Your ride today.... (part 1)

[stephec]

For the third day in a row, I set off for a 15 mile potter.
Yesterday my gears had been playing up but today they seemed ok.
At the half way point though, I had difficulty changing down as I headed up an incline.
I cursed a bit then cursed a lot, as the realisation that a gear cable had snapped, set in!

I wasn't sure what to do, so tried to move the chain manually onto a ring that I could limp home in.
That didn't work and the chain slipped back.
So, I completed the last 7.5 miles in 19th gear.
I am so gonna hurt tomorrow!!

Priscilla will be going to the bike shop, probably on Friday...hoping it's not a long or expensive job!
PS if anyone wants to pop round and fix it, there's coffee and cake waiting

Changing a cable's a ten minute job, why don't you buy one and watch a video of how to do it?

 

[nickyboy]

Glossop is a long way from the seaside, When summer arrives, a man's thoughts turn to the lapping of the waves, sandcastles and people with bad sunburn.
In my best "Brendan from Coachtrip" voice.....

."Today we're going to ......Llandudno!!"

There's a problem though. As I have already said, Glossop is a long way from the seaside....113 miles of long way to be exact. But with another idiot up for it to accompany me, warm sunshine and a light Easterly it was on. Up at 06.20 to force down a bowl of porridge, 07.00 we are scheduled to be on our way.

Here's the mean machine ready to go

Now I sweat a lot, and 25 degrees was forecast. During the ride I managed to drink the following:
2 x 900ml of water with a bit of juice
2 x 900ml of water from the nice ladies in the café who refilled the bottles for me
1 x 500ml diet coke at the café
2 x 500ml of "isotonic" orange juice
1 x 500ml diet coke in Llandudno
Plus......a final bit of hydration that you have to scroll down to the end of the trip report to see

Loads of nice country lanes through Cheshire once we cleared the rush hour around Poynton and Wilmslow. Then a rather boring (but flat) stretch of A548 through Connah's Quay, Flint etc. Then the highlight of the ride. 25 miles on the NCN5 which takes in a load of metalled cycle paths right next to the beach. It was like an itinerary from the N Wales tourist board; Prestatyn, Rhyl, Colwyn Bay, Rhos on Sea and Llandudno. I tried to take a nice picture of my buddy cycling with the sun, sand, sea but seems riding and cycling at the same time isn't as easy as it looks. All I got was a picture of the road

Finally arrived in Llandudno. Here comes the food porn

Now I had prebooked a train back to Manchester but time was tight. Ended up stuffing my face with the fish and chips then a mental fast ride to Llandudno Junction train station. Made it,,,,just

Back home, half a pork pie and this

Sorted. 113 miles, 4000ft climbing (flattish...woohoo), 15mph average. My longest ever ride. The amazing thing is my riding buddy was continuing on to Pwllheli...another 52 miles.

 

[coffeejo]

Glossop is a long way from the seaside, When summer arrives, a man's thoughts turn to the lapping of the waves, sandcastles and people with bad sunburn.
In my best "Brendan from Coachtrip" voice.....

."Today we're going to ......Llandudno!!"

There's a problem though. As I have already said, Glossop is a long way from the seaside....113 miles of long way to be exact. But with another idiot up for it to accompany me, warm sunshine and a light Easterly it was on. Up at 06.20 to force down a bowl of porridge, 07.00 we are scheduled to be on our way.

Here's the mean machine ready to go

View attachment 51293

Now I sweat a lot, and 25 degrees was forecast. During the ride I managed to drink the following:
2 x 900ml of water with a bit of juice
2 x 900ml of water from the nice ladies in the café who refilled the bottles for me
1 x 500ml diet coke at the café
2 x 500ml of "isotonic" orange juice
1 x 500ml diet coke in Llandudno
Plus......a final bit of hydration that you have to scroll down to the end of the trip report to see

Loads of nice country lanes through Cheshire once we cleared the rush hour around Poynton and Wilmslow. Then a rather boring (but flat) stretch of A548 through Connah's Quay, Flint etc. Then the highlight of the ride. 25 miles on the NCN5 which takes in a load of metalled cycle paths right next to the beach. It was like an itinerary from the N Wales tourist board; Prestatyn, Rhyl, Colwyn Bay, Rhos on Sea and Llandudno. I tried to take a nice picture of my buddy cycling with the sun, sand, sea but seems riding and cycling at the same time isn't as easy as it looks. All I got was a picture of the road

Finally arrived in Llandudno. Here comes the food porn

View attachment 51297

Now I had prebooked a train back to Manchester but time was tight. Ended up stuffing my face with the fish and chips then a mental fast ride to Llandudno Junction train station. Made it,,,,just

Back home, half a pork pie and this

View attachment 51298

Sorted. 113 miles, 4000ft climbing (flattish...woohoo), 15mph average. My longest ever ride. The amazing thing is my riding buddy was continuing on to Pwllheli...another 52 miles.

Nice.

 

[Donger]

Here comes the food porn

View attachment 51297

Now I had prebooked a train back to Manchester but time was tight. Ended up stuffing my face with the fish and chips then a mental fast ride to Llandudno Junction train station. Made it,,,,just

Back home, half a pork pie and this

View attachment 51298

Sorted. 113 miles, 4000ft climbing (flattish...woohoo), 15mph average. My longest ever ride. The amazing thing is my riding buddy was continuing on to Pwllheli...another 52 miles.

Chapeau Sir! Nice looking plate of chips, there. Suppose at my weight I should really cut that sort of thing out ..... but I'm no quitter.

 

[Dark46]

Looking at everyone's milage gives me hope for what I may be able to do in the future.

Today went round they longley loop again and set a PB for the whole ride and got 10 trophies out of 12 sectors! Well chuffed , it's going to be hard to beat. It may be only 12.8 miles each night but the miles rack up and after the ride with the KCC last Sunday should too 100 miles for the week . Which I'm amazed at.

Today was the first time out with my new Garmin Edge Touring , I was really pleased they it performed and the display worked on the route .

 

[ScotiaLass]

Changing a cable's a ten minute job, why don't you buy one and watch a video of how to do it?

You're funny....
I really wouldn't know where to start - I'm not good with my hands sweetie....

 

[stephec]

You're funny....
I really wouldn't know where to start - I'm not good with my hands sweetie....

I don't believe that.

It's easy, watching some videos will give you an idea what to do.

 

[stephec]

Glossop is a long way from the seaside, When summer arrives, a man's thoughts turn to the lapping of the waves, sandcastles and people with bad sunburn.
In my best "Brendan from Coachtrip" voice.....

."Today we're going to ......Llandudno!!"

There's a problem though. As I have already said, Glossop is a long way from the seaside....113 miles of long way to be exact. But with another idiot up for it to accompany me, warm sunshine and a light Easterly it was on. Up at 06.20 to force down a bowl of porridge, 07.00 we are scheduled to be on our way.

Here's the mean machine ready to go

View attachment 51293

Now I sweat a lot, and 25 degrees was forecast. During the ride I managed to drink the following:
2 x 900ml of water with a bit of juice
2 x 900ml of water from the nice ladies in the café who refilled the bottles for me
1 x 500ml diet coke at the café
2 x 500ml of "isotonic" orange juice
1 x 500ml diet coke in Llandudno
Plus......a final bit of hydration that you have to scroll down to the end of the trip report to see

Loads of nice country lanes through Cheshire once we cleared the rush hour around Poynton and Wilmslow. Then a rather boring (but flat) stretch of A548 through Connah's Quay, Flint etc. Then the highlight of the ride. 25 miles on the NCN5 which takes in a load of metalled cycle paths right next to the beach. It was like an itinerary from the N Wales tourist board; Prestatyn, Rhyl, Colwyn Bay, Rhos on Sea and Llandudno. I tried to take a nice picture of my buddy cycling with the sun, sand, sea but seems riding and cycling at the same time isn't as easy as it looks. All I got was a picture of the road

Finally arrived in Llandudno. Here comes the food porn

View attachment 51297

Now I had prebooked a train back to Manchester but time was tight. Ended up stuffing my face with the fish and chips then a mental fast ride to Llandudno Junction train station. Made it,,,,just

Back home, half a pork pie and this

View attachment 51298

Sorted. 113 miles, 4000ft climbing (flattish...woohoo), 15mph average. My longest ever ride. The amazing thing is my riding buddy was continuing on to Pwllheli...another 52 miles.

Look at that fish, nice!

Weren't you riding into the wind going that way though?

 

[ColinJ]

... there was a clunk as I changed to the 28 sprocket. I looked down and saw that the chain was wedged between the spokes and the cassette. I thought it was an endstop problem but it turned out that one of my jockey wheels had come loose.

Er ...

The other problem with the bike was that the transmission had started squeaking, rumbling and feeling rough on my hard century ride last Friday. I thought that the bottom bracket or chain might be dying on me. In fact, the problem was that my experiment of lubing the chain with chain saw oil was a gloopy failure - the thick oil was a dirt magnet! I cleaned 90% of the muck from the chain while it was on the bike, then took it off and got most of the rest off using degreaser, cotton buds, rags and an old toothbrush. I also took the rear mech. to bits and degunked and lubed the jockey wheels, and cleaned the cassette and chainrings.

 

[EltonFrog]

2 laps of 5.43 miles today to test my new gear cables and covers. A bloody nightmare fitting these things I wish I sent the bike to lbs and had it done by a pro.

 

[nickyboy]

Look at that fish, nice!

Weren't you riding into the wind going that way though?

The fish was cod, fried to order and was really delicious. Today was perfect because it was roughly easterly which is a rarity around these parts. Doing this ride into a prevailing W or SW would be a nightmare because particularly the last 25 miles is right on the coast and totally exposed. And when I say "right on the coast" what I mean is sand-from-the-beach-blowing across-the-path type close

 

[gavgav]

Getting a bit bored with the Tour de France as it is getting a bit predictable, so I got out and did my own Tour des Malverns in the sunshine today. I'd never been up any of the hills to the South of the Upton to Ledbury road (A4104), so I started from South of Castlemorton Common and felt my way along the eastern edge of the hills and got as high up as I could. Starting climbing in the full sunshine at 12:00 ..... Mad dogs and Englishmen! Surprisingly lovely there. It was like The Shire, Middle Earth up there, with unusual houses and leafy lanes winding through the woods.

View attachment 51254 View attachment 51264

Eventually, I had to turn back towards Welland, down in the valley, but I got this nice shot of the heather on top of the Malverns by the top of Castlemorton Common first.
View attachment 51263

Once I'd done the bits that were new to me, I set off to meet an old enemy, in the shape of a half mile stretch of 14% hill followed immediately by another mile or so of slightly easier climbing up to British Camp (the top of the road, where Worcestershire gives way to Herefordshire). In the next shot, you can just make outpart of the nasty bit of the road as it picks its way past Welland Church. This stretch had beaten me on my previous two attempts. I'd got up it, but had been forced to stop on both occasions. This time I just got my head down and concentrated on the tarmac under my front wheel, and made sure I got my breathing right. Miracle of miracles, this time I made it up to British Camp without stopping. Celebrated with a rum and raisin icecream from the cafe at the top, which always seems to have a cluster of cyclist sat recovering. I compared notes with a few, none of whom would touch the climb up from Welland, a it is known as a b@st@rd round these parts. That made me feel good.
View attachment 51265 View attachment 51266

From British Camp, I headed off (upwards again, for a bit) towards Upper Colwall and West Malvern, where it was downhill all the way into Great Malvern, then upwards, ever upwards again and back across the middle of the range, just stopping for this picture when it was clear that it would be the last panorama of the Vale of Gloucester beneath. Slow going, but never felt better after 10 miles of climbing.
View attachment 51267

Just had time for another rum and raisin icecream from the cafe at British Camp before setting a new PB on the descent to Welland, doing 37.5mph despite my map holder with aerofoil tendencies. 23.9 miles today, very little of it flat. Lovely half day out. Very much recommended.
Cheers, Donger.

Fabulous area. I used to live in Worcester and loved heading to the malverns. Especially the Malvern hills hotel at British camp!

 

[ColinJ]

Glossop is a long way from the seaside, When summer arrives, a man's thoughts turn to the lapping of the waves, sandcastles and people with bad sunburn.
In my best "Brendan from Coachtrip" voice.....

."Today we're going to ......Llandudno!!"

There's a problem though. As I have already said, Glossop is a long way from the seaside....113 miles of long way to be exact. But with another idiot up for it to accompany me, warm sunshine and a light Easterly it was on. Up at 06.20 to force down a bowl of porridge, 07.00 we are scheduled to be on our way.

Here's the mean machine ready to go

View attachment 51293

Now I sweat a lot, and 25 degrees was forecast. During the ride I managed to drink the following:
2 x 900ml of water with a bit of juice
2 x 900ml of water from the nice ladies in the café who refilled the bottles for me
1 x 500ml diet coke at the café
2 x 500ml of "isotonic" orange juice
1 x 500ml diet coke in Llandudno
Plus......a final bit of hydration that you have to scroll down to the end of the trip report to see

Loads of nice country lanes through Cheshire once we cleared the rush hour around Poynton and Wilmslow. Then a rather boring (but flat) stretch of A548 through Connah's Quay, Flint etc. Then the highlight of the ride. 25 miles on the NCN5 which takes in a load of metalled cycle paths right next to the beach. It was like an itinerary from the N Wales tourist board; Prestatyn, Rhyl, Colwyn Bay, Rhos on Sea and Llandudno. I tried to take a nice picture of my buddy cycling with the sun, sand, sea but seems riding and cycling at the same time isn't as easy as it looks. All I got was a picture of the road

Finally arrived in Llandudno. Here comes the food porn

View attachment 51297

Now I had prebooked a train back to Manchester but time was tight. Ended up stuffing my face with the fish and chips then a mental fast ride to Llandudno Junction train station. Made it,,,,just

Back home, half a pork pie and this

View attachment 51298

Sorted. 113 miles, 4000ft climbing (flattish...woohoo), 15mph average. My longest ever ride. The amazing thing is my riding buddy was continuing on to Pwllheli...another 52 miles.

Sounds great.

When I am out on a ride though, if I buy a Coke (Pepsi etc.) it would always be one with proper sugar in it, not a chemical substitute!

 

[ScotiaLass]

Well, I decided I wanted to go for a ride and so would have to take Arabella (the Dawes hybrid for those that don't know) as Priscilla (the MTB) is awaiting a new gear cable (or at least the one that's there, sorting out).
I was a bit worried after the last time riding the Dawes (awful back pain due to my arthritis) but I went, armed with some tools.

I got to Helix Park and decided my seat needed to go up a good inch or so. I stopped and sorted that and it felt much better.
The rest of the ride was uneventful except for a thought that occurred to me re my riding position.
I got home and decided to wash the bike, even though it was only dusty.

Then I got the tools out and.....adjusted the handlebars DOH!!!
Perfect riding position! So much more comfortable (I rode her round the garden lol).

There is only one thing left now, and that's a new seat.
I'm sorry Dawes but your 'comfort' seat is anything but, for my lovely bottom
I am a very happy camper and can't wait to get my wire basket and panniers!

 

[Donger]

Fabulous area. I used to live in Worcester and loved heading to the malverns. Especially the Malvern hills hotel at British camp!

Yes, I loved it too. Was determined not to leave any hill unclimbed, and not to stop on any up slope. In the end, I did a god loop of all the main bits and saw every view on offer. Would like to have gone round again.