The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

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Ray P
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#3496 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Post by Ray P »

Yep, when men were men, looking at the mountain pass tracks that they rode up. Catch the riders with spare wheels on their backs, I'm asuming for different gearing options.

Amazing crowds too.
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Ray P
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#3497 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Post by Ray P »

Here's another one, this time 1953 but there is a section right at the beginning of the start of the 1903 TdF.

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#3498 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Post by IslandPink »

Ray P wrote: Sat Aug 06, 2022 1:46 pm Yep, when men were men, looking at the mountain pass tracks that they rode up. Catch the riders with spare wheels on their backs, I'm asuming for different gearing options.
Much to enjoy in that footage Ray. Loved the views of the Izoard and Galibier, those roads were primitive back then. I noticed they used the tunnel through the summit ridge of the Galibier, at 2590m - has been blocked off for decades now.
I don't know about riders carrying wheels routinely - in all the books I have of historic TdF photos, I haven't seen that, I think that might just have been mechanics or something at the end of a stage. I was interested to see what they had in the mountains though. I thought it was two sizes of 'fixed' on the back ( wingnuts on the hub to allow you to turn the wheel round ) but I was glad to see that they did at least have a freewheel option , for the mountains. Perhaps they had a higher gear as a fixed for the flats. I think gearing started to come in in the 1930's. Either way, they would be very overgeared on the climbs, compared to today's riders.
Great shots of them filling up at the fountain, would have been a common sight I think.
Interesting to see a food station near the beginning. They all had to get off and rush over to trestle tables and fight each other for food, they must have found that frustrating, as you can see one guy gesticulating angrily.
They didn't seem to have worked out finish lines properly by that stage - looked like some of them were just a man stood in the road waving his arms.

I'll catch up with the other one later.
Must put on the Men's road race on the telly now.
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#3499 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Post by IslandPink »

Meanwhile some poor sods are setting off now to ride London Edinburgh London ( Audax ).
Not my idea of fun, but we should get a good Adam Watkins video out of it !
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Ray P
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#3500 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Post by Ray P »

My ambition is somewhat limited compared with those guys but I really enjoyed my morning ride - beautiful weather and quiet roads.

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Some great views across the Bristol Channel, with the South Wales coast in the background.

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#3501 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Post by IslandPink »

Well done Ray & nice pics. It was lovely again today. I'd already done an hour on the hills on Friday, an hour & a half down the valley & back on the bike yesterday, then today did 3 hrs 12 walking, Moel Famau summit from Llangynhafal in the valley, with a different return down a rough ravine & down the 'Nant y Ne'. Hard enough.
Superb conditions for views but a bit dry for all of the flora and some of the fauna.

Meanwhile you can watch the torture here -
https://track.trail.live/event/london-e ... ondon-2022
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Ray P
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#3502 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Post by Ray P »

BTW, I finally received the seals for the bottom bracket on my new blue bike so it's now with my bike engineer friend to complete the build for me so hopefully I'll get to ride it later this week. Since the picture below was taken I've replaced the cranset with a carbon fibre one and installed the rear derailleur and chain so, apart from him checking my handiwork for safety, he's only got to install and commission the hydraulic disc brakes and set up the gear indexing. I'm certainly looking forward to getting it back.

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#3503 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Post by Ray P »

I have the week off and as it was another beautiful August day I rode a loop out to Dunkeswell aerodrome this morning, avoiding the worst of the sun/heat. I watched the wing walking show while enjoying coffee and flapjack in the Aviator cafe.

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#3504 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Post by IslandPink »

That fella should have chosen a better place to stop and have a cup of coffee.

Just been out for an just over an hour on usual roads...
The Horror The Horror !
They have put great swathes of tar and chippings down my favourite road down the valley. It'll be years before that's smooth again.
I had to take to the high road on the way back ( which is smaller and hillier ) , which was fine though.
Fitness feeling good, seem to have shaken off some fatigue in last 2 weeks that might just have been Covid although didn't register on a LF test.
Pulse average 123, a far cry from when I started this year when it was towards 140 on short rides.
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#3505 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Post by Ray P »

I've been having the same problem with the council dressing roads with chippings for a couple of months - I have to keep modifying routes to accomodate. I have found that 'Gunk', which you gan buy in Wilkos, is good for removing spots of tar - just wet a little kitchen roll with some and it wipes off the spots with little effort.
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#3506 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Post by IslandPink »

Thanks, but I'm not bothered about having tar on the inside of my mudguards !
No but also, the roads were mainly groaning under masses of chippings, and not very much tar. It was pretty loose and dangerous, I expect they will come down with a 'Vancouver' some time soon, though.
But those kind of surfaces always make you feel older. They increase the numbers of lines on your face.
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#3507 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Post by andrew Ivimey »

Ha ha, too true!
Philosophers have only interpreted the world - the point, however, is to change it. No it isn't ... maybe we should leave it alone for a while.
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#3508 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Post by Ray P »

Mudguards! 😮 It's summer you know.
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#3509 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Post by jack »

Ray P wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2022 9:54 am Mudguards! 😮 It's summer you know.
It's also Wales....
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#3510 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Post by Ray P »

I collected the new bike this afternoon and have been around the block a few times getting the riding position more or less sorted - probably have to tweak it a little more when I go out for a proper ride - hopefully tomorrow.

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