2010-10-10 - Spectators Ride - Catford Hill Climb

I'll be going down. JAMIE and another club mate is riding it and we'll be riding over. See you all down there. I'll be geared and wearing bright orange VC Elan club kit.

Hmm. 30 miles. That's quite far on a tandem with a 6 yr old stoker. We may schlep over to CP for a bacon butty though.

I'm getting the train out to Sevenoaks and then riding slowly for 20 odd miles to get the train back from East Grinstead.

Here's the route

You're welcome to join.

^ 09.23h or 09.38h? This is a good idea Sean.

Not sure yet.

No offense, but I'd rather travel out on my own, pre-race I can be a bit irritable.

Glad for the company on the post HC recovery ride though. But I'll get dropped if anyone wants to ride faster than 12mph average.

No offense, but I'd rather travel out on my own, pre-race I can be a bit irritable.

Race face? For a 4 minute hill climb.. Bless.. :-)

Not sure I get you. Nerves are nerves whether a 50 mile road race or one little hill.

I was almost offended by the 4 minutes, but that's probably pretty accurate this year.

Brave, if you haven't ridden up Yorks Hill, I suggest that you resist comments like that. It is really horrid.

My personal record is three attempts, no completions. My first attemmpt was my closest. I fell off a few metres from the top in a near dead state.

I've ridden it many times Clive. I've raced it as well. 3 minutes something.

just saying

You are racing; good news there! So which train will I have to avoid?

Not sure yet Ludwig, we may well be on the same train. It's no big deal... and I can't be certain if I'm racing yet or not, I'm doing a 70% effort recce this afternoon. If my hamstring hurts afterwards I won't be doing it.

I've ridden it many times Clive. I've raced it as well. 3 minutes something.

just saying

Inhuman nutter.

My personal record is three attempts, no completions. My first attemmpt was my closest. I fell off a few metres from the top in a near dead state.

It is a brute though Clive..

I'm doing a 70% effort recce this afternoon.

If I did a 70% recce I wouldn't even make it 20yds past the start line.

Hope your hammy feels good enough for Sunday.

Not sure I can make it over, already out all day on the L2B, the missus would go ballistic if I went out again on Sunday morning.

Brave, add 30kg to your body weight.. THEN it's a brute, you skinny bastard.

^ you have a point

But I do only ever ride it in the big ring

Brave, add 30kg to your body weight.. THEN it's a brute, you skinny bastard.

Subtract over a minute from his time, and then it's a brute.

I relate to Sean's pre-race request, incidentally :/

Subtract over a minute from his time, and then it's a brute.

I relate to Sean's pre-race request, incidentally :/

2 Mins up Yorks would be a brute I totally agree

I'm just lucky I don't suffer from nerves before a race.

But we are only talking about the Catford Hill not the world champs..

Sub-2 is a brute, but I've only managed that once :p

It's the oldest fucking cycling race in the world, init. Not some johnny-come-lately event like the World Champs.

Sub-2 is a brute, but I've only managed that once :p

genuine respect

On a slight aside, what's the thoughts on the "pros" doing it and potentially taking all the prize money from the amateurs..

There was a bit of a hoo-hah about it in '07, mainly because Team Blue Sky (?) (Fleeman, Clarke, and A.N. Other) formed very shortly before the Bec, specifically to turn up and grab the £900 team prize.

In some ways, it gives the event kudos and marketing power, and if riding a bike is your job, it's understandable that you look for 'overtime' opportunities.

It would probably be good for non-HC TTs as well, as far as keeping the sport alive and buoyant, but perhaps pros should have a separate prize list...?

PS. I was riding fixed, and only really keen to be the first of those up the hills (mission accomplished), but I might've been more vexed if I was amongst the club rider's geared elite, like Bell and Gough etc.

PPS. I'm seeing my Auntie Joan on Sunday, so won't be there, but good luck to all lfgssers taking part.

i like the idea of the pro's doing it as well. makes me feel like i'm 'too big' to be any good at hill climbing and therefore i have a valid reason for my time on the day.
i'm tossing up riding down but if i leave will leave at 8 SHARP at smithfields and keeping consistent pace.

do you need club affiliation or can i just turn up on the day?