Club Ride Saturday 29th November 2014

Some of the riders preparing to leave the Relish Cafe

Ten riders assembled outside of the Jackdaws Café on what was an exceptionally sunny morning. We were very pleased to welcome Leigh, who lives in France and is staying in Malmesbury for a few weeks. Leigh is a member of his local cycling club, Monein CC. The basis of a twining association between our two clubs perhaps?

Having just made a new friend, we were unexpectedly reunited with an old one (in the long-standing sense) in the form of Gary who was kindly keeping the gate open for us after we’d cycled across the bypass at the top of Blicks Hill.

With our intended destination just a short hop away, we quickly settled into a fairly relaxed pace. Conversation in the peloton soon turned to who was up for adding on some extra miles on the ride home. The unseasonal weather just seemed too good to waste. When the route was chosen some weeks ago we never envisaged it being so fine.

Arriving at the Relish Café we found Dynamo Mike and Maureen already in residence. With no tables big enough to seat 13 of us, some rearranging of the furniture was required.

If you happened to be sitting on the wrong side of the tables, as I was, the strong sunlight across the lake was absolutely blinding even with my sunglasses on.

Who's who in Wind in the Willows?

With tickets to see Saturday evening's performance of Toad of Toad Hall at St Mary's Hall, Malmesbury by the Athelstan Players, I couldn't help thinking that our watery surroundings fitted in well. With my imagination running out of control, I even began to wonder who among us would best fit the role of the four main characters; Toad, Mr Badger, Water Rat and Mole. The vacant positions of Mr Badger and Mole were easily filled, but I struggled to cast the other two.

Meanwhile, back on planet reality, with cake and hot drinks of choice consumed, we sorted ourselves out into our various groups, as some riders had domestic commitments and lunch engagements to attend to.  

A group of 6 rode a 28 mile course which took us over to Minchinhampton Common, down the ‘W’ into Nailsworth, up to Avening and back to Malmesbury via Star Lane, Newnton Hill and Long Newnton. 

This was the third consecutive week of ideal cycling conditions. The long range forecast for next Saturday is sunny again. Rallying calls are very much Howard's department, but if he'll forgive this intrusion, lets get as many as possible out on the road again next week. The Angel Cafe at Sherston is a great venue and there's two circular routes to choose from. You'll only regret it if you don't, particularly when the weather turns and we're confined to barracks.

Garmin references: 
http://connect.garmin.com/course/7371027 (Outward leg)
http://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/8436097 (Return leg)

Sportive, Track Racing and Cyclocross with Max

First up was the Castles and Cathedrals sportive in October. Horrible weather, very windy, 94 racing miles (101 including ride to and from the start), 6300ft climbing. I went away with a front group from the start, and me and another quickly whittled it down to just the two of us. We did approximately 35 miles together into Brecon, but he then dropped me on a horrible 20% climb, that I was ridiculously over geared for. That left me with 30 miles to cycle by myself back to Cardiff. I was on the brink of a bonk for the last 20 miles, and had nothing to give when I was overtaken into 3rd place with 2 miles to go! Still, a third place finish with an overall time of 5.30 for the full distance and a massive baked potato to celebrate.

I've then been doing a number of track sessions with a local team, which culminated in me gaining my indoor velodrome accreditation in November. This means that I can race on the Newport, Manchester and London velodromes. It's essentially a driving test, making sure that you're safe and able to race but it's quite intensive, so we had to pick it up quickly. Despite having done the accreditation, it still feels like a big step up to racing, so I'm planning a few more sessions with the team to learn the race structures/formats before taking the plunge.

And finally, on Sunday just gone, I raced at round 8 of the Welsh Cyclocross league in Pembrey. I've raced CX before, taking third place in a southern counties championship when I was 15, but that was the last time I'd raced! I was really excited to get back into it though, as it's a discipline which really suits my mountain bike background. CX is always a very short, sharp affair - never much longer than an hour, and on a course which is largely flat but constantly causing you to slow down and accelerate, via short hills, sharp corners and obstacles which you have to dismount to get over. The Pembrey course is held over sand dunes, so is quite fast and dry but not massively grippy. It was a record turn out on Sunday with 164 starters - current pros, ex pros, elite, cat 1,2,3,4's and complete novices - they throw you all in together! Magnus Backsted was racing, Ed Laverack (Rapha Condor Sharp) and a couple of others... It was an absolutely blast - the course was brilliant; technical, testing and with only one dismount. The results have just come out, and I finished 48th of 155 finishers - a little further back than I was hoping for, but all things considered - not a terrible result! Next round is on the 14th December, just up the road from here so really looking forward to that.

Ted & Alice's Bike Fit - Bike Science, Bristol

A short story for fellow Clarions. 

On Saturday Alice and I went for a bike fit at Bike Science in Bristol.  We elected for the Retul fit which uses 3d camera technology to take measurements dynamically whilst you ride your bike. It's not cheap but it is supposed to be very effective.  

The fitter, Andy, was really friendly and informative and set us at our ease. Alice pushed off for a couple of hours while I was fitted and then we swapped over. My bike was set up on a turbo trainer which was of the type which does not use the rear wheel and automatically adjusts to maintain a constant power level. Next, questions were asked and some measurements taken. These were static and dynamic. 

The Retul system uses an infrared LED system which can image in 3d thereby surfing the lateral movement of your limbs and body. To do this little Velcro discs are placed on your elbows, shoulders, knees and shoes. Recordings and measurements are taken from left, right and front and the figures gathered are compared to the system's database and show if you fit within the parameters of what Retul think you should be. 

Importantly, Andy said that it was more his fitting skills that would determine the final fit than the ideal set by Retul. 

Cleats were renewed on my shoes, I was placed on a massage table to asses my physical differences from the ideal. All the time Andy was asking questions and finding out all he could about problems after rides, pain in knees, back problems, ride lengths, average speeds and everything else to do with my cycling. 

I went for the fit as a result of a severe back problem this autumn which ended up with me having to take a long time off work and spend 2 weeks lying on the floor with agonising sciatica. I was sure the stiffness in my lower back was caused by having to stretch too far for the hoods and was sure that a shorter stem would be the solution. First my saddle was moved BACK and a SHORTER  stem was fitted. I was stretched out further!  

The pedals were pushed further out using 10mm spacers and some very thin wedges were placed between the cleats and the sole of the shoes. Andy explained that I need to improve my core strength so I can ride with softer arms and a more natural curve in my spine. This would mean a complete change in posture on the bike and some exercises to improve my abdominal fitness.  

So what does it all feel like? Today we both went for a ride, just doing a lap of the circuit to see how we felt. I was impressed, my shoulders felt more relaxed, my lower back felt better after the ride and I felt as if I had more power during the ride. Alice commented that I was more relaxed in the arms and that my legs were tracking more up and down with less lateral movement. She also said there was less movement in my hips and trunk, though my shoulders are still moving about.  

Alice, on the other hand, found her bike less comfortable and lacked power on the ride. She thought her back felt sore after the ride but is willing to persevere with this to see if it's just the new position which is causing temporary discomfort. 

Overall I felt well looked after and that I received the services of an expert bike fitter with years of experience. Andy is a keen cyclist himself and explains everything he does as he goes along. Would I recommend this type of fitting?  Well assuming the improvements to my comfort continue then yes, I would. Andy did not flog me anything without consultation and was informative, helpful and took his time. The whole process for 2 of us took 5 hours and at no time did we feel as if we were being pushed through or hurried.

http://www.bike-science.com/pages/precision-bike-fitting

Club Ride Saturday 22nd November 2014

Just for those who might be thinking of growing a beard this winter

I happened to be in a showhouse earlier this week. These palaces of perfection come stuffed with more scatter cushions than you could use in a lifetime. Of course it’s all carefully staged so that you want to buy into their utopian world of elegance and sophistication. What took my interest most was a bicycle themed bedroom. A glossy cycling magazine casually placed on top of the bedside cabinet, curiously had a large magnifying glass fashioned out of a bike chain resting on the cover. Hung on one wall was a wheel minus its tyre, which looked as though it might have come off of an old fashioned pram rather than a bike.  Still, I dare say it all fitted in with the interior designer’s idea of what every cycling enthusiast is looking for in a bedroom. At one time the room would have been themed around motor racing or golf, but interior designers know what’s hot. The thing is we Clarions do what we do, because that’s who we are and not because it happens to be in fashion. And, we’ll still be doing it when the circus has packed up and left town, whenever that might be.

With the big top still standing tall and not a clown in sight (the last bit is debatable), five of us set off on Saturday’s club ride to Toomers Garden Centre at Lydiard Millicent. This proved to be an ideal window of opportunity, as we managed to make it there and back in the dry. The mild weather ensured that the only moisture we had to contend with was that generated by our own body heat.

After a pleasant ride across the Dauntsey Vale, we climbed Chesley Hill at Grittenham up to Tockenham and rode eventually around to Royal Wootton Bassett, where there was an enforced stop to fix a puncture.

We're still going al fresco in late November!

Whilst Toomers might lack the ambience of some of the cafes we visit, this is more than compensated for by the extremely reasonable prices; decent slices of homemade cake are just £1.50 and the obliging staff who allow us to wheel our bikes through the shop and café. The temperature inside the café is always blisteringly hot and so we chose to sit outside.

We lingered over our refreshments in case Mike and Maureen were trying to find us, but when it seemed unlikely that they’d still be coming, we left in close formation, led by Howard and trundled off to Purton.

Having enjoyed the exhilarating descent at Pavenhill, we settled into a comfortable pace back to Malmesbury.

Garmin reference: http://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/6278192

Thursday's Lunchtime Meet at The Angel Cafe, Sherston

Fellowship is Life - National Clarion Cycling Club Motto 

A superb effort on Thursday saw a record 9 riders enjoying their food and drinks at The Angel Cafe, Sherston. All records are there to be broken and so hopefully we'll be able to set another one for this popular activity in the not too distant future.

I'm grateful to our roving correspondent (Andy Poolman) who was on hand to capture the occasion.

The best bit is that this is a weekly event, so if you missed all the fun last week, there's another chance to join in this Thursday.

If you fancy something seasonal when visiting, I can definitely recommend the large mince pies.

Club Rides Saturday 15th November 2014

Our invitation to 'Vintage Heaven' at The Organic Farm Shop

For the first and quite possibly the last time ever, on Saturday the members split into two groups and went in entirely different directions. As you'll be aware, where possible, we normally offer a short and a long route to the same destination. However, on this occasion, avoiding main roads, we couldn't shorten the 49.79 mile Bibury course.

And so it was that 5 of us headed northwards to the Cotswolds whilst an equal number rode in a southerly direction. As yet, I haven't spoken to Howard to find out where they went, but there was mention of an excursion to the Allington Farm Shop as Mike, Steve, Heather and Ewan didn't go there the week before.

I'd like to be able to tell you about the glorious views we enjoyed in the Cotswolds, but sadly the fog didn't lift until the afternoon, by which time we were well on our way back home.

Some may beg to differ, but I think I just about managed to deliver the promised hill-free course. Admittedly some of the ascents came pretty close.

We opted to pass on the Chedworth Farm Shop experience, reached after 24 miles. I'd thrown it in as an option in case anyone was flagging, but it was never a serious contender. On a previous outing, not on a club run, my homemade soup had the consistency of sludge and the milk for my tea arrived with fat floating on the surface.

Having clocked up around 34 miles we arrived at the Organic Farm Shop just outside of Cirencester. A schoolboy error on my part was there for all to see. During the planning stage I'd failed to check if any events were taking place at the venue. A charity bazaar was in full swing which included a female vocalist, and very good she was too. We took our seats to her rendition of 'Hey Big Spender.' A very appropriate number for those members who currently have new bikes on order.

Disappointingly, hot drinks and cake were being dispensed from a temporary counter. This meant that the usual selection of coffees wasn't available. Cake was on the expensive side. Proceeds were being donated to various charities and so we tempered our grumbles. The table serving as a counter might have been because the coffee machine wasn't working. Phil appeared to have got to the root of the issue, but with the singer's volume control needing some slight adjustment, I couldn't hear a word he said. Refills would probably have been in order, but drowned out by the lively atmosphere, we cut short our visit.

Having safely negotiated Cirencester's town centre, something we tend to avoid, we enjoyed the last leg back to Malmesbury, particularly when the sun burst forth after Oaksey.

Garmin reference: http://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/8363954

Bits and Pieces

2014 Sunday Ride Series

As promised, certificates are in the process of being sent out to all those members who participated in the 2014 Sunday Ride Series. The named certificates, individually signed by Howard, record the accumulated miles ridden during the course of the series. Incomplete rides or miles spent off-piste, are not included.

A huge thank you to everyone who took part and made this so successful. 

There was a tie for the member who rode the most miles. The joint winners were Tim H and Tim W. Both have elected not to claim their half-share prize of free membership for 2015.

Please find the link to the final positions on the leader board:

http://malmesburyclarion.weebly.com/sunday-rides.html

ForceGB

ForceGB who make and supply our club kit are presently being helped by Danial Webb from Audax UK to launch their new website.

There is now an Audax UK club shop page on ForceGB's website.

http://forcegb.cc/product-category/audax-uk/

Hopefully the club shop facility will be extended to other cycling clubs. Also, being able to view and pay online would certainly simplify the ordering process. Impsport, a rival cycle clothing manufacturer, prevent unauthorised access to their club shops by requiring a club password. It'll be interesting to see how things develop.

Thursday Lunch-Time Meet-Up

Judging by the warning on the BBC weather web site, anyone venturing out on their bike was in for some really bad conditions. However, knowing that there was very likely to be any number* of fellow members at the Angel Café at 12 noon, I felt it incumbent on me not to let them down by wimping out.

Weather warnings notwithstanding, I set out with plenty of time to go. Epic is not the word to describe my ride, mainly because it wasn’t any such thing. As so often is the case when expecting bad weather, my ride was a bit blustery and it did drizzle a bit, but on the whole I was able to ride without a waterproof on. It started to drizzle about 3 miles from Sherston and at that point, I donned my water proof. I took my time and had to take care because some of the roads were fairly muddy, nothing really dangerous though. Although I had left fairly early, the route I had set myself took slightly longer to complete than anticipated and, unfortunately I arrived a bit late at the café.  Somehow I managed to miss the other riders! Never mind! I had a very enjoyable coffee and cake and went on my way. In all I managed just under 30 miles, well worth the effort, if you ask me.

And there was no puddle under my seat when I left the café.

*any number includes zero in this case.

Howard

Club Ride Saturday 8th November 2014

A quintet of Clarions convened this morning at the Allington Farm Shop.

Reference to the BBC’s on-line weather forecast revealed that the SN16 postcode area was in for 5 hours of heavy rain starting at 9.00am. Working on the basis that the weather is never as bad as predicted, I decided to give it a go.

I’d arranged to be at my mum’s house in Chippenham at 10.00am to meet a plumber who was going to quote for a new bathroom suite. Together with Mark, I rode out of Malmesbury at around 8.40am. The plan was to take the most direct route to my mum’s and once the plumber had finished, to ride past the Allington Farm Shop until we met those taking the longer route coming in the opposite direction.

Once on the Foxley Road we were buffeted by a lively headwind, but the rain was definitely of the light variety and by no means heavy. Strangely, the sky over Chippenham showed some promise of improvement. Perhaps I should have checked the SN14 postcode area as well.

Domestic matters at my mum’s concluded we went straight to the Allington Farm Shop to check in case there were any early arrivals. With no bikes in sight, we embarked on a course through Biddestone and out towards Yatton Keynell. After a couple of false alarms when advancing cyclists turned out not to be Clarions, and with the rain shifting into the heavy category, we abandoned our search and sought refuge at the farm shop.

Arriving outside, a pair of Chas Roberts’ frames and a bike I recognised as Phil’s, told me that he was inside with Howard and Dave. Having reached the counter, I glanced back towards the entrance door and to my horror I saw a trail of puddles leading up to where we were standing.  It was at this point that a flurry of staff armed with paper towels began fussing around and two signs were erected warning people about the slippery floor.

With the rain now lashing it down outside, we were in no hurry to leave. The completion of a second round of coffees and a large pot of tea coincided with an unexpected appearance by the sun. 

Aided by a strong tailwind we enjoyed a pleasant trip back to Malmesbury.

News Round-Up

Saturday Club Rides

On Saturday we were delighted to extend a very warm Clarion welcome to Steve, Heather and their son Ewan for their first ride with us. We look forward to many more outings with them.

Steve and Heather were riding their tandem, making a valuable addition to our varied and interesting stable of bikes.

Two groups rode to the Wickwar Coffee Shop. The return journey is one of our hillier rides and so this Saturday's excursion to the Allington Farm Shop, just outside of Chippenham, is a timely counter-balance, as both routes there and back are very flat.

The calendar page on the website has the Garmin links which are ready for viewing and downloading. As far as possible, we intend to maintain a programme of rides and if you use the below link you'll be able to see where we're heading over the next few weeks.

http://malmesburyclarion.weebly.com/calendar.html

MCCC Blog

After Howard led the way with his pioneer blogging, the blog in its current form came to life on 9th November 2013. With the anniversary fast approaching, I thought you might be interested in some facts and figures from the last year. (If this doesn't send you off to sleep, then nothing will). 

Including this one, there have been 90 blog updates to clutter your tidy in-boxes and these have generated 4,959 page views. Reviews of rides are by far the most read with news round-ups and forthcoming events coming a poor second and third. The all-time best read review (60 times) was the one covering Tim H's 103 mile ride in August.

If anyone fancies a spot of blogging, please email your thoughts to me and I'll happily post them on the blog. As long as they're cycling related, then virtually anything goes.

Mid-week Daytime Ride

Just a reminder that the second mid-week ride takes place on Thursday after the roaring success of the first.

To keep things simple the destination will be the same every week and the time to arrive there will be the same too. For now the idea is to meet  at The Angel Café in Sherston at 12.00 noon for coffee, or if you feel like it, lunch. They are very cyclist friendly and bikes can be parked safely.

It is not intended that we meet up before at a particular time to ride there together, more that we arrive at the destination at the same time. So how you get there and how far you go is up to you. If you want to arrange to meet others to form a group, that is up to you too. Keeping the destination close allows those who haven’t got much time to still pop out to join the fun. Also if the weather turns unfavourable we will not be far from home.