Saturdays Club Run 10 June 2006

[John Cochrane]

It's been a year since my last club run but fortunately this weekend I was not working and the sun was shining, What better, I thought, than go on a nice quiet steady club run. As usual groups set off from Coulsdon South and I tagged onto what was meant to be the less ambitious of the two 17mph groups. Invariably the initial pace is an ambitious 17mph and today proved no exception, however once into the lanes the pace settled down to what it is meant to be. All was going well until one unfortunate came off his bike, in the middles of the road, just as we were turning off the A23. Fortunately there appeared to be no damage to bike or rider and he was soon pulled back to the group by Alex.

Through the lanes a small group of riders from a club in Cheam hitched a tow which was nice to chat with new faces and share stories.

At one point I lost touch with the group, after a junction, but this is usually no problem. However on this occasion the group must have speeded up as I was passing riders shelled out the back. I caught glimpses of the bunch and was slowly closing. Then a junction, which way to go? I obviously chose the wrong one because that was the last I saw of them until Charlwood.

So here I was somewhere in the countryside not having a clue which way to go. I got bearings from aircraft overhead as I knew Charlwood was close to Gatwick Airport.. My enforced detour took me up a single track road that was quiet and free from traffic?or it was until a 4by4 came hurtling towards me. No room for it and me. So off the road and into the hedge. As I careered into the hedge I had that sickening feeling of muscle fibres tearing in my left calf. When I came to a stop I was still upright, thank goodness, and still clipped into the pedals. After extricating myself I had a bit of a problem. The bike was OK and bar some minor scratches so was I, except for my calf. Riding was out of the question and walking almost impossible and here was I stuck out in the middle of nowhere.

I do, hands on healing, so it was to this I turned. I sat myself down, let the energy flow into the damaged area and waited to see what would happen. After just a few minutes I could feel changes taking place in the calf and after another 5 minutes it was repaired enough to get back on the bike.

Using the trick of being guided by the aircraft I arrived at Charlwood, only a few minutes behind the group I had started with.

For the return journey I joined John, who had fallen off earlier, and Robin. We were going along at a nice easy pace and then Robin went on ahead as she was running short of time for an appointment. A little later on we came upon Robin who had picked up a puncture in the rear wheel. (Why is it always the rear that punctures?) Like knights in white armour John and I came to the rescue. It did not quite turn out as planned. Got the tyre off, after a struggle, but getting it back on was another matter. Arthritic thumbs don?t help. Before desperation set in along came a real knight in the shape of Alex. In no time at all he had the tyre back on and off we set. Alex leading the way and towing us back to Coulsdon.

Not the quiet ride I had planned but still much enjoyed and despite all the stops still averaged 17mph. Many thanks to Alex for helping out and for towing us back.

[Alan M]

Quite an eventful journey John - maybe you had better come out more often on a Saturday to get in some run of the mill rides!

[John Cochrane]

Now that's a good idea, Alan. Can't be next week though as I'll be working at Mallory Park on Saturday.

[jeffmesie]

After a funny day with the gears I heard the spring-like sound of a snapping spoke on the way back to Meath Green.

While I was contemplating a long walk to Redhill station in cycling shoes Brendan saw I was in trouble, stopped, and produced a spoke key.

Loosening the non-drive side spokes was enough to get the wheel turning again (once we'd disconnected the back brake).

Wheel is now in Butlers. Thanks Brendan, I owe you one. Very Agreeable of you to help me like that.

Question: Does the fact that this is the second spoke I have broken in two years (one every 12 months) suggest I am too heavy for the Proton wheels, or is this just normal wear and tear for a set of wheels?

Cheers

[Marek]

My ride yesterday was kind of like how the England football team played. I started off strong, had a pleasant half time break and then it all went downhill (well actually it went uphill but you know what I mean) in the second half.

Max, Paul and I had planned to do a practice for the 4 up time trial at the end of July. Unfortunately our 4th man was TTing in the evening so he did not show. Instead we managed to rope Yohan into riding with us.

We started off taking it reasonably easy up the drag out of Coulsdon due to the traffic, and then as soon as we hit the dual carriageway we started our 4 man line with the front man peeling off after ten to twenty seconds. As we went past the petrol station it was pretty evident that Yohan was not really prepared for the ride that we had planned and by the time we reached the crest of the hill Yohan did a Wayne Rooney and had taken a seat on the bench.

As we needed to practice the three of us soldiered on, it was good to practice with three just in case one of us punctures on the day. We got to Reigate hill and Paul started to pull us up at a fast pace of knots, then Max went on the front. Not being a pure climber I sat at the back and panted. But over the top I dragged the others down the other side at around 40mph. We got stopped by the traffic lights and then it was a free run from Reigate to the Cafe. It was hard work, but we managed to keep a smooth pace. At the hill before the dual carriageway Paul started to suffer a bit so Max went on the front for the hill, we sat behind shouting at him to slow down a bit, this worked well as we got up the hill in a reasonable time and then it was onto the dual carriageway. There was a bit of a headwind this week which was tough, as Paul was feeling it a bit Max and I did the turns on the front which gave Paul time to recover.

Into the final stretch the road into Charlwood we still kept a good pace and Paul even had enough to sprint through to the line, mind you Max and I were cooked by then. We averaged 24mph for the 43km or so it is from Coulsdon South which is pretty good going, certainly the fastest I think I have ever got to the cafe.

After a cuppa we set off with a few others to do some steady hills. I was leading the group from the back. I felt ok until we reached Coldharbour. I went up this climb very slowly and was really feeling the earlier efforts catching up with me, also the 4 beers that I had the night before to console myself with Polands poor performance.

At the top a few of the guys decided to head back to watch the football, wish I had, but as I had lead the rest out I felt obliged to carry on. We descended Leith Hill and then went up Tatsfield Lane, eeek, even in this weather it has water running down it and is really pot holed, at 18%ish it is not for the faint hearted. When I eventually got to the top the other three guys (Paul, Max and Aodan) were all waiting for me.

Then we went a pleasant route over to Whitedown for another great climb, goodness knows how long the others had to wait for me on the other side but they were starting to look impatient.

After a refill of bottles from the ice cream van near the church we went over to box hill. By now I had lost it mentally and physically, I was not going to be trying to set a time I was going to be trying to stay alive to get up the hill. At the top we popped into Dauphines and got some more water, bananas chocolate bars etc and then we sat on Pauls wheel back to Kingswood, it was now Pauls turn to do some work as he had managed to save some energy which I had lost.

I could not hold his wheel after Kingswood and so I ended up pootling the rest of the way back to CSS where thankfully I had left my car. 110km on the clock.

Had a good meal last night to help recover and felt better this morning, with the weather as it is just got back from another 90km with Steve Cave. We went and did some of the hills in Kent, fantastic route, Steve knows all the ins and outs which is great.

Cheers

Marek....

[higg]

The dynamics of the through and off sometimes seems to contradict the laws of physics. Sometime it seems to move on effortlessly. This week (after convincing Monty I wouldn't interfere with the main group) rather than taking part I wanted to drop back, leave a gap develop and then see whether I could close it down. This worked OK while the group was in sight on the d-way with the gap varying between 100-300m.

The group was clipping along at a nice pace with the speed building gradually from 20 to 25mph between each of the roundabouts. It's a pity those roundabouts come up so quick. It was difficult to get all the riders around in one group so inevitably there was a bit of time lost in regrouping each time.

Then at the first traffic lights after the dual carraigeway I left the group go through and waited for the next green light. I was surprised by just how much of a gap 45secs is physically on the ground, the group was out of sight after about 10 secs. When the lights turned green again I had about 3 miles to bridge the gap. Eyeballs out and there was still no sign of the group in front, then eventually I just managed to glimpse the back of the group going past the 30mph sign outside Charlwood.

I'll remember this the next time I see gaps of 3 or 4 mins being chased down on Eurosport.

[Steve B]

Went with a good size 19 group which, until a good 2-3 miles past Reigate, had no structure, no rythm, no communication or discipline. A quick shout of "2 lines" and "How about through and off" and everyone switched on their cycling brains and the rest of the ride was faultless.
Everyone seemed to be enjoying the quick pace and the fact that the work was being shared evenly, so by the time we reached the roundabout before the extended dual carriageway, we pretty well had it nailed.
While taking a well earned 3 minute rest at the lay-by, talk of tactics started with Alan, and a few supporters, talking about how the pace should be wound up quite early on to try and stop "us sprinters" from winning "The sprint".
I mean come on. What's the world coming to, you'll be wanting us to do some work on the front next. Trying to take away our glory, it's not on.
Well anyway it flipping worked didn't it.
The first part of the dual carriageway was nice and steady,then it got a bit quicker, and then a bit more. But this was ok and we were all still together well up the road into Charlwood. Alan then forced the pace high and the group started to stretch. Still a good mile out we were all on our limits and I knew this was going to be very hard.
Toby had also planned to go early (after last time being pipped by myself and Yohan) and was in a great position at the front with Hal banging out a very fast rythm. This is where I lost it. With Yohan on my wheel and 2 more riders between me and the front pair, I must have missed the small gap that had formed (about 15 metres). As we were already doing 30 mph and not even at the sharp bend, I put in almost all I had to bridge the gap, hoping I could save a bit to put in a sprint. Fat chance! I managed to get within a bike length, but Toby and Hal both went away from me up the final straight. Toby got the win.
Great riding from the front 2, you blew everyone else to bits!!
I think the average speed must have been high 21's ?

Tea, cake and chat was great in the sun, could have sat there all day, but there was football to watch, so back on the bike for a good steady ride back with a good burn-up up Merstham (thanks for towing us all Matt) and down into Coulsdon.
Thanks to everyone for an enjoyable ride,

Steve

[Toks]

[quote]While taking a well earned 3 minute rest at the lay-by, talk of tactics started with Alan, and a few supporters, talking about how the pace should be wound up quite early on to try and stop "us sprinters" from winning "The sprint".
I mean come on. What's the world coming to, you'll be wanting us to do some work on the front next. Trying to take away our glory, it's not on.

[Yohan]

[quote]As we went past the petrol station it was pretty evident that Yohan was not really prepared for the ride that we had planned and by the time we reached the crest of the hill Yohan did a Wayne Rooney and had taken a seat on the bench.
We averaged 24mph for the 43km or so it is from Coulsdon South which is pretty good going, certainly the fastest I think I have ever got to the cafe.
Cheers
Marek....

[Paul H]

Great 70 mile ride on Saturday. I gave it all I had on the TT Practice and at one point didnt think I was going to make it to the end.

I was feeling really tired when we left the Cafe but for some reason started to feel better after going up the steep climbs.

It was nice to make Marek suffer rather than the other way round for a change.

Paul

[Jim B]

Jeff,
I broke a spoke in my Proton back wheel this week as well.
I'd just left home and hadn't wound it up yet and it just went ping on a smooth road.
I don't think its weight as I'm 68kg.
I got a new spoke yesterday from GBs £3.50 for 1 spoke !!!!!!!!! I've been ripped off before but that took the biscuit. I was expecting about 50p. Anyway I replaced it and tightened it in and the whole wheel came back into shape without playing with the other spokes. It was an easy job so if you want to get back on the road quickly don't be afraid to do it yourself.
No doubt GBs will tell you how technical it is to fix these wheels!