Search found 187 matches

by IanT
13 Nov 2013 18:56
Forum: Other Rides & Touring
Topic: Brum to Chippenham
Replies: 14
Views: 6522

Barry I've got a slightly different route from Brum to Northleach that I do all the time, very quiet and picturesque. Will post a link when I am back in Brum tomorrow. Beyond Northleach there are some quiet and pleasant lanes - Keith and I did an overnight stop during our LEJOG in that neck of the w...
by IanT
21 Oct 2013 21:29
Forum: Cafe Stop
Topic: sealskinz
Replies: 5
Views: 4226

On the recent Croome Park run I set out in seal skin waterproof gloves, socks and overshoes. By the time we reached Pershore, about 90 minutes in, the gloves failed and were saturated. Not long after the overshoes also failed and I ended up wearing bags of water on my feet. That said, it was excepti...
by IanT
05 Aug 2013 22:35
Forum: Audaxes & Cyclosportives
Topic: The RideLondon100
Replies: 16
Views: 9682

Outstanding work gentlemen, great to hear it was a first class day and quite something to see the Beacon colours on The Mall. Congratulations on the times, impressive stuff !
by IanT
12 Jul 2013 23:27
Forum: Time Trials
Topic: RESULT: Congleton CC Gawsworth circuit 09/07/13
Replies: 5
Views: 3828

Nice one, Ed!
by IanT
03 Jul 2013 22:48
Forum: Other Rides & Touring
Topic: mid week rides
Replies: 231
Views: 467339

Good to see such a large group out for another sedate and gentle spin this evening...
by IanT
23 Jun 2013 20:53
Forum: Other Rides & Touring
Topic: LEJOG 2013
Replies: 57
Views: 50405

As promised, some reflections on the LEJOG ride, now that we've had chance to collect thoughts, return home and wash shorts: Total mileage: 1002.09 miles (as recorded by my Garmin). Total climbing: 18,658 metres (as recorded by my Garmin). Mechanicals: One **flat**, one broken spoke (both on Keith’s...
by IanT
15 Jun 2013 19:23
Forum: Other Rides & Touring
Topic: LEJOG 2013
Replies: 57
Views: 50405

Thanks to all for the encouragement and comments, particular thanks to Phil for the weather and route updates from the Drayton nerve centre! Having run out of UK now it's time for us to put an end to this nonsense and go home. In a car. Photos and random stats will no doubt follow at some stage for ...
by IanT
12 Jun 2013 23:12
Forum: Other Rides & Touring
Topic: LEJOG 2013
Replies: 57
Views: 50405

Something of an epic day, up the coast, round the castles, over the border, across the moors and into Edinburgh. A testing day for the chalfonts but we emerge intact after 116 miles. 121 miles in store tomorrow and we're armed with PDF maps of diversions - should be fun!

Over and out

Chas & Dave
by IanT
11 Jun 2013 22:56
Forum: Other Rides & Touring
Topic: LEJOG 2013
Replies: 57
Views: 50405

Many thanks for the update Phil, it is appreciated and we will look out for the diversions. We're currently bivvying overnight on the north east coast after a great day of riding through north Yorkshire, county Durham and much of Tyneside. We stopped for food on Gateshead Quays and then crossed rhe ...
by IanT
10 Jun 2013 19:29
Forum: Other Rides & Touring
Topic: LEJOG 2013
Replies: 57
Views: 50405

Thanks Philip, that's a timely intervention with the weather, I was beginning to run out of expletives with the headwind. Enjoyable day yesterday, the headwind lessened and we managed to resist the temptation of turning for home as we passed as close as Knowle at one point. We were on the route of t...
by IanT
08 Jun 2013 19:37
Forum: Other Rides & Touring
Topic: LEJOG 2013
Replies: 57
Views: 50405

To the hills of Devon, I say damn, damn you all. To the hills of Bath, I say damn you to hell and back. To the constant, relentless, hateful headwind of the UK I say please stop, you've made your point... We're now well into the Cotswolds and looking forward to being on home roads for much of tomorr...
by IanT
02 Jun 2013 18:28
Forum: Other Rides & Touring
Topic: LEJOG 2013
Replies: 57
Views: 50405

LEJOG 2013

Keith and I set off on 5th June to attempt the end to end, riding from Lands End on the morning of 6th June, hopefully arriving at John O’Groats on 15th June. In total the route will be just over 1,000 miles in 10 days of riding. One or two folk have asked about the route, so without boring anyone w...
by IanT
02 Jun 2013 10:41
Forum: Club News & Events
Topic: To Weston and Back: "The Weston Run"
Replies: 196
Views: 308851

Just to add my thanks to Phil for organising an epic day out, a tremendous effort. Thanks also to everyone else for the company, it was a ride that'll live long in the memory!
by IanT
30 May 2013 21:54
Forum: Club News & Events
Topic: To Weston and Back: "The Weston Run"
Replies: 196
Views: 308851

Interesting to see the differing approaches to pre ride preparation and nutrition. Personally, I've been fighting off a cold this week and was in need of a vitamin C boost so I've been eating industrial quantities of Terry's chocolate orange and lemon bon bons. To ensure I get the right amount of pr...
by IanT
09 May 2013 15:26
Forum: Audaxes & Cyclosportives
Topic: Paul Campbell: 600 km in 48 hours & Pancreatic Cancer Ac
Replies: 3
Views: 2736

Good grief, audacious is certainly the word - that is a proper challenge!

Best of luck Paul!
by IanT
23 Apr 2013 09:49
Forum: Audaxes & Cyclosportives
Topic: Shenstone Audaxes
Replies: 10
Views: 5741

and not forgetting the Weston run as what looks like the final training ride before LEJOG. Club run the day after Weston could be interesting...
by IanT
21 Apr 2013 21:25
Forum: Audaxes & Cyclosportives
Topic: Shenstone Audaxes
Replies: 10
Views: 5741

Great conditions today for the 212k route on what was a challenging but altogether splendid day on the bike. Good to see one or two Beacon faces at various points and also to come across an excellent cafe in Castleton itself that somehow eluded us last year.
by IanT
16 Apr 2013 23:12
Forum: Other Rides & Touring
Topic: mid week rides
Replies: 231
Views: 467339

And should also have said that I'll be sticking to a 7 pm meet at The Red Lion.
by IanT
16 Apr 2013 21:05
Forum: Other Rides & Touring
Topic: mid week rides
Replies: 231
Views: 467339

Here's the longer route that most of the group followed last week: http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/weds-night-48miles My plan this week is to ride the same route but at a gentler pace than last week, probably no faster than 16mph average this time round (we were around 17.5mph average last week...
by IanT
02 Apr 2013 15:29
Forum: Other Rides & Touring
Topic: mid week rides
Replies: 231
Views: 467339

Andy The meeting point is the Red Lion pub on Vicarage Road at 7pm. It tends to be around 37 miles at an average pace of 17mph in the winter. As the nights get lighter we often add a further 10 or so miles to the distance and the pace has been known to get up to an average of 19mph in the summer. Th...
by IanT
18 Mar 2013 19:30
Forum: Club News & Events
Topic: To Weston and Back: "The Weston Run"
Replies: 196
Views: 308851

Splendid work Philip, I'm looking forward to it already. It has all the makings of an unforgettable and not to be missed Beacon caper! Alan is right, you don't train for such a thing, you simply endure it.
by IanT
19 Feb 2013 16:04
Forum: Club Runs
Topic: Club Run Route Database
Replies: 47
Views: 67151

Other than a curious incident involving a dog, a pram and an irate pedestrian, that I won't go into here, nothing that I'm aware of. I've used it on several occasions on solo rides and I know other clubs use it as a club run destination. Good cafe on the square that we passed on the audax last Satur...
by IanT
23 Jan 2013 21:37
Forum: Technical Talk
Topic: Minimum bike cleaning routine?
Replies: 23
Views: 13172

I'm with Nic and Alan on this one, maybe it's mild OCD but it winds me up to ride a bike if it isn't in near enough perfect working order and spotless before every ride. I tend to replace the chain on average around once a year, more frequently if the conditions are like they were in 2012. I also en...
by IanT
04 Oct 2012 16:58
Forum: Other Rides & Touring
Topic: mid week rides
Replies: 231
Views: 467339

I'm still laughing to myself today at the look on the face of the bloke who was minding his own business at a bus stop as we came round the corner led by Matt. You might say his face lit up when he saw us...
by IanT
30 Sep 2012 20:58
Forum: Other Rides & Touring
Topic: mid week rides
Replies: 231
Views: 467339

Nic is right, if the collective firepower of the various lights on show with the group doesn't alert air traffic control, we should be ok if not everyone has 150+ lumens!
by IanT
30 Sep 2012 20:54
Forum: Other Rides & Touring
Topic: mid week rides
Replies: 231
Views: 467339

Tim Generally on this kind of ride i.e. in lanes with no street lighting during pitch darkness I think it's advisable to have lights that light up the road ahead of you for around 15-20 feet. So it's about lighting up the road, not just being seen when on the unlit lanes. Richard, the mini drive is ...
by IanT
26 Sep 2012 21:50
Forum: Other Rides & Touring
Topic: mid week rides
Replies: 231
Views: 467339

Well, four intrepid souls set out from Kings Heath this evening at 7pm for what turned out to be a very enjoyable ride. Once out into the lanes in real darkness rather than fading light and the glare of car headlights it was actually good conditions, despite the odd shower. With everyone sporting po...
by IanT
02 Sep 2012 21:37
Forum: Time Trials
Topic: RESULTS KH10 Hill Climb 2nd September
Replies: 8
Views: 4175

Nice one, Carl!
by IanT
06 Aug 2012 13:42
Forum: Technical Talk
Topic: Annoying “click”?
Replies: 12
Views: 7871

Good to hear you've fixed it Alan, I imagine it was driving you quietly mad.

I think if I'd have gone to those lengths and not resolved it I would have invested in some ear plugs.

Feel free to come and carry out similar comprehensive checks on my bike whenever you have a moment...
by IanT
01 Aug 2012 22:12
Forum: Other Rides & Touring
Topic: mid week rides
Replies: 231
Views: 467339

Just to echo that Laurence, it was a fairly brisk pace tonight and you did really well considering it was an unfamiliar route in very blustery conditions.

Personally, I'm just pleased to get to the front at all on those rides, never mind take any kind of turn for more than a few seconds!
by IanT
09 Jun 2012 22:33
Forum: Technical Talk
Topic: Garmin Communicator
Replies: 13
Views: 6189

now fairly sure it's an issue with the unit, downloaded communicator onto lap top using windows 7 with no issues but still not recognising the unit at all, as any kind of driver. It's a 705, which I've borrowed to see how I get on with it (not brilliantly thus far!). Thanks for all the help and cons...
by IanT
09 Jun 2012 21:50
Forum: Technical Talk
Topic: Garmin Communicator
Replies: 13
Views: 6189

hmm, tried that but still no joy. About to revert to my trusty OS map...
by IanT
09 Jun 2012 21:40
Forum: Technical Talk
Topic: Garmin Communicator
Replies: 13
Views: 6189

Thanks guys, after much toing and froing on 2 different lap tops I've now got communicator on one of them. However, it is not recognising the gps unit as yet so it may be a prolem with the unit.

Pat, I'm using Windows Vista as the operating system.
by IanT
09 Jun 2012 18:04
Forum: Technical Talk
Topic: Garmin Communicator
Replies: 13
Views: 6189

Garmin Communicator

Anyone else had problems downloading the Garmin communicator plug in?

For some reason I've not been able to successfully download the plug in and hence the lap top can't communicate with the gps unit...
by IanT
01 Jun 2012 10:50
Forum: Audaxes & Cyclosportives
Topic: Test Ride for Beacon's Kidderminster Killer 2012?
Replies: 18
Views: 8331

We pretty much followed the noted stops, which were excellent. In Montgomery we stopped at the Ivy Rooms cafe, which was first rate. The owner did mention that on 18th August it's also the Montgomery Carnival and there is also a large wedding, together this will make the town v busy and there wil be...
by IanT
30 May 2012 23:46
Forum: Time Trials
Topic: Club TT 30 May Wednesday 9.0 K36/4.5C starts 19.00
Replies: 31
Views: 18552

Great event, first time I've done a time trial and first 'competitive' outing on a bike of any sort for around 25 years. I must say, I thoroughly enjoyed it and a big thanks to all marshals, time keepers and helpers for turning out in such awful conditions. I don't think I've ever been as wet as I w...
by IanT
31 Mar 2012 16:18
Forum: Audaxes & Cyclosportives
Topic: Beacon Cotswold Audax 2012
Replies: 40
Views: 17140

With my navigation, it just might!

I'm also in for 158km.