Special

FAQ

Tales Trails

Roller Racing Montage

Winter is a funny old time for cyclists. You'd think it was an ideal time to put your feet up and relax after a summer spent racing but some folk just can't leave their bikes alone. A lot of riders in the club swear by riding cyclo cross to get their off season kicks while another group of oddballs partake in the strange world of roller racing:

We got our own set of rollers installed up at the Agreeable club room so people could try this madness for themselves. Strangely enough it wasn't taken as seriously as it could have been. 

Some of our riders who could last the 500 meters that the rollers demand of you then decided to enter a grand competition at the DeLaune club and took a load of Addiscombe spectators with them for reassurance [surely support - Ed.].

When we arrived at the DeLaune our riders went and got warmed up in a small room that resembled a sweat box before the main event. Graham hadn't ridden rollers for so long he needed something to lean on when he was warming up. I'm sure we  looked the most professional squad there. Honestly.

Joyce came to help the team in the competition and cheer them on although she wasn't shy about venturing into the sweatbox. 

Paul soon got the hang of the rollers and was able to ride no handed.

First timers Chris and Steve soon got in the swing of looking professional.

The competition got underway with Paul battling a roller rider from the Redmon.

Steve impressed everyone with his early rides. Note spectator Monty called into active roller duty.

The DeLaune night attracted a lot of visitors who were enjoying a 3 course Belgian meal. Addiscombe, being notoriously tight, enjoyed a glass of orange juice.

Paul rides rollers so fast you think he's going downhill.

Chris shocked everyone with the speed of his second run.

More spectators came and it became a bit of a tight squeeze. It didn't matter that DeLaune were on home ground. There was always more cheering when an Addiscombe rider was rolling.

After everyone had ridden twice the riders paired up for a madison type event where they do 500 metres each before handing over to their partner until they have covered 2km. We didn't understand it either but it became clear after a while. Graham and Steve got paired together.

Steve was still looking strong despite his earlier efforts.

Graham was feeling under the weather before the roller event started and it was beginning to take its toll on him as he stepped up for the madison. He got his first 500 metres out of the way and just as Steve started riding an official jumped up with blasted his whistle in everyone in the vicinity's ear. It turns out there had been an infringement of the rules which we still aren't particularly clear on and poor Graham had to ride again. He couldn't have a rest and he couldn't let Steve go first. Graham duly rode it again with pure grit keeping him pedaling but he was in a very bad way.

So bad in fact that when he finished his double event he had to be helped off his bike and then collapsed on the floor. He had us all very worried and was complaining of various aches and pains in places you shouldn't get aches and pains. He got changed and we led him slowly to our waiting Croydon bound car for a hasty getaway. In the car he started belching and couldn't stop, which concerned us incase it was something serious to go with his aches and pains. We worked out where the nearest hospital was in case there was going to be an emergency but Graham put our minds a rest when he recounted the amount of Belgian beer he had drunk in between racing flat out. The burps continued all the way home and poor Joyce had to open the window to the cold winter air.