Club Run Report 10 Nov

[Jon C C on a Bianchi]

Not sure where the reports are for this week? Confusing topic titled CR 10/11/07 about Big Ears and Noddy.

In a while crocodile...

Anyway, I rode with the 'seventeens' as usual. Sam was back on a bike for the first time since breaking his arm a month ago - wincing in pain with every bumped, but you can't keep a good man (or boy in this case) down.

Jon and Tim sorted us out before the start. Too many of us for one group so we were split 50/50 - 12 in the first group and 9 (including sam and I) in the second. (Maths is not their strong point.)

I had my register with me.

They held us back for several minutes and Jon gave us strict instructions that we were NOT to catch the first group under any circumstances!


We caught them just before Reigate.


No regroup the other side of Reigate so I didn't get to take my register or do a head count!

Group now 22 strong (we were joined by one other), going fast and having fun.

Sam however really started to feel the pain in his arm and the lack of riding over the last 4 weeks and started to drop off the back. A double whammy - as you know it's so much harder riding at the back of a group as you've got to get back on after every junction, waiting for cars etc

Tried to tow him back - stayed in sight of the group most of the way and so nearly got back on a couple of times.

Then his computer fell off right by Rusper Golf Club and we had to stop and give up the chase.

We clocked an average speed of just over 18 mph to this point .

Thought about waiting for the 15s but that would have meant waiting at least an hour! We pootled the last 2/3 miles to the cafe and arrived having done exactly 17 mph average.

Huge piece of chocolate cake for Sam and then we left early anticipating a very long ride home!

Massive group of riders stormed past us - just like the T de F - going like a train! WOW! Hello, Big Mike - long time no see!

Talking trains...we gave up and took the train from Redhill and rode home from East Croydon!

[Amy]

[quote]They held us back for several minutes and Jon gave us strict instructions that we were NOT to catch the first group under any circumstances!

We caught them just before Reigate.

[John the old'un]

Crazy.
Jon says his 17 group had averaged 18 to Rusper.
Amy said she struggled to keep her group to the AGREED 17 mph, and gave up when no one listened.
What on earth is this all about?
Is Saturday a club run or not?
If the group you go with is 17 then why try to rip it up? If you want to go faster then go with a faster group.
Why wreck the ride for others because you want to show off??
If what you want is a training group or chain gang, then I'm sure that can be arranged.
We already have a Training group which attracts the really fast men (and girls), but maybe some members would like a slower training group.
If so then SAY SO. Don't wreck someone elses clubrun.
Rant over !!!!

[Jon C C on a Bianchi]

Amy

If you can't control a club run then nobody can!

John

Despite everything we enjoyed the ride. Sam was anticipating a tough time - which he got - but he was just glad to be back on his bike. In normal circumstances 18 mph wouldn't have been problem for him.

That said, I totally agree with you people should be moving up but I've said my piece on average times in a previous thread and will say no more. I'm worried that I'll get a reputation for being a bit of a killjoy!

anyway best wishes

Jon

[MJ_1993]

yh, there was a time when some kid who'd just recovered from a crash, decided to take it easy in the 15s, and ended spending the whole journey to the cafe on the front, and because of him, the 15s caught the 16s and I think dropped them.

But the boy, did ease off when people needed a breather, and decided to breakaway, and off he went at 20mph halfway down partridge.

Do you remember Marco?

[Alan M]

Grateful thanks to all those who helped Bridget with her fall this weekend It seems that she really she is trying to emulate her father!! I haven´t spoken to her yet but I gather she isn´t deterred but was clearly shaken up by the experience. Thanks again.

Alan

[Toks]

[quote="Amy"]We did catch a couple of red lights but I was trying to work on the basis that on the flats it should be about the 17mph mark, slower on the uphills and faster on the downhills. I had about 17.5mph on my computer at Reigate...

[Jon C C on a Bianchi]

what happened to Brigette? is she OK

[Steve B]

What is it with the PC brigade
Blimey its not going to kill anyone for them to ride 1mph faster than the listed speed Anyway everyone knows that the groups tend to ride faster than that advertised, so its not rocket science to work out that if you don't want to ride any faster than dead on 18mph, go in the 17's, simple, I've just worked out the answer to the ultimate question . Brilliant

Surely the '17 group' means 17-18mph, the '18 group' means 18-19mph and so on. Or is 17.9 too fast for a 17 group. Come on guys, lets not get hung up about speeds being 1mph too fast, we all know the score

Marco, Johns J4F group hasn't got a set speed, so how will you know if it's going too fast anyway?


Question;
What group do people ride in who; feel they want to go in the 18 group but will get dropped, so, at some point during the club run, in the 17's, want to push the pace up a bit (say up through the trees to Rusper), so they can improve themselves for maybe riding in the 18's next week
Ok, someone may get shot out the back for a bit, but should the rest of the group be held back on the off chance that this might happen?
Or do they keep to 17 exactly, never increasing the speed, and never move up because they've never experienced what it feels like to push themselves, and don't feel confident to do so as a result

Why do we all ride our bikes Answer; because we all love doing it. We're all the same, but all different at the same time. What I want to get out of a club run is different to the next man/woman, and the next man/woman, but we all ride the same route and end up at the same place

So, go in whatever group suits your needs, a slower one if you think you cant hack the pace in the faster one, enjoy it, keep safe and lets put and end to all this moaning

Steve

Now where's that bunker

[jon avery]

Here! Here!

[jon avery]

Here! Here!

[huw williams]

They're bandits that 17 group - they take no prisoners

[Amy]

Oh yes, Mr Avery... you were one of the main culprits with your "I must get home by a certain time". Couldn't seem to get you off the front for a long while.

And "here! here!"? what's where? Oh I see, you mean hear! hear!
(sorry just getting in before the 'official' pedants get there )

Banditta (or something like that)

[jon avery]

Hey i had no computer on my bike! ( That's my excuse and i'm sticking to it!)

[Tony]

The issue here is due to change of pace and not average speed, right? A 1mph speed increase from 17-18mph when sitting in a group riding streadily should not make much real difference. It simply means staying off the front of the group if the pace is a little high or easing back a bit when you do get to the front.

Maybe one or two of the the middle or slower-paced groups should be declared as being "consistently steady" in which any pace changes are frowned upon. Other groups do their normal thing - plus there's quicker groups for those wanting to "large it up". It's also worth remembering that in any group, some small variation in pace should be expected, if not encouraged - it's not good for anyone to be a completely one-paced rider. It's just a question of getting the balance right for each group....