Silly commuting racing

King Donut

cjcp wrote:

Bumped into KD again today.

Always a pleasure sir. Was having a nice gentle ride home till you popped a move past me.

In a commuting first for me, I nearly got wiped out by what I think was a small crane this morning as he tried to overtake me and pull in for a police motorbike at the same time. Left hand drive as well ffs.

dhope

dhope wrote:

Think I accidentally avoided some SCR by being sociable :oops:
Coming onto Jamaica Rd there was a cyclist remonstrating with a driver just before the roundabout.

nich wrote:

I saw this too. Seemed to go on for a while!

CXXC wrote:

saw that as i came round the rotherhithe tunnel roundabout

And I still haven't seen anyone from the forums :?. I would have passed it at 7.20 I reckon

MonkeyMonster

All good this morning bar the nasty slippiness and my little nudge from the prius (in rant threads) Thought I passed wrath this morning on due to the fluro bag but was riding a black ss. All were scalped this morning.

Cafewanda

itboffin wrote:

cyclopsbiker wrote:

no scalps this morning. then again there wouldn't be since I did my 30min commute on the turbo!!! not at work today and didn't want to miss out on the exercise

+1

I'd have gone for the extra 30 mins sleep

Bassjunkieuk

Ride home last night = all going well until College Road. Picked up a chap on a blue Be-One SS in Dulwich who had some decent speed. Lead him up the first drag and then he pulled round just before the turn to follow College Road. I was already pushing rather hard and had no response :-(

Ride in today was much more fun, working at an office overlooking Vauxhall Cross so re-visited CS7 and scalped all and sundry. Only real competition was a chap on a SS (think it may have been fixed actually by his pedaling technique) who was keeping up nicely with me in the low 20's. I resisted changing up a gear until I had a fairly clear run on the bus lane towards Stockwell.........I could see a sea of High-Vis so pulled into the middle of the lane, dropped a cog at the rear and lit the afterburners :twisted: Such huge fun speeding along, despite the less then ideal conditions Roll on Monday when I've had a chance to clean the bike a bit and fit the wet weather Salmon's, can be even braver :-)

ketsbaia

Heh. First real downfall of the autumn and the first bit of proper SCR action for ages.

There I was, pootling along in the wet trying to stay safe when, bam! Bloke on a yellow roadie with weird 'minimal' gearing on the back and carbon tri bars on the front steams past, delivering an arc of roadspray into my fizzog as he does. I'm piqued, but no sooner have I decided I might enter the fray than, bam! Bloke on a Trek with Liquigas attire dives past as well. They both make the Pelican crossing lights and I'm stranded, but salvation comes in the form of Asylum Road lights and I can take back some ground.

They're still a good 100 yards or so ahead by the time we reach Peckham Park Road, but a combination of my awesome power and the lights at ASDA see us bunch together, sinews twisting, anxiously awaiting the green light.

And we're off. I'm easing away from the pair of them, but the Glengall Road lights hamper my escape. Carbon tri-boy trackstands while I unclip, sensing a longer stay. He flounders a little trying to maintain balance just as the amber lights my blue touch paper. I'm clipped in first time and away, picking my way through the juggernauts and making good progress through the lights at Tesco. Southwark Council's finest parking tow-truck does its best to take me out as I put the hammer down, slowing me momentarily. I sense this gives CTB the impetus he needs, as he finally catches me at Lidl and thinks he's got me. But no, a surge of awesomeness sees me draw level at a screaming 27.8mph and even inch ahead. Alas, we part ways at Bricklayers arms roundabout, where Liquigas bloke catches up. I hope for a tussle up GDS, but a good initial burst on the 'lower slopes' puts paid to any competition.

Soaked, though. Wish I'd bought some overshoes.

rjsterry

Billy No-Brakes this morning in the wet (local BBC weather said there may be some large puddles left from the nights rain, but brightening up - forgot to mention the pouring with rain until 0930 bit) so took it very easy most of the way. No action to speak of.

Butterd2

Pufftmw wrote:

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

Ok I stand corrected, it appears all the traffic in SE London had converged on Jamaica Road / Tooley Street leaving the rest of the roads blissfully clear.

Butterd2

Hats off to girl coming over Tower Bridge this morning, hot pants and wellys awesome wet weather gear!

MonkeyMonster

Butterd2 wrote:

Hats off to girl coming over Tower Bridge this morning, hot pants and wellys awesome wet weather gear!

Bet you can't remember much else - what type/make of bike was she riding?

notsoblue

Awesome ride home last night. It seemed a treat to be riding on dry roads! Finished yoga at about 7:30ish (first time, loved it!) and feeling incredibly relaxed and warmed up, power pootled along Embankment. Quite a few low FCN contenders about, but traffic dampened any serious SCR. Crossed Putney bridge, and started along LRR towards the park and encountered a slight, but very fast chap on a red condor, was wearing a red t-shirt with a white longsleeve underneath. Anyone on here? Chased him as best I could from LRR to the Park, then kept up with him as we went clockwise round the park. Riding the dark with nothing to focus on but a red LED ahead was cool. Pace was high (for me) but I totally lost him on Broomfield Hill. Chapeau fella, you wore me out (and probably didn't even notice). Once at the top of Broomfield, recovery was fairly quick and I kept a high pace. On my own in the dark I heard the roar of a red deer buck at the side of the road. Brilliant night's riding

This morning....two miles into my commute on NKR my rear tyre goes flat. Walk home in heavy rain to catch PT to work. Riding the hybrid home this evening

itboffin

Butterd2 wrote:

Hats off to girl coming over Tower Bridge this morning, hot pants and wellys awesome wet weather gear!

You knows the ruleZ, pics or it didn't happen

Wrath Rob

Butterd2 wrote:

Hats off to girl coming over Tower Bridge this morning, hot pants and wellys awesome wet weather gear!

But what was she riding?

cjcp

notsoblue wrote:

Walk home in heavy rain to catch PT to work. Riding the hybrid home this evening

I noteyou put the emoticon after the reference to the hybrid as opposed to PT.

Wrath Rob

A few tussles this morning but only 1 of any note. Away from VB lights I round the peleton and lead down the slight hill and am enjoying the clear road ahead past the Tate. Suddenly a guy in a dark top on a black and white road bike comes past me pretty quickly, legs a-blur. He was really shifting and I thought for a split second that he was away with no chance of reprise.

The MTFU frontal lobe kicked in and just as I was winding up I noticed that his lead had peeked at less than 10m and he was slowly falling back towards me. Had he overcooked it? Who cares? Pain generators engaged and I wind it up past 28 as I sail past him as Millbank Tower looks on. Through Lambeth RB and up to P'Square. We met at the lights, separated by traffic but his heart was no longer in the battle and Embankment was mine. Some little upstart on a white road bike with black and white wheels tried it on between Embankment and Temple, RLJing to take the lead but was put back in his box with a nice run from Temple all the way to Blackfriars.

All in, a satisfying mornings work. And then I sat at my desk.

attica

Being able to see through your tyre is a bad thing, right?

itboffin

Attica wrote:

Being able to see through your tyre is a bad thing, right?

Butterd2

Wrath Rob wrote:

Butterd2 wrote:

Hats off to girl coming over Tower Bridge this morning, hot pants and wellys awesome wet weather gear!

But what was she riding?

Yep you've all got me bang to rights there, next time I'll pay more attention to her bike, sorry. :oops:

rjsterry

Butterd2 wrote:

Wrath Rob wrote:

Butterd2 wrote:

Hats off to girl coming over Tower Bridge this morning, hot pants and wellys awesome wet weather gear!

But what was she riding?

Yep you've all got me bang to rights there, next time I'll pay more attention to her bike, sorry. :oops:

Spotted what might be the exact opposite of that this morning: a <ahem> larger gentleman jogging along past Horseguards in a white t-shirt in the pouring rain.

Mahoobs I think is the word.

Wrath Rob

MonkeyMonster wrote:

All good this morning bar the nasty slippiness and my little nudge from the prius (in rant threads) Thought I passed wrath this morning on due to the fluro bag but was riding a black ss. All were scalped this morning.

You passed a cyclist who didn't come back past you and you thought it was me? Shame on you...

MonkeyMonster

Wrath Rob wrote:

MonkeyMonster wrote:

All good this morning bar the nasty slippiness and my little nudge from the prius (in rant threads) Thought I passed wrath this morning on due to the fluro bag but was riding a black ss. All were scalped this morning.

You passed a cyclist who didn't come back past you and you thought it was me? Shame on you...

Heh heh, it was the bike that gave it away tbh. Plus I was full of beans this morning so wouldn't have been surprised...

redvee

Was pootling to a red light and get semi scalped by another road bike but in my defence I have the following evidence.

1) He was wearing jeans
2) Jeans were lower on his hips than his boxers
3) worst of all, it was a Carrerra

attica

redvee wrote:

Was pootling to a red light and get semi scalped by another road bike but in my defence I have the following evidence.

1) He was wearing jeans
2) Jeans were lower on his hips than his boxers
3) worst of all, it was a Carrerra

Hahahaha

That's not actually a defence, in fact they are all FCN adjusters in the wrong direction.

If it had been a shaven legged roadie in matching team kit or head to toe in Rapha on a Colnago, then fair enough, but you've been done good and proper!

Still, you'll be saving money on shampoo from now on!

cjcp

Wrath Rob wrote:

Comedy bike night tonight. At P'Square a guy pushed past me riding what appeared to be a MTB with a SS conversion but he'd used the smallest rear cog and then slapped the granny ring on the front.

Saw this chap tonight.

WTF?

Nail on the head.

redvee

Attica wrote:

redvee wrote:

Was pootling to a red light and get semi scalped by another road bike but in my defence I have the following evidence.

1) He was wearing jeans
2) Jeans were lower on his hips than his boxers
3) worst of all, it was a Carrerra

Hahahaha

That's not actually a defence, in fact they are all FCN adjusters in the wrong direction.

If it had been a shaven legged roadie in matching team kit or head to toe in Rapha on a Colnago, then fair enough, but you've been done good and proper!

Still, you'll be saving money on shampoo from now on!

I'll put to buying some of these c-thru tyres you mention. Do Strada sell them as you always seem to linger in there on the way to work?

Norky

Wrath Rob wrote:

Comedy bike night tonight. At P'Square a guy pushed past me riding what appeared to be a MTB with a SS conversion but he'd used the smallest rear cog and then slapped the granny ring on the front. WTF?

Did he still have the tensioner cage on it? A couple of times I've broken the rear mech. on my old MTB and been forced to remove the mech and tensioner, take some links out and pick whatever pairing of rear cog and chain ring gives me a (just about) workable chain tension while still being able to put the chain back together. It's not pretty, and it's always been pretty spinny, but it got me back home. Another time my brother and I did it for a chap on a sportive whose reaer wheel ate his mech about 10 miles from the end. Again a slow-moving spin-fest, but he finished and the chain stayed on. (I felt rather proud about that)

benborp

Wrath Rob wrote:

At P'Square a guy pushed past me riding what appeared to be a MTB with a SS conversion but he'd used the smallest rear cog and then slapped the granny ring on the front. WTF?

Would it have been a trials bike? Such as used here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG9mhcim3dQ

cyclopsbiker

Cafewanda wrote:

itboffin wrote:

cyclopsbiker wrote:

no scalps this morning. then again there wouldn't be since I did my 30min commute on the turbo!!! not at work today and didn't want to miss out on the exercise

+1

I'd have gone for the extra 30 mins sleep

if only!! the body clock is set to 6am. which is kinda nice this time of year as I get to see the sunrise

asprilla

Passed a greying chap in KW shorts or tights on a blue pearson this morning. Anyone we know?

He was pootling to his heart's content.

Wrath Rob

benborp wrote:

Wrath Rob wrote:

At P'Square a guy pushed past me riding what appeared to be a MTB with a SS conversion but he'd used the smallest rear cog and then slapped the granny ring on the front. WTF?

Would it have been a trials bike? Such as used here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG9mhcim3dQ

Nope, definitely a MTB. I don't think the cage was on either, though there may have been a rear tensioner. I was too busy WTF'ing to notice.

Good skills by Danny in the vid though, apart from the riding on the pavement bit :twisted: