Your ride today....

[Saluki]

Forget Strava achievements.... All rides should now be judged on Sausage Shop timing!!

That would mean that all cyclists would need to move to Coastal Suffolk. Less sausages to go round

 

[Mireystock]

Dry and cool, then wet and cold. A prècis of this mornings ride.

 

[Jon George]

Out for a 20 miler in the morning sun with new cycling buddy acquired from yesterday. We did my standard virtual commute - Ipswich, Bucklesham, Kirton, Falkenham, Bucklesham, Levington, Ipswich - discussing life, the universe and everything. It turns out my fellow rider has more difficulty hearing cars approaching as he is an ex-soldier and too many years of firing a weapon close to his right ear has left him a little deaf.
Was jovially accosted by a female jogger who turned out to be a work colleague out training for her first marathon. I was told I needed to get a helmet ...

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

@Katherine & @Tail End Charlie you know that here is also another few owls out this way as well. One that instantly springs to mind is here (https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.2...9I73vPy_Q8oB9q80-A!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1) Hopefully the link has you looking in the correct direction. It's on Littledales lane in Northwich, just before the bridge heading downhill/north (on the left hand side).

 

[Racing roadkill]

I've just ridden 120 miles, in shocking weather, and had 1 minor technical (chain dropped off). I've got up here to London, in plenty of time for check in, I had another minor technical ( pedal axel jammed), which resulted in a bit of bad language and brute force, that did it. There was a guy stood next to me ( by Leicester Square tube station) he let me finish my bike related tirade, then he said "Jesus loves you" and walked off. I shouted after him "good, I don't suppose he can fix my bike can he". Then the terrible realisation dawned on me, that I didn't set my Strava going when I left this morning at 5:00 am. Anyway I'm here now, and I'm going to be meeting some CC'ers in the pub later.

Here are some pics.

Looks like Rudolph has been on the 'roids.

This is the route (from a previous effort)

https://www.strava.com/activities/358717097

I even added a couple of loops of Richmond park to make sure I hit the ton.

Big hairy spaceman balls to that.

And .

 

[Stonechat]

I 'had' to go out to collect new Castelli jersey from local Cycle Surgery
See this thread

Seems to be very variable weather
Windy and showery and occasionally showers are harder
Looked a bit dodgy so after a loop came home
Looks fine now and could have stayed out longer

So much shorter than a normal Friday ride for me
15 miles @ 16.6 mph (Garmin did not pause at shop, but Garmin is still giving true speed even if Strava isn't)
525 feet climbed

This is a lightweight long sleeve jersey
The two I have been wearing recently
One Has too short arms
The other is a touch baggy

This is a snug fit and will be much used

https://www.strava.com/activities/431941978

 

[Old jon]

Yuck weather this morning. The deluge eased a little at about ten. Fooled me good and proper, it did. Half a mile from my front door it deluged ( can I use it as a verb? ) even harder, by the time I reached Cinder Bridge I was proper put off. So, sorry folks, seven and a half measley miles, mostly submerged and wishing I had brought my snorkel. Not much chance of a ride tomorrow, roll on Sunday.

 

[cosmicbike]

Been away from home the last 2 days with work, but took the CX in the car. Arrived nice and early yesterday morning which allowed a quick 7 miles around Lane End~Stokenchurch area. A 5:30 wake up today for a nice, if hilly pedal through Fingest and out towards Stokenchurch once more for 9 miles. Very nice area to ride around.
That makes 100 consecutive days of cycling, which I may have created a thread about

 

[biggs682]

a nice early am 27 miles this morning on the Lee Cooper single speed furthest ride to date on said machine

a nice route that i have done a few times with just enough slopes in for the 52 x 18 gearing that i am running

enjoy your rides today

 

[Dark46]

Not been out in a while as have been slightly down. But dragged myself on to the bike on Thursday and yesterday around a 5 miles on TT loop I designed last year. A good way to clear the cobwebs, as it has a couple of small slopes nothing too taxing. Plus tried out new front and rear lights. Although abit slow progress was made on the 2 days and really enjoyed it.

It would have helped if I had actually turned on my Garmin at the start on Thursday.

 

[Goonerobes]

Not quite fancying 4 hours in the rain I got up early this morning in an attempt to at least start Novembers metric ton in the dry. But alas despite finishing my porridge & coffee all before 7:30am I failed as my rather wet moggy come rushing in from the garden & opening the blinds revealed rain & the met office were wrong again!

With that plan canceled & after a couple of hours of catching up with the awful events in Paris & a bit of head scratching I thought sod it I'll go out for an hour, so 18 miles around the local roads later, my clothes are wet, I'm wet & the bikes wet but on the plus side my newly acquired DHB cap proved a godsend as at least my glasses stayed dry & I could actually see where I was going!

https://www.strava.com/activities/432364372

Not a day for photographs but the rain did ease for a minute so here's one of a puddle!

 

[13 rider]

Up at 0900 this morning checked the forecast and this might be as good as it gets .So out with the bike headed off on my favourite loop out to St Bernard's Abbey a route with a bit of everything climbing nice descents long flat bits . Only trouble it always seems a headwind coming back and so it was today .Extended the route today headed up Beacon hill the easy way and was rewarded with the fast descent into Woodhouse Eaves then Quorn , Mountsorrel and Rothley were it started raining so on with the new rain jacket for the last couple of miles . Jacket seems to be OK not to boil in the bag . 32.2 miles done in 2 hrs 10 mins. Hopefully will get out tomorrow weather permitting

 

[Diggs]

OK car was in for an MOT yesterday and I needed to take some holiday.
Dug out the hard tail Thursday night and noticed rear was flat, changed tyre and went to bed. Woke up to find tyre was flat again! Cue change of plan grabbed the Tricross and quickly (for me) fitted the knobbly tyres.
Dropped car off and headed for the new country park at the back of Daddy Diggs' house. One fairly heavy shower, so sheltered for 5 min under the railway bridge but apart from that, it was a nice couple of hours blasting round the paths and bridleways.

 

[Stevec047]

Well that was a shocker first time out in the rain and we'll to say I feel like a drowned rat would be an understatement.

Bearing in mind I am still very green to all this cycling fun I was a little aprehensive once the rain kicked in. Common sense prevailed and I just kept a little more central in the road away from the white lines, drain covers and leaves. No major issues and my waterproof jacket, snood and fleece lined waterproof beanie did the trick same can't be said about the leggings. As soon as I stepped off the bike all the water that had collected in said waterproof jacket decided to land right on my lap.

Just a steady 11miles today with a pit stop in a bus shelter for 20mins.

Bike all washed down chain degrease and re lube for hopefully a dry run next weekend.

 

[NorthernDave]

Up early to avoid the forecast "weather event" due late morning...plus I knew that I was going to be limited due to a couple of hours or so due to other commitments.

Out to Thorner, through the village and up Milner Lane. Was about 2 or 3 miles in when the rain made an unexpectedly early appearance and stayed with me for a while.
Back road to Collingham (through all the mud on the road, again - this is about to go on my list of roads to avoid), then Linton, Wetherby, Thorp Arch and Boston Spa. Direct(ish) route to Clifford, down to Bramham and up the Col de Town Hill and out on NCN R66 to Aberford, in a stinker of a headwind.
Coming out of Aberford towards Barwick, I changed up onto the big cog for the downhill before the 'S' bend at the start of the Cattle Hill climb and the chain came off.
"Golly Gumdrops" I said (or something similar) as I coasted along to a stop. Fortunately there was no traffic about and I was able to lean the bike up against a large log and the chain went back on without any fuss and a quick flick through the gears showed everything was changing as it should be.
It was almost devoid of any lubrication though, so I've taken that as my cue to stop using dry lube (which is needing to be applied after every ride now) and switch to wet for the winter.
Setting off again up the hill, I realised that I'd made the schoolboy error of still being on one of the small cogs at the back and very nearly fell off....oops!
Fortunately there was no-one about to see this, so I sorted myself out and quickly moved on. No-one will ever know...
Down the hill (treated to a super wide pass by the driver of a 174A bus) and over Cock Beck, then the drag up into Barwick and on towards Scholes, where I passed a group ride from Valley Striders heading the opposite way. Back into the headwind again here for the descent to the Coronation Tree, then down Leeds Road (I hate having to pedal to maintain momentum downhill) and up to home.

26.49 miles in 1hr 54m at an average of 13.9mph with 1022ft climbed. A bit slower than usual, but due to the weather and road conditions (choose from damp / wet / standing water, lots of fallen leaves and, in places, mud) I was taking it very steady in places where I'd normally be tonking on, so it will do for today.

Today was the first ride out for my new Altura Nightvision Waterproof Gloves (waterproof and warm, I'm pleased to say) and my new Aldi helmet liner, which also did it's job, keeping my head warm and dry.