Weekend Social Rides

cjcp

1pm at the gate on the hill up to the ballet school by the roundabout between Richmond and Roehampton Gates. There's only one.

cjcp

itboffin wrote:

I still have to change the crankset on my road bike as I found the compact setup useless last time we did RP and just finished fitting new Michelin's to my new Mavic wheels I just wish I'd bought ultralite tubes...

Why was the compact useless?

itboffin

cjcp wrote:

itboffin wrote:

I still have to change the crankset on my road bike as I found the compact setup useless last time we did RP and just finished fitting new Michelin's to my new Mavic wheels I just wish I'd bought ultralite tubes...

Why was the compact useless?

50/34 with an 11-21 cassette to much crossover in the comfortable middle gear ranges, 34 is too low for THE hill and 50 is too high, fine for Wiltshire pants for London, the double I have is much better 52/39 mmmm smooth. I prefer the double anyway.

DDD I should be there about 12:00 I'm planning on a couple of laps single speed - just to see, I'll be at the car park just left as you go into through Roehampton gate.

cjcp

Am planning to do either The Devil Ride (12 July) -http://www.cyclosportives.co.uk/devilRoute.htm - or the Tour of the Black Mountains (25 July) - http://www.touroftheblackmountains.com/ ... odate.html - in case others are looking at some longer weekend rides. Both are in God's Country , which is ideal for handing of. Ideally, I'd like to do both, but that could require some negotiation with the good lady. If I can't, I'm more likely to do the TOTBM.

jonginge

Just got back from an enjoyable ride in the park with CJ and ITB. Gloriously sunny but there never seemed to be a tailwind, all headwind. ITB went all pro on us and changed his bike for the hills*

@ITB Sorry I couldn't stay for a coffee but I wanted to get to the supermarket, which I did with a couple of minutes to spare

*ok, ok. ITB used his SS for the last lap

cjcp

Yeah, cheers chaps, that was very enjoyable.

The good lady is just serving up a Sunday roast too.

Oh, and Jon, I know I said I needed to lose weight, but I'm going to start after I've had my sticky chocolate pudding and ice cream tonight.

Incidentally, if you's seen Jon in action today on his 20 year old hack, you'll appreciate that there's no absolutely point buying all the gear if you ain't got the legs and lungs.

DonDaddyD

JonGinge wrote:

Just got back from an enjoyable ride in the park with CJ and ITB. Gloriously sunny but there never seemed to be a tailwind, all headwind. ITB went all pro on us and changed his bike for the hills*

@ITB Sorry I couldn't stay for a coffee but I wanted to get to the supermarket, which I did with a couple of minutes to spare

*ok, ok. ITB used his SS for the last lap

I went to Richmond park, got there around 12:40. Did have a look around for ITB and CJ but should have said prior to getting there.

Richmond Park was amazing! I got to the Sheen Gate (I think) had some deer to the left of me; my reaction was "wow they got deer and sh*t here!". I charged down a straight and for the first time struggled to hold my bike back to 20mph! :shock: went right at the Roehampton Gate with the Coffeshop and bike hire to my left. Can't see how that way round is considered the easier route I very nearly lost the will to live going up that hill for the first time.... I need to work on my stamina A LOT!

All in all a great place, a great ride. I love how my Fulcrums roll and even getting there (many thanks to Jen for the route!) was huge fun.

What I've learned: Commuting with a sweaty back rucksack is the way forward. I'm a lot faster without it!

Me and my bike are useless at hills. My bike isn't as solid, sure-footed and stable as I'd like and changing Sora gears above 20mph is like putting your life in the hands of fate.

My bike has developed yet another clicking sound around the bottom bracket area (sensing yet another upgrade coming). The back of my ankles and my back hurt after long rides. There is something sapping power by the bucket load on my bike, the back end feels heavy and unresponsive regardless of what I do.

Verdict:

DondaddyD - to loose weight. Increase stamina. Maintain strength. Compact frame maybe not for me too hunched at the back, too stretched at the front.

Giant SCR3 - Great for 10mile commute, great entry bike for speed hungry cyclists. Not the best bike for the big riders, like me (I'm 14-15 stone).

Still loved the ride today!!!

DiggingDeeper

Sorry chaps I was a bit of a muppet..............

I should have told you I was going to go. I bowled up at the Sheen Gate at the appointed time. However I must have missed some slick dudes come steaming past flying the SCR flag.

Note to self: Tell someone next time.................... :oops:

Were you chaps going anti-clockwise, it seemed everyone was except me. CJCP you are right about having the right equipment - the legs and lungs of course. I didn't remember there being too many hills there, but it was years ago and in a car.

Best I go and have the Sunday feast............I am not surprised people RLJ. Did the 20 miles across london to Chingers to get home from Richmond and almost went ferral going down Kensington High Street with all the lights.

Sorry guys, I will do better next time. Glad you had a good day, very sorry I missed you (actually I probably saw you but its irrelevant I guess)

Regards

DD

jonginge

Sorry we missed you guys. CJ and I were at the roundabout down from sheen gate between 13:00 and 13:15 then headed off to meet up with ITB at roehampton carpark.
We mostly went clockwise, which meant cross-headwinds on the flat and a block headwind for the lower slopes of broomfield hill. We also did an anti lap where the headwind was up sawyers hill. yum

biondino

DDD, if you're going right at Roehampton Gate and passing the cafe on your left then you're doing it clockwise, i.e. the harder way.

DiggingDeeper

B*gger,

I saw you guys there.....................argh! I was the monkey on the grey Trek with the black bikesters and blue top looking lost. I reset my computer opposite you to get the lap details.

I need to MTFU

So what is it about clockwise that makes it the hardest route- it looked pretty similar both ways to me

I reckon I must have seen DDD too, there was only 2 black guys I say on bikes at that time.

I shall make it a point of principle to stop every cyclist and ask their name until they arrest me!!!!

cjcp

DonDaddyD wrote:

What I've learned: Commuting with a sweaty back rucksack is the way forward. I'm a lot faster without it!

Me and my bike are useless at hills. My bike isn't as solid, sure-footed and stable as I'd like and changing Sora gears above 20mph is like putting your life in the hands of fate.

Verdict:

DondaddyD - to loose weight. Increase stamina. Maintain strength. Compact frame maybe not for me too hunched at the back, too stretched at the front.

Giant SCR3 - Great for 10mile commute, great entry bike for speed hungry cyclists. Not the best bike for the big riders, like me (I'm 14-15 stone).

Still loved the ride today!!!

DDD - if that's the first time you've been up Broomfield Hill (the steepest one), or indeed your first time in the Park, it's a case of finding your legs and improving your technique up the hills.

DD - sorry to have missed you. Yep, just ask next time. You'll notice people doing that at every gate.

itboffin

JonGinge wrote:

Just got back from an enjoyable ride in the park with CJ and ITB. Gloriously sunny but there never seemed to be a tailwind, all headwind. ITB went all pro on us and changed his bike for the hills*

@ITB Sorry I couldn't stay for a coffee but I wanted to get to the supermarket, which I did with a couple of minutes to spare

*ok, ok. ITB used his SS for the last lap

Thanks guys I was fun, sorry I was so slow and thanks for waiting, please note EVERYONE my single speed lap was 30 secs faster.

I shall list be excuses :oops: :oops:

Lap 1 with new wheels and I forgot to index the gear :oops: legs like lead
Lap 2 better but gears skipping and dérailleur rubbing, nasty headwind
Lap 3 okay really - I just OLD and slow
Lap 4 on the single speed and felt so much better until the last bit of the HILL , shame I was really enjoying it.

other excuses are;
erm lots of traffic, headwind, sidewind, the wrong alignment of the planets, Sunday's are not good for me, I'm sure there's more

THANK YOU CJCP for the tow - every lap and thank you both for waiting for me EVERY lap.

DDD & DD doh! - next time chaps.

Note to self - work harder, cycle more and MTFU

DonDaddyD

biondino wrote:

DDD, if you're going right at Roehampton Gate and passing the cafe on your left then you're doing it clockwise, i.e. the harder way.

Doh!

DDD - if that's the first time you've been up Broomfield Hill (the steepest one), or indeed your first time in the Park, it's a case of finding your legs and improving your technique up the hills.

Yep and yep.

I'm just convinced the bike is dead at the back and sapping power (like I've got a flat tyre - but haven't because I keep them pumped at 110-120psi)..

I just need to MTFU and listen to what you just said.

cjcp

[quote="itboffin
Thanks guys I was fun, sorry I was so slow and thanks for waiting, please note EVERYONE my single speed lap was 30 secs faster.

I shall list be excuses :oops: :oops:

Lap 1 with new wheels and I forgot to index the gear :oops: legs like lead
Lap 2 better but gears skipping and dérailleur rubbing, nasty headwind
Lap 3 okay really - I just OLD and slow
Lap 4 on the single speed and felt so much better until the last bit of the HILL , shame I was really enjoying it.

other excuses are;
erm lots of traffic, headwind, sidewind, the wrong alignment of the planets, Sunday's are not good for me, I'm sure there's more

Note to self - work harder, cycle more and MTFU [/quote]



As your second lap showed, people are faster round the Park when they know the route better and warmed up. I was a bit tired on this morning's commute though. Legs weren't working at all. Thankfully not scalped!

itboffin

Runny nose, puffy (pink) eyes and headache this morning

itboffin

Those in the know about RP what gradient are those hills? my GPS can't be right about max 146m - min 32m elevations

mmm earthtools thinks the highest point is 61m

Edit: Ah ha! I see the problem, Nokia sports tracker is confusing metres and feet

linsen

I think I need to come up to RP sometime and see this "hills" you talk of.........

I guess it's all relative, but isn't London flat?

Sewinman

Hi guys,

I ended up being late due my flat mate locking themselves out of our flat (had to go back and let her in). Anyway, I think I saw you guys. DDD – were you the black fella on a Giant wearing a white jacket? I find that hill pretty hard too, and I think it is down to the amount of weight I am pulling up it (14 stone and six foot). Anti-clockwise is much easier.

ITB, CJCP, JG – I think you guys may have passed me...were you held up by some deer, who kept walking back and forth across the road until I nudged forward and scared them? I think you were behind me and passed me soon after. I thought it might be you guys but felt a bit weird saying “are you the guys from bikeradar commuting”? If it was you then It is probably for the best that I was late, cos I could not keep up. The guy on the Peugeot was particularly rapid. I was on a black trek and wearing blue, and some tasty ice white sports socks.

Anyway, I did three laps and enjoyed it a lot. I can get up all the inclines now in reasonable order and I was happy with the way the bike performed. I noticed that other riders were much faster on the descents than I was, which is probably a confidence thing. I was knackered and starving by the time I got home, with pretty much no energy in my legs. Do you guys eat when you are cycling? What do you eat before? I had a bacon and egg sarnie, which is probably not ideal fuel!? I also had some pain in my lower back and weirdly tight knee caps.

Morgan

p.s. I fixed my first puncture ‘on the road’, which was good.

itboffin

linsen wrote:

I think I need to come up to RP sometime and see this "hills" you talk of.........

I guess it's all relative, but isn't London flat?

That's the strange thing it's not really a proper hill but I still struggled - see list of excuses :oops:

itboffin

Sewinman wrote:

Hi guys,

I ended up being late due my flat mate locking themselves out of our flat (had to go back and let her in). Anyway, I think I saw you guys. DDD – were you the black fella on a Giant wearing a white jacket? I find that hill pretty hard too, and I think it is down to the amount of weight I am pulling up it (14 stone and six foot). Anti-clockwise is much easier.

ITB, CJCP, JG – I think you guys may have passed me...were you held up by some deer, who kept walking back and forth across the road until I nudged forward and scared them? I think you were behind me and passed me soon after. I thought it might be you guys but felt a bit weird saying “are you the guys from bikeradar commuting”? If it was you then It is probably for the best that I was late, cos I could not keep up. The guy on the Peugeot was particularly rapid. I was on a black trek and wearing blue, and some tasty ice white sports socks.

Anyway, I did three laps and enjoyed it a lot. I can get up all the inclines now in reasonable order and I was happy with the way the bike performed. I noticed that other riders were much faster on the descents than I was, which is probably a confidence thing. I was knackered and starving by the time I got home, with pretty much no energy in my legs. Do you guys eat when you are cycling? What do you eat before? I had a bacon and egg sarnie, which is probably not ideal fuel!? I also had some pain in my lower back and weirdly tight knee caps.

Morgan

p.s. I fixed my first puncture ‘on the road’, which was good.

Yep that was us

JG & CJCP are real pocket rockets/mountain goats

Okay next time can we all exchange mobile numbers before hand

Edit: what's this I found on the RP 3 lap challenge page???

CJ.........................................3laps/anti........79kg.......54:33......May............
JonGinge .............................3laps/anti.......67Kg........55:25.......May............ Club

Both near the top of the list eh!

linsen

ITB I hope you're busy plotting the grand March adventure!

DonDaddyD

Sewinman wrote:

I ended up being late due my flat mate locking themselves out of our flat (had to go back and let her in).

[Off topic] You're living with a women, how are you single? You should be inviting her for a bike ride, not falling on top of TotalNewbie[Off topic]

Anyway, I think I saw you guys. DDD – were you the black fella on a Giant wearing a white jacket?

Yep, yep and yep! What was I doing?

(i)Walking up the hill?
(ii) standing at the side of the road catching my breath?
(iii) Standing at the side of the road fiddling with my seat post?
(iv) Going 3mph and breathing heavy?
(v) Talking to myself (to keep myself from passing out)?

I find that hill pretty hard too, and I think it is down to the amount of weight I am pulling up it (14 stone and six foot). Anti-clockwise is much easier.

I'm 14/15 stone (5ft 11) and couldn't agree more. I'm still convinced that my bike (or compact frames in general) are not the best bike for the 'big man'.

itboffin

linsen wrote:

ITB I hope you're busy plotting the grand March adventure!

Yep I rode half of it SS on Sat. I've also tested a couple of nice pubs on route

The trouble is there's a couple of short sections that pass along the main road, I've tried to keep it to as many back roads as possible but this particular section is needed because there's a 2 mile 17% downhill and a nice straight up hill leading into Marlborough town centre, there's one alternative back route but it's turns totally "off road" in the middle.

Anyway I have 5 variations of the route, depending on who comes on the day and the weather.

S

Sewinman

DonDaddyD wrote:

Sewinman wrote:

I ended up being late due my flat mate locking themselves out of our flat (had to go back and let her in).

[Off topic] You're living with a women, how are you single? You should be inviting her for a bike ride, not falling on top of TotalNewbie[Off topic]

Anyway, I think I saw you guys. DDD – were you the black fella on a Giant wearing a white jacket?

Yep, yep and yep! What was I doing?

(i)Walking up the hill?
(ii) standing at the side of the road catching my breath?
(iii) Standing at the side of the road fiddling with my seat post?
(iv) Going 3mph and breathing heavy?
(v) Talking to myself (to keep myself from passing out)?

I find that hill pretty hard too, and I think it is down to the amount of weight I am pulling up it (14 stone and six foot). Anti-clockwise is much easier.

I'm 14/15 stone (5ft 11) and couldn't agree more. I'm still convinced that my bike (or compact frames in general) are not the best bike for the 'big man'.

Heh Seriously it was (iv), you had undone your jacket and looking happy/delirious.

Not enirely sure what a compact frame is? It sounds like we may be of a similar level, so if you fancy riding RP again at the weekend then let me know.

Totalnewbie

The hills in RP are all relative to what you are used to. I will post my highly humiliating story here if it makes you all feel better.

When I first tackled them on my hybrid in April (before I got my tourer), I had very little hill experience - all I had ever done was short commutes around London or go to see friends etc. I was a 'utility cyclist', if you will! The hybrid has hub gears, and is fairly high-geared, and it's also pretty heavy and sluggish, but I thought I'd be ok.

I had read that anti-clockwise was easiest, so set off feeling optimistic.
Hit Sawyers Hill (the first long-ish incline.) Nearly died. Felt so bad I had to get off, sit down on the grass and have a drink of water. A fellow female cyclist actually asked me if I was ok. SO DAMN EMBARRASSING. :oops: My 'oh I'm just sitting here to look at the deers' image was clearly undermined by the way I was looking (ie, half dead).

After ten minutes I was ready to set off again. Pootled around, no hills for a bit, then I saw Dark Hill ahead of me (the second, short but steep-ish bit). Decided there was no way on God's earth I would make that without dying, so I got off and pushed. Another female cyclist was had some sympathetic words for me as as she went past seemingly effortlessly on her road bike. A bloke on a Brompton also overtook me. Humiliation abounded.

Now I've done lots of longer rides out of London over the past year and even some actual hills including my nemesis Ditchling Beacon, which I can finally now do all in one go. I went to RP with some friends a while ago, and found I could now do Sawyers hill on the big ring without too much trouble, and Dark hill without getting the 'I'm going to die!' feeling. Having the tourer, which is lighter and better geared, also helped. So it is all relative.

Although I haven't gone round clockwise yet. I need to figure out a more Totalnewbie-friendly way from my place to the park. That doesn't involve the bastid South Circular, which I have decided I abhor.

biondino

Right. The "hills" in Richmond Park are not long (the drag up to Richmond Gate clockwise is about a mile and a half but it's also only about 2%) but they can be exhausting for a couple of reasons:

1) Sawyers Hill and Broomfield Hill are both usually taken into the wind.
2) Sawyers Hill and Broomfield Hill both have a lead up slope that's slight but, when you're mentally and physically preparing for the hill, saps a lot of energy.
3) Sawyers Hill, Dark Hill and Broomfield Hill are all more or less steep, albeit very short.
4) Most people on this forum are going at a fair old pace round Richmond Park so tend to be hitting the hills with high heart rates and not a lot of extra energy, so they feel all the harder.

cjcp

Sewinman wrote:

ITB, CJCP, JG – I think you guys may have passed me...were you held up by some deer, who kept walking back and forth across the road until I nudged forward and scared them? I think you were behind me and passed me soon after. I thought it might be you guys but felt a bit weird saying “are you the guys from bikeradar commuting”?

That was indeed us, and I do remember you actually. There was another chap in a yellow top with lyrca shorts on.

If it was you then It is probably for the best that I was late, cos I could not keep up. The guy on the Peugeot was particularly rapid.

Yeah, it's fair to say that Jon can shift a bit, especially up hill. I've rarely seen that acceleration up the latter part of Dark Hill. I can only assume that I have a faster 3 lap time because (a) he was using one leg, (b) he walked his bike around, or (c) the conditions were frankly much better when I did it than when he did it - it was a balmy evening when I did it, with very little wind. It also depends on how often you ride around the Park.

Do you guys eat when you are cycling? What do you eat before? I had a bacon and egg sarnie, which is probably not ideal fuel!? I also had some pain in my lower back and weirdly tight knee caps.

I had two bacon and egg sarnies for breakfast and some coffee. If the ride is longer than one hour, I use High 5 sports drink. I'll only take food if I'm going out longer than two and a half hours (I have enough fat to sustain me ) Porridge and honey is a favourite (if I'm going on a morning ride).

Have you looked at your position on the bike? Tight knee caps might be from the slightly chilly headwind?

DonDaddyD

Sewinman wrote:

Heh Seriously it was (iv), you had undone your jacket and looking happy/delirious.

Does this mean you overtook me?

Not enirely sure what a compact frame is? It sounds like we may be of a similar level, so if you fancy riding RP again at the weekend then let me know.

(To my knowledge) Compact road frame = a smaller rear triangle and the top tube is slightly sloped downwards (I'm going to make a thread about this in a sec). With the triangles (making up the frame) smaller, less material is used suposedly making the frame lighter (and possibly more rigid - but this can only be like for like compared so a none compact SCR 3 - doesn't exist - would be heavier and less rigid than a compact frame SCR, which does exist - I could be wrong).

To make the SCR more comfortable within a compact frame theve raised the headtube giving a more upright position. For a big guy like me this means a lot of wind into a very big chest. Meaning when riding up a hill my moobs act as though they are sails on a boat..... :shock:

Sewinman

cjcp wrote:

Have you looked at your position on the bike? Tight knee caps might be from the slightly chilly headwind?

Thanks for the tips. I do not really have the knowledge to l'ook at my position on the bike'. I bought it Evans and the fitting consisted of him looking at me and telling me it was about the right size.