Chain Gangs, Foxes and Dog Houses

Good To Welcome Back Kevin After Knee Op!

The good weather continues, with only the shorter days marking the gradual slip of summer into autumn. Last nights chain gang started as dusk moved to darkness, but conditions were perhaps the best yet of this season. What wind there was blew gently from the north east, slightly across us on both legs of the ride. It was a relief to me not to face the stiff easterly of recent weeks and I resolved again to stay with the lead group as long as possible.

And so 25 riders made very disciplined progress along Bexhill front, gathering momentum once past the worst of the parked cars. Simon Grogan was back in the saddle, riding his lovely light blue single-speed (I think it's a steel fixie). I thought communication was better from the off than last week, with lots of clear signals and loud calls between the riders. This immediately reduces uncertainty, especially for the riders in the middle of the group whose forward vision can be more restricted. It certainly meant that I could focus on riding with a good rhythm and pace.

The excellent discipline held pretty well up South Cliff, with pedestrians looking on with amusement as we pressed hard up the rise to maintain our speed. I enjoy the long sweeping right hand bend that drops down to the junction with Cooden Drive, concentrating to avoid the worn drain covers and the worst of the cracked tarmac. The shouts of 'easy' echoed off the low white garden walls as we neared the junction, followed by calls of 'clear' as we turned onto the Drive, getting out of the saddle to regain lost speed.

The Chaingang Regroups At Pevensey!

The faster riders upped the pace at this point and I was dropped. A fox ran alongside us for a bit, confused by the rush of riders that blocked it from crossing the road. Thankfully, it stayed on the pavement, as far as I know, and didn't bolt between the bikes and cause any chaos.

I fell into a smaller group with Peter Buss, who is riding strongly. I called across for us to work together and we were joined by three others as we rotated the front after another level crossing pause. We worked our way over the marsh, a huffing, puffing gaggle of legs, bobbing shoulders and swishing tyres.

The part of through and off I find hardest is changing from making a hard effort to get on the front and stay there, to then easing off when someone else comes up to take their turn. There is a tendency for the group to get faster and faster, until people drop off the back. I'll have to work on that one and I guess some people just want to ride faster than the group is going. Take the front and ease back.

There was the usual enthusiastic chat at the roundabout as we shared the buzz of the outward leg. Steve Curtis was riding his Cannondale (Super 6?), which as a beefier rider he prefers to his flexible Giant Defy. The more traditional non-compact frame of the Cannondale makes a stiffer ride, with less seat post flex as he puts down the power. I'm not sure if he'd prefer the Cannondale on a longer ride, as that stiffness might start to tenderise his backside, but perhaps he has cheeks of steel. Don't answer that Steve.

We waited for some time for Derek to arrive before starting the return leg, only to realise that he was already there. Confusion resolved, we rolled off into an increasingly chilly evening. The most excellent Stuart Hodd complained of the cold, saying he might need gloves and longs next week. I said he should eat some pies but he was not keen, preferring to keep his svelte figure and not to add a layer of warming blubber. It's funny how the build of good riders can vary. Some are all bulging thighs and shoulders (Tony Martin, John Vidler) and others are slim but strong (Stuart Hodd, Bradley Wiggins, me...).

For the return I managed to hook into the lead group of eleven or twelve riders. We settled into a through and off rotation with good marshalling from the more experienced riders, back across the marsh, up and down Spooky Hill, easy past the Star Inn and on to Herbrand Walk. Despite lots on encouragement from Mr Hodd, and having done a couple of turns at the front, I couldn't maintain the quickening pace after the level crossing and dropped off the back. It was exhilarating while it lasted but I reached my limit. Next week, I hope my limit will be that bit higher and I'll be that bit faster. I did manage a PR from the Inn to the crossing, and without wind assistance, so it shows what you can do riding with a group.

I was caught by four riders and most of us rode as a group the full length of Cooden Drive. Simon Grogan and I often ride at a similar pace and we managed a good stretch to the end of the ride. Overall, it was an excellent chain gang with lots of great group riding.

Surreal PostScript
I rode back to Cooden and then Normans Bay with Peter Buss, Stuart (not his excellency, but still very good) and another new rider (sorry, name has gone). The conversation turned to dog houses, what one needs to do to be put in it, how you could make it more comfortable if expecting a long stay and strategies for avoiding it in the first place.

I explained 'BPT' - Bicycle Purchase Tax - whereby the gentleman of the house purchases a bicycle for his amusement and fitness. This ensures a stretch in the dog house, with eventual release conditional on the payment of 'BPT' to the boss. The current rate in my tax district is 50% of the bicycle purchase price. Non payment is not advised, nor are other tax avoidance schemes that you might be tempted by, such as a false receipt for a lower price, 'it was only £100 in a sale' or 'I'm looking after it for a friend'. Heed well my warnings...

Neil