Luke

Rode my lightest bike with my lightest and most aero wheels today. Moderate tailwind. It was most excellent but not much quicker than on my Bob Jackson (although that day had more tailwind).

I am not a fast rider but look like I am. An audax organiser once said (a long time ago) he was surprised at how close to a control cutoff I was because I looked like I was going so well when he passed me in his camper van.

https://strava.app.link/hjiOyd1z8Wb

#AerodynamicWheels #LightweightBikes #cycling #BikeTooter #commute #fediversecyclingclub

Oct 2 at 12:22pmWeb
Show threadLukeOct 2
(4 minutes quicker but with much less wind - 8.6 km/h from S today, but 25.9 km/h SW for the slower time!)
Show threadLukeOct 2
One of the most wonderful concepts in cycling is the ‘full value rider’ who completes brevet/audax/rando events in the slowest possible time allowed by the time limit. Riding at precisely 14.3 (or 15) km/h for hours at a time (including stops) is a noble and Sisyphean art. #cycling #BikeTooter #FullValue #audax #brevet #randonneur
Show threadadamriceOct 2
@wlukewindsor At PBP, they have the Societé Charlie Miller, for people who finish in under 48 (?) hours, and the Societé Adrian Hands, for people who finish with no more than 5 minutes to spare. Intentionally finishing with 5 minutes to spare is an amazing bit of bravado, because it means that if you have any trouble on the way, you think you can still make up the time and finish under the limit.
Show threadLukeOct 2
@adamrice I’ve been building up to a full value PBP for years but in my case it wouldn’t be planned it’s just how my rides often end up;-)
Show threadMatthew NewellOct 2
@wlukewindsor I like silly internal challenges - but not sure about I would enjoy with the added jeopardy of missing time control with a tiny mechanical
Show threadLukeOct 2
@MatthewNewell when I rode Race Around the Netherlands I was saved all stress by being the *penultimate* rider on the road (after about half the riders quit during the first few days) in front of a guy who told me it was his goal to get maximum value and be last. He arrived just inside the time limit.
Show threadDavid SOct 2
@wlukewindsor not heard of this although it sounds a bit like a reliability trial? My experience of those back in the 80s was a gentle 12mph target speed, a puncture, another puncture (damn those Michelin Select tyres, did you not read the club newsletter showing them in the top 3 places in the club run puncture league?) and then a bleedin' time trial to meet the target.
Show threadLukeOct 3
@Pionir yes - except it’s purely self-imposed (just like trying to ride Brevets at 30km/h average)
Show threadLukeOct 3

@Pionir funnily enough the 400 I was on when I got the funny comment from organiser was originally a 240 mile reliability ride 😬

I did finish that one (first 400 I did, back in 2004 I think), but tried to repeat the event in 2016 and ended up in serious trouble (had to spend the night in a borrowed survival bag during a thunderstorm in a bus shelter after becoming unwell: DNF). 400s are my nemesis.

Show threadDavid SOct 3

@wlukewindsor 400s are my nemesis too just like 2400s are

(I've never attempted either)