LondonSkaters Speed Team - Speed Skating & Rollerblading Club in London

andyman · Joined: 05 Apr 2006 Posts: 1945 Location: Suffolk

i am coming:)

dan_b · Joined: 15 Jun 2004 Posts: 2417

Assuming the weather doesn't get worse than current forecast, I'll see you at the vic

peterc · Joined: 10 Mar 2004 Posts: 1269 Location: M3 somewhere

Looks like it could be a cool and windy one, wrap up warm all. (From the garage where I'm trying to get the brake on the recumbent working again...)

ed! · Posted: Sat Feb 27, 2010 4:06 pm Subject:

Saturday report, especially for Pamela:

It was dark. I was cold. It was windy. It was wet...someone mentioned something about "character building" - it was that.

And it was fun Smile

You might get more of a report tomorrow or in person Smile

Pamela · Posted: Sat Feb 27, 2010 6:13 pm Subject:

dan_b · Joined: 15 Jun 2004 Posts: 2417

First one I've ever done that felt like hard work. My character is built

Tom · Joined: 16 Aug 2004 Posts: 482 Location: Holland Park

That was an 'experience'. Glad I did it and glad I didn't stop early. I think the excellent company helped a lot.

andyman · Joined: 05 Apr 2006 Posts: 1945 Location: Suffolk

Soooooo glad I came, that was awesome!
My ass is as sore as I can ever remember from cycling but I am sure that is temporary.
My ego dented a little as I simply had to get off and walk up Ditchling (although many others also did)
My investment in Altura waterproof overtrousers was on the money (cheers Ed!) yes it was wet but I remained dry and warm throughout.
I have already marked my diary and intend to make this at least one monthly visit back to London.
Thanks to the support of you other guys in managing to get something out of my spent legs!!!

ed! · Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2010 11:11 am Subject:

Apologies for the long report - I hope for it to serve as a useful guide for me next time, as well as for anyone else...

Thursday night was carb loading night at Diego and Silvana's, followed by saddle and bike bag packing, as well as an amateur bike check (I say that, as I didn't really do the checks that perhaps I should have done!).

In the saddle bag, I had:
- 3 inner tubes (given my track record)
- tyre levers
- puncture repair kit
- bike tool
- latex gloves
- cable lock
- spare AAs
- chain links

In the bike bag, I had:
- Spare leggings and base layer (wrapped in plastic bag)
- Wallet and keys (in resealable bag)
- Extra Go Bar
- Waterproof trousers (which I had purchased the next day, but didn't use)
- Waterproof jacket

Bike and lights check involved:
- Bell removal, as it has a tendency to ring when going over rough surfaces...I figured after a few hours of constant ringing, the novelty will soon wear off amongst my new and existing cycling friends Smile

- Fix on two front lights
- Fix on one back light
- Fix spare back light to seat post
- Attach two large bottles with Viper powder

Hindsight will tell me to check brake pads (they wore out as I reached Brighton)

Friday morning came, and there was a lot of umming and ahhing, until Tanya was the first to announce that she would call a go, despite the looming weather reports. This had made me think about last minute stuff to buy, and whether to invest in any rain gear. Eventually I opted for some Altura Attack trousers, buying Andy a pair too.

I got home and waited for Andy to drop his car round, as well as pick up the trousers. I got changed and had a 30 minute power nap. Andy arrived, and I packed the remaining bits of gear and we set off for Tanya's (who was out with Tom and Dan on the LFNS - nutters).
Andy got ready, and I cooked 2 minute noodles. Tom and Tanya later arrived, ate, got ready and then we set off to meet a near-frozen Dan at The Vic. Diego soon arrived, but had various mechanicals (front wheel change, dodgy brakes) beforehand, so was understandably a little concerned.

Eventually we set off for the start point at HPC. I think there were about 60-odd people in total, with various kinds of bikes. We saw Slezzer and Cherry; registered our arrival with Simon L (the organiser); waited around for a bit; then eventually set off. By this point, Diego had decided to turn back home. He had already started to feel poorly earlier in the day, and the number of mechanicals in the lead up left him understandably uncertain. Fortunately, it looks like he had made the right decision to head home Sad

Setting off, the first 10-15 mins was quite surreal...I guess I had expected it to be like our London street skates, with everyone talking, music blaring etc, but it was very much the opposite - I felt like we were zombies on bikes and beginning to wonder if it was going to be like this all the way Confused

Maybe that was down to nerves (for many it was their first FNRttC), or perhaps just the knowledge of the weather ahead wasn't a great pick-me-up.

The group had its first puncture at Clapham Common (5 in total). I found out right at the end that there were dedicated puncture repair specialists (not their official title) for those that struggled with the process - which is something useful for me to bear in mind next time Smile

We set off again, and everything thereafter was pretty much a blur. I do remember:

- Chasing Dan up a hill and actually achieving a draft. I also tried to repay the favour after spending a fair chunk of time on his back wheel.
- Taking my glove off, and not being able to put it back on because I had pulled the liner out a bit. I eventually managed to sort it, but not without worrying that my hand would drop off first!
- The first drops of rain that was pretty much on schedule around 3am
- An inability to cycle in a straight line when bunched up on a narrow path, which seemed to last an eternity. I think Dan might have been behind me and probably stayed well clear Smile

- Long wet downhills with my fingers firmly around the brakes
- My bike falling over during a stop, turning my saddle 20 degrees, which I only noticed after we set off, meaning I was cycling with my torso facing sideways - a very strange feeling!
- Cross winds and hard hitting rain
- Cycling at the front end of the group, and a couple of times being right out in front thinking to myself that I couldn't manage this all the way round!
- After doing a spot of way marking, the sight of red LEDs for as far as the eye could see.
- Cycling alongside Tanya and Andy on a long straight which seemed like forever
- My lights doing a brilliant job of seeing the road ahead
- Egg sandwich with tea at the Cabin stop at half time
- Chattering teeth resuming after half time
- Warming up said chattering teeth within 20 seconds of setting off again. The hill was a good way to warm the body up again, but not so good for cold leg muscles!
- More cross winds and hard hitting rain
- Daylight!
- Tom and Andy deciding to carry on Thumbs Up

after contemplating heading back
- Managing Ditchling Beacon without having to get off and push, despite wanting to about 50 times
- A nasty headwind greeting me on the last corner, 20 metres from the top of Ditchling Beacon
- The nice run into Brighton where I had my 5th wind of energy and in my head convinced I was Lance Armstrong doing a Time Trial.
- Finding out I had worn my rear brake down to the pin just as we arrived in Brighton town.
- Cheese and Mushroom pasty at the station
- Nodding off on the train journey home
- Befriending one of the TEC (Tail End Charlies) in London!
- Tom snapping his chain just as we were about to set off from Victoria
- Home!

There were definitely mixed emotions on the ride, predominantly good though and "character building" is definitely the term that marks the ride.
I was pleased to have stayed relatively dry and warm, remembered to drink regularly and take bites out of my energy bar so that I didn't feel depleted. The company was excellent, even though I might not have talked much, just knowing I had friends there was motivating enough.
As the night went on it definitely picked up from a social perspective, and the sunrise definitely notched everyone up a gear.

It's comforting to know that Dan reckons it was hard work as it means others should be easier, right? Smile

Having looked at the months ahead (http://fnrttc.blogspot.com/), I can't do:
- March 26 (fully booked)
- May 28 (wedding)
- June 25 (Le Mans)
- September 24 (Berlin)

Probably can't do April (30), July (24) and August (27) are probably ruled out for me: probably stag do (April), Dunwich Dynamo (July - I am NOT doing a Dan by doing both) and honeymoon (August).

That still leaves a handful: June 18, July 15, September 17, October 22 and November 19.

We shall see...

malspeedster · Joined: 19 Oct 2007 Posts: 251 Location: Crossharbour

Van · Joined: 10 Nov 2008 Posts: 221 Location: London

Great report Ed. Well done to everyone!

Do you know how long it took in total (and how many miles was it?)

diego · Joined: 26 Mar 2008 Posts: 405 Location: W2

Gutted I had to turn my bike back and go home.

It felt really sad seeing you heading off while I was pedaling the opposite direction.

After all that preparation, I was still up to cycling it despite the mechanicals (probably not a good idea, given that the major issue [still unresolved, need spare part] was with the front brake), but the odd achy feeling I had in my muscles was suggesting something wrong...

When I got home I found out I had fever (38+°C) and spent the whole weekend in bed.

Character building I can bear, but that was definitely too much for me Sad

Will need to wait for a better chance...

ed! · Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2010 7:42 pm Subject:

Tom · Joined: 16 Aug 2004 Posts: 482 Location: Holland Park