Turbo Club - Meet Ups / Events

[bobinski]

Bob you remind me of the knight in monty pythons holy grail. Fair play to you, you always want to come back for more punishment

That’s the esessnce of mountain climbs Tommy, pain, suffering and punishment. I love it. So looking forward to the trip.

 

[<Tommy>]

That’s the esessnce of mountain climbs Tommy, pain, suffering and punishment. I love it. So looking forward to the trip.

Me too mate I really am. The last piece of the puzzle I suppose is if we, your virtual friends, get along ok with your real life friends. What can go wrong!

 

[LBHIFI]

Enough of us to probably get in your way at the start after that we will be trying to draft you!
I think 6 of us

Ok, I'll try to book an extra day so I can join you in a well earned visit to the local pub after the race.
You do plan to have an after-race-pint, don't you?

 

[Whorty]

I've had the original Garmin Vectors almost since they were introduced. They can be a bit finicky to install (looks like the v3 has sorted that out a la th P1's), but they've been on 3 different bikes with no major issues. Having a truer power to work from or to whilst out has made my infrequent forays in to the real world more pleasant. I have to ride up hills whichever way I go from where I live and working to a power has made climbing them almost enjoyable .

Anerly Hill ..... I know it well

 

[kipster]

Loving the banter and tech talk, went to the cinema last night to watch a film call Le Ride, it's about a couple of guys retracing the 1928 Tour de France on 1928 bikes, think no gears, you had to take the wheel off and put the chain on different cogs, think brakes that just didn't won't. The tour that year was tough, one stage was 200+ miles and 20,000 ft, the stage started at midnight and finished 18 hours later. The guys retracing it took 23 hours. If they can get up and down the mountains on those bikes, you lot will be fine. Trailer for film here
View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dX7Z_ZT_baE


Regarding electronic gearing, I'm sure it's great, but so is my Campag chorus, changes are solid and crisp, I've been on so many club rides where electronic sets have failed in one way or another, DI2 going to sleep and not waking up, DI2 batteries going flat, etap batteries going flat. Light weight climbing wheels on the other hand are essential, I love the shamal ultras I've got, really stiff, ceramic bearings (no real advantage to steel for me), light and spin up quickly. They are much better than the zondas I have and the weight difference is only 100g or so.

 

[Breedon]

Ok, I'll try to book an extra day so I can join you in a well earned visit to the local pub after the race.
You do plan to have an after-race-pint, don't you?

Best part is the after event

 

[bobinski]

Just talked to my lbs about swapping all my ultegra bits from defy onto the TCR, brifters, chainring, cranks, and front and rear derailleurs. Hydraulics so I’m a not going to mess with it! The Hunts already have an ultegra 11-28. The 105 brifters are fugly and spoil look of the bike AND are so long they actually affect my bike fit stretching me forward and taking my hands too far in front of the bars. I can angle the handlebar up but that defeats purpose of a lower position on the bike.
Anyway, fwiw 300g saving and a nicr looking bike. I will hold my hand on Etap until early spring.

 

[bobinski]

Me too mate I really am. The last piece of the puzzle I suppose is if we, your virtual friends, get along ok with your real life friends. What can go wrong!

We should get an idea next weekend

Ok, I'll try to book an extra day so I can join you in a well earned visit to the local pub after the race.
You do plan to have an after-race-pint, don't you?

Oh yes, although we have been known to argue over where....

 

[CXRAndy]

Oh yes, although we have been known to argue over where....

Only because you were all tuckered out, in fact you had a little kip beside the road

 

[bobinski]

Only because you were all tuckered out, in fact you had a little kip beside the road

 

[LBHIFI]

We should get an idea next weekend



Oh yes, although we have been known to argue over where....

I must admit I'm a bit jealous of your pub culture. Over here vi have something similar called værtshus which is a "keeping up appearances-Onslow" type pub where only the alcoholics come. Anything fancier than that would be a Café or a Inn. Am I wrong in my perception that you have more variety in your pub types?

 

[CXRAndy]

Pubs aren't what they used to be, most are restaurant based, or posh wine bar types. The original pubs are few and far between these days. Except maybe in cities where they can survive just selling alcohol.

 

[bobinski]

I have decent ones near me with their own mini breweries. But Andy is right. Harder to find now a-days.

 

[theboxers]

Anerly Hill ..... I know it well

I would like this, but there's nothing to like about Anerly Hill

 

[CXRAndy]

Frank Schleck's. Multi day mountain rides

Ride, but not lots and not hard. Get good sleep. Most of all, embrace what you’re about to do. You’re taking a week off work away from your family to ride your bike. Never lose sight of that.

2. Enjoy the scenery
I never got a chance to take in the views during my career, there is always a bunch of other problems to deal with. I'd be riding and think, “Did I pass this before?” Now I get to know the scenery, rather than just the contours of the climb.

3. Ride your race
How you ride depends on your goals. If it's a personal challenge, find your rhythm. You’ll probably end up riding alone on climbs, but that’s normal.

If you’re young and have big dreams, don’t be afraid to go for it. Otherwise you'll never know what you’re capable of.

4. Mind over matter
The mind is a funny thing. Let’s take the example of the Tour. You start fresh, but you’re tired by stage 3 and ruined by stage 5 – and you stay that way for three weeks. You just have to get used to it.

Every time I finished a stage I'd think, “I’m not going to do this again.” I’d be on climbs thinking, if I broke my collarbone it wouldn’t be so bad. Things like this will come to mind, but it's a case of overcoming it.

5. Know your limits… and your goals
Know that the body can take so much. Even when your mind might convince you otherwise, your body is ready to go deeper. If you start to think you might never reach the finish, always have in mind that nothing bad will happen to you as long as you eat and drink enough.

In the summer in the Alps, it’s only getting dark at 10pm, so even if you have to walk the final 10km, you’ve got time. You just have to want to finish.