Team BKool CycleChat

[CXRAndy]

You just have to go faster on the downhill so that they never get that chance -- I was known to pass cars on descents when I was younger. That was before having a wife and munchkins...

Yes the stupidity of youth, I remember those days

 

[bobinski]

Andy,
My son echos all the sound advice above. He and friends are also looking through RightMove but that is mainly because some other friends have had bad experiences dealing with landlords direct. It's pot luck whether you get an honest landlord. He things they can get a 2 or 3 bed from £800 to 1200 but they do have time to look and keep an eye on what comes up. Apart from bits of the old east end lots of young people seem to gravitate to the trendier bits of south London, so camberwell/Brixton going south towards Kent, including Norwood, gypsy hill and Crystal Palace. Further west to battersea and Clapham is noticeably more expensive. South east is cheaper out to lewisham but less villagy, more a sprawl. ( I know that sounds silly but London is a collection of villages and some bits are more welcoming than others. As a born and bred east ender I couldn't believe how much friendlier Brixton was and is) Lots going on and those youngsters like that. Also, surprisingly green. Huge cycling community too if she is interested in that, velodrome nearby, dulwich paragon etc. And lots of female cyclists too. Huge numbers of cyclists commuting into town and relative safety in numbers.
Hope this helps.

 

[CXRAndy]

Thanks Bob, We are feverishly looking at many options, She does like to cycle, but I think her job requires smart clothes and there is no changing facilities or bike parking at work- she is making further enquires. Rightmove is where we've been looking and a few places have popped up. Like Bill said, the difference between a poor area costs and decent isn't a great deal. Its just a case of research. Being a 100 miles away makes on the spot checks impossible, but with googlemaps/streetview and reviews sites you can get a feel and check out transport links easily.

Thanks everyone for their local comments, our search has just begun

 

[<Tommy>]

Tonight I did 31 miles and 1800ft pf climbing. For the DD I need to triple the distance and 5 times the climb. Flip, I'm not sure I'm ready

Well done mate

I did about the same this morning and like you I'm feeling a bit under prepared...

Just got to hang on to the fact I've been underprepared for pretty much every event in my life and if all else fails, blind panic normally carries me through on the day!

Ps there's some good tips for discending on YouTube.

 

[CXRAndy]

Well done mate

I did about the same this morning and like you I'm feeling a bit under prepared...

Just got to hang on to the fact I've been underprepared for pretty much every event in my life and if all else fails, blind panic normally carries me through on the day!

Ps there's some good tips for discending on YouTube.

If all else fails close your eyes and do the death grip

 

[Whorty]

If all else fails close your eyes and do the death grip

That is my tactic! I hold on to the breaks for grim death 30 mph on a straight descent is all I'm prepared to do. I want to protect my youthful good looks

 

[CXRAndy]

Sportives aren't races, say this 10 times when someone passes you. Ride within your own capability and you will finish

 

[theboxers]

Ok the new and new to me (but unused by the look of it) cassettes are on the bikes . Now I need to get on with riding them . Gottard and BRVR here I come . But not today as I am dog sitting and need to go to the vets with Toby

 

[theboxers]

That is my tactic! I hold on to the breaks for grim death 30 mph on a straight descent is all I'm prepared to do. I want to protect my youthful good looks

This is going to sound crazy.

Don't look where you are going, look where you want to go .

If you are heading toward a obsticle and continue to look at it, thinking you are going to hit it, you probably will. Look for the escape route and you will mostly find you miss the obsticle .

Oh and relax, tight upper body muscles prevent quick fluid changes in direction. I ride motorcycles so downhills are a little quicker than on bicycle (admitted I am better protected than in lycra) but the principles are the same.

 

[rob01792]

31 miles in the real world today. A bit windy out there making the hills even tougher. Had a few 10%+ sections, plus a 21% bit (only a small bit though).

Had some nice verbal abuse off a BMW driver .... you know you're in the real world when a beemer driver screams at you He was one of those brave ones .... screamed through an open window but sped off when I offered to have a conversation with him out of his car

I still hate descending! Scares the bejeezus out of me going fast down hill with cars or vans up my jacksy

Tonight I did 31 miles and 1800ft pf climbing. For the DD I need to triple the distance and 5 times the climb. Flip, I'm not sure I'm ready

whorty ive just done the elbow on a 28 it tough 63 miles and 4000ft of climbing if I can do it u can ur a much better climber than me as everyone as said get the road miles in and u will nail it

 

[bobinski]

whorty ive just done the elbow on a 28 it tough 63 miles and 4000ft of climbing if I can do it u can ur a much better climber than me as everyone as said get the road miles in and u will nail it

PB's in the bits that matter too

 

[JLaw]

That is my tactic! I hold on to the breaks for grim death 30 mph on a straight descent is all I'm prepared to do. I want to protect my youthful good looks

And that's part of the problem -- you have to loosen up. An overly tight grip will tend to over-exaggerate movement you do make. Some thoughts after nearly 30 years of climbing & descending around here...

Look where you want to go. Plan ahead for turns so that you're braking on the straights. Use most of the lane, leaving some for a margin of error. Smile big, but keep your mouth closed! Ideally know your road well before really letting things fly, surface changes can catch a wheel. Keep in mind motorists may not realize how fast you're going and may decide to pull into the road ahead of you. Know how to throw yourself off the back of the saddle and apply the brakes for an emergency stop mountain bike style. Watchout for wildlife -- hitting a deer or moose at speed could be fatal. Make sure your wheels are true -- wobbles at speed are unnerving -- and more so if you apply the brakes. Make sure your brakes and cables & rims are in good shape, know how to slow down with just one working brake. Always wear helmet & sunglasses -- bugs in the eyes hurt. Always bring a rain jacket -- a light rain at speed is painful. Hail is downright dangerous. If you hear rocks on your way up, be extra careful on your way down a rock hitting you while climbing will suck, many rocks in your downhill line could be fatal. Loud noises like a freight train -- look up & find the avalanche and get the hell away, do not sit around and admire mother nature.

You can always start with a mountain bike if you've got one -- the wide tires can up the confidence level and give you more margin for error as you figure out what you can and can not do. Plus the sound of knobbies at 50mph is neat.

When you find yourself getting annoyed by tourists pointing at things out the window & you ponder taking off their arm while you pass, then you're hitting the right speeds. But remember,they don't expect to be passed by a bike and may make sudden undesirable movements.

 

[BILL S]

Ghosts are all clear for the re-run.

 

[AAAC 76C]

Ghosts are all read for the re-run.

red?

no pink

 

[BILL S]

red?

no pink

y