ECCA Newsletter

[mrP(Boonen)VT]

[quote]ECCA FESTIVAL, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, May 3rd, 4th and 5th
Six Time Trials – Two Road Races – One Map Reading Competition –
Two Randonnées, all of which count for the Festival Club Team Championship

Entries on the line for Map Reading. All other events close on April 15th.

Queries or Entries to Alan M. Osborne, 41 Applegarth Drive, Ilford, Essex, IG2 7TG.
Tel.: 020 8599 0455.

Further details in British Cycling and Cycling Time Trials National Handbooks or visit the ECCA website http://www.EasternCounties.org.uk

The Cambridgeshire Cycling Scene

Bill asked me to write a few words as I've lived here for 11 years, though my interests these days tend more to horses than cycle-racing.

Is Cambridgeshire flat? Hmm, draw an east-west line through Cambridge. South it's Club-Hut Country, mature trees, small hills. North it's flat, exposed bumpy roads with deep dykes alongside and huge sunken black peat arable prairies. And the wind! Cycling here may not be hilly but it includes every type of wind known to man: head, cross, gusty, horizontal and tornado.

I hear "the Hutch" is moving here. (Now in situ – Ed) I doubt he'll train along the A604 as Mr Cammish did in the 80s. The A604 is now the A14, a horrendously-heavily and HGV trafficked triple/dual carriageway, linking M11 to A1M, Felixstowe docks to the Midlands. Very few cyclists risk using the abysmally narrow "cycle lane" on left hand side and one was killed recently by a HGV.
The cycling club scene is good. My neighbour Ted Wells is well into his 70s but still gives "youngsters" a run for their money on training and reliability runs with the Cambridge (& Town) CC, http://www.cambridge-cycling-club.org.uk/

The University of Cambridge Cycling Club, http://www.srcf.ucam.org/cycling/ concentrates its efforts on Varsity (Cambridge versus Oxford) cycling competitions and the BUSA (student) championships.
The CTC has a strong presence with the Cambridge DA: http://www.ctc-cambridge.org.uk/

Track wise, Mildenhall grass track is almost Cambridgeshire and has launched many of our noted track riders, Victoria Pendleton being the latest. Women's cycling is still a poor relation to male cycling, despite how talented the rider (think of Beryl Burton's records) but Victoria is using her savvy to get publicity and sponsorship she deserves.
Race-wise, Bottisham is the fast out-and-back course but Comberton is the more interesting rectangular circuit for both testers and readies. All the clubs have well-supported mountain-biking sections and the county has the Gog Magog Park and many droves, usually involving water crossings, for added interest.

Vociferous within the city is Cambridge Cycle Campaign (CCC), which campaigns for well- designed cycle routes and facilities. The County Council makes much of having miles of "cycle paths"
but these are usually the existing narrow pavements in villages with a cycle path sign added among all the other furniture on the pavement: parked cars, driveways, bus shelters, mums and prams, so
navigating among it all is a nightmare. But if you dare cycle in the road alongside one of these "cycle paths", you will be frequently run off the road, shunted or sworn at by passing motorists.

A big current project is converting the disused St lves-Cambridge rail line into a "guided bus way". It will have an 18km maintenance track alongside so wearing my horsey bridleway hat) I persuaded Sustrans' Nigel Brigham and Cycle Campaign's Jim Chisholm to join forces with me and ask the Council "Can we use this track?" Initial agreement has led to five years of meetings between us and the Council to thrash out the detail of surfacing, crossings, lighting and signage. It should open in 2009, so I'll have a safe motorist-free cycle commute to work and a safe off road road to ride the neddy on too.
Sue Rogers (née Fenwick)
Female-Tuggo in baggy tracksuit and trainers on a far-too-nice Roberts tourer

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RETURN TO TRIKE CRITERIUMS

After a gap of 35 years due to work, domestic duties, etc and after spending some money on my Higgins Ultralite to bring it up-to-date. I decided as I could get the required British Cycling Licence free that I would have a go at a few trike Criteriums again after a gap of 3 5 years.
The first one I entered was the Ixworth one in May 2007; this is a little village not far from Bury St Edmunds. The circuit was fairly good but had one very dodgy comer for those on three wheels. I did a few laps warm up and circuit familiarisation and lined up near to the front. I was pleasantly surprised that I could keep up with the younger faster riders for at least 2 laps I then settled down to a more comfortable pace with a chasing group, unfortunately disaster was lurking in the form of a puncture. Luckily I got round the dodgy bend and then the front tyre went down spectacularly wrapping it self round the front forks and bringing me to a grinding halt much to my relief this did not cause any problems for any of the other riders.

My next attempt was on the 8th of July at Hyde Park as part of the Tour De France Celebrations there were several races around Hyde Park. It meant an early start and driving up to London, my wife came as moral support. The circuit was in my opinion better than Ixworth and only had a mildly hairy right hand bend, but there was a hard climb on the back straight. The race started off at quite a fast pace as Ralph Dadswell was riding I had not gone that fast for about 35 years and lasted about three laps with the fast group. Unfortunately as there were about 36 riders it was a bit Ben Hurish at times someone locked wheel nuts with my inside driving wheel and shredded a few spokes I do not think it was deliberate. I dropped back from the leading group at this stage as I was in danger of blowing up due to the effort and also to check on my wheel. After taking a breather I latched onto the back of the next group and amazingly the wheel held up allowing me to finish sprinting for 17fh place. The atmosphere was really great and I had my wife, daughter and her husband cheering me on this was greatly appreciated.

My next race was at Warwick and before riding this I rode the Southern Sportive, a really hard one as I rode on my ancient Keniston 1968 vintage. The Criterium, in comparison was easy; the circuit was really fast with no bad corners. Due to confusion amongst the officials the race was only 5 laps long but I found to my surprise that I was near to the front and for me was going quite fast I ended sprinting at the finish and gained 6* place having really enjoyed the race.

I have found that Trike Association members have an infectious enthusiasm and there is a good camaraderie amongst all participants at whatever level you are. Trike Criteriums are quite entertaining for the crowd as when cornering you often end up sitting on one of the rear wheels to ensure that it stays in contact with the road surface, speed drift on corners adds to the spectacle.
Ian Mackenzie
Southend Wheelers

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Membership
Fakenham Premier CC have ceased membership (Believed now extinct)