Puncture Bob's log of time trial punctures 2008

As I seem to have acquired a bit of a reputation as a repeat offender in the puncture stakes (at least with my racing wheels), I have decided to log these events for the 2008 season. This year I decided to switch back to clinchers (on H3 wheels) as the expense of replacing all those tubulars was becoming prohibitive.
Datefront or rear
Tyre
Tube
Notes

8/3/08

rear Continental Supersonic Michelin latex This tyre had been ridden in two 10s, and two 25s, puncture was in Cranfield en route to the NBTC club '10'
30/3/08front
Continental Supersonic
Michelin latex
This tyre had been ridden in four 10s, and two 25s, puncture was in Cranfield en route to the Icknield RC 30K
30/3/08front
Continental Supersonic Conti Supersonic butyl
This was the same tyre as above - it punctured near Stewkley on the ride back home
16/4/08
rear
Veloflex Record
Conti Supersonic butyl
Was riding to work (going to the club '10' straight from work this evening). Both tyres were changed to Records after the previous puncture - they had done two events before this puncture!
30/4/08
rearVeloflex Record
butylRiding fom work to the club event at Stony.  No tyre levers - I had to use 50p coins!
21/5/08
front & rear
Veloflex Record
butyl
A pair of "garage punctures" - presumably each tyre picked up a flint and had a slow leak overnight!  Very slow in the case of the rear tyre.
 26/5/08 frontVeloflex Record
 Michelin latex
 This happened after the '50' on Sunday - a gash several mm long through which the tube must have bulged.  I have no idea howI made it back to the race HQ on that tyre!  My third "garage puncture" in a week!
 28/5/08rear
Veloflex Record
butyl
The rear tyre went down after I returned to the club room after the NBRC champs '10'.  This tyre had only been used in one 50 and one 10!
 6/9/08rear
Veloflex RecordbutylSlow puncture picked up on the way home from a club event at Astwood

 

North Middx and Herts CA 50 - F1/50 25/5/08

After last week's 50 mile event, I had hoped this time trial, held on the same course, might offer the possibility of a better result!  On Saturday afternoon, the wind strengthened, and in direct proportion, so did my apprehension as the forecast for Sunday morning was for rain.  True to the forecast, the rain was just starting when I got up at 4am (Tony was calling en route at 5.15am).

The rain strengthened and by the time we left for the event, it was heavy.  The event HQ was the entrance hall and kitchen of Moggerhanger village hall - the usual venues being booked up for weddings.  The F1/50 start was about 3 miles, and by the time I got to the start, my rear LED lamp had stopped working.

If anything, the wind was stronger than last week's event, but from roughly the same direction.  So the southbound legs were much faster than the northbound legs.  On the first north bound leg, I was just a fe miles north of the Black Cat RAB when I saw Tony ambling south shaking his head (he'd started 10 minutes before me), and it later transpired he had punctured , and lost his drink bottle at the first turn at the Sandy RAB.

In any event, I pressed on.  Given the conditions, I felt reasonably OK and caught several riders, though in the second half my pulse rate drifted down, possibly as I got colder in the rain.

I finished in 5th place - 13 riders finished of 15 starters in a 25 rider start sheet, with a time of 2:01:53 - only 20s slower than last week, on a harder morning.

Results... 

No Rider Club Time Notes 25 
1 Martin Smith  North Bucks RC   01:53:25    0:55:58 
2 Dave Kendal  Finsbury Park CC   01:56:19    0:58:08 
3 Sam Hayes  Bedfordshire Road CC   01:56:48    0:58:25 
4 Hugh Vivian  Finsbury Park CC   01:58:35    0:58:15 
5 Robert Saunders  North Bucks RC   02:01:53    0:59:54 
6 Malcolm Steer  Finsbury Park CC   02:03:14    01:01:09 
7 Nicholas Hay  Verulam CC   02:08:27    01:03:34 
8 Lyndon Lewis   Bedfordshire Road CC   02:14:56    01:07:27 
9 Trevor Parrish  North Bucks RC (2nd Claim)   02:19:29    01:09:27 
10 Scott Edwards  Hitchin Nomads CC   02:23:26    01:10:28 
11 Clive Collins  Hitchin Nomads CC   02:23:48    01:11:01 
12 Helen Shulver  FVS Tri (2nd Claim)   02:36:34    01:17:39 
  David T Ledgerton  Hitchin Nomads CC     DNF  01:10:27 
  John Harrison  Hitchin Nomads CC     DNS Ap   
  Richard J Miller  North Bucks RC     DNS   
  Tony Parks  North Bucks RC     DNF   
  Daniel Northover  Finsbury Park CC     DNS Ap   
  Richard Gray  Icknield RC     DNS   
  Graham Stogden  Whitewebbs CC     DNS   
  Matt Chudley  Bedfordshire Road CC     DNS   
  Samuel D Skuce  Verulam CC     DNS Ap   
  Barry Gilzean  Icknield RC     DNS   
  Christopher Lodge  Finsbury Park CC     DNS Ap   
  Tom Boulton  Finsbury Park CC     DNS Ap   
  Ian R Bibby  Finsbury Park CC     DNS   
  Ian Stokes  North Bucks RC     DNS   

North Bucks RC Club Time Trial 21/5/08 - Stony Stratford

After a rather chilly ride down to work, I was pleased that the evening was pleasantly warm, albeit with a stiff breeze.  Still experimenting with routes from the OU over to Stony Stratford, on this occasion, I zoomed up V10 and then along H3.  Actually the best route so far, in terms of avoiding the need to use redways and the busier MK roads.

I'm never too keen on the Stony Stratford course, mostly due to the lengthy climb up to Nash, which I usually take in too high a gear.  Tonight was no exception.  The return leg was pretty quick, as I'm happier riding that section in the dry.

The event was the third round of the club league, so I was reasonably happy with my third place (second NBRC rider), though the margin between Tony and me was a bit big for comfort! Interestingly, this event hd more riders than next Sunday's North Middx & Herts CA '50'! 

I rode home via Whaddon, V1 and H8, then my usual commuting route - took me just under an hour.  Unfortunately I must have picked up a flint as I had a "garage puncture" the next morning!  See my log of TT punctures.

I was very pleased to see three "first-timers"  - I had met two of them in the cafe at Ivinghoe  a week or so back and invited them along.  They seemed to enjoy the event, and I look forward to seeing them again next week!

 

 Result of the NBRC Time Trial held on Wednesday 21th of May 2008

  
Course:- F5u/10 (Stony Stratford) League Round 3    
        Pos. on
PosNoNameClubTimeCatVets Std.+ / -Vets Std
         
18Simon CanningsTeamMK26.21S   
29Tony ParksNBRC26.30V4330.01.+ 3.313
316Rob SauindersNBRC27.25V4831.11.+ 3.46.= 1
422Kevin StokesNBRC28.10V4630.43.+ 2.336
517Geoff PerryTeamMK28.13V4831.11.+ 2.585
619John BuchananNBRC28.15S   
723Lindz BarralTeamMK28.25S   
820Glenn McMenaminNBRC29.01S   
912Ian StokesNBRC29.08V4831.11.+ 2.037
107Martin PaulNBRC29.34S   
1111Brian PrimettNBRC29.40V4129.33.- 0.0712
1227Neil MitchellPrivate29.49S   
135Chris HartleyNBRC30.24V5131.56.+ 1.328
142Andy LambethNBRC31.43V5031.41.- 0.0211
1510Stuart ChungNBRC31.50S   
166Gilbert WheelwrightNBRC31.53V6535.39.+ 3.46.= 1
171Alan LawsonNBRC31.58S   
1825Steve WoodPrivate32.12V5232.11.- 0.0110
1921Mark KleanthousTeamMK32.21V4730.57.- 1.2413
204Tony BruntonNBRC32.27V4330.01.- 2.2614
2126Richard GoldingPrivate32.55S   
2215Gordon BatcockNBRC33.01V6736.13.+ 3.124
2318Chris SelleyNBRC33.21S   
2413Dave GarrardNBRC33.35V6034.16.+ 0.419
2524Leah WilliamsPrivate33.53L   
263Chris ParkesNBRC34.30V4831.11.- 3.1915
2714David SkeggsPrivate34.43S   
         
Time Keepers :- Mary Hartley & Tony Farmborough NBRC     

Phorm (yet again)

It's been some time since I commented on the dreadful Phorm system of deep packet inspection, and BT's intention to use the Phorm system to snoop on your browsing habits and supply targeted advertising.  (Recall that Phorm are a known spyware maker - in their previous incarnation of 121Media).

Alexander Hanff, who has made a series of appearances on the media to make robust criticisms of the system has posted a detailed description here. The day that BT implement this, I will leave them for another (Phorm-free) ISP.

BT Retail, who manage the ISP business have behaved quite appallingly over the matter, ignoring (and even trying so suppress) discussion on their forums -  all the signs are that they are holding fire until the furore dies down.  We should all try to ensure that this doesn't die down.  Visit BadPhorm for more information.

Norlond Combine 50, F1/50 - 18/5/08

This was my first '50' since the 2006 season.  When leaving the house for the event, I was fairly optimistic, but upon arriving at Tempsford I realised that the northbound legs would be tough going due to the head wind. Anyway. onward I rode, fuelled by the knowledge that this was the event nominated as the North Bucks '50' championship event - one other NBRC rider had entered.

The start for this version of the F1/50 lies quite close to the Tempsford flyover, so pretty quickly I found mself roaring down the sliproad onto the A1.  As expected, the ride to the first turn, at the Sandy RAB was splendidly quick.  Unfortunately, once I'd rounded the turn and  started on the long leg north, it was apparent just how tough it would be (I don't know what my average was, but I saw 22mph quite a lot).  I grovelled northward, across the Black Cat RAB, to the turn at Buckden, where I caught number 55, a rider  apparently on the comeback trail, and riding a bike with a single speed freewheel and no tribars.  This seemed to spur him on a bit, it took me to the Sandy RAB to shake him off (and even then not by much judging from the final result).  Number 60 caught me for 4 minutes just before crossing the Black Cat RAB - at somewhat less than the halfway mark.  (My split for the first 25 miles was just sub-hour).  The southbound leg was pretty quick, but being the indomitable soul I am, I wasn't too worried about the second northbound leg.  Well, actually it was just as horrible as the first time I headed north!

During the event, I'd been looking out for my club mate and not seen him - at the finish, it transpired he was a DNS due to back problems.

After the event, I had still hamstrings - felt like someone had been  kicking me in the buttocks!  I had 2:01:33on the result board (about 17th place), while the event was won by Barry Charlton in an almost unbelievable 1:48!

Top 20 results (as it turned out, I just snuck into the top 20)

No Rider Club Time Notes 25  +/-  STD  MPH 
1 Barry Charlton  Lyme R.C.    01:48:35  V42   00:54:12  0:30:30  27.629 
2 Laurence Harding  www.agiskoviner.com   01:49:52  V42   00:55:08  0:29:13  27.306 
3 Andy Jackson  Pedalsport/Giant   01:49:52   00:55:19      27.306 
4 Aran Stanton  V.C. St. Raphael   01:51:18   00:55:29      26.954 
5 Paul Holdsworth  Hounslow & District Wheelers   01:52:23  V44   00:56:11  0:28:47  26.694 
6 Paul Haggerty  API-Metro   01:52:56  V43   00:55:55  0:27:12  26.564 
7 Charles Zanettacci  diamond-hf. Com Racing Team   01:53:23  V45   00:55:55  0:28:51  26.459 
8 Brett Harwood  Wheelspin Cycles/Scott   01:55:12   00:58:28      26.042 
9 Dave Kendall  Finsbury Park C.C.   01:55:13   00:57:41      26.038 
10 Duncan Smith  High Wycombe C.C.   01:55:53  V48   00:58:16  0:29:35  25.888 
11 Hugh Vivian  Finsbury Park C.C.   01:56:42  V43   00:57:53  0:23:26  25.707 
12 David Johnson  High Wycombe C.C.   01:57:26  V50   00:58:27  0:30:12  25.546 
13 Darren Treadaway  Shorter Rochford Exclusive Ranges   01:57:28   00:58:48      25.539 
14 Andy Stuart  V.C. St. Raphael   01:57:39   00:58:08      25.499 
15 Darren Jewell  Gloucester City C.C.   01:58:28   00:58:40      25.324 
16 Peter Galpin  St. Ives C.C.   01:59:56   00:59:11      25.014 
17 Ian Penrose  Leicestershire R.C.   02:00:28   01:00:00      24.903 
18 Chris Nudds  C.C. Breckland   02:00:59  V59   01:00:10  0:36:54  24.797 
19 Dave Candy  North Road C.C.   02:01:08  V42   01:01:32  0:17:57  24.766 
20 Robert Saunders  North Bucks R.C.   02:01:33  V48   00:59:51  0:23:55  24.681