Hard Day in January '17

Train booked: I'm planning to meet @fussballclub at Liverpool St for 07:00 and riding to Waterloo to catch the 07:50, arriving Staines 08:24 if that ties-in with anyone else's plans.

If I don't ride out then I'll be on that train with you.

Sounds good: you'll know the way to the cafe then.

PS Dibs spot in the slow group.

Gutted that I can't come really - I was out on these roads yesterday and it's such good riding.

The coming cold snap has been in the forecast models for about a week now, so I think it's fairly high confidence that it will soon be cold - the uncertainty is more about the exact onset and the severity. But if anything, it's looking colder in the latest runs than in the runs at the end of last week, so I wouldn't hold much hope of it suddenly turning out mild.

Main thing for me is whether it'll be snowing/raining. Freezing and dry is no problem, freezing and wet is borderline and no way am I riding on slick 25s in snow.

Liverpool St is my end of town, so if I end up joining in I may meet you there - will give you a shout the day before if I'm going.

Right - ho!

Odds seem to be more on dry than anything else.

1 Attachment

http://www.weatherbagel.com/f/f6634a0a-e550-41b9-8ed5-71f124d2a4d7

That is pretty neat @fussballclub!

You all seem to have much more faith in weather modelling algorithms than I do. That being said it most certainly looks to be cold.

That's a cool website!

Place bets now!

Tail wind home!

And the freezing rain won't be lashing into our faces!

It's now looking like a gloriously bright crisp cold day
http://www.weatherbagel.com/f/f09f2883-9e8b-4ee5-ad91-8b99b8192d7d

Almost got for skinsuit weather...

I may have gone a bit over the top buying sale-priced thermal cycling gear... Still, if this gets me out on the bike in the cold more often that's probably a good thing

Final Info

Meet at Cafe Nero for 8:30 am, we will be leaving at 9 am sharp so if you are late please catch us up on the route.

If the weather is good we will have 20+ experienced riders out, this means we will split into two groups of ten, or two groups up to 15. Can I get backstops for both groups (if needed) please?

Please bring the route in some form or another not just for navigation, but also if you become lost in the wilds just outside the M25. Can you also make sure that you have lights, tubes, tools, water, clothing and food so you are self sufficient. If you haven't got mudguards 'welcome to life at the back of the bunch' ©Ecobeard

We also need to make sure we all know the score re hand signals and shouts, so I'll have quick gothrough on the day. This might all sound a bit much, but it will mean that we all have a fast, fun and safe day out. Cheers peeps

fast

Out.

I'll be lagging behind anyway, so happy to backstop the slow group.

There is a slow group, right?

If a fix rider is backstop in a fix/derailleur-mixed group, he probably can't do backstop on the climbs cause of maintaining cadence.

Make a 2nd in command with derailleur (if the group has mixed drivetrains), taken care of the duty on the climbs.

Haha fast means the day is about riding, not faffing about wasting time on the side of the road for avoidable reasons. Think Club Run, not Hammertime.

With back stopping on hills, you just make sure you note who you have overtaken and where they are on the road, while shepherding at your own speed while the other riders go at theirs.

The main group should be waiting at the top, while breathing heavily, anyway :)

Back stopping is more important on the flat/rolling and if the group is strung out at junctions or big turns.

Obligatory 'no cry-babies, no crap equipment' comment

True

out

whats the hashtag for this ride?