.

Andy S

.

SusanW

Thanks, everyone, for a very interesting two laps. The concentration required to keep in the right place in the line was massive, but I learned a lot tonight. Thank you very much, Andy. After I left, I seemed to get home much faster than I ever have before!
Susan

PeterT

Hi Sgt Pain

That was a good intro ride and a good work out. I thought we did OK as a novice group. Speed was relatively well controlled and more or less what we aimed for on each lap.
Could do with a couple more riders for next week.
Susan - hope tonight spurs you on to a good time tomorrow.

Should be out next week.

Cheers
Peter

Andrew R

Will join you next week - legs still not recovered from the weekend's exertion tonight

FD

A very enjoyable first session on the chain gang and thank you Andy/Mack/Sgt Pain for your time and insight.

I thought we got better as we got faster! It's a lot harder than you think what with watching the road ( terrible pot holes on that course) keeping an even speed, watching the wheel in front and getting on smoothly.

A lot to think about, but we started to gel as a group as we got to grips with the nuances.

A few more willing victims from the start would be great....not just waifs and strays from the faster groups!

John

Gilgamesh

From my perch, it was a disconnected night.
Hung with the fast group, if you call it that, to just before Shingy, which was frenetic, but in a good way.
27,2 mph being too much for me. Interesting though to witness the fast riders in action, there being only 6 (?) left at that stage. Dropped

Disappointed then that I failed to hang with Luke + 1 after that. Legs felt dead after the w/end's 2 rides. Dropped

Then joined up with the Intro group to..... Just before Shingay, where James + 1 went off instead of following the 5 mile loop and I did a quick U turn from the Intro gp, but failed to get closer than 50m from the two of them. Dropped

Rode the next 1.5 laps on my Todd.
Should I change my aftershave or deoderant?

timA

Yes thanks Andy for a great intro to pace riding, I really enjoyed it!

It sure does demand a whole new level of concentration, but on the last lap I felt it really started to come together and we started to work like a team - very satisfying.

And yes it would definitely be better with a few more riders...

gwenwaz

This sounds great! I was very tempted but sadly all out of babysitting tokens. Sounds like it should really help for TT training as well. I may well have a token for next Tuesday for a couple of laps!

OllyW

Brilliant intro, many thanks Andy and all; I echo all the comments about concentration, etc and will be back for more! Olly

Andy S

See you all tonight, but just a reminder about expectations: I don't get wet on the bike ... so if it's raining I'm at the Rose! ;-)

FD

Light winds, cloudy and warm for tonight according to the BBC...will try to leave London early, change the Brompton in Hitchin for the racing steed and be over to the Tuns for 7.30pm....then see if I've any energy left!!!

B

Gilgamesh

I dare you: bring the Brompton to the chaingang!

FD

No, thanks....there are plenty of cycling hooligans on their full racing bikes who burn me up on Constitution Hill/The Mall every morning! They think it's the Olmpic road race all over again....my legs spin out in top gear around 125rpm while they're still accelerating...There is actually a Brompton World Championships which at least means the handicapping of steeds is consistent....Alas, I have no intention of racing again!!

B

timA

I will be there if it isn't raining...

geoffg

B. You only spin out past 200 :-) so get down to CCA track for some fixed training..will get you up to speed and then show those guys on the mall

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVbwngNoHm0&NR=1

real time clip on 4" solid ally rollers over 300 rpm....smooth

FD

Despite the 30llbs weight of the Brompton plus bar bag (and terrible aerodynamics to boot!)...the real difficulty comes with the stability of the Brompton's 16 inch wheels at speed, plus rear suspension and allied to the appalling state of London's roads...at over 125rpm and 20mph the Brompton becomes a bucking bronco!! At least I'll get a chance to ride my trusty Condor in London in August in the Ride London challenge...finishes on The Mall!!

B

Cut Throat Jake

What time do we meet at the Tuns 7 or 7.30?

PeterT

7 pm

FD

Intro group is 7.30. Fast boys meet at 7pm

PeterT

It was 7 pm last week. Details are on the other thread.

FD

You're right Peter and I'm still on the train near Knebworth! Join you on the 2nd lap....maybe!!

Cut Throat Jake

See you at 7 then

PeterT

A nice tidy 3 laps by a group of 5 @ 20 - 22 mph. General concensus is to go for 2 laps on the normal chain gang route next week at same sort of pace.

See you there.

Peter

Gilgamesh

See you there, since the fast group, the fast group refugees (twice) don't want me riding with them it seems!
No one loves me ; (

jackie Field

You didn't do so bad Tim. You told me you were dropped a couple of miles in last time.

Stuart

Gilgamesh

'Tis true. Last week it was a quicker first lap.
Thereafter, I lasted one full lap with the 5 Fast Refugees, but my lead was always replaced by Nathan who also joined us, and I simply failed to re-connect at the back once he took it back to 25mph from my 22 one time. Dropped.
Turned the bike around, re joined in Littlington, then we were 3. Dropped after less than 2 miles.
Hey-ho.
My consolation was the ride back to Sandon which was lovely in the pink late evening light at dusk.

FD

Any chance the Intro group can meet at 7.15pm at the Tuns from next week please? I cannot realistically get there from London before that without raising eyebrows at work! It's not so bad missing part of one of the laps of the smaller circuits, but if we are now moving onto the longer 9 mile circuit, a 7pm start would mean me missing the first lap out of the planned two. If we kept to the planned 20-22mph we would still be back at the Tuns for around 8.30ish - 55 minutes for 2 laps plus 10 minutes each way to Steeple.

Andrew R

Fine with me with the long nights in June & July

timA

Ok with me too.

PeterT

Sounds like a plan - see you all at 7-15 pm at the Tuns.

Looking forward to two controlled laps!

FD

Thanks, much appreciated...wouldn't want to leave our fledgling group so soon....and as an incentive we'll probably be starting our first lap as the fast boys are steaming towards Steeple about 5 mins or so behind us!!