commuter races

NeilMcEoigheann

that criterium circuit looks a bit class.. ok very class. there should be different classes, roadie fixed singlespeed etc or perhaps the gauntlet would be just thrown down and an anything goes race would start. i'm very into this.. can't wait

Gavin

There'll be people/cars etc around during the day..

Evening time ! Nobody around in the park, we can boot it around with abandon

72hundred

Verb wrote: »

There'll be people/cars etc around during the day..

Evening time ! Nobody around in the park, we can boot it around with abandon

Also chance to show off pimping lights!

NeilMcEoigheann

mmmm abandon, this would be really cool, also during the summer we could race in the wee hours while its bright, hehehe

niceonetom

Verb wrote: »

There'll be people/cars etc around during the day..

//consults thread title

exactly! commuting conditions apply! the ability to spot a gap, endanger the lives of others, and blame losses on the fact that i'm more law-abiding/chicken-shit than other 'racers' is integral to the event.

if you want a safe course without obstacles (or 'toddlers' as their guardians prefer them to be called :rolleyes:) then you're missing the point and the whole thing will degenerate into a lycra clad fiasco with little men with flags on all the tricky corners (there are a few ). no no no no no no no.

Gavin

Hey, I'm just trying to avoid accidents. Some boardsies seem more accident prone than others, you know !

*WHAM! Verb delivers one below the belt*


Also, the light pimping is a significant element.

Lumen

Verb wrote: »

Also, the light pimping is a significant element.

Night-time cyclocross in Phoenix Park?

Would be even more entertaining on road tyres

TinyExplosions

I'm liking a criterium in the park after sundown... iPodestrian obstacles and everything

buffalo

So who was the boards.ie clad cyclist I encountered this morning? Blue backpack, Dawes bike (or at least frame). I was on your tail from Lower Kimmage Road down Clanbrassil St and along the quays. Wished I'd manage to overtake you!

Raam

buffalo wrote: »

So who was the boards.ie clad cyclist I encountered this morning? Blue backpack, Dawes bike (or at least frame). I was on your tail from Lower Kimmage Road down Clanbrassil St and along the quays. Wished I'd manage to overtake you!

Yes, I have that feeling a lot when I cycle with this guy.

Edit: assuming it is who I think it is.

Stephen_C

Think i spotted verb (totally yellow fixie??)this morning stopped at the lights in ranelagh just before 10. Pulled up behind him but unfortunately couldn't try to race him as i was turning off at the next junction.

Gavin

haha, I recall someone pulling up close to me alright. This morning was the first morning I tried out fixed and I think I was flailing around trying to get away from those lights with my feet in an awkward position.

Stephen_C

Was wondering why you were taking your time getting away from the lights.

This morning was my first morning on my new Giant defy. Was averagering about 4mph faster this morning than my old bike. Where I'd usually be doing 20mph I was doing 24-25:D, though this could also be down to being fitter due to the extra work I had to do last week on my MTB. The bike was really getting blown about a lot more in the wind though, The giant is about half the weight of my old bike.

Can't wait to see what it's like at blasting up the hill on the way home.

Wez

Ah ha! I knew it was someone special.. I was attempting a bit of a race with you a couple months back, I was on my Bro's silver MTB - Soft knobly's, flappy guards and carrier included!

I thought it was an unusual ride, mtb style frame, and DIYesque yellow paint job? I got to thinking it wasn't the usual commuter (and that I am seriously unfit)..

We shall meet again!

Gavin

Wez wrote: »

Ah ha! I knew it was someone special.. I was attempting a bit of a race with you a couple months back, I was on my Bro's silver MTB - Soft knobly's, flappy guards and carrier included!

I thought it was an unusual ride, mtb style frame, and DIYesque yellow paint job? I got to thinking it wasn't the usual commuter (and that I am seriously unfit)..

We shall meet again!

Hah, I don't recall that one I'm afraid. Where was it ? The paint job is all au natural ! I just removed the decals.

My yellow chain bit the dust unfortunately. I managed to bend it somehow and I think it was the reason for the irregular derailing.

I must also replace the goddamn buckle on my Knog bag, it keeps slipping around when I go nuts on the bike, which is proving dangerous to adjust when fixie ridin

blorg

Gavin wrote: »

I must also replace the goddamn buckle on my Knog bag, it keeps slipping around when I go nuts on the bike, which is proving dangerous to adjust when fixie ridin

You will actually get used to that, I was the same at the start but can now do most stuff fixed that I can on the geared bike, legs just keep at it, only thing that is tricky is adjusting the velcro straps on my shoes/sandals, I have to clip out one side to do that.

monument

I tend to pass out the majority of people while cycling along the north quays, up to DCU, or in and around town, bar a few people who could -- by the way they're dressed -- pass for you guys. No offence

A real pet hate is when people who I've passed catch up to me at red lights and just cycle right on.

Also it's a killer while I'm on the bike with a chest cold/infection and somebody passes me out, I feel like shouting "it wouldn't normally be this easy!"

Donny5

monument wrote: »

Also it's a killer while I'm on the bike with a chest cold/infection and somebody passes me out, I feel like shouting "it wouldn't normally be this easy!"

You let a cold stop you? Tut-tut

Hungrycol

monument wrote: »

Also it's a killer while I'm on the bike with a chest cold/infection and somebody passes me out, I feel like shouting "it wouldn't normally be this easy!"

:D
This happened me on my first day back after a bad bout of illness for 2 weeks. I couldn't keep up with the guy that passed me and though what the hell is wrong with me?! The the penny dropped - I was still sick! Sure I had only taken an antibiotic a hour before hand!

niceonetom

Gavin wrote: »

This morning was the first morning I tried out fixed...

you're one of us now.

blorg

niceonetom wrote: »

you're one of us now.

TinyExplosions

blorg wrote: »

Where'd you find that pic of me

Fidelis

A guy on his racer passed me by today and it was on, I kept right on his tail (me on my clapped-out MTB) for about 100 yards until we both had to swerve to avoid some kid who joined the cycle-lane on his little kick-scooter. My tyre blew out at some point in the swerving and had a 2 mile walk home

Irish_Army01

Pardon my ignorance but what is a fixie?

blorg

Irish_Army01 wrote: »

Pardon my ignorance but what is a fixie?

It's a fixed-gear bicycle, without a freewheel. Whenever the wheel is turning the pedals are turning, you can't coast.

Irish_Army01

blorg wrote: »

It's a fixed-gear bicycle, without a freewheel. Whenever the wheel is turning the pedals are turning, you can't coast.

I see.. Thanks.

onimpulse

Funny... as a girl cycling through the park but allong the canal in particular - I now know why every guy I pass on the bike suddenly starts pedaling like a lunatic trying to keep up - then try to give me a jump at the lights! Used to really irritate me when they did that - I'm faster, stay behind me & stop making me play with traffic to get around you again!

Guys really can't handle being passed by a girl!

Gavin

Unfortunately it's not just a girl thing. Slow morons make a habit of pulling in front at traffic lights with no respect of any sex. A universal cyclist peeve.

Irish_Army01

I do it all the time too. I see a guy in front of me and its my mission to catch and pass.. which I do 99.9% of the times.

On my route their is not much racing .. but on the way home I get a few.

I'm getting a new bike within the next 3 weeks so that should shave my timings

72hundred

Are the commuter races going to be held soon?

Remember the rules:

1) all the normal stuff you carry on your commute.
2) a route to be determined in the P park.

Gavin

Gavin wrote: »

Unfortunately it's not just a girl thing. Slow morons make a habit of pulling in front at traffic lights with no respect of any sex. A universal cyclist peeve.

Yeah last thursday or friday some guy in white on the merrion road I was passing out a good few times, and I kept stopping at the lights while he flew through them each time. Eventually I was hit with a lot of lights and I only caught up with him at the very end of my journey.

t0mm

I cycle from Rathmines into Trinity most days, but at weird times ie. 11am or just after lunch, etc so whenever I do meet cyclists they're not the racing types. There was one guy last Tuesday morning who I kept overtaking, but he kept getting me at lights, when I got caught behind buses pulling in, etc, so in the end I just got right up behind him and had an easy cycle in his slip stream, and over took him just before my turn off.

There have been a few times where couriers come up along side me around Stephen's Green area, check out my tricross and disappear into the distance, those guys are fast!

petethedrummer

Gavin wrote: »

Unfortunately it's not just a girl thing. Slow morons make a habit of pulling in front at traffic lights with no respect of any sex. A universal cyclist peeve.

Yup there's one particular ar5e who does that on my commute.

AstraMonti

Cheers to the lad in the morning with the carbon Trek! You got me in a good day (i had a chocolate for breakfast!) so sorry for leaving you behind It was fun and scary going that fast at goatstown road.. garmin says 57km/h and 182bmp.

Now that i am thinking it again.. that was kinda of stupid at that time of day

Jawgap

I enjoy the "race we do not speak of" most mornings, but as far as I'm concerned running red lights is a no-no and worthy of instant disqualification!!

Coming down the Malahide Road this morning myself and another fellow competitor were joined by a third who was struggling to keep up but then zipped through some fairly serious junctions on red - Tonlegee Road, Collins Ave, Griffith Ave and the out on to Fairview Strand - all against the lights. It was pretty suicidal.

Anyway on each sector we'd set off, catch him, overtake him then get left behind when we pulled up at the next lights. I gave up when we got to the Five Lamps and he crossed over against the flow of traffic, over the traffic island, across the traffic on Portland Place and off up Sean McDermott Street. That was overdoing it.

Anyway........I'll get him tomorrow!

AstraMonti

Jawgap wrote: »

I enjoy the "race we do not speak of" most mornings, but as far as I'm concerned running red lights is a no-no and worthy of instant disqualification!!

I completely agree with you! I was talking from light to light. Especially in the morning were little children and women with SUVs are hammering the place is safe to say that its at least dangerous.

A bit offtopic.. but speaking of lights, i was verbally attacked the other day by two lads because i stopped on a red light. I didn't expect that so they caught me by suprise telling me that i would almost kill them (with a variety of words starting with the magic F one) and i shouldn't do such stuff.. So i thought that i did something bad before and i kindly asked what i did.. the reply was an instant joke "Why do you stop in the red lights like that, did you check if anyone was behind you?" .. Speechless..

DirkVoodoo

Tell them to feck off and not to hug your wheel. I generally freewheel up to a red light so if anyone wants to zoom through they are more than welcome to try.

I think we need a secret boards wave, I'm always wondering if anyone I see on my commute is a boardsie. I tend to make guesses at night by how much lighting they have and how bright it is.

Gavin

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

Tell them to feck off and not to hug your wheel. I generally freewheel up to a red light so if anyone wants to zoom through they are more than welcome to try.

I think we need a secret boards wave, I'm always wondering if anyone I see on my commute is a boardsie. I tend to make guesses at night by how much lighting they have and how bright it is.

You need a unique like a snowflake bicycle

Hungrycol

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

I think we need a secret boards wave, I'm always wondering if anyone I see on my commute is a boardsie. I tend to make guesses at night by how much lighting they have and how bright it is.

Some mason like wave? Or something like holding the top of your helmet/head for a few seconds and then leave it up to draftee to introduce themselves??

blorg

Most satisfactory when you beat a RLJer despite being 100% observant yourself. I have managed this with a full-on roadie back from Enniskerry on the fixie and it was sweet

Anyone on your wheel should anticipate that you are going to stop on a red but for my safety as much as anyone elses I always signal I am going to stop if I am aware there is someone behind me. I also pull in, if they want to go through that is their business as far as I am concerned.

Jawgap

blorg wrote: »

Most satisfactory when you beat a RLJer despite being 100% observant yourself. I have managed this with a full-on roadie back from Enniskerry on the fixie and it was sweet

Anyone on your wheel should anticipate that you are going to stop on a red but for my safety as much as anyone elses I always signal I am going to stop if I am aware there is someone behind me. I also pull in, if they want to go through that is their business as far as I am concerned.

It makes for a great series of sprints!!

My preference is to beat them to the next light, stop, rest and recover then tear after them again if they break the light.

I should also add that this morning's serial RLJ was on a mountain bike wearing football shorts and headphones - methinks he was a summer cyclist who has just come out of his winter hibernation.

I suppose there will be more of them around now the weather is picking up.........

ba

i wish there were racing commuters out my way. particularly as you pass 5lamps, up and over the canal bridge into fairview then clontarf.

Raam

ba wrote: »

i wish there were racing commuters out my way. particularly as you pass 5lamps, up and over the canal bridge into fairview then clontarf.

It's great fun hairing it over the bridge. The road surface is pretty good around there so you can get a good speed. I don't be out that way often though.

ba

yeah its fun alright especially with the new surface that rolls up the canal into marino, wide road curves past the park and a big bus lane. super for speed.

ROK ON

Anyone interested in racing home some night. Any entrance to Castleknock exit.

cyclopath2001

ba wrote: »

i wish there were racing commuters out my way. particularly as you pass 5lamps, up and over the canal bridge into fairview then clontarf.

That's my route. Not much gets past me unless they break traffic lights!

jebidiah

ba wrote: »

i wish there were racing commuters out my way. particularly as you pass 5lamps, up and over the canal bridge into fairview then clontarf.

i usualy head home that way mate. around 5:00 - 5:10. on either a silver langster or a blue/black trek 1400. if i see you....... although i go up the malahide road

ba

cyclopath2001 what bike dja ride?

scottreynolds

I must confess tonight, at the end of a long ride through the wicklows, I was cycling home on my normal commuting route thinking "You've had a tough day, take it easy".

THEN!!!!! out of the corner of my eye I saw someone merging onto the clontarf cycle path at pace. Naturally I put down the hammer, passed him, and I never saw the guy again. I didn't acknowledge him at all (I couldn't tell if his bike cost enough)....

My ride home was done at great pace and my hamstring feels saw but I'll sleep well tonight knowing that, yet again, I was number one on my commute.

This is why I live.

Jawgap

Raam wrote: »

It's great fun hairing it over the bridge. The road surface is pretty good around there so you can get a good speed. I don't be out that way often though.

I come in that way. I'm usually hitting the corner of Malahide Road & Fairveiw at about 7-45am.

Another feckin' puncture this morning although this one was quite bizarre.

Got to work no problem and stashed the bike, then just as I was walking away I hear a loud pop! followed by the hiss of all the air pouring out!! That's two in one week!