Ma wants a Smeg fridge – Time for a Beer

Is it really December?  Last nights chain gang was again ridden in warm conditions and encouraged another good turnout for the time of year.  24 riders came along for a demanding mid-week ride, ready to battle a stiff south westerly wind on dark, wet roads.

A dozen or so ‘super-fasts’ set off first, their blinking and flashing rear lights disappearing towards the first bend.  We gave them a bit longer to make sure we didn’t overtake them (ahem) and were then led out by Simon G on his fixie.  Amongst this group was John V, nursing a sore knee, and Tom ‘Limbo’ Norris, looking very chipper.  We also had a young Eastbourne Rovers lad riding with us whose name I did not catch, but who kept up well throughout the ride – well done!

That stiff south west wind made for steady rather than stellar progress, but for a large group with a varied mix of abilities and experience we maintained a good pace and form for the whole of the outward leg.  The group swept along like fast-flowing magma, rippling through Bexhill and across the marshes, glowing brightly and gently steaming!

There were some glitches – I was chastised for shooting off the front and occasionally others found the sudden force of the wind slowed them more than they expected, but overall it was a good ‘through and off’ ride in less than easy conditions.  It was, as Simon G noted, a long way to the front riding in a group of this size!

The pause at the roundabout gave everyone an opportunity to discuss the conduct of the ride.  Opinions varied on the pace and on how well the group had ridden – too fast, too slow, good form, not good form etc.  Lively discussion is sure to be found wherever there is a group of cyclists!  Regarding pace, we could have split the fast group into two, but last night we were keener to keep the group together for the whole leg and that was a good discipline to exert (with thanks to Simon G and John V as unofficial ride captains last night).

Chatting about this later we agreed again that communication is the key – if you want to go faster, tell people what you are going to do and take people with you, if you can.  All sounds simple when written on a page, but perhaps not so simple when you are whistling over the marshes at 22mph in the wet and dark!  Building trust and mutual understanding helps the process.  The only way this can be done is by riding together regularly and by talking about how well, or otherwise, the ride goes.

Or maybe you just want to turn up and ride, and who can blame you.  The chain gang can be as simple or as complicated as you want.  But I would still argue that you would get more from the experience if you can learn to ride well in a group, and that you will find tough conditions less of a problem when you benefit from the mutual protection of the group.

Having slogged our way outward against the breeze, we now had the wind behind us for the return leg.  This made maintaining a consistent pace a bit easier, and we again rode well as a large group for the entire return leg.  Impressive stuff!  There was a fair bit of banter and chat too as people enjoyed the pace and form of the group.  Of course, there was the obligatory hard effort toward the end of the ride, in which Simon G apologised for boxing me in but did it anyway!  He said something about ‘not having me beat him again’…  All good fun.

Perhaps nine or ten of us then went to the Forum (the bar formerly known as Walkers) for a festive drink.  What a sight – sweaty lycra, grime-speckled faces and wet arses.  Who could resist?  Anyhow, beers and lots of packets of nuts were quickly consumed.  I had a good chat with Chris and added some more names to familiar faces, which I have since forgotten, apart from (for some reason) for Nick Sargent.  Perhaps it was his pink denim knee-length shorts that stuck in the mind.

I had just the one pint, more than enough for me as I am a total lightweight.  A Guinness is enough to lift my spirits without me getting too silly and it fuelled my riding for another 30 minutes as I got in the mid-week miles.  I rode south to the front, then west into the wind again, along the prom, Cooden Drive, Herbrand and the marshes, climbing to Rock Cottage.  The backdrop to my solo effort was a moving cyclorama of buildings and shapes looming out of the dark.  And then I enjoyed that lovely moment when you turn around, the roar of the wind is silenced and your legs feel like they are powered by a plasma drive.

Remember that for the next two weeks the chain gang will be on Tuesdays, in order to accommodate the festivities.


Regards, Neil