Silly commuting racing

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  • Wrath Rob
    Wrath Rob Posts: 2,918
    Kieran_Burns wrote:
    Full on roadie, wrap arounds and everything - I make FCN 1 (ish) and me at FCN 8 8) The poor guy looked like he was suffering badly, but no mercy in this game

    He was making that look hard wasn't he?

    Had a little run in with a guy in black and blue lycra on a white fixie. I caught up with him in the rubbish traffic on Embankment and we swapped placed a couple of times between P'Square and VB. Once through VB he opened the taps properly and as proper rapid too as I was over 27 to keep on his wheel. Traffic lights tried to stop play but I held him to the lights before CB which he ignored and rode through. Bit of a shame as the rest of Victoria Embankment was shaping up to be a right battle.

    A rather quick MTB rider tried to play but was too obviously trying so got dropped twice despite him being able to hold over 20mph, chapeau!

    Wiggle package arrived today so off to install some new pedals and try the black reflective stickers I bought...
    FCN3: Titanium Qoroz.
  • Kieran_Burns
    Kieran_Burns Posts: 9,757
    jds_1981 wrote:
    Kieran_Burns wrote:
    Yeehah!

    My first video scalp!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-eY1c15vKY

    I like the 'hello' as you pass :)

    Oh yes. You must be polite about these things :wink:

    (to be fair. i had just set off and the bloody wind was a nightmare, he had clearly been suffering in it... I just went whizzing past and took his hair with me.... )
    Chunky Cyclists need your love too! :-)
    2009 Specialized Tricross Sport
    2011 Trek Madone 4.5
    2012 Felt F65X
    Proud CX Pervert and quiet roadie. 12 mile commuter
  • rjsterry
    rjsterry Posts: 29,554
    Traffic was absolutely abominable this evening. Queueing before I even got out of the Blackfriars tunnel, so turned off and swung over the bridge then right towards Waterloo. Traffic equally stuffed down to Lambeth Bridge, but cleared after that - our motorised friends and their parking protest perhaps? Nobody seemed to be about after that, which was just as well as I seemed to be making heavy weather of it (turns out there was a headwind).
    1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
    Pinnacle Monzonite

    Part of the anti-growth coalition
  • lost_in_thought
    lost_in_thought Posts: 10,563
    Norky wrote:
    lost_in_thought wrote:
    I overslept, massively, and had to take the tube.

    Grrrrrr.

    You are slower than the tube. That's the real grrrrr.

    *ducks and covers*


    :lol:

    Not so much, it's just that I can do an über-quick shower at home, get dressed and go in on the tube.

    If I cycle, it's get into cycling gear, pack clothes into bag, cycle to work, shower at gym, change into work clothes and then go in.

    It's the changing that gets me, and the fact that after cycling I can't do an über-quick shower.

    EDIT: the trouble is, the journey time is only about 5 minutes more by tube... it doesn't make up for the changing time!
    FCN 7/1
    Viner Maxima, Tifosi CK7, Giant Bowery, Old commuter.
  • Wrath Rob
    Wrath Rob Posts: 2,918
    rjsterry wrote:
    our motorised friends and their parking protest perhaps?
    There was a lot of whistling around P-Square and the police had closed the road from Lambeth Bridge RB to P'Suare east bound so someone was certainly out causing trouble.
    FCN3: Titanium Qoroz.
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    Beautiful morning. RP was white with frost. 8)
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • rjsterry
    rjsterry Posts: 29,554
    Wrath Rob wrote:
    rjsterry wrote:
    our motorised friends and their parking protest perhaps?
    There was a lot of whistling around P-Square and the police had closed the road from Lambeth Bridge RB to P'Suare east bound so someone was certainly out causing trouble.

    It'll have been the protests over the Spending Review.


    Proper hard frost out in Carshalton and even some on Clapham Common - Brrrrrrr.

    Bumped into Notsoblue on his red PX again this morning I think. Honours even I reckon, with maybe a slight advantage to him - proper lead legs this morning for some reason, so I could spin up, but just couldn't hold it for more than 20 seconds.
    1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
    Pinnacle Monzonite

    Part of the anti-growth coalition
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    rjsterry wrote:
    proper lead legs this morning for some reason, so I could spin up, but just couldn't hold it for more than 20 seconds.

    pc474%20mr%20t%20get%20some%20nuts.jpg

    :P
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • rjsterry
    rjsterry Posts: 29,554
    cjcp wrote:
    rjsterry wrote:
    proper lead legs this morning for some reason, so I could spin up, but just couldn't hold it for more than 20 seconds.

    pc474%20mr%20t%20get%20some%20nuts.jpg

    :P


    Oooooh, 'ark at 'ee! My nuts are just fine thanks - I just wasn't able to leave Notsoblue for dust as i would have liked :twisted:
    1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
    Pinnacle Monzonite

    Part of the anti-growth coalition
  • notsoblue
    notsoblue Posts: 5,756
    rjsterry wrote:
    Bumped into Notsoblue on his red PX again this morning I think. Honours even I reckon, with maybe a slight advantage to him - proper lead legs this morning for some reason, so I could spin up, but just couldn't hold it for more than 20 seconds.

    I thought I recognised you, will make sure I say "Hi" next time. Was a cold slow ride in for me, legs felt empty. You awoke me from my torpor at Vauxhall Bridge though. You really shifted it past millbank! Traffic was awful from Parliament Square to Temple, but managed to open up a bit between there and Blackfriars. Was relieved to have been able to get my scalp back tbh, and even more relieved that I could chicken out up the Blackfriars sliproad :P
    FCN 4 PX SL Pro SRAM Red
    FCN 8 Scott Sportster '05
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    What time was this, chaps?
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • rjsterry
    rjsterry Posts: 29,554
    Just after 9 - maybe ten past, something like that I think.
    1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
    Pinnacle Monzonite

    Part of the anti-growth coalition
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    You're later than me!!!
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • rjsterry
    rjsterry Posts: 29,554
    Too much faffing this morning getting all my winter gear on.
    1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
    Pinnacle Monzonite

    Part of the anti-growth coalition
  • homercles
    homercles Posts: 499
    rjsterry wrote:
    Too much faffing this morning getting all my winter gear on.

    I always find the shift to winter completely throws my routine out; took three attempts to leave the flat this morning due to forgetting stuff. Not good when you live on the 3rd floor.
    Nail Trail
    Pompino
    CF SLX
  • W1
    W1 Posts: 2,636
    cjcp wrote:
    You're later than me!!!

    yeah, bloody part timers...!
  • rjsterry
    rjsterry Posts: 29,554
    40+ hrs a week? Fairly sure that counts as full-time. Not that I want to get into a pointless 'who works the longest/hardest?' argument.
    1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
    Pinnacle Monzonite

    Part of the anti-growth coalition
  • W1
    W1 Posts: 2,636
    rjsterry wrote:
    40+ hrs a week? Fairly sure that counts as full-time. Not that I want to get into a pointless 'who works the longest/hardest?' argument.

    I was joshing with you chap.

    Traffic is fairly bad that time of day though.
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    W1 wrote:
    rjsterry wrote:
    40+ hrs a week? Fairly sure that counts as full-time. Not that I want to get into a pointless 'who works the longest/hardest?' argument.

    I was joshing with you chap.

    Traffic is fairly bad that time of day though.

    Yep, it's not a great time. I left the house at 0615 last week and it was much better. But that's the only time I see the kids properly, so not do-able on a regular basis.
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • rjsterry
    rjsterry Posts: 29,554
    W1 wrote:
    rjsterry wrote:
    40+ hrs a week? Fairly sure that counts as full-time. Not that I want to get into a pointless 'who works the longest/hardest?' argument.

    I was joshing with you chap.

    Traffic is fairly bad that time of day though.

    :oops: Suspected as much. I am trying to move my inward journey forward and hence get home earlier, as the few times I have managed to get away earlier I have found the traffic, and more importantly the competition a lot better.
    1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
    Pinnacle Monzonite

    Part of the anti-growth coalition
  • ketsbaia
    ketsbaia Posts: 1,718
    Really enjoying the new gearing, especially as there was barely any wind at all this morning. No one came close, so I managed a moving average of 18.1mph on the time-trial instead.

    But by the Gods, the top of my head suffered. Used the cycling plus free buff thing to keep my ears warm, having failed to find my skull cap this morning. Guess what's gonna be the first thing I look for when I get back tonight.
    One more gear

    Strava profile
  • Norky
    Norky Posts: 276
    lost_in_thought wrote:
    If I cycle, it's get into cycling gear, pack clothes into bag, cycle to work, shower at gym, change into work clothes and then go in.

    It's the changing that gets me, and the fact that after cycling I can't do an über-quick shower.

    EDIT: the trouble is, the journey time is only about 5 minutes more by tube... it doesn't make up for the changing time!

    Actually, I must confess to that myself. If I'm honest about time taken to get to work by bike I have to factor in extra "faff" time (there's always something I've lost and need to find or something that needs doing on the bike) before I leave and the extra change and shower time when I arrive. (Though today I was still shivering a little when I arrived, not at all sweaty, so I did not bother with a shower. Stinky me.) The entire journey is a lot quicker by car anyway (20 miles through Sussex countryside, not much urban driving) so plenty of times I've crawled out of bed late and had to drive, leaving me annoyed with myself all day :/ See - I was sympathising with your OP ;)
    The above is a post in a forum on the Intertubes, and should be taken with the appropriate amount of seriousness.
  • Mr Plum
    Mr Plum Posts: 1,097
    3 mornings this week I've spotted the same guy ahead of me on a 700c flat bar hybrid down the same road doing about 15mph. Shortly after I close and pass him at about 18-20mph he comes past me at 21/22mph, so obviously I do the only done thing and stick in his draft for 100m to regain my composure to go past him at about 23/24mph. It's at this point where we more or less get into a full on sprint before he turns off left and leaves me to get on with my otherwise mundane commute.

    He caught me completely off-guard on Monday, but Tuesday and today I was expecting it :twisted: Touche to you, Sir, may this morning battle continue...
    FCN 2 to 8
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    Mr Plum wrote:
    3 mornings this week I've spotted the same guy ahead of me on a 700c flat bar hybrid down the same road doing about 15mph. Shortly after I close and pass him at about 18-20mph he comes past me at 21/22mph, so obviously I do the only done thing and stick in his draft for 100m to regain my composure to go past him at about 23/24mph. It's at this point where we more or less get into a full on sprint before he turns off left and leaves me to get on with my otherwise mundane commute.

    He caught me completely off-guard on Monday, but Tuesday and today I was expecting it :twisted: Touche to you, Sir, may this morning battle continue...

    Next time, up the initial passing speed and give him The Look. :twisted:
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • Mr Plum
    Mr Plum Posts: 1,097
    cjcp wrote:
    Mr Plum wrote:
    3 mornings this week I've spotted the same guy ahead of me on a 700c flat bar hybrid down the same road doing about 15mph. Shortly after I close and pass him at about 18-20mph he comes past me at 21/22mph, so obviously I do the only done thing and stick in his draft for 100m to regain my composure to go past him at about 23/24mph. It's at this point where we more or less get into a full on sprint before he turns off left and leaves me to get on with my otherwise mundane commute.

    He caught me completely off-guard on Monday, but Tuesday and today I was expecting it :twisted: Touche to you, Sir, may this morning battle continue...

    Next time, up the initial passing speed and give him The Look. :twisted:

    :lol: I tried to do that this morning but got caught in a massive headwind as I was putting the hammer down to build speed, it almost ended me trying to out-do him after he came back at me. I need to develop some sprinting legs! We'll see what happens tomorrow...
    FCN 2 to 8
  • rjsterry
    rjsterry Posts: 29,554
    Left a bit earlier today but nobody of note about, so took it easy. Was almost home when a car waiting in a side road started to pull out without looking. He saw me just as I passed in front of his headlights and somehow managed to stop in time, but must have missed me by a couple of inches if that. All this happened in a couple of seconds, so by the time I realised he was pulling out, I was right in front of the car. Roared some obscenities at him, and got a slightly dumbstruck look from the passenger, but then they drove off. Had to take a moment to collect myself as that was way to close. Also not particularly enjoying my mind's ability to replay the incident adding on possible endings if he hadn't stopped. Ho hum.
    1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
    Pinnacle Monzonite

    Part of the anti-growth coalition
  • notsoblue
    notsoblue Posts: 5,756
    Picked up some Pro Gel Team Winter Gloves from Condor on the way home. Hands toasty warm, lovely!
    FCN 4 PX SL Pro SRAM Red
    FCN 8 Scott Sportster '05
  • nich
    nich Posts: 888
    Cyclist or pedestrian sitting in the road this morning. Looked like they had been knocked over. A few people in attendance taking care of them so hope they are ok!

    This was just coming upto Lower Rd, right on the pedestrian crossing.
  • notsoblue
    notsoblue Posts: 5,756
    Spotted the tarty green cadence again this morning. Spinny :wink:
    FCN 4 PX SL Pro SRAM Red
    FCN 8 Scott Sportster '05
  • pitchshifter
    pitchshifter Posts: 1,476
    @Notsoblue

    No contest for that flash carbon commuter you have yourself there.. Especially with my embarrassingly low (stock may I add) 69 inch gear ratio..

    Might have to bring the road bike out next week to save face down milbank..

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