Derby training ride

Tom Butcher

The 6.45 Tuesday evening rides from the Little Chef at Little Eaton started again this week - 2 or probably 3 groups at different speeds - the slowest of these rides at 20mph on the flat (ride ave probably about 18-19ish) and will wait for anyone dropped on the hill up into Ripley. The fast group averages around 25mph (25.1 last night apparently) and the in between group are sort of a chain gang for those who aren't quite fast enough for the fast group or who fancy battering people of lesser ability. It's a 22-25 mile route depending on the exact route that night and lit though obviously you'll need lights to be seen.

Over 30 out this week and if last winter is a guide should continue with at least that amount all the way through til Spring. It's primarily a Derby Merc ride but anyone can turn up and there are no leaders as such.

galatzo

Hi Tom
I must try and get out this autumn with you particularly as I live only half a mile away, trouble is I work in Nottingham till 6 on a Tuesday and see you all ready to go as I drive past about 6.40ish. Done a fair bit this summer and got another new bike so want to keep riding as long as poss this year (I don't do deep winter riding unless its clear and frosty !)
Is there a Thursday ride ?

Stoney

Tom Butcher

There is a ride Thursday but it's just a fast chaingang Stoney. We don't normally leave until closer to 10 to if that's any use so you might just make it if you get a clear road home some weeks.

hillclimbingnut

Hello Tom

I think I have seen you all out on this Tuesday (15th) as I was going the other way coming from Ripley down to Little Eaton and up Drum Hill. In the first group I saw 7 people then the second group was larger guessing about 25 -30 then a few more people either on their own or groups of 2 or 3.

Where did you go? and how many miles did you cover?

Nigel

hillclimbingnut

Galatzo wrote:

Hi Tom
I must try and get out this autumn with you particularly as I live only half a mile away, trouble is I work in Nottingham till 6 on a Tuesday and see you all ready to go as I drive past about 6.40ish. Done a fair bit this summer and got another new bike so want to keep riding as long as poss this year (I don't do deep winter riding unless its clear and frosty !)
Is there a Thursday ride ?

Stoney

Hi Stoney Where in Nottingham do you work mate as I may know a different route for you to travel that will get you back quicker. Im guessing you travel along the A52. I too have seen the lads out for a ride and for me i always wish to ride with someone else than on my own which is sadly most of the time due to the shifts I work.

If I can help with a better route for you so you can get to the ride sooner I'd be happy to do that

Tom Butcher

hillclimbingnut wrote:

Hello Tom

I think I have seen you all out on this Tuesday (15th) as I was going the other way coming from Ripley down to Little Eaton and up Drum Hill. In the first group I saw 7 people then the second group was larger guessing about 25 -30 then a few more people either on their own or groups of 2 or 3.

Where did you go? and how many miles did you cover?

Nigel

We just go up to RIpley, down to Ambergate, up to Whatstandwell and back down to Derby - about 25 miles. There are a couple of groups set out - one fast and one steady - then the steady one normally splits but there should always be a core who stay together and wait at the top of Ripley hill for any stragglers etc. We use that route because it's lit - we've tried different routes in Summer etc but it doesn't work and the numbers tailed off - people seem to prefer to know exactly what they are in for even if it's the same every week.

hillclimbingnut

Thanks for that Tom I will probably join you one evening. Just one question:when you get to Ambergate do you go along the A6 to Whatstandwell or up Bullbridge into Crich and down Carr Lane to Whatstandwell

galatzo

Hillclimbingnut

Thanks for the offer but I've tried all routes and it just depends on the traffic on the night.
Sods law applies 99% of the time that which ever route I go on a particular night, another would have been quicker !

Regards

Percy Vera

What about changing jobs!

hillclimbingnut:

Don't know the answer to your question but are there lights up to Bullbridge into Crich and down Carr Lane to Whatstandwell? If not, it might be the A6 as he said it was lit.

I will be tagging along on the Tuesday ride in a month or 2

hillclimbingnut

This is true. No lights up Bullbridge into Crich on certain sections and no lights down Carr Lane either so I guess it will be along the A6.

Sounds like a nice loop.

JAnglesea

hillclimbingnut wrote:

Thanks for that Tom I will probably join you one evening. Just one question:when you get to Ambergate do you go along the A6 to Whatstandwell or up Bullbridge into Crich and down Carr Lane to Whatstandwell

I can answer that, I'm in the Merc too.

We go over the bridge at Whatstandwell and do a U-turn just after it in the turning there. We then head straight back down the A6, no going up to Crich or anything. There's no way you'd catch me going up that hill!

Sprint for the Allestree sign after sitting in since Milford (just kidding) and then drag yourself back to the clubhouse for a cup of tea and a Wagon Wheel. Lovely.

Edit - we only go back to the clubhouse on a Tuesday night. Thursdays we sometimes go down the pub (the Abbey) for 1 or 2.

hillclimbingnut

I wondered where ya did the turn round J. Thought it was in the layby a bit before. So where is the clubhouse then? In Allestree?

Percy Vera

I think its St. Mathew's Church Hall, Darley Abbey.

JAnglesea

Percy Vera wrote:

I think its St. Mathew's Church Hall, Darley Abbey.

Correct.
There's a map on this page:
http://www.derbymercury.org.uk/home/join-dmrc.html

John.