After racing season, I don’t feel like racing up hills for a while, but, for this time of the season, I’m feeling quite fit and sometimes I get a burst of adrenalin to cycle quickly around town.
I was cycling to work the other day, when I kept overtaking another cyclist. He was paying no attention to red lights and using the pavement to undertake buses. I’m not a fanatic about observing rules of road, but, I do try to be courteous; it drew me into one of those competitive commutes. I would overtake him, then he would overtake me by going through lights or riding (quite fast on pavement). To make it more of a handicap my rear derailleur is broken leaving me stuck in about a 39-17 gear so to go at 20 mph, you have to pedal furiously at a high cadence.
The Gargoyles are watching you go through red lights…
Anyway I managed to overtake him on High Street when it went slightly up hill and I peeled off into Radcliffe Camera square.
It was fun, well at least for monday morning.
I was guilty the other day of going through a red light I felt awful if I’m honest. I was approaching quite quick when they changed I had time to stop but being clipped in I was so close to the line that I was in no position the maintain my balance. So I either un-clip and wait or check to see if it was safe and go through. I went through, the regretted it.
I like commute racing… it’s a very technical sport that totally revolves around traffic lights… you have time your sprints carefully to attempt to meet a green light at max speed just before it changes, and get a tempo ahead of your pursuer.