Tango Cycling Diva Ride

On Saturday we had our monthly Tango Cycling Ride again. Marie & Sara who rides with me often and my university friend, Marize came along.

Marize was riding on my 'new' bike and I was riding on my old bike as it needs a bit of maintenance and I didn't want her to suffer more than what was needed. :-) 

She absolutely loved it, moaned when we had to go uphill, but thankfully my recent fitness came in handy and I was able to give her a needed push at times. 

I love seeing and hearing how people enjoy it and it was an absolute joy to introduce her to mountain biking. 

Marie was trying out her new Specialized bike in Surrey for the first time. Marie started riding on a hand-me-down heavy bike with v-brakes and hardly any suspension, but it did not stop her from riding. 

Riding with my girls is so much fun and something I look forward to every time. We ride hard, chat even harder and love hanging out! 

Wake-up it is 2015!

On 8 February the most regular ladies from Tango Cycling kicked off this year's ladies rides.

As we all had a long winter we decided to start gentle and drive down to Peaslake instead of taking train. In our defence South West Trains have also had major engineering works over weekends. 

Vera was so stoked to ride but overslept to her own annoyance. She didn't let that put her off and still made her way over to Peaslake! 

We faffed a little bit pumped tyres at the always friendly Pedal & Spoke and chatted to Howard for a while before we started. 

It was an abnormal warmer day for February and we had to stop a few times to strip off some layers. I can't ride when I'm overheating. I was slow as it was, but being hot made me even slower. 

We climbed singletrack towards the top of Yoghurt Potts and I skill fully navigated us the flattest possible route. :-) 

We had a chat with some other mountain bikers at the top of Holmbury Hill and fantasised about the idea of having a little coffee & cake van right there. 

I spotted the first Pyga, South African brand bike designed by Patrick Morewood and was interested to ask why this guy decided on that bike. He previously had a Morewood and apparently tries a whole lot of other bikes, but still decided to go with the Pyga as the others just didn't feel right. Loved the colour of the bike, it was a bright happy yellow! ;-)

Yoghurt Potts were the muddiest I've seen it in a long time. I stopped in the dip where we forked off to the right before they made changes to the route to take some photos. I sneakily then rode down the old way. I used to love that part even though it was rooty and very muddy at times, it was a great challenge. I knew once I've come past that point the fun really started. I felt quite nostalgic thinking about the first time Simon & Christiaan took me down Yoghurt Potts in the mud. I was screeching all the way and shaking at the end of it, but just wanted to do it again and again! 
 

Marie pumping nicely through Yoghurt Potts

Telegraph was on our list next. It can be hard work at times, but it is still nice to pick up speed and just flow towards the end. We bumped into Albert at the bottom of Telegraph he had really bad bike trouble. First something on his cassette broke so he had to turn his bike into a single speed then his frame cracked! How tragic?! 

Cecilia cruising down Telegraph

I promised Cecilia & Marie that we will take the short and steep way instead of the longer steadier climb... Unfortunately we popped out a bit too low and had to do slow and steady. 

At the top of Barry's we met up with Vera who finally made it over to Peaslake. There was a group of about 12 guys taking a running start from the reservoir across the road. More than I've ever seen. I didn't like the idea that much as they came across as if they knew what they were doing and could easily be intimidating, but sorry guys when I saw you push your bikes back up the hill at the bottom of Barry's you lost all your credibility. :) 

We headed to Peaslake to the warmth of the Village Store and a bit of love from Trudy before we headed back home. 

It was with shock and embarrassment that I realised we only cycled 10km. What was worse is that I ran 10km faster the day before! Things can only get better from here... This ride was rude wake-up call and I'm determined to gain back my fitness slowly but surely!

Happy to ride in the winter sun!

2nd Tango Cycling Ladies Ride

The Ladies Rides seemed to have taken off, 13 ladies joined on 3 August to explore Peaslake. 5 Brand new girls that has never been out with us before.

We met at Raynes Park station as before. Paula was so paranoid that her sister Karen was joining us before her that she just had to come and see what we were up to. She clearly didn't fit in with her road bike.



Paula slowly infiltrating the MTB-group

We did a quick check on tyre pressures and made sure that everybody shocks were unlocked this time.

We set off along the White Downs then followed Cycle route 22, had a scary road crossing at Abinger Hammer, up past Holmbury St Mary YHA to Yoghurt Potts, our first fun part of the day.

I was so proud of everybody and special kudos to Izelle who attempted it with almost no back brake. Some of us did Yoghurt Potts twice before we set off to Barry Knows Best. Angela had a bit of a crash on Yoghurt Potts, but she got back on her bike and soldiered on.

We then got to Barry Knows Best. I was a bit nervous about BKB, because the drop is a bit scary and I wasn't sure if I should warn people or if I should just leave them. I had to hang back a little bit to wait for Liezl and Ange to join us again, so I sent Bron and the girls off. As soon as Liezl arrived I carried on, because I was as worried as a mother hen with her chicks about my girls. Big was my surprise when I got to the drop that they discovered the chicken run on the right hand side. I didn't even know there was a chicken run. I was so relieved! :)

We descended and waited at the bottom for everyone. The next minute I looked up I saw Izelle hitting a tree. Panic struck as I said, "Liezl... Izelle just went into a tree!" Izelle was fine, she moved out of the way for a speed junkie and because she only had a front brake she grabbed it and went over her handlebars into the tree.

Tarynne with her slick wheels had the biggest smile on her face and was saying how much she enjoyed it.

We made a quick loo stop at Peaslake and got Izelle's bike sorted at the bike shop. It was so straight forward, only a little screw that had to be adjusted, if only we knew that, but now we know.

We went back via the flat route, through the Tunnel of Love to Tillings Tea Rooms in Gomshall where we spoiled ourselves with coffee, cool drink, sandwiches and cakes.

Parked off at Tillings

Mel chilling

Our Route:
We covered 35km. I felt so proud every time I looked around there was a long line of girls riding along. They are all pretty hardcore for doing 35km on most of their first ride ever and all deserve kudos.
http://www.strava.com/activities/71840936

Thank you's:
Great thanks to Letitia for making the circle bigger (who tagged 3 friends, Mel, Tarynne & Carrie along) and for Emily from Ireland who came along not knowing any of us. We met her boyfriend, Glen the week before in Peaslake and I told him that I was taking some girls out the next week. #networkingisking. Special thanks to Pokkeltjie aka Liezl van Zyl for co-leading so self-sacrificially. Thank you everybody for a fun day out!

Video:
The day was filled with banter at Paula's expense as Karen her sister came mountain biking before her. I've known Paula for a few years now and we have bumped into each other at Peaslake Village Store plenty of times. Paula on her road bike and myself on my mountain bike. I've tried all strategies to get her to join, I even started road riding and then Bron had the winning strategy. She convinced Karen to come along whilst we were in France so we had loads of fun taking small videos that we showed to Paula to stir the pot a little bit.

If the video doesn't work, you can use this link to see the video...

http://www.magisto.com/video/PE4bYUVWBzQpUhJgCzE

Some of the ladies requested tips on how to improve hill riding, so I thought I'll put my top tips down for you.

TC's TIPS for next time:

1. Ride as often as possible to build up some base fitness
2. Ride at your own pace up a hill, best not to try and keep up with the person in front of you as you are just burning yourself out quicker than you ought too
3. Use your gears, use a lighter gear and increase your cadence (cadence = the amount of pedal strokes you give per minute) so you might will feel like a hamster on a wheel, but you will get used to the technique and the benefit is that the quicker you learn this technique the more energy you will safe
4. Just keep on pedalling, you will get there even if it feels like you won't
5. Don't look at the top of the climb, keep your eyes in front of you and before you know it, you will be at the top
6. Sorry for the over share, but it is common knowledge in cycling circles, so think it is appropriate to go on this blog. Ride commando under your cycling shorts/tights - you don't need more rubbing than what is there already 

NEXT Rides make a note in your diary:

31 August 2013
5 October 2013
2 November 2013 (Yes we ride whatever the weather, there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing)