Club Run 24/02/07

A Place to idle the day away talking about anything you fancy. Expect to find cycling and non cycling topics inside

Postby Stu Merckx Man » Sat Feb 24, 2007 2:00 pm

i missed the run to brighton with some of the training group people, but probably for the best as i had no idea how i would ride and i doubt i would have kept up.

intead monty called a 19s...hahaha...its the strongest 19 i have ever ridden in! with simon h, jim b, hal, polish andrew, i think graham(?), a chap on a single speed and me.

well it started off at 19 but jim kept us all moving about, taking turns on the front. because of the amount of turns we all did it felt like a good training group ride to me, and by the time we reached the dual carriage way we were averageing 21.5!

a neat through and off saw us get to 22mph average by the time for the sprint. simon led us in and i was just behind him, i was just about to got when hal shoots past me in the saddle at an un believable speed. i jumped up after him out the saddle (the sprint was on) he had about 10 metres on me and the gap was not closing even though i was full on out the saddle, it was widening, and, jim came up on the outside of me with 1 corner left, i grabbed his wheel hoping he would catch hal, but there was no chance. at the last minute i hopped out from behind jim to take second. hals win was incredible! he had about 20-25 metres on me and jim! :lol:

good ride back the redhill way, the same group minus jim and the single speed chap. i put in an attack up the mestham drag, not a break as such but just came through mashing at my pedals to try and drop some people, simon held on and came past me at the top and nearly dropped me! we had a great run into coulsdon apart from a bit of traffic.

avs when i got back 21.7...so im pleased i have not lost too much fitness in my absence.

cheers stu
Stu Merckx Man
lives on this board 24/7!!!
 
Posts: 1850
Joined: Tue Sep 26, 2006 9:02 pm
Location: coulsdon

Croydon Brighton Croydon

Postby George » Sat Feb 24, 2007 5:56 pm

Thanks Paul for a another great ride to Brighton Today.

Got to Coulsdon 1 minute past 9 only to find that the Brighton train had already departed the Station :shock:

Alan, Paul H and I decided we'd better fly along if we were to catch up with them, Hal mentioned they just left 2 mins ago.

Merstham and still no sign, so we made our own slightly straighter way to try and make up some time on the others.

Paul and I were laying the red carpet for Alan to follow behind, I even helped fix his puncture, I love mending flat's :P

Alan let us go up Ditchling Beacon, we were expecting to catch them up at the top whilst they were resting, Paul duely demonstrated the Physics of what Power to Weight Ratio can achieve :o
At the top no sign but then Simon emerged just ahead of Alan then all the others turned up and were suprised to see us there I bet :)

Nice cafe on the front, good view of the sea and a group of bather's who skipped over the pebbles for a dip in just their speedo's, ooh a bit cold for that in Febuary.

Good to see David Lombardi out of hibernation,I think he suffered a bit on the way back though.
We all chain ganged it back up the A23 with Paul forging ahead up front.

Took some really minor lanes on the way back, then Paul H's handlebars broke on one of the climb's. I called my auntie who lived very close to give a lift but Pau T cunninley fixed the bike for Paul 8)

We tanked it back to Coydon along th A25.

A great ride out today lots of mileage in the bag
:) [/url]
User avatar
George
lives on this board 24/7!!!
 
Posts: 2269
Joined: Fri Apr 04, 2003 10:20 am
Location: at a Conference in london

Postby Paul H » Sat Feb 24, 2007 8:18 pm

Enjoyable ride today but the wife wasnt impressed with the time I got home.

I broke my fork tube going up a hill on the way back and thankfully Paul Tunnel managed to do a bodge fix to get me home. I called Butlers and they wanted £150 plus fitting for a Ahead replacement so I might look out for a secondhand frame instead (I wasnt impressed with their customer service either).

Thanks to Paul for fixing my bike, George for making some phone calls (sorry, I should have given you my phone to use) and everybody else for waiting.
Paul H
lives on this board 24/7!!!
 
Posts: 1648
Joined: Mon Dec 22, 2003 5:26 pm
Location: Coulsdon

Postby Andrew G » Sat Feb 24, 2007 8:32 pm

A great trip to the seaside. 8 of us set off from CSS, just before the Gatton turn off we were caught by Chris who'd chased us down. A standard Paul T ride down, i.e. great route, good lanes (including the wonderfully named Slugwash Lane). Paul is excellent shape at the moment and as usual knocks out a relentless fast pace on the flat, and isn't really dropping back on the hills.

The Beacon was as tough as expected, made slightly more difficult by the fact that we kept misjudging it thinking that the bend ahead was the last one! Near the top Mark came past with a lift in pace followed by a dissapointed grunt and knocked it down a gear as he realised it wasn't the top. My turn next to spin up a bit and make a similar mistake, although it was the penultimate bend so I managed to dig in and carry on. Found the new recruits to our gang, which was welcome, but didn't bode well for the speed of the return.

Nice fast decent, 50.9 max on the speedo, and on to the cafe. Chips and two suspicious looking sausages with a mug of coffee to refuel before the return.

Lumpy back roads where my legs were starting to complain, and then on to a good fast run in past Gatwick to Redhill. At one point George, Paul T, Paul H, and another (not sure who, Simon?) made a big jump and the rest just couldn't hold their wheels. Chris tried and I grabbed his wheel but as the drags to Redhill kicked in my legs gave up.

The whippets were gone but the rest of us regrouped at the church for a steady ride back to Croydon.

102 miles on the clock with a 17.3 average - I expect to be walking on wooden legs tomorrow!

Thanks to Paul for organising and everyone for great company and a good ride.

Final note, keep an eye on Paul T's TT results this season - he is going very well and flying on the flat like a motorbike.
Andrew G
lives on this board 24/7!!!
 
Posts: 10477
Joined: Tue Oct 04, 2005 6:47 pm
Location: Selsdon

Postby Andrew G » Sat Feb 24, 2007 9:12 pm

[quote] I called Butlers and they wanted £150 plus fitting for a Ahead replacement so I might look out for a secondhand frame instead (I wasnt impressed with their customer service either).

Service - depends who you get I've found. Can't remember all their names but, a couple of them are very good and helpful, one depends what mood he's in, one always seems miserable.

Did that include a new fork? Is the steerer broken as well or just the shaft of the stem? They probably only stock carbon forks so that would be about £70 with a 1" steerer.
[url=http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/details.asp?D=P&Cat=HANDLEBAR%20STEMS&Section=HBSZ&GenCode=ITALHBSZ0250]Quill to Ahead adaptor[/url] only costs £11!
Then whatever stem you want.
Your best bet is probably to check ebay for a non carbon fork which probably won't cost much, just issues of colour matching/contrasting.
Fitting a new fork / stem adaptor / stem is a doddle to do yourself so don't pay a mechanics fee.

PS How you rode back at that pace with your modified super low position I don't know, I'd have been bricking it that something was going to give way :wink:
Andrew G
lives on this board 24/7!!!
 
Posts: 10477
Joined: Tue Oct 04, 2005 6:47 pm
Location: Selsdon

Postby Paul H » Sat Feb 24, 2007 9:34 pm

I must have got the miserable one and I bet he doesnt sell much. GB would be better off employing the woman from Little Britain "computer says no". I guess he is the one dealing with George's Bianchi.

It's the fork that is snapped so I will have to replace that but thought I would convert to Ahead as well. As the frame has a big dent in it anyway, I'm not sure if it is worth replacing.

The low position probably made me go faster and I cannot help myself. The front rattled a lot but seemed to be secure and I made sure I had my weight on the handlebars all the time and didnt pull up. I've got a sore back now though.

Cheers
Paul H
lives on this board 24/7!!!
 
Posts: 1648
Joined: Mon Dec 22, 2003 5:26 pm
Location: Coulsdon

Postby George » Sat Feb 24, 2007 10:52 pm

Yes Paul it definitely was the miserable one you were speaking to!

I can confirm as I passed Butlers on the way home he was the one on the phone at the counter as I glanced by.

He was probably speaking to you at that very moment!
User avatar
George
lives on this board 24/7!!!
 
Posts: 2269
Joined: Fri Apr 04, 2003 10:20 am
Location: at a Conference in london

Postby huw williams » Sun Feb 25, 2007 11:01 am

I'll echo all the above - Great ride to Brighton via some roads I've not been on - nice tow from the Tunnell express on the outrun, upwards of 20mph all the way to the alternative climb up to Turners Hill.

I stupidly did a big stint on the front toward Lindfield and realised I was pulling the group along at over 25mph for what seemed like an hour but was realistcally about 5 minutes. This is most unlike me, and it duly shot my legs for the Ditchling climb so I couldn't go with Simon's pace.

The '2 stone lighter since last season' Paul Tunnell wasn't last up the climb by a long way and he's well on schedule for a return to the heights of his illustrious racing past.

Met George and Paul H and Alan at the top (Alan looked like he'd been put through a clothes mangle) which swelled the group to a dozen - my legs were like rubber after the climb but still clocked over 50mph on the descent into Brighton.

Chicken Soup at the caf. Nice sunny day in Brighton.

There were addiscombe riders dying and wounded all over west sussex on the return leg but it all came back together with Paul's broken headset and simon's puncture. Then I punctured for the second time before the gatwick bypass but the lads waited, cheers guys.

Soon I was wishing they hadn't and I'd got the train home as George and the two Paul's lit the blue touch paper on the chain gang course, riders started dropping one by one - finally we were cruising at 28/29mph which was ok but a sprint to get on the back of a bus split it like dried wood, the speed went up to 30 and I was out of there. Stupidly tried to chase back on and my legs blew up on the drags outside Redhill after 85 miles. Limped back home after regrouping at a paltry 21mph!

Great to get a 100 miler in with a couple of decent climbs and some mental flat-land speed. Excellent!
User avatar
huw williams
lives on this board 24/7!!!
 
Posts: 2770
Joined: Wed Nov 27, 2002 12:17 pm
Location: Somewhere above Niagra Falls

Postby Alan M » Sun Feb 25, 2007 11:34 am

I'll re post this with the others:

Well, Goerge and I arrived at 9.02 to find that punctuality is now an Addiscombe virtue and the group had gone - George, Paul and myself tried to chase them down but by Merstham it was clear that Paul T had pulled the main group beyond our reach.

Decisions - George wanted to go anyway and hope to meet up in B - I had already been dropped on the ride to Merstham but they agreed to wait for me at the tops of hills so, after a moment of hesitation we set off - at pace!

I was quite surprised when we saw planes so soon, obviously from the other side of Charlwood - we had been motoring but by the time we got to some hills I was relying on P and G waiting for me at the tops and at the foot of the ultimate hill - big D, I determined to take my own steady pace. We were soon joined at the top by the main group that had taken a more circuitous route.

I hoped that would slow it down a bit but Paul T is a new slimmer fitter version and was giving it plenty, by turns with George who had now been unleashed. We arrived at B as a group and had a convivial lunch spoiled only by the nasty man in the cafe who wouldn't part with his precious tap water for our bottle refills.

The way back was fast again and became a bit fragmented with punctures and other repairs and periods of speedy progress.

Finally, by Redhill, at the church a smaller more calm group congregated for the final push and I was home shortly after 4.

A very good experience reminding me that the longer faster effort makes different demands on my body and mind.

Thanks Paul and others for a great ride.

Alan
User avatar
Alan M
lives on this board 24/7!!!
 
Posts: 1988
Joined: Mon Sep 15, 2003 9:54 pm
Location: Sanderstead

Postby Ian A4size » Sun Feb 25, 2007 11:39 am

Sounds as if it was a good day out, I saw George and Paul giving Alan an "armchair" ride to brighton when they went past in the opposite direction. Judging by the posting going on this morning there are a lot of sore legs etc that are being rested, me - i am waiting for the rain to stop before going out on a quick blast.
Ian A4size
lives on this board 24/7!!!
 
Posts: 1525
Joined: Tue Sep 30, 2003 8:12 pm
Location: Redhill

Postby Andrew G » Sun Feb 25, 2007 3:11 pm

[quote]Well another year has passed I've managed to miss the CBCs again :(

Fear not Sean it's only the end of Feb, I'm sure they'll be another before the year is out. :)

[quote] Judging by the posting going on this morning there are a lot of sore legs etc that are being rested

Not as bad as expected but I've read articles in the cycling press about the importance of rest, so I'm just doing my bit. :wink: (Have cleaned the bike though which meant having to stand up).
Andrew G
lives on this board 24/7!!!
 
Posts: 10477
Joined: Tue Oct 04, 2005 6:47 pm
Location: Selsdon

Postby mark mclaughlin » Sun Feb 25, 2007 4:01 pm

Another Mr T epic! should have guessed we were on for something special as he turned up in shorts. Good group with Paul tapping it out, up ditchling and had forgotten how far the top was so legs weren't happy.
Regrouped and found a welcoming party at the top with George and co. Great I thought, now we will be in trouble on the way back!
A nasty cross wind over the top of the beacon, as we then descended touching 50mph.
Went for a lighter snack at cafe, and soon we were off again.
Again Paul setting a relentless pace with the sun coming out, things were warming up... . Started to feel it in my legs and soon was in trouble, Dave was off the back so Adrian and Alan also dropped back and resigned ourselves to riding at our own pace. All went well then we caught them up again with Paul's stem trouble and once again we were on for a hiding.

The time we hit the A23 George and Paul were on fire, this is crazy stuff everyones legs were screaming, gaps growing and then Mr T does one almighty attack to reach George and co.

Can't remember much more, by the time I hit the Redhill drag I was a quivering wreck, completely blown, thank god for energy gels and recovered to link up with Alan. Last push home, huw Andrew and co waited for us so we had some company back to Croydon, thanks lads.
Rode back with Adrian for the last hills over Crystal Palace(actually felt strong again), light was fading and got through the door at 4.45 before a heavy shower!
Thanks Paul and everyone for a memorable and character building ride!! nearly 120 miles in legs.
Cheers Mark
mark mclaughlin
...
 
Posts: 164
Joined: Sun Apr 13, 2003 12:42 pm
Location: Southeast london

Postby Robh » Sun Feb 25, 2007 7:45 pm

Future ref Ditchling is 0.9 miles long... :D
Robh
lives on this board 24/7!!!
 
Posts: 1209
Joined: Fri Dec 13, 2002 2:34 pm
Location: West Sussex, Crawley

Postby adrian » Mon Feb 26, 2007 2:08 pm

Oh, here you are! I thought it was quiet over on the other thread.

Can't add much to what's already been said about a great ride on Saturday. But you'd expect me to try.

I got to CSS in plenty of time, and, suitably warmed up but not already knackered for a change, then had an excellent ride down to Brighton. I felt good and very much enjoyed our compact (but bijou) group dynamic - present and correct, for the record, were Paul T, Huw, Andrew, Mark McL, Chris, Ray, David and (I think) Simon. The roads were wet and claggy after some hefty overnight rain, and I thought we were certain to have a puncture-flecked day, but Huw seemed to be absorbing them on behalf of everyone.

Apart from one such event and a particularly hairy moment on Slugfest Lane, or whatever it's called, where Chris, I and a couple of others nearly lost it on the bend, it was a pretty smooth and quick trip down and we were soon at Ditchling. It's never something you enjoy, but I got up and over the Beacon without too much gnashing of teeth. At the top, as has been noted, George, Paul H and Alan swelled our number; their appearance, though very welcome as always, put paid to any hopes I'd had of a pain-free punt home...

After a very quick descent into Brighton, there then followed a longish recuperative spell in the cafe. I used the time to neck a fairly parsimonious offering of beans on toast (on the part of the cafe owners, that is - my own contribution to the transaction, £2.20, was more than generous, I felt) and wash my grubby little face.

As soon as the last drop of soup was drained, we were on our way up the London Road, drawing admiring (well, I like to think they were admiring) glances from the good burgers of Brighton. We made a quick fuel stop at the foot of Dyke Road, and in view of what was to follow, thank God we did.

As we turned off the A23 at Pyecombe, the road tilted upwards appreciably, but there was no corresponding reduction in our pace and for the first time that day, I began to struggle to hold on. I saw that one or two others were feeling similarly Hassocksed and at the Ansty turnoff Mark and Alan decided to sit and wait for David before resuming at a more sustainable pace. But 'it's an ill wind that blows no-one any good,' they say, and so it was that Paul H's misfortune allowed us to catch up and reincorporate.

As Ray turned off for Horsham and home, the rest of us headed towards Handcross and the A23. I found this manageable - even enjoyable - until half the group kicked again to draft a bus at Gatwick. This was the last I saw of them. Misery loves company (to use another aphorism), though, and after a pretty dodgy patch on the drag up to Redhill, there was a welcome regroup for the Merstham drag and the subsequent roll into Croydon.

As Mark and I (we were now down to two) steeled ourselves for the ascent of South Norwood Hill, I began to feel more than a little bonky and had to plead for a food stop at a newsagent's. Mark duly obliged, nodding patiently as I warbled incoherently, eyes rolling maniacally, while simultaneously wolfing down two bars of chocolate and a bottle of Lucozade.

Dragged what was left of myself up Ross Road behind a seemingly rejuvenated Mark, all to the accompaniment of the usual howls of disappointment and protest from the adjacent Selhurst Park. I too was home about 4.45 and pleased to have stayed dry.

Was completely worn out and had but foam for legs the next day, but enjoyed the day and am chuffed to have got some long, hard miles in. Cheers Paul for organising and navigating, and thanks to everyone else for an excellent day.
User avatar
adrian
lives on this board 24/7!!!
 
Posts: 1482
Joined: Sat Aug 16, 2003 10:56 am
Location: Bromley

Postby Toks » Mon Feb 26, 2007 2:34 pm

[quote]As Mark and I (we were now down to two) steeled ourselves for the ascent of South Norwood Hill, I began to feel more than a little bonky and had to plead for a food stop at a newsagent's. Mark duly obliged, nodding patiently as I warbled incoherently, eyes rolling maniacally, while simultaneously wolfing down two bars of chocolate and a bottle of Lucozade.
Excellent! I think that has to be report of the week Adrian. And your paragraphs were to die for! :D
Toks
lives on this board 24/7!!!
 
Posts: 4107
Joined: Thu Nov 13, 2003 10:17 pm
Location: Highbury, North London
Top

Next

Return to General

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 3 guests

cron