Weekend Social Rides

stuaff

DonDaddyD wrote:

I saw a Prince in Edwards today...

Nice bikes but they're becoming a little like Porsche/Ferrari/Lambo/Aston Martin's everyone who wants a 'Super-cycle' gets one.... :roll: A little like the Cervelo Man as well as the Colnago and De Rosa Dudes...

Nah who am I kidding, if I had the money I'd sell my soul to be in that crowd!!!!

Round here, Viners seem to be top of the tree, see a lot of them about- but then Pompey does have a well-regarded dealer (my LBS, Velocity Bikes). Was in there today, they've got an X-Plus, Perfecta, Magnifica and Maxima forming a rather nice wall display. Maxima is unfortunately- for my taste- lime green (eeuch). I would of course be delighted to take it off their hands, when I win the lottery

DonDaddyD

When is the next Mopeth drinks guys, I need to listen/talk bike with people who know more about bikes than I.

StuAff wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

I saw a Prince in Edwards today...

Nice bikes but they're becoming a little like Porsche/Ferrari/Lambo/Aston Martin's everyone who wants a 'Super-cycle' gets one.... :roll: A little like the Cervelo Man as well as the Colnago and De Rosa Dudes...

Nah who am I kidding, if I had the money I'd sell my soul to be in that crowd!!!!

Round here, Viners seem to be top of the tree, see a lot of them about- but then Pompey does have a well-regarded dealer (my LBS, Velocity Bikes). Was in there today, they've got an X-Plus, Perfecta, Magnifica and Maxima forming a rather nice wall display. Maxima is unfortunately- for my taste- lime green (eeuch). I would of course be delighted to take it off their hands, when I win the lottery

Come to London, visit us at the Mopeth and we'll introduce you to LiTs perhaps she'll let you have a go on her Maxima... :shock: (There is a joke in there, surely? Where is Don_Don?)

Of course it does, Italian engineering innit!

On a "all art is subjective to the individual" level I think that they look nice in their own rights, the two Shimano and Campag perfectly express the cultural influence of the Country them stem from:

Shimano/Japan: Always looking for technological steps forward.

Campag/Italian: Dipped deeply within the passion of detailed design.

Their looks also perfectly express their functionality. I.e.

The polished metal look of Shimano's top end groupsets convey the impression of smoothness perfectly expressing how each gear is intended to shift.

Campag's use of carbon and the stiffness attributed to it coupled to the detail in design within every Campag groupset, perfectly conveys the impression that shifting a campag gear is a moment of true passion....

(wow where did that come from).

That, said I've never used Campag, never knew it existed before August 2008 but due to heavy western influences, my god it looks sexy. I'd buy an Italian bike just to put Campag on it.... :shock:

Christophe3967

cjcp wrote:

Christophe3967 wrote:

jashburnham wrote:

Fooking hell, that's a beast.

Anyone tempted?

May ain't that far off really.

Very

+1

I've got permission to do this now. The website doesn't tell you how many slots are still available, but there are some. Hope the weather's kind. 8)

cjcp

Christophe3967 wrote:

cjcp wrote:

Christophe3967 wrote:

jashburnham wrote:

Fooking hell, that's a beast.

Anyone tempted?

May ain't that far off really.

Very

+1

I've got permission to do this now. The website doesn't tell you how many slots are still available, but there are some. Hope the weather's kind. 8)

I've not yet raised the issue. I don't know whether to do so before or after Mother's Day...

Will let you know.

il_principe

I'm just going to do it by myself. Seems daft faffing around, borrowing a car and getting the bike to Gatwick when I can just ride the route from home. Also p1ssed off by the hill climb compo which is imposs to win (as some one else has pointed out) the record was set with fresh legs, not by someone half way round a Sportive!

Christophe3967

jashburnham wrote:

I'm just going to do it by myself. Seems daft faffing around, borrowing a car and getting the bike to Gatwick when I can just ride the route from home. Also p1ssed off by the hill climb compo which is imposs to win (as some one else has pointed out) the record was set with fresh legs, not by someone half way round a Sportive!

I could give you a lift but then you'll have wait round for several hours until I finish :?

I have no worries about winning the hill climb.

il_principe

Christophe3967 wrote:

jashburnham wrote:

I'm just going to do it by myself. Seems daft faffing around, borrowing a car and getting the bike to Gatwick when I can just ride the route from home. Also p1ssed off by the hill climb compo which is imposs to win (as some one else has pointed out) the record was set with fresh legs, not by someone half way round a Sportive!

I could give you a lift but then you'll have wait round for several hours until I finish :?

I have no worries about winning the hill climb.

Well, me neither, not a hope. But Evans are being a tad disingenuous.

Thanks for the offer of the lift, but I'd rather keep my Sportive activity confined to rides that I wouldn't normally do, seems daft to pay to ride a route that's kinda on my doorstep!

itboffin

I just did the Highclere Commnicat and an extra 25 miles getting there and back, lovely day for it chaps & chapesses

For the record that's the flattest ride I've ever done in these parts give or take one/two hills

Please note anything called Combe is going to be bloody high up :?

Feltup

Long ride / short pier, that is all I am going to say - sat in office with vanity glass grrrrrrr :evil:

itboffin

Today I will be mostly riding my bike, in fact I'm going tailwind hunting

Feltup

Easterlies today I recommend Weston-super-Mare

roger_merriman

itboffin wrote:

Today I will be mostly riding my bike, in fact I'm going tailwind hunting

aparently there is a older chap one of the blokes at the LBS knows that goes for rides with tailwinds, and then rings his wife to pick him up....

itboffin

Good luck to all the brave SCRers out there hitting the Surrey hills and RP this weekend, no pain no gain, DO IT! DO IT!

I'm doing the ML in reverse well some of it anyway woohahaha :twisted:

il_principe

Just got back fro a 60 mile Surrey loop, taking in Crocknorth road and Box hill. There was some sort of ghey triathlon going on at Box hill, I scaled at least 10 tri cyclists on the ascent - one actually shouted something as I went past him - then graciously took the applause of some well wishers near the top :twisted: Stopped to grab a quick snap with the iphone, for the benefit of those who have never ridden Box, this is the view from the top (apologies for the poor quality):





Legs felt heavy all day really despite a burst at box, so ride stats are:

Distance: 60 miles
AVG: 18mph
Ride Time: 3 hours 19 mins
Top speed - a measly 35mph and that was on the flat.

My new wheels are so stiff I'm not confident descending on poor road surface with them, and the winter has not been kind to Surrey's lanes. Sticking the Fulcrums back on for next time!

Beautiful day, I'm off for a well earned pub lunch in a beer garden!

owenlars

Jash

You got yourself involved in the Ballbreaker Duathlon. Boxhill, Headley, Burford Bridge, Box Hill: running then cycling and then running again I think, so three laps. 24 odd miles three ascents of the hill and the good guys do it in about 2 hours 40.

roger_merriman

jashburnham wrote:

Just got back fro a 60 mile Surrey loop, taking in Crocknorth road and Box hill. There was some sort of ghey triathlon going on at Box hill, I scaled at least 10 tri cyclists on the ascent - one actually shouted something as I went past him - then graciously took the applause of some well wishers near the top :twisted: Stopped to grab a quick snap with the iphone, for the benefit of those who have never ridden Box, this is the view from the top (apologies for the poor quality):





Legs felt heavy all day really despite a burst at box, so ride stats are:

Distance: 60 miles
AVG: 18mph
Ride Time: 3 hours 19 mins
Top speed - a measly 35mph and that was on the flat.

My new wheels are so stiff I'm not confident descending on poor road surface with them, and the winter has not been kind to Surrey's lanes. Sticking the Fulcrums back on for next time!

Beautiful day, I'm off for a well earned pub lunch in a beer garden!

lovely view from box hill, i like it just for the zig zag road, saw a few princes at the cafe in RP.

itboffin

Just back from the reverse half ML 1hr 55mins damn that 17% zig zap was fun I even had two sprockets left when I got to the top, such a nice day I think that really helps.

32 mph a couple of times on the flat 40mph downhill

attica

Right, I really need to pull my finger out on this one.

Only date suggestion so far has been next weekend, anybody up for a spin?
I do have one small problem with accomodation though, I live in a TINY cottage, and my wife is working earlies that weekend, this will mean that she wants to be in bed by 10pm, so it doesn't seem terribly fair to invite a bunch of - to her - strangers over.

We could go for a "non-residential" ride on either the Saturday or the Sunday of next weekend, your call folks, but I'll have a big bowl of porridge waiting for anyone who wants it before we set off and will prep something filling for when we get back (no it won't be porridge again, I do have a tiny amount of culinary ability).

The good news is that I live about 10 minutes from the M5 and about 200 yards from a train station, so access should be fairly easy, If I say an 11am start time that would give people plenty of time to get here and we could still get quite a few miles in before a late lunch/ early tea.

So the question now is, who is up for it and do you prefer the Saturday or Sunday option.

...Oh the ride itself will be a good long un with two or three of the bigger hills in the Mendips (bail out points built into ths "cloverleaf" circuit) and can be up to 70 miles, route is here, have a look at the elevation profile, it's a bit ambitious, so I'm thinking we'll only do miles 36 to 52 if we're feeling particularly energetic, the last 15 to 20 miles are deliberately very flat.

gert_lush

Hello..I've been a bit quiet on here lately (started a new job and have been doing some at work at work..crazy I know!...but get to do some good SCRing..bonus)

Anyhow I will be up for a ride can do both days, live in a shared house though and can't offer any sleeping spaces i'm afraid sorry. Had a quick look at the route, never ridden those roads in that order before its all over the place looks like a great route though and some great hills and scenery, I will be happy doing the 70 milers but like Attica said there are plenty of places to cut it short if the hills get the better of us and its only 3 climbs :):) the gorge is a great one to up and down (as long as there aren't too many cars to overtake)

attica

OK, so I'm guessing that my complete lack of organisational prowess has left you all feeling distinctly underwhelmed.

<Checks diary>

First weekend in May anyone?

itboffin

Attica wrote:

OK, so I'm guessing that my complete lack of organisational prowess has left you all feeling distinctly underwhelmed.

<Checks diary>

First weekend in May anyone?

What happened to April?

attica

next weekend- working
weekend after I'm doing North Corwall Tor
weekend after - working again.
weekend after that May!!!

Bumhats!

il_principe

Attica wrote:

Bumhats!

Bumhats? :shock:

attica

Bumhats: expression of dismay, see also bu99er, ar$e, 'damn and blast', T!tsocks.

attica

I don't want to let this fall off the front page too much as I'd like to firm this up.
Also I've just realised that the first weekend in May is when my wife's birthday falls, so.

Second weekend in May, who's in?

Want me to present a shorter or less challenging ride? Let me know.

TBH I'd prefer a ride more akin to the social niceties of the IOW ride than the balls out speed of the Marlborough loop, just because these are meant to be social rides rather than training rides, so in that spirit, over to you folks, who fancies a pootle?

itboffin

May is good for me any weekend.

As for April i'd be happy to host a 'dry' and perhaps even warm social ride, say 35-40 miles great views but alas not in Wiltshire (too hilly) Berks/Hants including part of the Commnicat pancake flat section.

So anyone interested?

www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php?id=5809

linsen

I think I am next free in June or July sometime.......

:shock:

roger_merriman

linsen wrote:

I think I am next free in June or July sometime.......

:shock:

to be honest i think thats me too!

though might take the bike down and have a play with chedder gorge on tuesday if weather isn't too nasty as i'm staying over with my little sister (all 6ft of her) dropping off a old MTB for her.

i assume the chedder gorge is more fun going up than down?

Totalnewbie

Personally I'd prefer a more socially-oriented ride...if I want to train I prefer to do it on my own...not that I am training for owt in particular,,,but you get what I mean

attica

Right so if that 70 mile route were to take all day and include a long pub stop there would be more folk interested in coming along?