numbnuts
Legendary Member
- Location
- Gone over the hill and far away
That didn't take long, got to the gate and it started to 
I'll try tomorrow
I'll try tomorrow
Your ride today.... (part 1)
- Thread starter gbb
- Start date
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Donger
Convoi Exceptionnel
- Location
- Quedgeley, Glos.
It turns out that me and the other one, Rowland, share that same favourite film; Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and the fit one, Peter, is/was a musical theatre actor/dancer/singer who played the lead, Caracatus Potts in the stage version of Chitty for six months at the London Palladium. We found this nugget of information out in the last 5 miles of the ride. So 3 men in Lycra in our mid fifties are riding three-a-breast down a single track country road singing a muddley of songs from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. I wish I had had my Go Pro with me today.
View attachment 52250 View attachment 52251
Does not compute. getting far too surreal for me.
Looked out the windows at 7am, bone dry, got to the club start point, sun was out and I was considering putting sun cream on. Headed off on the ride, all great for the first hour, then torrential rain for the just about the next two hours. Very wet, roads more like rivers, a few punctures in the group, at least the breeze was warm!
The group splintered between the slightly faster and not quite as fast as the race for cafe and to get out of the rain ensued. I nearly had an off as I drifted into a puddle that was a hole, the deceleration caught out the rider behind who hit my back wheel and took a tumble. Bit of road rash and twisted shifters but nothing too serious.
52 miles done in the pouring rain at 16.5 mph.
Considering moving from the medium group to the advanced, my legs don't feel like they've done a ride today, I must be getting fitter.
The group splintered between the slightly faster and not quite as fast as the race for cafe and to get out of the rain ensued. I nearly had an off as I drifted into a puddle that was a hole, the deceleration caught out the rider behind who hit my back wheel and took a tumble. Bit of road rash and twisted shifters but nothing too serious.
52 miles done in the pouring rain at 16.5 mph.
Considering moving from the medium group to the advanced, my legs don't feel like they've done a ride today, I must be getting fitter.
Gravity Aided
Legendary Member
- Location
- Land of Lincoln
View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTTzcXSLjhI
And look, it's everybody from the James Bond Films!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chitty_Chitty_Bang_Bang
- Location
- Cambridgeshire alps
A couple of weeks ago Mrs Dave announced that she'd like to demo a road bike after having a short go on the Canondale I'd hired in Mallorca. We went to look in a shop the other week, but no more was done.
She's been working in Germany this week and got back late last night. "What are we up to at the weekend?" She enquired.... "Dunno, go over to Grafham cycles?"
"Ok" she said.
So the nice lady at GC let her test some bikes, and she liked them all..... And after a few rides chose a Trek Lexa SLX. The bit that bowled me over was "I'm going clipless"
One pair of Look keo classics and a nice pair of Spesh shoes later and we're out of there.
I did a little bit of tinkering, making sure the pedals were as slack as could be and we went into the road. All was going well until she made her first decisive foray into the world of clipless moments....... To be honest, I was dreading this, but she was right up with a laugh! We ventured round the block, stopping and unclipping, stopping and unclipping. All was going well until..... Another moment. This time with bruised bar tape. Had it have been me I'd have sulked and gone home, but not her!
We went out past the shop in Hardwick, then I said we'd go out to the roundabout in Caldecot, then return. At the roundabout I asked her if she fancied looping it around to Toft and back up the road (careful not to mention any inclines....)
Jo was loving the bike, chalk and cheese to her Trek hybrid, easier hills, more direct speed etc. as we cycled up the gradual, but mile or so hill to Hardwick she commented on how it almost killed her on the hybrid, and there she was, bloody kneed, spinning happily up the hill! So her first ride was 7 miles, and we just briefly had 20mph.
I'm sat here typing this, she's singing along in the kitchen to the appropriately named band "first aid kit" and wearing my cycling shorts!
In a billion years, I never thought she'd go clipless. I'm still learning, and being impressed after knowing her for 25 years!
She's been working in Germany this week and got back late last night. "What are we up to at the weekend?" She enquired.... "Dunno, go over to Grafham cycles?"
"Ok" she said.
So the nice lady at GC let her test some bikes, and she liked them all..... And after a few rides chose a Trek Lexa SLX. The bit that bowled me over was "I'm going clipless"
One pair of Look keo classics and a nice pair of Spesh shoes later and we're out of there.
I did a little bit of tinkering, making sure the pedals were as slack as could be and we went into the road. All was going well until she made her first decisive foray into the world of clipless moments....... To be honest, I was dreading this, but she was right up with a laugh! We ventured round the block, stopping and unclipping, stopping and unclipping. All was going well until..... Another moment. This time with bruised bar tape. Had it have been me I'd have sulked and gone home, but not her!
We went out past the shop in Hardwick, then I said we'd go out to the roundabout in Caldecot, then return. At the roundabout I asked her if she fancied looping it around to Toft and back up the road (careful not to mention any inclines....)
Jo was loving the bike, chalk and cheese to her Trek hybrid, easier hills, more direct speed etc. as we cycled up the gradual, but mile or so hill to Hardwick she commented on how it almost killed her on the hybrid, and there she was, bloody kneed, spinning happily up the hill! So her first ride was 7 miles, and we just briefly had 20mph.
I'm sat here typing this, she's singing along in the kitchen to the appropriately named band "first aid kit" and wearing my cycling shorts!
In a billion years, I never thought she'd go clipless. I'm still learning, and being impressed after knowing her for 25 years!
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Glow worm
Legendary Member
- Location
- Near Newmarket
An unusual, but fun one today.
A quick 6 mile round trip to Burwell for some shopping became a much longer ride when two young cyclists called me over just after I left the house. They were two foreign students and hopelessly lost, hoping to ride the 24 miles from Cambridge (where they're based), to Ely. Their map was awful. I began trying to explain the way, but it was no good, so I guided them 7 or so miles as far as Wicken.
Sally, from Oregon, and Grace from Hong Kong, on awful, clunky, hired BSOs were even slower than me, but I didn't mind and it was fun finding out about their home countries. They didn't know much about the area so I was a kind of guide for a few miles.
They'd never seen a kestrel before or heard the yellowhammer, so it was fun pointing stuff like that out to them. I realised there's a lot about this area I probably take for granted sometimes, like the birds, the quiet lanes and tracks and the tranquility. Riding with strangers to the area brought it back to me how lucky I am to have such great country on my doorstep.
We said our goodbyes at Wicken and I directed them the 6 miles to Ely, where they planned to get the train back after visiting the cathedral. I hope they made it OK. Explaining to Mrs G when I got home that I'd spent the morning with two young ladies proved rather tricky!
A quick 6 mile round trip to Burwell for some shopping became a much longer ride when two young cyclists called me over just after I left the house. They were two foreign students and hopelessly lost, hoping to ride the 24 miles from Cambridge (where they're based), to Ely. Their map was awful. I began trying to explain the way, but it was no good, so I guided them 7 or so miles as far as Wicken.
Sally, from Oregon, and Grace from Hong Kong, on awful, clunky, hired BSOs were even slower than me, but I didn't mind and it was fun finding out about their home countries. They didn't know much about the area so I was a kind of guide for a few miles.
They'd never seen a kestrel before or heard the yellowhammer, so it was fun pointing stuff like that out to them. I realised there's a lot about this area I probably take for granted sometimes, like the birds, the quiet lanes and tracks and the tranquility. Riding with strangers to the area brought it back to me how lucky I am to have such great country on my doorstep.
We said our goodbyes at Wicken and I directed them the 6 miles to Ely, where they planned to get the train back after visiting the cathedral. I hope they made it OK. Explaining to Mrs G when I got home that I'd spent the morning with two young ladies proved rather tricky!
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Saluki
World class procrastinator
- Location
- ...Norwich over the water.
1st ride of my holiday - at home. We were going to ride the Wattlefield loop but got half way around and headed off to Fundenhall with a view to riding home via Ashwellthorpe. Neither of us fancied that long old drag up the Wymondham road through Ashwellthorpe so turned right and went through the middle of Wreningham instead, out on the Hethel Road and past Lotus and along the cyclepath and then home.
The last 2 miles were somewhat soggy and I fancy there was some hail in that very hard downpour too. I knew it was going to rain as soon as Hubster said "better get a wiggle on and get the laundry in before it rains". Within seconds I could feel a light drizzle in the air and then half a minute later we were soaked to the skin with proper heavy stair-rod rain that bounced off the road.
I'm not convinced that the brakes are as good in the rain on that PX as the ones on the Defy. I could be mistaken though but the bike was not slowing down as we approached the junction, despite me yawing on the brakes and yelling 'stop you bugger'. I'm wondering if the yelling startled the bike and made it go faster. Maybe that's just horses though.
1 hour 6 minutes (we slowed down after brakegate) for 15.02 miles in mostly nice weather.
Naturally, the moment we got in our gate, the sun has come out and the laundry is still on the line drying again.
The last 2 miles were somewhat soggy and I fancy there was some hail in that very hard downpour too. I knew it was going to rain as soon as Hubster said "better get a wiggle on and get the laundry in before it rains". Within seconds I could feel a light drizzle in the air and then half a minute later we were soaked to the skin with proper heavy stair-rod rain that bounced off the road.
I'm not convinced that the brakes are as good in the rain on that PX as the ones on the Defy. I could be mistaken though but the bike was not slowing down as we approached the junction, despite me yawing on the brakes and yelling 'stop you bugger'. I'm wondering if the yelling startled the bike and made it go faster. Maybe that's just horses though.
1 hour 6 minutes (we slowed down after brakegate) for 15.02 miles in mostly nice weather.
Naturally, the moment we got in our gate, the sun has come out and the laundry is still on the line drying again.
Dark46
Veteran
- Location
- Quedgeley, Gloucester
Gravity Aided
Legendary Member
- Location
- Land of Lincoln
17 miles today, trying out Endomondo, as Map My Ride is playing up lately for me. I went past the windmill farm to reach the time trial 3 mile stretch of road, and round about the cornfields before heading home to cod and scallops with potatoes for dinner. Somewhat hilly for the Midwest, A good ride, rather warm at 85 f, but very little wind. Not much picturesque happened today, but assuredly tomorrow, when I take a new to me mountain bike for an inaugural voyage.
coffeejo
Ælfrēd
- Location
- West Somerset
Went out with my cycling group yesterday to explore the history and ruins of the nineteenth century mining operations in the Brendon Hills and Exmoor. One of our members is an avid local historian and does a factual ride for us every year. They're always fascinating but this one was hillier than normal!
Blue skies marked the start and finish of the ride in Bishops Lydeard but our time on the Brendons was a tad soggy as these two photos illustrate, both taken at The Incline on the edge of Exmoor just a few minutes apart!
Blue skies marked the start and finish of the ride in Bishops Lydeard but our time on the Brendons was a tad soggy as these two photos illustrate, both taken at The Incline on the edge of Exmoor just a few minutes apart!
- Location
- Egham
Love those 2 pics
coffeejo
Ælfrēd
- Location
- West Somerset
Thanks. I was less appreciative when the rain fell. And by fell, I mean a proper summer storm with thunder, lightning and raindrops the size of small dogs.
Elybazza61
Guru
Not today but Thursday did a Gran Fondo ride of 140k from work in Cambridge home to Ely via Great Thurlow to the south and then back via Southery in Norfolk;main highlight was two F15's taking off as I went past Lakenheath airfield.
http://www.strava.com/activities/173615912
And yesterday was a Club run of just under 70k with a stop for espresso and cake
http://www.strava.com/activities/174275411
http://www.strava.com/activities/173615912
And yesterday was a Club run of just under 70k with a stop for espresso and cake
http://www.strava.com/activities/174275411
Dark46
Veteran
- Location
- Quedgeley, Gloucester
Just hot back from KCC ride, first climbs I've ever done. I had to get off on 2nd legs just didn't want to play ball. Really pleased in general as today was record distance ride too at 40.71 miles(65.5km). Plus today we didn't stop for coffee and cake either half way which I blame Gordon for!
Strava map as soon as I've downloaded from Garmin but there seems to be a problem I have had to do a manual addition to Strava . Not impressed with that as no sectors and can't see how bad I did on the hills. Bit I did 40.97 mph downhill on other side of Horsepools hill to Painswick.
Think I may have pushed it abit downhill with a new top speed of 43.4 mph
Strava map as soon as I've downloaded from Garmin but there seems to be a problem I have had to do a manual addition to Strava . Not impressed with that as no sectors and can't see how bad I did on the hills. Bit I did 40.97 mph downhill on other side of Horsepools hill to Painswick.
Think I may have pushed it abit downhill with a new top speed of 43.4 mph
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Donger
Convoi Exceptionnel
- Location
- Quedgeley, Glos.
Just had a long hot relaxing bath after our latest Kingsway Cycle Club outing. For me it was just 37.8 miles, but it was quite a work out. Got up both of the big hills without stopping, but near the back of the field. The first was Horspools Hill on the main Gloucester to Stroud road, which I have done loads of times before. The second was new territory for me, on the Chalford side of Stroud, climbing up a nasty little beast called Hyde Hill up to Minchinhampton and Rodborough Commons. No photos - too busy keeping up. Sprinted the entire length of Ebley By-pass averaging over 20mph, which was a first for me. Then back via Frampton and the lanes, with me firmly taking up the back of the field. Good company and a great route this week.
One sour note was that some twonk in a VW Golf wing mirrored one of our number off his bike and into a hedge on the climb up Hyde Hill - then drove off without seeing whether he was OK (which he was). The same rider then proceeded to have a clipless "moment" outside the Bear at Rodborough, just a mile or so along the road. Just one of those days. What I really did like, was the way the others formed a protective cordon around him straight away to keep him from being driven over, and the general way they all signalled hazards like potholes, gravel, cars etc to the group.Someone also always came back to look for whoever was at the back. Feels like a good bunch of guys to ride with..
One sour note was that some twonk in a VW Golf wing mirrored one of our number off his bike and into a hedge on the climb up Hyde Hill - then drove off without seeing whether he was OK (which he was). The same rider then proceeded to have a clipless "moment" outside the Bear at Rodborough, just a mile or so along the road. Just one of those days. What I really did like, was the way the others formed a protective cordon around him straight away to keep him from being driven over, and the general way they all signalled hazards like potholes, gravel, cars etc to the group.Someone also always came back to look for whoever was at the back. Feels like a good bunch of guys to ride with..
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