Author Topic: Forumite spotting (Read 595154 times)

mike · « **Reply #1225 on:** 22 May, 2011, 12:46:48 pm »

sounds likely.

fuzzy · « **Reply #1226 on:** 23 May, 2011, 10:03:23 am »

Quote from: jane on 21 May, 2011, 03:44:22 pm

Yeah! I was doing quite a bit of fixie spotting as I sat there. It was really strange. I saw 2 more individuals who I knew, both on bikes, cycling past. Although, I guess, it is a fairly well frequented cycling route. Just after you passed, a young guy came past. and at the junction of Trinity St with Gt Dover, he performed a perfectly stylish fixie dismount, such as I have now lost the ability to execute (tried to demonstrate a few months ago on my daughter's bike and fell off several times before I managed to do it, and even then very clumsily). Lesson learned: Use it or lose it. I was sufficiently impressed by his skill to announce it loudly to my companions. They were completely bemused.

What does the stylish fixie dismout entail?

itsbruce · « **Reply #1227 on:** 23 May, 2011, 11:02:46 am »

It involves a smooth transition from pedalling to walking along while pushing your bike. Take your left foot off the pedal and wait for the right pedal to reach the bottom of the stroke. As the pedal rises, straighten your right leg and let go of the bars; your bike should keep going forward, you should be able to put your left foot on the ground, grab the saddle and remove your right foot from the pedal. Significantly easer when not clipped in.

fuzzy · « **Reply #1228 on:** 23 May, 2011, 11:48:06 am »

Sounds like a recipe for disaster if I were to try it.....

DrMekon · « **Reply #1229 on:** 23 May, 2011, 12:56:47 pm »

Quote from: Gatlow on 22 May, 2011, 10:09:48 am

I was sitting by a large pond in Barton yesterday late morningish, scoffing cake in order to prepare myself for 40 miles of headwind, when i saw a very dapper looking fellow in a flat cap zipping along on a Bakfiets - could this have been a sighting of Dr. Mekon?

That would have been me, although dapper is possibly stretching in. Scruffy bloke wearing flat cap, and I'd have had to agree. I was off to Burwash Manor (just up the road), where you could have treated yourself to posh cake(s) and coffee.

CrinklyLion · « **Reply #1230 on:** 23 May, 2011, 01:32:05 pm »

Going past the end of our street - Beryl the Yellow Peril with (possibly) an Arch on board - I'm not 100% certain. And just round the corner, Arch's colleague D powering along on the Maximus trike. He makes it look remarkably easy.

jogler · « **Reply #1231 on:** 23 May, 2011, 03:46:14 pm »

Quote from: fuzzy on 23 May, 2011, 11:48:06 am

Sounds like a recipe for disaster if I were to try it.....

+1

matthew · « **Reply #1232 on:** 23 May, 2011, 03:56:03 pm »

Quote from: jogler on 23 May, 2011, 03:46:14 pm

Quote from: fuzzy on 23 May, 2011, 11:48:06 am
Sounds like a recipe for disaster if I were to try it.....

+1

I think the Saddle bag (Nelson Longflap) and the cleats would cause problems

Arch · « **Reply #1233 on:** 23 May, 2011, 07:30:42 pm »

Quote from: CrinklyLion on 23 May, 2011, 01:32:05 pm

Going past the end of our street - Beryl the Yellow Peril with (possibly) an Arch on board - I'm not 100% certain. And just round the corner, Arch's colleague D powering along on the Maximus trike. He makes it look remarkably easy.

Yes, that would have been me today.

And yes, D makes it look horribly easy. He does the same with lifting too. I think his size and shape is deceptive, he doesn't look it, but he's pure muscle I think.

Domestique · « **Reply #1234 on:** 25 May, 2011, 02:23:09 pm »

I think I have seen Delthebike a couple of times in the last week or so, not that I know him but regognise his dog from the pictures on here. Along Fairfax Drive about 0645

TimO · « **Reply #1235 on:** 25 May, 2011, 04:09:36 pm »

You're on the wrong thread, you should be on the "Forumite cute dog spotting" thread.

PaulR · « **Reply #1236 on:** 25 May, 2011, 09:01:29 pm »

I was weaving through the clogged traffic at Aldwych on an early ride home today when a courteous and tolerant cyclist on a red bike allowed me to cut in from the right. He then passed me on Waterloo Bridge, gaining speed but not so quickly that I was prevented from spotting that his bike was a Cliff Shrubb and that it was adorned with an olive Carradice bag and some stylish bentwood mudguards. A couple of synapses fired in my head: I've read someone describing this bike somewhere. I eventually caught up with him as we approached the Old Vic (clogged by traffic again) and I mentioned this to him - he revealed himself to be ChrisL. Nice to meet you!

marcusjb · « **Reply #1237 on:** 26 May, 2011, 12:21:34 am »

Almost positive it was manotea coming up Wimbledon hill this evening following a young lady (one of the miss manoteas?) as I came down it.

Being that I hardly ever ride the fixed anywhere other than the flat run in to Kensington/Chelsea, I was too busy remembering how to go down hill fixed to shout out at him.

Chris L · « **Reply #1238 on:** 27 May, 2011, 01:09:50 pm »

Quote from: PaulR on 25 May, 2011, 09:01:29 pm

I was weaving through the clogged traffic at Aldwych on an early ride home today when a courteous and tolerant cyclist on a red bike allowed me to cut in from the right. He then passed me on Waterloo Bridge, gaining speed but not so quickly that I was prevented from spotting that his bike was a Cliff Shrubb and that it was adorned with an olive Carradice bag and some stylish bentwood mudguards. A couple of synapses fired in my head: I've read someone describing this bike somewhere. I eventually caught up with him as we approached the Old Vic (clogged by traffic again) and I mentioned this to him - he revealed himself to be ChrisL. Nice to meet you!

Very nice to meet you too, Paul. Ta for saying hello. You looked pure class in your Brooks shirt aboard your Kona. See you again, I hope.

LittleWheelsandBig · « **Reply #1239 on:** 27 May, 2011, 01:16:56 pm »

Saw Chris L last night while picking up some SKS mudguards. Shortly before then, had a drink with swisshat, veloboy and assorted other Audaxers while watching the Giro replay at Look Ma No Hands.

Manotea · « **Reply #1240 on:** 27 May, 2011, 01:18:19 pm »

Quote from: marcusjb on 26 May, 2011, 12:21:34 am

Almost positive it was manotea coming up Wimbledon hill this evening following a young lady (one of the miss manoteas?) as I came down it.

Being that I hardly ever ride the fixed anywhere other than the flat run in to Kensington/Chelsea, I was too busy remembering how to go down hill fixed to shout out at him.

How embarassing. That was me pathetically wheel sucking a random young miss up Wimbledon Hill to take my mind off the fact that I hate that hill. It's the last hill before home.

Chris L · « **Reply #1241 on:** 27 May, 2011, 02:24:47 pm »

Quote from: Manotea on 27 May, 2011, 01:18:19 pm

...It's the last hill before home.

That'll learn yer for living at the top of the hill! If you were at the bottom with us hoi polloi, you wouldn't have the hassle!

Manotea · « **Reply #1242 on:** 27 May, 2011, 02:28:19 pm »

Quote from: Chris L on 27 May, 2011, 02:24:47 pm

Quote from: Manotea on 27 May, 2011, 01:18:19 pm
...It's the last hill before home.

That'll learn yer for living at the top of the hill! If you were at the bottom with us hoi polloi, you wouldn't have the hassle!

I live down the other side... by the river, sniff.

clarion · « **Reply #1243 on:** 27 May, 2011, 02:30:12 pm »

My route home is almost dead flat, except for the rise over Clapham Common, which isn't that significant. The last kilometre rears up, and sometimes feels like a mountain

Chris L · « **Reply #1244 on:** 27 May, 2011, 02:31:13 pm »

No good turning right at South Wimbledon and heading up to Wandsworth and then hanging a left onto the South Circular, m'lud?

TimO · « **Reply #1245 on:** 27 May, 2011, 05:07:05 pm »

My last ²/₃rd of a mile are mostly downhill, with a brief up and down over a railway bridge.

The rest of the ride is probably about as flat as Clarion's, given it's not that dissimilar a route, which means I've also got Cedars Road up to Clapham Common as the Mountain Stage of my commute.

Kim · « **Reply #1246 on:** 27 May, 2011, 08:34:26 pm »

There's a rise over Clapham Common?

ETA: OS map confirms it. A whole 8 metres. Can't say I've ever noticed it.

TimO · « **Reply #1247 on:** 27 May, 2011, 09:48:28 pm »

Clapham Common itself is essentially dead flat, but there's a hill on the approach to it, Cedars Road, which we go up on the Brighton/Bognor FNRttC route.

It's about 21m of rise in around 550m, so that implies it's about 1 in 26, which isn't all that challenging. As Clarion said, it is however probably the steepest bit on my commute.

Segment of commute, and the elevation profile:

clarion · « **Reply #1248 on:** 27 May, 2011, 10:01:38 pm »

Even less challenging than that - I don't go up Cedars Rd, normally, I go up Clapham High St, then Southside.

Manotea · « **Reply #1249 on:** 27 May, 2011, 11:12:58 pm »

I once sheared off an integrated gear hanger climbing the Col D'Wandworth High Street.

That was the end of that frame...