into the side road (bit of common sense eh?) so he's stuck with a bus and mahussive queue of traffic up his ar$e! Can't complain as it left a wonderfully clear stretch of road to ride down :-D

Wrath Rob

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

really need to find a similar gear using the big ring up front and a larger cog at the rear.......

All I've got to say is MTFU! Why on earth are you using anything else APART from the big ring?

Lovely ride with the traffic this morning, no real SCR action apart from scalping a scooter past Embankment. I was drafting him at 23mph and then thought to myself "Why?" so pulled out and took him. He was 2 up which may have contributed to the slow speed/loud noise combo. Cracking. There were some other scalps of team lycra'd roadies but no battles

Have to say I'm not looking forwards to the journey home. Heavy traffic, angry commuters and slippery roads will not a happy commute make

snooks

Wrath Rob wrote:

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

really need to find a similar gear using the big ring up front and a larger cog at the rear.......

All I've got to say is MTFU! Why on earth are you using anything else APART from the big ring?

There are other rings? :shock:

cyclopsbiker

Butterd2 wrote:

the roads in SE London were absolute chaos.

combination of tube strike and an accident in Rotherhithe Tunnel that closed it both ways....made for total gridlock from A2/Deptford to Tower Bridge. never seen roads so bad.

Bassjunkieuk

snooks wrote:

Wrath Rob wrote:

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

really need to find a similar gear using the big ring up front and a larger cog at the rear.......

All I've got to say is MTFU! Why on earth are you using anything else APART from the big ring?

There are other rings? :shock:

Thanks guys ;-) Using the Fixed Gear app on my phone (cba to hit up Sheldon's site) it appears I'll need to aim for mid cassette (16) to get approximately the same gearing when I hop from the 42 to the 52 (it's a triple....) Will have a test on the way down from Soho to DSC this evening to find something that feels right then unleash hell :twisted: Slipping gears aren't fun but I do think it's just a worn cog as others seem to work OK, having said that my chain is in dire need of a clean!

snooks

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

(it's a triple....)

Does not compute.... :?

jonginge

snooks wrote:

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

(it's a triple....)

Should not commute.... :?

FTFY

greg66_tri_v2.0

rjsterry wrote:

Roads all chuffed up by the tube strike

Ahhhhh! That explains a bit, then.

Must remember that living under a rock means I have to make an effort to find out about these things....

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

Anyone else get caught up in the royal feck up that was Chelsea Bridge this morning?

Yes. And they were out on Thursday evening too. I cam home a different way on Friday, so don't know about that, but either they've been out since Thurs pm, or they've been fixed and are broken again. Either way, Mr. Cock Up is in residence.

snooks wrote:

First bit of action for ages.

Fnar, Fnar, gnurk, gnurk.

Oh.

You meant cycling action.

Kieran_Burns

snooks wrote:

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

(it's a triple....)

Does not compute.... :?

I only ever use the middle ring on the Tricross for severe hills... or bloody long ones where I just spin up. I think I've used the granny ring once - and that was up a 1 in 4 that killed me. :?

gaz545

Some dressed up chav span past me at like 26mph.. i would have clapped him for his efforts but i was too busy covering the brakes in the dodgy road conditions. He then looks me up and down as we wait at the lights. what does he do? jumps the red light and pulls a wheelie.
All whilst on a wilier, one that looked at least a grand. A chav on a wilier?

Kieran_Burns

gaz545 wrote:

Some dressed up chav span past me at like 26mph.. i would have clapped him for his efforts but i was too busy covering the brakes in the dodgy road conditions. He then looks me up and down as we wait at the lights. what does he do? jumps the red light and pulls a wheelie.
All whilst on a wilier, one that looked at least a grand. A chav on a wilier?

Stolen

Mr Plum

Kieran_Burns wrote:

gaz545 wrote:

Some dressed up chav span past me at like 26mph.. i would have clapped him for his efforts but i was too busy covering the brakes in the dodgy road conditions. He then looks me up and down as we wait at the lights. what does he do? jumps the red light and pulls a wheelie.
All whilst on a wilier, one that looked at least a grand. A chav on a wilier?

Stolen

+1

notsoblue

Kieran_Burns wrote:

gaz545 wrote:

Some dressed up chav span past me at like 26mph.. i would have clapped him for his efforts but i was too busy covering the brakes in the dodgy road conditions. He then looks me up and down as we wait at the lights. what does he do? jumps the red light and pulls a wheelie.
All whilst on a wilier, one that looked at least a grand. A chav on a wilier?

Stolen

Yep, probably. Did you get that on camera, Gaz?