Glad I stayed in then! Just be glad you weren't doing a ton!
The 2018 Half Century a month Challenge chatzone
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Glad I stayed in then! Just be glad you weren't doing a ton!
Right decision it would have been utterly miserable . Cold and wet after 32 miles
Noodle Legs
Winging it
- Location
- Coalville, Leicestershire
Yeah there’s not a lot of fun in it, it becomes a mental thing. Or you have to be mental to ride in it in the first place, it’s one or the other!!
NorthernDave
Never used Über Member
- Location
- The real Northern Powerhouse
It’s all I ever do! I don’t pay too much attention to forecasts or apps, much like I avoid the news as much as possible. I look out and just ask myself “do I need a coat today?” Why depress yourself hours/days before planning a ride??
I know what you mean but it gives me an idea what time to set the alarm - I'm up at 5am for work during the week, so if the weather means no cycling I can have a lie in!
Chapeau!
I awoke this morning to an icy frost that was slippery enough underfoot when walking the attack terrier, then it started raining, then it started sleeting.
So once again the only cycling I've done today has been indoors
Elysian_Roads
Senior Member
Glad I wasn't the only one having such thoughts on the tail end of my ride out today. Luckily had no merc related near misses. Hope you are okay, @13 rider.
I'm fine thank you . Just a very near miss of the worst kind .
Elysian_Roads
Senior Member
What a difference a day makes. Sunny and dry (well from the sky anyway), and the kit has remained relatively clean. A bit windy but otherwise a much more pleasant ride. 52km under the wheels today, now off to clean the bikes.
Bazzer
Setting the controls for the heart of the sun.
- Location
- On the edge of reality
I should have joined you.
Yesterday I had thought of a metric century ride today, but the wind and rain battering my windows last night gave me second thoughts. Local flooding and branches on the roads this morning confirmed a more modest target was in order and I'm glad I made that choice. I found the wind chilling on exposed bits of flesh and after a handful of light showers, at around 17 miles found myself, quite literally, in the middle of a thunder and lightning hailstorm. A bit scary, given that apart from the ribbon of head height hedges, there wasn't a lot around and certainly nothing with a lump of metal between its legs.
The hailstone then continued to alternate with driving rain for the next 11 miles, during which time, although I became adept at cycling with one gloved hand over my eyebrows, a motorcycle flip down visor, would have been the ideal helmet accoutrement.
Arrived home, damp and with toes which were freezing.
On the positive side, my bike felt brilliant. For the last couple of months, with each ride it has been feeling rougher. The rear derailleur was largely changing according to its own time scale, which was traced to a frayed cable. Well traced, may not be entirely apposite. In an effort to track down the cause of the behaviour, the chain was changed and the rear mech and cassette stripped, cleaned and refitted. But when reindexing the gears a very loud crack from the sti levers revealed a badly frayed cable.
I knew the headset bearings were going, but the bike felt rough beyond that, so into the LBS it went. Some more new cables, bearings and general fettling later it feels like new again.
Elysian_Roads
Senior Member
Happy for you to join me in the Tropics of Berkshire, @Bazzer, as long as you don't bring that weather with you. So glad I didn't have hail out on the ride yesterday, think I might just have turned round and found the shortest route home.
"Found myself, quite literally, in the middle of a thunder and lightning hailstorm. A bit scary, given that apart from the ribbon of head height hedges, there wasn't a lot around and certainly nothing with a lump of metal between its legs.". That sounds like a good selling point to upgrade to Carbon Fibre!
At least the bike is running better
"Found myself, quite literally, in the middle of a thunder and lightning hailstorm. A bit scary, given that apart from the ribbon of head height hedges, there wasn't a lot around and certainly nothing with a lump of metal between its legs.
". That sounds like a good selling point to upgrade to Carbon Fibre!At least the bike is running better
Noodle Legs
Winging it
- Location
- Coalville, Leicestershire
I’ll start by saying “well it was sunny when I left!” to create the vibe for this ride.
Another one in the bag for feb- today I decided to have a bit of a toot around the wonderful Charnwood Forest and chalk off some climbs there that I had yet to tackle. But oh my days it was a tad blowy! Nevertheless the zwift sessions have improved my climbing skills (generally poor to nonexistent) to the point where I was able to chalk off said climbs, 1 straight into a headwind and the other was a cross wind with rain, then hail, then snow then back to sun again. Pretty much four seasons in one climb! But I soldiered on and managed to amass the 50km to get another point on the board. Off to thaw out now......
Another one in the bag for feb- today I decided to have a bit of a toot around the wonderful Charnwood Forest and chalk off some climbs there that I had yet to tackle. But oh my days it was a tad blowy! Nevertheless the zwift sessions have improved my climbing skills (generally poor to nonexistent) to the point where I was able to chalk off said climbs, 1 straight into a headwind and the other was a cross wind with rain, then hail, then snow then back to sun again. Pretty much four seasons in one climb! But I soldiered on and managed to amass the 50km to get another point on the board. Off to thaw out now......
Bazzer
Setting the controls for the heart of the sun.
- Location
- On the edge of reality
Happy for you to join me in the Tropics of Berkshire, @Bazzer, as long as you don't bring that weather with you. So glad I didn't have hail out on the ride yesterday, think I might just have turned round and found the shortest route home.
"Found myself, quite literally, in the middle of a thunder and lightning hailstorm. A bit scary, given that apart from the ribbon of head height hedges, there wasn't a lot around and certainly nothing with a lump of metal between its legs.
At least the bike is running better
Now just let me run that by Mrs B, (who by the way, cannot get her head around much of my cycling activities).........
NorthernDave
Never used Über Member
- Location
- The real Northern Powerhouse
It was lightly snowing here first thing when I got up to let the dog out (the delights of dog ownership...), so given the forecast I went back to bed for another hour or so then committed to do other things for the remainder of the day.
Needless to say, the snow-pocalypse has failed to materialise and the sun has been out from late morning. It is Baltic out there though.
A missed opportunity then thanks to yet another round of incorrect weather forecasting - the Met Office weather warning appears to have been yet another episode of them crying wolf. I managed to squeeze in 20km of indoor cycling but it's not the same is it...?
Needless to say, the snow-pocalypse has failed to materialise and the sun has been out from late morning. It is Baltic out there though.
A missed opportunity then thanks to yet another round of incorrect weather forecasting - the Met Office weather warning appears to have been yet another episode of them crying wolf. I managed to squeeze in 20km of indoor cycling but it's not the same is it...?
Noodle Legs
Winging it
- Location
- Coalville, Leicestershire
I don’t know what the weatherman said (there’s a song in there somewhere!It was lightly snowing here first thing when I got up to let the dog out (the delights of dog ownership...), so given the forecast I went back to bed for another hour or so then committed to do other things for the remainder of the day.
Needless to say, the snow-pocalypse has failed to materialise and the sun has been out from late morning. It is Baltic out there though.
A missed opportunity then thanks to yet another round of incorrect weather forecasting - the Met Office weather warning appears to have been yet another episode of them crying wolf. I managed to squeeze in 20km of indoor cycling but it's not the same is it...?
)but here in Leicestershire it was sunny, cool but very windy! 25 miles later and mid climb however I had several different weather fronts come at me seemingly all at once! That said, if I’d have had your conditions I’d have done the same and smashed zwift! 
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NorthernDave
Never used Über Member
- Location
- The real Northern Powerhouse
I don’t know what the weatherman said (there’s a song in there somewhere!
There was a yellow weather warning for snow and ice, forecast for sleet showers, heavy at times, temperature of 2C (but feeling like -4C) and a 20mph wind gusting at up to 36mph.
It's certainly been cold, but I've seen no snow apart from that bit at about 7:30am and it is nowhere near as windy as they reckoned either. We had probably 3 hours of near unbroken sunshine from late morning too!
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Elysian_Roads
Senior Member
Can only say I am glad I went out this morning, as mid afternoon we had a couple of sleet showers here. One very quick the other a little bit longer, but wouldn't have made for pleasant cycling. Two weeks until the next riding weekend. Hope the weather makes up its mind what it is doing by then.There was a yellow weather warning for snow and ice, forecast for sleet showers, heavy at times, temperature of 2C (but feeling like -4C) and a 20mph wind gusting at up to 36mph.
It's certainly been cold, but I've seen no snow apart from that bit at about 7:30am and it is nowhere near as windy as they reckoned either. We had probably 3 hours of near unbroken sunshine for about 3 hours from late morning too!
