# Tour de Celeb: Louie’s cycling safety demo



## mjr (24 Nov 2016)

Helmet+hi-vis users, this is what you look like :

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWV1s6VFTNc

(the rest of it is a mix of good and dodgy advice, too... watch the wheels, not the driver's eyes!)


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## Shaun (24 Nov 2016)

- yes, don't forget CC'ers - be safe *AND FABULOUS!*


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## Sunny Portrush (24 Nov 2016)

I`m gonna employ Louie`s warm-up at the start from now on - looks ace lol


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## mjr (24 Nov 2016)

Tour de Celeb starts on Channel 5 at 7pm on Monday. 8 weeks of it.


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## Slick (24 Nov 2016)

Louie is magic, maybe I'll watch this celeb thing now. As for looking like him, I certainly wish I had his level of fitness.


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## mjr (24 Nov 2016)

I'm not sure I'll watch. I worry that torturing celebrities with Lycra and sportive nonsense doesn't really help people think they could start cycling.


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## Slick (24 Nov 2016)

mjr said:


> I'm not sure I'll watch. I worry that torturing celebrities with Lycra and sportive nonsense doesn't really help people think they could start cycling.



I wasn't going to watch when I first heard about it, but your clip changed my mind. Louie has a great sense of humour that belittles his abilities, and could be worth the entry fee alone.


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## Drago (24 Nov 2016)

I feel safer already.


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## GGJ (24 Nov 2016)

I'll never wear lycra again.


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## jefmcg (24 Nov 2016)

This makes me sooo happy. It's years since I watched broadcast TV, and have never clicked on a reality program. It's hard to measure what difference that makes in your life, but now I know it's worthwhile, because I have never seen or heard this man before.


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## winjim (24 Nov 2016)

jefmcg said:


> This makes me sooo happy. It's years since I watched broadcast TV, and have never clicked on a reality program. It's hard to measure what difference that makes in your life, but now I know it's worthwhile, because I have never seen or heard this man before.


You've missed a treat. Honestly. _Pineapple Dance Studios_ was amazing.


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## Drago (24 Nov 2016)

GGJ said:


> I'll never wear lycra again.


But you'll still sniff it?


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## Elswick Cotterpin (25 Nov 2016)

Truly awful.


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## cyberknight (25 Nov 2016)

Slick said:


> Louie is magic, maybe I'll watch this celeb thing now. As for looking like him, I certainly wish I had his level of fitness.


TV mag said their training was grueling 20 mile rides and he was complaining about how much it to ride that far.


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## Slick (25 Nov 2016)

cyberknight said:


> TV mag said their training was grueling 20 mile rides and he was complaining about how much it to ride that far.


I suppose it is possible I'm wrong.

I've never seen him prancing about like a big fairy, but I have always assumed to be a professional dancer takes a high level of fitness, strength and flexibility. He could of course be playing a part, camping it up for the cameras.


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## ianrauk (25 Nov 2016)

Looks good fun to me. Never seen Louis Spence before but found the vid hilarious.

I'm going to watch and hope the programme is a success (whilst hoping it peeves off the boring moaning fannies we have on this site)

And if the programme get's people out on their bikes, and am sure it will. Then that's only a good thing.


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## GGJ (25 Nov 2016)

What’s On TV caught up with flamboyant dancer Louie Spence who told us much more about his daring cycling exploits as he trained for the 146km cycle race L’Etape du Tour in the new *Channel 5 show Tour De Celeb* (Monday, November 28)…

*You did The Jump, now you’re taking part in Tour De Celeb – are you mad?
“*Honestly, I’ve never done anything so difficult in my life! Talk about being thrown in at the deep end! I mean as a kid, I had a Chopper with tassels hanging off it and that was the last bike I had. After our first long cycle ride, I literally had to get someone to lift me off the bike because I’d totally seized up!”

*Who else is taking part in Tour De Celeb?*
“TV presenter Jodie Kidd, Made In Chelsea’s Hugo Taylor, rugby legend Austin Healey, Olympic skeleton racer Amy Williams, TV presenter Angelica Bell, cricketer Darren Gough and TOWIE’s Lucy Mecklenburgh. We’re all of different abilities, but we all spur each other on.”

*How long was the training in the build-up to the race?
“*It’s three months of training and we had to go out every day on the bike. When I took the challenge on, I thought being physically fit would get me through it, but it’s the mental side that’s so tough. You hit the wall and you’ve got to get through it. Dancing is short bursts of energy whereas this is all about endurance. They eased us into our training with 5 miles, then 10, then 20 miles and that’s when you really started to feel the pain.”

*At any point, did you regret taking part?*
“Do you know what, when you hit that wall, you ask yourself, ‘Why am I doing this?’ I went to the initial meeting and said, ‘Yeah I can ride a bike, I’m fit.’ But I’ve never done anything so hard, so demanding. When you’re physically exhausted you have to just push yourself to the end, when all you want to do is throw the bike off the edge of a cliff!”

*Have you suffered any injuries?
“*As a dancer I never had a major injury but doing this, everything’s tight – my hamstrings, my lower back, my hands ache from pulling the breaks, my shoulders ache from the bike position. The other day during a 20-mile ride, I fell off the bike and was physically sick twice!”

*And we thought The Jump was bad?!
“*I know, but at least when we did bobsleigh, it was over quickly. This seems like it’s never over. You go to bed at night so exhausted and wake up knowing you have to get back on the bike and go for a 75-mile ride!

“The Jump was dangerous, but I’d say this is as dangerous and far more demanding. If you fall off the bike at 40mph, the people behind you can’t suddenly stop. You don’t think of that when you take it on. A lot of us have had falls and been in quite dangerous situations.”

*Do you get to eat a lot as you’re burning so many calories?
“*Yes, that’s the great thing, we can eat as much as we like. It’s about eating the right foods, of course, and getting the right kind of rest, but it is a 24-hour a day job. I have such admiration for cyclists now. I live in the country and I see people on long cycle rides all the time. I used to be the driver who’d be like, ‘Get out of the way!’ Now you realise how vulnerable they are and how hard it is.”

*Are you planning a long holiday on a beach after this?
“*I am! I’m going to Spain, to my husband’s family home and I’m going to do absolutely nothing apart from eating lots of paella! I will cycle again, but without the pressure of having to do it. All of us have put so much effort in because we want to be a part of the race. My timing doesn’t matter, I just hope I can complete the race!”


Read more at http://www.whatsontv.co.uk/news/louie-spence-cycling-tour-de-celeb-430660/#k5igHOkCLzWAI0KL.99


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## cyberknight (25 Nov 2016)

Maybe i like many other regular cyclists forget where we started , to most a 20 mile bike ride would be gruesome and as @ianrauk says if it gets people out on a bike its only a good thing .


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## Markymark (25 Nov 2016)

cyberknight said:


> Maybe i like many other regular cyclists forget where we started , to most a 20 mile bike ride would be gruesome and as @ianrauk says if it gets people out on a bike its only a good thing .


I started cycling (again) when I got bored of running but a long run was 15k. I rode 10 miles and I was exhausted. Not so much the fitness but using different muscle groups. Didn't take too long to get bike fit though.


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## Leaway2 (25 Nov 2016)

Has that guy got someone else’s teeth in?


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## winjim (25 Nov 2016)

Leaway2 said:


> Has that guy got someone else’s teeth in?


He bit through his tongue while trampolining.


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## glasgowcyclist (25 Nov 2016)

GGJ said:


> ... as a kid, I had a Chopper with tassels hanging off it



@Fnaar would be proud of that.


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## nickyboy (25 Nov 2016)

I'm going to watch. I hope it is largely a triumph over adversity; the route is tough even for experienced cyclists. I hope we don't see slebs expiring by the side of the road as what they are attempting is a long way removed from "normal" cycling

Should be a laugh in any case, Louie is quite a card


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## Shaun (25 Nov 2016)

What's the route? I take it it's not a flat-as-a-pancake 20 miler then?


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## nickyboy (25 Nov 2016)

Shaun said:


> What's the route? I take it it's not a flat-as-a-pancake 20 miler then?



It's the Etape de Tour...146km, 3335m of climbing. Hence my comment that it is a long way removed from normal cycling. Anyone not well prepared is going to really struggle


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## Shaun (25 Nov 2016)

nickyboy said:


> It's the Etape de Tour...146km, 3335m of climbing. Hence my comment that it is a long way removed from normal cycling. Anyone not well prepared is going to really struggle


I'd better not say anything then - I'd be volunteering for the support vehicle - my legs turn the other way and run whenever hills are involved (and in Hull, which _is_ as flat as a pancake, a "hill" is anything higher than 5ft ).


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## Shaun (25 Nov 2016)

User said:


> I've seen you go over that big hill, the one that goes to Lincolnshire


Oh yeah, I only do one big hill per decade though; it takes me that long to recover ...


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## mr messy (26 Nov 2016)

I heard Louie was lured into doing this under a misconception....he was promised he'd have lots of fun riding on a Banana Raleigh.......


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## mjr (26 Nov 2016)

ianrauk said:


> And if the programme get's people out on their bikes, and am sure it will. Then that's only a good thing.


Do you think it will get people out, rather than scare them off?


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## johnnyb47 (26 Nov 2016)

You got to admit though it was quite funny to watch


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## Rustybucket (27 Nov 2016)

Is he riding a Pearson bike? Micky Flanagan had one in his cycling programme too!

Good bit of marketing! (Or not...)


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## david k (27 Nov 2016)

It was like watching 70s humour! Over camp and double entendres.

I may watch as I like cycling but find over camp act looking for cheap laughs tiresome.

It does seem that some gay guys think it's ok to flirt with straight men and make them feel uncomfortable, saying things many would find unacceptable if it was a guy to a woman. Not saying it's quite gone that far here, just a general obseveration


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## Sunny Portrush (27 Nov 2016)

david k said:


> It was like watching 70s humour! Over camp and double entendres.
> 
> I may watch as I like cycling but find over camp act looking for cheap laughs tiresome.
> 
> *It does seem that some gay guys think it's ok to flirt with straight men and make them feel uncomfortable, saying things many would find unacceptable if it was a guy to a woman.* Not saying it's quite gone that far here, just a general obseveration




Fancy a ride?


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## Slick (27 Nov 2016)

You are awful.


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## mjr (27 Nov 2016)

Rustybucket said:


> Is he riding a Pearson bike? Micky Flanagan had one in his cycling programme too!
> 
> Good bit of marketing! (Or not...)


Channel 5 used to be owned by Pearson Television.

No relation AFAIK


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## Globalti (28 Nov 2016)

I'm sure I saw that chap handing out the drinks on the Virgin Atlantic flight I took back from Lagos last week.


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (28 Nov 2016)

cyberknight said:


> Maybe i like many other regular cyclists forget where we started , to most a 20 mile bike ride would be gruesome and as @ianrauk says if it gets people out on a bike its only a good thing .


My first bike ride as an adult was 3 miles and it took a week to recover!

Nothing else to do for 8 weeks so might as well watch


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## Pat "5mph" (28 Nov 2016)

I'm just after watching this.
Ok it is focused on a sportive challenge, but why the need for that poor beginner woman to wear cleats at all costs? She is clearly more confident without them, as seen later.
Also, somebody needs to explain to the girl that got almost mowed down twice about road positioning, she is now convinced that cycling is a very dangerous activity.


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## gaz71 (28 Nov 2016)

I need to watch more TV as i havent heard of half of these "celebrities".


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## Pat "5mph" (28 Nov 2016)

gaz71 said:


> I need to watch more TV as i havent heard of half of these "celebrities".


I don't have a tv, watched this online as it seemed interesting.
Don't know any of the celebs either


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## Sunny Portrush (30 Nov 2016)

Just watched it too and it passed an enjoyable hour on the turbo. It`s very easy to be critical so I wont, we all had to start somewhere.

My observations are that Austin will be first in the etape, the posh bloke doesnt want to ride his bike but the other post bird that keeps head-butting vans and Louie Spence is funny as flip! Some people don`t like his overtly camp style but seeing some of the lycra he`s been wearing, you`ve gotta admire his spunk.....


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## mjr (30 Nov 2016)

Sunny Portrush said:


> Louie Spence is funny as flip! Some people don`t like his overtly camp style but seeing some of the lycra he`s been wearing, you`ve gotta admire his spunk.....


Surely you can't distinguish it from the rest of the patterns?


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## Saluki (30 Nov 2016)

I rather like Louis Spence, he doesn't take himself overly seriously. I'd like to be half a flexible as him.


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## lazybloke (1 Dec 2016)

Don't remember the posh bloke?

Seemed to me that all the celebs were young(ish) and fit(ish) enough to rise to the challenge. Agree with @Sunny Portrush about Austin - why is he even on the show; he's hardly a novice.

I expected it to be awful but will continue watching, chiefly to see if the less confident celebs do have a breakthrough and start to enjoy it. 

And Louie... yes he was unexpectedly amusing, but only until he started throwing his bike around. Seems like he needed an attitude adjustment.


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## BorderReiver (1 Dec 2016)

With the almost pro levels of support they are getting (a support car on a 60 mile sportive?) it seems to me almost anybody could manage the Etap after 8 weeks. I'll keep watching but parts of it make me cringe- why let anybody ride 60 miles in trainers and spd pedals?


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## Racing roadkill (1 Dec 2016)

The fact they have been referring to it as "one of the world's toughest bike *races"is *enough to make me not want to watch it.


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## AlanW (1 Dec 2016)

Pity they didn't say what the FTP results were, unless of course
I'd nodded of by then...


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## mjr (1 Dec 2016)

BorderReiver said:


> (a support car on a 60 mile sportive?)


Was it a support car, or was it the camera car, perhaps doing double duty?



BorderReiver said:


> why let anybody ride 60 miles in trainers and spd pedals?


Why not, if they want to? But giving her good rubber block pedals would clearly have been better IMO and reduced the risk of hot foot.



AlanW said:


> Pity they didn't say what the FTP results were, unless of course
> I'd nodded of by then...


I don't think they said... but does it matter anyway? I know my hematocrit but not my FTP


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## AlanW (1 Dec 2016)

mjr said:


> I don't think they said... but does it matter anyway? I know my hematocrit but not my FTP



Not really, but it would have been interesting (I use that term very lightly) to see how they improved assuming that they do another FTP test just prior to the event


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## Sunny Portrush (1 Dec 2016)

I`m orginally from Northern Ireland so FTP means something completely different - I was gonna put lol at the end but again, that means something different too


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## Slick (1 Dec 2016)

Sunny Portrush said:


> I`m orginally from Northern Ireland so FTP means something completely different - I was gonna put lol at the end but again, that means something different too


Haha, brilliant.


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## nickyboy (1 Dec 2016)

BorderReiver said:


> With the almost pro levels of support they are getting (a support car on a 60 mile sportive?) it seems to me almost anybody could manage the Etap after 8 weeks. I'll keep watching but parts of it make me cringe- why let anybody ride 60 miles in trainers and spd pedals?



At 146 km and 3,300m of climbing I'd suggest that a hell of a lot of novice cyclists wouldn't be able to complete the Etape, support or no support, professional training or not. It's 90 miles at 120ft climbing per mile which is extremely hilly. I've done rides like that and know how much they hurt, anyone who can complete them deserves my respect


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## srw (2 Dec 2016)

What has File Transfer Protocol got to do with cycling?


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## Dogtrousers (2 Dec 2016)

Sunny Portrush said:


> I`m orginally from Northern Ireland so FTP means something completely different - I was gonna put lol at the end but again, that means something different too


Back in the early 80s I was working as a programmer and wrote a program called ftp (this was before the file transfer protocol was widely famous, certainly in the area I was working, so there wasn't a name clash). We had a meeting and I was explaining what it was and what it did and how to use it and one team member (from your neck of the woods) was sat at the back creasing up with laughter and shouting "FTP".


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## Slick (2 Dec 2016)

Dogtrousers said:


> Back in the early 80s I was working as a programmer and wrote a program called ftp (this was before the file transfer protocol was widely famous, certainly in the area I was working, so there wasn't a name clash). We had a meeting and I was explaining what it was and what it did and how to use it and one team member (from your neck of the woods) was sat at the back creasing up with laughter and shouting "FTP".


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## Dogtrousers (14 Dec 2016)

I watched a couple of episodes of this. It was in part mildly diverting pap, and in part hugely annoying.

It paints a hugely unfavourable picture of cycling. One where people are constantly falling off, being sick, and where cycling is incredibly difficult.

They had some absolute novices and were insisting that they ride clipped in (with almost inevitable results) because without them, they said, "the hills would be harder". What total, utter cobblers. A cynic would have almost thought that they wanted the riders to fall off and get upset, because it would make good TV.

Without wishing to ignite the "pulling up on the pedals is/isn't a myth" debate, it's pretty certain that if there is any benefit to be gained from cleats you need some advanced skills and training and good technique. A beginner is going to derive no benefit at all, apart from making their falls more frequent and more telegenic. 

Indeed the children's telly presenter lady ended up walking up the hills because being clipped in had destroyed her confidence in riding at low speed.

They did the same thing with learning to drink from a bottle, instead of first getting the novice confident in riding one handed, and then moving on to getting the bottle, they had someone else thrust a bottle at her while riding: she clung on to the bottle and the other person, and fell, making more good TV.

I was exhausted at the end of the program from making vigorous V signs at the telly.


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## mjr (14 Dec 2016)

Dogtrousers said:


> They did the same thing with learning to drink from a bottle, instead of first getting the novice confident in riding one handed, and then moving on to getting the bottle, they had someone else thrust a bottle at her while riding: she clung on to the bottle and the other person, and fell, making more good TV.


Actually, I was far more concerned by this than the clips. It seems irresponsible and negligent to be encouraging someone to train on the public highway when you know that they will not take their hands off the bars and therefore presumably aren't signalling and probably aren't looking behind. Addressing that should have been their top priority and I don't mean shouting at them repeatedly as they rode past a target to hit.

If the edited broadcast was an accurate reflection reality, that's pretty shocking and it's testament to the safety of cycling that I think the only serious injury has been from the mad idea of sending the non-sportspeople on an assault course which I feel was another attempt to injure them to inject a little drama/uncertainty into the process.


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## Leaway2 (14 Dec 2016)

mjr said:


> the mad idea of sending the non-sportspeople on an assault course.



And of course, a session of go-karting should be mandatory in any cycling training


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## Andrew_P (14 Dec 2016)

I am enjoying it as a bit of not to be taken too seriously light entertainment. Although the Rugby bloke is coming across a bit of knob, even if he seems pretty good on the bike. My vote goes to Darren Gough not sure I have that right but he doesn't look anything like he sounds on Talkshite but pulling that weight around on the ride of the roses was pretty good and he was clearly chuffed! Some of the falls by Louie seem deliberate but I think it is a bit of fun. Wonder what the bike sponsorship is about, Rob Hayles clearly does work for Brecon, Gough is on a Genesis can't remember the others. The yellow kit reminded me of this


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## Dogtrousers (14 Dec 2016)

Andrew_P said:


> I am enjoying it as a bit of not to be taken too seriously light entertainment.


I'm trying not to take it too seriously, but I was watching with my wife who is a bit of a nervous cyclist and had to keep pointing out that no, cleats are not mandatory for going up hills, no, people do not keep falling off like that ... etc etc 



Andrew_P said:


> Rugby bloke is coming across a bit of knob,


I like Austin. He is a complete and utter knob and windup merchant. And has been known to get his comeuppance (If you're interested read about his spat with Justin "plank" Harrison on the 2001 Australia Lions tour. Austin lost that one comprehensively, and JH managed to single-handedly steal the series for Australia - sort of).

I remember not long after he retired they disinterred the series "Superstars" which was a multi-sports competition for ex-sportspeople. He won it I think.


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## nickyboy (14 Dec 2016)

Made me laugh when Darren Gough said (I think) that he was carrying two and a half stone more than Austin Healey

And the rest, Darren

It's a nice bit of fluffy entertainment. It was never going to be something to get folk into cycling. It's just a bunch of minor slebs doing some activity together. The fact it's cycling is incidental


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## Racing roadkill (14 Dec 2016)

Garmin Power meters don't work on flats. Garmin are paying a lot to plug their power meters. That's why they are being forced into clipless. I quite like Louis Spence's take on the whole thing. The programme makers have put the whole 'Sporting / Sportive / knobber' type of cycling forward as the only way. "YOU MUST IMPROVE YOUR FTP OR ELSE YOU ARE MASSIVELY SH1TE, AND WILL BE FOREVER" "POWWWWWWERRRRR". That's irritating.


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## Dogtrousers (16 Dec 2016)

I watched another epi on C5's website. 

Being sick on the floor is a key part of cycling. Both Louis and Darren have been sick ... so far ... who's next? 

Darren seems conveniently to have forgotten everything he must have learned about long periods of exertion in extremely hot conditions (He was a fast bowler, remember ... long spells in the West Indies, India, Sri Lanka ...)

Hopefully they'll keep Louis, Austin, Darren and Angelica and get rid of the other ones whose names I can't remember because they are rubbish.

Distressingly, I am beginning to enjoy this program. That is bad. There is something wrong with me.


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## mk6golf (16 Dec 2016)

Found it quite funny and can relate to some of the "issues"


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## Slick (16 Dec 2016)

Dogtrousers said:


> I watched another epi on C5's website.
> 
> Being sick on the floor is a key part of cycling. Both Louis and Darren have been sick ... so far ... who's next?
> 
> ...


Just embrace it, you'll enjoy it even more if you do.


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## Sunny Portrush (16 Dec 2016)

Dogtrousers said:


> I watched another epi on C5's website.
> 
> Being sick on the floor is a key part of cycling. *Both Louis and Darren have been sick ... so far ... who's next? *
> 
> ...




As long as none of them do a Greg Lemond, we should be fine


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## Racing roadkill (16 Dec 2016)

Austin continually referring to "winning" the "race" is getting tiresome.


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## Mrs M (16 Dec 2016)

I watched one episode, recorded another but not watched it yet.
I do like Louie


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## Slick (16 Dec 2016)

He's playing a role, and I'm pretty sure he's playing down his fitness level.


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## mjr (16 Dec 2016)

Sunny Portrush said:


> As long as none of them do a Greg Lemond, we should be fine


Get shot by their brother in law, or what?

If it's not being done to produce good TV, then I'm surprised Hayles and co are making a bit of a shambles of it, but I suppose their other shows like The Coach have started with keen cyclists, not novices.


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## DRM (16 Dec 2016)

Sunny Portrush said:


> As long as none of them do a Greg Lemond, we should be fine


But who will provide the box of Hinault photos, mind didn't Peter Sagan have to make a mad dash into a drainage ditch recently.


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## Dogtrousers (16 Dec 2016)

[QUOTE 4600539, member: 259"]Why? It's a good laugh and it doesn't take itself too seriously.

I'd far sooner watch this, which is genuinely a bit off the wall and wacky, than some crap staged 'look at me!!!!' comedy top gear drivel.[/QUOTE]
Why? Why? Because I'm a big pompous pseud and I can't possibly like reality TV can I?


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## cyberknight (17 Dec 2016)

Slick said:


> He's playing a role, and I'm pretty sure he's playing down his fitness level.





mjr said:


> Get shot by their brother in law, or what?
> 
> If it's not being done to produce good TV, then I'm surprised Hayles and co are making a bit of a shambles of it, but I suppose their other shows like The Coach have started with keen cyclists, not novices.


I think there is the crux of the program, you have the coaches trying their best to make it happen going against the celebs desire to do a look at me combined with the producers who have to make something to appeal to the reality tv shock tactic loving masses.


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## Slick (17 Dec 2016)

cyberknight said:


> I think there is the crux of the program, you have the coaches trying their best to make it happen going against the celebs desire to do a look at me combined with the producers who have to make something to appeal to the reality tv shock tactic loving masses.


I won't disagree with you, but I'll still watch it. I just feel it's a lighthearted escape television about what is rapidly turning in to my favourite hobby. What's not to like?


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## blazed (17 Dec 2016)

The program isn't trying to portray commuting to work. Or a typical club or beginners learning their stuff going on little pootles around town. It's showing how best to take complete novices and get them to complete a tough sportive in a couple months.

People saying it's going to put people off. Take a look at this forum, how many threads are there with people having accidents? How many nooby clipless moment threads? That is part of cycling. 

They have been thrown in at the deep end, which is not only the best way to learn but also what is required to go from nothing to completing the challenge.


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## mjr (17 Dec 2016)

blazed said:


> People saying it's going to put people off. Take a look at this forum, how many threads are there with people having accidents? How many nooby clipless moment threads? That is part of cycling.


It's not part of cycling, it's part of getting it wrong. I keep telling you all not to crash and not to bother with clips but few of you listen(!) 

The challenge is arbitrary and meaningless. A typical sportive, in other words. Now if they'd set them a challenge of an independent L2P or similar, it'd still be arbitrary but they might discover some things and see real life rather than marshalled roads full of other riders and their support crew. Celeb rediscovers real life by cycling - it'd be much more interesting TV.


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## Slick (17 Dec 2016)

mjr said:


> It's not part of cycling, it's part of getting it wrong. I keep telling you all not to crash and not to bother with clips but few of you listen(!)
> 
> The challenge is arbitrary and meaningless. A typical sportive, in other words. Now if they'd set them a challenge of an independent L2P or similar, it'd still be arbitrary but they might discover some things and see real life rather than marshalled roads full of other riders and their support crew. Celeb rediscovers real life by cycling - it'd be much more interesting TV.


A bit of a paradox though. If they were to discover real life by cycling, nobody would be there to film it and nobody would want to watch it.


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## mjr (17 Dec 2016)

Slick said:


> A bit of a paradox though. If they were to discover real life by cycling, nobody would be there to film it and nobody would want to watch it.


Drat! You've discovered my cunning plan to destroy Channel five's viewing figures 

I think travelogues are quite popular actually. Both Tarrant and Portillo seem to do OK with railway ones.


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## Rooster1 (20 Dec 2016)

Caught the last episode last night, wow, what an eye opener. Really enjoyable.


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## Leaway2 (20 Dec 2016)

Well done to them all for completing. I felt that the thin bloke (reality star!) should have done better.


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## Dishy (20 Dec 2016)

Iv still got last nights to catch up on but really enjoyed it so far. Makes me feel on the same level of them starting out as i still sturggle with clipless pedals and cant ride 1 handed!!


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## TheJDog (20 Dec 2016)

I can't believe that girl Angelica wasn't DQ'ed when her coach was pushing her bike up the hill when she was walking. The rest of them did really well. Surprisingly well, to me. I did the Etape in 2015 and by the end I wanted to die.


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## Phaeton (20 Dec 2016)

I too haven't watched last nights, hopefully tonight, but I honestly think they did very well so far, okay it was probably edited for effect, but to go from zero miles to 130Kish within 4 weeks is fantastic, I know I still couldn't do that kind of mileage.


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## Dogtrousers (20 Dec 2016)

TheJDog said:


> I can't believe that girl Angelica wasn't DQ'ed when her coach was pushing her bike up the hill when she was walking. The rest of them did really well. Surprisingly well, to me. I did the Etape in 2015 and by the end I wanted to die.


Is it possible to be DQ'd from a sportive? (genuine question). 

Anyway ... I can think of a rather high profile recent incident where a pro went up a hill without taking his bike himself and escaped sanction.


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## TheJDog (20 Dec 2016)

Dogtrousers said:


> Is it possible to be DQ'd from a sportive? (genuine question).



Doubtful.



Dogtrousers said:


> Anyway ... I can think of a rather high profile recent incident where a pro went up a hill without taking his bike himself and escaped sanction.



Technically  the stage was finished by then.


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## Racing roadkill (20 Dec 2016)

Austin did make me chuckle at the end. "If I'd gone a couple of minutes quicker, we could have won". No you complete tit, if you'd listened to the coaches, and worked as a team player, and not tried to be such a 'look at me, and how great I am' knobber, you could have given Hugo your bike, then sorted his puncture out, and carried on on his bike, until you caught him up, then swapped back, and saved yourself over half an hour. Hoisted by his own petard or what?


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## sheddy (20 Dec 2016)

when is/was the race televised ? (I might try and watch the last one on the iplayer)


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## mjr (20 Dec 2016)

Dishy said:


> Makes me feel on the same level of them starting out as i still sturggle with clipless pedals and cant ride 1 handed!!


Don't fret about the clips (I've not used them in more than 10 years - I'm not racing, so no point IMO) but please get some training to get one-handed riding sorted out at least well enough to be able to signal and take good long looks behind.



Dogtrousers said:


> Is it possible to be DQ'd from a sportive? (genuine question).


Theoretically, but does anyone know anyone who has ever been DQ'd for anything less than completely outrageous like peeing in someone's front garden? (Given that bike/kit rule infractions like TT bars usually result in DNS rather than DQ.)

I felt Louie's uphill cross-country shortcut was more likely to result in a DQ than Angelica's assisted walk.



Racing roadkill said:


> you complete tit, if you'd listened to the coaches, and worked as a team player, and not tried to be such a 'look at me, and how great I am' knobber, you could have given Hugo your bike, then sorted his puncture out, and carried on on his bike, until you caught him up, then swapped back, and saved yourself over half an hour. Hoisted by his own petard or what?


Oh yes! It was a real shame that the programme didn't make more of that, perhaps by having one of the pros breaking the news to him. It also suggested that maybe a quick run through the basic self-help mechanicals like puncture patching would have been a good addition to the training - and WTF was up with Jodie's bike? Low limit screw out of position? Who set their bikes up? Themselves? Their bike shops back home? Show mechanics before the start?



sheddy said:


> when is/was the race televised ? (I might try and watch the last one on the iplayer)


Brief highlights appear on France TV during their main tour coverage (it's usually a few days before or after the pro stage over the same course) and there's various rider footage on youtube as well as the ASO highlights film:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIrQzfzkI1g


Did I miss it or did they not mention that the etape sportive was shortened to 122km and one mountain pass (the Ramaz) omitted?


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## Dogtrousers (20 Dec 2016)

mjr said:


> I felt Louie's uphill cross-country shortcut was more likely to result in a DQ than Angelica's assisted walk.


Another one with a high-profile professional precedent (downhill though). Although not quite as recent as Froome's failure to carry his bike.


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## Inertia (20 Dec 2016)

Racing roadkill said:


> Austin did make me chuckle at the end. "If I'd gone a couple of minutes quicker, we could have won". No you complete tit, if you'd listened to the coaches, and worked as a team player, and not tried to be such a 'look at me, and how great I am' knobber, you could have given Hugo your bike, then sorted his puncture out, and carried on on his bike, until you caught him up, then swapped back, and saved yourself over half an hour. Hoisted by his own petard or what?


I fairness I think he was joking about risking his life trying to beat Darren Gough. They were more than a couple of minutes behind and he said he could only have gone a couple of minutes faster at max which was not enough. 

Was he with Hugo when he got the puncture? I missed that, but OTOH if had slowed himself to Hugos pace they wouldnt even have been close.


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## Flick of the Elbow (20 Dec 2016)

Thought they all did really well, I wasn't expecting many of them to finish. A surprisingly enjoyable programme. Is there going to be a series 2 ?


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## Slick (20 Dec 2016)

I agree, not sure about a series 2 but I would definitely watch it.


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## Dishy (20 Dec 2016)

I would definatly watch season 2, wonder which z listers could take part


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## Racing roadkill (20 Dec 2016)

Inertia said:


> I fairness I think he was joking about risking his life trying to beat Darren Gough. They were more than a couple of minutes behind and he said he could only have gone a couple of minutes faster at max which was not enough.
> 
> Was he with Hugo when he got the puncture? I missed that, but OTOH if had slowed himself to Hugos pace they wouldnt even have been close.


That's the most difficult thing about riding with / as part of this type of 'challenge' team. Sometimes you have to slow right down, to get the aggregate times consistent. Everyone has to keep an eye on everyone else, and stronger team members with possibly better technical skills / mechanical knowledge, have to be willing to sacrifice their personal times / machinery, in order to get the group to the end in the most consistent time possible. There's no scope for 'heroics' from individuals. The Red team found that out the hard way. Even if Austin had slowed to Hugo's pace in order to keep him in view, keep him moving, they probably still would have got round quicker than the blue team. Anyway, it wasn't all that serious, so not to worry.


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## Inertia (20 Dec 2016)

Racing roadkill said:


> That's the most difficult thing about riding with / as part of this type of 'challenge' team. Sometimes you have to slow right down, to get the aggregate times consistent. Everyone has to keep an eye on everyone else, and stronger team members with possibly better technical skills / mechanical knowledge, have to be willing to sacrifice their personal times / machinery, in order to get the group to the end in the most consistent time possible. There's no scope for 'heroics' from individuals. The Red team found that out the hard way. Even if Austin had slowed to Hugo's pace in order to keep him in view, keep him moving, they probably still would have got round quicker than the blue team. Anyway, it wasn't all that serious, so not to worry.


True enough but I thought you were being a little harsh on Austin, not that Im his greatest fan.  Neither team seemed to show much teamwork, so in the end it was a tally up of their individual achievements.

I think Hugo had it right but it seems daft to me that he had spare tubes but had no idea how to change a tyre.


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## blazed (20 Dec 2016)

Racing roadkill said:


> Austin did make me chuckle at the end. "If I'd gone a couple of minutes quicker, we could have won". No you complete tit, if you'd listened to the coaches, and worked as a team player, and not tried to be such a 'look at me, and how great I am' knobber, you could have given Hugo your bike, then sorted his puncture out, and carried on on his bike, until you caught him up, then swapped back, and saved yourself over half an hour. Hoisted by his own petard or what?



Eh? If Austin had stayed back and was with Hugo at the time of his punctures, he would have been way, way off the time he finished with. Even if he would have saved Hugo half hour that would not of made up for his own time penalty. It's not like Hugo's punctures happened in the first 10k. 

In a competion where overall time wins, the best strategy would always be for the best rider to go as fast as possible. There's nothing Austin could have done to aid any of his teammates to a point it would have changed the outcome..


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## Racing roadkill (20 Dec 2016)

blazed said:


> In a competion where overall time wins, the best strategy would always be for the best rider to go as fast as possible. There's nothing Austin could have done to aid any of his teammates to a point it would have changed the outcome..



And that's where so many people who haven't done these sorts of challenge / team rides go wrong. It sounds totally illogical to not send the strongest riders off into the wild blue yonder, but in reality, the exact opposite is the case. Unless the strongest rider is riding into another time zone, you are better off with a 'sweeper' who keeps the group together, and prevents gaps forming, so you maintain the draft. It's better to have a relatively slow moving cohesive pack, than a diffuse group, with one 'rocket' and big time gaps / draft breaks, in between.


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## Flick of the Elbow (20 Dec 2016)

Anyone heard/read anything to explain their chain problems ? Both Louis and Jodie seemed to be in difficulty with them. You'd think that the programme would have employed a mechanic.


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## mjr (20 Dec 2016)

[QUOTE 4605565, member: 259"]I'm playing catch up with this programme, but it's been bloody good and it's been nice to see cycling portrayed as something normal - well, motivational, even.[/QUOTE]
I think you're watching a different show! Motivational perhaps, but it's trying to make it an extreme sport and creating danger by putting the celebs into dodgy situations.


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## blazed (20 Dec 2016)

[QUOTE 4605559, member: 43827"]Isn't this more likely to be correct if you have a team without such wide extremes of ability and confidence?
Those teams were never going to be able to draft given their inexperience, skills and lack of confidence.[/QUOTE]
Exactly. This isn't pro cycling. The best thing he could have done was smash it and make the best time possible. There is nothing he could have done to make the same time savings by staying with the slow riders. He finished hours ahead of the next fastesr rider and even more the slowest. How exactly could he have saved all those hours staying in the pack?

The other teams fastest rider also went off on her own. Two ex professional athletes at the highest level decided to go off on their own to set the best times. Obviously not got the nouse of roadkill.


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## Milkfloat (20 Dec 2016)

mjr said:


> I think you're watching a different show! Motivational perhaps, but it's trying to make it an extreme sport and creating danger by putting the celebs into dodgy situations.



I would even say that it was not motivational, it portrayed cycling as more dangerous than jumping out of a plane without a parachute whilst tied to a tiger with a 2 year old pulling your hair. It really did make cycling appear harder than it really is - in reality you get on a bike, pedal and smile. None of this falling off every 2 minutes and crying. Yes the Etape is a toughly, but all the previous shows made us cyclists look like heros for surving an hour on a bike.


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## Lpoolck (20 Dec 2016)

I enjoyed it for what it was, an entertainment program, which happened to be about cycling. I am surprised they all made it to the end given some of their abilities! I also noticed Austin was wearing a GCN jersey, it was nice to see someone who had a strong passion for cycling on the TV.


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## Justinslow (20 Dec 2016)

Milkfloat said:


> I would even say that it was not motivational, it portrayed cycling as more dangerous than jumping out of a plane without a parachute whilst tied to a tiger with a 2 year old pulling your hair. It really did make cycling appear harder than it really is - in reality you get on a bike, pedal and smile. None of this falling off every 2 minutes and crying. Yes the Etape is a toughly, but all the previous shows made us cyclists look like heros for surving an hour on a bike.


It was just a show with bikes and people, why does it have to show bikes or cyclists in a "holy" light?
It was tough for some of them and yes, some had crashes, just like most cyclists I know.
I think it was great entertainment.
Which is exactly what TV shows should be. 
"You get on a bike pedal and smile", yeah great telly  songs of praise on wheels.


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## Dogtrousers (20 Dec 2016)

Just watched it, and of course I took it waaaay too seriously.

That posh bloke, he left his punctured tube at the side of the road, the nobber. Go back and fecking get it or you don't finish! And how on earth can your chain keep coming off on a big climb. You'll be in the little ring all the way, not touching the front mech. Who set that bike up?

Not that I was taking it seriously or anything. 

I quite enjoyed it ... Even if it did portray cycling as a bizarre kind of torture where you fall off repeatedly, keep being sick and crying, and your bike doesn't work properly. But if it was true to life it wouldn't be very good telly.


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## fossyant (20 Dec 2016)

Annoying program, and Louie needed a good slap of reality. Someone asked me about it at work, about downhill speed and stuff (someone who doesn't cycle). Me,,, 'Yeh, it's fine doing 50-60 mph - considering they bottled it at much less. This lot were idiots and couldn't cycle very well.'

Says the man who is infamous at work for the broken spine and is still 'trying' to ride again - 'trying' is the word, but at least I'm doing better than those idiots. They didn't portray cycling well.


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## jay clock (20 Dec 2016)

all in all EXCELLENT. Yes a few annoying things but at least 95% of the forum massive would find that ride a tough day out, and these (mostly) non-cyclists did it with 8 weeks training. Angelica was my fave followed by Louie for entertainment value


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## Racing roadkill (21 Dec 2016)

Flick of the Elbow said:


> Anyone heard/read anything to explain their chain problems ? Both Louis and Jodie seemed to be in difficulty with them. You'd think that the programme would have employed a mechanic.


They needed to learn how to trim the front mech, on the fly. There was a lot of shifting between rings, due to the terrain. The mechs went out of trim. They obviously weren't confident with / told about the barrel adjusters.


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## Racing roadkill (21 Dec 2016)

[QUOTE 4605559, member: 43827"]Isn't this more likely to be correct if you have a team without such wide extremes of ability and confidence?
Those teams were never going to be able to draft given their inexperience, skills and lack of confidence.[/QUOTE]
True, but any sort of draft is better than a 'Swiss cheese formation'. I'm not suggesting a chain gang, fag paper between wheels, type of thing, just a bit of a better bunch up. I guess they didn't have enough time to train like that though.


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## Racing roadkill (21 Dec 2016)

jay clock said:


> all in all EXCELLENT. Yes a few annoying things but at least 95% of the forum massive would find that ride a tough day out, and these (mostly) non-cyclists did it with 8 weeks training. Angelica was my fave followed by Louie for entertainment value


Only some of them pretty much didn't do it really. Hill walking is one of the things that grips my merde most about these sorts of events. It's not entirely their fault of course. That was a big ask of a non cyclist, but Angelica extracted the urine too much, by getting someone to push her bike for her. The less said about her lifting the bike over her head at the end, the better. I can only assume that was insisted on by the producers, it didn't look spontaneous.


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## Dogtrousers (21 Dec 2016)

Continuing to take things too seriously:

"Enormity" does not mean "hugeness" or "enormousness". It means "great wickedness". You cannot realise the "enormity" of taking on the etape unless you intend on maybe celebrating by murdering some kittens, while laughing maniacally.

A puncture is not "every cyclists worst nightmare", it's a minor inconvenience. Worst nightmares involve things like being abducted by hordes of midget secret policemen with faces made out of carpet and stuff like that.

Austin was probably right going it alone. On balance the time he gained for the team by doing that would have been more than the losses he would have prevented by hanging round at the back. Posh boy's second puncture was almost certainly his own fault, he'd probably pinched the tube or left a sharp in the tyre. From a team point of view Austin would have done well to remember his England Rugby days, and ensuring the team was correctly prepared. 

Anyway, chapeau to the z-listers. I don't know that I could do it. That heat would have had me dropping out before I even got to the Joux Plane. I'd have been falling off, being sick and crying in true celeb style.


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## Phaeton (21 Dec 2016)

Milkfloat said:


> It really did make cycling appear harder than it really is - in reality you get on a bike, pedal and smile.


Might be me, but I think you're wrong there to a certain extent, I think cycling is more often what's between the ears rather than what's below the waist. As I have said earlier, I think they did very well to do what they did in 8 weeks, I'm sure I couldn't have done the same.


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## nickyboy (21 Dec 2016)

Racing roadkill said:


> They needed to learn how to trim the front mech, on the fly. There was a lot of shifting between rings, due to the terrain. The mechs went out of trim. They obviously weren't confident with / told about the barrel adjusters.



Yeah...8 weeks to go from total novice cyclist to entering the event and they need to learn how to use the barrel adjusters properly. Hell, I don't know how to use them properly...I just twiddle them a bit and hope for the best

I was very impressed by the fact they all finished. That was a hard ride for anybody. Fitness is only a part of doing an event like that. Mental toughness is what you really need and despite Louis' flouncing and Hugo's flakiness they showed they have it

I. rather stupidly, did a similarly difficult "super grimpeur" audax after I had been riding for about 3 months. And I suffered like a dog. So fair play to them all for managing it


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## mjr (21 Dec 2016)

Racing roadkill said:


> They needed to learn how to trim the front mech, on the fly. There was a lot of shifting between rings, due to the terrain. The mechs went out of trim. They obviously weren't confident with / told about the barrel adjusters.


It's been a while since I used an indexed double (don't see the point) but I think it's similar to friction in this way: isn't throwing the chain an incorrectly-set limit or cable tension, rather than mere trim?



Racing roadkill said:


> Angelica extracted the urine too much, by getting someone to push her bike for her. The less said about her lifting the bike over her head at the end, the better. I can only assume that was insisted on by the producers, it didn't look spontaneous.


Did you notice the rider behind cross the line (I assume to stop the clock with the timing chip ASAP) and I think lifting the back wheel to avoid smashing into her?



Dogtrousers said:


> Posh boy's second puncture was almost certainly his own fault, he'd probably pinched the tube or left a sharp in the tyre.


Pinched tube, possibly, but the first one seemed like a classic case of seeing a crash, then braking too much (without alternating) and overheating the rim, causing the tyre to pop off.



Dogtrousers said:


> Anyway, chapeau to the z-listers. I don't know that I could do it. That heat would have had me dropping out before I even got to the Joux Plane. I'd have been falling off, being sick and crying in true celeb style.


I'm not sure. I've walked in the mountains in that sort of heat and ridden up similar inclines (but I don't think it was quite that hot when I was cycling) but rather than immediately descend and climb another, I chose to stop and have dinner near the top of the first climb


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## Dogtrousers (21 Dec 2016)

[QUOTE 4605964, member: 43827"]Healey wasn't exactly known as a team player when he was in the England team. His game was was always about him.[/QUOTE]
True. 
He did start out as a scrum half, so is obviously a detestable egotistical misfit.


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## Dogtrousers (21 Dec 2016)

Racing roadkill said:


> They needed to learn how to trim the front mech, on the fly. There was a lot of shifting between rings, due to the terrain. The mechs went out of trim. They obviously weren't confident with / told about the barrel adjusters.


Not sure I fully agree with this. While you're right that may have enabled them to sort out their problems, I don't think it's something they should have needed to know about if the bikes were correctly set up. Front mechs don't "go out of trim" if they are set up right.

I got my first non-friction-shift bike about 4 years ago. Very occasionally, due to maintenance I've re-indexed the gears. Apart from that I've NEVER touched the barrel thingies, certainly not on the fly. And, I might add, I've never dropped my chain (apart from during accidents). And I've done a fair few km.

So either my bike is a super amazing brilliant example of reliability, or their bikes were set up by chimps who didn't realise you needed to re-check the indexing after the new cables had settled in, or (here's a thought) they were deliberately set up to go wrong to give us a bit of exciting telly.

I do drop my chain occasionally on my friction shift bike, but I can pretty much always pick it up again without stopping, just by pedalling gently and using the shifter. I've never had to try that on an indexed setup, but I expect it would work (providing you aren't going uphill and grinding to a stop).


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## Racing roadkill (21 Dec 2016)

Dogtrousers said:


> Not sure I fully agree with this. While you're right that may have enabled them to sort out their problems, I don't think it's something they should have needed to know about if the bikes were correctly set up. Front mechs don't "go out of trim" if they are set up right.
> 
> I got my first non-friction-shift bike about 4 years ago. Very occasionally, due to maintenance I've re-indexed the gears. Apart from that I've NEVER touched the barrel thingies, certainly not on the fly. And, I might add, I've never dropped my chain (apart from during accidents). And I've done a fair few km.
> 
> ...


Chances are that it was 'engineered' to happen. It would only take a slight unwinding of the H limit screw, to get the chain to overshoot the big ring on an up shift, for example. Personally I tend to get irritated by the noise of any contact of the mech / sprockets with chain, so I do use the trim adjusters quite often. On a long ride with lots of front shifting, it's nearly impossible to avoid the trim drifting a bit ( unless you've got a fancy pants e-shift / Di2 / EPS etc.) no matter how well you set up the indexing prior to the ride. Even the best cables are going to stretch a bit eventually.


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## mjr (21 Dec 2016)

Racing roadkill said:


> Even the best cables are going to stretch a bit eventually.


Paging @Yellow Saddle 

But I agree that someone seemed to have monkeyed with a couple of limit screws (probably L, so it wouldn't be obvious at the start) to make better telly, like sending them on an assault course in the hope one got crocked, or failing to support some effectively in learning to ride one-handed and therefore sending them out to practise on the public roads while unable to signal.


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## Yellow Saddle (21 Dec 2016)

mjr said:


> Paging @Yellow Saddle



I am amazed how physics make exceptions for certain people.


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## Sunny Portrush (21 Dec 2016)

I have to say, I really enjoyed it and I found it very inspiring indeed. Turned 50 on Monday and passed through the 5,000 mile mark for the year on the same day. I`m not entirely sure I could do the Etape even now and the thought they these celebs did makes me want to try even harder next year. Having said that, Hugo was a right tosser lol


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## Racing roadkill (21 Dec 2016)

Sunny Portrush said:


> I have to say, I really enjoyed it and I found it very inspiring indeed. Turned 50 on Monday and passed through the 5,000 mile mark for the year on the same day. I`m not entirely sure I could do the Etape even now and the thought they these celebs did makes me want to try even harder next year. Having said that, Hugo was a right tosser lol


Hugo didn't want to be there, TBH I didn't want him to be there either.


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## Smithbat (21 Dec 2016)

Racing roadkill said:


> Hugo didn't want to be there, TBH I didn't want him to be there either.


I have to agree, after the Glastonbury weekend, I was willing him to fail.


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## gavroche (21 Dec 2016)

They had to have mishaps otherwise it wouldn't make good tv viewing would it?


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## Racing roadkill (21 Dec 2016)

gavroche said:


> They had to have mishaps otherwise it wouldn't make good tv viewing would it?


Precisely


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## Proto (21 Dec 2016)

Smithbat said:


> I have to agree, after the Glastonbury weekend, I was willing him to fail.



I checked the results. His position 11111. Only 44 finished behind him.

Bib
15545
TAYLOR HUGO
Mégeve - Morzine » -, US
Finished
09:16:17

Overall
11,111th
of 11,155
H
10,516th
of 10,558
SH
3,317th
of 3,324


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## Dogtrousers (21 Dec 2016)

I think Hugo's role was to be hated. I can imagine the director having a word in his ear "Hugo, darling, this isn't quite working. You're not being enough of an arse. Would you be a love and go to Glastonbury this weekend?".

Just as Austin and Darren were there to be Laaaaads, Angelica to be plucky, and the skinny woman to cry a lot.


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## nickyboy (21 Dec 2016)

Proto said:


> I checked the results. His position 11111. Only 44 finished behind him.
> 
> Bib
> 15545
> ...




So?

He completed it. Something that most people couldn't do. You only had to see the looks on the faces of them coming in in 9 hours or whatever to see that what was important was completing the event. Not how fast or slow they went

It's very easy to forget that most of them hadn't ridden a bike other than the 8 weeks in the run up to the event


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## Racing roadkill (21 Dec 2016)

nickyboy said:


> So?
> 
> He completed it. Something that most people couldn't do. You only had to see the looks on the faces of them coming in in 9 hours or whatever to see that what was important was completing the event. Not how fast or slow they went
> 
> It's very easy to forget that most of them hadn't ridden a bike other than the 8 weeks in the run up to the event


Which says a lot about how 'tough' this "*TOUGHEST RACE IN THE WHOLE OF THE 
WORLD EVVVVVVVVVVVERRRRRR"
*
Actually is. It's like giving a monkey a typewriter and an infinite amount of time.


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## steve292 (21 Dec 2016)

mjr said:


> It's been a while since I used an indexed double (don't see the point) but I think it's similar to friction in this way: isn't throwing the chain an incorrectly-set limit or cable tension, rather than mere trim?


Quite right.
Cables don't stretch. Certainly not in this application anyway. The outers may bed into place and move an itsy bit, but even then if cut square and installed properly I think you would struggle to notice.
I replaced my groupset 18 months ago , and haven't touched the indexing since. I've done just short of 4000 miles on it. And i'm fussy about nice shifting


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## mark c (21 Dec 2016)

I liked the show overall although it had the annoying habit of constantly repeating the fact of the challenge of the Etap if it did it once it did it ten times per show. Also Hugo was a waste of space and i loved Louie


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## gersin008 (21 Dec 2016)

Quite enjoyed the show and I think showed how difficult cycling is. Most things on TV show it as leisurely pursuit but most of us know it's ruddy difficult


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## Racing roadkill (21 Dec 2016)

steve292 said:


> Quite right.
> Cables don't stretch. Certainly not in this application anyway. The outers may bed into place and move an itsy bit, but even then if cut square and installed properly I think you would struggle to notice.
> I replaced my groupset 18 months ago , and haven't touched the indexing since. I've done just short of 4000 miles on it. And i'm fussy about nice shifting


Quite wrong on just about everything


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## steve292 (21 Dec 2016)

Racing roadkill said:


> Quite wrong on just about everything


Whatever Einstein.


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## BorderReiver (22 Dec 2016)

Some cables and outers (cheap ones) will probably stretch more than others (expensive ones). There is no way a correctly set up bike should need cables adjusting on a 75 mile ride though. I've certainly gone literally years and thousands of miles without adjusting indexing on Ultegra and Dura Ace. Maybe the lower end groupsets need more maintenance?


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## jay clock (22 Dec 2016)

This was an interesting discussion of the show and has now become an argument about cables.


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## Racing roadkill (22 Dec 2016)

BorderReiver said:


> Some cables and outers (cheap ones) will probably stretch more than others (expensive ones). There is no way a correctly set up bike should need cables adjusting on a 75 mile ride though. I've certainly gone literally years and thousands of miles without adjusting indexing on Ultegra and Dura Ace. Maybe the lower end groupsets need more maintenance?


Precisely. I've spent many years developing test protocols for stressed engineering components ( chains and cables for example ). There's a test which is done, to determine what's known as the Stress corrosion coefficient. It involves determining a number (nd) by producing what's known as a Weibull distribution graph. These are produced by subjecting a test article ( a chain or cable ) to increasing strain levels, applied at increasing rates, until failure. Once these tests are completed, and the calculations are done, the Stress corrosion coefficient (nd) can be determined. This essentially tells us how much grief you can give the tested article before it fails ( stretches irrecoverably past its elastic limit, and / or snaps) With these types of components, there are fairly defined grades / criteria into which we group production runs. cGMP or 'Gucci' as it's referred to, is high end aerospace grade stuff, which is very resilient, then we have 'Gen' this is standard construction grade stuff, and is used in lots of important things like engines, and building construction / civil engineering. Then there is 'dog sh1te', as long as the application is not safety critical, or regulated, this stuff will do. Finally we come to 'consumer' ( or 'gash' as it's known ) grade stuff. Most 'gash' finds its way into things like bicycle componentry, where it's sub divided into further categories. These are from plain old commoner garden 'gash' which equates to 'high end bike stuff', right down to 'total and utter gash', which is componentry commonly found at the BSO end of the market.


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## Dogtrousers (22 Dec 2016)

jay clock said:


> This was an interesting discussion of the show and has now become an argument about cables.


Good, innit? 

What's more, it's a _pedantic _argument about cables. I don't think anyone thinks that steel cables actually literally get stretched by the forces of a shifter and a derailleur spring. But the term is used as shorthand for a bit of slack coming into the system as things bed in.

As @steve292 says, once set up right an indexed system doesn't need to be touched at all for many thousands of km, and the chain should never come unshipped (barring accidents).

But one of the riders dropped her chain repeatedly, and this can only be due to her bike being wrongly set up. That must have been really frustrating for her. They had a lot to learn in that short period, and dealing with bikes set up cack-handedly shouldn't need to be on the list..

My gut feel is that maybe a bit of mechanical sympathy on the part of the rider might reduce the chances of the chain coming off. Possibly changing rings while cross chained, or changing rings without backing off the effort might make it more likely to lose your chain. But really, you should be able to do both those things (even if they aren't an ideal way to ride) and not lose your chain.

The other thing that surprised me about the program was how generous the cutoff on the Étape was. The only people I know who've entered things like this are hardcore speedsters, and I assumed that hill trundling and walking would leave you doomed to being swept up. Makes me think even I could do it. (Not that I'm about to try).


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## Racing roadkill (22 Dec 2016)

Dogtrousers said:


> Good, innit?
> 
> What's more, it's a _pedantic _argument about cables. I don't think anyone thinks that steel cables actually literally get stretched by the forces of a shifter and a derailleur spring. But the term is used as shorthand for a bit of slack coming into the system as things bed in.
> 
> ...


I think my mum could probably do it, she's 73 and she's got a gammy hip as well.


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## nickyboy (22 Dec 2016)

Dogtrousers said:


> Good, innit?
> 
> What's more, it's a _pedantic _argument about cables. I don't think anyone thinks that steel cables actually literally get stretched by the forces of a shifter and a derailleur spring. But the term is used as shorthand for a bit of slack coming into the system as things bed in.
> 
> ...



Yeah I saw Louie on some practice ride in Episode 4; small ring at the front, smallest cog at the back...ouch. But if nobody teaches you otherwise then why wouldn't you? Maybe Jodie Kidd was doing similar

I too was surprised by the cutoff. The route was shortened from (I think) 145km to 122km so maybe that had something to do with it? Presumably the cutoff is related to the road closures which would have been agreed well in advance of the shortening of the route. No point reducing the cutoff, just to sweep up those back markers. I suspect making the cutoff in a "normal" Etape would be rather more challenging.

As it was...I couldn't see any info on DNFs. I heard that 15,000 entered and the official results show 11,000+ finishing. So if the 15k is correct then there were a lot of DNS (seems a bit unlikely as it isn't cheap and is a major event) and DNFs


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## Phaeton (22 Dec 2016)

Racing roadkill said:


> snip snip snip


I really do think you are taking this WAY too seriously, it was a bit of light entertainment, bit of reality TV with a slightly different slant, you're getting far too upset about such trivial things.


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## Dogtrousers (22 Dec 2016)

nickyboy said:


> I too was surprised by the cutoff. The route was shortened from (I think) 145km to 122km so maybe that had something to do with it? Presumably the cutoff is related to the road closures which would have been agreed well in advance of the shortening of the route. No point reducing the cutoff, just to sweep up those back markers. I suspect making the cutoff in a "normal" Etape would be rather more challenging.


Yes, I doubt that they would have reduced the cutoff time just because the route got shortened. It would make sense to ensure that the maximum number of happy punters finish, and your broom wagon staff have minimum work to do. Must be a bit of a nightmare planning these things. I don't imagine the cutoff is there in order to make the event challenging, more to ensure that they can re-open the roads on time.


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## Phaeton (22 Dec 2016)

Dogtrousers said:


> I don't imagine the cutoff is there in order to make the event challenging, more to ensure that they can re-open the roads on time.


That to me seems the most logical reason, then it can be publised to everybody the road will be closed between a & b from 
x till y, not x till some time in the future.


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## Racing roadkill (22 Dec 2016)

Phaeton said:


> I really do think you are taking this WAY too seriously, it was a bit of light entertainment, bit of reality TV with a slightly different slant, you're getting far too upset about such trivial things.


No, it was life and death important stuff. It was a SPORTIVE. There's nothing more important than a programme following a load of Z listers, in a SPORTIVE. I thought everyone knew that.


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## Phaeton (22 Dec 2016)

Racing roadkill said:


> No, it was life and death important stuff. It was a SPORTIVE. There's nothing more important than a programme following a load of Z listers, in a SPORTIVE. I thought everyone knew that.


Not quite got this sarcasm stuff right yet have you?


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## mjr (22 Dec 2016)

Dogtrousers said:


> But one of the riders dropped her chain repeatedly, and this can only be due to her bike being wrongly set up. That must have been really frustrating for her. They had a lot to learn in that short period, and dealing with bikes set up cack-handedly shouldn't need to be on the list..


When chatting about this last night, someone asked if the bike could have been damaged in transit to the event. Anyone know how easy it is to knock a front mech on a modern bike?



Dogtrousers said:


> My gut feel is that maybe a bit of mechanical sympathy on the part of the rider might reduce the chances of the chain coming off.


Surely if people felt mechanical sympathy was worthwhile, we wouldn't see almost everyone using indexed shoot and losing the ability to do stuff like overshift when useful or nurse a malfunctioning derailleur without stopping and getting a screwdriver out?

About the "should Austen have been more of a road captain than a GC hope" discussion: did anyone capture or note the times on the end result screen?


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## Andrew_P (22 Dec 2016)

I enjoyed the programme taking it at face value and for his size and the sport he did* I think Darren Gough did fantastic, in fact they all did really. Not my personal idea of a fun day out, but I understand that the aim is that finish line euphoria which they all clearly had. Jodie Kid dropping her chain was weird just a bad setup or stitch up are just for TV not sure.


*Never really played cricket nor a fast bowler but I assume it wasn't as taxing as other sports.


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## Dogtrousers (22 Dec 2016)

mjr said:


> About the "should Austen have been more of a road captain than a GC hope" discussion: did anyone capture or note the times on the end result screen?


Continuing the theme of taking this far too seriously:

06:28:20 Amy Williams
07:24:13 Darren Gough
08:00:06 Jodie Kidd
09:16:59 Louie Spence
31:09:38 Team total

04:44:42 Austin Healey
08:12:38 Lucy Mecklenburgh
09:05:32 Angellica Bell
09:16:17 Hugo Taylor
31:19:09 Team total

Austin clearly did the right thing for the team by going ahead. If he'd stayed behind and helped, he'd have needed to squeeze over three and a half hours extra out of his teammates. 

And Kudos to the coaches for doing a fine job in picking two well matched teams.


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## blazed (22 Dec 2016)

Dogtrousers said:


> Austin clearly did the right thing for the team by going ahead. If he'd stayed behind and helped, he'd have needed to squeeze over three and a half hours extra out of his teammates.



I notice nobody had a go at Amy for going all out. I guess some are just offended by strong, competitive people like Austin. I know about this myself.


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## Racing roadkill (22 Dec 2016)

Dogtrousers said:


> Continuing the theme of taking this far too seriously:
> 
> 06:28:20 Amy Williams
> 07:24:13 Darren Gough
> ...


Austin clearly didn't do the right thing, his 'team' lost. The way these things are supposed to work is that the strongest rider stays with the group, keeps a close eye on what's going on, and keeps the time gaps in the team down, by getting any riders who are struggling, and being dropped, back onto the group by letting the dropee draught back ( to the group ). It's also far easier to keep people together, if you keep the group bunched, as the weaker team members don't lose concentration / morale, and end up completely fed up and their concentration doesn't drift, so they tend to hold a better / more consistent pace.
/serious.


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## blazed (22 Dec 2016)

Racing roadkill said:


> Austin clearly didn't do the right thing, his 'team' lost. The way these things are supposed to work is that the strongest rider stays with the group, keeps a close eye on what's going on, and keeps the time gaps in the team down, by getting any riders who are struggling, and being dropped, back onto the group by letting the dropee draught back ( to the group ). It's also far easier to keep people together, if you keep the group bunched, as the weaker team members don't lose concentration / morale, and end up completely fed up and their concentration doesn't drift, so they tend to hold a better / more consistent pace.
> /serious.


Them losing does not mean he did the wrong thing. He's only one man. If Hugo had learnt to change a puncture they would have won.

There's nothing Austin could have done to make up more overall time than he did by flying off. Which is the same reason Amy shot off. Simple.


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## Dogtrousers (22 Dec 2016)

Racing roadkill said:


> Austin clearly didn't do the right thing, his 'team' lost. The way these things are supposed to work is that the strongest rider stays with the group, keeps a close eye on what's going on, and keeps the time gaps in the team down, by getting any riders who are struggling, and being dropped, back onto the group by letting the dropee draught back ( to the group ). It's also far easier to keep people together, if you keep the group bunched, as the weaker team members don't lose concentration / morale, and end up completely fed up and their concentration doesn't drift, so they tend to hold a better / more consistent pace.
> /serious.


Continuing to be _*far *_too serious ...

That would only work if either: the team are not of such hugely different levels of ability or the overall time doesn't matter and the aim is to have a good time for all. 

By going ahead he put about 3.5 hours into the opponents. That was the best way he could contribute to the team. Any improvements he might have been able to make to the cumulative time of the others would be tiny in comparison. Maybe he could have coached Lucy to have finished a bit quicker. Maybe he could have sorted Hugo's puncture. But Angelica had committed to her own (highly effective) survival strategy and would be unlikely to have improved on that. They would all have ended up going marginally faster than Angelica.

On a real group ride, in the real world, I'd agree with you. But in this silly setup, he could best contribute by going flat out.


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## Racing roadkill (22 Dec 2016)

blazed said:


> Them losing does not mean he did the wrong thing. He's only one man. If Hugo had learnt to change a puncture they would have won.
> 
> There's nothing Austin could have done to make up more overall time than he did by flying off. Which is the same reason Amy shot off. Simple.


Well one of us here gets paid to lead exactly these sorts of rides ( in fact is leading one in May 2017 as it happens ) and knows what he's talking about, through experience of this type of ride. The other one is you.


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## Lpoolck (22 Dec 2016)

People are forgetting. They were 15,000 other riders that the weaker celebs could have tagged along with. There was no need for the team to ride together unless they were all of simular abilities. 

Cannot believe how serious people took the program or some of the elitist views people are making. It was an entertainment programme about cycling ffs.


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## Milkfloat (22 Dec 2016)

Racing roadkill said:


> Well one of us here gets paid to lead exactly these sorts of rides ( in fact is leading one in May 2017 as it happens ) and knows what he's talking about, through experience of this type of ride. The other one is you.



Maths not your strong point then?


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## Dogtrousers (22 Dec 2016)

blazed said:


> I notice nobody had a go at Amy for going all out. I guess some are just offended by strong, competitive people like Austin. I know about this myself.


Me too


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## Dogtrousers (22 Dec 2016)

Lpoolck said:


> Cannot believe how serious people took the program .


Neither can I. It's shocking isn't it?


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## Phaeton (22 Dec 2016)

Dogtrousers said:


> shocking


Not the word I would use.


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## mjr (22 Dec 2016)

Dogtrousers said:


> Austin clearly did the right thing for the team by going ahead. If he'd stayed behind and helped, he'd have needed to squeeze over three and a half hours extra out of his teammates.


About 1h10 faster per teammate. It's fairly obvious that he could have improved Hugo's time by that if not more - they lost 45minutes on Hugo's second puncture, I don't remember what they lost on the first but it probably was at least 15 and then Hugo wouldn't have been chasing back seemingly alone for most of the ride so would have had some benefit from being in a group. You may be right about not having much scope to improve Angellica's time and who knows how much Lucy could have been coached downhill faster.

But if Austin had been riding within himself until he fixed Hugo's second puncture and then attacked off that descent, instead of attacking from the gun, he'd probably have still finished first or second, plus maybe he could have tried some mind games on Darren and Jodie (and possibly even Amy) as he overtook them, duping them into going into the red and blowing up (again, in Darren's case), instead of him basically doing the last 100k as a time trial.

You're probably right in that it might not have been enough - but it would have been more entertaining TV to see him try to carry his team for a bit and then rip up the field, rather than what was effectively a series of fairly boring TTs (more interesting for the survival tactics employed by those nearer the back) and one fool stood at the side of the road losing his team the race.


blazed said:


> If Hugo had learnt to change a puncture they would have won.


Well, he had been taught - spot the Hugo in a hat:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ht16PB_93Xw




Lpoolck said:


> Cannot believe how serious people took the program or some of the elitist views people are making. It was an entertainment programme about cycling ffs.


Lighten up ffs!  The whole show was elitist, built around a fairly elite sportive and deliberately making things tougher than they needed to be - cycling is really really easy, really, although some people like to make it into hard work.


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## Dogtrousers (22 Dec 2016)

Too serious elitist alert. 

OMG they've turned the bike upside down in that clip. How terribly non-U.


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## mjr (22 Dec 2016)

I'm probably going to regret asking, but...


Dogtrousers said:


> How terribly non-U.


"non-U"?


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## Justinslow (22 Dec 2016)

mjr said:


> and deliberately making things tougher than they needed to be - cycling is really really easy, really, although some people like to ma



Maybe some of us like a challenge, like to be pushed, like to feel knackered at the end of a ride. This show got it spot on, the more experienced riders were fine the less experienced struggled.
Would have been a pretty bland show if it was "come on, let's have an easy ride to the shops". 
To be fair I was amazed they did the miles they did in the training sportives, I usually ache like an arthritic 90 year old. And some of the celebs times in the saddle- over 8 hours, on an uncomfortable racing bike, even id bulk at that, more speed please vicar.


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## mjr (22 Dec 2016)

Justinslow said:


> Would have been a pretty bland show if it was "come on, let's have an easy ride to the shops".


Sure, but there's more interesting cycling than knocking oneself out. We saw next to naff-all of Morzine, the Colombiere, the Joux-Plane and I've already forgotten where it finished 



Justinslow said:


> And some of the celebs times in the saddle- over 8 hours, on an uncomfortable racing bike, even id bulk at that, more speed please vicar.


Meh. It was only 8 hours. Sort your position out to get comfortable, then come try our local group's 100 mile challenge ride next year - it's unusual we get around in 10, although that does include elevenses and late pie+beer lunch


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## Racing roadkill (22 Dec 2016)

Lpoolck said:


> People are forgetting. They were 15,000 other riders that the weaker celebs could have tagged along with. There was no need for the team to ride together unless they were all of simular abilities.
> 
> Cannot believe how serious people took the program or some of the elitist views people are making. It was an entertainment programme about cycling ffs.


No *THIS STUFF IS DEADLY SERIOUS. *Celebrities making an arse of themselves on telly is important to keep the earth rotating on its axis, and the tides working properly and stuff.


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## jiberjaber (23 Dec 2016)

Well, entertaining as it was, the last ep left me with the same feeling I have when considering entering a sportive... too many people with no road skill all pretending to be Froome/Wiggins/* 

Who thought it would be a good idea to stop on the line to lift their bike up... check out the chap locking up his wheels to avoid the 'coach/pacer' who doesn't check behind himself before moving off.... plus as already mentioned the implied leaving the inner tube at the side of the road....

The only thing I think they managed to capture well was the elation at the end of the event where the achievement comes home.... previous eps, perhaps 6/10, this one, 4/10


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## Flick of the Elbow (23 Dec 2016)

jiberjaber said:


> check out the chap locking up his wheels


Yes the chap not anticipating the potential hazard in front of him and going far too fast to safely avoid it. Perhaps, like many it appears, he was under the misconception that it was a race.


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## mjr (23 Dec 2016)

jiberjaber said:


> The only thing I think they managed to capture well was the elation at the end of the event where the achievement comes home....


Elation? Most of them seemed distraught and cream-crackered. Not smiling and arms aloft except for a couple of the later ones. Not a great advert for why you'd want to do it.


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## jiberjaber (23 Dec 2016)

Flick of the Elbow said:


> Yes the chap not anticipating the potential hazard in front of him and going far too fast to safely avoid it. Perhaps, like many it appears, he was under the misconception that it was a race.



Which is exactly why I don't do these kind of events


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## jiberjaber (23 Dec 2016)

mjr said:


> Elation? Most of them seemed distraught and cream-crackered. Not smiling and arms aloft except for a couple of the later ones. Not a great advert for why you'd want to do it.



Perhaps it was choice of word, emotion of the accomplishment.


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## lazybloke (23 Dec 2016)

At times some looked so out of their depth; I was surprised they all finished. But I suppose celebs have a very healthy dose of competitiveness (Hugo hides his very well). Therefore, none wanted to drop out and be seen as failures, especially the ex-sports stars.

Not sure distraught is the right word, although Louie was maybe close. He certainly didn't show much positive emotion at the end.
Neither did Austin or Darren initially, but that was clearly just fatigue on the finishing line; there was plenty of elation otherwise, and much celebration. 


I loved the show. Have never considered doing the étape, but it's now a 'maybe' on my list for a future year. Could be a good charity ride, especially if Channel 5 make the programme an annual suffer-fest.


*Hugo hid it very well


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## mjr (23 Dec 2016)

Hugo is credited as "co creator" of his reality show. Was he in cahoots with the producers of this show to make it a closer contest?


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## Racing roadkill (23 Dec 2016)

jiberjaber said:


> too many people with no road skill all pretending to be Froome/Wiggins/*
> 
> Who thought it would be a good idea to stop on the line to lift their bike up...



That's exactly it. I reluctantly do the Ride London because I get recruited to do it by charities. If I can raise a bit of cash for some good causes, I can put up with the faux pros.I do the isle of sh1te Randonnee each year, because it's a Randonnee, not a SPORTIVE, and it's actually quite nice. I hate Sportives with a passion, because they are knobber magnets.


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## Racing roadkill (23 Dec 2016)

jiberjaber said:


> Which is exactly why I don't do these kind of events


Quite. On both points.


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## Justinslow (23 Dec 2016)

Racing roadkill said:


> That's exactly it. I reluctantly do the Ride London because I get recruited to do it by charities. If I can raise a bit of cash for some good causes, I can put up with the faux pros.I do the isle of sh1te Randonnee each year, because it's a Randonnee, not a SPORTIVE, and it's actually quite nice. I hate Sportives with a passion, because they are knobber magnets.


How do you get "recruited" ? Do you have to pay for your ride or have to raise a certain amount of money? Just interested.


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## Racing roadkill (23 Dec 2016)

Justinslow said:


> How do you get "recruited" ? Do you have to pay for your ride or have to raise a certain amount of money? Just interested.


They pay for my entry, and accommodation, and usually for a post ride Social / fundraiser event. If you get yourself known / recognised, they are more than happy to have you on board, because 'incidental' funds you raise are normally at least a factor of 10 above their outlay. It's word of mouth / reputation. I've yet to test their resolve, by not raising anything, I suspect I may not get asked again if I managed that.


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## Racing roadkill (23 Dec 2016)

[QUOTE 4609687, member: 43827"]Precious, moi?

Is the event you are leading a Sportive?

If so do you let the people you are leading know that you think they are nobbers. Assuming that is, that ride leaders cannot be nobbers.[/QUOTE]
It's not a sportive, you need to wind your neck in.

Challenge rides sometimes use Sportives, I don't make the rules, I really don't like the ones that are set in Sportives, my next challenge charity ride isn't using a Sportive, that's fine by me, Sportive riders ( not challenge riders) tend to be knobbers, unless they are challenge riders, doing the Sportive, in which case they tend not to meet the 'knobber' criteria ( ride like a tool, don't listen, can't hold their line, think they are in a race) etc etc etc.


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## Justinslow (24 Dec 2016)

Racing roadkill said:


> They pay for my entry, and accommodation, and usually for a post ride Social / fundraiser event. If you get yourself known / recognised, they are more than happy to have you on board, because 'incidental' funds you raise are normally at least a factor of 10 above their outlay. It's word of mouth / reputation. I've yet to test their resolve, by not raising anything, I suspect I may not get asked again if I managed that.


Sorry I don't understand any of that, so you don't pay anything and you don't raise anything?


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## PaulSB (24 Dec 2016)

I taped and watched it all over Thursday/Friday while ironing, having a sit down and brew etc.

Initially I found myself irritated by how far removed from cycling the programme was. After a while I began to feel some empathy towards some of the participants and mellowed over the whole thing.

Yes there was stuff more experienced riders do without a thought or don't do (tube by roadside), all the falling off and tears seemed excessive. Occasionally we get newbies turn up for a club ride who have taken on too much - I've yet to see one fall off or cry. For me there was too much emphasis on the unpleasant aspects of riding and not enough on the sheer joy.

They all did extremely well to finish and in some cases clearly pushed themselves way beyond their limit. On the "personalities" - Healey is still a dickhead; Louie I found very irritating with his constant moaning; Hugo let his team down (set up or not), Lucy seemed to overcome genuine fear (top marks); Jodie had a great attitude; Darren showed everyone the dangers of going on the beer beforehand, he didn't seem to realise the cause, but did well considering his weight; Angelica I thought very plucky and prepared to just keep trying; Amy was another with a great attitude.

Surely the reds would have one if Hugo could change a tube? He lost 45 minutes.

Overall I felt the woman came out of the show streets ahead of the men.

I now plan to ride the Etape in 2018. Never considered it before but would like to have a go as I've now seen it's within my capabilities. I'll be totally nackered at the end.


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## blazed (24 Dec 2016)

What is it with the word knobber on this forum? I've never seen it used anywhere else online, and have never heard a single person say it in the real world.


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## Racing roadkill (24 Dec 2016)

[QUOTE 4609915, member: 43827"]That makes it much clearer. It's obvious you are a serious cyclist and only lead rides of other serious cyclists, except when you are required to reluctantly lead a Sportive.
[/QUOTE]


I'm not sure of the last time I'm aware of anybody getting everything so wrong, in such a short space of time.







Possibly this.

Well Mr. Chamberlain, you've done it again. Congratulations.


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## Racing roadkill (24 Dec 2016)

Justinslow said:


> Sorry I don't understand any of that, so you don't pay anything and you don't raise anything?


I don't pay anything, I raise lots. I'm not required to do so, but I tend to raise the money anyway. I'm sure you did get that, I suspect it's another poor attempt at trolling from you.


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## PaulSB (24 Dec 2016)

[QUOTE 4610305, member: 43827"]
It has already inspired PaulSB to think of signing up for the ride next year so it was a positive program for cycling. I seriously hope he doesn't turn out to be a knobber..[/QUOTE]

Moi? Non!!

Decent club rider, occasional leader. Best I've achieved to date was the Tour de Yorkshire sportive 85 miles, 8500 feet but the climbs come in waves rather than three long ones. Think the Tour de Celeb would take me 7.5 - 8 hours. I'm 62.

Anyway I'll give it a go in 2018 unless I can get on 2017


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## Justinslow (24 Dec 2016)

Racing roadkill said:


> I don't pay anything, I raise lots. I'm not required to do so, but I tend to raise the money anyway. I'm sure you did get that, I suspect it's another poor attempt at trolling from you.


Sorry it was twenty to one and I had been down the pub. No trolling intended.

I've just re read it - you get asked to ride and you do raise lots that's cool. How do raise so much or so often, are you always asking the same people to sponsor you?


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## Racing roadkill (24 Dec 2016)

PaulSB said:


> Moi? Non!!
> 
> Decent club rider, occasional leader. Best I've achieved to date was the Tour de Yorkshire sportive 85 miles, 8500 feet but the climbs come in waves rather than three long ones. Think the Tour de Celeb would take me 7.5 - 8 hours. I'm 62.
> 
> Anyway I'll give it a go in 2018 unless I can get on 2017



Good stuff.


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## Racing roadkill (24 Dec 2016)

Justinslow said:


> Sorry it was twenty to one and I had been down the pub. No trolling intended.
> 
> I've just re read it - you get asked to ride and you do raise lots that's cool. How do raise so much or so often, are you always asking the same people to sponsor you?


No worries, I just put it out there, and see what happens as regards sponsorships. Soshal Meeja is always a good bet. I often get asked to do it by local hospices and the like, they put it out on their media channels as well. If they raise a team, the amounts increase a lot. I do have my work cut out, to get people who've barely / never riddden a bike before up to a safe standard, but I get a free party out of it, so that's fine.


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## mjr (25 Dec 2016)

blazed said:


> What is it with the word knobber on this forum? I've never seen it used anywhere else online, and have never heard a single person say it in the real world.


Local dialect. Nobber, farking, daffodil and so on. All phrases used to avoid getting edited by the mods. If you want to ask more, ask in https://www.cyclechat.net/forums/site-support.29/ rather than derailing this thread.


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