Commuter Cup Racing

[Xplora]

Took another car today... very annoying to be almost rear ending these damn cars over and over!

[mikesbytes]

Congratulations to the guy on the Silver Avanti roadie who got me on Aberleigh Road - first one in a looong time. Shame you had to turn only 100 metres after the pass... we didn't get to see how long you could keep that pace up for. You'll keep until I'm on my road bike too (not my 15kg commuter plus 8kg of panniers) and I haven't ridden over 500k in the last 7 days.

LOL, perhaps that's the best way to do it, get the glory and then scamper before the counter attack

[Comedian]

Congratulations to the guy on the Silver Avanti roadie who got me on Aberleigh Road - first one in a looong time. Shame you had to turn only 100 metres after the pass... we didn't get to see how long you could keep that pace up for. You'll keep until I'm on my road bike too (not my 15kg commuter plus 8kg of panniers) and I haven't ridden over 500k in the last 7 days.

LOL, perhaps that's the best way to do it, get the glory and then scamper before the counter attack

I've found it to be standard practice for that type of dude. I even had one who turned off and hid. Unfortunately he didn't wait long enough before continuing. He must have got a fright when he popped out of the tunnel and there I was stuck at a traffic light. One of my all time classic CCR events.

[ldrcycles]

Took one on my last commute. Doesn't matter that she was a middle aged woman in civvies on an upright hybrid, and i'm 24 and was on my best road bike. She was doing 25kmh at most and i blew past at 44 (allowing a decent bit of room so as not to scare her of course, if we want room from cars we should give each other room too).

[Comedian]

Took one on my last commute. Doesn't matter that she was a middle aged woman in civvies on an upright hybrid, and i'm 24 and was on my best road bike. She was doing 25kmh at most and i blew past at 44 (allowing a decent bit of room so as not to scare her of course, if we want room from cars we should give each other room too).

Unfortunately... you might think you won that one.. but you are actually the LOOSER there.

That's why chics should do more CCR stuff. If they win it's pretty much the strongest insult that can be given to a bloke on a bike - and if they loose the bloke just overtook a chick on a bike... good on ya...

[ldrcycles]

That's all well and good for you to say, mr i-live-in-a-city-and-see-more-than-one-other-cyclist-a-month

[Comedian]

That's all well and good for you to say, mr i-live-in-a-city-and-see-more-than-one-other-cyclist-a-month

Yeah... easy for you to say. When I started and was fat, pedalled in sandshoes.. and rode a hybrid covered in panniers, gadgets and stuff so virtually everyone was a valid CCR target as I was the lowest of the low on the rankings. Now I'm this skinny guy who shaves his legs and dresses in tight lycra while riding a carbon bike with FAT carbon disk wheels... there aren't too many legit scalps for me to claim. Yes, I'm the dude riding at 30k up a hill past the poor newbies struggling in first gear. Sorry - that was me 18 months ago. Alas they are un-claimable.

I've been thinking of setting something up like the BikeRadar Silly Commuter Racing thing. What do people think?

[jules21]

see comedian, your CCR cred suffers when you ride a carbon road bike. that's why i ride a clunky MTB

this bloke on a carbon roadie blasts by me last night on the Yarra Boulevard in Kew, on the downhill part at the south end, next to the golf course. sitting up in the wind on my MTB, roadies overtake me down hills without even pedalling. he looked like a cyclist, but i noticed he was a fairly solid bloke. so i followed him up the hill on the uphill part and he was struggling. he'd run out of puff near the top, so i cruised past

it flattens out a bit more over the next couple of km, and he went past me again, but then he ran out of gas on a short hill and i went past, for good this time.

i'm blessed with a slim build (i've lost weight since my avatar photo was taken), but i really respect people who aren't, who get out there and slog it out. here's to MAMILs!

[Comedian]

Well put Jules!

I'm slim now (not always the case) and pretty good on the hills. There is a very steep ramp on my commute home. It sure fires people up when you blast them on the ramp.

Having said that.. I overtook two people on the ramp last night.. An older roadie and a guy on a mtb. We didnt really have a race per se but kept bumping into other for a bit as we took different ways. They were both very fit dudes and that = respect IMHO.

[jules21]

of course i was being a bit tongue-in-cheek. riding an MTB makes for a good excuse when you get your butt kicked

[ldrcycles]

That's all well and good for you to say, mr i-live-in-a-city-and-see-more-than-one-other-cyclist-a-month

Yeah... easy for you to say. When I started and was fat, pedalled in sandshoes.. and rode a hybrid covered in panniers, gadgets and stuff so virtually everyone was a valid CCR target as I was the lowest of the low on the rankings. Now I'm this skinny guy who shaves his legs and dresses in tight lycra while riding a carbon bike with FAT carbon disk wheels... there aren't too many legit scalps for me to claim. Yes, I'm the dude riding at 30k up a hill past the poor newbies struggling in first gear. Sorry - that was me 18 months ago. Alas they are un-claimable.

I've been thinking of setting something up like the BikeRadar Silly Commuter Racing thing. What do people think?

But i've got an al frame and wheels so i'm in the clear right? Those rules look cool, i don't like the idea of losing points though, i mean what if you're just undertaking your commute at a higher speed, does it have to count as a race if you pass them, or do you need to have a chat first?

[westab]

But i've got an al frame and wheels so i'm in the clear right? Those rules look cool, i don't like the idea of losing points though, i mean what if you're just undertaking your commute at a higher speed, does it have to count as a race if you pass them, or do you need to have a chat first?

Don't know if this on counts or not - But I am claiming it.

Last night on the ride home I had just got on the M7 shared pathway and I was thinking of a few extra kms so was just slowly getting up to speed when one of those "bicycles" (and rider) with the petrol motor attached. I gave him a extra room as I was approaching the crest of a small rise - He rode closer slowed a little and yelled "get a real motor". Well it had been a bad day at work and I was looking to simply enjoy a ride to get over it; but this provided motivation.

The other side of the small crest was a long downhill (not steep) followed by a small rise and a short steep downhill, a few bends and my usual exit. It was on - the noisy bike was ahead and my speed came up and I kept going hard; I went past doing about 45 km/h and asked "real motor?" and kept going. I noticed he started pedalling in my mirror but I had gone 5 sec later and didn't drop my speed below 40 km/h till my exit (approx 5km). I didn't see him again.

I was still happy when I arrived home - and a bit puffed. My 11y/o opened the door for me and said that I was early - heard me puffing and yelled "mum dad's been racing again" - Mrs Westab checked my bikes computer and the max. speed 60.7km/h and asked if this was today. So a new top speed and one of these from the mrs

Do I get bonus points

[jules21]

Do I get bonus points

awesome stuff!

i get hassled by the dragon lady about my 'enthusiastic' riding too. i fell off one night on the way home from basketball and came home with a bloodied knee. i told her that i got in a fight at the game but she didn't buy it

[Comedian]

But i've got an al frame and wheels so i'm in the clear right? Those rules look cool, i don't like the idea of losing points though, i mean what if you're just undertaking your commute at a higher speed, does it have to count as a race if you pass them, or do you need to have a chat first?

Don't know if this on counts or not - But I am claiming it.

Last night on the ride home I had just got on the M7 shared pathway and I was thinking of a few extra kms so was just slowly getting up to speed when one of those "bicycles" (and rider) with the petrol motor attached. I gave him a extra room as I was approaching the crest of a small rise - He rode closer slowed a little and yelled "get a real motor". Well it had been a bad day at work and I was looking to simply enjoy a ride to get over it; but this provided motivation.

The other side of the small crest was a long downhill (not steep) followed by a small rise and a short steep downhill, a few bends and my usual exit. It was on - the noisy bike was ahead and my speed came up and I kept going hard; I went past doing about 45 km/h and asked "real motor?" and kept going. I noticed he started pedalling in my mirror but I had gone 5 sec later and didn't drop my speed below 40 km/h till my exit (approx 5km). I didn't see him again.

I was still happy when I arrived home - and a bit puffed. My 11y/o opened the door for me and said that I was early - heard me puffing and yelled "mum dad's been racing again" - Mrs Westab checked my bikes computer and the max. speed 60.7km/h and asked if this was today. So a new top speed and one of these from the mrs

Do I get bonus points

Yes ... Jolly well done!

[trailgumby]

Bonus points? Absolutely!

"I'll see your "real motor" and raise it ... with some ticker "

[jules21]

the petrol ones are harder, they make more power. i come across electric ones regularly and leave them eating dust, but they're slower.

[goneriding]

My approach to the petrol powered ones is to tuck in and draft and then attack on the first reasonable hill that we come across. You get to rest up before making your attack so you can make a clean getaway! Trying to drop the buggers on the flat is too much like hard work!

[ldrcycles]

Great work westab, gave me a good laugh .

Now Comedian, i have been converted to the model you mentioned. I was riding the Univega (steel with full size mudguards, stem shifters, and flat pedals for my steel cap boots) this morning and was passed by a scrawny young bloke (you know the ones, they're all about 14 and weigh 20kg after a maccas binge, just bone and muscle and they can tear your legs off up any climb) on a carbon TCR. So i get the points there right? And do i get bonus points for holding the little sod off for 8k at up to mid 40s? I even drafted a car for a k to level things out a bit .

[Comedian]

Yep you'd get points for that unless he got past you.

In which case he doesn't get any points either.

[goneriding]

I had a minor encounter this morning when I picked up a draftee along Iron Cove. Feeling enthusiastic after last night's RWC outcome, I prepared myself for battle up Lilyfield hill. Right gearing, sucking in a few of the deep ones and off I went.

A quick check about 1/3 rd of the way up revealled ....nothing... all by my lonesome!

Got to the top of the hill, did a U-turn and started heading back down to find aforementioned draftee approx 3/4 the way up the hill.

I'm not sure if it was an intentional back off or superior climbing skills but I always like to err on the half full side

[Comedian]

I had a minor encounter this morning when I picked up a draftee along Iron Cove. Feeling enthusiastic after last night's RWC outcome, I prepared myself for battle up Lilyfield hill. Right gearing, sucking in a few of the deep ones and off I went.

A quick check about 1/3 rd of the way up revealled ....nothing... all by my lonesome!

Got to the top of the hill, did a U-turn and started heading back down to find aforementioned draftee approx 3/4 the way up the hill.

I'm not sure if it was an intentional back off or superior climbing skills but I always like to err on the half full side

so you dropped him up a hill you didn't need to go up and turned around and waved at him on the way down. That has to be worth bonus points.

[Chris249]

I've changed jobs, and now the Inner Western Sydney-CBD CCR course isn't on my route... it's damn sad, there's no one I can play with (apart from the nearby club ride some mornings, and they don't like it when you put the hammer down).

So the other day I took a longer route, back tracking to the old Anzac Bridge route, and turned onto the Bridge at the western end, about 100 metres behind one of the quick LACC racers. Put some pressure on trying to catch him up, and the only result was losing the front end in the wet near the start of Victoria Road.

The score is now a little bit of bark off the elbow, scraped shifter and slightly torn bar tape. And to cap it all, although he's quick (Club A Grade I presume) he wasn't trying so I caught him at the lights without getting a decent race in, anyway.

Bahhh.... where does one find a good CCR duel on the Inner West to Alexandria route?

[goneriding]

so you dropped him up a hill you didn't need to go up and turned around and waved at him on the way down. That has to be worth bonus points.

What do you mean "a hill you didn't need to go up"? No such beastie exists!

[baarg]

That's all well and good for you to say, mr i-live-in-a-city-and-see-more-than-one-other-cyclist-a-month

Yeah... easy for you to say. When I started and was fat, pedalled in sandshoes.. and rode a hybrid covered in panniers, gadgets and stuff so virtually everyone was a valid CCR target as I was the lowest of the low on the rankings. Now I'm this skinny guy who shaves his legs and dresses in tight lycra while riding a carbon bike with FAT carbon disk wheels... there aren't too many legit scalps for me to claim. Yes, I'm the dude riding at 30k up a hill past the poor newbies struggling in first gear. Sorry - that was me 18 months ago. Alas they are un-claimable.

I've been thinking of setting something up like the BikeRadar Silly Commuter Racing thing. What do people think?

I had no idea there were actual rules! I thought the minus/plus points were just something people said here, this is hilarious. Funny thing is I played by the rules even without knowing them, although I am a roadie girl with shaved legs of course, lycra, etc, where am in in the food chain? What's my number? I suspect I am not along with male-roadie-shaved-legs. I think I should get more points when overtaking the before-mentioned then!

[molly]

"6.Show no pain – unless your face is just like that" - thats gold!

I am by the chart sitting at four. Though I would like think I am lower as I am on an old raleigh 12speed (only 10 speed though as derailleur doesnt get up to largest rear sprocket), the bike cost me $20 and got it on the road for under $100 (spent more on it now that the rear 27inch wheel s**t itself and with tyres/tubes etc). It was originally funny passing people whose jerseys cost more than my bike did.

When passing/being passed I am always thinking though "how far have they gone already and how far are they going?"