Anyone from Windsor ??

[groove65]

hi everyone, anyone from Windsor hanging around in here? im a relative newbie to road biking after a long layoff spell (15 years !!) and have just bought a secondhand Giant SCR3 from ebay.

Very ncie bike and ive been riding in and around Windsor and Maidenhead area - anyone else here ride in that area on a Sunday morning ? if there is, would you like to meet up somewhere to ride together or are there clubs that welcome us newbies that are somewhat slower than a lot of you guys and girls will be ?

oh and what is it about traffic priority signs in Bray high street that make owners of huge 4x4's think its ok to ignore them if they see me coming the opposite direction WITH my right of way??!?!

cheers !

Iain

 

[Norm]

Sounds like we are from a very similar part of the world, I'm about a mile from Bray High Street.

Don't take the 4x4's in Bray High Street personally, they do it to me whether I'm on push-iron, PTW or in a Merc. The don't tend to do it when I'm in my beaten up old Land Rover truck, though. I find the carbon knuckles on my motorbike gloves very handy too. There's a fair few Audis and BMW's with Norm-prints in their roof.

I'm on an MTB at the moment but will be getting a roadie (either a Spesh Secteur or a Giant Defy) with my C2W cheque very shortly.

I was doing the run from Bray to Windsor and back along the river three or four times a week, but the lack of daylight and waiting for decent lights has put that on hold recently.

Oh, and if you have a look at this thread, you'll see there's a run through our home town this very weekend.

 

[groove65]

Hi Norm, thanks for the reply

I had a hardtail Merlin Malt MTB and a Mongoose Khyber full suss bike till i sold them both and bough my SCR3. I got fed up of injuries from MTB'ing down the hills at Aston every weekend and decided at 44 i needed to make the change to road. Im very glad i did as well - i much prefer the road riding.

I had a look at the Defy - its the new design and replaces the SCR i think. The SCR is a very comfy bike - i tried a Spesh allez and (for me) it wasnt as comfy as the Giant - there just seems to be less harshness on the SCR than the Allez. DNA cycles in Maidenhead originally supplied the SCR i bought on ebay.

Ive got a Spesh Globe Elite with Nexus hub from Stows in Windsor and thats awesome - i use it to go from home in Windsor to work in Maidenhead.

if i can get our firm to do the C2W i'll get a defy 2 or 1 as an upgrade from the SCR but if not i'll change bits on the SCR over time ;o)

anyway, i'll check that link and maybe try to hook up with some of the people that do the local rides.

cheers

 

[lordjenks]

im from your neck of the woods, in woodley, about 5 miles from windsor center. what sort of distances were you looking to do? have have been cycling road for about 4 months now and really really enjoy it.

 

[Norm]

I haven't tried getting over to Aston. The Smalls (my kids) go to school not far from Swinley Forest, so that's our usual destination.

Apparently, the Allez is more sporty, the Secteur is for endurance riding. I'll confirm in a couple of days, as Stows are PDI'ing one for me to take a test ride.

I was impressed with DNA (I got my Talon from there) until I took my old steel framed road bike in there. They weren't interested in helping me get it back on the road, just wanted me to get the Defy. Whilst I can see the (obvious) benefits which can be had from a new bike, there's a lot tied up in a bike which I've had over 30 years and, if nothing else, it will be fine as a winter hack. Aside from anything else, I only needed to blow £20 on a new BB and it's sorted - DNA wanted me to junk it rather than repair.

 

[groove65]

Yep, they can be a bit like that - i went in and looked at the Defy 4 as a starter - they tried to sell me hard on the 2009 Defy 2 at a 10% discount. nice bike but at £675 its out of my price range as a "starter".

Sam at Stows Windsor is a great guy - i worked as a saturday boy at Stows slough back in 1980 ! and he was there then. He'll always help get an old bike back into form and thats why i use them more than any other shop. in fact, i dont know what ive ever bought from DNA - my stuff has all come from wiggle or Stows.

Reckon the Secteur will be good then if its more endurance - at least Stows will let you test ride it properly unlike some other places i could mention.

LordJenks - im looking to do 10-20 milers ideally - nothing more than that yet ;o) what distances do you do ?

 

[Norm]

I'll come and play for that distance, if you don't mind getting the teas in whilst you are waiting for me.

And yes, the chap at Stows looked at me like I'd grown an extra head when I asked how long I could be out for a test. "However long you need!"

 

[groove65]

Nice one Norm - i'll be going out this Sunday as its supposed to be a nice day. not sure what time in the morning though but will let you know

 

[Norm]

Took the test ride on the Secteur this afternoon. It is now reserved for me. With a good following wind, I might even have that by the weekend.

If not, my hack has 27 1/4 rims - trust me to be different - and needs new rubber. I should be getting them on Saturday. Not sure what speed you do but I did 15 miles on the hack today in about an hour's riding.

 

[groove65]

Well im a beginner so 15 mph sounds about right to me (there or thereabouts) ;o)

if you're going to Stows at the weekend why dont you give me a shout on pm and i'll send you my number as i only live about 1 mile from Stows Windsor.

glad you like the Secteur !! fingers crossed you get it for the weekend eh.

 

[Norm]

Fingers crossed indeed. I've got it all signed off, got the quote, got the bike reserved... it's looking hopeful, I just need to get to the office and come home with the cheque.

 

[dhague]

Hi guys,

I'm in Virginia Water, so I can easily get out to Windsor. The next couple of weekends are tied up, but just drop a note on this thread if you want to go for a ride after that.

Cheers,
Darren

 

[groove65]

Hi Darren - sounds great to me. how does weekend of 14th Nov sound? if you're in Virginia water where's best to meet up ? do you have a route you normally like to go ?

cheers
Iain

 

[dhague]

I can't commit to the 14th/15th because family may be visiting, but it's a possibility. We can always go Sunday 22nd November if the 14th doesn't work out.

In terms of route, how about heading out through Eton to Dorney, then via the A4 to Bray, out to Winkfield from there, and come back through Windor Great Park on Sheet Street? That's about 20 miles, starting flat with some shallow slopes later on, and a nice fast descent at the end.

We could meet up to start the ride on Eton Bridge at about 10am, if that suits.

Cheers,
Darren

 

[groove65]

sounds good to me - i went the dedworth-windsor-eton-datchet-old windsor-windsor gt park-legoland- deworth route today at 16 miles. the trip up the slopes through the great park on the way to ascot INTO to headwind was a killer - i was on the granny ring in the end.. mind you, coming down the hill past legoland hitting 35mph was good fun

seems that long 2 mile stretch through the great park is just one long slope

22nd is good for me - give me some time to get some more miles in