commuter races

mmclo

I tend to suspend hostilities during the rainy season...forshame!

Donny5

el tonto wrote: »

If the number of people interested in "commuter racing" actually raced their bike for real, the sport would be very healthy in Ireland.

Meh, then I couldn't take my drugs.

cdaly_

Had one this morning. Guy in a hi-viz jacket on a black/white Viking whipped by at the Bull Wall lights. I gave chase (in a fair headwind), had almost caught him (near Castle Ave), lungs about to explode and was just about to settle in for a bit of wheel-suck when he looked around and put the hammer down. Whoosh!...

Caught up again in the traffic at Fairview for a brief moment before we parted ways.

buffalo

Had a great one this morning in Dublin, with an orange-jacketed guy - from KCR 'til north quays (Commons Street) when I had to turn off. Neither of us could gain a significant advantage - I thought I'd dropped him at City Hall, but he caught up at O'Connell bridge.

mgmt

Commuter racing is one of the best parts of my day. Usually happens in the Phoenix Park. One time it was me and another guy side-by-side on the long straight in the park (started at the phoenix roundabout to the crossroads before the Castleknock gate). Both of us going faster and faster trying to drop the other person. But saying nothing and trying desperately to suffer in silence. I also love improtu pacing lines.

72hundred

mgmt wrote: »

I also love improtu pacing lines.

They really are excellent aren't they! . Commute gets fast when they start!

100Suns

mgmt wrote: »

Commuter racing is one of the best parts of my day. Usually happens in the Phoenix Park. One time it was me and another guy side-by-side on the long straight in the park (started at the phoenix roundabout to the crossroads before the Castleknock gate). Both of us going faster and faster trying to drop the other person. But saying nothing and trying desperately to suffer in silence. I also love improtu pacing lines.

I wasn't aware of this phenomenon in the Park. Will keep an eye out for you-what's your weapon of choice?;).

tawfeeredux

I really miss commuter racing since I moved closer to work last year, feck all people on bikes on my way to work now, couple of school kids mostly, none of whom are interested in a duel. I used to have a nemesis on the Nangor Road who really annoyed me at the time, now I'd love to be using that road again.

manwithaplan

Had a minor victory this evening but think I may have broken the rules. I was distractedly tootling along up the Howth Road on my hybrid when a guy stretched out on tri-bars passed me. I went for it and passed him back and then dropped him. I was pretty close to home though and I could more or less sprint the 400 or so metres before my turn off. I probably cheated but I feel OK about it due to the massive discrepancy in machinery.

manwithaplan

I should add that when I say "sprint", I do not mean getting out of the saddle or even moving the upper body in the slightest. Big no-no's in commuter racing if you ask me. Hope I meet that guy again a bit further from home.

kumate_champ07

Harolds Cross road down to Terenure is where I like to race!

Jawgap

Sutton to Clontarf on the cycle path - no red lights to facilitate "cheaters":)

poochiem

sounds so childish but it is great fun

ciarsciars

kumate_champ07 wrote: »

Harolds Cross road down to Terenure is where I like to race!

I started cycling this route recently after moving to Rathfarnham. Seems to be a few pretty quick cyclists who travel this route. What kind of bike do you have?

Raam

Jawgap wrote: »

Sutton to Clontarf on the cycle path - no red lights to facilitate "cheaters":)

I see a few different speed merchants along there.

Jawgap

Do you know who that is on the Cannondale Slice? I seem him (mostly his arse disappearing into the distance) frequently enough on an afternoon evening

De Bhál

Great thread.

I Cycle Glasnevin end of Finglas to Dublin 4 every day, via
Glasnevin Hill
Botanic Ave.
Clonliffe
east wall
Ringsend
Haddington Rd.


Never see any of this going on but will keep an eye out.
The East wall road is a nightmare these days, the state of it.

Raam

Jawgap wrote: »

Do you know who that is on the Cannondale Slice? I seem him (mostly his arse disappearing into the distance) frequently enough on an afternoon evening

Not seen it.

cdaly_

Raam wrote: »

Not seen it.

I guess he's only ever behind you...

inkedpt

I race the bus every morning and so far I've never lost. A couple of months ago a cyclist overtook me on the Ballyfermont straight and I swear or either he had some kind of invisible rocket or a piece of clothing got held up to a car... Great stories on this thread!

kumate_champ07

ciarsciars wrote: »

I started cycling this route recently after moving to Rathfarnham. Seems to be a few pretty quick cyclists who travel this route. What kind of bike do you have?

at the moment, a 1992 orange &green/lime 62cm MB Dronfield '531 Super Tourist' fixed gear conversion.

lately Ive been trying to go slower. sprained my ankle pretty badly a couple of weeks back, swelling is nearly gone

BostonB

Listen I'm not racing, I'm drafting. So stop trying to drop me. :eek:

Timmyboy

Long ago when I was living in Cork city and using my bicycle as my personal transportation, an original 1980's Raleight Medale with the Super Hi Tensile Steel....you know the type.

Anyway the commuter racing generally was me versus the busses.

If I was leaving the city, perhaps after been down browsing in Patrick Street the goal would be to warm up very very slowly while cycling to the Grand Parade and then from there onto Washington Street keeping the eyes and the ears wide open.

You'd generally hear them before you'd see them.

By timing the lights appropriately you would be able to get is so that he would be accelerating past you (generally most bust drivers were fellas back then) as you'd be reachng peak speed. Then you'd veer under the (ideally double deck) rear end and drift like in the wind drag and just pace like the crazy boy to keep up with them as they sped up the Drag of Western Road.

Finally, when I was living out Model Farm road the real challenge would be to maintain the tail in fast traffic as they climbed the hill towards Denny's Cross. My memory's been so shot these last years that I don't really recount whether I used to be able to mange that or not.

Them's were the best of times, and the worst of times.

Raam

I had planned on having a nice easy spin this morning and I was doing exactly that until some one blasted past me. Instant reaction was to jump on the wheel and hold it. By the time I remembered I was meant to be going slow, it was too late. I had committed myself and to back off would have been to show weakness. To do that in a commute race is sacrilege. Whoever he was, he was fast. It meant I got into work earlier than I had expected

daragh_

Occasional bouts of this on my commute (Deansgrange/Blackrock/Ballsbridge/City Centre) but lots of lights and traffic means that commonsense comes before 'winning' at all costs.

Why is it that I only get caught up in these things on Fridays, when I'm wrecked after the week and can barely hold onto my front wheel, let alone keep up with a superfit roadie half my age.

NeedMoreGears

Coming down the Alfie Byrne road towards the Clontarf cycle lane into the wind, slowly passed a guy. He sat in behind and I was well pleased when he went swapped over after a few hundred metres. We now had a (very) modest train going. Stayed together for a few km until we got to Dollymount and then sat side by side until Bayside for a chat/sneaky rest.

Have to say this kind of thing works better on a cycle track rather than the road in traffic - the motorists tend to get confused and there's even less time to react to trouble when you're on someone's wheel.