York retro sportive

[Old Ned]

Only a week to go! My 'straining' has had a couple of setbacks - but I did manage 2 1/4 hours on Friday.

I was thinking a riding my Duralinox but realised, after I'd dragged it down out of the loft, that it only has a 42 inner ring. I thought it was 39! So, back to Plan A which is the Flandria 'replica' with 39 x 26. Can't use a 28 as it's got a Super Record rear mech and 26 is as big as it will take.

Hope the weather holds!

 

[daccordimark]

Just checked the weather and it's saying light rain for the afternoon but I'm sure it'll change for the better before then!
The "Flandria" sounds like a better bet with that gearing.
My Daccordi is all setup and ready to go, I had a couple of short rides on it last week to get used to clips and straps again so hopefully there won't be any embarrassing moments at the lights!



See you at the HQ,
Mark.

 

[Old Ned]

All change! Back to Plan B which is the Duralinox with 42 x 28 which, when I checked it, is the same as 39 x 26. I reckon I will feel more comfortable over the distance on the Duralinox rather than the 'Flandria'. This always seems a bit more 'stiff' and upright even though I'm sure the angles etc. are the same. Some of the fittings are slightly out of period but it has DT gear levers and side pull brakes with exposed cables, so not all bad!

 

[daccordimark]

It's been a while seen I've seen a Duralinox on the road so that will make a change from all those flashy Italian steel jobs .

Forecast has improved too so it's looking good!

Mark.

 

[Chat Noir]

Re:

Well, after various false starts settled on a Duralinox as well, a Peugeot PX10DU 979 from 1983. The gearing leaves me nervous (can't get lower than 42 x 24, don't have a smaller inner ring that will fit Stronglight 105 and nothing that will adapt a Maillard Helicomatic rear hub) and, while I've improved the slipping rear gear lever, I fear at the critical point on Terrington Bank it will gleefully drop me into a smaller cog at the back.

Here's a picture in the Howardian Hills in the sun:

 

[daccordimark]

Re:

Very nice, very French! Looking forward to seeing these machines in the flesh.
Mark.

 

[Old Ned]

Mine's a 'Peugeot' as well - but it's never had the decals fitted. It also has an eclectic mix of components - Suntour chainset, Shimano mechs DT levers and brake strirrups, Gran Compe brake levers, Cinelli bars and stem, Campag seat pin, Turbo saddle. So not a lot that's French!

Oh - I forgot - Michelin tyres!!

And probably a Festina bottle.

With nothing dodgy in it.........................

 

[Old Ned]

Well, I made it round in the very welcome company of Daccordi Mark and a guy named Alan from Hull. It was twice as far and 10x more hilly than anything I've ridden in the past 6+ years. The weather was a bit 'undecided' so discretion dictated a sensible approach with a long sleeve vest, sleeveless top and a training top with shorts and leg warmers (which I reckoned I could remove if the weather improved somewhat). First 10/12 miles relatively flat and steady - then we hit the hill (something 'Bank'? I've forgotten or possibly didn't want to know!) I resorted to my 24"/two feet gear, Mark and Alan waited at the top - which they kindly did on every other climb! Another reversion to 24" on Hovingham Bank and then an undulating (and seemingly never ending!) run to the food stop in Marton. Never has a corrugated structure been so welcome. By this time my seating area was complaining vociferously and my neck and shoulders likewise. My right thigh muscle felt as if I'd overdone it too. Some time later (in fact, one of the 'tea ladies' expressed surprise as to how long we'd been there!) it was time to move on, now with a theoretical back wind which seemed to move around a bit - or was it the road that did? Again, 10 miles relatively flat (apart from a long and never ending climb up a lane) and we arrived at Castle Howard. A left turn at a junction and we were faced with a long straight road that seemed to climb perpetually to a large phallic structure amongst the trees in the far distance. Once at the top there was another long and rising road into the distance, this time to an stone archway. Another crawling ascendence, through the arch - to see another long rising road to another tall phallic structure in the distance! Thankfully, this was now the bitter end to the climbs and a chance to freewheel down onto the Plain of York and flat roads again. But flat roads can have a bad effect on one's nether regions and the last 10 miles or so seemed like 100 but I got back to the event HQ to more tea, soup, cake, tea, cake etc. etc. Riding time was around 4 hrs 30 mins I reckon. When I was a lad I would have ridden twice the distance in that time! However, I'm very pleased to have got round - even if I did fall asleep for an hour when I got home - and a good hot bath eased the aches and pains. I slept for around 11 hours last night and am taking it very slowly today!

Thanks to Mark and Alan for putting up with me and to the organisers for the event - and they say there will be another Retro ride at the York Rally June 22/23 - with less hills!

 

[daccordimark]

Re:

It was indeed a good day out on the (mostly) flat roads of the York plain and great to catch up with Old Ned.
Food stops were very good, I was pleased to get savoury stuff to make a change from all the sweet sugary food. I can't believe I'm saying it but sometimes you can have too much cake!

My take-aways from the day were:
1. It's really nice to be able to bumble along flat roads for mile after mile compared to the practically constant up and down of West Yorkshire!
2. Riding with clips and straps instead of clipless is fine until you forget and try twisting your foot out as you approach a Give Way at the bottom of a hill and try to maintain your composure as a man is taking your photo!
3. Campag Super Record brakes may (IMHO) be the best looking brakes ever but even in the dry they don't stop very well on hard anodised rims. How did we ever race on those things?
4. The cool looking "drillium" cutouts in Suntour Superbe brake levers really hurt your fingers after a few hours of pulling hard on the aforementioned ineffective brakes.
5. Tubs are where it's at.
6. I need to ride the Daccordi more because it's such a great bike.

There were some interesting bikes there but not as good a turnout as we used to see at the Pendle Witches Vintage Velo I think. Despite my best intentions I didn't take any photos of the retro bikes on display but there are some pictures here: http://yorkrally.org/sportive/ although you have to scroll through quite a long way to get to the retro stuff.

Here's me, Old Ned and Andrew (not Alan) lining out for the camera. Photo courtesy of the York Rally crew (http://yorkrally.org/) who I'll hopefully be catching up with at the rally itself.

 

[Old Ned]

Sorry Andrew

At least I remembered it began with an 'A'. The way I was feeling I'm surprised I remembered that!