CR - Saturday 8th November

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CR - Saturday 8th November

Postby Keith » Sat Nov 08, 2008 4:52 pm

Well that was a little damp, but it's [size=200]great[/size] to be back on the bike after my crash and injury.
:D :D :D :D :D :D

Chloe's new pink dream machine made it's debut at CSS. A Cervelo S3 (I think) in, er, pink. I seriously want one, although perhaps in a different colour.

I decided that the best way to keep warm was to go with the Training Group. Strongest amongst us was Sylv. So strong that we left him out on the front for an unagreeably long time. Sorry Sylv. :oops: I was in second wheel and suffering with almost as much of a headwind as him. Sylv just doesn't give you that nice hole in the air that, say, Marek provides.

My first sprint on my new winter training frame. A bit scary to be honest when properly wound up for the Charlwood signs. The bike is so heavy, and there's so much rotating mass in the wheels that it feels like an oil tanker just when you want it to be most agile. :shock: No surprises, Slyv took the win.

Normally going with the Training Group guarantees you no queue, and the choice of seats in the cafe, but everyone else seemed to have taken a short cut. :roll:

Lovely tailwind home and a social ride with Michelle.
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Re: CR - Saturday 8th November

Postby -Adam- » Sat Nov 08, 2008 5:34 pm

Good to see you out again fella. I meant to PM you during the week to see how you were getting on... Ok then, I take it?
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Re: CR - Saturday 8th November

Postby Andrew G » Sat Nov 08, 2008 5:57 pm

[quote="John the old'un"]Reckon around 30 to 40 turned out to brave the inclement weather today.
I fully expected no one to be interested in a slow group but was pleasantly surprised to find three others keen to take it easy today.
The group of 4 comprised EdO along with his "other half" Aurelia, Bridget, and myself. I believe Aurelia was on only her second outing with the club and so needed to take it steady, which suited me fine.
Well, we all got absolutely drenched, but soldiered on, taking a short cut over Norwood Hill past the Fox Revived, to get to the cafe before most of the others. Crafty move eh!! :P
After a shorter stop than usual we started the return journey minus Bridget who went back with her Dad, but her place was taken by Marilyn who joined us for the return trip. Luck was with us as we enjoyed a bit of a gap in the rain. However it was chucking it down again before we got back to Coulsdon.
It seemed the puncture gremlin was out today too as we passed loads of guys stopped with a wheel out. I reckoned we were lucky today...........more shortly.!!
Good safe trip back and was at home in the bath by 1 o'clock.
Got changed, and thought I would give the bike a bit of TLC and what did I find? A flat front tyre!!!!
Picked up a small bit of grit which had only just penetrated the tube. Who's a lucky boy then??!!
All in all a great ride. Most Agreeable. :D :D :D :D :D

Must have been a post cross-over so put this in here as there was already a reply.
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Re: CR - Saturday 8th November

Postby Keith » Sat Nov 08, 2008 6:08 pm

[quote="-Adam-"].... to see how you were getting on... Ok then, I take it?


Yep, ankle is still improving. I'm doing specific exercises at the gym to try & strengthen it up.

I only really feel my ankle when uncleating, and when sprinting - but you know how it is.... the finishing line is approaching, you're feeling pretty good, you position youself behind those leading out early, you see the line and you give it all you've got. :lol:
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Re: CR - Saturday 8th November

Postby -Adam- » Sat Nov 08, 2008 6:10 pm

[quote="Keith"]I only really feel my ankle when uncleating, and when sprinting - but you know how it is.... the finishing line is approaching, you're feeling pretty good, you position youself behind those leading out early, you see the line and you give it all you've got. :lol:


I know exactly how it is! 8)
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Re: CR - Saturday 8th November

Postby Andrew G » Sat Nov 08, 2008 6:13 pm

Utterly butterly 18s last week, bit of a kindergarten today :roll: . Not going to dwell though I just stuck to my steady 18s on my fixie and most people behaved themselves :) . Spent a fair amount of time up front and it was certainly a nasty head wind on the out leg. Whenever it felt like I was having to push the gear a bit I just thought sweet thought about the tail wind the return would have.

Was going to continue on to Paul's but it was so wet I really didn't want to stop in wet clothes. Personally I'm not a fan of stopping once I'm wet as it's not much fun sitting about in wet clothes and neither very hygienic or good for avoiding colds (sorry Paul, tried to call through hope you got the message).

Ben picked up a puncture just before the cafe so I waited while he fixed it before the pair of us set straight off. Much easier on the way back and was more like just sitting there with the bike doing all the work. Stopped briefly by Bike+ (Ben had eaten through his brake pads) before continuing on for home.

A very wet day and a fairly hard ride with the head wind out. Great to see that the CR can still attract about 40 people out on such a grim day. Fair play to Aurelia, I know I'd have stayed under the duvet rather than join the fray for only the first or second time.
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Re: CR - Saturday 8th November

Postby Sylv » Sat Nov 08, 2008 6:48 pm

I had to get up early this morning and so as it was pretty nice out there at 7.30am was getting myself ready for a pre-clubrun spin ... then it started chucking down - so I left it as late as possible leaving home (9.05). On the way to CSS it was feeling horrible with that headwind and driving rain, I was wondering whether on the way back I could think that it had been a great ride and that it was all worth it - well yet it was :D

[quote="Keith"] So strong that we left him out on the front for an unagreeably long time. Sorry Sylv

That must have been the longest turn in acc history :lol: Lazy sods! Usually I would just start freewheeling until someone would dain offer help, but I was interested in seeing how long I could keep it up. I was doing some lab-like wind tunnel testing of my position to get as aero as possible (which got Marek complaining :lol: ). We got to that nasty drag just before the hills before Rusper, and in a last-ditch effort I got out of the saddle to try and get away. Didn't work, so I readied myself for the climb. Still no-one coming past.

Then lo and behold Paul H slingshots past me apologising "sorry Sylv", I jumped away and incredibly managed to get back onto his wheel, it was just the two of us and I knew now there was not a chance in the world I would take a turn a turn at the front before the final rise ... Even if Paul tried to swing to the side to let me pass :lol: It was a bit cruel but got me to the top way ahead in the end. I was going to wait for the others but then Paul came through attacking again, so I followed suit and we had a great duo ride all the way to the dual carriageway, each one of us getting to the top of one of the climbs first. Paul had said he'd be taking it easy as he was planning to run in the afternoon, but that seemed to go out of the window completely :D I bet he was glad not to be doing the Ballbuster though.

I think Marek and a couple others took the short way so it was a reduced group of five for the thru-and-off, tailwind was great. Joining the lanes again I was wondering what effect Paul's Powercranks would have on his sprint, but he said they weren't turned on, acting like normal cranks, so I was reassured it would be a bit safer :lol: Had another good fight with Paul, fair and square side by side, but I was out of the saddle while he was still sitting down - I always find that very impressive.

Blimey! I thought, how fast do we have to go to get the seats near the radiators in the café - that's out of order! :wink: Had to stand up shivering. Paul Hal and I left super late so we only caught a few small groups, we weren't hanging around though, we lost Hal at some point. Also saw loads of punctured people, and Kasper walking his bike in Purley who I was told afterwards had a close encounted with a van - he seemed ok when I saw him though. Finished the ride off with some spinning practice along the A23. Great ride then despite the elements. Well done to Aodan Tim and a few others who did the off-road ride, there were loads of mtbs outside the café (including a nice small Orbéa (I think)).

Oh and yes Chloé's bike is very very pink! [img]http://www.ragebox.com/dts/images/smilies/wolfeyes.gif[/img]
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Re: CR - Saturday 8th November

Postby Marek » Sat Nov 08, 2008 8:34 pm

I had a good fun ride today as well, funny how the elements don't really dampen the fun. I bought along a mate of mine who is a handy Ironman and we had a great ride up from East Grinstead bumping into Michelle and Keith on the way. Keith took us up White Hill on the way which was a bit slippy but a nice warm up. We managed to just about rush down a coffee in Regalinos before starting the club run, and eyeing up Chloe's new toy.

As we came out of CSS with a pretty good sized training group my mate seemed to drop off, I had informed him that if the pace was too hot to wait for the next group, and I thought this is what he was doing. In actual fact he got a very early puncture. His pump was at home and his co2 cannister managed to blow up nothing. I later found out he ended up walking back to Regalino's and his wife picked him up at about 12ish, just when I was getting home. Whoops.

I was really enjoying the club run, I was sharing a few turns with Sylv and Paul at the front, but only problem was that Sylv offers the protection of a nibless condom. Have to admit that Sylv did seem super strong today which was good to see. Ah well all good fun until I punctured at Newdigate. No one waited (I think we should have a chat about club run ethics at some point chaps) so I fixed it up and then managed to jump onto Monty's group. They took a short cut to the cafe which was fine by me, but then I felt like I had been shortchanged so tried to get back to the training group before the sprint. Unfortunately as they went past me the other way some traffic was coming so I could not turn quick enough to get back onto them for the sprint.

Quick cuppa and a chat with Paul H and then off home. TT'd it the quick way and got in at just after 12ish. All in all great fun, and good practice for early season wet races.

Cheers

Marek.....
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Re: CR - Saturday 8th November

Postby EdO » Sat Nov 08, 2008 9:18 pm

Thanks John for the ride. Good luck for next year, you're looking in great shape fella.

Despite the weather, we had a good time today. :) :)

I think Aurelia was pleased to make the effort and I'd like to thank everyone for their words of encouragement.
Second time out and this time she's got a new bike after I got my Bottechia 8) 8) . That was the deal. The kids are on bread and water for the next year but heh.....we've got new bikes !!!

We left a wet Couldson and proceeded up the hill. Thankfully this wasn't too eventful just intimidating going at slower pace on the A23. Especially moving into the right hand lane. Can't we dig a tunnel round there or something ?

We got to the golf course and was about to move round a huge puddle on our side of the road when a car coming the other way didn't stop. What a numpty!!! It was a pretty hairy moment and we had to pull up hard. Aurelia forgot she was still in the pedals and just landed on her side. Ouch!! No damage done and back on.

We carried on through the rain and everytime I would optimistically say "it's definitely clearing up" the wind would pick up and the rain would start-up again. :cry: :cry: :cry:

John gave us the option, so we took the short cut to the cafe and was there before the queue. :wink: Cheese and ham toastie, bread pudding, one tea and one coffee.....damn fine food. Good natter too.

As John said on the return leg we were joined by Marilyn. There was a break in the bad weather and things were looking up. Got past Reigate and once again the rain started.

I've got some serious bike cleaning (x2 now) to do but will probably wait till tomorrow.


Cheers. :D :D :D :D :D
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Re: CR - Saturday 8th November

Postby Alan M » Sat Nov 08, 2008 9:37 pm

[quote="Marek"]Sylv offers the protection of a nibless condom.


Unlike Marek whose nib is more than adequate!

I went with the 18s and it was a reasonably sensible ride except that Casper seemed to have an excess of energy and wanted to inject pace into the group. We tried to fool him into going the wrong way but he doubled back on us and finally took off through the Lambs Green Lanes pulling Ajay along with him and thus securing Ajay's first sprint win this decade.

The real sprint was played out among the usual suspects and I believe that Adam lost to Steve - one of his (Adam's) less defining moments, so probably worth noting against the ultimate fulfilment his emerging elite/pro career.

Rode home with Bridget and on balance enjoyed the morning more than suffered it.
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Re: CR - Saturday 8th November

Postby Andrew G » Sat Nov 08, 2008 10:08 pm

[quote="Marek"]I think we should have a chat about club run ethics at some point chaps

Fair comment. At least one person should stop with a puncture victim so that a) they have some company on the club run (if there was no social element then we'd all go out riding on our own), and b) you can share the work for the next leg of the club run (cafe / or back to CSS). Even if they say they are fine I think someone should wait, particularly in weather like today's, as people will always say they are okay. Who's going to say "Yes I want you to stop and wait with me" when asked that question.
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Re: CR - Saturday 8th November

Postby djembi » Sat Nov 08, 2008 11:44 pm

Too right andrew, it is only the club run, it is not a race, we are only a bunch of amateurs cycling on the roads of surrey, if anyone thinks any differently then they are seriously deluded :?
Last edited by djembi on Sun Nov 09, 2008 12:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: CR - Saturday 8th November

Postby Sylv » Sat Nov 08, 2008 11:48 pm

Didn't realise you'd punctured Marek (what with being at the front and all that ... :wink: ). I wouldn't have liked to be left on my own in such a case today as I'd forgotten my pump!
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Re: CR - Saturday 8th November

Postby Paul H » Sun Nov 09, 2008 1:03 am

[quote]Too right andrew, it is only the club run, it is not a race, we are only a bunch of amateurs cycling on the roads of surrey, if anyone thinks any differently then they are seriosly deluded


Obviously you must think this about the Training Group and yes you are seriously deluded.

Like Sylv, I was not aware Marek punctured. The number of riders in the Training Group can thin out as we go along so it is hard to keep track of everybody.
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Re: CR - Saturday 8th November

Postby -Adam- » Sun Nov 09, 2008 2:45 am

[quote="Marek"]I think we should have a chat about club run ethics at some point chaps


Ah the age old puncture problem... with most non-acc groups I ride with, some body punctures... everybody stops. Simple.

There's a few other club run ethics that could be addressed too mind...
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