Your ride today....

[Dave 123]

@Spiderweb I used to drink in The Bull in West Tanfield when I used to kayak on the river Ure. A lovely pub.

My mountain bike has come back from the dead, a new gear shifter and chain. So to celebrate I took it around the Warren.

It was all a bit murky. I passed a lone runner, and there was a fisherman down on the rocks, it looked a bit dodgy to me!

Home via Membland and Bridgend hill.

10 miles.

https://www.strava.com/activities/10020471040

 

[GuyBoden]

Cold, cold, cold, cold, sunny, sunny, sunny, sunny, sunny, cold, cold, home.

 

[All uphill]

Despite the untold quantity of successive nights' poor sleep it was such a nice day today it seemed disrespectful to to universe to remain inside.

The default Fuji in bits I dragged the Genesis out for the first time in a long time. With it's higher spec this should have been a bit of a treat, however in reality it was less-than-pleasant. My ostensibly capable steed and the glorious weather were undermined by my total exhaustion and the now-very-obvious unsuitability of the bike's crankset; amongst other things.

As has already been discussed on CC I've found the far wider (larger-Q-factor) MTB-derived Deore crankset on the Fuji to be far more accomodating to the fact that I walk like a penguin than the narrower 105 item on the Genesis.

Even though in the past I've done many miles on the Genesis, I think much time away in favour of the more accommodating Fuji has really polarised the situation. The 105 felt conspiciously, awkwardly narrow upon setting off; the situation worsening to aching / hot spots at the front of both feet within only a couple of miles.

In addition to that the crisp STI shifting and sublime performance from the 105's hydro discs weren't enough to distract me from the lack of comfort on the round-section bar-tops compared to the deeper, flattened items on the Fuji.

All in all a bit disappointing as the Genesis feels very much like a once-close friend not seen in ages and no discovered to have grown a world away.. I love the bike and hope these issues can be resolved, although with the crank at least there seems to be no obvious off-the-shelf solution.

About 9 sunny, if somewhat disappointingly sobering miles..

I was just browsing St John St Cycles ebay shop and noticed they are selling extenders to place the pedals further out from the cranks. Would that help?

 

[wafter]

I was just browsing St John St Cycles ebay shop and noticed they are selling extenders to place the pedals further out from the cranks. Would that help?

Thanks - I've already been down that rabbithole.. the problems being that:

a) The extenders increase the bending moment at the pedal mount in the crank, while Shimano cranks are apparently not winning in this department (even though my 105 is to povvo to be affected).

b) The pedals fitted don't have spanner flats, meaning extenders would need a through-hole to allow fitment. Once you account for the root of the thread and hole diameter required for the Allen key to fit the pedals there's not a lot of meat left!

I note that no "reputable" retailers do extenders with through-holes and all I can find are Chinese ones on ebay... which doesn't bode well.

Basically I'm a bit like the T1000 at the end of Terminator 2 with this currently.. thrashing around all over the place with all manner of possible solutions; none of them ideal or indeed viable at all. I'll maybe update the thread on Q-Factor in case this is of use to anyone else..

Appreciate the thought all the same

 

[Dave 123]

After a morning Christmas shopping trip (yes, you heard right) to sunny Salcombe, I had a few bits to take to Ivybridge tip. The logical move was to put the bike in the van and then go up the puffing billy track to Redlake.

It was a beautiful afternoon, but with a chilly wind. What a difference a week makes.

There was or had been a hunt meeting up there. Two formally clad fox murderers rode by, I kept my mouth shut.

There were plenty of cattle around, and away off there were fairly large groups of horses.
After 4 miles of 4% ascent I had to stop to put a jacket on, the wind was icy.

I didn’t go all the way to the volcano as that would have resulted in soaking feet, too cold for that today.

On the way back the views down as far as Torbay were outstanding, as were the views down to Plymouth Sound and across the South Hams.

Although I’m not born and bred, I do live in a stunning corner of the world. I’m very lucky.

15 miles.

https://www.strava.com/activities/10038261956

 

[Dave 123]

 

[Jameshow]

Nice ride!

Do those coffee filters fold?

If so where did you get them?

 

[C R]

We've gone from summer temperatures to winter temperatures within a day! I checked the forecast last night and prepared autumn clothes, as the temperature forecast was single figures. As I set off at my usual sixish I was thinking that it felt colder than it should, but toad myself that it was the long warm summer that had made me soft and I would warm up going up the hill to Whittington. I did warm up a bit, but it was clear that my hands weren't happy and I should have worn thicker gloves. Also, most of the warming up was undone by the chilly wind going down London Rd. This pattern repeated itself through the ride, warming up on the uphill and get cold again on the downhill.

Past Worcester Cathedral, over the Severn and then head towards Powick, then Callow End and take Jennet Tree Ln to Madresfield. It was now slowly getting lighter, but it wasn't till I got to the top of Malvern Common that there was daylight proper.

Next destination was Welland, then Rye Cross and up Hollybush. The climb helped get my hands a bit warmer, but the descent to Eastnor was very cold, I'm sure there was frost on the sides of the road.

Past Eastnor I went round the back lanes towards Bromsberrow. I hadn't been this way before. It is quite a narrow lane, hemmed in between tall hedges and with a lot of debris on the surface. It has some nice views, but having the sun in my face made it difficult to appreciate the views and navigate the debris at the same time. I'll have to come this way in summer to properly appreciate it.

After Bromsberrow headed for Camers Green, then Pendock and then the usual Long Green, Upton, Kinnersley route, with just a small detour to get over 50 miles, so as not to annoy @13 rider.

No photos as my fingers were not up to operating the camera, so just the map.

Garmin says 0C, and my fingers agree.

 

[cyberknight]

social ride today as one of the chaps had ridden yesterday and his legs were tired so we reined in back as he was struggling on hills.
Started off very chilly hovering just above freezing even though the sun was warm and bright so it was full winter gear and boy i was glad i had a windproof as the air was very chilly without it .Me and another rider rode 6 ish miles to the meet up point and met the other chap and we set off to the cafe through the lanes heading towards the world peace cafe at the tara centre in etwall at around 40 miles
Great cafe run by volunteers at the Buddhist centre with bike racks and seating inside
We then set off back heading through repton and past foremark passing a motorcycle convoy for a charity event ( ride to the wall )
total door to door 63.5 miles

 

[daisyj]

A short ride around the lanes for me today. Stunningly sunny and very quiet apart from the odd horse and people walking dogs. I stopped towards the end to enjoy the view and a friendly cyclist asked if I was OK. I managed three out of the four hills without stopping, a definite improvement over the zero I managed two weeks ago.

 

[Dave 123]

First thing this morning I went birdwatching up at Cadover Bridge. When I came back I was freezing, not sure why. But when I got on my bike I was cold and tired so I only managed 8 paltry miles!

https://www.strava.com/activities/10043757265

 

[Spiderweb]

On the Tricross at 10am, a bit nippy this morning 🥶
Out to Ulleskelf to meet friends Martin & Gaynor then on to Naburn where we picked up the Sustrans cycle route back to Riccall. Stopped on the way to take a pic of the fishing lake at the side of the bike path. On to Cawood for a coffee stop and back home.

 

[Donger]

If you want the roads all to yourself, try going out for a ride in rugby country during an England World Cup rugby quarter final. 51.2km (31.8 miles) ridden in glorious autumn sunshine and even more glorious solitude around the lanes to the South of Gloucester.

 

[a.twiddler]

First thing this morning I went birdwatching up at Cadover Bridge. When I came back I was freezing, not sure why. But when I got on my bike I was cold and tired so I only managed 8 paltry miles!

https://www.strava.com/activities/10043757265

View attachment 710212

Birdwatching, eh? Shouldn't that be 8 poultry miles, then?

 

[geocycle]

First frost! Ice on cars and sides of road but beautiful sunshine. Headed north through the ones that cross cross the M6 and canal. I came across a road closed sign dilemma so did my usual and ignored it since it was Sunday and I’m on a bike. Unfortunately it was a key bridge across the motorway so no choice but to follow the diversion. Back on course, I stopped briefly by Killington lake before heading toward the Howgills and Fox’s Pulpit where I enjoyed my coffee overlooking the Lune Valley. The views were excellent today. I didn’t see much of the view on the very steep descent to the Sedbergh road. Lunch was taken in Sedbergh and the excellent weather encouraged me up Dentdale to the very steep climb up Gawthrop and then the wonderful downhill through Barbondale. At this point I was heading westward into a very cold breeze that persisted all the way home. Still 109 km with 1369 m of climbing.

Pictures of Killington lake, Howgills, Lune Valley and Barbondale.