Cycling UK Forum

I'm kind of hoping we see them all, or the less confident ones, sent on bikeability training to build their confidence, so we can see them overcome their fears and show the viewers that the roads aren't all that scary really. I'm a bit sceptical about the 8 weeks, as surely they weren't kidnapped on the first day so must have known they were going to be on the show so they surely would have done some training before the show starts, even if it's just a few goes on an exercise bike.

The show also didn't seem to say when the sportive they did fell in their 8 weeks of training, they seemed to suggest is was really near the beginning......googling.......taking longer than I thought as can't remember which sportive it was...........it was the Bostin Peaks Sportive, which they did say was 6 weeks to go, 22nd May, to 10th July, I make that 7 weeks, allegedly at the end of their first week, I think I smell a rat.

My eldest daughter text me last night informing me it was on,10minutes was enough for me realise it was "I'm a celeb" and so we got out of there PDQ
I have to say if it gets bottoms on saddles then it can't be bad,but it was bad for me and Mrs R2.

I have to say if it gets bottoms on saddles

that's the thing isn't it.....Strictly got a lot of people dancing but I don't think "I'm a Celeb, Get Me Out Of Here" got many people living rough in the Australian jungle! So far it's not pitched in such a way to make the normal, less sporty/competitive person want to get on a bike and have a pootle down to the shops!

Si wrote:

I have to say if it gets bottoms on saddles

that's the thing isn't it.....Strictly got a lot of people dancing but I don't think "I'm a Celeb, Get Me Out Of Here" got many people living rough in the Australian jungle! So far it's not pitched in such a way to make the normal, less sporty/competitive person want to get on a bike and have a pootle down to the shops!

I agree and looking at the TdeC I don't think it'll do much to enthuse non cyclists ,I was trying to be positive but thinking about it I was probably trying to do it too much of a favour

I looked at the list of "Celebs" and apart from the Ex-Sportsperson I didn't have a clue who they were.Then I saw "Made in Chelsea" and "Towie" mentioned and at that point I was out.
Why do "Reality" programmes use members of other "Reality" programmes as "Celebs"?
Scraping the bottom of the barrel doesn't even come close

Ah, it gets worse: the fally-off-while-not-moving woman now admits to not being able to take a hand off the bars to make signals. And they expect them to be off training by themselves in the traffic!

I bet rich bloke and dancing bloke would have both finished the sportive if they'd been on touring/audax bikes rather than uncomfortable, unprotected race bikes!

Total beginner woman - if she is a total beginner then massive hats off to her for being the only one to finish!

Olympics woman - she gets medals for throwing herself down the side of a mountain at high speeds, but is terrified of descending on a bike! No criticism of her - if she's never been down a real mountain on a bike then fair enough....just interesting contrast given there used to be a lot of cross over between winter sports and MTBing.

Rugby & cricket blokes......on the lash the night before their big ride...felt a bit, erm, unwell during the ride.....yep, we've all been there

The programme is obviously designed to test them to the limits, and then beyond, resulting in tears and tantrums, rather than training them in a sensible way to be able to take on the etape....real bike-crash TV. Yet I can't stop watching it to so what goes wrong next.

I can't seem to find it anywhere on catch up etc ...... ????

I think you can get the previous episodes here: http://www.channel5.com/show/tour-de-celeb

I'm curious Rob Hales is promoting it in his column in Cycling ....

Hi,

landsurfer wrote:I'm curious Rob Hales is promoting it in his column in Cycling ....

Yeh Rob's never been comfortable behind the camera.
Even Dame Storey cant inject any enthusiasm into the booze up party
Its a cross between big brother & get me a taxi out of here on unicycle wearing a clowns outfit

NATURAL ANKLING wrote:Hi,

landsurfer wrote:I'm curious Rob Hales is promoting it in his column in Cycling ....

Yeh Rob's never been comfortable behind the camera.
Even Dame Storey cant inject any enthusiasm into the booze up party
Its a cross between big brother & get me a taxi out of here on unicycle wearing a clowns outfit

lol lol

Hi,
No joke Alcohol features more than once.
I see it being of amusement to a wider audience that just cyclist. 2/10 for me.

I'm enjoying it. It is hard to understand why some of them are falling off quite so often though; most people fall off once with clipless pedals, and that's it.

I'd have said that Austin was there to show what an experienced rider looks like (and to guarantee that at least one celebrity has a chance of finishing, or the whole show will come to nothing). I found Darren finishing that sportive quite believable; he has been an international sportsman, and I imagine that that must mean knowing how to push himself beyond normal limits. I was disappointed that several gave up on the UK sportive with less than 10km to go, when I'd have thought that the mental battle was just about won for most people.

And it's fun seeing those who initially seemed least hopeful coming through and doing well. More than anything, some of them really seem to be getting the bug.

I'm not sure that those who are already keen cyclists are best placed to judge what might enthuse other novices

drossall wrote:I'm enjoying it. It is hard to understand why some of them are falling off quite so often though; most people fall off once with clipless pedals, and that's it.

Really? Any stats for that?

I know people who have been riding decades who still occasionally misjudge it. New clippers often seem to go through spells of overbalancing, some longer and more frequent than others. I make my "I don't think it's necessary to clip in" comment once on their first fall, then just offer assistance from my toolkit and first aid kit as needed so falls don't end their ride. I don't think I've seen anything worse than bruising from a clip fall yet and long may that continue.

I think you're most likely to fail to un-clip when a) you're not used to them and b) you're very fatigued, so I think maybe the falls are a combination of both, starting on cleats then immediately being constantly riding to your limits. Although one of the falls was whilst stationary, already unclipped I think, they were worried about an oncoming van on a narrow road, stopped, squeezed into the verge then toppled over into the road, presumably over balancing whilst trying to squeeze themselves narrower into the side, but still having the right pedal clipped in, so once they started toppling, they didn't unclip quick enough. She seems far too nervous in traffic I'm surprised they haven't tried anything to help it yet.