Silly commuting racing

snooks

Got chatting to another cyclist at the lights, his opening line was:
Mighty legs sir

Couldn't help but think he knew what he was talking about, obvious pro

Greg T

JonGinge wrote:

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:

5 and a half minutes!!!!

feck me....

I'm sitting around 7 mins...

Box hill is always the last hill I do of about 60 miles or so...... perhaps i should load up the car one day, save the legs and drive over - do a warm up and make a determined and timed attack effort.....

Hmmmmm

jonginge

Greg T wrote:

JonGinge wrote:

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:

5 and a half minutes!!!!

feck me....

I'm sitting around 7 mins...

Box hill is always the last hill I do of about 60 miles or so...... perhaps i should load up the car one day, save the legs and drive over - do a warm up and make a determined and timed attack effort.....

Hmmmmm

The top of the leaderboard is insanely quick. Like you I've only ever done it as the last hill before heading back to london. I'm nowhere near my form of last year, though

jonginge

Lovely ride in today. Loads of traffic but didn't mind. I like sunshine, me

rjsterry

Oh, forgot to mention: anyone know why there was quite so much traffic on the Embankment this morning? had an enforced pootle most of the way to Parliament Square. It cleared up after that, but no obvious cause for the hold up. Zero competition this morning, despite taking the long route in over Wandsworth Bridge and up the full length of the Embankment.

ketsbaia

Legs were a gibbering pile of custard again this morning. There is a stronger headwind than usual, but I just can't seem to stay above 20mph for any sustained period, which is baffling as I was doing it for fun not two weeks ago. Time for some turbo sessions, I reckon.

Pufftmw

rjsterry wrote:

Oh, forgot to mention: anyone know why there was quite so much traffic on the Embankment this morning? had an enforced pootle most of the way to Parliament Square. It cleared up after that, but no obvious cause for the hold up. Zero competition this morning, despite taking the long route in over Wandsworth Bridge and up the full length of the Embankment.

Grosvenor Place (HPC) was shut apparently this morning...

snooks

Headwinds are killers...yesterday, like you I was struggling to keep it above 20, on the way home with the wind I was happily doing 26 along the mile end road.

It did help that I was gaming some tall fella on a hybrid

Pufftmw

Last night, 'cos I've moved all my gym stuff to my g/f's, I hit Tower Bridge around 18:30 so in time for normal commuters, which meant about 10 of them at the lights on Tower Hill. We set off and a large chap in black with a little cap on a BMC comes through on the run, gets to the front and sprints over. Of the rest, I catch & overtake all over the bridge then catch large chap by Tooley Street. However, he's quick and shoots off down TBR & left into Grange Road. I carry on down to Bricklayers and hang a left down OKR. Traffic is reasonably heavy and my legs aren't great but overtake all and sundry all the way down to Ilderton Road, at which point I come across another quick chap and we have a sprint for the next 400m. I expect him to carry on after the lights changed, so I set off briskly but didn't see him but coming into New Cross, so does large bloke on BMC. Again he's too quick for me but catch up at the bottom of Amersham Road, along with another guy who was brisk but had been only catching up at lights. Up the hill (brief incline) I lead and looking behind at the top, neither to be seen though they catch up through the next dip. Off to the long downhill and I'm in the lead with BMC pacing me and the other chap keeping in touch but disaster strikes on the downhill section when I make a bad filter call and the other 2 sail past leaving me stuck behind some pedestrian lights Into Lewisham and onto Lee High Road, I catch and take again the other fellow but BMC nowhere to be seen...

That was my first day of proper SCR (as in with other fast cyclists) and it looks like I need to go back onto the Gary Fisher for a bit of musclebuilding as I was knackered when I got home - then I did my weights...

cjcp

JonGinge wrote:

Greg T wrote:

JonGinge wrote:

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:

5 and a half minutes!!!!

feck me....

I'm sitting around 7 mins...

Box hill is always the last hill I do of about 60 miles or so...... perhaps i should load up the car one day, save the legs and drive over - do a warm up and make a determined and timed attack effort.....

Hmmmmm

The top of the leaderboard is insanely quick. Like you I've only ever done it as the last hill before heading back to london. I'm nowhere near my form of last year, though

Yup, need to get out there before the year's out. Any PB will have to be left 'til next year, though.

Pufftmw

No real challenges this morning other than TRAFFIC LIGHTS :evil: :evil: :evil:

I think that I must have caught 80% of traffic lights RED this morning and from a usual morning commute time of 27 mins, today's was 32!! That's nearly 20% extra time taken up just cos of poxy lights!!!

I did HAVE to jump one this morning as I had an ambulance on blues up the chuff of a taxi and he in turn was edging forward on me but had been stopped waiting for the change prior.

I did waste a chinese looking fellow on a racer who RLJ'd from Tooley onto Tower Bridge about 20 seconds before my lights changed - made me feel better

bigmat

cjcp wrote:

JonGinge wrote:

Greg T wrote:

JonGinge wrote:

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:

5 and a half minutes!!!!

feck me....

I'm sitting around 7 mins...

Box hill is always the last hill I do of about 60 miles or so...... perhaps i should load up the car one day, save the legs and drive over - do a warm up and make a determined and timed attack effort.....

Hmmmmm

The top of the leaderboard is insanely quick. Like you I've only ever done it as the last hill before heading back to london. I'm nowhere near my form of last year, though

Yup, need to get out there before the year's out. Any PB will have to be left 'til next year, though.

Can I just say that my entry on the board was during my one and only visit to Surrey Hills this year, in very early season, in tights winter gloves and jacket :oops:

rjsterry

I was thinking that you were further down the table than your College Road times might suggest

jds_1981

Pufftmw wrote:

I did HAVE to jump one this morning as I had an ambulance on blues up the chuff of a taxi and he in turn was edging forward on me but had been stopped waiting for the change prior.

I believe that technically shouldn't jump lights for an ambulance (is illegal and all). Can be directed to by a policeman however.

Pufftmw

You are correct but taxi driver was being insistant :?

lost_in_thought

'Twas a lovely ride in this AM.

I seem to be slowly rediscovering my mojo following this cold/virus thingy, which is nice.

I have to say, I'm not liking the Fuji a huge amount. :?

MonkeyMonster

I'm finding 2.5 or so miles done quicker is odd to say the least. Legs are more achey afterwards (presume laying down more fast twitch fibres) than when doing the longer 7.5
Still sweat as much though...

What's up with the Fuji Lit?

lost_in_thought

MonkeyMonster wrote:

I'm finding 2.5 or so miles done quicker is odd to say the least. Legs are more achey afterwards (presume laying down more fast twitch fibres) than when doing the longer 7.5
Still sweat as much though...

What's up with the Fuji Lit?

I don't know really, I just don't enjoy riding it that much. I'm beginning to wonder whether I'm better suited to bikes with sloping top tubes as opposed to standard geometry.

Or it could just be that I'm also riding the Maxima and everything else seems shoddy by comparison.

notsoblue

lost_in_thought wrote:

Or it could just be that I'm also riding the Maxima and everything else seems shoddy by comparison.

This, probably... :P

rjsterry

lost_in_thought wrote:

MonkeyMonster wrote:

I'm finding 2.5 or so miles done quicker is odd to say the least. Legs are more achey afterwards (presume laying down more fast twitch fibres) than when doing the longer 7.5
Still sweat as much though...

What's up with the Fuji Lit?

I don't know really, I just don't enjoy riding it that much. I'm beginning to wonder whether I'm better suited to bikes with sloping top tubes as opposed to standard geometry.

Or it could just be that I'm also riding the Maxima and everything else seems shoddy by comparison.

That just might be it, yes. Put it the other way: you'd be disappointed if you didn't notice a difference.

Greg T

of the box hill Challenge....

MatHammond wrote:

Can I just say that my entry on the board was during my one and only visit to Surrey Hills this year, in very early season, in tights winter gloves and jacket :oops:

You can say that, of course you can. Not that anyone here cares.

Did you use a Garmin to time yourself or a calendar?

bigmat

Greg T wrote:

of the box hill Challenge....

MatHammond wrote:

Can I just say that my entry on the board was during my one and only visit to Surrey Hills this year, in very early season, in tights winter gloves and jacket :oops:

You can say that, of course you can. Not that anyone here cares.

Did you use a Garmin to time yourself or a calendar?

Well it was too cold for any electronic device to work, honestly...

lost_in_thought

rjsterry wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

MonkeyMonster wrote:

I'm finding 2.5 or so miles done quicker is odd to say the least. Legs are more achey afterwards (presume laying down more fast twitch fibres) than when doing the longer 7.5
Still sweat as much though...

What's up with the Fuji Lit?

I don't know really, I just don't enjoy riding it that much. I'm beginning to wonder whether I'm better suited to bikes with sloping top tubes as opposed to standard geometry.

Or it could just be that I'm also riding the Maxima and everything else seems shoddy by comparison.

That just might be it, yes. Put it the other way: you'd be disappointed if you didn't notice a difference.

True... But I don't recall the Bowery being this rubbish by comparison before it was ducked up by years of no cleaning... maybe I'll get it serviced ('cause clearly I'm not going to do it myself) and compare that to the Fuji.

Wrath Rob

MatHammond wrote:

Greg T wrote:

of the box hill Challenge....

MatHammond wrote:

Can I just say that my entry on the board was during my one and only visit to Surrey Hills this year, in very early season, in tights winter gloves and jacket :oops:

You can say that, of course you can. Not that anyone here cares.

Did you use a Garmin to time yourself or a calendar?

Well it was too cold for any electronic device to work, honestly...

LOL. I have to say that sub 6 mins is pretty scary. Mine was after about 35 miles, I could have gone harder but as I've only done it twice I'm still not sure how to pace myself. I'm pretty sure I could get into the very high 6's but after that I'd have to shift a few more kilo's to improve.

rjsterry

MatHammond wrote:

Greg T wrote:

of the box hill Challenge....

MatHammond wrote:

Can I just say that my entry on the board was during my one and only visit to Surrey Hills this year, in very early season, in tights winter gloves and jacket :oops:

You can say that, of course you can. Not that anyone here cares.

Did you use a Garmin to time yourself or a calendar?

Well it was too cold for any electronic device to work, honestly...

Day 12: Am approaching the first hairpin. Have sent two of the sherpas back to base camp with frostbite and Jones's hands aren't looking good. Will try to push on some more...

ketsbaia

Never actually timed any ascents, but I had an hour and a half to kill during my Marmotte training earlier this year and did down to the bottom then six reps of Box Hill in 1.5 hours. That's right to the bottom as opposed to just as you come onto Zigzag lane.

nich

Meh it's raining lots in London, SCR is cancelled!

I also forgot my mudguards, wet arse time

MonkeyMonster

nich wrote:

Meh it's raining lots in London, SCR is cancelled!

I also forgot my mudguards, wet ars* time

Not cancelled at all, merely you leave more space and take primary more often to be safer.

Oh and watch for metal coverings - feckers that they are.

il_principe

nich wrote:

Meh it's raining lots in London, SCR is cancelled!

I also forgot my mudguards, wet ars* time

Wooooooo I get to test my new Northwave boots! Been praying for rain.

lost_in_thought

@IP I left mine at home... along with all my other waterproofs... :x

And in other news:

BBC London wrote:

It's the second day in a row a tube train has broken down in rush hour forcing commuters to walk through tunnels. 400 people were stranded, some for up to two hours.

:shock: