REGULAR SUNDAY CLUB RUNS START FEB 2011

[Amy]

IF I do make it out tomorrow.... I think it'll be a ride to Brasted. Cos when it rains, it really chucks it down...

[Del]

I'll be back with another Sunday CR this week.

Usual time. 9:30 at CSS. About 45-50 miles. Either out into the Surrey Hills or Woldingham way.

Let me know if you have any preferences!

[Jon C C on a Bianchi]

[quote="Del"]I'll be back with another Sunday CR this week.

Usual time. 9:30 at CSS. About 45-50 miles. Either out into the Surrey Hills or Woldingham way.

Let me know if you have any preferences!

[McTaffy]

As my road bike is in getting fixed I only have the Hybrid to use on Sunday, so what it the ride gonna be like, lots of hills? If so I probably should give it a miss. Unless somebody want to meet me and do a more gentler ride.

[Del]

Quite a lot of hills!

[Del]

A short report is all I can manage in this damn heat!!

After the exertiosn of the Captain's Coastal, 5 hardy souls turned up.

Ben and I weren't satisfied with 100 milers the previous day, so we were out again. We were joined by Andy. Simon and Kevin and set off across Farthing Downs with the last of the morning mist burning off. We headed down Hilltop Lane and Warwick Wold, before climbing up to Bletchingley.

Along the A25, we turned down Rabies Heath Road and down Tilburstow Hill, heading left across the A22. Simon left us at this point, as he was feeling rough after flu the previous week.

From then on, the 4 of us kept together quite well, but with Kevin and Ben doing most of the work on the front. We headed on down through Lingfield and Dormansland to East Grinstead, before turning back to Turners Hill and a well earned coffee and cake at Tulley's Farm........ well actually a well earned jacket potato with Brie and Bacon for Andy, while Ben had a pot of tea for two...... just for himself!

After re-fuelling, a discussion of the merits of David Harmon, Sean Kelley and David Duffield, plus Kevin's tales of terrifying night-time MTB rides with Sylv and Marco, we set off back for home via the Old Hollow and Copthorne before Kevin, Ben and Andy made the decisive break into Smallfield, pulling out and beyond a huge tractor and trailer carrying straw bales through the village.

I sat happily in its slipstream until I turned off for Horley, home , a few beers and a barbeque.

Another 43 miles in hot weather to add to the 108 the previous day. Good company again from Kevin, Ben and Andy. Hope Simon has recovered and will be back out soon!

[Amy]

There is a Sunday ride - probably to Brasted as I need to get back.

On the return I plan to head north out of Brasted up one of the little hills to Knockholt - apparently there's a sportive round Ide and Toys Hills so probably a good idea to avoid those roads.

I would like to vary the route back by going through Beddlestead and Chelsham and head towards Selsdon: if there is someone out with a better knowledge of those roads than me, it would be appreciated. It's not an area I know so well though I will probably recognise the roads when I'm on them.... probably.

Anyway, 9.30 at CSS.

[McTaffy]

Thanks for the help guys, sorry about the wheel I will get it sorted this week hopefully. As you can see I made it home, thank god.

Enjoyed the ride while it lasted, felt much better by the time we got to Brasted than last week, so things looking up I guess not smoking for the last week helped.

Edit:
First tube with the double puncture which is the last one we tried, basically the patch was rubbish and air was escaping from one side, that's why it woldn't blow up.
The second tube we tried that went down slowly, it turned out it wasn't the valve, but a small hole on the outer circumference, must have been dodgy to start with.
The third tube which got snatched putting it on is actually looking ok, and it now on the bike and tyre is at 120psi, not sure how long for though.

Still gonna take it to the shop and discuss what went on, will let you know the outcome.

Edit 2:
Well that tube didn't last 3 hours, it just blew.

[Amy]

The best laid plans of mice, men and Amy...

I think my rides are doomed - especially if McTaffy's on them

I think that had to be the best fun with a wheel that I've ever seen. I only got involved towards the end when I suggested that we just put Nick's tube and in and see what happened to that. I thought two experienced riders should be able to sort out a puncture or several between them...

Anyway, first part of the ride went mostly to plan - 4 of us met at CSS: Nick W, McTaffy and just a little bit late, Philf. Everything was going ok as we headed over Farthing Down and through Caterham-on-the-Hill but as I followed Phil and Nick over Wapses Lodge RAB, I heard a great long hiss and thought, that sounds like a puncture... yep. I thought McTaffy had got caught on the RAB put then I heard a cry and saw him walking. Even worse, he was lacking a vital part of equipment, so I gave him my pump and rode off to catch up with the other two. Eventually we all got back to McTaffy where we gave him a lesson in changing and pumping up a tube at the roadside, particularly when the pump isn't an integral part of the bike (like his old hybrid Dahon)..

Set off again and it all seemed ok till near the end of the Pilgrims Way... I'd managed to overshoot the road to Brasted - I'll blame it on the really strong guy on the mtb who was sitting too low whom Phil had to chase after he'd stomped past us (men )but it wasn't too bad dropping down to Sundridge and then back along to Brasted.

Seemed to be few rides out today - Catford seemed to going along the Pilgrims Way in the opposite way to us, a charity ride was coming down Rectory Lane into Brasted and an audax coming from Ide Hill way past us (we saw Phil K, Del with Andy in tow and an unknown ACC rider).

At the cafe, McTaffy started changing his tube after the puncture just at the end of the Pilgrims Way and then spent the next hour at least putting on patches and failing to pump up tubes and with everyone (except me) getting dirty A Dulwich Paragon rider stopped and offered his theory on the problem and that seemed to make sense. Thought we'd done it at last, Phil and Nick started back up Rectory Lane, me following and then McTaffy - pssssssssssssssssss. Back to the drawing board for a bit and then we called it a day and Nick lent McTaffy his phone to call the wife (can't do that with the cat - she can't drive).

As the three of us had all planned to be back earlier, we just rode back the way we came pretty much (Phil said which way was that... ) and then dropped down to Warlingham and South Croydon way where we got snarled up in everyone going in their cars to a leisure centre. Nick split off and I followed Phil back to Wallington where we parted company.

Still did 45 miles today which seems surprising as Brasted never feels that far away somehow...

[philf]

Glad you finally made it home, McT. I don't know the wilds of Kent at all - I always head out towards Dorking - so a pleasant surprise with some lovely lanes (Pilgrim's Lane in particular). Even the dreaded 'Gangers' (sp?) turned out to be much shorter and less nasty than expected - only 20m of actual discomfort. Nice cafe too. Plenty to offset the comical frustrations of trying to get McT's front wheel rolling under pressure.

Thanks, Amy, for arranging the ride.

Oh, and get a pump, McT!

[Nick W]

Thanks for stepping up Amy.

Alan, glad you made it home. Hopefully that is two years' worth of punctures out of the way in one day.

As a postscript I managed to pick up a slow puncture shortly before arriving home.....

[McTaffy]

Texted the owner of the shop before I came home tonight and he said he would come over and pick up the wheel. He did, took the tyre off real easy using 1 of my levers. Explained the dips in the tape are supposed to be there and thus you do get the dimples on the tube but it should not have blown a whole through it. Putting a patch over the whole wouldn't work as not strong enough and I agree because another blow out put a hole through the patch. So basically if it happens again, don't even try repairing it cos you got no hope, unless you carry a spare tape.

He decided to take the rear wheel as well and will put stronger tape in both wheels, so that's good. He is going to contact Cannondale and complain, don't blame him if he is trying to sell these bikes, doesn't want to be constantly fixing them. Will drop off the wheels back at my house tomorrow - woohoo, not a bad bit of service.

Pump on order too, he will drop it off tomorrow as well so should be more self-sufficient next time (which better not happen). So same again next Sunday minus the drama I hope.

[Marty]

[quote="Amy"] ....(we saw Phil K, Del with Andy in tow and an unknown ACC rider)....

[quote="Marty"][quote="Amy"] ....(we saw Phil K, Del with Andy in tow and an unknown ACC rider)....

[McTaffy]

Oh I thought you did, I know I had another Latte.

Now speaking to a colleague he came up with a great idea of how to repair that hole in the tape, and it even works if hole in the side of your tyre. You line it with Money, paper kind of course. Money is extremely tough, especially when folded, and even if it does put a hole in it, its still legal, so what's there to lose.