The Imperial Century A Month Challenge Chatzone
- Thread starter Rob S
- Start date
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Supersuperleeds
Legendary Member
- Location
- Leicester
OKey Dokey I have posted up a new thread for the 2015 challenge.
I haven't even done December yet. Talk about pressure!
StuAff
Silencing his legs regularly
- Location
- Portsmouth
And so did I..
As a cursory look at the elapsed time on the stats will show, this was a toughie. Eleven hours door to door. I'd looked at the forecast for the weekend, tomorrow looked warmer but rather blowy, and the early forecast for next weekend was much the same. So I decided to get the ton done and dusted at the earliest opportunity. The hardest ride I've done for quite a while- an early stop at a level crossing brought the average down below 11 mph, and it never recovered. I wasn't that cold, but I never really warmed up either, and even when I should have had a tailwind, it remained mythical. With the benefit of hindsight, an easier route and putting up with a headwind might have been less difficult, and I didn't get the fuelling right (apart from a lunchtime sandwich, a banana and a gel, and that was it). So started slow, speeded up ever so slightly after lunch, then slowed down again as the temperature dropped. Speed not helped by my visit to Winchester (navigation round there makes Guildford/Basingstoke/Southampton look like a piece of cake, particularly if you want to avoid certain nasty A roads..and you really do). I at least fared better than the Garmin. Got the low battery warning on the run in to Winchester, thought it might well last three or four hours, as it has before, but no, it conked out just after leaving town. I did have my battery pack, but the necessary plug was still at home...aargh. Logged the rest of the ride with the phone (kept nice and warm in my back pocket). Eventually made it home just after seven. Stiff, knackered, but it was still better than overtime at work (though I'm doing some tomorrow).
A mere third complete challenge year for me....
sittingbull
Veteran
- Location
- South Liverpool
Well done @ianrauk , @rb58, @Trickedem, @HLaB and @StuAff ........SUPERB! 
3 or 4 consecutive years is truly remarkable
No pressure yet @Supersuperleeds, @BigGee, good luck
3 or 4 consecutive years is truly remarkable
No pressure yet @Supersuperleeds, @BigGee, good luck
Last edited:
BigGee
Senior Member
- Location
- North East London
Well I went out today as well, despite the forecast, though it turned out not that bad. Unfortunately it all went Pete Tong.
I left at 07.00 in the dark and the first 25 miles went uneventfully, then the fairy visited, front wheel puncture! I took the tube out and it did not look very patchable, being right by the valve, so I put my spare tube in. I took the opportunity to have a bit of a snack and while I was standing there admiring the view, the tyre let go with an almighty bang! I only had one spare, so was forced to go back and try and patch the original one. As I suspected it did not hold and so I had to limp into Bishops Stortford, stopping to pump it up again several times along the way. Clearly it was not going to get me around another 70 miles and as any route out of that town leads to the middle of nowhere for several miles I decided that I had to abandon ship.
The moral of the story here is of course always carry two spare tubes and the even more annoying thing is that I always do. I actually got my first puncture of the year last week and I was obviously a bit blasé about it and did not replace the tube that I used. Not a mistake that I will ever make again!
This has put me in a difficult spot now. This was pretty much going to be my only opportunity this month. I have actually got some minor surgery scheduled for this Wednesday. I had actually put it off for a couple of months to let me finish the challenge. I am working Monday and Tuesday, so will not get another crack before and the suggested time off the bike after is 4 weeks.
I will wait and see how it goes, as that 4 weeks may be a bit generous, so there remains an outside chance of having one final go at the end of the month. otherwise it seems that I may have stumbled at the final hurdle, which is a little bit annoying to say the least.
Well done to all those who have made it and good luck to those still to go. If it does not work out for me, well there is always next year!
I left at 07.00 in the dark and the first 25 miles went uneventfully, then the fairy visited, front wheel puncture! I took the tube out and it did not look very patchable, being right by the valve, so I put my spare tube in. I took the opportunity to have a bit of a snack and while I was standing there admiring the view, the tyre let go with an almighty bang! I only had one spare, so was forced to go back and try and patch the original one. As I suspected it did not hold and so I had to limp into Bishops Stortford, stopping to pump it up again several times along the way. Clearly it was not going to get me around another 70 miles and as any route out of that town leads to the middle of nowhere for several miles I decided that I had to abandon ship.
The moral of the story here is of course always carry two spare tubes and the even more annoying thing is that I always do. I actually got my first puncture of the year last week and I was obviously a bit blasé about it and did not replace the tube that I used. Not a mistake that I will ever make again!
This has put me in a difficult spot now. This was pretty much going to be my only opportunity this month. I have actually got some minor surgery scheduled for this Wednesday. I had actually put it off for a couple of months to let me finish the challenge. I am working Monday and Tuesday, so will not get another crack before and the suggested time off the bike after is 4 weeks.
I will wait and see how it goes, as that 4 weeks may be a bit generous, so there remains an outside chance of having one final go at the end of the month. otherwise it seems that I may have stumbled at the final hurdle, which is a little bit annoying to say the least.
Well done to all those who have made it and good luck to those still to go. If it does not work out for me, well there is always next year!
Hope the op goes well and fingers crossed for you doing this at the end of the month.
Jon George
Mamil and couldn't care less
- Location
- Suffolk an' Good
Okay, I'm sitting here after having imbibed a few shots of malt and I'm seriously considering going for this for 2015. I'll be in touch ...
rb58
Enigma
- Location
- Bexley, Kent
Good luck for the surgery - don't do anything silly though - make sure you're properly healed before trying again.
Fingers crossed G-Man. As what others have said, don't rush it back. Here's hoping there is a day you can get out there before year out.
A suggestion would be to stick to local circuits close to home.
BigGee
Senior Member
- Location
- North East London
Thanks for all the support guys. I really appreciate it
jayonabike
Powered by caffeine & whisky
- Location
- Hertfordshire
I'm well up for this next year and as I have the first week in January off work I have plenty of chances to get the first one in the bag.
jayonabike
Powered by caffeine & whisky
- Location
- Hertfordshire
We must do London-Brighton-London again, we all enjoyed thatAnd a few 200ks during the year is in order I think...
