Newport velodrome

Some of the club travelled to Newport, South Wales, to try out the velodrome there. The SWRC were joined by some pupils from Ewell Castle school, who Mike Bates had brought along. Some of the West Drayton MBC were there, together with the Shaftesbury C.C. accross from Essex.

I got the head cam out for this video, showing you what a warm up ride is like around the boards. Here the string of riders ride around the blue line, swinging off the front every half a lap, and joining in on back.

2008 Season Conclusions - Ain't Complaning

Had a look back in my diary to see how I did target wise for the season, only 36 seconds out in the '50' a mere 6 seconds in the '10' and an impressive 5 seconds out in the '100' Not surprisingly my 50.46 for '25' was the only target I bettered but I had aimed to beat the Club Record by under 10 seconds so to beat it by a minute more was very pleasing. The one time/distance I was way out on was the 12 hour, (280 miles what was I thinking?) even if I'd ridden a perfect race I'd have been happy with over 270 but I only rode the one and unlike the seven '100's (count them) I guess you can't expect to have the perfect ride on demand
For the BBAR I held out the hope that these rides would give me a top 10 place, my times would have given me 12th in the last couple of years but it was a competitive year with Ian Cammish back in the reckoning (2nd) for the first time since 2004 and two new Turks in the top ten in the shape of Andy Baston (5th) and Bradley Johnson (7th) while there were quite a few other movers and shakers the 25.5mph to get into the top 10 has stayed fairly consistent the last 10 years and I'm not quite there yet. I had to settle for 15th (25.374mph Av.) in the end, I guess I have to be happy with that and knowing I can/could have gone faster especially in the '50' even though I did a 3 minute PB in May I never got another good day, but in a pretty bad summer weather wise I was not the only one in the top 20 this happened to. This always happens Yes you could always go faster on a faster day on a faster course but then so could other riders and the status quo is maintained
Paul Alderson put in some pretty solid rides to end up breaking into the top 40 for the first time, 39th (24.029mph Av.) and I feel the club is to be congratulated in having two riders in the top 40 for the first time in our history. Not many clubs have two 'home grown' riders capable of this and in the results week in and week out Jon Thomas got his fair share of attention and put in some sterling rides especially his PB in the the API '50' only 11 seconds behind Paul's best to become the 3rd fastest SWRC rider ever at the distance, all of us currently riding we should have a crack at the National team in that event next year.
With the VTTA Veterans BAR (Welcome Paul!) I moved into the top ten (from 12th last year) for 7th with +6.394 the winner again 55 year old Ken Platts (Cambridge CC) +8.414 with 51 year old Cammish 2nd here too +8.281 these two were well out infront but as if to reinforce the increasing competitive nature of this competition 26 riders had a + 5 mph, last year only seventeen. I'm still well off the pace On Standard but still up from 58th to 33rd. On straight out time I was placed 5th 6.25.20 from the winner 42 year old Barry (Baz) Charlton (Lyme RC) 6.04.59 my 50.46 making me the 2nd fastest 25 miler over 40 in the country.
On the track I said a Masters medal but I was too caught up riding '100's to fit those in so the LVRC Gold/Silver while not as competitive late in the season. still the times I posted would have got me in the top four at the Masters (6th in Europe) so plenty to go on for next year. I had hoped to win a 2nd Cat Road Race but this proved beyond my capabilities (both physically and tactically) the best chance I had was in the LVRC Nationals when I was up with the leaders but as with every other RR I had a bad attack of cramp and lost my chance. Busted down to 3rd for the coming season I should be more competitive.
I should have said to win an 'Open' TT which was one of my targets from the year before that never quite materialised (2nd Congleton '50') but this year I achieved that elusive goal, in the N Mids & Herts '100'(13th July) and It was touch and go as I had doggy gears and had to get off and manhandle them at 40 miles knowing that I could not use them in the more challenging second half of the ride. Level with an 'Unknown' rider Andy Stuart (VC St. Raphael) with 10 miles to go I pulled out 30 seconds for my second open win over a quarter of a century after my first, Alan was there getting all excited and I was glad to share it with him as there are too many times when I have done a good ride only to miss out and have that lonely drive home with the thought in my head as to how I could have made my effort on the day be the difference and win the day. On top of that I missed out in a 2 Up bu a single second and another of the '100's by 36 seconds (instant karma or what!)
Targets for next Year? I'm not telling but apart from having a go at the team '50' at the Nationals the VTTA National record for a 47 year old is 1.44.00, that would be something!

Christmas wish list

If you're wondering what to put on your Christmas wish list before posting it up the chimney, you can't go far wrong by adding a torque wrench to adjust all those bike bolts to the correct tightness.

Petworth ride

The dry weather brought out the biggest group of riders for quite some time, on the A group clubrun this weekend. After what seems like endless wet rides, we had a lovely ride through the Autumnal tree lined lanes of Surrey & Sussex down to Petworth. Mark Williams had the only puncture of the day.

We had a few guests for the day, Veronique & Dave who are both members of the Epsom C.C.

Tapas Tales

The 'Tapas Tourers' have all returned safe and well after another holiday brilliantly organised by Ant.

Some twenty club members and partners set off to Mallorca in the hope of some late year cycling in the sun. The afternoon arrival was promising, with a blue-ish sky and (compared to the cold rain of home) warm air. Quick rush to the hotel, down to the bike rental to sort out the rides and then a complete monopoly of the front seats of the nearest bar.

Ant had selected a wonderful restaurant for the first evening (with the meal included in the holiday price). Work and worries ebbed away on the tide of vino and cerveza.


It was about 3.00am when I was woken by the whistling of the wind forcing its way through the balcony doors. I got up to investigate and could not believe that the palm trees by the swimming pool were horizontal. I pretended I hadn't seen it, went back to bed and thought it must be the effects of the wine. No such luck ...

Breakfast saw the weather much to same. Storm force winds and, would you believe it, rain. The seas were really high. We all got changed and met in the lobby and debated 'Should we, shouldn't we?' It really was too dangerous. So some sped off to catch a train to Soller, others buses to Palma. Five diehards hung around until lunch-time and headed off inland: and managed to get in 50k in really poor conditions.

Our spirits were not dampened by this, and we managed to entertain the other hotel-locked Spanish tourists while we decided what to do.

Days two and three we all got out on the bikes and enjoyed what we had gone to the island for. The second day was eventful. The plan was to go over the Coll de Soller to Deya, have lunch then back over the mountains to ValdeMosa and from there the hotel. Halfway up the Soller climb my chain snapped. Ant and Peter stayed behind to help me out - luckily I had a chain splitter with me. As we were putting my chain back on, Tony came back down to check we were OK. These three lifted my spirits until, going back up the hill, I noticed Tony was in his big ring :-(. I wish I could so that.

We set off through Soller, hoping to catch the others for lunch, when the skies darkened, the heavens opened, the thunder rolled and the hail fell out of the sky. Four very, very wet clubbers quickly descended back into Soller and into the nearest hostelry. We had to smile when a local eating his lunch laughed on seeing us and quipped "mucho agua!" or something to that effect. Ant phoned the others and all had been caught in the hail storm. We decided that after lunch we would go back over the mountain and meet the others back at the hotel. En route, we saw a blue train of cyclists ahead going through a roundabout and, after a bit of a chase, we saw it was the rest of the group. Kindly, Anne decided to puncture at this point so we all re-grouped.

All of our thanks to Ant for his efforts in putting together another great trip; and to Senor Manso of Embat Ciclos. My thanks to everyone on the trip. I had a great time.

These sound good ...

According to the 'Gadget Show', new Nike sunglasses give your eyes superpowers!

Nike has has developed a concept for a pair of next-generation shades that give cyclists superhuman vision. The concept is that they’ll extend the wearer’s field of vision by an eye-opening (!) 25 per cent. The lenses give the wearer increased peripheral vision, to help you spy incoming traffic coming from the left or right sooner than previously. Follow the link for the full article:

http://fwd.five.tv/news/new-nike-sunglasses-give-your-eyes-superpowers

I'm still waiting for the ones that can spot pot holes.

thetford round 1

Paul's report:

The weather forecast said 6°C with 29mph SW winds. It was at least 8°C if not 10°.
A bit chilly perhaps but not cold.
I had unfortunately put two layers on regardless, so hot but not, not sweaty. Their were salt marks on my arm warmers when I finished.
This wasn't helped by the fact that the wind was 29mph at least. I even felt it in the trees at times. There were a couple of descents I pedalled down in a smaller gear than I know I've ridden up in the past. And one ascent into the wind just became speed sapping rather than a hammer grind. But as it was a southerly wind I think that's why it wasn't so cold.

The course was very good, I wasn't. Lapped on the fifth lap. I only just got through in time for a seventh lap too (five minutes to spare - they let one guy through with a second to go though) so could have been two laps down on the leaders.
Mainly dry with lots of singletrack. This was good but for the 'two hour' boys behind us bad I imagine.
They usually set off 15 minutes after the 'four hours' which gives a good time for everyone to spread out.
Today though we had two minutes silence for remembrance then a memorial poem was read out. Then the 'four hour' ladies went, then with a two minute gap we went and the 'two hour' lot left 5 minutes after us. This meant they were on us about half way through lap two having passed those behind while we were still in bunches - hard work and annoying
.
I had one off incident. Whilst riding in a chain of about six of us, I was in about fourth following hard when I guess we caught up with a slower rider with nowhere to pass and all came to a very sudden stop. The only place I could see to avoid the rider in front was the floor so I chose that option. Soft without roots I'm not sure I didn't just bounce back up again and carry on. In fact I'm not actually sure I hit the floor, feasibly I somehow stuck my foot out and kicked myself upright again from a very acute angle.

I faded from what was only a reasonable speed anyway during lap five and just kept hanging on for lap six, but about two miles into the final lap I saw two guys ahead I knew were on the same lap as we'd yoyoed earlier and was sure one was a veteran.
Having just had a gel, some Clif Bloks and some energy drink I chased, caught and passed them then kept going hard to the end because one of them gave chase - the bugger. He finished less than 100m behind me.

Another great day and though there is a semblance of mud on my bike, it's not too much.
With race numbers going up to 935 I am no. 3 for the series. Lets hope I'm top ten at least then.

Results: timelaps 10th excellent, well done.

Another wet clubrun

You had all better watch out because I'm back out with a new video camera, and here is my first video of the winter clubrun season. Sorry about the music but that's what came out when I used the new software.

L’EROICA, Gaiole in Chianti, Italy 2008.

Two years ago I formed a plan to have a crack at L’Eroica, the classic event for classic bicycles, set in the Chianti region of Tuscany.

I resurrected my 1965 Raleigh Record upon which I won the Kenya Road Championship in 1966, an event with a fairly low grade field, but nonetheless a tough 112mile race from Nairobi to Naivasha and back including the descent into the Rift Valley and the great climb out of it again.

The frame was restored by Argos to its original British Racing Green with lovely chrome ends. I was able to refit most of the original parts, restored like new and including the Classic 1965 Campagnolo Record Group-set.

To complete the illusion of the past I was able to clothe myself with luxurious merino wool Raleigh (Kenya) team kit and polish my sixties shoes fitted with new TA Anquetil shoe plates.

The route of L’Eroica meanders for 205 kms around the hills of Chianti and includes about 135kms of “Strade Bianche”, loosely translated as White Roads. An alternative translation might be, “loose gravel, soft sand, flint-stone drifts, pot holes, mud and worst of all: corrugations; not to mention long steep climbs and hair-raising descents.”
Classic bicycles were pre-registered and scrutinised for authenticity by Sgn Irio Tommasini, a racing man from the 1940’s, a frame builder and bicycle manufacturer since 1957 and an authority on the provenance of Italian Bicycles and the Campagnolo time-line. Although he had to take my word for the correctness of my Raleigh frame, all the components scored full marks. On the day there was to be special awards for the first ten, correctly attired riders on registered bicycles to arrive at the finish.

There were about 2 or 3 thousand participants, in the event, most of whom, strangely, were on modern bicycles (and therefore not in the competition) and many had opted for the two shorter routes which sometimes crossed the correct L’Eroica route. The start was stated as “a la francaise,” in other words anytime from 5 am to 7 am. I decided to start at 6.30 am; a big mistake, I was to regret later.

It was pitch dark and the lights were on. I managed to follow a fairly brisk group on a nice smooth downhill start for about 10 kms but the temperature was low and the fingers and toes were freezing. It was uncomfortable and I wasn’t happy on the first climb with a bottom gear of 44 x 25: another regrettable error, but this time unavoidable as that was the lowest available on this campag set-up.

Rising from the saddle to increase cadence proved impossible on the gravel, as traction was immediately lost, so I knew that there was some hard work ahead. Dawn broke, revealing the most spectacular scenery on earth – rolling hills, great woodlands, hillside vineyards, olive groves, autumn colours; a kind of paradise: Not so nice on the bike; a new experience unfolding; frightening descents on steep slopes with loose gravel, large flints and those awful corrugations.

I am sure ‘cross riders and ATB exponents understand all this stuff, but I had a lot to learn; especially that fear causing the instinct to apply brakes on a descent when the wheels hit the corrugations is not at all healthy: As the front wheel bounces from the rut with the brake applied the wheel stops in space and generates a very worrying effect when it makes contact again. By chance, I survived this hair-raising scenario and learned quickly that the transformation from gravel and stones to corrugations requires the immediate release of the brakes, regardless of the velocity. The steep climbs generated the opposite effect; loss of traction; too many lessons to be learned before eight o’clock in the morning!

Soon the first feeding station and control point was reached at 47 kms and I seemed to be making good time. Plenty of riders were tucking into the very fine spread of food – ham, cheese, bread and jam, fruit tarts, bananas and even Chianti wine. All too soon for me:


So I pressed on. A couple of sections of paved roads and then a 12 kms climb on the strade bianche to the second control at the castle in Montalcino after 85 kms. I was still smiling at this point and ate some food, drank some water and exchanged stories with some friendly and jovial Italian riders:



The air was now quite warm and the skies clear blue. I had some more jam tart, filled my bottles and pressed on with a long descent to the village of Torrenieri after 100kms where I had arranged a rendezvous with my wife Angela. She had spare wheels, tubs, tools and food, but I needed nothing. She told me that the 5 am starters had passed through at 11 am, so in effect, I was about an hour up on them. Believing that I had plenty of time in hand I unhitched my lights and threw them in the car, another decision to be regretted later.

The next 56 kms was mostly on strade bianche, some of it very rough with very telling climbs and some unforgettable descents. I seemed to be gaining confidence on the loose surfaced descents, or was I becoming more foolhardy as the onset of fatigue was just beginning to drain reason?

From the village of Lucignano, careering down 15% slopes for more than 15kms over 1” flints, through ruts, sand and those dreadful corrugations; the Mafac brakes screeching in protest, but the wonderful Gatorskin tubs (recommended to me by Bob Maylin) standing the test of the roughest roads and in the end showing no signs of wear.

Following this descent was another very rough 5km climb to Montanto, then another fearsome descent before, what I had been warned of my new Italian friends at Monte Sante Marie reared ahead: About 17kms up and up on the roughest of surfaces rising in three sections of 25% interspersed by sections of 12-15%.

This was too much for me; tiredness, steepness, gearing and the impossibility of standing, fixed me and I was forced (perhaps to my relief) to walk for quite long distances. I wasn’t the only one, but I noticed that younger riders, on modern bicycles, probably on the shorter course, were still doing very well. My time, however was wasting away.

Another control point at Torre a Costello after 163 kms: I was really glad of this; I was whacked; I gorged on bread and ham, jam tarts and a banana, but resisted the Chianti.

Forty-two kms to go and the next 16kms was on smooth paved roads. Joy was short-lived as this section contained two winding climbs, but at least manageable. After the tar, more climbing on the rough stony rutted gravel and the now looming worry of the sinking sun and the darkening sky. With still more than 20kms to the finish I was feeling very, very weary but a long flat section on gravel eased the pain a little.

It wasn’t over yet: with 9kms remaining, a sting in the tail with a quite steep three kms climb on a winding paved road, but now in pitch darkness. I was feeling very silly, having discarded my lights, and worse was to come! A right turn at the top of the climb, back on to a long descent on strade bianche. Couldn’t see a thing but by now I couldn’t care less and let the thing go and hoped for the best, and by pure luck arrived at the finish in Gaiole, unscathed.

Without a doubt, the toughest event I’ve done; probably ever. Certainly the most interesting and exciting. Next year I plan to ride my 1948 Owen Bryars, purchased second-hand from a SWRC club member in 1953. I will be taking some valuable lessons with me:

1. Start at 5am (the only chance of winning)
2. Wear gloves in the morning.
3. Keep the lights on the bike, just in case.
4. Stay with the Gatorskin tubs, they are incredible.
5. Use a 1950’s TA crankset with a nice 32 inner ring.

Despite all that I was seventh to finish the 205kms on a Classic road bike and wearing the appropriate attire. As a reward the top ten can return in October 2009 as guests of the organisation presumably to receive some special treatment and awards but in any case:

Can’t wait
Graham Collins

Guess what? The Answer.

Here is what I took a photo of, a Rohloff hub gear, cut out in section, so you can see all the internal workings of the gearing.

October Handlebar tape Survey

For the first time in the blogs history there was a dead heat on the results of the handlebar tape colour survey.
So it doesn't seems to matter if you've got Black, White or what ever colour, as long as it matches your bike. I must admitt that I had a few sleepless nights worrying about the outcome of this one, so I'm glad it's all over.

SWRC have a new National Champion

I know I said the Hillingdon was my last event of the year but I had entered the inaugural LVRC National Track Championships at Newport this weekend
Good thing I did my geraniums as we had 3 inches of snow on Tuesday (first time in October in Leicester since 1937) so I had a couple of slippery rides to work in full winter mode. Having watched our Boys & Girls 'doing the business' at the Manchester World Cup on Friday evening I was ready all excited about the prospect for my first competitive outing on the boards since I broke my collar bone (Ouch!) a week before the National Champs at dear old derelict (now not then) Saffron Lane in 1992.

Alan, just back from a week walking in NW Italy (hardly ideal preparation) and I took ourselves along to Newport Velodrome to have a bit of end of season fun. Only to find riders just back from the World Masters Track in Sidney and others taking it very seriously, I cannot lie I had done a session on the turbo on Thursday to try out my 'fixed' TT bike as I had not ridden it since the 12 hour (used as a spare with gears). Adrian (Shaftsbury CC) was there with us all in the same age group (45-49) these two have a bit of history together as Adrian said to me last week "I've got a pair of 'Barelli' pedals with Alan's paint on somewhere at home", old scores were set aside for the weekend and we set about a plan to get bodies on the podium at every opportunity


Plotters Corner

First up the 16km (60 laps) Points race, I decided to put the opposition on the back foot by wearing old kit while Alan had the new. I went on the attack (best form of defence) after the first sprint (every 10 laps) with some stout blocking from Alan and Adrian and a bit of nifty leg work from yours truly I got half a lap, 2 sets of
sprint wins and 15 laps later I sat up not able to stay away on my own any longer. While I was getting myself together Ian Fagan (Paramount RT) an Ex Pro and a useful 'trackie' I had targeted as a likely winner went away with another and quickly got half a lap, he then dropped his companion and bridges the lap on his own to wild applause from the track center, Damn! I thought there goes the win. I managed to get points in the last two sprints 2nd & 3rd to consolidate my position in second place Steve Clayton our representative at the Worlds (Lichfield CCC) 3rd

We left the sprinters on the track at 7 O'clock to finish their programme while we headed to the Holiday Inn for post race analysis and some grub from the buffet. Adrian had brought some old cycling's and the Skol 6 Day programme from 1978 when he and Alan rode the schoolboy omnium. Maurice Burton was riding (with Paul Medhurst) and there was an advert for 'newly opened' DeVer cycles in Streatham (I think It's called synchronicity) Alan found a result in a 1976 edition of the 'comic' with Parky's all plus Steve Gowar winning the WLCA Team Pursuit in 5.17 (for 4000m on Herne Hill) not bad considering Alan was only 13 years old at the time.
I had to be at the track for 8.30 on Sunday to prepare for the Pursuit so the others tucked into a cooked breakfast while I made do with cereal in an effort to not be overcome by my first Pursuit since 1982


I worked out a schedule at breakfast with Alan, 3.40 a bit ambitious (I found out later) but I had no idea what riders do these days. Fagan had not signed on, no bike apparently but that did not stop other riders just bolting on aero bars but I was not the only one to have a dedicated bike and a couple of 'solid' front wheels came out Oh! I thought this is serious, to my surprise I was fastest qualifier albeit by a mere two tenths of a second 3.49.86, I felt that I had been pedalling too fast on my 92" gear and on schedule at half way I could not maintain the high cadence of 120 revs (bit different from my usual 88) so I put my gear up 2" for the final
Felt more comfortable at 112-115 revs although still went out a bit fast at the start, the result was never in doubt, I was up 2 seconds in the first lap and then 4 seconds up at half way. I had my man in sight for the final kilometer but did not quite manage to catch him as I went 4 seconds faster 3.45.88 while he went 4 slower. In fact I was the only rider in the finals to go faster in the second ride only a couple of hours after the first my powers of recovery obviously good. Incidental my opponent in the final Steve Bent (Ludlow CC) one of the Highgate/Hendon riders that beat us in the GHS in 1976 I wrote about several weeks ago. 3rd Paul Lilley (Fenland Cl.)3.54.19


Top Spot

The remaining event the 15km Scratch always a bit of a lottery, the 'A' race had been a bit of a procession with a 'wind up' for the last KM and then a bunch sprint, I was getting to know the 'form' riders, Fagan was in there with Clayton and Doug Pinkerton (Halesowen C&AC) who had all sat out the Pursuit series. We had a bit of a plan for Alan and Adrian to try and get away after I had done a bit of 'softening up' in the opening 20 laps but once I lit the touchpaper it was just attack after attack and the bunch blown to pieces by half way with the above three myself and Adrian to make a lead group of five and we lapped the field. Alan pulled out after being up with the leaders but not able to keep in the front split. I decided it wasn't hard enough and attacked several more times and Fagan had a good go at dislodging us but nobody was shifted although Pinkerton not working by now and I told Adrian to only do short turns as he was our best hope for the finish. My legs were beginning to give out and I found myself at the back at the bell as it got a bit confusing with back markers and the lap board. In the end it was all five of us across the track at the line with Clayton getting it and Adrian 2nd over the long way with some impressive speed only back to racing this year and done half a dozen league meetings at Welwyn. Fagan 3rd Myself 4th (Almost doing a 'Wiggins' with Gold Silver & Bronze) I was satisfied with my weekend tally an 'age related champ' at 3000m and 12 Hrs. not a bad spread


Points race Winner the elusive Mr Fagan!

"Hell of the Ashdown" Catford CC Sportive 1st February 2009

The details of next years Catford CC reliability trial, now upgraded to a Sportive are on-line, and with only 700 or so entries available, you need to register soon. As I intend to be a full time 'pro' ( don't laugh ) alright 'ol'Joe' in the New Year, I'm intending to make this event my first target for the season and would be keen to see some other club members at the start, if not at the finish! As the route is very lumpy, I know the route pretty well from my early days with the Kentish Wheelers, it will be a good indicator of your form. It's only 3 months away so get those entries in soon, I'll be asking for a 9-30am slot, if you fancy starting with me, but as the route climbs a 1 in 4 hill ( it's very short ) within the first couple of miles I won't be with you for long unless you wait at the top !! Visit their web-site to fire-up your motivation!