As Mike and I are going to do a race on May 19th in France around Magny Cours called
“La Look” which is sponsored by the bike
manufacturer Look, I intend to do the race on my Look 585 bike. Now this bike is not the standard 585, it is
an “Ultra” meaning ultra-stiff. On top
of that it has carbon handlebars, seat post and carbon cranks. I haven’t ridden the bike for 3 years as I
haven’t been fit enough to justify it (in fact not since I finished the Etap Caledonia in 2010?).
Yesterday I got the bike off the hook in the garage and prep’d
it for my ride. I got on the bike and
you notice immediately how connected the pedals are to the wheels. The bike races along, even with winter tyres. The next thing you notice is how the steering
is so jumpy and as soon as you go over a bump or pothole you nearly lose your
grip on the handlebars (the roads in the
UK at the moment are disgracefully covered in potholes making it not only
difficult for cyclists but regularly ruining your car wheels). Twice I unexpectedly hit big potholes that
nearly threw me off the bike.
I set off on one of my usual loops taking in Polesden Lacey
(a National Trust property), Box Hill and the Headley Olympic loop, coming back along
Epsom racecourse, the home of the Derby and Tattenham Corner*. A total of 38 miles and some 650 metres of
climbing.
I must admit that I got tired on the way back and this wasn’t
helped by a headwind and my chain coming off on a busy road with no verge (by the Drift Bridge). Fortunately the last 3 miles is downhill along the A217. When I came through the door at home I was
shattered and I don’t think I am that unfit.
I immediately needed food satisfied with a chicken and tomato sandwich
with Branston Pickle, tea and something sweet which had to be met with biscuits
and yoghurt in the absence of chocolate.
When I downloaded my ride to Strava and Garmin Connect I
noticed that I had done so good times so the bike is obviously fast, but at
what price?
I think I will be going back to the Roubaix and the steel bikes
for the training and just get the Look 585 out for the race.
*Tattenham Corner is a small town in Surrey, UK, located inside the M25 motorway
thus being part of the London commuter belt. It is home to the Epsom Downs Racecourse. Neighbouring towns
are Epsom
and Ewell
whilst villages close by include Walton-on-the-Hill, Tadworth,
Kingswood, Burgh Heath
and Banstead.
The built up area is dwarved by the expanse of the racecourse.
Tattenham Corner railway station
is where Queen Elizabeth II used to
be dropped off by the Royal Train on race days, and is in fact closer
to the racecourse than Epsom Downs railway station. There are
several bus services going through the area, towards Epsom, Sutton
or Redhill. In 1993 it was the site of a train crash,
where a driver several times over the then legal drink-drive limit failed to
stop the train at the buffers, crashing into the station-hut.
