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There is a map and description of the course on the Hounslow & District Wheelers web site. Go to the club events page and click on HCC001. The next club 25 on the course will be Good Friday next year, but you are invited to the club hill climb (same page)
You are right to say it looks painful, but these pictures were all taken near the top of Hawthorn Hill - the hardest climb. Dave French (yellow top in photo) proved that in spite of the hills it is possible to do a competitive ride on this course on fixed.
I included the other two pictures because I thought they made an interesting contrast. The young rider was taking part in his first competitive event, the rider in the white top is Jeff Marshall whose first race was over half a century ago. Jeff started his career with the legendary Calleva Road Club(disbanded 1956), and is almost certainly the only ex member still capable of 25+mph rides.
Anyone who is familiar with results of 'important' events may wonder what Wouter Sybrandy is doing in this humble club 25, and if he was there why didn't he win it? Did he stop for a cup of tea half way round? For those who don't see the results I'll just mention that Wouter (we know him as Walter) is an Elite category roadman who has been a sponsored rider with the Sigma Sport team this year, and has had some good results including a stage win in the Surrey League Five Day. His last TT performance was in the British Cycling Time Trial Championship where he came second to Michael Hutchinson.
Answer: Wouter started his career with the Hounslow when he arrived from Holland, and he retains his second claim membership. When I asked him about his ride he told me that he had ridden out to the event from his home in Berkhampstead (a 60 mile round trip) He said he hadn't managed to ride much recently and wanted to get the maximum value out of his Sigma Sport team issue road bike which he was due to hand back the next day. A pretty adequate explanation, I'd say. -
Come on clubman.. add a link.. don't make us dig.. here 'tis..
http://www.hounslowanddistrictwheelers.co.uk/hcc001_description.html
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Hounslow & District Wheelers Autumn Club 25
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From a field of thirty there were three riders on fixed - not too bad on what most would describe as a hilly course.(Sunday 12.10.08)
Of the three, only one took things seriously - David French (Weybridge Wheelers) who recorded 1.3.12. on 86" fixed to take fourth place overall. Fastest was Rob Gilmour with 1.1.02.
These times may sound old fashioned, but the morning was cold and foggy: Rob did 58.47 on the course in May and his form seems to have improved since then, so to be within about two minutes of his time can't be bad. David tells me he has done his best 10 on fixed this year - 22.32 on the Horsham course (G10/57), although he more often uses gears for 25 miles. He was surprised how fast he went on Sunday, while many others, who'd used gears, were disappointed with their speed. If anyone is interested there is a report on the Hounslow web site, forum section. There is a picture of David available, but it won't upload at the moment - I'll try later.