Johnstone Bunch 2nd June

[Mark O]

Billy's comments go to the heart of the matter and the question I posed earlier. What is the intention of the Thursday evening run? I think if this can be established then everyone knows what to expect when they turn up - hard blast for an hour or so or technical riding within strict guidelines to improve everyone's skills, bunch riding and bike handling regardless of how fast they can ride.

I have no real preference and will do either as I've discovered I've got a competitive streak in me as well as being a bit OCD. Suggest evening in pub for full and frank exchange of views to put this to bed. Without a clear plan of attack we'll end up achieving nothing before the winter sets in. Suggestions as to venues dates etc welcome.

 

Pettied lips and rattle chucking not permitted.

 

Mark

[martin]

Suggest evening in pub for full and frank exchange of views to put this to bed ... Suggestions as to venues dates etc welcome. Mark

 

viewtopic.php?f=11&t=5814

[DavieB]

My last word on this one before I fire up the barbie.

 

I go along on this one to get a good workout and try and improve speed and stamina as well as improving bunch riding skills. I am not there to dawdle about.

 

I made the point above that natural bunches should form on the road and this is how it should be - otherwise it just leads to frustration and the unsafe conditions mentioned above. Problem is with the style of riding last night natural bunches are not going to form as when any form of order is achieved and speed does increase it is invariably back to square one as somebody blasts off the front.

[charlie p]

Wow

"the girl who kicked the hornets nest" Thought last night and the previous 2 Weeks were great fun. Thanks to Ramsay for the very helpful post.Last night Davy suggested we do a pace line.Did not know what this was till saw Ramsay's post.Suggest pace line is what we try next week. seems straightforward. with the help of Darryl Ramsay et al we will get this sorted. The idea is race pace.That is the fun part

[Guest EPCC]

No race pace is not the fun part . The arguing is the fun part

[Guest EPCC]

After looking at Ramsays post why don't we try paceline on westferry clune pipeline to left turn at bow then up pace to Georgetown then full on if you want

If in agreement post and as homework read Ramsays link

[DavieB]

After looking at Ramsays post why don't we try paceline on westferry clune pipeline to left turn at bow then up pace to Georgetown then full on if you want

If in agreement post and as homework read Ramsays link

 

For Foxes Glacier Mints!

 

It's akin to the ruination of society...... if I say it, shout it, pepper it with obscenities it's a load of keich..... if it's on the internet it''s gospel.

 

I'm away to join the Fullarton - heard they know what a pace line is

 

[Guest EPCC]

I know but its more fun this way say helo to Mr Obree

[Tony]

Another suggestion I made last night is we take this to quieter roads preferably a short circuit i.e. Barrmill, Peesweep

 

There used to be a weekly chaingang in Glengarnock, on the industrial estate circuit road. A few people from JW including Paul McDonald used to go along. (I only went a couple of times - it was too fast for me). It seemed like a good venue though - only a mile long so if you got dropped you could take a lap out & have another go.

 

Maybe you could find yourselves a similar sort of circuit but closer to Johnstone?

[Guest EPCC]

Tony

We sort of tried that with the APR but nobody wanted to turn up so a few decided to do a sort of gap filler a run not as fast as the bogs bunch but faster than normal, rather than the hilly ride. The idea was for all to test themselves and see if you can hang on a wheel, with regroups. A circuit might be better but I dont know i actually enjoy the Thursday run and to be fair if we use it as a sort of skill set fine, it just needs communicated with the rest of the bunch. For me if we do that i will try and work harder to get up the clune that should get rid of any excess energy i might have, though some might not notice

[Alan McLean]

Hi guys

 

Informal discussions with Others Who Were Not Involved confirms that this is indeed The. Best. Thread. Ever.

 

Before you get too down on yourselves please remember that in March about fifteen of us were hitting west ferry full gas, 45 kph, through and off, and the only casualty was my chain.

 

Keep calm and carry on.

 

A

[Alan McLean]

Eerie silence...a bell tolls...tumbleweed blows across the abandoned tracks....

 

(Still T.B.T.E.)

 

A

[Guest EPCC]

Alan

We have a sort of solution for Thursday which will be a paceline.

I have a funny feeling we may not have closure on this topic .

And what did your acronym mean

[williecosh]

Evening all,

I agree with what Alan alludes to, that this debate is a positive thing. I wasn’t part of the scenario on Thursday but, in my opinion, this is where the club needs to progress. The debate highlights the biggest frustration for me since I came back to cycling two years ago – how do you progress in fitness and competence, unless you do it on your own?

I think there are basically four rider types:

1. High fitness/good technical rider

2. High fitness/poor technical rider

3. Low fitness/good technical rider

4. Low fitness/poor technical rider

Problems occur when the types are mixed and each is unsympathetic or unaware or the others' needs and aspirations. I would class myself as ‘type 3’ (although I’ve come off twice in the last 18 months – one definitely my fault and the jury’s still out on the other one) and I like the 30 milers because it’s a comfort zone where I won’t get hammered and I might even get the chance to teach a beginner how to ride his or her bike a bit better, especially on descents, where gravity is my friend and I am pretty good (my assessment).

I have tried to join higher fitness groups but the gap was too great for me and I got the impression of being cannon fodder in somebody else’s pretendy bike race! After getting burned off at Crosslee once (on the way out) I have remained with my trusty 30 milers ever since. On a few occasions, fitter riders who had decided to join the 30 milers, for whatever reason, proved to be quite dangerous and disruptive to what is normally a safe and functional group. That shouldn’t be the case.

I like Tony’s idea that we should set up sessions on safe, quiet roads. The APR idea was a good one but probably a level above where most people are at (fitness or competence) and possibly explained why the attendance dropped. Guys like Ramsay and Paul, for example, are easily expert enough to coach and develop the club members to a higher level. Do we have club coaches? If so, where are they? If we don’t have any, why don’t we ask Scottish Cycling for assistance? Since I’ve returned to cycling with the wheelers, three young riders with clear potential to be national champions have received little or NO coaching and two have left because of that. That is a sad indictment of a club that does so many other things very well.

Whatever happened last week, no bunch should be on the Westferry unless it is safe and cohesive.

Willie

[P McDonald]

Guys (and many of you I don't know which is great, there are so many new members)

 

Last October / November I ran 3 or 4 sessions at the Beith admiralty circuit for about 8-10 riders each time. Purpose was to teach the different styles of bunch riding. From what I saw through the winter the disciplines were being demonstarted very well by those who attended and I certainly felt safe with these guys riding the Westferry and coast road etc.

 

If there was interest I would be happy to repeat asap (sorry no chance next weekend but maybe following Saturday)

 

For me the absolute key (and I wasn't shy to 'constructively advise' those who digressed) is that when you are doing a specific drill you MUST do it at the pace of the slowest person. Otherwise it is pointless.

 

just my thoughts

 

Paul McDonald

[P McDonald]

Oh, and what does TBTE mean?

 

[Darryl Gunson]

Hi Guys

 

I'm in agreement with Paul. The bunch we were out with through the winter was well-drilled and safe. It is a good idea to practice the different bunch riding styles as not everyone understands what they are. I also agree that you have to go as fast as the slowest rider (but that does not mean that you have to have massive ability differences in the bunch!).

 

I'll be out this week (Thursday), whatever you are doing (hilly or fast).

 

Cheers

 

Darryl

[Kenny Christie]

Oh, and what does TBTE mean?

 

 

 

The Best Thread Ever. Its that McLean stirring up trouble.

 

Having been there *sitting at the back* on the Westferry on Thursday past, its a storm in a tea cup.

 

The bodies involved are not new, we all worked hard together, in a viable and solid bunch throughout the winter. No offence but its not rocket science.

There was a breakdown in communication regarding the structure and the etiquette involved in the run. Notwithstanding the catering for all abilities throughout the duration of the workout. These issues were discussed at the end of the Georgetown. It was dissected, and I think we all accepted that for various reasons it was to be worked on. Its a sporting bunch and no offence was either intended or taken.

 

Ill be there on Thursday, unless is pouring down>

 

The benefit we will gain from the seasoned campaigners will be invaluable.

 

Group hug?

[pedalpusher]

being a newbie and only riden once in a bunch albeit at the back (kinlochleven ) because ot not knowing what do the rules etc

i think i would benifit from coaching of some standard ,pauls idea of training sessions sounds good . i would class myself as catogory 4 in willies list but with a definite fitness improvement plan in place so trying for a 3 .as for chainganging i thought thats what happened in american prisons so would somebody explain it to me i may not be up to racing but i would like to ride in the bunch safe and secure knowing what to do and when do to it i hope this dosent upset the speedy ones in the bunch as maybe someday with trainning i could acheive this

 

thanks for taking the time to read this

 

brian kelly

 

[DavieB]

TBTE surely not...if so you can give Billy the prize.

 

I shoud have perhaps extracted my tongue ever so slightly from my cheek before posting my original response ...believe me it was the subject of some hilarity during todays ride amongst those involved last Thursday so no fisticuffs are on the cards It was meant to be Devils Advocate stuff not negative or abusive and by the looks of the later posts it's certainly done the trick.

 

My last post was also in restrospect a tad flippant, I was replying to Billy after all, but in between I don't think I said anything out of order and basically extolled the ethos of looking after each other (the spirit of the bunch), working together to be more inclusive of differing abilities and applying a bit of common sense.

 

The post has as intended opened up a debate which probably needed opened as number one priority for us all should be being able to go on a club ride have some fun, try and get fitter, faster (if you want to) and probably above all else for everybody to get back home safe and sound.

 

All the best,

 

Davie

[duncan thomson]

a clarification:

apologies for crashing the group at top of clune. To be fair I had gone up it on way back from work but a lot slower than you guys.

Enjoyed the run down to Houston, bit slower on way home.

Duncan

 

By crashing, I mean gatecrashing and not as was thought, bringing down the bunch on the A8

 

The speed was a bit variable on the return route but didn't feel dangerous.

Hope to be there next Thursday, will try and catch the group earlier

 

cheers Duncan

[Guest EPCC]

I must say this is getting interesting its like what's second best to campag sram or shimano

[duncan thomson]

Sturmey Archer cannae be beat

[DavieB]

Suntour??

[Guest]

Ye canny beat a bit o' miche....