The 2023 Half Century (50km or 50m) Challenge Chatzone

[Ridgeback Roller]

Pleased it sealed ok. It’s always a dilemma what to do with tubeless once they have punctured. I find that they have a tendency to reopen on the next ride as the scab is scuffed away. Unseating them is a bit of a hassle but I did use the patch on the inside approach last week and it seems ok after 150 miles. I just used an ordinary patch as didn’t have any special ones for tyres.

I was pleasantly surprised by how well the sealant coped with what on the face of it is a reasonable size hole. I'm expecting to have the tubeless patches by mid week otherwise I would have gone down the same route, i.e. use an ordinary patch.

 

[Noodle Legs]

Only item of note on today's ride was my 1st tubeless 'puncture' since making the switch from tubes 2 months ago. I didn't notice it until I got home and saw the thins treak of rubber sealant on the underside of my saddle pack and up the seat post. Sure enough, found a 2-3mm cut in the rear tyre that had sealed without fuss, just lost about 10psi doing so. I've just topped up the sealant (Orange original) but it's got me thinking that maybe I ought to patch the inside of the tyre, so I've also order some Rema TT13 tubeless tyre patches and glue. So it's currently thumbs up for tubeless

Ditto, this happened to me today during my ride out around the familiar lanes of North Leicestershire and South Nottinghamshire. I’d just cleaned up the first one then caught it again, so I made the executive decision to plug it. First time I’ve ever had to do it and it went ok, just like @Ridgeback Roller the sealant did its job and only lost minimal pressure to boot. Replenished sealant once I got home (Muc off). Although the tyre is plugged I have to say I’ve been less than impressed overall with the tyre itself. I run Conti GP5000s which are supposedly a marked improvement on the 4000s however I failed to have that experience as I’ve only had them 18 months to 2 years and already they are perishing on the sidewalls! The compound seems much softer than their predecessor.

Other than the puncture(s) it was a lovely ride out, slightly cooler but still warm, and I even got to help a damsel in distress with her own puncture repair! Still not at peak fitness by some way but still enjoyable nonetheless.

35.9 in 2:14.

 

[Domus]

Ride 2 of the Friday’s French Tour
124.5 hilly Kms with added thunderstorms to stop us getting bored 😱

 

[Domus]

Ride 3 of French tour 97 Kms to Versailles. No dramas today. 👍
Cycle tour of Paris tomorrow.

 

[Domus]

Dipped out of day 4 due to French Delhi Belly which was a tour of Paris.
Recovered enough to tackle today’s ride of 133 Kms to Compiegne. Very hot all day tough day all try round.

 

[Domus]

Tough day in steady rain and relentless headwind into the Somme Valley, not as tough as my Grandfather had it though.
131 wet and windy Kms.

 

[bluenotebob]

I got into a bit of tangle with this challenge this month .. lots of rides in June but mostly short ones because of the heat. Until today I’d only booked two lengthy rides here and also in the Lunacy Challenge (my target distance is 70km) and one multi-bike ride. I’ve posted my Loony rides here so that all my points are in one place but it dawned on me that I hadn’t posted a HMCAM qualifying ride in June (I don’t count a multi-bike ride as my monthly qualifying ride .. it’s worth a point to me but I don’t want it to be my only ride in a month).

Part of the problem has been riding below 70km … once I’ve got up to 60/65km I keep going, pass 70km, then try and pass 75km (my stretch target) .. and having done that, try and get up to 81km for two points.

A couple of years ago, I separated these rides .. Loony rides in that thread and HMCAM rides here. Maybe I’ll revert to doing that in 2024.

Anyway, I was determined to do a ride today above 50km but below 70km – and I achieved that with a 58km ride. No incentive to carry on anyway as the temperature in Mauron when I got back to the van was 30C – and all I wanted was some shade and lots of liquid.

Le chemin des hortensias (hydrangeas) north of Ploërmel at lunchtime today

 

[Domus]

Another beast of a day in the hot sun.
Vimy Ridge was very moving. 141.89 Kms.
Ferry to Dover tomorrow then bailing for trains home. The climbs over the Downs with the clock ticking to get my train back up North do not appeal.

 

[ColinJ]

I just realised that I haven't done a '50' so far this month. I have done a 100 km forum ride, but I don't want to double-count rides (except that they will obviously also feature in the 3-plus-30-minute-plus-rides-a-week challenge) so I need to get a 50 in soon...

I have a Zoom call booked at 11:00 and thunderstorms threaten around 14:00, so probably not today (Sunday). The forecast is looking good for Monday so that would be a good time to do it, unless I decide to go for another 100 instead. Anyway, now that I have reminded myself I should be able to find 2.5 - 3.0 hours to do it sometime in the next 6 days.

 

[Willd]

First imperial century yesterday Been meaning to do it for a couple of years, but never got round to it and no, I won't be taking up the imperial century a month challenge next year. 7 hrs out of my day is fine in June, but doesn't look so much fun in January Likewise, my Eddington number target remains at 62, not 102

Things might change when I retire, if I can still ride a bike by then of course

 

[C R]

Finally June done. Lots of stuff getting in the way of cycling, so wasn't sure I would manage a challenge ride, but I did and I'm still in.

 

[Jon George]

I've been accumulating a fair points this month (for me ) and getting up a bit early today to mitigate the predicted heat was worth it.
This at Bealings.

 

[UphillSlowly]

Today I did a ride with my wife which was 49.1 km 😂. Claerwen Dam and Elan Valley.

We started the ride in different place than planned and didn't go all the way across one of the dams. But it was beautiful and had plenty of 50k rides in June.

Night before we had van-camped at a "Wild Camping" site nearby

View from the van last night:

 

[13 rider]

Forgot to add @UphillSlowly watch out for the thread moderater he's a cruel taskmaster who likes cracking the whip 😁 . To keep in his good book don't ride 49km and stop ☹️

Right that's it your in my bad books I mean 49.1km !!!!!! Argh . I might be on holiday but I still see everything

 

[13 rider]

Last 2 day warning operating purely from memory I think we still have 4 riders yet to post , I think @ColinJ has riden a qualifying distance but yet to post and all the otherwise the others tend to be late posters so hopefully we're all in , so a reminder ( told you no nudge list ) for @Chap sur le velo ,@Sbudge and @Milkfloat