Ian H
Ancient randonneur
The team is working well. Better than ever in fact. But bear in mind we mostly have day jobs to cope with. Steve is upbeat. An interview with him at the start of PBP should surface at some point.
205 miles in a day (Tommy Godwin Challenge) - the Discussion thread
- Thread starter Dave Davenport
- Start date
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fatblokish
Guru
- Location
- In bath
Over on the other thread, there's a lovely photo courtesy of the Grauniad, but what's with the rear mudflap? How can that help matters?
Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
@velovoice Sorry for straying into discussion rather than just progress the other thread. As I was saying, from the comfort of my armchair, Steve's downward line doesn't look good. But who knows, perhaps it will turn round.
If I was Steve ... I'd do exactly what Steve is doing. Because I'd be Steve.
If I was a strange hybrid of me and Steve ... well, I don't know what I'd do. I probably wouldn't have started in the first place.
If I was Steve ... I'd do exactly what Steve is doing. Because I'd be Steve.
If I was a strange hybrid of me and Steve ... well, I don't know what I'd do. I probably wouldn't have started in the first place.
tommaguzzi
Über Member
- Location
- County Durham
I have not posted here for while but i would like to congratulate Steve on his remarkable effort this last year and even though he did not beat the record he has shown incredible determination to battle through all the setbacks he has suffered. Because of Steve i became aware of audax ( after 40 years riding !) and entered and completed two events in 2015. I hope to do more this year.
I was also initially critical of Kurt but I completely retract any negitave comments I may have made about his effort. He seems to be a genuinely nice chap and has had his own problems to deal with too. But he continues to bang out 220 mile days like a machine and is phenomenal rider who will take the record shortly. I believe he is a worthy champion. Well done Kurt!
I was also initially critical of Kurt but I completely retract any negitave comments I may have made about his effort. He seems to be a genuinely nice chap and has had his own problems to deal with too. But he continues to bang out 220 mile days like a machine and is phenomenal rider who will take the record shortly. I believe he is a worthy champion. Well done Kurt!
Brandane
Legendary Member
- Location
- Costa Clyde
It's irrelevant what amount of climbing anyone does in a DISTANCE record attempt.
Racing roadkill
Guru
The issues Steve has faced ( medical and mechanical) have just gone to show what a crazy feat this is. The human body can only take so much, Steve seems to have found that out the hard way. Tarzan has been using a 'bent, and picking his routes very carefully, and has still found some serious issues. Fair play to the both of them.
U
User169
Guest
tommaguzzi
Über Member
- Location
- County Durham
Just been there done exactly that. If anyone deserved a couple of cold ones it's those two.
tommaguzzi
Über Member
- Location
- County Durham
On the progress thread there is a picture of Steve with his bike wishing everyone a happy new year. When I saw it my immediate thought was:
Oh bloody hell look at Steve's bike, there is no way anyone could do the required daily mileage he needs on such a machine. What Kurt has shown us is that this record is so outrageously hard that anyone attempting it must utilise every marginal gain possible to even get close to it.
Kurt has used motor transfers, tail winds and carefully selected routes avoiding as much climbing as possible. He has been towed by other fast riders , uses light weight race, TT and recumbent bikes. He has ridden lap after lap of pan flat off road circuits at high average speeds so he can get the required daily mileage and still have time to sleep propily. He lived in a motor home with a dedicated full time helper and followed the seasons around his huge country and still even after all that he will only break the record probably by less than 1500 miles.
Non of these tactics has been regularly employed by Steve who just the other week had to sleep in a church doorway !
I wish Steve all the best in 2016 but i feel he should stop now, rest and rethink his strategy and come up with a more viable solution, then restart in 2017 if he so desires. I cannot see how he can make up all the lost milage by continuing using his current equipment and a plan which are clearly not working.
Oh bloody hell look at Steve's bike, there is no way anyone could do the required daily mileage he needs on such a machine. What Kurt has shown us is that this record is so outrageously hard that anyone attempting it must utilise every marginal gain possible to even get close to it.
Kurt has used motor transfers, tail winds and carefully selected routes avoiding as much climbing as possible. He has been towed by other fast riders , uses light weight race, TT and recumbent bikes. He has ridden lap after lap of pan flat off road circuits at high average speeds so he can get the required daily mileage and still have time to sleep propily. He lived in a motor home with a dedicated full time helper and followed the seasons around his huge country and still even after all that he will only break the record probably by less than 1500 miles.
Non of these tactics has been regularly employed by Steve who just the other week had to sleep in a church doorway !
I wish Steve all the best in 2016 but i feel he should stop now, rest and rethink his strategy and come up with a more viable solution, then restart in 2017 if he so desires. I cannot see how he can make up all the lost milage by continuing using his current equipment and a plan which are clearly not working.
velovoice
Veteran
- Location
- Between the City and the Sea
@tommaguzzi - suggest you have a listen to this. It'd nearly 33 minutes long but worth every minute.
http://traffic.libsyn.com/thebikeshow/idai_20151231.mp3
Frankly, at the end of the day, it is not your/my call to make.
ETA - Steve himself has commented on Facebook:
"My ill health has been highly exaggerated in certain quarters for effect! I'm feeling fine, Hoppo has got all the bases covered and the team are working well as a unit, which you will see from the mileages in the days and weeks to come."
http://traffic.libsyn.com/thebikeshow/idai_20151231.mp3
Frankly, at the end of the day, it is not your/my call to make.
ETA - Steve himself has commented on Facebook:
"My ill health has been highly exaggerated in certain quarters for effect! I'm feeling fine, Hoppo has got all the bases covered and the team are working well as a unit, which you will see from the mileages in the days and weeks to come."
Racing roadkill
Guru
That's it in a nutshell, just because you 'can' doesn't mean you should. Kudos to the challengers, but you need to realise that the original 'challenge' was set during World war 2, the nation needed something to take their mind off the sh1te Storm. That's just my way of looking at it, maybe cynical, who knows.
- Location
- Shrewsbury, Shropshire
That is a bit cynical I'm afraid. Tommy Godwin had been riding for 9 months before war broke out - you make it sound like the challenge was done as a propaganda exercise.
Racing roadkill
Guru
I think he needs a big thumb up. However the cynic in me thinks he 'may' have been used.
tommaguzzi
Über Member
- Location
- County Durham
I realise it is ultimately Steve's decision and i hope he proves me wrong, but when the daily required mileage is already climbing steadily towards 220 just to equal Kurt's probable total it just seems a waste of resources to continue with this current attempt with at least 8 more weeks of winter to come. That is unless he radically changes his tactics and equipment right now. Just carrying trying to audax to victory will not work.
We will never truly know what help Tommy had in 1939 but even he could not have done it in they way Steve is attempting it. my guess is that he was probably draughting lorries and cars as much as possible. He certainly used lots of rail transfers to get the best winds and had support from a race team and unlike any of the current challengers was also himself an elete level racer in his prime. A racer like that would have thought it was insane to try for the HAM on a fully loaded touring bike even if it did have 14 gears.
We will never truly know what help Tommy had in 1939 but even he could not have done it in they way Steve is attempting it. my guess is that he was probably draughting lorries and cars as much as possible. He certainly used lots of rail transfers to get the best winds and had support from a race team and unlike any of the current challengers was also himself an elete level racer in his prime. A racer like that would have thought it was insane to try for the HAM on a fully loaded touring bike even if it did have 14 gears.
Racing roadkill
Guru
Very tue. Good luck to him.
