Thursday Night - Hour of Power

Anyone out tonight?

I will be.

was out last night. it was carnage. seriously like 'what... what the...what the FUUUUCK'. so much terrible riding on display.
whats the etiquette for bunch riding? i've always been happy with riding with randoms round there and don't care if they wheel suck all night. you usually end up with similar paced people and get a good spin going.
but last night i ended up behind one bloke (tom boonen build and look alike) and he did a massive nose clearance (you know put a finger on your nostril then blow out) and it literally went all over me and the guy who was passing on the right. i was like wtf was that about. does he think that's something the pros do to each other? what a complete tool. he wasn't even fast. hope he gets a lot of use out of that power meter.

The thing is, so many people, riding for so many different reasons. It seemed to me that on Tuesday there were a lot of people aiming to blast it for 30 mins, but very few aiming to avg 30k for an hour or so.

yeh i was out for 1.5hours last night and saw loads come and go. i was urging a couple of lads to do some more as they put on a good pace but only did about 4 laps!
would be ideal if there just weren't any lights!

That wasn't bad. Commendations to the 6pt doppelgänger (from behind; oo-er) in white jersey and black shorts, who did a lot of nice smooth pulls and worked like a dog to keep a group together. Sorry I wasn't doing my fair share.

One day I'll be back. The Look could do with an hour or so of thrashing once I'm done with this international tandem business.

Been out the last few weeks, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Really liking it, tbh. Always someone to share the work with, and good weather. Though last week there was a couple of crashes- one little one where someone rode into the back of their mate, pulling away from the lights, and one biiiig one, which has emergency services in attendance.

And no, I ain't washing my lycra. It only fits right when it's crusty.

You, hovis and I (wheelsucking) on our looks round regent, needs to be done.

Yeah boi. None of this after work malarky though. Too much bike dollar to crash risk ratio for regents now.

Before work is where it's at.

Absolute nightmare last night. Riders of all types and abilities weaving all over the place. Gangs of pedestrians milling across the road like sheep, while taxis did their mental little U-turns.
Definitely going to check for events at the Zoo beforehand from now on..

Ive been doing early mornings. only time its bearable.

Dont go on friday afternoons. Thats when the Zoo has their food deliveries and stink that part of the park up with fried food and big lorries

Reckon I'll only be able to do early mornings when I work for a company with showers in the office. Have considered doing very early mornings but just not worth the hassle at the moment

Thursday morning hour of power from 7.15 am tomorrow. If you spot me in Rlplz kit say hello.

went down last night. got pulled round by some beast on a BMC doing 26mph av most of the way round. kudos to you sir

That'd be Tom. Red BMC with deep carbon?

@Tenners

yep think so. beast

There is a chance I'll be out tomorrow...

(What's it like at the moment? Is it ok?)

I'm going tonight - I'll tell you

★

The crowds are thinning. I went from 7:30-8:30. You totally need lights for the last half hour. I took them as a precaution but they are so necessary.

The highlight was someone using a Boris bike to transport a 2m wide pane of glass, balanced in the basket and wrapped in cloth. It took up most of a car lane. He had two outriders also on Boris bikes flanking him. I couldn't 'gram as I had about 4 guys sucking my wheel.

I do wonder why people go and ride someone's wheel in the park of an hour? Isn't it a better workout to set your own pace and ride nose in the wind for a shorter amount of time?

Richmond gates are closing at 8 for traffic atm .. just sayin

+rep for detailed reportage.

depends what you're after, I guess. last year when I was fat and slow I was quite happy doing pathetic turns on the front and wheelsucking so I could convince myself I still 'had it'. Maybe there are benefits to be had from riding above your usual pace, like derny training. who knows. I don't think most of the people going round in circles really know what they're doing anyway.

Legs feel like a flat day would be good, so I'll be around from 6:45-7:45 if anyone's keen. RPLZ FKW.

Unless I have horrible day at work, in which case I'm going to go punish myself in Kent instead.

getting to Richmond after work, and then trekking round the south circular after can >>>