FNRttC Friday Night Ride to the Coast - Brighton 14th October 2011

[StuartG]

Perhaps I could persuade Simon to split the role of TEC into TEC MAJOR & TEC MINOR. I hereby apply for the captaincy of the latter based on my limited experience of TECing the Hull ride.

Being of no great speed I am not intimidating to the slowcoaches and jollying up is nice to do. Its nice to see people giving their all without disappearing with a red doppler shift ... sadly having ten thumbs whose inability to remove a wheel is only surpassed by my inability to get the tyre back on would enable the true TEC MAJORs to really shine. I'm pretty good at holding a lamp, shouting ALL UP to no mistake and having the bonus that when I get into trouble help would be very close at hand.

So Simon will you suffer duffers who also wish to serve?

 

[hatler]

Ref the TEC and Waymarker debate, here's my tuppenceworth.

TECs should be identified before the ride (as in Simon should have in his head who the TECs are to be for the ride). They will be people who can ride noticeably faster than the likely slowest rider on the ride (but that's not saying you have to be a whippet by any stretch of the imagination).

TECs should be working off a very clear set of instructions that are open to no, or little, interpretation. These instructions should be provided to the TECs well before the ride.

I won't go into how the logistics of mechanical fixing should work because there are others more experienced at that than me.

The one golden rule for a TEC is to know when you are at the back, and to shout ALL UP as you pass a waymarker. If you are no longer at the back, make sure that whoever is behind you is a TEC, and that that TEC knows that they are at the back.

Wayfinding can be assigned to anyone at the front. Duties for this can be covered in a pre-ride e-mail and at the pre-ride briefing.
Point the way.
Don't leave your post until you hear the cry of ALL UP.

All TECs should have Simon's number in their mobile (but then everyone should have that anyway). Perhaps they should all have each other's numbers in their respective phones.

Is there possibly a role for a Head TEC who coordinates TEC activity on the ride ? This would reduce the load on Simon's brain and allow him to concentrate on the more strategic stuff like counting riders, spotting those who are struggling, estimating how long to the next stop, where best to gather the group, whether to crack on or not, etc etc.

Having said all of that, I think that's where we are anyway, so perhaps the lesson from this last ride is simply to emphasise to TECs that we need a clearer recognition of when they are at the back and a clear cry of ALL UP.

 

[dellzeqq]

that's really what the page is about - now on the blog at http://fnrttc.blogsp...nd-charlie.html

it's about teamwork and people doing what they do best. Whichever way you slice it we've got a very limited number of quick hands when it comes to punctures (about eight, and I include myself in that number), and a smaller number still of skilled mechanicals (about four). The rest of the TECs dispose themselves around the one who 'does' - one phoning ahead and sending people on, others holding torches and grabbing levers and innertubes and then packing stuff away. Beyond that there's the chivvying along and raising the alarm when you think someone has had enough.

I don't really want to say 'you're on the phone, you're holding the torch' and so on, but it's usually obvious who the mechanics are and the rest can work it out for themselves. Somewhere or other there'll be a copy of Robert Hunter's 'Basic Tenets of Hypnocracy', but, once again, in the absence of the word, here's the video (again, and I'm sure McW is in there somewhere)

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOqvN_SSBnk
which shows how it's done.

The opposite model is the F! wheelchange in which everybody has a tiny simple task that they have to accomplish in one and a half seconds, but, note, if someone forgets something the stupid fat wheel falls off.....

 

[martint235]

Well from my point of view, I've done both TEC and wayfinder and I'm not convinced of my ability at either. However that said I'm always happy to have a go at either as required.

 

[martint235]

Total football

Yep that was me! I'm sorry I'll never do it again.

I admit on occasion I've shouted the "All Up" when I've technically not been the last rider but only when the last rider is within sight of me. On other occasions, I've been just in front of the TECs and sent the wayfinder on and then waited myself until the TECs show up.

 

[Davywalnuts]

Dear Sir's

I would like to apply for the currently vacant roll of "ALL UP" bearer.

I can confirm that in order to shoulder this responsibility, that I am now in the possession of a reliable form of communication, by what is more commonly know as, ' an old Nokia brick'.

I also herein confirm such restraints as of insertion of 'smilies' and drunken lewd comments.

Being a man of little words, I offer you a picture, for a picture can tell a thousand stories. And a good picture can fill at least 64cms worth or stories...

[attachment=5741:Picture 251.bmp]
View attachment Picture 251.bmp

 

[hatler]

Into the world of the ridiculous now, but unless ideas are proffered nothing ever improves.

Perhaps the back marker should carry a baton ? This would act as a reminder that they are last, need to stay last, and must shout ALL UP.

 

[StuartG]

Perhaps the back marker should carry a baton ? This would act as a reminder that they are last, need to stay last, and must shout ALL UP.

Or a sort of a special distinctive 'non-yellow' FNRttC jersey?

 

[TimO]

... here's the video (again, and I'm sure McW is in there somewhere) http://www.youtube.c...h?v=hOqvN_SSBnk which shows how it's done. ....

Or a sort of a special distinctive 'non-yellow' FNRttC jersey?

In response I offer this.

 

[Fanjio]

Well Dell one of the best and I'm glad I made it even if I only started on Manhole/Pothole duty at Chipstead. I have been following the Waymarker/TEC discussion and can add no more. What I would like to say however is that in your first comments you seemed to be chastising yourself too hard in my opinion. There is and old saying "Sods Law" and as you remarked on the ride why so many punctures on a dry night? Regarding the approach to DB I also feel it was a great diversion and would recommend it be adopted for future unless the weather is so foul the drag strip might be quicker.
Congratulations also from me to the Hatler family it was great to see Little Miss Hatler riding so well and and the coffee stop was excellent as ever.
My special thanks to Martinb for the train ticket the 10.49am was fast to Croydon East and I was home by 12.15pm. I noticed Martin you had an enjoyable ride home how do you do it? Just a note of caution however I strapped my bike in the cycle rack front wheel but the Velcro securing strap let go at one point causing my Raleigh to hit the deck and smashed my brand new Electron light. I've Super Glued it but lost the 15 deg angle movement. Again Sods Law!
Though we did not get any speed camera's to flash it was a great chase down into Brighton and TheClaud beat me to the finish.
I am pleased to report that my Sunday morning 2-up time trial in the Redmon Grand Prix des Gentlemans was also great, my time this year was over 4mins quicker than last year so the Cava must have been rocket fuel! Thank you Antonia and the dispensers Claudine & Suzie.

 

[thom]

How about a special reflective lightweight vest/bib to slip over one's cycling garb, with "All Up" on the front ?
Make the lettering out of Marna's flourescent strips or something battery powered for a more noticeble effect, with a flashing star on the back as per the FNRtTC jersey, which helps beyond bike lights to serve notice to other road users they are approaching cyclists and also is a second signal to a wayfinder that if they see that then they really have missed the back of the ride.

Am just reading Matt Seaton's book "The Escape Artist" which has various nice quotes but what with talk of wedding schedules mixed with TECing, a Billy Connolly one seems quite funny:
Marriage is a wonderful invention; but, then again, so is a bicycle repair kit.

 

[clarion]

You don't really need any skill to be a wayfinder - just be able to attract people's attention. I took to standing in the middle of the junction waving a light around telling everyone to turn right on the Martlets and it worked quite well. I forgot to do that when I was marking the first junction after the Edifice - with the result that Clarion shot straight through. Whoops, sorry about that! I'll remember to shout instructions in future.

My fault. I should have realised there wouldn't be a waymarker on a junction if we were going straight on, but only if there were a turn. I was just very keen to close the gap on the main group.

 

[mmmmartin]

I could make something with reflective tape saying All Up. Dead easy. Just a question of finding the time. I have the tape. And a suitable yellow mesh vest from the days when I taught cycle proficiency at my daughter's primary school. She's 26 now and I haven't used it much......would it be worn though?

 

[rich p]

......would it be worn though?

...worn or moth eaten probably.

 

[thom]

...worn or moth eaten probably.

There could be an all in 1 lycra skinsuit version, low wind resistance, bright yellow, for someone such as Davy who prefers a more modern option.