Yesterday's ride.
The garden chair rides again! Today, still cool but with sunny spells. I was well wrapped up, with my winter beany hat with peak, shades and clip on mirror. Left it a bit late really, starting at 2:30 but wanted to get out on the LWB recumbent anyway . I had a route planned out to get back before it got too dark. Second day of lockdown II, was going to be a quick traffic free trip. After my ride on the tourer yesterday I was surprised how long the cranks seemed to be but I think they’re the same lengths, it’s just the horizontal pedalling action. I read recently of recumbent riding being described as “playing a trombone with your feet” and that’s the way it felt till I settled back into it after rolling to the end of the street.
I set off along Swanlow Lane, got through the uphill traffic lights with no problems and continued to the roundabout on the A54. I was taken aback by the amount of traffic that was queueing there. Still, good practice starting and stopping. I went straight across and got stopped again in a queue of traffic. Primary school traffic. I finally got away from it but all along the road to Sandiway yet more traffic regularly passed in both directions.
Straight through the lights at Sandiway, turn right on to Weaverham Road, straight on at the crossroads, over the railway bridge then down the loong hill (managed about 25mph) to another traffic queue. My hope of a traffic free lockdown ride had been rather dented by now.
I got across to Gorstage Lane, passed under a railway bridge then climbed up to the T junction with Forest St, turned left then right on to West Road. I trundled through this pleasant part of Weaverham until I was able to swoop downhill on Sandy Lane to the T junction with the A49, reaching a max speed of 30.6 mph. My original route plan had been to turn left on to the A49 and trundle up the hill to the A556, then to Sandiway. The unexpectedly busy traffic made that prospect unpleasant so after peering at the map I retraced my route back up Sandy Lane and West Road and turned left into Forest St towards the centre of Weaverham. I turned right into Lime Avenue, passing a school and a large housing estate before turning right at the TJ with Northwich Rd. There had been little traffic through Weaverham but on reaching Hartford it was congested again.
I waited behind traffic at some lights to turn right over the railway bridge and came across more traffic and schoolkids pouring out of the Grange School. I just accepted that this was going to take some time but it was all manageable. Not what I would have chosen, but today wasn’t turning out the way I’d planned so I just went with the flow. I compared the way I dealt with this with the anxiety I felt on first riding this bike in traffic only a few months ago and felt I had made a lot of progress.
Straight across Hartford lights eventually and then over the A556 on to the cycle path on the other side. It was just as well I knew where it was, as it was completely obliterated by leaves. I slipped and slithered down to Hartford bridge then turned right to a lane just before it. The light was beginning to fade so I was going to take this short cut to try to get home before dark. The lane was pot holed and muddy in places, and strewn with leaves so needing some concentration. I stopped to swap my shades for my ordinary specs and took a couple of photos. The fallen leaves are certainly rich and plentiful this year. The pictures show the part of the lane before I reached the mud and potholes.
I passed a couple of dog walkers. One of them said, “you look very comfortable there”. I replied that I would stay comfortable if I could avoid sliding off!
On the stretch before Vale Royal Golf Course there is an A frame barrier which I got through without trouble. At the entrance to the (closed) golf course there is a swinging gate which is wide enough for a normal bike. I stood the Linear on its back wheel, swung the gate and dropped the front end down. I followed the road through the golf course then on to an uphill path through a wood. Again the path was covered with wet leaves and quite slippery. On to a road through a small estate where I stopped to put the lights on. Initially the front light wouldn’t come on but after giving it a tap it came on and stayed on. Out on to Mill Lane, turned right downhill for a short stretch then left into the bottom end of Grange Lane. After passing some houses the lane narrows to the width of a footpath and passes through a wood. Getting rather dark in there but the surface was not too wet, muddy or leafy so I was optimistic that the rest of the lane would be easily passable. I did notice that the steering was a bit imprecise but I put it down to the surface.
I came out to the spot where the lane widens again and immediately found myself struggling with wet mud and tractor tyre tracks. I pedalled on through this but eventually came to a halt in another patch of mud. I had to get off and push here but the lane got drier as it began to slope upwards so I was able to ride again. I noticed that the steering definitely had a wobble to it by now, the underseat steering bar had up and down play at the ends. I put my fingers under the seat and sure enough the pivot bolt had become loose. I pedalled on to a suitable spot to stop and undid the quick releases on the front of the seat and on the rear seat stays so I could fold it forward. I managed to find my multi tool in the diminishing light and tightened up the steering pivot bolt. I stuck it in my jacket pocket just in case I needed it again quickly. I looked up, and over the hedge, backlit by a glowing red sky was the silhouette of a perfectly symmetrical tree (possibly a beech) on the distant horizon of the adjacent field. However it was getting dark now and I was in no mood to be taking pictures. After a bit of fumbling I got the rear seat stays fastened, tightened the seat quick release, adjusted the front light and gingerly pedalled the rest of the rapidly-darkening still-muddy lane.
Back on the lit roads I made better progress. It was completely dark by this time. Through the sports complex, through the fateful uphill A frame where I fell off into a patch of nettles last time. Out into an estate, over the A54 to Swanlow lane and home. 20.1 miles, max speed 30.6 mph, average 8.6 mph. Definitely need to fit the spare rechargeable light or just get a better light! When I tried to turn the front light off, it stayed on until I gave it a couple of taps. Every ride is an adventure on this bike, no need to make life even more exciting with dodgy lights.
An observation on Under Seat Steering. Although I haven’t done an immense amount of winter cycling on it, wearing just my summer track mitts, my hands stayed warm today whereas on my upright they would definitely have been chilly. Arms hanging down helping circulation? Airflow round the seat not passing round the hands? By the end of winter I should be able to give a definitive verdict.
Not so many cyclists today. I was passed by three road type cyclists and by one coming the other way who raised his hand. They are probably the hard core who would ride no matter what. A pity that the "coronacyclists" have not been able to keep up their numbers but if traffic is going to remain at today's levels I'm not surprised they're intimidated. Even with the "force field" which a recumbent generates to make traffic pass wider it wasn't particularly pleasant at times.
.the off road section was wetter than i thought 
but was able to walk the soggy bit just. had no choice coffee stop was ahead 
.. had coffee and scone at Epplyby tearoom sitting alfresco of course. bike needed a good wash on my return ..good to see plenty of riders out ...all in pairs 
A new chainring, new cassette and new chain. Clearly my skills with a chain fitting tool were not up to the job. Naturally I had a magic link in my saddle pack...well you would think so wouldn't you? But no I took a chance and went out knowing I didn't and I paid the price.
