La Flamme Rouge **off topic discussion**

Anyone know if Sean Kelly is around Dublin at the minute? Saw a chap in old full set of An Post gear on a purple Vitus bike in Foxrock this week and could have sworn it was him given the kit and the profile.

Corners maybe need to be squared off to make turns more deliberate. I tend to move towards the middle of the lane approaching junctions like that, if there are no cars near behind to make inattentive people emerging pay attention.

(Think "reduce turning radius" is the technical way of putting it?)

…and there are loads of motorists who take a left turn onto a major road and only look right to see if there is anything approaching in the lane their turning onto. It never occurs to them that there may be a motorist overtaking coming from their left and in their lane. Not a pleasant experience for the overtaking motorist.

Had a taxi driver the other morning just not bother braking at all coming into the roundabout at Artane castle, I went straight into the side of him (luckily nothing damaged).

His response was “I didn’t see you at all”, and proceeded to tell me how he then tried to swerve (for my benefit) once he realised I was flying into his driver door

Folks, have my first organised bike race/event coming up in a fortnight (Gravel Grind West).

I've done plenty of running events (10k ½ marathon etc), but usually you pick up a race pack the previous day, then turn up for your start pen the next morning.

Was wondering what to expect the morning of the event? Not that it's a big deal, but I'm curious more than anything

99% of the time you just turn up and they check your name off the register. Occasionally you are required to sign on. Then usually a paper bracelet or card with food voucher, emergency number and/or mechanical assistance number. Sometimes there is a 'goodie bag' which is usually useless sh!te.

(In my experience the WW200 is the only one which has an advance pack with jersey number etc.).

That 'few extra Euro' for the one day CI licence is now €20. Probably an attempt to get everyone to get an annual licence.

don't you need to be affiliated to a club to take out the annual license though? A lot of sportive riders are not in a club.

Yes, basically if you intend to do more than 3 events in a year, it makes more sense to get an annual licence. (I have a vague recollection that the annual licence includes a €20 voucher for Cycle Super Store but I'm open to correction).

fecking bitter out there cycling home from work. When does summer kick in?

I remember another display of evidence in the media (think it was cops in USA again), and some of the "weapons" confiscated at a BLM rally (or something like that) were clearly just bike kit.

I never got the touch-up paint with my CdF though I did buy it on closeout. I don't see the exact model on the list (it was a "limited edition" with non-series components before GRX was a thing) though the CdF 10 FB looks similar. I might try and lay my hands on a pot as it's picked up a few dings over the years.

What works very well is nail varnish. Obviously will only suit frames with fairly conservative colours but it served very well on my old Spec. Allez which was white/black/red