A Group, 21 May

New Haw - Englefield Green - Walton-on-Thames

Happy persons

Where's John?

Here he is, with our leader in the background!

B Group - 14th May

Just over 20 of us took off from Teddington at 11:15, not quite the great barmy circus that can turn up for B Group rides sometimes when the sun is shining. Just down the road we acquired John Bassett who had mislaid the A Group and I hope that he had no regrets about joining us today. Through Twickenham John Bellamy and Pam managed to elude the back marker and give us the slip. Happily they rematerialised later in the morning. We found them sitting in the sun by one of the many bridges across the Grand Union Canal. I thought we had Ian on board but we didn’t. However he did arrive at lunch in good time to join us.

In Twickenham we made an excursion to Sandycombe Lodge which had been J M W Turner’s country retreat 200 years ago. This was at a time when Twickenham was a village in the countryside and there was quite a risk of falling prey to a highway robbery on the way there from London. Turner designed this quite modest house himself having previously trained as an architectural draughtsman. His greatly loved old Dad managed the house and garden for him and used to take care of the catering for picnics and other social occasions which Turner enjoyed with his friends. Today it is open for visits on the first Saturday afternoon of each month from April to October, from 2.00 pm to 4.30 pm. Details at http://www.turnerintwickenham.org.uk/.

We rode the scenic path along the Duke of Northumberland’s River through the Mogden Sewage Works in Isleworth and took Osterley Lane around the outskirts of the park and joined the Grand Union Canal at North Hyde Lane. I had intended for us to ride through Stockley Park and its golf course but due to taking a long time to get through all the lights around Twickenham and beyond I decided that we would be kept from our lunches for too long if we went that way. So we stuck to the Canal all the way through Hayes and Yiewsley, collected Pam and John, and pressed on up beside the Packet Boat Marina to the WatersEdge Bar by the bridge in Packet Boat Lane.

Four tables had been reserved for us and we enjoyed good basic pub food at the WatersEdge Bar. The kitchen and waiting staff went into overdrive to serve us all quickly and efficiently. Unfortunately Peter C. had had to abandon the ride during the morning because of a broken gear hanger so couldn't be at Lunch.

The afternoon started with a ride around the very lovely Little Britain Lake. Returning down the western side took us along a narrow path which separates the lake and the Colne River. Once south of Packet Boat Lane we crossed over the Slough Arm of the GU Canal into Trout Lane but before reaching Fray’s River we turned right on to a very minor lane towards the Iver Water Treatment Works which I believe receives sludge via a pipeline from the Mogden plant in Twickenham. We took a path through the shrubbery, under the railway line, through to Thorney. We went south through a muddy track under the M4 then a path through the Harmondsworth  Moor Waterside reserve then under the A4 into Accomodation Lane. Everyone seemed keen for even more off-road riding so we followed a track through the fields alongside the River Colne to Junction 14. I had a front wheel puncture which was soon mended before taking the long path by the M25 leading to Moor Lane into the centre of Staines. Pam led us through Staines and via the Thameside path to Laleham where we hit the main road towards Shepperton.

Although it was getting late I had in mind to loop around through Charlton into Nutty Lane but due to a lapse in attention to the map (GPS) I found that we were heading towards Upper Halliford. Fortunately Pam and Gill decided that it would be best to go to Squires. We were too late getting there for Tea but Gill very kindly had about ten of us to Tea at her place. We would have been too late for Tea at Flours in Walton so Gill’s hospitality saved us all from the dire prospect of going without. Pam and Liz had thoughtfully ducked into Squires and purchased a cake. So it was all perfect in the end.

Many thanks to David for being Back Marker and to many people who did helpful and intelligent things during the day to keep the group together and on the right track. Quite a tricky route; thank you everyone for your good company, especially to Rachel, Ingrid and Jane who are quite new in the group, not to mention Roger and Ray who we haven’t seen for a while and Eddie who is recovering well from an operation on his hand. I hope the maps will help to answer all your periodic questions about where we were, since at the time I didn’t really know.

Tim

FT London 100

Yesterday, I rode the FT London 100. That's miles, not kilometres, a proper Century.  It was a very good ride, though fairly tough in the circumstances.  The forecast had been pretty dreadful, but the delivered weather was rather better.  We did get the strong westerly winds, but almost none of the rain, which was a good thing.

The start was at Dulwich Park. About 2500 riders set off in waves of a few hundred at a time, as is usual with these things.  Well organised and no problems at all.  The route went out through Croydon to the Downs, down the other side and across all the old favourites like Weare Street to the bottom of Pitch Hill in Ewhurst.  This leg was a hard pull into the wind, the next was a bit of a surprise for some  riders, who thought that Box Hill was the only hill in Surrey.  To make sure the point was understood we went over Pitch Hill and Combe Bottom then right down to Ripley, before climbing again to Ranmore.  Much more slowly, now. On the way up an Australian asked how far it was to go, and were there any more big hills.  'About thirty, and only Box Hill' I told him.  'Thirty K?'.  'No, miles'.  'Jeez, Box Hill'.  That's global recognition for you.

There was a timed 'King of the Mountains' up Box Hill, but I left that to the younger folk and just did a steady ride.  Then it was over the top and down through Chipstead when the good bit effectively ended.  From here it was a scrabble through the suburbs back to Herne Hill, about ten miles through South London's finest, out for some Sunday retail therapy in their cars.  To be fair to the organisers the route was not too bad and was well marshalled, but it was the least enjoyable bit for me.  Not for all, I suspect - I'm sure my Australian friend felt he was getting a genuine London experience - and the 'lap of honour' at Herne Hill went down very well indeed.

So, round the Velodrome, congratulations and a nice medal, then home for tea.

The ride was organised by Human Race, who do lots of Sportives, Marathons and so on.  It showed.  Organisation was slick, friendly and low key.  Timing chips and numbers came in the post a couple of weeks before, everything worked, and your time arrived by text about five seconds after you crossed the line.  Marshalling and signposting were excellent and there were three feed stations, which I didn't bother with.  Audax teaches me to be self-sufficient, I guess. Very well run.

My time was OK, middle of the field, but good in my age group.  I've a hatful of excuses as to why I could have gone faster, but that's what the clock said on the day.

The event also begs comparison with the Prudential London 100.  At 2500 riders it's certainly not small, but that's a lot less than 20,000, and the scale and logistics reflect that, for good and ill.  The FT 100 course is much harder - I clocked more than 8000 feet of climbing - and the roads aren't closed, so you don't get the fast pelotons that you get on the Prudential 100.  So it's slower.  Which one should you pick?  Well, do both is the obvious answer!

Mark

A Group, 7th May

Cobham - Alperton - Richmond Park

 Frank, the Marco Polo of N.W. London, straddling the River Brent

Now to find our way back from the Wacky Warehouse

B Ride Wednesday 7 May 2014

Our leader with his nice new £2,000 bike!

He took us over the North Downs to 215m, the fresh leaves and bluebells were lovely.

 

A pleasant lunch at the Royal Oak.

 Tea at Denbies

Missing cleat anyone?

Did anyone lose an SH56 cleat at the RBL this morning? This is the type most commonly fitted to Touring or MTB shoes.

Terry reports:
"I have the cleat - it was found by Margaret Squirrell.
All would-be claimants can contact me - I'll draw the winner out of a hat and post it to the lucky individual."

I don't believe that the screws were found.

It looks like this:

David Ward awarded

Today I managed to track down David Ward and present him with his SWLDA trophy for the highest annual mileage for the 2013 season, 9313 miles. David mentioned that if all goes well he will retire in a couple of year's time when he intends to ride with the Wayfarers and other groups in the DA. I can't imagine how many miles he might clock up when he gains his freedom from the world of work.

Isle of Wight Randonnee

May Bank Holiday, so off to the Isle of Wight, as usual, to ride the Randonnee.  This year's ride was the best for a long time in terms of weather, and attracted a record number of entrants - over 2000.  The route was clockwise, as is now standard, to avoid bike jams at the Chain Ferry.  However, this year it didn't matter, as the Chain Ferry was out of service.  The fall-back route along the River Medina was well signposted and marshalled by the IoW Wayfarers.

A very enjoyable ride, and not all that easy.  We did just over 69 miles at a rolling average of 12.3mph.

Mark

A Group, 30 April

 At the Royal Oak, Staffhurst Wood

 In the fields

 In the car park

A Group Audax Ride - Reminder

Don't forget - next week's A Group ride from Leatherhead on the 26th February gives those who want to the option of trying an Audax ride.  We'll start from Leatherhead pretty sharp at 1100 or so, ride to the BP Garage at Dorking where the Audaxers can buy something to get a receipt to start their timing.  Then we'll ride the route until we get to the top of Box Hill.   Audaxers will return to the BP garage to get their finish receipts and the rest of us will ride direct to Annie's, where we will all meet for tea.

Audax Brevet cards can be got here for £3.00 (£3.50 Paypal), the route and route sheet are below.

If anyone would like to know more, please ask.

Mark

A Group, 19th February

Wood End

MWW Roundheads taking their leave of the DoE
 led by a relaxed Cromwellian Paul

A Group, 12th February

Hammersmith
The Plough and Harrow

Pack up your troubles in your old kit bag and smile, smile, smile.

Some had already headed for the station. Waterloo? The harrowing bit was the ride home in gale force winds which buffetted you all over the road. Wimbledon Common was particularly lethal. I was very relieved to get home intact.

New Laser cycle safety light

New Laser cycle safety light.

The Blaze Laserlight, which gives advanced warning of the approach of a bike by projecting a bike symbol on the road ahead, has landed a £300,000 cash injection from venture capital firm Index Venture and Sam and Holly Branson, the son and daughter-in-law of Virgin empire billionaire Richard Branson.

The London Cycle Show

A miserable day, so Maggie and I went up to the Excel Centre to see the Cycle Show.  A bustling and busy show, with a lot to see.  But, as we all know, the cycle world changes slowly, so there wasn't a lot that was really new.  Marginal gains, I suppose ...

Changes since last year are that the e-bikes have more or less disappeared (or perhaps they now have their own show?); there is much less fancy steel than there was; much more aluminium than there has been for a few years, but it's really about carbon these days, even for relatively modest frames.  Bit of a titanium resurgence, too - most manufacturers have one, somewhere near the top of their ranges. Electronic shifting is pretty widespread, and the road disc revolution is happening, but fairly slowly.  Still very few high-end race bikes with the technology - waiting for the UCI, I guess - but plenty of sensible bikes/cyclo-cross bikes with discs, both cable and Shimano hydraulic.

This Marin Lombard would go nicely in the Surrey Hills

With this Canyon Cyclocrosser at the sportier end

Here's a genuine Tour de France bike; all the bells

and whistles for £5999.

I can't help feeling there's a branding issue with this

'Cheetah' paint job

And lastly, a shaft drive bike.  Been tried a few times over 

the last century or so.  Maybe this time.

Maggie liked the 'Chapeau' range of clothing, which had a good selection of kit for women, and the free samples of the 'Honey Stinger' energy food tasted good.

In summary, it was all about the bike - fast, light road bikes, and holidays in sunny places to ride them.  Plenty of companies offering cycling holidays, including our own CTC, who were a sponsor but I missed their stand.

And then the dream was over - still raining when we left.  Hey ho.

Mark

State of the Roads

Maggie and I went out for a ride this afternoon, to take a look around.  We took the Land Rover rather than a tandem, and had no particular reason to regret our choice.

We went in a loop around the Brockham/Charlwood/Newdigate/Rusper area, where we often ride, and the summary is that things aren't too bad.  The ground-water is high, and streams and puddles abound, but the floods have gone, at least for the moment.  The gales have brought down many branches and some trees, but these have all been cut up and piled at the sides of the roads, to be picked up when time permits.  Equally, quite a lot of ditches and culverts have been cleared, which has got rid of the floods in Wonham Lane and on Stan Hill, for example.

The bridge on the Flanchford Road, damaged in January, is closed and is likely to remain so for a time.  I have heard that repairs will cost about a million pounds, and clearly the money will have to be found in competition with a lot of other things that need to be done.  I have also heard that the bridge is likely to be re-opened to light traffic, but I've no idea when.  For the moment it is open to pedestrians, so it is possible to cycle over it.

In general the roads are mucky with many new potholes, many of these full of water.  So, with care, it's all passable, and it's perfectly possible to go for a ride if you don't mind getting muddy and wet.

Can Spring be far behind?

Mark

Tomorrow's Ride

Dave is indisposed. It's possible that he won't be able to lead tomorrow's ride.

I'm happy to lead from the start to Dorney. My bit of string tells me that's 20 miles, and perhaps 55 miles were we to return Hampton Court via Hedgerley. So big mileages for this time of year.

Roads may be impassible but the weatherman says after overnight rain it'll be a dry but windy (gusts over 40mph). I propose a council of war at Dorney. Come equip with ideas; I'll bring the maps.

It's only 10 minutes away on foot so I'll pop along to this

.

Newark Lane

As Simon and Garfunkel sang(?) 'Troubled Bridge over Waters'

Terry

A Group, 5th February

Dorking

We sought a storm-tossed refuge in the King's Arms, Dorking