The Bugle | Blast 385

Friday 3rd May 2019
Bluebells Edition

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“I’m pedalling my ass off, man!" - William Shatner, ebike cycling at 87

BICYCLIST OF THE WEEK

Bryn Tully was given an emotional send off by family and friends in Addington Village yesterday. A kind, generous man, he touched the lives of many cyclists in the Southern Counties while organising and selflessly marshalling at numerous time trials. Bryn won many of our trophies over the years and was a wonderful asset to the club.

Bryn also (very probably) owns the record for the number of bumps and breakages during his cycling career and is the only member in our club banned from time trialling for six months for cycling, head down, into a group of Hell's Angels leaving much damage to himself and their shiny bikes.

His wife Jan recollected their many happy years together and left us with a very moving tribute to this lovely, warm hearted man and the wonderful family he has left behind. He will be much missed.

BICYCLE OF THE WEEK

Almost 20 years ago, Hannes Neupert, known to his many disciples as the Electric Evangelist, wrote Das Powerbike. In it the German cycling advocate stated that the future of urban transport belonged to electric bikes. He then went on to say that: “Electrification will kill the mechanical bicycle,” and that pedal bikes would become “fossilised cult objects”, like typewriters and record players.

This is a great model with a range between 60 and 90+ miles.
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/apr/14/volt-pulse-ebike-review

It all sounds horrid for the purist cyclists in the Anerley to hear but it is wonderful to have the wind blowing over the scalp as you cycle 15 sweat and traffic jam free miles to work over the Epsom Downs.

If you don't believe ask Captain Kirk!
https://cyclingmagazine.ca/sections/news/william-shatner-credits-e-bikes-for-helping-him-stay-fit-at-87-years-old/

FLOWER TRAIL OF THE WEEK

The wonderful Staffhurst Woods bluebell trails. Admittedly better for walking than cycling but well worth a visit even this weekend if you stay on the north side of Staffhurst Woods Road.

TUESDAY RIDES GOING FORTH

After a brief conflab, Pete Roberts and Tom Vaz have decided to make a start at implementing decisions taken at last week's meeting. We are aiming for three, separate rides on a Tuesday:

A - 0930 start, average pace typically 13-14 mph
B - 1000 start, steady average pace typically 12 mph
C- 1000 start, relaxed pace

The A rides will normally be lead by Tom V and the B+C rides by leaders in a rota. This will require us to train up new leaders as well as asking existing leaders to do a little bit more. If there are two 10am rides at different paces, we need two leaders who know the routes. If the ride destination is deemed too small for a large group of cyclists, we will use different destinations when possible.

Please bear with us as we flex our way into this arrangement and we will all gradually get better at it.

In return you could perhaps:

Volunteer to help as an occasional leader. You only need to know one destination in order to help.
Ride more safely in a group. This is what is causing us the greatest concern.

British Cycling have a number of videos which are worth us all watching:
https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/knowledge/skills/sportives-ridesmart/article/izn20151117-Sportives--Ridesmart--How-to-ride-safely-on-the-road---Ridesmart-0

And for dealing with the the busy traffic around Tesco roundabout and the A 23 this might be useful:
How to filter in traffic. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNr762i9oQU

A THURSDAY RIDE FOR STRUGGLERS AND STRAGGLERS

Des has kindly offered to run a ride/training session for members on Thursday mornings. This would be for riders who would like to improve their riding but can find it difficult to keep up with the present Tuesday groups. This would start on Thursday 9^th May. For safety reasons Des is keen for this group not to get beyond 6 (or possibly 8 maximum) riders. Meet at Shurgard at 10am.
Initially this first outing is a trial ride for the slower club members and those who struggle on the hills. So what can you expect?
A top cycling coach says this: Ride a Little Faster than Normal

The fundamental rule of training is that you need to ask your body to do more than it’s used to doing. If you cruise at 12 mph on your endurance rides and progressively do longer endurance rides, then you’ll be able to ride longer, but still at 12 mph. Similarly, if you just ride at 15 mph, you’ll never be able to cruise at 16 mph. This applies at any speed — if you don’t ask your body to ride a little faster, it won’t.

For us older riders, each year, hills become more of a struggle. So the emphasis of these training rides will be to focus on hill training. Let us try to climb them just a little bit faster.

Due to the increased intensity the ride times and distances will be shorter. Say between 15/25 miles, plus of course a tea stop at a convenient place.
Des.

RIDE REPORTS

Saturday 27th April: Cancelled due to terrible wind.

Sunday 28th April: Just Jim Kenison and John Diamond make it to Pooh Corner. Tom V and his DoE kids turned up a bit later to find them gone.

Tuesday 30th April: A great day to spend in the wonderful Staffhurst Woods bluebell trails. Admittedly better for walking than cycling but well worth a visit even this weekend if you stay on the denser, north side of Staffhurst Wood Road.

We successfully implemented the three ride system today, thanks to Des stepping up to lead the third group. Here are the 10am B riders posing enroute to Edenbridge.

Thursday 2nd May: Four go roundabout to Ardingly lead by the remarkable George Leung.

Tuesday 23rd April: Lots of happiness by Tim topping last week's 20 percenter hillock with a couple of 25 percenters on the way to Sevenoaks Wildlife Center. It''s the ducks supposed to be wild Vince: https://anerleybc.org/tuesday-ride-23rd-april-2019/

UPCOMING RIDES

Saturday 4th May: Meet Shurguard at 9.00am, or Coulsdon PO at 9.20am
The Saturdays are celebrating Star Wars Day with a ride out to Box Hill via Kingswood, Epsom Downs, Little Switzerland and Rykers cafe for tea.

Back via Boxhill, Walton on the Hill, Chipstead valley with an optional pub stop at Coulsdon Smugglers Inn

(It's all on road)

Sunday 5th May: Meet Shurguard/501 Brighton Road at 09:00. Mark H will be leading Cranleigh in a change to the advertised ride.

Tuesday 7th May:
09:30 Shurguard/501 Brighton Road. Tom V leads to Squires Garden Centre at Stoke D'Abernon [early]
10:00 Shurguard/501 Brighton Road. Peter leads to Squires Garden Centre at Stoke D'Abernon [steady]
10:00 Shurguard/501 Brighton Road. Des leads to Squires Garden Centre at Stoke D'Abernon [relaxed]

Thursday 9th May:
10:00 Shurguard/501 Brighton Road. Mark will be going somewhere at A+ speed.
10:00 Shurguard/501 Brighton Road. Des leads the Strugglers and Stragglers.

FINALLY - BACK FROM STORM HANNAH

TomTom and Stuart return from the arms of Hannah and back. No report as yet but it looks good!

Happy Cycling!