Your ride today....

[HarryTheDog]

Went round Hadleigh MTB course properly several times for the first time today. Enjoyed it but realised how un-skillful I was. Most people were friendly and ended up chatting with a couple of other riders. Day was slighly marred by a 6ft 3 neanderthal offering me out for a fight because I dared to tell him he and his wife and kids were cycling the wrong way around the course ( they were pushing thier bikes up a downhill berm section) His wife looked embarrased by his aggresive behaviour. I felt sorry for her, if he wants to punch someone just for giving him information, god knows what happens if you burn his dinner.
Still I finished the day with a smile on my face.

 

[ColinJ]

Your cadence is too low and your chain is too long ...

I suggest that you select a bigger sprocket, which would increase your cadence and take up some of the slack in that chain!

 

[NorthernDave]

Ha ha - that's Arthington Bank, isn't it! I rode up there on the Tour de Yorkshire Sportive back at the start of May. It was pretty tough and many people were walking their bikes up it but the crowd were screaming encouragement so I gritted my teeth and rode up. I even managed a token sprint over the crest of the hill, before slumping back into the saddle and gasping for breath!

Keep riding over the winter and aim to ride all the way up the climb next year ...?

That's the plan - I'll do it eventually...

 

[ColinJ]

Went round Hadleigh MTB course properly several times for the first time today. Enjoyed it but realised how un-skillful I was. Most people were friendly and ended up chatting with a couple of other riders. Day was slighly marred by a 6ft 3 neanderthal offering me out for a fight because I dared to tell him he and his wife and kids were cycling the wrong way around the course ( they were pushing thier bikes up a downhill berm section) His wife looked embarrased by his aggresive behaviour. I felt sorry for her, if he wants to punch someone just for giving him information, god knows what happens if you burn his dinner.
Still I finished the day with a smile on my face.

Scary, aren't they, big men with more testosterone than brains!

I'm quite big, but I am safe, having more brains than testosterone ...

 

[gbb]

Sun was shining, very little wind compared to recent days, maybe 6 degrees...just headed out where my nose took me, no plan, no rush, just ride.
Head out to Peterborough, out along the Nene cyclepath toward Whittlesea, branch off toward Flag Fen, saw two not so small Little Egrets in a huge willow tree, on to Eye, across to Dogsthorpe, through town and back home.
27 miles...very happy considering I didnt really have a great desire to get out today. Sometimes its a chore, getting as much mileage as you can, as fast as you can..sometimes its just nice to pootle and meander.

 

[HLaB]

Sun was shining, very little wind compared to recent days, maybe 6 degrees...just headed out where my nose took me, no plan, no rush, just ride.
Head out to Peterborough, out along the Nene cyclepath toward Whittlesea, branch off toward Flag Fen, saw two not so small Little Egrets in a huge willow tree, on to Eye, across to Dogsthorpe, through town and back home.
27 miles...very happy considering I didnt really have a great desire to get out today. Sometimes its a chore, getting as much mileage as you can, as fast as you can..sometimes its just nice to pootle and meander.

Take it you let it warm up first, it was -2deg when I set of at 7:25am but it was +4 and very nice when I got back circa 12pm :-)

 

[Elybazza61]

Nice but chilly ride out with the better half today,just a out and back ride to La Hogue cafe/farm shop;think it's about her limit at the moment distance wise as she struggled a bit at the end.
Saw a couple of Sparrowhawks and a Little Egrit plus a big flock of Lapwings.

https://www.strava.com/activities/437375032

 

[ianrauk]

A little bit chilly -2° this morning at 7.30 when I left home. Thankfully the roads were dry and the sun was expected and in fact did show. Perfect cycling weather in fact. Only a cheeky headwind put a dampener on things, making me work just that bit harder then usual. It stayed cold all day though. I decided to do a route I know well, a Surrey-Kent loop, but in reverse, so Kent-Surrey. This meant that all the hills were in the first half and a little flatter for the second.


The Pilgrims Way Sandling

The Pilgrims Way. Thurnham. Maidstone ahoy!

Halfway point and brunch at Yalding in front of a roaring fire.

Somewhere between Edenbridge and Lingfield

So... here's the stats.. a long old solo day on the bike. It stayed cold, but I kept it at bay by keeping the pedals turning.

Only one sour note. I could hear a vehicle behind me trying to get past. The usual high revving nonsense. he couldn't wait so decided to pass me by far too close. I gave him the arm wave of indignation and a naughty shouty word. Another car followed him past and it was a cop car. The sirens went on and they stopped a few hundred yards up the road. I caught up with them and said to the cop that he had passed far too close. The cop nodded and replied with "That wasn't the only thing he did wrong"... so a nice bit of karma.

So that's another future Eddington number in the bag. Century # 31 for 2015, 165 over all.
Lovely day for cycling.

 

[Postmanhat]

Had forgotten how much I dislike cycling at anything much below 5 degrees

- Can't think of much else except when will I warm up, this is too cold
- Constantly jigging around, slapping hands to get circulation going
- Constant runny nose
- More pee stops
- Food fiddly to eat with full-finger gloves so more stops
- Each stop is a countdown to being bloody freezing again
- Everything is so sloooow. Coming to a near standstill at corners for fear of ice

The only time it was fun was climbing, which generated some heat, so changed the route halfway for some more ascending. Maybe just stick to hill climbing while the temperature is one-handed. 40 miles/2000ft/8 fellow travellers waved to

 

[toffee]

Out this morning the first time in two weeks due to the weather and other commitments. First thing it was ffffffffreeezing.
Temperature bottomed out on my Garmin at 0.1C and my feet and fingers wouldn't argue about that.
Despite the temperature it was a pleasant ride as there were not many cars about although cyclist were out in force.

Just under 20 miles round our local roads.

Just found out, by looking at where some of the cyclists that passed us by went , that there is a cafe at Hogshaw Herbs, so that could well be the destination of our next ride.

Derek

 

[SpokeyDokey]

A little bit chilly -2° this morning at 7.30 when I left home. Thankfully the roads were dry and the sun was expected and in fact did show. Perfect cycling weather in fact. Only a cheeky headwind put a dampener on things, making me work just that bit harder then usual. It stayed cold all day though. I decided to do a route I know well, a Surrey-Kent loop, but in reverse, so Kent-Surrey. This meant that all the hills were in the first half and a little flatter for the second.


The Pilgrims Way Sandling
View attachment 110791

The Pilgrims Way. Thurnham. Maidstone ahoy!
View attachment 110792

Halfway point and brunch at Yalding in front of a roaring fire.
View attachment 110793

So... here's the stats.. a long old solo day on the bike. It stayed cold, but I kept it at bay by keeping the pedals turning.
View attachment 110795

Only one sour note. I could hear a vehicle behind me trying to get past. The usual high revving nonsense. he couldn't wait so decided to pass me by far too close. I gave him the arm wave of indignation and a naughty shouty word. Another car followed him past and it was a cop car. The sirens went on and they stopped a few hundred yards up the road. I caught up with them and said to the cop that he had passed far too close. The cop nodded and replied with "That wasn't the only thing he did wrong"... so a nice bit of karma.

So that's another future Eddington number in the bag. Century # 31 for 2015, 165 over all.
Lovely day for cycling.

Impressive ride, good speed too. On the century front for 2015 you are beating me by 31-0

 

[ianrauk]

Impressive ride, good speed too. On the century front for 2015 you are beating me by 31-0

Cheers. When we do the anti-clockwise version... the avg speeds are much higher. Can easy get in the 16's.

 

[Stonechat]

A little bit chilly -2° this morning at 7.30 when I left home. Thankfully the roads were dry and the sun was expected and in fact did show. Perfect cycling weather in fact. Only a cheeky headwind put a dampener on things, making me work just that bit harder then usual. It stayed cold all day though. I decided to do a route I know well, a Surrey-Kent loop, but in reverse, so Kent-Surrey. This meant that all the hills were in the first half and a little flatter for the second.


The Pilgrims Way Sandling
View attachment 110791

The Pilgrims Way. Thurnham. Maidstone ahoy!
View attachment 110792

Halfway point and brunch at Yalding in front of a roaring fire.
View attachment 110793

Somewhere between Edenbridge and Lingfield
View attachment 110818

So... here's the stats.. a long old solo day on the bike. It stayed cold, but I kept it at bay by keeping the pedals turning.
View attachment 110795


Only one sour note. I could hear a vehicle behind me trying to get past. The usual high revving nonsense. he couldn't wait so decided to pass me by far too close. I gave him the arm wave of indignation and a naughty shouty word. Another car followed him past and it was a cop car. The sirens went on and they stopped a few hundred yards up the road. I caught up with them and said to the cop that he had passed far too close. The cop nodded and replied with "That wasn't the only thing he did wrong"... so a nice bit of karma.

So that's another future Eddington number in the bag. Century # 31 for 2015, 165 over all.
Lovely day for cycling.

Well done , lost the willpower for club run due to the cold weather

 

[GravityFighter]

By 'eck, it blew a bit yesterday. That and an overnight flat tyre put me right off going out. I decided to buy some new tyres as the pair on the bike have gathered many cuts since June, when I had the previous puncture in Wetherby I found three cuts with sharp bits in them . . . Anyway, bought a pair of Bontrager AW 2 tyres, my first folding tyres, and fitted them.

Less wind this morning, and the new tyres to try out of course. Still cold, the windproof fleece has proved itself against a northerly freezing cold breeze, the tyres did the 29.3 miles rather well I thought. Feel a little different to the Panaracers they replaced, but that could be just newness. So, Dewsbury Road, Jack Lane, Marshall Street and Water Lane ( Hol Beck quite near the top of the culvert ), Great Wilson Street and out to John O' Gaunts, Oulton, Swillington, Garforth, Lotherton gates, Aberford, Barwick, Scholes and cross the A 64 for Thorner Lane, Skeltons Lane and Red Hall Lane for the quick whizzzzzzzz down Boot Hill. Oakwood clock and then I met this, um, idiot.



and I will drive it how I like

Jon

Just wanted to pop a note on here as I think I saw you just before Lotherton Hall yesterday (Sun) - gave you a nod as I cycled past and you were stood refuelling yourself between Lotherton Hall and the M1 roundabout. I was on a silver CX bike with fluro top.

Nice day for it!

 

[PeteXXX]

I had my first sub-zero ride of the season yesterday morning, with crunchy puddles, and no wind (what a blessed relief after the recent gales!)

After riding along the Washlands and banks of the Nene to the bottom end of the town centre, I stopped and wathed the kids on their jump bikes and micro scooters messing around in the Bike Park.

I wish I could do that!

Passing under one of the old railway bridges, I paused to water the scenery for a minute or two and take a pic. I did follow the track ahead for a while, but it deteriorated into a mud-fest so I turned back and got onto the 'proper' trail, with mud flinging itself all over the place as I sped up a bit.. I even got one glob of it fly up my right nostril...

Anyway.. onwards and upwards towards Kings Heath and up the old railway line as far as the hill to Brixworth.

With half a circuit of Pitsford Res, I called into the cafe for an ice cream. Raspberry and White Chocolate. Tasty!

After a chat with the chap that runs Pitsford Cycles, I headed home via the roads through Moulton village..
Back on 30 miles with slightly chilly feet but feeling good.

https://www.strava.com/activities/437295647