Tuesday Night Ride Club (TNRC)

I am hurting right now Des... In a good way tho.

So is that confirmed as 22nd June EJ5H (very hilly), and then 6th July WGC

don't know about the first one. a bit more feedback would be appreciated

happy to backstop eventually, no that I have better choice; only dry!

Was Reading 09: tika mentioned the descends.I Ioved the hills but the longer the ride went the more I got tired of descending. And there are massive potholes. So I am definitely up for it. But I would not want to do it to be done as much for kicks like yesterday.

This refers to doing bits of the route during the day last week.

Descending's one of those skills that improves with practice. TBH, people probably hit max speeds last night similar to those they'll get in Surrey; except in Surrey, you'll need judicious 'feathering' of the brakes.

And, as ever, people will be expected to point out potholes (or verbally alert other riders), particularly if they're on the front of a group or sub-group.

PS. The rabbits last night were potentially as hazardous as any potholes.

yes, i saw it, they were rabbits or sub-rabbits?

don't know about the first one. a bit more feedback would be appreciated

C'mon Tim, let's get back into those Surrey Hills.

personally sam , i'm more than happy to call it surrey just because you want to. so surrey it is

Let's have some descending tips:

General

• relax
  
• grip the bars where you feel most secure/in control - firm, but not tense
  
• brake by pumping the lever, instead of holding it constantly 'on' i.e. scrub speed in 10 to 20 metre bursts
  
• progressive braking: don't grab at the lever, but gradually increase pressure if needed (even emergency stops involve progressive braking over a very short period of time)
  
• brake before corners, not in them (but if you misjudge and really have to brake in the corner, use an extremely light touch on the lever)
  
• try to use a 'racing line' i.e. don't enter the corner right on the inside, and start your turn later to cut across the apex
  
• keep your centre of gravity low, and to the rear; arse back, elbows bent and low
  
• relax
  
  

Group

• let the line of riders string out more than on the flat
  
• if passing, try to do it on the straight, and decisively, with enough time to brake before a corner if necessary
  
• if having to pass on/near a bend, tell the rider you're coming past, and say 'on your right' or 'keep left' or something similar
  
• if you've lost contact on a descent, try to make up ground as the descent flattens out: the quicker you get back on someone's wheel, the quicker you can recover in their slipstream
  
• pass on any messages (shout loudly) about people stopping for junctions, patches of gravel, other hazards
  
  

Fixed

• you might need to scoot back in the saddle whilst spinning quickly, to maintain a rearward weight balance (practise this on the flat from time to time)
  
• if the high cadence feels too much, trying progressively pushing it (a bit like the braking thing), by 'sprinting into the spin' for a few seconds, then relaxing - you get a sort of adaptation; but if you reach your cadence threshold, start using the front brake in bursts to regain control/comfort
  
• a more scissor-kick pedalling style (rather than up-down, you go forwards-backwards) works for some people in high cadence situations
  
• pedalstrike is very unlikely, but best try to keep the bike fairly upright in corners, and steer by moving your shoulders to the inside
  
  

Geared

• your front brake still does most of the work
  
• be wary of grabbing too much rear brake in corners; it's worth setting the cable tension looser than the front brake to avoid this
  
• steer with your hips; unlike the fixeurs, you've got loads of body manoeuvrability, and can move your arse (subtly) to the inside whilst coasting - it's much more stable than the shoulders thing you have to do with fixed (and much more fun)
  
• use your 'air brake' on shallower descents: sitting up to catch the wind can work better than your rear brake
  
  

Traffic

Never tailgate a motorised vehicle downhill. Their brakes are waaaaaaay better than ours, and they might have to slam them on for all kinds of reasons.

That's probably most of it.

personally sam , i'm more than happy to call it surrey just because you want to. so surrey it is

Bless ya, cock.

i think you mean that in a northern use of the word

No he doesn't. It's in lieu of the blowjob you didn't get.

The comma is the important part in that sentence.

I think.

nice work bmmf. i nearly went flying when we were descending as I was chatting away to mash and had to slam the brakes to avoid wiping marco and myself out. matt then did some odd multiple bunny hop [skillz] and I locked up my rear wheel ending up in an awkward skid stop. my bike handling is rusty i must admit.

Well it seems this route is down the Whitedown anyway and thankfully up that hill into/out of Dorking. And the short route to the pub is up the Whitedown again should madness prevail.

sam doesn't have to pay me back for my gf's neglect.

Well it seems this route is down the Whitedown anyway and thankfully up that hill into/out of Dorking. And the short route to the pub is up the Whitedown again should madness prevail.

ecsactly

i am looking forward to the surrey hills. and the sorry excuses being reeled out on the day.

those hills are beautiful.

Quite apt too that the TNRC should return to it's roots on the longest day.

is walking up whitedown allowed?

finally. surrey is back on the menu!

Doesn't go up Whitedown...