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Cycling log - random events in the day of a cyclist

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The last thing I needed was another bike but sometimes a bargain comes along that’s just too good to miss.

Latest addition to the fleet is a beautiful BMC Pro Machine SLR02. Bought just over a year ago and had covered just one six mile ride.

Amazing how many people buy bling bikes and never ride them.
 
Brought the wrong bike on holiday - single speed mtb geared for off road climbing and fat nobbly tyres - to Norfolk. Ok for pottering about with them, otherwise having to resort to spinning like mad on flat roads. It's probably a good work out but not much fun after about ten minutes
 
Pretty busy with bikes on the Paris-Brest-Paris here this morning. They’ve gone through the night to get here (276km west of Paris) - and not yet quarter of the way. We’ll just settle down for a coffee and enjoy!
 
I think most of the riders cycle through the first night. There's the adrenaline flowing, a desire not to lose a rhythm and the perception that the early controls may be busy. One of the riders I'm tracking reached Brest ( 600 km ) in 24 hour and 5 minutes. Surprisingly a mate scratched early on, he'd only a few weeks ago ridden 437 miles in the Mersey Roads 24 hour TT, National Championships. Chapeau to all of them.
You'll still be seeing riders over the next couple of days!
 
Comparatively new cyclist here. Reasonable spec gravel bike bought on cyclescheme. Loving a few hours on the roads of Merseyside and West Lancs early of a weekend morning to ease myself into this hobby. Yesterday was an early lesson in route planning. “Outbound” was urban, canal tow-paths etc. “Home bound” was basically 12 miles on an exposed road into a strong headwind.
 
Spiderous said:
Comparatively new cyclist here. Reasonable spec gravel bike bought on cyclescheme. Loving a few hours on the roads of Merseyside and West Lancs early of a weekend morning to ease myself into this hobby. Yesterday was an early lesson in route planning. “Outbound” was urban, canal tow-paths etc. “Home bound” was basically 12 miles on an exposed road into a strong headwind.
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Sounds like a good start - keep us posted.
 
andrew d said:
I think most of the riders cycle through the first night. There's the adrenaline flowing, a desire not to lose a rhythm and the perception that the early controls may be busy. One of the riders I'm tracking reached Brest ( 600 km ) in 24 hour and 5 minutes. Surprisingly a mate scratched early on, he'd only a few weeks ago ridden 437 miles in the Mersey Roads 24 hour TT, National Championships. Chapeau to all of them.
You'll still be seeing riders over the next couple of days!
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It’s been fun meeting the riders. Helped out a guy this morning with a beautiful steel Colnago /Record bike whose saddle had become detached. Lucky I had the right size nut in my box of bits. In return he’ll recommend some good red wines from his part of the Loire (Amboise).

We also met a guy who had just turned back - stomach issues. And another who just seemed delirious but he headed off westwards. Not sure he will complete.

Now my wife has promised I can do it in 4 years as a 60th birthday present. That’s good isn’t it?
 
The police phoned me this afternoon to say they've charged the driver who drove into me last Sunday with careless driving and failing to exchange details/ provide within 24 hours at a police station. Apparently, the guy said he didn't think he did anything wrong - I can't wait to hear how that goes down in court once they play the CCTV footage! Fwiw, the PC who followed this up hasn't even seen the CCTV footage - he's only taken statements from me and an independent witness - so once he sees that, I'm sure the report that ends up being sent to the procurator fiscal will make interesting reading assuming it references the guy's quote and all the available evidence to the contrary. Fwiw 2, I'm not too fussed about what happens next. I'd like £50 to fix my front wheel and replace the cargo shorts that were ripped, but maybe it would be good if the guy went on some driver education course as well. I don't know.
 
Derek that sounds a nasty episode. Hope if all works out ok for you and doesn’t dent your enthusiasm. In my experience this kind of thing is extremely rare ( once or twice in a lifetime... so far)
 
I was at Twickenham train station on Friday having a crafty fag while I waited for the Reading train, when two men with their tracksuit hoods up walked slowly and deliberately up and down the bike rack.

They could see me looking at them, and vice versa. They made a choice, took a pair of boltcutters out of a bag, did the job and then walked past me with the result.

Texted BTP to report. The BTP reporting line is actually pretty good, and officers attended within minutes.

The moral is (and I've had three bikes nicked in the past decade), don't buy a wire or cable based lock....
 
Mixing it with some of the 6,000 the Paris Brest Paris riders today - we rode about 35km along the route towards Paris (but about 275km away) so met a few of the cyclists. They had already done about 900km since Sunday evening (or maybe Monday morning). Mind-blowing. Surprisingly most of them seemed pretty wide awake.

Here's part of the welcome in our little town. They'll be coming through right through the night.

IMG_3937 by Ian123_running, on Flickr

IMG_3930 by Ian123_running, on Flickr
 
I was on PBP Ian, fantastic event, loved it (although not every minute it has to be said). Had to dig deep on the last evening, the sleep deprevation starts to get to you.

Where about's were you?

Here are a few pics of mine from the event:
Paris Brest Paris by Jonathan Bliss, on Flickr

Paris Brest Paris by Jonathan Bliss, on Flickr

Paris Brest Paris by Jonathan Bliss, on Flickr
Loved the village stalls, but they slowed you down!!!

Paris Brest Paris by Jonathan Bliss, on Flickr

Paris Brest Paris by Jonathan Bliss, on Flickr

Paris Brest Paris by Jonathan Bliss, on Flickr

Paris Brest Paris by Jonathan Bliss, on Flickr

Paris Brest Paris by Jonathan Bliss, on Flickr

Paris Brest Paris by Jonathan Bliss, on Flickr

Paris Brest Paris by Jonathan Bliss, on Flickr

Paris Brest Paris by Jonathan Bliss, on Flickr

Paris Brest Paris by Jonathan Bliss, on Flickr

Paris Brest Paris 2019 by Jonathan Bliss, on Flickr

Paris Brest Paris 2019 by Jonathan Bliss, on Flickr
 
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@ian123running was it Gorron?

I have a few pics from here:

Paris Brest Paris by Jonathan Bliss, on Flickr

There was a nice gathering of people serving water and they had a map asking the riders to pinpoint where they were from in the world. One chap had a harmonica and if he knew the national anthem from where you were from, he would play it. I was riding with an English lad at the time, he gave a pretty good rendition of God Save the Queen!

Was going a good clip from Fourges to Gorron and toed a Japanese rider up the hills with me. He thanked me at the end and I got a nice jersey swap - Audax-Kinki.com ;-)

Jersey swap - Audax-kinki.com ;-) by Jonathan Bliss, on Flickr

It such a great ride, if you get the chance give it a go. The French villagers and spirit between the other riders is just great. Hilly though!
 
halvis said:
@ian123running was it Gorron?

I have a few pics from here:

Paris Brest Paris by Jonathan Bliss, on Flickr

There was a nice gathering of people serving water and they had a map asking the riders to pinpoint where they were from in the world. One chap had a harmonica and if he knew the national anthem from where you were from, he would play it. I was riding with an English lad at the time, he gave a pretty good rendition of God Save the Queen!

Was going a good clip from Fourges to Gorron and toed a Japanese rider up the hills with me. He thanked me at the end and I got a nice jersey swap - Audax-Kinki.com ;-)

Jersey swap - Audax-kinki.com ;-) by Jonathan Bliss, on Flickr

It such a great ride, if you get the chance give it a go. The French villagers and spirit between the other riders is just great. Hilly though!
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Yes, Gorron! About half way between P and B. Brilliant pics Halvis. We rode the bit from Gorron to Lassay-les-Châteaux and the riders really enjoyed the moral support and the odd tow! Superhuman. and greatest respect to you!
 
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