Commuter Racing Official Rules

[Origamist]

I love shootin off at the lights on my fixed, never been overtaken yet (74" gear ratio). Traffic permitting, I always treat roadies to a hands free reach and glug from my water bottle, after passing them. Another fave of mine is I'm on a long empty straight cycle path, and roadie is on the road giving chase, I then go hands free to spice up the envy. MTB'ers are only fare game when going up hill.

Clearly, you're an amazingly fast cyclist (never ovetaken from the lights etc), but how do you know that you're always rubbing "roadies'" noses in the dirt? A roadie used to be someone who raced road bikes - not someone who has a Specialized Allez Sport and wears lycra on their commute...

 

[Tynan]

I've got a road bike and wear lycra on my commute, anyone on the Highams Park to Willesden commute is welcome to try their luck

from the 20th I'll be running a rule over the Highams Park to Southwark commute contenders

thumps chest

I rode into the West End, and out again today, mental mental traffic, gridlock

 

[Tynan]

strewth, after that chest thump I got brought down to earth this morning

four riders at the lights at Blackhorse Tube in full kit and clipless and drops, inc the bloke that's quicker than me who gave me a cheery hello

away we all went and they were al at least as quick as me although the traffic evened it out, me and one of the blokes went tearing up the nasty hill out of Seven Sisters, he dragged me up it at 20mph plus when the fast bloke went past us like we were stationary

downhill is my strong suit but I got left on the uphills

I've rerated myself from king of the route to keen contender

 

[Sh4rkyBloke]

Lol - unlucky Tyn. Not had that here (yet) as no-one ever seems to overtake me... that's probably due (in all likeliness) more to the fact that there aren't that many cyclists on my route to work or back home.

Did have a bit of a race with a knob on a fixie who jumped through the red light (turning right onto the road I was on) just as I was getting up momentum. I stuck close behind him as he tried to leave me, and then when I stopped at the next set (T junction) he blazed right through nearly hitting a ped who was crossing.

Idiot.

 

[Tynan]

I suspect the fast bloke at least rides in a bit later than me, I was running a bit late today although I got in in good time unsurprisingly

every fixie I see ain't that quick, too many poseurs I suspect, they're supposed to be quick going up hills aren't they? That's always where I go past them

I like having someone to chase, I settle into a comfort zone when I ride, need someone to stretch me

 

[Sh4rkyBloke]

they're supposed to be quick going up hills aren't they?

That would seem to be entirely counter intuitive to me... but I don't really have any idea about fixies. Surely the single gear would be a pain uphill... or is that just too obvious an assumption?

 

[Tynan]

I'm no expert but I think they have to cane it up hills to keep it going, like having to go up hills without using higher gears

I think a good rider powers up hills but loses ground going downhill because they can't spin fast enough, depending on the gear naturally but they can't cover both ends