FNRttC Friday Night Ride to the Coast 26th March in aid of Martlets Hospice 2010

[dellzeqq]

a very entertaining ride yesterday morning. Two of the riders made no bones about signing up in the hope of meeting husband material - although the word 'fling' was also mentioned, along with 'fit'. Susie did rather play down the husband material potential of the fnrttcers, but at least one name comes to mind......

There'll be a round-up e-mail later today, but I'll say this much now; suspension forks are the work of the devil. What septic brain came up with the idea putting suspension forks with six inches of travel on a ladies bike, which, with normal forks would weigh 35 pounds? And, of course, it's all made of metal seemingly designed to rust.

I know I'm spoilt, but I also know that it's possible to push out a decent bike for three hundred quid, and Decathlon do the job for a lot less than that.

And, yet again, I met a bike that had been in for a service just two weeks prior, and had no grip on the front brake until the lever was hard against the bars. Shocking. I'm going to call the shop on Monday and give them a going over....

 

[StuAff]

a very entertaining ride yesterday morning. Two of the riders made no bones about signing up in the hope of meeting husband material - although the word 'fling' was also mentioned, along with 'fit'. Susie did rather play down the husband material potential of the fnrttcers, but at least one name comes to mind......

There'll be a round-up e-mail later today, but I'll say this much now; suspension forks are the work of the devil. What septic brain came up with the idea putting suspension forks with six inches of travel on a ladies bike, which, with normal forks would weigh 35 pounds? And, of course, it's all made of metal seemingly designed to rust.

I know I'm spoilt, but I also know that it's possible to push out a decent bike for three hundred quid, and Decathlon do the job for a lot less than that.

And, yet again, I met a bike that had been in for a service just two weeks prior, and had no grip on the front brake until the lever was hard against the bars. Shocking. I'm going to call the shop on Monday and give them a going over....

Sounds interesting indeed...On the subject of service, the Viner's in for some TLC at the moment (I'd have it back already but for a wait on some parts, ho hum).
I would agree with the comment on suspension, with the (to my mind) important caveat that cheap suspension is the problem. A case in point would be the Cane Creek shock on my Jetstream. Works a treat, just needs a pump up regularly. It also costs about twice as much as a spare part than one of those 'full suspension' BSOs. Decent suspension systems don't cause reliability issues...

 

[TimO]

What, even more so than mudguards?

This ride could make mudguards, racks, and panniers sexy.

Wahay.

 

[mike e]

Sounds interesting indeed...On the subject of service, the Viner's in for some TLC at the moment (I'd have it back already but for a wait on some parts, ho hum).
I would agree with the comment on suspension, with the (to my mind) important caveat that cheap suspension is the problem. A case in point would be the Cane Creek shock on my Jetstream. Works a treat, just needs a pump up regularly. It also costs about twice as much as a spare part than one of those 'full suspension' BSOs. Decent suspension systems don't cause reliability issues...

Play your cards right on Friday night Stu and it might be more than just your shock getting pumped....

 

[mike e]

Play your cards right on Friday night Stu and it might be more than just your shock getting pumped....

Can I add that this is in reply to Simon's earlier posting and not my fondness for Stu...

 

[MacB]

Can I add that this is in reply to Simon's earlier posting and not my fondness for Stu...

You may add it but you won't be believed

 

[StuAff]

Can I add that this is in reply to Simon's earlier posting and not my fondness for Stu...

 

[dellzeqq]

So do I, and I'll pack some 26" tubes with car valves*. They make good tourniquets I'm told...

...and some insulating tape for use as 'hey presto' instant rim tape, and closing wounds....

*popping presta tubes into mtb wheels with car valve drillings on cheap mtbs is an invitation for further trouble. You knew that already.

a good point, and I have been asking them to bring spare innertubes. I'll ask again. And I'm going to get a bunch of carbon dioxide cartridges for the TECs

Of course, you're right about shock forks. In my defence I can only say that I've been looking at a lot of low-end shocks, and on bikes ridden entirely on roads.

 

[StuartG]

This ride is obviously going to be slower than normal. Do we have an approx ETA at Madeira?

 

[Aperitif]

It's a rolling ETA Stuart...what would you like to order for lunch?

I don't mind being a road block (given my recent experience with roads) guv. Happy to be at the back as I have deliberately made myself unfitter* to be 'at one' with the Martletitians, hoping for a modern-day Bacchus and Ariadne 'en route'

*I'm thinking of changing the i for an a this year!

Will many of them be cycling back to London afterwards?

 

[Tigerbiten]

I'll be St Panc's at around 11:00 if anyone wants to meet up.

Luck ...........

 

[StuartG]

It's a rolling ETA Stuart...what would you like to order for lunch?

Sadly I'm already taken for lunch (sorry Martlett girls, there's always next year!). Which means I foolishly booked out of Brighton on the 09.19 puffer. Will I see my self still peddling somewhere south of Horsham?

Maybe I should volunteer myself to be the despatch rider to stand down the Madeira sausages if the kaboodle is running a bit late? Or maybe a double dose of baked beans might speed the armada?

 

[Flying Dodo]

a very entertaining ride yesterday morning. Two of the riders made no bones about signing up in the hope of meeting husband material - although the word 'fling' was also mentioned, along with 'fit'.

Although I'll be sat at the back with a rucksack full of tools, implements, lots of rubber of differing sizes, latex gloves and lubricant, I don't think that's what those ladies had in mind.

However, I hope to have a mini laser light show running, so if anyone's up for some pole dancing and a disco, let me know.

 

[Aperitif]

Although I'll be sat at the back with a rucksack full of tools, implements, lots of rubber of differing sizes, latex gloves and lubricant, I don't think that's what those ladies had in mind.

However, I hope to have a mini laser light show running, so if anyone's up for some pole dancing and a disco, let me know.

Oh really? Adam, you must have had Sugar Frosties this morning - your imagination has blossomed into a wonderful specimen...I'll just be at the back - the bouncer on the door to your nightclub. (I finish at 3am ladies ) I'm rubbish at pole dancing too - I look a bit slovenely

arallsopp is holding editorial meetings as I write, blue-sky thinking the book: "Martlettes Love Men With a Wry Gait, but not over the Hill" or "Thinking of Ditchling Your Husband? Yes Madeira"

PS: I'm rubbing baby oil on mine Adam - you sticking to aircraft polish or moving upmarket?

Edit: Even my avatar has run away now!

 

[theclaud]

I'm a little bit shaken this morning by Simon's rainbow-italic-Verdana email assault. It was the red-to-purple transition that really hurt. I pleaded with him before about a low-key version for the font-sensitive, but he was having none of it. Anyway, I'm not ready to look it it again, but to respond to what I remember of its contents - happy with any waymarking, potholing, chivvying and eyeballing duties, so pencil me in for whatever. There are plenty of faster and more expert mechanics than me, so I was only planning to be minimally tooled-up - but will throw in a 26" tube and can bring more stuff if requested.

Good news from the cat! He is, I understand, Never Wrong About These Things.