Tony

Yes I am still available as previously advertised. Looking forward to Sunday

There is a 200km (125mile) audax on 9th October at Galashiels, covering the eastern borders and venturing into Northumberland. John and I did this same event about 4 years ago. Nice roads. Not too hilly if I remember. Just wondering if anyone might be interested in this - a last century ride to round off the year. It's an area that's off the beaten track - not covered by any cyclosportives that I'm aware of. You can find a bit more detail here: http://www.aukweb.net/events/ ...if you enter in advance you get the "brevet card" with full route details on it. Entry is only £5 so if the weather forecast is rubbish you won't feel too bad about cancelling your plans. It's an 8am start so you need to be leaving Johnstone about 0630 at the latest.

George no bother, I just assumed it was a "two ferries" job. I think it might be possible to get two separate bunches on the go - one doing the longer R&BT route and the other doing the "ferry to Dunoon then loop of the peninsula" - and meeting up at the cafe. In fact I think this is what happened with the Jim Daly memorial run?? Anyway it's a few weeks away so we can sort that out nearer the time Thanks Tony

Hi Folks there's been talk amongst the "Intermediate" bunch of doing an Arran trip in September, and Greig has suggested we make it a combined "30-miler/Intermediate" club run. Seems like a good idea so I've added it to our "September runs list": viewtopic.php?f=10&t=5977 I've pencilled it in for the 18th as per Greig's suggestion. It would be nice if we could find a date that suited everyone but I think in these situations you really have to pick a date and go for it - inevitably some people will be able to make it, some won't. (Hope this makes sense) Thanks Tony

List updated to include Arran proposal after discussion with Greig and one or two others. The Arran trip will (hopefully) be a combined trip with the 30-milers.

Martin I'm available from early doors till maybe 1630. Just let us know when/where to turn up. Thanks

Have changed the route (the link above has been replaced by a new one). Mainly due to resurfacing work on a section of Killallan Rd (the steep winding descent into Kilmacolm). It is now covered in a fine layer of gravel I rode down it on Thursday night...I use 28mm Schwalbe Marathons which have a tread on them, and I think that makes these situations slightly less hairy, but if you were on 23mm slicks I think you would find it just a bit too "exciting"...

OK - I need pictures to help me understand - ...so this is the standard two-abreast format ("traditional"): http://www.andamento.co.uk/tony/Bunch_R ... tional.mht ...and (correct me if I'm wrong) this is the method the quicker bunch have been using recently ("continental"): http://www.andamento.co.uk/tony/Bunch_R ... nental.mht For my next trick I am going to Powerpoint the "Dashing White Sergeant" as I've always struggled with that one (can just about manage the "Canadian Barn Dance") Thanks Tony

I think this is quite interesting: http://www.edinburghrc.co.uk/news/281/9 ... Chain-Gang ...the bit that's interesting (to me) is the "Continental Change" which I've not heard of before...although I have a vague memory of Martin Mulholland showing it to me about 6 or 7 years ago...maybe you could describe it in plain English as "intermittent through-and-off" rather than "continuous through-and-off" (i.e. chaingang). I suppose the idea is that you only spell up when the group decides it's time to do so, similar to the "traditional club run format" that I attempted to document with my smiley-faces thing - but you never find yourself riding three abreast. So maybe the best of both worlds.

The link under "Club Runs" above doesn't seem clear to me. It doesn't seem to be the same bunch riding style that we generally employ on club runs. In fact I don't think I've ever seen a web page or article that explains this properly, so I've created a simple Powerpoint presentation to do it instead. I would like to run it by people with a view to using it as a reference point for new members (i.e. putting a link to it in the Beginners/Returners section, or something like that): http://www.andamento.co.uk/tony/Bunch_Riding.mht ...have a look at it and let me know if you disagree with any of it or if you think it could be better worded. (It should open up automatically in Internet Explorer, if you are using Firefox you should be prompted to let it open a separate Internet Explorer session for you.) Recently I believe the faster Sunday bunch have been using through-and-off on club runs (?) but this is adequately explained by the second link that Ramsay posted above - so no need to resort to "Death by Powerpoint"

bump. Needing the space in my shed

List updated as per George's suggestion

As per the August runs list: http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=295146 ...43 miles (quite hilly)...aiming to be back in Johnstone before 1300 If anyone's got an alternative plan, fire away... Thanks Tony

Kenny well done for all your efforts in organising this. I am available to help on the day if required. Thanks Tony

If the Airlite has standard-reach (39-49mm) calipers then there will not be room for CX tyres as Kenny said. If it has long-reach (47-57mm) calipers with the pads at maximum extension then you should be OK. (Long-reach calipers are designed for framesets in the winter/audax/fast-touring sector of the market. E.g. my Steve Goff is like this and also some modern framesets like the Kinesis "RaceLight T".) Try measuring your calipers with a ruler if you're not sure - vertical distance from centre of brake pivot to centre of brake block.

George sounds fine. What weekend you thinking of? I've been thinking about this in the light of this weekend's weather. I know a couple of the guys talked about going to Arran today but it didn't happen, partly I think because the weather forecast was so bad - given the travelling time with the ferries etc I suppose Dunoon/Arran trips are only really worthwhile if the weather's half-decent. So...maybe it would be best to pencil your Dunoon trip in for two weekends - say the 4th and the 18th - the idea being that we keep an eye on the the weather forecast and if it's looking rubbish for the 4th then we cancel the Dunoon run, do something more local instead and reschedule for the 18th. So basically the idea is to have a "contingency" weekend (which would be the 18th in this example). Hopefully this makes sense - and I am not over-complicating things... I have put down a run for the 11th but that was mainly just by way of example - it can be moved in other words. cheers Tony

Sep 4th Dunoon (George Donnelly) Weather-dependent. Contingency date: Sep 11th Route details TBC Sep 11th Beith Rocking Stone (Tony Carrigan) http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=296797 45 miles Sep 18th Kilbirnie-Largs-Fairlie-Dalry (Tony Carrigan) http://ridewithgps.com/routes/717394 47 miles Sep 25th Tour of Inverclyde (Tony Carrigan or Bill Thomson) http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=295146 43 miles If you want to make a suggestion - don't feel that you have to create map-link for it - just describe the route and we can take it from there. Your Humble Servant Tony PS I don't think there are any club events clashing with these dates but if anyone knows better please let me know.

I have advertised these on the CTC forum (selling at postage cost). So last chance for anyone here....suspect they'll be gone within 24hrs...

0700 - rain is on and doesn't look like stopping. Having spent all day yesterday looking after the kids, I'm keen to get out, so will probably still go out for a couple of hours (as described above) but I certainly wouldn't blame anyone else for not bothering.

Circumstances have changed and I can come out now - but only for a couple of hours, need to be home by 11:30 or so. I'll bail out before Greenock and head home via South Newton, Lochwinnoch, maybe a wee detour thru Beith, up the Golf Course road, Belltrees. The forecast for tomorrow morning is confusing - dire according to the Met Office, OK according to the BBC and Accuweather.

Whilst clearing out a cupboard, I came across these - "Stars & Watercarriers" - 1973 Giro (Merckx, Gimondi, etc) "A Sunday in Hell" - 1976 Paris-Roubaix (Merckx, Roger de Vlaeminck, Freddy Maertens etc) ...don't have a VCR any more so anyone who wants these is welcome to them. Classic films you can watch over & over again

It might be time to adopt a new hand signal for club runs :- Chicken on the left Raise left arm to shoulder height, bend arm at elbow, flap arm up and down 3 times Chicken on the right Raise right arm to shoulder height, bend arm at elbow, flap arm up and down 3 times Chickens all over ...as above but both arms simultaneously... The last one requires some skill and daring

If you want to maximise your options you could look at the events calendar on the Audax UK website: http://www.aukweb.net/ Audax events are low-key (maybe 20 riders rather than 200) but the routes are often more imaginative than the ones the cyclosportive organisers use. They are a good way to discover some new roads in a part of the country you might not normally visit. Also they are very cheap...

List updated with proposed route for August 14th: July 31st Ayrshire lanes (Tony Carrigan) http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=290159 44 miles. Optional cafe stop at the Uplawmoor Hotel. August 7th Largs (PaulC/Steve) http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=283797 46 miles - or about 55 miles if coming back via Fairlie Moor. Optional cafe stop at Largs August 14th Tour of Inverclyde (Tony Carrigan) http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=295146 ...43 miles (quite hilly) August 21st Scottish Circuit and Youth Road Race Champs (Paisley) Given the number of club members who are likely to be involved in the event and the requirement to provide marshals, helpers etc. it does not seem sensible to organise a club run on the same day. August 28th Sam Dooley TT A number of people will be required for marshalling duties etc (probably at least 12). Again it does not seem fair to organise a club run in advance until these requirements are met. Any suggestions re routes etc welcome

Hi Katrina given that your boy has outgrown the baby seat...you're not looking for a tagalong by any chance are you??? viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5941 Thanks Tony