Your ride today....

[EltonFrog]

The Fragrant MrsP and I rode to Oxford yesterday morning, via Abingdon, , Radley, along their Thames Path then along the Abingdon road to St Giles and the town centre, locked the bikes up had some breakfast in Bill’s , came out unlocked the bikes, walked them round to the Westgate centre, locked them up with hundreds of other bikes, did some shopping came back, my bike gone. Stolen. Feckin twunt nicked it, left the Fragrant MrsP’s ( same bike, same spec, just smaller).
So that was my day ruined and probably the last time I’ll ride it.

I’m bloody gutted about losing this bike, I’ve ridden it around New York, Cape Town, around various parts of France including up the Champs-Élysées and around the Arc de Triomphe, I’ve ridden it around Berlin ( Berlin Velothon) four Ride London Surrey 100’s, from France to Luxembourg, From Paris to London various sport Ives and raised thousands for charities along the way. I’m thoroughly and abjectly farking pissed off.

 

[Oxford Dave]

Had a fairly quick blast out this morning as I will be busy this afternoon and evening. Rode out through Stanton Harcourt (again - but there are only 3 or 4 ways out of the village, and some of them are busy roads), then took the single track road into Witney, found the cycle path this time, through town, on to Curbridge, Lew, and back via Yelford.
Just over 18 miles in one hour thirty four, good start to the day.

 

[13 rider]

Thankfully no wildlife was harmed in any way on todays ride . Time to bank a 50km ride for the monthly challenge .It had stopped raining by 10.00 so out the door Did my standard loop out to Wymeswold and return .On the quiet lanes from Seagrave to Wymeswold I had to keep slowing for horse and riders seemed loads of them out today . I always slow an alert them to my presence before passing . Past a club going in the other direction Ilkeston C C on a big Day out I guess . Headwind on the way home but not as bad as yesterday . 31.4 miles in the bag and off the mark for the challenge

 

[Ian H]

Six of us rode a 200 yesterday from East Devon up on to Exmoor and back in a large circuit. The reward was a beer at the last pub before the finish, then more beer in the pub at the finish. The weather was cold but fine, and even sunny at times. This is me near the top of the seven mile climb from N Molton.

 

[Dave 123]

A short ride today on my Spa. There were lots of flowers about, but the highlight was a Panda

https://www.strava.com/activities/3064800166

 

[Cavalol]

The Fragrant MrsP and I rode to Oxford yesterday morning, via Abingdon, , Radley, along their Thames Path then along the Abingdon road to St Giles and the town centre, locked the bikes up had some breakfast in Bill’s , came out unlocked the bikes, walked them round to the Westgate centre, locked them up with hundreds of other bikes, did some shopping came back, my bike gone. Stolen. Feckin twunt nicked it, left the Fragrant MrsP’s ( same bike, same spec, just smaller).
So that was my day ruined and probably the last time I’ll ride it.

I’m bloody gutted about losing this bike, I’ve ridden it around New York, Cape Town, around various parts of France including up the Champs-Élysées and around the Arc de Triomphe, I’ve ridden it around Berlin ( Berlin Velothon) four Ride London Surrey 100’s, from France to Luxembourg, From Paris to London various sport Ives and raised thousands for charities along the way. I’m thoroughly and abjectly farking pissed off.

View attachment 502954

View attachment 502955

That's horrible news, fwiw you have my sympathies and I hope you get it back and find the (insert expletive here) who took it. It's never good when someone steals your bike, but when it's one that's done a lot of adventures with you, it's even worse.

Fingers crossed it turns up somewhere soon.

 

[Shearwater Missile]

The Fragrant MrsP and I rode to Oxford yesterday morning, via Abingdon, , Radley, along their Thames Path then along the Abingdon road to St Giles and the town centre, locked the bikes up had some breakfast in Bill’s , came out unlocked the bikes, walked them round to the Westgate centre, locked them up with hundreds of other bikes, did some shopping came back, my bike gone. Stolen. Feckin twunt nicked it, left the Fragrant MrsP’s ( same bike, same spec, just smaller).
So that was my day ruined and probably the last time I’ll ride it.

I’m bloody gutted about losing this bike, I’ve ridden it around New York, Cape Town, around various parts of France including up the Champs-Élysées and around the Arc de Triomphe, I’ve ridden it around Berlin ( Berlin Velothon) four Ride London Surrey 100’s, from France to Luxembourg, From Paris to London various sport Ives and raised thousands for charities along the way. I’m thoroughly and abjectly farking pissed off.

View attachment 502954

View attachment 502955

So sorry to hear about that being stolen, I would feel the same as you if either of mine were stolen. It means nothing to them, just a few quid for a few drugs or booze but meant a lot to you. I hope that you do get it back in good condition.

 

[Shearwater Missile]

Another windy ride of 22 miles and I thought it was windier than yesterday but the Met office says otherwise 20 mph opposed to 23 mph yesterday. I must have had a good workout as I could feel my right quad burning today and hav`nt felt that for a long time.The new left hand crank seems to have done the trick with the twinge I got in the groin area.
I have developed a problem shifting gears at the back,it feel stiffer than normal when shifting up and sometimes does`nt shift or shift down without intervention. I am kind of thinking that it may be cable at the brifter end fraying so will have to look into that.
The roads were pretty quiet today so was a pleasant ride but I did have an unexpected noise coming from the saddle, squeaking. It was quite bad and I have never had that on either of my Prologo`s. I had it once on a Fabric scoop and got that replaced.
Not much in the way of wildlife but I did see a pair of goldcrests flit just in front of me and a blackbird that tried and failed to take me out.
So 22 miles at 16.7mph average and on 363.8 this year. Still, good to be out.

Later the Met office did quote 23 mph wind with 30 gusts so I was`nt far out in my assumption.

 

[geocycle]

Fancied some limestone so got up to Hutton Roof. Unfortunately it was in cloud and drizzle so views were lacking. Had to make do with an outstanding display of mosses. Nice to get out on what was a wet and windy day.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Yesterday's ride:

Out with my brother to get his mileage up a bit more. We had hoped to do something longer this time but it was quite windy out so we changed the plan a little. On a previous trip I'd promised a pub stop next time we weren't pressed for time so we went for the Condover, Atcham, Upton Magna, Uffington, Shrewsbury route and aimed for a stop at The Haughmond Inn.

We started off going over Lyth Hill so as to spend as little time on the main road as possible which proved to be a good idea in the conditions. After Condover though we turned so that the wind was behind us and got swept along quite nicely. If I'd been on my own I would have pressed on to make the most of the wind - Doug though was content to take it easy and let the wind do most of the work. Even so, we were getting along alright.

We took the longer way through Cross Houses and when we got to Atcham I suggested the tour up the drive to Attingham Hall, which Doug was happy to do. Getting to the Hall was very swift and easy - heading to the exit less so.

Reaching the Haughmond I bought drinks while Doug settled in sight of the bikes. It was quite chilly when exposed to the wind but in the shelter of the pub's garden it wasn't bad really. After the stop the legs felt heavy and we had a strong crosswind to contend with so the going got a bit slower than it had been on the way to Uffington. We went along the old canal path as it's a bit more sheltered than the alternative options. The tarmac bit of this has been cleaned recently which makes it rather more pleasant and the gravel/mud later on was fairly dry.

The last five miles or so were mostly into the wind so were slow going as we headed along Sydney Avenue, over the Castle Walk footbridge and joined the town inner ring road. Doug was flagging in the last couple of miles and looking at the Met Office website later on it was understandable as we'd been riding into a 23mph headwind, gusting to 44 mph.

This ride was supposed to have been the first one I've recorded on Strava as I now have a phone with GPS. Unfortunately it lost all of the data when I tried to syncronise it. Doug tagged me into his data as a consolation. I won't be getting rid of my cycle computer any time soon.

20.6 very blustery miles at 11 mph average.

At the pub stop.

 

[Mike_P]

So sorry to hear about that being stolen, I would feel the same as you if either of mine were stolen. It means nothing to them, just a few quid for a few drugs or booze but meant a lot to you. I hope that you do get it back in good condition.

@EltonFrog
What lock were you using?
Is the bike security marked?
Presumably there's CCTV coverage in the area so the Police ought to have a good chance of an arrest and even if the bike has vanished you should get compensance so make a note of everything that was on the bike additional to its original form.

 

[Donger]

Got my Metric Century-a-Month ride in early again this month. Set off with @KingswayRider to do the 109km (67.9 mile) "Windrush Winter warm-up" audax. Started in the Cotswold water Park near Cirencester with (I'm guessing) about 100 others .....

and headed off eastwards to Stanton Harcourt in Oxfordshire with the benefit of a lovely following wind. Easily managed a 16mph average for the first hour, and arrived at the first control point among something of a crowd scene. The second leg was a different matter entirely, as we turned the corner for a ride along the Windrush Valley via Witney, Burford, Little Barrington and Sherborne. This bit was much lumpier. Plenty of up and down through the Cotswolds (totalling, I'm told, about 773 metres of climbing in the whole ride, after very little in the first leg), and with some quite vicious side winds. I dragged myself into the second control at Sherborne, where I was treated to a bacon butty that was a real life-saver. Two of the highlights of the second leg were the villages of Minster Lovell:

... and Little Barrington:

After a horrible climb back out of the Windrush Valley to the A40, the third leg got vicious. What a horrible (20mph) headwind for the last 20 or so miles. I was near my limit when I dragged myself over the finishing line back at the Water Park. @KingswayRider , as ever, stuck with me and made sure I was OK. His encouragement got me home in almost exactly 6 hours 30 mins, which is almost exactly my average time for this 109km audax. I don't quite know what to make of that, as my seven attempts of this ride have all been in different weather conditions. I think finishing with 20 miles into a stiff headwind was probably the toughest variant so far, so I'm quite satisfied with that.
Off for a hot bath and a little nap now before my mate comes round to watch the Superbowl with me. Little chance of being awake for the fourth quarter, so here's hoping the KC Chiefs are well in the lead early in the second half!
Cheers, Donger.

 

[KingswayRider]

Got my Metric Century-a-Month ride in early again this month. Set off with @KingswayRider to do the 109km (67.9 mile) "Windrush Winter warm-up" audax. Started in the Cotswold water Park near Cirencester with (I'm guessing) about 100 others .....
View attachment 503014
and headed off eastwards to Stanton Harcourt in Oxfordshire with the benefit of a lovely following wind. Easily managed a 16mph average for the first hour, and arrived at the first control point among something of a crowd scene. The second leg was a different matter entirely, as we turned the corner for a ride along the Windrush Valley via Witney, Burford, Little Barrington and Sherborne. This bit was much lumpier. Plenty of up and down through the Cotswolds (totalling, I'm told, about 773 metres of climbing in the whole ride, after very little in the first leg), and with some quite vicious side winds. I dragged myself into the second control at Sherborne, where I was treated to a bacon butty that was a real life-saver. Two of the highlights of the second leg were the villages of Minster Lovell:
View attachment 503015
... and Little Barrington:
View attachment 503018
After a horrible climb back out of the Windrush Valley to the A40, the third leg got vicious. What a horrible (20mph) headwind for the last 20 or so miles. I was near my limit when I dragged myself over the finishing line back at the Water Park. @KingswayRider , as ever, stuck with me and made sure I was OK. His encouragement got me home in almost exactly 6 hours 30 mins, which is almost exactly my average time for this 109km audax. I don't quite know what to make of that, as my seven attempts of this ride have all been in different weather conditions. I think finishing with 20 miles into a stiff headwind was probably the toughest variant so far, so I'm quite satisfied with that.
Off for a hot bath and a little nap now before my mate comes round to watch the Superbowl with me. Little chance of being awake for the fourth quarter, so here's hoping the KC Chiefs are well in the lead early in the second half!
Cheers, Donger.

Well done Donger for getting round as ever. Glad the butty kept you going & the encouragement & company helped. Sorry that I'm not more of a help when it comes to acting as a windbreak...I don't punch anything like a big enough hole in the air for you to follow. That first 30 miles was mad - I reckon solo I'd have been 20mph+ average on that leg. Thanks for the lift...I know I often ride to/from, but 60 miles & 800m of ascent on top of the Audax was a bit much for today (especially with that wind).

 

[EltonFrog]

Two short rides yesterday. 1st to take my mind off Saturdays events, the Fragrant MrsP and I went to Cotswold cycles to look at the bikes and I had a ride round the trading estate on a Domane SL6 it was only a short ride of loops but there were some bumpy surfaces and rumble strips to ride on. The bike is very comfortable a completely different experience to my Madone.

The second ride was to the shops in Didcot on the hybrid, just six and shot miles there and back, it was a bit blowy out there yesterday.

A total of 7.5 miles .

 

[nickyboy]

I normally do the ride planning for the little group I ride with at weekends. It seems to work well that way. Last weekend I was busy so I asked via our WhatsApp group for someone else to plan it. I wish I hadn't

The forecast was mild but really windy for Saturday. The look of horror on my face when the routefile was sent around. 48 miles, 5,300ft of climbing. Too hard, too windy. But, I'd asked them to plan it so what could I do?

Charlesworth to New Mills (via hills), New Mills to Whaley Bridge (via hills), Long Hill, The Street out of the Goyt Valley and eventually onto the Macclesfield to Whaley Bridge Road. It was brutal. When we go to that point we'd done 23 miles with 3,600ft of climbing, most of it into a 30mph wind. We cut it short, we would never have made it back on time (we were down to 10mph average by then). Even so, and by coming back the quickest and flattest way possible we did 37 miles and 4,900ft of climbing. In the future, I'll do the planning

To add insult to injury we were passed by the British Cycling training group going up Long Hill. Young, skinny, fit, went past like we were standing still with a cheery "hello". Bastards, I hate them all