Tiny rides of 2023

[Sixmile]

2.7 miles down to church (& 2.7 home) yesterday morning with the slaptop cajon bungeed on upsidedown on the rear rack.

I was fully expected 2 degrees to feel freezing in a pair of jeans but I was pleasantly surprised. Also pleasantly surprised how well the bungees held the box on the last 1/4 mile into town when the surface turns nasty due to how many times the road has been cut up and 'repaired'.

 

[annedonnelly]

I had to google "cajon". It's amazing the things you learn on this forum.

 

[All uphill]

Two tiny rides in one morning on the singlespeed.

First a two mile round trip to Screwfix to collect a new radiator thermostat. Very definitely quicker than the people in their cars this morning.

Home for a cuppa then off to return a bicycle lock I borrowed yesterday.

All enjoyable, although I don't like using a rucksack when cycling. I need to give the bike mechanic (me) a kick to get the do-it-all Marin back on the road.

Total of four miles, all at top speed.

 

[wafter]

Two tiny rides in one morning on the singlespeed.

First a two mile round trip to Screwfix to collect a new radiator thermostat. Very definitely quicker than the people in their cars this morning.

Home for a cuppa then off to return a bicycle lock I borrowed yesterday.

All enjoyable, although I don't like using a rucksack when cycling. I need to give the bike mechanic (me) a kick to get the do-it-all Marin back on the road.

Total of four miles, all at top speed.

Nice work - I think some of the best rides are the casual utility jaunts integrated effortlessly into daily life... especially if they contain added not-stuck-in-the-car-like-all-the-lazy-confirmist-brainwashed-knobbers smugness

 

[Gwylan]

2.7 miles down to church (& 2.7 home) yesterday morning with the slaptop cajon bungeed on upsidedown on the rear rack.

I was fully expected 2 degrees to feel freezing in a pair of jeans but I was pleasantly surprised. Also pleasantly surprised how well the bungees held the box on the last 1/4 mile into town when the surface turns nasty due to how many times the road has been cut up and 'repaired'.

Tell me more about the Cajon.

I'm in the process of making one

 

[Sixmile]

Tell me more about the Cajon.

I'm in the process of making one

I had a standard cajon and went to another church where a fella owned a slaptop which sounded nice. Did a bit of research and decided I'd get the Meinl Turbo which has a walnut top, composite sides, forward facing ports and a built in pick up with separate snare and bass level, a jack out and a line link. I found it very hard to get a consistant quality sound mic'd with the standard cajon (tried a sm58, rode M2 and shure beta 91a - which was the best) but still found the sound dependent on the lean, positioning etc of the player which always changed over a set. Standard cajon's have deeper bass but I found there's more of a range of sounds on the slaptop and is way friendlier to the sound team and much easier on the players back. One drawback is that you can't play anything with your feet with this on your lap, whereas you can with a standard cajon.

Plus it came with a padded fitted softcase which straps easily onto my bike or in the Air Pannier. Keeping it relevant to the biking community

 

[Gwylan]

I had a standard cajon and went to another church where a fella owned a slaptop which sounded nice. Did a bit of research and decided I'd get the Meinl Turbo which has a walnut top, composite sides, forward facing ports and a built in pick up with separate snare and bass level, a jack out and a line link. I found it very hard to get a consistant quality sound mic'd with the standard cajon (tried a sm58, rode M2 and shure beta 91a - which was the best) but still found the sound dependent on the lean, positioning etc of the player which always changed over a set. Standard cajon's have deeper bass but I found there's more of a range of sounds on the slaptop and is way friendlier to the sound team and much easier on the players back. One drawback is that you can't play anything with your feet with this on your lap, whereas you can with a standard cajon.

Plus it came with a padded fitted softcase which straps easily onto my bike or in the Air Pannier. Keeping it relevant to the biking community

Spurred me on to complete my project. Might be worthy of a photo, one day but not today.

 

[annedonnelly]

15th of January and my first bike ride of the year! The weather hasn't been great for cycling but even so I've been walking places that I'd normally ride to. But popped down to the garden I look after this afternoon and took the Brompton. Tidied the place up a bit, weeded a couple of beds and cleared some dead plants.

About 2.7 miles round trip.

 

[Sixmile]

Wee 6.2 mile round trip to a meeting yesterday evening via the leisure centre for 45 minutes on the weights.

Decided to take the electric bike as it's the one in the best running condition out of my fleet plus I don't have to worry about charging lights. It's becoming a regular choice in my cycling now which concerns me I took off the battery for the leisure centre stop and used my new lifeline lock in addition to my regular Abus D lock although I'm not sure how attractive batteryless ebikes are but I'm not taken any chances.

 

[a.twiddler]

15/1/25 am
Tiny Ride Today
Shopping on the Linear

A ride to the town centre for some vegetables. A mild, sunny day. I chose the Linear today.

Across the road and away in the direction of Swanlow Lane and the uphill traffic lights. I soon reached the A54 roundabout and came to a stop at a red light. Once I got going again I was slowed by a red pedestrian crossing light, then stopped at the town centre lights. Having got through that, there was a wait at the filter lane at the next lights. Right at the next two roundabouts, into a supermarket car park to lock up at a barrier. I was soon out again, getting ready to go across the car park, left and left again at the next two roundabouts, across the dual carriageway at some lights then left on to a pavement cycle lane. I was struck by how wide the cycle lane was here, compared to the narrowness of the pedestrian part.

I continued to the town centre lights. The cycle path suddenly ends here, with a staggered pedestrian crossing with railings, and it’s awkward for cyclists to cross without going right on Grange Lane for a bit. Fortunately I was going to use Grange Lane, so got across and went that way.

I came to the sports complex car park, crossed it to a path between the playing fields and headed for the exit barrier. There was a bright low sun with a lot of contrast which caused problems for my phone camera, but I tried anyway.

It was so easy getting up the slope through the barrier. Perhaps the knowledge that I had a lot of lower gears (as well as a lot of higher ones) helped but however it was, it worked. Up the steep lane, right at the junction with an estate road, uphill to the junction with Delamere St, left then some easy rolling in high gear to the A54 roundabout. A nice big gap in the traffic let me go straight across and soon I was rolling easily along Swanlow Lane. A brief halt at the Townfields Rd traffic lights, a blast downhill before my uphill turn off, then once over the hump, a leisurely trundle through the lanes to my back gate.

Today’s ride was such a contrast to the struggle I had with the Grasshopper on my last ride. I’m really not cut out for the European style of well reclined recumbents. Something more upright like this Linear does the job so much better for me.

Distance 5.9 miles. Max speed 20.6 mph. Average speed 8.1 mph.
Ascent 144 ft.

 

[a.twiddler]

15/1/25 pm
Tiny Ride Today
Linear Trip to Whitegate then Pick Up Takeaway.

This morning’s tiny ride had been so pleasant that I decided to do a longer ride this afternoon. I’d planned to go to Cotebrook via various lanes and bridleways to complete a ride I’d attempted before Christmas but ran out of time before it got dark. Mrs T had not been too well so the plan was to do the ride then get back about 5pm so she could cheer herself up with a takeaway. Off I went in the direction of Swanlow Lane, through the uphill traffic lights and to the A54 roundabout. I couldn’t help thinking how well the Linear was going, not fast but somehow pedalling so easily.

I went straight on to Delamere St, keeping pace with the slow moving traffic and soon came to the place where I needed to turn right. The traffic was busy in both directions and since I didn’t fancy waiting between two lanes of traffic for a space to turn I went a bit further, turned right into an entrance then came back and turned left. There was a nice bit of downhill before I needed to turn left into the lane that led through a barrier into the playing fields.

I usually come this way uphill so it was a pleasant change to roll carefully through the twigs and leaf debris that the recent rain and snow had washed over the tarmac surface before wriggling through the “A” frame barrier and letting the Linear run free downhill. This took me past most of the playing fields, up a short climb then through two right angle turns to the car park. Diagonally across the car park, then on to Grange Lane and gently downhill through an estate of houses.

As I was leaving the houses behind and starting to savour the ambience of the countryside my phone pinged several times. Expecting a shopping list, or instructions from Mrs T., I stopped under a tree to have a look at it.

A squeaking and barking sound worked its way into my consciousness as I was looking at my phone. Was there a dog nearby? It seemed to come from above. Were two birds having an altercation? I looked up and saw a squirrel not far above me, making quite a lot of noise. Had it just seen off a rival? Perhaps I was the threat. The squirrel equivalent to “Come over ‘ere if you think you’re ‘ard enough, yer slaag!”

Since I had my phone out, I took a rather fuzzy picture before it jumped to another branch.

A passer by commented on the squirrel before continuing to er, pass by.

I went back to my messages. I’d planned to get to Cotebrook and get home by 5 but Mrs T had found a kebab place that opened at 2:30. In my mind a balloon with Cotebrook on it went “pop”. Working out the time and my position led to another balloon slowly inflating with Whitegate Station on it. OK then. A ride to Whitegate Station, which was on my original route, and call in at the kebab place on the way home.

I got under way again, gaining speed down an increasing slope, hoping to rush up the other side of a dip, but had to slow down for an oncoming dog walker in the middle of the road. Well, no problem, I rolled steadily up the other side. I swung out at the barrier at the entrance to the Whitegate Way then went straight up the access ramp. This was so easy. The climb levelled into a gentle uphill. Even though it was damp underwheel with puddles in places the going was still good.

Groups of walkers, dog walkers, cyclists, the mild weather had brought them all out. Bare trees, low angled but bright sun. There were still remnants of ice in ponds in the shaded fields below but up on the embankment it was mild and sunny.

It didn’t take long to reach Whitegate Station car park where I made the acquaintance of my old mate Huw. Huw who, you might ask? Well, Huw Rinal of course. Never miss the chance to take a leak, you never know where the next opportunity might be.

Having reached the zenith of this trip I set off back towards the access at Grange Lane. As I started off I was passed by a couple of mountain bikers who I was tempted to chase as I was going well today, but then, I wanted to stretch this all too short ride out a bit, if not in terms of miles, at least in time.

Before long, despite my leisurely freewheeling, I was at the ramp down to the road. I wiggled through the narrow access, turned right, and was soon passing the spot where the irate squirrel episode occurred. Soon afterwards I rolled up outside the kebab place on time, but they actually opened at 3. I waited, made my order, then once served, packed my stuff and set off for home. I’d hoped to get away sooner, as the schools traffic was on the move.
Once on Delamere St. the traffic was slow moving to the A54 roundabout. There was a wait as the traffic was intense, then into a gap and across to Swanlow Lane, Townfields Road lights then having taken my turn off came to a standstill behind traffic as the school rush was on. I got through then freewheeled with my food delivery to my back gate through the lanes.

I would have liked to have had time to have gone further, but it was a pleasant ride, and the temperature was very mild for the time of year.

Distance 8.8 miles. Max 21.1mph. Average 7.7 mph. According to Garmin.
Elevation 260ft. According to Bikehike.

 

[a.twiddler]

27/1/25
Tiny Ride Today
Shopping on the Linear

Last week was quite something weatherwise, not much opportunity for cycling, and the stressful business of trying to sell the Grasshopper on that well known auction site. It’s always nice to buy a new (to me) bike but I’d forgotten what a strain it was waiting to see what prospective buyers might do when you come to sell one.

Anyhow, the Grasshopper sold over the weekend to someone who I think will appreciate it, and the weather was a bit more settled today.

Only a short trip for some shopping, nice in the sun but an unpredictable wind which was cold when the sun randomly disappeared. Once I got going en route to Swanlow Lane and the uphill traffic lights I found the wind was behind me. I thought I’d suffer on the way back, but made the most of the easy rolling through the lights and along Swanlow Lane to the A54 roundabout.

Here the traffic was free flowing, and I managed to get on to the roundabout just as the traffic got moving, round to the right and down the long downhill dual carriageway. I feared for my cap but it stayed on. I stopped at the first set of lights then rode easily to the right hand filter lane at the next one. Right here, right at the next two roundabouts then into a supermarket car park to lock up at a barrier.

I was soon in and out again. There seemed to be more elderly people about than usual so I held back for a while until the coast was clear, then launched on the path alongside the car park, downhill to the road where I turned right on to the pavement and on to a painted cycle lane. Following the cycle lane round a corner to the right, I nipped across the road on a pedestrian crossing, right along the road to the town centre lights.

Here I turned left uphill on to a short painted roadside cycle lane. When it ended I went up on to the pavement and continued up the hill. I tinged my bell coming up behind a man seemingly deep in thought. He stepped to one side and I raised a hand in acknowledgement.

While rolling uphill I thought about my experience with the Grasshopper. Within a week of buying it I’d gone down with pericarditis. The day after I sold it, I was contacted by my cardiologist to give me the all clear.

There are some that might link these unrelated events together. Synchronicity? The connectedness of the Universe? The Curse of the Grasshopper? Meh. It’s a nice idea but probably more to do with me having Covid a month before the pericarditis, and since the last scan was several weeks ago, it’s just taken a while for them to tell me the results, since they weren’t urgent.

It was reassuring to be riding along in the knowledge that I probably wasn’t going to depart this existence just yet. I was more worried about my cap blowing off in the fitful wind, so I took it off and stuffed it inside my body warmer.

I crossed over a minor road, and an oncoming woman walked to one side of the path, so I rode on the other. I said, “thank you” and carried on.

I reached the top of the hill and turned left on to the road again at Swanlow Lane. Here I had the wind and dazzling low sun in my face. I was still going well enough, but after half a mile or so I turned right through some bollards on to a sheltered lane which cut through on to an estate road.

It’s a bit difficult to keep finding new things to photograph when doing a regular route but I found a new spot to take a few.

I followed a road through an older but rather nice estate to a T junction, then went left a short distance until after winding about a bit, I reached my back gate.

Distance 3.93 miles. Max 23.2 miles. Average 7.5 mph. According to Garmin.
Ascent 135 ft. According to Bikehike,

 

[a.twiddler]

28/1/25
Tiny Ride Today
Trip to the Library on the Spirit

Cloudy, damp underwheel, but not actually raining. Very little wind, too. I decided to take the Spirit as I just needed to return a library book and the seat back bag had plenty of room for bits and pieces like that. Just an excuse for a ride, really. The Arkel panniers were awaiting refitting ex the Grasshopper but I’d noticed that when fitted they made slight contact with the rear suspension arm of the Spirit so I was waiting for a warmer day so I could attach some protective plastic film to it.

So, out through the gate, right on to the road and away towards Swanlow Lane and the uphill lights. The Spirit rolled easily though I noticed that some road vibration was getting through to the bars. Perhaps a hint to lower the front tyre pressure a smidge.

The BB is noticeably higher on the Spirit than the Linear but the expected contact of my legs with my abdomen wasn’t there. Perhaps the Christmas flabfest hasn’t had such a fattening effect this time round.

I carried on to the A54 roundabout where I stopped at the lights before going downhill to the right. I was going quite well, and was allowed by following traffic to move across to the right hand filter lane where traffic was stopped for quite a while before getting going again. Once I’d turned right I went left up a lowered kerb then along a broad pavement before turning in to arrive outside the Library. I locked up to a lamp post.

Having dropped off my book I was soon out again and along a cycle path,

then right on the road to the town centre lights. I turned left up the kerb en route to the long hill to Over roundabout.
I took some photos of the curious abbreviated painted cycle lane here. A truck obligingly hurtled past as I pressed the shutter, emphasising how it is not a pleasant place to be.

I’ve never seen a cyclist using it. They tend to hop straight on to the pavement at the lights. It seems part of the cyclists’ advance stop line set up on the other side of the lights, as there is one on the downhill side of the lights too. There’s nowhere to go but to stay on the road for that one where it ends, though it’s easier to keep some speed up in the downhill direction.

I steadily rolled up the hill meeting no one until I reached the top and turned left on to Swanlow Lane.

There was little wind though there was threatening dark cloud. I rolled along well enough along here. I noticed that there was a traffic island at the point that I’d turned right yesterday so I guessed there’d be another turning at the next one too. Sure enough, there was, with a staggered barrier which was easily accessible from this direction so I turned right and went through it. If I’d wanted to go through it from the other direction I’d have had to do a U turn, even though turning left.

It came out at almost the same point as the lane I’d taken yesterday on a road in a rather nice estate. I followed the road through to the same T junction as yesterday, went left, and after some winding about came to my back gate.

If the weather stays like this, maybe with less threat of rain, I might get a longer ride in before the end of January.

Distance 3.46 miles. Max speed 24.8 mph. Average 8 mph. According to Garmin.
Ascent 113 ft. According to Bikehike.

 

[Vantage]

First tiny unpowered ride of 2025 and I did unsurprisingly puke my guts up halfway round. This happens alot when I throw in some exertion.
I also accidently ran a big ring front and big cog back which jammed up everything. Took about 10 mins between drowning in snot (I have man flu) and coughing my guts up to fix that.
But alas I made it home alive.
I've a long way to go before I'm even remotely fit again.

4.3mph

 

[a.twiddler]

The things we do for fun!