Welcome to the forum
Chain gangs 2013
Probably not the best person to kick this thread off given i will do well to last lap 1 for a while.....But thats half the fun;)
Tuesday 16 and 23 April would mean a 7pm start.
7.30 maybe on 30 April.
Sg Pain is also promoting Chain Gang II at the moment so watch out for his posts if you would like a soft entry into the sector.
Get yr Strava up and running for the Litlington to Basingbourn sector (esp when the wind is coming from the west)
ttfn
Tuesday 16 and 23 April would mean a 7pm start.
7.30 maybe on 30 April.
Sg Pain is also promoting Chain Gang II at the moment so watch out for his posts if you would like a soft entry into the sector.
Get yr Strava up and running for the Litlington to Basingbourn sector (esp when the wind is coming from the west)
ttfn
Comments
(maybe after half a lap!)
Do you know where / which forum?
I've looked but no sign of any posts for 2013 bar this one thus far here.
Looks like at least Theo is starting chaining at 6.30pm.
Maybe James at 7pm.
Robbie at 7.30pm.
Leaving 3 Tuns to warm up on the way to Steeple Morden.
Previously, it's worked out where later groups and riders go the course clockwise, to sooner or later meet the oncoming earlier groups going anti-clockwise.
Route link here.
Last year it settled into 7pm and 7.30pm groups. Usually meeting in Steeple.
What speeds likely per group please?
Or are they all roughly the same speed / intensity?
As Martin says, the main or first group goes anticlockwise, from Steeple to Litlington, Basingbourn etc.
Anyone joining can go the other way round, then when they see the chain gang approaching, using extreme caution obviously, stop and
turn and join the main group.
i havent made it in a while but its usually 23-24 mph average for the course. if you can't keep up you are off the back, so the intensity is that of the strongest riders.
if there is enough interest, then its possible to have 2 chain gangs, a fast one at the above pace, and then a slightly steadier one at low 20's
A simply awful winter, so my aspirations are still greater than my abilities - reality will bite soon enough - then I will be away abroad. Hey-ho!
Jane makes a very good point, the corner is not a good place to meet and inevitably results in riders milling about in the road on a blind corner. Lets try to meet off the road by the garage.
I'll be out tonight for a couple of laps , if there's a few other slower riders out we can make a second group but if not will just hang on as long as I can.
If you are waiting for them to come round then get there early and wait in the garage so you see them coming and have a chance of getting on. Or ride round the wrong way until you see them coming. I rarely can get onto the course until 7.30 so just ride around the wrong way until i see them coming. Can be a bit worrying if you get to the Littlington one way bit though! if im expecting them i keep going up and down the Littlington Bassingbourn stretch so i dont miss them in the one way system.
By the way, a note about joining from the wrong direction. Give yourself as much time as possible. As soon as you see them coming towards you have a VERY GOOD LOOK and if its safe do a u turn. then stay tight and straight in the secondary position accelerate steadily and let the group come past you and slot on the back. Dont keep looking behind and wobbling about and dont ride in the middle of the road letting the group come up the inside. If you cant do a safe u turn in front of them or they come past round an unsighted corner, then just turn when you can and sprint like Sir Chris.
No one is going to wait for you though so try not to mess up the join!
On strava.
Less chain gang, more like chain link!
I went round for one last lap on my own before heading home.
the 7.30 group can probably squeeze in 2 laps before it gets too dark at the mo
Lee
sounds like it went well, cya next weeeek
Best,
A
Any idea of a date?