RIP Sir Jimmy

Scarborough

Took a trip to Scarborough the other day, went boating at Peasholm Park had a great fish and chip dinner at Winking Willies amongst other things.  Not a great day for photo's but here's a couple of the South Bay beach.

Saturday 29 October - Colours of Clumber

On Audax duty again today for a 114km route through Clumber Park and around north Nottinghamshire.

I arrived at the start late as I really could not be bothered to get out of bed after a late night last night and the fact I feel exhausted at the moment.  As I was approaching the start point my Beeston CC mates were rolling out, I though it wouldn't take me long to catch them, how wrong was I.  I was batting along at a fair rate due to a descent from the start town of Bolsover and a friendly tailwind, problem was so were my club mates.  As I caught sight of groups of riders ahead I was constantly disappointed to see they weren't  Beeston riders.  The ride through the Clumber estate was lovely, the trees just beginning to shed there autumnal coloured leaves, hence the name of the ride.

Once through Clumber I was starting to feel the effects of the hard pace I was setting myself, but with a cafe at 55k to recharge the legs I pressed on hoping I'd soon be with the boys.  Not until that cafe did I catch them, rolling in 2 minutes after them, both parties impressed with one and others pace we shared drinks and cake.

I was debating whether to press on as we left the cafe as I wanted to get home as soon as possible, but a nice group of about 8 riders formed inclusive of the Beeston posse so I stuck with it.  I was glad of it as well as shortly after we got going again that tailwind was now against us as we headed back to Bolsover.  One of our riders was feeling the earlier pace a little so the Beeston boys took the decision to hold back and make sure we all got in together, we were still on a good pace so it was no worries.  We looped around north Nottinghamshire and back for another ride through the Clumber estate and back up into Bolsover against that headwind.

All in all it was a brilliant ride and one I would recommend to an Audax beginner as a taster of what Audax offers, it's a mainly flat route on easy going roads in lovely countryside, thoroughly enjoyed it!




Distance = 115 km
Time = 4 hrs 40 mins
Ave Speed = 24.9 kph
Ascent = 915 m  (m/km =8.0)

2011
Road Bike = 3752.9 km
Single Speed = 102.2 km
Fixed = 26 km
Indoor = 143.2 km
Total = 4024.3 km

Stripping down

Had another half hour on project peugeot continuing to strip it down, the simplex gears are off and ready for a clean up before making an appearance on ebay. 

Chainset and cranks are off, just the bottom bracket, forks, headset, stem and bars to be removed now.

Monday 17 October, One in the bank

Working nights this week and away at the weekend so not sure when I'm going to find time to ride the bike, with yesterday being my only free day I took the opportunity to get at least one ride in the bank for the week.  Luckily Sundays ride was quite leisurely so I had plenty in the legs for a spin round one of my old 50ish mile routes into South Derbyshire.

It was a breezy day which some of the outward journey tougher than it needed to be, the first half of the route was also on rolling terrain out to Repton.  Then it was onto the flats and Etwall and Hilton, once turned around and heading east towards home it was flat and the wind was on my back.  Averaged over 30kph for the last hour of the ride, it was a real treat.




Distance = 83.5 km
Time = 3 hrs 7 mins
Ave Speed = 26.8 kph
Ascent = 632 m  (m/km =7.6)

2011
Road Bike = 3637.9 km
Single Speed = 102.2 km
Fixed = 26 km
Indoor = 105.6 km
Total = 3871.7 km

Sunday 16 October, Beware of the plague

I was on Audax duty yesterday again, first one of the year with Dad, titled Beware of the plague due to its visit to Eyam.

The day started out bright and sunny in Alfreton but soon turned misty and drizzly as we climbed into the peak and across Beeley Moor towards Eyam.  First control in Eyam was just a card signing exercise and we pressed on up and out of Eyam.  The biggest climb of the day came on the road to Monyash from the A6, not the steepest but a good gradient for over 3km.  Through Monyash and a little more steady climbing we were treated to a lovely descent rolling through the heart of the peak before a short sharp climb into Biggin where the final control stamp was.

A quick sandwich and we were off on the final leg, another lovely descent into Parwich and then back up to Longcliffe before shooting down Via Gellia.  It's the first time I have gone down Via Gellia and a headwind spoilt it somewhat, still I stuck it on the big ring and smallest sprocket and gunned down as fast as I could, pedalling most of the way though.  Once down into Cromford the only way was up to Crich.  The climb into and through Holloway is another tough one, but with my improved climbing ability (there is still a lot of room for more improvement) I'm finding these easier nowadays.  From Crich it was a short and flattish stint into Alfreton for a well deserved cup of tea and slice of cake.

Another great ride and route from the Audax folk, if you've not tried one already I suggest you do...




Distance = 108.5 km
Time = 5 hrs 5 mins
Ave Speed = 21.3 kph
Ascent = 1801 m  (m/km =16.7)

2011
Road Bike = 3554.4 km
Single Speed = 102.2 km
Fixed = 26 km
Indoor = 105.6 km
Total = 3788.2 km

Thursday 13 October, Surprisingly brisk!

Went out for what was meant to be a steady knock around the Sutton Bonnington and Gotham circuit taking in the TT courses used by Beeston CC and VCLE.

I was joined by club mate Paul again for a pleasant chatty and brisk in places ride of 60km.  What a difference it makes to ride with fresh legs and no wind, we kept a good pace all the way round, and it is a route that would suit a good hard effort ride, maybe next week....

Next up more hills in Sunday's Audax ride,  at the time of booking I did not realise it was a hilly one!

Distance = 60 km
Time = 2 hrs 12 mins
Ave Speed = 27.1 kph
Ascent = N/A

2011
Road Bike = 3445.9 km
Single Speed = 102.2 km
Fixed = 26 km
Indoor = 105.6 km
Total = 3679.7 km

History of the UE-8

Since acquiring my Peugeot over a year ago I have been doing some research on its history.

Dating pugs apparently is a tricky business and can only be done by the type of badge and livery on the machine, the frame numbers do not give an accurate method of knowing when the bike was built.  Using cyclespeugeot I have identified it as model UE-8 dated  1976 or 1977.

Retro Peugeot has also proved to be an invaluable source of information on my (and many other) vintage pugs.

I can not find much UK based information but here's a little about the bike and its UO-8 sibling from the U.S.

The Peugeot AO-8 and its UO-8, UO-18, UE-8 and UE-18 siblings were entry-level and low-end bicycles sold in the United States during the 1960s and 1970s, especially in the early 1970s during the peak of the bike-boom .  These were commonly the first ten-speeds ridden by baby boomers.  As vintage bicycles, they do not garner the same respect as does their prestigious PX-10 cousin.

A few pictures from which I draw my inspiration from the Retro Puegeot site...

And a few brochure extracts of the UE-8 and UO-8

So for now I'm still stripping down but I think I have decided upon making this a fixed gear project.  I would like to retain as many parts as I can and intend to give the un required parts a good clean up and sell them on to other vintage enthusiasts looking to restore similar projects.

Project Peugeot takes off

As it came

After over a year of sitting in the shed and nothing happening Project Peugeot has finally begun.  The original plane was to restore it to as new, fenders, lights and all.  Money and the fact I want to use it have however changed the plan.  For now it is a strip down, clean up, make good, replace what needs replacing whilst trying to keep it is as original as possible.  The mudguards will not be going back on but will be kept for future possible plans. 

I will not be having a paint job either, not for now anyway, I just want to get it on the road again.  Once I have some spare pennies then a proper paint job to restore it to its former glory will be arranged.

Today has been the first stage of stripping it down.

Thursday 6 October - Post Epic ride and banter

Took a steady and chatty ride out round Sutton Bonnington, East Leake etc with fellow epic'ists Russ and Paul as well as club members Lesa and Sean.  Nice ride with nice folk, caught  out by a sharp shower at the end, that'll teach us adding a little loop of Draycot and Breaston on the end of the ride.  Also popped a spoke a mile form home, so thats another visit to TS Bikes tomorrow, I'll have to get a cassette, tube and tyre on my old bonty wheel at this rate.

Distance = 53.4 km
Time = 2 hrs 8 mins
Ave Speed = 24.9 kph
Ascent = N/A

2011
Road Bike = 3385.9 km
Single Speed = 102.2 km
Fixed = 26 km
Indoor = 105.6 km
Total = 3619.7 km

Sunday 2 October, The Autumn Epic

The Beeston CC team at the start

So the last 2 months of 'training' have all been about this ride, an early start to head off to Wales saw me picking club mate Paul up at 05:30 and we were on our way, until about 6 o'clock when the M42 came to a standstill due to a van crashing and throwing its contents all over the motorway, luckily though we were only held up by around 15 minutes.

We arrived in a sunny Knighton just after 8 o'clock in plenty of time to get the bikes out and ourselves dressed to battle the Welsh hills.  A quick catch up with the rest of the Beeston contingent after signing on and we were away.  Five of us left pretty much straight away running over the timing mat that we would not cross again for 96 miles!  The rest of the team were waiting a while so they had some 'tortoises' to catch in their quest for respectable and competitive times.

I rode out of Knighton with Paul and made a concious effort to ride steady until the first stop, saving as much of myself as I could for later in the ride.  As we rode I was slowly pulling away from Paul and dropping back for him, it was at this point Paul rather generously said I was to ride my own ride and he would see me later.  The first climb up Bwlch-y-Sarnau came soon after this and I only saw Paul briefly at the first food stop again on the ride.  That climb was followed by a similar one out of Abbey-Cwm-Hir and across a moor before descending into Rhayader for the first food stop.

I was quite alarmed at how many punctures fellow riders were picking up in the first section of the rides, there seemed to be upturned bikes at the side of the road all over the place, especially after the first cattle grid we encountered which had the leading edged upturned by something, luckily I spotted it just in time and managed to bunny hop over it.

I spent too long waiting here really but I wanted to wait for Paul, check he was OK and let him know I'd be pressing on and to let me know how he was getting on at the next feed stop.

Looking back to the Mountain Pass out of Rhayader

Stocked up and ready to go it wasn't long at all we were climbing the mountain road out of Rhayader, the bail out route turned off just before this pass, but there was no way I'd come this far to avoid the biggest climb of the ride.  This pass seemed to go on for an age, not overly steep but very long and a teasing headwind thrown in for good measure.  At the top of this tough climb though we were rewarded with stunning views and a cracking descent into the Elan Valley.

The Elan Valley was probably my favourite section of the ride, fast swooping roads, switchbacks and rolling terrain made for a lovely ride suited to my style and ability.

Elan Valley

This section was a good rest for my legs and very enjoyable for the mind, I'm at my best cycling at speed, I had changed direction as well so that wind was now pushing me along, of course I knew this wasn't going to last forever, there was much more climbing to be done.

This climbing started again with a very sharp climb up to the second feed station, quite short but bloody sharp, the sweet snacks and bottle filling was most welcome at the top of that one!  Listening to other riders tales of there's worse to come though left me leaving here with thoughts of what the bloody hell can there be left to do?  I was starting to feel a little tired.

I left the second stop and rolled a few km's down, taking it easyish on the flatter bits and eating what snacks I had left in preparation for the last section, again rolling terrain.  As I ride along I spot another cattle grid and people getting off the bikes shortly after, what did they know about which I didn't?  A quick look up the road and I had a good idea.

Glascwm Pitch

Glascwm Pitch was looking down on me, as was a sign telling me 25% sections ahead, time for smallest gear and a lot of will power.  I ground my up the hill, zig zagging at times in an attempt to make it easier, which it did, until I looked up again, slight breaks in the intensity gave me 20 seconds or so to catch a little breath before it ramped up again.  Thoughts of un-clipping were in my mind but somehow I made it up the last ramp.  I have to admit to taking a five minute break once at the top though to recover from this beast of a climb.

At this point I took a look at the ride profile to see what was to come, one more climb, back to the same dizzy heights as this this but nowhere near as steep, this of course meant it would be longer.  But for this in true epic style I had to descend to the rides lowest point, these organisers really know how to kick you when your down...

In all honesty the last climb wouldn't really be that tough had I not had 90 miles in my legs already, but I had and it was tough, I made it though and was rewarded with a fantastic 2 mile sweep down back into Knighton, crossing the line  on that timing mat really gave me a sense of achievement.

The ride was fantastic, I had expected it to be harder and I do think I could have rode it quicker,  but I struggle to judge my energy level and know what I am capable of, I finished with an official time of 7:36:06 (time riding 6:44).  The time spent at the stops no doubt enabled me to ride a little faster when moving but 50 minutes spent not moving is quite a chunk of time.  Very pleased to have done the ride and happy with my time despite doubts of stopping for too long at the stops.

A mention of the rest of the Beeston posse, Mike W came second overall with a ride of 5:05! and we had had 5 top 10 finishers in the various categories, a good day out for Beeston CC, we were also the best represented club in means of numbers, something to be proud of.

Would I go back?  At £26 entry fee, no I wouldn't, the rider support was good I have to admit, but it is a lot of money to pay to ride on open public roads and only get a drinks bottle in way of souvenir/freebies.

 

GPS Screenshot

Distance = 152.5 km
Time = 6 hrs 44 mins
Ave Speed = 22.6 kph
Top Speed = 66.9 kph
Ascent = 5351 m (35.1 m/km)

2011
Road Bike = 3332.5 km
Single Speed = 102.2 km
Fixed = 26 km
Indoor = 71.5 km
Total = 3532.2 km

Pictures taken by fellow Beeston CC riders Richard B and Paul N