Recumbent Rides

[a.twiddler]

Recumbent Ride
4/12/24

After putting a 38T chainwheel on and taking a couple of links out of the chain to see how the Grasshopper goes with lowered gearing, and making the seat as vertical as possible, a short shopping trip.

Right out of the gate, I stopped to get a feel of the seat. Better, but not where I'd really like it. Just got to ride it and see how it goes. So, into Swanlow Lane, through the uphill traffic lights, right towards the town centre, straight on down Townfields road to see how the suspension coped with the speed humps.

The rather harsh bumps were certainly smoothed out, but speed still had to be reduced going over them, so no bicycle speed records today. Left to an estate road then right on Queensway, across a pavement then on to Dingle Lane. Some less harsh speed bumps then left at a roundabout and right at the next one into a supermarket car park. Here I locked up to a barrier and did my shopping and errands.

When I came back to the bike it had started drizzling slightly. I took a photo

then headed across the car park, left at the exit roundabout then left at the next one.

I’d intended to go across at a set of traffic lights then left on to an actual cycle path but there was such a queue of traffic for the lights that I decided to hop on the pavement on this side and follow it round. I crossed a side road with lowered kerbs then carried on past the library which was festooned with scaffolding. I passed two cyclists who were obliviously gasbagging by the side of the pavement. I tinged my bell just in case one of them suddenly decided to set off.

I came to the town centre lights where there was a pedestrian crossing. From the timing of the lights it would be a while before I would be able to get across so I followed the pavement to a side turning, turned in then back out to the road. Once it was clear I rode across, turned right and followed the road towards the lights. There was a queue of traffic but it got moving just as I reached it so I followed the road to where a lowered kerb let me get on to the pavement to turn left and climb the long leafy hill to Over roundabout.

It was reassuring to know that there were a few low gears to go beyond the one that I was in, but somehow it still felt like hard work. I reached the top, turned left on to Swanlow Lane then crossed over, back to the roundabout. The traffic was intense. I followed the pavement downhill to where an estate road joined the dual carriageway, then joined that road. A gentle freewheel to the bottom of the road where I turned right, then right again on to a road which led to an industrial estate. There is a pavement cycle track alongside the road but it’s so overgrown and strewn with leaves that it’s more convenient to ride on the road.

Into the industrial estate, and after a few turns came to a gate beyond which stands a Hawker/BAE Harrier. It’s the gate guardian not to a military base but to an MOT station, randomly enough. At some time I’ve photographed all my bikes in front of it.

There was a steady drizzle by now, so I posed the bike and took some photos.

I wheeled the bike to an adjacent path and got on.

I had to clear the mirror of droplets before I got going, through some bollards and turned right alongside the road. For a minor road, the traffic was hectic. The path turned sharply left to a junction with the road where I sat and waited for several minutes for a gap in the traffic before going across and right, left at a T junction then right at another T junction on to an estate road.

Even with a clear road, progress was still slow. I plodded on, speed rising a little before climbing a hill, turning right onto the level, then sweeping downhill before getting on the level for a while before reaching my back gate. I must try a ride on one of the other bikes next time to see if it’s something about this bike or just me still being feak and weeble after my medical tribulations. The annoying thing is, when I’m not on the bike I feel pretty good.

Distance 4.41. Max 18.4. Average 5.9mph. According to Garmin.
Ascent 165 ft. According to Bikehike.

 

[a.twiddler]

6/12/24
Recumbent Ride
Shopping on the Linear

After the short trips on the Grasshopper and the Brompton over the last couple of days I decided to dust off the Linear to get the items on the list left by Mrs T. I was going to make a leisurely morning of it. However as I was getting its length out through the gate my phone pinged repeatedly and it seemed that there was a delivery due sometime between 11:30 and 1:30 so I would have to be back by 11:30. This was a pain, as I was already running late.

I leaned the bike against the fence, got on, and after checking it out set off to the right. What surprised me was how much I could see with my peripheral vision when looking to right to left compared with the rather claustrophobic recline of the Grasshopper. I felt so at home on this. The seat enveloped me, the pedalling was so direct. It felt so stable and comfortable. It’s easy to forget just how good this bike is, in the constant quest for the greener grass, something better.

I got to the end of the road before realising that in my rush to get out I’d left my list behind. I turned round in a gateway and went back to collect it. Once I got going again, I just felt that my pedalling effort was pushing me along on this bike, rather than being swallowed up somewhere mysteriously as on the Grasshopper.

I reached Swanlow Lane and the uphill traffic lights. The light was red but there was no traffic about, so I turned on to a lowered pavement on the right and followed it round to the corner. Despite this being such a long beast it felt so easy. With the road clear of traffic, I crossed over again and went with the flow.

Turning left I freewheeled down the long hill to the town centre, braking slightly to pass through a mini roundabout. There were a couple of cars stopped at the next lights and I eased alongside them on the left where there was a painted bike lane. The first car had stopped at the cyclists’ advance stop line and as I prepared to stop I wondered how many drivers really knew what they were doing. Fortunately the lights changed so I carried on through. Both cars behind turned right so I had a clear run to the next junction on the right where, by arranging my speed to match gaps in oncoming traffic, I was able to turn without having to stop or put my feet down.

When I think about it, I realise that I adjust my speed without thinking about it very much, probably having an aversion to putting my feet down, cultivated through many years of motorcycling, before taking up recumbent riding. No fear of heel strike on this beastie, even at 0.001 mph.

I rode through a car park, keeping an eye out for distracted reversers, before reaching the new square where the old war memorials now live. Turning right along a narrow access hemmed in by boarding and fencing, someone said to their companion, “cool bike”. Well, of course.

I dismounted when the crowds thickened, smoothly coming to a halt alongside a fence and hopping off almost in one flowing movement. Then I wheeled it one handed into the precinct, to lock up at a pillar outside a chemists.

Being aware of my time constraints, when confronted by a humungous queue for the pharmacy counter I did a u turn and headed for the exit. I would come back later. I took a photo on the way out.

I unlocked the bike, and waited for a gap in the ebb and flow of pedestrians then got on and headed for an exit. A lazy roll downhill, avoiding other people, lining up well ahead to stop alongside my usual supermarket barrier and lock up.

I went in, aware of time ticking away. Some more had ticked by before I reappeared, and I still had a couple of items to find, but I didn’t have time for another stop.

Unlocked, then down the hill alongside the car park, following a couple of pedestrians until they turned off, then right down to the road and right along a pavement. Ahead was a distracted old chap glued to his phone, pottering along. I slowed right down to let him keep ahead which fortunately is something the Linear excels at. There was a couple pushing a pushchair in the other direction and I wanted him to get clear before I passed them. Once they’d gone, the pavement widened and I was able to get on to the “official” cycle path which took me round the corner at a traffic lighted junction.

A little further on there was a crossing where I crossed over on to the road and turned right. Further on I turned left on to a pavement which led round the corner up a long leaf strewn hill.

It had been easy going so far, but here was an uphill test to see how the Linear compared with the Grasshopper in getting up here. I can report that I was able to pedal steadily at 1 -2mph faster than I did the day before yesterday on the Grasshopper. It involved about the same amount of out-of-breath-ness by the time I reached the top but my efforts seemed to been very obviously more efficiently used, and it seemed easier.

I carried the same tools, pump and lock that I did the day before yesterday. I also had a fair bit of shopping with me today. I am really quite surprised that there’s such an obvious difference: I can really only relate it to the seat recline, which had a similar effect on my Sinner trike. I was able to make that a lot more upright. Even with an extra spacer the Grasshopper seat is still quite reclined, which doesn’t really work for me.

Once on to Swanlow Lane the difference was even more pronounced. For what seemed to be the same amount of effort I was rolling along respectably by my standards, and was encouraged to get it rolling in top after the Townfields Road traffic lights to run at my uphill turn off. Whether the 21.1 mph was from freewheeling downhill to the town centre or from pedalling at that point, it felt like worthwhile effort.

My main feeling is that I’m glad it definitely isn’t me just suffering from lack of go following my health issues. I’m just as fast, or slow, as I was before. Out of the three bikes that I’ve ridden over the last three days, the Grasshopper came 3rd in terms of results from effort put in, at least for me. One of them was a folder, though it was a Brompton. Gonna have to have a long think about this Grasshopper.

Getting up the hump just after my turn off was just as slow as ever, but the freewheel through the lanes from there to my back gate was just as enjoyable as on any of my bikes.

Distance 3.8 miles. Max 21.1 mph. Average 7.5 mph. According to Garmin.
Ascent 105 ft. According to Bikehike.

 

[a.twiddler]

13/12/24
Recumbent Ride
A Lazy Meander Through Paths and Lanes on the Linear, then Shopping.

Awaiting a delivery this am, otherwise I’d have gone out earlier. It’s usually more pleasant in the morning. Traffic builds up during the afternoon.

A mild damp day, everything mysteriously slightly wet even though there wasn’t any actual rainfall most of the time. I didn’t need to put any extra clothes on apart from a cap and mitts, clipped the Garmin on to its mount, and headed out through the back gate. Across the road and off to the right. I stopped a little way down the road to adjust my mirror, then away to Swanlow Lane and the uphill traffic lights. I didn’t need to stop, straight on today and steadily rolling through the lights.

If I pedalled harder, I went a bit faster, If I eased off, I didn’t lose much speed. The Linear has a lazy character that lets you do a lot of leisurely miles if you want to. After struggling with the Grasshopper for the last three months it would be nice to be able to compare like with like, to be able to fit it with a mesh seat of comparable recline to see if that gave a comparable ride. At the moment the biomechanics of the seat recline make the Grasshopper feel like hard work in comparison.

It was nice just to go for a ride on this, my original recumbent bike, and not have to worry about all that stuff. I carried on along Swanlow Lane to the A54 roundabout, stopped at the lights, then carried on along Delamere St and the old Chester Rd. Eventually I arrived at a roundabout where if I’d turned right I would be on the road to Chester.

I turned left, across the next roundabout, and carried on along Oakmere Rd. Before long I came to the crossroads with Littler Lane where I turned left. Almost immediately there was a queue of traffic stopped at roadworks with a red traffic light. I hopped up a lowered kerb on the left and looped round through some estate roads to the other side of the roadworks and back on to the road. A little further on there was another set of lights, but no traffic. I gingerly approached them and just as I was about to put my foot down they changed to green, so I rolled on. A little further on I turned left, through a street of houses and up a lowered kerb on to a path over a green. Left up another path and I was confronted with a metal fence, a pole in the middle of the path and an A frame barrier in the middle. Someone was certainly determined to stop any random vehicle from coming through. I wriggled past the pole, through the barrier and on to the path beyond.

I started off uphill. This section of path was hemmed in on both sides by metal fencing. A woman walking the other way stepped aside to let me pass. “Thank you,” I said. “Nice bike,” she said. “Thank you,” I said, carrying on. The path was clear to a point where it came to an unmade lane. There seemed to be a path across the lane but it turned out to be part of a long drive to what looked to be an abandoned house. I managed a 300 point turn and went back the way I’d come. I turned right on to the unmade lane and eventually found myself on Chester Road where I turned left.

Soon afterwards I turned right on to an estate road and enjoyed a downhill trundle to where the lane to the sports complex branches off left. A wet, leafy downhill followed where I slowed right down to let some dog walkers get through the barrier ahead. I stopped by the A frame barrier and leaned the bike on a gate for a photo. It had started drizzling slightly.

It can't be denied that the Linear certainly has some presence.

A woman came through the barrier with her dog. “I’d been puzzling to make out what that was from the other side of the gate” she said. “It’s a long wheelbase bike” I replied. “Is it comfortable?” she asked. “It’s very comfortable” I said, “though you have to make allowances for its length. It doesn’t like tight turns -I’d have to back it up a bit to get it through that barrier from there”.

She went on her way with the dog and I wheeled the bike round and through the barrier. With the Spirit or the Grasshopper I would have got on and paddled round through the barrier. I put the stand down once on the other side, held the back brake and got back on. I wondered if I would have managed to mount the Grasshopper on this slippery downhill slope. It’s a little more tricky than the Linear.

I hooked up the side stand and rolled merrily downhill between the sports fields and across the car park to Grange Lane. A right turn, and before I knew it I was approaching the town centre traffic lights.

I had two choices here. Green light -turn left and continue on the road. Red light -turn left over a lowered pavement and follow a pavement cycle path. The light was red so I enjoyed the leisurely trundle along the bike path to the next lights. Here I turned left on to the road, did a large radius u turn once the coast was clear and came to the lights again, where I stopped. I saw a police car stop behind in my mirror so no doubt everyone was on their best behaviour. The lights changed so across I went. Right at the next two mini roundabouts to cross a rather busy supermarket car park and chain up to a barrier.

Out again with my shopping, I’d considered setting off across the car park but it was choc a bloc with waiting cars. The pavement was busy, too, but it came in waves. I trundled slowly to a narrow spot where someone had dumped a trolley, paddled through then got pedalling again. It had been my intention to turn left on to the road at a point where there was a lowered kerb but blow me down if someone didn’t drive along the pavement and park at that very spot as I approached it, blocking part of the pavement and all of the cycle path. I rode left along the pavement and down to the cycle path at a lowered kerb further along.

Straight on at the next roundabout, right at the following one, and into Dingle Lane. Steady progress to the end, barely noticing the speed humps. Right across the pavement into Queensway then a short cut through an estate road, out to turn right uphill on to Gladstone St and Townfields Road, left at the traffic lights on Swanlow lane, then a run downhill for my uphill turn off. A freewheel through the lanes to unwind before reaching my back gate.

Distance 7.48 miles, Max speed 17.2mph, Average 7.2 mph. According to Garmin.
Ascent 173 ft. According to Bikehike.

 

[404 Not Found Anywhere]

Just posting to thank a.twiddler and others for their postings. Due to various other life events I have barely ridden any of my recumbents this year (on the other hand my Brompton gets regular use due to integrating much better in my work day), but I enjoy the benefit of vicarious rides! When I do manage to roll the trikes out of the garage I will also be reassured that there is no shame in just doing a few miles, I used to be of the “it’s not worth getting out for less than 20 miles” persuasion but I have left that behind now!

 

[a.twiddler]

16/12/24
Recumbent Ride
Linear Shopping Run the Long Way Round.

I was a bit annoyed that I hadn’t taken more photos on my ride of 13/12/24 so I thought I’d include part of that route to extend my shopping trip today. As usual, I’d left it a bit late setting off but no problemo. A mild day with clouds promising rain later. Out through the back gate, right on to the road, soon at the uphill traffic lights on Swanlow Lane where I stopped briefly on red before continuing. As I’d observed previously, the light doesn’t stay green for long in this direction since some recent road works and was red by the time I’d got to the other side. Someone ought to lend the person who plans these things a bike, and see how they get on. Of course it could be that it’s Sprinty McSprintleton, the champion sprint cyclist, but that doesn’t help a granny (or grandad like me) in getting across in time.

Anyway, riding along at an easy pace, perhaps my only pace, to the A54 roundabout. Gingerly adjusting my speed as I arrived, I reached the tail of the traffic as the lights changed and went straight across.

Along Delamere St, weaving round the traffic calming squares, past various side turnings, I came to the turn off on the left to Littler Lane. Time was a bit tight, so as I remembered a path and short cut through one of the closes I turned left soon afterwards. I came to a path with a couple of nadgery staggered barriers which were a bit tight for the Linear’s length, though I wriggled through, and another where the path came out onto another close. Right downhill to turn left at a T junction, through some road works then left into a street of houses. At the end, across a lowered kerb on to a path across a green, left again where ahead an old chap was walking a dog. I stopped to let him get ahead, and through a barrier came someone on a mobility scooter. The dog walker turned off on to another path, the mobility scooter rider branched off on to a different path.

I carried on, the path sloped upwards then I came to a pole in the middle of the path, a row of concrete bollards and an A frame barrier in the middle of a steel fence. I took some pictures as I approached it.

It was like a gateway to something forbidden. I took some more pictures as I went along. Steel fencing, wooden fencing, shrubbery.

The path wound about a bit. I came to the end of rhe uphill stretch and stopped.

A harassed looking mum with a fat baby in a buggy pushed uphill towards me trailed by a whining toddler on a balance bike. I let them get past before getting going again
A bit further on a woman in a red dressing gown walked past. I've seen people in supermarkets in dressing gowns, pyjamas and slippers, but never on a path like this.
Not far from the end of the path there were tyre tracks as if something had driven up here and got stuck.

The other end of the path had no barriers as it came out on to an unmade lane. On to a tarmac surface then right on to Delamere St. At the end, left on to the A54 and downhill on the dual carriageway. I stopped at a shop on the way, up a lowered kerb then locked up outside.

Back out. Waiting for a gap then across two lanes, into the right turn filter lane then a wait for the traffic light to turn green. Right, then right again into a supermarket car park. I locked up to a guard rail by the entrance. I was soon back out.

As I was unlocking again a passer by showed an interest. Passer by to husband: I’ve seen that bike before when I went to the Estate Agent. Me: Could be. It gets about a bit. (I try to be polite without encouraging onlookers too much as you could be answering questions all day if you weren’t careful).

I wheeled the bike out between two parked cars then leaned it on an outdoor display of bagged firewood. I climbed on then got under way. I’d intended to get on the pavement at a lowered kerb by the T junction but another cyclist came the other way. I carried on to the road, turned left and was just in time to stop behind a queue of traffic at the lights. Annoying. Once we got moving I was able to use another lowered kerb to get on to the pavement, go left and climb the hill alongside the dual carriageway. Once more I was surprised how easily this bike got up the hill. Certainly not effortless, but not life threateningly difficult, either.

I got back on to the road at Swanlow Lane and got up to cruising speed. Soon I was at the Townfields Road lights ready to go downhill to get some momentum for my uphill turn off. Then a leisurely trundle through the lanes to my back gate. It had been mild today, and the rain had held off. A short, but pleasant ride.

Distance 5.15 miles. Max speed 22.6 mph. Average 7.0mph. According to Garmin.
Ascent 128ft. According to Bikehike.

 

[a.twiddler]

18/12/24
Recumbent Ride
Trip to the Library on the Grasshopper

I’d spent some time trimming some resilient foam material to size to see if I could get the seat back more vertical than by adjustment alone. Today was a chance for a test ride. I’d been enjoying the relative easy riding of the Linear recently. I’d been hoping to set the Grasshopper up to give the same experience. Feeling a bit better about it than I have been recently, I parked it on the pavement outside my back gate, and made myself comfortable, adjusted the mirror, etc. Once the traffic had eased, I set off to the right. It certainly felt better, and I noted that the boom might benefit from coming out a fraction.

I was soon at the uphill traffic lights turning right, then downhill towards the town centre. Straight across a mini roundabout. Right at a set of lights without having to stop. Then flowing with the traffic over a series of speed humps, straight on over a mini roundabout and left at the next one. Just before the next set of lights I went left over a lowered kerb to follow a wide pavement past the still scaffolded Library, left beyond it, and left again to a light pole where I locked up.

I went in, and spent more time in there than I’d intended. I unlocked, went into the precinct to pick up a parcel, then made my way to Dingle Lane. There’s a slight uphill as you approach the speed humps but it seemed like harder work here than it should have been. A bit better once past here. Across the pavement on to Queensway. I became aware of a cyclist in club gear coming up behind at speed. He passed, and soon disappeared. I turned left, then right on to an estate road. Uphill, and harder work than it should be. I climbed slowly to a T junction on the level, and gratefully changed up while turning left, then right uphill on Gladstone St. I was in the lowest gear range on the rear hub by now, in second on the derailleur. As I came on to Townfields Road I got fed up and stopped for a breather. An old woman on the other side of the road asked, “are you all right, love?” I replied, “it’s not me, it’s the bike!” I was so fed up with it at this point that I got off and checked the wheels. Both spun freely. I pushed it uphill easily with one hand on the back of the seat. There’s something about my geometry that doesn’t work with this bike.

Once the road was level I got on and pedalled towards the lights and stopped behind a car which was waiting at red. I went straight on at green rather than grapple with the traffic which I would have had to do if I’d gone left.

Eventually I came to my back gate, unlocked it and took the bike in. I was so irritated with the bike that I took the Linear out of the garage and put the Grasshopper at the back, making it easier to get the Linear out in future. It doesn’t look as if messing with the seat recline or any amount of foam padding is going to improve my performance with this bike. I’ve spent plenty of time trying to make this bike suit me in the short time I’ve had it. Fortunately it’s all reversible. I had high hopes of it when I bought it, but I just don’t find it rewarding to ride at the moment. I’ll have to have a good think about things, and whether its future will lie with someone else who might be better suited to it.

It’s annoying, because I can ride it fine in traffic, starting off and stopping, manoevreing in awkward spaces etc. I just can’t develop any power. Maybe it’s the boom height relative to the seat, though it feels OK, or a combination of that and the seat recline. Who knows? Certainly not me. It just seems a lot of effort for not much forward motion compared with my other bikes.

It’s a pity, as it’s such a neat, well finished bike.

One thing that I can report that works better than I’d hoped is the remote side stand extender.

Distance 3.32 miles. Max speed 21.0 mph. Average 6.2 mph. According to Garmin.
Ascent 145 ft. According to Bikehike.

 

[404 Not Found Anywhere]

The seat recline on my Fuego feels a bit extreme for me too, one thing that I have thought of doing is fitting a 2cm thick block of wood with longer Allen bolts between the seat mount and the seat back though I have not got round to it yet! I tried bits of foam too, but could never get them to stay put!

 

[a.twiddler]

19/12/24
Recumbent Ride
Spirit Showery Shopping Trip

When I’d bought the Arkel panniers which are currently attached to the Grasshopper they were intended for the HP Velo Spirit. I’d previously hijacked them for the Grasshopper due to using it for shopping trips. This morning I transferred them over. Their long low shape is well suited for underseat pannier frames such as those on the Spirit. I adjusted the fittings so that I could get them on and go out shopping. They will need some fine tuning for longer trips. I put some air in the tyres, swapped the tools, pump, lock and jacket from the Linear, got my stuff together and headed for the back gate.

Once outside its immediate familiarity was reassuring. I reset the mirror and set off to the right. It has the same SRAM Dualdrive setup as the Grasshopper, even the same ratios now I’ve geared down the Grasshopper with a matching 38T chain ring. I’d intended to take the direct route to the town centre, but as it felt so pleasant with the sunshine replacing the squally showers of earlier on, I went straight on at the uphill traffic lights on Swanlow Lane.

I could feel that the short travel front suspension on this bike wasn’t as compliant as the longer travel set up on the Grasshopper, but once I relaxed my grip on the bars a little, it was fine. It rolled along easily, and I could see that I was making better progress than I did here on the Grasshopper.

One of the advantages of swopping the same Garmin unit between bikes is that there’s no doubt about the readings not being exactly comparable, which might not be the case if each bike had a wired bike computer.

I soon reached the A54 roundabout and waited at a red light. The light changed, and I went round to the right, got into top, and pedalled downhill. I’d hoped to have a clear run through the town centre traffic lights but someone activated a pedestrian crossing light so I had to slow down, though they got across and the light went green as I arrived there.

Then the town centre lights were red. I stopped in the cyclists’ advance stop box, and then got going again. By the time I needed to go right to get into the filter lane to turn right at the next lights everyone had gone past, so there was no conflict. After waiting at the end of the queue the green light came and off I went. There’s something pleasant about taking wide bends on this swept back yellow bike. I went right at the next two mini roundabouts into a supermarket car park and locked up at my usual barrier. It was starting to rain as I went in.

When I came out again the rain had stopped. I took a photo, then put my shopping away, two panniers full, evenly balanced. As I was zipping up it started to rain again. I put my camera in the seat back bag, took out my jacket and retreated to the cover of a trolley shelter where several others had had the same idea. While I was putting my jacket on, the rain rattled down, flinging in a few hailstones for good effect. I heaved out my phone and took a picture of the bike, rather low -res compared with my camera.

I thought the black and yellow of the panniers went well with the yellow of the bike.

The rain started to ease off so I wheeled the bike under the shelter of the supermarket entrance. I dried off the seat and sat on it. The rain reduced to a trickle and people started moving about again so I set off down the path alongside the car park to the road. I slowly followed a woman with shopping bags until she turned off to her car, then rolled down to the road.

I turned left here, to follow the route I took with the Grasshopper yesterday. Straight across a mini roundabout, right at the next into Dingle Lane, over some speed humps. This bike was going well, certainly better than yesterday’s effort. I came to the end of Dingle Lane, turned right across the pavement into Queensway, then left and right into an estate road. I was in the middle ratio of the hub gear, maybe 4th on the derailleur as I started to climb.

I came to a T junction on the level, turned left and changed up, then right uphill on to Gladstone St. I went down to 2nd gear on the derailleur, plenty of lower gears left but didn’t need to change down any further. I had more shopping than I had yesterday, too.

As I came on to Townfields Road there was a minute or so while hailstones started pinging off my features. I was looking about for some shelter when it stopped again. I kept on rolling to the flat and gained speed towards the Swanlow Lane traffic lights. They turned red, I freewheeled to a stop behind a car. When they changed, I went left and got into top downhill to get speed up for my uphill turn off. I kept the speed up quite well before the freewheel through the lanes to my back gate.

Despite the rain, today’s ride felt so much better than yesterday’s.

Miles 3.46. Max 24.5 mph. Average 7.6mph. According to Garmin.
Ascent 123 ft. According to Bikehike

 

[a.twiddler]

23/12/24
Recumbent Ride
Christmas Spirit Shopping Trip.

Mrs T had gone out in the car to get the bulk of the food shopping for Christmas leaving me to sort out some items that I could get locally. A good excuse to cycle to town. The pump, tools and lock were still on the Spirit from the last trip, so the Spirit it was.
Cloudy, cool and little wind.
Out through the gate, right onto the road and soon approaching the uphill traffic lights on Swanlow Lane. Straight on through the lights, running very well so soon at the A54 roundabout and round to the right downhill. Steadily to the town centre lights, right to the filter lane then right, a left turn through a car park, a quick photo by the war memorials

then into the precinct. First stop, pharmacy then downhill to my usual supermarket where I locked up to a barrier. The crowd was humungous inside, particularly the queue at the checkouts. I wondered if the bike would still be there after the long delay in getting back out. Happily enough, there it was. No photos here, due to the crowds.


Back through the precinct, out by the war memorials, across a car park. Right at a main road, then onto the pavement just before some lights. Then up the long, now leaf free hill to Over roundabout.


Just before reaching the top a skip wagon reversed into a driveway ahead. I got off and waited for a gap in the traffic so I could get round. Another cyclist had walked across the dual carriageway ahead with a small wheeled bike and had to do the same thing to get past downhill.
I soon came to Swanlow Lane and got back on the road again. Another easy trundle to Townfields Road lights, downhill to my uphill turn off, up the hump and a freewheel through the lanes to my back gate. In the absence of longer rides due to being tied up with Christmas stuff, these shorter rides are pleasant enough while the weather holds.


Distance 3.52 miles. Max 23.2 mph. Average 7.2mph. According to Garmin.
Ascent 109ft. According to Bikehike.

 

[a.twiddler]

25/12/24
Recumbent Ride
Christmas Day Ride on the Spirit.

I was up earlier than expected this morning so decided to squeeze in a ride before lunch. It was mild and dry. I’d worked out a route on the map previously so I gathered my things together and set off to the right from the back gate. I hadn’t gone a hundred yards before someone wished me a merry Christmas, and so it continued through my ride.

Straight through the uphill lights on Swanlow Lane, across the A54 roundabout along Delamere St and Chester Road. Right into Whitegate Road and down the steep hill under the old railway bridge.

At the bottom of the hill a path leads off to the left which I took. It was leafy and muddy underwheel.

I’d hoped to ride some of it but ended up pushing most of the way. When it's dry, it's not a problem. It led uphill until it came out on the Whitegate Way. I turned right here, passing groups of walkers who wished me a cheery “merry Christmas”.

I came to the Whitegate station car park which surprisingly was open, though there were very few cars.

Up on to Clay Lane, left downhill, Across Shays Lane Brook at the bottom of the long downhill, right into Shays Lane shortly afterwards. I stopped to let a milk tanker overtake in the narrow lane. There is a T junction at Longstone Lane. Somewhere hereabouts is the ancient Long Stone which gave the lane its name. I couldn’t see anything in the nearby fields. I decided to make it part of another ride when I had more information.

I took a left turn at Longstone Lane, right into Pit lane then across the A54 to White Hall Lane. I’d intended to turn right into Beech Road then carry on to Cotebrook via bridleway but time was galloping by as usual so I thought I’d continue along White Hall Lane to shorten the route. White Hall Lane became a bridleway further on after descending a hill but the surface was wet and slippery so I realised I wouldn’t save time going this way. I turned back up White Hall Lane. I stopped to let some horse riders by, then carried on to the left turn to Beech Road and then turned left again further along on to Coach Road. This runs dead straight through the woods, giving a view of the original entrance to Oulton Park as it draws near.

I turned into Little Budworth country Park car park where surprisingly the conveniences were open. Useful to remember for the future.

I came back out, turned left, then right on to Park road, still in the woods, past the current entrance on the left to Oulton Park motor racing circuit to turn left further on, into Rushton Lane.

This lane runs close to the old brick boundary wall of Oulton Park on the left. I came to the spot where, riding the Grasshopper in the opposite direction, I’d ground to a halt a few weeks ago. I was pretty confident that this wouldn’t have happened on the Spirit as, at least for me, the Spirit is a better climber.

I zoomed down the dip to try and make sure this didn’t happen on the uphill past the end of Brownhills road and along Dogmore Lane. The uphill past the Knickerbrook Entrance.

Through Rushton, then left into Kings Lane. The brick wall spread out before me before turning away at Walls End Farm. A little blurry, unfortunately.

The terrain was favourable along here and I rolled along, down a dip, up the other side and kept it up to the left turn at Hickhurst Lane.

I pedalled along easily, watching my average speed creep up on the Garmin after the pootling about on bridlepaths earlier on. Left on Winsford Road, on to Hall Lane then I came across a man on a mountain bike shepherding a small boy on a small bike just before Darnhall bridge. I was behind them as the lights turned green and with no room to pass had to follow them down and up the other side. I gradually went past them, once the road levelled, wishing them a merry Christmas. I turned left at the next junction, and saw in my mirror that they’d turned right.

I was soon at my back gate after a pleasant morning’s ride.

Distance 14.57 miles. Max 25.7 mph. Average 8.2mph. According to Garmin.
Ascent 333 ft. According to Bikehike