Team BKool CycleChat

[AAAC 76C]

y

loft too hot?

 

[Whorty]

And that's part of the problem -- you have to loosen up. An overly tight grip will tend to over-exaggerate movement you do make. Some thoughts after nearly 30 years of climbing & descending around here...

Look where you want to go. Plan ahead for turns so that you're braking on the straights. Use most of the lane, leaving some for a margin of error. Smile big, but keep your mouth closed! Ideally know your road well before really letting things fly, surface changes can catch a wheel. Keep in mind motorists may not realize how fast you're going and may decide to pull into the road ahead of you. Know how to throw yourself off the back of the saddle and apply the brakes for an emergency stop mountain bike style. Watchout for wildlife -- hitting a deer or moose at speed could be fatal. Make sure your wheels are true -- wobbles at speed are unnerving -- and more so if you apply the brakes. Make sure your brakes and cables & rims are in good shape, know how to slow down with just one working brake. Always wear helmet & sunglasses -- bugs in the eyes hurt. Always bring a rain jacket -- a light rain at speed is painful. Hail is downright dangerous. If you hear rocks on your way up, be extra careful on your way down a rock hitting you while climbing will suck, many rocks in your downhill line could be fatal. Loud noises like a freight train -- look up & find the avalanche and get the hell away, do not sit around and admire mother nature.

You can always start with a mountain bike if you've got one -- the wide tires can up the confidence level and give you more margin for error as you figure out what you can and can not do. Plus the sound of knobbies at 50mph is neat.

When you find yourself getting annoyed by tourists pointing at things out the window & you ponder taking off their arm while you pass, then you're hitting the right speeds. But remember,they don't expect to be passed by a bike and may make sudden undesirable movements.

The roads around here are not great, with grit/shale across the roads, plus large pot holes; hitting this at 30+ mph would not be good. One of my descents is very winding too so not that's easy (you can't do much faster than 30mph in a car either!).

Some of the longer, straighter descents are on 60 mph roads, so cars and lorries will still be overtaking me however fast I tried to go. And in the UK currently there is real hatred of cyclists by some motorists and they can be quite aggressive in their driving around you.

 

[BILL S]

loft too hot?

Just very weak generally, especially in the legs. I started out thinking I'd just go for finishing, but soon it became apparent I couldn't even manage that.

 

[Randyberlin]

Thank you very much AAAC Bill and Jim
. Jim , have a great time in Greece. Eat a lot of good stuff and don't get on a bike.
Steve,
That wasn't an earthquake it was my jaw hitting the floor when I passed you.

 

[AAAC 76C]

Oih Jim Lad, whats all that about my kittens.
Keep your eyes on the road and your hands on the bars!

(See Urban Dictionary)

 

[Bored Man]

Thank you very much AAAC Bill and Jim
. Jim , have a great time in Greece. Eat a lot of good stuff and don't get on a bike.
Steve,
That wasn't an earthquake it was my jaw hitting the floor when I passed you.

Great ride Randy -I'm half a dozen in already... great Sportive today, with a PB. and laid a few ghosts to rest.. I've cycled the Kinross Sportive three previous times and it's made me look daft every time.. but not today..

Thank you Bkool and cyclechatters... I couldn't have done it without you. I'm a very happy

 

[AAAC 76C]

Just very weak generally, especially in the legs. I started out thinking I'd just go for finishing, but soon it became apparent I couldn't even manage that.

me no so good today either, thats why i followed your ghost
i had a tough ride in the ToY this morning.
trying to keep up with Lizzie was tough especially on that little climb

 

[Bored Man]

Oih Jim Lad, whats all that about my kittens.
Keep your eyes on the road and your hands on the bars!

(See Urban Dictionary)

Fluffy kittens AAAC..

 

[AAAC 76C]

Great ride Randy -I'm half a dozen in already... great Sportive today, with a PB. and laid a few ghosts to rest.. I've cycled the Kinross Sportive three previous times and it's made me look daft every time.. but not today..

Thank you Bkool and cyclechatters... I couldn't have done it without you. I'm a very happy

your a cycling star jim!

have a good hols and dont get too wet

edit/too many wets

 

[<Tommy>]

your a cycling star jim!

have a good hols and dont get too wet

edit/too many wets

Ditto!

Well done Jim. You've put in loads of miles this year and the hard work's payed off. Where abouts in Greece are you going? I love the place and the people.

 

[Bored Man]

Don't worry. Wha


Ditto!

Well done Jim. You've put in loads of miles this year and the hard work's payed off. Where abouts in Greece are you going? I love the place and the people.

After motor biking around India during recent years, we decided to revisit Greek island holidays of our youth. So myself & Mrs B are returning to Rhodes which was our first holiday away together 28 years ago.

We probably won't recognise it now but we can't wait..


PS. It's the leagues that have helped so much... big up to the beige team and the continuing support from the Pro's..

 

[kipster]

Sportives aren't races, say this 10 times when someone passes you. Ride within your own capability and you will finish

Sportives aren't races, sportives arent races, sportives.... must get on that wheel, shut up legs, now stop panting and start making it look like that was NO effort.

 

[kipster]

Descending is a skill, some like it and are good at it, some like it but are dangerous, other don't like it. I took the opportunity in Majorca to learn it, and found myself to be pretty good at it. Be aware of who is around you, look ahead, pick your line (in, apex, and out), stay relaxed. I found descending on the drops to be far safer and much more stable.

 

[<Tommy>]

Descending is a skill, some like it and are good at it, some like it but are dangerous, other don't like it. I took the opportunity in Majorca to learn it, and found myself to be pretty good at it. Be aware of who is around you, look ahead, pick your line (in, apex, and out), stay relaxed. I found descending on the drops to be far safer and much more stable.

I came off and my broke both wrists, and got some really nasty road rash to boot, taking too many liberties going down a hill and got a pinch puncture in my front wheel.... I can confirm wiping your a$$ with two wrists in plaster is as much fun as it sounds! clipped my wings to say the least. I'm a bit more cautious these days.

That aside the one tip I'd add is to take your weight off the saddle. Stops you bouncing around loads.

 

[AAAC 76C]

..............our first holiday away together 28 years ago.

1989!
In 89 I had finished gallivanting around Germany and had come back to the UK just to gallivant around Norway, the Mediterranean and the Caribbean with the Royal Marines (and Yobsvile).
It was just a few months on from now in 89 that my Son was conceived having returned from 2 months in the Med.
In summary 1989 has a lot to answer for.