Preston Race

Not much to say about this race.

I felt unwell after the Lancaster race and this was playing on my mind.

The circuit was good with some enjoyable corners and a smooth road surface.

Shortly after the start I began to feel physically sick and after 15-20 minutes I decided to stop as if I had carried on I would have thrown for sure.

So a disastrous DNF for me.

Hey ho!

Laters MBG

Lancaster Race

Two races today.
First race was a 50m sprint. Wind up for 700m but not too early... So it's cycle round slowly winding up until 200m board then pile on the coals. I entered the trap at 26.5mph and exited at 27.5mph so I should have wound it on sooner. However, the first part of the trap was slightly uphill so I think it was OK. I then coasted back to the start only pedalling lightly to change into a low gear. I arrived at the start only to be told to do it again as the timing system hadn't worked. I was slightly slower by 0.5mph this time. Boo! Of course this is all done on my speedo! My head rest was a little too high and uncomfortable, so that got sorted when I got back to my digs for the night.
Slow race was next. 40 minutes plus 2 laps. I ligned up mid pack for the start and got off to a good one. However, I think I went off far too hard chasing a couple of targets and blew myself out. Although it was basically a flat track the rises and dips were taking it out of me and by 20 minutes I was going backwards. I was just glad to finish the race. No idea where I came. One of the trike guys had arrived with a new tail fairing so was about 4mph up on his normal average.
Overall I was pleased by the reactions from the others to HRSO2 which clearly indicated I had the proportions right. What needed changing? Well the headrest for a start which has been done. The drinks tube kept slipping off my chest so I was tense trying to keep that from falling off, so that needs securing. The chain tube could do with being smooth bore as I only had convoluted tube when I built the bike, so there is some drag reduction to be had there. I don't think that I can run another idler but I'll investigate. Oh I had new higher gearing on as well which should see a 6mph speed increase flat out, if I ever get there!
So overall I am pleased with the bike but not my performance. Too tense on a first ride out with a stiff neck, sore inner elbows and pins and needles in my hands. Most of those should get better as I relax.
Preston circuit tomorrow, I may get there early for a little test.
I'll let you know how it goes.
Laters, MBG

Mid Championship Tables

The official results for Scunthorpe were just posted along with the current championship standings. I had a look just to see how I was doing as it's roughly halfway through the season. The overall results come first, moving down to "Street" & "Sports" which are the classes I'm really racing against.

Open 38/76 (50%)

Part Faired 17/60 (28%)

Unfaired 7/45 (15%)

Street 4/27 (15%)

Sport 3/24 (12%)

Blimey, I had no idea I was that far up the table in street and sport. I could do the "if only" and berate myself for not doing better in the races like Fowlmead, but I won't as we get to drop a couple of races out of our points tally. What I will do is press on even harder now. Maybe, just maybe I can better my positions before the end of term! Wouldn't that be just a fabulous first season. Whoop whoop!!!

Laters, MBG

HRSO2: It's about time I went public!

As I'm a contractor, I managed to negotiate with my client to have the summer off to look after my daughter whilst she is off school. So I finished work on the 2nd July and I'm due back on the 13th September. I have worked the equivalent of 52 weeks at 37 hours a week over the last 10 months so I feel I deserve it.

Anyhoo! My race bike has not been ideal, but it has been functional. However, since riding Barney's Raptobike I have hankered for something faster, lower and better handling. So with HRSO1 being too tall, wrong steering geometry and extremely short wheelbase I hatched a plan. Now I was going to leave my bike so it could revert to original and be sold, but as a wise old friend of mine once told me "Faint heart never...(the rest is too rude for here, but so true)"

So on Sunday 4th July (Yee Haa) the hacksaw came out and irreversibly cut HRSO1 in half.

Now, you should be able to tell that I am not blessed with a large, uncluttered shed! So there were a few "misplaced" tools and choice words during the build ;-)

I used copper plumbers tube to mock up the new frame with the idea of bending the steel tube when it arrived, with my tube bender. The new material arrived (CDS2 / CFS3BK steel tube) on Tuesday 6th in the morning. So I set to work, hoping to bend it to the same shape as the copper tube. Somewhere between Bob Hope and No Hope I gave up and started plan B which was welding straight sections together. Not as nice or neat but it would be effective.

Part way through welding here.

Fully welded, prior to painting.

Note the tiller steering now installed.

At this point I tried it for a transportation fit in the Jeep. I used to have to take both wheels off and lower the handlebars to get HRSO1 in. HRSO2 goes in with the front wheel removed for convenience and nothing else moved. Result!

So I painted HRSO2 matt black and rebuilt with a new chain and the inevitable new cables and the result is below. I need to do some more work on the head rest which is nowhere near where I want it. But now I have a picture from the side I can see what I need to do, rather than going on feel.

So there you have it.

8 days, certainly not solid days or everyday.

It was not entirely hard, but difficult enough not to be taken on lightly.

So the next steps are

1: Testing on the Turbo Trainer to check it all works when pushed hard.

2: Sort out the headrest (Potentially a new seat).

3: Sort out the brakes to disc variety as I'm fed up with the old style brakes not fitting brilliantly or being that efficient.

4: RACE at Lancaster and Preston (24th / 25th July)

I allowed myself a 4 week time slot to sort out HRSO2. 2 weeks into it and so far so good...

I'll let you know how it goes.

Laters, MBG