Ride Report - Hardriders TT

It’s the time of year when the early season time trials are on and last weekend it was the turn of the relatively local North Road cc’s ‘race of truth’ run on the F7/25 course. This event is a well-known one with former participants including Wirral icon Chris Boardman and is called the hard riders course because it is usually run on cold days, the exception being 2019 where riders and spectators enjoyed the hottest Sunday in February since records began (the following day Monday, being the hottest February day since records began).

If you’re interested in what really happened, cyclingtimetrials.org.ukdo an official race report, but this is my version of events.

Anyway, after a short ride to the event HQ I was nicely warmed up for my start time of 8:34 (2nd off out on the course). At that early time, the low mist was still hanging in the valleys of the descents on of Carbone and Darnicle but had dissipated by the time I was rolling along Cucumber Lane. I felt coming out of the hillier section of the course that I was happy with my performance. I was averaging over 20mph with the faster section of the course to come. This is good for me, so I was happy. I had caught my minute man early on, which also made me happy ( and also meant I was in the lead…. despite this being a time trial and it being about who crosses the line fastest, not first…. nevertheless, I was in the lead, and its technically a bike race, so at this point I’m winning the bike race, right?).

So as I was smugly ascended Berkhampsted Lane enjoying the morning sun whilst struggling for breath, disaster struck! My chain began to skip, I was and looking down there was a small black grass like object. It became clear it was not going to dislodge itself so I pulled up and had a look. It was a small piece of cable tie lodged in the chain. On removing the obstruction, I hopped back on and resumed the climb, but unfortunately the link had splayed and seconds later I was at a standstill on the road with no chain.

So it was an unexpected end to my time trial…. clip clopping up a hill enjoying the morning sun wearing a skin suit and a pointy hat.

As fortune would have, barely a minute had passed from by ride ending when I bumped into James L on his Brompton (yes, I’m suspicious about that timing too, almost like he had something to do with this mechanical issue, that said, I couldn’t see any cable ties on his person so I ruled him out at that stage). So now on the positive side, at least I had someone to express my frustration to as I went to see the marshals and awaited recovery from the heroic John Hepburn and his comfortable Ford Mondeo Estate.

Back at event HQ plenty of SCC riders dropped by for tea, cake and to enjoy the sun on what was an enjoyable morning. It was great to see so many people in our distinctive kit getting out on their bikes in February and socialising.

I’d encourage anyone with an interest to get involved in time trials to pop along to the cyclingtimetrials.org.uk/ website and sign up for one. I’m happy to speak to anyone how has questions about them, but from a broad perspective;

• Don’t be put off or concerned about what time you get in relation to others. You are racing yourself and looking for enjoyment and/or improvement over a period of time.
• You don’t need a time trial bike, you can ride whatever you want, wear whatever you want.
• Don’t feel like you need to be extremely fit before entering. As your racing yourself you can just ride yourself to fitness, and gain more experience of time trials.
• Southgate also runs its own events consisting of evening 10’s in the summer. Aside from them in the immediate future there is a 25km club time trial coming up on the 21st April.

Happy Riding

Andy