Your ride today.... (part 1)
- Thread starter gbb
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uphillstruggler
Guru
- Location
- Half way there
Out and about on the lanes just north of Milton Keynes in the drizzle. Very enjoyable through quiet roads. Lucky enough to have a great area to ride in.
Heres to more of the same before going back to work.
Heres to more of the same before going back to work.
OP
OP
gbb
Squire
- Location
- Peterborough
Quick (or not so quick) 19 miles on my old loop. Roads are drying out for the first time in weeks, that's nice.
2 Red Kite, one of them over the house on the edge of the city, one swooping over the road in front of me, circling then same again. It became obvious why, a dead rabbit.
1 Jay, don't see many of them.
1 Bullfinch and possibly a Woodpecker.
One stupid driver that came round the outside of me on the entrance to a R/A, then swooped in front of me and took the first left...he might as well not have bothered, but then you realise you contributed towards it with a little lack of foresight. I'd failed to look behind early enough, saw him coming up behind leaving no time to signal and take road position....so lets say 60/40 in my favour. No problem anyway, it wasnt close, just unessessary. But it just shows, dont let your mind wander.
2 Red Kite, one of them over the house on the edge of the city, one swooping over the road in front of me, circling then same again. It became obvious why, a dead rabbit.
1 Jay, don't see many of them.
1 Bullfinch and possibly a Woodpecker.
One stupid driver that came round the outside of me on the entrance to a R/A, then swooped in front of me and took the first left...he might as well not have bothered, but then you realise you contributed towards it with a little lack of foresight. I'd failed to look behind early enough, saw him coming up behind leaving no time to signal and take road position....so lets say 60/40 in my favour. No problem anyway, it wasnt close, just unessessary. But it just shows, dont let your mind wander.
Quick spin around some of the local roads in Teesside. Managed 18 miles before the pain in my fingers from the cold could take it no more. Winters gone on for longe enough already. Full winter gloves required, me thinks. Just nice to get out after all the bad weather.
My ride today, a fairly pleasant 25 miler, would have been a lot shorter had I not spotted this in the rear Durano Plus tyre of my winter bike before I set off. A quick switch of bikes was needed.
A victim of pinging a large stone, probably a Suffolk flint, towards the end of my my previous ride. My carefully cleaned non-winter bike is now plastered in mud
John
A victim of pinging a large stone, probably a Suffolk flint, towards the end of my my previous ride. My carefully cleaned non-winter bike is now plastered in mud
John
D
Deleted member 1258
Guest
The first ride of the year today and it turned out to be a bit of an epic one. The desination was the Little Chef at Alcester, the bike was my Pearson Fixed.
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=4212458
I started the day by oversleeping and not getting out till quarter past nine, no chance of meeting up with the club anywhere. I originally abandoned the idea of making Alcester but after a few miles decided to go for it. I got a few miles from Hasley on the way out and the fairie struck, a flat back to fix, first run of the year first puncture. The rest of the ride to Alcester was very pleasant, dry and not to cold, though the roads were wet. I don't know Alcester very well and I ended up on the wrong roundabout, I had to retrace my steps back to a roundabout and ask before I got back on track. I wasn't impressed with the little Chef, the staff weren't friendly, the food wasn't brilliant and it cost me an arm and a leg. I managed to end up on the A46 coming out of the Café but got back into the lanes and got myself back on route. By the time I was going past Hatton Country world I had done fifty miles and the legs were fading, by the time I got back into Coventry I had a touch of hunger knock and needed a mars bar at the shop on Tile Hill Lane. Got back about 3 and had just under 68 miles on the computer, the map says just under 67, not a bad ride to start the year.
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=4212458
I started the day by oversleeping and not getting out till quarter past nine, no chance of meeting up with the club anywhere. I originally abandoned the idea of making Alcester but after a few miles decided to go for it. I got a few miles from Hasley on the way out and the fairie struck, a flat back to fix, first run of the year first puncture. The rest of the ride to Alcester was very pleasant, dry and not to cold, though the roads were wet. I don't know Alcester very well and I ended up on the wrong roundabout, I had to retrace my steps back to a roundabout and ask before I got back on track. I wasn't impressed with the little Chef, the staff weren't friendly, the food wasn't brilliant and it cost me an arm and a leg. I managed to end up on the A46 coming out of the Café but got back into the lanes and got myself back on route. By the time I was going past Hatton Country world I had done fifty miles and the legs were fading, by the time I got back into Coventry I had a touch of hunger knock and needed a mars bar at the shop on Tile Hill Lane. Got back about 3 and had just under 68 miles on the computer, the map says just under 67, not a bad ride to start the year.
First ride of the year - meant to be a 21 miler on the mtb along the Grand Union Canal from Warwick towards Birmingham (probably crossed your route Dave R) - was thoroughly enjoying it although it was hard work due to much of the canal path being mud - when I got a puncture. I've ridden this bike twice and had 2 punctures! My pump decided not to work, so I had to phone my support vehicle aka Wendy to come and get me.
So only 12.7 miles in the end, but good fun
Martin
So only 12.7 miles in the end, but good fun
Martin
D
Deleted member 1258
Guest
First ride of the year - meant to be a 21 miler on the mtb along the Grand Union Canal from Warwick towards Birmingham (probably crossed your route Dave R) - was thoroughly enjoying it although it was hard work due to much of the canal path being mud - when I got a puncture. I've ridden this bike twice and had 2 punctures! My pump decided not to work, so I had to phone my support vehicle aka Wendy to come and get me.
So only 12.7 miles in the end, but good fun
Martin
Sounds like your luck was similar to mine, I crossed the canal near Hatton Country World. I've just patched the tube and the hole was near the valve, looked like whatever it was went in through the side wall, sod of a place to get a patch on.
My first ride of the year today. I am doing a century a month challenge, so I thought I would take advantage of the thaw, although most of the ice and snow had gone it was still around 1 or 2 degrees. Consequently, it took over 20 miles for my feet to even warm up slightly. I headed out from home whilst it was still dark and saw the sunrise as I got near to the top of the North Downs. If I had got up earlier, I might have seen this with a view from the top. I then descended down to the Pilgrims Way, which I then followed to Titsey, before climbing the beast that is White Lane. I would like to say that the enormous power coursing through my legs was responsible for my chain snapping. However I think it was a dodgy gear change and the fact that when I last split the chain, I reused the old pin, rather than the special shimano pin, with the snap off bit. Only took 15 mins or so, before I was back on the road again. I have now done 3000 miles on the chain, so maybe it will need changing.
I stopped in the garden centre in Godstone, where I spotted, what I thought could be my next bike!
that was until I saw the price; £375 !!!
I then rode to Turners Hill. We were there two weeks ago, when we drove down to Brighton in thick snow and wanted to avoid the blocked motorways. We nearly didn't get to the top last time, because a car pulled out and got stuck, just as we were going up the hill at a bit of a pace.
Fortunately most of the snow had gone now, so no problems apart from fatigue. When I reached the village green I reached the 50 mile mark. I then went via Charlwood Reservoir to Ashdown Forest and onto Forest Row. My next planned stop was at Pembury, where there is a good cafe. After tea and cake, I then cycled home via Hildenborough, including a bit of unplanned offroad, which looked like a road on my map, but was in fact a private farm track. By now it was dark again so I did the last the 15 miles or so in the dark, which made it tougher.
Not a particularly fast ride and very tiring, but enjoyable all the same.
I stopped in the garden centre in Godstone, where I spotted, what I thought could be my next bike!
that was until I saw the price; £375 !!!
I then rode to Turners Hill. We were there two weeks ago, when we drove down to Brighton in thick snow and wanted to avoid the blocked motorways. We nearly didn't get to the top last time, because a car pulled out and got stuck, just as we were going up the hill at a bit of a pace.
Fortunately most of the snow had gone now, so no problems apart from fatigue. When I reached the village green I reached the 50 mile mark. I then went via Charlwood Reservoir to Ashdown Forest and onto Forest Row. My next planned stop was at Pembury, where there is a good cafe. After tea and cake, I then cycled home via Hildenborough, including a bit of unplanned offroad, which looked like a road on my map, but was in fact a private farm track. By now it was dark again so I did the last the 15 miles or so in the dark, which made it tougher.
Not a particularly fast ride and very tiring, but enjoyable all the same.
Falwheeler
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Falmouth Cornwall
My ride today, just over 500 metres then punctured, walked the bike back home changed the tube but no other spare so didn't risk going out again. Shame beautiful day here, really sunny. Off to LBS for one for tomorrows ride, rain forecast though.
vernon
Harder than Ronnie Pickering
- Location
- Meanwood, Leeds
I went out today for the first time in a month. Having been laid low by a succession of colds and possibly a virus over the past three weeks I did a gentle 8km pootle to see how my cardiovascular system coped.
Much to my surprise the discomfort was in the saddle area.
Much to my surprise the discomfort was in the saddle area.
Saddle bum
Über Member
- Location
- Kent
First ride out since before the snow. Still the odd pile at the side of the road, but not a danger to navigation. I had taken an age to get ready, thinking very carefully about what to wear. My now defunct LBS owner had given me a pro-standard Winter jacket, that went on and the club thicky jacket after that followed by the club gillet. I must have looked like the Michelin Man.
It was only 2deg. That is not my preferred temperture, but I had forced myself out because I was getting fed up waiting for an acceptable day. You have to start sometime and it can only get better. (This boy's a fool!). It was also the first day with dry roads.
It all went very well, only 15 miles and the temp began to drop and by the time I got home, my feet were feeling it a bit. I will remember to brake and slow on the downhill bits, 'cos that's where you get cold with the wind rush.
Ironically, I noted that when I am out all day shooting, my feet are nice and comfy in rather expensive wellies and my hands freeze holding a shotgun. On the bike, my hands are tolerable warm, but keeping the old feet warm seems nigh on impossible.
It was only 2deg. That is not my preferred temperture, but I had forced myself out because I was getting fed up waiting for an acceptable day. You have to start sometime and it can only get better. (This boy's a fool!). It was also the first day with dry roads.
It all went very well, only 15 miles and the temp began to drop and by the time I got home, my feet were feeling it a bit. I will remember to brake and slow on the downhill bits, 'cos that's where you get cold with the wind rush.
Ironically, I noted that when I am out all day shooting, my feet are nice and comfy in rather expensive wellies and my hands freeze holding a shotgun. On the bike, my hands are tolerable warm, but keeping the old feet warm seems nigh on impossible.
GordonB
Guru
- Location
- Somewhere just north of Ipswich
Finally got a dry Suffolk day with dry roads so had the opportunity to try out the Vitus 979 with full Campag Veloce I bought beginning of December - didn't dare try such a nice bike on the snow, ice, salt and flints. Did 17.8 miles in 59 minutes to visit friends near Sutton Hoo for the day, lovely ride, brilliant bike but very, very cold. Despite the overshoes my feet were like blocks of ice when I got there, roll on spring.........
Gordon
Gordon
craigwend
Grimpeur des terrains plats
First night ride of the year - very clear sky & frost on the ground...
10 ish miles in getting a bit slippy... did not feel right at all - FIRST P******E of the year!!!!
managed a mile or two, tried pumping it up, but to no avail, rang the fifth emergency service aka mrs craigwend, eventually arrived after a mile or so of walking (no one stopped to see if i was okay )
managed to get the bike in 'quickly' on a bend, as on a busy-ish A road, got home realised after much looking had dropped a glove (nice night-vision one) so ended up going back to pick it up - 5 / 6 miles back again ...
mended the puncture - so decided to see what was up with the one on my other bike - might as well mend two at once, no the other one had a split in the tube, just replaced that one... though at least the first one mended okay & still up & gave wheel, casette & chain another clean.
Got the bike upright, had managed to writhe the brooks badge off the saddle, bit of brute force & superglue hopefully has done the trick
moral of the story - when you think, I must put a spare tube & saddle bag back on the bike - DO IT!!!!!!
10 ish miles in getting a bit slippy... did not feel right at all - FIRST P******E of the year!!!!
managed a mile or two, tried pumping it up, but to no avail, rang the fifth emergency service aka mrs craigwend, eventually arrived after a mile or so of walking (no one stopped to see if i was okay
)managed to get the bike in 'quickly' on a bend, as on a busy-ish A road, got home realised after much looking had dropped a glove (nice night-vision one) so ended up going back to pick it up - 5 / 6 miles back again ...
mended the puncture - so decided to see what was up with the one on my other bike - might as well mend two at once, no the other one had a split in the tube, just replaced that one... though at least the first one mended okay & still up & gave wheel, casette & chain another clean.
Got the bike upright, had managed to writhe the brooks badge off the saddle, bit of brute force & superglue hopefully has done the trick
moral of the story - when you think, I must put a spare tube & saddle bag back on the bike - DO IT!!!!!!
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