Author Topic: The Shark 200  (Read 45061 times)

Re: The Shark 200 - Saturday 9th April
« Reply #150 on: 30 March, 2017, 06:52:56 pm »
34x25 got me up everything last year.  I'm about to fit a new chain + cassette, which happens to be x27, so should be a bit better on the big climbs.

Discovered years ago (on a MTB) that us, ahem, sturdier folk need to sit and spin. 34x27 sounds about right for you, 34x32 sounds about right for me :-)

Carlosfandango

  • Yours fragrantly.
Re: The Shark 200 - Saturday 9th April
« Reply #151 on: 30 March, 2017, 08:11:06 pm »
34x25 got me up everything last year.  I'm about to fit a new chain + cassette, which happens to be x27, so should be a bit better on the big climbs.

Discovered years ago (on a MTB) that us, ahem, sturdier folk need to sit and spin. 34x27 sounds about right for you, 34x32 sounds about right for me :-)

Another year older, another gear easier. ;D

Re: The Shark 200 - Saturday 9th April
« Reply #152 on: 02 April, 2017, 12:09:45 pm »
I'm sorry to have missed this ride this year, but I did get a little bit of time today and grab a few photos close to home (sorry to have missed the earlier riders, it was a bit of a spur of the moment thing.)
http://smg.photobucket.com/user/coldsnail/library/Shark%202017?sort=3&page=1
All the best, Paul.

Redlight

  • Enjoying life in the slow lane
Re: The Shark 200 - Saturday 9th April
« Reply #153 on: 02 April, 2017, 01:36:40 pm »
I think there were well over 100 starters and they certainly looked determined/apprehensive as they set off.  Chapeau to the chap in the fared recumbent - I suspect he will be going very slowly up one or two of those climbs. 

I'll be back down in Blackheath village around 4pm so will watch out for the weary returners  :)
Why should anybody steal a watch when they can steal a bicycle?

Wycombewheeler

  • PBP-2019 LEL-2022
Re: The Shark 200 - Saturday 9th April
« Reply #154 on: 02 April, 2017, 02:34:36 pm »
I think there were well over 100 starters and they certainly looked determined/apprehensive as they set off.  Chapeau to the chap in the fared recumbent - I suspect he will be going very slowly up one or two of those climbs. 

I'll be back down in Blackheath village around 4pm so will watch out for the weary returners  :)
Did someone tell him it's called the shark because it's entirely at sea level? :demon:

Eddington  127miles, 170km

Re: The Shark 200 - Saturday 9th April
« Reply #155 on: 02 April, 2017, 06:58:59 pm »
Fantastic ride in great company.  The weather couldn't haver been better.  Only slight problem was finding the finish control but that was entirely my fault!

Thanks Ivan & fellow Hackney audaxers!

PS  It was quite hilly.
The sound of one pannier flapping

Re: The Shark 200 - Saturday 9th April
« Reply #156 on: 02 April, 2017, 08:10:03 pm »
Definitely hilly! 175 miles for the day...legs are aching!

Re: The Shark 200 - Saturday 9th April
« Reply #157 on: 02 April, 2017, 08:17:29 pm »
How does the shark compare to the hillier sections of LEL?

Redlight

  • Enjoying life in the slow lane
Re: The Shark 200 - Saturday 9th April
« Reply #158 on: 02 April, 2017, 09:47:00 pm »
How does the shark compare to the hillier sections of LEL?

I think the hills on the shark are shorter but sharper.  I haven't ridden this year's LEL route but my recollection is that, apart from a little stretch in Yorkshire, the hills tend to be long and steady.  Kent and Sussex hills tend to be steep in places but don't go on for too long (although it doesn't feel that way at the time).
Why should anybody steal a watch when they can steal a bicycle?

Re: The Shark 200 - Saturday 9th April
« Reply #159 on: 02 April, 2017, 09:54:18 pm »
A great day a'wheel out on the best early Spring day! Barely a trace of even 'wet run-off' and that thing they call 'The Sun' even made an appearance for most of the day!!!  :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Great finish venue at one of the best pubs in East Greenwich!! Well done ACH yet again for a fantastic ride!!! [ no bias there, despite that I could walk home...!]   ;D

Re: The Shark 200 - Saturday 9th April
« Reply #160 on: 02 April, 2017, 10:12:26 pm »
How does the shark compare to the hillier sections of LEL?

I'd say there's more elevation in the Shark than any 200k section of LEL - including the sections over the Pennines and Scottish borders - probably significantly more.
The sound of one pannier flapping

Re: The Shark 200 - Saturday 9th April
« Reply #161 on: 02 April, 2017, 10:37:07 pm »
So close to Essex so much harder....loved it though.

Yes, I walked Hogtrough,  I am informed it was only 11% when I jumped as well. I figured there was not much point in wrecking myself before walking.

In hindsight, I do wish I 'had tried harder'

Ah well. Work to do on Lung Capacity, legs were actually ok.

Thanks again to all. Good to see familiar faces today!

the straggler

  • ACME Award Recipient & ROTY 2021
Re: The Shark 200 - Saturday 9th April
« Reply #162 on: 03 April, 2017, 12:34:18 am »
Nearly late for the start today with the unexpected closure of Blackwall Tunnel South.  By pure luck I was rescued by Altronic and Jonathan at Isle of Dogs who happened to cycling across my path on their way to the start. I was about to drive back home in a cheesed off mood.

Spent a great day in the company of ACME members, psyclist, jibers, tippers and Jack.  That was definitely the hilliest 200km I have done, but found the 2nd half of the ride harder, probably due to steeper climbs and the  previous 100k taking its toll.  Overall I found it to be  a challenging ride, but thankfully not as daunting as the 3200km total amount of climbing suggests.

Couldn't ask for better weather and many thanks to Ivan and ACH members for putting on a great event.
CCS - Setting the Standards

Re: The Shark 200 - Saturday 9th April
« Reply #163 on: 03 April, 2017, 08:02:10 am »
Quite a contrast to last year's event, with significantly better weather. I also enjoyed the quieter roads on the Sunday, especially in the run in through London. Thank you ACH for putting on such a good event.

Great company with the ACME team, and various other riders met through the day.

Eddington: 133 miles    Max square: 43x43

Re: The Shark 200 - Saturday 9th April
« Reply #164 on: 03 April, 2017, 08:59:06 am »
A great day out, thanks to Ivan / ACH and everybody on the road.

Re: The Shark 200 - Saturday 9th April
« Reply #165 on: 03 April, 2017, 10:33:39 am »
Indeed, a super route . And what a day. The only problem with the control at Chiddingly is that I could have stayed there a long , long time. Thanks to Ivan, Adam and all the other helpers for giving us all such a good day out. And of course to all of the other riders who I spent time with especially Laid Back Rich who led us astray into the pub at the top of Brasted hill...........( known I am told as Barsted hill locally).

Re: The Shark 200 - Saturday 9th April
« Reply #166 on: 03 April, 2017, 11:00:19 am »
I'm sorry to have missed this ride this year, but I did get a little bit of time today and grab a few photos close to home (sorry to have missed the earlier riders, it was a bit of a spur of the moment thing.)
http://smg.photobucket.com/user/coldsnail/library/Shark%202017?sort=3&page=1

Thanks for that, much appreciated & great to see some of the riders on the road. Thanks also for all the feedback and praise to the ACH volunteers. I had a total of 155 starters and got 138 brevets back at the end of the day to validate, so pretty chuffed with that, including quite a few first timers which is always pleasing.
“That slope may look insignificant, but it's going to be my destiny" - Fitzcarraldo

Re: The Shark 200 - Saturday 9th April
« Reply #167 on: 03 April, 2017, 11:28:34 am »
Can I add my thanks to Ivan and the ACH crew. A superb ride from the Thames to the sea through the best of Kent and Sussex. I also appreciated Ivan's request that we kept Mike Hall in our minds as we enjoyed the day.

Martin

Re: The Shark 200 - Saturday 9th April
« Reply #168 on: 03 April, 2017, 08:21:10 pm »
I was passed by about 4 riders (including treborb occasionally OTP) near Ladies Mile while struggling round my AAA Milne perm; must say I prefer the alternative route from there via Withyham rather than Hartfield to Edenbridge but 6 of one;

last year the top of Hogtrough was a sea of bluebells, none this year yet

Re: The Shark 200 - Saturday 9th April
« Reply #169 on: 03 April, 2017, 09:48:38 pm »
must say I prefer the alternative route from there via Withyham rather than Hartfield to Edenbridge but 6 of one;

Yes, I rode both when planning the ride originally, it was pretty much an even choice, decided based on the crossing of the A267 being easier I think, but that might just reflect the days I'd been there - if that chipsealed road section from Hartfield to Edenbridge continues to deteriorate I might re-route next year...
“That slope may look insignificant, but it's going to be my destiny" - Fitzcarraldo

Martin

Re: The Shark 200 - Saturday 9th April
« Reply #170 on: 03 April, 2017, 10:32:28 pm »
must say I prefer the alternative route from there via Withyham rather than Hartfield to Edenbridge but 6 of one;

Yes, I rode both when planning the ride originally, it was pretty much an even choice, decided based on the crossing of the A267 being easier I think, but that might just reflect the days I'd been there - if that chipsealed road section from Hartfield to Edenbridge continues to deteriorate I might re-route next year...

It's a road I've only ever used on one AUK calendar event (my first, Battle and Back 160) but I always use it on the Meridian Hills perm. Mainly for variation as I do Hartfield a lot on AAA Milne

Re: The Shark 200 - Saturday 9th April
« Reply #171 on: 04 April, 2017, 12:01:27 am »
Great day out awheel,  thanks to Ivan and the team for giving us all such a good day out...and of course to all of the other riders who I spent time with especially Rumps and Parky of SWRC who led me astray into the pub at the top of Brasted hill...

Brilliant work by ACH, setting the bar ever higher for London audax rides, can KWAC rise to the challenge? Come and see for yourself on 1st July!
http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/17-269/


wilkyboy

  • "nick" by any other name
    • 16-inch wheels
Re: The Shark 200 - Saturday 9th April
« Reply #172 on: 04 April, 2017, 01:11:20 am »
That was another great experience — The Shark in sunshine8) :thumbsup:  I have to say it beats it in the rain we had last year.

If anyone needs a kick up the backside to get out on their bike and realise they need to train harder then this is it — an early-season leg-breaker, lung-burster of a ride across the grain of the home counties, from central London to the south coast.  And back.  By the end you'll wonder where all your winter miles went and you'll be back out and training hard by the time you've recovered.  Which will be a week on Thursday ;)

I rode this last year and set out to beat last year's efforts by riding slower at the beginning hoping to keep more in the tank for the grand climbs of Toys and Hogtrough ... the reality was that I matched last year to within 10 minutes, and the final two climbs were as brutal on my flatlander's body as they ever were  :facepalm:

I rode with a long list of people, all of whose company I greatly enjoyed, but none for very long — I seem to climb slower than most, but descend quicker, inadvertently yo-yoing around several groups.  I think it's a gravity-effect  ::-)

The delicious Ivan-e-strone stew made for a special breakfast (I tend to ride fasted for the first 100km, but this extra-hilly ride saw me break that much sooner), and the hall was buzzing when I got there — the sun made for a very different experience to last year.

The flat sections were surprisingly quick, for me, proving that I have too much potential of the anti-gravitational capacity and should always aim low.  The depressing regularity and apparent ease with which too many riders passed me up the hills on the return leg suggests that there should be a minimum-height requirement of 5-foot-10, and minimum-BMI of 22 for anyone entering this event, just to keep things on an evenly fair basis.  Weighted rucksacs should be assigned to those who fall outside these requirements, IMHO  :P

Unfortunately, the Sunday traffic was in a few places markedly heavier than last year, I thought, and the lovely weather seemed to bring out some really poor driving — it was only a few places, but the close passes and general risk-taking were abysmal and one was very nearly life-changing!  As a counterpoint, the vast majority of the route beyond the confines of the M25, and a good part within too, were on quiet lanes and B roads and were lovely to ride.

I have never really minded riding in the city, I quite like it, and most drivers were happy to leave room — the run back to Greenwich three of us picked the pace up and it was a nice, swift retour that reminded me that even if I'm rubbish up the hills, I'm still okay on the flat and LEL's mostly flat, right?

Thanks to Ivan and all the ACH helpers for putting on another great event  :thumbsup:
Lockdown lethargy. RRTY: wot's that? Can't remember if I'm on #8 or #9 ...

Re: The Shark 200 - Saturday 9th April
« Reply #173 on: 04 April, 2017, 11:52:24 am »
The delicious Ivan-e-strone stew

I wholeheartedly second that emotion. Ivanstrone is just about my perfect audax food.

Many thanks to Ivan and ACH volunteers for a great day out.

It occurred to me afterwards that I never actually saw the shark, but we've met before so I'm not too concerned  :)

Re: The Shark 200 - Saturday 9th April
« Reply #174 on: 04 April, 2017, 04:48:49 pm »
It occurred to me afterwards that I never actually saw the shark, but we've met before so I'm not too concerned  :)

Jonah didn't turn up at the start to help him out of the car, he's been a bit shy since all his teeth have been pulled out...
“That slope may look insignificant, but it's going to be my destiny" - Fitzcarraldo