Wednesday Chain Gang – Bianchi Knights

I had my usual rush to get to the start of the chain gang.  I checked tyre pressures – rear nicely firm, front squishy. Puncture not fixed after all then. Spare wheel hanging on the garage wall was grabbed and stuffed into the forks. A quick pump to get it up to pressure and I’m ready to roll, but late leaving. Lesson: the more time you think you’ve got, the more likely you are to be late.

What a great turn out – nearly 30 riders were at the start on what was a cold but largely still evening with clean, dry roads to ride on.  A start with two groups was agreed, with the ultras leading off neatly, and the rest of us following Peter Buss (new peloton captain) at a good pace.  Go Peter!

Matt Davies Rides Officially For The First Time!

 There were a number of new and fairly new riders in the following pack, my favourite being the chap (Steve-Matt Davies) who had ridden with us once before, by accident. I don’t know the details but I imagine some poor fella out for a quite evening ride suddenly surrounded by a boisterous and shouty bunch of Hasting’s finest cyclists, being swept along at frightening pace and being told to ‘rotate’, ‘ease-off’ and ‘call last man!’ It has taken him some months to recover, but he rode with us officially for the first time last night. Welcome!

 With a larger group of riders, the gang was understandably a bit untidier than usual, but we made good progress along Bexhill’s ample frontage. We passed some sort of kick boxing fitness class by the Metropole Lawns – scary. The loose group I was riding with was jut hanging onto the tail of the ultras, up and down South Cliff, along Cooden Drive and then with a widening gap along Herbrand Walk.

 ‘No heroics tonight then Neil?’ Tom N had asked.  It didn’t feel like it – either I was slower or the ultras were faster. Strava has the answer. Last week, riding with the ultras, I did the outward leg of the chain gang route in 19 minutes and 43 seconds.  Last night, not really riding with the ultras and struggling more, or so it felt, I rode the outward leg in 19 minutes and, er, 43 seconds – an identical time, but it felt quite a bit slower. The time for the stupendous Stuart Hodd on the same segment last week was 18 minutes and 12 seconds; this week 18 minutes and 38 seconds. So, this in-depth analysis shows me that I am a slower rider than Stuart (no surprise there) and also that I am amazingly consistent in my slower riding.  That’s got to be a skill, hasn’t it?

 Moving on… I found myself in a good group of familiar and newer riders on the marsh section of the route, making good progress. The newbies (Luigi Di Paolo and Ian Webster) rode really well, breaking strongly down the outside of the group and leading at the front (with a bit too much pace, but that will come with practice). We had a longish wait for all the riders to arrive, before setting off in a bit more of a mess, frankly, with too much three-abreast riding going on as riders tried to make the front group. Should we also make the return in groups separated by a gap?

The Bianchi Bomber Now Has A Young Rival
Welcome To First Time Rider Luigi !

 Things sorted themselves out fairly swiftly and I enjoyed a strong ride back in a group of seven riders that did a good job of rotating, including reeling in Malcolm at one point after he broke off the front. We were overtaken on the Herbrand level crossing by a ‘gentleman’ in a white van, who presumably is not bothered by the risk of wiping out a bunch of middle-aged and young men, or of smacking into a barrier. Good move mate.

We rode on in good form, all the way to the lights, holding discipline for nearly the whole distance. I was suddenly aware of my nemesis, Simon G, pulling away from me on his blue steel steed. I took a moment to register and then I was after him. Got to beat him to the lights but precious little road in which to do so! I thrashed the pedals and eased past, Simon either unaware or not trying. I think that makes the score 2-2, or maybe 3-2 to Simon, but no-one’s counting really, are they (ahem).

The Original Bianchi Bomber Is Back!

 So, continuing my data analysis theme (wake up at the back), I thought I’d had a harder ride back this week than last. It might have felt harder but it was slower – 25 minutes and 3 seconds this week, versus 23 minutes and 59 seconds last week. My ride last week with the ultras had helped me ride a whole minute quicker (conditions were pretty much the same both weeks).

 Tom told me about his bike refit on the way back to Normans Bay (we have to make sure Peter B gets home, suffering as he does from severe ‘geolexia’ (like dyslexia but affecting your sense of direction). New wheels, cassette, Veloce chainset and chain (new derailleurs Tom?) and a clean have transformed the ‘Bianchi Bomber’ into a quiet, sleek speed machine. Tom also reported that he had fitted ‘new batteries’ – electrical assistance for his legs or an electric motor hidden on the bike, I suppose. Is that legal? Either way, it’s good to see his prime ride back on the chain gang and to see Tom tearing up the road again. His was not the only 'Bella Bianchi' out with the chain gang last night. A young man from Di Paolo's joined us, riding a carbon fibre Bianchi of newer vintage than Tom's. I think he enjoyed himself and I hope we see him riding with us again soon.

Ok, this is the last paragraph as Stewart B complained to me that last week’s entry was too long. ‘Long but entertaining, Stewart, surely?’ ‘No Neil, just long.’ Right, have it your way mush. I was going to wax lyrical about the bright moonlit roads, the silvery light on the sea and the cold, clean air, but I’ll not bother now. Huh! See you next week – ride safely.

Neil