30+ North West Club

ratherbeintobago

Gutted I missed you on Monday if you where over in Chorley, though Monday is Pilates night.

What is the Weds meet, plans?

We were at Frederick's about 1430 so I suspect you'd have been in work.

The suggested plan for tomorrow was to meet at Moss Bank Park in Bolton about 1830, I think. I shall ask on the mailing list for this to be clarified (won't be there myself as going to see Mark Beaumont in Burnley, and evenings are 'politically' difficult)

Andy

Carpe Diem

I would be up for any organised rides in these areas, I am moving back to the Burnley/Todmorden area next week.

I am also interested in riding the Rivi event if there is still places.

Rob

mr_poll

Sorry I have been quiet - I have moved house and I think its easier to form a stable government than get internet sorted!

I have begged my IT department to give me access to a social site (??!!!??!!) - so I am now in the land of the living.

I cannot do this Wednesday but I am free on Saturday/Sunday (as long as your not doing that Rake thing, even the description scares me) if there is a ride please let me know as would be good to meet up.

Oh and plan to sign up for the RIvi 50 for those that are up for it.

Bunneh

Heya all.

This evening's Pike Circuit ride is still on. Meet is at Moss Bank Park in Bolton at the bowling greens. There is parking available there but I'm not sure on the closing times.

Anyhoo the ride is short and consists of some hard climbs mixed in with some lovely downhills and flat bits. It takes me around an hour and a half, although it's doable in about an hour. The end of the ride is, happily, at a pub called the Bob Smithy Inn (which is only a short downhill ride back to the start point).

Weather forecast is good although they're known to be wrong. It can get cold on the tops so please bring something to keep your arms warm. Helmets are strongly recommended due to the speed of the descents and sharp turns involved.

See you tonight, ride safe!

o7 ( <--- that's a really crappy salute emote...)

Lancslad

Wont be there my legs are knackered and shes having a funny one. I dont think my fitness is up enough yet .

Have a good ride tonight.

Bunneh

A big thanks to Dcabs for tonight's little ride. Very enjoyable and relaxing, although I did talk him to death Shame no one else turned up, we hung around from around 6:15 to about 6.40 so if we did miss anyone many apologise (sp). Twas a nice warm evening. quiet roads and the finding of a laptop bag with no laptop inside (boooo!)

Hope to see a few at the Rake on Saturday and I believe Fungus and myself are playing out on Friday, although not sure yet. *poke poke*.

mr_poll

Ok so it is the Rake on Saturday

Right in an effort to be social I will tag along - are we having a ride as well as kiling ourselves up this 25% hill as I am having some issues with my lowest gears which I am going to atempt to fix tonight but could make the Rake a non event for me although a good ride before or after will be fine.

Where and when is the meeting point?

Lancslad

I'm working saturday. good luck I also now realise my 8 spd 26/11 cassette is not hills material if I dont get it changed i'm going to have thighs like one of those olympic sprint skaters.

butcher_boy

Lancslad wrote:

I'm working saturday. good luck I also now realise my 8 spd 26/11 cassette is not hills material if I dont get it changed i'm going to have thighs like one of those olympic sprint skaters.

As I'm on the comeback trail with a 11/23 straight block I don't fancy my chances then !!!!

Interested in a ride out to see you lads though

mr_poll

Lancslad wrote:

I'm working saturday. good luck I also now realise my 8 spd 26/11 cassette is not hills material if I dont get it changed i'm going to have thighs like one of those olympic sprint skaters.

Erm ok this an area I have always wondered about but always felt like a totally Noob to ask about on the general forums. As u lot dont seem the types to rip the pi$$ too much i will ask.

What the hell does the above mean re the 26/11 cassette - i know its something to do with gear ratios but thats my lot - how do I find out what mine are and whether they a good ratio for hills. I got my bike cheap and second hand so this question was never in my head. - Here's hoping mine are unsuitable for the rake so I have an excuse for blowing up a third of the way up !!!

dcab

mr_poll wrote:

Lancslad wrote:

I'm working saturday. good luck I also now realise my 8 spd 26/11 cassette is not hills material if I dont get it changed i'm going to have thighs like one of those olympic sprint skaters.

Erm ok this an area I have always wondered about but always felt like a totally Noob to ask about on the general forums. As u lot dont seem the types to rip the pi$$ too much i will ask.

What the hell does the above mean re the 26/11 cassette - i know its something to do with gear ratios but thats my lot - how do I find out what mine are and whether they a good ratio for hills. I got my bike cheap and second hand so this question was never in my head. - Here's hoping mine are unsuitable for the rake so I have an excuse for blowing up a third of the way up !!!

26 being the number of teeth on lagest cog running down in size to 11?

were areyou riding from on saturday?

ratherbeintobago

mr_poll wrote:

What the hell does the above mean re the 26/11 cassette

Count the teeth on the cassette (gears on the back wheel) - 26 is the biggest one; 11 the smallest.

Usually if the smallest sprocket is 11t then it's designed for use with a compact (50/39) chainset; if it's a 12t then it will be for use with a normal chainset (will give lower gearing with a compact; equally 11t might be a bit hard work with a 53/42). Usually it's written small-big.

Further edit - the spread of the cassette is stamped on the back of the biggest ring - mine is a 12-27 which with a compact is low enough for me to get up most hills (though possibly not the Rake) & high enough for me to spin out going downhill

The range matters as this reflects your ability to go up hills. You can get a 11-23 which has small steps allowing you small steps in gearing to keep the cranks spinning at your optimum pace, the pay-off being you don't have as low gears for going up hill as you would with, say a 11-28 (which has bigger steps between each gear). An MTB cassette will give a bigger range yet; 10sp cassettes are about to come on the market.

Does this make sense?

Edit - here is an article by St Sheldon which may explain things in more detail than you ever wanted to know...

The meeting point is at 1100 by the big urn thing in the middle of Rammy (opposite the lights at the top of Bridge St). If you're coming from points east, I may or may not be going for a short pootle via the A680/Edenfield/Haslingden Tesco/Helmshore/Holcombe Brook on the way there, depending on whether the lurgy I've acquired since Mon has shifted.

Andy

Lancslad

Right so i dont know much about gears but mines an 11/26 (i counted, couldnt see a stamp)with a 52/42 front. Apparently I cant change the cassette without changing the shifters so i'll have to MTFU basically. Where does that put me in terms of effort required?

ratherbeintobago

Lancslad wrote:

Apparently I cant change the cassette without changing the shifters

Whoever told you that was talking through their hat. You can change the cassette easily enough - the thing that matters is that you use a compatible one (ie. 8sp Shimano one with 8sp Shimano shifters; Campag with Campag) & the rear mech cage length (as to whether it can compensate for the change in free chain length).

CRC have got an 8sp 11-28 LX MTB cassette for £20 which might be OK? If you can find part numbers on anything (shifters/rear mech/etc) we can do some digging for you.

Andy

Lancslad

i'm pretty certain after some digging that they are soro shifters if that helps.

fungus_the_muffin_man

Sorry I couldn't go last night I was working till 9pm.

Bunneh, Andy and anyone else. I'll be going out about 12ish tomorrow for a ride. Not expecting to do anything to hard as done the 60 on Monday, done hilly 54 today in the peak district so will be looking for a gentle spin out tomorrow especially with doing the rake on saturday.

I was thinking of just doing an hours ride out on saturday arriving in rammy in time for the what I would very losely call an attempt on the rake. Don't expect to be able to do it just coming so that I can meet more of us and have a bit of banter and a laugh.

Don't let the hill put anyone off coming. Come anyway so we can put names to faces and try to get the ball rolling more.

I'll come online tomorrow after 9am so let me know if anyone fancies a nice spin out

fungus_the_muffin_man

Lancslad wrote:

Right so i dont know much about gears but mines an 11/26 (i counted, couldnt see a stamp)with a 52/42 front. Apparently I cant change the cassette without changing the shifters so i'll have to MTFU basically. Where does that put me in terms of effort required?

You can change cassette to bigger ratios you just have to be careful incase you need spacers, more chain length and also you will need to re index your rear mech. Normally if changing cassette it's the norm to change chain as well.

fungus_the_muffin_man

Oh seen the weather forcast for today if its raining I'll be having a rest day instead.


No matter what the weather though I will be there tomorrow [/list]

Lancslad

Didnt ride in today it was raining and I've slightly pulled a muscle in my lower back. Nearly took out a fool cyclist in my car this morning he was stopped on a corner in the road bent over his bike in front of railings, twit.

I'm off next wednesday if anythings planned.

Bunneh

Mornin'!

I was contemplating having Wednesdays as a perminant fixture, we could call it the Wednesday Wander or something... I'd like to see it move further afield from my location, it's not fair on those coming from places like Rochdale/Chorley so we do need a central meeting point. Any suggestions for a central meet point would be appreciated

I have a doctors appointment this morning, man parts related, but should be around most of the day after the wonderful fun of job clubs this week. So if Fungus and anyone else fancy meeting up, gimme a time/place and I'll see what I can do. I did 60 miles, hard, last night so my legs are sore, a gentle pedal would be ideal :oops:

Anyhoo gonna be about at around 10:30am in my 'office' (Games Den) , no job crap today. The joy of filling in forms then never hearing a bloody word is AWESOME! Maybe I should get an English degree and apply for a job at Bike Radar

fungus_the_muffin_man

If I'm not working then Wednesdays would be good for me. Especially as the nights are getting lighter.

Looks like i'll be checking out mortgage info today now. so my legs will be getting a rest unless I jump on the turbo to do some out of the saddle thigh work :roll:

ratherbeintobago

Fungus The Muffin Man wrote:

Lancslad wrote:

Right so i dont know much about gears but mines an 11/26 (i counted, couldnt see a stamp)with a 52/42 front. Apparently I cant change the cassette without changing the shifters so i'll have to MTFU basically. Where does that put me in terms of effort required?

You can change cassette to bigger ratios you just have to be careful incase you need spacers, more chain length and also you will need to re index your rear mech. Normally if changing cassette it's the norm to change chain as well.

Further to above, the Shimano website suggests the range of a Sora rear mech is 11-27. Anyone know why 11-28 wouldn't work?

Fungus - I'm still suffering with the lurgy so probably not going to make it out today. I shall be there tomorrow one way or another (even if it means driving across - aim of the game tomorrow is to put faces to names really)

Andy

Bunneh

Not a worry, I'll pop down to Lifecycles and see if the Ribble's ready yet. Tis peeing doon at the moment and I dunni want my baby getting wet :roll:

Lancslad

I was thinking more during the day on wednesday I wouldnt need to ask permission then

Life cycles (chorley old road?)lost two bike sales because he couldnt be arsed trying to help me out with a problem on an old bike i had that I wanted to keep going a bit longer.
what are you having done to the ribble?

I scratched my bike cleaning it yesterday I was mortified. Bike fell over hit garden table which then proceeded to fall on my bike Just glad it wasnt a carbon bike. Damn sloping gardens at least the glass table didnt smash.

Bunneh

Lifecycles are meant to be replacing the bottom bracket on a the mid 90s Ribble. It's seized in and I have given them plenty of time to sort it, ie, Winter since I want it as my winter training bike. One of the guys has taken it home to try and get it out; he refuses to give up on it.

Yes they do have a bit of a bad reputation around Bolton, and it's mainly due to exactly what you said. Most people I speak too say 'he's more interested in that bloody computer than customers' - I suspect they're doing quite well on the internet sales though. On the upside, when I have had jobs done there they've been faultless and expertly done

I would definitely recommend MK Cycles though, very good service, they actually seem to care. My only complaint would be the prices, they aren't cheap at all but is any bike shop? I find myself mooching around charity shops looking for cycle tops and the local market to increase my bandana collection.

In my opinion, doesn't matter how much someone is spending they deserve the same respect and time as anyone else. If I go into a shop and I spend 20p I want to be treated well; not only does that mean I go back next time and spend more but I tell friends how good the service is. Bad news travels faster than good, and it's the same in business.

thamacdaddy

Do you guys ever do weekday nights at the minute. I live prestwich way but originally from Bury and me and my mate (both 29) used to cycle all around Bury, Chorley, Blackburn etc at weekends. Currently I am away most weekends so have had to give up that side of it but if you did some weekday nights then it would be something I reckon I would be interested in doing. Did a few sportives but been slack on it all for the last year just doing the cycle commute only and fancy getting into a few longer rides again. If almost 30 is allowed

ratherbeintobago

thamacdaddy wrote:

Do you guys ever do weekday nights at the minute.

If my reading of the above is correct, there will be a regular Wed night ride of some description. FWIW (& I'm unlikely to get to many of them) the Rivington circuit doesn't strike me as too bad an option, as it's fairly central. There will also be weekday riding as a lot of us work shifts.

If almost 30 is allowed

IMHO (and this would need the agreement of Fungus & Bunneh to be absolutely binding) the principle of the thing is more that we don't want 25yo racing snakes - the age limit is more of a guide; the plan was more to be about social riding & a bit of chat, aimed at the less fit cyclist.

Obviously, I've no way of knowing how old anyone who signs up for the mailing list is...

Edit - on which subject, people seem to be able to sign up by email or via the web page, but invitations sent out by me don't seem to be working. If anyone thinks they should be on the mailing list but haven't had any messages this week, could they please email 30plusNWC-subscribe@yahoogroups.co.uk or click on the link in my signature. Thanks!

Andy

Bunneh

Andy's right as far as I'm concerned. Back when I ran the MTB club there was no age limit and we ended up baby sitting 14 yr olds who would turn up on halfords sheds. I have no issues with a 28/29 yr old person turning up but I would prefer it stay like that. I dunni want to ride with sprogs any more unless she's 21, got a nice butt and doesn't mind me panting behind her.

ellie.velo

This may have been said already, but...... what time is the Rivi climb meet tomorrow?

I will try to get there, probably be driving but got a few things to do tomorrow.

ratherbeintobago

1100; top of Bridge St in Rammy, not Rivington

*cough* mailing list *cough*

Andy

(You may not be the only person driving)