Today's Bike Ride

[Hanneke]

I wouldnt mind a piece of that. I never knew you was a cake maker Dom

He is... his lemon drizzle cake is second to none :thumbup:

[Dynamo Dan]

This is becoming a problem at these rides. The organisers are reluctant to allow more than a few riders off at the start at once. Its part of the agreements with the police. You simply cannot allow 2/3/4000 cyclists away on an open road all one go. Bloody annoying though and there has to be a better way todo the starts.
Dont worry the EUro riders will be okay with a bit of waiting.
Whats the gold standard for the Dragon Ride ?

Oh hang on a Wiggins is on the front of the bunch in the Dauphine

Here's a link for the UCI Golden Bike series, which the Dragon Ride will be part of next year, http://www.ucigoldenbike.com/templat...Tg1MA&LangId=1.

Frankly, after reading that the fact the Dragon Ride will be included next year as one of the best examples of cycling in the world amazes me!

It's a fair point about the start and we wouldn't have minded if they'd made the cut off more flexible. My Dad said he had to wait for ages before starting La Marmotte so I guess the international riders next year won't mind too much but the route is no Marmotte.

[daz h]

Maybe Hanneke should run it

[Hanneke]

Don't tempt me Daz

With chip timing, there is no reason why one should not be set off in small groups by time... as in give grousp of people different start times, so they aren't all at the start at the same time... and have cutoffs to match? I.e. if your start tim is between 10 and 10.15, your cutoff is between 6 and 6.15? Is youtr start time 8.30-8.45, then the cutoff is earlier according to your start time...

[shaunaneto]

I thought cyclo cross was all about the pain?

Anyway all this sportive talk I reckon we should have a a forum ride of the Ronde Van Oost Lancashire next year. Looks like a right cracker. Mentioned it on here before, and Daz and Nikalas seemed interested.
http://crossjunkie.blogspot.com/2011...shire-2nd.html
http://www.sportivescene.co.uk/ronde...st-lancashire/

Hmmm, this looks really good. A great way of shaking the legs into gear, I'm very tempted despite the trek to get down there.

[daz h]

Don't tempt me Daz

With chip timing, there is no reason why one should not be set off in small groups by time... as in give grousp of people different start times, so they aren't all at the start at the same time... and have cutoffs to match? I.e. if your start tim is between 10 and 10.15, your cutoff is between 6 and 6.15? Is youtr start time 8.30-8.45, then the cutoff is earlier according to your start time...

There is Hann
Organisers are told by the police how many riders can set off at one go. What your proposing is actually what happens and thats why it takes so long.
Say 30 riders every 5 minutes and you can see how long it takes you to get 3000 riders through the start.
Its about 100 riders every 15mins, 200 every half hour and so on.
The real problem is the qty of riders at these events.

The organisers want to maximise the amount of turnover so let in as many as they can without thought of how the start works.
Its getting silly at some of them.
Your plan would just simply be the same as what is happening now. Albeit allocated times instead of unallocated.
You would still have a huge line of people.
With the added problem of the ones who have lost there start time, etc etc etc.

No easy solution im afraid.

[daz h]

I think we should allow all the steel frames away first and let the fancy titaaaaaaaanium and carbon ones last

ho ho ho:thumbup:

[Hanneke]

I think we should allow all the steel frames away first and let the fancy titaaaaaaaanium and carbon ones last

ho ho ho:thumbup:

LOL Daz That would cause a riot! No easy solution, other than the start waves... and cap the number of entries to a manageable number...

[The devil's own]

Well as I can't ride at present I've been trawling the net a little more than usual and realized I want, and need to move to Gletsch!






OMFG!

[daz h]

Well as I can't ride at present I've been trawling the net a little more than usual and realized I want, and need to move to Gletsch!






OMFG!

Been there its lovely.
No ride for me tonight just 12 mile hill run with badger the wonder collie.

Just watching wiggins on his time trial in the dauphine.