Watership Down 15th Jan

[Alan Holmes]

"MartinM" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> Alan Holmes wrote:
>
>
>> I sometimes pace cyclists to see what speeds they are travelling at, and
>> it's surprising how fast some of them travel, it's very common to pace
>> someone at 25 + mph
>
> FSVO common, the only time I see cyclists riding at that speed is on
> TT's
>
>> But, of course, i cannot be sure my car speedometer is really very
>> accurate!
>
> sorry to disappoint you but you did not ever ride anywhere at 29.5 mph
> average; think back, reconsider the journey and it will become
> apparent.

If you work out the distance from South Ealing to Stow-on-the-Wold, you will
find it is very close to 84 miles.

And I left South Ealing at 2.00 pm and arrived at the hostel before it
opened, the normal opening times of YH is 5.00 pm.

As to people travelling at 25 mph or faster, I suggest you try pacing some
who appear to be going at a fair speed, or indeed any speed, and then make
the comment.

>

 

[Mike K Smith]

Dave Larrington wrote:

> My entry is in. But then you knew that, or at least Martin did. Anyone
> else doing the Watership Down next Sunday?

Yeah, our route sheets came in the post today. Hopefully we can make the
start on time for this one.

Mike

 

[Mike K Smith]

MartinM wrote:

> I'm now doing the RR the week before so should be on for this; would be
> nice to meet up with some other urc'ers even if not doing the 115k, I
> would estimate we'll be there sometime between 1100-1230. I'm pretty
> sure Pam still accepts entries on the line.

Not 100% decided on this one, given we're doing Watership Down this
coming weekend.
I think it's most likely that we'll ride out to Popham instead of riding
the event.

 

[dkahn400]

Alan Holmes wrote:

> As to people travelling at 25 mph or faster, I suggest you try pacing some
> who appear to be going at a fair speed, or indeed any speed, and then make
> the comment.

Alan, I don't doubt you are sincere, but 25 mph is a good speed for a
good time triallist. There are conditions in which it's possible for an
ordinary cyclist on an ordinary bike to go a lot faster than that, but
not for a sustained period. The British record for a 50 mile time trial
is 1:37:21 which gives an average speed of 30.8 mph. That's for a
superbly conditioned athlete with skin-tight clothing on a specialised
bike riding on a fast course. The idea that you could average 29.5 mph
over 84 miles while touring on a heavy bike with luggage is simply not
tenable. If you managed 18 mph I'd be impressed.

--
Dave...

 

[dkahn400]

Alan Holmes wrote:

> "Mark McNeill" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...

> > I know what you mean; I had a bike computer like that once.
>
> This was before the days of computers!

Approximately which year?

--
Dave...

 

[MartinM]

Mike K Smith wrote:
> MartinM wrote:
>
> > I'm now doing the RR the week before so should be on for this; would be
> > nice to meet up with some other urc'ers even if not doing the 115k, I
> > would estimate we'll be there sometime between 1100-1230. I'm pretty
> > sure Pam still accepts entries on the line.
>
> Not 100% decided on this one, given we're doing Watership Down this
> coming weekend.
> I think it's most likely that we'll ride out to Popham instead of riding
> the event.

OK see you there. I'll be the one waiting forlornly for 45 mins for a
plate of beans on after everyone else has started back to Denmead.

 

[Simon Brooke]

in message <[email protected]>, Alan Holmes
('[email protected]') wrote:

> "MartinM" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>>
>> Alan Holmes wrote:
>>
>>> I sometimes pace cyclists to see what speeds they are travelling at,
>>> and it's surprising how fast some of them travel, it's very common to
>>> pace someone at 25 + mph
>>
>> FSVO common, the only time I see cyclists riding at that speed is on
>> TT's
>>
>>> But, of course, i cannot be sure my car speedometer is really very
>>> accurate!
>>
>> sorry to disappoint you but you did not ever ride anywhere at 29.5 mph
>> average; think back, reconsider the journey and it will become
>> apparent.
>
> If you work out the distance from South Ealing to Stow-on-the-Wold, you
> will find it is very close to 84 miles.

You do realise at what speed the very best cyclists in the world, when
being towed along in a peloton, can manage over that distance, don't
you? Hint: the Tour de France was won last year at an average of less
than 26mph. And that was a record.

But then, I expect you could beat Lance Armstrong with both legs tied
behind your back.

--
[email protected] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

[ This .sig subject to change without notice ]

 

[Alan Holmes]

"dkahn400" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Alan Holmes wrote:
>
>> As to people travelling at 25 mph or faster, I suggest you try pacing
>> some
>> who appear to be going at a fair speed, or indeed any speed, and then
>> make
>> the comment.
>
> Alan, I don't doubt you are sincere, but 25 mph is a good speed for a
> good time triallist. There are conditions in which it's possible for an
> ordinary cyclist on an ordinary bike to go a lot faster than that, but
> not for a sustained period. The British record for a 50 mile time trial
> is 1:37:21 which gives an average speed of 30.8 mph. That's for a
> superbly conditioned athlete with skin-tight clothing on a specialised
> bike riding on a fast course. The idea that you could average 29.5 mph
> over 84 miles while touring on a heavy bike with luggage is simply not
> tenable. If you managed 18 mph I'd be impressed.

In that case how was it that I arrived in under 3 hours?

I feel that the difference is in the bike, these 'triallists', for some
unknown reason, ride bikes which can be picked up with your little finger,
not a proper bike, and I have noticed that a lot of cyclists these days do
not use a suitable gear, they all peddle much too fast, if they were to use
a higher gear, they would travel much faster.

Another example, a friend of mine decided to organise a folk dance in
Carnforth, and I said I'd like to go, I travelled the 256 miles in one and a
half days, which meant leaving home at about 10.00, riding until hungry,
stop for lunch, carry on to hostel arriving about 6.00, leaving the next
morning at about 10.00 stop for lunch and arriving at about 2.00 in
Carnforth, taking the ride at a leisurely pace.

Alan

>
> --
> Dave...
>

 

[Alan Holmes]

"Simon Brooke" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> in message <[email protected]>, Alan Holmes
> ('[email protected]') wrote:
>
>> "MartinM" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news:[email protected]...
>>>
>>> Alan Holmes wrote:
>>>
>>>> I sometimes pace cyclists to see what speeds they are travelling at,
>>>> and it's surprising how fast some of them travel, it's very common to
>>>> pace someone at 25 + mph
>>>
>>> FSVO common, the only time I see cyclists riding at that speed is on
>>> TT's
>>>
>>>> But, of course, i cannot be sure my car speedometer is really very
>>>> accurate!
>>>
>>> sorry to disappoint you but you did not ever ride anywhere at 29.5 mph
>>> average; think back, reconsider the journey and it will become
>>> apparent.
>>
>> If you work out the distance from South Ealing to Stow-on-the-Wold, you
>> will find it is very close to 84 miles.
>
> You do realise at what speed the very best cyclists in the world, when
> being towed along in a peloton, can manage over that distance, don't
> you? Hint: the Tour de France was won last year at an average of less
> than 26mph. And that was a record.

But were they riding a proper bike?

And I'm sure that riders in the 30s did better than that.

Alan

 

[Alan Holmes]

"dkahn400" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Alan Holmes wrote:
>
>> "Mark McNeill" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news:[email protected]...
>
>> > I know what you mean; I had a bike computer like that once.
>>
>> This was before the days of computers!
>
> Approximately which year?

1950

Alan

>
> --
> Dave...
>

 

[Chris Slade]

Alan Holmes wrote:

>
> "Simon Brooke" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> in message <[email protected]>, Alan Holmes
>> ('[email protected]') wrote:
>>
>>> "MartinM" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>> news:[email protected]...
>>>>
>>>> Alan Holmes wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> I sometimes pace cyclists to see what speeds they are travelling at,
>>>>> and it's surprising how fast some of them travel, it's very common to
>>>>> pace someone at 25 + mph
>>>>
>>>> FSVO common, the only time I see cyclists riding at that speed is on
>>>> TT's
>>>>
>>>>> But, of course, i cannot be sure my car speedometer is really very
>>>>> accurate!
>>>>
>>>> sorry to disappoint you but you did not ever ride anywhere at 29.5 mph
>>>> average; think back, reconsider the journey and it will become
>>>> apparent.
>>>
>>> If you work out the distance from South Ealing to Stow-on-the-Wold, you
>>> will find it is very close to 84 miles.
>>
>> You do realise at what speed the very best cyclists in the world, when
>> being towed along in a peloton, can manage over that distance, don't
>> you? Hint: the Tour de France was won last year at an average of less
>> than 26mph. And that was a record.
>
> But were they riding a proper bike?
>
> And I'm sure that riders in the 30s did better than that.

What have all these team managers been thinking of? This year, thanks to
your helpful advice, all the tour riders will be on depleted uranium gas
pipe specials and they'll complete the tour in half the time! I can see it
now, the hill climbers thanking you profusely at your fantastic innovation!


--
Chris

"I route therefore you are" - Jon Lewis

 

[Mike Causer]

On Tue, 10 Jan 2006 10:17:07 -0800, dkahn400 wrote:

> Alan, I don't doubt you are sincere,

You haven't read his previous posts then? Eg, the one in which he says
that 42 hours for LEJoG is slow!



Mike

 

[Ambrose Nankivell]

Mike Causer wrote:
> On Tue, 10 Jan 2006 10:17:07 -0800, dkahn400 wrote:
>
>> Alan, I don't doubt you are sincere,
>
> You haven't read his previous posts then? Eg, the one in which he
> says that 42 hours for LEJoG is slow!

You can be sincerely deluded.
--
Ambrose

 

[Mike K Smith]

MartinM wrote:

> OK see you there. I'll be the one waiting forlornly for 45 mins for a
> plate of beans on after everyone else has started back to Denmead.
I'll be the one who gets in 30 minutes after you and eats your beans
then.

 

[Mark McNeill]

Response to Ambrose Nankivell:
> >> Alan, I don't doubt you are sincere,
> >
> > You haven't read his previous posts then? Eg, the one in which he
> > says that 42 hours for LEJoG is slow!
>
> You can be sincerely deluded.

I remember wondering last time if he could be a particularly deadpan
wind-up merchant.


--
Mark, UK

"You've no idea what a poor opinion I have of myself, and how little I
deserve it."

 

[Nick Kew]

dkahn400 wrote:
> Alan Holmes wrote:
>
>
>>As to people travelling at 25 mph or faster, I suggest you try pacing some
>>who appear to be going at a fair speed, or indeed any speed, and then make
>>the comment.
>
>
> Alan, I don't doubt you are sincere, but 25 mph is a good speed for a
> good time triallist.

It's not necessarily that outrageous. I've sustained it myself whilst
laden with camping gear, for example after pottering down the Mosel from
Luxembourg with lots of scenic and hilly diversions, we blasted the last
80Km to Koblenz in two hours and without any real effort.

Why? Well, we were following a river downstream. It was basically
flat but with the merest hint of downhill with a really good surface.
And far more important, the weather was changing: after a hot,
sweaty week, we had a cooler, invigorating, westerly (tail)wind.
We went for getting to the city before the incoming rain.

Alas, I couldn't do that now. Not even with a tailwind.

--
not me guv

 

[John B]

Mike K Smith wrote:

> MartinM wrote:
>
> > I'm now doing the RR the week before so should be on for this; would be
> > nice to meet up with some other urc'ers even if not doing the 115k, I
> > would estimate we'll be there sometime between 1100-1230. I'm pretty
> > sure Pam still accepts entries on the line.
>
> Not 100% decided on this one, given we're doing Watership Down this
> coming weekend.
> I think it's most likely that we'll ride out to Popham instead of riding
> the event.

I'll be riding out to Popham to give a cheer to those riding - its just up
the road.

Gives me a good excuse for some of the airfield's cakes

John B

 

[MartinM]

Mike K Smith wrote:
> MartinM wrote:
>
> > OK see you there. I'll be the one waiting forlornly for 45 mins for a
> > plate of beans on after everyone else has started back to Denmead.
> I'll be the one who gets in 30 minutes after you and eats your beans
> then.

IIRC there is an optional 25km stop in Alresford if you wanted to hook
up there. I may stop for a coffee.

 

[MartinM]

Mike K Smith wrote:
> MartinM wrote:
>
> > OK see you there. I'll be the one waiting forlornly for 45 mins for a
> > plate of beans on after everyone else has started back to Denmead.
> I'll be the one who gets in 30 minutes after you and eats your beans
> then.

IIRC there is an optional 25km stop in Alresford if you wanted to hook
up there. I may stop for a coffee.

 

[John B]

MartinM wrote:

>
> OK see you there. I'll be the one waiting forlornly for 45 mins for a
> plate of beans on after everyone else has started back to Denmead.

Will those from urc have yellow ribbons?

Or red?

John B