The Bugle | Blast 438


Friday 15th May 2020
Relaxed Edition

 
 
 

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

 

"The mind should be allowed some relaxation, that it may return to its work all the better for the rest"  - Seneca
 


BICYCLISTS OF THE PAST: JOHN KEEN (1849-1902)

The first of Mark H's historical cyclists James Moore conquered France as the world's first racing cyclist (Bugle 436). He was closely pursued back home by the remarkable John Keen - born in Worcestershire but lived in or around Surbiton for most of his life.

The same year, 1869, in which James Moore won the first race in Paris also saw a race track opened in Surbiton and the first winner was ... John Keen. Wikipedia reports:

He raced over a number of distances. In 1872 he was recorded as having ridden ten miles in less than 36 minutes and in 1874 he rode 50 miles in 3 hours and nine minutes. In May 1873 Keen, with James Moore introduced larger wheeled bicycles to France at the championships in Lyon where wheel sizes up to 45 inches had been the norm.

Remember at this time the Anerley as still a dream in the eyes of some Dulwich schoolboys. Indeed he may have been an inspiration. John is remembered partly through an entry in Anerley member HW Bartleet's famous Bicycle Book (1931/32).

John Keen not only raced his new fangled bicycles - he built built machines lighter and higher than had previously been thought possible. His workshop was alongside The Angel Inn on the Portsmouth Road, Thames Ditton making it a popular destination for cyclists. Still popular when the first photo was taken. Perhaps less so today as this warning testifies: https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g2280590-d4473774-r345788294-The_Angel_Inn-Thames_Ditton_Surrey_England.html

More on John Keen here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Keen_(cyclist)

 

BICYCLES OF THE PAST: THE ECLIPSE

Johhn Keen manufactured bicycles under the Eclipse brand. Searching Google brought up an unrelated US company's latest model introducing the coaster brake around 1890. The advert shows it's advantage over the 'fixie' when descending steep hills. It is housed in the rear hub and activated by backpeddling.

Sheldon Brown (HW Barleet's worthy successor as cycling sage) has more here: https://www.sheldonbrown.com/coaster-brakes.html

Getting back to the real John Keen bicycle:
Folks with sharp eyes will notice at the bottom of the advert "three trains every 15 minutes" to the "nearly opposite" Dalston Junction. Weirdly coincidental in 2012 trains returned to Dalston Junction with a 15 minute London Overground service from West Croydon with another three trains from elsewhere.

Eclipse has yet to return.


 

FRAN: ANOTHER ANERLEY TV STAR
Lockdown has been a great opportunity for a bit of home renovation. Ahead of that Club Secretary Fran did it bigtime for those of us who prefer tto sit back and watch others go through the torture.

Sarah Beeny's Renovate Don't Relocate TV show featured the complete makeover of Fran's home. I was supposed to have put this in last week's Bugle but due to trying to homeschool two grandkids via Zoom meant I didn't open up the eemail until today. So you may have missed it.

Those of you with catch-up equipment and expertise might still be able to rescue and watch it. If you do - please burn it to a file and we will find a way to share it with you all.

Details: https://www.radiotimes.com/tv-programme/e/k92z7w/sarah-beenys-renovate-dont-relocate--series-2-episode-7/

Previous Anerley TV stars? You can watch these two online if you enter John's surname as the password (the guy on the right and all in lower case): https://anerleybc.org/tv-show/



NAUGHTY DES


Went for a ride with a friend on Tuesday ahead of the legal relaxation of riding on Wednesday. I guess he wasn't the only person to be confused by Boris' mixed and confusing messaging last Sunday.

Meeting with a friend (at a distance) outdoors is now legal - but two?
https://anerleybc.org/tuesdays-freedom-ride-12-may/


 

RELAXED RIDING


Where are we now after the relaxation in some lockdown regulations?

It is clear that no rides are permitted with more than two people. Hence there will continue to be no Anerley organised group rides for the foreseeable future.

We had a Zoom meeting on what advice be given to club members. There was no consensus. This was largely because the health risks involved are still largely unknown. Some would wish to follow the precautionary approach while others favoured riding to the limit of current legislation.

That legal limit (England only) is
  • You may ride any distance with anyone from your household
OR
  • You may ride any distance with one person not in your household (ie max 2) provided you keep socially distanced (>2m).
NOT BOTH!

What are the other considerations you may wish (or not) to take into account?

For those of us over 70 the government gives another mixed message on keeping safe. Most of us do rightfully consider ourselves to be fitter than the general population 10 or 20 years younger. But it doesn't stop ageing altogether. It doesn't necessarily reduce risk.

As an example I'm a long distance rider with very good endurance. Muscle and stamina masks the fact that my lung capacity is less than average for my age. What does that means if I contract Covid-19?. Will my stamina win? Or will my (below) average lungs be the death of me?

I haven't a clue but I choose to take a conservative approach and will continue to restrict my riding.

For those of you who do decide to ride with a friend - then is the >2m rule sufficient? The fact that we have a rule is evidence that the scientific community is unsure of close transmission outdoors.

When you are cycling at, say, 12mph/20kph you are moving at 5.5 metres per second. No problem to people alongside since the droplets you may expel will have disappeared well behind by the time they have travelled even a metre sideways. But the person behind will be breathing the same air within half a second.

Hence, while we don't know the real risk of droplet transmission, we do know that any will be much more serious for the following rider.

There are ways of avoiding it - by cycling two abreast despite any annoyance to passing motorists. Or by following at a much greater distance.

When you stop at a junction - not to bunch.


 

FINALLY

Great everyone on on our street and the next were clapping last night. But this crisis will bring out the worst in some people. A nurse cycling to avoid public transport to work was 'tacked' on a bike path in Glasgow: https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/18426105.cyclists-warn-spate-tackings-bike-paths-tell-others-watch/


All members are welcome to the next Club Zoom meeting on Monday @ 8pm. A reminder will be emailed on the day.


Stay Safe