Speedy Ride for food-Olympic RoadRace Route-Sat 10th Sept

[Sapper]

anyway see you saturday

Indeedie

This will be my second CC ride; my first being the hereford ride last Saturday.

This will be my first ton as well.

So I am finding this ride slightly daunting - mixture of speed and length...

But because of that a good training ride for my JoG to LE ride.

I have been following the discussion with interest, and can see the comments of both sides.

But whilst Ian has maintained these rides are meant t be more challenging, they will not leave people behind...

When you are doing 100 miles you cannot waste time hanging around too much.

Averaging 15mph will take 7 hours. Plus lunch 8 hours.

Plus the odd 'forced stop' due to broken chain or puncture (We had both last weekend) and another hour is added as well.

So there has to be an element of speed and efficiency in organising the ride. But I also agree that some of the figures quoted can appear daunting...

Anyway enough of my ramblings and see you all on Saturday

 

[martint235]

When you are doing 100 miles you cannot waste time hanging around too much.

Averaging 15mph will take 7 hours. Plus lunch 8 hours.

Plus the odd 'forced stop' due to broken chain or puncture (We had both last weekend) and another hour is added as well.

I think there you have hit the nail on the head and that is exactly what people should be expecting!!

I for one won't be expecting to be home before 5pm and then if you add Arallsopp's theorem, that will make 7pm

 

[Becs]

Sorry Becs, I take offence at that you think the rides are unfriendly, cliquey & intimidating.

As I have said before, these rides were designed as speedy and challenging from the start. What has that got to do with cliquy or unfriendly? These rides are different then other Cycle Chat rides that are slower, the FNRttc and Sunday pootles. And have always been described as such.

Sometimes it makes you wonder why people bother.

edit: Sorry offence is too strong a word. I am more upset then offended that you think the rides are unfriendly.

I didn't say they ARE cliquey and intimidating, I said they are in danger of coming across that way to people that don't know you lot.

Obviously I know that you are all lovely

 

[ianrauk]

I didn't say they ARE cliquey and intimidating, I said they are in danger of coming across that way to people that don't know you lot.

Obviously I know that you are all lovely

The whole story behind these rides Becs is that Halo, Martin and myself wanted to challenge ourselves a little more then the usual pootling CycleChat ride/sunday ride/fnrttc. Speedier and over a 100miles. once a month fast rides so we can complete the 100 mile a month challenge. They are certainly not in place of the other rides.

This is why we put speedy ride in the title and the speeds in the rides.
As I said before the last thing we would want is to get someone along who couldn't for some reason manage. That way people are under no illusion as to what the rides about.

7 new 'Speedy' riders have signed up for this ride, 3 of those who have never met me/us before. More then any other so I like to think we must be doing something right.

 

[Rob3rt]

If you cant keep up on a ride of such pace, dont go (or if you are unsure if you can manage, go with a get out plan where you can bail and find your own way home).

Go on a more gentle ride, there are plenty about recently from what I've seen.

I dont see why anyone is making a fuss out of a few forumers meeting up to do a little bit more pacey riding and asking others if they would like to join. Some people like to ride at pace sometimes, nothing wrong with that. Cant be totally inclusive all the time.

 

[Becs]

The whole story behind these rides Becs is that Halo, Martin and myself wanted to challenge ourselves a little more then the usual pootling CycleChat ride/sunday ride/fnrttc. Speedier and over a 100miles. once a month fast rides so we can complete the 100 mile a month challenge. They are certainly not in place of the other rides.

This is why we put speedy ride in the title and the speeds in the rides.
As I said before the last thing we would want is to get someone along who couldn't for some reason manage. That way people are under no illusion as to what the rides about.

7 new 'Speedy' riders have signed up for this ride, 3 of those who have never met me/us before. More then any other so I like to think we must be doing something right.

I guess that's the problem, it feels like they are in place of the Sunday rides and I miss them! We haven't done a conventional Sunday ride for ages!

 

[Becs]

If you cant keep up on a ride of such pace, dont go

no need to be rude about it.

 

[HaloJ]

These speedy rides came about from a group doing 100 mile a month rides. Yes they are intended for the faster riders as they are meant to be completed in a timely fashion. It isn't a ride that spends 6 hours getting to the halfway point and 6 hours getting back after a 2 hour break.

The rides have always been a day time ride and the pace comes about from the length of the day when they were first conceived. 100 miles at 14mph is just over 7 hours. Factor in the halfway lunch break and a level of faffing/regrouping/repairing and it creeps towards being a 10 or 11 hour ride.

As a person who has put in the effort to organise I'm also somewhat upset about the unfriendly comments. They have been what they are from the off and the speed of them has never been hidden. Some beautiful routes with great lunch stops have been created because of them and a lot of effort to ensure everyone who has participated has been comfortable and aware of the level of effort required.

We have had slower riders on the rides and they've got along fine although have tended to bail at the halfway mark. Those that then go on for the return leg pick up the pace to ensure the ride completes in a timely fashion, which was what happened on the Maldon ride you attended Luke (redjedi).

July's Maldon ride stats : http://connect.garmin.com/activity/102833885

June's Windsor ride stats : http://connect.garmin.com/activity/90328796
June was a relative sedate pace outbound with a brisk return for those doing the 100.

April's Olympic ride stats : http://connect.garmin.com/activity/79539649
A wide range of rider abilites on this one with a level of regrouping involved after climbs.

March's Olympic ride stats : http://connect.garmin.com/activity/76004803
A ride I did solo and quick. Stats somewhat damaged but my ride average was 16 even with the Garmin mess up.

Ess, we'd be happy to have you along as we would have been when you enquired about July's Maldon ride. The Olympic route is somewhat easier than the Madlon ride as it's practically pan flat, excluding the climb of sheer road and box hill (which is gorgeous). We don't leave people behind but will encourage you to pedal when going downhill rather than cruising.

Abs

 

[Sittingduck]

**GROUP HUG**

Becs

I agree about the old skool SLR's! I have been thinking that we should try to start doing the casual HPC at 09:30 rides again. I think the main reasons for them to have been happening a lot less is that folk have been doing longer rides on the Saturdays and the summer is a temptation to squeeze in longer rides. I for one, would welcome the return of the 'turn up on the morning if you feel like it' Sunday rides.

Anyway - I am looking forward to this ride on Saturday, having participated in the April version
Rolling avg for which was 14.9 (for me). A couple of hills, as Ian says but nothing monstorous. I think the pace was good and as you know, I am certainly no Wiggins (more of a Hushovd, if you ask me ). A slight challenge without being way too fast. It will be good fun on Sat, for everybody and the run back into London, from the top of Boxhill will be wind assisted


Ian

Spoke to my possible +1 this morning and she is still up for this. See you all on Sat, around 09:30 at Richmond gate!


Ant

 

[Sapper]

If you cant keep up on a ride of such pace, dont go

Sorry but I found that unnecessary offensive.

Additionally it helps to support the argument these these rides are exclusive to the the majority of the forum members.

just my pennies worth

Adrian

 

[Becs]

As a person who has put in the effort to organise I'm also somewhat upset about the unfriendly comments. They have been what they are from the off and the speed of them has never been hidden. Some beautiful routes with great lunch stops have been created because of them and a lot of effort to ensure everyone who has participated has been comfortable and aware of the level of effort required.

Abs, I didn't mean to upset anyone. I know you lot put a lot of effort into organising these things and I'm not denying that you have to make people aware of your intended pace etc. I was merely saying how I felt as a less strong rider who misses feeling like part of the group!

 

[Becs]

[QUOTE 1499989"]
Luke - you're faster than me. Becs about the same speed.

I did this route last year and only got dropped on the hills - Shere and Box. So you'll be fine.
[/quote]


Over 40 miles yes, over 100, I doubt it. Anyway whether we're fast enough wasn't really the point I was trying to make but in any case I'll be giving it a go (assuming the weather isn't awful/saturday morning's experiment doesn't go tits up/Ian doesn't kill me 1st ).

 

[HaloJ]

Sorry but I found that unnecessary offensive.

Additionally it helps to support the argument these these rides are exclusive to the the majority of the forum members.

just my pennies worth

Adrian

Indeed rob3rt's post was too blunt but that was said as a forum member and not as a participant of these rides.

Abs

 

[HaloJ]

Anyway, let's put this too bed.

I hope that everyone who is signed up will continue to be so. It is a ride of effort but we are inclusive, we don't drop you, we do regroup and we are supportive.

Oh and as for the weather, I expect that you WILL get wet at some point on Saturday but none of you are fair weather riders are you?

Abs

 

[martint235]

Oh and as for the weather, I expect that you WILL get wet at some point on Saturday but none of you are fair weather riders are you?

Abs

I am!!! Bit disappointed you can't control the weather yet Abs although thankfully XC is now showing a dry day on Saturday.

Thanks to all who have organised these rides, they don't just happen (as I'm finding out with the October ride!!!) and do take a bit of effort to set up.

We seem to have a few new riders along on Saturday so let's have fun and persuade them to come along for some real pain in October........