[HAMR] A new challenger - Miles Smith

[miles smith]

Hi Marmite Man, already have to depress buttons 23 times prior to riding what with lights (5), Spot Trackers (2), Garmin's (2), Cat Eye odometer (1) and Camera.  UMCA set up for Garmin uploads so will stick with what we know and following the KISS (as in 'keep it simple, stupid') principal.

About 30 hrs to go before we restart at which point in time I will nolonger be regularly logging on.  Weather predicted to be rain followed by more rain, so it seems that jefmcg maybe incorrect that I'm possibly not based out of Melbourne.   As for Domino's maaaate love those deep pan's.

Kindest Regards to you all.  Miles.

   

[Aunt Maud]

Hope it goes well Miles, look after yourself on the road.

[SoreTween]

Rest well Miles, we'll be watching.

[Oakhambike]

Good luck Miles - you are nuts
Actually all three of you are nuts

Stay safe!

[red marley]

Daily Miles miles since the reboot:

184, 131, 131, 131, 141, 101.

Good to see a more regular sleep pattern, but rides are going to have to get longer reasonably soon if he's to go for Tommy's record.

Also, if there's any chance of team Miles consolidating the GPX uploads to Strava so we don't get 8 or 9 separate tracks per day, that would be splendid for us number crunchers.

[Canardly]

Good luck with it Miles.

[tomh]

Something odd going on with the strava upload for Miles.  Looking at the 101 miles uploaded on the 23rd there are three tracks of approx 30 miles each, all start in melbourne and end half way down the bay:

https://www.strava.com/activities/331024967
https://www.strava.com/activities/331113533
https://www.strava.com/activities/331184108

[SoreTween]

Looks like he was getting the train back to take advantage of the wind, the times are:
10:03 to 11:48 - 47kms 331024967
14:41 to 16:43 - 54kms 331113533
18:06 to 20:08 - 51kms 331184108

All three end at a small train station, the last one starts from the big station in the city.  It looks like the second starts from the bike shop so he probably forgot to switch on for the short station -> shop ride.

[jefmcg]

You seemed to have analysed it correctly.  Frankston Station is actually a reasonable sized suburban station, the farthest one down the peninsula - you wouldn't rely on country services in Australia.  The second ride he gets off at Richmond Station (which is right over his bike shop).  Richmond is a bit like Clapham Junction or Willesden Junction.  Third ride he goes in two more stops into the city.

[tomh]

That makes much more sense now - Thanks

[red marley]

Don't know if Team Miles are still reading this thread...

In the last three days, 16 uploads to Strava for 666 km of riding (and that excludes the uploads with 0km). Any chance of consolidating those short 4km trips across Melbourne in future uploads?

In other news I notice that after 17 days, Miles has pretty much matched Tommy's first 17. Is the plan to follow his schedule through the year?

[danridesbikes]

is this already dead in the water?

Miles heads east from Melbourne for 108 miles. He is now as far behind Tommy's WR pace as Steve was following his crash.

[jochta]

He seems to be having "fun" with his Garmin 510 according to FB. They aren't THAT hard to use...

Found best way to deal with Garmin is to treat it as you would a petulant child. Last night I could not switch the 510 off, so I ignored it and hey presto it does what you want, but only when you are not looking. Can't wait to smash it's tiny brains out with a real hammer (pun' tastic fun) when I finish the HAM'R.

We did a big clean out of the Garmin's (500 and 510) yesterday and response times to button pushing has improved markedly. I was only seeing an increase in the calories figs and no one knows why cadence x2 is up on the screen and no one knew a distance to destination feature was even an option.

RTFM?

The weather has been shocking for him recently which I think is limiting his mileage. And it sounds like he has to wait 6 hours for a train at one end or other of his usual route which is a waste of time. Still finding it hard to take his challenge seriously as it seems so amateurish IMHO.

[SoreTween]

is this already dead in the water?

Not remotely, see the foot of Jo's OYTT page.  Miles' target miles per day has only risen to 209.3.  Tommy's was 216.3 at this point and Steve refuses to give in with 251.5 required every day.

[Climberruss]

From what I can gather, Miles has some pretty attrocious weather to contend with atm. I suspect his milages will improve considerably when his weather improves.
Whilst looking a bit "hit and miss" atm, I think his attempt is very much alive.

[L CC]

The weather has been shocking for him recently which I think is limiting his mileage. And it sounds like he has to wait 6 hours for a train at one end or other of his usual route which is a waste of time. Still finding it hard to take his challenge seriously as it seems so amateurish IMHO.

I know what you mean, but I disagree. I don't think he's any more amateurish than either of the others, tbh. The train waiting thing is fine as he's not wasting that time, he's sleeping. I like him, and I hope he does well.

(Though I hope Steve does a bit more  )

[jochta]

The weather has been shocking for him recently which I think is limiting his mileage. And it sounds like he has to wait 6 hours for a train at one end or other of his usual route which is a waste of time. Still finding it hard to take his challenge seriously as it seems so amateurish IMHO.

I know what you mean, but I disagree. I don't think he's any more amateurish than either of the others, tbh. The train waiting thing is fine as he's not wasting that time, he's sleeping. I like him, and I hope he does well.

(Though I hope Steve does a bit more  )

The technical issues his team continue to struggle with is frustrating. His FB post seemed to suggest the 6hr wait for the train was eating into his potential cycling time.

[Mr Larrington]

Surely there's nothing to stop him riding small loops in those six hours

[jochta]

Surely there's nothing to stop him riding small loops in those six hours

This is the full FB post where 6hrs is mentioned. It's a bit difficult to follow but it seems he's talking about changing his regular route so he doesn't have a 6hr wait...

Day 25 "Thanks for inquires re the Bung Lung. First time anyone has said "inflation is good".
Everything going to plan. Lost 2 hrs sleep due to loosening off of the cranks. Life is better if you don't have to push overtight bearings, overnight.
Rain and cold weather (temps struggle to reach double figures) set to continue until Sunday. No one is saying which Sunday. Had two full roast chickens for lunch. Durano tyres continue to make life easier.
I called on to Mallard's in Sale to buy some Trek Bicycle cycling gear. Best Trek dealer I know of, really knowledgeable staff re Trek and bikes generally and all top blokes.
Will be leaving melb at 5.30 ish for second run of the day to Bairnsdale. This route should give me about 440 to 500 kms per day. Why the variance? two factors 1. Do I make the last 60 km's or chicken (sorry but can still taste them) out at Sale so I don't have a six hour wait, and 2. UMCA rules say I have to upload all ride info at 12 midnight so a ride maybe/will be split over two days. The last point evens put the data for the stats nuts and makes for day 356 cut off unarguable.
Found best way to deal with Garmin is to treat it as you would a petulant child. Last night I could not switch the 510 off, so I ignored it and hey presto it does what you want, but only when you are not looking. Can't wait to smash it's tiny brains out with a real hammer (pun' tastic fun) when I finish the HAM'R."

[SoreTween]

From a few days ago:

15 mins into the day I get hit by a right turning car (think left if you are reading this in Europe or the USA). Old guy, doesn't look where he's going or indicate, just quick glance to his left. When he gets out its clear that hes 80+ and from the numerous marks all over the car and the magnifying lenses in his glasses it wouldn't really have mattered if he had looked - looking and seeing being similar but not the same. The rear wheel, jocky wheels and rear gear changing mechanism take the hit. I lose a couple of gears in the high range as selecting them means the chain jumps up and over (and off) the rear big cogs, but am able to ride on. I don't want to bend the jockey wheels back as I'm bound to break the weak link (rear hanger) which has already been ' stress tested'. I carry a spare hanger but would prefer to avoid the mess and returning that a swap would mean by the side of the road, plus while I can move forwards, that's what I do. Mileage's is everything.

This is the third hit in the current challenge, so hopefully the saying that everything comes in three's is true.

My emphasis.  Blimey, he's only 5 weeks in.

[Gabrielle260]

Miles looks to be on his way out to Gippsland but here in Melbourne it is a day to stay in bed. Horrible weather- extremely strong and unpredictable gusts of wind, steady rain interrupted by stronger downpours - yuk!
The breakfast news is saying we have had the coldest July in over 20 years and I believe them... Not a good time to be riding a bike. Two of us in my Global Corporate Challenge team have had 3 falls in 2 weeks due to weather, traffic and equipment failure so it's no surprise to hear Miles' travails.
Kudos to him to be out riding in this!

[jefmcg]

The weather has been shocking for him recently which I think is limiting his mileage. And it sounds like he has to wait 6 hours for a train at one end or other of his usual route which is a waste of time. Still finding it hard to take his challenge seriously as it seems so amateurish IMHO.

See, this is why I am skeptical (in fact, disbelieving) that this record is somehow harder in England.  You can't compare transport infrastructure in Europe to Australia (or I guess the USA, though Kurt has plans that don't require it.)

This was presumably about this ride.  The trains on that line run 3 times a day.  6 am, midday and 6pm.  So if you miss a train by 5 minutes, you have a 6 (or 12!) hour wait.   Compare that to England, where you can just head to the nearest reasonably sized town and know there will be a station there, and a train to a nearby city shortly.

His previous usual route, has a metropolitan train service (trains every 10-20 minutes) at less than the halfway point, then only buses the rest of the way.

[TimC]

That may be true, but Steve hasn't used anything but his own leg-power to get him around his various rides. I very much doubt the the weather in Melbourne is significantly worse than it is in an English winter. Forget trains, ride the bike.

[jochta]

nearest reasonably sized town and know there will be a station there

That might have been true in the late 50s and early 60s

Sounds like this July in Melbourne is similar to an average November in the UK! A spell of wintry weather in the UK would seriously hamper any cycling. Although pretty rare in the south of England a few year's back we had deep snow right across the country in mid-December.

[jefmcg]

Melbourne's weather is not worse than London.  In fact it's often better on a mid winter day in Melbourne than it is on the same (mid summer) day in London.

This year has been a relatively bad one,  which is bad luck, but in 30+ years I never saw snow on the ground in Melbourne (did once see it fall past the 19 floor office I was in, but it melted before it hit the ground).  Miles, being English, will be finding it balmy.

nearest reasonably sized town and know there will be a station there

That might have been true in the late 50s and early 60s

Based on my 21 century experience, mostly bailing out of rides that have gone pear shaped.  The only time I've been stranded was when I arrived at Stevenage station after the last train to London - but the clever train staff put me a train to Peterborough, and then I got off an boarded the first train back to London via Stevenage.