2013-06-09 - London Ditchling Devil 200km Audax

Great pics ed!

Spot the knob pushing the pace on the 50km tt..

Still can't work out how I managed to lose you guys within the first 1km.

Jimbo had to go back to the start to recover his glasses, then got a puncture after about 40k. Standard!

If you wanna keep your riding partner, you gotta put a ring on them.

Right, I seem to be recovering now after what for me was a brutal ride. I didn't quite embrace what an audax is supposed to be about I don't think as I ended up beasting the whole thing with 3 paragon riders. So on the plus side it was over very quickly, but on the downside I am in pain today. I feel good for it though. Bumped into Hamatt on a small hill at the beginning and then edscoble on what looked like a awesome bike sporting a large camera over his shoulder a little bit further up. Didn't see anyone else though :(

Anyways, in case you're interested, here is my effort
http://app.strava.com/activities/59290459?ref=1MT1yaWRlX3NoYXJlOzI9dHdpdHRlcjs0PTMyNTk5NA%253D%253D #strava

Gee, thank;

I can't believe you stopped to take a photo here!!!

^ Tough place to get going again!
must have walked the rest of the hill?

Loved the ride! Hamstrings are a little tight today, but pleased with a 16.5mph average over the whole thing.

^ Tough place to get going again!
must have walked the rest of the hill?

30/24 with a massive handlebar bag helped, and I live for hill.

Another one that didn't make the cut due to not being able to get it all in one shot (ALL DOWN FROM HERE);

Loved the ride! Hamstrings are a little tight today, but pleased with a 16.5mph average over the whole thing.

Mine's tight too, 16.5mph is an impressive speed for a very hilly ride.

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That was a super fun ride after a sketchy start. The food control points were great, hug thanks to everyone going out of their way to put those on.

Will definitely be doing it again next year.

^ Tough place to get going again!
must have walked the rest of the hill?

Riding fixed lots means you get lots of practice starting again on steep sections; and I generally only walk on bits 17% plus.

And it's a lot easier starting with my 34/29 lowest gear on the Wilier compared to my usual 46/18 if I was riding fixed. Must have stopped 8 or so times on Combe Lane as my legs were fucked.

I thought Tongdean Lane was the hardest as it's pretty much a straight climb compared to Combe and Ditchling.

Had a little mechanical just when I start the ascend on Tongdean due to my ineptly of shifting the derailleur the wrong direction to 11t rather than 24t.

That's my friend Mayuko's Feather.
Fucking lovely bike.

It is very lovely, Ricky really did put a lots of though in the geometry as it look well proportional.

Very surprised it didn't have bottle cage mount despite looking like a sportif bike.

^ out of curiosity what is the height of the rider?

That's my friend Mayuko's Feather.
Fucking lovely bike.

It is very lovely, Ricky really did put a lots of though in the geometry as it look well proportional.

Very surprised it didn't have bottle cage mount despite looking like a sportif bike.

^ out of curiosity what is the height of the rider?

She's tiny, about 5ft ish, but she is longer in the body then she is in the leg.

Interesting frame actually.
It's got track ends and she ran it fixed for a couple of years, but had it built with all the necessary guide, bosses and hangers so it could always turn into ^that.

I have been trying to persuade her to go for saddle mounted bottles, TT style rather then the strap on.

Is a saddle mounted bottle cages easier/better than the downtube one?

She's tiny, about 5ft ish, but she is longer in the body then she is in the leg.

Interesting frame actually.
It's got track ends and she ran it fixed for a couple of years, but had it built with all the necessary guide, bosses and hangers so it could always turn into ^that.

PERFECT frame for my missus but don't want to spend Feather money as she is going to have to lock it outside work; bravo Ricky!

Is a saddle mounted bottle cages easier/better than the downtube one?

Dunno about ease, but there is something a bit inelegant about the strap on DT cage.

The old style one would work;

Or handlebar;

Both Velo Orange.

the ride was just 100km too long for me, almost cracked from Devil's Dyke to checkpoint 3, thanks KT Bee (and the gang of 4 men) for pulling at the front in the headwind. finished minutes before the Roehampton cafe closes, complete knackered.
expecting to starting appreciating the randonneur aspect of audax next time.

I was one of the guys handing out the cards at the start. From 7.45 to 8.00 was a bit of a blur as there were so many cards to hand out and questions to answer, but the rest of the time I got a chance to look at the bikes and was suprised at how few fixies I spotted.

It was nice to see a younger crowd on an audax, it's unfair that we old farts generally get the advantage of cracking organised rides at low cost.

Oh hai.

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Matt From SWRC is fittie, I'm the Willesden fattie

Oh hai.

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no not that one - he's Paul the organiser - I was across the table with my head chopped off - from Matt