[clm]

world track champs on 2 in 10

[clm]

the cat was brilliant. Everyone clearly had the sap rising it being spring and all and it bitched along close to 20 mph from the start. Bad idea as the climbs were way sharper than expected. Back onto the plain and everyone took off again. Ouch. The last hour was torrid. My! some people spend a lot of money on bikes.

[tlr]

Good effort, it was a bit bloody windy today to be riding that far in my opinion; I only did a few km round the Paek and it felt like very hard work.

[SteveM]

the cat was brilliant. Everyone clearly had the sap rising it being spring and all and it bitched along close to 20 mph from the start. Bad idea as the climbs were way sharper than expected. Back onto the plain and everyone took off again. Ouch. The last hour was torrid. My! some people spend a lot of money on bikes.

Wasn't it just! Went too hard in the first quarter but slogged up Mow Cop all the same after a handy pause at the bottom to wait for the level crossing to open. Pacing was better in the middle section though I was out on my own doing battle with the headwind until I caught the wheel of a group as they came back at me after I'd passed them earlier  Worked well with them for the last 35 miles, learnt loads more about group dynamics and about what effort I can sustain.

Saw a lot of bling, including some stunning Cervelo/Zipp combinations. But equally some great examples of it being all about the engine. My group included a six time Ironman who was riding a pink and blue 20 year old mountain bike frame with 18 gears and slicks. He turned as many heads as the bling did :-)

And I finally found a saddle that doesn't leave me crying in the verge     Time to get the new bike out and replicate the same effort in training...

[clm]

 my favourite was a mercian with a carbon rear tringle. Mmmm. Not sure im into Ti though. There was a hell of a lot of it around.
And ditto. Never been in a big group before. Brilliant fun. Killed all the wind.

[clm]

times out. 4.57ish. Very pleased with that as poorly prepared and the hills were well slow. Loads of people must have got carried away in the sunshine and hammered it off and blown. I was slower than loads to the first feed but steadily made up places after that. Big sportives are cool.

[SteveM]

 

5:58 on the road here. I obviously need some more practice...



or a new bike.

Oh, what's that in the corner of the living room

 

[clm]

have you checked the spreadsheet? They take off your times in the feed stations for you.
My road bike was £370 new. I felt so ashamed.

[SteveM]

Yep, that's the time with rest stations subtracted, though I didn't stop for longer than it took to find a water tap and grab a handful of munchies. I was on my winter bike too (but that's not an excuse  ). Just looked at the forecast for today and I'm off to grab a bit of dampish tarmac between the showers for the gallium's maiden voyage.

[chappers]

My road bike was £370 new. I felt so ashamed.

that is the exact opposite of how you should feel. you should be proud that you would have blasted the times of people on titanium and carbon racing machines suitable for le tour...but alas they also carry the belly of someone who doesn't ride enough to warrant owning such a bike.

well done.


(just setting off on a ride now, looks a bit windy out!).

[Yossarian]

I rode my old Colnago in to work today with the original pedals and clips (with rather spiffing old Colnago shoe) in preparation for tomorrow's Tweed Run.

I don't know whether it's because I'm a retard, but it's pretty tricky to flip the pedal round to get ones foot into the second pedal once moving, and the clip cage drags along the ground otherwise making an awful noise.  The flipping is the crux - any suggestions appreciated what...

[webbo]

i think this is one of those things that the more you concentrate on doing, the shitter you get.you've got to sort of do it without thinking.

[Yossarian]

So a bit like fisting then...?

I think if I had cleats on the shoes it would help. There's not much to flip the little tab on the pedal with.

I will try more of a Jedi approach on the way home. Feel the force flow through me, etc.

Looks like it's going to be an awesome run tomorrow.  I had to win a bloody caption competition to get our tickets - they sold out in a couple of hours when it went on-line apparently.

Tally ho what...

[chappers]

bets i placed on cycling instead of horses:

cancellara to win roubaix.
boonen to win roubaix.

lets see what happens...

in other news did we all ride yesterday? amazing! and i can recommend the goyt valley (links nicely to the cat and fiddle - long hill for a circuit around buxton). beautiful! and i saw a toad carrying another toad on its back.
85km - 3hrs20, roasting hot sun and loads of climbs. woooo!

off to malham to get my arse kicked...

[chappers]

question:
the frogatt hill climb challenge...from the bottom of the road to the pub right? or all the way to the top (road junction)?
what is a respectable time?

cheers.

[Percy B]

Give way lines at the junction at the bottom to the give way lines at the junction at the top.  It does ease after the pub, but stop your clock when you hit the top. The target time for those who can 'do a bit' is sub 15 mins, but anything sub 18 mins is reasonable really in my opinion.

[clm]

bets i placed on cycling instead of horses:

cancellara to win roubaix.
boonen to win roubaix.

lets see what happens...

in other news did we all ride yesterday? amazing! and i can recommend the goyt valley (links nicely to the cat and fiddle - long hill for a circuit around buxton). beautiful! and i saw a toad carrying another toad on its back.
85km - 3hrs20, roasting hot sun and loads of climbs. woooo!

off to malham to get my arse kicked...

Can you do a clever multimap type thingy? In fact can anyone work out how we can have a nice road bike rides thread. Like with actual directions.

[fatkid2000]

Give way lines at the junction at the bottom to the give way lines at the junction at the top.  It does ease after the pub, but stop your clock when you hit the top. The target time for those who can 'do a bit' is sub 15 mins, but anything sub 18 mins is reasonable really in my opinion.

First ride up the challenge this year this morning - 16min 45. Pretty pleased as I've not really ridden much for a few months.

There were plenty of people out on posh bikes today. The pick included a Spesh Tarmac SL4 with lightweight wheelset and a cervelo R3-sl.

[Percy B]

Can you do a clever multimap type thingy? In fact can anyone work out how we can have a nice road bike rides thread. Like with actual directions.

This site is quite good for route planning, etc.... http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/
And very handy if you have one of those fancy garmin computers...

[chappers]

thanks,
i did 12:30 to the pub thinking that was it, then pushed on for the top when i thought "surely they dont stop before the top" in 17:09.

ill have a propper go at at soon to go sub 17 (should be easy i think as didnt really try hard this time).

ill try and draw a bike toaster route for the goyt valley...

[Percy B]

Traditionally (in my case) the Froggatt hill is done at the end of a ride of at least 50 miles in order to maximise the pain, and to ensure that a sub 15 minute time is almost impossible. For me a sub 15 minute time is only possible if I ride up there completely fresh nowadays!

[chappers]

yeah, id done 40 miles, just down to hathersage, and over the gliding club to tideswell from there. i guess ill have to do it now starting in manchester....the pain!

[clm]

cheers chappers, id envisaged getting to the cat via styal, wilsmlow, alderly edge. Good low teaffic way out of the city. Goyt back?

[Obi-Wan is lost...]

Did a nice 25mile route yesterday afternoon through the sunshine and showers. Finished up Froggett (intentionally not timing it), got to the top, biking along Stony Ridge Road in the sun with a double rainbow in front of me and Blind Lemon 'No Rain' comes on the iPod. 

[nik at work]

Isn't it Blind Melon?