Your ride today....

[Mark1978]

First ride out on the new Defy today. Did just under 40 miles but after the first 10 my achilles were feeling quite tight. I think I have the saddle up sightly too high and need to move the cleats back on my shoes to stop what is probably a bit of heel down motion. I think that i didn't have this issue on the old bike as it was so much smaller and my legs were not stretched out as much.

All in all though, a good ride, slower than I expected due to the pain I was feeling. Everything else on the bike felt more confortable.

https://www.strava.com/activities/467428105

 

[Donger]

Edit: just seen that @Rickshaw Phil has already done the bizz a few pages ago....

Yep. A multi-talented multi tasker, our @Rickshaw Phil. Today he's been both bike snorkeling and trouble shooting.

 

[Katherine]

It had stopped raining by the time I was ready to leave, but it was impossible to avoid the puddles / floods/ unofficial fords. I missed the start of the Chorlton Wanderers ride, so I made my own way to the pub in Wilmslow where we had an amazing Sunday carvery at The Riflemans Arms. Then I rode back with them to Chorlton, delivered some post to my son in Stretford, then home. 46 miles total. Sunshine nearly all day which was lovely, but a cold headwind this morning though.

 

[Pale Rider]

I then began the serious climb of the ride, one which appears in Simon Warren's book of 100 best climbs in the UK, from the bottom of The Wrekin up to Little Wenlock. It was not very enjoyable to start with, due to a multitude of stupid drivers making a pigs ear of trying park amongst the hundreds of cars abandoned by walkers heading up The Wrekin. I negotiated them and then the initial climb through the trees isn't too bad, other than a knob head in a sick green Fiat Uno who passed me closely on a sharp bend and cut across the front of me. I try not to react these days, but he had a gesture, idiot.

The climb then seriously ramps up once you leave the trees and boy it was hard work. 784 ft climb in 1 mile, my biggest single climb yet on a bike.

Fairly sure @Rickshaw Phil led me on this climb during our ride last month.

I was forewarned by him of the indiscriminate parking, although I think this was the stretch where I had my one close pass of the day.

Getting up the nastiest part of the climb was OK, as it should be for me on my ebike, although I did pull one involuntary wheelie.

Somehow or other Phil, on a heavier bike than mine, only dropped behind by a few metres - when he pops out of the saddle there's some serious power being put down.

The pair of us were scalped by a roadie on a newish looking Canyon.

He passed me just as we crested the rise, and said something which I didn't quite catch.

Call me a cynic, but I suspect the thinking behind the remark was: "Look at me, I've done the pair of you and I'm still not out of breath."

 

[cosmicbike]

Ridden most day s so far this year, but they're generally commutes so not exciting enough to warrant putting here! The miles are ticking along though.

Went out on the HDW club ride

Bad start when I realised preferred bibtights and some other cycling clothes were still in the washing machine!
However out the warmer ones on and was OK

Went in the much smaller group intending to go to MIlford (but we didn't - see later)
we intersected the other group a few times.
Getting near Seale, we came to long flooded section of 150 yards with several inches of water
I did have shoe covers, but this was too much water.
So we stopped at Seale tea room like the other group

Fortified by a toastie and a cafetiere of coffee, we all rode back together. Went back a different way to ensure feet did not get any more wet, should that be possible.
Later found I had not started the Garmin
Lost at least 8 miles with the Climb up Puttenham Hill

So all in all I estimate 54 miles @ 16 miles per hour
About 1450 feet climbed

The ~(mangled) Strava ride is here
https://www.strava.com/activities/467293615

HDW meet on Staines Bridge don't they, and meet at the boathouse on Chertsey Lane? Only a mile from me I've often thought of joining, but the 54 miles at that pace is too much for me at the moment. Do they do a slower/shorter run?

 

[Nigel-YZ1]

Staple diet run from Penistone to Dunford Bridge and Winscar Reservoir.
Cold headwind was a bugger but good sense of achievement.
Not many braving Winscar. Looked ace though with moody cloud, failing light and dark choppy water.
Coming back down was a hoot with a tailwind.

Good to see lots of others on two wheels too.

 

[gordyfinbar]

I edit my photo's to 800 wide before uploading. Use the Upload a File button, bottom right of the pane when writing post. Upload the photo you took and then click Full Image.
You can also Drag and Drop a photo to the writing area if that is easier.

For links, just copy and paste. (CtrlC / CtrlV if that makes sense?) They become 'clickable' one the post is posted.

Hope that helps a bit

Edit: just seen that @Rickshaw Phil has already done the bizz a few pages ago....

Thanks anyway

 

[PeteXXX]

I've been a bit lax in posting my rides here recently,.. Still, here we go for 2016

Out on the CX today, with a lazy start due to a late finish from w*rk this morning.

I was mainly on back roads for the first half of the ride, including a few of my favourite ups and downs from Cogenhoe, Whiston and Easton Maudit, in towards Rushden and Wellingborough.

Castle Ashby estate house.

The only part of the ride I wasn't to keen on was the ride from Rushden to Irchester and Wellingborough as it's a bit of a racetrack. Still, with bright flashing lights, fore and aft, I survived to ride another day!
On from there was into a slight headwind, but nothing like there's been recently!

A most enjoyable solo 33 miles, with a bit of a headwind on the return leg, but nothing too harsh after the recent gales!
Just got back home as the rain started. Timing is everything

https://www.strava.com/activities/467391578

 

[Nigel-YZ1]

Forgot I took a pic:

 

[derrick]

Had a nice ride to Richmond Park today, Going through London is a bit of a pain, To much traffic, lovely bright day a bit of a nip in the air to start with.
Arrived at the park and one of the guy's wanted a coffee, but soon talked him out of that as we had only done 20 miles.
We carried on riding two laps of the park, Was a lot of cars there so we had to keep slowing up.
After that decided to go to Look Mum No Hands, that was a waste of time full of non biker student types, not a seat to be had any where
Never mind we decided to ride back to our local Weatherspoons for a nice brunch washed down with a couple of beers.
Great day out with a great bunch of mates.
https://www.strava.com/activities/467508244

 

[Accy cyclist]

I managed 35 miles yesterday, though 14 of those were in the front room on the turbo. I had to warm up before going out as it certainly was cold! The low sun was blinding too!

 

[gbb]

17..tbh not very enjoyable miles... delivering a small package.

Forgive me, i'm a bit low...life changing illness 3 years ago, a foot thats had me limping for maybe 4 weeks, a chesty cough for maybe 3 weeks...bugger, ive felt better. My fitness is about rock bottom.
Result, 17 miles where my legs felt like lead. It'd have been so easy to take the car but still glad I didnt.

It isnt always easy....

 

[Katherine]

17..tbh not very enjoyable miles... delivering a small package.

Forgive me, i'm a bit low...life changing illness 3 years ago, a foot thats had me limping for maybe 4 weeks, a chesty cough for maybe 3 weeks...bugger, ive felt better. My fitness is about rock bottom.
Result, 17 miles where my legs felt like lead. It'd have been so easy to take the car but still glad I didnt.

It isnt always easy....

Well done.

 

[gavgav]

Fairly sure @Rickshaw Phil led me on this climb during our ride last month.

I was forewarned by him of the indiscriminate parking, although I think this was the stretch where I had my one close pass of the day.

Getting up the nastiest part of the climb was OK, as it should be for me on my ebike, although I did pull one involuntary wheelie.

Somehow or other Phil, on a heavier bike than mine, only dropped behind by a few metres - when he pops out of the saddle there's some serious power being put down.

The pair of us were scalped by a roadie on a newish looking Canyon.

He passed me just as we crested the rise, and said something which I didn't quite catch.

Call me a cynic, but I suspect the thinking behind the remark was: "Look at me, I've done the pair of you and I'm still not out of breath."

Yes I think it was the same climb. @Rickshaw Phil has much more power in his legs than me, he's like a machine!

Rather interestingly there was a tweet from Telford police today, reminding drivers that double yellow lines around The Wrekin are there for a reason and that fines will be handed out....I wonder if they had complaints or had been on patrol around there yesterday!

 

[gavgav]

Yep. A multi-talented multi tasker, our @Rickshaw Phil. Today he's been both bike snorkeling and trouble shooting.