Eastbourne GP Cat 3 road race May 22nd 2011

Just found this fun youtube clip from Handsling's Cam of the Eastbourne road race I did back in May with Pete Hooper (Fuga) and Dan Henchy (PB Science) I'm number 26 in the red Hastings jersey. You can see us all smiling on the start line, and several times later on - not so smiley! We raced 10 laps of the seafront with a sharp little climb each lap and then 2 laps of Beachy Head. I stayed near the front till the top of the big climb out of town where I watched the lead group open a gap into a really nasty headwind then hung onto the chasing group till I dropped my chain downshifting for Beachy. Did the others stop and wait for me to get the chain back on - sporting fashion? No, they're off like Contador! Mighty Mike Coyle of the Mitre won - here's a proper race report from the sharp end . . . since fitted a chain catcher.

Club Ride To Newhaven

Today was an unusual club ride as our mission was to get to Newhaven to buy tickets for the French trip next year. Chris P was there at the start to see us off, his calf is not yet up to a hard ride, although he did manage to do a 'bacon butty ride' the day before. With us on his first club ride was Jon Stainsby. Dave HH was due to meet us on route somewhere. We main roaded all the way to Newhaven via battle, Hailsham , Hi and Over and Seaford. At first the weather was grim with grey skies, light rain and a head wind. Fortunately the rain cleared and the sun slowly came out. We didn't mind the head wind as we knew we would have a fast return along the coast. I kept wondering where we would see Dave HH on route. On arrival at the ferry check in, as if by magic there was both Chris P and Dave HH (Dave had a cold and had decided to drive there). After buying our tickets for an incredibly cheap price of just £35 we headed back along the coast. This was fantastic as we had a strong tail wind all the way back home, Beachy Head had never been so easy. We stopped for fuel at a cafe in Pevensey bay. This used to be called 'The Sandwich Inn' but is now called the 'Bay Diner'. they have tarted the old cafe up a bit , it seems to be under new management but the food and prices were just a good as ever.

Total distance 60 miles

Average speed 15.3 mph

New Blood - Chaingang 23rd Nov

19 riders & good to see Chris Parker back out on the bike recovering from his running injury. This week we were proud to be honoured with some new blood in the shape of Todd and Josh, one rides for a team in Flanders and the other is a top triathlete. Welcome and hope to see you again next week lads. In fact Matt warned me we were going to get **** ****d and as we rolled out to Galley Hill the excuses began to drop thick and fast - "Actually -I've got a really bad cold", "I missed last week", "I've got a broken leg", "me too" and the rest.

We got a little chain going at the front, then Matt broke away at Bexhill with Todd in his wheel. I was unwilling to drag a strong bunch up to another Hastings jersey, so I marked Josh ready to follow a move. Malc had a go at closing the gap, then I tried to bridge alone but couldn't shake the others, sorry Matt! By the Star Inn we'd regrouped. Todd made a big dig up Spooky Hill, others countered but no-one was strong enough to stay clear for long. Matt kindly offered to lead me out to the roundabout where out of the pack came Eastbourne John with a strong late finish.

Wayback was swift again with Ivan and Malc doing lots of work on the front, Simon Grogan and Simon Newell going well too, I had a stealthy wee dig for the checkerboard outside chairman Stuart's house. Matt came through to open a good gap for a while, but I was too tired to help him so it came down to a bunch finish at the 30 sign. Matt opened a large gap again on way home, big thanks to Malc and Ivan for sharing work to bring him and his immaculately clean bike back.

Any more ideas or votes for the club social/ prizegiving in February? Stephen from Eat@the Stade has offered us same sort of deal as last year in his new venue, also Nick at St. Clements next to Horse & Groom, St. Leonard's has offered us the whole room and a 2 or 3 course menu.

Friday chaingang as usual, Fairlight Lodge 7.30
Text Chris Parker for the Saturday morning bacon butty ride.
Sunday run Harrow, 9.30

Early Bird ride 19 Nov- Puncture Pandemonium

Fantastic weather for our early bird ride this morning. We were following an extended version of the 'Hard Riders TT course'. At Rushlake Green Paul suddenly lost control of his steering, his stem had come loose . Fortunately we were going up hill at the time (a few minutes before we had been moving at speed down hill). After sending for the Calvary (Malcolm) were were on our way again. Mike had our first puncture on the long narrow road across the marshes towards Chile farm. After fixing it we set out again only for Paul to have a puncture one minute later. We duly fixed Paul's puncture as well but just four minutes later Paul lost control going round a bend and came off. luckily he landed on a muddy verge and no harm was done to man or machine. It turned out the reason he came off was that he had had another puncture due to a piece of embedded flint. On closer inspection we could see his tyres were knackered and new rubber was called for (I would recommend Continetal four seasons). After fixing this last puncture we proceeded without incident to the excellent Chile Farm. It was nice and sunny by then and felt more like late September rather than November. The rest of the ride proceeded without incident. We had a chat to three cyclists on the cycle path back to Hastings and told them about the blog; new recruits?

Distance 39 miles

Av speed 15.2 mph

S.C

Friday Chaingang 18 Nov

A great night for the Friday chaingang. All the old regulars were there apart from Simon G. Paul lost part of his rear light down battery hill when he hit a bump, which is a shame as it was an expensive one. Derek continues to get stronger following his knee op and intends to climb 'stonestile lane ' next week. Steve D was on his new raleigh, I had a go and it seems really comfortable (bargain for £550 ).Unbelievably dry for this time of year- apparently we are on target for the driest Autumn ever recorded! So different to last year !!

Distance 22.5 miles

Av speed 16.7 mph

S.C

Chaingang 16 November

It felt like a proper November evening for once with temperatures around normal for the time of year . A lot of the regulars (Chris W, Ivan, Max, Matt, Chris P, jay etc) were absent but with most of the Eastbourne crew there, numbers were still qite high at 19 . Someone warned us that there would be a lot of congestion around the Glyn gap area due to the arrival at Ravenside of the famous coca-cola truck from the adverts, so we took it easy and stayed together as one group to galley hill before everyone went at their own pace . Steve Denny was on his new Raleigh Airlite 105 which he bought brand new for just £550 pounds. He definately seemed to be going faster than normal as this was the first time ever that he beat me on the way out to Pevensey. On the way back some of the riders decided to check out the free cokes that were being given out from the coca-cola truck. They came back very unimpressed, complaining of queues and half size coke tins. Good to see Dan (the legend) Harwood was there, he has become one of the regulars again!

SC

Brighton Hack Bike Ride Nov 2011

Our best ever turnout for a Hack bike ride (see photo).This included four hack bike newbies: Ben Corbishley, Steve Standen, Mike Crane and Steve Denny (finally riding clipless). Also joining us was Dan (the legend) Harwood who last came on a Hack bike ride about 5 years ago. We set off at 1:10 for our first stop at Loughton. The riding seemed easy as we had the wind behind us. After this was some fast very flat riding to Lewes where we decided to go down to pub in the centre of town by the river. It was exceptionally mild for the time of year (very different to conditions last year) so we were happy to drink outside. On the way to our next destination of the half-moon pub at Ditchling we were very lucky not to have a major pile up. Colin called out to turn left but some people (the two pints might have had something to do with it) didn’t hear, so there were some cyclists crossing left in front of others and to make it worse there was a van on the right. Miraculously we all made the turn (time seemed to slow down for a while). Ivan and Malcolm decided at this point that they wanted to ride back home rather than continue on to Brighton . The rest of us pressed on to the highlight of the route, the climb up Ditchling beacon. After Pete led us to the bottom it was every man for himself. Unfortunately on the way up it proved too much for Duncan’s chain and one of the links snapped. Ben was worried about the climb but needed have been as he rode it comfortably only a little behind me. Steve S also did very well and actually beat me up the climb despite his lack of training. Once Pete had managed to reconnect Duncan’s chain with a ‘missing link’ provided by Paul we proceeded to make the rapid decent down into Brighton. Myself and Colin were really looking forward to this decent but as so often happens on this hill, our glasses were completely misted up with the fog and all we could make out on the road were the central markings, so we had to take it easy. At Brighton we met up with Chris parker who had to come by train as he is still hobbling with his injured calf. This was followed by a very large curry and more beer before catching the train home. For some reason Pete decided it would be a good idea to buy a bottle of vodka for the train journey home. As most of us didn’t want any, this meant he got more and more drunk the closer we got to home. Thanks to all who came on the ride. We hope to organise a local one sometime between Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. See pictures on the slideshow.

S.C

Dave learns some roadcraft, Chaingang Nov 9th

Simon and I were having a nice chat spinning along Bexhill seafront when some hooligan in a Fiat top and killer whale leggings jumps out and attacks, with big Mike, I mean big Shaun hot on his wheel.

I've done my turn on front - so I sit up and let them go. Three or four more flash by to give chase. Wait to see if anymore? No - OK - now its time to dig in hard as the gap is getting too big. Here we go again, busting a gut to get back on, survival of the suffering-est.

After Cooden Beach I was hanging onto just Matt and Shaun, in fact Matt lost ground at Herbrand Walk and had to chase hard to get back on. They were strong, I felt like I was going to blow up but somehow hung on. Finally Shaun went clear, just rode away from us, then stopped to wait at the Star pub. Mercy? No, a dim headlight and " I get bored riding on my own, I like to be sociable" Maybe mercy then, or a cat toying with an injured mouse before the inevitable kill.

Matt did the rest of the hard work till the end, where Shaun feigned a jump to get 2nd wheel, then actually went, I jumped after and hung on some more until he tired, then came round in the last yard, feeling cheap. "Poachers!" shouted Matt as he rolled up in third place. "Dave isn't it?" Shaun says to me. "No, Chris" I say. "You really should do some road" says Shaun.

Return leg - bunch left early while I was still chatting to Ivan and Malc who had a mechanical with his cleat, I excused myself swiftly and had to chase like a dog for 2 or 3 miles to get back on, just as the bunch reached Spooky Hill where a move often goes. No blood left in my brain by this point so rest is a blank until closing on Matt and Shaun again as we approach Bexhill.

Matt is doing the work again, Shaun sitting on 2nd wheel, and I'm hiding behind Barry, I mean Shaun. This time Barry slows a smidgeon, just gently eases me out the back, then stands up and crunches the pedals to sprint, later he'll generously explain that this is a bit of tactical roadcraft to use against an opponent, but at the moment I'm in such a zombie state I don't really notice, just follow the wheel, the wheel!

Shaun's gears slip on the second stroke and he bangs his knee hard on the frame, I'm thinking S***! last two times I did that I went right over the bars and my elbows and knees were well bloodied up. And I'm right on his wheel! But its OK this time - he keeps it going, then gets tired and then thats when I make my move and come round, after the efforts done, in the last yard, feeling . . . well, you get the picture,

don't you, Dave?

23 riders. Average speed out : 21.7mph with a bit of a tailwind.

Back: 21.5mph and for sure a headwind.

Through and off - youtube clip

good little vid of a chaingang

Derek Joins The Friday Chaingang (Nov 4)

Following on from completing his first early bird ride last week Derek decided to give the Friday chaingang a go. Despite having to take it easy following his knee op, Derek was only a little way behind me on the long drag up to Broadoak. He did decide that it would be prudent to avoid 'Stonestile lane' which he described as being 'evil' so we parted company soon after Broadoak. Hopefully Derek will now become another regular (he seemed to enjoy the ride). Also present were myself, Ivan, Simon G, Malcolm and Josef (first one of the season)

S.C

The Pevensey Pothole and Joe Goes. Chaingang November 2nd

About a dozen riders on a wet and windy night, half of whom had already faced a strong headwind battling over from points west. A strong tailwind lifted us along with various digs going up the road but no breaks sticking. Lead group of 6 or so stayed together till last bend where we had a short "interval" session to the stop, I got a gap early and managed to hold it.

On return trip into that tough headwind, a combination of sheltering close to roadside from sidewind, with all eyes on lights from an oncoming car, caused three of us to ride into a nasty pothole, half a mile before the level crossing on the inside. Swavek came off and punctured both tyres (!) luckily no serious harm appeared to be done, just a sore wrist. Malc and Dan punctured their fronts as well. Once everyone was fixed up, it was getting late so the westerners turned back and seven of us continued to Bexhill. Joe Jenner launched a nicely judged uphill move going clear. Dan, Simon and I then bridged over to Joe, keeping it rolling and Joe delivered a textbook Cav finish, nice!

Chris Parker has torn a muscle playing hockey so any volunteers to lead the club run from Harrow, this Sunday at 9am?