From Christchurch

Sounds like you all had a good time at the dinner and dance. Shame we missed it.

We've done a good cycle ride through the NZ hills although strong headwinds sometimes. Saw some whales and dolphins close up. Now back in Christchurch.

Hiring a car to tour round for the next 2 weeks.

Regards to all,
Ann and Steve

Antelope RT 3-up Team Time Trial - 8th April 2006

"The 2006 race will be held on the second Saturday in April, which is the 8th. It is for teams of three riders. The course is largely two laps of a flattish circuit situated between Aylesbury, Princes Risborough and Thame. There are no significant hills, just a series of light undulations. Course record for the 50km is held by Liphook Cycles with 1:8:34, with last year's winners In-Gear RT coming in a few seconds slower.

Prizes last year totalled £231 for 60 riders. This year, we have sponsorship from European Antennas, and so things should be even better! Composite teams will be on an equal footing with Club teams, as will Student teams. We hope to have lots of Student teams, as the TTT is incorporating the 2006 BUSA TTT Championships.

A new development intended to streamline the entry process is that I will accept on-line entries. To do this, a completed CTT entry form needs to be sent to me. You can then either send a Paypal payment, or wait for me to reply with a Paypal money request. Anyone with either a credit card or a debit card can then make an instant payment. Simple!"

Ralph Dadswell

Any takers? I might be interested if someone fancies dragging me round.
If you want any info about PayPal, I use it all the time on ebay.

Lisa

Highway Code

I don't understand the objection to the proposed amendments to the highway code - the amended Rule 58 says 'Use cycle routes where practicable and cycle facilities such as advance stop lines, cycle boxes and toucan crossings where they are provided as they can make your journeys safer'. This is not enforcing use of cycle lanes, which would be impossible in any case until severe penalties are imposed for drivers who block them etc. But maybe I have misunderstood this?

Update:

My concern with this is that something that looks perfectly reasonable on paper could be twisted against us in court - ending up with the "it was the cyclist's fault for being on the road and not on the cyclepath" as a defence for a motorist who had no excuse for going through a cyclist rather than round them. Also the bit about cyclists having to single out around bends: it seems perfectly reasonable (and sensible) at first glance, but then how do you define a "bend"? Is it a sharp one with all those arrows for motorists, or is it the gentle curve of an otherwise straight road. This wording could effectively ban cyclists from riding two-abreast on anything other than roman roads - if taken to an ultimate (stupid) conclusion.

Lisa

Andy has asked me to put up two links -

The CTC response

and a discussion on the Cycling Plus message board


neither of which I have had the time to look at myself - yet!

Also the "CTT" message board thread where I first heard about this.

JMS out of the jug

Jakie has now been discharged from Hospital. She will be staying with her sister. She says "Please therefore don't visit me in hospital as I won't be there. Thank you (all) so v much for all the support you have given me. Everyone has been wonderful."

JMS Feb 20th

Ron & I have been to see Jackie Morgan Smith this afternoon. She is still on painkillers but is very cheerful after her operation yesterday. As she says, she is now on the road to recovery! She is in Chuter-Ede ward, enter Bradbury Wing & take the lift to the 4th floor.

Doreen Powney

Barn Dance 4th March

Just a reminder to those of you out there that haven't got your tickets YET!

JMS

Jackie has just come out of Theatre. She reports that her leg is very sore, but is glad that this is the first step on the road to recovery.

Cheam & Morden hilly 50 k

A great success! Simon Legg advertised on all the web sites and the Kingston Phoenix gave out loads of leaflets to racing cyclists at events. Last year was very successful with 42 riders, but today we had 92! We had to have a late start due to the number of people signing on, so everyone left at 10:10.

The mass start stopped cars on both sides of the A24 as everyone surged forward to keep up. Then up past West Humble to Ranmore along narrow lanes. Cars must have wondered what on earth the Critical Mass was doing in Surrey. The riders were all strung out by the top and I lost site of the pack. Joined up with Paul and Ken Day and Terry from Addiscombe and 4 others and passed the Clarencourt train on the A25. Passed quite a few puncture victims and one broken chain. By this point Ray had caught up with us and helped guide us up Hoe lane and on to Whitedown. Near the top Terry could not get his pedals round on his high geared bike, so ended up sitting in the mud still attached to bike! Downhill all the way to Box Hill, then up Zig Zag for a sprint to line. I did 2 hours and 40 min - an improvement on last year. Gary and Dan Duguid did 1:50. Legs ache now!
all the best Jake.

SWLDA Hilly 50km Ride

Simon Legg's publicity seems to have paid off, and there looks to have been a good turnout for the SWLDA Hilly 50km.

There was a professional photographer out, and pictures can be found here

Lisa

JMS

Jake Simon and I visited Jackie last night in Epsom Hospital.
She is quite comfortable and in no pain…thanks to the drugs.
Her operation due today has been delayed to either tomorrow (Saturday) or even Monday.

It looks like her injuries may take up to 18months to fully recover. A full prognosis can’t be made until after Jackie finishes with the knife.

JMS

Can anyone with updated info on Jackie please either add a new post, or else email me and I will update/add as appropriate.

I'm sure that we all wish her a speedy recovery - and more to the point: how's the bike?

Lisa

SIGMA SPORT EXPO 2006

I have had an email from Sigma Sport bike shop - Gary's team - advertising their Team Launch etc.

Hello

As you may or may not be aware, we are organising an Expo and Sigma Sport racing team launch on 2nd March, see the attached flyer for details.

I should think many of your members and hopefully yourself would be interested in attending what promises to be an excellent event and a very social evening. I would appreciate it if you could promote this to your members.

Thanks in advance for your help, hope to see you there.

All the best
Jason Turner

E. jason@sigmasport.co.uk
T. 020 8943 4443


SIGMA SPORT EXPO 2006
Thursday 2nd March
4pm to 10.30pm at
The Hampton Court Golf Club

It's time for our annual extravaganza where we get all our major suppliers and brands together to show you what's on offer for the coming year. This is a product viewing, not a sales evening, so you get the opportunity to chat with representatives from the companies and ask them the difficult questions. The show will feature all of our major bike brands together with a selection of wheels and components: Trek, Specialized, Cervélo, Look, Colnago, De Rosa, Pinarello, Seven, Sigma, Parlee, Time, ITM, Profile, Fulcrum, Mavic, Bontrager, Lightweight and more.

On the software side we'll have cycle clothing from Gore, Assos, Sportful and Rapha as well as triathlon clothing and wetsuits from Orca and Ironman.
The evening will also see the launch of the Sigma Sport Racing Team for 2006 headed up by former Giro d'Italia rider, Matt Stephens. David Harmen from Eurosport will be present all evening to answer questions and to introduce the team at 8pm.

Because the shop simply isn't big enough for an Expo like this we've taken over the Hampton Court Golf for the evening. The venue is conveniently located in the middle of Hampton Court's Home Park and has plenty of free parking and even somewhere to leave your bike, should you choose to ride rather than drive.
You can find a map on how to get to the venue (it's just off the roundabout next to Sigma Sport) on our website www.sigmasport.co.uk.

All our major suppliers will be on hand to answer your questions throughout the evening. There is no selling at the show, so there is no pressure to buy on the spot, and entry is completely free. We are laying on food, there's a bar at the venue and it would be great to see you there.

15 High Street, Hampton Wick,
Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey KT1 4DA
Tel. 020 8943 4443
Email: sales@sigmasport.co.uk
Web: www.sigmasport.co.uk

SWRC Winter Cyclo-Sportive 100 Kms

From the South Western Road Club:

Fellow Cyclists - you're warmly invited to join us on an early season Cyclosportive across the Surrey Hills - details below.

South Western Road Club

SWRC Winter Cyclo-Sportive 100 Kms
Sunday 5th March 9.30am start.

Fully signposted circular route from Fetcham Village Hall through Surrey.
Refreshments available in Village Hall.
Certificates issued to all finishers.
Enter on the line only - £5

Event HQ address:

Fetcham Village Hall
The Street
Fetcham
KT22 9QS

Contact Geoff Redhead m. 07836 357535
Come and checkout how your winter training has been going!!
www.swrc.org.uk

You may like to pass this on to your members. Thanks.
Ant Frend

Highway Code Re-draft

It looks like the Highway Code is being redrafted and that not all of it is indeed designed to improve the safety of cyclists on the road.

This thread on the CTT message board is interesting:

http://www.timetriallingforum.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=4101

with the CTC response to immediate concerns raised at the end of the second page.

It looks as though we all need to be vigilant and send our thoughts in to the powers that be on this.

Accident

Sad news today, the terror of the winter warmers Jackie Morgan-Smith has sustained a broken leg in a collision with a car near West Ewell Station. Her bike is at Fulford Road, she was taken to Epsom Hospital for treatment.

Updates:

Thursday 10:00 am
Andy writes:
"Jackie has just sent me a text. She is currently in Epsom District. Due for Operation tommorow.
I guess that she shouldn't get too much text traffic as Mobiles are supposed to be switched off in Hospitals."

Thursday 10:30 am
Lisa writes:
"I have just phoned the hospital. Jackie is in the Clinical Assessment Unit and visiting hours are 8am - 12noon & 2pm - 8pm.
I didn't ask how she was as I was asked what relation I was to the patient initially, despite only enquiring which ward and what the visiting hours are!!! Fortunately the lady I spoke to realised what she had asked while I was taking a deep breath ready to rant at her.........."


Thursday 12:30 pm
Pete has been to visit Jackie. It seems to be quite a nasty break although neither of them understand the medical details enough to give me specifics! Jackie is on pain medication and seems cheerful and fairly comfortable at the moment. Pete met her sister (he thinks!!!) at the hospital, and Jackie is O.K. for reading matter and grapes at the moment. There is occasional text contact with the outside world, despite the fact that the hospital doesn't encourage it. Pete knows where the covered bike racks are outside the hospital.

More when I have anything to post.
Lisa

CTC Challenge Rides 2006

“As more people take up cycling there’s never been a more important time to help us make cycling safer on the roads” Phil Liggett, CTC President

Will you accept the CTC Challenge in 2006? Celebrate cycling and raise funds for safer cycling through the CTC Charitable Trust.


Heart of England Challenge – Meriden, Midlands 20 May

Dovetailing into the Heart of England Rally 20-21 May, a weekend of rides and social events including the Cyclists Memorial Service on Sunday morning, these routes embrace historic Shakespeare country, the Northern Cotswolds and Historic Civil War battlegrounds.

David Duffield Challenge – Bath, 11 June

Join inimitable TV cycling commentator David Duffield on his favourite routes around his home in stunning Somerset countryside – the routes wander across challenging Cotswolds' climbs and treat riders to picturesque West Country villages such as Box and Bradford upon Avon.

Ron Kitching Memorial Challenge – 24 June

Taking their name from one of the UK’s most prominent and colourful cyclists these rides include some of Ron’s favourite routes over the North Yorkshire Moors including the spectacular scenery of the Vale of York before the challenging yet rewarding climb of White Horse bank.

Phil & Friends Challenge - 13 Aug

Now firmly established as the UK’s match for the Etape du Tour, CTC’s President and Tour de France commentator Phil Liggett has joined up the most challenging routes in the Peak District. The route doesn’t disappoint with beautiful scenery and challenging terrain including Winnats Pass and Holme Moss.

Southern Challenge Ride -10 Sept

The wealds of Kent and East Sussex make this Challenge a surprising end of season treat. The undulating Ashdown Forest and rolling Sussex Downs provide wonderful vistas and rewarding riding terrain.

For more information or to download entry form click here
http://www.ctc.org.uk/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabID=3415

Quiz Night at Addiscombe

6 KPRC & 1 Sigma sport member scored a major victory over 3 other teams at the Addiscombe quiz night last Wednesday.

Although there were the obvious "in" questions, such as "Who said Nil Desperandum", their answer being Horace! Whoever Horace is.
Some very tricky General knowledge questions, ie Generals of war, we thoroughly enjoyed the evening and taxing our brains on old Tours. Whoever would have known that Robert Millar was 2nd in the Giro the year Stephen Roche won! or that the 1903 Tour had only 6 stages!

If you missed it this time, you can't afford to miss the next one...so thanks Addiscombe, and thanks for the chance for us to beat you at something!

Oh and the cakes were great too.

Winter Warmer Feb 18th

Riders please note that the winter warmer on Sat 18th Feb starts at Rykers, Box Hill in the form of a Hilly 50k starting at 10am in the car park. Not at Horton Country Park for this week only.