One Day Coast to Coast 2007What He DidPaul Bannerman, Honorary Consett Clown and Graeme D's training co-ordinator decided, for a laugh, to do the C2C in one day in September 2007. This looked to be quite a task as 140 miles over hilly terrain on a bike can take it out of a person. To assist in this endeavour, Graeme D operated as support driver and official photographer, carrying supplies and providing moral support at various stop-off points during the day. After a short discussion about direction (East to West or West to East), Banners decided to ride it from West to East (the proper way) following a training ride into strong wind in early August.2 Months / 1 DayAlthough Banners regularly cycled over 60 miles each weekend, he had never done more than 100 miles in a day. Some intensive analysis was performed on the C2C route and a route guide was drawn up to plot how long it would take to ride each 10 mile block. Guideline times were based on an average speed of 10 miles an hour on the flats, 5 miles an hour on climbs and 20 miles an hour on decents. Based on these timings and the number and duration of ascents and decents on the route, the ride time was estimated at 16 hours 20 minutes, which would neccesitate a pre-6am early start. Cycling the 3 or 4 miles into work each day would not provide enough training for this, so each week night, the ride home was extended by a 20-30 mile training ride around Stanley and West Gateshead. In addition, different energy drinks and energy bars were trialed and a mixture of SIS PSP22 drink powder, SIS Go bars and Powerbar gel packs were purchased for use on the ride. Banners bike during training was his Carerra Kraken, however this was showing its age and wasn't in the best of states, with major chain slipage and a dodgy bottom bracket. With a major ride as an incentive, he rebuilt his old Carerra Vulcan with deore LX parts whilst still training on the Kraken, until just one week before the ride when the new Vulcan was finally ready for an intensive shakedown ride. Late evening on the 7th of September, Graeme D and Banners threw all the gear into the back of a VW Passat and headed over to the Tivoli Guest House in Whitehaven. Rising at stupid o'clock in the morning, and helping ourselves to a cold breakfast of fruit and cereal, Graeme and Banners headed to the start point in the dull sodium-yellow glow of the street lights Statistics for 8th September 2007 Total Time (including stops): 14h 15m (For reference, the current record is 9h 57m) Ride Time (Actually Riding): 12h 38m and 33s Average Speed: 11.5 Mph Max Speed: 45.3 Mph (Eeeek ! ) Distance: 146.22 Miles Gallery Waypoint Timing
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