[Other Sport] Cycling geeks

[Seagull over Canaryland]

Wasn't one of these was it?

http://all-about-the-bike.co.uk/viking-jetstream-junior-road-bike-2013-20-wheel-7551-p.asp

That looks pretty good. Might have been, but didn't get a close up look.

If anything it seemed even more of a clone of a full size road bike. Looked great and hopefully not too expensive. The tiniest drop bars I've seen. I was impressed 'cos the little lad was down on the drops and riding it properly!

 

[Stat Brother]

Wasn't one of these was it?

http://all-about-the-bike.co.uk/viking-jetstream-junior-road-bike-2013-20-wheel-7551-p.asp

That looks pretty good. Might have been, but didn't get a close up look.

If anything it seemed even more of a clone of a full size road bike. Looked great and hopefully not too expensive. The tiniest drop bars I've seen. I was impressed 'cos the little lad was down on the drops and riding it properly!

Oh you boys are killing me here, I'm going to have to do it.
This must be the kerzillionth time I've posted this picture, but I just don't care, (sorry to everyone else).

I've been trying to find a 10/15 mile Sportive for him to ride, as we can't make the Haywards Heath one, sadly they are proving hard to find.

The photo doesn't quite do it it's tinniest justice.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Oh you boys are killing me here, I'm going to have to do it.
This must be the kerzillionth time I've posted this picture, but I just don't care, (sorry to everyone else).

I've been trying to find a 10/15 mile Sportive for him to ride, as we can't make the Haywards Heath one, sadly they are proving hard to find.

The photo doesn't quite do it it's tinniest justice.

Sweet!

How does the little'un get on with the bottom tube gear levers?

p.s. celeste pedals - I hadn't spotted those before...

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Sounds a bloody brilliant weekend!

When's our next UK sportive then!? (without cobbles )

Bloody brilliant pretty much sums it up. The cycle itself was special - a few days later I'm already forgetting the negative parts. That's French for cobbles...

How was the Meon Valley?

So...I'll check out what's coming up fairly locally, and see what you fancy. I haven't spoken to my cycling buddies about sportives for a while - will let you know if they've found anything good too. I need something to focus on - like last year, after LEJOG, it feels as if I've 'finished'. This could be dangerous...

 

[Stat Brother]

Sweet!

How does the little'un get on with the bottom tube gear levers?

p.s. celeste pedals - I hadn't spotted those before...

We've only just got to them.
The bikes so skittish, as you'd expect, I've had him just concentrating on the basics.
He's getting on with them ok now, it helps that he fits the bike better, too.


I showed it to a cycling colleague who has 'issues' with always being right, knowing everything, and already had one (or two) better. I showed it to him and even he was utterly speechless.

As much as I'd like jnr to do a sportive, there is the part of me that wants to show off the Colnago.
I've convinced myself it'll be akin to The Beatles landing in America.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Bloody brilliant pretty much sums it up. The cycle itself was special - a few days later I'm already forgetting the negative parts. That's French for cobbles...

How was the Meon Valley?

So...I'll check out what's coming up fairly locally, and see what you fancy. I haven't spoken to my cycling buddies about sportives for a while - will let you know if they've found anything good too. I need something to focus on - like last year, after LEJOG, it feels as if I've 'finished'. This could be dangerous...

I didn't do it in the end, family commitments and all that. Did 40 odd Sussex miles instead.

Going to have a look around though, seems a fair few Geeks are going the Haywards Heath so I may have a bash at that.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

I didn't do it in the end, family commitments and all that. Did 40 odd Sussex miles instead.

Going to have a look around though, seems a fair few Geeks are going the Haywards Heath so I may have a bash at that.

OK, sounds good. When is it? How far? Link?

 

[manintheblackpajamas]

OK, sounds good. When is it? How far? Link?

I didn't do it in the end, family commitments and all that. Did 40 odd Sussex miles instead.

Going to have a look around though, seems a fair few Geeks are going the Haywards Heath so I may have a bash at that.

Here's a few to consider:

Wiggle New Forest Spring Sportive - UK Cycling Events
Wiggle Ups and Downs Sportive - UK Cycling Events
Cycling Weekly South Downs Spring Sportive - UK Cycling Events
King of the Downs, Sportive Ride 2nd June 2013

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Here's a few to consider:

Wiggle New Forest Spring Sportive - UK Cycling Events
Wiggle Ups and Downs Sportive - UK Cycling Events
Cycling Weekly South Downs Spring Sportive - UK Cycling Events
King of the Downs, Sportive Ride 2nd June 2013

Thanks MITBP. Unfortunately the first two have sold out - I had been considering both of these, especially the Dorking one...

I did King of the Downs last year, and can confirm that it is an absolute killer. It advertised itself as having "Ten Killer Climbs", and this wasn't a lie. Unfortunately, the rest of the route is very hilly too, and all in all there were 3000m of climbing, if I remember right. The hills get harder as the course goes on - the last two, Yorks Hill and Titsey Hill (ooer missus...) are incredibly hard, especially after what's gone before. Also included are Coombe Bottom, Leith Hill, Box Hill, The Wall and several others.

And it's 115 miles. I swore I'd never do it again. I'm here to be convinced, though...

The South Downs Spring Sportive looks a distinct possibility. This was the one that was supposed to happen a couple of weeks or so ago, and got sleeted off. Yes, tempting. What do you think [MENTION=16159]Bold Seagull[/MENTION] ? And are you doing it MITBP?

 

[Stat Brother]

And it's 115 miles. I swore I'd never do it again. I'm here to be convinced, though...

My mate got lost, because he always does, and did about 120 miles.
Wasn't it shocking weather, too?

 

[Pogue Mahone]

My mate got lost, because he always does, and did about 120 miles.
Wasn't it shocking weather, too?

Yes. All of June and July were last year, and I had a lot of training to get through. It got so that I began to expect it! It also meant that the descents were not as rewarding as they deserved to be after the climbs.

I have a mate who always gets lost too, no matter how well signed the course is - and this one was very well signed!

 

[manintheblackpajamas]

Thanks MITBP. Unfortunately the first two have sold out - I had been considering both of these, especially the Dorking one...

The South Downs Spring Sportive looks a distinct possibility. This was the one that was supposed to happen a couple of weeks or so ago, and got sleeted off. Yes, tempting. What do you think [MENTION=16159]Bold Seagull[/MENTION] ? And are you doing it MITBP?

Ah, I didn't check availability, sorry.

Yes, they are all ones I'm signed up for, hence I found your King of the Downs description very "enjoyable"!

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Ah, I didn't check availability, sorry.

Yes, they are all ones I'm signed up for, hence I found your King of the Downs description very "enjoyable"!

Sorry.

 

[manintheblackpajamas]

Sorry.

Ha. Don't be.
I've very much brought it on myself - I have even taken a loss on a different sportive that I was signed up to on the same day in order to do King of the Downs instead.
I figured it will make or break my confidence levels one month before the Etape...

 

[Motogull]

The 'L' plate rider makes another contribution...

I'm now trying to do some midweek training. My chosen route is up and down that 1 in 6. It wasn't pretty, in fact is was downright ugly, but I got up without stopping. I realised I needed to work on my weight distribution as the front wheel was often too light. I therefore went down the bars and lent fully forward, not looking ahead just working away. I'm pretty chuffed with myself but realise I'm way adrift of you lot. When I started doing this ride, I was wobbly when I got back. Massive progress.

Anyway, out in shorts (hairy legs), straps under glasses so sort of complying with the rules.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Ha. Don't be.
I've very much brought it on myself - I have even taken a loss on a different sportive that I was signed up to on the same day in order to do King of the Downs instead.
I figured it will make or break my confidence levels one month before the Etape...

Despite my negativity, I felt brilliant when I did this one - a real sense of achievement. It made me much more confident in advance of Lands End to J O'G. None of the ten days of this would be as tough as King of the Downs.

The Surrey hills (the first five), though long and quite tough, were easier than the Sussex (or was it Kent?) lot. The last three were The Wall (which Stat often says is quite easy - it isn't when you've got 80 hilly miles under your belt), Yorks Hill (just horrible - many got off and walked most of it, and I'm ashamed to say I didn't manage to stay on my bike for the last 200m - partly due to 'walking traffic') and Titsey Hill, which is steep and seemed to go on forever. But I stayed on, and I'm 6'3", and not built for climbing...

There was a sign at the top of Titsey saying 'Well done - no more climbing!' or some such, but don't be fooled, after 102 miles there is another long drag - be ready for this! Then it's downhill all the way into Crawley.

Are you feeling ready for l'etape?

 

[Pogue Mahone]

The 'L' plate rider makes another contribution...

I'm now trying to do some midweek training. My chosen route is up and down that 1 in 6. It wasn't pretty, in fact is was downright ugly, but I got up without stopping. I realised I needed to work on my weight distribution as the front wheel was often too light. I therefore went down the bars and lent fully forward, not looking ahead just working away. I'm pretty chuffed with myself but realise I'm way adrift of you lot. When I started doing this ride, I was wobbly when I got back. Massive progress.

Anyway, out in shorts (hairy legs), straps under glasses so sort of complying with the rules.

Brilliant Moto keep it up! 1 in 6, that's about 17% isn't it? Horribly steep, so well done for getting up it.

And shorts, I remember shorts! I don't think I've worn them since last October.

 

[manintheblackpajamas]

and I'm 6'3", and not built for climbing...

I don't have that excuse hovering somewhere between 5'7" and 8"

Are you feeling ready for l'etape?

If you'd asked on Saturday I'd have said everything was going very well. Fitness was good, legs were good, I'd tried some longer climbs in Exmoor (Dunkery Beacon is a beast) and I was very happy with my training plan and remaining sportives to at least give the Alps a good go.

However, I appear to have upped my hill training a little too severely with the clock change and have actually had a physio appointment this evening as my knee has been screaming at me since Sunday.
Apparently it's an issue with my IT band and I have some exercises to stretch it out etc. I'm also currently taped up from knee to erm, groin.

 

[Motogull]

Thanks PM. Forgot to mention getting away with just fingerless mitts (first time ever on new bike) which made me feel so much more confident on the brakes. No benny hat under the lid, no buff - summer's coming!

 

[Stat Brother]

I have a mate who always gets lost too, no matter how well signed the course is - and this one was very well signed!

When we did a lot of sportives together, it got to the point where I could predict the junctions he'd screw up on.
He'd even do it when riding in a train, he'd go left as everybody goes right.

The Surrey hills (the first five), though long and quite tough, were easier than the Sussex (or was it Kent?) lot. The last three were The Wall (which Stat often says is quite easy - it isn't when you've got 80 hilly miles under your belt), Yorks Hill (just horrible - many got off and walked most of it, and I'm ashamed to say I didn't manage to stay on my bike for the last 200m - partly due to 'walking traffic') and Titsey Hill, which is steep and seemed to go on forever. But I stayed on, and I'm 6'3", and not built for climbing..

We, the Sussex Geeks definitely have the best of all worlds, when it comes to terrain.

I'm not entirely convinced I said The Wall is 'easy', but it definitely has a reputation that it doesn't live up to.
I really was expecting a brutal horror show, similar to The Steyning Bostal, which it just isn't.
I doubt it in the top 5 climbs, in a 10 mile radius, it just looks worse because of the nature of the road.