50/14 Paul Roantree

chin up, dj - karma owes you a wristy from all of us.

good job dudes.

DJ, Pigfarmer, Object, Alien - hats off to you all.

RIP Paul. You are missed my friend.

One more van generally available most days from mid afternoon onwards (short wheelbase Transit). I would have offered earlier but had a problem with the gearbox which is now fixed. PM me if I can be of assistance.

Damn! I sent a PM to Paul just a couple of weeks ago to confirm his address so i could send him some stickers... had no idea of what was going on!!
Can't believe it... Paul was a true cycling enthusiast who touched all our lives... rest in peace fella!!

I did not know Paul and do not know any of you, just deeply impressed by your humanity.

Goodbye Paul. I have just returned from a trip to find that I got back too late. I regret that.

When someone very close to me died, a few years ago, his epitaph was:

"Loved in his being, loved in his going."

I hope that Andy won't mind sharing those words with Paul as they seem entirely apt. The amount of love shown by all of you to the wonderful, inimitable, fifty-fourteen over the last few weeks is a truly humbling thing.

Chapeau Fiddy, you old bugger.

RIP Fiddy...

I haven't known what to write here - how do you say what's so hard to say? - but mashton's words have spurred me on. Echoing what sano said too, I remember seeing Paul on the Dunwich Dynamo last year, just cruising along on howevermuch-worth of bike, with a dim five-quid light feebly attached. The discrepancy was very Paul and it amused me in those surreal dark hours through the night.

Every time we saw Paul he had a huge grin on his face as he rolled along at his own pace - sometimes faster, sometimes slower. I thought to myself "when I grow up, I want to cycle like fiddy". That's as true now as it was then.

Goodbye Paul, go safely. That smile and the tinkle in your eye will be missed.

Fiddy and I pretty much stuck together throughout that DD and after the pub stop about 35 miles in we joined forces with Clefty, SpagHoops, Radius, VeeVee & JayGee.. It is certainly true that there was something about the way he rides that settles you down. He had some ridiculous bikes and parts flying around and was never pretentious about it for even a second.

Has to be my favourite ride of last year. I won't be able to separate the Dynamo with my memories of Paul now. This year's one will be for him!

RIP Fiddy, i shall miss your insatiable appetite for bloody marys, being able to cadge ciggies when Pip isn't looking, your cheeky, lop-sided smile and fantastic stories of a life well-lived that kept me entertained. that garden shed will be finished in your honour :)

one of a kind xx

Fiddy and I pretty much stuck together throughout that DD and after the pub stop about 35 miles in we joined forces with Clefty, SpagHoops, Radius, VeeVee & JayGee.. It is certainly true that there was something about the way he rides that settles you down. He had some ridiculous bikes and parts flying around and was never pretentious about it for even a second.

Has to be my favourite ride of last year. I won't be able to separate the Dynamo with my memories of Paul now. This year's one will be for him!

+1

That was a great ride, I remember Fiddy saying to me that my swingin rear light was very useful as it was so distinctive he always knew where we were if he lost any of us. I also remember toiling up one of the secret hills feeling miserable as I'd lost everyone and then seeing fiddy casually roll past me, instantly cheering me on. I know Fiddy will be riding with us in our hearts this year and am looking forward to toasting him with a bacon sarnie and a beer on Dunwich beach.

Christ. I haven't been on here much recently and only just seen this thread now. That is shit news. Only met Fiddy a few times. Exchanged parts etc. My last week or so in London I went to his to drop off a brake caliper in exchange for a campy one he'd given me (he kindly lent it to me for a while first to see if I wanted to keep it). He invited me in for a drink, a chat and excitedly showed off his new keirin frame. The man was a legend. Ride In Peace Paul.

Any word on funeral arrangements?

As per all steps of this we will announce things when they are sorted.

There will be a funeral but we have to tie up a few loose ends before it can proceed.

Please be patient and all will be revealed.

There will be various bits of help and assistance required. Alien has been project managing everything and there is a small army of volunteers doing amazing work.

I understand people wish to help. Generally its easiest if we put requests up for various requirements and thus far there has been a perfect person volunteering to sort out each aspect.

Apologies to anyone who has sent PM's, sms etc asking if they can help to whom I have not replied. The offers give us faith that as and when required we can call upon the amazing folk here to lend assistance.

So re the funeral date, please continue to watch this space, there are some great things ahead, and we will send the old dude off in true lfgss style (so it will probably include drunkenfixieskidderhipsterpuncturecrashbloodhospitalrljpolicejokesgeneralcarnage).

Needs a spok

Hats off to everyone who went above and beyond for fiddy. Has restrored my faith in mankind.

RIP Fiddy, i shall miss your insatiable appetite for ridiculously spicy bloody marys at 3 am,

one of a kind xx

fixed. x

I can't believe it...

Only just seen this. Sad news.
Paul, never met you man, but enjoyed the forum banter.

RIP

Very busy few days. Here's the thanks post.

Fruitbat - for sorting out 'stuff & things' and then supplying urgently needed documents in a hurry. Get well soon.

Dammit - for daring to cross the East/West boundary with important stuff & things also giving up time on Saturday. Sorry I was out on another mission, hope you got back OK.

WMV for giving up Saturday morning and superb white van control on ice. the human passengers thank you profusely. Lovely meeting you!

Monday Information

This was going to be the big move as deadlines were due to hit us. Upon further investigation the storage areas are ok for another 2 weeks. phew. For this reason Paul's non-cycling friend has asked that we do not move stuff this week as she will be figuring out what to do.

Stix, Diable, Damo, Jacqui please stand down.

Stix, thanks again for the Van offer, Events (at least this time not the weather) conspire to keep you 'up north'.

oh jesus, rest in peace! (and a huge 'nice one' to all that helped out, amazing from a bloody internet forum)

It was my pleasure, let me know if you need me to move anything else.

My thanks go to Alien for taking on the responsibility of organising all of this.

Very moving to read this thread: I knew Paul pretty well for over 30 years & can say that he was never happier [or fitter] than when he found this community & within its influence started his rotating collection of gossamer hardware . . . .

He cycled the 50 miles down here a couple of times on bikes I wouldn't [& couldn't] ride 50 metres; & his emails became ever-larger with their attachments of Italian or Japanese bike-porn.

Glad to see he was so appreciated within this community.

Well done Alien, for taking up the batton from the others, who have done so much over the past month.

Please do not be afraid to ask if there is anything you need. We have just about every skill and resource within the forum, and given the fondness in which Fiddy was held, I am sure there will be no shortage of volunteers.

I hope you are reading this Paul (do they have wi-fi in Heaven?) and seeing the positive effect you are having on people, even though you are no longer with us in body.

Rest in peace.... nah, get back on your bike and start chasing down Simpson and Pantani on the approach to Col St. Petrus.

Needs a spok

Hats off to everyone who went above and beyond for fiddy. Has restrored my faith in mankind.

is this yours? I know one exists here in london. If its not yours i can try to get hold of the one I am thinking of I met someone who helped build one.

Very moving to read this thread: I knew Paul pretty well for over 30 years & can say that he was never happier [or fitter] than when he found this community & within its influence started his rotating collection of gossamer hardware . . . .

He cycled the 50 miles down here a couple of times on bikes I wouldn't [& couldn't] ride 50 metres; & his emails became ever-larger with their attachments of Italian or Japanese bike-porn.

Glad to see he was so appreciated within this community.

This is a lovely post. Thanks for telling us.