The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

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Ray P
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#1021 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Post by Ray P »

Why thank you MrB; you're not doing badly yourself!

Hills! they're only gentle, look;

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shane
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#1022 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Post by shane »

So after much cogitation, I finally decided to join in. Encouraged by Dave’s results with his minimalist phixxxie, I decided to go a step further. Following the teachings of 17th century Japanese philosopher Hirohito Nobike, I removed the gears and freewheel from my bicycle. I then went on to remove the wheels, saddle, handlebars, frame, chain and pedals leaving me with Nobike’s ultimate zero-presence bike. Initial trials showed excellent manoeuvrability and ultralight weight, although top speed was limited. The lack of any fixed connection between foot and road means that gearing is infinitely variable from crawl to full gallop. Instead of tyres, effort is communicated from toe to tarmac via an advanced polymer interface, in my case by Ecco of Denmark.
The increased directional manoeuvrability meant I could also make use of the CAT (Canine Assisted Traction) unit that’s been lying around the sitting room, without being too concerned by the directional instability inherent in the CAT unit’s control system.
First trip around the cliffs yesterday was very successful, and an additional advantage of the zero-presence bike showed when I stopped for a short break. Because the bike cannot be detected it is immune to bike thieves, although it did take half an hour to work out where I’d left it. The final advantage I found returning home, the bike takes up no room in the shed. Result all round.

Due to the lack of handlebars there’s nowhere to mount a Garmin, so route is taken from a not very good phone app
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The world looks so different after learning science. For example, trees are made of air, primarily. When they are burned, they go back to air, and in their flaming heat is released the flaming heat of the Sun which was bound in to convert air into tree.
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#1023 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Post by jack »

We don't get nice routes like that. We get to cycle on tracks 'cos the roads are WAY too dangerous here. This is tomorrow night's - it's a non-car/motorbike evening before anyone asks.... The bike shop, "The Cycle Hub", has a try-before-you-buy facility, so we're renting a couple of reasonable bikes for a couple of hours of going round and round and round... temperature between 6pm-9m is now down to a very agreeable 30C or so, i.e. way way better than a month ago.

This'll be my first ride for a year. Pathetic. Have to hire everything as have nothing here except my water bottles - no lycra hire, btw :)
26-09-2017 12-48-52.png
26-09-2017 12-48-52.png (244.08 KiB) Viewed 7847 times
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SimonC
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#1024 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Post by SimonC »

Looks like there's plenty of run-off on the corners if you go in a bit quick... :wink:
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Dave the bass
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#1025 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Post by Dave the bass »

shane wrote: Tue Sep 26, 2017 9:14 am ............ Instead of tyres, effort is communicated from toe to tarmac via an advanced polymer interface, in my case by Ecco of Denmark.
Y'know, I might be a foole for saying this but what you've described don't arf sound like what us South Easterners call 'bluddy walking innits'. But otherwise, raddy daddy all-round, nice write up :lol:
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#1026 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Post by Dave the bass »

I bet thats fun for the night. Have you done the Cyclopark at Gravesend Nick? There's a circuit there for going potty fast on, I had a go on the Pffffftixxey. I checked the CycleHub website and it looks like they do a specialist bike for riding after you've had yer main meal...

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#1027 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Post by Dave the bass »

Yesterday, I had a Cheese and Marmite sandwich that wanted to see the Wind Farm in the Estuary off the Tankerton coastline but it was too misty to see it so I put it in my tummy for safe-keeping. I did another Mega loop, 83.3 miles on the Phtttticksey, Dartford-Whitstable-Dartford.

Remembering my Biology lessons from school and that the Rowmuns knew the quickest way between 2 points was down a straight road or summat I rode down the A2 (mostly), a bit too busy and noisy but do-able.
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Stats, I climbed hills Uncle Ray! :)
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Departed: Sep 26, '17, 09:48AM
Distance: 83.3 mi
Elevation: + 4147 / - 4147 ft
Max Grade
11.4 %
Avg. Grade
0.3 %
VAM 384 Vm/h
Ascent time 03:17:42
Descent time 02:37:42
Total Duration: 07:43:07
Moving Time: 05:55:24
Stopped Time: 01:47:43
Max Speed: 29.9 mph
Avg. Speed: 14.1 mph
Pace: 00:05:34
Moving Pace: 00:04:16

https://www.relive.cc/view/g14498359942

It's in preparation for another mega-loop I want to try before the weather turns horrible and I start playing at building rubbish amps and PSU's again indoors.
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#1028 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Post by jack »

Nice ride. The A2 is a nasty road to cycle on - cars going way way too fast and big lorries.

SWMBO & I used to do Goudhurst->Whitstable->Goudhurst, about 75 miles and quite hilly - all cross-country - it was a nice day's ride, complete with fish-n-chips and/or an oyster or two at the docks in Whitstable
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#1029 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Post by Dave the bass »

jack wrote: Wed Sep 27, 2017 9:29 am Nice ride. The A2 is a nasty road to cycle on - cars going way way too fast and big lorries.
Agreed, especially to the west of Faversham where it gets narrow. I had a double decker bus nearly wipe me out from behind, I don't hang about on busy roads but the bus (an 'X3', I hope you're reading this Mr Bus Driver mans Company) was going so fast and was so close to me the bow wave forced me into the gutter and then the vacuum behind the bus sucked me back out again, scary. Now, I'm used to nutters on roads, I ride through London at least once a week, but that was bonkers.
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#1030 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Post by jack »

Dave the bass wrote: Tue Sep 26, 2017 7:02 pm
I bet thats fun for the night. Have you done the Cyclopark at Gravesend Nick? There's a circuit there for going potty fast on, I had a go on the Pffffftixxey. I checked the CycleHub website and it looks like they do a specialist bike for riding after you've had yer main meal...,
Not done CycloPark, sorry, but oddly was up there last Saturday on my way to Medway rugby club to watch #1 son who plays for sevenoaks...

Absolutely ker-nackered. It's 32C and 75% humidity, so feels like 42C (apparently). It was toasty - I had my own private ecosystem by the end. Felt slightly faint, so next time will hydrate, take salt and eat a banana first....

As it was our first time, we only did about 20km - in those conditions, it's enough for day one...

Good bikes with good chainsets - hire was about 20 quid for three hours including helmet (mandatory) - it's on the F1 track - you start and end in the pit lanes - 2.7 km in the cycling config - mix of hills and flats - all floodlit and safety marshals every km, i.e. three sets on the track, plus others at strategic points (e.g. pit lane entrance and exit) to make sure everyone behaves...

Everyone very nice - about 60 on the track but very spread out - lots of triathletes and super-fit bastards. Pleased that I not only overtook some stragglers, but lapped a few (admittedly they were fat. Orca fat....). Some nutters also running round it...
"Desert BikeExperience No Limits!
AED 200
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Awethumne!
Must be a typo - shouldn't that be the "dessert experience"...

No photos this time 'cos I was too shagged to think of it... Next time...
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#1031 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Post by Dave the bass »

jack wrote: Wed Sep 27, 2017 7:06 pm

Absolutely ker-nackered. It's 32C and 75% humidity, so feels like 42C (apparently). It was toasty - I had my own private ecosystem by the end. Felt slightly faint, so next time will hydrate, take salt and eat a banana first....
No Cheese n Marmite Sarnie? Madness! I can send one next time you're out on the track.
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#1032 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Post by jack »

Dave the bass wrote: Wed Sep 27, 2017 8:25 pm
jack wrote: Wed Sep 27, 2017 7:06 pm Absolutely ker-nackered. It's 32C and 75% humidity, so feels like 42C (apparently). It was toasty - I had my own private ecosystem by the end. Felt slightly faint, so next time will hydrate, take salt and eat a banana first....
No Cheese n Marmite Sarnie? Madness! I can send one next time you're out on the track.
To make matters worse, we had our initial baseline assessment for the company 10-week boot-camp that starts on Oct 1st... Over half the company have signed up.

At 07:30 this morning I was in the gym with some other poor souls in my group (4 of us) - the woman (I think it was a female) testing us had arms bigger than my legs. And a beard. (no she didn't though it's true about her arms).

Felt like throwing up at the end of it. It was grim. Hard.

So, low carbs, no dairy, smaller portions, no alcohol, rowing & swimming every day, individual targets & diet plans, assessments every 5 days. That's the first few weeks. I need to reduce visceral fat and much lard.

Then, they say, it's gets tough.

(*) Going for a meal at the Burj al Arab tonight. Last supper and all that...
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Ray P
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#1033 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Post by Ray P »

Good luck with the new regime Nick but you know it'll benefit you.

Ray
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#1034 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Post by Ray P »

My Sidmouth ride will have to wait a little while, in fact all my riding is on hold at the moment as I had a big crash yesterday.

I got caught out by a sharp bend on a steep descent and crashed our at about 25mph. The right side of my back and my right arm are raw with lacerations but the main problem is extreme discomfort in the lower back - sitting down and getting up are a might difficult. I got checked over at the hospital and amazingly nothing is broken so I just need to let the bruising and muscles heal.

I'm especially disapointed as I fnally felt good enough to join a lunchtime ride with a group of keen cyclists from work. They dropped me easily on a steep hill but generally I was comfortable riding with them. I think my crash was because I joined the 'race to the bottom' on a long descent and I was leading at the time, carrying too much speed - In short my own stupid fault because of ego. On the other hand, being with a group meant help was immediately at hand.

Anyway, I don't think I'll be sitting on a bike for a week or two at least.

I guess I'll have to check the bike over for damage sometime, but not today.

Ray
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#1035 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Post by pre65 »

Sorry to hear about your injuries Ray, hope the discomfort and pain won't last too long.
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