This Sun: Gerard Brannigan Memorial Cycle

bcmf

got this e-mail from the Vets


Hi Folks FYI - A reminder

Please note in your diary "Gerard Brannigan Memorial Cycle" Date this coming Sunday 8th November'2009

Time 10.00am Sign-on McDonalds Pub Clonee Co. Meath for 10.30 start

Two routes will be available – 45 miles (75km) & 20 miles (35km)

Both routes will be marked and supervised at all junctions and refreshments will be available after the event

Caroline_ie

That's the Orwell event right? That means No Orwell Spin ... so it could be a good idea to do it.
Might think about it.

bcmf

Don't know tbh Caroline. Just an e-mail I got via the vets.

Caroline_ie

It is - All Orwell spins are cancelled

... that's one to do on the fixie Who's in?

bcmf

and its as flat as a flat thing.

niceonetom

I'll do this.

Caroline_ie

niceonetom wrote: »

I'll do this.

fixed?

DirkVoodoo

Caroline_ie wrote: »

... that's one to do on the fixie Who's in?

I'll do it on my singlespeed, that's as far as I can go really.

niceonetom

Maybe.

Hammerfests are counter to my winter-training-plan (day 4: so far so good) but if one develops I'd quite like to stay with it and I'd need gears for that...

Might decide on the day.

Caroline_ie

... Blorg can hammer it on his fixie FIXIE HAMMERFEST!

blorg

niceonetom wrote: »

Hammerfests are counter to my winter-training-plan (day 4: so far so good) but if one develops I'd quite like to stay with it and I'd need gears for that...

Just up the gearing on your fixie. 88" and you will have no problem staying with any hammerfest. You may will have a problem going up steep hills, but if there aren't any hills...

I am out I am afraid, Orwell are also running a mystery tour Saturday/Sunday so I am going on that instead.

Beasty

35km and 70km routes, but the map on their website says 57km!

It's also on mapmyride, where you can see the elevation:
http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/ireland/clonee/626125543889993883

flickerx

Hmm. I'm running 44/15 on the Masi, thats around 77 gear inches. I could slip a 13 on the back... it'd be like cycling through hummus though.

I think I'm on for this - dry weather permitting when I'm leaving the gaf. What do yous mean by hammerfest? Just going as fast/hard out as you can the entire route?

I'd better dig up that lycra advice for fixie tosser thread...

Lumen

flickerx wrote: »

What do yous mean by hammerfest? Just going as fast/hard out as you can the entire route?

Epic Wheelsucking.

flickerx

Lumen wrote: »

Epic Wheelsucking.

I'm afraid I dont speak fluent road bike nerd. Can you translate into English for me?

rottenhat

flickerx wrote: »

Can you translate into English for me?

Banter's not the same if you say it slower, old chap.

Caroline_ie

flickerx wrote: »

I'd better dig up that lycra advice for fixie tosser thread...

Have you gotten any lycra yet?

Lumen

flickerx wrote: »

I'm afraid I dont speak fluent road bike nerd. Can you translate into English for me?

The practice of drafting other riders without ever taking a turn at the front, best preceeded by a bit of sandbagging and perhaps a fake bonk.

Clear?

DirkVoodoo

Lumen wrote: »

The practice of drafting other riders without ever taking a turn at the front, best preceeded by a bit of sandbagging and perhaps a fake bonk.

Clear?

Does the fake bonk include a last gasp sprint for glory, much to the chagrin of the leading rider who dragged your ass for the last 10km or so?

lukester

My favourite sandbagger




Aiee, I am dying

blorg

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

Does the fake bonk include a last gasp sprint for glory, much to the chagrin of the leading rider who dragged your ass for the last 10km or so?

Always, it wouldn't be a fake bonk otherwise.

blorg

lukester wrote: »

My favourite sandbagger

This one is far better (the sandbagging immediately preceded...)

flickerx

Caroline_ie wrote: »

Have you gotten any lycra yet?

Not yet.

Despite the above responses on this thread I'm still in the dark about the pace of the ride.

Do you and Tom have spd's on your fixies or would you just be riding in the toeclips?

Forgive my ignorance. And the procrastination on the lycra. But my dole got stopped, so I'm a bit fucked for money at the moment.

Chips Lovell

You can do a randonee as fast or slow as you want. While on some flatter ones you'll often find a bunch hammering it at the front, there'll be plenty of slower groups on the road.

flickerx

el tonto wrote: »

randonee

There are too many words I dont understand in this thread.

Would wearing jeans be a problem? I might ask some of the fgss heads along. I dont think any of us have lycra shorts.

Lumen

flickerx wrote: »

Would wearing jeans be a problem?

It will be if it rains.

Chips Lovell

Randonee= organised long distance ride.

Nobody would stop you from wearing jeans, but whether it's desirable from a comfort point of view is another question.

niceonetom

Jeans would be deeply controversial. Lycra-down-the-pub level controversial. I'll be in full roadie garb whatever bike I use. Have you got baggies or anything?

Using fixies at all is likely to raise an eyebrow or two as there is a general perception that they are not well suited to bunch riding among those with gears and freewheels. They have a point too, it does require more concentration to keep it tidy than on the road bike, but as long as you know to leave the group if it's too fast or too steep there's no problem. If you're new to riding in a bunch you'd have to be doubly careful not to piss people off with unpredictable behaviour.

Jeans and fixies (and no doubt all matter of other eccentric bar shapes, helmets stylings and courier-bags)... Well, you'll be noticed that's for sure, but I've seen all manner of bikes on randonnés and never heard of anyone being given a hard time about them.

blorg

niceonetom wrote: »

Jeans and fixies (and no doubt all matter of other eccentric bar shapes, helmets stylings and courier-bags)... Well, you'll be noticed that's for sure, but I've seen all manner of bikes on randonnés and never heard of anyone being given a hard time about them.

That is another point, helmets ARE generally compulsory on these things so make sure you bring one.

bcmf

even money there will be at least 1 smash.
Rain + slippy roads + hammerfest = good chance of a pile up













That should scare the jean wearers/baggy short types off

TheToecutter

Don't worry flickerx, I'll be there to rep' da dfgss, (only I'm on a road bike and will be wearing lycra).

flickerx

I have a helmet alright, I wear it so much even when I'm not cycling that I may as well superglue it to my hair and be done with it.

I've ridden in a line before with a few others, I found that the continuous pedalling action with the fixie actually tends to keep your mind focused quite well on keeping up and straight with the others (is this that "race line discipline" that you mentioned before, tom?).

What are baggies? Baggy jeans? Being a "hipster" (obviously I'm choking on my own rage at my own use of this term, even in inverted commas) all my jeans are so tight that I have to rub a tub of vaseline all over my legs before I can squeeze into them every morning.

But seriously, I dont have any shorts, cycling or otherwise (unless boxer shorts count). I dont have a cycling jersey, and I dont have any cycling shoes. I have an old pair of SPD pedals given to me by a friend a couple of years back knocking around somewhere, but I'm not sure what condition they are in.

Above all else I have no spend money at the moment. Its currently all tied up in an ongoing project that I just bought wheels, pedals, chain, etc for, and I still need to pick up a seatpost, saddle, and a few other bits and pieces. How much would shorts, jersey, and road shoes cost? On average? Around 250 for the lot? Wouldnt have to be anything too high class.

I would like to get into the road biking, but at the moment with the lack of an income and my dole getting the chop, its proving difficult.

flickerx

TheToecutter wrote: »

Don't worry flickerx, I'll be there to rep' da dfgss, (only I'm on a road bike and will be wearing lycra).

Good man. Stay away from the boards.ie lot though, we need to keep you on our side for the next goldsprints smackdown.

flickerx

flickerx wrote: »

project

I'll post up a full report on the resurrection of that frame here when its all done and dusted, but here's what it looked like when I rescued it off the street at the end of September.

Lumen

flickerx wrote: »

Good man. Stay away from the boards.ie lot though, we need to keep you on our side for the next goldsprints smackdown.

Presumably by "our side" you mean "people for whom crank removal is an almost sexual experience".

flickerx

Lumen wrote: »

Presumably by "our side" you mean "people for whom crank removal is an almost sexual experience".

I knew I shouldnt have linked to that thread.

Vélo

I might do this. How much is it and is there extra to pay if you don't have a licence?

I'll prob do it on the road bike but you never know.

niceonetom

flickerx wrote: »

I've ridden in a line before with a few others, I found that the continuous pedalling action with the fixie actually tends to keep your mind focused quite well on keeping up and straight with the others (is this that "race line discipline" that you mentioned before, tom?).

Grand. Problems, if there are any at all, come about when fixies and freewheels interact just because there tends to be a difference in the way the accelerate and decelerate and that can makes gaps appear or, more worryingly, disappear very quick. Just be aware of everyone around you, it'll be fine.

pace-line-discipline is a slightly different thing for when the speed really goes up and everyone has to take part in a smooth rotation with in the group so everyone does their turn on the front. You watched the track world cup, right? Well do you remember the team pursuit? Four guys in a line each taking about a lap at the front before peeling off and slotting in at the back? That's the ultimate example of a disciplined pace line. Again, not an issue for randonnés.

flickerx wrote: »

What are baggies?

Baggies. Generally worn by overweight mountain-bikers who are (rightfully) ashamed of their flabby hairy bodies, neo-roadies who haven't yet made the mental leap to lycra, the terminally self-conscious, cyclotourists and some commuters. They have a chamois. 75k spins in jeans... rather you than me.

I'm genuinely not sure how the straight laced (but very nice) roadies of Orwell Wheelers will react to being descended upon by a fixie posse.

blorg

I imagine you need to get a day license for £10 if you aren't a CI member. This is for insurance reasons.

@flickerx- you can certainly do these things in jeans and whatever, it just won't be half as comfortable. I cycled for many years avoiding the lycra but I finally gave in and the comfort difference is immense.

Regarding riding in a tight group on a fixie, it is more difficult compared to a bike with a freewheel. I have done it myself on long cycles (175km.) I imagine it would be easier if everyone else was on a fixie as then everyone would be in the same boat regarding their ability to change speed.

The most difficult bit fixed is keeping your place in the group going down a hill. But it is also common in group cycling that you maintain your position by simply not pedalling. Too close to the wheel in front? Just freewheel for a second so you back off. This also signals to the rider behind you that you have eased off and they may consider doing this themselves. Fixed if you ease off your legs are still pegging around and there is no such signal that you have done so.

On a fixie you can only really modulate your position by using the brake which doesn't work quite as well. Sharp braking of any sort in a group is a big no-no by the way.

To be honest I would not think it a great idea to try to stick in a front or fast group on a fixie in your first group cycle. Better get the group riding skills first before attempting it fixed. No harm going along, I would just consider not riding in the middle of a large fast bunch. (You would be unlikely to keep up unless your gearing is 85"+ anyway.) Riding in a more leisurely paced smaller group would be fine. Or with like minded individuals.

The_Claw

Hmm, this might be fun. Haven't been out on the bike for a while. Anyone going out to CLonee from town? niceonetom, what's your winter training plan, out of interest?

DirkVoodoo

The_Claw wrote: »

Hmm, this might be fun. Haven't been out on the bike for a while. Anyone going out to CLonee from town? niceonetom, what's your winter training plan, out of interest?

I will probably have to go through town to get there.

niceonetom

The_Claw wrote: »

niceonetom, what's your winter training plan, out of interest?

LSD in the small ring. Calling it a "plan" is, I admit, a bit grandiose. "notion" would be more accurate.

Two threads here and here about it. I'm leaning towards the low intensity "base building" idea Joe Freil is such a proponent of. 50km on the flat spinning like mad in the 34, while keeping the heart rate below 150, is a lot harder than I would have thought.

niceonetom

So who's doing this?

I'm still can't decide which bike to use...

Nietzschean

niceonetom wrote: »

So who's doing this?

I'm still can't decide which bike to use...

*raises hand*

Anyone know if there's any issue if i leave my aerobars on? not to use while doing it but to/from cba taking them off pov..

Caroline_ie

Leaving your Aerobars on will not make you 'blorger' you know ...

Nietzschean

Caroline_ie wrote: »

Leaving your Aerobars on will not make you 'blorger' you know ...

Unfortunatly, true. Main motivation for taking them off would be so people don't presume i'm 'blorger'!

niceonetom

I'd remove them. People might think you're a triathlete FFS.

Nietzschean

niceonetom wrote: »

I'd remove them. People might think you're a triathlete FFS.

Thats me convinced.

DirkVoodoo

I still want to take the singlespeed.

@Nietzschean: You up for meeting in town at some point tomorrow? If sign on is 9:30, say meet at about 8:30? Google maps is saying roughly 20km from city to Clonee.

Nietzschean

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

I still want to take the singlespeed.

@Nietzschean: You up for meeting in town at some point tomorrow? If sign on is 9:30, say meet at about 8:30? Google maps is saying roughly 20km from city to Clonee.

yeah sounds good, 8:30 @ fresh? or somewhere more in the middle?

DirkVoodoo

Nietzschean wrote: »

yeah sounds good, 8:30 @ fresh? or somewhere more in the middle?

More middle. O' Connell street? You have to head west anyway and it's easier for me to just head straight down the N11. We might get a few more people looking to join up (I'm looking at the claw).

Must remember to wake up for this one.