Your ride today.... (part 1)

[fatjel]

Went out for the first ride on the new defy with two working pedals and without 25 mph + winds

https://app.strava.com/activities/241781261

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Woke up to this:

Lovely! Fortunately I had an errand that I could not postpone, waited a bit for the snow to stop, the roads to be quiet, sun came out, so did the ice bike.

I was a bit disappointed to find the main road and the shared use path gritted
One driver tried to close pass me, but gave up because could not decide if my cargo was likely to hurt his paintwork ...

Only a 7 mile journey today, looking forward to tomorrow's commute, we had more intermittent snow, maybe it will be deeper!

 

[vernon]

A twenty five mile loop this afternoon starting in bright sun and clear skies ending just after sunset and clear skies with a frost. Pedalled from Wetherby to the Holgate Windmill in York and back. Despite being only my second ride since mid October I was happy with the 12 mph average speed.

The windmill is on a roundabout in the middle of a housing estate at the edge of Acomb.

 

[chewa]

Out for a lunchtime ride with Sandra. I did 18.5 miles, she cut off a bit and did a shorter route, but I caught her at Kirkliston so we were together most of the time.

We headed over the bridge to Dundas Castle - took the pavement only because the sun was so low and it was difficult to see so were wary of cars from the rear. Then Winchburgh for me with S diving off at Westfield (?) farm. I met her just going in to Kirkliston with a strong tailwind, then we rode past the airport and into Dalmeny, before heading back via Royal Elizabeth Yard.
it was cold - Garmin showed 0.5c most of the way and there was a lot of ice about - sheltered roads were frozen and lots of slushy icy puddles.

But.......... GREAT to be back on the bike after nearly a fortnight of crappy weather - high winds mainly.

 

[MikeW-71]

Nice crisp day with clear blue skies and yesterdays gale-force winds had dropped considerably. Out with the MTB

Lets go and head down some of the local bridleways, sounds like a great idea! First one was just a slither across a soggy field, then over the bridge across the motorway and down a bumpy gravel track to emerge at the end of Scotby. A hundred metres on the road and it's off down the next BW, nice firm gravel, then going under the railway and... it changes to a rather muddier track... uh oh! No matter, on we go and it gets even muddier, over-the-rims muddy, crikey this is getting hard work to keep it moving. I've never pedalled so hard to go downhill before

However, it wasn't long before that ended and I was back on a firm track again. There were even some puddles to ride through to rinse things off Then it was a road section and a road climb to visit my parents.

Set off back near dusk and headed for a different BW, which turned out to be another muddy one. Wow this is harder work than the first one! Then I looked down to see why. The front tyre was flat!

Luckily MTB tyres tend to stay under the wheel, so I didn't trash my brand new rim, but now it's getting dark and I have to change this tube. I soon found the culprit, a flattened metal staple about 2 inches long. Wheel out, remove mud-covered tyre change out tube, get it back on the rim, can't feel my fingers any more, get it pumped up, wheel back in and ready to go again And it's started snowing

Now it's pretty dark and I'm glad I brought my proper light with me as I headed back down the first two BW's on the way home. About 15 miles altogether, good to get out.

Washed the bike off and ready for dinner. I'll fix the tube later to use again. Must buy a couple more spares.

 

[gavgav]

The gales finally stopped and so I braved the cold after work and got out for my 1st proper dark ride on real roads .

It wasn't properly dark when I set out, which means the nights are starting to draw out

Headed out to the old canal path, where I narrowly avoided two kamikaze squirrels and it was onto Uffington and Upton Magna 1st of all.

I then climbed the side of Haughmond Hill, before the lovely mile straight to Somerwood and Rodington Heath.

Next was the loop down to Walcot, ploughing through a flood on the way, before the climb back up to Upton Magna and retracing my steps home.

It was proper cold out and indeed the road was glistening in places for the last 4 miles.

Checked the roof of the car when I got home and there was a thin layer of frost on it, so must have been down towards freezing point already.

I loved being out in the dark, which I didn't think I would! Lights were superb and lit the road ahead very well. I got loads of room and courtesy from the cars, much more than I do when riding in the light and found myself gazing at the stars and planets in the perfectly clear sky.

Really enjoyable 17 miles at 11.4 mph avg and no knee pain

 

[compo]

I set out this morning full of good intentions to cover a gentle 40 miles. I didn't mind the cold, I could even cope with the sleet and snow, but I chickened out at 10 miles and came home giving me an easy 20 miler. I didn't like the ice on the roads. I don't bounce now like I did 50 odd years ago.

 

[Dave 123]

Today I had company in the form of my son"you'll never get me on a road bike, I don't mind cycling to work, but only a tosser would ride for fun" Thomas, and Norman from the canoe club.
We met up with Norman down in Toft, perfectly timed too and headed off towards Longstowe. Along here are a couple of nasty little slopes that caught Thomas out, it was cold and his asthma hit. After a couple of goes on his iron lung we headed on to the Gransdens. On the way to Caxton there was a fox running over the field, he stopped to watch us I think he may have been laughing at me in Mrs Daves pink Buff and ladies Gore bib longs (she ain't getting those back!)
Onwards to Bourn on the helter skelter road, kestrels and Bullfinches....
Thomas made his way home at Hardwick, a respectable 20 miles at a pace he wouldn't normally do.
Norman and I decided to add a loop on of Dry Drayton and Madingley. It was in Madingley that the thorn got me..... Another rear flat. The tube I'd fixed last week... The patch had come off! So I put the other tube in, and the valve core blew out 4 times. peanuts! Norman went on before he froze. Mrs Dave came in the team car armed with a freshly baked pitta bread, how very nice.
Wiggle have just received an order for 2 Gatorskin hard shells.....

 

[BrynCP]

Not gotten out since Sunday due to wind and was determined to go out today but it was raining, so I thought just go for it.

Fortunately it just stopped as I got out; seeing there was no ice I headed out on my 23 mile route incorporating a couple of "climbs". Got 10 miles in and it started snowing, and I wasn't expecting that! It only lasted minutes, but turned into a mix of sleet/snow for the remainder of the ride. Funnily enough, despite the sleet/rain it was actually pleasant, I just accepted it and got on with it.

I was a bit concious of my Vittoria Rubino £10 tyre, having read mixed opinions on wet performance, but I had no problems with it - I did take all corners carefully though as I would always do in the wet.

 

[mooseracer]

Woke at 7 this morning to see it snowing and settling, so was dubious about a ride today. Left it a few hours and it was melting away so headed out. Of course as I headed up into the Cotswolds it wasn't melting quite as fast as it had been at home!

Some tricky road conditions to contend with, but managed 50 cold and sometimes treacherous miles in the end...happy with that given the conditions.

https://www.strava.com/activities/242192288

 

[cosmicbike]

The usual bread run this morning, no option to extend as family plans meant heading out sharpish on my return. The girls were out this afternoon though, and with the sun shining my lad asked if we could get out. A muddy 8 mile trek off road this afternoon which was good fun, if a little nerve wracking at times. Being clipped in and slipping around in thick mud on a CX at walking speed focuses the mind

 

[Goonerobes]

Thankfully no snow down here but a short shower at 8:30am meant a slightly delayed start as the roads were already frosty & black ice is no fun on a bike!!

I eventually got under way at 10:30am, but not before I'd managed to break the zip on my overshoes which meant I only had toe covers to wear so not the best of starts on my planned route of 62.5 miles. (as I'd managed to talk myself into trying to do the Metric Ton a Month challenge)

Heading off across the New Forest to Fordingbridge on the north-west edge of the forest the sun was quite pleasant when in the open & just a slight westerly breeze meant the first 10 miles or so were relatively pain free. However, once through Fordingbridge & into Wiltshire the landscape changes to small villages & fields with hedges & the sun was now becoming a rare sight, especially on my now chilly feet. The pretty villages of Rockbourne, Coombe Bissett & Bishopstone followed en-route to my climb for the day at Chalk Hill, a little 326ft 5% incline, which although I took at a leisurely pace I actually found it quite easy for a winter climb so a nice big smile to myself as I stopped briefly for a snack before heading for home through Martin, Damerham, Fordingbridge again & a different route through the forest.

So Januarys metric ton now done.
https://www.strava.com/activities/242202520

A splendid looking New Forest under the blue winter sky.

A view of the Wiltshire countryside is a nice reward for going up hills.

& a grubby looking bike that can wait until tomorrow to be cleaned!!

 

[howdenbiker]

Got my Rossin out first thing then it started to Hail so reverted to CX bike. Did a 50 mile loop. had a crowd awaiting me at the half way point or did they spot my sausage roll? Cycled from Howden northwards through the villages to Stamford Bridge then back south, into the wind.

Then I took a trip along a canal tow path and how I wish I hadn't, took ages to clear the muck off before I could get going again.

 

[Flick of the Elbow]

A dreich 2 hour ride round the lanes of West Lothian this afternoon, out through Ratho, skirting East Calder, up Leyden Hill, back via Cockburnhill and the tracks past Threipmuir/Harlaw and Clubbiedean/Torduff reservoirs. About 1 degrees, but only a light wind and most of the snow and ice gone from the roads, just a bit of slushy stuff here and there. Wasn't very enthusiastic setting out but quite enjoyed it in the end.

 

[Mattonsea]

Tried a new route out to Calshot today , yes another New Forest ride..After working out how many layers to put on , the first stint was fine ,a nice tempo , a clear mind for the first time this week .

A stop off at East Boldre Shop for flap jacks , water and lottery tickets . Good shop by the way , got everything. Then on to Exbury and Lepe ,the roads were shocking especially that colored tarmac they put near schools that cracks and leaves deep furrows.

Got to Calshot with its impressive hangers where Short Sunderland's were based and now is the home of the velodrome. Bits started to ache so trying to be clever I tried a short cut but got lost, then finding a route out and hitting a hole in the dark and having to pump the back up twice I made it home . 50 miles in a long time ,I would give you more stats but Garmin is having a tiff tonight .