sevenfourate
Devotee of OCD
- Location
- Lowestoft, Suffolk
Nice ride. And write up 😉
Yes the worst thing today was stopping ! My riding buddy was literally melting every time I insisted we stop for a photo 🤣🤣
Your ride today....
- Thread starter gbb
- Start date
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Nice ride. And write up 😉
Yes the worst thing today was stopping ! My riding buddy was literally melting every time I insisted we stop for a photo 🤣🤣
Looks like some crackers have been had this weekend; which I'll take a look at shortly 
I was in danger of having a relatively short week with only 70 miles recorded on the Brompton. I made a bit of progress on a job today but had stalled by mid afternoon, while the inside of the house was becoming increasingly unbearable under the hot sun; with a similar situation inside my head thanks to the usual dysfunctions and failures.
Food has been problematic this week so I didn't eat for most of the day and settled on a fish and chip run to Woodstock for dinner (breakfast).
After a seemingly never-ending faff I got out into the still stifling heat (27 degrees!) at about five; starting on the usual relatively busy A-roads but slowly pushing onto ever-smaller, quieter country roads - pleasant not just for their general lack of traffic but also the coolness afforded by the mature trees lining / encapsulating many and the selection of wildlife encountered.
I didn't feel great from the off but told myself it would be a case of taking it steady and getting there whenever. A few miles out my mind flashed back to the gutting of the Brompton bag for necessities and the secateurs that had briefly passed through my hands, and how they might have been useful on the cycle track to the North of Woodstock... which it turns out they would have. While largely clear the brambles required negotiating at a few points and it would have been good to have got them out of the way.
Unfortunately there was nowhere at the pub to park the bike in sight so I gritted my teeth and lashed it to a rack round the corner. After a meal and service best described as "adiquate" I wasted no time in getting back on the bike and heading home; making similar time on the way back thanks to a tailwind (and probably the chips) aiding my progress up the slight net uphill.
Once back in the village I dangled briefly off the chin-up bar on the playing field in an effort to alleviate some of the tightness / soreness in my back, along with trying to write an obscenity on the field for Stava's benefit once back on the bike; which turn out shamefully badly - more practice required I think!
Ostensibly a lovely ride if subjectively a bit less so. The biggest single ride I've done on the Fuji for a while at about 33 miles and 1300kcal (so probably still in a deficit for the day despite dinner). This gives 103 miles for the week - a shade less than last week but still at the high end for me.
This ride was also about 60% of the ride to work were I to do it all on the bike; ending a couple of miles away from where I park to begin the journey on the Brompton. While the weather's good it's tempting to give it a go at least once.. however I'm not sure I could stomach a 6:30 start and 2hrs+ on the bike at each end of the day.
No pics as it was enough of a mission just to get out.
I don't feel amazing for having got out but am no doubt infinitely better than I would have been had I stayed in. I do seem to have lost feeling in the tip of my left index finger which is somewhat concerning. I'd best get a good night's kip or tomorrow is going to be hard!
I was in danger of having a relatively short week with only 70 miles recorded on the Brompton. I made a bit of progress on a job today but had stalled by mid afternoon, while the inside of the house was becoming increasingly unbearable under the hot sun; with a similar situation inside my head thanks to the usual dysfunctions and failures.
Food has been problematic this week so I didn't eat for most of the day and settled on a fish and chip run to Woodstock for dinner (breakfast).
After a seemingly never-ending faff I got out into the still stifling heat (27 degrees!) at about five; starting on the usual relatively busy A-roads but slowly pushing onto ever-smaller, quieter country roads - pleasant not just for their general lack of traffic but also the coolness afforded by the mature trees lining / encapsulating many and the selection of wildlife encountered.
I didn't feel great from the off but told myself it would be a case of taking it steady and getting there whenever. A few miles out my mind flashed back to the gutting of the Brompton bag for necessities and the secateurs that had briefly passed through my hands, and how they might have been useful on the cycle track to the North of Woodstock... which it turns out they would have. While largely clear the brambles required negotiating at a few points and it would have been good to have got them out of the way.
Unfortunately there was nowhere at the pub to park the bike in sight so I gritted my teeth and lashed it to a rack round the corner. After a meal and service best described as "adiquate" I wasted no time in getting back on the bike and heading home; making similar time on the way back thanks to a tailwind (and probably the chips) aiding my progress up the slight net uphill.
Once back in the village I dangled briefly off the chin-up bar on the playing field in an effort to alleviate some of the tightness / soreness in my back, along with trying to write an obscenity on the field for Stava's benefit once back on the bike; which turn out shamefully badly - more practice required I think!
Ostensibly a lovely ride if subjectively a bit less so. The biggest single ride I've done on the Fuji for a while at about 33 miles and 1300kcal (so probably still in a deficit for the day despite dinner). This gives 103 miles for the week - a shade less than last week but still at the high end for me.
This ride was also about 60% of the ride to work were I to do it all on the bike; ending a couple of miles away from where I park to begin the journey on the Brompton. While the weather's good it's tempting to give it a go at least once.. however I'm not sure I could stomach a 6:30 start and 2hrs+ on the bike at each end of the day.
No pics as it was enough of a mission just to get out.
I don't feel amazing for having got out but am no doubt infinitely better than I would have been had I stayed in. I do seem to have lost feeling in the tip of my left index finger which is somewhat concerning. I'd best get a good night's kip or tomorrow is going to be hard!
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HLaB
Marie Attoinette Fan
Joined a local group ride in the morning A little bit annoying the 4iiii power meter went haywire halfway into the ride and erratically came back for a bit before dying completely. The battery is only a few weeks old so I doubt its that. I’ll try the back to front battery thing then a new one anyway
Oh well, it was too nice, so I went out on the gravel bike in the afternoon.
The only slightly annoying thing is I wanted a cafe and all the ones I stopped at were closed down
Oh well, it was too nice, so I went out on the gravel bike in the afternoon.
The only slightly annoying thing is I wanted a cafe and all the ones I stopped at were closed down
lazybloke
Priest of the cult of Chris Rea
- Location
- Leafy Surrey
Arrived in the lovely village of Shere in the Surrey hills at 8 this morning for the Tour of the Hills audax 2024.
The distance would be circa 120km, but it was the elevation profile that worried me, over 2,100 metres of climbing (6,890 feet).
It was a hot day, not a cloud in the sky. This could be hard work.
Met my pal at registration and rode together, leaving in the first wave, and within minutes of leaving we were at the back - some of those riders seemed to have shot off at a completely ridiculous speed. Well, we overtook some near the top, more at the top, and from then on our average speed improved and we started to enjoy the ride.
Also within the first few minutes two riders clashed; both ended up with road rash :-(
AFter about 70km, two climbs of the Greensand Ridge, and five climbs of the North Downs, we rolled back into Shere and stopped for lunch. The two who had fallen were finally getting some first aid, and they were keen to continue riding.
Eventually finished it in about 6 and quarter hours, or nearly 7 hrs elapsed. Max temp was 31 C.
Not a great speed, which reflects my deliberate steady and energy-preserving speed on the hills.
Got home and my legs were... knackered. That's to be expected, but Oh God, my knees! Not sure it's clear position, bad bike fit, wrong choice of (heavy) bike, the gearing, or just the qty of hills, but OMG my knees hurt tonight.
Going to take a few days to recover.
Oh... that's the first audax I've ever finished!
Briefing:
Blue sky but dappled shade
Info Control 1: Can I have a P, please Bob? Dammit!
Note to... was it @Dogtrousers? Here again!
This most infamous climb of the day:
The distance would be circa 120km, but it was the elevation profile that worried me, over 2,100 metres of climbing (6,890 feet).
It was a hot day, not a cloud in the sky. This could be hard work.
Met my pal at registration and rode together, leaving in the first wave, and within minutes of leaving we were at the back - some of those riders seemed to have shot off at a completely ridiculous speed. Well, we overtook some near the top, more at the top, and from then on our average speed improved and we started to enjoy the ride.
Also within the first few minutes two riders clashed; both ended up with road rash :-(
AFter about 70km, two climbs of the Greensand Ridge, and five climbs of the North Downs, we rolled back into Shere and stopped for lunch. The two who had fallen were finally getting some first aid, and they were keen to continue riding.
Eventually finished it in about 6 and quarter hours, or nearly 7 hrs elapsed. Max temp was 31 C.
Not a great speed, which reflects my deliberate steady and energy-preserving speed on the hills.
Got home and my legs were... knackered. That's to be expected, but Oh God, my knees! Not sure it's clear position, bad bike fit, wrong choice of (heavy) bike, the gearing, or just the qty of hills, but OMG my knees hurt tonight.
Going to take a few days to recover.
Oh... that's the first audax I've ever finished!
Briefing:
Blue sky but dappled shade
Info Control 1: Can I have a P, please Bob? Dammit!
Note to... was it @Dogtrousers? Here again!
This most infamous climb of the day:
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Grant Fondo
Guru
- Location
- Cheshire
Last ride in Anglesey early this morn before heading off and back to work (boo!)
A blat along the north coast on much quieter roads than yesterday for sure.
Lligwy beach, you can see some sand not just people today.
The weird but wonderful Lligwy burial chamber.
26 miles in total, very gusty but no crazy heat like yesterday.
Oh, some well deserved brekkie in Benllech.
Best part is I am back on friday to do some more miles, such a great island for cycling!
Have a great day guys.
A blat along the north coast on much quieter roads than yesterday for sure.
Lligwy beach, you can see some sand not just people today.
The weird but wonderful Lligwy burial chamber.
26 miles in total, very gusty but no crazy heat like yesterday.
Oh, some well deserved brekkie in Benllech.
Best part is I am back on friday to do some more miles, such a great island for cycling!
Have a great day guys.
Windle
Über Member
- Location
- Burnthouses
A belated report (as usual) from Saturday. I did the same loop that I've done for the past four weekends although a different way round to last time and without as many diversions. I took the Giant XTC4 this time although it can be a bit cantankerous. And so it proved, no sooner had I left West Auckland and headed along the bypass cycle path I noticed a draggy feeling...... the hydraulic brakes on this bike clearly need bleeding due to water in the fluid or something as in hot weather the rear brake tends to stick, and I mean seize solid sometimes, usually sorted by winding the adjuster right off. But it was already off, b#ll#ocks. It was still allowing the wheel to turn but there was a lot of drag. I didn't want to risk continuing and having an inoperable bike so tried to sort it by seeing if the adjuster would go further but it wouldn't. Aha! I thought, I'll let a bit of fluid out from the calliper banjo nut ~ but I didn't have a pair of pliers on my multitool. Luckily the bar top reservoir has a hex key plug for filling so I eased that off and let a bit of fluid out. Problem solved and the ride continued. Then heading towards Locomotion I became aware of something catching at the front end, just a light metallic tinkling, must be the brake disc I thought. No, a few of the spokes were catching lightly on the back of the brake calliper! I've never had that before, but a bit of front wheel faffery sorted it although I'm still puzzled as to why it happened, maybe because I'd had the wheel out and it hadn't seated properly when I put it back in. The rest of the ride was uneventful but an enjoyable run out on another lovely day. A Taylor's pork pie was consumed sitting on platform 2 of Heighington station. I returned via Heighington and Redworth this week as opposed to the opposite way last week. 18 miles and about 700 feet of climbing.
West Auckland bypass cycle path prior to brake shenanigans.
One of the more 'secluded' parts of the Tindale Crescent / Shildon bypass cycle path.
Locomotion seen from the footbridge, cycle path down to the right.
Lunch stop on Heighington station.
West Auckland bypass cycle path prior to brake shenanigans.
One of the more 'secluded' parts of the Tindale Crescent / Shildon bypass cycle path.
Locomotion seen from the footbridge, cycle path down to the right.
Lunch stop on Heighington station.
HLaB
Marie Attoinette Fan
I took the day off work and went for a ride with my mate who has took semi/ early retirement from the business he built. I looked at the wind direction and googled a cycling cafe and I think we found a good one (it was worthy of it 4.8/5 reviews). It was quite a hilly route and when it really got warm after the cafe stop (30 deg C) it felt hard. The pub stop came just in time
image1920×1440 268 KB
After an hour and a half recovery and a big bowl of cereal I decided it was too good a night to waste and went out with the local chaingang/ paceline knowing they took a flat route. It looks like my Power meter or garmin struggles in the large group. I rode with them on Sunday and it was a similar story the powermeter getting dropped at high cadence
I would have liked to know what the power was up the only real hill but there was no reading there. Not that you can really call it a hill but I think I averaged more than 7w up it
image1920×1440 268 KB
After an hour and a half recovery and a big bowl of cereal I decided it was too good a night to waste and went out with the local chaingang/ paceline knowing they took a flat route. It looks like my Power meter or garmin struggles in the large group. I rode with them on Sunday and it was a similar story the powermeter getting dropped at high cadence
I would have liked to know what the power was up the only real hill but there was no reading there. Not that you can really call it a hill but I think I averaged more than 7w up it
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I enjoyed a mid-week ride today because it was a lovely day and the words weren’t flowing. Ventured from Lonsdale to Ingleton where I picked up the road that enters Kingsdale. This is one of the empty dales with more gates across the road than farms and you have to climb up steeply to get into it. Linnets, skylarks, meadow pipits, stone chat, buzzard, kestrel and common lizard provided the entertainment. After the initial climb it’s quite flat until one steep ramp and then a pull to the watershed. Eyes closed and brakes locked I descended DeepDale until the gate that always catches me out on one of the steep sections. Then down the slopes to the cobbles of Dent. Lunch was provided at my usual cafe including traditional Yorkshire fruitcake and cheese. From Dentdale I headed up Gawthrop and then the fabulous descent of Barbondale before a break at Devils Bridge then home. 91km with 1160 m of climbing.
Pictures are of the village stocks in Thornton, Kingsdale, Deepdale, and Barbondale.
Pictures are of the village stocks in Thornton, Kingsdale, Deepdale, and Barbondale.
sevenfourate
Devotee of OCD
- Location
- Lowestoft, Suffolk
Great pics. Better scenery !!! Looks bliss to me.........
A grand day, as a farmer fixing a dry stone wall effused!
bluenotebob
Veteran
- Location
- France
Days on the bike here in July and August often follow the same theme... a short ride or two before lunch (often searching for shade), perhaps another local ride after lunch ... then quite frequently I load one of my bikes into the van and head for the Voie Verte in Mauron and cycle south. Late afternoon/early evening is my preference – a bit cooler and less dog walkers, joggers, roller bladers etc about.
Today was no different – a couple of local rides before lunch, another in the afternoon then off to Mauron with the Princess in the back of the van. Cycled down to Loyat and back .. and a total of 61.5km for the day.
Hopefully when September arrives – and the worst of the heat has passed and the holidaymakers gone – I can get back to doing longer rides and improve my Eddington Numbers.
Today was notable in that I passed 70,000km cycled since the start of 2017. I’m still on track to get to 100,000 sometime in 2027.
North of Trégadoret
Back at the van
Today was no different – a couple of local rides before lunch, another in the afternoon then off to Mauron with the Princess in the back of the van. Cycled down to Loyat and back .. and a total of 61.5km for the day.
Hopefully when September arrives – and the worst of the heat has passed and the holidaymakers gone – I can get back to doing longer rides and improve my Eddington Numbers.
Today was notable in that I passed 70,000km cycled since the start of 2017. I’m still on track to get to 100,000 sometime in 2027.
North of Trégadoret
Back at the van
Dave 123
Legendary Member
- Location
- Cambridgeshire alps
An evening spin on my mountain bike.
Along the river and out around the Warren but only until the Warren carpark, then through the lanes via Battisborough and home through Creacombe.
14.5 miles.
https://www.strava.com/activities/12148361438
Along the river and out around the Warren but only until the Warren carpark, then through the lanes via Battisborough and home through Creacombe.
14.5 miles.
https://www.strava.com/activities/12148361438
cyberknight
As long as I breathe, I attack.
- Location
- Land of confusion
Got a text message this morning from someone i sometimes ride with asking if i was going out riding today , i was as long as i was back for around 2 pm for a dentist so i quickly planned a route and we met up .
Within 4 miles he had a flat so we changed the tube and carried on to the cafe at Denstone 30 miles away , it was pretty windy so we had to be careful as the wind was strong enough to blow you about in places .
Still struggling with fitness as the last few months after my surgery i have been off work so no commuting and to much cake and beer so im about half a stone overweight and lacking the miles in the legs .
Coming home he had another flat so i checked the wheel and it seems there is a rough edge on the join of the rim tape so i had to lend him a tube , as we set off again my chain dropped and somehow managed to get jammed under the chain catcher so i had to loosen off the catcher and readjust it .
My shifting on the bike is pretty poor as i have to stop pedalling for a moment when shifting to a faster gear or the chain does not drop down the cassette which is pretty annoying as it shifts fine on the stand and the whole setup had done less than 500 miles since installation about 9 months ago.It does have oversize pulley wheels so im wondering if that is affecting shifting ?
By the time i got back i had about 15 mins before i had to go out for the dentist so we cut it close !
Within 4 miles he had a flat so we changed the tube and carried on to the cafe at Denstone 30 miles away , it was pretty windy so we had to be careful as the wind was strong enough to blow you about in places .
Still struggling with fitness as the last few months after my surgery i have been off work so no commuting and to much cake and beer so im about half a stone overweight and lacking the miles in the legs .
Coming home he had another flat so i checked the wheel and it seems there is a rough edge on the join of the rim tape so i had to lend him a tube , as we set off again my chain dropped and somehow managed to get jammed under the chain catcher so i had to loosen off the catcher and readjust it .
My shifting on the bike is pretty poor as i have to stop pedalling for a moment when shifting to a faster gear or the chain does not drop down the cassette which is pretty annoying as it shifts fine on the stand and the whole setup had done less than 500 miles since installation about 9 months ago.It does have oversize pulley wheels so im wondering if that is affecting shifting ?
By the time i got back i had about 15 mins before i had to go out for the dentist so we cut it close !
Attachments
Donger
Convoi Exceptionnel
- Location
- Quedgeley, Glos.
Nipped out for a 20 miler today and it turned into a 28.3 miler. The lane across the canal near my house has become a real rat run lately, as the next canal bridge along is closed for repair until the end of August. I've had some quite alarming encounters with motorists going far too fast down a narrow, winding lane with overgrown hedges, and I thought I'd avoid that today. So I set out (and returned) via a nicely surfaced stretch of canal path between Quedgeley and the Pilot Inn at Hardwicke. At the weekend it might be different, but today there were very few walkers and there was no match fishing going on, so I had the path pretty much to myself. When you get to Hardwicke (just before the Pilot Bridge) there is quite a nice housing estate built right up to the canal bank. This was once a proper ship canal. In this shot I was navigating my way around an old ship turning point. Hard to believe, but in my own living memory there used to be an oil depot opposite, and small ocean going oil tankers used to do three point turns here before heading back out to sea via Sharpness:
After that, I stuck to my usual route through Elmore and Saul. The detour along the canal added about a mile and a half in each direction. I was planning to visit a cafe at the bottom end of the green in Frampton on Severn, but when I got there it just wasn't worth the effort of inching through traffic caused by the presence of the carnival trucks. I'd forgotten that the Frampton Feast starts tonight, when the beautiful village green and cricket square takes on a horrible end-of-pier alter ego for the weekend:
Instead, I made may way back to the new Farmer's Yard cafe at Arlingham for a delicious raspberry chocolate brownie and a coffee before heading back home via Epney (where the river had been taken over by geese) and Elmore.
After Elmore, I again avoided the rat run and made my way back home via the canal path:
A lovely peaceful ride to keep the milo ticking over.
After that, I stuck to my usual route through Elmore and Saul. The detour along the canal added about a mile and a half in each direction. I was planning to visit a cafe at the bottom end of the green in Frampton on Severn, but when I got there it just wasn't worth the effort of inching through traffic caused by the presence of the carnival trucks. I'd forgotten that the Frampton Feast starts tonight, when the beautiful village green and cricket square takes on a horrible end-of-pier alter ego for the weekend:
Instead, I made may way back to the new Farmer's Yard cafe at Arlingham for a delicious raspberry chocolate brownie and a coffee before heading back home via Epney (where the river had been taken over by geese) and Elmore.
After Elmore, I again avoided the rat run and made my way back home via the canal path:
A lovely peaceful ride to keep the milo ticking over.
