In praise of the short ride
- Thread starter Bollo
- Start date
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Jimidh
Veteran
- Location
- Midlothian
If I have a spare hour I'll either take the CX or MTB for a spin. I have a nice 15 mile route in the Pentlands which has a couple of good climbs and a technical descent to finish. Perfect on a nice evening after work.
Banjo
Fuelled with Jelly Babies
- Location
- South Wales
Just finished a 72 hour week in work at 0700 this morning and now have some days off .
The 2.5 mile cycle home was sweet :-)
The 2.5 mile cycle home was sweet :-)
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
Very familiar with 'Family TT's'. Right on the Peaks here, and start hitting hills within minutes. A nice 90 minute ride is Romiley, Marple Bridge, 'Col du Mellor', New Mills, Hayfield, Chunal climb, at top over to Charlesworth, down into Broadbottom, climb out then a choice of a longer climb or up the infamous Gorsey Brow, then a steady 5 miles back home. It's 26 miles or so, 2600ft of climbing and takes about 1 hour 45.
Other rides are out round the lanes near Middlewood, Higher Poynton, The Brickworks, Moorside Hotel, Disley and back. Again 25 is miles and similar climbing.
Other rides are out round the lanes near Middlewood, Higher Poynton, The Brickworks, Moorside Hotel, Disley and back. Again 25 is miles and similar climbing.
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
MTB, we have some great 2 hour runs. 20 mins on the canal out to Marple Bridge, then can hit real off road routes.
al-fresco
Growing older but not up...
- Location
- Shropshire
My shorter rides are the ones where I pop into town to get a couple of items of shopping - it should be a 9 mile round trip. The trouble is that once I'm out of the house it seems such a shame to go straight back...
steve50
Disenchanted Member
- Location
- West Yorkshire
Yup , scenic route every time
A good post.........nice idea.
There is a ride from my house (in north Warrington) that is 12-16 miles and definitely NOT for a road bike. The first mile is through housing estates then I go between a golf course......a of mile of road with houses on one side and farm land on t'other........1 mile down a traffic free lane....around a big roundabout junction of the M62 then down a rough farm road for 3-4 miles. Then back again. TBH that does break your rules (if I do the full route) but I can cut it short.
There is also a nice 10 mile loop that follows the first one for 3 miles then branches off through roads which are semi-rural.......very nice.
There is a ride from my house (in north Warrington) that is 12-16 miles and definitely NOT for a road bike. The first mile is through housing estates then I go between a golf course......a of mile of road with houses on one side and farm land on t'other........1 mile down a traffic free lane....around a big roundabout junction of the M62 then down a rough farm road for 3-4 miles. Then back again. TBH that does break your rules (if I do the full route) but I can cut it short.
There is also a nice 10 mile loop that follows the first one for 3 miles then branches off through roads which are semi-rural.......very nice.
Living in the city means it is a 12 mile ride each way to the closest bit of countryside, so to get a decent percentage of nice riding I need to go for at least 60 miles / 3 hours. This is why I hugely object to more urban sprawl.
On the "wife TT" front a loop Waterloo-Elephant&Castle-Blackfriars-Parliament-Vauxhall-Waterloo on a Boris Bike mostly on the new cycle lanes is actually great fun. My goal is to break an 18mph moving average when the new lanes are fully finished which will be hard even on the newer bikes.
On the "wife TT" front a loop Waterloo-Elephant&Castle-Blackfriars-Parliament-Vauxhall-Waterloo on a Boris Bike mostly on the new cycle lanes is actually great fun. My goal is to break an 18mph moving average when the new lanes are fully finished which will be hard even on the newer bikes.
2IT
Everything and everyone suffers in comparisons.
- Location
- Georgia, USA
Mine is a 2.8 mile figure 8 about 2 miles from the house. I can repeat the 2.8 going one direction and then the other. Usually keep my eye on the watch to see if my loops are getting faster or slower. Mini-time trials making up a larger one. What's great about short rides is that they can be rather automatic which means you don't miss many days.
Scenic too with a military academy to pass and then down to a turnaround at the lake. Then a steady climb of 4-7% for a mile before a flat section with light traffic and bike lane. Followed by steep curvy downhill in the shade with squirrels and sometimes a dog or deer. Short up hill and then run down to the lake. Figure 8 back up the short steep uphill that goes from 5% to 14% and then back to 5% before the flat and then downhill past the military academy and to the lake.
Have been riding this for awhile and the hill training has helped me stay with the A group in local club rides. A couple intense short rides during the week are well worth it. Don't miss them. Make them automatic.
Sustained top speed on the flat 20mph and I have Strava to prove it
(I'm not superman - they've changed the gearing on a few of the bikes. Still pretty spinny though.)
- Location
- Egham
A nice, slightly lumpy 14 or so miles round Lyne, Foxhills and Virginia Water. Nice in the winter as it is properly dark and peaceful.
Something to do whilst SWMBO scythe soaps..
Something to do whilst SWMBO scythe soaps..
Moodyman
Legendary Member
Most of my cycling is either the commute (28 miles daily) or 50+ mile weekend rides (rare). So it's usually Lycra and road bikes.
Today, I went into town to run some errands on my 90s MTB and wearing normal clothes and shoes. It was only 4 miles round trip but lovely not having to change and just pootling along.
Today, I went into town to run some errands on my 90s MTB and wearing normal clothes and shoes. It was only 4 miles round trip but lovely not having to change and just pootling along.
