Denmead 200 RR

MartinM wrote:
[RR deleted]

Nice report. I'm impressed with your early-season fitness. I started
well riding the King's Worthy 100km in January but tailed off a bit in
February, in fact I have ridden further over the last 2 days, than in
the whole of February, and I still didn't break 60 miles.

Still, we should be able to build enough fitness to ride the Oakley
160km at the end of the month, and we're having a few days in sunnier
climes between now and then which should shake off my frustration at
just how cold it is most days.

Mike

Mike K Smith said:

Nice report. I'm impressed with your early-season fitness.

I'm not, but it will be nice to get out with less than 2 pairs of
gloves on

I started

Quoted message said:

well riding the King's Worthy 100km in January but tailed off a bit in
February, in fact I have ridden further over the last 2 days, than in
the whole of February, and I still didn't break 60 miles.

Still, we should be able to build enough fitness to ride the Oakley
160km at the end of the month, and we're having a few days in sunnier
climes between now and then which should shake off my frustration at
just how cold it is most days.

I'm considering the Summer 200; never done an actual warm ride from
Denmead; the National 400 2 years ago was as close as it got and it was
a British Summer ;-)

BTW there was also a 100 yesterday which used the same route as the 200
and also the Mulled Wine, except the tea stop was in a different place;
worth considering for next year.

MartinM said:

BTW there was also a 100 yesterday which used the same route as the 200
and also the Mulled Wine, except the tea stop was in a different place;
worth considering for next year.

Didn't spot that one, but considering the way I went yesterday and
today, I might have struggled. I'm still breaking in the new Brooks, and
apart from the firmness of the saddle I'm getting a bit of knee trouble
since the position is slightly different.

I keep tweaking things, and I'm sure I'll have it sorted before Oakley,
but I'm sure I would have had difficulties with a 100km yesterday.

Mike

Mike K Smith said:

MartinM said:

BTW there was also a 100 yesterday which used the same route as the 200
and also the Mulled Wine, except the tea stop was in a different place;
worth considering for next year.

Didn't spot that one, but considering the way I went yesterday and
today, I might have struggled. I'm still breaking in the new Brooks, and
apart from the firmness of the saddle I'm getting a bit of knee trouble
since the position is slightly different.

I keep tweaking things, and I'm sure I'll have it sorted before Oakley,
but I'm sure I would have had difficulties with a 100km yesterday.

http://www.audax.uk.net/cal/calsolo.php?Ride=883
always worth checking the online calendar for new events; I was a bit
concerned at all the used mugs when I got back until Dave told me most
were from the 100k; Judith Swallow and Phil Chadwick were still there
so I couldn't have been that far down the field.

It was a lovely day up on Farley Mount; what keeps drawing me back to
Denmead is how quiet the roads are compared to my manor.

MartinM said:

Donning the new all- singing all
dancing AUK winter jacket

I keep meaning to ask you about that - you spoke favourably about it
after the Poor Student, but how did it perform under the /really/ trying
conditions of Mad Jack's? I must get a proper winter jacket cos current
arrangements are leaving me cold and wet - I have an ultralight pertex
top that is brilliant for windproofing but resistant against only the
lightest smattering of precipitation, while my nevislite jacket is
waterproof and windproof but too heavy and sweaty for "sporty" cycling.
I can keep plenty warm enough with the pertex top by wearing several
layers under it, but I do need slightly more waterproofing.

As well as the AUK winter jacket, I'm also interested in the Foska bones
design, as modelled by D.Larrington, and the various bits of team kit
available on probikekit.com (Fassa colours are quite pleasant). Then
there are the really expensive goretex jackets, which are probably out
of my budget... I'm not helped by all the marketing [censored] that
doesn't really tell you how any of these garments actually perform in
practise, so would be grateful to anyone who cares to share their
real-life experience.

In any case, it's probably too late to be useful for what remains of
this winter, but I really must get something decent for next winter.

Quoted message said:

at 0530 (also worn today, in the much nicer
colours of red white and blue rather than the vomit inducing new colour
scheme

You'll hate me for saying this, but I actually quite like the new
colours - they look better in real life than they do in the pictures.

Quoted message said:

from there a nice
mostly downhill blast to the finish where I failed to go under 10 hrs
by 10 mins.

Well, that's a pretty impressive time for this early in the season.
Sounds like it was a very pleasant ride too - not too hilly, not too
flat, and above all not too windy. I take it the widespread fear of ice
proved unfounded?

I would have liked to join you, but the management balked at the idea of
me taking off on my bike for a third successive weekend, especially as
I've got my name down for rides on at least two of the next three
weekends. On the other hand, I know I need to be riding more often than
I am if I'm going to build up enough fitness for a 600 this year...

d.

davek said:

I keep meaning to ask you about that - you spoke favourably about it
after the Poor Student, but how did it perform under the /really/ trying
conditions of Mad Jack's?

Er hum, I didn't wear it for Mad Jack, club kit with arm warmers and a
showerproof. ad jack would have made it into the same state as my bike
was at the end. It is best in very cold windy conditions with light
rain /sleet.

Quoted message said:

Well, that's a pretty impressive time for this early in the season.
Sounds like it was a very pleasant ride too - not too hilly, not too
flat,

I expect a Mr Larrington of this parish will be along in a minute to
refute those claims. Fixed Phil thought it was hilly, but the work
Fixed is a clue there ;-)

davek said:

available on probikekit.com (Fassa colours are quite pleasant). Then
there are the really expensive goretex jackets, which are probably out
of my budget... I'm not helped by all the marketing [censored] that
doesn't really tell you how any of these garments actually perform in
practise, so would be grateful to anyone who cares to share their
real-life experience.

I have two winter jacets

1) Endura soft-shell (about 60 squid). Lets in water after ~90 mins of continuous
rain but breathes very well. Idealy for 'sporty' riding. This is my first choice
for most things. Too warm unless the temp is <7-8C (at most)

2) Gore PacLite jacket. About 150 squids. Lovely. Totally waterproof, very light,
fits in a jersey pocket and breathes well, though not as well as the soft
shell. My first choice for longer rides in continuous rain or for hostelling/MTB'ing
etc. It was expensive but well worth the money IMO.

In summer I tend to not bother with a proper waterproof, but make very heavy use
of an Endura Windstopper gillet. They've discontinued this model ([censored]!) but
plenty of people make similar things.

Arthur

--
Arthur Clune

MartinM said:

Er hum, I didn't wear it for Mad Jack

Oh yeah. I remember now.

Quoted message said:

I expect a Mr Larrington of this parish will be along in a minute to
refute those claims. Fixed Phil thought it was hilly, but the work
Fixed is a clue there ;-)

Pah! these people on their unconventional machines deserve everything
they get.

d.

Arthur Clune said:

1) Endura soft-shell (about 60 squid). Lets in water after ~90 mins of continuous
rain but breathes very well. Idealy for 'sporty' riding. This is my first choice
for most things. Too warm unless the temp is <7-8C (at most)

Sounds very much along the same lines as the ones I've been looking at.
They all seem to be made of these daftly named high-tech materials and
I'm sure there isn't much to choose between them. They all seem to be
about the same price too. I guess I would do as well to choose based on
looks as anything else.

Quoted message said:

2) Gore PacLite jacket ... expensive but well worth the money IMO.

Mmmm. Maybe I should just save up and get one of these. Or save up and
get both.

Ta for the tips.

d.

In article <[email hidden]>,

MartinM () said:

If it wasn't for an extreme moment of foolhardiness on Christmas Eve
which saw me entering the Poor Student this would have been my
traditional first 200 of the year. Donning the new all- singing all
dancing AUK winter jacket at 0530 (also worn today, in the much nicer
colours of red white and blue rather than the vomit inducing new colour
scheme, by reformed LEL stormtrooper and fellow Arrivee cover star
Julian Dyson) I braved the minus n dgrees C ride to
3 Bridges, Just before I arrived there my chain link decided to seize
and jump off the rear cassette every revolution. I decided to chance
buying a train ticket, which was a good move as I was able to free it
en route. An unusual sight of all 4 bike spaces being had by AUK riders
on the way to Havant. Quick blast up to Denmead where Mr Larrington of
this parish was in Foska bones stylee. Managed to ride the first 50 k
by memory without recourse to the (wrong) route sheet in my back
pocket. Beautiful cold morning with commanding views off Farley Downs
as I got chatting about PBP to a group of riders. El Supremo's roadside
stop resembled another front page of Arrivee with several notables. A
low but biting wind all the way to Faccombe where I was able to try out
my secret weapon 26T rear cog (which the chain fell off at the top) and
very soon time to pitch up at Little Chef. Many riders simply sneaked
in and nabbed a sticker but I decided to show willing and ordered a
cuppa (£1.59, the only thing I was willing to pay their exhorbitant
rates for). After that it was over to the garage where I met the other
cheapskates and joined them for the return leg. Mercifully went past
Watership Down without going up it and soon back on familiar Pam's 100
territory. By this time our group was reduced to Tom (organiser of the
Hop Garden 200) and I; more PBP tips and encouragement. More sticker
stops at Alresford and Petersfield and soon back on the last monster of
the day, the climb back up to where the SDW crosses, from there a nice
mostly downhill blast to the finish where I failed to go under 10 hrs
by 10 mins. But did get an offer of a lift from John from Tunbridge
Wells which was very welcome, and yet more PBP/LEL talk.
Great ride, great route, great day. And I'm very slowly getting fitter.

Mr Larrington of this parish had a rather different day. The Panel has
finally diagnosed the insane itchiness which has been plaguing my feet
all year to the aftermath of chilblains; most likely contracted on the
Poor Student and thus another reason to belabour Nik Windle with a
shovel. The outside temperature gauge in my motorcar was reading -6
deg. C. on the way down. This was /not/ a good omen.

Set off on autopilot, as the route was familiar from the More Mulled
Wine And Mince Pies from December. MartinM's autopilot, however, seemed
to have developed a glitch after 4 km, when he decided to forsake the
road in favour of the verge. A nifty demonstration of l33t 'cross
5killzensured he stayed upright while I, with my superior number of
wheels, pedalled serenely on. Chuckling.

However, after about 10 km, my feet were starting to shew signs of the
itching, which hadn't set in until 160 km of the Kennett Valley Run and
had /still/ driven me insane for most of the subsequent week. This was
worrying. Another 5 km down the road and I began to survey the verges
for a suitable stick with which I could scratch them while still
pedalling. One BRITONS' mile further, and I did possibly the only
sensible thing since taking up this Audax lark in the first place.

I turned round, rode back to Denmead, loaded up the motorcar and went
home. RRTY will just have to wait a couple of weeks.

Bah!

--
Dave Larrington - <http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/>
Putting just the right amount of gin in your goldfish bowl makes the
fishies' eyes bulge and causes them to swim in a very amusing manner.

davek said:

[re: soft shells]
about the same price too. I guess I would do as well to choose based on
looks as anything else.

I think that's a fair enough conclusion

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

2) Gore PacLite jacket ... expensive but well worth the money IMO.

Mmmm. Maybe I should just save up and get one of these. Or save up and
get both.

There's not replacements for each other IMO.

If you can only get one, I'd get the PacLite - when you need a totally
waterproof jacket then you really need a totally waterproof jacket.

Arthur

--
Arthur Clune

Dave Larrington said:

RRTY will just have to wait a couple of weeks.

Chiltern/Cotswolds, I presume? I fancy that one myself.

d.

Dave Larrington wrote:

MartinM's autopilot, however, seemed

Quoted message said:

to have developed a glitch after 4 km, when he decided to forsake the
road in favour of the verge. A nifty demonstration of l33t 'cross
5killzensured he stayed upright while I, with my superior number of
wheels, pedalled serenely on. Chuckling.

Oh yes, forgot about that; it was one of those "where can I find a
suitable place to fall off" moments where eventually the answer dawned
as "back on the road" and I didn't. The large protruding manhole nearly
made short work of my new Open Pro's

Quoted message said:

However, after about 10 km, my feet were starting to shew signs of the
itching, which hadn't set in until 160 km of the Kennett Valley Run and
had /still/ driven me insane for most of the subsequent week. This was
worrying. Another 5 km down the road and I began to survey the verges
for a suitable stick with which I could scratch them while still
pedalling. One BRITONS' mile further, and I did possibly the only
sensible thing since taking up this Audax lark in the first place.

I turned round, rode back to Denmead, loaded up the motorcar and went
home. RRTY will just have to wait a couple of weeks.

Bah!

That's a great shame, but comforting as I watched all the other riders
come in from the comfort of my Little Chef window seat and when even
the lady with the shopping bike and a dog in the basket arrived thought
something must be direly wrong.

Is the Summer Randonnee the same route? was rather hoping it would
clash with the Tour of the Hills but that's the week after; although I
fly back from Greece the day before, so extreme punishment and
continuation of the RRTY (which I s'pose I started on Saturday) may be
in order.

In article <[email hidden]>, davek

() said:

Dave Larrington said:

RRTY will just have to wait a couple of weeks.

Chiltern/Cotswolds, I presume? I fancy that one myself.

Yep. Got my route sheet last week.

--
Dave Larrington - <http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/>
The onward interchange factor will be unity except for journeys to
Chesham, Croxley or Watford.

Arthur Clune said:

There's not replacements for each other IMO.

"They are not"

*Speak English boy!*

Sigh.

--
Arthur Clune

Dave Larrington said:

Got my route sheet last week.

Where goes it? Similar territory to the Poor Student, I would guess.
Metres of vertical scenery not specified on the calender, but in my
dictionary the Chilterns are defined as "hills" and the Cotswolds as
"more hills" so there should be a few nice bumpy bits (just found an old
report in the archive that mentions a "killer" climb up to Brill :-) ).

d.

In article <[email hidden]>,

MartinM () said:

Is the Summer Randonnee the same route? was rather hoping it would
clash with the Tour of the Hills but that's the week after; although I
fly back from Greece the day before, so extreme punishment and
continuation of the RRTY (which I s'pose I started on Saturday) may be
in order.

Not the same route at all. IIRC it goes to to Bosham first, first
control at a garden centre which may have been near Midhurst, through
Liphook (up a 1:4!) and Bentley to Hartley Wintney. Return leg via
Overton and Alresford - most of the Overton -> Denmead bit is the same
as the return leg of Denmead - Popham - Denmead, but there's a bit of
extra grovelling around to another info control where the D-P-D followed
the B2150 back to base.

--
Dave Larrington - <http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/>
I thought I saw his name on a jar of marmalade the other day, but when I
looked more closely, I saw it read 'thick cut'.

In article <[email hidden]>, davek

() said:

Dave Larrington said:

Got my route sheet last week.

Where goes it? Similar territory to the Poor Student, I would guess.
Metres of vertical scenery not specified on the calender, but in my
dictionary the Chilterns are defined as "hills" and the Cotswolds as
"more hills" so there should be a few nice bumpy bits (just found an old
report in the archive that mentions a "killer" climb up to Brill :-) ).

More like the Upper Thames. Two controls at Ludgershall, halfway at
Chipping Norton. I haven't got the route sheet on this Babbage-Engine
though, so that's all about all the detail I can offer. Crosses the
Cherwell valley at Somerton; whether the section from here to Chippy
will be better or worse than Lower Heyford -> Chippy remains to be seen.

--
Dave Larrington - <http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/>
The System is well pleased with this Unit's performance, which falls
within expected parameters.

Dave Larrington said:

Not the same route at all.

good, will give it a go (assuming I'm in the country which is a big
assumption)

through

Quoted message said:

Liphook (up a 1:4!)

methinks El Supremo has this one up his sleeve for the Sussex Corker