Your ride today....

[cosmicbike]

A brief ride into town today, apparently there is still decorating to be done. I have, at least, discovered why my commutes have been hard the last few days. Spun the back wheel up when I got home and it was rubbing. Gave it a wobble, oh dear, LOTS of wobble My initial fears that the bearings had collapsed were unfounded, as I soon discovered that the nut for the cup and cone bearings had been re-fitted incorrectly when the bearings were stripped and lubed in the Summer. I wonder who did that Still, fixing that gave me a break from painting.....
Hoping for nice weather tomorrow, the paint brush will have to wait.

 

[postman]

Ok it was only around three miles.Down and back to the cycle group.But i did get the bike out.It fell over and now the chain rubs and the gears don't run cleanly.Sod it.Legs ached and no power.But i got out.Also going to put the butterfly bars back on,not feeling safe with narrow drops on.Thought i would try it

 

[LeetleGreyCells]

Just a quick spin on my second-hand road bike. First time I’ve taken it out since getting it for Christmas as being used to a mountain bike, and not riding a road bike for 25 years, I was a little apprehensive what with the narrow tyres and very little grip, and the crappy weather. I did a short 7.5 miles to get the feel of the bike. ‘Quick’ doesn’t cover it. Wow, that was a fast ride. I loved it. I seemed to be a little unstable riding out of the saddle though. Practice will make perfect I’m sure. Once I got back, I made a list of jobs I need to do to the bike to get it running right. The new mudguards are rattling too. My arms are aching more than usual too. Could be as I’m not used to the hand positions on the hoods, top and drop bars. Hoods was most comfortable though.

 

[tallliman]

After 2 weeks off the bike, a slow 21 mile pootle (for me, I know I'm not meant to use the term ) was all I felt up to. It was just nice to be out for a bit. I'd have done longer but didn't want to push my iffy knee.

 

[Elysian_Roads]

Just a quick spin on my second-hand road bike. First time I’ve taken it out since getting it for Christmas as being used to a mountain bike, and not riding a road bike for 25 years, I was a little apprehensive what with the narrow tyres and very little grip, and the crappy weather. I did a short 7.5 miles to get the feel of the bike. ‘Quick’ doesn’t cover it. Wow, that was a fast ride. I loved it. I seemed to be a little unstable riding out of the saddle though. Practice will make perfect I’m sure. Once I got back, I made a list of jobs I need to do to the bike to get it running right. The new mudguards are rattling too. My arms are aching more than usual too. Could be as I’m not used to the hand positions on the hoods, top and drop bars. Hoods was most comfortable though.

Nice one. Like you, had that uncertainty around grip, and that feeling that a road bike is a bit more skittish than a mountain bike or a utility bike. Six months on, it has certainly diminished, so as you say, practice will make perfect.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Steve E and me in the Green with Margaret P-R, John B, Jules H and Pete M in Upton. Steve called Tewkesbury so it was down through the Castlemorton lanes and across a very wet Longdon Marsh. Then the standard route by The Rampings to emerge at The Mythe and not long after the cafe in Tewkesbury. We'd been riding fairly sensibly as Margaret hasn't been too well. It was her first outing since before Xmas. It was good to catch up with Margaret, Jules and John as we haven't seen each other for a while.

We took the run around by the White Rabbit on the way back with chats still flowing. At Upton Margaret had had enough. Jules headed home while Steve grabbed a lift from Pete. John and I took the standard run back but had to go by Tunnel Hill as the back lane is still flooded. We parted on the Guarlford Road as John fancied a few more miles. Not a bad day for more miles either as the sun was to be spotted at times and temperatures were in double figures (12 C). 43 smiles. Was that you on the A38 just north of Tewkesbury @Donger ?

 

[Paulus]

Just as far as Tesco to get a few bottle of ale. 2 miles maybe.

 

[LeetleGreyCells]

Nice one. Like you, had that uncertainty around grip, and that feeling that a road bike is a bit more skittish than a mountain bike or a utility bike. Six months on, it has certainly diminished, so as you say, practice will make perfect.

Skittish is the very much the right word. There were times when I thought I was going to have an off. As Arnold Schwarzenegger said in Last Action Hero, “How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice!”

 

[Hugh Manatee]

First ride this year! Very windy here today. I struggled with what I thought was a headwind for the first 7 or 8 miles and then realised that it was actually a side wind. The headwind came when I turned the corner onto the next road. I usually pedal on the long downhill to Tong but today I had to or else I would have stopped!

On a whim, I decided to extend the ride slightly and soon saw my first hint of Spring:

Unfortunately, there seemed to be too much fly tipping going on including a gas cylinder. I might go back and unfly-tip it as I'm sure it would make a good forge.
I also saw a nice sized log at the side of the road a bit further on. My son and I will get it later as it looked perfect for his GCSE project. The things you see when out on the bike! I wouldn't have seen it from the car.

I also saw one of these:

Not everyone can say that! Just over 25 miles in all and I'm sure I'll feel it later. I wish I hadn't worn my Winter jacket as it felt quite warm today.

 

[Donger]

. Was that you on the A38 just north of Tewkesbury @Donger ?

No, I'd have waved back, now I know what you look like. I was on our club ride into the Forest of Dean and back today. 15 of us turned out for a club mate's 100th ride with the club. His name is Dean, and we were taking on the Forest of Dean. I named his choice of ride the "B*st**d Dean" and told him he could work out for himself which Dean I was referring to! This was the route (and profile):
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/17222844

I am now totally cooked. 47 miles in all for me today, and plenty of big hills, including Little London, Mitcheldean, a long drag up Plump Hill with fantastic views of the silver Severn glittering down below us in the distance, Speech House and then the grim finale, a steep, mile long haul up St White's road near Cinderford. One of the new guys had to get off and push for a moment on that last one, but the rest of us, myself included, dragged ourselves successfully up it. I'm getting too old for this!

At our coffee break at the "Pedalbikeaway" centre at Cannop, it was a pleasant surprise to bump into a girl who used to ride with us, so we stayed longer than usual, chatting. The guy who struggled on St Whites then started to bonk somewhere near Westbury on Severn, and we all slowed down to escort him back to Gloucester safely, meaning I was out for at least half an hour longer than I'd expected. At the horrible roundabout at Over, the cars were behaving themselves today, due probably to the fortuitous appearance of a police car just as we approached the roundabout. It has never been so easy!

Another 47 miles in the bag, bringing me to 261 for the month .... my second best January ever. Certainly can't complain about the weather. Bright and mild today .... would have been an OK day even for April. Just wish I'd not been wearing my heavy duty Winter jacket.
I'm off for a long hot soak.
Cheers, Donger.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Got a few days off, want to be lazy but I have a wee challenge going with some forum members
Met office app said the best time was between 10 and one o'clock, so I set out from the leafy suburb of Rutherglen ...erm ... maybe not so leafy, into the unknown.


Well, the plan was to connect a few dots of a cycling infrastructure in town: @flyingfifi had asked me a while back if I had ever been up that way before, where does it lead to?
I found out, and a very quiet road it was too - on a Sunday morning, yes, bet it's different tomorrow, as it crosses an industrial estate.
You need to keep your wits about you on these urban cycling routes, some bits have 3 different set of lights, one for cars, one for pedestrians, one for bikes.
Look at the wrong one and you're marmalade!

It's a dull day here, but quite warm, around 12C, the wind is blowing a gale though.
I was enjoying the ride, wanted to explore some more but turned back after the route signs got confusing: I know well the way on the road to where it is supposed to go, got lost trying to follow the segregated path
Here is an overcast picture of the Tradeston bridge, part of my commute to work, crossroads to the city centre-southside cycle route:

Follow the shared paths alongside the river, through Glasgow Green, along the Clyde walkway, et voila', you're back in Aldi Rutherglen, flat as a pancake it is too.

After Aldi I diverted into Tesco for some cat food (BigCat won't eat Aldi's ) , then back home just in time to avoid the heavy rain.
Only 14 miles but every little helps with the challenge

 

[delb0y]

Just a 20 for me today - over to see the folks and back. I'm trying desperately not to lose too much fitness but I know it's going... In a month or two I'm going to have to start doing what I did last year and build up my distance five miles at a time each week, starting at around 25 / 30. Still enjoying the new bike, though. Albeit I'm not sure it's as easy as the Tricross. Hopefully the benefit will be seen later in the year.

Anyway, did get one nice photo of the wild mangrove swamps of the west Gloucester delta.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Lovely picture @delb0y

 

[Donger]

It is a bit like the Everglades to the side of the Western Bypass at the moment, @delb0y . Nice photo.

 

[Levo-Lon]

Fantastic day for a bike ride, muddy as hell but so warm.