Have we another date for the reliability trial yet? What about Sunday 19 February - not scheduled to be freezing?
Velo Club Beverley Reliability Trial
(47 posts) (14 voices)-
Posted 3 months ago #
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Good plan David. Let's go for the big Hanging Grimston route.
Link is here again to save you all digging around:
Posted 3 months ago # -
Thanks Paul. Providing the weather prospects remain reasonable, is it best bikes again for Sunday?
Posted 3 months ago # -
I should be about for the first time in a while. My good bike is staying firmly on the turbo though.
Posted 3 months ago # -
Yeah I might be with Gary on the best bikes thing. If it's going to be looking like really filthy roads it'll be the winter hack. Get more exercise lugging its HGV weight up Hanging Grimston too.
Posted 3 months ago # -
I should be there Saturday as well, I'm happy either way as far as bikes go, would be nice if we all did the same... Then again not much of a reliability run without best bikes to test, Its not like we wont race them in bad weather as well.
Posted 3 months ago # -
Just Ben and me on best bikes then? The expected punctures will give me the opportunity to test out my skills and preparation for changing punctured tubulars under pressure and in bad conditions
Posted 3 months ago # -
And another thing. I last changed a punctured tubular 27 years ago so I could do with some practice. The conditions on Sunday are hardly going to be worse than the Etape du Dales was last year, so as Ben points out, we all ought to get used to riding our pride and joy in adverse weather conditions. Just pretend we are Belgians!
Posted 3 months ago # -
Ah, an appeal to Belgian-ness. You could be talking me into it David...
Posted 3 months ago # -
Perhaps I should have said Flandrian - the De Vlaemincks (both Roger and Eric) were as tough as old boots (Cyclo Cross, Roger won 4 Paris-Roubaix etc.etc.)
Posted 3 months ago # -
Bet he didn't have to clean his bike afterwards though David.
Posted 3 months ago # -
Then there is Walter Goodefroot (he started off as a milk delivery man) - although I am afraid that he carried his penchant for 'Belgian Bombs' (a concoction of cocaine, barbiturates, amphetamines & caffeine) a little too far, including when he later became a team manager. Still we all need something to get us up Hanging Grimston!
That is all I have time for now. Just leaving to catch a train to Edinburgh - see you Sunday.Posted 3 months ago # -
I'll see how the weather is and if its not to bad I'll be on the best bike, I took it for a spin at the weekend, little things like its didn't fit very well. Hopefully got it sorted. Who else will be testing their best bikes?
Posted 3 months ago # -
I will be on best bike. It will give me a reason not to clean it after the races on Saturday
Posted 3 months ago # -
I shall be out on my best bike. So it would only be fair if every one else, apart from Steve Guest, was on a bike made of lead piping.
Posted 3 months ago # -
I might be, but depends on how bad the weather is. Not really done much on it so hopefully will be ok for 70 miles.
Posted 3 months ago # -
My best bike's still under construction, but it doesn't matter as I can't make Sunday.
Y'all have a nice day now.Posted 3 months ago # -
Thanks for exempting me from using my lead pipe special frame on Sunday, David. I fear that even using a bike as light as your yellow peril, I'll struggle to go the full distance. Someone's got to be the lanterne rouge! See you Sunday
Posted 3 months ago # -
Can't make it due to work but would have taken my Boardman, the new best bike needs dry roads and 20C to come out and play :)
Posted 3 months ago # -
I can't make it either, going south of the river for the weekend. I would've left my prized steed in the shed anyway - it is so clean I had it on the kitchen table a couple of weeks ago... enjoy Grimston.
Posted 3 months ago # -
With working tommorow and not being able to make the ride, I could not decide what to do today so on the spur of the moment, I decided to do the realiability route. If it had crossed my mind earlier in the week I would have posted for anyone else in a similar situation who could not make Sunday.
There is no problems with the route, road closures etc but about the middle third is not so clever from the turnoff at the bottom of Nunburnholme hill to Warter, right through to Fimber, when its good to get back onto decent roads. Its not bad all that area, but the road surface is constantly changing so your forever having to stay alert.
Top of Nunburnholme also has broken tarmac in a few places, but once you hit the decent it is clear from such, I held back in case thre was more, but there is some mud before you hit the turnoff.
I have seen the roads in a worse state, but theres areas with patchy mud, which was no problem at all till it rained and made small areas a bit greasy. Then there's all the flints, I got two front punctures (Continental 4000s), one just before I turned off to Hanging Grimston and one just after Thixendale. Theres also been a lot of Hawthorn hedge cutting going on, it was not so much off a problem as there was not that much on the road but you still had to keep your eyes open fot it.
One area to watch out for is from Walkington up to the 1st crossroads on the long straight road, not far out of Walkington, the left hand side road has all broke up and the road for about 20 yards was covered with lumps of tarmac up to 3 inch square, the right hand side was just passable single file, by tommorow though, vehicles may have ground it up a bit, but the potholes on the left side will still remain.
Hanging Grimston is its usual self, first part still lots of holes and loose stones along with a few splodges of mud to spin your back wheels on. The second part after the second gate is clear apart for the first few yards after the bend imediatley after the gate, once again the left side is badly broke up, so I went over to the right, but it was covered in mud and I almost had to do a rapid dismount as my wheels just spun and almost ground to a halt. The gates were open too, so that will dissapoint anyone who uses the excuse of opening the gates as chance of a quick breather.
The wind was a Westerly and very cold and I thought it would not cause to much of a problem, but I was wrong, there was very few places where I could keep up a good speed, I planned on doing the ride in about just under 4 hours, it was almost 5 hours, but that included punctures as well.
As for using best bikes, initially the roads were dry, but after a few rain showers, I was well splattered with mud and had to wash my bike when I got home. Regarding mud, there is a section between Thixendale and Fimber, towards the end part, were they have been hedging, its very muddy and greasy for about 100 yards, it had rained on it but not yet been churned up to liquid mud by vehicles yet, but if it rains more it could be hazardous. I don't think rains forecast between now and tommrow, so the roads may dry out as it was only showers today I encountered and there was hardly any standing water etc apart for the Thixendale Fimber stretch were there was quite a lot.
Thats about it, I may have made it look grim, but I have seen it a lot worse and it is rideable, it may be a bit more precarious though in a group if your manoverabilty is restricted so I would advise the front riders to keep a good look out and shout the warnings as you get to them, have a good ride and see you next Sunday.
And don't forget World Track cycling is on TV tonight from 1900 to 2100 and tommorow afternoon from London in the new Velodrome.
Posted 3 months ago # -
I havent read it, All i can say is Jesus...Sweet sweet Jesus.
Posted 3 months ago # -
Battery ran out on my iPhone 1/2 way through...
Posted 3 months ago # -
Is that route still the plan for tomorrow? It's forecast to be 1 degree in hull at 9am so will be into the negatives overnight out in the country.
Posted 3 months ago # -
Not exactly a hard frost and the roads aren't wet. Sure it'll be fine.
Posted 3 months ago # -
Is there a secret annual award for the longest forum post?
Posted 3 months ago # -
I'm a 50/50 for morning today's training has just about decked me!
Posted 3 months ago # -
Yep we're still on for the long one i reckon.
Forecast is cold and sunny but roads should have dried out. If it starts looking dodgy anywhere we can always tweak the route.
Def best bike for me, albeit shod with 25c winter tyres that have less than 1 mm clearance under the fork.
See you at 0900 for some tough but steady miles.
Posted 3 months ago # -
Looking forward to the route. Going to be pretty tough after todays racing
Posted 3 months ago # -
Yeh awesome effort for you and Droppy. I look forward to hearing the story !
Posted 3 months ago #
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