Mark O

An unexpected drink! Just the one bottle of vodka found lurking in the cupboard then Greigsy?

Tom Hill. Former cyclist and pathfinder. Nice chap, but haven't seen him for years. Last I heard of him was a report of a rare sighting of him meandering aimlessly in the lanes of Flanders.

Excluding those who have already posted their intention to come along or their apologies for not being able to make it, perhaps a timely reminder to all that this is your opportunity to get involved, air your views and influence the direction in which your club is run for the benefit of you, the members.
 
This is definitely not the preserve of those who have been or are currently involved in the club's management or those who regularly post their views on these boards. Hopefully we'll see a good turn out from across the whole club on Friday.

Excluding those who have already posted their intention to come along or their apologies for not being able to make it, perhaps a timely reminder to all that this is your opportunity to get involved, air your views and influence the direction in which your club is run for the benefit of you, the members.
 
This is definitely not the preserve of those who have been or are currently involved in the club's management or those who regularly post their views on these boards. Hopefully we'll see a good turn out from across the whole club on Friday.

Brisbane Glen Road? Duh!!!!! it was icy this morning Errr... ah fell aff ma bike !
 
The drop down to Loch Thom and then past the golf course would have been interesting........perhaps carnage. Did your mums know you were out cycling today?

Ritchie there was a splash of rain as we hit Irvine - not even worth stopping for rain jackets. Pretty good run and sunshine on the way back. Len I claim responsibility for introducing the Joansin to the delights of the Venice Cafe. Charlie was sold on the size of the scones at his first visit and its been a regular watering hole since.
 
Scrambled egg roll hit the spot today no mistake.

Spied a wheeler in Bishy. On foot, wi' a tin flute on, bedecked in a pastel pink tie no less. Good grief Ginty.
 
 

Yes we are on for saturday morning. Plan will be to deal with any detritus left behind and dealing with the expected layer of dust. Vacuum cleaners at the ready gentlemen. Shouldn't take too long. Ideally if we can leave the store, kitchen and toilets in state where the Monday evening team can do a thorough wipe down.

I'll echo all of the above comments. Great to see do many out from all 3 bunches and the jets too.
 
Very relaxed pace but not dawdling. Well done all those who did more than usual and perhaps surprised themselves. Hopefully some will kick on from here and consider moving up a bunch - now is the time to do it.
 
A word on the bagel basket, I thanked the staff on the club's behalf. The response was that they love having us on a Sunday as we do liven up their day.
 
I'll aim to organise another run like this in the spring, perhaps after the reliability runs when the racing guys are on a recovery weekend and again mid summer - thinking of an Argyll day out for that.
 
Lastly Greigsy you were posted missing. Missed your inane ramblings at the coffee stop.
 
M

Mark
Cheers for organising run today. Was in same bunch as Mulholland though despite my restraining order. Some people just have no respect for the law

Billy
Thanks for taking time out tonight to do ramp test for myself and Colin. Very much appreciated.Also thanks for your talk last week again much appreciated. I hope the jwcc recognise your efforts on behalf of members
Cheers
Charlie

I thought it might be helpful to expand on Darryl's philosophy work a little.
 
Andy Gumley is a pretty bright uni guy too so we threw together this quick paper. We've included some references to our previous work for context.
 
Hope you sell the bike.
 
Alan
jwcc citation.pdf

Billy - punctuation please. No one is going to go to London for a run on Sunday!!!
 
Anyhooo, proposed is a coast run to Largs - usual coffee stop. Onwards to West Kilbride then Dalry and Kilbirnie with the track back to Miller Street. Steady pace circa high teens or as steady as hangovers will allow. Depart Miller Street 09.00.
 
If you've not been out for a while, returning from injury or looking to step up to riding in this bunch now is the time to start. Haylie Brae optional for those who need to bale early.
 
Ginty, consider yourself slaughtered.
 
M

In MacB's absense he asked for someone to post up.
 
How's about a return to Troon but going via Galston, and if I get my route correct, Tarbolton and Monkton. Return via Kimaurs, Lochlibo Road and Barrmill etc.
 
Usual depart 09.00 Miller Street. Who's in?

Thanks Billy, lots of good advice for safe riding.
 
Some other ideas on comfortable fast riding to cover big distances. (These do not apply on weeknight bonkers hard man training sessions.)
 
The riders on the front have a responsibilty to set a steady pace, not blow the bunch to pieces when they are feeling good. Do not accelerate when you get to the front. If you are feeling strong then do longer spells and be prepared to sit at the front to pull everyone back from Milngavie when they're all blown. People will love you for it.
 
Watch any pro break on telly, short spells on the front with smooth changes in a tight group are the key to eating miles. Splintered bunches feel rubbish, look rubbish and ride slow.
 
Leaders needs to ease up going uphill because otherwise the bunch will always split due to slinky effect. Don't worry if it feels slower, it HAS to be slower for the same power, that's what your gears are for, durr.
 
If someone wants to have a go they can overtake the leaders on a hill but please don't make every hill a race because the steady circulation is disrupted, ultimately slowing the bunch.
 
Please listen to Mark and do not half-wheel at the front (riding twelve inches ahead of the other rider.) This has three effects: 1) the paired rider feels they have to accelerate to keep up which is incredibly tedious as the half-wheeler always pulls away again, 2) both lines are now out of sync and the twelve inch overlap at the front becomes a whole bike length further back so no-one can speak to their mates and 3) everybody wishes you had joined another club. Preferably in Tayside.
 
As Billy says the leader always pedals downhill unless very steep. If the leaders freewheel on descents then the riders in the draft will have to brake.
 
If you need to slow down on descents then sit up in the wind, try to leave brake levers alone.
 
Only stand to pedal on a hill if no-one is right behind you. Your back wheel shoots back 6 inches on standing and could take someone down.
 
Learn how to replace an inner tube in under 5 minutes and carry gas. Canisters are <50p each online which is a bargain on a cold day with twenty riders waiting for you to try to get to 120 psi with a useless biro sized pocket pump.
 
Alan

And thou shalt obey the ' none of the aformentioned rules apply for 2km before the 30 sign either side of Largs ' :)

 

I was chatting to Jason Smith from Glasgow Green CC today. He reckons our racing boys are some of the friendliest on the racing scene, to quote " not like other clubs". Says it all.
 
As for Billy MacBagel what can I say. The diet of Scottish champions. Beer followed by more beer, all washed down with steak and chips. As a nation we salute your small intestine MacB - Outstanding! Reckon you should trademark the MacBagel tag, might annoy a certain restaurant franchise in time.

Billy, you're a jinx!!!! Must have been after 10 before everyone got to the bridge thinks to a freshly cut hedge causing multiple punctures in the bunch.
 
Anyway we got there in the end and had a reasonably good run. A bit stop start due to flats and the wide range of riding abilities, esp on the vertical bits. The pace was variable but to be expected, still when we got a head of steam up it wasn't bad at all considering the wind. A quick sprint to the cafe stop saw a few flushed faces and no more question about how fast do you guys usually go were asked. We packed out the cafe at kilcreggan (the look on the waitress's face said it all). With a favourable wind the pace picked up on the return. Glen Fruin was binned with Sinclair Street billed as the alternative.
 
Bill T, Alan T and Graham opted for the main roads back to the bridge while the rest of us cracked on up the hill. A quick regroup after which the pace was ramped up during the dash for the bridge. Chung and I parted company with the bunch riding back thru town, everyone no doubt had the joys of the stiff breeze over the bridge.
 
Good to see some new faces and out faces to names on the forum. A solid run and the intermediate guys did pretty well again. You guys are better than you think you are. You just need to get out of your comfort zones. I'm guessing tired legs and smiley faces all round.
 
M

Don't get hung up on average speed girls and boys. Billy is spot on, 'in bunch' pace is considerably higher than you do on your own and you'll cruise along without noticing the increase. The pace will be what it will be. The group will set it.
 
Regards going the distance, again working in and as a bunch will allow you to go further. The stronger riders will see everyone back to Miller Street. Hope to see a good sized bunch tomorrow.

Grieg - yellow card for presuming anyone was excluded. You little rabble rouser.
 
Alan, John and indeed anyone else who might have reservations, this has been billed as a club ride. As those on the Troon ride will confirm the pace was sensible. Usual rule of no one getting left behind applies, as does the understanding that if the pace sneaks up you call out to have it regulated.
 
I'm of the view that there is no point to riding people into the ground who are a little apprehensive about riding with stronger cyclists. They'll just not try it again and will be lost to the idea of progression. Also, remember you're riding in a bunch where the stronger guys will take longer turns at the front giving you more time to draft and save energy.
 
Ultimately you might go 1 mph faster than normal, clock up your longest ride of the year and go home gubbed but you'll be smiling, Grumpy Grieg excepted.

Grieg - yellow card for presuming anyone was excluded. You little rabble rouser.
 
Alan, John and indeed anyone else who might have reservations, this has been billed as a club ride. As those on the Troon ride will confirm the pace was sensible. Usual rule of no one getting left behind applies, as does the understanding that if the pace sneaks up you call out to have it regulated.
 
I'm of the view that there is no point to riding people into the ground who are a little apprehensive about riding with stronger cyclists. They'll just not try it again and will be lost to the idea of progression. Also, remember you're riding in a bunch where the stronger guys will take longer turns at the front giving you more time to draft and save energy.
 
Ultimately you might go 1 mph faster than normal, clock up your longest ride of the year and go home gubbed but you'll be smiling, Grumpy Grieg excepted.

.......or your fading eyesight MacB.
 
Andy, peace and harmony have been restored, so there . It's all coffee with milk or milk with coffee - yuck!
 
Rule number 302 regards drinks consumed at cafe stops should be invoked - Should a cafe stop be taken, hot beverages should be limited to coffee only. Said coffee should be black and be of sufficient strength to make your eyes water, giving you a serious boost after twenty minutes - precisely how George likes his men Gawn, gie's a kiss. . Only deviation to be tolerated would be tea - by the pot. No more maccacappolattecino nonsense.
 
see y'all Sunday

.......or your fading eyesight MacB.
 
Andy, peace and harmony have been restored, so there . It's all coffee with milk or milk with coffee - yuck!
 
Rule number 302 regards drinks consumed at cafe stops should be invoked - Should a cafe stop be taken, hot beverages should be limited to coffee only. Said coffee should be black and be of sufficient strength to make your eyes water, giving you a serious boost after twenty minutes - precisely how George likes his men Gawn, gie's a kiss. . Only deviation to be tolerated would be tea - by the pot. No more maccacappolattecino nonsense.
 
see y'all Sunday

Had a meeting in the south side of Glasgow this afternoon, so came home via Stewarton. Could find any decent places to park up for tomorrow, but did pass three GB riders out on the circuit.
 
One of them nearly got himself killed as he overtook a pick-up and trailer who was only going slowly because of the other two in front. He pulled out at a narrowing of the road, right as a van came the opposite direction. Both van and pick-up drivers were bloody furious, and rightly so. Eventually passed the team car, where the pick-up driver got out and gave the coach an earful. With one unnecessary move (just before a hill where he was re-passed anyway!) that is almost certainly two more drivers on the "cyclist haters" list. What is worse is that whether they like it or not, team GB riders are suppose to set some sort of example.
 
Didn't mean to turn this into a rant, but as cyclist we often get treated like crap on the roads, so seeing people give "us" a bad name really pisses me off!
 
Looking forward to tomorrow night though!
 
Cheers,
Mr Angry From Ayrshire!

http://le-grimpeur.net/
 
An interlude: The (amateur) grimpeur’s manifesto
 
Climb. Lots.
The climb is your friend. It will teach you something.
The point of the journey is not to arrive. It is the experience.
That said, arriving at the top quicker will shorten the duration of the pain.
There are no shortcuts to climbing faster. Absolutely none.
Though shalt not covet another rider’s sub-1,300g climbing wheels.
Use the big ring at least once on every climb.
Lighten yourself before trying to lighten your bike.
We all dream of a 39×23 being our lowest gear and still being able to climb anything.
Race to train. Train to climb.
The only races worth really racing are hill climbs. You should bury yourself.
Race not to best other riders but to best yourself.
If you compete in crits or road races for training, you must attack on every climb. No exceptions. Getting shelled out the back may happen frequently, but at least you animated the race.
Do a ride with over 2,000 metres of climbing at least once a season.
Glory is fleeting. Pain can last for days, or even weeks and months.
There will always be someone faster.