MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch
I've no need to describe my car, as I'll be parachuting in.
Might be on the hardtail though, as the Intense is being temperamental. Bloody thing!
How will we recognise binners? Listen for the sound of an annoying northern voice speaking too loudly?
In the same way as in le tour, the sponsors cavalcade travels before the peleton through the villages, showering the locals with their produce, I have a Greggs truck liberally distributing pies, pasties and sausage rolls 5 minutes before I arrive. You should see how far those blokes can frisbee a meat and taty pie. Breathtaking, it is!
Hmmmmm.... right, so my bike currently has a coil rear shock on from doing uplift days and is even more stupidly heavy than usual - should I attempt to change back to the air shock (and through cack-handedness somehow end up with a broken bike) or not is the question.
It's a pretty easy job, surely even I can't mess that up?
Or should I keep the coil shock as a ready-made excuse for my extreme slowness?
Questions questions......
Depends how much time you have.
I wouldn't worry about it. You'll be doing well (or really really badly) if you're slower than me. I am the archetypal ground anchor/rear gunner.
Actually, I'm going to try and sort the full suss out when i get home. I've even nipped to the LBS at lunch, and everyfink. Its hardly light, and climbs like an asthmatic hippo with me on it. But it is a right old laugh down San Marino, so it can earn its keep for a bloody change
I don't want to worry anyone, but there are some sort of blue-coloured gaps that have appeared in the perpetual dull greyness up above
I fear it's worse than we thought. There's some sort of bright ball thing in the sky, I think it must be an inbound meteor strike.
The cumuli are still nimbussing though.
I fear it's worse than we thought. There's some sort of bright ball thing in the sky
I can't decided whether to run and hide in a cave or bow down and worship it.
You'll be doing well (or really really badly) if you're slower than me.
That sounds like a challenge. Slow bike race? I warn you that I'm really rather good (bad).
Come on lads. We can't all be at the back.
Incidentally, how long's this little sojourn in terms of time / distance? Any ideas?
If I'm not at the back, I'll get disorientated.
And on that subject, can I raise a practical question at this point? Will we be stopping for the traditional mid-ride pint at the Black Dog once we've done San Marino. If not, I really will get disorientated.
I think it's a sensible precaution to consume some easily-digestible carbs mid-ride.
Don't ask me though, I get disoriented walking out of a Chinese take-away.
Incidentally, how long's this little sojourn in terms of time / distance? Any ideas?
I'm planning on 2.5 hrs, no idea of mileage but can modify as appropriate.
EDIT - I think we should drag binners back up San Marino just because he protested 😈
Which would mean apres-ride beer rather than mid-ride, but I'm easily swayed.
A pint of Bumcocks Old Nobgobbler is the perfect preparation for the ice cream run. FACT!
Actually.... we always do the ice cream run, but not long back we decided to break with tradition and came down through the gardens. It was refreshingly step-tasticly and swich-backery fabness. If we're finishing late we could get away with the cheekyness 😀
Gardens type cheekiness already in the plan !
YAY!!!! 😀
Hit a minor snag.
My saddle pack with all my tools and spares in is in the boot of the car. Unfortunately, my car's in the garage (and I'm not).
Can I rely on the STW peloton (pelotoff?) for loans of essentials (inner tubes, hammers, harsh language etc) if I get a mechanical?
There's nowt that can't be fixed with bits of a dry stone wall
It's the best thing to use if you need to fix a dry stone wall, certainly. Not so good with punctures.
I don't wnt to spend too long in the pub, I want to ride!
I don't want to spend too long riding, I want to be in the pub! (-:
Is there any road parts to this? Just thinking for the sake of lights, getting a bit dark out there.
I'm shoving a back light in as I presume we'll be doing the road climb from the Black Dog. And that road tends to be frequented by Chavved-up Corsa's. One of them threw an egg at me once, out of the window. Its a reflection of how well padded I am, that it bounced off with out smashing
Actually... its all sounding a bit dangerous. Shall we just go to the pub? 😀
Chaps - I'm going to be pushing it to get there for bang on seven. Only going to get home for about 6. But it'll be a case of 10 minutes or so
Right, tail light mount, ah, mounted. And reflectors for good measure. Phear my roadiness.
We're definitely stopping at the pub halfway round, yes? I'll just bring one bottle in that case, can refill it there.
Just gonna go put my bike in't car and set off. I'll be in a beigey Berlingo.
Naked.
Imagine the embarrassment.
Turning up in a Berlingo.
Right, on my way. See you in a bit.
Home now.
Cheers for the ride out. Good bunch of guys, lovely to meet you all.
Very clear though that I'm at a skill level below everyone else, which I kind of expected, and after two crashes in the space of five minutes I spent the rest of the ride being a bottle level below everyone else as well. Lots of stuff I've never even tried before.
Still, good fun. Now, I'm off to lick my wounds. And eat pizza.
Just in myself. A belter of a run tonight chaps, and an absolute pleasure to meet you all! Is there any better way to finish than a descent down the multitude of steps in the gardens, then a pint? And it didn't even rain! Though we were pushing our luck on that final stint, sans lights
Top drawer stuff!!! 😀
Seems pulling gravel out of your skin hurts a lot more than putting it in there in the first place. Who knew?
Who attended in the end, btw? I think I missed a name or two.
Just eaten a massive great bowl of homemade Jalfrezi with naan bread, mmmmm..... 🙂
Cracking ride - really enjoyed it. Thanks to Ecky_Thump (Ian?) for the guiding and Mark for the apres pint. The San Marino descent and the cheeky gardens in the dark especially were excellent fun. Apologies for making people wait on the climbs - despite binners claims of slowness he is actually a racing snake compared to me.
(Cougar - I was the one **ahem** pushing up to the road towards the radio mast with you.)
We should do this again next time the weather is nice. Oh......
Lots of stuff I've never even tried before.
Shhhhhhh!
Yeah, I know who you were. (-:
I missed Ecky's real name, Mark's alias, and didn't catch the name of the chap in the yellow Fox shirt at all...?
Shhhhhhh!
The steps in particular were new to me. I've ridden the odd drop-off but nothing like that before.
If anyone is interested, this is the GPS log from tonight's ride.
(If no-one's interested, it's still the GPS log from tonight's ride.)
19km, total ascent 705m. Max gradient (climb) 6.8%, max gradient (descent) 18.3%. I think that last stat is a lie.
Glad to hear everyone had fun. Always good when you can show folk some trails that they haven't done before.
Yes that's me.Ecky_Thump (Ian?)
Ouch, I hope you're feeling a little better this morning Alan.Seems pulling gravel out of your skin hurts a lot more than putting it in there in the first place
Agreed 🙂We should do this again next time the weather is nice.
Well I owe you all thanks for showing me the delights of the North West. An excellent ride, and some gems in there. The trails weren't bad either.
Hi.
I'm not sure this is the best place for this but I'll give it a go.
I live in the Preston area and I'm looking to buy a bike (just for road use). I'm a complete novice so can anyone point me in the right direction to a shop that will:
a) help me buy a bike
b) not rip me off
Is there anywhere which does second hand bikes so I'm not spending a fortune to start with?
Thanks in advance!
You missed out the ICR ??? Blasphemy!
hewitt in leyland - bit niche though and not cheap
Ribble cycles - look on their website but base at Walton summit
ebay/private ads probably your best bet for cheap starter bike
and what Lowey said
The Gardens is muchos betterer than't ICR. Anyway... we hadn't included that in the original route that you'd approved, and we were worried about snipers 😛
Sorry I couldn't join the Preston ride last night but I had prior arrangements. Hopefully there will be another one soon...
Kevdav, you can pretty much forget getting a decent deal on a second hand roadbike at the moment - the TdF is in full swing, the olympics is round the corner and the world and his wife want roadbikes.
Best bet is to work out a budget and start researching all the models available. Experienced road bikers don't generally keep abreast of entry level bikes, we drool over £10-grand dream machines!
If you narrow it down to a few models, there are plenty of people on here that will point out the pros and cons, and perhaps be able to suggest better value or more suitable options.
Cycle to work scheme kevdav ? Merlin have a new range of road bikes that are a bit more reasonable.
http://www.merlincycles.com/bike-shop/bikes/road-bikes/merlin-road-bikes/
http://www.merlincycles.com/bike-shop/bikes/road-bikes/sensa-bikes/
they are between Chorley and leyland so still local
Charnock Richard cycles have loads in stock but not sure of their prices
http://buyabike.co.uk/
[url=
Youtube vid[/url]
[url= http://app.strava.com/rides/13173193 ]Strava route[/url]
Good ride last night gents!
Hope the injuries heal....
[url= http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdn7Kfn0RDw ]Rammy[/url] next time?
Nice vid, good work.
The wounds will heal, the feeling a prize spoon might take a bit longer. (-:
Thanks for the pointers re LBS around Preston.
Just to let you know that after spending (quite) a few hours on the internet looking at reviews etc I decided to do a bit of ringing around. I came across Sutcliffe Cycles who had a used Dawes Giro 300 (2009) 'just in'. After doing a quick surf for reviews I went to have a look. It was in near perfect condition and was assured it was bought but never used. It seemed a bargain at £175 so I did the deal. I had in mind spending up to £400 so if I have bought pup I've not wasted too much money.