Silly commuting racing

rjsterry

Despite a weekend cold and the littl'un deciding to deprive both of us of sleep for most of last week, I felt quite chipper this morning. A split commute via Fulham again, with a 33.5mph blast down the dual-carriageway bit of Trinity Road (which was strangely unclogged at the Tooting/Wandsworth Common end). Then later a good run up the full length of the Embankment, still early enough to catch a few tail-end commuters to scalp, and a run of greens or nearly-greens from PS onwards. Finished it off hitting 30 in the Blackfriars tunnel

Bit warm though - slightly overcompensated for the cold start this morning.

cjcp

I came across the chap who sometimes wears LTP kit and rides a FG this morning. Got talking to him in Richmond Park. Nice chap, but I now know. why he's disappeared over the horzion when I've seen him on the way home: used to ride at National level.

And he rides a 48x13.

jonginge

Gave a tow between Cheyne walk and VB to a chap on a black/orange machine the name of which currently escapes me. Didn't mind as it was the best i've felt on the bike for a few weeks

Almost got squished by a swiss lorry (VD 400091) at the blackfriars ramp. I go from the ASL at the lights and lorry then starts to overtake. It's a bit close and I'm checking a lot to make sure he's not suddenly going to pull left. He doesn't but I realise he's too close so I slam the anchors on and trackstand in front of the divide. The lorry's back wheels clear the kerb by less than a handlebar's width. :shock:

Pufftmw

Found me a challenge at last

Starting up Lewisham Way I could feel the breathe of a draughting fairy behind me and a quick shoulder check proves it. I'm out into the middle of the road about 1/2 way up and he's still behind me. I get held up by some bikes who are giving way to a car coming out and fairy takes the opportunity to dive to the inside and I disengage and follow but by this time he's 20 yards ahead, out of his seat and pedaling hard. I do my best but from a slow start could only really maintain distance til the top of the hill...

After that its keeping pace the rest of Lewisham Way but he gives it the beans through New Cross & draws ahead. I catch up at the lights to OKR and we both light the blue touchpaper, I get the first draught from a lorry then as I'm falling off he catches it and fair play to him, off he goes. I'm struggling to catch him and get stopped at the Ilderton Road lights. He RLJs and heads off. After that, its a slog up the rest of OKR. Bloke on an old gold racer makes some impression but I keep my scalp and leave him behind but I catch up the original chap around Albany Road and we swap places for a short time until the last lights before Lidl where I get to the head of the queue by going on the outside and he gets caught on the inside. I stop @ Bricklayers and its quite a while before he goes past up NKR... Not sure if I got a scalp or kept it 'cos I think I overtook him in traffic at the begining of Lewisham Way. FCN wise, I was wearing baggies and a sweatshirt today lol

Its all on vid so will try & get it up later

rjsterry

JonGinge wrote:

Gave a tow between Cheyne walk and VB to a chap on a black/orange machine the name of which currently escapes me. Didn't mind as it was the best i've felt on the bike for a few weeks

Almost got squished by a swiss lorry (VD 400091) at the blackfriars ramp. I go from the ASL at the lights and lorry then starts to overtake. It's a bit close and I'm checking a lot to make sure he's not suddenly going to pull left. He doesn't but I realise he's too close so I slam the anchors on and trackstand in front of the divide. The lorry's back wheels clear the kerb by less than a handlebar's width. :shock:

:shock: indeed. I don't like that bit as there always seems to be someone who wants to swing left up the slip road without checking to see if it's clear. I try to push out into primary and match the speed of the traffic as far back as I can, but it's often not possible. I suppose there's always the bail out option of going up the slip as well, but it'd be nice if people just pai a bit more attention.

Greg T

rjsterry wrote:

JonGinge wrote:

Almost got squished by a swiss lorry (VD 400091) at the blackfriars ramp.....

:shock: indeed. I don't like that bit as there always seems to be someone who wants to swing left up the slip road without checking to see if it's clear. I try to push out into primary and match the speed of the traffic as far back as I can . . . .

It's a danger spot all right.....

You need to be in primary to protect against left sliders and also the narrowing of the lanes as they drop down the underpass.

Also 10m or so down the slope is a non flush drain cover in a divot you need to be aware of...

Also drivers try to get by you and nip in ahead to turn left at the mermaid lights at the top without thinking you'll build speed down teh ramp...

All in all a bit of road you need to have your spidey senses turned up on.

ketsbaia

Wow. Four days off the bike and I'm a scalping waiting to happen. Thank the Lord there was no one even remotely average along the OKR this morning, because they'd have seen my scalp a mile away hanging off a metaphorical Herman's Safety Wing as I battled the not ridiculous headwind and persistent red lights to record a dismal (moving) average of 15.4mph.

I'm heading off to College Road this evening, but I'm not expecting to go under four minutes if this morning's anything to go by.
:oops:

Wrath Rob

53 miles yesterday with the Kingston Wheelers and SCR came out to play. We all paused at the bottom of Critten Lane, a nice 1.5 mile climb with a short dip in the middle of it, before the ride leaders simply state "see you at the top". Red flag, bull, so I lead off the bunch. A couple of the others managed to get onto my wheel by the false top of the climb but I ditched them on the drop. A short while later my spidy senses are tingling and shortly after I can here some very laboured breathing behind me. Keep cool is the mantra as I know we're near the top. Who ever is behind me is right on my wheel but as soon as I see the top I spin up from 11 to 20mph to take the win :twisted: Turns out the competition was a 16 year old who works for a cycling shop. Glad I managed to keep someone over 1/2 my age behind me

Fast forwards to Box Hill and this time I start from the back of the pack, climbing through the other riders but shortly after the 1st hairpin a guy on a Scott TT bike comes past me. I'm having none of that so get on his wheel and he drags me up past the rest of our pack. The 16 year old proves to be a wily racer and gets on the back of my wheel to follow me up. About 200m from the cake shop at the top I kick on, passing the TT rider and manage to old the whipper-snapper off too. Result! 7mins 36 from bottom to top, not too bad but need to find the Box Hill challenge thread to see how slow I actually am.

Legs a little heavy this morning but the tail wind was very welcome.

MonkeyMonster

Oh and apologies for tonight. I have a very short run from blackfriars to victoria and might be laying some power down due to the shorter time period. If my sonic boom rattles you that is

Greg T

Wrath Rob wrote:

7mins 36 from bottom to top,

The bottom at the pub or where you turn right at the cottage on to box hill proper?

rjsterry

Wrath Rob wrote:

53 miles yesterday with the Kingston Wheelers and SCR came out to play. We all paused at the bottom of Critten Lane, a nice 1.5 mile climb with a short dip in the middle of it, before the ride leaders simply state "see you at the top". Red flag, bull, so I lead off the bunch. A couple of the others managed to get onto my wheel by the false top of the climb but I ditched them on the drop. A short while later my spidy senses are tingling and shortly after I can here some very laboured breathing behind me. Keep cool is the mantra as I know we're near the top. Who ever is behind me is right on my wheel but as soon as I see the top I spin up from 11 to 20mph to take the win :twisted: Turns out the competition was a 16 year old who works for a cycling shop. Glad I managed to keep someone over 1/2 my age behind me

Fast forwards to Box Hill and this time I start from the back of the pack, climbing through the other riders but shortly after the 1st hairpin a guy on a Scott TT bike comes past me. I'm having none of that so get on his wheel and he drags me up past the rest of our pack. The 16 year old proves to be a wily racer and gets on the back of my wheel to follow me up. About 200m from the cake shop at the top I kick on, passing the TT rider and manage to old the whipper-snapper off too. Result! 7mins 36 from bottom to top, not too bad but need to find the Box Hill challenge thread to see how slow I actually am.

Legs a little heavy this morning but the tail wind was very welcome.

Ah, lovely Critten Lane. Haven't been out that way for ages. I take it you missed out White down (you would have gone down rather than up it any way). Abinger Lane => Leith Hill Rd is another good long climb, but with some dire road surfaces. Must get a weekend pass and take a run round there again.

Wrath Rob

Greg T wrote:

Wrath Rob wrote:

7mins 36 from bottom to top,

The bottom at the pub or where you turn right at the cottage on to box hill proper?

Start of Zigzag road to turning into the cake shop. I wasn't quite sure where the official finish line was to simply took it to be there.

@RJSTerry, if I get another weekend pass I'll try the 3 hills route that they do which I think includes White Down and Leith Hill plus Box Hill. Its around 55 miles, adding on the 16 miles to get there and back I think I'll be pretty wiped out by the time I finish that one!

snooks

'orrible head wind this morning, watched 1 RLJ very nearly left hook another RLJ, now cyclists are trying to take each other out I thought....and I was almost a victim....

Me filtering down the centre, bus well ahead in cycle lane. Cyclist on inside pulled right, without shoulder checking, well they looked over their shoulder, but didn't see, I saw him look and I thought he had seen me, no such joy. Slowed, shouted and luckily I managed to squeeze by.....Guess he was lucky I wasn't a motor bike.

Still no one worthy on my way in

Wrath Rob

Just found The Box Hill Challenge thread on here. 7:36 puts me in the bottom 1/3rd so plenty of work to do there

jonginge

Wrath Rob wrote:

Just found The Box Hill Challenge thread on here. 7:36 puts me in the bottom 1/3rd so plenty of work to do there

Just realised I haven't been out to the Surrey lanes at all this year... :shock:

Flyingbogey

Last night along South Lambeth Road nipped past a cheesy looking track bike, He wasn't going to let some commuter have his scalp so sprinted off with me right on his wheel looking for a chance, fully gulped the bait. I have until now wondered how you guys negotiate sharp bends, well now i know as he pulls an outrageous "handbrake turn" onto Vaux X weight over the front, rear tyre screeching. Luckily for me this washed off a lot of his momentum and i cruised by. Even more luckily he went over VB, me stay south to WB. Phew.

cjcp

That was a quick ride. Gotta be a tailwind tonight.

gbsahne001

....and I thought I was just being awesome tonight

rjsterry

Felt very tired when I left this evening, so wasn't pushing that hard along Millbank when a very tall roadie in black Castelli shorts and a red jersey on something blue came past as we neared the lights. KD perhaps? Anyway, he led from the VB lights, but I seemed to be comfortably keeping up, so as we rounded the bend, I opened the taps and came past. Kept ahead until the last right hand bend before the railway bridge, where we both eased up due to the heavier traffic. Just past the railway bridge, there was a coach stopped with it's hazards on in the RH lane, and something wedged under the back RH wheels. Hope to goodness that wasn't a bike, of any sort. No emergency services or people running around, so I'm assuming not, but didn't look good.

jds_1981

FCN of this? http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/10/ ... as-segway/

redvee

I can say that a cardboard box has a FCN of 19!

http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/338/dsc0304m.jpg

jzed

rjsterry wrote:

Felt very tired when I left this evening, so wasn't pushing that hard along Millbank when a very tall roadie in black Castelli shorts and a red jersey on something blue came past as we neared the lights. KD perhaps? Anyway, he led from the VB lights, but I seemed to be comfortably keeping up, so as we rounded the bend, I opened the taps and came past. Kept ahead until the last right hand bend before the railway bridge, where we both eased up due to the heavier traffic. Just past the railway bridge, there was a coach stopped with it's hazards on in the RH lane, and something wedged under the back RH wheels. Hope to goodness that wasn't a bike, of any sort. No emergency services or people running around, so I'm assuming not, but didn't look good.

Don't think it was a bike. I came through around 8.30 and there were no emergency services. They were unloading luggage from one coach to another.

Harveytile

Day off for me. Totally. Dog+Fox+bike=me on tarmac at 5:45am yesterday.

Not so sore yesterday but this morning I can't hold my head off the pillow at all :shock: . Definitely a trip to the Doc for a quick MOT and sweet painkillers. Back on the bike shortly, now that the headache has passed and my balance is back!

Gutted to be missing the good weather...

cjcp

Got shunted by a car at the lights from LRR on to Putney Bridge. Saddle into the backside. The driver had continued to edge forward even though the lights had gone red. She gestured that she hadn't seen the red. I then saw red. I wasn't a happy bunny. Grrr.

@Harveytile - ouch!

rjsterry

JZed wrote:

rjsterry wrote:

Felt very tired when I left this evening, so wasn't pushing that hard along Millbank when a very tall roadie in black Castelli shorts and a red jersey on something blue came past as we neared the lights. KD perhaps? Anyway, he led from the VB lights, but I seemed to be comfortably keeping up, so as we rounded the bend, I opened the taps and came past. Kept ahead until the last right hand bend before the railway bridge, where we both eased up due to the heavier traffic. Just past the railway bridge, there was a coach stopped with it's hazards on in the RH lane, and something wedged under the back RH wheels. Hope to goodness that wasn't a bike, of any sort. No emergency services or people running around, so I'm assuming not, but didn't look good.

Don't think it was a bike. I came through around 8.30 and there were no emergency services. They were unloading luggage from one coach to another.

Maybe a bit fell off the coach then, if they were still there over an hour after I went through.

@CJ: It's not much to ask for people to not run into the back of you, is it? I've had a spate of other cyclists shunting me, but thankfully no cars yet.

cjcp

@RJS - yup. I told that if she couldn't drive the car, perhaps she should get out and find someone who could.

I saw that coach, too. Didn't spot anything the wheels, though. Wondered if he had a flat. That was at about 6.40.

Clever Pun

cjcp wrote:

Got shunted by a car at the lights from LRR on to Putney Bridge. Saddle into the backside. The driver had continued to edge forward even though the lights had gone red. She gestured that she hadn't seen the red. I then saw red. I wasn't a happy bunny. Grrr.

@Harveytile - ouch!

she hadn't seen the red... but hadn't seen the stationary cyclist right in front of her? a D-lock would sort her vision out

Aidy

rjsterry wrote:

@CJ: It's not much to ask for people to not run into the back of you, is it? I've had a spate of other cyclists shunting me, but thankfully no cars yet.

I've had a load of this recently. Is it too much to expect them to apologise afterwards, rather than looking around innocently?

wheeled_warrior

Air getting colder ... not complaining yet.

Wobbled along a choked Kengsington High St staring at the back-end of a bin lorry, dodging vehicles stuck at odd angles. Reached the escape route into Kensington Gardens and jetted up the rise, out of the saddle, greased-whippet stylee. Brisk cadence along the path beside the pond, with the sun low in the sky.

No contenders today, so some pootle-guilt. Speaking of shunting, saw someone in the jacket I've ordered - eyeballed a bit too long and nearly went into the back of a taxi :shock:

asprilla

Nice run in this morning, but a bit wacky races up Fulham Palace Road and then I got cut up by a motorbike on Hammersmith Roulette Wheel. Chap on a tourer / shopper with panneirs had been filtering like mad to stay ahead of me cut up a bimmer and jumped the lights at Hammersmith; a clear run of lights between Hammersmith and SheBu saw me cruise past him whilst reading the paper and having a cup of tea. Know your place.

Also, at URR lights to Queens Ride I have a new tactic. Small ring, middle of the casette and 135rpm generally sees off the traffic light GP.