andyr

As there's an MTB thread howabout a RR thread.

I'm just a 4thcat rider taking part in the occasional RR / APR / TT when work etc doesn't get in the way.

Other spare time seems to get occupied by, when the season is on, watching European races on Eurosport : just finished watching Gent - Wevelgem lat night - fantastic race, loads of action with Cipo having a right good time with motorbikes ending with him being disqualified for throwing bidons at a cameraman. How these guys can sprint at the end of a 250k race I do-not-know : 100k race is plenty for my little ol' legs !

On the eqt front, I'm doing RR's on one of these :
http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/2001/apr01/proubaix/tchmilbike.jpg : fantastic frame, light and quite comfortable (with Ultegra/D'Ace mix/Heliums it's a little over 16lbs.

Anyone else ?

andyr

Bloody 'ell : seems like footie (sport for over paid jessies in comparison to pro-bike racing) is the only thing people here are interested in !
Even prima-donna Cipo gets back on his bike and rides himself into the ground after getting knocked off his bike by a motorbike ! (Gent - Wevelgem 2003)
Most professional footballers want carted off on a stretcher as soon as they fray a bootlace !

Marin

iTrader: (1)

A bike weighing 16lbs!!! Is it a bit fragile? What happens if you hit a pot-hole in the road or something?

andyr

The bike seems strong enough : if the pros can use them over cobbles etc (eg Paris - Roubaix, Gent - Wevelgem) then it should survive just fine. If you hit something sturdy (wall / kerb etc) thne it'll probably not survive too well but it's probably just a case of modern metals being constructed intelligently : less metal where it isn't needed, more where it is, eg were the stresses are the greatest.

andyr

hmm, looks like I'm keeping this thread alive. Just finished watching Paris - Roubaix (I know it was on Sunday but working nightshifts hasn't given me the time to finish watching it until this evening)
Great race, 263 miles across mix of tarmac & cobbles at 43kmh average : some going ! Firstly Pieri & Aldag looking strong and like they'll survive until the end, then Eximov powers across to join them and finally Petegem breaks away from the chasers and is strong enough to wina fairly easy sprint.
Roll on Amstel and Liege !

Crapaud62

I'm into road racing as well as Mountain biking.

Got no choice at the moment as my mountain bikes are stuck in Wales.
Got an old Raleigh for winter work and a Cannondale Saeco Rep road machine. Feels like its got an electric motor after the mountain bike. In fact might go out for a blast at tea time in an hour or so.

Why do most road bikes only have a double chain ring at the front instead of a triple? Is it just to save weight? I'd rather have the extra gears but thats just cos I'm more of a MTBer than a roadie.

sparkster

Andyr,

Who do you ride for. I used to ride for Pedal Power RT before training just got too much on top of work commitments. Ive probably raced against you at some point

Mark

sparkster

Its a hard sport isnt it?

I'm gonna take up rugby again and yes ive made sure to grow back the hair on my legs as i'm sure ide get a slagging.

So are you 4th cat because youve just started or because you have a busy lifestyle? Sure you'l be up the ranks before you know it.

If you can get the training in then you get the rewards unless you are like me and reach 2nd cat plateau because you cant get over the hills - lol

Not enough crits unfortunately!!!!!!

sparkster

"Why do most road bikes only have a double chain ring at the front instead of a triple? Is it just to save weight? I'd rather have the extra gears but thats just cos I'm more of a MTBer than a roadie."

Triple chain rings are not usually used as they are not often needed. However, the pros sometimes use them on extreme climbs but its all about the weight issue. Weight plays a big part in races like the Tour de France especially over those long climbs.

The mechanics will do there best to give adequate gear ratios for different stages or races using the two chain rings.

These guys are beasts by the way. They go up some climbs in the big chain ring which will see a "normal" cyclist go up in granny gears - lol

basal_lobe

I had the privelage of watching last yrs tour in Paris (not so exciting) and happened to run into the leg taking place over the route napoleon (nr Pont en Royans) and saw some awesome hill climbing. These men are made of granite....they fall off and get back on again while still bleeding.

andyr

Howdy Mark,
I ride for the Musselburgh Roads CC (just to the East of Edinburgh) : I started riding reasonably seriously about 8 years ago and 3 (I think) years ago accumuated enough points to leap to the dizzy heights of 3rd cat but over the last 18 months or so I've not really managed to ride very many RR's due to work etc so chances of picking up points have become scarce so I've done RR's/APR's/TT's or whatever I can find that's convenient.

I've even been stupid/brave enough to enter the occasional Scottish Grand Prix RR - 1 or 2 I've survived ok but more often than not I'm in the bunch until the first major hill then go backwards sharpish. Annoying thing is I'm never the only one in the same boat but everyone else that gets dropped reasonably early then packs asap when I do my damndest to finish - I'm prepared to finish 30 minutes behind the bunch if that's the best I can do but slogging round on me tod isn't much fun.
I'm sure a diet of good races and good training is what's required but fitting it in with everything else isn't too easy at the moment (like everyone else I guess)

The Ingliston Crit series is up and running at the moment - I rode the first one, last week and 2nd one is tonight in fact with 3rd one on next week (can't ride ths week but will next week)
Should give it a try if you fancy 40 minutes of high intensity pain !

sparkster

Hi Andy,

Know the Musselburgh Road Club colours well. I packed in the cycling in March. I was lined up for all the Grand prixs and with the Girvan put in for a bit of fun. I was actually going to put my season around the ingliston crit. Managed to get a best place of 3rd last year and have had plenty of top 7 finishes over the last few years.

In fact, my peak was going to be the Scottish crit champs. Managed 6th in that two years ago and i was going really bad and its the sort of race that you could fluke a win if you know what i mean.

P.s. Keep an eye out for my training partner Gary Hand. He was voted best Scottish espoir rider last year. Hes just back from the Tour of the North and i reckon you'l be seeing hes name in the top five places in Grand prixs this season.

Mark

P.s I take it your a scooby owner. What do you drive?

andyr

Soon to be Scooby owner ! Awaiting a Wrx arriving from Japan via JVS in a few weeks !
I know Gary Hand's name but don't personally know him.
Have you just had enough of bike racing ? Understandable as sometimes the idea of going out and flogging yourself for another 3 or 4 hour race or training session can seem like the last thing you need to do when it's 7am on a Sunday morning and it's peeing down outside !

sparkster

Just too much into my WRX. It costs a fortune but i love it. Cycling is also one of these sports were you make a lot of sacrifices, especially socially and i just want to get back to normal. Work isnt exactly easy at the min meaning all i want to do is relax in the evenings. Dont get me wrong, its a great sport