View Full Version : Sunday 15th March - Ride??
Pretty much as per title really, it will be my 20th on the 15th and i want to go out for a decent ride, preferably not on my own!
Any takers??
Ash.
You could always pop along to IAM in Wokingham like you've been threatening to do for the last several months assuming you now have working brakes, chain, suspension, warp drive etc.
I will be cheering my wife round the Fleet half marathon but may be free later in the afternoon after about twoish.
It is tempting and is on the list if i cant get anything else organised, just not sure if i actually want/can to sign up just yet. What happens on the day, i know id go out for an observed ride but how does it work and how long etc, what else would happen?
Cheers
Turn up at 9:00. Have a welcome chat with the welcome desk. Then through to the hall with all other new starters on the day (typically 10-20). You'll all be talked through the process together for 30 mins or so, then allocations start. Will be a right mix of newbies. Last time I had one who'd passed his test 10 days before and had already dropped his brand new bike twice and another who had 30+ years of riding experience and was in the process of becoming a track trainer.
The 300 or so people who will have turned up get allocated to observers (trainers) typically an observer will take out 2 associates (trainees). As part of the allocations, the newcomers also get allocated.
You and probably one other newbie will be paired up with an observer. He/She will chat about your riding history, what you are good at, what you feel you have issues with and what you want to get out of it.
You then go out for a ride for a couple of hours. During that ride, you may pull over and have a chat about something, the observer may demonstrate something but basically you ride for best part of two hours on a mixture of roads.
You come back to the school, the two trainees argue over who is going to buy the observer a coffee then he/she goes through a run report form with you looking at various aspects of your riding.
None of the above costs you anything apart from time and fuel.
You then either say
1. "hey, this is great" and go sign up for the full course (about £100 incl test fees- makes a great birthday present!)
2. "This is great but I have no money" then you promise to come back and join but probably never will.
3. "This is rubbish, I'm never coming here again.
It does indeed sound good, im guessing you have some kind of intercom system to be told where to go etc? So you pay the £100 or so and nothing else until you pass your test (obviously the additional annual membership)?
st220_mike
03-03-09, 03:30 PM
I'd be up for going out for a ride mate. Where abouts are you? I'm just over in Dorking.
Also, re the IAM, is the Wokingham one the same as Wey Valley in Ripley? I went along for the first time sunday just gone. I've only been riding road bikes about 4 weeks, picked up some really good tips already it's well worth going along. Pretty much as Mark_h describes really. And good fun!
i am around that weekend so let me know if anything is definitely happening. you still up for something this friday if it stays dry?
should be yeah, i found a couple of nice roads the other day, although i couldn't enjoy as i was stuck behind endless cars/lorries but hopefully it will be different when we go out.
Also, re the IAM, is the Wokingham one the same as Wey Valley in Ripley? I went along for the first time sunday just gone. I've only been riding road bikes about 4 weeks, picked up some really good tips already it's well worth going along. Pretty much as Mark_h describes really. And good fun!
No it's not nearly as good off course :p
Yellow Curvy?
No other takers?
st220_mike im based between Guildford and Basingstoke 20mins from each one, we could meet halfway?
st220_mike
05-03-09, 08:56 AM
Stu - ai, yellow curvey indeed. Were you there too then?
Arcdef - how about meeting somewhere near guildford and doing a run down to the coast?
No it's not nearly as good off course :p
Yellow Curvy?
But at least we can spell :) Or do WVAM specialise in greenlaning?
To be honest WVAM and TVAM do the same job. really comes down to which one has the right "vibe" for you and whether the second Sunday of the month (WVAM) or third Sunday of the month (TVAM) is more convenient for you.
Also depends if you want to be shown routes round the crowded A3 with the A25 being seen as rural (WVAM) or the gloriously empty and sweeping madgesty of the Hampshire and South Oxfordshire area often elegently thrashed around by TVAM.
But at least we can spell :) Or do WVAM specialise in greenlaning?
To be honest WVAM and TVAM do the same job. really comes down to which one has the right "vibe" for you and whether the second Sunday of the month (WVAM) or third Sunday of the month (TVAM) is more convenient for you.
Also depends if you want to be shown routes round the crowded A3 with the A25 being seen as rural (WVAM) or the gloriously empty and sweeping madgesty of the Hampshire and South Oxfordshire area often elegently thrashed around by TVAM.
OK one factual correction before I lay into you :p
WVAM is first Sunday of the month.
In fact it's not even worth going there, I admit the A3 is so crowded (kinda good to learn how to ride crowded roads anyway) but the M3 is empty :mrgreen:
I would say the other difference is an allocated observer throughout your training/spelling lessons with TVAM compared with an abundance of talented observers in WVAM.
OK, so I couldn't help myself ;)
Stu - ai, yellow curvey indeed. Were you there too then?
One of the 2* on an old Black/Purple ZX6R G1
Next time I'll know to say hello! (I should have anyway :mad:)
*The younger one :D
I would say the other difference is an allocated observer throughout your training/spelling lessons with TVAM compared with an abundance of talented observers in WVAM. ;)
Yea, you're right. There are only 180 highly motivated talented observers in TVAM land. You get a 1:1 observer to coach and guide you lovingly through your advanced riding career then on the 3rd Sunday you get randomly allocated to one of the 179 other observers ensuring you get a good cross-section of advice while getting the consistency of a specific observer in between the monthly sessions.
At the end of the day pretty much any training is better than no training. IAM does not fit for everyone and which group you join comes down to convenience and personal choice. However I have it on good authority that all the WVAM lot smell and they make new-comers stand in the middle of the hall and sing a song on their first day. Where as at TVAM we have pit-girls who come over and feed peeled grapes to new-comers while someone else gives your bike a good service, clean and upgrades any sub-optimal components all free of charge of course.*
* Note most of the last para is made up apart from the WVAM folks being a bit whiffy.
Aah! from your posts before I genuinely thought the mentor system carried through to the monthly runs. OK then the set up is exactly the same as WVAM in theory.
As to in practice
However I have it on good authority that all the WVAM lot smell and they make new-comers stand in the middle of the hall and sing a song on their first day. Where as at TVAM we have pit-girls who come over and feed peeled grapes to new-comers while someone else gives your bike a good service, clean and upgrades any sub-optimal components all free of charge of course.
Of course that's what we do! We want to be sure that new associates are committed to the cause of advanced riding!
Can't be namby pambying them with a Greek orgy before they sign up :roll:
Arcdef - how about meeting somewhere near guildford and doing a run down to the coast?
Sounds like a plan, you up for that TazDaz?
st220_mike
05-03-09, 10:53 AM
Enough with the handbags ladies!
Stu - yeah be good to say hello next time! I'll try to keep an eye out for you. Have you got a pic of the bike so I can try to recognise it?! The car park was chocca last time, can hardly tell one bike from another!
DanAbnormal
05-03-09, 11:01 AM
I plan on being very hung over! ;)
Sounds like a plan, you up for that TazDaz?
Yeah I dont mind what happens.
Side note: the weather for tomorrow is looking good!
No one else interested???? I know its far off, but the weather is forecast to be good :)
DanAbnormal
09-03-09, 04:40 PM
You could always pop along to IAM in Wokingham like you've been threatening to do for the last several months assuming
Don't do it!!
I shall be back from France Saturday night so will see how knackered I am on the day.
dirtydog
10-03-09, 10:38 AM
if the weather is ok i may well venture out on the bike this weekend
if the weather is ok i may well venture out on the bike this weekend
it must be spring:shock:
dirtydog
10-03-09, 05:18 PM
it must be spring:shock:
:smt019:smt019:smt019 cheeky bugger ;)
Looking like it's going to be light rain on Saturday, lets hope it's dry for Sunday!
Right guys, its looking more than likely that i will be attending a ride from here (http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=116336716014794639321.000464fe3d39e9bd779a6&t=h&z=17) at 10.30am, its not starting too far out of the area (just past Alton) so if anyone wants to come along still check out the thread.
Be careful on a Sunday that area (A272/A32 etc) is usually covered with friendly policemen who will pull you over and present you with a certificate confirming just how fast you were going and f you are lucky give you a few points towards a bus pass.
Keep your eyes open for the rozzas.
Cheers for the advice, try not to speed most the time but no ones perfect eh.
Wouldn't that be a good birthday present!
So...what's happening? I'm not clear!
im going on the Box hill ride tomorrow with the south/southwesters so if you get to where that map is for half 10 you should be ok!
injury_ian
14-03-09, 03:52 PM
btw, ash, that route is almost exactly what we did on friday... bar the box hill bit.
you'll be able to ride it with your eyes closed before long.
lovely, well i enjoyed that ride alot so sounds perfect!
matt_rehm_hext
16-03-09, 08:40 PM
Unfortunately I was a loner on Sunday at Box Hill, did'nt stop there for long as I was seeing family just up the road at Mid Holmewood.
Possibly next sunday or sunday after (british summertime starts then!), Anyone want to go for a ride around Box hill?
Matt
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