205 miles in a day (Tommy Godwin Challenge) - the Discussion thread
- Thread starter Dave Davenport
- Start date
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totallyfixed
Veteran
- Location
- The only county without a McDonalds
So Steve has hit a pot hole today that has meant a 200 mile round trip for someone to replace the bike because the rear wheel was unrideable. Another example of how having back up close by or with you as per Kurt would have saved the day. Heck, if somebody had put out an sos we could all see I am sure a kind soul would have lent him a wheel until the new bike arrived. For this kind of mishap there has to be a contingency plan because this is the kind of event that could happen anytime. Not impressed.
Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
I thought that initially, but as he's running disc brakes the right back wheel with the right brakes and freehub, in East Angular, on a working day, would have been a very long shot.
Joshua Plumtree
Approaching perfection from a distance.
Mugshot
Cracking a solo.
I don't know why Steve needs to be doing the mileage back and forth across the country. It would make far more sense to me to plan a 40 - 50 mile local flattish loop that he can ride round 4 or 5 times, particularly though the winter months, he's unlikely to be more than 20 or so miles away from home then. I can't see this attempt succeeding not because of Steves ability (members here that have ridden with him seem certain that he has that) but because he's not riding smart.
Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
Yes but the odds of getting a volunteer supplied rear wheel within a couple of hours with the right config, on a day when people are likely to be working, in a relatively sparsely populated area aren't great.East Anglia is hardly Outer Mongolia, I'm sure the are several knocking about!
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Legs
usually riding on Zwift...
- Location
- Staffordshire
Ridiculous. There are so many things that Steve could do to make this easier for himself (heck, if he does them all, he might just be capable of beating the record), but he or his team are just not interested. But the change of tactics needed to happen weeks ago. It's all very well publishing schedules, but if you can't even match the softest target mileage on any of the first 5 days after publication, it's utterly meaningless.
totallyfixed
Veteran
- Location
- The only county without a McDonalds
Don't get me wrong, we have ridden with Steve during his attempt and would like nothing better than for him to succeed, unfortunately there are too many things that can go wrong when you are doing 200 miles every day in all weathers. At the very least I believe a network of volunteers spread around the country with access to a vehicle would have been extremely useful. All this is easy to say with hindsight, but we do have some experience of long distance cycling / competing and understand how quickly things can go pear shaped because of relatively small things.
If he is yet to succeed, and I believe it is just about possible, luck will have to be on his side along with considerably more help. Just my thoughts.
If he is yet to succeed, and I believe it is just about possible, luck will have to be on his side along with considerably more help. Just my thoughts.
tommaguzzi
Über Member
- Location
- County Durham
I read something on the other place where is said that he needed a wheel because he couldn't stop the disc from binding on the caliper.
Why didn't he just take the caliper off and use just use the front only until he could get the spare bike delivered. It's not like he is descending 10% gradients and needs to use the rear disc all the time
Why didn't he just take the caliper off and use just use the front only until he could get the spare bike delivered. It's not like he is descending 10% gradients and needs to use the rear disc all the time
Justinslow
Lovely jubbly
- Location
- Suffolk
Maybe in the dark, extremely fatigued he wasn't thinking clearly? I know what I'm like after a hard/long ride let alone hundreds of hard long rides!
tommaguzzi
Über Member
- Location
- County Durham
Yep that is what I was thinking. It was also mentioned that he was having trouble getting the tube in without pinching it too. Probably he was tired and already 45 mins into the mechanical stop by then and was getting cold and pissed off so just thought f### it let's get somewhere warm and have a break then i'll phone up for my spare bike. Loops closer to base would seem to make more sense these dark and cold nights though.
Justinslow
Lovely jubbly
- Location
- Suffolk
Agreed, seems quite a different set up to that of Kurt in the USA re the back up, from the little I know about it. I always thought Steve had a back up vehicle close by, clearly not, he really is on his own.
Aperitif
Meme bar
- Location
- ...I don't have much idea - really.
Corinthian. Every mile a ridden one it seems. One might imagine Kurt nestled in behind the Winnebago - on cruise @ 20 mph or so perhaps - for a hundred wind-free miles. Get off. A sleep while he is driven back into the wind. A quick marriage and...Robert's your Mother's brother...he's off again, with the wind on his back and the Winnie at his front. I'd be tempted to hold the rear ladder rack or whatever from time to time and just admire the scenery!
tommaguzzi
Über Member
- Location
- County Durham
Tempting as it is I don't think he did the droughting or sticky bottle routine because the heart rate monitor data which HAM require would have given the game away. He certainly did motor transfers upwind though and there is nothing wrong with that. Tommy did it a lot too.
Mugshot
Cracking a solo.
Or not.
Tarzan Rides the HAM'R Kurt Searvogel
14 hrs ·
Driving home, Kurt is massaging his right foot propped up on the seat...
Alicia: How are driving without your foot on the gas?
Kurt: Cruise control
Alicia: What?!
Kurt: You drove for a year and didn't know there was cruise control?
