Mark O

Potentially available for a pacing SA effort - not 100% I'd last even that but we'll see. If I can still turn a pedal and do a turn I'd aim to continue pacing until it goes POP!
 
For other SA'ers I'd plan to eat somewhere then might do slower 2nd lap or do the String and Lochranza climbs each way as additional Spain training.
 
Will be driving down to ferry if I trap. Space for one bike on the carrier.

Looking good Mr Gunson. The elastic was getting stretch with every pedal stroke. M'Lud getting his pacing spot on to reel me in on the drop off the hill. Fine effort Charlie. Welcome to the stripey insect fun on a Tuesday Paul. Hope you enjoyed it.
 
A tough wee night into the wind. Still a right blast. Totally bonked on the last ramp to Carmunnock. All good.
 
M

Just to let u knw guys got home safe and sound a bit sore davie and i cycled down the road a bit totally my decision as just wanted home, no dizziness and took it very easy on pavement , and ma mothers now tending to us great run first and hopefully only crash al ever have but afraid it doesnt work out like that thanks very much for all your concern glad a didnt rake anyone else down with me havnt sustained head injury thanks to the mavic helmet a fancy a go at fishing next week if anyones interested! am jist kiddin trying to stay positive so a dnt go into shock a think av been very lucky and ma mavic helmet saved ma life so member when u go out ever without one on think o me and might make u think again hope yous all got home without any incident and ended up great weather and fab run might b out next week but al no commit masel just yet feet up now and once again thankyous all for the concern and good advice john

Hope you are ok John.
 
Large slice of humble pie for me today but will keep chipping away until I return to my mediocre best.
 
As if things weren't bad enough I got the knock 2 miles from home & had to stop at Nissa for chocolate. Just two bars....
 
Thanks to Ians Carvill & McTavish for the company.

I'm following the points thingy with interest (admittedly from afar - just doesn't work for me where I am living tbh), and Iain top marks for generating some sport on a Thursday - the APR idea is brilliant now that a pecking order appears to be emerging.
 
I still think this ride is all about the Clune. Most can hang in/on on the flat, take a wheel and draft for a bit before attacking the group or at least minimise time gaps but not all can do the solo 'inside your own head' effort of a climb and then kick on after a vertical effort. (I say that with the greatest respect all round as a positive critique).  
 
If it's a training ride as Alan McB suggests then more points should be up for grabs for the Clune to encourage weaker climbers to work on this aspect and grab points from their nearest rivals in terms of ability, rather than merely 'ride' the hill, or as Judas indicates let the Clune take care of itself. It also gives the mountain goats a chance to stick it to the sprinters and rolleurs knowing that their efforts are worth something and they are not merely Georgetown fodder.  Probably easier to place riders coming into the layby than spot who finished where in the sprint.
 
Dunno about cranking the pace up from the Smiddy (dunno what pace was being set). I can understand Alan's enthusiasm to rip it, but there is a danger of that the skills element could be lost and the cagey cat and mouse stuff sets in before you start or the whole thing explodes and guys would be better off riding solo. For the chain gang section along the West Ferry, while still a work out, this should in my view be about the group working as a group before the sport up the Clune and the run for the Georgetown begins - think a break in a race and everyone in the break working to maintain the gap. No point dropping the hammer 20 miles from home to find oneself riding solo. Ideally, tho perhaps unlikely to happen, the goal should be about letting weaker/new riders learn/develop to an extent every week and ultimately having everyone together as a coherent group at the bottom of the Clune a la team time trial.......or has the emphasis changed?
 
Just my observations on what looks like on the whole a right blast. Happy to have my spectator's comments shot down of course.
 
M

I'm following the points thingy with interest (admittedly from afar - just doesn't work for me where I am living tbh), and Iain top marks for generating some sport on a Thursday - the APR idea is brilliant now that a pecking order appears to be emerging.
 
I still think this ride is all about the Clune. Most can hang in/on on the flat, take a wheel and draft for a bit before attacking the group or at least minimise time gaps but not all can do the solo 'inside your own head' effort of a climb and then kick on after a vertical effort. (I say that with the greatest respect all round as a positive critique).  
 
If it's a training ride as Alan McB suggests then more points should be up for grabs for the Clune to encourage weaker climbers to work on this aspect and grab points from their nearest rivals in terms of ability, rather than merely 'ride' the hill, or as Judas indicates let the Clune take care of itself. It also gives the mountain goats a chance to stick it to the sprinters and rolleurs knowing that their efforts are worth something and they are not merely Georgetown fodder.  Probably easier to place riders coming into the layby than spot who finished where in the sprint.
 
Dunno about cranking the pace up from the Smiddy (dunno what pace was being set). I can understand Alan's enthusiasm to rip it, but there is a danger of that the skills element could be lost and the cagey cat and mouse stuff sets in before you start or the whole thing explodes and guys would be better off riding solo. For the chain gang section along the West Ferry, while still a work out, this should in my view be about the group working as a group before the sport up the Clune and the run for the Georgetown begins - think a break in a race and everyone in the break working to maintain the gap. No point dropping the hammer 20 miles from home to find oneself riding solo. Ideally, tho perhaps unlikely to happen, the goal should be about letting weaker/new riders learn/develop to an extent every week and ultimately having everyone together as a coherent group at the bottom of the Clune a la team time trial.......or has the emphasis changed?
 
Just my observations on what looks like on the whole a right blast. Happy to have my spectator's comments shot down of course.
 
M

Nice one Chung. Tough wee stint into the wind up the 77. Good to catch up. Spk Sunday.
 
M

Just thought I would post some bunch rules.
 
One flick of elbow = would you kindly come through
Two flicks = be a good fellow and take a spell
Three = hurry the #### up I am burst and if don't come through ###### you all I am sitting up
 
Just thought I would remind you all except the boys we could have caught if we worked

Not at all Marko, no matter anyway as Billy has been in touch to tell me I have to turn up and take my slaps.
 
Hardly turned a pedal this year but just going to suck it up until I return to my stellar form of last year.
 
I'm just worried that you will all catch your death waiting atop the hills as I'm rather "cuddly" at the moment....

On the basis that no one else has posted up I'm assuming it's just me this evening. Therefore to avoid any disappointments or misunderstandings I don't propose to wait at Morrisons when I get there. I'll just ride thru. The 6.15 meet is null and void.
 
Nae luck Charlie with the lurgy, looks like a fine evening in store.
 
M

Ah the 2 wee stalwarts. They may have changed the name M'Lud but the personnel remained the same. That was epic. Stewarton climb into the wind was full on. Cheers for the company Charlie.
 
Stopped raining when I got home!!!

Ah the 2 wee stalwarts. They may have changed the name M'Lud but the personnel remained the same. That was epic. Stewarton climb into the wind was full on. Cheers for the company Charlie.
 
Stopped raining when I got home!!!

Ah the 2 wee stalwarts. They may have changed the name M'Lud but the personnel remained the same. That was epic. Stewarton climb into the wind was full on. Cheers for the company Charlie.
 
Stopped raining when I got home!!!

Andy/Chris
 
'Tis too early in the year for the last man standing nonsense that McBagel refers to, added to which the boggers are still bogging it on the westferry. There was a distinct air of mutual respect re-established by the elder statesmen and co-founders of this ride last week - work hard but no one got broken. That said this is not a Sunday bunch ride but a mid week training ride. We do soft pedal to let people come together after a climb such as the Bowfield but the pace is brisk and sustained for the most part, especially on the flatter sections. The long drag out of Stewarton, most definitely the hardest section of the ride, is a work out and if one gets dropped then one gets dropped.
 
If you fancy giving it a bash I'd suggest you come along with the view of getting to at least Dunlop or Stewarton with the group and have a bail out plan if the pace is too strong, stick at it for a few weeks and then aim to do the whole route. There is a side road back to Dunlop a mile or so out of Stewarton off the main drag. You don't need to have ridden the route beforehand. Some Strava follower will have posted the route somewhere on the forum. Check back through last year's threads for the Swing Bee rides

Sorry guys, can't make this. Entertaining RBS at the velodrome and then some 'recovery' in the West Brewery.
 
M

DAft

Despite the fact that almost everyone had a fantastic day on the bike on Saturday, we should not forget that life is so un-predicable!
 
 
http://www.sport.be/rondevanvlaanderen/2016/en/nieuws/article.html?Article_ID=761684
 
    It's tragic that a fellow human being lost his life on the day on one of the climb, it is very sad indeed.
 
My only slight comfort in this sad incident is that he was doing what he loved & that his son was by his side! R.I.P
 
Chung

Good luck to the Flanders boys. Tail wind and sunshine hopefully.
 
Await your tales and photos from the weekend.
 
M

Good luck to the Flanders boys. Tail wind and sunshine hopefully.
 
Await your tales and photos from the weekend.
 
M

Fine idea Iain, in adding a bit of interest to the chain gang.
 
As Paul suggests best keep it simple. Clune and Habble points only with judicial point deductions for blatant wheel sucking and hiding. If a break sticks along the Georgetown then momentus occurance should be heralded as thus on thr forum with due plaudits. No breaks before the lights at BoW (safety first head on - one or two might get a green light and others get caught with a red. The temptation might be to jump the lights). Nowt wrong with a mini habble for the 30. Voigts points for closing down a gap/break perhaps?
 
Failed breaks to hard to judge. Someone could attack just for the sake of it collect a point or 2 then sit up for an easy ride in with no intent to contest the sprint. I would often go off on one from the BoW lights just for the hell of stirring things up knowing my effort would never stick and I'd never win the sprint.
 
All that said, there is a chance that guys might get so interested in points and bragging rights that it'll descend into cagey cat and mouse and energy conservation from Bishy, which may defeat the purpose of the chain gang along the westferry, which should still be an exercise in chain gang riding - smooth, controlled and without the group falling apart.
 
I'll offer my domestique services to anyone for a 30% cut of a season's points accrued. Business is business.
 
M

Fine idea Iain, in adding a bit of interest to the chain gang.
 
As Paul suggests best keep it simple. Clune and Habble points only with judicial point deductions for blatant wheel sucking and hiding. If a break sticks along the Georgetown then momentus occurance should be heralded as thus on thr forum with due plaudits. No breaks before the lights at BoW (safety first head on - one or two might get a green light and others get caught with a red. The temptation might be to jump the lights). Nowt wrong with a mini habble for the 30. Voigts points for closing down a gap/break perhaps?
 
Failed breaks to hard to judge. Someone could attack just for the sake of it collect a point or 2 then sit up for an easy ride in with no intent to contest the sprint. I would often go off on one from the BoW lights just for the hell of stirring things up knowing my effort would never stick and I'd never win the sprint.
 
All that said, there is a chance that guys might get so interested in points and bragging rights that it'll descend into cagey cat and mouse and energy conservation from Bishy, which may defeat the purpose of the chain gang along the westferry, which should still be an exercise in chain gang riding - smooth, controlled and without the group falling apart.
 
I'll offer my domestique services to anyone for a 30% cut of a season's points accrued. Business is business.
 
M

Germs!!!!! Made it through christmas and new year without so much as a sniff. First hint of dry, crisp weather on a weekend for weeks and..........yes, the bloke at work with a germ carrier of nursery age decides to share it around. Totally scunnered. Had hoped to get down the coast tomorrow. May venture out to limp around some flat roads for 30 or so miles later in the day if I don't feel totally dreadful.

Work's party on Friday, so no chance. Aim to venture out on Sunday for a few flat hours.
 
Alex, I like your endurance/optimism - "couple of work parties". Good effort sir.

No can do Sunday. Heading out on Saturday.
 
Nowt wrong with Largs especially through the late year and into the spring. Flat steady miles with only a few ramps. Ideal for putting in the base miles and the BB is ALWAYS welcoming to us even if we are dripping wet and make a mess of the floor - something not to be taken for granted.
 
I realise it can get a bit repetitive but if it's good enough for the boggers week in and week out through the winter then it's good enough for us. If it gets boring do it in reverse. There are actually a good number of routes that will take you to the coast road and Largs.
 
Just saying like.

Spied the Chungster on Eastwood Toll heading for Ayr Road on Sunday afternoon between 3 and 4 pm.