Bob’s *** ride
Posted on Monday 16 April 2007 by Bob Davis
Roger Cline (who stayed with us for most of the day)
Kevin Doyle
Kevin’s pal Kesh Sawai
On train to Amersham arrived just before 10 a.m.
I was worried that we would not reach the foot of Whiteleaf Hill in time for the first ascent of it by the field in the Archer Grand Prix – the most important road race in the South east and one of the top three or four cycle road races in the UK. Which we had come to see. In fact we got there well in time, despite the two problems which became apparent early on.
1.Kesh was on a single speed gear of 66 inches – far too high for the Chilterns, particularly the steeper hills we did. Luckily he was a strong young lad with lots of mountain biking behind him, so he got up the hills OK – and before the rest of us – until the last climb of the day when even I got past him.
2.At the top of Dunsmore Hill Kevin showed how his pulling on the bars a had led them to move in the stem. Lo and behold, the bit the bolt screws into was stripped of thread – so Kevin rode the rest of the day with his handlebars loose – having to hold them with that in mid and take the potholed descents really slow!
Anyway, no lunch stop, but interesting to watch the race – my 25th odd time – lovely weather, plus seeing loads of old cycling people. A few more out than last year, an interesting podium I won’t bore non-racing types with. I cycled home and notched up 105 kms, Kevin and Kesh I think about 70 kms.