Your ride today.... (part 1)

[Donger]

Super effort!

A friend of mine did a loop up there taking in the climb and he said that it was one of his best rides ever

PS I notice that you have mirrors that fit where the bar plugs would normally go. I have a hard-of-hearing friend who could do with something like that to give her extra warning of cars coming up behind her. What is your opinion of the mirrors ... worth the money? Don't they catch on your knees?

Thanks Colin. I really rate the mirrors, though if I'm honest, I don't look in them as much as I should. They really come into their own in group rides, when you get some idiots overtaking on the wrong side or riding too close. They also act as a good warning of unwanted wheelsuckers! I got 2 of them because I take my bike with me every time I go abroad, and looking over your left shoulder takes some getting used to. My knees don't catch them, but they do get nudged out of position easily when you rest your bike against anything. They are really easy to place back in the correct position, though.

 

[ColinJ]

Thanks Colin. I really rate the mirrors, though if I'm honest, I don't look in them as much as I should. They really come into their own in group rides, when you get some idiots overtaking on the wrong side or riding too close. They also act as a good warning of unwanted wheelsuckers! I got 2 of them because I take my bike with me every time I go abroad, and looking over your left shoulder takes some getting used to. My knees don't catch them, but they do get nudged out of position easily when you rest your bike against anything. They are really easy to place back in the correct position, though.

Cheers. I will suggest to my friend that she should think about getting one (or two). She had a car following her up a singletrack hill on our Scottish trip and was oblivious to its presence and to me warning her about it.

 

[PeteXXX]

Nice blast around Pitsford Reservoir today in lovely sunshine.

The moles and rabbits have been busy digging holes on the ride down the hill from the south, making a couple of tyre traps for the unwary...

As the café was open, it would have been rude to not grab an Oreo cone with a flake popped in the top (By the time I'd ridden a short distance with it, it was starting to melt a bit!)
And, no... it's not a 'selfie'

Today there weren't many bugs to swallow, maybe because it was still full daylight. Once it gets towards dusk, it's really hard not to eat hundreds of them unless a buff is used to filter them out.

A random bit of well worn chain hanging on a gate... Well, I think it looks nice anyway...

After crossing the causeway at the top of the reservoir, I dropped down into the woods for an 'off piste' few hundred yards. Blimey, the nettles are still quite virulent at the moment..! The track narrowed to about a foot at one point, but once I was back on the main track it was OK but I did grab some Dock Leaves to rub on my legs..

This is the last view across a side channel before leaving Pitsford and heading back onto the road.
It's only about a 9 miles circuit around the reservoir itself, but with the ride there and back, it added up to 21 miles in lovely
Fingers crossed, I'm off out tomorrow as well.

http://www.strava.com/activities/195314866

 

[derrick]

Solo 21 miles tonight, was not really in the mood for a ride,( Hard day at work and all that) Anyway had a quick sandwich put the lycra on and started to feel better, uneventful ride, but after the first 10 miles started to feel good, probably would not have been good company, but sometimes it's nice to ride on your own, the nights seem to be drawing in very quickly now, not to many cyclist's out tonight. so nobody to chase down ,

 

[Donger]

It's 11am, so I guess Donger is half way up by now........

Actually you weren't far off. Believe it or not I averaged just 3.8mph on the climb over 6.1 miles. (Pretty much eyeballs out and head steaming all the way). On the stretch of 1 in 5 gradient my speedo actually showed "0.0" mph though the distance was clicking over! I was going at walking pace up that bit. Told you all it'd be grim. Still, when I drove it yesterday, and when I rode it today, I didn't see anyone else tackling it the tough way from South to North except for a couple pushing a tandem up when I was on my way back down today.Appeared on lots of people's holiday snaps, so at least I won't be blurred!

 

[BAtoo]

Finished work early today (that's 5pm....) so a quick 14 miles at 15.9 mph so not too bad and a pleasant ride

 

[djb1971]

Yay!

Finally got out this week. Just hammered over to Whitchurch and back, it's very windy in places. I think the few days off the bike has done me well, went like the clappers tonight, even in the headwind. 53 miles in total

Sorry for the crap pic again but it was absolutely pitch black.

Taken during another gentlemans pitstop Must be my age!

 

[Old Plodder]

Cheers. I will suggest to my friend that she should think about getting one (or two). She had a car following her up a singletrack hill on our Scottish trip and was oblivious to its presence and to me warning her about it.

There used to be ones that fitted where the brake cable exited the brake lever at one time, they were good, not sure if anything like them is available now though.

 

[Elybazza61]

Last minute decision to ride in to work today as the mist/fog wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.

Really nice ride as well with no hold-ups(apart from Cambridge traffic lights) and the Planet X is getting more enjoyable than ever to ride;quick pick-up and nimble yet stable;got me thinking now about one of their road bikes as my next N+1.

http://www.strava.com/activities/195632695

 

[ColinJ]

There used to be ones that fitted where the brake cable exited the brake lever at one time, they were good, not sure if anything like them is available now though.

I think I had something like that many years ago. It was quite useful, but rough road surfaces made it vibrate a lot, which was annoying.

 

[gbb]

Possibly my longest ride for 2 years.....30 to 35 miles .....my computer has gone awry.
Bit cloudy but 16 deg with a light wind...off out to Kings Cliffe to a cafe i used to frequent, egg, 2 bacon, beans, tomatoes and two toast with a mug of tea..£4.
Came back to Wansford, a short section of the A47, then on the backroads to Helpston etc, tthrough Bretton and back home.
Not much to mention, a couple Red Kite...thats it really.
Lovely ride at no great speed, although my knees feel it a bit, theyre out of practice as well.

 

[Gravity Aided]

I think I had something like that many years ago. It was quite useful, but rough road surfaces made it vibrate a lot, which was annoying.

Mirrycycle.com should get you there.

 

[ColinJ]

Mirrycycle.com should get you there.

Mirrycle.com!

That looks a lot like the one that I had years ago. I found it shook about a lot on our local bumpy roads.

 

[Peteaud]

With Mrs Aud working and Wednesday being my day off i planned a slightly longer ride than normal.

Woke up to a very misty day so waited a while before setting off and headed north out of town.

Sunflowers.

Crossing the A303 i headed along the back lanes towards Yeovil and then back north again towards Martock.

I noticed the hedgerows are full of berries at the moment and a nice blackberry spot was noted for the weekend picking session i have planned.

Working my way across the start of the southern levels and the cider orchards i went past the lonely tree

Picking up the NCN took me past what i call as repunzalls tower, it is actually Isle Brewers church.

(The Reverend Cannondale outside the church)

Small graveyard.

From here i headed across the main road and climbed through the backlanes and back home.

Just over 50.0 miles so pleased with that.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

More commuting miles today. Having tweaked the saddle on the knockabout bike yesterday I still found myself slipping forward and putting pressure in the wrong place so have raised the nose another notch (same as the Brooks on the Raleigh now). It looks wrong and feels quite weird but so far feels better to ride as the sit bones are cradled and I'm sat further back which makes the legs feel less strained. I expect more fine tuning will be needed but it feels like I'm doing something right.

The actual rides were pretty uneventful, which is always good and although I went via the scenic route in the morning I did brave the shorter route on the way home as the old A5 didn't seem too busy today.

18.5 miles at 13.8 mph average for the round trip.