Tnrc 2013

Beautiful ride, seeing the sun set over the fields was great. Thanks to Des, Matt and the big guy on the front who looked like a viking for keeping us together.

And those temp loghts scared me as the rate at which they were changing implied a minimum speed of abour 60mph to clear the roadworks!

Thing about backlights is you ain't in the best position to judge how yours is affecting the riders behind, so please don't get offended if someone has a word with you about your light and equally, please don't be shy to tell someone if their backlight is giving you grief.

I have retinal burn from the light on the back of your helmet.

and anal burn from being dropped going through the temp traffic lights on that mild incline.

true story.

I try not to switch that one on until I'm on the cusp of dropping everybody* ;)

TBH, I was going to jump that fucking red if it hadn't changed as we got near it, mainly because you could argue that it was green when you started the climb, but you couldn't get past the roadworks during the sequence (and there were no cars coming). And because sometimes you've just got to stick it to the man.

*I'll think about what might work as a mini diffuser though - don't think tape's going to have enough purchase as it's basically like a black pastic nano Walnut Whip the size of a pencil eraser.

[quote=;][/quote]
Actually, I've got it tethered with a weird DIY rubber o-ring arrangement, so I suppose I'll just keep it unplugged until the solo ride home or whatever. Occam's razor, FTW.

Thanks for bringing it to my attention, BTW.

(what light is it that you have on the back of your helmet?)
(trying to keep abreast of lighting changes)

For the sprint I stuck my rear on steady-flash-flash-steady. It's quite bright (Hope District+), but hopefully angled down enough?
The front (Hope Vision 2) I just whacked up to full as it was mostly an open road ahead of me. If I'm blinding people I'd like to be told!

(what light is it that you have on the back of your helmet?)
(trying to keep abreast of lighting changes)

It's the redeye micro that plugs into the smart port of Exposure lights:

Ah... all is brightly illuminated.

[quote=;][/quote]
I've got their very bright redeye that runs off the front light (via a long cable), but I mainly use that for solo rides in the winter, particularly when there's low sun, usually on my way home after setting out before dawn. Even then I tend to mount it on the seat-tube, semi-obscured by the seatstays. It naturally points down a little, so illuminates the brake bridge and rear tyre or mudguard, giving a more diffuse glow.

[quote=;][/quote]
For TNRC I've got a Blackburn Mars 3.0 with some red electrical tape over it, FYI.

My rear is currently a Lezyne femto and/or that Smart Lunar with the group ride setting.

#fuckmeiamdull

While we are on the subject; I'm not a fan of flashing, given the choice I like a nice solid rear.

Duly noted. I should save my modest flashing for when I'm doing it solo, and present my nice solid rear to the group.

Looks like I missed a blinder! Well done folks.

You are probably right.

Are we still talking about rear lights?

Did anyone else plough into the gravel just before the little rise up into Widford on the way back? It was like riding along the fucking beach.

Yep, didn't see it at all and the chaps directly in front and behind me did too. Quite glad I wasn't on the brakes at that point!

I can't really imagine having much more fun on more spectacular summer evening. I'm not sure riding gets much more fun than that. Good chat, great roads and a good dash at the end. 10 out of 10.

^ I swear that's my own photo and not a repost...

Great photo and yeah it was an amazing evening to be out riding!

Thing about backlights is you ain't in the best position to judge how yours is affecting the riders behind, so please don't get offended if someone has a word with you about your light and equally, please don't be shy to tell someone if their backlight is giving you grief.

Hah no offence taken! Hope it wasn't so bad on the non-flash setting.

Really enjoyed the whole thing - thanks all for leading me round and tolerating gears ;)
Hopefully next time I will remember about my carefully prepared water/juice bottles before getting on the train out!

great ride.

As we wait so often for the sun to rise, our eyes begin to fade
Slowly slip in to our daily coffins to sleep our days away.
Because were nite people, we’ll always need nite people for company
Yes we’re nite people there’s no mistake
We’re the only ones awake.

Darkness has that certain kind of magic that creeps into the air .
Daylight also can be so fantastic but the magic won’t be there.
Because were nite people, we’re all at our best, just nite people we’ll still get our rest
and all unwound when the daylight comes around.

Streetlights will show our way down the road when were all alone.
But no light won’t make us afraid when were on our way back home.

Day people find it so very hard to relate to our ways
All they know is were not natural as they begin to start their days
They’re not nite people for what it’s worth

Were nite people it happens from birth.

Are we still talking about rear lights?

Le Rayon Vert.

Vogon megamix

It was a beautiful ride last night with the weather once again favouring the TNRC. I particularly like that run along Brixton Lane, nice mix of technical turns and loose surface keeping you on your toes but with good lines of sight allowing a fair clip to be safely maintained.

Other highlights; The bright red poppies amongst the yellow of the oil seed rape, the lingering sunset that painted every cloud in the sky red and bathed us in a rich golden/orange light, the light mist softening the views across the gently rolling valleys. Tho that last one might just have been my glasses fogging up. It was very sweaty last night, at the first stop it felt like I'd just stepped out of a shower.

It was a pretty well paced ride too, my computer read an average of 17.7mph. I didn't leave enough in the tank to contest the 10 mile "sprint", which was a shame, but on the up side it did mean I got to roll the last few miles with MJ.

17.7mph

YAL didn't believe me when I said this

YAL didn't believe me when I said this

he wasn't maaken the calcoolaytion

^^ That's because I'm not fast.

^ That's because I'm not fast.

tnrc

Real cycling love. So sad I missed yet another Roydon.

YAL didn't believe me when I said this

Doh, I think this now means I have to change the TNRC loyalty discount for the Brooks Swallow above to 17.7% off :-)