robster82

Great day out as Arran always is.
 
Lots of highlights but particularly memorable was a young girl about 10 years old and her brother a couple of years older who overtook us on e-mountain bikes about 4 miles out of Brodick, we ended up jumping on their wheel and getting a tow at 25 mph all the while struggling to hold their wheels - must have looked comical to the cyclists going in the other direction as the battery pack wasnt particularly obvious at a quick glance!
 
 

Going for a pb up the clune as I was 3rd behind john Archibald and some guy in a Scottish cycling jersey and as I hit the petrol station near the top, Punctured but bunch waited so not a total loss. Still got a pb (fastest I've ever fixed a puncture) pauls maintenance lessons must be paying off

Twice! Second time out of a ditch at Loch Thom. Wish I'd seen it!
 
Good cycle today, but brutal headwinds. Worst part for me was descending Brisbane Glen giving it full gas with Robbie, to only be hitting 13.2mph... Bad, bad, bad headwind!

See you guys at clubrooms at 0930. Looks like a big bold southerly should blow me up the cycle track. Will leave 815 to be sure
 
To be sure
 
To be sure ☘

Quick update:
 
 
Date: August Wed 17th - 24th
 
Flight: Glasgow - Carcassonne
direct flight
 
Flights are Wed and Sat.
 
Roughly 2.5 hours drive
 
Stay in Argeles Gazosht
 
Ideal for classic cols
d' Aspin; d' Aubisque; Hautacam; Luz Ardiden; Marie Blanque; Tourmalet ... To name a few😳

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

That time of year again. Starting on Tuesday 5 th April. Depart Morrisons 6 pm. Will move to 6.30 pm when light allows

Spring is near so get out your carbon for fun starting on 7 th April.

Brilliant. Look firward to it.
 
Is there a charging point at the bus stop for a lap top to run Iain's spreadsheets?

Would anyone be interested in a totally unofficial, informal competition based on points given out on the summer chain gang on Thursday nights? Just to be clear it is not a race, there are no prizes up for grabs - however if you were to find yourself at the top of an unofficial, informal league table by the end of the season then you have the the glory of being the Thursday night world champion.

Scoring:

First. You get a point for turning up.

Second. King of the Clune.

From the bottom of the Clune to the layby at the top where we regroup

1st 3 points
2nd 2 points
3rd 1 point

(the scoring here will need to be based on the honour system considering the leaders will likely be out of sight of the rest of us)

Third. Final habble along the Georgetown Road

1st 3 points
2nd 2 points
3rd 1 points
 
In addition to this there will be special Jens Voigt bonus points to encourage attacking riding

Namely an attack of 2 or less riders along the Georgetown road that manage to stay away. Because it so rarely succeeds this will have 20 points at stake, if there are 2 riders in the breakaway then it is 10 bonus points each a solo break then 20. No extra points for finishing 1st and 2nd, bunch sprint is then for 3rd.
 
2 bonus points will also be available for trying an attack that doesnt stick. It has to be a proper attack though, at least 20 metres on the bunch and sustained for a bit!
 
Any interest? I was trying to think up some handicap scoring system to keep things balanced but this is too complicated so could add an APR element every few weeks. On this night there will be no points for 'King of the Clune' but once at the top riders will be seeded and those in group 1 will get a 90 second head start (does that sound about right?) on those in group 2. If group 1 stays away everyone in it gets 6 points. If they are caught then it becomes 3,2 and 1 points for the top 3 in the sprint.

So the BUCS track champs were in Manchester at the weekend. I'm pretty happy with how all my races went. Saturday the only event I was doing was individual pursuit, which due to a lack of time, they cut down form 3 to 2.5k. I was hoping to get a 4.10 for 3k, and ended up getting 3.31 for 2.5k which placed me 8th, so I think if I had held my pace for another two laps I should have got 4.11-12. Only first and second managed to go below 4 minutes this year with 3.57 and 3.58, and third and fourth got 4.05 and 4.10 in their medal rides over 3k. Sunday was team sprint and points. I hadn't practised team sprint in a few months so didn't know what to expect, but we rode a pb with 39.6 and qualified fourth which put us into the minor final. Sarah my team mate was then given some race wheels for the bronze ride off, however she pulled the rear, and we weren't given a restart so had to settle for fourth overall. Then onto the points race, only 40 laps, but the bunch seemed a bit nervous, and i think there was a few inexperienced riders. There was quickly a big crash taking out 5-7 girls, I think they were all fine after a while, and some rejoined the bunch. Then with 13 laps to go another two went down right in front of me on the banking. Once the race restarted I managed to get on a wheel and cross the line third, picking up 2 points and finishing 7th overall.
So overall I thought it was a good weekend of racing with a good number of Scottish riders picking up medals, and a particularly well contested women's sprint event, which for the first time went to 1/8 rounds rather than just finals. I just want to say thanks for the use of the club disc for the pursuit and team sprint, and for Billy's training plans and advice, and I'm looking forward to improving on these times and racing more throughout the year. 

Struggling for tomorrow Alex grid lock on anfield road celebrating not back in Scotland till early morning, enjoy.

Bridge, Jamestown, Kippen, Totw, Crow, Milngavie. I got towed back from Lennoxtown, thanks chaps.
 
The coffee shop in Kippen has a partially completed loyalty card with the club name on it. Next person there in club kit might get a free coffee! Ask them
 
Lots of NCR N7 from Balloch to Croftamie has recently been resurfaced (about 20 minutes before we rode it, we left tyre tracks in the cooling blacktop) and has some immaculate sections of tarmac. Ride it before it disintegrates into the previous landrover track
 
Top of the World lived up to its name with stunning views to snowy hills to the north under a  big blue dome. Best riding in the world!

Old Flanders course after dropping Boonen and Cancellara on the Mur. Massive photo of me summiting at the Kappel with drunk Belgian fans and JWCC posse screaming from the embankment.  Solo to win. Free beers in Belgian bars for life.
 
Sort of did it in my mind.

Great wee run today Darryl, cheers for that
I'm winter bike and full muddies Richie though heard of a courier that is planning full carbon and race wheels but we are made of harder stuff than that

Great event,
BUT don't listen to Charlie, who now has an injunction prohibiting him from booking accommodation!!
Managed to go from a top hotel in Liege to something akin to the Calais jungle in London.

If the 35-40 minutes was for 20 miles it's team sky you need to be joining not us
 
 
Anyway you'll be fine, don't worry about holding up the group - everyone was a beginner at one point and the hardest bit is usually taking the first step.

Be the first to the till of the serving counter at the Bagel Basket   That would make my day!

Luca Paolini... racing to the Toilets in a nightclub, even in my fantasy he always beats me. Not sure why?
 
That was all a bit Freudian
 
On a serious note... Mr. Nys any wet day in belgium, but he usually wins as well
 
Anyone know a good sports psychologist?  

The Tuesday night sewing bee. Pipping the rest in the sprint after dropping the real sprinters on the climb

Thursday night Chain Gang, with big Mcbride and McTavish eating my dust!

Have you made an appointment at the Sandyford Clinic

very nice Al, clun runs with look resplendent this year with all the new bikes on show. Just purchased the new Trek Madone 9.2, Ultergra Di2, can't wait for the better weather. 

Hi All,
 
Given that it seems like everyone's ( ........Richard, Iain Ginty, Iain67, Big Al Y just to name a few) got a new bike for this year, I thought I would join the party :-)
 
Here's mine, still work in progress though:
 
http://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=137694&p=1205988#p1205988
 
 
Enjoy!
 
Cheers
Chung

This reliability brings back memories of the time I did a track stand at traffic lights at the bottom of Sinclair Street . The local church had just come out and the congregation was streaming across the road . When the lights went to green  I jumped on pedals to get a quick getaway . Only to end up on the deck in a heap , as the chain had snapped LOL  much to the amusement of the rest of the bunch. I wish I could say it was my super strength but alas it was a batch of dodgy chains . I can recall at least 4 other club members suffering a similar fate that season.
Another memorable reliability run round that circuit was stopped by the police just after Cardross . Our bunch was about 25 strong and we had caught the Glasgow district CTC who had about 30 in their bunch . A Police inspector pulled us over and told us to ride in single file , realising this would cause even more of a hold up for traffic we duly obliged without any discussion . It was a sight to behold as the group rode into Helensburgh in one long line .
ps it took an eternity to get to back of bunch when you had done a spell