Skills

He has them, possibly all of them.

Oh what a night!

Flat rear.... no probs fix that. Change tube. CO2 freezes to the valve, rips the little top head out. Can't screw back in, broken valve.

Fix again. Change tube. flats straight away (turns out the tube hadn't been replaced since the last flat, or i damaged it on the lever.)

Fix again. Change tube. Al takes over, CO2 freezes to more of the valve head, but salvageable. Little presta head stays connected to the little screw bit. can screw back in, inflate manually

Set off.... joke to Ryan "oh no!!" and look at my front wheel. very funny, laughs all round

Then it turns out I actually do have a front flat. very un funny, laughs all round.

Front flat, fix that. Change tube. Inflate manually. Try to put wheel back on the front. Skewer nut has come lose and gone missing.

Look in the darkness in the long grass for a while, Ryan finds the spring. Look some more. No nut can be found.

Swap the skewer nuts over, move the nut to the front, ride with no rear skewer.

Get 15m, back wheel pops out with pedaling.

Despair, Mark suggests his brake nut, it fits! but not tight.

Set off slowly, get home.

Throw bike away.

Never ride again.

Props to the 1750 crew for sticking by me, and supplying me with many tubes.

Another race, another 1750 clean sweep

1st in A Grade

1st and 3rd in B Grade

Horsley Park May 01 2010

I survived my first B grade race at horsley. We raced 6 laps of the short course.
I took it easy for the first 2 laps, then I don't know what happened, I found myself out the front for the rest of the race. I was like a little puppy dog chasing the ball for the first time. Riders where breaking away, but didn't have the legs to stay away. The group would quickly reel them back in.
Then the last lap came. I wanted to conserve a little bit of energy, but no-one would come around. They left me out to dry. It absolutely drained me.
There was an attack on the first little pinch. I chased, the peleton swarmed, then found myself out the front again. With about 2 Ks to go, another attack. I chased that down, the race settled, then came the last right hand turn before the finish. The pace picked up again, I hadn't recovered from the previous effort and let them all go past. Sat up and rolled across the line dead last. Gil got second and a couple of Penrith riders got 1st and 3rd. At the end of the race Gil wanted to give me his prize money, saying I deserved it. I couldn't accept, but it was the best pat on the back ever.
Mark "the Theif", stole anther victory from C grade. We all tried to convince him he should be racing B grade, he insisted that he wasn't B grade yet. After breaking way on the second lap, Mark managed to stay out the front and pull away. Brent and Paul also managed to break away on the last, with Brent proving too strong on the line.

It was a really pleasant day, I rode out to Horsley with Thomas & Brent, on one of the best cycling paths ever, from Merrylands to Horsley Park. It did make it a big day on the bike. Leaving home at 12:30 and getting back at 17:40. I was so shattered on Saturday night, two beers and lights out.

1750 weekend race results

6 members members of The 1750 in attendance.

1 in A, 4 in B, 1 in C grade, none in d and e grades.

Results

1st in A grade -The Al

1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th in B grade - Mick, Simon, hazza, bob

1st in C grade - Mark

Clean sweep

In future, all race entry fees are to be paid directly to the 1750
team members.

Hubbard's eye view of the 1750

Damn lacc and their speedy riders

Stalker finaly gets caught

I love

Luke's Farewell

pre-ride planning email:

----------------------------------------

We need to make him suffer. Lets see if we can make his teeth bleed.

At key points, we need to have him back in the line. person in-front of Luke drops off as the hammer goes down. Make him to lots of bridging. remember, if you've got luke behind you, do no work. even if you're first or second wheel.

Luke behind = stop working.

Key points:
1. Lilly field. make sure he isn't up the front as the road gets steeper.
2. approach to 5 dock shops.
3. Majors Bay. hammer time from the footpath. he corners like a girl so he'll be working hard to get back on.
4. approach to concord shops.
5. usual sprint line. Al, stay out of the action (see 7).
6. surprise hammer up the hill past the station at rhodes.
7. Al's turn. He'll have given it his all in the sprint. make him pay. dearly

any other thoughts?

----------------------------------------

The Ride

Riders were queuing up to deliver a warm heartfelt goodbye to our man Luke. Scotty made an appearance, along with Thomas at vic road.

Out of Pyrmont and the pace was easy, everyone too busy giving out the hugs goodbye to Luke. As we hit the col Al attacked. Properly. Luke showed no intention of saving himself from embarrassment, so it was up to Scotty to make sure that Luke made it home. Was this going to be a fizzer? was Luke going to let everything go all night? Surely not. maybe the right person just needs to attack. Getting smashed by Al is such a regular thing that I don't think anyone is really embarrassed anymore. mmmm who could cause the ultimate embarrassment. Bob.

It was up to me to deliver something, make him work. I picked my moment, the nice downhill at the start of lillyfield. Out the saddle and quickly up to 58kph. Quick glance back to see that he'd taken both the bait and the bit between the teeth. This could be on. Luke punched hard and was quickly in contact, driving it before Scotty came around and hammered it up the hill to the lights with the rest of the 1750 in tow. mmmm Luke was having an easy time on the Scotty bus. A quick word to Scotty and an explanation of tonight's rules ensured that Scotty wouldn't be dragging Luke anywhere.

Down the hill to the rowers was nice and slow, which gave me an opportunity to explain to Luke what would happen in the sprint tonight. He would be staring at my arse. Oh how wrong this prediction turned out to be. We formed a line behind Luke along the bike path, me in second wheel calling "slowing, slowing" in frustration at the lack of pace. Luke was having none of it. It was time to attack some more.

I picked my moment and darted around Luke at the lights and back onto the road, out the saddle and quickly driving it. Would Luke take the bait? Had I mentioned the sprint too early? I certainly wouldn't want him saving himself. Don’t want to look back tho, so I’ll just hammer it. Glance back as we take the sweeping left hander. And he’s gone for it. Luke, well off the front bridging the gap. I quickly ease up but make the appearance of hammering it as Luke comes shooting past.

No one is really working with Luke out front and we come together on the approach to the roundabout. Harry’s turn to attack. He’s off quickly on the approach to the five dock shops and Luke is showing no interest until Al also goes after Harry. bang. Luke’s in full flight, chasing down the escapees, spilling precious fuel all over the road.

Regrouping at the 5 dock lights and Luke is already showing small signes of the efforts. Nice. But there is some nervousness as we’re all aware of what’s install around the bay. We all make it through a nice clear gap in the cars at the roundabout and it is ON. Scotty, under the instructions of: “If Luke is behind you, don’t work, unless you are going out with a bang.”, was going out with a bang. He was out of the saddle on the limit the whole way. Al is in pursuit but well away from the action with Luke also needing to stand-up to maintain contact with a foaming-out-the-mouth Scotty.

Again, the lights force a regroup. Luke is looking like there is little left in the tank. Could this be the moment? Should I break away for the sprint now and go the whole 1.5k solo? Hell yes. Hammer time up the hill to Concord shops puts a nice gap on the group. We all get through the traffic pretty cleanly and there is a tidy little bit of distance as I head up the hill. Travis and Mike are up the front as I get unlucky at the roundabout, hard on the brakes as a car makes a right hander. Bummer. In the wrong gear and swamped by the group as Al picks his moment. He is away. Luke is not keen and we roll gently around the golf course. Luke knows it’s his last chance and puts his cards on the table. He goes all out on the hospital hill opening up a very tidy gap on the group. Oh no. could this be it? Is Luke really going to pants the lot of us on his final ride?!?!? Will our final memories of Luke be his arse riding off into the sunset? Not if I can help it. Out the saddle and shooting past the group on the hill I see Luke approaching the pinch.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM! & SPLATTER

His legs explode. Bits of them come raining down as I go past, followed shortly by the entire 1750. He is toast, badly burnt toast, badly burnt toast in dead last. Unable to even see my (large) arse in the distance. Over the sprint line and still last.

Farewell Luke! Don’t forget to take the long way home via Pyrmont every now and then.

Haza Wins B Grade

It had been a long time since my last race. Hitting the deck late in July haddn't helped. Saturday came, and I was ready for another attempt at B grade.
This was to be my second B grade race, I was nervous. We all rolled to the start line. A grade took off, then it was B grades turn. Mike and I where at the front. First lap, Second Lap, Thrid Lap, Mike and I still out the front. The laps started ticking over. There where a few attacks, nothing to worry about though.
We got the call, "Three laps to go". I knew, now is the time to start sucking wheels. The whistle then blew. Two laps to go. I still remained on third wheel. Some guy tried to take off, I jumped on his wheel and just stayed there. I knew I couldn't let the pelton swamp me. As he blew up Mike came around. Now it was the Bell lap. I knew I had to leave Mike out there. Just before the last corner, "click", up one gear. Take the corner, in the drops, Full gas. I gave it all, the line was getting closer, I was getting faster. I couldn't hear anyone around. I still had something in the tank and just kept going through the gears. Crossed the line alone. Victory was mine.

Five Dock to the City

1750 in the Wet

Homebush Hot Lap

RULES

Rules suck, and should never be written down.

Having said that. Here they are:

Rules – Equipment

Wheels

• Minimum spoke count: 28
• Maximum spoke count: 32
• 700c
• Any form of racing wheel is prohibited eg, ZIPPS
• Must be clincher
• Must be aluminium
• Must not have large or cool looking decals

Tyres

• Coloured tyres are prohibited
• Minimum width 23
• Maximum width 23
• Preferred types – Conti Ultra Sport, Conti Gator Skin, Conti GP4000
• Acceptable types – whatever is on special
• Needless to say fat or knobbly tyres are prohibited
• Label must always align with valve

Frames

• Must not be a European brand (old school steel frames are excepted from this rule, but they must have been re-sprayed recently)
• Must not be made of titanium or other wanky material
• Must not be made of carbon

Forks

• Must be made of carbon

Handlebars

• Regular road drop bars only (but never use the drops, except to signal Schmycledan)
• No wing type aero bars
• No TT extensions
• No moustache bars
• Bar tape must never be loose, falling off or dirty
• No electrical tape near the bar plugs
• Electrical tape must match the colour of the bar tape with the exception of a black/white combination

Chainrings/cranks

• Minimum number of rings 2
• Maximum number of rings 2
• Acceptable big ring tooth range 53 – 53
• Acceptable small ring tooth range 39 – 39
• Minimum arm length 172.5
• Maximum arm length 172.5

Cassette

• Small cog should be an 11. Never use the 11. (those riders with 11 tooth cogs with have them inspected regularly for signs of use)
• Maximum should be 23
• Fixed or single speeds are expressly FORBIDDEN

Pedals

• Keo
• Clip in only
• Must have sufficient scuff marks from contact with the road

Prohibited Accessories

• Flashing front lights
• Weird looking home made front lights (It’s 2009 people, Ayups, Newts or USBs please)
• Reflectors
• Bells or horns
• Mirrors
• Fenders
• Panniers
• Large saddle bags (should only be able to fit half an inner tube)
• Bottles over 400ml capacity.
• HR monitors
• Reflectors in the wheels
• Valve lid caps
• Cadence sensors
• Power meters

Rules – Clothing

Jerseys

• Short sleeve
• No team jerseys, unless you are currently on the payroll of that team and it’s a contractual requirement, this will be checked
• Must not be overly worn out, unless it is an old LACC team kit and it has been damaged by racing accidents. Bonus points if your only recollection of the accident is 3rd hand information.
• Must not have holes that were not caused by a racing accident
• Must not contain anything relating to a cyclo sportif event (eg, Sydney to gong, spring cycle, around the bay etc)
• Must not contain anything relating to the following groups:

1. Hunters Hill group

2. Hunters Hill related groups

3. Hunters Hill splinter groups

4. Hunters Hill related splinter related splinter groups with secret handshakes

Kinks

• Bib nicks only
• The nicks with the extra ventilation above the arse crack (also known as the bean sprout patch) are expressly FORBIDDEN
• Must not have holes that were not caused by a racing accident
• Must not have holes near the arse crack, even if they were caused by a racing accident

Helmets

• Must not have the Australian approved sticker on the inside
• Must not be scratched in anyway
• Should be very clean, with the exception of the below point
• Should have salt lines caked on the straps

Shoes

• Sidi

Legs

• Shall not have any chain/chainring markings
• Shall not have hair growth exceeding 4mm
• Triathlon numbering is strictly FORBIDDEN
• Shall be covered by knee warmers in temperatures below 16c
• Shall be covered by leg warmers in temperatures below 14c

Arms

• Shall be covered by arm warmers in temperatures below 15c

Prohibited Clothing

• Zip ties on helmets
• Bandanas
• Sweat bands
• Reflective items
• Hi-viz items
• Large backpacks (Any back pack shall not exceed any of these dimensions H:300mm, L:200mm, D:100mm)
• Camelbacks

Prohibited Activities

• Talking to the hubbards at the lights (or even acknowledging them)
• Discussions about getting a 1750 team kit
• Acknowledging the existence of any patron of the pub standing on the footpath at Concord
• Using the drops at speeds below 45kmph
• Replying “Maybe” to the in-or-out afternoon email
• Asking about someone’s current hart rate
• Complaining about the speed
• Commenting one anyone else’s appearance, except to call them fat
• Unclipping on tight ramp corners – learn how to ride before attempting the 1750
• Being overtaken by any bike with the following items:

§ Flat bars

§ Suspension

§ Knobbly tyres

§ Fixed gears

§ Triple chain rings

§ Panniers

§ Mirrors

§ Flat Pedals

§ Or any bike considered “ugly” in general

§ Anyone riding a European brand bike especially a Pinarello

§ Actually, unless it is Team Saxo Bank out training and being motor paced, you shouldn’t be overtaken by anyone

If you are overtaken, re-overtaking just looks desperate, never do this. Find an alternate route. OR suck their wheel all the way to where ever they are going, with a large overlap and with excessive, loud freewheeling.

Handy Weather Forecaster

Idiots

They come in pairs

Thursday Report

With some riders lining up at the start, moaning and groaning:

• Alastair at the end of a 300km 3 day bender
• BoB at the end of a week that started off with a race and his hardest ever Homebush sessions
• Luke with half the office stationary supplies (including a desktop computer) in his backpack

There were always going to be attacks on the cards. Since the first flu of the winter 09 any sign of weekness has now become the sign for an attack. It was just a matter of when.

Waiting for Luke to arrive a Pinarello pulled up and went through the lights ahead of us. Luckily, Luke was still not there and Pinarello was allowed to ride off at the next green. It would have been unimaginable carnage had he been in the group through Pyrmont. This was enough to send everyone’s frontal race lobes into serious overdrive. Then Luke showed up with what can only be described has his new home office setup (including fax machine) in a backpack. It was ON.

Pyrmont and the Col were spent closely watching each other as we prepared for the inevitable fireworks display on Lillyfield Rd. However, Lillyfield started rather cruzy as we were all too busy watching each other to mount a serious attack of our own. And then Haza went for it. Let the show begin. I don’t know what it did to the others but something about the sight of a supposedly “recovering” Harry riding off the front of the group made one of my race lobes explode. I had to show him he was still recovering and I put in a seated attack up the hill at 50kph, being very careful to keep my upper body absolutely still so there was nothing to show just how far I was beyond the red line.

Some bad timing with the lights meant that the group had to take the long (calmer) way around to Fivedock. Or did it….. when we looked over to cross the road there was Haza, putting in another sneaky attack. It was short but it was enough to ensure that this would be the last we’d see of Alastair and Luke until re-grouping at Fivedock. They were off, like socks from the morning Group 1 at 4pm in a crowded office.

Around the bay and it was a short acceleration from myself and a half hearted attempt to drive it before Al took the bit between the teeth and set off with Luke, Travis and Mark in tow. I was cooked, but comfortable because I couldn’t even see hazza when I turned back.

Out of Concord shops and I stepped up the pace as we came down the hill. Accelerating into the golf course corner at 50kph knowing that it would hurt Luke in second wheel, whose cornering balls are yet to drop, I held the speed until he caught up and then let it fall to 45. My chances of a win were nonexistent so I drove it again up to 50 through the next roundabout. There was the woosh as everyone came past and I could smell burning as we came to the foot of the hospital hill. I was toast. But I did have just enough to re-take that pesky recovering hazza before the official sprint line.

drink n ride

Rob's first A grade - REPORT

Good racing?!!? I was bleeding out of my eyeballs. It was on from the gun, attack, attack, attack (even i had a go at it) until a 5 man break went clear at about 30min into it. Scotty didn't make the break and drove very hard to get back on, main field was reduced to about 8. Anthony was there, he's getting stronger and sporting a nice pair of deep dish carbon wheels. He did quite a few turns and I did a few myself. Nearly made the mistake of going too hard and not leaving enough to jump back in the train.

The break shelled 2 of them near the end, I managed to get 5th place with second in the bunch sprint. I thought I had it with a pathetic, but all that i could manage, 53kmph sprint. Albert flew past me at about 65kph with 10m to go.

What did i learn. Even in A grade some people can't corner properly. Maintain a good position so you don't have to brake in the corners and waste energy getting up to speed. I am cornering rather well with this new (to me) pushing the front wheel out by keeping your inside arm extended.

One of many

The misses will want vacum, mop and leaf blower attachments as well.