Saturday's accident

[Alan M]

Does anyone know how Robin was after his fall on Saturday?

[Steve B]

Get well soon Robin.
Hope there's not too much damage to yourself , or your bike.

Coast ride next saturday sounds good Monty, any details yet?

[Alan M]

[quote]a STEADY ride to the
coast as a prep for Mallorca

[Andrew G]

Robin, hope you're well and back on the bike soon. The amount of craters (potholes doesn't do justice to most of the chucks that seem to be missing from most of Surrey's lanes at the moment) is alarming. It seems worse week by week.

I remember from last year we did the normal CR route to Newdigate and then swung right to join the Box Hill return run route. We used Ryka's as a cafe but it might be better to use the one at the top of Box, although more expensive as climbing up the hill straight after a rest and grub wasn't the easiest. The actual route worked well though, but need to watch for potholes on the first stretch of road off the top of Box.

Re the sprint I tried to moot a lead out a while ago but sadly it seemed short on takers. Without moving the sprint point to a straighter road I think that's the best bet. All it would need is someone to forgo a sprint that week to wind the pace up and string riders out. It's only that no-one wants to be on the front that causes the bunching.

All it would need is an agreement to rotate lead out man/woman from week to week. It would be fair as people would be able to sprint if they wanted at least 7 out of 8 weeks.

No cafe this coming Saturday as it's closed, but I would be happy to lead out after that.

[Alex P]

This was indeed an unfortunate accident and could have happened to any of us (although I was not in the sprint at that time) and easy to see how much easier it can happen in the sprint especially as your focus is elsewhere taking your concentration off the road.

Communication is the answer but always tricky in these circumstances as you do not really want to take your hand of the handlebars to point to the hole and shouting 'hole' may not be much use (if it is heard) but could alert other riders.

I agree with Alan, another run would be safer but difficult to find one at an opportune location on the CR (both sprint choices into Charlwood suffer the same hazards)

Until we sort some thing else out I will reinforce the use of communication at the start of the club runs and advise extra care on the sprints.

[Stu Merckx Man]

i think thats the one i reported to that pothole website a few weeks ago...

[Robh]

Perhaps potholes should be also posted on here so people were aware and also mentioned on the day of the CR by each group leader perhaps seeing that the route is the same each week.

[Hal]

Robin, hope you are one the mend, that was a nasty fall.

Yes the hole has been reported on the fillthathole.org.uk site on the 7th march, good job stu.

Communication can certainly help, so lets keep calling them out.

H

[-Adam-]

Yeah get better quick robin. Crashes are never good!

Well whilst i agree that the sprints are a little dodgy sometimes, they are nothing out of the ordinary compared to a race. And there in lies my point, its just a clubrun, and some people just seem to forget that as soon as they swing off the dual carriageway (which i think is the most dangerous part of the clubrun when in a less experienced group). It is a lot to do with experience, i dont know robin, so i am not trying to infer anything, and sometimes hitting a pothole is just one of those things. But the pint im trying to make is the sprints are perfectly ok if...

a. all concerned remember its just a bit of fun, not a race
b. concentrate fully on what they and those around them are doing
and c. dont take the piss, dont try to put people off, swerve, lean on people, or do anyhthing else that even the pro's get DQd for in a race.

Consideration and Awarness for all around you is what keeps it safe(ish), it is a risky buisiness riding on the queens highway sometimes.

Oh yeah, and DONT forget the cars coming the other way!

Safe riding!

[Alex P]

I spoke to the Police who arrived at the Cafe after the incident on Saturday and they said that they would report the pot hole to the council to repair. I believe that they have a responsibility to do so if there has been an incident....

There is another "frame breaker" pot hole on route down where Joanne managed to wreck a tube and tyre but difficult to pin point exactly where it is so I cannot pass on other than call it out when I'm on the run...

[Alan M]

There seems to be a good line in the road on the way back just before Newdigate, but I am not sure from which direction but it is preceded by a long slightly winding flat section with good line of view in both directions and happens before the village. The group I was with used it today and we had already split into a chasing and front group from about a mile out and it made a perfect ending to a good morning out. We also tend to do mini sprints along the way to any and every hill and signpost which also creates some interest.

[Jim B]

Glad to hear that no permanent damage done - a few scars do wonders for cycling credibility. At least the pot hole should get filled in now.

I agree 100% with Adams post. Its only a signpost. Some people are all over the place trying to get in position and then sprint as if its a closed road. All the training value is in the miles before Charlwood.

Monty makes a good point about group sizes. Large groups inevitably lose fluidity as people miss turns etc.. They are also difficult for cars to pass which spurs them into dubious maneouvres after they have been stuck behind for a while.

[Marek]

Hey, sprinting and bunny hopping competition all in one, sounds like the Charlwood sprint is about to get more interesting.

Cheers

Marek....

[mrP(Boonen)VT]

Glad to hear Robin's not too badly injured.

Last time I sprinted into Charlwood, was on the tandem, when we led out and no-one got past and that seemed to work OK.

There is a slightly different route that you could take towards the end of the route that I have used before, Turn Right into Bonnetts Lane (after the second RBT once off the DC. Turn left at the T junction along the back of the airport, then Left back up into Charlwood. Slightly longer but dare I say safer.

Andrew, I have posted a ride on Sat at 8:00 at CSS around the Surrey Lanes on Saturday morning, but have to be back by 1:00pm. Will you join me?
Paul