College Road challenge

ketsbaia

Yeah, I'll be heading down again this evening. Might do a circuit coming down Sydenham Hill, round the south circular then back up College Road again.

How bad will it be if my second ascent is better than the first?

wulfhound

Same here. Have promised myself additional bike kit if I can crack 3:15, so hoping for a PB despite my currently sleep deprived state.

bigmat

I'll be heading up around 8pm probably - blue road bike with red bars / rear tyre. What should I be looking out for? I reckon a race might spur on some even better times!

CXXC

MatHammond wrote:

I'll be heading up around 8pm probably - blue road bike with red bars / rear tyre. What should I be looking out for? :

my flashing red light

wulfhound

CR1 not going as quick as it should, light on back of helmet, rider with panniers under both eyes. Will be there early today tho, 6:20pm I reckon.

Stevo_666

Think I'm going to have to ditch the mudguards and rucksack one day and have another go, esp if someone makes it more than a minute faster than me :oops:

ketsbaia

Well that was interesting. Am still wheezing, but managed to record a 3.25 on my first run, went down Sydenham Hill and along the South Circular, then had another crack and recorded a 3.40.

I need my lungs back, though. Legs felt absolutely fine on the second ascent, but due to gasping for air about halfway up the first steep bit, I gulped in a wayward fly and spent the rest of that section trying to hack the little sod up.

wulfhound

3:11 from me today - that sandwich I had at lunchtime must have been Spanish meat 8)

Slight headwind, but the prospect of scalping a respectably quick white Wilier up ahead (which I did.. just about, though he flew past again when I stopped @ the top to check times) gave me that little bit of extra speed.

James Jarvis............2:53.........Oct......Opera Leonardo
MatHammond...........2:54.........Sep......Winter roadie (with stuffed pockets but no bag!)
Bassjunkieuk............3.05........Sep
Fujimackers..............3.07.........Sep......SS 48x16
CJCP.........................3.10.........Sep.....Commuter roadie with bag
Wulfhound...............3.11.........Oct..... CR1
CXXC.......................3.14.........Oct........commuter roadie, stuffed pockets, dark!
Ketsbaia..................3.15.........Sep......Peugeot Team Festina replica, with bag,
lms...........................3.16.........Sep.....
Harveytile ...............3:18........ October Pearson Hanzo 48x17 (fixed)
HamishD..................3:23.........Sep.... S1, with bag 39x23
maddernj..................3.31.........Sep.....
Stevo 666................3.45.........Sep......FCN=9 (Boardman hybrid with baggies & flats)
maddernj.................3:49.........Sep.....

bigmat

MatHammond...........2:50.........Sep......Winter roadie (with bag)
James Jarvis............2:53.........Oct......Opera Leonardo
Bassjunkieuk............3.05........Sep
Fujimackers..............3.07.........Sep......SS 48x16
CJCP.........................3.10.........Sep.....Commuter roadie with bag
Wulfhound...............3.11.........Oct..... CR1
CXXC.......................3.14.........Oct........commuter roadie, stuffed pockets, dark!
Ketsbaia..................3.15.........Sep......Peugeot Team Festina replica, with bag,
lms...........................3.16.........Sep.....
Harveytile ...............3:18........ October Pearson Hanzo 48x17 (fixed)
HamishD..................3:23.........Sep.... S1, with bag 39x23
maddernj..................3.31.........Sep.....
Stevo 666................3.45.........Sep......FCN=9 (Boardman hybrid with baggies & flats)
maddernj.................3:49.........Sep.....[/quote]

Fast one tonight, stuck it in a big gear and forced it through the middle section. Hurt towards the end and I must have had a nasty race face on, but pleased with that.

jamesjarvis

James Jarvis............2:44.........Oct......Opera Leonardo
MatHammond...........2:50.........Sep......Winter roadie (with bag)
Bassjunkieuk............3.05........Sep
Fujimackers..............3.07.........Sep......SS 48x16
CJCP.........................3.10.........Sep.....Commuter roadie with bag
Wulfhound...............3.11.........Oct..... CR1
CXXC.......................3.14.........Oct........commuter roadie, stuffed pockets, dark!
Ketsbaia..................3.15.........Sep......Peugeot Team Festina replica, with bag,
lms...........................3.16.........Sep.....
Harveytile ...............3:18........ October Pearson Hanzo 48x17 (fixed)
HamishD..................3:23.........Sep.... S1, with bag 39x23
maddernj..................3.31.........Sep.....
Stevo 666................3.45.........Sep......FCN=9 (Boardman hybrid with baggies & flats)
maddernj.................3:49.........Sep.....

I really went for it yesterday (my 40th birthday!) and pushed it on the flats. Was a bit spent by the final kick. Not sure how much quicker I can do it! My lungs were screaming.

CXXC

cadence v grinding, that's what i was left to ponder last night as i was slumped over my bike at the top of fountain drive wondering how the hell that attempt was the same time as my run on tuesday.

i pushed a bigger gear, it felt so much quicker, but the same time :?

i'm putting it down to the steak & rocket wrap stuffed in my back pocket which i'd made for the rest of the ride t'was a big slab of meat

ketsbaia

One thing I did notice on the second ascent last night was some bloke on a roadie stranded after the first steep bit taking on water. Naturally I told him to MTFU.

CXXC

observations 2nd time around...

1) timing the traffic lights - i followed the same routine as before and it seems to work and result in a clear run to the tollgate, i pass through the lights as they near the end of their green phase, that way it gives any cars etc plenty of time to turn at the roundabout or clear the gate

2) on my very 1st run i only remembered there being 1 speed bump, now i know its more like 4 or 5

3) its not quite so flat when you pass the station

4) when you pass the college road turn-off you know its time to really start burying yourself

HamishD

Bettered previous time by a whole 2 seconds last night. Feel there was still a bit in the tank though - I WILL breack 3 minutes before Christmas . . .

James Jarvis............2:44.........Oct......Opera Leonardo
MatHammond...........2:50.........Sep......Winter roadie (with bag)
Bassjunkieuk............3.05........Sep
Fujimackers..............3.07.........Sep......SS 48x16
CJCP.........................3.10.........Sep.....Commuter roadie with bag
Wulfhound...............3.11.........Oct..... CR1
CXXC.......................3.14.........Oct........commuter roadie, stuffed pockets, dark!
Ketsbaia..................3.15.........Sep......Peugeot Team Festina replica, with bag,
lms...........................3.16.........Sep.....
Harveytile ...............3:18........ October Pearson Hanzo 48x17 (fixed)
HamishD..................3:21.........Oct.... S1, with bag 39x21
maddernj..................3.31.........Sep.....
Stevo 666................3.45.........Sep......FCN=9 (Boardman hybrid with baggies & flats)
maddernj.................3:49.........Sep.....

Canny Jock

Finally got round to trying this today, had a nice clear run on my decent bike, managed it in 3.15. Fairly happy with this, I could certainly do it a bit quicker now that I know it, I wasn't expecting there to be that many flat parts. I don't see how I could get it below 3 mins though, fantastic effort by those that have! Mat I've seen you ride so not surprised, bet Headhuunter could probably go under 3 as well. I'm going to have to hit the spinning classes to try and get down to those levels.

Garmin track of it for those who are interested:

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/53208625

James Jarvis............2:44.........Oct......Opera Leonardo
MatHammond...........2:50.........Sep......Winter roadie (with bag)
Bassjunkieuk............3.05.........Sep
Fujimackers..............3.07.........Sep......SS 48x16
CJCP........................3.10.........Sep.....Commuter roadie with bag
Wulfhound.................3.11.........Oct..... CR1
CXXC........................3.14.........Oct........commuter roadie, stuffed pockets, dark!
Ketsbaia....................3.15.........Sep......Peugeot Team Festina replica, with bag,
Canny Jock..............3.15.........Oct......Sunday Best
lms............................3.16.........Sep.....
Harveytile ................3:18.........October Pearson Hanzo 48x17 (fixed)
HamishD..................3:21.........Oct.... S1, with bag 39x21
maddernj..................3.31.........Sep.....
Stevo 666.................3.45.........Sep......FCN=9 (Boardman hybrid with baggies & flats)
maddernj..................3:49.........Sep.....

deptfordmarmoset

Ok, this is off-topic, but I was on College Road today and this cyclepath on the south side of the South Circular made me laugh...well, I should despair really...but I was still chuckling to myself at the top! (No times because I know I'm too slow to merit a stopwatch.)

benborp

James Jarvis............2:44.........Oct......Opera Leonardo
MatHammond...........2:50.........Sep......Winter roadie (with bag)
benborp......................2:57.........Sep......Fixed 48x16, with bag
Bassjunkieuk............3.05.........Sep
Fujimackers..............3.07.........Sep......SS 48x16
CJCP........................3.10.........Sep.....Commuter roadie with bag
Wulfhound.................3.11.........Oct..... CR1
CXXC........................3.14.........Oct........commuter roadie, stuffed pockets, dark!
Ketsbaia....................3.15.........Sep......Peugeot Team Festina replica, with bag,
Canny Jock..............3.15.........Oct......Sunday Best
lms............................3.16.........Sep.....
Harveytile ................3:18.........October Pearson Hanzo 48x17 (fixed)
HamishD..................3:21.........Oct.... S1, with bag 39x21
maddernj..................3.31.........Sep.....
Stevo 666.................3.45.........Sep......FCN=9 (Boardman hybrid with baggies & flats)
foresthill...................4:10...........Sep.....steamroller, bag and pie on board


Re-entered my time on the leaderboard although I haven't been on the bike for a couple of weeks now.

ketsbaia

Ah, the injustice of it all.

There I was pootling along minding my own business, treating the whole thing as a training run, reeling in the stragglers and just plodding along. Dispatched a couple of hopefuls on the drag up Denmark Hill, then coasted to the foot of College Hill without even thinking of threatening a time.

Looked at the timer casually and thought nothing of it as I cruised up the lower slopes, swerving dramatically to avoid an unobservant three-point turner. Just after the church I even flipped it down a couple of cogs in preparation for a switch to the small chainring, so casual was I being. But for some reason, I remained in the big chainring and all of a sudden felt the awesome power coursing through my whole body and transferring straight to the tarmac. Flew up the first steep section but realised I was running out of gas, so halfway up the final incline I notched it down to the small chainring. Bam. Chain off. Cue several choice words and a good bit of faffing extracting myself from the pedals and getting the chain back on. Remounted, hands on the bars and spun gently to the top.

Recorded a 3.49. :shock:

Reckon I'd have beaten the PB without the chain off.

bigmat

ketsbaia wrote:

Ah, the injustice of it all.

There I was pootling along minding my own business, treating the whole thing as a training run, reeling in the stragglers and just plodding along. Dispatched a couple of hopefuls on the drag up Denmark Hill, then coasted to the foot of College Hill without even thinking of threatening a time.

Looked at the timer casually and thought nothing of it as I cruised up the lower slopes, swerving dramatically to avoid an unobservant three-point turner. Just after the church I even flipped it down a couple of cogs in preparation for a switch to the small chainring, so casual was I being. But for some reason, I remained in the big chainring and all of a sudden felt the awesome power coursing through my whole body and transferring straight to the tarmac. Flew up the first steep section but realised I was running out of gas, so halfway up the final incline I notched it down to the small chainring. Bam. Chain off. Cue several choice words and a good bit of faffing extracting myself from the pedals and getting the chain back on. Remounted, hands on the bars and spun gently to the top.

Recorded a 3.49. :shock:

Reckon I'd have beaten the PB without the chain off.

Now, Imagine how you'd feel if you'd just lost the tour de France by 15 seconds...

ketsbaia

MatHammond wrote:

ketsbaia wrote:

Ah, the injustice of it all.

There I was pootling along minding my own business, treating the whole thing as a training run, reeling in the stragglers and just plodding along. Dispatched a couple of hopefuls on the drag up Denmark Hill, then coasted to the foot of College Hill without even thinking of threatening a time.

Looked at the timer casually and thought nothing of it as I cruised up the lower slopes, swerving dramatically to avoid an unobservant three-point turner. Just after the church I even flipped it down a couple of cogs in preparation for a switch to the small chainring, so casual was I being. But for some reason, I remained in the big chainring and all of a sudden felt the awesome power coursing through my whole body and transferring straight to the tarmac. Flew up the first steep section but realised I was running out of gas, so halfway up the final incline I notched it down to the small chainring. Bam. Chain off. Cue several choice words and a good bit of faffing extracting myself from the pedals and getting the chain back on. Remounted, hands on the bars and spun gently to the top.

Recorded a 3.49. :shock:

Reckon I'd have beaten the PB without the chain off.

Now, Imagine how you'd feel if you'd just lost the tour de France by 15 seconds...

I'd console myself with probably picking up the prize anyway in a few months' time.

bigmat

ketsbaia wrote:

MatHammond wrote:

ketsbaia wrote:

Ah, the injustice of it all.

There I was pootling along minding my own business, treating the whole thing as a training run, reeling in the stragglers and just plodding along. Dispatched a couple of hopefuls on the drag up Denmark Hill, then coasted to the foot of College Hill without even thinking of threatening a time.

Looked at the timer casually and thought nothing of it as I cruised up the lower slopes, swerving dramatically to avoid an unobservant three-point turner. Just after the church I even flipped it down a couple of cogs in preparation for a switch to the small chainring, so casual was I being. But for some reason, I remained in the big chainring and all of a sudden felt the awesome power coursing through my whole body and transferring straight to the tarmac. Flew up the first steep section but realised I was running out of gas, so halfway up the final incline I notched it down to the small chainring. Bam. Chain off. Cue several choice words and a good bit of faffing extracting myself from the pedals and getting the chain back on. Remounted, hands on the bars and spun gently to the top.

Recorded a 3.49. :shock:

Reckon I'd have beaten the PB without the chain off.

Now, Imagine how you'd feel if you'd just lost the tour de France by 15 seconds...

I'd console myself with probably picking up the prize anyway in a few months' time.

James Jarvis has failed a drugs test?! :shock:

kieranb

In my cycling club this hill was termed "Col de la Fountaine". I sometimes do this hill either as part of a training loop, left turns all the way (up fountain drive, left at the top across sydenham hill road, left at the roundabout, down sydenham hill road, left onto Lordship Lane, then left onto Dulwich Common Road (south circular) and left onto College Road. repeat (under 10min average per lap for about 6 laps, an hours training). Or as hill reps, (seated or standing all the way), race up, rest, coast down, repeat. I used to time it from stopped and unclipped at the post box on the left after the barriers to the top reaching the little traffic island in the middle of the road. Best time is somewhere under 2:50, not sure as I don't keep track of times beyond the current session. At the end of a session I was about 30sec slower than at the start. I would do it on my good road bike, sometimes with a bag, sometimes not. I haven't done it for months now, as I commute on a steel SS MTB with panniers I prefer to cycle through Dulwich park and go a different route home.

ketsbaia

I did that loop last week. It's not bad at all, but I've no idea how long it took. All I know is it didn't add on too much time to my usual commute home. My training hill was Dulwich Wood Park/College Road - lost count of the reps I did on that one. Think the College Road/Fountain Drive hill is harder, though.

kieranb

It's nice to do in the early morning or late afternoon, traffic then falls way off (usually only gets bad at the lights when traffic backs up a bit). Dulwich Wood Park/College Road route is good too but I think cars tend to speed up it a bit and there are traffic lights at the top. Crystal Palace park road is a good one as well as it has no flat bits but gets very busy early on. I used to live right near the double roundabout system at the top, not nice, but at least near to the park.

CXXC

kieranb wrote:

In my cycling club this hill was termed "Col de la Fountaine". I sometimes do this hill either as part of a training loop, left turns all the way (up fountain drive, left at the top across sydenham hill road, left at the roundabout, down sydenham hill road, left onto Lordship Lane, then left onto Dulwich Common Road (south circular) and left onto College Road. repeat (under 10min average per lap for about 6 laps, an hours training). Or as hill reps, (seated or standing all the way), race up, rest, coast down, repeat. I used to time it from stopped and unclipped at the post box on the left after the barriers to the top reaching the little traffic island in the middle of the road. Best time is somewhere under 2:50, not sure as I don't keep track of times beyond the current session. At the end of a session I was about 30sec slower than at the start. I would do it on my good road bike, sometimes with a bag, sometimes not. I haven't done it for months now, as I commute on a steel SS MTB with panniers I prefer to cycle through Dulwich park and go a different route home.

so you gonna walk the walk or just talk the talk kieranb?

i'm heading there this evening for another attempt, will probably discover kieranb "walking" up a lot faster than me

kieranb

Well its raining and windy and dark out right now where I am, have fun!

ketsbaia

Heading there tonight again for more punishment. Not sure the conditions are going to help much. Neither is the considerably heavier bag I'm carrying. Ho hum. I need the practice.

Canny Jock

I'm wondering whether this would be possible on my single-speed commuter, 48x15. Probably not, but there's only one way to find out. Could be the first DNF posted :shock:

wulfhound

@ketsbaia ditto. Plus have already chalked up 34 or so miles today instead of my usual 7 or 8. Going to be a slow one methinks.

kieranb

Canny Jock wrote:

I'm wondering whether this would be possible on my single-speed commuter, 48x15. Probably not, but there's only one way to find out. Could be the first DNF posted :shock:

should be just about, I have done it on my track bike with similar gearing (for Herne Hill), but not enjoyable or good for the knees!