Palefish CC Birthday Spin in the wind

I can't believe where the time has gone! A little over a year ago I decided to start the club, and not in my wildest dreams would I have expected it to be so popular!

I can't take all the credit though, the most important people in the club are the members themselves. Thanks to you all for sticking with it, even when we have taken a wrong turn or two, and ended up on an unmade road, we always manage to get back on the smooth stuff and have a laugh about it!! I mustn't forget to mention the members of the Facebook Group who have yet to join us on the road, the community feel on that page is great and there certainly have been some great conversations over the year and a lot of advice shared.

So, to celebrate the anniversary of the club I planned a route that would take us round the Wirral, with a stop at our favourite Cafe at the half way point. When I was planning the route, I was hoping for warm June weather and a light summer breeze! I suppose picking the day before Wimbledon I should have realised that this wasn't going to be the case.
All week I have been hoping the forecast was wrong. We were lucky on Tuesday and had a warm night for our hill climbing 10mile loops of West Kirby (just like the old days doing spaghetti loops over the hill) and even Thursday nights event at The Bike Shop in Moreton was dry. While I mention it, I would like to thank Jay, Steve and the team at the shop for putting on a great night, especially organising the reps that brought the Torq tasting bar, and a favourite of the night, the Shimano Ultegra Di2 bike.


I know there will be a few letters to Santa for a new electronic groupset this year!

Back to today though, and the weather lived up to expectations. I woke to the sound of driving rain and wind, a real tempting combination. I wasn't surprised as my phone began taking messages from sensible Palefishers who were deciding to stay in the warm and dry and not venture out into the wild morning.

There were 28 signed up to the ride mid week, and by the time I left the house we were down to 24, and eventually 17 of us met up at the 12th Man.
We decided that if needed we would adapt the route as we rode along, but as an homage to Ken who couldn't make it today we still rode out to Birkenhead, where we met Steve by the Seacombe ferry. The River was flowing fast, and we knew we were in for a work out when we rounded the corner in New Brighton and headed back towards West Kirby.

Group photo before the Wind hits!

 We were not disappointed, on queue as we came off of the cycle path and onto the road, there was the wind.
To say it was challenging is an understatement. Not only was it a head wind, it was gusting, and grabbing at our wheels, from all sides! I think the average speed along the stretch along the seafront, and then down Leasowe Road was only about 8mph! It was just like riding up hill, but without the benefit of the downhill bit after!!!
This video doesn't really capture the true brutality of the wind!!



I made the decision to change the route as we approached Meols. I felt that for us to actually enjoy the ride, we needed a little respite from the wind, so we diverted down the lanes to Greasby, instead of riding on to West Kirby, and then rode up to Irby and into Lower Heswall. Now with shelter from the elements, we made better progress and it didn't take long for us to get to spin through the lanes to the Eureka Cafe.

I had planned the ride to get us to the Cafe after the rush of all the other clubs being there, and it worked out well. The only problem was that 18 of us descending at one time led to a large queue for Anne and the team to cope with. And cope they did, as usual. It was good to see Eureka filled with Fishes! The next jersey order is nearly here, so next time there should be more Green and White in the photo.

Palefish CC here......

Palefish CC There and Everywhere! 

Palefish CC ready to roll from Eureka Cafe

In the last half mile to the Cafe, Dave C had mentioned that he thought his Bottom Bracket was knackered. I had thought mine was also done in earlier in the week, but it turned out to be my pedals, so I shared this with Dave. As we rode away from the Cafe, it was apparent that it was more terminal for him. It really did sound like there was a bag of spanners suspended under his bike! And it just got worse.
The route was planned to take us back to Birkenead, but seeing as Ken was not with us, and if we did we would have another long stretch into the wind, it was agreed that we would ride back through the centre of Wirral through the lanes. Along the way, as usual, members of the group dropped off on their own routes home, and apart from Steve suffering a puncture, we all made it back without further incident, and those of us going back to the Twelfth Man were treated to a nice tail wind for the last half mile!
Dave also got back ok, but now needs to make a trip to the Bike Shop for some TLC on his bike. The sound of those bearings crunching will stay with me for a long time!!!!
So year one is over, and I wonder what is on the horizon for the next one?
Whatever it is, I'm sure it will be fun, and there will be a shoal of Palefish CC along to enjoy the ride.

Some Wirral loops and an introduction to Di2

Today's Vita Cycles Club ride was planned as an "easy out" route, as some of the riders had told me that they needed to get off at different times. I decided to link 3 of the loops that we do on the evening rides, which include some flat fast roads, and some climbs.
The weather didn't look too good on the iPhone Apps this morning, so I packed my new Le Col rain cape just in case.
As usual Yanto and the team came up with the goods, and even though Mrs Palefish isn't too keen on the Style, I am very happy!

And as always, if you prepare for rain, it stays dry (almost), so I will have to wait for a rainy day to do a full review on the Jacket, I'm sure it wont be long!!!

I wasn't expecting a large group today, as some of the lads are off playing in the snow, a couple are doing the half marathon tomorrow, and 3 of the Team are racing in Cockermouth (Cumbria) tomorrow.

I rode up to the shop with Paul, and was surprised to see a couple of lads waiting, including a new rider, who saw us out on Thursday night and asked if he could join us. The group is growing quickly, and we may need to split into 3 groups soon! A race group. an intermediate group, and a new member group. (more on that later)

We had planned to leave at 9.00, but as with all good plans, there was a little delay, and eventually 18 of us left the shop. A good turn out for what I thought was going to be  quiet day!

The new rider was first to have a mishap, as his phone fell from its handlebar mount, and it took a while for him to ride back on to the group. Then when faced with the Moby Dick climb up Village Road, he decided to call it a day. I think in future we may have to run the 3rd ride, for new riders who aren't used to riding in a group at pace for long distance. We may incorporate this group in the Tuesday evening ride, leaving the 12th Man in Greasby at 7.30.

We continued into West Kirby and along to Hoylake, Meols and then as we approached Moreton, Alex punctured, another unplanned but unavoidable delay eating into the time available. We rode on to New Brighton, then back through Claughton and down Ford Hill, (Max speed 42mph!)
We were now down to 10 riders, and we headed back towards West Kirby through the lanes and rode over the hill again this time via Black Horse Hill.
We were split into two groups by the temporary lights at the bottom of Telegraph Road. By the time we regrouped on the outskirts of Heswall, we were down to 8 and after a quick discussion we decided to cut the ride short, and miss out the loop to Puddington, and back through Brimstage to the shop.

I was glad to have some time to get better acquainted with the Cervelo S5 that the shop have built with Ultegra Di2 groupset.

No need for words!

 And just for those of you who have not seen the electronic changing system in action, a little video of the magic of Di2!



As a gadget fan I think this is a great piece of equipment, especially the way the front mech automatically trues itself as it moves the chain between the big and small Chain rings. But as a cyclist I struggle with the automation of gear changing. I sort of miss the simplicity of the shifters on the down tube, and the fact that you could feel when the gear was in! But, if Vita or Shimano want to donate a Di2 groupset to the Palefish fund I wouldn't say no!!!

Another week and another club ride done, I wonder what the next one will bring us?

Today's ride details