Silly commuting racing

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  • Headwind was a bit heavier than expected tonight, was dripping with sweat by the time I got home

    It's the time of year too where what's needed in the morning clothes-wise is pretty different to the home run for me. Was dribbling all over myself homeways this eve at a very slow pace in a long sleeved jersey. Next few days look very nice though weatherwise down in the south. Wind swinging around but hopefully quite benign. And lots of sun!
  • cruff
    cruff Posts: 1,518
    Down in That London on a training course this week. Did a base ride tonight round RP, then planned to do Hyde Park but the route I usually do was closed so did Serpentine then down past museums, Cromwell Rd and then Victoria Embankment. Ye Gods - the traffic is ten times worse than I remembered :o

    Despatched anyone I encountered (somewhat unfairly as was on race bike) but the level of f**kwit riding seems to have been taken up a notch (perhaps in keeping with the traffic lunacy)
    Fat chopper. Some racing. Some testing. Some crashing.
    Specialising in Git Daaahns and Cafs. Norvern Munkey/Transplanted Laaandoner.
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    Cruff wrote:
    Down in That London on a training course this week. Did a base ride tonight round RP, then planned to do Hyde Park but the route I usually do was closed so did Serpentine then down past museums, Cromwell Rd and then Victoria Embankment. Ye Gods - the traffic is ten times worse than I remembered :o

    Despatched anyone I encountered (somewhat unfairly as was on race bike) but the level of f**kwit riding seems to have been taken up a notch (perhaps in keeping with the traffic lunacy)

    Yep, that's about right, although have a wander along the segregated bike lane from Westminster to the Tower of London to see the pedestrians enter the fray*.






    * Don't do this. :|
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    Norks74 wrote:
    Headwind was a bit heavier than expected tonight, was dripping with sweat by the time I got home

    It's the time of year too where what's needed in the morning clothes-wise is pretty different to the home run for me. Was dribbling all over myself homeways this eve at a very slow pace in a long sleeved jersey. Next few days look very nice though weatherwise down in the south. Wind swinging around but hopefully quite benign. And lots of sun!

    Was told last night by a fellow commuter that he couldn't believe the amount of sweat coming off me. That was before the snot started to fly.
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • asprilla
    asprilla Posts: 8,440
    edited September 2019
    Over cooked it this morning in RP. Well, actually it was my general physics calculations that failed me. Coming down Broomfield with some slow moving traffic in front I move to the right lane on the right hander to over take, I start to pass the last vehicle, a flat bed, as we approach the left hander and I can see a car coming the other way. It felt like the truck accelerated but it probably didn't or if it did it was just gravity and I can't see the car coming the other way any more. I brake. So does the truck so we are still level. I can't scrub speed off quickly enough to get back in behind so I spy a gentle ramp in the grass on the right and take some impromptu CX practice.

    Conclusion; I got a bit carried away, made a poor judgement and ended up looking an arse. Fortunately that's all.
    Mud - Genesis Vapour CCX
    Race - Fuji Norcom Straight
    Sun - Cervelo R3
    Winter / Commute - Dolan ADX
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    I haven't the energy to get up Dark Hill in order to ride down Broomfield in the morning.

    Close pass less less than half a mile from my house, plus a dirty look to boot to suggest I'm taking up the road.

    Complete sense of humour failure.
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • m00k
    m00k Posts: 4
    Asprilla wrote:
    Think I was behind Pearcy in the park this morning.

    One does not *think* they are behind Pearcy, the calves are a dead give-away ;)

    ..that and the pace...
  • m00k
    m00k Posts: 4
    Asprilla wrote:
    Think I was behind Pearcy in the park this morning.

    One does not *think* they are behind Pearcy, the calves are a dead give-away ;)

    ..that and the pace...
  • asprilla
    asprilla Posts: 8,440
    m00k wrote:
    Asprilla wrote:
    Think I was behind Pearcy in the park this morning.

    One does not *think* they are behind Pearcy, the calves are a dead give-away ;)

    ..that and the pace...

    He must have been on a recovery day.
    cjcp wrote:
    I haven't the energy to get up Dark Hill in order to ride down Broomfield in the morning.

    Pen Ponds is closed that the moment isn't it? Must put paid to your Spankers loops.
    Mud - Genesis Vapour CCX
    Race - Fuji Norcom Straight
    Sun - Cervelo R3
    Winter / Commute - Dolan ADX
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    Asprilla wrote:
    m00k wrote:
    Asprilla wrote:
    Think I was behind Pearcy in the park this morning.

    One does not *think* they are behind Pearcy, the calves are a dead give-away ;)

    ..that and the pace...

    He must have been on a recovery day.
    cjcp wrote:
    I haven't the energy to get up Dark Hill in order to ride down Broomfield in the morning.

    Pen Ponds is closed that the moment isn't it? Must put paid to your Spankers loops.

    It is, and it does. Grrr.

    And also for my loops with the youngest. Double grrr.
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • rower63
    rower63 Posts: 1,991
    Asprilla wrote:
    I start to pass the last vehicle, a flat bed, as we approach the left hander and I can see a car coming the other way. It felt like the truck accelerated but it probably didn't or if it did it was just gravity and I can't see the car coming the other way any more. I brake. So does the truck so we are still level. I can't scrub speed off quickly enough to get back in behind to a spy a gentle ramp in the grass on the right and take some impromptu CX practice...
    If you had started to pass that truck and then found yourself making no progress then it must have accelerated - you are more aerodynamic than a flat-bed I think. Why would it then brake if it had a clear road in front of it? It sounds not unfeasible the driver was having a bit of sport with your life...
    Dolan Titanium ADX 2016
    Ridley Noah FAST 2013
    Bottecchia/Campagnolo 1990
    Carrera Parva Hybrid 2016
    Hoy Sa Calobra 002 2014 [off duty]
    Storck Absolutist 2011 [off duty]
    http://www.slidingseat.net/cycling/cycling.html
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    Was the truck delivering materials to the road repair site? If not, what was the truck doing there?
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • asprilla
    asprilla Posts: 8,440
    rower63 wrote:
    Asprilla wrote:
    I start to pass the last vehicle, a flat bed, as we approach the left hander and I can see a car coming the other way. It felt like the truck accelerated but it probably didn't or if it did it was just gravity and I can't see the car coming the other way any more. I brake. So does the truck so we are still level. I can't scrub speed off quickly enough to get back in behind to a spy a gentle ramp in the grass on the right and take some impromptu CX practice...
    If you had started to pass that truck and then found yourself making no progress then it must have accelerated - you are more aerodynamic than a flat-bed I think. Why would it then brake if it had a clear road in front of it? It sounds not unfeasible the driver was having a bit of sport with your life...

    Not unfeasible, but I'm all for giving the benefit of the doubt. When I started the whole manoeuvre I figured it was going to be quite close. Could simply be that he braked for the right hander which is when I was calculating whether I could make it, took his foot off the brake between the corners and then braked again for the left hander.
    cjcp wrote:
    Was the truck delivering materials to the road repair site? If not, what was the truck doing there?

    No idea. He slowed for deer by the side of the road between there and Robin Hood RBT so I was back on the road and then past all off the traffic including him well before the he would have turned off. There have been a lot of commercial vehicles in the park recently. Actually saw some Rozzers there yesterday, probably the first time in a year.
    Mud - Genesis Vapour CCX
    Race - Fuji Norcom Straight
    Sun - Cervelo R3
    Winter / Commute - Dolan ADX
  • Asprilla wrote:
    m00k wrote:
    Asprilla wrote:
    Think I was behind Pearcy in the park this morning.

    One does not *think* they are behind Pearcy, the calves are a dead give-away ;)

    ..that and the pace...

    He must have been on a recovery day.

    Fairly hard to be mistaken :lol:

    Seem to recall passing a few cars along priory and dispatching the guy in the orange poc helmet that wasn’t rower63.
  • tgotb
    tgotb Posts: 4,714
    Norks74 wrote:
    It's the time of year too where what's needed in the morning clothes-wise is pretty different to the home run for me. Was dribbling all over myself homeways this eve at a very slow pace in a long sleeved jersey.
    We have this exact conversation every September: Arm warmers (and a gilet if necessary).

    In the hope of pre-empting the conversation we have every October: Leg warmers.
    Pannier, 120rpm.
  • Pen Ponds being closed led me to doing a bit of CX action on my home last night, most annoying as I was already late
  • On the point of commercial vehicles in RP, there are loads of them every morning. It really can't be that hard for a rozzer to be on the road between Kingston Gate and Richmond Gate from 7am for a couple of hours and pull them over (get them to park up in Pembroke Lodge car park) and whack them with a ticket. It would only take doing that for a few days to cut the numbers down
  • -Dash
    -Dash Posts: 179
    Asprilla wrote:
    m00k wrote:
    Asprilla wrote:
    Think I was behind Pearcy in the park this morning.

    One does not *think* they are behind Pearcy, the calves are a dead give-away ;)

    ..that and the pace...

    He must have been on a recovery day.
    cjcp wrote:
    I haven't the energy to get up Dark Hill in order to ride down Broomfield in the morning.

    Pen Ponds is closed that the moment isn't it? Must put paid to your Spankers loops.
    Closed? It was open Tuesday morning though I did see an orange hivis vest man with a bicycle parked against the gates after the turning for the ballet school stopping riders coming down the hill for some reason or another. He didn't stop me coming up.
    On the point of commercial vehicles in RP, there are loads of them every morning. It really can't be that hard for a rozzer to be on the road between Kingston Gate and Richmond Gate from 7am for a couple of hours and pull them over (get them to park up in Pembroke Lodge car park) and whack them with a ticket. It would only take doing that for a few days to cut the numbers down
    I have seen them doing this occasionally but generally after 8am and it seems to take them 15mins+ to deal with one driver. Meanwhile lots more are driving by.
  • asprilla
    asprilla Posts: 8,440
    -Dash wrote:
    Closed? It was open Tuesday morning though I did see an orange hivis vest man with a bicycle parked against the gates after the turning for the ballet school stopping riders coming down the hill for some reason or another. He didn't stop me coming up.

    11th to the 14th for road repairs. Barriers across the road by the ballet school end of the car park, on the road down to Robin Hood gate and also on the shared path junction heading towards Ham Cross. A bit of judicious CX taking the gravel paths at either end of the car park means it's not really a problem for those heading from Sheen Cross to Ham Cross.
    Mud - Genesis Vapour CCX
    Race - Fuji Norcom Straight
    Sun - Cervelo R3
    Winter / Commute - Dolan ADX
  • tgotb
    tgotb Posts: 4,714
    Asprilla wrote:
    11th to the 14th for road repairs. Barriers across the road by the ballet school end of the car park, on the road down to Robin Hood gate and also on the shared path junction heading towards Ham Cross. A bit of judicious CX taking the gravel paths at either end of the car park means it's not really a problem for those heading from Sheen Cross to Ham Cross.
    I always use that junction to practice my cornering - grippy, decent sight lines, and a run-out that's messy enough to make you commit to the corner without actually being dangerous. Taking it at speed will be a total nightmare if, as I suspect, they chip & seal it...
    Pannier, 120rpm.
  • they don't seem to be doing the whole road, just patches here and there, so it will be an inconsistent surface
  • rower63
    rower63 Posts: 1,991
    Someone I follow on Strava titled his ride in RP yesterday evening:

    "Afternoon Ride: saw a cyclist speared by a deer on Broomfield Hill in Richmond Park, not sure if he was cycling or taking a picture of it. Look to be is a lot of pain, hope he’s OK."

    with an added comment:

    [seemed OK] "... he had enough nous/sense to run to the nearest tree to hide from the deer. He was clasping at his left ribs when I left him. The police came less than a minute later so should be in good hands."

    take care folks
    Dolan Titanium ADX 2016
    Ridley Noah FAST 2013
    Bottecchia/Campagnolo 1990
    Carrera Parva Hybrid 2016
    Hoy Sa Calobra 002 2014 [off duty]
    Storck Absolutist 2011 [off duty]
    http://www.slidingseat.net/cycling/cycling.html
  • asprilla
    asprilla Posts: 8,440
    I might start going via Sawyers. If those ones at the bottom of Broomfield have a taste for human blood then I'm not going anywhere near them.
    Mud - Genesis Vapour CCX
    Race - Fuji Norcom Straight
    Sun - Cervelo R3
    Winter / Commute - Dolan ADX
  • tgotb
    tgotb Posts: 4,714
    rower63 wrote:
    The police came less than a minute later so should be in good hands.
    Call me a cynic, but I bet the deer doesn't even get a driving ban...
    Pannier, 120rpm.
  • mamil314
    mamil314 Posts: 1,103
    Slap on a .. hoof.
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,052
    What makes people think those deer are any different to the rest of the wild deer in the country, they're not pets FFS
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • tgotb
    tgotb Posts: 4,714
    itboffin wrote:
    What makes people think those deer are any different to the rest of the wild deer in the country, they're not pets FFS
    Actually, they are different. You have to work pretty hard to get within 100 yards of a proper wild deer, the ones in RP don't give a s**t, and this year they seem to be "friendlier" than ever. The ones in Bushy Park are worse, mind you, I've seen them steal food from people's picnics. I guess that's down to stupid tourists popping over from Hampton Court...
    Pannier, 120rpm.
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,052
    TGOTB wrote:
    itboffin wrote:
    What makes people think those deer are any different to the rest of the wild deer in the country, they're not pets FFS
    Actually, they are different. You have to work pretty hard to get within 100 yards of a proper wild deer, the ones in RP don't give a s**t, and this year they seem to be "friendlier" than ever. The ones in Bushy Park are worse, mind you, I've seen them steal food from people's picnics. I guess that's down to stupid tourists popping over from Hampton Court...

    Now that i disagree with the wild deer and boar out here have become very bold and dont all run off immediately especially the boar, they can and do stand their ground.

    The sneaky deer love to jump out into the road straight into you or your car, i've been here 13 years and have seen an unbelievable increase in traffic down every little back lane, perhaps that is making them less scared.
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,052
    Same for the buzzards and red kites, i rode right up to one sat by the side of the road before it flew away.
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • cruff
    cruff Posts: 1,518
    I played golf in RP about ten years back and they were literally sat five feet from the tee box on the 14th. Didn't move an inch when we teed off. I'd say that makes them a damn sight tamer than the ones on, say, the moorlands in Lancashire - when the only time you see one is at 5 in the morning in summer or when they've got spooked and belted by a car (usually leaving the car in not quite as bad a state, but still causing significant damage)
    Fat chopper. Some racing. Some testing. Some crashing.
    Specialising in Git Daaahns and Cafs. Norvern Munkey/Transplanted Laaandoner.