2012 Mersey Roads 24TT

[hippy]

The controversy of bike lighting. Who woulda thunk it? Anyway >>>

I've got Rockett's book - I've not read it yet, probably a bit late now.

No Wilko this year? Anyone else nervous about this? I keep racking my brain trying to think of stuff I need.

[Jasmine]

It just goes to show, not all the knob-heads are on YACF.

 

I don't think he has grasped Matt's point at all. 

Matt - I think he'll be coming to headbutt you on Saturday, or at least to shine his lights in your eyes.  It's a good job he will be easy to spot by his enormous willy that he will be waving in everyone's face.  I think the "First ever British finisher of RAAM" tattoo on him (presumably) will be a giveaway too.

[Exit Stage Left]

It's worth remembering that the operational headquarters for the Mersey roads is the Raven Transport Cafe, so the organisers get strong feedback from truck drivers. The peak time for trucks is about 11pm to 3am, which seems to coincide with the Holyhead Ferry. The Irish drivers prefer to use the A41 over the M6 to save fuel, as they are used to driving on A roads. Irish lorries usually have at least 4 large lights over the cab in addition to the usual complement, and might have as many as 14 headlights. It's a fairly awe-inspiring sight as they loom over the horizon, as you see the top lights before the driver sees you. I've usually found them to be considerate, as they alert each other to the hazard by CB radio.


The worst case scenario is a truck being distracted by bright lights as it passes a cyclist on this section of the A41.

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Prees+Heath&hl=en&ll=52.902339,-2.625803&spn=0.039035,0.061884&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=9.794837,15.842285&oq=Prees+Heath&t=h&hnear=Prees+Heath,+Shropshire,+United+Kingdom&z=14&layer=c&cbll=52.902339,-2.625803&panoid=vpASzFNWuA-rOcNxeXDDlg&cbp=12,107.6,,0,6.87

[Karla]

It just goes to show, not all the knob-heads are on YACF.

 

I don't think he has grasped Matt's point at all. 

Matt - I think he'll be coming to headbutt you on Saturday, or at least to shine his lights in your eyes.  It's a good job he will be easy to spot by his enormous willy that he will be waving in everyone's face.  I think the "First ever British finisher of RAAM" tattoo on him (presumably) will be a giveaway too.

I don't see you on the start list.  Is that just timing or are you still not recovered?

[Exit Stage Left]

It's a good idea to wear a cap at night, or to have a brim on a helmet which can shield your eyes against full beam. After the first few bright lights the motorists get pissed off and don't dip.

[Jasmine]

I don't see you on the start list.  Is that just timing or are you still not recovered?

Not recovered - I thought it was going reasonably well but the shitty weather has really slowed recovery.  The joints on my right side do not appreciate being wet or cold for any period of time; major pain for long rides in the permarain of North Wales.  I also seem to have entirely lost theability to hold a tuck for more than 20 minutes.  Even 10 milers result in me walking around like a wisened old man afterwards until someone pops me into upright.

[Karla]

Sorry to hear that.

[mattc]

possible DNF here - my sides may have split after jasmine's tattoo comment. Well worth it though.

(GWS Jasmine, don't rush it. and stop falling off!).

[MattH]

Anyone that knows me will unsurprised by this topic:
http://www.timetriallingforum.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=70653&view=getnewpost

It really has kicked off big time over there. Never before have I been insulted by such a high-profile rider - great stuff! If you like a good online spat, please have a look. Li****ng-related rants should perhaps be ring-fenced over there too.

Hmm, seems to have quietened down now. Perhaps time for me to ask about wearing a cap vs a helmet? 

[Karla]

BTDTGTTS, some guy chose to post some choice words about the video of me starting the Nat. 25 without a helmet or rear light!

[hippy]

Is headwear as controversial to twentyfourites as lighting?

God help the person asking about food choices...

[jogler]

or getting lost

Seriously,is going off-course something that happens?

[MattH]

Is headwear as controversial to twentyfourites as lighting?

Depends if you combine it with mounting options for lights?

Would I be better with a cotton cap and a Petzl XP2, or a helmet with dual MTB-spec flood beam Ayups mounted on its vents?

God help the person asking about food choices...

I'll take whatever they hand up to me as I pass...


I'm resigned to being looked upon with disdain anyway, as I'll be wearing a cotton cap, using a dynohub front light with a properly shaped beam and carrying everything I need in a saddlebag. I may even have a kip in a bus shelter, like I did on the Sussex one last year. Thinking of which, are there any good quality shelters on the route? Is this something that the TT forumers would know?

[Jasmine]

or getting lost

Seriously,is going off-course something that happens?

No.  There's a marshall on every junction.  Going off route will get you disqualified, as in every time trial.

There are local regulations in some places about the requirement for a rear light on all TTs, even in good light.

[Exit Stage Left]

or getting lost

Seriously,is going off-course something that happens?

No.  There's a marshall on every junction.  Going off route will get you disqualified, as in every time trial.

The main problem on the Mersey roads is people going into the Raven cafe to relieve themselves or to get a full English breakfast. If you miss the marshals on the way out it causes havoc with the recording. The important thing to remember is that the course you do will be different to others, so you have to have your numbers visible at all times and shout your number to marshals.

 Problems really start if you spend more time off the bike than the circuit you are on. The organisers then wonder if you've just been missed and might credit you with distance you haven't done. People have gone off course due to marshalling mistakes and been credited with the extra distance, it happened to Gethin Butler in 1997 when he overshot the Muller Island roundabout in Market Drayton.

[Dinamo]

or getting lost

Seriously,is going off-course something that happens?

Have transponders / GPS units never been considered ?
In respect to calculating mileages.

[Exit Stage Left]

or getting lost

Seriously,is going off-course something that happens?

Have transponders / GPS units never been considered ?
In respect to calculating mileages.

You'd need at least two receivers on most roundabouts. A the Prees Heath roundabout it would involve laying a receiving mat across two lanes of an active trunk road with a high level of HGV use. So if it has been considered I'd expect that it wasn't for long, some sort of GPS tracking might work though.

[hippy]

or getting lost
Seriously,is going off-course something that happens?

I was really worried about that before the ESCA but it didn't happen and that was a more complicated course I reckon.

[Dinamo]

or getting lost

Seriously,is going off-course something that happens?

Have transponders / GPS units never been considered ?
In respect to calculating mileages.

You'd need at least two receivers on most roundabouts. A the Prees Heath roundabout it would involve laying a receiving mat across two lanes of an active trunk road with a high level of HGV use. So if it has been considered I'd expect that it wasn't for long, some sort of GPS tracking might work though.

On a recent sportive the organisers handed out a small GPS unit to each rider to carry, about the size of a matchbox.
The operating system / GPS used was 'Flaik' - google for more info

[hippy]

I'm taking my Garmin 800 this year and yelling my number so I don't lose mileage like last year. I'm hoping a full GPS track might help if I have to beg for my laps back again.

[Karla]

I'm taking my Garmin 800 this year and yelling my number so I don't lose mileage like last year. I'm hoping a full GPS track might help if I have to beg for my laps back again.

Something of that order happened to me on the Sussex.  I think I passed through the start of the circuit quite close to the cutoff time and got directed around it again by the marshals, who were moved onto the next circuit just afterwards so I didn't get my lap clocked.  I did get it back on appeal, thankfully.

[MattH]

If GPS units are reasonably affordable for the organisers to hire, then I could see that being useful as a backup to the marshals' count - i.e. do a calculation as normal, then compare to the GPS. If the two match (to GPS tolerance) then accept it and move on. Only if the figures don't match does any additional time need to be given to double and triple checking the counts, with perhaps examination of the GPS log showing where the count is out with a missed/gained lap etc.

But not having helped on the admin side of one of these, I have no idea how helpful or not that would be, compared to the cost of hiring the magic boxes.

[Karla]

There was a page of Cycling Weakly last year that was devoted to Wilko complaining that they should have chip timing for the 24.  If you remember, his record ride also had to have a lap added on appeal.

[hippy]

My little plaque only says 405mi.. I did closer to 450. Ended up credited with 425. I would've been upset had I broken the club record but lost it due to a miscount. Luckily I was off the record.

How much would the chip timing cost? It's not infallible - Dragon Ride had a lot of trouble one year with theirs.

[Karla]

Now that's interesting.  I did 390, lost a lap, got it back (see the CTT website) but my plaque then only said 368. 

My club record is 507, so I have absolutely zero hope of ever beating that!