Yet Another Cycling Forum

Off Topic => The Pub => Arts and Entertainment => Topic started by: LEE on 05 June, 2013, 09:18:03 am

Title: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: LEE on 05 June, 2013, 09:18:03 am
1 - I love Guy Martin, he's one of life's real characters.

2 - I love(d) Fred Dibnah's TV shows

3 - I love watching craftsmen make stuff

I think Guy may be the next Fred Dibnah.  I really, really, really hope he doesn't kill himself at the IoM TT.  Please Lord, take Piers Morgan instead.

Anyway, here's the fella himself, "helping" the people at Orange to make a Mountain Bike.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlIYEdRFQu4 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlIYEdRFQu4)
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Exit Stage Left on 05 June, 2013, 10:28:31 am
He's good, although he's too easily fobbed off with an explanation of monocoque.
Quote
Monocoque (/ˈmɒnɵkɒk/ or /ˈmɒnɵkoʊk/) is a structural approach that supports loads through an object's external skin, similar to a pingpong ball or egg shell. The term is also used to indicate a form of vehicle construction in which the skin provides the main structural support, although this is rare and is usually confused with either semi-monocoque or a unibody. The word monocoque comes from the Greek for single (mono) and French for shell (coque).[1] The technique may also be called structural skin or stressed skin.
There's usually someone like him in every workplace, and it's fun to tick off the 'in jokes', 'I'm not a real welder' et al. He gets away with it because he's got solid achievements behind him. The nearest we'd have to him in long distance cycling would be Andy Wilkinson, who'd be a natural at this sort of thing.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: ferret on 05 June, 2013, 10:39:14 am
yeah he's a typical down to earth lorry mechanic who just happens to like riding bikes fast, well doing most things fast actually, and after last year I think he can survive most things. The country need more people like him.


ps, he had sideburns way before wiggo :)
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: rogerzilla on 05 June, 2013, 08:48:30 pm
I suspect that he is also a flange magnet, and that's not an engineering term.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: TimC on 05 June, 2013, 09:51:31 pm
Guy is great - and that bike is beautiful!
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: LEE on 06 June, 2013, 08:49:01 am
"How Britain Worked" was a great TV series with Guy. (Just search Youtube for the 4 On Demand recordings)

He has a real respect for skilled craftsmen.

Here he combines craftsmanship and his TT bravado http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQrb4qZK5YM (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQrb4qZK5YM)

Go to 43 mins
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Riggers on 06 June, 2013, 09:52:43 am
43 minutes! It's the revelation at around 33 minutes that got me. Dog poo. Rubbed in to cow hide to help in the manufacture of leather making belts for machinery.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Riggers on 06 June, 2013, 10:01:59 am
And another thing.

I wouldn't have been quite as keen as Guy bombing down that hill, then having to turn, on what is virtually a steel rim wheel. Nightmare.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: LEE on 06 June, 2013, 11:11:00 am
And another thing.

I wouldn't have been quite as keen as Guy bombing down that hill, then having to turn, on what is virtually a steel rim wheel. Nightmare.

Yes but have you seen what he does for a living?
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: tiermat on 06 June, 2013, 11:21:40 am
43 minutes! It's the revelation at around 33 minutes that got me. Dog poo. Rubbed in to cow hide to help in the manufacture of leather making belts for machinery.

Common practice, and not just doo poo.  Through history large towns have had what are known as "Puremen", people whose job it was to go around at night and collect the contents of people's Gezunders.  This was then sold onto the tanners.  Full on professional organisation each with their own patch and heirachy...
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Vince on 06 June, 2013, 12:21:07 pm
I'm just wondering how the BBC got him to talk slower for his canal boat series!
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: tiermat on 06 June, 2013, 12:53:58 pm
I'm just wondering how the BBC got him to talk slower for his canal boat series!

By filming him with a high speed camera then slowing it down? :D
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: numbnuts on 06 June, 2013, 01:38:04 pm
He's a great Guy  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Exit Stage Left on 06 June, 2013, 06:05:28 pm
I didn't know that he'd come 4th in the solo category of the Strathpuffer 24 Hour mountain bike race in January.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuEGtZ51swM
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Riggers on 07 June, 2013, 09:18:57 am
Having watched that, it looks like he's doing that on 'slicks'.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Exit Stage Left on 07 June, 2013, 09:57:33 am
Having watched that, it looks like he's doing that on 'slicks'.

I've had long conversations with both Andy Wilkinson and John Warnock, the fastest and second fastest 24 Hour TT riders, and they have both ridden motorbikes extensively. Guy Martin's bike handling skills are likely to be unimpeachable.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Torslanda on 29 December, 2013, 07:10:10 pm
Risking duplication of threads but couldn't find anything else.

Is anyone watching the guy Martin prog/series that begins in a little under an hour on C4?

It appears he's trying to VERY FAST on a road bike . . .

More here . . .  (http://road.cc/content/news/103330-isle-man-tt-star-switches-bicycle-tv-attempt-110mph-british-record-video)
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Peter on 29 December, 2013, 09:01:37 pm
Absolutely astonishing!
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Torslanda on 29 December, 2013, 09:27:18 pm
Something like a 200 inch gear.

What a beautifully engineered bike!
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Peter on 29 December, 2013, 09:31:04 pm
Yes, I was especially impressed with the bike - should boost Brian's order book, though I doubt if he needs it!  It's sobering to think that Guy rode effectively with his eyes shut......

Now listen, John - stop it with your crazy plans, ok?
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: eck on 29 December, 2013, 11:36:08 pm
Risking duplication of threads but couldn't find anything else.

Is anyone watching the guy Martin prog/series that begins in a little under an hour on C4?

It appears he's trying to VERY FAST on a road bike . . .

More here . . .  (http://road.cc/content/news/103330-isle-man-tt-star-switches-bicycle-tv-attempt-110mph-british-record-video)
Thanks for the heads up torslanda.
The guy seems a total nutter, but a really nice guy at the same time. Loved his anecdote about Laura Trott.  :)
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: David Martin on 29 December, 2013, 11:37:42 pm
That were reet proper, that were.

112.5mph on marathons, on sand? in leathers?

chapeau.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Exit Stage Left on 30 December, 2013, 11:48:05 am
My favourite bit was when Jason Rourke interviewed Guy about his attitude to speed and risk. The even handed approach to the editing made Top Gear and its contrived challenges look very old fashioned. Although curiously, it's possible to see Guy as a modern John Noakes.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Vince on 30 December, 2013, 01:14:49 pm
"Not available in your region" Grrrr
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: bumper on 30 December, 2013, 03:59:18 pm
"Not available in your region" Grrrr

It's on 4seven at 8.00pm tonight :)
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: tiermat on 30 December, 2013, 06:01:25 pm
"Not available in your region" Grrrr

It's on 4seven at 8.00pm tonight :)

I spotted thast set a series link for it.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: bumper on 30 December, 2013, 09:02:47 pm
Excellent, really enjoyed it :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: TimC on 30 December, 2013, 09:04:50 pm
Absolutely bloody awesome! What a brilliant effort all round; Guy goes up in my estimation with everything he does.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Jakob on 30 December, 2013, 10:56:56 pm
I'm just wondering how the BBC got him to talk slower for his canal boat series!

Just watched the Mountain Bike video and I really struggled to understand him. And either he's wearing a 20 year old coverall or Scania hasn't bothered to update their design since I worked with trucks :)
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: David Martin on 31 December, 2013, 10:22:32 am
It will be a 20 year old coverall. Guy Martin is the mechanics mechanic.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: LEE on 31 December, 2013, 12:01:53 pm
It will be a 20 year old coverall. Guy Martin is the mechanics mechanic.

Nothing Guy Martin has done since my original post has stopped me hero-worshipping him even more.

I watched the speed record attempt and, like every sensible cyclist, said "he'll never do it ...not on sand anyway".

Then, the next day, I watched the highlights of him winning the Irish GP. 

Please Oh please let him win the IoM TT before he kills hissself.


PS.  What could Chris Hoy manage if he rode a similar machine on a closed road?  Maybe a road sprinter is more suited but, as good as Guy Martin is, I reckon he'll be at least 25% down on power compared to a Pro Sprinter.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Biggsy on 31 December, 2013, 12:22:54 pm
What a shame it was sand.  I reckon he could have done 125 mph on tarmac.  They should have closed the M1 for him!
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: mattc on 31 December, 2013, 12:29:56 pm
Being a science/motorsport/cycling nerd there were a million technical details I wanted to know (I shall try to resist listing them all here) but you can't have everything on prime-time TV I guess!

One of those was the effect of the sand. It's unusually hard-packed there, not your standard beach. Pendine has been used for many land-speed records, so it can't be a big problem - and I don't recall them mentioning it, apart from the lateral stability issues. Someone must have an idea how much drag was added. Shirley?
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: TimC on 31 December, 2013, 02:46:34 pm
I was interested that he had stability issues too, and I'd like to have known more about why, and why a wider tyre apparently solved the problem. I think the choice of Pendine was (and always has been) that it's a clear 3 miles of hard-packed sand. It may not be as good as the best road surfaces, but it's a lot easier to arrange to use for this sort of thing (it belongs to the MoD, I think).
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Exit Stage Left on 31 December, 2013, 03:14:42 pm
I wasn't very interested in the record attempt bit. It made a handy peg to hang a programme on, and it provided a bit of jeopardy, but the interest came from the study of character. It reminded of the film 'The World's Fastest Indian'. A series of encounters between an ecccentric and sympathetic central character and those who can help him achieve his goal.
I also know people like Guy, my local plant hire owner used to ride the Manx GP, so it's nice to have someone articulating the motivations of recognisable people.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: rob on 31 December, 2013, 05:43:29 pm
Useful fact I discovered is that he's from Kirmington, near Grimsby.   Those of you who did LEL rode through there just by Humberside Airport on the way North and South.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: LEE on 01 January, 2014, 07:42:29 pm
Useful fact I discovered is that he's from Kirmington, near Grimsby.   Those of you who did LEL rode through there just by Humberside Airport on the way North and South.

If you think that fact is useful I'd strongly advise that you stay away from my Swiss Army Knife...your brain will explode.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: rob on 02 January, 2014, 08:59:09 pm
Useful fact I discovered is that he's from Kirmington, near Grimsby.   Those of you who did LEL rode through there just by Humberside Airport on the way North and South.

If you think that fact is useful I'd strongly advise that you stay away from my Swiss Army Knife...your brain will explode.

I'm remarkably simplistic.   The other reason it's of interest to me is that I grew up a couple of miles from there.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: matthew on 06 January, 2014, 09:05:17 am
Yesterday he was riding a motorbike across water.  :o

mount foil, get the prof who did the recent program on the bouncing bomb in etc.etc. and get to >60m.

Looking forward to next weeks human powered flight speed record attempt.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: bobb on 06 January, 2014, 12:48:31 pm
I had only ever sort of heard of Guy before this series. Now I have watched everything I can find on Youtube  :)

Top bloke. Enthusiastic people always seem even more enthusiastic with a strong regional accent for some reason!
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: bumper on 06 January, 2014, 01:10:53 pm
Space hoppers are cheaper than buoys
&
Pre ride poo :D
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: gene hunt on 06 January, 2014, 09:36:12 pm
Really enjoying the series at the moment.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: LEE on 07 January, 2014, 09:48:18 am
Last night's episode, Motorbike on Lake, was OK I think.  If it had been anyone else buy Guy then I'd have been bored, but Guy's enthusiasm and lack of fear kept it watchable.

I think there was about 15 minutes of relevant material padded out with stuff about the terrors of "the Bends", underwater survival, and F1 powerboat racing.

I did enjoy the look on his face as he drove the powerboat though. "JESUS....WEPT!", from a man who rides through country villages at 160mph.

I also noticed a Reynolds 853 Fixie in the back of his van (Training for his powered flight record?)
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: bumper on 12 January, 2014, 08:15:27 pm
Tonight's episode is great so far, hope he does it.

It's nice to see someone on the telly with chipped and oily fingernails :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: BrianI on 12 January, 2014, 08:21:10 pm
Tonight's episode is great so far, hope he does it.

It's nice to see someone on the telly with chipped and oily fingernails :thumbsup:

And massive sideboards!   ;D
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: bumper on 12 January, 2014, 08:37:52 pm
Tonight's episode is great so far, hope he does it.

It's nice to see someone on the telly with chipped and oily fingernails :thumbsup:

And massive sideboards!   ;D

Don't knock 'em, mine are catching his up :D

He's also got lots of bikes too by the look of it. Either that or he's borrowed them for the series!
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: bobb on 13 January, 2014, 03:54:59 pm
Just watched episode 3. Most enjoyable yet  :)

(click to show/hide)
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: bobb on 14 January, 2014, 05:58:20 pm
What a shame it was sand.  I reckon he could have done 125 mph on tarmac.  They should have closed the M1 for him!

In this (http://www.chainreactionhub.com/latest-news/1219-video-crc-hub-show-episode-4) (telephone) inteview Guy says the truck was pretty much flat out on the sand and that was his limiting factor. He says the truck could do 130 on tarmac which he reckons he could've done.

He goes on to say (possibly somewhat optimistically!) that he could do 200mph behind a vehicle that could go that fast on a piece of tarmac long enough - namely VW's test track in Germany.

The current world record (set at Bonneville back in '95) is just shy of 167mph....
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: bumper on 19 January, 2014, 08:59:51 pm
Brilliant! It was excellent tonight.

Hope there's another series planned.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Bledlow on 19 January, 2014, 10:04:40 pm
43 minutes! It's the revelation at around 33 minutes that got me. Dog poo. Rubbed in to cow hide to help in the manufacture of leather making belts for machinery.
Not just the leather belts for machinery. It used to be very widely used in tanning. Collected by 'pure finders' (yes, they called it 'pure'), who sold it to tanners. You could make a living that way. A shit living in more ways than one, but a living.

Pigeon & chicken shit have also been used, & urine was used for an earlier stage in the process.

You really, really don't want to live near a tannery using ancient methods, or get your  water supply from downstream of one.

PS. Urine was also used for washing cloth.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: bobb on 19 January, 2014, 10:10:03 pm
Brilliant! It was excellent tonight.

Hope there's another series planned.

Yeah, it was another good 'un! I loved it when he pissed off the stuffy bloke at the Cresta run by completely ignoring his instructions to brake and slow down  :P
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: ferret on 19 January, 2014, 10:19:38 pm
Tonight's episode is great so far, hope he does it.

It's nice to see someone on the telly with chipped and oily fingernails :thumbsup:

And massive sideboards!   ;D

Don't knock 'em, mine are catching his up :D

He's also got lots of bikes too by the look of it. Either that or he's borrowed them for the series!

He's always been in to his bikes mainly MTB's you'll see him mucking about on one in between races :)
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: bumper on 19 January, 2014, 10:32:28 pm
Brilliant! It was excellent tonight.

Hope there's another series planned.

Yeah, it was another good 'un! I loved it when he pissed off the stuffy bloke at the Cresta run by completely ignoring his instructions to brake and slow down  :P

Just so he could buy the tie ;D
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: David Martin on 19 January, 2014, 11:17:15 pm
You really, really don't want to live near a tannery using ancient methods, or get your  water supply from downstream of one.

The reading today in church today was Peter's vision at the home of Simon the Tanner. I pointed out to TODM that Cornelius' men wouldn't have needed to ask directions. They could just follow their nose.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: tiermat on 20 January, 2014, 12:50:02 pm
43 minutes! It's the revelation at around 33 minutes that got me. Dog poo. Rubbed in to cow hide to help in the manufacture of leather making belts for machinery.
Not just the leather belts for machinery. It used to be very widely used in tanning. Collected by 'pure finders' (yes, they called it 'pure'), who sold it to tanners. You could make a living that way. A shit living in more ways than one, but a living.

Pigeon & chicken shit have also been used, & urine was used for an earlier stage in the process.

You really, really don't want to live near a tannery using ancient methods, or get your  water supply from downstream of one.

PS. Urine was also used for washing cloth.

On the last bit, it is also used to fix dyes.

Go for an "off the beaten track" guided tour round Marrakesh and you'll see the dye pits full of piss.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: fuzzy on 23 January, 2014, 11:52:31 am
You really, really don't want to live near a tannery using ancient methods, or get your  water supply from downstream of one.

The reading today in church today was Peter's vision at the home of Simon the Tanner. I pointed out to TODM that Cornelius' men wouldn't have needed to ask directions. They could just follow their nose.

Might account for Peters vision?
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: toontra on 23 January, 2014, 01:09:31 pm
He's always been in to his bikes mainly MTB's you'll see him mucking about on one in between races :)

Orange MTB's to be specific ( I think they sponsor him).  I've always bought Orange MTB's myself, so another reason to like Mr Martin  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: clifftaylor on 24 January, 2014, 09:06:24 am
I had only ever sort of heard of Guy before this series. Now I have watched everything I can find on Youtube  :)

Top bloke. Enthusiastic people always seem even more enthusiastic with a strong regional accent for some reason!

I hope you've seen the onboard with commentary of  him doing the fastest ever lap of the IoM tt course. Utter madness, utterly compelling.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: bobb on 24 January, 2014, 09:21:46 am
I had only ever sort of heard of Guy before this series. Now I have watched everything I can find on Youtube  :)

Top bloke. Enthusiastic people always seem even more enthusiastic with a strong regional accent for some reason!

I hope you've seen the onboard with commentary of  him doing the fastest ever lap of the IoM tt course. Utter madness, utterly compelling.

I have indeed  :)
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: ferret on 01 February, 2014, 08:03:16 pm
I've just been watching Guy doing the sledge run and was googling away and came up with this link http://www.mbr.co.uk/news/feature-riding-with-tt-ace-guy-martin/

and this from 2010 I believe his fancy light weight rear wheel collapsed
(http://i587.photobucket.com/albums/ss319/MB1_63/th_122_1010_01_oguy_martin_cheats_deathexplosion_zpsd31e0410.jpg) (http://s587.photobucket.com/user/MB1_63/media/122_1010_01_oguy_martin_cheats_deathexplosion_zpsd31e0410.jpg.html)
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: bobb on 05 April, 2014, 09:24:40 am
New show coming later this year!

Guy Martin celebrates the people behind the Spitfire  (http://www.channel4.com/info/press/news/guy-martin-celebrates-the-people-behind-the-spitfire)
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: mattc on 05 June, 2014, 10:34:15 pm
I'm watching Guy in the 2011 docco TT: Closer To The Edge (now on ITV4). 10 mins in there is an almost Fast-Show-vian moment with him and a model truck. Hilarious.

Great character :)
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: bobb on 12 October, 2014, 10:55:17 am
New show coming later this year!

Guy Martin celebrates the people behind the Spitfire  (http://www.channel4.com/info/press/news/guy-martin-celebrates-the-people-behind-the-spitfire)

19:30 tonight!
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Mr Larrington on 12 October, 2014, 10:58:56 am
New show coming later this year!

Guy Martin celebrates the people behind the Spitfire  (http://www.channel4.com/info/press/news/guy-martin-celebrates-the-people-behind-the-spitfire)

19:30 tonight!

There is also to be a new series of "Speed With...", apparently starting later this month.  May contain "bicycles" or traces of "bicycles".
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: RichForrest on 12 October, 2014, 01:20:08 pm
New show coming later this year!

Guy Martin celebrates the people behind the Spitfire  (http://www.channel4.com/info/press/news/guy-martin-celebrates-the-people-behind-the-spitfire)

19:30 tonight!

There is also to be a new series of "Speed With...", apparently starting later this month.  May contain "bicycles" or traces of "bicycles".

Also may contain help from a nice chap near Ely  ;D
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Mr Larrington on 12 October, 2014, 01:32:31 pm
Not to mwntion a chap near High Wycombe and another chap in Norwich but I can't say any more coz it's a SEEKRIT :-\
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: T42 on 12 October, 2014, 01:51:06 pm
I ate my standard cycling-day breakfast of tagliatelle and bacon then realized that I was fed up to the back teeth with the idea that "Hey, it's a sunny Sunday, have to get out".  So I uttered a resounding "fuck it" and proceeded to do SFA. Doing it pretty well so far.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike ..err Spitfire
Post by: LEE on 13 October, 2014, 09:02:50 am
Is there a machine that has such emotional impact as a Spitfire on us Brits?

What a job those fellas have..building new Spitfires.  Precision work as well, especially when the wing's location pins won't fit if you hold them in warm hands for too long.
I'm not convinced they bothered quite so much about fit & finish in 1940 but it's easier to concentrate without the pesky Luftwaffe overhead.

I think Guy was the perfect presenter once again and just how lucky was he to fly in a Spitfire vs Messerschmitt 109 dogfight? 
Talk about one to cross off your Bucket-List.  I think I'm more envious of that than anything I can think of*

I'm off to buy a Euromillions lottery ticket because now I have something to spend the winnings on.

* Guy revealed he has a Merlin engine in his living room (I think I may have a man-crush).  He strikes me as the sort of person who may just fire it up as well. Certainly a more dramatic way of heating the room than my log fire.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike ..err Spitfire
Post by: Kim on 13 October, 2014, 02:40:38 pm
Is there a machine that has such emotional impact as a Spitfire on us Brits?

Colossus?

If you haven't met the rebuild in the, erm, metal, then I highly recommend it.  Feeling the heat and listening to the clatter of the relays is every bit as good as the drone of a Merlin.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike ..err Spitfire
Post by: LEE on 13 October, 2014, 02:47:31 pm
Is there a machine that has such emotional impact as a Spitfire on us Brits?

Colossus?

If you haven't met the rebuild in the, erm, metal, then I highly recommend it.  Feeling the heat and listening to the clatter of the relays is every bit as good as the drone of a Merlin.

I used to be a Strowger Exchange maintenance engineer for B.T....I've heard all the clattering relays, and buzzing of pawls on ratchets, I want to hear for one lifetime.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: bobb on 13 October, 2014, 02:52:31 pm
* Guy revealed he has a Merlin engine in his living room (I think I may have a man-crush).  He strikes me as the sort of person who may just fire it up as well. Certainly a more dramatic way of heating the room than my log fire.

Have you not seen this then?

Guy Martin's passion for life (http://www.channel4.com/programmes/guy-martins-passion-for-life/4od#3745913)
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike ..err Spitfire
Post by: Kim on 13 October, 2014, 02:54:25 pm
Is there a machine that has such emotional impact as a Spitfire on us Brits?

Colossus?

If you haven't met the rebuild in the, erm, metal, then I highly recommend it.  Feeling the heat and listening to the clatter of the relays is every bit as good as the drone of a Merlin.

I used to be a Strowger Exchange maintenance engineer for B.T....I've heard all the clattering relays, and buzzing of pawls on ratchets, I want to hear for one lifetime.

Same instruments, different tune.  While it certainly looks like one in places, Colossus doesn't sound like a telephone exchange; you can hear it thinking...

25000 character comparisons per second, what's not to like?
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: LittleWheelsandBig on 13 October, 2014, 03:16:09 pm
Meh, I'll stick with the beauty and malevolence of a Spitfire.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: LEE on 13 October, 2014, 03:27:10 pm
* Guy revealed he has a Merlin engine in his living room (I think I may have a man-crush).  He strikes me as the sort of person who may just fire it up as well. Certainly a more dramatic way of heating the room than my log fire.

Have you not seen this then?

Guy Martin's passion for life (http://www.channel4.com/programmes/guy-martins-passion-for-life/4od#3745913)

Cheers for that link.  I don't know how I conspired to miss this.

What's not to like about Guy and his philosophy?
Quote
"If you want something, do the graft, earn the money and go and get it.  I wanted a Merlin engine so I did the graft, earned the money and got one".

He truly is an authentic replacement for my beloved Fred Dibnah.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Mr Larrington on 13 October, 2014, 11:24:22 pm
So when does the backlash start about him being Beastly to the Germans :demon:
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Séamas M. on 13 October, 2014, 11:53:25 pm
I have to admit I laughed out loud when he wheeled in the 5 series for the machine gun test.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Mr Larrington on 14 October, 2014, 12:03:12 am
So did I but I can't help but think that a Mercedes-Benz would have been more appropriate.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Exit Stage Left on 14 October, 2014, 10:31:15 am
the BF in BF109 stood for Bayerische Flugzeugwerke.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Mr Larrington on 14 October, 2014, 06:19:04 pm
Yes, the "later, unrelated BFw" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_BMW#A_later.2C_unrelated_BFw) which later became Messerschmitt.  But it did have a Daimler-Benz DB601 under the bonnet.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Exit Stage Left on 14 October, 2014, 07:36:04 pm
And of course BMW now own the Rolls Royce car name, after the owners of the brand, Rolls Royce aero engines, denied the right to use it to VW, due to their partnerships in aero engines with BMW.

I'm intrigued by the idea of how noisy Colossus was, it was largely electronic. The Bombes that Turing used to decode Enigma were electro-mechanical, so would have sounded like telephone exchanges.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Kim on 14 October, 2014, 09:14:45 pm
I'm intrigued by the idea of how noisy Colossus was, it was largely electronic.

The high bits of the counters were all relay logic, to keep the valve count down (they didn't need to switch as quickly).  And there were a few multiselectors and things in there too.  And of course the paper tape reader isn't exactly quiet when up to speed.  What you hear depends on the (hard-wired!) program it's running, but if you imagine the paper tape spinnning at 5000CPS, a clatter of relays every time it complete a full loop, and the occasional burst of printer noise, you're on to the right idea.

I've no idea what the original power supply arrangement was.  The rebuild project uses a modern telecoms PSU, but if there were rotary converters involved, you'd have to allow for that, too (though they might have been housed elsewhere).


Quote
The Bombes that Turing used to decode Enigma were electro-mechanical, so would have sounded like telephone exchanges.

Less so than Colossus, I expect.  They were mostly rotating multi-pole switches linked with belts and gears, rather than relays.  I've not seen the Bombe rebuild in action, though.

As I mentioned earlier, there's a lot of telephone exchange in Collosus, but it doesn't have the instantly recognisable telephonic rhythms.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Exit Stage Left on 14 October, 2014, 09:59:21 pm
There's a lot of Strowger videos to demonstrate the noise.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUOh9fCSgqw
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: LEE on 15 October, 2014, 09:10:36 am
Because I can sense you are all waiting for a Strowger anecdote....

I was working in Manchester Trunk exchange (ie. a focal point for smaller local exchanges) when Noel Edmonds gave away a pocket calculator on "Swap Shop" (Google it kids).

The cascade of noise roling through the exchange was deafening up until the point the main fuse blew and took down long-distance services for South Manchester.  (We weren't the only exchange that was "fused" by that shitty little calculator).

Resetting a Strowger telephone exchange is a pain in the arse and I think BT (probably still the Post Office back then) politely asked Noel to stop giving shit away without forewarning in future.

There's a rack of BT Strowger for sale on Ebay at the moment.  I think I should buy it for something to do when I develop "Altzheimer's", I can spend my days bending armatures, setting spring tensions and cursing Noel Edmonds (something I actually do today but without the Strowger maintenance side of things).
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Exit Stage Left on 15 October, 2014, 11:15:19 am
The University of Salford has a Strowger heritage project. I drink regularly with a couple of ex BT engineers, and Strowger is one of their foci of nostalgia. It makes a change from the discussion of severance packages, which is now shading into reports of funerals for hard-smoking and hard-drinking former workmates.
http://www.cntr.salford.ac.uk/comms/strowger.php

There seems to be a great hunger for tinkering among ex BT engineers. The snowslope at Yad Moss relies on them to keep the lift running. The generator is out of Carlisle exchange, and the low voltage it provides means the heaters in the club room  are pathetic. Guy Martin is a symptom of that residual desire to fiddle with bits of metal.

Cumbria Tourist Board made a little film about Alston which sums up the volunteer culture of pottering about with machinery. Participative tourism in essence.

http://vimeo.com/82184755
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: LEE on 15 October, 2014, 02:15:14 pm
I drink regularly with a couple of ex BT engineers

So did I....mostly during working hours.  "The Finger Post" pub near Stockport appeared to have the most unreliable phones in Manchester, given the number of Yellow BT vans in the car park all afternoon (fortunately it was walking distance for me).

So, if you want to trigger discussions about Strowger with your drinking buddies, simply mention that "Strowger is simple...A ops B ops C and the rest is self-explanatory".  That's day One, lesson one of the Strowger maintenance course in Bletchley (yes, that Bletchley).
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Mr Larrington on 24 October, 2014, 10:33:06 am
"Speed With Guy Martin" - new series starts at 20:00 on Sunday October 26th, Channel 4.  In episode 1 "he finds out how far it's possible to travel on a bicycle during 24 hours of non-stop pedalling.  Helped by bike experts Miles Kingsbury and Mike Burrows he builds a tandem..."

FSVO "bicycle" and "tandem".  It's a sociable trike.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: jsabine on 24 October, 2014, 01:31:49 pm
Tandem's just a bike for two people though, innit. Innit?
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Mr Larrington on 24 October, 2014, 07:26:48 pm
Tandem's just a bike for two people though, innit. Innit?

From the lat. "at length"
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: jsabine on 24 October, 2014, 08:40:44 pm
Tandem's just a bike for two people though, innit. Innit?

From the lat. "at length"

You know that, I know that, but hoi polloi like, don't. Innit.

For those poor benighted souls who have not benefited from a classical education and are likely to make up the bulk of the audience, a tandem *is* just a bike for two people, and they're not likely to be fussed about whether the riders are side by side, in line astern or indeed facing in opposite directions.

Do you reckon most folk are more likely to get a sense of what he's trying to do if they hear 'tandem,' or if they hear 'sociable recumbent tadpole tricycle'?
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Mr Larrington on 25 October, 2014, 09:09:19 am
Just because most people didn,t do lat. at their grubby little secondary moderns doesn't mean they shouldn't be edumaficated in latter life.  Innit.

At least, that's what my butler (Winchester, Balliol & the Horse Guards) says ;D
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: ferret on 26 October, 2014, 08:43:39 pm
 I'm watching right now and it's very funny while being informative at the same time, some interesting ideas for speeding up my audax times ;)
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Mr Larrington on 26 October, 2014, 09:15:31 pm
Just finished watching it and spotted my chums Jonathan, Al, Neil and Andy lurking in the background as Observers (I had been invited to Observe too but had a prior engagement chiz).  No obvious howlers1 though they did keep quiet about the solo record, both for conventional bikes and HPVs, being somewhat higher than their target.

Don't know why they had to include the clip of Young Master Robert decking the Mango at Battle Mountain in 2002, though...

1 - though apparently the Sports SCIENCE mob from Mos Eisley Portsmouth rang up Mike Burrows to ask how to support the Windcheetahs' rear wheels when on the training rig ::-)
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: RichForrest on 26 October, 2014, 09:18:12 pm
What is the 24hr record in a velo now? Seem to remember it to be around 1200km
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Mr Larrington on 26 October, 2014, 09:27:56 pm
1219 km / 757 miles; Christian von Ascheberg in a Milan at the DEKRA track in 2010.

Some of the Dutch PSOs in Battle Mountain this year were muttering about aiming for 1000 miles :o
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: ferret on 26 October, 2014, 09:32:39 pm
well the only one I recognised was Guy Martin:) and why was the sports nutritionist so overweight ??
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Mr Larrington on 26 October, 2014, 09:47:57 pm
The physiology bloke is the bastard lovechild of Vladimir Putin and Ron Dennis...
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Exit Stage Left on 27 October, 2014, 12:00:47 am
Nice that they acknowledged a forum member as holder of the CTT 24 hour tandem record.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: bobb on 27 October, 2014, 08:31:27 am
I enjoyed the programme very much, but I'm a bit confused as at what record they actually broke? Surely HPV and upright bike records are separate categories, no?
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: TimC on 27 October, 2014, 08:51:46 am
I enjoyed the programme very much, but I'm a bit confused as at what record they actually broke? Surely HPV and upright bike records are separate categories, no?

This one: HPVA (http://www.whpva.org/land.html#382). Though, strictly speaking, I think they set a record rather than broke one.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Exit Stage Left on 27 October, 2014, 10:25:30 am
It's interesting to see how TV is put together, I got this message on July 15th.

Quote
I am a researcher working on the Channel 4 programme Speed with Guy Martin, we are in our second series and are looking into endurance 24 hour cycling records, we are particularly interested in the record of Andy Wilkinson and have been talking with him. We are currently trying to get together any photo and video sources that we can feature in our programme, trying to get them together by the end of the week. We are very interested in the video you have on Youtube and were wondering if you are able to give us permission to feature it in our programme, Also could you let me know if you have any more photos or videos of the attempt. If you can get back to me as soon as possible that would be fantastic,

I can see how the programme evolved the way it did. The solo records are out of reach, so the multi-rider HPV record was an obvious target. There's a Mike Burrows connection with Andy Wilkinson, Wilko got the RTTC record in 1997 with a Burrows designed Giant MCR, and holds the HPV Lands End John O' Groats record in a Windcheetah, also a Burrows machine. It would be interesting to see what Andy and Jill Wilkinson could do in terms of a mixed record in the Martin machine.

We could very probably assemble a male pairing from YACF to take the record higher, but that's an indication that this is the home of endurance cycling.

It was a good show, there was an interesting comment on the Andy Wilkinson video posted a couple of hours after the transmission.
Quote
   
LivingThroughTV
Hadn't seen video footage of Andy's state at the end before. Found myself laughing almost in sympathy. I cannot comprehend how that must've felt. Incredible, incredible ride.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tix9iF3reSE

Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Mr Larrington on 27 October, 2014, 11:46:11 am
I enjoyed the programme very much, but I'm a bit confused as at what record they actually broke? Surely HPV and upright bike records are separate categories, no?

I was contacted by BHPC chairman Alan Goodman (who has an uncredited role in the programme as "Observer in red waterproof"), IIRC during my time in the Gulag, about 24-hour records in general and multi-rider HPV records in particular.  I couldn't find any reference to the latter but was able to point him at CTT and UMCA.  The latter organisation is the one that sanctioned the Fedrigon/Gremley record they were initially aiming for.

UMCA will happily accept records for any class of machine, though I believe you have to be a member to set one.  There was a move afoot a few years ago to unify UMCA/CTT/$HPV road records, but I don't think anything ever came of it.

Careful study of teh R00lz leads me, and others, to believe that a UMCA member could ride the Mersey Roads 24 on/in anything human-powered...
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: LEE on 27 October, 2014, 01:16:43 pm
I thought it was really good TV.  Let's be honest, it's not merely a program about setting a record.  It's a program about Guy Martin trying to set a record.

He's a likeable character, he's enthusiastic, seems to have no fear (other than of being stood in his undies next to another bloke) and makes for good TV.

It's "Science-ertainment". Fred Dibnah was far from the most efficient Chimney knocker-downer (the correct term for it) or the most qualified Historian but that's not the point. 

Look , he has a working Merlin Engine in his living room ferchristssake!  He can do no wrong.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: mattc on 30 October, 2014, 05:52:00 pm
(finally watched this ... )
Yup,  great entertainment, with some interesting engineering/cycling factoids sprinkled in there. :thumbsup:


A very minor query-cum-niggle ...  The 100metre speed trial they did; IIRC they were around 10secs on uprights, so around 23mph. I can average 23mph over 10 miles! I'm often last in club 10s, with many riders averaging 26-27mph.

Was this a realistic "demonstration"? Are my figures wrong? Are they actually both plodders, and/or with hardly any cycle-specific training behind them?
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: TimC on 30 October, 2014, 05:53:37 pm
Guy beat Laura Trott in a sprint last series - and managed 112mph on a bike in that same episode. I wouldn't call him a plodder!
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Exit Stage Left on 30 October, 2014, 10:51:10 pm
(finally watched this ... )
Yup,  great entertainment, with some interesting engineering/cycling factoids sprinkled in there. :thumbsup:


A very minor query-cum-niggle ...  The 100metre speed trial they did; IIRC they were around 10secs on uprights, so around 23mph. I can average 23mph over 10 miles! I'm often last in club 10s, with many riders averaging 26-27mph.

Was this a realistic "demonstration"? Are my figures wrong? Are they actually both plodders, and/or with hardly any cycle-specific training behind them?

From a standing start.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: tiermat on 31 October, 2014, 08:12:34 am
(finally watched this ... )
Yup,  great entertainment, with some interesting engineering/cycling factoids sprinkled in there. :thumbsup:


A very minor query-cum-niggle ...  The 100metre speed trial they did; IIRC they were around 10secs on uprights, so around 23mph. I can average 23mph over 10 miles! I'm often last in club 10s, with many riders averaging 26-27mph.

Was this a realistic "demonstration"? Are my figures wrong? Are they actually both plodders, and/or with hardly any cycle-specific training behind them?

From a standing start.

If you watch the program, the 100m is NOT from a standing start, it's a flying start.

Bear in mind, too, that they are both MTBers, so used to spinning very low gears for hours at a time, so yes, plodders, if you want to put it like that.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Mr Larrington on 31 October, 2014, 10:26:01 am
The recumbents were Ratracers which eschew such fripperies as multiple chainrings.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Pingu on 02 November, 2014, 08:41:19 pm
Ben Nevis in England  ??? :facepalm:
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: David Martin on 02 November, 2014, 09:37:55 pm
Is there a machine that has such emotional impact as a Spitfire on us Brits?

Colossus?

If you haven't met the rebuild in the, erm, metal, then I highly recommend it.  Feeling the heat and listening to the clatter of the relays is every bit as good as the drone of a Merlin.

I'd love to see the mercury memory stores from the earlier models too..
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: David Martin on 02 November, 2014, 09:48:53 pm
Tandem's just a bike for two people though, innit. Innit?

From the lat. "at length"

You know that, I know that, but hoi polloi like, don't. Innit.

For those poor benighted souls who have not benefited from a classical education and are likely to make up the bulk of the audience, a tandem *is* just a bike for two people, and they're not likely to be fussed about whether the riders are side by side, in line astern or indeed facing in opposite directions.

Do you reckon most folk are more likely to get a sense of what he's trying to do if they hear 'tandem,' or if they hear 'sociable recumbent tadpole tricycle'?

Cos a tandem is as m'learned friend alludes to, a numebr of riders greater than 1 arranged in a serial manner. So you can have a tandem triplet.

cf. Road tax, hoovering with a dyson and so on..
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: David Martin on 02 November, 2014, 10:41:01 pm
Is there a machine that has such emotional impact as a Spitfire on us Brits?


I went to RAF Montrose a few months ago. I was stunned by just how big a Merlin engine is. A spitfire isn't so much a plane as a bloody great engine with wings attached and a Pilot desperately hanging on for the ride.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Torslanda on 03 November, 2014, 09:46:38 am
Is there a machine that has such emotional impact as a Spitfire on us Brits?


I went to RAF Montrose a few months ago. I was stunned by just how big a Merlin engine is. A spitfire isn't so much a plane as a bloody great engine with wings attached and a Pilot desperately hanging on for the ride.

Anyone who has flown a Spitfire* would probably disagree, they would describe it as being barely in control of a thoroughbred but I get the gist of what you're saying.

*Sadly I am not one of them!
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: LEE on 03 November, 2014, 09:56:25 am
Is there a machine that has such emotional impact as a Spitfire on us Brits?


I went to RAF Montrose a few months ago. I was stunned by just how big a Merlin engine is. A spitfire isn't so much a plane as a bloody great engine with wings attached and a Pilot desperately hanging on for the ride.

Yes...so you'd be crazy to put one in a car.

Here's Jay Leno's (a man who really enjoys the trappings of wealth)

"There's no replacement for displacement"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-I3Cl1RICg (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-I3Cl1RICg)
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Biggsy on 03 November, 2014, 12:41:35 pm
A very minor query-cum-niggle ...  The 100metre speed trial they did; IIRC they were around 10secs on uprights, so around 23mph. I can average 23mph over 10 miles! I'm often last in club 10s, with many riders averaging 26-27mph.

Was this a realistic "demonstration"? Are my figures wrong? Are they actually both plodders, and/or with hardly any cycle-specific training behind them?

Your figures are right enough, but they weren't using time trialing positions and I bet there was a headwind.  I reckon even I could have beaten them with no headwind, and I'm only barely fit these days.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: citoyen on 16 November, 2014, 10:47:09 pm
I thought tonight's episode was fantastic. Great telly. But I was left wondering what happened next between him and the French girl...
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Mr Larrington on 16 November, 2014, 10:54:41 pm
I thought tonight's episode was fantastic. Great telly. But I was left wondering what happened next between him and the French girl...

You and me both :)  I'm also wondering why they didn't appear to fair the "suspension arms" or use wheel covers ???
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Tim Hall on 16 November, 2014, 11:15:03 pm
And did you clock the head boffin's T shaped shirt slogan?

"x=n+1"
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: pcolbeck on 17 November, 2014, 07:43:15 am
I liked the comment at the end from the girl form the design team who burst into tears when he crashed "he's a bit of a nutter isnt he". Well yes he is.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: pcolbeck on 17 November, 2014, 07:44:00 am
I thought tonight's episode was fantastic. Great telly. But I was left wondering what happened next between him and the French girl...

I though he was engaged to his manager Steph.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: citoyen on 17 November, 2014, 08:41:11 am
And did you clock the head boffin's T shaped shirt slogan?

"x=n+1"

Yes! Only a brief glimpse so had to stop the tape and rewind to make sure I'd read it properly.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: citoyen on 17 November, 2014, 08:43:09 am
I though he was engaged to his manager Steph.

Possibly not for much longer if she sees the way he was carrying on last night.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: tiermat on 17 November, 2014, 08:49:03 am
I though he was engaged to his manager Steph.

Possibly not for much longer if she sees the way he was carrying on last night.

...and on the Pike's Peak one.

Interestingly his Wikipedia page USED to say " He recently built his own house with his fiancee."

That line was removed on 28th June this year, make of that what you will.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Mr Larrington on 17 November, 2014, 11:49:23 am
And did you clock the head boffin's T shaped shirt slogan?

"x=n+1"

Was it just me or is there a remarkable resemblance 'twixt said boffin and Von Broad otp?
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: LEE on 17 November, 2014, 05:45:01 pm
He absolutely loved being in that crash (apart from ruining his helmet's custom paint job).
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Torslanda on 17 November, 2014, 07:45:22 pm
He absolutely loved being in that crash (apart from ruining his helmet's custom paint job).

FTFY. That lid is scrap . . .
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: andyoxon on 17 November, 2014, 10:29:50 pm
Excellent episode, very entertaining.   Also, "[Inertia?] Anyone got a diary, not a diary, a dictionary..?",  "She can't half pull a truck"  made me smile.  And yes I think, the crash almost seemed like one of the best bits for him; possibly because he then knew he pushed to a limit,
(click to show/hide)
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Mr Larrington on 18 November, 2014, 01:31:20 am
I had that Mike Burrows on the blower earlier being scathing about the aerodynamics, the tyres and one or two other things he'd noticed on the way.  Apparently he and Miles Kingsbury are trying to interest the TV company in getting Mr Martin and his mate to have a go at the multi-rider record at Battle Mountain - currently 73 anna bit mph.

I've also heard that the University of Liverpool have approached him as a prospective rider for their Battle Mountain machine for 2015.  Some of which actually now exists in RL rather than as a snazzy drawing inside someone's Babbage-Engine.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: bobb on 28 January, 2015, 09:56:46 pm
Yet another Guy Martin programme. Looks like only two episodes. Starts Sunday:

Our Guy in India (http://www.channel4.com/programmes/our-guy-in-india)
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: bobb on 10 February, 2015, 01:21:34 pm
Well, I really enjoyed his India programme. Watch it, it's still on 4od.

He's left his Royal Enfield in storage in Goa. He says he want to go back, pick it up and ride it home - Goa to Grimsby! I hope they make a tv show of that  :)
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Sergeant Pluck on 10 February, 2015, 02:50:20 pm
"Me backside's givin' me a bit o' bother" :)

Interesting that he fell asleep while paragliding: different boredom threshold from most of the rest of us I think.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: LEE on 10 February, 2015, 03:40:58 pm
"Bodge it and Scarper" building methodology.  No so bad if you're welding a Motorbike prop-stand, not so good if it's a 60-floor building. (I'm going to use B.I.A.S. as an acronym now).

Nothing I've seen so far makes me love him any less.  The India program ended with a rather nice bit of Guy philosophy on the value we place on possessions.

Goa to Grimsby by Royal Enfield? Can't wait.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: LEE on 03 September, 2015, 04:19:41 pm
After his huge "off" in Ulster... an update from Guy on Facebook..

I don’t remember anything about the crash after headbutting the ground, but the Dainese and AGV stuff I was racing in was bloody brilliant. The leathers were cut off me, but there weren’t many scuffs on them. I headbutted the ground at 130mph, then skidded into a dirt field and catapulted off a few things. The impact I hit the ground with was massive. I was knocked out, but it’s a credit to that helmet that I didn’t suffer any damage other than a badly bloodshot eye. There are no rubbish helmets any more really, but I wouldn’t have wanted to be wearing anything other than my AGV.

"I’ve broken some vertebrae, but I’ve got to say the Dainese back protector did its job. It has a honeycomb aluminium core that was crushed by the impact, which is what’s supposed to happen, and it’s making funny noise if you flex it, but I crashed on Thursday night, I was operated on Friday afternoon and walking Saturday morning. I was in the shed the following Thursday. That back protector genuinely saved my bloody life.

"I might have come around at the trackside, because the marshals told people I was spouting the usual gibberish. I properly woke up in hospital. Then it was all the usual questions, Where are you sore? Does this hurt?
I was in Belfast Royal and I’ve never been more impressed by a hospital than I was by that place, all the staff were great.

 I broke five vertebrae, but they bolted six together, from T4 to T10, because two are unstable, meaning there’s a chance they could move and damage my spinal column. They had to rod my spine because I broke my sternum too. Normally the front will hold the back together or the back will hold the front, but I had broken both front and back. My sternum is cracked straight down the middle, but that’s only cartilage so they don’t do anything to try repair it.
I broke five ribs and two metacarpals in right hand, too, and my hand’s been plated.

"I’ve been back at work a while, but I’m struggling with everything. Sharon, my other-half, thought I was an idiot for trying to go back to work so soon, but I’d spent nearly a week at home, and I had to do something.

"The surgeon had to move my shoulder blade muscles to get the metalwork in, then fasten them all on again. That’s what’s causing the most bother, the muscle not the broken bones. A lot of my work involves having my hands above my head, in the pit working on a truck above me, but I’m alright as long as I don’t overdo it. If it gets too much Moody or Belty give me a hand and I’m getting stronger everyday.
"Having a few days off work gave me time to think about what I want to do, and realise all things that have had to go on hold. I still want to race, but I’m not going to rush into deciding what or where I’m going to race.


This should be shown to all Premier League footballers and told to "man Up!!"
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: spesh on 03 September, 2015, 04:26:05 pm
Quote
I broke five vertebrae, but they bolted six together, from T4 to T10, because two are unstable, meaning there’s a chance they could move and damage my spinal column. They had to rod my spine because I broke my sternum too. Normally the front will hold the back together or the back will hold the front, but I had broken both front and back. My sternum is cracked straight down the middle, but that’s only cartilage so they don’t do anything to try repair it.
I broke five ribs and two metacarpals in right hand, too, and my hand’s been plated.

Ouch!  :o

"Gentlemen, we can rebuild him."
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Mr Larrington on 03 September, 2015, 06:28:04 pm
Apropos which, "TT: Closer To The Edge" is being shown again tonight, 22:00, ITV4.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: LEE on 29 September, 2015, 01:14:53 pm
Guy drives a road car, and is impressed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-8uAM4LWX0 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-8uAM4LWX0)
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Mr Larrington on 29 September, 2015, 05:21:53 pm
Mr Martin and his chum Mr Miles have recently been spotted competing in the 24 hour pedal car race at Shenington.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Exit Stage Left on 29 September, 2015, 07:43:39 pm
I enjoyed his review of the Ford Transit in the Sunday Times the other week.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: LEE on 07 July, 2016, 11:34:11 am
“Guy has completed the 2016 Tour Divide in 18 days & 6 hours – describing it as ‘the toughest thing I’ve ever done – bloody brilliant. 2,712 miles, 185,000ft climbing, brtual”

150 miles a day, 10,000ft of climbing every day.  That is not dicking about.


Guy Martin's autobiography is called... wait for it...

"Guy Martin.  My Autobiography".

Of course it is.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Mr Larrington on 07 July, 2016, 10:44:39 pm
"When You Dead, You Dead" is volume 2; volume 1 was the snappily-titled "My Autobiography".
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: LEE on 19 July, 2016, 02:17:15 pm
Not sure he read the design brief for Speedway Bike correctly.

(http://images.mcn.bauercdn.com/PageFiles/580383/1000x750/15.jpg)

What could be safer than having a steel spike as a back-rest during a Speedway race?

I suppose it may prevent "draughting".
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Mr Larrington on 19 July, 2016, 02:31:31 pm
There is to be a third series of "Speed With Guy Martin" :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: fuzzy on 20 July, 2016, 07:49:54 am
There is to be a third series of "Speed With Guy Martin" :thumbsup:

We need him to do a Hollywood/Reeves/Bullock 'Speed' but in a 'Mythbusters' style.

Get him to see if he can roll around under a trundling Routemaster whilst laying on a SnapOn tools mechanics back board whilst defusing a bomb. See how fast they can go whilst maintaining manual dexterity to not fuck it up.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Torslanda on 01 August, 2016, 08:33:36 pm
Not quite as above but it seems Guy will be piloting a 1000bhp Triumph streamliner  (http://www.motorcyclenews.com/news/2016/august/triumph-infor-rocket-streamliner-guy-martin/)at Bonneville.

Quote
The Triumph Infor Rocket features a carbon Kevlar monocoque construction with two turbocharged Triumph Rocket III engines producing a combined 1000bhp @ 9000rpm. The enclosed motorcycle is 25.5 feet long, 2 feet wide and 3 feet tall, and runs on methanol. Guy will run the Rocket in the Division C (streamlined motorcycle) category.

Is this the project Mr. Larrington couldn't divulge the details of I wonder?
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Mr Larrington on 02 August, 2016, 08:22:42 am
No, he's off to Bonneville this week, though just for testing ATM as Speed Week rules require a steel roll cage irrespective of whether a machine has something stronger built into the compressed soot structure.

Some old boy who was tilting for the same record got killed utterly to DETH after a 200 mph crash the other day; some kind soul showed Mr Martin the story.  Quoth the besidied one: "What a way to go, eh!"  He's hoping for 400 mph :o
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: LEE on 10 August, 2016, 09:33:07 am
I just finished his Autobiography.

The only time he's been "proper scared" was trying to break the British cycling speed record.
He knew he was going to crash at around 100mph, totally convinced of it, and yet he went ahead anyway.

He didn't crash.

As far as Bonneville in concerned, you just have to hope that, if you crash, you slide and that nothing digs in.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Torslanda on 10 August, 2016, 10:20:00 am
274mph (http://www.motorcyclenews.com/news/2016/august/guy-martin-triumph-speed-record-bonneville/) and that's just for openers.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Mr Larrington on 10 August, 2016, 10:37:30 am
Spot on!

He was trying to persuade Tom the Producer that they ought to do Battle Mountain too (by pointing at Yours Truly and informing him that "this bloke's been to Battle Mountain thirteen times1!") but I think the timing will be wrong for him to pop in on the way home from Bonneville this year.

1: Actually only 12 until next month.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Torslanda on 10 August, 2016, 11:38:08 am
Slightly OT. Is there anything available on download or disc about Battle Mountain? Or is it not sexy enough...?
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Mr Larrington on 10 August, 2016, 01:44:55 pm
There's some odd bits and pieces on YouThing but you'll probably have to wait a bit until Mr Obree's film comes out on DVD for anything substantial.  The film that Neal Someone and Claudia Someone-Else were working on seems to have quietly slipped beneath the waves.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: bobb on 06 September, 2016, 03:07:26 pm
Just watched Speed S3 E1. Enjoyed it obviously, but prefer it when he's trying to break a record rather than entering a race. Especially when the "Race" in question is so bizarre!
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Torslanda on 07 September, 2016, 09:25:03 am
Yebbut. Because Transit. RWD conversion. 560bhp, 170mph. The end.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: trekker12 on 07 September, 2016, 09:48:58 am
I've not seen it but the explanation from a co-worker here is they had to average 150mph (or somesuch) over a set distance.

It's actually not as bonkers as it sounds and is rather hard to achieve. There is a similar albeit much slower format here in the UK and Europe called regularity rallying, from which special stage rallying through the forests bred back in the 1960s. The basic premise is to hold a set average speed over a pre-planned route determined by the organisers but only revealed to the crews at the last moment. In the UK it's always <30mph (or 50kph in Europe) and takes place on open public roads, normally for historic cars only but some low powered modern cars do a similar sort of thing.

Holding 24.7mph average exactly on a narrow B-road or country lane is not easy at all, the organisers can then be dastardly and put in a point where this might change to 24.5mph and that's where the skill of the co-driver comes in using a stopwatch and a printed set of speed tables (GPS/satnav is strictly not allowed). Try it and see!
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: LEE on 07 September, 2016, 11:44:12 am
It's certainly made more difficult when attempting a 150mph average in a "Trannie".

I was amazed that the engine held together in the heat.  It was pushing a brick along at 160mph at times.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Tim Hall on 07 September, 2016, 11:52:12 am
I've not seen it but the explanation from a co-worker here is they had to average 150mph (or somesuch) over a set distance.

It's actually not as bonkers as it sounds and is rather hard to achieve. There is a similar albeit much slower format here in the UK and Europe called regularity rallying, from which special stage rallying through the forests bred back in the 1960s. The basic premise is to hold a set average speed over a pre-planned route determined by the organisers but only revealed to the crews at the last moment. In the UK it's always <30mph (or 50kph in Europe) and takes place on open public roads, normally for historic cars only but some low powered modern cars do a similar sort of thing.

Holding 24.7mph average exactly on a narrow B-road or country lane is not easy at all, the organisers can then be dastardly and put in a point where this might change to 24.5mph and that's where the skill of the co-driver comes in using a stopwatch and a printed set of speed tables (GPS/satnav is strictly not allowed). Try it and see!

There were various classes, and our hero entered the 150mph one.  He was 8 seconds adrift after 90 miles. The winner was within a hundredth of a second.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Torslanda on 26 September, 2016, 09:34:37 am
OK. I know this series (these serieseseseseses?) is about making drama-docu where, suddenly, nothing happens (even without recumbents & fords) but last night's was an exercise in documenting the rising cost of helium whilst 'avin a LARF' at French bureaucracy and illustrating that it's a 'long way' to pedal a balloon across the Channel without actually doing it.

3/10 Must try harder. See Me.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: ElyDave on 26 September, 2016, 09:49:54 am
I watched his latest episode of "speed" or what should have been "slow" yesterday.

what an effing meal they made of the survival course.  Thousands of people do similar every year to get into a helicopter to go to work.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Peter on 26 September, 2016, 10:03:45 am
OK. I know this series (these serieseseseseses?) is about making drama-docu where, suddenly, nothing happens (even without recumbents & fords) but last night's was an exercise in documenting the rising cost of helium whilst 'avin a LARF' at French bureaucracy and illustrating that it's a 'long way' to pedal a balloon across the Channel without actually doing it.

3/10 Must try harder. See Me.

Absolutely.  I was waiting to see the balloon lift the boat it was tethered to out of the water but no such luck.  It's a shame because in the future it is going to be so useful to be able to take six hours to cross the channel looking like a hippo with a hernia on the 2 days in the year when the weather permits it.....isn't it?
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Mr Larrington on 26 September, 2016, 11:27:30 am
I watched his latest episode of "speed" or what should have been "slow" yesterday.

what an effing meal they made of the survival course.  Thousands of people do similar every year to get into a helicopter to go to work.

I'm sure he did something similar in a previous episode, probably the hovercraft one.

Anyway, the Radio Times says "Episode 2/3" which makes me think that the one in which I played a small part has ended up on the cutting room floor.

Edit: Channel 4's webby SCIENCE is advertising "my" episode after all, and there was me thinking it was going to be the boy Martin mucking around at Bonneville.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Torslanda on 26 September, 2016, 06:51:45 pm
Hurpferly the Bonneville excursion will be worthy of a documentary all of its own.

Looking forward to the next episode.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Mr Larrington on 27 September, 2016, 01:08:33 pm
We have a horrible feeling it's going to be even more of an anti-climax than the airship one, unless they did some more filming later without asking me, Mr Woolrich or Chairman Al along to Observe.

They haven't paid our expenses yet either, the cheapskates >:(
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Torslanda on 27 September, 2016, 01:17:06 pm
According to MCN, Bonneville hasn't gone well.

Minor crash ends record attempt (http://www.motorcyclenews.com/news/2016/september/live-from-bonneville-guy-martin-land-speed-record-attempt/#article-534496)
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Mr Larrington on 27 September, 2016, 01:20:11 pm
He's been using the phrase or saying "unfinished business" a lot of late...
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: rafletcher on 27 September, 2016, 06:14:32 pm
According to MCN, Bonneville hasn't gone well.

Minor crash ends record attempt (http://www.motorcyclenews.com/news/2016/september/live-from-bonneville-guy-martin-land-speed-record-attempt/#article-534496)

That was nearly 10 days ago.  The machine apparently will be stripped and examined before trying again.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Mr Larrington on 27 September, 2016, 06:17:24 pm
Lazy bugger could have nipped over to Battle Mountain and said hello, then.  It's only four hours away.  Less if you have a 700 bhp Transit.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: RichForrest on 28 September, 2016, 01:19:11 am
Next week is the pedal powered boat.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 02 October, 2016, 10:09:24 pm
That one was a bit crap... technology has moved on, they said at the start of the program...

Couldn't even get near a 20+ year old record!  That Lincoln bunch were a waste of space though. I take it they burned the budget at the start of the series.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Mr Larrington on 02 October, 2016, 10:49:06 pm
Well, I did say it was going to be a bit of an anti-climax :-\  But if you don't blink you'll spot me at about 1h 12m in (including adverts), shot from the gallery above the Sheds with the Lincoln boat in it, aand-coloured Craghoppers and denim jacket.

If all goes according to plan Guy will be having a try at riding Neil Hood's streamliner Ristretto at Scunthorpe velodrome next Sunday but plans, men, meeces etc. etc.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Legs on 03 October, 2016, 09:53:19 am
That one was a bit crap... technology has moved on, they said at the start of the program...

Couldn't even get near a 20+ year old record!  That Lincoln bunch were a waste of space though. I take it they burned the budget at the start of the series.
I missed the start of the prog, but this (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vQkBF9WNoc) is how to do it.  You need to be able to hit the water fast enough to start foiling immediately - I'm not convinced it's going to be possible to get the machine to ride up with pedal power alone.  Did The Roolz permit a start ramp?
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Mr Larrington on 03 October, 2016, 02:19:25 pm
No start ramps.  The original version of the Flying Fish, Allan Abbott's machine, did need one as it was basically an upright bike with foils and a prop, and sank if you slowed down.  It was subsequently fitted with floats.  Getting a hydrofoil to fly is not difficult if the foils are big enough but there's a trade-off between ease of getting it up fnarr fnarr aand hydrodynamic drag from the foil.

A shame a piece with my grate frend Mr Woolrich talking about Matters Historical never made it to the finished prog as he's actually seen both the Decavitator and the Mk II Flying Fish in action in USAnia around 1993.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: LittleWheelsandBig on 03 October, 2016, 02:24:43 pm
So ladder-type foils haven't been tried for HPVs? Lots of foil area for takeoff but little once up to speed.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Mr Larrington on 03 October, 2016, 03:03:58 pm
I'm not really up to speed ha ha with the McBoatface type of HPV, this having been the first such event I've been at since 1997.  So the answer is: er...

I don't think I've seen a ladder-stylee foil under one but it seems like a remarkably sensible idea for a low-power application.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: mrcharly-YHT on 07 October, 2016, 01:21:16 pm
That one was a bit crap... technology has moved on, they said at the start of the program...

Couldn't even get near a 20+ year old record!  That Lincoln bunch were a waste of space though. I take it they burned the budget at the start of the series.
I missed the start of the prog, but this (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vQkBF9WNoc) is how to do it.  You need to be able to hit the water fast enough to start foiling immediately - I'm not convinced it's going to be possible to get the machine to ride up with pedal power alone.  Did The Roolz permit a start ramp?
You can do with paddle power alone. There have been quite a few successful hydrofoil kayaks. I imagine it takes a fair bit of skill and fitness to get them up on the foil. 27kph speed quoted.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U95UReP4mdo (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U95UReP4mdo)
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: andyoxon on 07 October, 2016, 07:39:51 pm
That one was a bit crap... technology has moved on, they said at the start of the program...

Couldn't even get near a 20+ year old record!  That Lincoln bunch were a waste of space though. I take it they burned the budget at the start of the series.

I was surprised, given all the construction effort with the prop driven craft, that they hadn't even tested it in the water with Guy in before the record attempt - seem a bit of an obvious blunder really.   They should have had a couple more weeks.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Torslanda on 08 October, 2016, 08:15:27 pm
What shocked me more than anything was the lack of engineering in the gearbox/propshaft assembly. Some fundamental failures with materials, gearboxes and diffs do not use aluminium shafts and couplings for a reason . . .
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Mr Larrington on 09 October, 2016, 12:55:30 am
The gearbox which b0rked is intended for use in some sort of factory machinery (as is the replacement, only for bigger factroy machinery).  I can only surmise that someone looked at the maximum torque rating and thought "yeah, that'll do it" without regard to the ability of even a relatively normal adult to generate as much torque as a small-block V8.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Torslanda on 09 October, 2016, 02:11:45 pm
Perzackerly!
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Torslanda on 09 October, 2016, 02:14:20 pm
I believe that an effective propeller drive can be garnered from an old school hand drill - like what was maded in Vicktoryan Tymes . . .
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Mr Larrington on 09 October, 2016, 11:19:40 pm
Curiously, pretty much the same failure on the motorbike in tonight's ep.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: mrcharly-YHT on 10 October, 2016, 08:19:02 am
I believe that an effective propeller drive can be garnered from an old school hand drill - like what was maded in Vicktoryan Tymes . . .

Right then - this is all sounding like a plan.

An old drill, a bit of welding from wobbly john and a river. What else do we need?
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: ElyDave on 10 October, 2016, 08:38:39 am
about 1000W to get up on the plane.

What's Jens Voigt doing these days?
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: mrcharly-YHT on 10 October, 2016, 09:49:15 am
The kayakers make it look easy - and those kayaks only do about 14kph even propelled by superman (atleast until they are up on the hydrofoil).
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Torslanda on 11 October, 2016, 07:22:45 pm
Doubtless everfink wus computer analysed beforehand but I'm wondering about the prop design. The unit appeared to have a rather coarse pitch to me and perhaps the boat would have accelerated better using a finer pitch propeller spinning a bit faster.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Dibdib on 06 December, 2016, 09:57:37 pm
Missed the start of this Our Guy In China, but is there a reason why Guy is doing a 350mi ride across a desert on a tatty old flat barred single speed hybrid and wearing civvies rather than, y'know, something more suitable?
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: fuzzy on 07 December, 2016, 08:35:15 am
Because he can?

This is Guy Martin we are talking about. Suitability is a state of mind.......
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Riggers on 07 December, 2016, 08:45:17 am
Could I also add, with reference to Guy Martin, I wish they'd put subtitles on the screen whenever he's speaking. I've lost count the amount of times I've asked my wife: "What'd he say!?"

He's like a roving modern Fred Dibnah isn't he.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: fuzzy on 07 December, 2016, 09:18:02 am
By Jove Riggers, you've nailed it. Guy Martin is Fred Dibnah on steroids :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: spesh on 07 December, 2016, 01:45:43 pm
More like a surfeit of caffeine, rather than steroids?
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Kim on 07 December, 2016, 01:47:06 pm
Could I also add, with reference to Guy Martin, I wish they'd put subtitles on the screen whenever he's speaking. I've lost count the amount of times I've asked my wife: "What'd he say!?"

Perhaps surprisingly, there is a button (or at least a menu item) for that.  It's quite useful.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Tim Hall on 07 December, 2016, 01:57:31 pm
Because he can?

This is Guy Martin we are talking about. Suitability is a state of mind.......

Although he did appear to be wearing Lycra when he stripped down half way along the ride.

(I see he's on a hopefully record breaking jaunt round the UK coast line right now. Linky to Cycling Weakly (http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest-news/guy-martin-sets-off-attempt-break-british-coast-cycling-record-303362))
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: rafletcher on 07 December, 2016, 03:13:00 pm
Missed the start of this Our Guy In China, but is there a reason why Guy is doing a 350mi ride across a desert on a tatty old flat barred single speed hybrid and wearing civvies rather than, y'know, something more suitable?

The bike may well be a Flying Pigeon, the most mass produced item of transport ever. And he always wears baggies (usually Hope branded ones) over lycra, with a teeshirt and some make of skater/board shoes. And because he was in China, and because it's there to be done. He likes a challeng and motorcycle racing no longer floats his boat.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: LEE on 07 December, 2016, 03:14:38 pm
By Jove Riggers, you've nailed it. Guy Martin is Fred Dibnah on steroids :thumbsup:

In fairness.. that was my initial point on the OP.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: orienteer on 07 December, 2016, 03:16:31 pm
It was actually his single-speed commuter bike from home. That's why he had to walk some of the hills.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: LEE on 07 December, 2016, 03:17:26 pm
It was actually his single-speed commuter bike from home. That's why he had to walk some of the hills.

Bloody Lincolnshire wuss.

As for not understanding everything he says, that's why he repeats everything, I say that's why he repeats everything boy.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: mrcharly-YHT on 07 December, 2016, 03:33:51 pm
Because he can?

This is Guy Martin we are talking about. Suitability is a state of mind.......

Although he did appear to be wearing Lycra when he stripped down half way along the ride.

(I see he's on a hopefully record breaking jaunt round the UK coast line right now. Linky to Cycling Weakly (http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest-news/guy-martin-sets-off-attempt-break-british-coast-cycling-record-303362))
Better than 240 miles a day, for 20 days

That's a tough target in winter.  Bloody daft time to tackle it. I'd like to see what sort of bike he's riding - and if he's wearing baggy shorts to try that.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: LEE on 07 December, 2016, 07:43:37 pm
Because he can?

This is Guy Martin we are talking about. Suitability is a state of mind.......

Although he did appear to be wearing Lycra when he stripped down half way along the ride.

(I see he's on a hopefully record breaking jaunt round the UK coast line right now. Linky to Cycling Weakly (http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest-news/guy-martin-sets-off-attempt-break-british-coast-cycling-record-303362))
Better than 240 miles a day, for 20 days

That's a tough target in winter.  Bloody daft time to tackle it. I'd like to see what sort of bike he's riding - and if he's wearing baggy shorts to try that.

FTFY

Much of Britain's coastline is "sub-optimal" for cycling long distances in a day and 240 miles is a long way even on optimal roads.

I'd be interested in Teethgrinder's view on it.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Mr Larrington on 07 December, 2016, 08:03:45 pm
Was part of a team effort that did it in the summer of 1983. Ten days, thirteen hours, IIRC.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Riggers on 08 December, 2016, 04:09:49 pm
By Jove Riggers, you've nailed it. Guy Martin is Fred Dibnah on steroids :thumbsup:

In fairness.. that was my initial point on the OP.


Christ! Really? I'm glad you have reminded us Lee-ers, because, after 8 pages in, I'm blowed if I'm starting in from page one before I start making a comment! And to young Kimmy – you're absolutely right! I'd forgotten about the televisual sub-titles one can have working. One time, for some reason (I think the cat pressed the wrong button quite honestly) but we were watching programmes, and moaning about the blasted sub-titles, thinking it was a new 'addition' for our viewing delight. It wasn't of course, and it took us a while before realising our error (or the cats!).
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Exit Stage Left on 08 December, 2016, 04:37:04 pm
By Jove Riggers, you've nailed it. Guy Martin is Fred Dibnah on steroids :thumbsup:

In fairness.. that was my initial point on the OP.

You probably typed it with a Northern intonation. It takes so long for Southerners to understand, that they think it's their own idea.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Martin109 on 08 December, 2016, 04:50:21 pm
Could I also add, with reference to Guy Martin, I wish they'd put subtitles on the screen whenever he's speaking. I've lost count the amount of times I've asked my wife: "What'd he say!?"

He's like a roving modern Fred Dibnah isn't he.

At least he does seem to say everything twice, which gives us a bit of a chance to catch up with what he's saying!
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: LEE on 08 December, 2016, 05:20:13 pm
Could I also add, with reference to Guy Martin, I wish they'd put subtitles on the screen whenever he's speaking. I've lost count the amount of times I've asked my wife: "What'd he say!?"

He's like a roving modern Fred Dibnah isn't he.

At least he does seem to say everything twice, which gives us a bit of a chance to catch up with what he's saying!

Good point.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: mattc on 08 December, 2016, 08:00:44 pm
Because he can?

This is Guy Martin we are talking about. Suitability is a state of mind.......

Although he did appear to be wearing Lycra when he stripped down half way along the ride.

(I see he's on a hopefully record breaking jaunt round the UK coast line right now. Linky to Cycling Weakly (http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest-news/guy-martin-sets-off-attempt-break-british-coast-cycling-record-303362))
Better than 240 miles a day, for 20 days

That's a tough target in winter.  Bloody daft time to tackle it. I'd like to see what sort of bike he's riding - and if he's wearing baggy shorts to try that.

FTFY

Much of Britain's coastline is "sub-optimal" for cycling long distances in a day and 240 miles is a long way even on optimal roads.

I'd be interested in Teethgrinder's view on it.
TG posted somefing on Facebook about this being higher mpd than his month record. It's also more than Amanda Coker is doing on a nearly pan-flat course (admittedly for 10 months!). I don't know the "official" route but I doubt it is very flat  - anyone have the details?

I will be sherioushly impressed if he does this, and wish him well.

You know what? He's like a modern Fred Dibnah. But on bikes  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: LEE on 08 December, 2016, 11:42:29 pm
He's nothing fucking like Fred Dibnah.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Exit Stage Left on 09 December, 2016, 09:30:33 am
He's actually more like John Noakes. That's why Top Gear would have liked him, because that was essentially Blue Peter for lads and dads.
Channel 4 are using him to up their appeal to older children. http://www.prolificnorth.co.uk/2016/08/channel-4-commits-5m-to-appeal-to-older-children/
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Mr Larrington on 09 December, 2016, 01:07:28 pm
I don't remember the exact details of the Guinness-specified rules regarding the route but it had to be a minimum of 3,675 miles.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Exit Stage Left on 09 December, 2016, 01:13:28 pm
4,802, Guy reckons.
http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest-news/guy-martin-sets-off-attempt-break-british-coast-cycling-record-303362
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: mrcharly-YHT on 09 December, 2016, 01:15:47 pm
I've tried to find some way of tracking his progress, but can't see anything. Is it all being kept under wraps for the TV program?

That mileage per day is an incredible ask. I know Guy has shown himself to be pretty handy on a bike but he's nowhere near as fast as the likes of Mike Hall etc.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Exit Stage Left on 09 December, 2016, 01:38:47 pm
The best result I can find for Mike Hall in the MTB 24 Hour race, the Strathpuffer, is 1st with 24 laps in 2011.

Guy Martin seems to have done 27 laps when he came second in 2015. He came 35th this year, but he did ride from home to get there.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: mrcharly-YHT on 09 December, 2016, 02:06:08 pm
I think a better comparison is the tour divide (multi-day event over distance)

Mike Hall 13 days 22hrs

Guy Martin 18 days 6 hours
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: mattc on 09 December, 2016, 07:42:23 pm
4,802, Guy reckons.
http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest-news/guy-martin-sets-off-attempt-break-british-coast-cycling-record-303362
That article implies that there is an official route - hence my question!

I've tried to find some way of tracking his progress, but can't see anything. Is it all being kept under wraps for the TV program?

I would imagine so. Plus they may not want the hassle of roadside groupies (and/or Oiks).



This is an eternal topic, but I don't think those race results are a good "speed" comparison. There are sooooo many other variables in long off-road events; even more so in a multi-week unsupported affair. Just a bit of rain can ruin your average speed relative to perfect conditions.

Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: LEE on 14 December, 2016, 01:18:47 pm
I said it was a tall order.

Seems like he's crocked his achilles.

(Not an uncommon injury for long-distance cyclists).
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: mrcharly-YHT on 14 December, 2016, 01:26:59 pm
I said it was a tall order.

Seems like he's crocked his achilles.

(Not an uncommon injury for long-distance cyclists).

Ah - I've just found the news on twitter and his website.

Seems that happened early on and he tried to push through but was well off pace with a bit more than 800miles in 4days and 8 hours before deciding his body was saying "No".
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: madcow on 29 December, 2016, 06:15:53 pm
According to Radio Times, "Guy Martin -Cycling Home for Christmas" should be on C4 tonight but the latest listings don't feature it.
Has the prog. been pulled cos Guy has retired a bit earlier than predicted?
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: trekker12 on 18 January, 2017, 12:52:24 pm
Couldn't stay away from two wheels and an engine for long

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/northern-ireland/38661790

I like the fact he gets most of a page and one of the greatest riders to ever to race the TT gets one paragraph as a footnote. Nothing beats having a 'celebrity' on the team!
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: pcolbeck on 18 January, 2017, 01:03:19 pm
I like the fact he gets most of a page and one of the greatest riders to ever to race the TT gets one paragraph as a footnote. Nothing beats having a 'celebrity' on the team!

Even one that dislikes being a celebrity (except for the fact it lets him do interesting stuff and meet interesting people) who enters some events under an assumed name so as to avoid the press etc.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Mr Larrington on 18 January, 2017, 06:58:30 pm
I wonder what his new team-mate reckons to Mr Martin's comment of a few years back, along the lines of "John McGuinness could do with a couple of passes through a bacon slicer".
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: firedfromthecircus on 19 January, 2017, 04:15:35 pm
I wonder what his new team-mate reckons to Mr Martin's comment of a few years back, along the lines of "John McGuinness could do with a couple of passes through a bacon slicer".

I think he'd probably laugh and have a witty retort about Guy Martin needing a few passes through the IoM winners enclosure!  ;)
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: LEE on 20 January, 2017, 03:33:57 pm
I'd rather hoped Guy had quit the TT and other road events.

Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: trekker12 on 20 January, 2017, 04:19:55 pm
There's something built into certain people that draws you back to such pursuits no matter how often you try to give it up.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Mr Larrington on 20 January, 2017, 06:09:17 pm
And I've just heard that those beastly Australians are planning to have a crack at the 24-hour tandem record.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: LittleWheelsandBig on 20 January, 2017, 06:12:02 pm
That is a soft-ish record.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Zipperhead on 03 February, 2017, 01:31:11 pm
I wonder what his new team-mate reckons to Mr Martin's comment of a few years back, along the lines of "John McGuinness could do with a couple of passes through a bacon slicer".

Sadly it doesn't get mentioned in this, but worth watching anyway

https://youtu.be/v140eKgAlgU (https://youtu.be/v140eKgAlgU)
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Mr Larrington on 12 March, 2017, 01:31:17 pm
And I've just heard that those beastly Australians are planning to have a crack at the 24-hour tandem record.

And they have succeeded.  From memory coz ICBA to try to find the relevant post on Farcebok they did 1016 km, so 107 more than Guy and Jason.  Four-wheeled back-to-back job, steel frame, fairing mostly built from Corriboard, looks remarkably like the Dark Horse tandem from the 1980s.

Still some way down on the solo HPV 24 record though.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Torslanda on 17 September, 2017, 07:32:08 pm
Channel 4, tonight, 20:00. Joins the Williams pit crew.

Should be interesting...
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: mattc on 17 September, 2017, 08:07:18 pm
Channel 4, tonight, 20:00. Joins the Williams pit crew.

Should be interesting...

(click to show/hide)

But I'm still looking forward to this - Guy Martin and F1 pretty much span the entire spectrum of approaches to automotive engineering. Could be fun. I say it could be fun!
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Sergeant Pluck on 18 September, 2017, 07:04:29 pm
Channel 4, tonight, 20:00. Joins the Williams pit crew.

Should be interesting...

It was most entertaining, although it would have benefitted from some high speed camera input to get a really good look at the process. Suspect that was related to the need to be sparing with any details valuable to other teams. Also confirmed my suspicion that the engineering and race logistics are more interesting than the racing itself (for me, anyway).

After all that prep, at one stage the team almost took out the wrong set of tyres (not Guy Martin’s fault).
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: madcow on 18 September, 2017, 08:14:18 pm
It was a pity that in their trailers for the show, Channel 4 said that GM was the first amateur to try to get a place on a F1 pit team.
He's a fully trained and time served HGV mechanic, so hardly a novice at that sort of stuff.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Mr Larrington on 24 September, 2017, 06:13:14 am
Saw on Facething the other day that he's back at Bonneville for the motorcycle speed record wossname.  I may have called him a rotter for not popping into Battle Mountain to say hello; it's only 200 miles away which is practically next door by USAnian standards.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: LEE on 25 September, 2017, 02:04:06 pm
It was a pity that in their trailers for the show, Channel 4 said that GM was the first amateur to try to get a place on a F1 pit team.
He's a fully trained and time served HGV mechanic, so hardly a novice at that sort of stuff.

The show was mostly about his becoming quick enough at putting his tyre onto one corner of an F1 car though.  There really wasn't a lot of HGV experience required, just the ability to lift a tyre onto a big wheel nut without taking more than about 0.5 seconds about it.

He was, as he always is, full of enthusiasm.  He's a person who gets all the joy he needs from life as long as he has a cup of tea, some spanners, and something mechanical to fettle.

Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Tim Hall on 25 September, 2017, 02:07:31 pm
It was a pity that in their trailers for the show, Channel 4 said that GM was the first amateur to try to get a place on a F1 pit team.
He's a fully trained and time served HGV mechanic, so hardly a novice at that sort of stuff.

The show was mostly about his becoming quick enough at putting his tyre onto one corner of an F1 car though.  There really wasn't a lot of HGV experience required, just the ability to lift a tyre onto a big wheel nut without taking more than about 0.5 seconds about it.

He was, as he always is, full of enthusiasm.  He's a person who gets all the joy he needs from life as long as he has a cup of tea, some spanners, and something mechanical to fettle.

Sufficient gloves would be useful, mind.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Torslanda on 25 September, 2017, 10:04:57 pm

He was, as he always is, full of enthusiasm.  He's a person who gets all the joy he needs from life as long as he has a cup of tea, some spanners, and something mechanical to fettle.


I have something in common with him...
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Mr Larrington on 20 November, 2017, 06:44:06 pm
Poo on Lincoln polis for not letting Mr Martin drive his tank on that city's streets during the Remembrance Day parade >:(  Interesting prog, though.  Grandpa Larrington was a mechanic on the originals.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: LEE on 21 November, 2017, 08:25:17 pm
Grandpa Larrington was a mechanic on the originals.
Full-time job by the sound of it.

I'm glad Lincoln said "no".  It was much more fitting where it finally took place I think. Much more fitting where it took place.

[/GuyMartinMode]
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Torslanda on 27 November, 2017, 09:10:32 am
Last night's show about autonomous vehicles was interesting.

Brave boy, handing over his beloved Transit to a bunch of engineers. Mind you, he mentioned that his approach would've been to go faster and faster until 'it ended up on its roof!'

Mad as a cut snake . . .
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Riggers on 27 November, 2017, 12:35:43 pm
His programmes should carry sub-titles. Or, at the very least, he should have an interpreter alongside him – which would be funny!!!
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: fuzzy on 27 November, 2017, 03:34:54 pm
Going back to the pit stop programme, I saw a stat today that the fastes stop of the past season was McLaren with a stationary time of 2.31 seconds for a 4 tyre change.....
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: LEE on 28 November, 2017, 04:42:43 pm
His programmes should carry sub-titles. Or, at the very least, he should have an interpreter alongside him – which would be funny!!!

Why?  He's just from Grimsby. I say he's just from Grimsby.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Torslanda on 28 November, 2017, 07:51:33 pm
His programmes should carry sub-titles. Or, at the very least, he should have an interpreter alongside him – which would be funny!!!

Eh?
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Riggers on 04 December, 2017, 02:05:01 pm
His programmes should carry sub-titles. Or, at the very least, he should have an interpreter alongside him – which would be funny!!!

Eh?


I believe, with your "Eh?" Torsers, the implication is you're a northerner!? And before anyone goes off on a norther-versus-southerner campaign, I can understand northerners – just not Guy Martin. Most of the time. When he talks it's as if he stringsasentencealltogetherinonesingleline. Fact.
Title: Re: Guy Martin makes a Mountain Bike
Post by: Torslanda on 04 December, 2017, 02:49:12 pm
 ;D