The Best Type Of Silly Commuter Racing

[BSRU]

The type where you do not try to race but the other cyclist does and you still vanish into the distance.

As I rode along this morning another road cyclist, very rare in Swindon, joined the road I was on from a junction about 100 metres ahead. They seemed to spend a fair while staring at me probably checking me out. They then get out of the saddle and give some welly. I decide on the "watch and observe" tactic and maintain my current speed, remembering that just around the bend is a small drag which this morning is straight into a head wind. Also allows me to check if it is the guy on the Bianchi as he's f***ing fast and there is no point even trying to stay with him.

At first the other rider pulls away, then as we hit the small drag I slowly start to get closer. I can only assume they had a minor blow up as suddenly I find myself right behind them then I pass and pull away very quickly, all the time maintaining a constant effort up.

Not much of a race in the end and just a bit of harmless amusement but validation that just maintaining my normal effort is the best tactic in such circumstances.

 

[fossyant]

Aye, but it can turn out quite well.

A couple of weeks ago after I was pulling away from lights, and a loon on a fixie cuts me right up, my big gears don't quite get to 10 mph as quick a fixie, after that it's bye bye.

So I'm sat at the next set of lights and I hear a bike behind. I pull away fast thinking it's this loon. Short time later a 'big' road bike rider flies past me (in BC Team Kit) - big power. We then hit a drag, and I quickly catch him on fixed, I pass him. We then get chatting at the lights - he said he's a crap climber, only 17. I asked if he was on the squad, he wasn't but had trials that weekend. Chat ensued as we slowed right down, and I wished him well !

A couple of years back I'd passed a guy on a TT bike, and a chase ensued over another 5 miles, until we both took a different route. I was at lights when I saw the chap pass from another direction. I chased and caught him - should have heard the groan. argh. Anyway, be both then had a long chat !

Can't do that in a car !

 

[BSRU]

Aye, but it can turn out quite well.

A couple of weeks ago after I was pulling away from lights, and a loon on a fixie cuts me right up, my big gears don't quite get to 10 mph as quick a fixie, after that it's bye bye.

So I'm sat at the next set of lights and I hear a bike behind. I pull away fast thinking it's this loon. Short time later a 'big' road bike rider flies past me (in BC Team Kit) - big power. We then hit a drag, and I quickly catch him on fixed, I pass him. We then get chatting at the lights - he said he's a crap climber, only 17. I asked if he was on the squad, he wasn't but had trials that weekend. Chat ensued as we slowed right down, and I wished him well !

A couple of years back I'd passed a guy on a TT bike, and a chase ensued over another 5 miles, until we both took a different route. I was at lights when I saw the chap pass from another direction. I chased and caught him - should have heard the groan. argh. Anyway, be both then had a long chat !

Can't do that in a car !

I have found, from a very limited number of times, that the best SCR is when both riders are of similar abilities and in a similar mood as it takes you out of the comfort zone which is very easy to slip into when riding on your own.

 

[wiggydiggy]

There is no type of 'best' Silly Commuter Racing, its dangerous to others and makes you look an idiot if your deliberately cutting people up, RLJ, etc. I'm cycling long minding my own business and every other cyclist I see is a lunatic that decides I'm in a race and spends the next x miles drafting me and then desperately trying to passing at every chance in heavy traffic, idiot.

BTW I'm mindful most here would be doing (and have described) 'Sensible Commuter Racing', sadly as I described most out there seem to concentrate on the silly too much.

 

[gaz]

There is no type of 'best' Silly Commuter Racing, its dangerous to others and makes you look an idiot if your deliberately cutting people up, RLJ, etc. I'm cycling long minding my own business and every other cyclist I see is a lunatic that decides I'm in a race and spends the next x miles drafting me and then desperately trying to passing at every chance in heavy traffic, idiot.

BTW I'm mindful most here would be doing (and have described) 'Sensible Commuter Racing', sadly as I described most out there seem to concentrate on the silly too much.

The rules of silly commuter racing state

• No Dangerous Manoeuvres – Don’t be a danger to any other road users or yourself. Falling off causes pain to you and others around you, don’t do it! (oh and you lose yer points)
• Don’t ride like a fool, we’re all just trying to get somewhere!
• No passing at Lights/Junction/Crossings, if you do, it doesn’t count
• All passing on open road ONLY. Filtering in traffic is null and void (you know whether you’ve dropped someone fairly, and haven’t turned off straight afterwards)
• Pavement passes, either you or the target, are void
• Show no pain, unless your face is just like that

Not my bold!

 

[wiggydiggy]

<Rules>

Gaz I'm aware of the 'rules', and as I said I'm sure that I am preching to the choir so thats why I said 'most here' ie most ccer's. I can only pass on my own complaints and critisism of my own experience of SCR, and there is nothing 'best' about it.

To be brutally honest its this sort of thing which could bite you in the ass, just concentrate on getting to where your going safely IMO

 

[gaz]

Gaz I'm aware of the 'rules', and as I said I'm sure that I am preching to the choir so thats why I said 'most here' ie most ccer's. I can only pass on my own complaints and critisism of my own experience of SCR, and there is nothing 'best' about it.

To be brutally honest its this sort of thing which could bite you in the ass, just concentrate on getting to where your going safely IMO

How do you know that the cyclist you speak of are playing SCR? It's unspoken afterall.
Perhaps they are just idiots on bicycles?

 

[wiggydiggy]

How do you know that the cyclist you speak of are playing SCR? It's unspoken afterall.
Perhaps they are just idiots on bicycles?

Well the number on their back does give it away

I do personally notice/perceive a difference between different overtakes

a) the guy that drops me on a hill > I'm just slower
b) the guy that shoots past me giving it the beans after I passed him earlier, probably SCR

 

[YahudaMoon]

I hate it after a long audax and the kids on BMX's and £40 Halford's bikes aged about 7 years old ask me for a race as they fly by me lol, saying 'Oi do a skid'.



All I want is food and a bed and to never see em again

 

[Matty]

Reminds me of being 'scalped' last week. He managed to catch me when I was queuing in traffic for roadworks. He blasted past on the pavement, bunny hopped in front of a car causing her to brake then jumped a red light to get away. What a hero. I bet it was 'oh, scalped this guy a treat this morning' when he got to work.

Snigger.

 

[BSRU]

There is no type of 'best' Silly Commuter Racing, its dangerous to others and makes you look an idiot if your deliberately cutting people up, RLJ, etc. I'm cycling long minding my own business and every other cyclist I see is a lunatic that decides I'm in a race and spends the next x miles drafting me and then desperately trying to passing at every chance in heavy traffic, idiot.

BTW I'm mindful most here would be doing (and have described) 'Sensible Commuter Racing', sadly as I described most out there seem to concentrate on the silly too much.

Your describing Stupid or Suicidal Commuter Racing, I never take part in any of that sort, if people try to get me involved in that sort I just sit up and freewheel.
It's called silly because it's completely pointless, no-one wins any prizes or points for it.

 

[Matthew_T]

I always find that I leave the majority of casual cyclists behind. I see a few in the summer when I choose to go along the coastal path but they are just out enjoying the weather and not really trying hard. I am able to keep up with the guys in the club now which is a major improvement to me as I used to get left behind on the hills.

 

[Matthew_T]

It's called silly because it's completely pointless, no-one wins any prizes or points for it.

I do in my head. I play a little game in summer and try to count how many cyclists I pass. It entirely depends on what day of the week it is and what the weather is like though.

 

[Stephen wilby]

Yeah i was trying to keep up to a couple on a tandem. Seriously fast them things. I did end up going past but it took some effort and gave me a good workout. Nothing dangerous about it most of the time.

 

[Bicycle]

In Bosnia when they put the trams back in service, I used to race them along Marsala Tita from my suburb of Ilidza to downtown Sarajevo.

The 'rule' was I had to start alongside a tram and pass the next two ahead of it before I got to the city centre.

Easier than it sounds, as they had to stop a lot. I had a horrid faux MTB from a PX, made of fuse wire and spit.

Sarajevo was not a city where bicycles were fully accepted on the road and at times my racing was probably beyond silly.

Even the Police used to shout at me to 'Get on the f***ing pavement!"

My prize for winning was two-scoop cornet from an ice-cream shop that opened onto the street. As I was the only judge, I always won.

Delicious days of racing.... Delicious and silly.