Your ride today....

[cosmicbike]

A quick 15 miles this morning between coats of paint. p over St Annes Hill where the icy roads seemed to have caused an accident, couple of police cars and half the road shut. On the 2nd lap of St Annes I was passed by one of the London Dynamo club, then another, and on. Group of about 10 - 12, and pleased to say I hung on the back (well, kept them in line of sight..) for a couple of miles until I turned off at Foxhills. Lovely out there today, shame the paintbrush was calling or it would have been another metric half for the month..

 

[Buck]

It's a month since I've been out on the road bike with the weather and my other commitments tying me to the Zwift/Tacx Trainer but a day off and some half decent weather meant that I could get out

It was a touch frosty first thing so layered up and off I went. It probably took me 10k to get the legs going but it was just good being out in the fresh air and feeling the legs grumble!

My usual start, heading up out of the village and then up Piper Wells which always feels steeper than it actually is but those near 12% bits really test my legs. I then headed up the Haddingley drag as it is known and turned down Windmill Lane. All of the time, Emley mast was visible and dominating the landscape. As it happens, today's route would mean that I circled the mast.

A nice undulating ride through country lanes with a nod or a wave to the occasional cyclist heading the opposite direction brought me into Darton where I was enjoying my descent so much I passed my turn so had to turn around and head back up !!!

I joined the main road and had a bit of a pull up the hill, stopped for a drink and a quick bite of a snack bar before I was off again down to the roundabout for the M1 then up past the Yorkshire Sculpture Park into West Bretton, Midgley and Flockton before taking a left down Haigh Lane onto less busy roads then the aptly named Long Lane.

As I turned right on Emley Moor, Emley mast was getting closer and as I rode past, the winter sun was lower in the sky and placed directly behind the mast.

A couple more miles followed by a final push to get up the hill then home, bike washed down (it was covered in that horrible paste-like grime), degreased and all lubed up before I put it away.

Overall a nice ride and great to be out again. So lucky with the weather.

23.7 miles and 2,000 feet of climbing.
https://www.strava.com/activities/490969076/

 

[Deleted member 1258]

What a beautiful day for a bike ride! I got up to bright sunshine this morning and temperatures around zero plus a hint of a gentle breeze. There was a bit of frost on the verges in places and a bit of ice and slush mixed in with the water on some of the smaller lanes just to make sure I was paying attention and it warmed up nicely for the ride home. I got out early and found myself among the school run Mums for my ride across the city, got a bit of a fright with a van pulling across the front of me on Beak Avenue, but the koolstop Salmons I'd fitted on the front handled the situation nicely. My route out took me out to Hockley Heath, across to Henley in arden, back to Lowsonford and on to Hatton Locks for a stop, a good gossip with friends in the cafe and a black coffee and scrambled egg on toast. My route back took me back through Lowsonford and onto the route back to Balsall Common we used on the Guy Salmon ride then I used my usual route home across the city. The 53 miles I did this morning brings my total for the week to 177 miles, three rides spread over 6 days. Another excellent morning out on the bike, I could do with more like this one.

 

[Levo-Lon]

I gave the bike a good clean and service this morning..set sag indexed gears..chain oiled etc..
nice day so the bike goes in the van and off to Rutland Water..
i decided to do the whole ride which includes the extra 7 miles peninsular detore..lovely part of the ride.
about 26 miles as i had a couple of detours..
few pics of Rutlan Reservoir..the Church,the Dam..and pics of each side of the water..
its a lovely 9lace to cycle round,you can do 17 miles or the 24 ..or simply ride a few miles and turn back from the many car parks..2 nice pubs on the route too...

the last pic is what the bike will look like after..its a dirty place in parts..

 

[TeeShot]

What a glorious day for a bike ride. Whilst I have enjoyed reading this thread for quite some time. I've hardly contributed as I'm not sure anyone would be interested in reading about my cycling. So here goes.....

I met my mate at Redesmere and we enjoyed a few miles through the lanes before we tackled the delights of Artists Lane. A silky smooth decent by the back road to our first cafe stop in Prestbury.

Coffee enjoyed, we found a quiet route to the top end of Bollington and used the Middlewood Way to miss the busy roads of Macclesfield and deliver us to cafe number two at Macc garden centre. A quick coffee and across country to Marton and cafe number three.

A few miles back to Redesmere, 37 miles at the reckless rate of 1 Cafe per hour

I hope you enjoy the pics

 

[Elybazza61]

Well managed to bunk off for a nice ride home again with blue skies and little wind.

Gave it some berries in places but felt it on the little 'climb' in to Wilburton,the out of the saddle technique is improving though(getting over the bars nicely) but carrying a big rucksack doesn't help.

https://www.strava.com/activities/491154408

150km goal done so getting back on track with the 12,000km year total.

 

[Katherine]

the perfect rate of 1 Cafe per Hour!

An enjoyable report, thank you.

 

[Garry A]

A wee pedal out to Culross yesterday with blue skies and sunshine although it was chilly. Around 39k with a sit on the wall by the water at Preston Island.

 

[Jon George]

at the reckless rate of 1 Cafe per hour

I have a new target for the year - thank you.

 

[Stonechat]

Needed some more hills and tougher ones (ok wanted not needed)
Though I would tackle Leith Hill and White Down again, first time this year.

Went through Weybridge, Cobham, Effingham, then Bookham, cutting across the downs to Westhumble
I had decided to go up COldharbour Lane way up Leith Hill (it's one of the 'Another 100Climbs')
Cresting Leith Hill
On the descent was the only rain of the day.

Then girded my loins for the 18% Climb of White Down

I am noticing compared to last year I have still not the leg strength but my overall power is up, so I can go up these hills but need to be standing on the pedals more.
(V pleased to see at home that Coldharbour Lane and White Down were both PR's

NIce quick descent for a while after that then through Effingham and Cobham , turning towards Hersham and Walton on the way back.

55.0 miles at 14.6 mph. I dithered here and there with navigation

Good climbing total of 2831 feet climbed

https://www.strava.com/activities/491725514/

 

[gavgav]

Some of you may remember that my last ride ended up with a broken gear cable, so @Rickshaw Phil popped over last night to fix with a new one. Despite some initial frustration at not being able to get the end of the cable out of the shifter, where it had snapped, Phil did a super job and set everything back up for me.

Nipped out after work today for a very short 8 mile ride to test the set up, which is absolutely perfect thanks @Rickshaw Phil . It must have been fraying and stretching for a while, because the gears haven't shifted this well for a long time.

Route was up into Bayston Hill, up to the car park on Lyth Hill, then back down and around Overdale, before dropping back down to Meole.

Stopped at the football ground to take a picture of the next match sign. Normally not particularly interesting enough for a photo, but considering we've never played Man Utd before in our 130 yr history, this view isn't likely to be repeated in my lifetime! My ticket arrived today as well and I can't wait for the 22nd Feb to come round

 

[Roadhump]

View attachment 118695 View attachment 118694 View attachment 118693 View attachment 118692

I hope you enjoy the pics

Great photos!! More would be good.

 

[Roadhump]

Time was tight today, but I managed to get out about 3.00 pm into the lovely bright winter (but with a bit of a springy feel to it) sunshine, which cast its deep yellow light across the countryside scenery. Out across Plex Moss towards Halsall and Aughton, and rode up Clieves Hill which is one of the few hills around this part of South-West Lancashire that actually justifies being called a hill. The views from Clieves Hill over towards Liverpool, North Wales and up to Southport and the Fylde and even the Lake District on a really clear day, are wonderful. I sometimes take a breather here and spend a few minutes chilling out. The air wasn't very clear today though so the views weren't that good. From Clieves Hill it was through Aughton and Town Green and then round a few lanes through some farmland and over to Scarth Hill by Edge Hill College, down Ruff Lane and though Ormskirk town centre where a nice chap in a wheelchair started chatting to me while I was taking a photo of the clock tower. He told me that after an energetic ride on a cold afternoon like today, I must make sure I have a couple of beers to reward myself tonight - who am I to argue with that?

The sun was receding quickly as I left Ormskirk and as a result it was getting much cooler so I pedalled hard and with the benefit of an easterly tailwind did the 8 miles home in about 25 minutes. Another 24 miles on the odometer, and a really enjoyable ride. Now, I must not let that nice man in the wheelchair down, the pub calls!!

Looking across Plex Moss towards Aughton

Clieves Hill from Small Lane South

The view towards Liverpool (top) and Southport (bottom) from Clieves Hill, unfortunately the air wasn't too clear today so the landmarks aren't really visible

Poppy Lane near Scarth Hill just outside Ormskirk (there is something about Poppy Lane that I just like so much, can't put my finger on it though), the space ship type thing at the top of the lane is the Scarth Hill water tower, which has been there about 40 odd years now and is a prominent landmark for miles around

Ormskirk town centre with the clock tower in the background

Ormskirk Parish Church, famous for having both a tower and a steeple

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Some of you may remember that my last ride ended up with a broken gear cable, so @Rickshaw Phil popped over last night to fix with a new one. Despite some initial frustration at not being able to get the end of the cable out of the shifter, where it had snapped, Phil did a super job and set everything back up for me.

Nipped out after work today for a very short 8 mile ride to test the set up, which is absolutely perfect thanks @Rickshaw Phil . It must have been fraying and stretching for a while, because the gears haven't shifted this well for a long time.

Route was up into Bayston Hill, up to the car park on Lyth Hill, then back down and around Overdale, before dropping back down to Meole.

Stopped at the football ground to take a picture of the next match sign. Normally not particularly interesting enough for a photo, but considering we've never played Man Utd before in our 130 yr history, this view isn't likely to be repeated in my lifetime! My ticket arrived today as well and I can't wait for the 22nd Feb to come round
View attachment 118791

I'm glad it's done the job.

 

[biggs682]

23 miles of torture ....anybody want to buy a garage full of cycling gear