- Location
- Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Your ride today.... (part 1)
- Thread starter gbb
- Start date
- Status
Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
Brandane
Legendary Member
- Location
- Costa Clyde
Headed off into the northerly breeze, up Brisbane Glen to Loch Thom this morning. It was a bit chilly, but pleasant when the sun broke through the clouds.
Headed downhill into Greenock, where I purchased a ticket which allows you unlimited train travel for the day throughout the Strathclyde area (these cost £11.20 and can be great value especially as you can take 2 children with each adult at no extra cost. Only drawback is they are only valid after 0900).
Took a train to Bishopton thereby missing out the slightly dreary part of the country that is Greenock and Port Glasgow. From Bishopton I cycled past the end of the Glasgow airport runway, where this was just leaving for slightly warmer weather......
After Paisley I had my first experience of climbing the Gleniffer Braes. It was worth it just for the view over Paisley and Glasgow, and the hills to the north (not my photos - any of them - as I didn't have my camera today):
From Gleniffer Braes I headed south towards Lugton but turned off to Howwood and Lochwinnoch. The back road between the A737 and the Lochwinnoch roundabout has a couple of nasty wee climbs as I found out. A fair bit of climbing meant that I was feeling it a bit after 40 miles. Rather than head home though, I took advantage of my train ticket and headed up to Glasgow for a nosey round Dales bike shop before heading home (by train!). Another fine day out on the Secteur.
Headed downhill into Greenock, where I purchased a ticket which allows you unlimited train travel for the day throughout the Strathclyde area (these cost £11.20 and can be great value especially as you can take 2 children with each adult at no extra cost. Only drawback is they are only valid after 0900).
Took a train to Bishopton thereby missing out the slightly dreary part of the country that is Greenock and Port Glasgow. From Bishopton I cycled past the end of the Glasgow airport runway, where this was just leaving for slightly warmer weather......
After Paisley I had my first experience of climbing the Gleniffer Braes. It was worth it just for the view over Paisley and Glasgow, and the hills to the north (not my photos - any of them - as I didn't have my camera today):
From Gleniffer Braes I headed south towards Lugton but turned off to Howwood and Lochwinnoch. The back road between the A737 and the Lochwinnoch roundabout has a couple of nasty wee climbs as I found out. A fair bit of climbing meant that I was feeling it a bit after 40 miles. Rather than head home though, I took advantage of my train ticket and headed up to Glasgow for a nosey round Dales bike shop before heading home (by train!). Another fine day out on the Secteur.
- Location
- Glasgow
Never understood a word of the above, clicked like anyway
- Location
- Glasgow
@Brandane: didn't know about the all day train ticket, great for planning a day out on the bike.
Cheers for the info!
Cheers for the info!
Brandane
Legendary Member
- Location
- Costa Clyde
Just ask for a "SPT daytripper scratch card", more info here. Basically they can be used any weekday after 9am (no time limit weekends) on all trains,
thegravestoneman
three wheels on my wagon
- Location
- Castleford, Yorkshire
Never understood a word of the above, clicked like anyway
I would try to explain it better ,but I think I might just dig a bigger hole.
Most times cycling is a pass-time of unalloyed pleasure - man and machine in harmony, out in the countryside, at one with nature.
On other occasions the only thought that passes through one's increasingly addled brain is: "Why the feck am I doing this?"
Today's ride of 60 miles, 4500 feet of climbing @ an average temperature of 34F, including cycling up Box Hill in a blizzard, and lunchtime beer @£4 a pint was most certainly one of the latter.
On other occasions the only thought that passes through one's increasingly addled brain is: "Why the feck am I doing this?"
Today's ride of 60 miles, 4500 feet of climbing @ an average temperature of 34F, including cycling up Box Hill in a blizzard, and lunchtime beer @£4 a pint was most certainly one of the latter.
Marshmallow_Fluff
Guest
- Location
- Beds
(yesterday's ride..)
Thought it would be very clever to send a cheeky text to my cycling mate who was working and he couldn't come along.."Going out for a leg stretcher, are you coming? Oh, I forgot! You can't cause you're working.. Shame!!". Very pleased with my self got on my bike and received a reply: "I hope it rains hard".
Still laughing got ready and off I go.. Before reaching the corner, hail started falling (hard) and a few minutes later snowflakes large as a quarter of a post it start dancing in front of me..10 minutes later the sky went dark and rain start falling (hard as you might have guessed).. And the the sun came out and within minutes the sky was clear and blue!!
The massive snowflakes came back only after I was back home.
Is he a warlock or the weather is completely mental?
(22 miles in total, as usual)
Thought it would be very clever to send a cheeky text to my cycling mate who was working and he couldn't come along.."Going out for a leg stretcher, are you coming? Oh, I forgot! You can't cause you're working.. Shame!!". Very pleased with my self got on my bike and received a reply: "I hope it rains hard".
Still laughing got ready and off I go.. Before reaching the corner, hail started falling (hard) and a few minutes later snowflakes large as a quarter of a post it start dancing in front of me..10 minutes later the sky went dark and rain start falling (hard as you might have guessed).. And the the sun came out and within minutes the sky was clear and blue!!
The massive snowflakes came back only after I was back home.Is he a warlock or the weather is completely mental?
(22 miles in total, as usual)
SatNavSaysStraightOn
Changed hemispheres!
- Location
- ɐᴉlɐɹʇsn∀ 'ɐɹɹǝquɐƆ
beautiful morning here this morning but I was in the car taking my OH to work. 
-3C, clear blue skies, totally calm and sunny. 12 miles up the road, 0C, cold as hell, overcast and no sun. back home again - sunny & cold & calm, still -3C. sorely missing not being able to be on the bike today - should be at college but...
-3C, clear blue skies, totally calm and sunny. 12 miles up the road, 0C, cold as hell, overcast and no sun. back home again - sunny & cold & calm, still -3C. sorely missing not being able to be on the bike today - should be at college but...
G3CWI
Veteran
- Location
- Macclesfield
Today’s Iconic Climb
I had an hour or so to use before a late start at work today. The sun was shining and the frost was melting so I set off for another iconic climb. To be honest I was not certain where I was going – it was all a bit vague. The fairy struck 10 minutes into the ride – very annoying. However the lost time meant that my options narrowed to two:
I decided to throw caution to the wind and went with the Swiss Hill alternative. Swiss Hill is moderately steep winding cobbled road that appears to be largely unknown outside the cycling community. I recognised it from various Youtube videos and paused at the bottom for a drink and to make sure my gears were set correctly; and up I went. To be honest I did not find it that hard. Doing it at speed would be different but taking it easy it’s just a bumpy plod. Unfortunately within about 80 metres of starting a car came up behind me and I decided to give way. Rather more fortunately I was able to restart and complete the climb quite comfortably. Conditions were good but not perfect with some frozen rivulets of ice between the cobbles but the 700 x 23 slicks coped well. I was pleased to find that the Swiss Hill alternative takes most of the sting out of the climb to the Wizard and it was plain sailing from then. Nice.
I had an hour or so to use before a late start at work today. The sun was shining and the frost was melting so I set off for another iconic climb. To be honest I was not certain where I was going – it was all a bit vague. The fairy struck 10 minutes into the ride – very annoying. However the lost time meant that my options narrowed to two:
- The Wizard climb from Alderley Edge up the main road or
- The Swiss Hill alternative
I decided to throw caution to the wind and went with the Swiss Hill alternative. Swiss Hill is moderately steep winding cobbled road that appears to be largely unknown outside the cycling community. I recognised it from various Youtube videos and paused at the bottom for a drink and to make sure my gears were set correctly; and up I went. To be honest I did not find it that hard. Doing it at speed would be different but taking it easy it’s just a bumpy plod. Unfortunately within about 80 metres of starting a car came up behind me and I decided to give way. Rather more fortunately I was able to restart and complete the climb quite comfortably. Conditions were good but not perfect with some frozen rivulets of ice between the cobbles but the 700 x 23 slicks coped well. I was pleased to find that the Swiss Hill alternative takes most of the sting out of the climb to the Wizard and it was plain sailing from then. Nice.
numbnuts
Legendary Member
- Location
- Gone over the hill and far away
I went to Sainsburys, they had hot cross buns on special offer a quid for eight 
Marshmallow_Fluff
Guest
- Location
- Beds
thegravestoneman
three wheels on my wagon
- Location
- Castleford, Yorkshire
well I went out for my standard 13 mile after work ride through Ledston and Fairburn, felt good, went well, got home and it was the slowest time I have done it in since getting back on a bike, under 15 mph dang!
- Location
- Shrewsbury, Shropshire
I went out to Cardington today as I haven't been out that way since November. It was relatively warm by recent standards (about 7 degrees) and the wind was fairly light (to start with.
).
I Went out the usual way, via Condover & Longnor, past Leebotwood and over the climb between The Lawley and Caer Caradoc to Cardington. From there I headed towards Church Preen School and took a detour past Langley Hall and Ruckley to Acton Burnell before doubling back on myself towards Longnor & heading home the way I'd come.
I had a small moment with a Jag, whose driver wasn't really paying attention down the lanes and did an emergency stop when he saw me , and there were a few more close passes than I'd usually expect but apart from that it was a pretty good ride.
30.5 miles covered at an average of 12.3mph.
Sorry, no pictures today. Guess who forgot to charge his phone?
Edit: Forgot to mention that following the ride my clothes now smell quite strongly of cattle and I don't know why.
).I Went out the usual way, via Condover & Longnor, past Leebotwood and over the climb between The Lawley and Caer Caradoc to Cardington. From there I headed towards Church Preen School and took a detour past Langley Hall and Ruckley to Acton Burnell before doubling back on myself towards Longnor & heading home the way I'd come.
I had a small moment with a Jag, whose driver wasn't really paying attention down the lanes and did an emergency stop when he saw me
, and there were a few more close passes than I'd usually expect but apart from that it was a pretty good ride.30.5 miles covered at an average of 12.3mph.
Sorry, no pictures today. Guess who forgot to charge his phone?
Edit: Forgot to mention that following the ride my clothes now smell quite strongly of cattle and I don't know why.
- Status
