Commuter Cup Racing

[Comedian]

This is a term I learnt at the bike shop last week. It refers to when, while commuting to work, you have a race with one or more fellow commuters. Why not tell us your story? That guy overtook you going up the hill on a flat bar, and you just had to re-take him/her? The girl on the roadbike that sucked your doors off? Let's hear about it!

[Comedian]

I'll start! So, I'm going home tonight along the back of Roma St past the trains. It's a 70k day for me. Surprisingly, I'm moving alright. Then I get this sensation that someone is drafting me. You get the gears clicking, sticks breaking etc. That's cool so I continue on.

I go over the overpass and then down across the little bridge to the Golf course. I head off along there and call out "gudday" to the guy behind me. No response.

Anyway, I went along the foot path and he hopped onto the road past the hospital. He was a guy in full blue team kit - and to my surprise, on a mountain bike. I got stuck waiting to get onto the road again and he got ahead a bit.

I caught him at the lights on Noble St and Newmarket Road and I thought I'll draft him a bit along here and then pass him up the hill on my carbon roadbike and look like a hero.

Alas it was not to be! I followed this guy along and we averaged 30kph past the shops. As the hill kept going my legs which were by this point not feeling so fresh were starting to groan. We kept chuffing up the hill and this guy just kept steaming up the hill like it was a gentle incline. I meanwhile was gasping for breath and changing down. This guy dropped me and disappeared into the distance.

If that was you... I salute you. You are a machine!

[DaveOZ]

I never even see another cyclist on my commute.

[betterthanwalking]

I have to admit to being in the Commuter Cup.

This morning, a fella joins Marion Road in front of me this morning, Orbea no lights. I catch up and soft pedal behind. The lights at Sturt Rd change and he goes through pretty late IMO and there's a bus waiting to turn right in front too. I thought chancer to myself.

The lights changed pretty quick and he was still in sight, I hammered it to catch him up, topped out at 45 with the road being pretty flat and me being fresh still. Sucked his wheel for a short while before he turned off towards South Road at Oaklands.

On the way home, always on the look out for someone to chase down. Pretty quiet ride until I see a guy turn right at South Rd and Marion, heading for the Veloway. Having ridden Flagstaff Hill most days for weeks, I thought I'd go the Veloway too. Got stuck crossing a filter lane so the guy gets a good start on me. Battered myself to catch up, probably about halfway up the hill. He had heard me coming I guess as he pulled to the left of our lane. I could of just about gone past and left him but said hi.

I noticed straight away he was English and from up north like me. So we had a good chat, up the rest of the hill, he was going really well and a good bit older than me too.

In my defence, I was starving and had done 40 ks this morning, plus 2 exams and an afternoon of work as well.

A mate in the UK years ago used to call this his "Batting Average". He used to tot up all the people he passed and how many passed him during the year.

Gavin

[jules21]

i like to give it a crack on the Capital City Trail with other commuter-racers.

i often ride home with a colleague and we like to amuse ourselves picking out the commuter cup contenders who will blow past us while we're cruising, but look like they will blow up ahead. it's a bit of a private joke between us when they do and we overtake them again, laughing discreetly at each other

[westab]

Last night when my workmate and I were having a chat (stopped) a guy on a fixie came past and did the look at these gumbies with gears. 30 seconds later we parted company I could not help myself - I had to chase him down or die trying. He was at the top of the ramp near the M7 detour at Quakers Hill and i was at the bottom - I chased and caught him by the park way.

Feeling a little guilty and noticing that he (Chris) was blowing hard and didn't have water we rode together - what a nice guy Chris was - till Powers road where I had to get home.

Chris if you are reading this hope you enjoyed the rest of yuor ride.

[hannos]

Rode past a guy on a MTB on Tuesday. as I went past, saying good morning, he replied in kind and also with a "Oh a challenge!"

[goneriding]

I haven't come across any challengers yet I've been chasing lots of rabbits and that's about it. I am hoping now that the weather is better that there will be some contenders out at SOP.

[Burt 'Pigeon Racer' Jones]

So how fast are you?

[Parker]

I race royal pde every morning/night... 45km/h is my highest. Normally do royal pde on 42km/h.

I normally get my butt kicked on Mondays.

[Fletcher]

Chiming in a bit late here. Good idea for a thread. I had one of those on thursday. Took off after a long wait at some lights and 100m further up the path some really big, strong looking guy on a flat bar goes blasting past. I just hung back a bit, not so close that I was on his wheel, and sure as eggs he blew out a km up the road and I cruised past. It happens quit a bit.

ON the other hand, gotta watch out for the fit looking dudes on single speeds. I was cooked by one the other day. I'm getting faster, but it's taking a while. I'm no spring chicken.

[goneriding]

So how fast are you?

Fast enough to chase rabbits and not be one myself I also avoid the LACC guys on Tues and Thurs mornings as they cannot be counted because they are training not commuting.

[nickobec]

I admit I play too. My commute is over 40km long, and even with 35km on PSP, I rarely see other riders in the 1st 20km I and if I want to race, it is the kangaroos in the paddocks (they usually win).

The last 10km is commuter central, so on the way home I will put more effort into the 1st 10km to make sure I overtake more than I get overtaken by and then take it easy after that.

Horror story getting chased down and passed by a bloke on a flatbar with his child in a kiddie seat on the 31 to 34km stretch on the way in one morning. Horror story because that stretch has the worse surface, the most limited visibility, with overhanging branches and twists and turns, plus the most foot traffic including mums with prams two abreast. So it is my "slow" paced recovery section, so I didn't give chase, keep him in sight for the faster section up ahead. Except he pulled off early with a big victory smile. Horror story because I consider the speed and lines he took to be dangerous.

Fun stuff, riding the final 5km of PSP, with a decent tailwind, on the drops of my singlespeed at max cadence of around 105rpm, which was then 33kmh and hearing zzzsh, zzssh, zzssh and getting passed and easily dropped by an MTB.

A few days later with a one tooth smaller rear freewheel, same spot this time into a mild headwind, sitting on 30kmh, I cruise up and past the same MTB, whose rider is struggling with the wind.

[jules21]

Fun stuff, riding the final 5km of PSP, with a decent tailwind, on the drops of my singlespeed at max cadence of around 105rpm, which was then 33kmh and hearing zzzsh, zzssh, zzssh and getting passed and easily dropped by an MTB.

A few days later with a one tooth smaller rear freewheel, same spot this time into a mild headwind, sitting on 30kmh, I cruise up and past the same MTB, whose rider is struggling with the wind.

i commute on my MTB. you go nowhere in a headwind, due to the vertical riding position, but you have a chance in a tailwind

[hannos]

I couldn't let a challenge pass this evening.
Riding home I see two riders about 100m further up the road (at Sutherland). I got held up by traffic trying to cross Acacia Road (Princes Highway at the bicycle track) so they would have been at least 300m in front by the time I got started.

Managed to catch them by the rail bridge up before Old Bush Road where the 80km/h zone becomes 70km/h (for those that know the road).
It was a bloody tough chase though due to the headwind.

[nickobec]

i commute on my MTB. you go nowhere in a headwind, due to the vertical riding position, but you have a chance in a tailwind

That my point, you win some days and lose others.

[casual_cyclist]

This is a term I learnt at the bike shop last week. It refers to when, while commuting to work, you have a race with one or more fellow commuters. Why not tell us your story? That guy overtook you going up the hill on a flat bar, and you just had to re-take him/her? The girl on the roadbike that sucked your doors off? Let's hear about it!

I am commuting on a 21 year old MTB with full knobby tyres. I don't pass anyone. Everyone passes me and I don't try to catch them

[malnar]

I was slowly reeling in a guy the other day. I got to within about 25m when he upped the pace for no apparent reason other than he didn't want to be easily passed, but I was too far back for him to have heard me & he hadn't turned around. When I eventually passed him I noticed his mirror. Handy tool for commuter cup racing.

This morning I was behind a guy for about 1k on a MTB with knobbly tyres moving away from me at around 33kph. Caught up at a set of lights and I noticed he was a bit overweight, had runners, t-shirt and stubbies-style shorts on his face was red & sweaty but he wasn't breathing too hard. I only had 2k to go to my destination so I decided to stay behind him from the lights. He was soon back to about 33kph. He lost speed on a 100m hill but I didn't bother passing him as I guessed he'd be desperate to pass me on the narrow decent, plus I thought to myself, respect for this guy. Good sustained effort on the MTB right there.

[Livetoride]

Great idea for a thread, My route is from Oakleigh to CBD via St Kilda, I can't help but chase everything down in front of me going to or from work. I've always noticed the guys at the lights who look at you, then your bike, then you and its game on... The funny thing is, they start out like a gun but then dont have the legs or lings to keep it going... or you get the guys who draft you, then when they've had a rest fly past you, but quit often can't keep the speed...

I like to think I'm fast and quick off the mark and have a rule, never pass someone unless you intend to stay ahead of them, and only ever gun it if you can keep it going...

Gotta love takin em, leading the pack

Happy Days are here again

[leximack]

i love Commute Cup racing.
I chase everythinga nd anything down.
Very satisfying passing a Pinarello or Colnago with full kitted rider with my cheap heavy Single Speed Flatbar with rack and Panniers .
Sometimes i get to work a tad tired and sweaty, but its worth it

[goneriding]

i love Commute Cup racing.
I chase everythinga nd anything down.
Very satisfying passing a Pinarello or Colnago with full kitted rider with my cheap heavy Single Speed Flatbar with rack and Panniers .
Sometimes i get to work a tad tired and sweaty, but its worth it

+1. I can't help myself.

[casual_cyclist]

I am commuting on a 21 year old MTB with full knobby tyres. I don't pass anyone. Everyone passes me and I don't try to catch them **

This morning I was behind a guy for about 1k on a MTB with knobbly tyres moving away from me at around 33kph.

** recovery ride

[nickobec]

The English call it SCR (Silly Commuter Racing) or just The Game and have rules, a points system aka FCN and a facebook group

[casual_cyclist]

The English call it SCR (Silly Commuter Racing) or just The Game and have rules, a points system aka FCN and a facebook group

What's the lowest score you can get? I tried to race a runner up the hill today and the runner won! At the top I said "you were faster than me up there" he couldn't speak. At least I could still talk

[nickobec]

Remebered why I like 78 gear inches on a singlespeed today. Averaged over 32kmh for the 5km from Canning Bridge to Narrows Bridge, without an incentive (ie somebody to chase).

When I sat up, to take a drink and prepare for the climb of the Narrows Bridge, I found out I was the incentive for a group of riders.

I saw 5 riders go under Canning Bridge on the other side of the river, just ahead of me. So they would of been crossing the bridge as I popped out and I would of got 150m or so start.

I don't know that after 5km of "pursuit", the two that caught me, would of been impressed catching somebody their age, riding a steel singlespeed with toe clips and backpack. Seeing they had gears and clipless.

They then continued around the river, with a 3rd rider in close by, I did not see the other two. Meanwhile I climbed the bridge to the CBD.