Good scalping speed?

DonDaddyD

Personally I find that on average anywhere between 19 and 21mph usually is enough to attack and fend off other commuters.

What speed do you find normally is fast enough to overtake/scalp other commuters?

For those who don't know what a scalp is in the context of SCR (silly commuter racing). A scalp is what you take or have taken from you when you are over taken by another cyclists during your commute.

gtvlusso

20 to 25 - I can maintain that fixed...any higher over the distance and I would be screwed.

jonginge

DonDaddyD wrote:

Personally I find that on average anywhere between 19 and 21mph usually is enough to attack and fend off other commuters.

What speed do you find normally is fast enough to overtake/scalp other commuters?

For those who don't know what a scalp is in the context of SCR (silly commuter racing). A scalp is what you take or have taken from you when you are over taken by another cyclists during your commute.

Not good enough for the embankment, my fren. 25-30 is the scalping speed of choice along there.

Greg T

North of 23 and you are generally safe from all but top end predators but let your mind wander and you are sub twenty and some kid with his arse crack showing above his baggy jeans does you on a BMX.....

It gets harder to retain your composure above 25 as everyone is trying........

At that pace it's more of a performance piece than a straight race. Who can exude that air of confidence, fitness and I don't careness - that's what seperates the dabblers from the full time narcissistic scalp hunters.

biondino

If I need to go above 25mph to scalp someone I'd better either be going downhill, or be chasing a dude I know is going to run out of puff very soon, ideally before I do!

skye3737

I'm never able to play this game :evil: On my ten mile commute this morning I did not see any other cyclists.

I suppose that's what you get for cycling out of town to work.

wgwarburton

DonDaddyD wrote:

For those who don't know what a scalp is in the context of SCR (silly commuter racing). A scalp is what you take or have taken from you when you are over taken by another cyclists during your commute.

Surely it only counts if you get ahead of someone with the same or higher FCN?

There's no kudos in cruising past a POBSO... whereas the cheery "Good Morning!" to the tarted up roadie as you climb past on your Brompton....
(Not that I Play, of course... for a start, I hardly ever see anyone on my commute!)
Cheers,
W.

DonDaddyD

WGWarburton wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

For those who don't know what a scalp is in the context of SCR (silly commuter racing). A scalp is what you take or have taken from you when you are over taken by another cyclists during your commute.

Surely it only counts if you get ahead of someone with the same or higher FCN?

There's no kudos in cruising past a POBSO... whereas the cheery "Good Morning!" to the tarted up roadie as you climb past on your Brompton....
(Not that I Play, of course... for a start, I hardly ever see anyone on my commute!)
Cheers,
W.

If the hybrid bunch want their Freddy Kruger-freakish-Michael Jackson-b@st@rd-bikes-of-a-1000-bad-ideas to be considered seriously then they are all now fair game!!!

Greg T

DonDaddyD wrote:

If the hybrid bunch want their Freddy Kruger-freakish-Michael Jackson-b@st@rd-bikes-of-a-1000-bad-ideas to be considered seriously then they are all now fair game!!!

I will rip that off in the near future and and pass it off as my own work - genius like that cannot go unstolen.

Have I missed something, have the upright, sit up and beg straight bars and wicker basket division kicked up a stink about theirfood chain status?

DiggingDeeper

Had to do 25 mph this am to do a SSFG geezer on a Cinelli - I couldn't believe the cadence he was doing. Like Biondino said its not a speed I would want to keep up for a while, but needs must at times. This was flat and he looked like he was trying too hard. I knew he couldn't go any faster, no way he could spin any more so I just had to give it a go.

I got the impression he was deflated when i came past him (could have been his lungs imploding I guess)

If I take somebody at 20mph I don't really rate it as a scalp. 20 on the flat with no wind is simply cruising these days.

Equalled the seasons best going in today.........wind in face tonight though

vorsprung

The key is that you have to

1) cruise along at a high speed to catch people. I would say 35 kph with bursts up to 60kph downhill
2) be able to accellorate from this cruising speed to an attack speed. 40kph+
3) be able to maintain enough speed to discourage a counter move. Keep up the 40kph+ for at least 200 metres, then continue with the 35kph you used to catch them in the first place

If some klutz overtakes me, unless I am caught napping I will jump on their wheel, wait for a hill and then counter attack

I am reminded of Ben Hur with the galley slaves
"Battle speed,... Attack speed... Ramming speed!"

Rich158

Surely the best scalps are those taken on hills, too many people can spin up to 25ish, it's even possible on a hybrid :shock:

There's nothing I like more than spinning effortlessly past some roadie wannabe stood on his pedals turning about 10 rpm and yanking his bars like he's trying to pull them straight again :shock: A cheery evening as I pass just to demostrate I can still speak just completes the humiliation

lost_in_thought

25mph, as mentioned, is enough to dispatch most people, and is the upper limit that I can maintain without actually dying for any length of time.

However, the sheer satisfaction of blasting past someone in the late 20's of mph, especially when you're a girl on a SS with panniers, is jolly spiffing, however fast they're going! And I'm not going to get any faster unless I push myself harder!

However, I really need to leave them for dust if I do that - the immensely vomitous feeling I get from trying to control my breathing after the initial anaerobic state is not pleasant!

Bassjunkieuk

I've gone for 25-30, as it is in this speed bracket that I know I'm up against someone who could put up a challenge :twisted:
I think it will also vary on your commute, as I don't ride on our sacred ground most of the people I find along the Stockwell - Balham/Tooting drag and through from E & C to Dulwich don't pose to much of a problem.

It's when you start to get towards 25 and your still not gaining ground fast on the person in front that you know your gonna have a battle on your hands tho!
Also it isn't a speed bracket that I'd like to remain in for long periods, unless going downhill, and I'm not exactly sure I remain composed enough to look as if I'm really not dying inside. I still have vivid memories of a race from the lights once against a chap sporting a TDF K.O.M jersey. I put the hammer down big time and managed to get it to around 28mph before my lungs felt like they wanted to explode, but feared slowing down as I could see his shadow creeping up alongside me!!!!!! Never before had I been so thankful for traffic and was even happier when our routes took us separate ways so I could actually get some oxygen ;-)
Was excellent fun tho!!!

cjcp

JonGinge wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

Personally I find that on average anywhere between 19 and 21mph usually is enough to attack and fend off other commuters.

What speed do you find normally is fast enough to overtake/scalp other commuters?

For those who don't know what a scalp is in the context of SCR (silly commuter racing). A scalp is what you take or have taken from you when you are over taken by another cyclists during your commute.

Not good enough for the embankment, my fren. 25-30 is the scalping speed of choice along there.

+1

Greg T

JonGinge wrote:

Not good enough for the embankment, my fren. 25-30 is the scalping speed of choice along there.

Am I the only one or is the average speed on the travelator of pain getting faster with the incoming better weather?You have to be on you r toes now and that's for certain - the new smooth as silk surfacing that has appeared on some of the stretches is a great joy to my wheels

cjcp

My average speed has crept up too. This is when boys become men.

Christophe3967

I think 25 mph is de rigeur for the embankment. Maintain that and you're fairly safe - only G66 JG and CJCP to worry about. Thank heaven we don't see LiT down there often - 30 mph on a fixie? Oh my god. :shock:

wgwarburton

Christophe3967 wrote:

I think 25 mph is de rigeur for the embankment. Maintain that and you're fairly safe - only G66 JG and CJCP to worry about. Thank heaven we don't see LiT down there often - 30 mph on a fixie? Oh my god. :shock:

Reaching 30mph on a fixie isn't a problem... sustaining 30mph on the other hand is...

Not that I can sustain 30mph on any bike.... I count it as an achievement if I average over 20 on my commute, even with a tailwind!

Cheers,
W.

il_principe

Christophe3967 wrote:

I think 25 mph is de rigeur for the embankment. Maintain that and you're fairly safe - only G66 JG and CJCP to worry about. Thank heaven we don't see LiT down there often - 30 mph on a fixie? Oh my god. :shock:

What time are you fellas on Embankment? Just wondering if I'm ever likely to see you on one of my early morning training runs? I'm normally hit Embankment near Vauxhall at 7 heading west to RP and leave RP at 7:40. Small window of opportunity I know.

gtvlusso

WGWarburton wrote:

Christophe3967 wrote:

I think 25 mph is de rigeur for the embankment. Maintain that and you're fairly safe - only G66 JG and CJCP to worry about. Thank heaven we don't see LiT down there often - 30 mph on a fixie? Oh my god. :shock:

Reaching 30mph on a fixie isn't a problem... sustaining 30mph on the other hand is...

Not that I can sustain 30mph on any bike.... I coun't it as an achievement if I average over 20 on my commute, even with a tailwind!

Cheers,
W.

My thoughts entirely. However, with the numpty crowd out at the moment, I can usually just lose them in the traffic or on any hills.....no need to floor it all the time.

NGale

anything over 15mph does the job down here in Exeter unless your up against an experiance cyclist.

although I was peed off at being over taken by a jogger the other day!! in my defence the cycle path was in appaling condition and mostly full of pot holes so tough to cycle on with skinny wheels...

jonginge

jashburnham wrote:

Christophe3967 wrote:

I think 25 mph is de rigeur for the embankment. Maintain that and you're fairly safe - only G66 JG and CJCP to worry about. Thank heaven we don't see LiT down there often - 30 mph on a fixie? Oh my god. :shock:

What time are you fellas on Embankment? Just wondering if I'm ever likely to see you on one of my early morning training runs? I'm normally hit Embankment near Vauxhall at 7 heading west to RP and leave RP at 7:40. Small window of opportunity I know.

About mumble, mumble, mumble.

Bit too early for me that.
Did spy a chap riding an unladen Cervelo this morning. He was quite rapid, although he did speed up after a shoulder-check. Maintained the 5 metre gap, slightly to the side with a bit of effort. We both had to swing very wide to maintain speed while avoiding a late-indicating left-turning van whilst spinning up millbank.

bigmat

[quote If the hybrid bunch want their Freddy Kruger-freakish-Michael Jackson-b@st@rd-bikes-of-a-1000-bad-ideas to be considered seriously then they are all now fair game!!![/quote]

One day DDD, our paths will cross and you will gain a whole new respect for non road-bike commuters, as I cruise past you in the high 20's. I'm going to change my commute to go through Clapham and Balham to maximise the chances. Not tonight though, I'm p**Sed and need to work late :oops:

lost_in_thought

Christophe3967 wrote:

I think 25 mph is de rigeur for the embankment. Maintain that and you're fairly safe - only G66 JG and CJCP to worry about. Thank heaven we don't see LiT down there often - 30 mph on a fixie? Oh my god. :shock:

Yeah, but the good speeds are only to be had on one stretch - you will know it C3967, between the Acton railway bridge and the one at the western end of the shebu triangle, if you get lucky with lights you can build up some great speed.

Furthermore, I couldn't keep it up for long - I get that anaerobic thing for a while then once the O2 levels get too low the 'not trying' is shot to hell and I've got about 15 seconds before I have to slow down substantially or keel over!

robmanic1

Surely a burst of 30mph frantic sprinting just before you reach your target, followed by a 25mph "coast" (doesn't work on fixies), is the way.

Clever Pun

mid to high 20's as said is enough to bin most people, it's maintaining it and leaving them in your wake that's more tricky. It's a damn shame there's a lot of traffic lights and the like where you can recouperate and then destroy once more

my lungs are nearly right although I think I've lost a little leg power so in a week or two we'll see how I get on against the london phoenix guy on my route, he's $hitting quick and I will take him... soon

biondino

MatHammond wrote:

One day DDD, our paths will cross and you will gain a whole new respect for non road-bike commuters, as I cruise past you in the high 20's. I'm going to change my commute to go through Clapham and Balham to maximise the chances. Not tonight though, I'm p**Sed and need to work late :oops:

DDD, just check out where Mathammond is on the Richmond Park 3-lap leaderboard :twisted:

DonDaddyD

@MattHammond.

I will destroy you. You might as well cut your own head off and hand it to me. I would rather lick my tyres and swallow than lose to you on a hybrid. On a road bike, a proper bike and you scalped me then fine, Chapeau sir. But while you're on a Hybrid, you're just fodder beneath the contempt of my Giant SCR 3.

I'll be on Clapham Park Road at 6.15pm tonight and most likely every night.

Now let silence reign!

bigmat

That's yet another tick in the hybrid box, get scalped and you can blame the bike, but scalp a roadie and its so much more enjoyable! I'm not sure about the SCR thing, I don't participate because I don't think racing on public roads is safe, and also I'd disqualify myself by going through the occasional red light. How about a race round RP as a compromise - 1 lap or 3, whichever you prefer...

Bassjunkieuk

@ DDD & MH

FIGHT
FIGHT
FIGHT

Having said this I think you could be in for a fair game, if you took a bike such as ITB Ridgeback Storm I still reckon that could be properly quick with the right engine on top, just as ITB has said before. I reckon all things being pretty much equal with gearing and geometry, the fact that a bike had flat bars vs. drops in an all out sprint wouldn't cause to much of an issue for me personally.