Your ride today....

[arranandy]

Nice ride to work at 6am. Bit breezy but quite mild. Planning to do a longer loop on the way home this afternoon

 

[Gravity Aided]

Wet both ways, that nasty fine mist rain that really soaks in and makes those of us with glasses near blind constantly

Same here, only 1.5 miles before bicycle and left leg started playing up, as well as the rain, now planning on Saturday.

 

[Dave 123]

I wasn't sure how the legs would feel today after yesterday's long ride.
I had options-
1- Go out to Formentor. A fair bit of climbing, and if my energy went at Cap Formentor then I was Donald Ducked as its a long way to struggle. Word is I'm out here next spring with my brothers,I'd love to do it with them.

2- Go back up to Lluc and complete the loop ride that the storm made me wary of. (good job too from the tales I've been told!)

So I set out toward Pollensa at 9am, it was already warm and my legs were a bit weary after yesterday. I kept it in the big ring all the way to the base of the climb, then changed down to start the miles of spinning. I did better today, And felt quite strong, though I was glad to see the sign for the summit. From here to Lluc there are a few more slopes to scale. Once there I ordered an ensaimada and a croissant and tea with lemon and watched the Spanish pensioners trip descend

From here it's more up until you reach the road that takes you down to Caimari. The next 15 minutes were truly stunning with hairpin after hairpin. Not far into the decent I did stop, but who wouldn't.....?

That was were I was headed. The turns continued and the roads still quiet, it couldn't last, and it didn't! First a bus was a bit lazy on getting back to his side after a bend, he was 12" from my shoulder. Then I had to stop above a hairpin to let 7, yes 7 busses through. After that it was quiet again all the way down to the "plain".
I say plain, but they will build their towns on hill tops, I suppose to spot the baddies before they invade, and they've not quite Sussed out by passes!
I had a fair few miles of undulations to get through, but it was mostly pretty.
I came to Buger, again on a hill. I wouldn't normally stop, but I just had to put my hands in this

I could have climbed in!
Down the hill and into Sa Pobla and on to Alcudia, near the old town I saw a Red Kite, other than this there weren't too many birds about today.
Cycling back around the bay was tough with a gusty head wind but I managed to get myself to the roundabout for an ice cream, now there's a surprise!

I want to live here.....

http://www.strava.com/activities/327889380

 

[gavgav]

4th and final ride of my week in the Lake District. The legs can't take anymore!! Today's ride turned out, unintentionally, to be our longest of the week at 35.5 miles and involved another 2800 ft of climbing, meaning we've done 107 miles and 8500ft of climbing this week.

We picked a route out of my cycling book, for completely new territory and loaded the bikes onto the car, to take the 20 mile journey to our starting point in Lindale. It was much colder today and a very brisk Westerly wind was blowing.

We took the wonderfully named "Back o the Fell Road" out of Lindale before turning towards Witherslack. We didn't want to reach that village though, but after climbing up Strickland Hill we took a "right" turn through an undulating wood, squeezing past some roadworks involving trees and phone cables, before arriving in.....yes you've guessed it, Witherslack. We had gone completely the wrong way and so had to double back, uphill, to the junction, including having to walk the bike through the roadworks that now included a telegraph pole in the road!!

Not to be deterred we continued up to Crosthwaite, Crook and Staveley, with a lot of up and down, meaning the legs were getting a good workout.

We decided not to partake in a drink at Wilf's cafe, as @Rickshaw Phil had remembered an ice cream shop a bit further along the ride. We therefore joined the cycle path alongside the A591 to Ings, battling against the strong wind, before turning off and beginning the long steep climb up the gated road to Borwick Fold. This gave nice views back towards Kentmere.

Unfortunately we arrived where the ice cream shop should have been, but it wasn't there anymore .

We pressed on to Gilpin Mill and Crosthwaite again, but then took a different way back to Bowland Bridge and onto Cartmell Fell, with plenty of steep climbs to get over!

We arrived back at Lindale, tired but having enjoyed ourselves thoroughly. The route lacked the jaw dropping scenery of the other rides this week, but the rolling countryside and quiet almost traffic less lanes were a joy to cycle on.

 

[Dave the Smeghead]

4th and final ride of my week in the Lake District. The legs can't take anymore!! Today's ride turned out, unintentionally, to be our longest of the week at 35.5 miles and involved another 2800 ft of climbing, meaning we've done 107 miles and 8500ft of climbing this week.

We picked a route out of my cycling book, for completely new territory and loaded the bikes onto the car, to take the 20 mile journey to our starting point in Lindale. It was much colder today and a very brisk Westerly wind was blowing.

We took the wonderfully named "Back o the Fell Road" out of Lindale before turning towards Witherslack. We didn't want to reach that village though, but after climbing up Strickland Hill we took a "right" turn through an undulating wood, squeezing past some roadworks involving trees and phone cables, before arriving in.....yes you've guessed it, Witherslack. We had gone completely the wrong way and so had to double back, uphill, to the junction, including having to walk the bike through the roadworks that now included a telegraph pole in the road!!

Not to be deterred we continued up to Crosthwaite, Crook and Staveley, with a lot of up and down, meaning the legs were getting a good workout.

We decided not to partake in a drink at Wilf's cafe, as @Rickshaw Phil had remembered an ice cream shop a bit further along the ride. We therefore joined the cycle path alongside the A591 to Ings, battling against the strong wind, before turning off and beginning the long steep climb up the gated road to Borwick Fold. This gave nice views back towards Kentmere.

View attachment 92395

Unfortunately we arrived where the ice cream shop should have been, but it wasn't there anymore .

We pressed on to Gilpin Mill and Crosthwaite again, but then took a different way back to Bowland Bridge and onto Cartmell Fell, with plenty of steep climbs to get over!

We arrived back at Lindale, tired but having enjoyed ourselves thoroughly. The route lacked the jaw dropping scenery of the other rides this week, but the rolling countryside and quiet almost traffic less lanes were a joy to cycle on.

Fecking jealous - you bet I am

 

[arranandy]

Nice ride to work at 6am. Bit breezy but quite mild. Planning to do a longer loop on the way home this afternoon

The planned longer ride on the way home was cancelled due to persistent heavy drizzle and a stiff westerly breeze. Weather more like January than June

 

[Racing roadkill]

I took the 520 for a proper shakedown

https://www.strava.com/activities/328077179

I bought it as a station / rough weather / beater. Yet again, I think it's going to find itself 'promoted' fairly soon. I've found a pair of Mavic rims in a wardrobe, I'm going to change the cassette from 11-25 to 12-27, bung on a couple of M+ 28's, and I reckon that it'll be a stonkingly good all rounder.

 

[IDMark2]

It was a day begging to be ridden in but I had an appointment.
At the LBS.
Where my new bike was now assembled and awaiting collection.

So I got Mrs ID to give me a lift over to Honiton, just 6 miles from here, arrived in the shop wearing my cycling gear, carrying the rack and my pedals I wanted him to fit to it and - after encouraging Mrs ID to depart now because she'd only get upset with the next bit - waving my payment card for the balance. Thank you very muchly Mr LBS owner, this is now MY Giant Revolt.

So a shake down ride home in the sun, getting used to the new Tiagra Shimano having ridden SRAM for a while and old style Sora before that. Unfortunately home was in a South West direction which was where the wind was coming from, yesterdays hilly 40 miles were weighing my legs down down as well but who cares...NEW BIKE!

20 miles later home - yes, it's only 6 miles, but not today - and able to do a few changes in my workshop, reflectors binned, stem flipped, saddle raised, lowered, raised again.

Looking forward to tomorrow.
Please excuse me being all excited, first new bike since ohhhh.. 2005.. been secondhand until now.

 

[arranandy]

I wasn't sure how the legs would feel today after yesterday's long ride.
I had options-
1- Go out to Formentor. A fair bit of climbing, and if my energy went at Cap Formentor then I was Donald Ducked as its a long way to struggle. Word is I'm out here next spring with my brothers,I'd love to do it with them.

2- Go back up to Lluc and complete the loop ride that the storm made me wary of. (good job too from the tales I've been told!)

So I set out toward Pollensa at 9am, it was already warm and my legs were a bit weary after yesterday. I kept it in the big ring all the way to the base of the climb, then changed down to start the miles of spinning. I did better today, And felt quite strong, though I was glad to see the sign for the summit. From here to Lluc there are a few more slopes to scale. Once there I ordered an ensaimada and a croissant and tea with lemon and watched the Spanish pensioners trip descend
View attachment 92360
From here it's more up until you reach the road that takes you down to Caimari. The next 15 minutes were truly stunning with hairpin after hairpin. Not far into the decent I did stop, but who wouldn't.....?
View attachment 92361
That was were I was headed. The turns continued and the roads still quiet, it couldn't last, and it didn't! First a bus was a bit lazy on getting back to his side after a bend, he was 12" from my shoulder. Then I had to stop above a hairpin to let 7, yes 7 busses through. After that it was quiet again all the way down to the "plain".
I say plain, but they will build their towns on hill tops, I suppose to spot the baddies before they invade, and they've not quite Sussed out by passes!
I had a fair few miles of undulations to get through, but it was mostly pretty.
I came to Buger, again on a hill. I wouldn't normally stop, but I just had to put my hands in this
View attachment 92362
I could have climbed in!
Down the hill and into Sa Pobla and on to Alcudia, near the old town I saw a Red Kite, other than this there weren't too many birds about today.
Cycling back around the bay was tough with a gusty head wind but I managed to get myself to the roundabout for an ice cream, now there's a surprise!

I want to live here.....

http://www.strava.com/activities/327889380

Must be getting hot on Mallorca Dave. September before Im back again

 

[Spartak]

I wasn't sure how the legs would feel today after yesterday's long ride.
I had options-
1- Go out to Formentor. A fair bit of climbing, and if my energy went at Cap Formentor then I was Donald Ducked as its a long way to struggle. Word is I'm out here next spring with my brothers,I'd love to do it with them.

2- Go back up to Lluc and complete the loop ride that the storm made me wary of. (good job too from the tales I've been told!)

So I set out toward Pollensa at 9am, it was already warm and my legs were a bit weary after yesterday. I kept it in the big ring all the way to the base of the climb, then changed down to start the miles of spinning. I did better today, And felt quite strong, though I was glad to see the sign for the summit. From here to Lluc there are a few more slopes to scale. Once there I ordered an ensaimada and a croissant and tea with lemon and watched the Spanish pensioners trip descend
View attachment 92360
From here it's more up until you reach the road that takes you down to Caimari. The next 15 minutes were truly stunning with hairpin after hairpin. Not far into the decent I did stop, but who wouldn't.....?
View attachment 92361
That was were I was headed. The turns continued and the roads still quiet, it couldn't last, and it didn't! First a bus was a bit lazy on getting back to his side after a bend, he was 12" from my shoulder. Then I had to stop above a hairpin to let 7, yes 7 busses through. After that it was quiet again all the way down to the "plain".
I say plain, but they will build their towns on hill tops, I suppose to spot the baddies before they invade, and they've not quite Sussed out by passes!
I had a fair few miles of undulations to get through, but it was mostly pretty.
I came to Buger, again on a hill. I wouldn't normally stop, but I just had to put my hands in this
View attachment 92362
I could have climbed in!
Down the hill and into Sa Pobla and on to Alcudia, near the old town I saw a Red Kite, other than this there weren't too many birds about today.
Cycling back around the bay was tough with a gusty head wind but I managed to get myself to the roundabout for an ice cream, now there's a surprise!

I want to live here.....

http://www.strava.com/activities/327889380

You passed thru Campenent, a group of us used this village as a base last year.

If you pass thru again try the ES club bar in the square - cyclist sized portions on offer ;-)

 

[cosmicbike]

For some reason I decided a ride out through WGP and into Ascot would be a good idea this evening. Apparently some horsey event had been on, thus explaining the hoards of people in fancy dress...
Not to worry, the traffic was terrible, but I really quite enjoyed filtering it all.
18 miles, all very nice, and felt like I deserved the big bowl of ice cream thats just gone down well

 

[biggs682]

Had to resort to my current weekend bike as the commuter had been visited overnight

 

[vernon]

My last UK ride until October was a shakedown ride on my Chimera after its service at Woodrups. I nipped into Leeds City centre and pedalled along the canal towpath into Kirkstall and back home into Meanwood. I'd had new rims fitted as the rear rim (Mavic 719) had developed hairline cracks around the spoke eyelets and the front rim although still having a decent amount of metal left in the braking surface, was perhaps not enough to deal with the anticipated mileage in the next three months and some Schwalbe Marathon Plus Tour tyres. A quick spin around the roundabout outside my house to test my adjustment of seat height led to a meeting and a chat with @postman. I let him have a go on the bike but he was reluctant to pedal too far up the road.

Postman drooling.

A quick survey of Fazenda, a Brazilian eat all the meat you can restaurant where I'll be eschewing vegetables tomorrow night.

The canal basin behind the station.

A pair of lock gates on my way to Kirkstall. A new housing development is taking place behind the lock keepers house. I bet they won't be cheap.

 

[13 rider]

Second ride on the new defy tonight . 13.2 miles average 15.9mph. Out through Newtown Linford up ulverscoft lane and up priory lane climb pass two guys on hybrids on the climb (that used to be me ) into Woodhouse onto Rothley ,Cropston and home . Tried a few more hills tonight was slightly concerned with the hybrid being a triple and the defy a compact I might not have low enough gears for the climbing I do , amazed at what gears I got up some of the climbs .Cassette is a 11_28 seems spot on . rode quite a bit on the drops getting a bit of back ache think the fit needs tinkering but happy with the bike

 

[vernon]

What no absinthe bottle on the Chimera? Don't tell me you've gone teetotal

There was vodka in my water bottle.

I'll be buying Akvavit in Iceland on the outward leg.