Your ride today.... (part 1)

[jayonabike]

After 3 hours sleep I was up and out the door to meet @toptom for a shortish ride stopping off at Tring bike shop for a natter with Ian who works over there. We didnt ride there directly, more getting to a junction and deciding which way to go next (I like rides like that). We went up 3 local hills, Wiggington, Toms & Pendly hill. A coffee stop at a little cyclist cafe in Redbourn and home with 45 miles on the clock.

 

[derrick]

A real fun ride today 7 of us set of at 9-15 this morning, looking for new routes i got most of it right but we did come across a couple of really busy roundabout, but i think i know how to avoid them next time, we have a new star rider with us she is a good all rounder, plenty of QOMs on strava and a lot of PRs for everybody else, may have something to do with the sun coming out, (that's that big yellow ball in the sky) Was a really good ride with great company.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

I should really have done it before now, but today dragged the Raleigh out for its first ride of the season.

Back in the autumn I completely readjusted the saddle height and reach after pulling my knee (I had reason to suspect that the set up had a lot to do with it) then didn't test it due to the weather going wet and cold. I was therefore quite chuffed that the set up felt pretty much spot on the moment I sat on it, and after riding the Nidd all through the winter it felt so comfy. The other nice thing is that after using the knockabout bike all winter, the Raleigh feels so light and easy to ride.

I went out on my Cardington route (Condover, Longnor, Leebotwood, Cardington, Hughley, Acton Burnell and back to Condover then home) with a tail wind for the first half. I really noticed the difference between bikes on the climb to Folly Bank and getting over 30mph was easy on the descent into Cardington.

There were a few other riders out today and all seemed quite friendly, which I always like. I even managed to overtake one of them on the approach to Cantlop, where I also had a bit of a wildlife encounter as a crow swooped into the lane ahead of me and flew in front at about head height for a short while before wheeling away to the right.

The last leg was directly into the wind so was a bit of a slog, but still a couple of mph faster than I'd have managed on the other bike in the same conditions.

The only real downside to the ride today was getting back to find the top of my bottle wasn't on properly so the rack bag was full of water.

28.3 miles in the at 14.3 mph average.

Looking at Caer Caradoc and about to start the 328' climb to Folly Bank.

At the top of the climb.

The Royal Oak at Cardington.

A better view of the Wrekin today.

 

[Peteaud]

Woke up to a grey and cold morning, where was the promised sun?

After last weeks ride, Mrs Aud wanted to do another in the spring sun, so i gave her a choice of 3 routes. She (wisely) decided that we would visit a well known cake stop, Curry Mallet Post Office.

We set off around 11.00 with the weather improving and headed north over to the start of the levels and moors. The roads are noticeably drier now as well although there is some debris and pot holes to catch you out.

We arrived at the Post Office / General Store / Cake Stop to see the "CLOSED" sign, but happily they had just forgot to change it, phew.

We went in and order cakes and coffee, but other goodies on display looked good, Mrs Aud quipped we would be back in the car later

After leaving we headed up the hill to the top ridge to see the Levels (aka waterworld), they are still flooded, although the water is going down.

Heading for home the sun shone, the sky was blue, birds sang and all was well with the world.

No blosson on the apple trees yet.

Cake stop.

Coffee, Tea and Cakes.

Blossom.

Curry Mallet Post Office and Stores.

Along the Ridge.

The still flooded levels.

Isle Abbots Church.

The old road into Ilminster, now no longer used.

The river at Donyatt.

Mrs Aud ahead.

The route.

All in 25 miles, so well done Mrs Aud

 

[welsh dragon]

Woke up to a grey and cold morning, where was the promised sun?

After last weeks ride, Mrs Aud wanted to do another in the spring sun, so i gave her a choice of 3 routes. She (wisely) decided that we would visit a well known cake stop, Curry Mallet Post Office.

We set off around 11.00 with the weather improving and headed north over to the start of the levels and moors. The roads are noticeably drier now as well although there is some debris and pot holes to catch you out.

We arrived at the Post Office / General Store / Cake Stop to see the "CLOSED" sign, but happily they had just forgot to change it, phew.

We went in and order cakes and coffee, but other goodies on display looked good, Mrs Aud quipped we would be back in the car later

After leaving we heraded up the hill to the top ridge to see the Levels (aka waterworld), they are still flooded, although the water is going down.

Heading for home the sun shone, the sky was blue, birds sang and all was well with the world.

No blosson on the apple trees yet.

Cake stop.

Coffee, Tea and Cakes.

Blossom.

Curry Mallet Post Office and Stores.

Along the Ridge.

The still flooded levels.

Isle Abbots Church.

The old road into Ilminster, now no longer used.

The river at Donyatt.

Mrs Aud ahead.

The route.

All in 25 miles, so well done Mrs Aud

Great photos again peteaud

 

[alans]

This week our usual Friday tandem ride was postponed until today.We did Stone-Norton Bridge-Yarnfield-Cold Meece-Swynnerton-Slindon-Eccleshall (Eccles cakes & coffee at Fletcher's garden centre)-Chebsey-Shallowford-Norton Bridge-Stone

A ride that got better the more we pedalled.We actually changed UP a gear going up one incline & accelerated up a hill.Not at all shabby.I think we might be gell-ing into a team

Rather windy,some sunshine,no rain.
36km.
We are getting closer to our target of 50km by the 2nd week of April.

 

[Rob3rt]

1st 10 mile TT of the year, 1st prize money!

I was feeling a little nervous about this one as my power figures in training were really good, MUCH better than last year, up about 20W and coming in with some new more aero TT bars and a refined position, I felt pressured to perform. This was made worse when I had a bad start to my preparation, getting all flustered after loosing the magnet off of my power meter getting the bike out of the van and having to borrow some duck tape to fix it back on. Eventually I settled down and warmed up on the turbo, then went for a ride around to gauge the wind before rolling up to the start and setting off on my ride.

To say it was windy is not adequately dramatic to describe the conditions out there, I was terrified to the point I sat up on the outriggers and soft tapped on the pedals thinking "is this worth the risk" for a mile while leaning at what felt like 45 degrees into the wind. There came a point I was catching a rider in front and he was all over the place fighting the wind, I passed him wide and kept on riding on my outriggers for a while, eventually some shelter came and I got back to the job at hand, got back into my TT position and started pushing. For the remainder I just went as hard as it felt safe.

By the time I got to the finish I clocked 22:50 on what is a slow, lumpy, badly surfaced, bendy course and with an average power of ~350W (about 20-30W below my expected limit and definitely 10W below my usual 10 mile TT power). I was disappointed with finishing feeling like I hardly even worked, physically it felt nothing like any TT I have ever ridden before, it felt "easy". It was a case of not being able to settle in and push the pedals because you were constantly fighting to keep the bike moving in a straight line and exercising a lot of caution. It was more mentally taxing than physically taxing.

My time was good enough for 5th place overall (out of a field of 97 starters) and I made up the 3rd rider in a team win with club mates taking 1st and 2nd and me in 5th. I also beat 2 clubmates that I have never beaten in a head to head before too, and by a fair chunk, 1 min quicker than one of them and 29 secs quicker than another!

Ultimately, it was a bad day, with a reasonable result and my new TT position seems to be a notable improvement on last years!

Results: http://www.velouk.net/2014/03/15/result-mdtta-10-event-2/

 

[Big Nick]

Well I did my 32 miler non-stop with a 13.8mph average speed a couple of days ago and really enjoyed it although I was fairly tired for the last couple of miles and speed dropped as I had been averaging over 14 for most of the ride :0(

What's most noticeable is that inclines I thought were really steep at first now barely register as such and I can spin up more severe gradients without stopping as long as they don't go on for too long!!

I'm already lining up a 45 miler to York when I've got a few more 25-30 milers in the bag with a B&B stay over and then a ride back the next day, of course pictures will be posted otherwise it didn't happen!!

Fantastic fun this cycling lark and I've been missing out big time for years! It should only get better as the weather improves as well!

 

[coffeejo]

I led a ride for my cycle group today to Escot Park nr Ottery St Mary in deepest, darkest Devon. That is to say sunny, green and definitely springy. The wind picked up when we were cycling over the top of the Blackdowns but thankfully dropped once we started to lose some height and put the common land up top behind us.

Near Smeatharpe on the Blackdowns - shame the photo doesn't capture the wind.

Sheltered from the wind near Hembury Fort

I had an enormous plate of ham, egg and chips when we stopped at Escot and had a job persuading the guys to get back on their bikes - the restaurant is in the old coach house and we were sitting outside in the courtyard where the sun was deliciously warm. The pace on the homeward leg was a lot slower (did I mention how many chips were on my plate?!) but the views were magnificent. I'm definitely doing this route again once the trees have got dressed.

Having passed through the picturesque landscape around the villages of Clyst Hydon, the wonderfully-named Mutterton, and Kentisbeare, the undulations of the rolling Devon countryside became a bit more hill-like, or maybe our legs were just getting tired.

Either way, the stop at the ever-fantastic Strand Stores in Culmstock was more than welcome, especially as we sat outside again, and our plates of cake didn't last very long.

The ride itself was 50 miles but I did a 62 mile round trip from home with 3700+ft of climbing. I'll try to do a few more 50 milers and some hills over the next ten days, see if that gets me to the "finish line" in Whalley in a fortnight............

 

[doog]

In the last week, 65 miles Monday (got home in the dark with no lights- oops), 31 miles wed as a recovery and 40 today.

Really surprised with the lack of cyclists on my loops . Stiff NW for the first 20 miles today but a great run home.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Having no interest in the dead rubber that was Wales v Scotland I went for an afternoon ride between Six Nations games. Glorious afternoon. 50 odd km.

I do wonder how the bloke on the top of the range Domane in the flouro yellow/green Chelski away shirt felt about getting scalped on Tower Hill by a fat old bloke on a steel single-speed. I admit it was mean to slow a bit and let him turn himself inside out to catch me only for me to spin away on the steep bit at the end. Fnarr. Fnarr.

 

[booze and cake]

Over the last 3 days I've cycled the London Overground train network stopping at every station as I made my own route by bike, with my gps tracing my ride I'm doing it for all the tube lines and am going to make a map/poster. No satnav, just routes notes, a single speed bike and a fondness for playing with traffic. Full story over at lfgss.com in the rides and races section.

All the countryside pictures on this thread have made me jealous as I've been battling around the urban jungle, so mine won't compare. It has been amazing weather though, I joy to be out.

Thursday I did Euson to Watford Junction - http://ridewithgps.com/trips/2338455
and Gospel Oak to Barking - http://ridewithgps.com/trips/2338449
Friday I did Clapham Junction to New Cross then out to Croydon and back up to Highbury & Islington-http://ridewithgps.com/trips/2341571
And Saturday I finished the system off with Stratford to Richmond via Willesden, back up to Willesden and finishing in Clapham Junction.http://ridewithgps.com/trips/2345908

Cedar on Cedar road in the wilds of suburbia


^I thought for a minute I'd got a shag down a minging back alley, but it turned out to be a heron, and not even a real one.

Including riding to the start and finishing points it was 190 miles for the Overground.
I've already done 11 of the 12 main Undergroud lines which so far has taken me 549 miles of riding to 'draw' maps of those lines..
I only have the Piccadilly line and the DLR to do which I hope to finish in the next week. I hope I don't see any bus route maps or there's no telling what I'll do.....

 

[Peteaud]

Over the last 3 days I've cycled the London Overground train network stopping at every station as I made my own route by bike, with my gps tracing my ride I'm doing it for all the tube lines and am going to make a map/poster. No satnav, just routes notes, a single speed bike and a fondness for playing with traffic. Full story over at lfgss.com in the rides and races section.

All the countryside pictures on this thread have made me jealous as I've been battling around the urban jungle, so mine won't compare. It has been amazing weather though, I joy to be out.

Thursday I did Euson to Watford Junction - http://ridewithgps.com/trips/2338455
and Gospel Oak to Barking - http://ridewithgps.com/trips/2338449
Friday I did Clapham Junction to New Cross then out to Croydon and back up to Highbury & Islington-http://ridewithgps.com/trips/2341571
And Saturday I finished the system off with Stratford to Richmond via Willesden, back up to Willesden and finishing in Clapham Junction.http://ridewithgps.com/trips/2345908

Cedar on Cedar road in the wilds of suburbia


^I thought for a minute I'd got a shag down a minging back alley, but it turned out to be a heron, and not even a real one.

Including riding to the start and finishing points it was 190 miles for the Overground.
I've already done 11 of the 12 main Undergroud lines which so far has taken me 549 miles of riding to 'draw' maps of those lines..
I only have the Piccadilly line and the DLR to do which I hope to finish in the next week. I hope I don't see any bus route maps or there's no telling what I'll do.....

What a brilliant idea, in fact i think it is genius.

 

[Old Plodder]

Ah, The Terrace in Crystal Palace Park, used to watch motor cycle racing there as a youngster.

 

[G3CWI]

45 miles round the Cheshire Lanes with a mate. A bit colder than we would have liked and it tried to rain a few times too. Significantly easier than yesterday's much shorter ride in the Peak. Slow puncture a few miles from home but two pumping stops got me back.

Route planned and executed by the Garmin Edge Touring. Starting to really like this new toy!