Etape Anglais

Oh, and how do the Chilterns out west compare with these SW hills (anyone)?

Yes. The London Dynamo rides do allow non-members for a couple of rides. After that you're asked to join as the fees cover insurance. But you are very welcome to join us on a Sunday Surrey Hills ride. I usually aim at the 9am when I do them, though this was my first one this year, last year I was far more active.

The meeting place is Hampton Court Bridge, on the South East side, by 9am.

If you arrive an hour early there is an 8am bunch who go fast and do not stop for cake at Box Hill (as kipsy said, what's the point then?).

I'm missing this weekend as I'm locked inside Alexandra Palace, but I'll do the one after as my final practice before the Etape. I'll probably finish that one with 3 or 4 gentle laps of Richmond Park to get the mileage up.

Oh, and I think it's club rules that you wear a helmet... I know you do, but if anyone else is reading this, wear a helmet or do not ride (I've never seen this enforced, as everyone just wears a helmet).

Chris, you figured out what the creaking is yet?

I had another thought... the bolts on the cranks. The creaking was at the 10.30pm vs 4.30pm angles, and it was just where you'd start hitting the pressure hard. It's all around the BB area, and is either BB or cranks.

Who is doing the etape then?

I got an entry for myself and one for the missus. With just a month to prepare weve both been in panic mode to be ready. 50 miles at the weekend seemed ok. We'll push it out to 80 this weekend and then maybe the same next week.

On the day its going to be hard work though i think we'll do it. Certainly wont be anywhere near the front.

Can you start at whichever time you like? We only live round the corner and to get off at 6 would be miles better than the slot nearer 8 that we are meant to go at.

You should be able to visit the site and see what number you've been allocated. If you put yourself down as part of a cycling club, it appears that they're sending the clubs out first so you'll be closer to 6am. The number allocated tells you roughly what time slot you've been given.

And I think quite a few of us are in panic mode. Hell, I only got my entry a week or two ago. I don't have much time for training, so I'm just charging around attempting to squeeze in a realistic amount now.

Cheers DK.. I might try and do the same, just to get some more kays in and some different hills to the Chilterns.

That bloody creaking. I have no idea. I don't know much about bike maintenance but the shop has sorted out the zipp hub etc, changed the BB (£30), it has new skewers (£45), and the ST pivot nuts have been replaced (rrp £45!, yes, for 2 nuts after nine months of riding). It's been in eight times now. I popped by yesterday and they suggested just booking it in for a rebuild.

They've been really good with regard to not charging for labour on these multiple visits - because it was an existing issue when I paid £70 for labour in April having it serviced. But will I be expected to pay for the rebuild? David, you have a simlilarly new Serotta. What would you expect?

velocity boy And I think quite a few of us are in panic mode. Hell, I only got my entry a week or two ago. I don't have much time for training, so I'm just charging around attempting to squeeze in a realistic amount now.

Likewise. It's gonna hurt, this one. :S

The 120 miles out shouldn't be too bad but what about the 70 back? I hope it's dry.

Capriccio They've been really good with regard to not charging for labour on these multiple visits - because it was an existing issue when I paid £70 for labour in April having it serviced. But will I be expected to pay for the rebuild? David, you have a simlilarly new Serotta. What would you expect?

I'd regard it all as a warranty thing. I'd go half way on some of the costs, but no further. And that would only be out of respect of them as an independent shop and that the creaking isn't their fault per se, they're just the reseller and could choose to simply take things apart and ship them back to the respective companies. Them giving time and effort to investigate is a step beyond what they're obliged to do, but still it shouldn't need doing... you shouldn't have the problem. So I'd go half way with them.

And your Serotta is better than mine (raw cost, we've both got our bikes and I wouldn't swap mine). I wouldn't be happy with problems like that at all.

I'm in a kind of sticky situation with Cycle Fit at the moment too. It's taken 6 weeks to build up a pair of wheels. 6 Weeks! I asked for a unique spoke pattern. Warwick has gone through so many spokes, which I'm paying for, and it's taking ages. How do I tell them to stop pissing around and just deliver the damned things? The problem with a cycle shop who start to feel like family, it's hard to be aggressive and pushy with them.

Quite. In terms of customer relationships and selling techniques other businesses can only dream of achieving what they do. But it's a two-way contact and complacency can drift in to the equation.

I think in this situation I would expect not to pay. I may not be working at the moment but eight trips into town with the bike, eight to collect, tube journeys to and from....it adds up. It's not like I have nothing to do.

Capriccio The 120 miles out shouldn't be too bad but what about the 70 back? I hope it's dry.

120k is the distance I've been doing on weekends. Not 120mi. There will be no 70mi return on my bike! :S
You are welcome to ride home of course :)

Heh. We were discussing it at the weekend. It's just 60 miles back though, not 70. It depends how I feel.

I'm booked to see Cornelius play at the Royal Festival Hall in the evening, so if I get into Canterbury by 3pm and the coaches don't leave until a lot later... I'll be attempting to cycle back to be sure I make the gig.

Missus checked on the website.

Praise be, we are off in one of the first waves.

Say Hello as you pass us. Ill be on a Sunday Ti looking hot and sweaty. The missus is on a Condor with V12's and trainers (its the only condor that youll see doing the run with DH pedals im sure)

Are you going to be in club strips or anything?

Oh.

Me. No.

Her. Condor Tri team strip. Orange and blue.

I think we got early start places by the virtue of filling out the forms with joke team names. I always compete under Team Monkey Knife Fight after the funniest episode of the simpsons where 2 monkeys are having a knife fight on a pirate ship whilst homer looks on loving it. The missus was something like Monkey hangers for life, no animal cruelty, just that the night before I had been telling her about the good people of hartlepool hanging a monkey because they thought he was a spaniard, it tickled her.

David, will you be in a kit?

London Dynamo... looks something like this:

(Taken from the London Dynamo forum Race Face thread - this is Tom)

lardy I always compete under Team Monkey Knife Fight after the funniest episode of the simpsons where 2 monkeys are having a knife fight on a pirate ship whilst homer looks on loving it.

That ep. was on the other night! :)

Can you choose to leave in an earlier wave?

Croydon Cycle Works - red, black, yellow and sweat coloured

Oh no, we have a winner:

Nice.

Thats the sort of look i'll be pulling after about 80 miles!

I'll keep an eye out.

Hippy

On the website it says you have to leave in the wave you are given.

Im sure a quick call to the organisers mentioning an early train home from canterbury might do the trick.

Its a good episode of the simpson isnt it.

Also seems to suggest you can turn up at an earlier time:

Can I start the ride at the same time as my mates? If you haven't been allocated a start time with your colleague, friend or partner, don't worry! Just turn up at the earlier start time and we will let you start together.

I'm doing this fixed too. A bit concerned by my lack of preparation but committed to doing it. Frighteningly its less than three weeks away!! eek

Jimmy

Fair play. You must have knees of steel or possibly jelly. Jelly may be more comfy.

I'll give you a shout of encouragement as you pass me. 3 weeks is not long is it. Given im meant to be tapering for the week leading up as well. Not forgetting the works p!ss up on the thursday before to.

That's good to hear...i don't expect to be passing too many people ;-)