Congleton Cycling Club

Thanks to Nick Decker and his team of reliability ride helpers (Denise, Peter H and Lorraine), we now have the first Bob Job Points awarded for the 2013 competition. See the Quick Link for convenient access to the table.

The next Reliability Trial is the 100 miles on Sunday 24th Feb. Start 08:00 for 12.5mph group and 09:00 for 15 mph group. Sign on in Rugby Club.

Due to a clash of events for Macclesfield Wheelers on June 18th (with whom we share the two 25 mile TTs on the Chelford JC/24 course) we have swapped the Time Trials that were on June 18th and 25th. The 10 mile event is now on 18th and the 25 mile event is on 25th. Please amend your diaries if you have copied these dates. The TT programme has been updated with these new dates.

Riders in the Priest House Cafe Audlem

The weekend

Social Riders feb 16th

saw two club runs in bright sunshine, in stark contrast to recent weekends. There was a good turnout for both rides with nine riders on Saturday and ten on Sunday, with four even doing both days.
On Saturday the monthly “Social Ride” went to Goostrey Home and Garden for a refreshment stop. We welcomed two riders new to our club rides, Amanda Turner and new teenage member, Mark Allen also came out for the first time. The others were “old hands”. Georgina Norton led the group by way of Brereton Heath, Brereton Green, Cledford and Middlewich to the cafe stop, and then back via Goostrey, Jodrell Bank, Lower Withington and Newsbank for a ride of 29 miles. Other riders were Bob Norton, Paul and Alistair Kennington, Les Lancaster, Paul Turner and Bill Boynton.

On Sunday we had a club run again, after two weekends of Reliability Trials. Another new teenage rider Sam French joined us for this ride to the Priest House cafe in Audlem. This is a favorite destination with the club although was our first visit in 2013. The riders were Bob and Georgina Norton, Ed Wright, Petes Smith and Nelson, Jim Cooke, Bill Boynton, Dave Hurst, Paul Kennington, and Sam French. We headed out of town on the Newcastle Road and then via Rode Heath, and Alsager to Audley. Here Paul’s chain broke which required a swift bit of chain riveting before proceeding over Shraley bank to Betley, then through Wrinehill, Bridgemere and Hankelow to Audlem, where we fill the front half of the cafe. The return route was though Wrenbury, Hough, Weston and Barthomley, Alsager, Malkins Bank and Smallwood for a round trip of 50 miles.
I would like to include a quote from one first timer with the club this weekend. “Just emailing to say what a fantastic day I had today.- can’t feel my legs now ! . It was a privilege to cycle with such nice, welcoming people and I look foward to the next ride” Great feedback!

Next weekend there is an impromptu club run listed. Many members will be participating in the clubs 100 mile reliability trial.

The clubs 65 mile pre season reliability trial took place on Sunday Feb 10th. Riders could opt for either 12.5 miles an hour or 15 mph average speed. The morning was cold and wet. None the less 12 riders signed on, 9 club members and 4 visitors. The route took the riders out through Church Minshull, past Oulton Park and on through Utkinton to turn towards home again at Tarvin. There a cold head wind met the riders for the slightly longer return journey through Delamere Forest, Acton Bridge, Great Budworth and Knutsford. All starters returned within the specified time although a variety of route deviations were followed by many on the return journey. The rain never stopped all day and many were victims of punctures in the poor conditions. Club members taking part were Wayne Powell, Stephen Jackson, Mark Tilstone, Andy Malbon, Paul Kennington, Mike Jones, Sue Blake and Georgina and Bob Norton.

Sunday, 27^th January – Club Ride to M&DTTA Lunch & Prize Presentation, Middlewich

Georgina and Bob Norton and Peter Nelson formed the Clubrun and enjoyed ice-free lanes and even some sunshine as they worked up an appetite for the usual excellent meal. They were joined by motorised Members, Denise and David Hurst, Lynn and Edgar Reynolds and Peter Hayhurst.

Denise Hurst (still off the road bike since her accident last August) received well deserved applause when she was presented with the Edith Massey Trophy for Lady Champion in the 12-hr event.

Everyone was looking forward to the racing season (and improved weather).

The snow and icy conditions which have hit us, have forced the postponement of the planned club rides this weekend.

1. Saturdays Social Ride will now be on Jan 26th. CANCELLED because of continued snow/ice conditions
2. Sundays Reliability Trial rides will now be on Feb 3rd.

Last Sundays club run started with five riders on a very cold but bright day. We kept to the main roads through Holmes Chapel, Cranage and Lach Denis. Bob Norton, Jim Cook, Wayne Powell, Dean and Tristan Roberts, then chanced the more minor roads into Northwich and on through Marbury Country Park to Comberbach and Dones Green for a cafe stop and a warm up. The temperature by now had risen from zero to about 2 degrees for the return trip through Antrobus, Great Budworth, Plumley and Goostrey. The ride was short at 47 miles but long enough in the cold.

The club runs list just published by Denise has been used to update the website – see Quick Link on the right ->

The club run to Dunham Massey on Jan 6th had eleven riders, five new people and six members. In almost spring like weather we made our way out of town via Giantswood Lane heading for Goostrey. From here we went through Over Peover to Knutsford and into Tatton Park. The park was very busy with walkers and cyclists. In fact we remarked that we had not seen so many cyclists out in early January before. From there we made our way past Bucklow Hill to Broomedge (Lymm) and on to the Trans Pennine Trail. The trail was somewhat muddy, so we exited back on to the road after a couple of miles to reach our refreshment stop at Red House Farm near Dunham Massey. The intended cafe awes the Lavender Barn, but with a group of 11, Red House was less crowded. The return to Congleton was via Hale, Mobberley, Marthall, Lower Withington and Newsbank, mostly on rather muddy lanes.
The participants were Bob and Georgina Norton, Sue Blake, Peter Nelson, Roy Hayhust, David Hurst, Rowland Bainbridge, Gill Armstrong, Paula Kennerley, Paul Turner and Steve Pullen. All said that they enjoyed the 54 mile ride.

Thanks to Peter Hayhurst and his daughter Teresa, we now have a seasonal header image on the site – “Taken on a Warm New Year, 5th January 2013, at Congleton Swan Lake / Goose Pond on Giantswood Lane at Newsbank”. This is in fact a Swan Sanctuary (invaded by Canada Geese) owned by a chap in Swettenham, who grew up in Newsbank.

Harry Akers Smith Juvenile BAR with Barry Broadbent

The club’s annual dinner and prize presentation took place at Astbury Golf Club on Sunday evening December 16th. Club members, families and friends gathered to enjoy a fine four course dinner and see the club trophies and silverware awarded to the completion winners for 2012.
Club chairman Bob Norton welcomed the guests including representatives from the North Shropshire Wheelers, Seamons C.C, Leek C.C., and Macclesfield Wheelers. The Chief Guests were Barry Broadbent and his escort for the evening Ann Bradford.
Barry entertained the diners with tales from his years as an international commissaire and board member both of the UCI (world governing body) and of British Cycling, before presenting the silverware.

The main winners in 2012 were:-
Club person of the year Peter Hayhurst
Mens and Ladies Touring Trophies Rob and Avril Waghorn
Club Runs Trophy (Sid Hancock Plate) Georgina Norton
Club Room Trophy Bob Norton
Mountain Bike Trophy Jamie Willets
Road Race Trophy (Beartown Trophy) Mike Harrison
Audax Trophy (Graham McCargo Cup) Denise Hurst
Senior Hillclimb (Tony Willis Cup) Nick Decker
Veterans Hillclimb Mike Jones
Junior Hillclimb Tristan Roberts
Ladies Hillclimb Bethany Eardley
Track Racing (Alan Wakefield Memorial) Holly Mulroy
Club Events on points (Bob Job Memorial) Pete Smith
Club Events on average speed(Bill Mees trophy) Pete Smith
Veterans Club Events (Lyndon Trophy) Pete Smith
Juvenile Best all Rounder Harry Akers Smith
Junior Best all Rounder Bethany Eardley
Most improved rider (Jack Rossiter Memorial) Bethany Eardley
Senior Best all Rounder (Frank Biddulph Memorial) Wayne Powell
Veterans Best all Rounder (Graham McCargo Memorial) Wayne Powell
Fastest 10 miles TT (Denby Biddulph Plate) Steve Hulme
Fastest 25 miles t TT (Geoff Burt Memorial Cup) Kelvin Milward
Fastest 50 miles TT (Ven Machin Trophy) Pete Smith
Fastest 100 miles TT (L H Brooks Trophy) Wayne Powell
Best 12 hr TT Graham Barker
During the evening there was a raffle with lots of cycling goodies kindly donated by cyclestore.co.uk , and time out was taken, to vote in the BBC Sports Personality of the Year completion, duly won by Bradley Wiggins.
Stephen Kane should have been present, but was injured in a club run accident when he and Pete Smith took a tumble on black ice near Jodrell Bank earlier in the day. Stephen was in hospital during the awards.  At the time of writing he is still recovering in Macclesfield General Hospital.

See Peter Hayhurst’s photographs from the dinner and presentation here.

The club has been awarded £500 from the Cheshire East Communities Fund. This award is towards the cost of training coaches. Once we have trained coaches in place, we satisfy all the criteria necessary to obtain our Clubmark accreditation from British Cycling. Club Chairman Bob Norton said that “this will be a significant step in the development of the club, and will enable us to bring on the next generation of cyclists and help ensure the sustainability of the club”.
Pete Smith has been unanimously endorsed by the club committee as our next candidate for training as a British Cycling Level 2 club coach. We also recently welcomed Charlie Evans as a member of the club. Charlie is an experienced cycling coach, works for British Cycling and brings valuable knowledge. Together with Denise Hurst, who has already started Level 2 Club Coach training, this will bring our coaching members up to three.

Chaingang – Tuesday Evening – 23rd October

Peter Smith’s Report:

Fantastic autumnal weather, with the temperature nudging 15c made for great conditions for our first night time chain gang. In total six club members set off from the Rugby Club at 6:45pm to ride the 11 miles to our ‘circuit’. The riders were myself, Mike Line, Mike Jones, Ed Wright, Les Hughes and Sheldon Starkey.
Lymedale Business Park just off the A34 in Newcastle had been sourced for quiet, street lit roads where we could ride laps safely in formation. All agreed it was a great little circuit, 1 1/4 mile round with a ‘shortcut’ which would prove useful when the pace quickened!
On arrival at the circuit a short briefing took place regarding safety and associated techniques to ensure that our chain gang would go without problems, then we set off for a couple of slow laps to familiarise everyone with the route and to point out the potential dangers – a few sunken drain covers and possible truck ’emergence’ points.
We then set off for an hour of paced riding, agreeing to set a suitable pace to keep everyone together for the first 20-30 minutes. Once this was up we released the shackles and upped the pace. A couple of groups formed and the next 30 minutes were a little disjointed but we achieved our aim – a good workout where everyone had stretched themselves a little and raised their heart rates!
The ride back to Congleton was at a much more leisurely pace…!
Pete

Nick Decker reports: “The sun was out but not a very warm morning. More than 60 riders turned up to take part in the event. After a bit of bad luck, first having to change a wheel, getting a puncture after signing on, then bursting my spare tube with a tyre lever, I managed to make the start with enough air in the tube to last the race. In spite of the course still being wet and slippery from last week’s downpours, former national champion Matt Clinton finished 1^st riding a fixed gear, beating the previous course record of 4.36.0 in 2008 and setting a new record of 4 minutes 24.8 seconds. Lee Baldwin of Buxton CC was 2nd in 4minutes 40 Seconds. Congleton riders at the event: me with 5 minutes 37 seconds for 15^thplace and Mike Jones, who recorded 6 minutes 08 second for 31^st place. Both of us were pleased with our performances on this very difficult course to pace your-self on.”

Just 2 Congleton CC riders, myself and Stephen Jackson along with soon to join guest Tom Cowan rode out to Shakerley Mere to complete 3 laps of the 5 mile circuit in chain gang formation. The weather started to close in so we decided against a 4th lap and Tom made his way back home to Sandbach and Steve and myself rode quickly back to Congleton via Goostrey, Twemlow and Swettenham in a hail storm. Looking at the positives, Steve commented that at least we weren’t getting wet, even if it felt like we were riding home in a bead blasting machine!
Total ride distance was 40 miles at an overall average of 18mph, the laps being higher paced at around 20-21mph. All agreed a good workout had been achieved. We will now look to setting up our regular winter chain gangs on weekday evenings.

Peter Smith

(My comment: Regular riders were saving their energy for the Horseshoe and Viaduct AUDAX Rides + Lyme Hill Climb on Killer Mile on Sunday, 14th)

We have included the reliability ride points in the Bob Job Memorial points table. With only two events to go, there seems to be a definite winner in Peter Smith. Second and fourth places are hotly contested. There are 22 members on 50 points or above.

Club members were out watching the Tour of Britain go past at various points in Cheshire and Staffordshire this weekend. The 8 day race passed to the north of Congleton on Monday coming down the Dumbars from Allgreave to Bosley, before heading off through Gawsworth and Chelford and Knutsford to finish with a sprint finish in Knowsley Safari Park.

After going up to the Scottish Borders and back, the race was near Congleton again on Thursday with a hilly 147 km stage starting at Trentham Gardens and taking a sweep through the Staffordshire Moorlands to finish in Hanley. The race had KOM climbs at Oakamore and Gun Hill before climbing over Biddulph Moor to descend to the finish. The club had quite a presence at the top of the Bridestones climb and further on up Biddulph Moor.

Pete Smith and Mike Line reported the best ride out to see the Tour.

Cav and Wiggo "losing" the Tour

They rode to Trentham for the Start and then on to Oakamore for the first of the days KOM climbs, and then made it back to see the finish in Hanley. In the process they did 70 miles with 4700 feet of ascent.

We all saw Team Sky spread over many minutes with Wiggo and Cav at 11 minutes behind the stage winner, so perhaps there might be vacancies at Team Sky! Christian Knees now seems to be their only hope of a high overall finish.

Other photos (by Pete Hayhurst) can be seen here.