| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
CapeRoadie
Joined: 15 Oct 2006
Posts: 9583
Location: The sandy windswept peninsula
|
 Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 6:44 pm Post subject: Why did you start racing a bicycle? |
 |
|
And when? And the highlights of your racing career? Tell us all about it HERE.
_________________
END THE MADNESS
I dduw bo'r diolch
"This bike is so pimp it hit your mother and all she could say was 'Thank you, sir!'". |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
paperman
Joined: 01 Nov 2006
Posts: 1295
Location: Ireland
|
| Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 7:27 pm Post subject: |
|
|
To get to and from school is why I started, and later to get to and from work and college, racing in my childhood and teenage years was unheard of particularly in my area. So today I do mostly sportives, besides my work pretty much prevents me from all competition. I always kept and eye on cycling thanks to Kelly and Roche in the 80's. I cycled and swam to back up fitness for thai boxing and rugby and simply to enjoy an alternative recreational activity, then I got really stuck into cycling.
_________________
It could be worse!!! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
last km
Joined: 20 Feb 2008
Posts: 3280
Location: Tewkesbury & Brinscall in't north lad
|
| Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 7:55 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Started going out with the CTC at 11, then racing as a schoolboy right through to a Vet......... I'd do it all over if I could, but with the knowledge I have now  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
paperman
Joined: 01 Nov 2006
Posts: 1295
Location: Ireland
|
| Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 7:58 pm Post subject: |
|
|
An I miss read the thread title, I took it as start to RIDE a bicycle  no harm 
_________________
It could be worse!!! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Bartali
Joined: 06 Oct 2006
Posts: 7730
Location: Hertfordshire
|
| Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 10:52 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Why? For the rock and roll lifestyle 
When? 1976
Highlights? Maybe some Cat 3 races back in the day, but nothing beats the elation of finishing my brace of Marmottes! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
sheeponabike
Joined: 10 Oct 2006
Posts: 3701
Location: France
|
| Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2008 9:21 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Bartali wrote: | Why? For the rock and roll lifestyle
|
yes, I did for the drugs too
_________________
This old world keeps spinnin' round, it's a wonder tall trees ain't layin' down |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
rob of the og
Joined: 05 Sep 2008
Posts: 67
|
| Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2008 10:36 am Post subject: Re: Why did you start racing a bicycle? |
|
|
| CapeRoadie wrote: | | And when? And the highlights of your racing career? Tell us all about it HERE. |
It's always been a natural part of my life, living in the countryside my brother and I used to race the other boys to get to the nearest village to go to the shops. When I was about 9 I was in big trouble with my dad because one of the neighbours had seen us tearing around the wrong side of the roads round blind bends  Sometimes timetrials, usually 'en ligne' races, up and down the 3 miles course to the shops, load up on sweets and Coke and race back again. Awesome.
A few of us took it up properly and joined clubs: the most keen two of us deliberately joined different clubs so that we could race against each other every week. The race result was irrelevant: the main event was who finished first out of us two, and there was more venom in the training burn-up on the Rhondda mountain roads than in any of the races. Me as Ullrich, the steady power-monster, my buddy as Pantani, light-weight attacker... in truth he was much better than me, and could maybe have reached a fairly high level if he'd had the breaks, but he had a lot of bad luck with crashes and non-cycling life-issues. Being a climber he didn't fit in to the track scene that dominates here, and he's drifted away from the sport. Big shame - I know that he still loves the sport itself but doesn't want to ride anymore and hasn't really found a way to still be a part of it.
My racing highlights have all come later on, as I approach 30. I've won two races recently, winning both the hard way after race-long breaks on tough courses. I've done 20min4secs for a 10m TT, and in my favourite mountain TT I've had 2nd, 3rd and 2nd again in the last three seasons. A big highlight has been helping to bring a very good junior into road racing, showing him the tactical and training ropes over his first year. It's really re-energised me for the sport. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Bartali
Joined: 06 Oct 2006
Posts: 7730
Location: Hertfordshire
|
| Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2008 1:02 pm Post subject: Re: Why did you start racing a bicycle? |
|
|
| rob of the og wrote: | | ... load up on ... Coke. Awesome. |
See ... Rob likes the rock and roll lifestyle too
Seriously - nice story Rob and good to hear of your recent success! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
CapeRoadie
Joined: 15 Oct 2006
Posts: 9583
Location: The sandy windswept peninsula
|
| Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2008 4:59 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Rob, great tale. Where is the Og?
_________________
END THE MADNESS
I dduw bo'r diolch
"This bike is so pimp it hit your mother and all she could say was 'Thank you, sir!'". |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
rob of the og
Joined: 05 Sep 2008
Posts: 67
|
| Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2008 10:09 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| CapeRoadie wrote: | | Rob, great tale. Where is the Og? |
Ogmore Valley, in the land of the flag in your avatar.
What I forgot to add was that on a few of our later battles up and down the valley roads we were joined by a 14yo girl who turned out to be quite useful on a bike. She's done alright since and is now World- and Olympic road champion. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
CapeRoadie
Joined: 15 Oct 2006
Posts: 9583
Location: The sandy windswept peninsula
|
| Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2008 10:42 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| rob of the og wrote: | | CapeRoadie wrote: | | Rob, great tale. Where is the Og? |
Ogmore Valley, in the land of the flag in your avatar.
What I forgot to add was that on a few of our later battles up and down the valley roads we were joined by a 14yo girl who turned out to be quite useful on a bike. She's done alright since and is now World- and Olympic road champion. |
I happen to know who that is...
My time spent climbing Yr Wyddfa is a fond memory. You people can sing, too!
Ahhh...
_________________
END THE MADNESS
I dduw bo'r diolch
"This bike is so pimp it hit your mother and all she could say was 'Thank you, sir!'". |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
rob of the og
Joined: 05 Sep 2008
Posts: 67
|
| Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2008 11:38 am Post subject: |
|
|
| CapeRoadie wrote: |
I happen to know who that is...
My time spent climbing Yr Wyddfa is a fond memory. You people can sing, too! |
hmmm, I'll stick to cycling not singing, it's better for all of us that way.
We have great roads here for cycling, the only problem is that it takes hours to get anywhere. I've actually only been to Snowdonia a couple of times, because it's a 5 hour drive on really windy roads. It's funny, when I'm on holiday I'd think nothing about driving that far to get somewhere... but when it's your home you don't go.
This is our local mountain pass, the Bwlch y Clawdd. You can see the road at the bottom, and also at the top-left (you can just see the cutting where the road goes). It's also one of the top places in the world apparently for hang gliding and model aeroplane flying; people come from everywhere to go flying there. It's only about 500m altitude at the top of the pass, but of course the sea is only a few miles away so it's a fairly sharp rise.
and at the top:
 |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
sheeponabike
Joined: 10 Oct 2006
Posts: 3701
Location: France
|
| Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2008 1:01 pm Post subject: |
|
|
great pics rob!
indeed - that must be good cycling country......
_________________
This old world keeps spinnin' round, it's a wonder tall trees ain't layin' down |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Sooty
Joined: 08 Oct 2006
Posts: 4864
Location: Dear old Blighty
|
| Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2008 2:01 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Got interested in racing when I was really young - 10ish - read about it, saw little bits on ITV - put some "drops" on my little 24" wheel bike. Parents bought me a Sun "racing bike" at 12 and I went on rides with a schoolmate and just fell in love with getting out and about in the countryside. One day I saw a road race at West Hanningfield and thought it incredible - didn't think I could ever do it. Hated sport at school 'cos I was such a weedy little child - but cycling seemed something else entirely. Lots of touring, YHA, CTC b+b etc - happy times! Started racing in 1970 I think.
Highlights - not really! Scrubber as a junior, but got faster round about aged 20. Best 25: 56.40, best 10: 22.37. Won quite a few club events, mostly hilly TTs and hillclimbs. Rubbish at road racing. However I used to go out with the local hardmen on their chaingang bashes and realised how fast I was on the hills. Shame I lived in Essex!
Looking back, although I enjoyed racing I wished I'd toured more - might not have knackered my knees quite so much, too many cold mornings on big gears I think. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
last km
Joined: 20 Feb 2008
Posts: 3280
Location: Tewkesbury & Brinscall in't north lad
|
| Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2008 2:39 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Pity you missed out on Road Racing.
As a schoolboy we were restricted to 72 ( was it 76) I think and 86 as a junior, so never really got into big gears.
On a Thurday night there was an Australian Pusuit where you would be riding on 86 as a junior until the first cats caught up, there would be some top guys in those races, Doug Dailey, Pete Mathews, Kenny Hill.
You sure learned how to twiddle in those events........ |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
thunderthighs
Joined: 26 Apr 2007
Posts: 1481
|
| Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2008 3:49 pm Post subject: |
|
|
i love speed.. ciao
_________________
io sono bello....and talent to boot...to bad. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Sooty
Joined: 08 Oct 2006
Posts: 4864
Location: Dear old Blighty
|
| Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2008 6:15 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| thunderthighs wrote: | | i love speed.. ciao |
That is absolutely perfect TT - sums things up wonderfully!! 
Rob of the Og - the countryside has a lot to do with the whole spirit of cycling, after all what would the TdF be without the stunning scenery?
Sooty makes a mental note... "must visit Wales again sometime soon..... " |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
CapeRoadie
Joined: 15 Oct 2006
Posts: 9583
Location: The sandy windswept peninsula
|
| Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2008 9:23 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Rob, where's that middle picture?
_________________
END THE MADNESS
I dduw bo'r diolch
"This bike is so pimp it hit your mother and all she could say was 'Thank you, sir!'". |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
paperman
Joined: 01 Nov 2006
Posts: 1295
Location: Ireland
|
| Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2008 11:44 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| thunderthighs wrote: | | i love speed.. ciao |
If you love speed, race with Valentino.................... ciao
_________________
It could be worse!!! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Monty28
Joined: 18 Jun 2007
Posts: 566
Location: West Sussex
|
| Posted: Fri Nov 14, 2008 9:10 am Post subject: |
|
|
| paperman wrote: | | thunderthighs wrote: | | i love speed.. ciao |
If you love speed, race with Valentino.................... ciao |
Isn't Rossi driving in the Welsh Rally GB next month? Chance to at least see the man for our Welsh posters, though probably not a great idea to go racing with him. Now if someone was to lend him a bke....
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Join! (free) 
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
