In which I build a bike to win the North Road Hardriders

Since British Cycling signed with Shell, and I became increasingly disillusioned with the returns on investment in racing cross and road, I stopped racing both of those. But has been one race I've loved and done every year, a TT; the North Road Hardriders. Aside from having the best name, it's in February, usually around the time of my birthday and it's a hilly 25 mile tt around Hertfordshire. Previous winners include

1979 S. Yates Archer RC 1.06.46
1991 C. M Boardman Manchester Wheelers 0.57.20
1994 S. Dangerfield North Wirral Velo 0.58.00
1997 S.Yates Team Clean 0.58.44
2005 M. Huchinson Api-Metrow 0.54.23 23.0 miles
2010 M. Bottrill I-ride.co.uk 0.59.30
2012 Wouter Sybrandy IG Sigma Sport 56:36 Course record and 25 mile event record.
2013 Joe Perrett (Team IG-Sigma Sport)

https://cyclinguphill.com/north-road-hardriders-tt/

Knowing the roads very well, and always enjoying a few 2 minute climbs in freezing fog I seem to go ok on this. I came 3rd in 2022 and 2nd in 2023, on a road bike.

As I'm nearing my 40th and my fitness is declining, I'm not sure I can be significantly fitter than I was the past 2 years, so I've made the foolish decision that the only way to win is to buy a new bike.

So this has been bought, and will be collected this weekend

This thread will document my attempt, and probably failure, but not totally unfeasible dream to win this race in 2025.

Hopefully you can squeeze gravel tyres into that frame, for those roads!

Amazing intro, subbed, this gun be good, etc.

Oh Fred, you've gone to the dark side

I hope you smash it

Cool 😎 subbed

You missed @andyp 's name on the winners list

I believe

Mega! Hour record after your upcoming win please.

As I'm nearing my 40th and my fitness is declining

Say it ain't so.

Reader, I lol'd.

Although I did do a club 25 once where a pigeon flew into my front wheel and was decapitated and I finished with my legs covered in blood and feathers. Don't know if that qualifies me as a hard rider though.

You could've just borrowed mine. I'm still dark on TTing since that 299 12hr. :D

How much was that lot, btw?

Quiet some list of winners. Should you manage to win please make sure your name is recorded as @fredtc for posterity .

List of Winners

There's a bit of a misunderstanding in the first post in this thread.

Those winners in the list are not winners of the NR Hardriders, they are winners of The Bidlake Memorial Prize.

The confusion has arisen because Phil Liggett was presented with the Bidlake prize at the post race gathering of the NR event in 2016, and that's why the list is included in the report of the TT.

That's not to say that the winners of the NR event do not make an impressive list. I know this because there have been a number who have gone on to win the Hounslow 100 (which I've been reporting for more years than I care to remember) and, more significantly, they've often done well in that year's BBAR.

So, I wish fredtc all the best with his ambition for the NR event. If he's been highly placed in the past he must have a good chance, but there's got to be an element of luck with this very early season event: let's hope it goes your way this time, Fred.

Does CTT website not have the ability to drag up the winners of a race? Or am I giving it too much credit?

I don't know about the CTT site - I don't think it goes back very far, but this North Road Gazette has a list of many of the winners (pp17 & 18)

https://www.northroadcc.org.uk/media/1161/nrcc-2021-03-gazette.pdf

my apologies, and thank you for the correction @clubman . Alf Engers won it once then, so that's enough for me.

This book is part of the reason I like the race and is wonderful
https://www.mousehold-press.co.uk/book/i-like-alf-14-lessons-from-the-life-of-alf-engers/

I'm aware it's quite a target but if I thought I said it then it'll give me some motivation to back up my mouth. I think if I go under the hour I'll be very happy and that's about the best I could physically do. That would give me the win over the last couple of years so I have to hope Dowsett doesn't turn up (again).

It was £1k @hippy . Probably a bit over the top but I'll sell the power pedals, and I think I'd be hard pressed to find something better for significantly less.

Fun project

Looks pretty sexy for a grand. But then prices have tumbled for anything that's not grav grav.

subbed.. please don't let this end up in Fat tubes & skinny rims

Oofff good idea actually! Would look sweet with low profile rims

Surely as this has a function (winning hard riders) it should go straight to functional bikes?

It will for training. I've got some 50mm tubs for racing