Commuter Cup Racing

[jules21]

well, we were on tonight. matey on his flat bar follows me for a while along the shared path, then suddenly it was on - he attacked. it feels a bit weird to be attacked on a commute - i've raced and that's normal, but attacking a fellow commuter - it's hard to know how to react. i responded by upping the pace. now normally i'd have been right on it, but today i wasn't feeling 100% as i didn't sleep well last night, so he got a bit of a gap. but then he started fading and i knew i had his measure when he got out of the seat over a slight rise. soon, you will be mine... then we took different directions and it was over. i had him though. i'm sure he checked over his shoulder and saw me there, too.

[lethoso]

On my commute today, I'd just mashed up a sharp hill, and I was spinning along resting at the top when the unthinkable happened - I was overtaken by a guy on a singlespeed

[thomashouseman]

Ok, I'm not sure if this really counts but I raced against a rabbit today - the furry animal of the four legged kind - and won.

It was 50m ahead of me and then it started hopping fast when it saw me and then hop hop hop hop and then it stopped as I rode passed and watched me its big brown eyes. It didn't hop to its burrow but was just watching me behind the trees. Somehow I felt the at-avis-tic urge to have shot it and skinned it. Mmmmmmmm rabbit. *shrugs* Rabbit fur is really nice material and the leather has soft qualities. And it's a pest in this country so I wouldn't feel too bad. And I need a new pair of leather gloves...missed opportunity.

And last night after my boozy night there was another rabbit that hopped in front of me. I'm seeing too many rabbits this week.

Edit:

For some reason the word "at-avis-tic" appears !!! Spammer !!! when spelled fully. Why?

If you ever need more rabbits, I regularly see them on the bike path in Parramatta that goes behind the Uni of Western Sydney (the one that goes under James Ruse Drive and comes out near South St, Rydalmere) Largest count was 7 of the hoppitty creatures.

[CommuRider]

If you ever need more rabbits, I regularly see them on the bike path in Parramatta that goes behind the Uni of Western Sydney (the one that goes under James Ruse Drive and comes out near South St, Rydalmere) Largest count was 7 of the hoppitty creatures.

I've not seen any rabbits since that post...they've disappeared! I've also been told they're not rabbits but "hares". But bugger all if I can tell the difference. If I see 7 rabbits hopping in one single commute, I'd say I was on some undiagnosed chemical trip.

*I don't think people would believe me*

"I see rabbits*

[Fletcher]

Been itching for some commuter cup action this week, but nothing going

[goneriding]

There is quite a large number of the beasties (hares I think, refer below) along the Parra River at Homebush although they spray a couple of times a year which reduces their number.

BTW, the main differences between rabbbits and hares are:
1. hares have longer back legs - all the better to kick you with
2. are more wiry and larger than rabbits - all the better to scare the cr@p out of you when you are doing 35+ kph and I run in front of you
3. have bigger ears - all the better to hear you with

[CommuRider]

2. are more wiry and larger than rabbits - all the better to scare the cr@p out of you when you are doing 35+ kph and I run in front of you

I'd be interested if anyone here has run over a rabbit/hare/beastie and who came off worse - bike or beast?

[goneriding]

I ran over an Ibis once. I think it ended in a draw. Neither of us was hurt.

[Comedian]

I ran over an Ibis once. I think it ended in a draw. Neither of us was hurt.

I hit a duck earlier this year. Same outcome.

[westab]

I ran over an Ibis once. I think it ended in a draw. Neither of us was hurt.

I hit a duck earlier this year. Same outcome.

I hit the wall regularly - does that count.

TELL SELF - up hills are for effort - down hills are for resting!down hills are for resting!down hills are for resting!down hills are for resting! - dammit lets try to increase the max speed on the computer - WHEEEEEEEEE down we go

Next up hill - ITS THE WALL AGAIN - I just never learn but it is fun going down.

[Baalzamon]

I hit the wall regularly - does that count.

TELL SELF - up hills are for effort - down hills are for resting!down hills are for resting!down hills are for resting!down hills are for resting! - dammit lets try to increase the max speed on the computer - WHEEEEEEEEE down we go

Next up hill - ITS THE WALL AGAIN - I just never learn but it is fun going down.

Not unless you are being chased. Downhills = power down for more speed to get away from them. If I have someone behind me that is catching me I will power up the hill catch a bit of a breath at the top of the hill and power down. I go down faster due to being 116kg with a full steel frame and a pannier

[betterthanwalking]

Not much racing going on in the last couple of weeks. Me included. A couple of long commutes to Parafield North of Adelaide 2 weeks ago was uneventful.

This week has been pretty lame, although I did catch a 3 man peleton Wednesday morning on the way in. A young lad at the front lead us out from a set of lights, pedalling like he stole something. He was dropped when he blew up after a couple of hundred metres.

The second guy was a bit shy of over-taking the big dude on the mountain bike. I was forced to take the initiative and left the other 2 behind in a blur of pedals, between 2 sets of lights. Didn't see any of them again.

Last night on the way home I spotted a guy on something with flat bars crossing Marion Road at South Road. He was heading for the Veloway. I had been debating going up Flagstaff Hill until this point. Now with this fella in sight, the choice was made. Had to be an easy catch, even with having to wait to cross Marion Road.

WRONG, he shot off with apparently little effort judging by the his cadence. After I flogged myself for about a K I gave up as he was pulling away!!! Conclusion, I had seen some old guy with a petrol motor on the Veloway a few times. I guess this was him, there was no evidence of 2 stroke smoke or noise but the motor was really quiet.

I guess I had myself!

[rkelsen]

well, we were on tonight. matey on his flat bar follows me for a while along the shared path, then suddenly it was on - he attacked. it feels a bit weird to be attacked on a commute - i've raced and that's normal, but attacking a fellow commuter - it's hard to know how to react. i responded by upping the pace. now normally i'd have been right on it, but today i wasn't feeling 100% as i didn't sleep well last night, so he got a bit of a gap. but then he started fading and i knew i had his measure when he got out of the seat over a slight rise. soon, you will be mine... then we took different directions and it was over. i had him though. i'm sure he checked over his shoulder and saw me there, too.

Which path? It may have been, uh... a friend of mine...

Incidentally, what is it with MAMILs and their need to stay in front? Do they have to compensate for something? They always seem to cut up rough when passed by a commuter wearing civvies on a flat bar, and they're never content to just sit behind me, even at 40 kph.

[Fletcher]

Two bits of cup action this week. I put in some effort to get up a long, steady hill, leaving a big guy on a Tri-equipped bike quite a way behind. He caught up at the lights at the bottom of the next hill and heaved away on the green. I tucked in behind, couldn't believe my luck when he turned off ahead, same as I do. A little further on he was starting to fade, and although I was due to turn off again not far ahead, I had an irresistible urge to be a complete f***wit and overtake, then brake before the next turn off. What a tool.

On the Friday home commute I was set upon by the commuter cup champion, guy who rides with one of Canberra's fastest bunches. Ridden the home commute a number of times with him. Big guy, pedals with his knees out but punches around in a huge gear. I'm a rabbit to this bloke. Sometimes when I'm feeling good and fast he'll effortlessly trundle past about 5km/h faster, barely breathing on a maximum cadence of about 60rpm. This is what happened on Friday. If I give it heaps I can latch onto his wheel for a bit but that day I was toast.

Edit: eliminated the gibberish.

[hannos]

I won and I lost this morning although I don't see it that way.

Some dude on a BSO with petrol assist overtook me on a slight rise on the M5 doing about 40km/h. I powered on and caught him and sat on his wheel. Prick slowed to about 28km/h so I took him.
Then the next slight rise I slowed from 43km/h to about 35km/h and he took me again.

I decided to let him go. Petrol driven BSOs aren't worth me wasting that much energy on.

[Fletcher]

Petrol driven BSO's totally suck.

I was thoroughly beaten up a hill this morning by pannier equipped roadie, so I overtook on the way down the other side. But that doesn't count.

[Crawf]

I was thoroughly beaten up a hill this morning by pannier equipped roadie, so I overtook on the way down the other side. But that doesn't count.

Otherwise known as the looser flyby

[bosvit]

After 6 weeks of commuting from Boston to Port Lincoln (a massive 7km....) I had my first case of commuter cup racing. Unbelievable that it took 6 weeks to see another commuter!

Was doing the short sprint to work on the clunky old MTB when a young tradie in his work clobber pulled out infront and took off like a jack rabbit! My first thought was Wow finally another commuter in Port Lincoln but then I had to make a decision he was travelling about 1-2km/h slower than me so when I caught him I just hung back for a while but after km or two just below normal speed I had enough and just went about my commute as per normal, said G'Day on the way past as unpatronisingly as possible.

Now to find one of those old blokes on their $10,000 bikes with their 20c legs......

[betterthanwalking]

Had a guy catch me up at the bottom of Flagstaff Hill last night. Looked a fit dude. I set off and kept my head down on the way up the hill. A couple of stages to the hill, first bit the steepest, bit of a left turn and then flattens out for a bit. I looked back and he was no where to be seen. Result.

Tonight I was on a mission to get to the school concert. Another guy caught me at the lights near Cross Road. I set off at a fair lick to see how quick he was and could sense him in my 6, so I was pointing out the hazards in the bike lane as you do. He complemented me on the rate we progressed down Marion when we got stopped at a set of lights. I didn't worry about him sucking my wheel into the wind, as I treat it like extra training.

We rode up the veloway and caught and passed another guy on there. He put up a good fight, as we only caught him on the last flat section before Majors Rd.

[the grid]

Ok newbie question... does someone sucking your wheel reduce your effiency?

[Comedian]

Ok newbie question... does someone sucking your wheel reduce your effiency?

Only if you turn around to see them wheel sucking.

[westab]

I actually saw another cyclist (of sorts)this morning less than 1 km from work - I just had to chase them after my light went green. They had a 500m start so I safely crossed the intersection and poured the power on and caught the other rider on th next up hill just to see that it was a middle aged lady on a Kmart special machine in top gear not knowing how to change gears.

Waiting at the next set of lights (red) on the Sunnyholt road bus way where I turn off to go to work she did the loser flyby and called out "come on slow poke" - went through the red and nearly got cleaned up by a car ,who happened to be one of the sales reps from work, behind his car was the OH&S lady who when we both got to work made us fill in paperwork for a near miss.

score one in the commuter cup : less one to the stinking paperwork & OH&S.

[goneriding]

Ok newbie question... does someone sucking your wheel reduce your effiency?

Or if they have a tow rope attached

[duds2u]

I was chasing down a pace line of four this morning on the Boreen Point Rd ( think Noosa). I nearly caught them before they suddenly turned off into the bush.
I'm not sure I can call it a moral victory as they were kangaroos.

[Max]

duds2u, I reckon that's a win. Those 'roos can set a pretty good pace, plus they have the advantage of having really big feet and tails. Not like us puny humans who need to get onto a bike to achieve any real speed

Max