The Imperial Century A Month Challenge Chatzone

[Soltydog]

Admitting defeat early I'm out this year. Wind doesn't look too bad for Sunday, but been out for a 20+ mile spin this aft after work, still a bit chesty, but legs ached after 3 miles into wind & I've been suffering with my back too lately, usually being on the bike helps, but today I was uncomfortable. Hate quitting, but I know if I try & do a century on Sunday I'm gonna pay for it whether I succeed or not
Best of luck to all those that are participating, hopefully I'll be back 2023 🤞

 

[sittingbull]

Sorry to hear that @Soltydog .

It's not quitting, it's a tactical decision so you can come back fitter and stronger

 

[Tribansman]

Yeah, that's rubbish for you @Soltydog , but a wise decision. Put yourself in quarantine in December!

 

[Fiona R]

Well here goes, last and only complete Imperial was 2019.

I was supposed to ride Chalke and Cheese audax 2 weekends ago but a family emergency put paid to that so I was ever so hopeful that I'd make up Jack and Grace 100km audax this weekend by riding to and fro. I did. It was very hard work as I had a month off over Christmas to isolate/Travel abroad to see family/isolate. No gym for 2 years either and my old cranky body needs it. I've done Jack and Grace 4 times since 2016, it was incredible to ride with lots of people again. A bit of a mudfest and a fair few downs but somehow I survived my 2 wobbles. I set out at 6am to ride through Chew Valley and skirt round the east of Bristol to Aztec West for 9am. Just made it. Rode with my husband up to Gloucester and back so it was very very tempting to jump in the car home and enjoy a cider at the end but I had a route plotted over Avonmouth Bridge and out to Clevedon. I left Almondsbury at 4, with a sunset all the way and the last light went as I reached Clevedon. That was 100km of headwind from Gloucester! Quick skate round the lanes of North Somerset and back home, except it wasn't quick as I was legless by then. Home at 6.45 so 12hrs 45m for 202km. It never gets easier and I just get slower. <20km/hr

 

[Trickedem]

Well here goes, last and only complete Imperial was 2019.

I was supposed to ride Chalke and Cheese audax 2 weekends ago but a family emergency put paid to that so I was ever so hopeful that I'd make up Jack and Grace 100km audax this weekend by riding to and fro. I did. It was very hard work as I had a month off over Christmas to isolate/Travel abroad to see family/isolate. No gym for 2 years either and my old cranky body needs it. I've done Jack and Grace 4 times since 2016, it was incredible to ride with lots of people again. A bit of a mudfest and a fair few downs but somehow I survived my 2 wobbles. I set out at 6am to ride through Chew Valley and skirt round the east of Bristol to Aztec West for 9am. Just made it. Rode with my husband up to Gloucester and back so it was very very tempting to jump in the car home and enjoy a cider at the end but I had a route plotted over Avonmouth Bridge and out to Clevedon. I left Almondsbury at 4, with a sunset all the way and the last light went as I reached Clevedon. That was 100km of headwind from Gloucester! Quick skate round the lanes of North Somerset and back home, except it wasn't quick as I was legless by then. Home at 6.45 so 12hrs 45m for 202km. It never gets easier and I just get slower. <20km/hr

Well done. Hopefully it will get easier as the year pregresses. Jan has always been a hard month for me.

 

[tinywheels]

I feel this sort of riding malarkey is best done in warmer weather.
it's much easier if the temperatures is up. stop torturing yourselfs

 

[Tribansman]

I'm only ever chilly on rides for first few mins till my engine gets going. So for me, find cooler weather easier as in summer get way too hot.

Each to their own!

 

[ianrauk]

I feel this sort of riding malarkey is best done in warmer weather.
it's much easier if the temperatures is up. stop torturing yourselfs

Nonsense,
Some of the best riding is on a cold, blue sky, dry, sunny day.

 

[Fiona R]

I'm only ever chilly on rides for first few mins till my engine gets going. So for me, find cooler weather easier as in summer get way too hot.

Each to their own!

As long as there is no ice and the wind is not blowing me off my bike I'll take cold over too hot any day. if I could choose it would be 15 degrees every ride

 

[sittingbull]

I try to avoid the extremes but would take hot over cold any day (but hate sunburn). I am becoming rather partial to night rides with greater freedom on the roads and (so far) calmer weather.

I guess the challenge gets harder the further north you are. I'm quite fortunate in that Merseyside and Cheshire have relatively mild winters, although I do remember a few years back waiting weeks for snow/ice to clear to get a qualifier in.

 

[Dogtrousers]

My ride last weekend, not an imperial century (just a metric but very hilly) was, according to my Garmin*, between 9 and 14 degrees. That was about perfect for me. I suffer a lot in hot weather. And I hate having to cover all exposed surfaces with thick white gloop to avoid sunburn.

* fancy, eh?

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

I got my February century done yesterday. Conditions were pretty good: dry, not too windy and fairly mild for the time of year however I was feeling the cold towards the end (yes, I'm nesh).

I'm really glad to have been able to get this one bagged early as I've got a few things going on this month.

104.1 miles at 12 mph moving average. Happy with that.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Well, that didn't go to plan.

Great route out to the Surrey Hills and back planned. Perfect crisp winter cycling weather. Coffee stop identified. Rack bag stuffed with tasty snacks. All well with the world.

Broke a spoke in my back wheel going up a steep hill after 20 miles. Wheel is still reasonably true, but the fact that it happened only just over a mile from a railway station seemed to be telling me something, so I bailed. First time I have ever broken a spoke.

I may need to take a day off work this month to stay in the challenge.

 

[sittingbull]

Unfortunate @Dogtrousers

Spokes break due to age, fatigue etc. and in my experience usually black ones and on the drive side

The month is still young

 

[Dogtrousers]

Unfortunate @Dogtrousers

Spokes break due to age, fatigue etc. and in my experience usually black ones and on the drive side

The month is still young

It was on the drive side. It was black. Unfortunately the wheel has only done a few thousand miles which makes me worry about it.

After an afternoon in the garage I nearly have a bike (with non matching wheels) again. Just a bit of fiddling left.

Science obviously hasn't come up with a material that can transmit the amazing power I produce when going up steep hills.