Your ride today.... (part 1)

[flatflr]

Did the New Forest Sportive today (just the standard distance of 62 miles as it's the first long ride for the year). Total time of 4 hours 4 mins with a moving time of 3 hours 36 and an ave. of 17.3 mph as I waited at the feed station for some friends (for one of which it was her first ride over 10km, well done her (she finished in 5 hours 15 mins). Great weather and as normal an excellent well marked out route. Just one NIMBY in a 4x4 sounding their horn as they passed the riders and driving way to fast through a small village to create any annoyance.

 

[Eribiste]

What a nice day to be out! Eckington to Tewkesbury via British Camp (top of the Malverns, road wise) then back home. 33.3 miles at 16.2 mph, with a 45 mph blast downhill!

 

[dr_pink]

Had to go out on my own today as @totallyfixed (temporarily known as totallybroken in this household..) had shoulder surgery on Tuesday. Before I set off I put TF's bike on the turbo so he could see whether he could ride a bit.
I had a beautiful sunny very hilly ride. First time in fingerless gloves and short sleeves this year. There must have been a sportive on going the other direction from me for about half of my route as there were loads of riders going the other way from me ... I had to laugh as there were a few signs up too for them - I turned to look what they were and they included things like "Sharp bend" and "Steep descent"...
Anyway cycling back into Oakham I bumped into this chap.. something familiar about him...

 

[totallyfixed]

Had to go out on my own today as @totallyfixed (temporarily known as totallybroken in this household..) had shoulder surgery on Tuesday. Before I set off I put TF's bike on the turbo so he could see whether he could ride a bit.
I had a beautiful sunny very hilly ride. First time in fingerless gloves and short sleeves this year. There must have been a sportive on going the other direction from me for about half of my route as there were loads of riders going the other way from me ... I had to laugh as there were a few signs up too for them - I turned to look what they were and they included things like "Sharp bend" and "Steep descent"...
Anyway cycling back into Oakham I bumped into this chap.. something familiar about him...

I will accept the new name "partlyfixed" for now, but I have no idea what dr_pink is on about, the surgeon told me it would be at least 3 or 4 weeks before I could contemplate riding a bike again. I rest my case, that can't be me.

 

[jhawk]

[QUOTE 3026044, member: 10119"]50 km, which cost me the fat end of 15 quid for his mid-point carb-loading on carbonara _and_ cheesy chips. And he breezed back into the Den in a manner that would suggest that they'd just nipped round the block. I guess his winter of commuting to and from school on a built-of-lead bmx is paying off [/QUOTE]

15 quid for carbonara and chips?! Bloody hell...

 

[User10119]

15 quid for carbonara and chips?! Bloody hell...

It was, I am told, a Very Large Portion Indeed and the chips were cheesy chips with bacon. And he ate all of it. And in fairness the 15 quid included a drink of some sort too. But yes - that's what happens when you let a hollow-legged 12 year old loose on the menu in Frankie & Benny's under the supervision of an indulgent Uncle and Aunty who have been armed with a 20 quid note because you didn't have a tenner in your purse when you waved them all off....

...bright side, they did persuade him away from the steak!

 

[alans]

[QUOTE 3026542, member: 10119"]

- that's what happens when you let a hollow-legged 12 year old loose on the menu in Frankie & Benny's under the supervision of an indulgent

[/QUOTE]

it also happens with grandparents & granddaughters at the same establishment.I expect that you know how I know this.
So that's something for you to look forward to when you are a nannylion

 

[Alex H]

9miles today, some awesome climbs.

Nice pics too

Strange how they look better with the bike upright

 

[IDMark2]

A little tootle in the sun, strewn with mechanical issues and a shortening of the route home.

I started off by selecting the Scott P3, I had a hilly route in mind but thought it was too nice a day to go 'head down, a** up', however I thought I'd start via a close by hill that I knew my brother had done a time on yesterday, so my 'not being competitive today' lasted for about four minutes. I missed his time by 16 secs, which wasn't too bad as he had done it on his carbon Defy compared to my flat bar, lots of kilos hybrid.

I headed over towards Otterton, avoiding main roads and just spinning along, the road closely follows the River Otter. Loads of cyclists, mainly flat bar butch looking stuff out using this route (their bikes, not them)...don't see them on a wet Wednesday though. This route is probably too sketchy for roadies, gritty, bumpy, slippy and potholey.. It was cloudier over this way.

I then passsed through East Budleigh, birthplace of Sir Walter Raleigh (they are very proud of this but daring exploring and chivalrousness aside appear to have a statue of him now guarding a couple of flowerpots and benches.)

I climbed through Yettington up towards Woodbury Common and as the climb steepened, changed down and then my chain snapped... Luckily I wasn't standing up so no sudden impact painfulness in seat area. Had my tool with the chain breaker on it but no Super Link, but did a repair. Then as I restarted the climb it broke again. I cursed a bit.

I was passed while I was doing both repairs by a number of cyclists, some in pairs, chatting away.. no one offered any assistance. I probably would have turned it down anyway but...

So I continued the climb to Woodbury Castle and was heading down the other side, typically for Devon the down was interrupted by a bit of an up and here as I changed down the gearing didn't respond.. I made it to a flat bit in big ring, 4th sprocket and stopped to see what had happened now, rear mech spring knacked, stuck in the gear it was on. I think I could have mended it but I was close to a Bradley moment so the Scott might have ended up over a hedge in a field...

Was in two minds on calling team support vehicle but decided not to, abandon plans and to single speed it homewards, horrible rattling noise when pedalling, hard work on ups and not fast enough for downs but I was still smiling when I got home. Tanned face too. So 40k (planned 80), 500m climbing, 1hr 50 cycling, 1 hr of getting oily hands and cursing...

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

A little tootle in the sun, strewn with mechanical issues and a shortening of the route home.

I started off by selecting the Scott P3, I had a hilly route in mind but thought it was too nice a day to go 'head down, a** up', however I thought I'd start via a close by hill that I knew my brother had done a time on yesterday, so my 'not being competitive today' lasted for about four minutes. I missed his time by 16 secs, which wasn't too bad as he had done it on his carbon Defy compared to my flat bar, lots of kilos hybrid.

I headed over towards Otterton, avoiding main roads and just spinning along, the road closely follows the River Otter. Loads of cyclists, mainly flat bar butch looking stuff out using this route (their bikes, not them)...don't see them on a wet Wednesday though. This route is probably too sketchy for roadies, gritty, bumpy, slippy and potholey.. It was cloudier over this way.
View attachment 42270


I then passsed through East Budleigh, birthplace of Sir Walter Raleigh (they are very proud of this but daring exploring and chivalrousness aside appear to have a statue of him now guarding a couple of flowerpots and benches.)
View attachment 42272


I climbed through Yettington up towards Woodbury Common and as the climb steepened, changed down and then my chain snapped... Luckily I wasn't standing up so no sudden impact painfulness in seat area. Had my tool with the chain breaker on it but no Super Link, but did a repair. Then as I restarted the climb it broke again. I cursed a bit.

I was passed while I was doing both repairs by a number of cyclists, some in pairs, chatting away.. no one offered any assistance. I probably would have turned it down anyway but...

So I continued the climb to Woodbury Castle and was heading down the other side, typically for Devon the down was interrupted by a bit of an up and here as I changed down the gearing didn't respond.. I made it to a flat bit in big ring, 4th sprocket and stopped to see what had happened now, rear mech spring knacked, stuck in the gear it was on. I think I could have mended it but I was close to a Bradley moment so the Scott might have ended up over a hedge in a field...
View attachment 42273

Was in two minds on calling team support vehicle but decided not to, abandon plans and to single speed it homewards, horrible rattling noise when pedalling, hard work on ups and not fast enough for downs but I was still smiling when I got home. Tanned face too. So 40k (planned 80), 500m climbing, 1hr 50 cycling, 1 hr of getting oily hands and cursing...

Good report . Shame about the mechanical issues . I hope the next ride is better.

 

[IDMark2]

Good report . Shame about the mechanical issues . I hope the next ride is better.

It will be, going out to sort chain and mech now, in a more Zen-like state of mind... Thanks for kind words. Funny how getting home in a single gear was nearly as enjoyable as the rest of the ride.. but I have a feeling that should it have been more uphill and driving rain in a force 8 the team support vehicle would have been summoned!

 

[ColinJ]

I will accept the new name "partlyfixed" for now, but I have no idea what dr_pink is on about, the surgeon told me it would be at least 3 or 4 weeks before I could contemplate riding a bike again. I rest my case, that can't be me.

I think "totallymad" might be better ...!

I was wondering how the op went. Good luck with your recovery.

 

[Rob3rt]

Not today, but Saturday, 2nd 25 mile Time Trial of the Season, on J2/9 in Cheshire.

I was hoping for a chance to set myself up a positive frame of mind for the Good Friday outing in Hull after a couple of bad luck races (puncture on a 10 mile TT PB smashing ride 9 miles in and a major traffic holdup in a course PB smashing 25 mile TT ride last week).

I prepared carefully timing my nutrition and warmup to a schedule and made it to the start with a few mins to spare to zero my power meter and relax. I felt pretty relaxed as I was counted down, very little nervousness and I set off probably the most controlled I have ever done so, I just rolled away from the line sat down (no out of the saddle big effort) and was on the aero bars within 20 metres.

The 1st 5 miles, I paced just under threshold at about ~335W then I upped effort to about 345W for the next 10, upping it again in the last 40% of the race and really empting the tank with a final 5 mile effort at 360W. It felt like much tougher conditions than last weeks ride with increasing winds as the event went on and some drizzle in the last 10 miles so despite last weeks traffic holdup I only managed to go 2 seconds quicker this week, however it was still a course PB of 56:38 (26.5 mph average) and I finished in 2nd place, 1 min 2 secs behind the winner on 55:36, a strong lad who I am pleased to have only lost just over a minute too, expected a bigger gap

It is my 1st "podium" finish in an 'open' time trial. On top of that I lead the club to a team prize with my team mate Si in 3rd place on 57:00 mins dead and Craig in 15th with 59:34.

Gives me a bit of confidence for Fridays 10TT at Hull and the Manchester & District 25TT Championship next Saturday. Things feel like they are coming together and I feel much less the rookie than I did last year and should some stuff in the pipeline come off, I expect to make some big improvements working with a new coach over the coming months as to date I have "coached" myself and am not particularly methodical with regards to planning my season etc.

 

[Glow worm]

Yesterday's ride this as the site seemed a bit broken last night and couldn't post pics.

Seems to have been a bit cloudier/ cooler here yesterday than elsewhere judging by some of the photos above. Thankfully the sun did eventually appear and a circuit of the fen beckoned- largely along familair tracks and quiet lanes.

Wicken Fen as the sun came out. I know the one pannier thing looks rubbish, but it doesn't worry me.

The swallows are appearing now here in good numbers and one flew very close past me as it rushed north obviously in a big hurry to get home for a hot date who knows where. Just hope his mate has made it back too.

Further along, the first wheatear of the year - for me at least. . Then was lucky enough to see my old pal the little owl on his usual perch in a poplar tree near Reach village. As soon as I got my camera out, off he flew. Again. He does it every time the little sod!

Swaffham Bulbeck Lode from the bridge.

Further along (by White Fen) was a field where it looked like they were drilling spuds. I counted 8 tractors, just in the one field.

just 3 of the tractors. There must be a lot of money in spuds!

The last stretch was along one of my favourite greenways- an idyllic track near a place called Longmeadow.

The track is only a mile or so but it really is a nice little spot. Home after 3 hours or so - around 17 miles in total.

 

[Jody]

Me and a friend went out into the peak district yesterday. Arrived at 8 while it was still quiet and headed off on a route from Ladybower reservoir over the hill tops towards Hope. It starts with a steep climb from the main road towards Hagg farm (13% average). From the farm it carries on further up into some fields and then on towards the decent to the A57. The winds were gusting a fair amount at the reservoir level and more so on the climb but nothing prepared us for when we reached the hill top.

It was impossible to ride over the top so we decided to push, even though it was almost flat. The headwinds were such that we could barely make progress on foot with the speedo and Strava showing 1.5mph. Half way over the top it was gusting enough to knock both of us off our feet more than once. We carried on but in hindsight should have turned round and gone back down to the valley.

We decided not to continue over to Hope as there were more peaks to climb over, so instead decided to head in the general direction of the reservoir. Neither of us had ridden from where we were back towards Ladybower. Really glad we did as after a bit more climbing came a luge style rock strewn gulley. Nice fast decent until the rear tyre blew out on a rock at about 25mph. We completed the ride with a lap of the reservoir. Only 19 miles ridden in total but my legs were shot.

The two photos below look like a joke but the wind really was that strong. The arrow on the second picture indicates roughly where my friend landed with his bike on top of him about 5 seconds after taking the shot when the wind blew him over.