Club Run Reports

Having put on a lot of weight due to holidays and lack of riding, Peter's back wheel expired as its spokes caved in under his extra weight.  This dropped the easy group down from twenty to nineteen.  The medium group of nine had no major issues, and two others took to the fastie.  JohnP got a surprise as he had seven Come & Triers on his afternooner.  It made up for the time he had no company at all.  Maybe some of these will come back and join us on a Sunday morning!  Nearly made forty for the day.

Considering that it was the Bank Holiday weekend, that we had just suffered over 12 hours of torrential rain, and that there were other cycling events taking place - it was good to get twenty out over the three rides.  Nine started at Ware and managed only one puncture between them.  Nine more started the medium at Hertford although this was soon augmented to ten as Alex "found" the group just before Walkern.  A couple of punctures but nothing major.  One rider chose the fast course.

More than 30 assembled at Hertford. Six followed Alex to Woburn at medium pace, around 15 did the 50 mile extended easy-pace to Ardeley and the rest did the 40 mile fast ride. (Hardly worth pumping your tyres up for 40 miles surely?). All enjoyed (mostly) lovely cycling weather and apparently survived despite the odd shower and wasp strike.

About thirty out today, spread over the three rides.  With only two on the fastie, eighteen went out on the med to Wandon End, whilst ten took part in the easy.  Glorious weather, couple of punctures and jolly bonhomie all round.

Lovely sunny day and lots of riders.  The biggest group took part in the easiest of the tours.  Fourteen set off from Hertford and wended their wonderful way to Whitwell.  After partaking the delicacies of the cafe, all safely made their return.  A good ride for all the right reasons.  Pretty much the same applied to the meds, who went to Buntingford.  The fasties seemed to have morphed into the endurance boys as their thing at the moment seems to be quantity (of miles) rather than quality.  Still, Rikki is being consistent by falling off yet again.  One day he will finish a ride and not sh

Bastille day, Froome on Ventoux, and given the choice of easies most chose to go with DannyH as opposed to Peter.  Still, mustn't get too upset!!!  The Cube man's obvious charm & elan convinced about fifteen others that he was the one, as they made an uneventful trip to Buntingford and back.

Very hot today and over thirty riders took to the roads over the four groups.  Whilst eight went off to Rayne from Much Hadham another sixteen came through the village a bit later to discover that two major(ish) charity rides were also passing through the village in opposite directions.  It was all too much for the bike of one of our riders and it died of a broken derailleur.  Not having been made properly aware of the easies code of conduct, she hadn't realised that the riders stop at every turning to regroup and if someone has not arrived, then they retrace their steps.  However, the lady

Again the numbers reached the thirties over the three rides on a mild sunday morning.  Only two casualties this week (ie two more than most weeks) as MarkT and his bike briefly parted company and Cube Danny's tyre exploded with a sound similar to the sonic boom of a couple of weeks ago!  Most others enjoyed a leisurely 
ride whether to Hinxworth, Whitwell or on the Royston course.

It's good to see that each week about twentyfive riders take part in the Sunday morning club runs.  This week the groups weren't split evenly as about twothirds took the easy option and a third the medium.  Only one rider turned up to do the fast but he ended up doing the medium anyway.  Fortunately it didn't rain, but the strength of the wind was the main area of difficulty.

It was good to see that the 25 or so people out were spread reasonably evenly between the three rides.  Not the best weather today although it wasn't cold.  The downside was that it was cloudy with a strong south wind.  On teletext in the evening found out that a sonic boom caused the enormous bang that occurred whilst we were at the cafe at Buntingford.  At the time we were pretty certain that it wasn't thunder!

Lots out today, probably inspired by the good weather.  A bunch of nine set out in the morning to ride the Century ride (the HW 160 Audax in preparation for next week).  Another bunch just short of twenty made their own problems at Emily's by creating the queue that caused all the holdups.  With everyone out and about in the morning, there were only two out in the afternoon.

After the 30TT today, three riders set out from Tempsford for Grafham Water.  Should have been four but one rider (nameless) neglected to check his front tyre.  Had he done so he would have had plenty of time to rectify the puncture.  As the remaining riders set off at gone 10:00, it seemed stupid to fix it and hold them up further.  So (nameless) person drove off to Arkeley where he met up with about a dozen of the easies for a chance to bask in the sun.  Meanwhile about half a dozen took part in the fastie.

Most took part in the easy pacer.  Some on the fast.  And those on the medium noted that at least all the riders in their group wore club colours.  The fine spring morning was good for cycling and most got home before the rains came. 

With fifteen of us in France it would have been easy to assume that there would not be many out on the club runs.  Wrong.  Over twentyfive took to the roads over the three rides.

The largest of the groups met at the new rendezvous at Glaxo whilst a slightly smaller group met in Hertford.  The Hertford easies had a fairly uneventful (apart from one mechanical) journey to Jack's and were pleased to be likened to the Olympic Cycling Team by a five year old!

Many got out today, seduced by the thought of the warm, dry weather.  And for a while, all was good.  Then, sadly, the wind got stronger and stronger (depending how many miles you were trying to do) and even worse, it was a headwind on the way back.  At least that how it was for the meds.  With some trying (and failing) to ride to the start at Thaxted it was always about riding a 100+ mile day.  For many it was not to be.  For one unlucky rider, her bike's tyres did not match her ambition and she got as far as Elsenham before making her way home.  Another only intended to ride to Thaxted an

The weather is improving day by day and the large numbers out are at last beginning to get the benefit of their winter training.  Ian led a group of fifteen to Buntingford utilising a mixture of our normal routes and a few variations on the theme to create a most enjoyable morning out.  Mike led a group of a dozen to Emily's, whilst the fasties did what the fasties do.  For many it was the first occasion this year when it was possible to wear shorts and not worry about whether or not the weather would close in.

Over forty out on the three rides.  A strong southerly wind made the returns difficult although it was great to feel the warmth of the sun at last.  Despite the lack of necessity for many thermal layers of clothing, the meds encountered a frosty reception at the cafe stop.  Still, can't let someone else's bad-hair day ruin a good morning's ride.  A few punctures, but nothing unmanageable.

With over twenty Herts Wheelers taking part in Audaxes, Sportives, Time Trials or going across the Channel to watch the Paris-Roubaix there would not be a great expectation for a good turnout for the club rides.  Wrong!  Thirty riders turned out including six guests.  Most took part in the easy with eighteen out.  Seven on the medium.  Six on the afternoon easy although one rider doubled up by riding the morning easy and the afternoon easy.  Compared with other days this year, today was a glorious day.  As the weather warms up it will probably be viewed (in retrospect) as a cold day.

Well that's March done with.  Despite the cold and strong wind, we have been getting good numbers out on club rides as people look to increase their winter mileage in preparation for warmer weather (it's got to come sometime).  Over twentysix took to the roads today with most supporting the easy ride.  Fourteen out on that one, with eight on the medium and four on the fast.  The only mechanical was on the fast, but they stuck together and got themselves sorted.