Author Topic: The Shark 200  (Read 45096 times)

zigzag

  • unfuckwithable
Re: The Shark 200 - Saturday 9th April
« Reply #100 on: 10 April, 2016, 07:53:52 pm »
a big thank you to ac hackney and especially Ivan who found a spare brevet card, despite me turning up late.. the ride was as hilly as i'd expected it to be, and i chose to ride it on my hybrid with low gears, discs, mudguards - all the sensible kit for the day. i enjoyed the route and also being able to see most of the field near the turning point.
as usual great to catch up with friends at arrivee!

Re: The Shark 200 - Saturday 9th April
« Reply #101 on: 10 April, 2016, 07:56:55 pm »
Yes AWE is very nice. As we found out yesterday there will now have to be time found for Victoria Sponge in Mayfield.

Re: The Shark 200 - Saturday 9th April
« Reply #102 on: 10 April, 2016, 07:58:14 pm »
Interesting. My 510 gave me 2,857m. I've never taken its elevation data seriously though.


My 520 also gave a low number which suggests it isn't a new-vs-old thing.

Another thing that might cause under-recording for me is the fact that a couple of times on the climbs I was going slow enough for the autopause to kick in.

I've turned my auto-pause down to 2km/h instead of 5km/h - but it still sometimes trips on those climbs because the tree cover messes with the GPS reception. I may need to invest in an ANT+ sensor rather than just relying on the GPS.

wilkyboy

  • "nick" by any other name
    • 16-inch wheels
Re: The Shark 200 - Saturday 9th April
« Reply #103 on: 10 April, 2016, 10:02:56 pm »
Banana milkshake? You're welcome to it! :sick:

(You might be confusing me with someone else. ;) )

Haha — I did chat with several riders at the shop, I just assumed we'd discussed Yazoo, of which I had the last in the shop.  But I was in red — in that case were you in orange/black DHB bloq?  It's all a guessing game, sometimes this nicknames malarkey can be counter-productive — my name's Nick, BTW  ;)

If I appeared chipper to you then I was coming across better than I was feeling, although once the sandwich (and milkshake) worked through then I felt much better.  That said, I was still smiling (wryly) at the first control, and even then lots of the riders appeared to me to have the thousand-yard stare on and looked to be contemplating the wisdom of packing versus carrying on  ;D
Lockdown lethargy. RRTY: wot's that? Can't remember if I'm on #8 or #9 ...

wilkyboy

  • "nick" by any other name
    • 16-inch wheels
Re: The Shark 200 - Saturday 9th April
« Reply #104 on: 10 April, 2016, 10:09:59 pm »
Interesting. My 510 gave me 2,857m. I've never taken its elevation data seriously though.


My 520 also gave a low number which suggests it isn't a new-vs-old thing.

Another thing that might cause under-recording for me is the fact that a couple of times on the climbs I was going slow enough for the autopause to kick in.

I've turned my auto-pause down to 2km/h instead of 5km/h - but it still sometimes trips on those climbs because the tree cover messes with the GPS reception. I may need to invest in an ANT+ sensor rather than just relying on the GPS.

I don't bother with the auto on/off feature — all that info can be extracted from a full track in Strava or RideWithGPS as moving time vs elapsed time, so I think there's little point in limiting the data set (caveat you have to be able to charge it on the go).

I think a crucial design feature for barometric measurement is the location of the port and whether it could get blocked up at all — a single water drop is enough!  The 1000 has the port towards the rear, behind the mount and well protected from weather; the 800 has the port near the front, in front of the mount and any precipitation has a habit of migrating down over it.  Looking at photos of the 520, it suffers the same problem as the 800. 

There are also secondary air-flow effects, such that cycling into a stiff wind will give different results from cycling with the wind, although on a there-and-back and with constant wind, the effects should be near enough self-cancelling (to the sort of precision we're interested in).

I think a little over 3000m is about right for The Shark.
Lockdown lethargy. RRTY: wot's that? Can't remember if I'm on #8 or #9 ...

Re: The Shark 200 - Saturday 9th April
« Reply #105 on: 10 April, 2016, 10:13:26 pm »
(You might be confusing me with someone else. ;) )
were you in orange/black DHB bloq?

Citoyen has a small Castelli problem IIRC, though I can't remember if he'd resisted yesterday. He also has a beard, and looks as much like his avatar as MattC does.

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: The Shark 200 - Saturday 9th April
« Reply #106 on: 10 April, 2016, 10:26:27 pm »
(You might be confusing me with someone else. ;) )
were you in orange/black DHB bloq?

I was clad all in black except for a dayglo green plastic hat and no-longer-white shoes.

Citoyen has a small Castelli problem IIRC, though I can't remember if he'd resisted yesterday.

Castelli-free zone yesterday, for a change, but I did wish a few times that I'd worn my lovely warm Espresso jacket.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Re: The Shark 200 - Saturday 9th April
« Reply #107 on: 10 April, 2016, 11:12:28 pm »
My DIY rides of the route all came in around the 3000m mark (though without a barometric GPS), but it felt harder than that compared to other AAA rides, so I contour counted it in the traditional fashion and arrived at the 3200m figure (strictly 3210m @ 1:50,000, 3230m @ 1:25,000).
“That slope may look insignificant, but it's going to be my destiny" - Fitzcarraldo

wilkyboy

  • "nick" by any other name
    • 16-inch wheels
Re: The Shark 200 - Saturday 9th April
« Reply #108 on: 11 April, 2016, 12:41:30 am »
Citoyen has a small Castelli problem IIRC, though I can't remember if he'd resisted yesterday. He also has a beard, and looks as much like his avatar as MattC does.

I s'pose I'm just as guilty of that  ;D  (the not-looking-like-my-avatar bit, not the Castelli bit)

I was clad all in black except for a dayglo green plastic hat and no-longer-white shoes.

Castelli-free zone yesterday, for a change, but I did wish a few times that I'd worn my lovely warm Espresso jacket.

Ah, yes., there was a lot of squit about yesterday — a lot of 'guard-free riders, too, I found myself choosing wheels to follow carefully.  I found I was too hot most of the day, but didn't have any mid-weight layers to use, it was either all or nothing, but some of the descents were chilly, I thought — an Espresso would've been nice, but I would never get permission to buy one ... I do like the very red colour, though  ;)
Lockdown lethargy. RRTY: wot's that? Can't remember if I'm on #8 or #9 ...

wilkyboy

  • "nick" by any other name
    • 16-inch wheels
Re: The Shark 200 - Saturday 9th April
« Reply #109 on: 11 April, 2016, 12:43:29 am »
My DIY rides of the route all came in around the 3000m mark (though without a barometric GPS), but it felt harder than that compared to other AAA rides, so I contour counted it in the traditional fashion and arrived at the 3200m figure (strictly 3210m @ 1:50,000, 3230m @ 1:25,000).

Thanks for the info Ivan — in that case my Garmin 1000 had it bang on.  I wonder how consistent it was for other Garmin 1000 users ...
Lockdown lethargy. RRTY: wot's that? Can't remember if I'm on #8 or #9 ...

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: The Shark 200 - Saturday 9th April
« Reply #110 on: 11 April, 2016, 12:50:06 am »
Ah, yes., there was a lot of squit about yesterday — a lot of 'guard-free riders, too, I found myself choosing wheels to follow carefully.

I had the choice of guards on one bike or disc brakes on the other. I was glad to have disc brakes - it made the descents fun rather than terrifying. Sensible people had both.

Quote
an Espresso would've been nice, but I would never get permission to buy one

I could only justify it to myself because I got it heavily discounted.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Martin

Re: The Shark 200 - Saturday 9th April
« Reply #111 on: 11 April, 2016, 08:02:03 am »
My DIY rides of the route all came in around the 3000m mark (though without a barometric GPS), but it felt harder than that compared to other AAA rides, so I contour counted it in the traditional fashion and arrived at the 3200m figure (strictly 3210m @ 1:50,000, 3230m @ 1:25,000).

Thanks for the info Ivan — in that case my Garmin 1000 had it bang on.  I wonder how consistent it was for other Garmin 1000 users ...

I got 3291m on my etrex 30 using the official AUK software (although the AAA Man now uses something else)

Tomsk

  • Fueled by cake since 1957
    • tomsk.co.uk
Re: The Shark 200 - Saturday 9th April
« Reply #112 on: 11 April, 2016, 08:47:53 am »
Just surfaced after a day of family stuff...

Big thanks to Ivan and ACH, great village hall first control and cracking route. Surprisingly ok yesterday morning, despite feeling drained at the finish and swapping the final 60km of my ECE for a train or two! [Thanks fussballclub for the inside information] Brake mechanicals overcome by i] bodging - ok for about 50km, with some cautious descending... and ii] buying new brake pads in Heathfield. SO glad I wasn't on fixed!

I succumbed to the temptation of beer and crisps at the Fox and Hounds info control [my excuse being I needed to refill my bidon] - ten minutes of normal life was nice!

Re: The Shark 200 - Saturday 9th April
« Reply #113 on: 11 April, 2016, 10:01:30 am »
Many thanks to Ivan and the ACH crew for such a great event that I will look back on with a great sense of achievement.
For those who don't know who I am, I was the 140kg rider on the touring bike that you may have spotted heading south between Muddles Green and Seaford.
It was a day of firsts for me, the first time I had ridden a pushbike in London, the first 200k AAA ride and the first time that I went down a hill so steep (Brastead), I then found out that disc brakes can start to fade half way down.

I do try and get some photos on my rides, but this time I just had to keep peddling, so was limited to one at the start and one at the control.





For reference, my Garmin Touring clocked up 2791m, it sure felt like more.
 
All the best, Paul.

Re: The Shark 200 - Saturday 9th April
« Reply #114 on: 11 April, 2016, 10:21:31 am »
I'm also a bit disappointed that I didn't really have time to take any photos, but there are some good ones here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/themanfromicon/sets/72157664676544244 and another rider's video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yg1TddCvfxI
“That slope may look insignificant, but it's going to be my destiny" - Fitzcarraldo

Oscar's dad

  • aka Septimus Fitzwilliam Beauregard Partridge
Re: The Shark 200 - Saturday 9th April
« Reply #115 on: 11 April, 2016, 10:36:00 am »
Many thanks to Ivan and the ACH crew for such a great event that I will look back on with a great sense of achievement.
For those who don't know who I am, I was the 140kg rider on the touring bike that you may have spotted heading south between Muddles Green and Seaford.
It was a day of firsts for me, the first time I had ridden a pushbike in London, the first 200k AAA ride and the first time that I went down a hill so steep (Brastead), I then found out that disc brakes can start to fade half way down.

I do try and get some photos on my rides, but this time I just had to keep peddling, so was limited to one at the start and one at the control.





For reference, my Garmin Touring clocked up 2791m, it sure felt like more.

I'm grateful you helped me find the pub and official finish.  I'd reached the end of my tether by that point and just wanted it all to stop!

Tomsk

  • Fueled by cake since 1957
    • tomsk.co.uk
Re: The Shark 200 - Saturday 9th April
« Reply #116 on: 11 April, 2016, 11:41:32 am »
So that ^ shark wasn't a hallucination then...       ^                               ^             ^                                                                           

  :D

And chapeau to those that just kept swimming pedalling, like sharks, and got to the arrivee!

Re: The Shark 200 - Saturday 9th April
« Reply #117 on: 11 April, 2016, 09:01:10 pm »
A good hard ride, thanks team ACH!

Did the Audax/Club rider dance all the way round with a group of Sidcup riders and some Rapha boys. They were dirty and fast, I was slow and clean. I had a quiet giggle at the contrast between the clubbies, who looked like they had just finished Paris-Roubaix at Chiddlington and then Tomsk walked in looking clean and relaxed. On the other hand I really would like some of the bikes they had - lush!

The Sidcup group managed not to have a puncture in the last twenty miles and beat me in by 20 or so minutes, but I beat in some of the Rapha boys - no doubt their on the road speed was way higher... but then I was on my Range Rover with big tyres and discs. Not fast but just keeps going. I reckon a group of eight is good fun but not the way to cover any miles without stopping every ten minutes.

Just goes to show there are very many ways of  having type 3 fun.

Was I the only one who stopped at Wessons and dared to click-clack through the big hairy bikers for a nice lunch? Recommended for next year.




Diesel

  • or Richard
Re: The Shark 200 - Saturday 9th April
« Reply #118 on: 11 April, 2016, 09:21:11 pm »
Agree with all, big thanks to Ivan and the team for a fun day out. My first AAA ride and I certainly felt it. Good practice for some bigger rides to come....

Enjoyed the company throughout cycling with different folk at different stages. Don't know all names but enjoyed riding with Felix for a good chunk of the ride and I think it was Tomsk I rode the last 30ish k from the top of Brastead.

alotronic - you were not the only on to enjoy Wessons, there were a few of us, probably later than you enjoying a late lunch and good coffee. Agree, I'd recommend it.

My best memories will be of the underground car park start, the argument with the royal mail van leaving London, the control with a great Audax menu (loved the Battenburg), the challenge of the last few hills and the glorious sunset over London.

... and a pub finish is always welcome

Cheers.

The Shark 200 - Sunday 2nd April 2017
« Reply #119 on: 15 March, 2017, 09:17:00 am »
2017 Edition.  Who's in?  I am and looking forward to it :)

Re: The Shark 200 - Saturday 9th April
« Reply #120 on: 15 March, 2017, 10:12:30 am »
I'm in...not sure about the looking forward to it yet though  ;D

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: The Shark 200 - Saturday 9th April
« Reply #121 on: 15 March, 2017, 10:16:33 am »
Haven't entered yet but tempted. Found it very tough but enjoyed it last year - despite grim conditions. Lovely route, first rate organisation, pub finish - couldn't really ask for much more than that.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Re: The Shark 200 - Saturday 9th April
« Reply #122 on: 15 March, 2017, 10:26:34 am »
I'm in - barring biblical weather.
The sound of one pannier flapping

jiberjaber

  • ... Fancy Pants \o/ ...
  • ACME S&M^2
Re: The Shark 200 - Saturday 9th April
« Reply #123 on: 15 March, 2017, 11:43:53 am »
I'm in :)  :facepalm:
Regards,

Joergen

Redlight

  • Enjoying life in the slow lane
Re: The Shark 200 - Saturday 9th April
« Reply #124 on: 15 March, 2017, 11:53:44 am »
I'm hoping to be there at the start to help out - but I'm riding 3 Down the day before so may be a little jaded  :)
Why should anybody steal a watch when they can steal a bicycle?