Your ride today....

[Spiderweb]

I gave the Tricross a really good clean yesterday, I love this bike and for a 10 year old well used machine it looks mint.
Out this morning at 10am for a really enjoyable 42 mile pootle with an average of 15 mph.

 

[Elybazza61]

Just another couple of commutes yesterday but did involve using the Tailfin pack for the first time ;no rattles, no movement and doesn't look like scaffolding on the back of the bike.

Just need to rig up the rear light better with a cable extension for the Exposure lights.

Have also fitted Absolute Black oval chainring plus some Profile Design aero bars with Di2 switches (wich still need some faffing with)

Di2 switches now turned around but may swap bars so the aero bars fit better as they fit just were the D-Riser bars bend upwards.

All done in the hope of actually doing some all-day rides or even over nighters some time soon.

 

[Mark pallister]

Lumpy 💯 around a quiet Northumberland,nippy start for July 😲

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

A quick spin round my Upton Magna, Walcot, Cressage, Acton Burnell, Longnor route on the Raleigh this afternoon.

It's a little cooler than last time I was out, with a brisk northerly wind so I thought this route would work as I'd have a tailwind for the undulating middle of the ride. I tried yet another saddle tweak after not being comfortable last ride and think I have inadvertently rediscovered a setup I liked from some time back. The bike really flew with the tailwind to Condover but was still quick when I changed direction heading for Cross Houses, Atcham (very popular with visitors today) and Upton Magna. Picking up the tailwind again at Walcot I got through the lumpy bits to Cressage quite briskly and climbed Shore Lane without difficulty.

The tailwind helped again from Acton Burnell then I had to turn back towards it at Longnor and had it directly in my face all the way back home. Having had the enthusiasm to press on quite hard earlier in the ride the last couple of miles were a bit of an effort and not that quick. The sit bones were feeling a bit sore too but not quite as bad as last time. It might just be a case of having to harden up to this saddle again after not using it for a while.

A few other cyclists out and about but possibly not as many as I'd have expected on a Sunday - maybe the wind has put some of them off?

34 miles this time at 15.9 mph average. Quite chuffed with that. I didn't stop for photos this time

 

[cyberknight]

 

[welsh dragon]

A little over 12 miles for me today on roads that are quite busy. Being the weekend there were lots of motorbikes as well as cars on the road.

There were also about 12 or 13 cyclists and for round here, that is a lot of cyclists.

Lovely weather as well. Not too hot.

 

[PaulB]

Lumpy 💯 around a quiet Northumberland,nippy start for July 😲

I'm JAF!

 

[gunja99]

Well today the two guys I've started cycling with for the last few weeks weren't around so checked out local groups. We did 34 miles with them including a cafe stop (hot chocolate and bacon baps! No wonder this cycling lark so expensive) anyways added a few on myself before and after as was hoping for 40 odd and ended up doing my furthest (which 40 would have been) at 52 miles! Get in! Had to finish off with a cheeky 5k run after to make it 110 days of running!

 

[AndreaJ]

It was actually warm and sunny this morning and planned a route which wouldn’t need much time on the main roads to avoid the packs of motorbikes which seem to be about on a weekend. Started out to Northwood, Bettisfield, Breadon Heath, Welshampton, Ellesmere alongside the mere and through the town to Tetchill where continuing my plan to try some new lanes I turned towards Tetchill Moor. Even by Shropshire standards this was a narrow lane complete with a line of mud down the middle and I did begin to wonder if it was in fact the correct lane, eventually I passed a farm whose name I recognised off the map and did rejoin the lane I wanted to Lee. Carried on through Lee before turning past Whitemere where the sailing club looked busy to Spunhill, up to Colemere, Lyneal where there was a sign warning of a road closure hopefully to fix the “agricultural “ repair to the huge potholes down towards the caravan park. I carried on to Loppington, Brown Heath, Nonely, Wolverley and home. 25.6 miles @15.2mph. Lots of cyclists out today.

 

[colly]

Just before 7 this morning it was out into a bright sunny but chilly morning. No plan at all as to where I was going nor even if it was going to be a couple of laps of the block or something more substantial. Across the park and I found myself on Harrogate Road going north. I stuck with it and was soon passing Harewood House and belting down Harewood Bank.
The outline of a route was beginning to form so it was on towards Harrogate and a left after Pannal towards Burn Bridge.
The climb up to Harlow Carr had me warmed up nicely from there it was down to cross Oak Beck on Penny Pot Lane.
I stuck on Penny Pot Lane for the next 5 miles, pretty much a gentle uphill all the way.
A left and a right saw me down to Fewston Reservoir, and the inevitable climb up the far side where I stopped to take a couple of pics:

Rather than make for Otley I thought seeing as it's such a nice day I'll take the long way round and so I turned right at the crossroads towards Blubberhouses and St Andrew's church which is just before the A59:

Left on The A59 for the climb up to what I think is Blubberhouse Moor and view looking sort of west towards Colne and Nelson in Lancashire:

A long drop off the moor down towards Bolton Bridge but I turn left before the bottom of the hill and take the Beamsley road and a few hundred yards further on took the turn for the 1.4 mile climb up to Langbar. Photos never give you a true impression of a climb but it really is a stiff old climb. Managable, but it makes you work:

From Langbar at the top it's a long fast twisty run down towards Ilkley. Before the bottom I turned for Middleton and met the road to Askwith that runs alongside the Wharfe just before Denton bridge. In Askwith, on a whim, I turned left up another 2 miles long climb towards the moors over Otley. I had half a mind to take on the climb up East Chevin Road too but in Otley I knew I had had enough.
So it was up Leeds Road instead and the last 10 miles to home.
All in all it was 57.2 miles and a tad under 4800ft of up.

 

[C R]

Another Sunday ride to take in some new roads. It rained quite a lot during the night, but the morning was bright, and not particularly cold, great riding conditions.

Set off at 6:30, out via St Peters, over the river at Lower Wick, and then head north past the University towards Stourport via Hallow and Holt Heath. The road was quiet, but that didn't seem to stop a couple of idiots from close passing me.

After Holt it was heading for Astley Cross. I hadn't been this way with the bike before, and it really caught me out. According to google the elevation along this stretch wasn't a lot, but it is a succession of short, sharp ramps, which broke my rhythm and really taxed my legs. On top of that, the road is quite shady, and I had to be careful on the downhills, as it was difficult to see the potholes and the sand and gravel in the middle of the lane. I was really glad when I finally got to Astley Cross, and the swift descent to the Severn and into Stourport.

The next destination after Stourport was Hartlebury, and another long drag. My intention was to cross the A449 by Station Rd, but I took a turn too early, which got me to another drag, and ended at the wrong crossing, and had to double back to get to the level crossing.

Next destination now was Rushock church for a visit to John Bonham's grave. At least now the gradients were more gradual, and I was making more reasonable progress. However, the bike computer was misbehaving, power cycling itself a couple of times, and then finally the itself off for good. Also, a rather annoying rattle was developing on the right hand side of the handlebars, which I thought was the shifter. I finally made it to the church, and took some time to rest, and take a couple of photos.

I was aiming to go back via Stoke Prior and Hanbury, but the rattle was now very annoying, so I decided to cut it short and return via Droitwich and the back roads to the Hospital and home. Along the way I finally worked out that the rattle was a chain splitting tool that stashes in the handlebar, and is obviously not designed to take the vibrations. When I got home I located the bit of the tool that was making noise and added some padding to stop the rattle.

I had aimed for about 45 miles, but only made 39, not particularly enjoyable miles. The map.

I had a look at the computer when I got home, and found that one of the battery connections had broken, so soldered it back, and is now working again.

 

[Mike_P]

Saturday – an early evening Sainsbury’s shopping trip on the ebike albeit with a battery a touch on the low side so minimal assist on the outbound ride to save the majority for the climbs back with a laden rucksack. It quickly transpired on the return more assist was needed on the level as their was a significant headwind funnelling down the Crimple Valley. The mobiles battery was also low which presumably was the cause of some very weird Strava tracking.
Sunday – mid morning and the Defy north on the A61 today and along the Ripon bypass before turning off past the Racecourse and then zig zagging north east, passing a parked cyclist navigating old school style with a printed map, to Rainton where the first of a procession of benches was acquired for substance to be consumed and all conveniently with BT Wifi available.
Shortly after Rainton came the initial object of the ride – the Q of Queen Marys School as an off tangent start to doing villages etc in the order of a QWERTY keyboard.

A lumpier than expected ride eastwards across the Vale of York/Mowbray, one moment highest gear, the next the lowest. Coxwold certainly has a church at the top of the hill.

Further east passed the ruins of Byland Abbey.

and onto the W of Wass where a partly overgrown bench was acquired before backtracking to Coxwold and a quite appalling road surface south west out of the village. Again more lumpy than I anticipated ride to the E of Easingwold where, after what had gone before, Church Bank was pretty flat in comparison. Then looped round via the A19 to the R of Raskelf, and pass a different village nameboard to that used for the ABC rides. Next came the T of Tholthorpe where I rode pass the nameboard twice as I had not realised the sportscams battery had died but fortunately had stopped for a snack next to the village pond.

Youlton which had ended my ABC rides next, again a different and not so overgrown sign – the road had indeed been surface dressed since last week but was nicely compressed. Managed a new PR crossing Aldwarke Toll Bridge which must be down to how short the Strava segment is as I came to halt on the east side while the occupants of a car searched their boot for the requisite motor vehicle toll fee. Then through Great Ouseburn to the U of Upper Dunsforth, same sign as used for the ABC rides but with the confusing and obviously not in the right place directional sign now flat on the ground.

Then it was a westerly slog as the average speed fell from over 15mph to 14.6mph, 3159ft climbed and 67.79 miles 109.1 km. Plenty of cyclists about.

 

[wafter]

Late night beer run into town on the ofo; highlights included finding another bike and seeing another badger

Probably only about 6-7 miles but it was a really nice night to be out and probably good to give my creaky knees a bit of movement having spent 4hrs crouching on the ground playing with the car earlier.

 

[Old jon]

Definitely a day to ride the fixed, just like any other day really. But the sun was bright, few clouds in the sky and I fancied riding the river path downstream to Allerton Bywater.

Easy riding really, for the first thirteen miles or so. Reach the Aire at the Armouries museum, ride down to Knowsthorpe, always pronounced and often spelt Knostrop, and cross the river and end of canal there. Back across the canal at (I think) Skelton Bridge, with that clunky flight of steps to descend. Carrying the bike that is. Then pretty straightforward riding, except for the speed bumps after Fishponds Lock, all the way to Woodlesford. After this the towpath surface is not the best.

The Aire and Calder Navigation rejoins the river at the bottom of Lemonroyd Lock, so it was the river I crossed on the outskirts of Mickletown and then my track left the river. I was choosing the best looking exit from any junction. Skinny road tyres verge on a bit too much fun riding on deep fine gravel. Which meant a loop around the north of Allerton Bywater on the way to the A656. Turn left and up onto that. A mile and a bit later the road levels off, just before reaching Peckfield Bar where I turn right.

And left at the next roundabout for the second mickle of the morning, Micklefield. A very well worn stretch of road from now on, probably ride it most weeks. On to the crossroads, turn right on the B1217 and then left at the gates of Lotherton Hall. This goes to Aberford. Cattle Lane leaves Aberford behind, for the ups and downs to Barwick in Elmet. This place always seems much busier than Aberford, it has just occurred to me why. Barwick has shops and at least two working pubs. Aberford has one pub left, surely there must be a shop but I cannot recall one.

Anyway, continue to and through Scholes, and the usual dogleg to the A58 and the whizzz down Boot Hill. The breeze in my face slowed me down a bit there. Through Oakwood and down (yet again) to the town centre and back across the river to home. Had to smile, the garthing ticked over to thirty five miles as I reached home, and the 1500 feet of up I rode almost all happened in the last half of that distance.

Familiar squiggles . . .

 

[JPBoothy]

Your roads still look nice and quiet compared to the sudden increase in traffic near to me. The local Outlet Village had also re-opened and sadly I think the chance of a cheap designer label took preference over staying healthy as the Chelsea tractors were out in force. My son and I managed to do a quick 15mls through the 'busier than usual lanes' but I think age must be setting in as I struggled to push the pedals up only 'slight' gradients on my SS. Another tooth on the sprocket needed maybe. I thought as you got older you lost teeth not gained them