BR No. ???

Gags said:

Left home at about 0650h in the dry but could see some pretty dark looking
clouds out towards Doncaster way. Remembering Dutchy's famous "it never
rains on BRs" quote I headed out full of confidence. Things were looking
good until about 1km or so away from the start point when I hit some light
rain.

Six of us rocked up.....me, Blah, Ash, DaveB, Ess, and a new guy Jase.
Things started off OK albeit a little wet but I was noticing a couple of
funny noises from the drive train that progressed to me not being able to
shift into the big ring. I looked down and realised that the RH crank was a
bit wobbly so I stopped to have a look and it was pretty loose. Blah
stopped and offered his multi tool that had a 6mm allen key but I needed an
8mm key to tighten the crank. I sorta managed to wedge the 6mm one in and
turn it up a couple of turns (it was pretty loose) and I made it up to the
stop at the fruitshop. Asked at fruitshop but they only had 6mm as well.
Went to Warrandyte servo and told the others to go on without me so that I
didn't stuff them around. Servo was shut, no luck at supermarket, so I rode
to the other end of Warrandyte hoping to spot a tradies ute or something but
no luck there either. Had a coffee and cake at a cafe just past the turnoff
to Kangaroo Ground (was very good quality but probably a little too early in
the ride to become a regular BR stop). Rode back to see if the servo was
open and a heap of guys were just opening up the CFA shed. They had an 8mm
allen key so I tightened up the crank bolt and noticed that the BB had also
unthreaded to some degree so I tightened it as best I could by hand (old
Synchros one with a lock ring on the outside that was loose).

Went home via Warrandyte road and saw DaveB going the opposite direction on
Fitzsimmons Lane. He suggested I take the bike path home to avoid the hills
on Main Rd so I did......so much for no hills!!! I ended up having to go up
a fairly steep gravel path at the back of Viewbank before it came out on
Banyule Rd. I didn't want to get out of the seat to avoid further damage
and stress on the loose BB so it was a bit of a grind. Finally got home and
showered and then spent a couple of hours washing all the [censored] of the bike
and fixing the BB up. I actually checked and adjusted pretty well
everything on the bike when I got it but I didn't even look at the
BB......that'll learn me.

All in all I only did about 50km so it wasn't much of a ride but I guess it
was better than none.

Gags

As I said just after you turned off to go to the closed servo, "BR
motto: we always leave our men behind". Geeez, sorry 'bout that. Sounds
like a [censored] day's ride.
I just went to the top of the long climb, "waiting" for Jase as I went.
Nice to be the new guy's tour guide. Of course, then I left him alone
at the top with a DaveB who was threatening to turn off through Eltham
as I went back down the climb to double back to Kew to do some work (as
in my job).
On the reverse of the big downhill I found what TimC has always known -
GP4000s have crappy traction in the wet (at least, I think Tim runs
them!). Just put them on this week. Great in the dry and love the feel
of them rolling-wise. Just no confidence in the wet. On a steep, wet
road they spin unless my weight is cosciously back over the rear. Not
fun.
It rained on me fairly consistently all the way to work but cleared up
nicely after I left to go home just after noon. Pity I was in clammy
cycling gear I had to put back on after working - not fun.
Anyhoo - I felt good for having gone out at the end of my 70km, but not
as good as the full monty in dry weather leaves me.
Blah

. He suggested I take the bike path home to avoid the hills

Quoted message said:

on Main Rd so I did......so much for no hills!!! I ended up having to go up
a fairly steep gravel path at the back of Viewbank before it came out on
Banyule Rd. I didn't want to get out of the seat to avoid further damage
and stress on the loose BB so it was a bit of a grind. Finally got home and
showered and then spent a couple of hours washing all the [censored] of the bike
and fixing the BB up. I actually checked and adjusted pretty well
everything on the bike when I got it but I didn't even look at the
BB......that'll learn me.

All in all I only did about 50km so it wasn't much of a ride but I guess it
was better than none.

Gags

As I said just after you turned off to go to the closed servo, "BR
motto: we always leave our men behind". Geeez, sorry 'bout that. Sounds
like a [censored] day's ride.
I just went to the top of the long climb, "waiting" for Jase as I went.
Nice to be the new guy's tour guide. Of course, then I left him alone
at the top with a DaveB who was threatening to turn off through Eltham
as I went back down the climb to double back to Kew to do some work (as
in my job).
On the reverse of the big downhill I found what TimC has always known -
GP4000s have crappy traction in the wet (at least, I think Tim runs
them!). Just put them on this week. Great in the dry and love the feel
of them rolling-wise. Just no confidence in the wet. On a steep, wet
road they spin unless my weight is cosciously back over the rear. Not
fun.
It rained on me fairly consistently all the way to work but cleared up
nicely after I left to go home just after noon. Pity I was in clammy
cycling gear I had to put back on after working - not fun.
Anyhoo - I felt good for having gone out at the end of my 70km, but not
as good as the full monty in dry weather leaves me.
Blah[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the guide tour up the hill blah, I caught up with the others at Kangaroo Ground but was unable to keep up the pace. I reached Smiths Gully and had a cuppa then set off to get a head start. The boys caught me at Hurtsbridge and gave me a tow. I lost them again going back up the hill on diamond creek road. I got back towards Heidlelberg and thought will I go on to the BR finish (I understand this is on the blvd), the answer was no, the challenge of geting back up the final hill (lower plenty rd Rosanna) was enough.

Thanks to all for the welcoming me to the BR, I will see you all again in a few weeks when I can get out of taking the kids to Auskick again.

jake_dmp said:

Thanks for the guide tour up the hill blah, I caught up with the others
at Kangaroo Ground but was unable to keep up the pace. I reached Smiths
Gully and had a cuppa then set off to get a head start. The boys caught
me at Hurtsbridge and gave me a tow. I lost them again going back up the
hill on diamond creek road. I got back towards Heidlelberg and thought
will I go on to the BR finish (I understand this is on the blvd), the
answer was no, the challenge of geting back up the final hill (lower
plenty rd Rosanna) was enough.

Thanks to all for the welcoming me to the BR, I will see you all again in
a few weeks when I can get out of taking the kids to Auskick again.

--
jake_dmp

As I understand it, the finish of the BR is when it passes your house,
or comes closest to it. Rich leaves to head off before Greensborough,
Gags gets off before Heidelberg and DaveB slinks off just before
Burgundy Street (as I used to sometimes when I was out at Box Hill).
The group that ends up at the Boullie is usually pretty small; just
those who have to go that way to get home or people who feel strong
that day and want the extra kays.
After that hill just after Diamond Creek there's a wait point at
Greensborough, just after the plaza. The hill is a bugger at that point
of the ride so it tends to split the bunch.
Look forward to seeing you next time.