Your ride today....

[Richard A Thackeray]

I'm off work for 5 days now (3 days A/L, weekend as days-off)

I had intended going out this morning, but having walked round to the Opticians in town earlier, I've decided against it
Even by my standards, it's a bit too cold, & there's definitely a decent wind blowing

Maybe tomorrow?

 

[LeetleGreyCells]

A 7 km pootle around Clumber lake with my son this morning before all the rain this afternoon. A very enjoyable time had. His riding is improving greatly. He’s doing a Bikeability course (current replacement for Cycling Proficiency course that I did) through school soon which I am hopeful will help him too.

Next trip out I’ll start teaching him hand signals, looking over shoulders, and start on road markings, positioning, etc. Today was all about increasing his confidence.

 

[Jon George]

Ha! Having purchased a new chain for Patsy #2 The CX, I made the mistake of thinking it would only take about ten minutes to fit (as it has in the past) and then I could be out and about in the sunshine ...
An hour and a quarter later, I pumped the tyres of Patsy #1 The Carbon and took her for a thrash to Nacton to work off my frustration. (#3 still needs a twiddle - Triples are great for me when they work, but its getting them to work without doing twonk mechanical cock-ups and two-steps-forward and one-step-back other problems occurring in the process that gets to me. )

Still, had a nice (but quick) chat with another cyclist at some traffic lights. He made an interesting comment about local time-trialing. I will look into it ...

 

[Old jon]

Ooops, the first ride this month! How did I let that happen? Well, I was away for a long weekend. And it has been cold and wet and generally not much fun for riding. But, at last, here is a ride to report.

Habit can annoy me, but this morning my habit of trundling through Holbeck to start the ride was a good one. It gave me time to think, my legs time to warm up a bit and the bike to become used to being ridden again. Out on the fixed and a flatter route appealed a lot, so through Hunslet aiming for John O’ Gaunts, followed by Oulton and Woodlesford and the left turn at the bottom of the hill to cross the Aire and Calder canal and then the river. This, as is usual with river crossings, leads to a bit of uphill. Uphill continues through Swillington and for a fair distance beyond. The legs certainly felt every climbing moment, and the descent that follows to the Garforth roundabout ( the George? I cannot remember ) was spoilt by the chain falling off. On the bright side, this afforded me a bit of a freewheel, which convinced me the chain had broken, and when I stopped there was nothing to do except replace the chain and tighten it by three flats on the adjusters. If they are an M5 thread that is only 0.4 mm, from memory. Not very slack at all. Anyway, on with the ride. Around the northern edge of Garforth, to the big roundabout with the sliproads for the M 1, and continue along the B 1217 until the second left turn for Aberford.



After Aberford the up and down hillery to Barwick was into a wind that must have been helping for most of the ride up to now. The hindrance, as ever, felt more than the previous help, but it is all in the cause of exercise I guess. By this time the cold was becoming noticeable, so I was glad there was less than ten miles to go, out of the twenty eight that the ride totalled. Through Scholes again, that road twists and turns a fair bit before it reaches the A 64. Thorner Lane from that road and left to reach the A 58, when another left turn plants the wind ( un )fair in the face, took a bit of speed away on the drop down Boot Hill. Never mind, a bit of pedalling kept the temperature a little higher and the two rises on Easterly Road raised the heat even more. This lasted all the way through the quiet bit of the town centre, through an even quieter patch of Hunslet and the rest of the way home. Sorted, and it was good to have that ride.

The map should have goose pimples

 

[pjd57]

Arranged to meet at 10 at the Riverside museum. Destination for our ride had changed from the Whitelees wind farm , too windy, to an exploration of the Clyde heading inland through Glasgow Green and on to Cambuslang, and wherever the path took us.
After Cambuslang we ended up in a muddy , rubble strewn dead end,blocked by the M74.

Back tracked out onto A74 London road and went through Uddingston to Bothwell.
Coffee stop, then headed back into the city and the wind.
No getting lost though. Back to Glasgow Green , along the river where the tide was up on the path at one point.
Partick then home.
41 miles at an average of 10 mph , mainly due to getting lost , then the wind.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

5 of us met up in Colwall. Mrs 26 left before me as she climbs a bit slower while I picked Sara P up en route. John B arrived at the same time and not long after Pete M rolled up. We looped to Mathon and on through the lanes for Acton Green. That was the main climb for most done now. At Bishops Frome the two ladies headed off for a shortened route while us rufty tufty blokes took the head wind on the chin as we headed for Ullingswick. That lined us up for a run through to Withington and the cafe at Radway Bridge.

Chats and refreshments set us up for painful cafe legs as we took to Lugwardine. The legs had nearly been ridden in for the short but steep kick into a super scenic lane on the flanks of the Marcles and above the main road. A rapid bash along the unavoidable bit of that main road lead us into the lanes for Yarkhill and a fairly standard route to Bosbury. John headed off at Coddington Cross while Pete and I parted in Colwall. I was left with a second climb over the Wyche for home. Lovely bright day even if the wind was a nuisance on the way out. As is the way with wind the direction changed so that we were hindered on the way back occasionally. All part of a riders' life. 52 smiles

 

[johnnyb47]

I saw that strange yellow thing in the sky today and it gave off this unusual warm feeling,so the bike was taken out side for a ride. Lake Vyrnwy was today's ride and it looked stunning in the bright sunlight. There was bits of snow lying around, and the water falls crashing down the steep mountain sides looked amazing. Only a handful of cars were spotted which is always a bonus and plenty of cyclists out and about. It was only around 12 miles ,but it was more of quality over quantity type of ride.
Happy days :-) :-)

 

[roadrash]

an hour and half out on the trike this morning, no wind , no rain but there is a strange shiny orange orb in the sky making it a very pleasant morning,i didn't go very far , I didn't go very fast, but bloody enjoyed it this morning, I still cant believe how much room drivers give a recumbent trike

 

[PeteXXX]

I saw that strange yellow thing in the sky today and it gave off this unusual warm feeling,so the bike was taken out side for a ride. Lake Vyrnwy was today's ride and it looked stunning in the bright sunlight. There was bits of snow lying around, and the water falls crashing down the steep mountain sides looked amazing. Only a handful of cars were spotted which is always a bonus and plenty of cyclists out and about. It was only around 12 miles ,but it was more of quality over quantity type of ride.
Happy days :-) :-)

Vyrnwy is beautiful! I rode around there and over the passes to Bala and back a while ago. Must be like Oxford Street in the summer though..

 

[johnnyb47]

It's an amazing place to cycle there @PeteXXX this time of the year. There's virtually no tourists around clogging the 12 mile lake side road. Summers are not to bad though as most drivers drive quite slowly taking in the views.
I've also been out today again, but this time I've used the road bike. It's been left hibernating for most of the winter parked up against the Kitchen radiator and thought it was high time I took it out. I managed 25 miles today on it, and the difference between my Road bike and my winter MTB are poles apart.
On the MTB my averages on the road are usually around 14/15mph but the road bike today easily brushed my average up to 16.5 mph.
It felt a bit strange after using the MTB for a few months. More twitchy, changing gears on the down tube and the strange sensation of feeling more vulnerable for some reason. After a few miles though, it started to feel good again and started to enjoy it's effortless ride. The only thing that spoilt it was the idiot white van man that came past me doing a good 60 with barely a few inches between us.
Bloody hell I was cursing him, and when I got into the next village there he was, delivering a parcel to a house.
He was only a young lad , but I gave him a piece of my mind non the less. I was pretty close to wanting to batter him ,but I think my aggressive rant was enough to give him a fright and food for thought. He did apologise though which did somehow diffuse the situation.
Apart from that ,it'll was a good ride out and managed to hook up with a group of cyclists for the last few miles of my ride. :-)

 

[Fonze]

I got an hour in today, felt very heavy legged and struggled with strong wind ..
Plenty ice around but was nice in the sun ..

 

[LeetleGreyCells]

A 27km ride today to stretch the legs. Lots of wind balanced by lots of sunshine. Saw six other cyclists out and about too, a sure sign the weather is improving.

 

[Jon George]

A little 10 mile run out on Patasy #3 The Hybrid to The Swan at Westerfield for lunch with my wife (She takes the car. We think it gives the appearance we're having an assignation. ) The sun was wonderful.

Still having trouble setting up the triple derailleur of Patsy #2 The CX after the chain change. I think 2 1/2 hrs was enough time spent on trying to sort it out today. I may have lost the will to live ....

 

[cosmicbike]

Chilly ride in to work this morning. Saw an unusually high level of cycling commuters, no less than 6, this morning. Maybe they're coming out of hibernation....

 

[Basil.B]

Sunny afternoon so went out and did a 15 miler.
On my way back home a large beautiful bird of prey fluttered up from a verge as I passed.
For a a second or so it flew head height just in front of me, before flying over a hedge.
A majestic sight to behold.