CHILTERNS ROAD BIKE RIDE - 3rd MAY.

[Wheelnut]

THE RED KITE RIDE - 3rd MAY

I am leading a ride for classic road bike enthusiasts (V-CC High Wycombe Lightweight Group) on bank holiday Monday May 3rd. The ride starts and finishes near Henley-on-Thames and will include a coffee stop and a pub lunch (with real ales direct from the barrel ).

Anyone here on Retrobike care to join us?

The ride is 43 miles in stunning countryside and is mainly on very quiet single track roads. It is hilly but I would class it as moderate rather than strenuous. I've done this ride on a 65in fixed - although it nearly killed me!

Start time is 10am and we should be back by about 4.30pm, depending on how long we stay at the pub. :twisted:

The ride is intended for quality lightweight machines in a classic style, ideally with period equipment, so no carbon or alloy frames unless it's something a bit special and in a classic vein (an Alan Carbonio or a Vitus 979 for example would be fine). Most of us will be riding machines from the 1950-1990 era, but if you arrive on a 1994 Mercian or a 2000 Colnago Master you will be just as warmly welcomed. You get the picture?

Any Retrobike riders care to join us?

 

[Old Ned]

I saw this on the Classic Lightweights site and was really interested but I've just got back from a few days in Wycombe and have no intention of going back for some time (I'm allergic to my mother-in-law).

Sounds like a good day out for our members in the area.

Do you have any more information about this High Wycombe Lightweight Group?

 

[Wheelnut]

I saw this on the Classic Lightweights site and was really interested but I've just got back from a few days in Wycombe and have no intention of going back for some time (I'm allergic to my mother-in-law).

Sounds like a good day out for our members in the area.

Do you have any more information about this High Wycombe Lightweight Group?

Hey, you could still come on the ride without visiting your mother in law! It's certainly a good day out.

The High Wycombe Lightweight Group is a new section of the Veteran Cycle Club created only a few weeks ago and it was basically my idea, then taken up by Francis Thurmer who runs a cycle parts shop in High Wycombe called 'Hard to Find'.

The reason for starting the group was to organise rides for people interested in quality lightweights from the second half of the 20th century (broadly speaking).

We are doing one ride a month (first Sunday) and one midweek ride (third Wednesday) throughout the summer and probably into the winter if there is enough interest. Getting enough interest is the key - there were just four of us on the first ride, but I know there will be at least eight of us for the Red Kite ride.

Although there are other lightweight rides organised by branches of the V-CC, most ride organisers seem to discourage bikes newer than 1960. We want to include the post-1960 machines.

For further info, I can be contacted on 07737 146671 (or send a PM).
Martin.

 

[Old Ned]

Thanks Martin but it's a long way to come for what is a relatively short ride. The local group idea is interesting though. I'm the Chairman of Bygone Bykes (Yorkshire) Club and we have quite a strong Classic Bike section which culminates in the Classic Bike Display this weekend. Perhaps you should try to organise a similar event in your neck of the woods, they seem to be getting more popular.

I was a member of High Wycombe CC 1968-70 when I was at the local college and met my wife who hails from Wooburn Green. My m-in-l is still there but we don't visit very often!

Where is Francis's shop?

 

[Wheelnut]

Just realised that you're from Yorkshire - much too far to come for a day ride!

Francis runs a fascinating parts shop from a warehouse in Abercromby Avenue with 5000sq ft filled with all sorts of old stock and second-hand cycle parts for road bikes and MTBs, including loads of new frames. Next time you're down this way, it's well worth a visit, but it's open only on tuesday, thursday and saturday afternoons from 1-4pm.

It is appropriately named 'Hard to Find' and it's at Fryers Works, on the first floor. Phone number is 01494 761861.

I'll be going there tomorrow as there's a cycle jumble on.

 

[Steve Kish]

I may be able to do this but as my road bike has an alloy frame and carbon forks, it would have to be on a Marin Pine Mountain fitted with road tyres and rigid forks ... :?:

 

[mavesyn]

Well done Martin..
Nice to see, a VCC group welcoming later lightweight bikes.
Hopefully this is the way, the VCC will move in future, it is great to see the old bikes. But opening up the time period, will let the club expand in future.
Best of luck with your new section.
Mike.

 

[Wheelnut]

I may be able to do this but as my road bike has an alloy frame and carbon forks, it would have to be on a Marin Pine Mountain fitted with road tyres and rigid forks ... :?:

Appreciate the interest but not sure about the Pine Mountain for this ride - it is a road bike ride after all. But we are planning another ride for mountain bikes sometime in July that might be for you.

 

[Wheelnut]

Nobody????
:?

Surely there's someone on here who wants to come on a ride with other retro bike enthusiasts?

I've got nine riders coming (so far) but not a single one from this forum.

Would love to see more 70s, 80s and 90s machines. So far we've got an '84 Ken Ryall, a '79 Woodrup and a '69 Hetchins, plus several machines from the 50s and a Sibbitt from the 1940s.

Come and join us!

 

[monty dog]

I'll join you - riding a recently restored 1983 Gios Aerodynamic. I don't get a chance to ride much in your neck of the woods, so it will be a nice change.

Fraser