Yet Another Cycling Forum
General Category => Audax => Topic started by: Manotea on 12 December, 2017, 10:55:29 am
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Same time, same channel, same "no mod cons" luxury accomodation!
Click image for more info. :)
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/ux6xuwdphgcj9m4/WW%20Logo%2030PC.jpg?raw=1) (http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/18-943/)
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I'm in :)
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Why is it called that?
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Because it's in winter and is organised by Willysden CC
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I would question the use of the word 'warmer' though...
Really wanted to do this one after my prematurely aborted attempt last year but I'm not free that day. Damn.
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Because it's in winter and is organised by Willysden CC
Ah!
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I'm in*
* subject to weather on the day
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It is a lovely ride - but not for me this year :(
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It is a lovely ride - but not for me this year :(
Or next year? ;)
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I'm in
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Booked my place tonight on a whim. Will check the weather closer to the date.
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Spots have been booked for the Things. There's still a chance for the cold/cough to make another resurgence, or for us to pick up yet a different bug though....
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Fingers crossed we shall all make it!
(... and will be great to see you again :) )
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Think this event will definitely live up to its name as a willy warmer! 8) ;D. That's me riding with no exposed skin again. Full set of beard too!
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No mod cons really means that you don’t get a little hand knitted ‘warmer’ for finishing which you would of course if it was a Wessex event
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The sun symbol was out all week on Metoffice for saturday. In a turn of fortune, now it looks like not only it will be icy in the morning, but it might rain and snow to add to the fun...
I think I'm out... ::-)
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The sun symbol was out all week on Metoffice for saturday. In a turn of fortune, now it looks like not only it will be icy in the morning, but it might rain and snow to add to the fun...
I think I'm out... ::-)
a stunning turnaround in the weather! Ill turn up and see how it is.
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The sun symbol was out all week on Metoffice for saturday. In a turn of fortune, now it looks like not only it will be icy in the morning, but it might rain and snow to add to the fun...
I think I'm out... ::-)
a stunning turnaround in the weather! Ill turn up and see how it is.
If I was local, I would probably take a decision last minute, but it's 2 hours drive and a 5 AM alarm, so I'll give it a miss
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The sun symbol was out all week on Metoffice for saturday. In a turn of fortune, now it looks like not only it will be icy in the morning, but it might rain and snow to add to the fun...
I think I'm out... ::-)
a stunning turnaround in the weather! Ill turn up and see how it is.
If I was local, I would probably take a decision last minute, but it's 2 hours drive and a 5 AM alarm, so I'll give it a miss
Fair enough. I has an hour drive :)
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Have been looking forward to my first audax all week. Weather been looking good for last 5 days. Nearly choked on my porridge this morning when I saw the totally revised weather forecast. Will do cold and dark, but not absolutely drenched and cold and dark. Waiting til morning to decide, but pretty fed up right now.
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Hello All - I assume you are all referring to the (wildly inaccurate) BBC forecast? I have been reliably informed that TimeAndDate.com is a much more accurate source.
Not looking too bad tomorrow, according to them: https://www.timeanddate.com/weather/@7291951/hourly (https://www.timeanddate.com/weather/@7291951/hourly)
I'm definitely in!
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It is going to be a damp start, even according to time and date... but meh, it’s only weather.
Should be drier later on all forecasts. I’ve seen worse.
John
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Time and Date = Drizzle
BBC = Heavy Rain
:-\
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I was referring to the Metoffice... to which most sites refer to. There are other sources and I am sure dateandtime use second hand sources.
One would like to hope the Metoffice has the most reliable information, otherwise they might as well shut it down
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Route tweaked - combination of wet & dry routes.
Good test for my new waterproof mitts
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Time and Date = Drizzle
BBC = Heavy Rain
:-\
Not much difference. After 30mins you’re wet anyway...
John
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I've done the last two and there were miserable enough with dry weather. Kudos to everyone who makes it to the start tomorrow!
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I've done the last two and there were miserable enough with dry weather. Kudos to everyone who makes it to the start tomorrow!
not my experience in any of the many times I've ridden; a very benign and scenic (with a small s) route and the ups certainly help with the Warmer aspect without making any of it actually that challenging (apart from the fact it's a January 200)
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not my experience in any of the many times I've ridden; a very benign and scenic (with a small s) route and the ups certainly help with the Warmer aspect without making any of it actually that challenging (apart from the fact it's a January 200)
The last part is my entire point! For me at least (as a full value rider) it's been a challenge against the cold to get to the finish.
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Wet snow here... should be the same or worse there.
Glad I DNS... :)
Shame, 'cause next week is supposed to turn mild
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Fully understand why some people DNS.
No snow, sleet or ice but it was very wet and cold.
Enjoyable ride in a funny sort of way!!
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No snow, sleet or ice but it was very wet and cold.
Enjoyable ride in a funny sort of way!!
Audax in a nutshell :)
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Very very cold!! Jesus! My fingers didn’t operate all day! Had to get another person to zip me up after a toilet break ;)
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Great day out. Thanks to the organisers. Especially the person who took the garmin (with my maps on it) that I somehow left at the HQ, to the control. It meant I could continue instead of packing. Excellent! Saved the day!
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Great day out. Thanks to the organisers. Especially the person who took the garmin (with my maps on it) that I somehow left at the HQ, to the control. It meant I could continue instead of packing. Excellent! Saved the day!
Manotea was your knight in shining armour. Glad you made it the rest of the way round.
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Splendid day out on the bike! The weather wasn't as bad as expected and for once we actually got the clothing selection right. Hands and feet got chilly at a couple points, but warmed up again nicely.
Thanks Paul, and all your helpers.
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Being a lightweight, I merely rode down to Pangbourne for a natter, then headed home (using a bit of the calendar route), less than 3h ride total.
Weather was pretty shocking - I just about stayed warm enough (but no ice or other genuinely dangerous stuff). But it looks like the riders were actually a bit lucky with the conditions:
Today is now snowing, and is forecast wet for around 10hours. Friday (when a final route-check got ridden) there was ice around, making for quite a tricky ride - well done that man :thumbsup:
January eh? Only Mad Dogs and Englishmen AUKs ...
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Splendid day out on the bike! The weather wasn't as bad as expected and for once we actually got the clothing selection right. Hands and feet got chilly at a couple points, but warmed up again nicely.
Thanks Paul, and all your helpers.
I DNS'd and find I struggle with near freezing weather, never mind wet as well. Would be interested to hear of Thing2's clothing selection. Or anyone else's!
Thanks, Martin
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Personally I find keeping body warm is just about adding more layers.
But hands/feet are much trickier (partly as bulky gloves are such a nuisance on a velocipede). Solutions do exist.
How about you Martin?
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Thanks, mattc. Head, hands and legs are generally OK. Feet get cold, but I've recently started wearing Specialized Defrosters, which allow thicker socks. My feet don't get as cold as previously and have actually come back to lif on a couple of occasions. What I'm trying to resolve is having enough body layers to keep warm whilst still allowing the sweat to get away and not build up to level where I'm feeling chilled. I wear wicking base layers and a wind stopper type jacket, but wonder sometimes whether a regular jersey would be better. It's an age old problem and I expect everyone is different.
Martin
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Splendid day out on the bike! The weather wasn't as bad as expected and for once we actually got the clothing selection right. Hands and feet got chilly at a couple points, but warmed up again nicely.
Thanks Paul, and all your helpers.
I DNS'd and find I struggle with near freezing weather, never mind wet as well. Would be interested to hear of Thing2's clothing selection. Or anyone else's!
Thanks, Martin
I do have an advantage, in that I sit on the back of a tandem, which gives me a lot more shelter, especially my hands. The downside to that is I'm the one who gets to take gloves off if needed (e.g. extracting a puncture inducing flint). On the downside I get wetter feet, even with a full length mudguard on the front. I find that keeping arms and legs warm (including wrists and ankles), help keep the extremities warmer. Remembering to wiggle the fingers and toes helps too. Everyone is different, and what works for me isn't necessarily helpful to others.
From top to bottom I was wearing: helmet, earwarmers, buff, longsleeve Merino baselayer, shortsleeve cycle jersey, waterproof jacket, thick waterproof gloves (sealskinz), thin 3/4 lengths, longs (with windproof panels and water repellent treatment on the front), waterproof socks and toe warmers *and* thin waterproof overshoes over the shoes. I'm particularly pleased with the shoe coverings. My feet tend to sweat a lot, and if there's too much insulation they get cold from being too sweaty. I normally spend winter rides with numb feet from either being too cold or too wet). Using toe warmers added a bit of warmth, but not enough that they were overheating. The overshoes stopped them getting soaked from spray off the front wheel and gave my ankles a bit of windproof protection.
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I wore more or less same layering as thing2 (I find it hard to make decisions first thing so just copy her lead ;D )
It worked equally well for me - neoprene toe covers and goretex shoe cover shell was excellent. I just had Marino rather than waterproof socks. Base layer was Marino which worked great
One struggle was cold hands after each stop. 20mins into each stage the handlebars were utterly freezing and painful to hold. Going onto the drops helped, I guess because there's less metal there (Vs oversized tops).
I also had sealskinz gloves but mine seem to just sponge up the water rather then repel it :-\
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I also had sealskinz gloves but mine seem to just sponge up the water rather then repel it :-\
They are waterproof until water begins to enter from the wrist... it's almost inevitable, given your arms are pointing forward. The fabric of the gloves begins to suck water in. If you rode with vertical arms, then it would be sufficient to wear your jacket sleeves over the gloves.
Maybe an ordinary bike is the solution? ;D
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/215/502922159_5451f4cef6_b.jpg)
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Err, I also had sealskinz gloves but mine seem to just sponge up the water rather then repel it.
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I also had sealskinz gloves but mine seem to just sponge up the water rather then repel it :-\
They are waterproof until water begins to enter from the wrist... it's almost inevitable, given your arms are pointing forward. The fabric of the gloves begins to suck water in. If you rode with vertical arms, then it would be sufficient to wear your jacket sleeves over the gloves.
Maybe an ordinary bike is the solution? ;D
Or maybe something like these (https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/352188219779?chn=ps&adgroupid=46781198765&rlsatarget=pla-378868095827&abcId=1129946&adtype=pla&merchantid=9861824&poi=&googleloc=9047020&device=t&campaignid=974199509&crdt=0&ul_ref=http%253A%252F%252Frover.ebay.com%252Frover%252F1%252F710-134428-41853-0%252F2%253Fmpre%253Dhttps%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.ebay.co.uk%25252Fi%25252F352188219779%25253Fchn%25253Dps%2526itemid%253D352188219779%2526targetid%253D378868095827%2526device%253Dt%2526adtype%253Dpla%2526googleloc%253D9047020%2526poi%253D%2526campaignid%253D974199509%2526adgroupid%253D46781198765%2526rlsatarget%253Dpla-378868095827%2526abcId%253D1129946%2526merchantid%253D9861824%2526gclid%253DCj0KCQiAkZHTBRCBARIsAMbXLhHHuUrd_44mZAUnm0PSIQKyvDtEnEaW_st8UP6WSh_nKosqOxnus-UaAu6EEALw_wcB%2526srcrot%253D710-134428-41853-0%2526rvr_id%253D1421195636391)?
(https://ssli.ebayimg.com/images/g/ZFYAAOSwZd1VWqD1/s-l1600.jpg)
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Thanks, mattc. Head, hands and legs are generally OK. Feet get cold, but I've recently started wearing Specialized Defrosters, which allow thicker socks. My feet don't get as cold as previously and have actually come back to lif on a couple of occasions. What I'm trying to resolve is having enough body layers to keep warm whilst still allowing the sweat to get away and not build up to level where I'm feeling chilled. I wear wicking base layers and a wind stopper type jacket, but wonder sometimes whether a regular jersey would be better. It's an age old problem and I expect everyone is different.
Martin
hmmmmmm ... no simple answer, as I don't suffer that way (now that I've learned the lesson that you need more clothing at 2'c/wet than in mere "normal" winter conditions :facepalm: )
1stly; I'm not keen on "wicking" base layers. They *may* work, but I've been using merino base layers on every proper ride since about 2007. I think merino mid-layers (like the crazy cheap on-One "cardigan-style" top I wore yesterday) have a place too. But wool can get a bit saggy as a thick layer ... )
2ndly; I generally abhor full waterproof jackets until you absolutely have to wear them. They do not breathe. The better ones just reduce the problem but they do not breathe. The Bad News? This weekend's freezing rain is probably when you do need the bloody things! And I think "windproofs" are nearly as bad, sadly.
3rd: The fall-back option is carrying spare layers. Such as spare dry base layer. And extra in case you misjudge *how* cold it is (I often carry a padded gilet which you can wear under your outermost layer); and of course on a 200k, after 9 hours you are often colder than after 1 hour just thru fatigue. This stuff can quickly turn into quite a bulky-looking bag-o-stuff, but it really doesn't weigh much and can pay you back in triplicate.
4th; I'm a big believer in unzipping stuff. See a climb of more than a minute? Unzip a bit. (Gilets are in their element here). I know many riders stay sealed into their hermetic gore-tex for 12hours, but that's never worked for me.
Good luck ...
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Well, of around 150 entrants we had around 65 starters on the day and 60 finishers. There’s no doubt the rather grey, cold, damp n drizzly conditions made it a tough day to be out and it seems to me that everybody who made the start line is to be congratulated. Those who made the finish – and the DNFers who txt’d in – all seemed to be smiling or variations thereof, even if only because it was over. Still, banking a tough January ride is always a job well done for alas you have to get cold and wet every now and then to appreciate being warm and dry! My usual thanks go to helpers including Gary Hocking and Pat Hurt at Pangbourne and Hungerford, and Ian Oliver, Dave Morrison, Caroline and John at Chalfont.
Next up for me as organiser is the Winter Boat Ride on the 11 February, which is a café Start/Pub Finish affair from Uxbridge out to Stoke Bruern nr Towcester. The terrain is similar to the Willy Warmer, a rolling 200km over mostly good roads, just right for a short winter’s day. Ref: http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/18-289/ (http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/18-289/)
If 200km still feels a long way at this time of year, the following Sunday is the Willesden C.C. Reliability Ride from Chalfont which will have 100km and 50km routes. Ref: http://www.willesdencyclingclub.co.uk/calendar/reliability-rides/ (http://www.willesdencyclingclub.co.uk/calendar/reliability-rides/)
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Thanks for an epic day out. Great to have real live controllers too. The "just get on with it" at Hungerford suited the conditions fine. This was not a ride for sympathy, more a ride for moving and survival.
Chelmer Chris and I drove to the start and into ever increasing rain. Still, it wasn't as bad the freezing ride of 2015 - and definitely not as bad as the other Willesden offering, the legendary Beast of the East 2007 although at times, it was a close call and we felt like the "desperadoes".
We started as two but after the half way point picked up a few other hardy souls - Asif, Boa (minus a back light -one provided from the several extra attached to my bike) and Malcolm who's routesheet had disintegrated in the rain. It turned out that while I didn't know Malcolm, I did know his uncle - none other than well known trikie Dave Stokes from trike racing and the Mersey Roads.
Well, it was a ride of surviving from control to control. Eat properly. Warm up. Go back out again. Freeze until you hit a climb. I've never been so grateful for the hill out of Pangbourne or the Lambourn drag. Descending was a different issue. With a rear brake cable not playing nicely, descents were either just full on go for it where it was a straight road and lose speed on the up without braking (I wanted to save them for emergency use as far as possible): on a windy descent, get on the drops and try to control speed so it never required any sudden force. Terrifying.
We opted for a mixture of the dry conditions route and the wet conditions route, choosing lanes over busier alternatives most of the time. This turned out to be fine except for the "road closed" section which we'd been warned about at the start. Having ridden audaxes on and off with Chris for about 16 years, I should know by now that there is no such thing as a closed road..... so we ended up riding through an almost foot deep flood. Nice. At this point I suffered a sense of humour failure as I discovered that waterproof sealskinz aren't and my feet almost instantly froze as water got in but couldn't get out. My decision to go with "waterproof" socks over merino is not a mistake I'll make again
The rest of the route to Winnersh was a muttering affair but after a hot drink and cake at the Sainsbury's, the rain having stopped and knowing it was just a 40km hop back to the finish, spirits rose again. In fact the last couple of hours were the most pleasant and warmest of the entire ride. Feet thawed out and we were warm and our little group of five stuck together. We'd got this far and there was no way we were leaving anyone behind now.
The last descent into Chalfont St Peter was a bit of a hair raiser on the temperamental brake but we made it with a whopping 45mins to spare. Apart from 2015, I've never been so happy to see the finish of this ride. The TLC, bacon sandwiches and coffee felt like the best in the world. Thanks Paul.
I've done many rides longer, hillier and theoretically harder than the WW but I still think that the weather makes this one of the hardest winter rides.
Testing rides though, and the people you share them with, are the ones you remember.
And we'll remember this one way past when the trench foot disappears.
Thanks to Paul and his team for another memorable ride.
Jane
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Nice write up there Jane. i bought some new brake pads on Friday and they utterly failed yesterday for the last 8 miles coming up to the Beaconsfield services and beyond. So strange! Off to find some harder wearing pads!!
Fake Edit: I have just inspected them and they are wore down way beyond the minimum line!!
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Tentatively looking forward to this on Saturday to keep my maiden RRtY rolling... The route sent out is under distance though at 196.6 km? https://ridewithgps.com/routes/38359270
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I have adjusted the route and have made it 200km.
Or you could just ride round the car park at the finish to get to 200km.
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But that doesn't work officially unless it is GPS validated. I've got to go through Chalfont to get to the start so could ECE it with the 18km each way.
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I have adjusted the route and have made it 200km.
Or you could just ride round the car park at the finish to get to 200km.
I think the only circuits I will be doing at the end is of food outlets in the services.
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Or you could just get your completed brevet card stamped at the arivee per normal and s0d the 'missing' odd 3ks?
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Ofc! I just thought audax kms could be over distance but never under.
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Ofc! I just thought audax kms could be over distance but never under.
I think it happens occasionally with the long-held events but nobody mentions it. Mapping software makes new events a little easier to police.
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But that doesn't work officially unless it is GPS validated. I've got to go through Chalfont to get to the start so could ECE it with the 18km each way.
I'm pretty sure when everyone gets back and hands their card over, they will all be validated. If you want to ride a few extra kms to salve your conscience, no one else will ask for proof. I'll be riding 13km each way to/from the event, where I probably would have driven to chalfont.
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I did notice the GPS trace was under distance. However, my experience is that my riding distance is always a % or two more than a planned route so I wouldn't be surprised if it ended up in the region of 200km.
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Is it safe to assume there’ll be ice on the route? Lower pressure in tyres, any other advice one should heed?
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This time of year in low single digit temps you’ll get colder on a 200 than you will on a 2-3 hour ride. Partly fatigue, partly just the amount of time you are out in the cold. If driving to this audax then throw some dry and warm layers into your car. You can change into them when you finish and before you cool. Keep stops short unless inside a warm cafe etc. Carry a layer to throw on when stopped.
If you want a relatively quick stop but also warm up, a hot chocolate can help. If you carry a small flask, you can pour the hot chocolate in, get going, and drink the chocolate later when it’s cooled a little bit. Carrying a small flask was a pandemic, nothing open, thing for me, I like it for quick hot drink stops.
The other thing I do in these times is lateral flow tests day before, and don’t turn up with cold like symptoms.
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Is it safe to assume there’ll be ice on the route? Lower pressure in tyres, any other advice one should heed?
a second pair of gloves may be luxury later in the ride. either if it rains and water gets in, or even if your hands get warm and sweat in the gloves.
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Cold at western end. I took my mitts off to eat outside the church in Lambourn . Even when mitts back on and after that long drag up the hills my hands were cold. Took a while for the hands to get back to operating temps. Thanks to Paul for a lovely if cold day out. No ice in the end.
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Cold at western end. I took my mitts off to eat outside the church in Lambourn . Even when mitts back on and after that long drag up the hills my hands were cold. Took a while for the hands to get back to operating temps. Thanks to Paul for a lovely if cold day out. No ice in the end.
Ditto…after Hungerford, I couldn’t feel anything with my fingers until a few km’s before Kingsclere when they eventually got a lovely warm tingling feeling as they came back to life! I did have another pair of gloves that I could’ve used to double up with, but decided to suffer instead ::-)
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That was a good day out. Rode with Chris Beynon, who patiently waited for me while I warmed up (took about 40 miles). Rode a gravel bike with 35mm knobbly tyres as was expecting ice and muck, which were mercifully absent apart from one tricky sandy descent, so spent most of the ride telling myself it was all good resistance training and I'd get the benefit later. Due to the cold we both ended up under-eating so stopped impromptu at the Iron Duke pub 10k after Kingsclere, as Chris was gutted that the Tutti Pole was not serving Sticky Toffee pudding. By a small miracle they were still serving food and the afore-mentioned object of Chris's desire was on the menu. Prompt service and hot drinks set us up for the last leg and we finished at 6pm. So nice to see so many new faces and big numbers riding - looking forward to the rest of the season even more now. Big thanks to Paul and the team for running this for the 18th? time.
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Really enjoyed that, the 1st I can remember that didn’t involve ice or rain of biblical proportions. Even having a full milk carton tossed at me out of a car full of yobs didn’t take the gloss off for long. Thanks to Manotea and his merry band
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Most(ly) enjoyable! Started with a good pace and nice chats until Pangbourne, after which I found the rolling route quite sapping, exacerbated by my usual slump between 100-150km and a puncture, of which there seemed to be quite a few throughout the day with the hedges recently cut. A double espresso and baked beans on toast at the Java Cafe in Winnersh restored my mojo and the last night section on quiet fast roads was very pleasant.
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enjoyed this ride, with the relocated start meaning I could ride to the event instead of driving.
set off alone at 8, perfectly timed to be passed by my club mates on the Marlow to Henley road, saw veyr few other riders until Pangbourne where all the cafes looked busy, so I skipped the bacon roll I'd been looking forward to and visited co-op instead.
Never really seemed to warm up, in fact I'm sure it was colder at Lambourn as I could see my breath on the big climb. Then down to Hungerford and the Tutti Pole cafe with warnings of being understaffed from other riders and the staff themselves. Still glad I persisted as I met familiar faces to chat, had a good feed, used the facilities and was out within 30 minutes. Then on to Kingsclere and finally some company on the ride as I got swept up by a friendly group of seven ladies, it was nice to spend to miles to Winnersh chatting and taking turns out of the wind.
Quick stop at Sainsburys with someone who looked old enough to know better running a techno rave out of his car as he drove round the car park, and then the flat miles to Maidenhead providing a nice rest ready for the last climb in the dark. Managed to reach the finish at a similar time to several others.
Not an especially fast time for a 200, weather was benign and my power levels are not too bad according to my turbo trainer sessions, perhaps it was excess weight, cleaning and lubing the chain would certainly have helped.