Southampton fans cycling

[Dr Who?]

I would love to get as many Saints fans that are interested in cycling together. Ok we might be all over the country/world, but we do not need to train together, but can all aim for the same goal, and swap tips and advice. We could all meet up for events, and go for a few drinks after and talk cycling and Saints.

Southampton Fans Cycling or SFC (how perfect is that) I think could get a lot of Saints fans back on the saddle, and with be a great way to exercise and get Saints fans together for events other than games.

So please post if you have an event in mind. I am going over to the IOW in August for a couple of days with Mrs Dr.Who for some cycling. Also going to be going up to Blackpool at some point this summer for Blackpool to fleetwood and back cycle. Signed up for the Cambridge cycle in early July 7/8th as well.

Any event anywhere post it on here. Great mag for cycling I find is cycling active, which has many routes and events in it.

Happy cycling.

[badgerx16]

When you know when you will be in Blackpool, make sure you let me know

[Dr Who?]

When you know when you will be in Blackpool, make sure you let me know

Did not know you were in Blacpool (or near Blackpool). I will do, looks like a good cycle track as well, nice and flat!

[badgerx16]

Did not know you were in Blacpool (or near Blackpool). I will do, looks like a good cycle track as well, nice and flat!

So you missed my previous 'location' : 2nd Floor, West Stand, Bloomfield Road Stadium ? ( Plus there is a clue in the current one ). It really is where I work; I live 12 and a half miles away, and in the school holidays, when not driving my wife to and from school, ( how wicked does that sound ! ), I prefer to cycle to work.

The route up the prom is great, apart from the 1000s of grockles getting in the way, and you need to keep off the tram tracks. When you get past Cleveleys it gets a bit rougher due to the 'seams' between the concrete sheets, so you get a rythmic bump as you ride over them. Hopefully a sunny, and not too breezy day.

However, I have to admit that contrary to Dune's assertion's, I don't own a burger van, so cannot provide a free lunch.

[Dr Who?]

So just you and me, oh and Franks cousin!

[Winnersaint]

Be interested to know what people are riding out there. Dont want to turn this in any way into a ****ing contest, genuinely interested, particularly on people's opinions about the bikes they ride. I'll start it off.
Depths of winter commute - Specialized Hardrock Sport. Hardtail MTB with lockable front forks and slicks.
Normal commute - Cube Peloton.
N+1 Ridley Excalibur Flandrien with Campag Centaur groupset. Just put Schwalbe Ultremos on it and looking to upgrade wheels for next year. Looking at Campag Zondas / Fulcrum Racing 3's or alternatively Mavic Ksyrium Elites or SL.

[Huffton]

Have had to pretty much give up cycling for the time being to to a fecked knee that needs an operation to fix. Gutted. If anyone is interested there is a free smartphone app called Strava which is really good, it records all your rides, times and altitude etc,and you can 'follow' other users a bit like twitter, might be useful if someone wanted to start an SFC group.

[Dr Who?]

Tomorrow I will be doing the below route. This is more a family event, and my 10 year old daughter is doing it. Not the 25 miles we are suppose to be doing.

http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/.doc...brary?get=2289

Also looking at doing something to raise money for the local Wild life park, as they rely on this sort of thing. Thinking of doing 100 miles a day for 5 days and staying somewhere over night. In between. Thinking of doing this in October/November. Anyone fancy doing the same for their own charity?

[badgerx16]

Be interested to know what people are riding out there.
N+1 Ridley Excalibur Flandrien with Campag Centaur groupset.

Not quite that standard, but fwiw - Spec Secteur Elite, SRAM APEX groupset. Did a few test rides, finally put this up against a TREK 2.1 and decided the Spec felt safer going downhill, important given a lot of my riding is around the Bowland Fells.

[BadgerBadger]

Giant Anthem X3, perfect all rounder and a Gary Fisher Roscoe which is a beast of a ride, 5 and half inches of travel and a superb single track machine - just wished I lived nearer the Lakes and was 20 years younger and had the balls to take her off some big jumps and drops, probably going to sell her as I just don't have the time to travel to where this bike needs to be

[Winnersaint]

Not quite that standard, but fwiw - Spec Secteur Elite, SRAM APEX groupset. Did a few test rides, finally put this up against a TREK 2.1 and decided the Spec felt safer going downhill, important given a lot of my riding is around the Bowland Fells.

Got so lucky with the Ridley. Originally had a Ridley Orion Special Edition in Vacansoleil livery ordered about a year ago. bit of a bargain I thought reduced from £1800 to £1600. To cut a long story short someone stuffed up. Not my LBS. Ridley either took the order and couldn't fulfil it because it was towards the end of the promo and simply had nothing left in stock or as they claimed it had gone on a meandering journey around Europe and had been delivered by mistake to a bike shop on route. 10 weeks after having paid for the non-existent bike the LBS called and said i needed to come in because they were going to have to look at a different solution. I got to test ride a Ridley Damocles and the Excalibur. The Damocles was white and the Excalibur was black and is a drop dead gorgeous looking machine in its Flandrien paint job. It's got a sub-kilo frame and a full carbon monocoque fork. I'll accept that it is more bike than I could ever do justice to, but it is an absolute joy to ride, and all for the same price as I initially paid for the discounted Orion. Excalibur was retailing at £2100 at full price, so a bit of a bargain.

[toofarnorth]

I'm living in Southampton and just starting to ride a bit more often after being a fan for a while. Only have a 5 mile drag to work so that is my first plan, but I need to get my fitness up a little so i'm not arriving at work sweaty and horrible.

Would be interested in some organised longer rides.

[toofarnorth]

Have had to pretty much give up cycling for the time being to to a fecked knee that needs an operation to fix. Gutted. If anyone is interested there is a free smartphone app called Strava which is really good, it records all your rides, times and altitude etc,and you can 'follow' other users a bit like twitter, might be useful if someone wanted to start an SFC group.

Hi Huffton.

Just been out on the bike and used that app. What a great app it is and dont think i'll bother getting a cycle computer with that on my phone.

Only problem is it has now compared by route to loads of others and i'm not faring too favourably at all. Although i'm sure they are all on race bikes, with proper shoes etc.

It does have the facility to make friends etc, but not sure about groups. If someone can work out how to make a saints group i'd gladly join.

[Huffton]

There is an option under the explore tab to start a new club. I'm happy to set one up if people are interested in joining?

[badgerx16]

These blokes are nutters : the result of yesterday's Bowland Badass.....

http://bowlandbadass.com/

Too much like masochism for me ! I've done about a quarter of it in one go, and that was enough.

[Dr Who?]

Only 2 months now. Please give as much or as little as you can.

Cheers

Kev


http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fund...ng&isTeam=true

[badgerx16]

Have done relatively flat speed training rides ( between 13 and 18 miles at a time ) for the last 2 weeks, so having had the bike serviced, I decided to get back in the hills today :

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/113675795

42 miles, over 1000 feet of elevation gained, 2 tops over 600 ft, over 12 miles riding uphill, max uphill incline 20%.

Think I might be regretting it tomorrow :-(

[Dr Who?]

Have done relatively flat speed training rides ( between 13 and 18 miles at a time ) for the last 2 weeks, so having had the bike serviced, I decided to get back in the hills today :

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/113675795

42 miles, over 1000 feet of elevation gained, 2 tops over 600 ft, over 12 miles riding uphill, max uphill incline 20%.

Think I might be regretting it tomorrow :-(

WOW that is pretty impressive! How you feeling, and what sort of bike you got?

[badgerx16]

WOW that is pretty impressive! How you feeling, and what sort of bike you got?

Specialized Secteur Elite Apex, as featured here :

http://www.saintsweb.co.uk/showthrea...92#post1311492

I'm aching in the places I expected to, mainly in the quads ( front of the thigh ), but it's self-inflicted so I can't complain. Hill climbs are why I bought the bike, once you get east of the A6 'flat' is no longer in the lexicon - I did a circuit of the Trough of Bowland last year, this year I plan to go over both ways in one journey.

[Dr Who?]

I was watching some of the TDF yesterday and I thought..... sod that, they are mad!

Saying that I then watched a program after on Eurosport Mountain Bike world championships, now that looked fun and a little more up my street. I have a mountain bike so may start going off road after the cycle in September, but not before as I will probably fall off!

I will then get a road bike, and have my mountain bike for off road!

[badgerx16]

Just got back after a 70 miler - 4 and 1/2 hours to complete the longest ride I've done. Plenty of aftersun required.

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/120290069

[toofarnorth]

http://app.strava.com/runs/17794163/...f49910dc2e8240

This is what I managed today. Furthest cycle i've ever done so found it pretty difficult, but really enjoyed it.

[Dr Who?]

Just got back after a 70 miler - 4 and 1/2 hours to complete the longest ride I've done. Plenty of aftersun required.

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/120290069

Wow! I took 3:47 minutes to do 47 miles last weekend, and it was pretty flat!

[Dr Who?]

http://app.strava.com/runs/17794163/...f49910dc2e8240

This is what I managed today. Furthest cycle i've ever done so found it pretty difficult, but really enjoyed it.

That is about where we are now, averaging 14 mph, but hoping I can pick this up now I am losing the huge grip on my wide tyres, to slicks for my mountain bike.

All good, we really need to get together for a cycle!

[Dr Who?]

Perhaps we could get a group of us to cycle to Reading?

[Dr Who?]

Tumbleweed......

......I am sure there were at least 10 people interested in cycling, but they seem to have vanished. I think a cycle from Southampton to Reading and back, for the Saints foundation would be good?

If not a cycle to a game a bit further in London and then drink!

[Winnersaint]

Not vanished Doc. Glued to La Vuelta, much more exciting than TdF. Bad off a week ago triple fracture of ball of humerus. Not going to be on a bike for a while. BTW only a week left for you and Mrs Doc cut the distance but try and keep intensity. Continued good luck in your last training week and best wishes for next weekend.

[badgerx16]

Tumbleweed......

......I am sure there were at least 10 people interested in cycling, but they seem to have vanished. I think a cycle from Southampton to Reading and back, for the Saints foundation would be good?

If not a cycle to a game a bit further in London and then drink!

Love to, but the 240 mile warm up would be a killer

[Winnersaint]

Maybe look at the Sportives for 2013 and co-ordinate some sort of get together

[BlakeySFC]

I've just booked up to do the South Downs Sportive on the 21st October if anyone's interested in doing that on here?

It starts and finishes in Chichester so not far from Soton?

[Winnersaint]

Nothing like a good ride up and down chalk downland. Hope it goes well. Jealous as still recovering from broken shoulder. Got back on turbo this week. Hard on the backside and left arm though. Can go for about 30 mins at moment.

[Rusaldo]

Me and 4 other lads have been out cycling the new forest reciently, we're currently doing 50 mile routes and looking to enter sportives next year.

starting to get a good few routes together if anyone is struggling for ideas.

[Rusaldo]

I would be interested in that, havent the Saints Foundation done something similar the past two seasons. Brighton and Palace I think.

[BlakeySFC]

Saints Foundation running the Cycle Ride from St. Marys to the Madejski Stadium in Reading on 6th April.

£50 registration fee + £350 sponsorship raised.

Route is 52 miles long.

I'm still interested in doing this, but the problem is I can only really ask friends/family to sponsor me on one BIG charity ride next year and I'd rather do one of 300/400 miles over 3/4/5 days and raise more money than just do 52 miles and raise £350, so may have to give this a miss for 2013 and maybe do it in 2014.

[Dr Who?]

Want to do loads, but at the moment we are doing a fun cycle in Dorking on the 14th Oct, only the 30 miles.

Then next years big one is 3 cities at the end of August £1,500 sponsorship money each!

Will do plenty of sportives as well.

[BlakeySFC]

Want to do loads, but at the moment we are doing a fun cycle in Dorking on the 14th Oct, only the 30 miles.

Then next years big one is 3 cities at the end of August £1,500 sponsorship money each!

Will do plenty of sportives as well.

Is that the Cycling Weekly Sportive?

[badgerx16]

So, you've bought yourself a Pinarello Dogma 2 full carbon road bike, exactly like the one Brad Wiggins rode in the TdF - how do you test it out to find it's limits ?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZmJtYaUTa0

[Winnersaint]

Awesome stuff!!

[Winnersaint]

Almost certainly going to do this in April.
http://www.cyclosport.org/event/21-A...big-dipper.htm

[Winnersaint]

Thanks to SandwichSaint for enquiring on the main board as to how things were progressing following my accident at the end of August. I am recovering, but it's been a slow process mainly because there was no displacement of bone in the ball joint part of my shoulder. This meant my arm had to be immobilised for six weeks so that the muscles didn't pull the fractured bits apart. This was a good thing as it meant no operation was necessary. Right arm was pretty much useless as a result but improving rapidly with physio. have progresses to strengthening exercises in last couple of days. The downside is that I'm about to start 10th week off work, not including half term. Due to length of time I had off I was referred to Occupational Health who were in my opinion very over cautious and have decided that I can't return to work until I have more strength and mobility in my arm. Unfortunately despite my protestations to work they are bound by the OH decision. Hopefully will return on 3rd December in phased return until Xmas holidays. In a catch 22 at present. Want to return, feel I can return but bureaucracy getting in the way. Bike and cycling wise the news is better. My bike has been fully vetted by LBS and there is no damage to frame /forks/steerer etc. Front wheel took impact hence bent like a Pringle. Claimed on insurance and currently awaiting delivery and fitting of a set of Mavic Ksyrium Elite S wheels. Also having new bar tape with gel underneath and cables replaced with Jagwire. Am now fully functional on turbo trainer and using it to shift excess weight due to injury as well as keeping core CV fitness going. Hopefully back on road soon.

[Huffton]

Hope things are still progressing Winnersaint.
After doing some gentle weights and stretching my knee actually feels a fair bit stronger so I'm planning to start some easy riding again soon.

[Hatch]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/20724621

2014 Tour starts in England, the first three stages.

[sandwichsaint]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/20724621

2014 Tour starts in England, the first three stages.

Awesome.

Geraint Thomas to win a stage?

[Baj]

Meant to ask, did anyone else do the Wight Winter wiggle event a couple of weeks ago? Was a really good ride and great atmosphere

[sandwichsaint]

Meant to ask, did anyone else do the Wight Winter wiggle event a couple of weeks ago? Was a really good ride and great atmosphere

We are doing the 'Kentish Killer' in Feb, only the short version (40 miles) but looks pretty lumpy. http://kentishkiller.ning.com/ 1000 places and all sold out.

Also doing the big London 'Nightrider' event in June - 100km round and through central London at night, starting from Crystal Palace at 23.30. Looks really good http://www.nightrider.org.uk/ . There are about 20 of us from work entered and we are riding for children's diabetes research.

[Winnersaint]

Hope things are still progressing Winnersaint.
After doing some gentle weights and stretching my knee actually feels a fair bit stronger so I'm planning to start some easy riding again soon.

Still improving thanks. Got to see a shoulder specialist though to see if I have to have surgery. Take the riding really easy when you start up again. Good luck.

[Dr Who?]

Still improving thanks. Got to see a shoulder specialist though to see if I have to have surgery. Take the riding really easy when you start up again. Good luck.

Hey winnersaint, glad that everything is moving in the right direction, and I hope you avoid surgery! But if that is required to get you back on the bike sooner then great. It must be so frustrating.

Just signed me and mrs dr.who up for the New Forest sportive in April, and looking forward to it. Not been able to get out on the bike, but been on the exercise bike plenty.

http://www.ukcyclingevents.co.uk/eve...ring-sportive/

[Winnersaint]

Hey winnersaint, glad that everything is moving in the right direction, and I hope you avoid surgery! But if that is required to get you back on the bike sooner then great. It must be so frustrating.

Just signed me and mrs dr.who up for the New Forest sportive in April, and looking forward to it. Not been able to get out on the bike, but been on the exercise bike plenty.

http://www.ukcyclingevents.co.uk/eve...ring-sportive/

Good stuff Doc. As far as riding in the forest is concerned I remember wrestling my 5 speed Campag Claude Butler up Blissford Hill when I was in my teens. Lots of mates from school lived in Godshill, Stuckton and Frogham so been up and down it a good few times. My advice is ask Santa for a turbo trainer. Around £100 - £150 will get you something perfectly good. Been using mine since middle of September. All you need is an old tyre that you're not to fussed about trashing to go on the back. Got a good training programme if anyone is interested.Good news is that I got my pride and joy back on Tuesday. Now it's a nice looking bike anyway but with Ksyrium Elite S wheels and yellow Jagwire cables to match the Flandrien flag which is all over the frame it looks so good I could almost eat it. Don't want to enter any events yet as i need to find out what shoulder specialist says but looking at Chiltern Dipper in April, the Jurassic Beast in May and the Action Research Chiltern 100 in June. That hopefully will be my first 100 miler.

[Dr Who?]

Just signed up for the Isle of Wight cycle on 6th July, should be a good one.

Also looking to do www.etapemercia.co.uk as they close the roads for this one, and I think some of the scenery will be great.

[Dr Who?]

Anyone fancy cycling from Southampton to either Swansea, Sunderland or Spurs for charity.

The Sunderland I was thinking over 3 days? 105 miles each day. 9 hours in the saddle, maybe a little bit more on the first 2 days, so we arrive at Sunderland at 1/2pm for kick of at 3.

Anyone?