South Auckland Thursday Night Ride

[oldguy]

tonights ride sucked the big kumara. It was way tooooooo slow, ok the weather was crap but who cares.
Sorry can't do speeds like that even if I'm not on a sports bike its way to boring, I'd rather stay at home and work on the Rat Bike.

This can only end in disaster for someone!

Eloping hasn't gone out of fashion, has it? Riding into the horizon together has a certain appeal.

Disparate,
I know a women mate, for an extra $20 she will say that she love you, my favourite what I get her to say is, out of all my clients your the best.

[Wolfrider]

Too slow? if last night ride was too slow, then I must have been moving at a snail's pace. Being new to group riding, and not knowing the road, i was a bit cautious. A lot of good that did me. I got as far as 13km from the Manakau Heads on Awhitu Road when I got blinded by some headlights on full beam on a blind corner. My bike hit some gravel, and we both hit the road. Ended up in the A&E with fractured ribs on my right side and massive brusing all down my right side ( arm, leg, knee, ankle). My bike is f@#%ed, all bent and broken ( kinda like me).

I discovered three things last night
1. I was outclassed and outskilled by ALL the riders last night.
2. Group riding doen't agree with me.
3. The road doesn't like me!

Don't know when I will be riding again
Stay safe and have fun!

[Korumba]

Too slow? if last night ride was too slow, then I must have been moving at a snail's pace. Being new to group riding, and not knowing the road, i was a bit cautious. A lot of good that did me. I got as far as 13km from the Manakau Heads on Awhitu Road when I got blinded by some headlights on full beam on a blind corner. My bike hit some gravel, and we both hit the road. Ended up in the A&E with fractured ribs on my right side and massive brusing all down my right side ( arm, leg, knee, ankle). My bike is f@#%ed, all bent and broken ( kinda like me).

I discovered three things last night
1. I was outclassed and outskilled by ALL the riders last night.
2. Group riding doen't agree with me.
3. The road doesn't like me!

Don't know when I will be riding again
Stay safe and have fun!

Bugger.... bad one Clinton and I thought last night was going to be third time lucky and you were going to have a great ride. Mend well, fix the bike and get back on it, come on a few daylight rides properly a better was to learn to ride with a group.

[prettybillie]

That's all i'm interested in. If it isn't at least 120km (preferably more like 200+) I wonder why I bought my bike.

As for the pace, you all know I hate slow. Don't mind waiting but slow aint for me.

What happend last night? What were the speeds you were doing. Sorry I woosed out due to having a cold (which I'm dying from!)

I've gotta say though, I struggle to ride in the dark, so I'm trying to come along to these rides to better my skills. If the group is going to start zooming off at higher speeds, I'm not going to be able to come along anymore.

In the same respect - surely if you want to do those sorts of speeds you should be on the track not the road. The SATNR doesn't want to end up with the same reputation as our West Auckland counterparts!!!!!

[Starky307]

What we all need to learn from last night is to stay away from Waiuku, it started raining when we got there and once we left the general area it was no longer raining again.

When I left and returned home to Pukekohe there was a beautiful clear night sky above me, go figure.

[Gwinch]

...

Tongue in cheek.

I've been happy with the pace of the previous rides. It was an absolute bastard that it turned out to be a wet one but at least I got to have a bit of a play later on when a Korumba, Lula and I took off for a squirt. The ride back home was good too once I got some heat into my tyres! Poxy winter. Thanks for running point there Lula!

I think plans are already being formulated for the route next week, I look forward to exploring some new roads.

[Lula]

I've gotta say though, I struggle to ride in the dark, so I'm trying to come along to these rides to better my skills. If the group is going to start zooming off at higher speeds, I'm not going to be able to come along anymore.

In the same respect - surely if you want to do those sorts of speeds you should be on the track not the road. The SATNR doesn't want to end up with the same reputation as our West Auckland counterparts!!!!!

I wasn't referring to us doing high speeds but 70km is just not ideal for me so maybe I'm best to save 100km for the track? Or maybe we have a slow and fast group?

Wolfrider sorry to hear about your bin, mend well and hope to see you back out there soon.

[prettybillie]

I wasn't referring to us doing high speeds but 70km is just not ideal for me so maybe I'm best to save 100km for the track? Or maybe we have a slow and fast group?

There seems to be a bit of a concensus that the speed needs to go up a notch. I'm happy to bow out of the rides until I feel comfortable sitting at 100k's in the dark.

Best off me do that rather than the majority pulling out cause I'm too slow.

[Ragingrob]

Don't see what the problem is, people have said they're happy to wait but they just don't wanna go a slow pace... Surely then everyone should just ride their own pace like you should anyway and then the slower ones will catch up at certain points.

If the pace is too slow... Pass them??

P.S. I really need to change my cooking night to something other than Thursday

[Gwinch]

There seems to be a bit of a concensus that the speed needs to go up a notch. I'm happy to bow out of the rides until I feel comfortable sitting at 100k's in the dark.

Best off me do that rather than the majority pulling out cause I'm too slow.

The pace we had last night you would've been comfortable with. It was just that some people wanted to return to the pace of previous weeks to get their funfactor on. People shouldn't feel left out because of their pace, that's what the TEC is for, though we didn't have one last night. I'd be happy to run as TEC from time to time if needs be to stop that from happening.

[PrincessBandit]

Where do the rides start from? I'd be interested once my arm is sufficiently healed. If there is a TEC then I'd be happy to come along, but not sure about being left to fend for myself just cos I might be slower than others!

[idleidolidyll]

What happend last night? What were the speeds you were doing. Sorry I woosed out due to having a cold (which I'm dying from!)

I was not here last night so can't comment on their speeds. However, when I say I like riding fast, I mean quick. That does NOT necessarily mean well over the speed limit. In fact my KTM would not even get close to double the legal open road speed and it's bloody uncomfy there.
I mean quick as in straights are boring; show me the canyon roads and I'll have a ball.

I've gotta say though, I struggle to ride in the dark, so I'm trying to come along to these rides to better my skills. If the group is going to start zooming off at higher speeds, I'm not going to be able to come along anymore.

Don't worry about that. As noted, quick not fast and we always have a mixed group. No-one has ever complained about waiting for slower riders in the SATNR. Each to their own and for my part, if you'll take the advice of an old fart with a high opinion of himself; I'm always happy to offer advice or look at your bike setup (suspension settings etc).
In the past a few blokes reckon they've had much better bikes after letting me fiddle with them.

In the same respect - surely if you want to do those sorts of speeds you should be on the track not the road. The SATNR doesn't want to end up with the same reputation as our West Auckland counterparts!!!!!

No Billie, see above comments. Corumba reckons we are more adult and I reckon that's how we like to keep it. That doesn't mean we're slow though.

Could be htis is being blown out of proportion. Frankly, my 50 year old eyeballs also struggle at night particularly with the glare of headlights behind and Jafars bloody stop light in front (if he starts in front cause he'd never pass me once moving: chuckle)

[idleidolidyll]

I wasn't referring to us doing high speeds but 70km is just not ideal for me so maybe I'm best to save 100km for the track? Or maybe we have a slow and fast group?

Wolfrider sorry to hear about your bin, mend well and hope to see you back out there soon.

Not required Lulu; all we have to do is wait at some intersection and have a chat while the others catch up. Even going 'fast' it never takes more than a few minutes or ten.

[idleidolidyll]

Where do the rides start from? I'd be interested once my arm is sufficiently healed. If there is a TEC then I'd be happy to come along, but not sure about being left to fend for myself just cos I might be slower than others!

sometimes we have an unofficial TEC but generally its not required as we always wait at intersections.
Anyway, TEC is starting to sound a bit like Ulyseus....................yawn

[scottjpalmer]

From my extensive experience (2.5 weeks) I have made the following observations . . .

There are 2 reasonably distinct groups
The experienced riders on the big bikes = the ones that usually go at the front
The inexperienced riders on the small bikes = the ones that usually go at the back.

I've found myself pushing myself pretty hard and sitting in between, I really should be taking a chill pill or I am going to end up like Clinton and Gummie :-(

I am also almost certain it must be bloody frustrating for the "front group" to have to sit and wait at every corner but we do really apprecaite the gesture.

I propose we run 2 groups and we have 2 options to facilitate this
- Both run the same route. I have a pretty good knowledge of the roads our side of Auckland so provided I talk to the leader of the front group before we leave we will catch up to you at your final resting errr socialising place eventually.
- Each group plans it's own route to reflect the time, speed and skill level - the slower group avoiding the darker, trickier roads. The 2 routes can end up at the final destination at a similar time with some very basic planning.

I think the fact we have had 2 bins in a month is really saying something.

I have been really impressed with the camaraderie (sp?) in the group in my short time in it, we can't have that trashed by those that want to go faster (and totally understandably so, it will be me one day) getting itchy feet and us slower folk pushing too hard and breaking ourselves.