Accy cyclist
Legendary Member
- Location
- The hills of Accrington
A bit late posting but i managed a tiring 30 miles on Wednesday. I was aching a bit yesterday,i put it down to not having a few bananas before i set off.
Your ride today....
- Thread starter gbb
- Start date
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Racing roadkill
Guru
On my way this evening, I racked up my second rude place name of the year.
https://www.strava.com/activities/263850444
Lovely weather.
Dark46
Veteran
- Location
- Quedgeley, Gloucester
Went out for a quick 10 miles on the local TT course that I created for the club.
Really pleased with results as it was the first time on the new bike in daylight. I got 13 pb segments and improved the whole TT by 1m13s and my PB on any ride of over 17 mph
Really pleased with results as it was the first time on the new bike in daylight. I got 13 pb segments and improved the whole TT by 1m13s and my PB on any ride of over 17 mph
Attachments
gavgav
Legendary Member
Simply fantastic news @SatNavSaysStraightOn !!Right well this have been a very long time in the coming, and I can't say it was far, or it was fast. In fact it probably qualifies as the shortest and slowest ride on this report but here goes.
Oh and I guess this is probably going to be the longest and most pictures per mile/minute ride report there is!
My new recumbent trike was delivered today and what with the sun shining and me wanting to get out on a bike again, it being almost exactly 4 months today since my back went, I decided to not have my morning physio walk this morning and to make it an afternoon physio ride instead...
So first, here is the new bike... an ICE Adventure 26 custom build with Rohloff hub and triple front derailleur. The observant will notice the rear derailleur - it is being used solely as a (cheap) chain tensioner. There are some mobility aids for standing and in the near future there will be some adaptation done so that I can take my crutches with me as well. Plus all the usual paraphernalia needs to be added like barbag and lights and water bottle holders and well just the usual things... plus in time the pannier rack etc.
View attachment 81401
As you can see it was bright and sunny at this point, so I set out with a little trepidation and struggled... err how hard can it be? The parking brake is off... its in 1st gear... errrrrr.... well that took a while to suss out to be honest. I failed to get up the incline to the more level part of the Whitegate Way and had to push it up. Am I really that weak now? Well yes, but that was not the issue. more on that later.
View attachment 81403
Some trees I haven't seen for a while and some nice light....
View attachment 81404
Finally made it to the bridge, but this is not my target...
View attachment 81405
There is light at the end of the tunnel!
My target is a boring bench, but it happens to be exactly 1 mile from my house... that is my target and it is not too much further away. Its a boring bench so not worth photo'ing but I did get some really nice light on some more trees...
View attachment 81406
Nice light on some friends...
View attachment 81407
The closest thing to a selfie I will ever get!
View attachment 81408
Now on the way home and some excellent light and great shadows again...
Right totally exhausted by 2 miles. Strava says 30 minutes moving time, so that's a 4mph average but that is the fastest I have been self propelled for the last 4 months... I'm more than happy with that!
https://www.strava.com/activities/262882504
PS - I have no idea where I made it to 28.1kph!
So that is 7 photos per 2 miles... I'm going to have to work on that average!
PPS - those early problems with the Rohloff hub - I have the bike in what I thought was first (and normally is first (lowest) gear) but it turned out to be 14th gear (highest/hardest gear)... no wonder I couldn't get up the slight incline! - easily sorted now I know, but....
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
My first overdressed ride of the year! 
My cyclist mate is back from the US of A so I arranged to meet him this afternoon for a ride and to hear about his holiday.
I took note of the wind direction and decided that we should climb up from Littleborough to Blackstone Edge rather than doing it up through Cragg Vale which is my normal route. That way we would benefit from a big tailwind on the top half of the climb rather than a vicious cross-headwind.
My mate was going to be riding his winter singlespeed bike so he didn't want to do any of the steep climbs that I might otherwise have included in the route. I therefore devised a more suitable 25 mile loop. It still had plenty of climbing, just none of the more extreme stuff.
I set off from Hebden Bridge to meet him and was still in traffic in town when I noticed something odd about the front nearside wheel of the car in front of me. I thought the wheel was falling off so I sprinted up behind the car and saw that a wheel trim about to drop into the road. A pedestrian started to cross at the zebra crossing ahead so the traffic came to a stop. I took the opportunity to ride up alongside the car and tell the driver. He was grateful, and pulled off the road ahead of me to kick the offending trim back into place.
I turned left off the A646 at Castle Hill on the eastern fringes of Tormorden. There is a scenic route to avoid the centre of the town and it drops down to Hollins Road in Walsden. I was supposed to meet my pal there but he rode up the hill to keep warm and I met him halfway down.
I had already stopped to take my arm warmers off. I was wearing a long-sleeved jersey and base layer plus a windtop and despite the strong wind I was a bit warm in the sunshine. Ideally, I would have taken the base layer off but I couldn't be bothered doing a striptease at the side of the road. I settled for unzipping the jacket and jersey.
We rode along trying to chat but TBH it was a struggle to hear what was being said over the wind and traffic noise.
We got the planned-for tailwind up to Blackstone Edge. For most of the climb I was able to stay in the same gear as my mate had on his s/s. (I could tell it was the same gear because our pedal strokes had synchronised.) I eventually developed a few twinges in my back and then changed to an easier gear to spin my way up the last bit of the climb
We went straight over the summit and continued down the A58 until our left turn down Blue Ball Road. Soon after that we come to another left turn, up Coal Gate Road. This starts with a moderately steep little climb and it is one that I have been testing myself on ever since I started cycling again after my illness of 2012/13. At first, I had to grovel my way up in my bottom gear - 26/28. It really should not require a gear that low, but I had no fitness at all then and my lungs were still healing. It took a year to be able to do it 26/28, then 26/25, then 26/23 and eventually 26/21. Last year, I was able to start using my middle ring, so I was using 39/28, then 39/25, then 39/23 and finally 39/21. Today, I decided to give it a hard effort and I sprinted up in 39/19. I nearly made it to the top but the last 10% defeated me and I sat down and twiddled up in my 39/25 gear. I should be able to manage that last bit too by mid-spring. I am frustrated by the time it is taking me to get back to a decent level of fitness, and I still have a long way to go, but I am slowly getting there!
Matey on his s/s did not fancy Steep Lane, and TBH - I didn't fancy it today either. I had plenty of low gears, but we would have been climbing straight into the strong, gusting wind. We took the easy route back instead, down Cat Lane and Scout Road.
A nice little ride on a sunny, windy day!
My cyclist mate is back from the US of A so I arranged to meet him this afternoon for a ride and to hear about his holiday.
I took note of the wind direction and decided that we should climb up from Littleborough to Blackstone Edge rather than doing it up through Cragg Vale which is my normal route. That way we would benefit from a big tailwind on the top half of the climb rather than a vicious cross-headwind.
My mate was going to be riding his winter singlespeed bike so he didn't want to do any of the steep climbs that I might otherwise have included in the route. I therefore devised a more suitable 25 mile loop. It still had plenty of climbing, just none of the more extreme stuff.
I set off from Hebden Bridge to meet him and was still in traffic in town when I noticed something odd about the front nearside wheel of the car in front of me. I thought the wheel was falling off so I sprinted up behind the car and saw that a wheel trim about to drop into the road. A pedestrian started to cross at the zebra crossing ahead so the traffic came to a stop. I took the opportunity to ride up alongside the car and tell the driver. He was grateful, and pulled off the road ahead of me to kick the offending trim back into place.
I turned left off the A646 at Castle Hill on the eastern fringes of Tormorden. There is a scenic route to avoid the centre of the town and it drops down to Hollins Road in Walsden. I was supposed to meet my pal there but he rode up the hill to keep warm and I met him halfway down.
I had already stopped to take my arm warmers off. I was wearing a long-sleeved jersey and base layer plus a windtop and despite the strong wind I was a bit warm in the sunshine. Ideally, I would have taken the base layer off but I couldn't be bothered doing a striptease at the side of the road. I settled for unzipping the jacket and jersey.
We rode along trying to chat but TBH it was a struggle to hear what was being said over the wind and traffic noise.
We got the planned-for tailwind up to Blackstone Edge. For most of the climb I was able to stay in the same gear as my mate had on his s/s. (I could tell it was the same gear because our pedal strokes had synchronised.) I eventually developed a few twinges in my back and then changed to an easier gear to spin my way up the last bit of the climb
We went straight over the summit and continued down the A58 until our left turn down Blue Ball Road. Soon after that we come to another left turn, up Coal Gate Road. This starts with a moderately steep little climb and it is one that I have been testing myself on ever since I started cycling again after my illness of 2012/13. At first, I had to grovel my way up in my bottom gear - 26/28. It really should not require a gear that low, but I had no fitness at all then and my lungs were still healing. It took a year to be able to do it 26/28, then 26/25, then 26/23 and eventually 26/21. Last year, I was able to start using my middle ring, so I was using 39/28, then 39/25, then 39/23 and finally 39/21. Today, I decided to give it a hard effort and I sprinted up in 39/19. I nearly made it to the top but the last 10% defeated me and I sat down and twiddled up in my 39/25 gear. I should be able to manage that last bit too by mid-spring. I am frustrated by the time it is taking me to get back to a decent level of fitness, and I still have a long way to go, but I am slowly getting there!
Matey on his s/s did not fancy Steep Lane, and TBH - I didn't fancy it today either. I had plenty of low gears, but we would have been climbing straight into the strong, gusting wind. We took the easy route back instead, down Cat Lane and Scout Road.
A nice little ride on a sunny, windy day!
Spartak
Powered by M&M's
- Location
- Bristolian
- Location
- Manchester
Ten miles on my new bike, to Astley, getting a bit more confident with the gear levers now, not sure about the saddle yet. Still waiting for my toe clip pedals, so riding on the reverse side of the clipless, not ideal. Got a pb on a segment though.
howdenbiker
Senior Member
- Location
- East Yorkshire
This post should be entitled 'Your non-ride Today' I had to spend two days in Llandudno so I thought, take a bike and do a circuit or two of Great Orme. All going well until I realised that the key for the lock securing the back wheel was still at home on my desk!!!!
Glow worm
Legendary Member
- Location
- Near Newmarket
Just catching up with this thread and so pleased you got out on your trike @SatNavSaysStraightOn !
Over here, I'd been off the bike for a couple of weeks and finally managed a 13 mile POETS day ride (P*ss off early tomorrow's Saturday) around Wicken Fen. Lovely to get back there again at last.
One of my favourite spots with great views across Burwell Fen. A strong breeze, but pretty mild in the sunshine. Enjoyed a cuppa from the flask and watched a distant marsh harrier pass by.
Reach Lode from the cyclist's bridge. Heading home I heard the first yellowhammer singing of the year. As bright yellow as a canary, very handsome he looked too from his perch.
On reaching home I found a pesky hen pheasant on the back garden hedge again. A small hareem of them has taken over having found the feed we leave out for other birds. They're quite attractive really but very greedy little sods.
Over here, I'd been off the bike for a couple of weeks and finally managed a 13 mile POETS day ride (P*ss off early tomorrow's Saturday) around Wicken Fen. Lovely to get back there again at last.
One of my favourite spots with great views across Burwell Fen. A strong breeze, but pretty mild in the sunshine. Enjoyed a cuppa from the flask and watched a distant marsh harrier pass by.
Reach Lode from the cyclist's bridge. Heading home I heard the first yellowhammer singing of the year. As bright yellow as a canary, very handsome he looked too from his perch.
On reaching home I found a pesky hen pheasant on the back garden hedge again. A small hareem of them has taken over having found the feed we leave out for other birds. They're quite attractive really but very greedy little sods.
Dark46
Veteran
- Location
- Quedgeley, Gloucester
Is it flat ?
It's quite flat with a few short inclines (As I call them now) and it's on small country lanes just off the estate
Attachments
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
Two things I forgot to mention about yesterday's ride ...
- We all know about idiot cyclists sneaking up the inside of large left-turning vehicles, but how about car drivers doing it?! As we were climbing up the A58 from Littleborough, we were overtaken by a huge flat-bed vehicle with heavy earth-moving plant on the back. It was signalling left for a tight turn ahead. Being such a long vehicle, the driver had to pull onto the RHS of the road to be able to swing left. A confused car driver started to overtake me and my pal. I could see what he was going to do and shouted at him to stop but he carried on driving up the inside of a huge vehicle turning across him. WTF! People are driving about with no understanding of what is going on around them! Fortunately, the truck driver had been paying attention and managed to stop before crushing the car and its passengers ...
- We saw a huge fox. It ran across the road just in front of us, too quickly for me to get a photo of it. I have never seen one so big and healthy looking. I reckon the local farms must be a few score hens down over the winter!
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SatNavSaysStraightOn
Changed hemispheres!
- Location
- ɐᴉlɐɹʇsn∀ 'ɐɹɹǝquɐƆ
My 2nd ride on the trike. 
I'm having to leave my OH is working on ironing out some issues with the trike so I only had the middle chainring and my Rohloff bub gears available to me. Just accepting that I can't do the tinkering on my trike is really hard....
So my ride, I did struggle up the initial climb because some of it is mud and with no warm up and 2 dodgy legs, it was rather difficult in the bottom gear I had available. but I made it without stopping and got onto the flatter area. I'm exceptionally slow, but rather like a tortoise I get there. No photos today because it was really overcast, threatening rain and I have nowhere to put my camera. I'm still working on the bar bag situation as well as the water bottle situation...
But it was great to be out and as luck would have it the sun came out for my turn around point... the mere about 2 miles away. This is the furthest I have been from home since 5th November excluding trips to hospital on a stretcher in an ambulance so it was great to see things rather than watch the sky go past! I spotted some hawthorn leaves starting to come out which really surprised me. Good to see. The scout camp was in use, and some DoE'ers were out carrying way more kit that they needed... Turning around is a case of stopping, getting out of the trike, picking the back wheel up and walking the trike around because its turning circle is quite a bit wider than the converted railway is
and with mudguards on there is no option for manual reverse!
Turning around at the mere, I knew that all the gentle uphill was done and it was downhill all the way from here - a gentle old railway downhill so getting home was nowhere near as difficult, not that getting out had been difficult and I could have pushed further really, but didn't want to overdo it...
Getting home was plain sailing right until the tiny last bit up and into our courtyard, but even on a road bike that was always the granny gear! https://www.strava.com/activities/264100508 4 miles done... strava says in 40 mins but auto pause is not on at the moment ahhh well I can only get faster .... now where is that snail smilie... Humm and I think I need to move the mirrors on the trike...
I'm having to leave my OH is working on ironing out some issues with the trike so I only had the middle chainring and my Rohloff bub gears available to me. Just accepting that I can't do the tinkering on my trike is really hard....
So my ride, I did struggle up the initial climb because some of it is mud and with no warm up and 2 dodgy legs, it was rather difficult in the bottom gear I had available. but I made it without stopping and got onto the flatter area. I'm exceptionally slow, but rather like a tortoise I get there. No photos today because it was really overcast, threatening rain and I have nowhere to put my camera. I'm still working on the bar bag situation as well as the water bottle situation...
But it was great to be out and as luck would have it the sun came out for my turn around point... the mere about 2 miles away. This is the furthest I have been from home since 5th November excluding trips to hospital on a stretcher in an ambulance so it was great to see things rather than watch the sky go past! I spotted some hawthorn leaves starting to come out which really surprised me. Good to see. The scout camp was in use, and some DoE'ers were out carrying way more kit that they needed... Turning around is a case of stopping, getting out of the trike, picking the back wheel up and walking the trike around because its turning circle is quite a bit wider than the converted railway is
and with mudguards on there is no option for manual reverse!Turning around at the mere, I knew that all the gentle uphill was done and it was downhill all the way from here - a gentle old railway downhill so getting home was nowhere near as difficult, not that getting out had been difficult and I could have pushed further really, but didn't want to overdo it...
Getting home was plain sailing right until the tiny last bit up and into our courtyard, but even on a road bike that was always the granny gear! https://www.strava.com/activities/264100508 4 miles done... strava says in 40 mins but auto pause is not on at the moment ahhh well I can only get faster .... now where is that snail smilie... Humm and I think I need to move the mirrors on the trike... 
T.M.H.N.E.T
Rainbows aren't just for world champions
- Location
- Northern Ireland
mooseracer
Guru
- Location
- Nr Bristol
So happy you are getting out @SatNavSaysStraightOn
Sadly only time for a shortish tootle out around the Boatyard, Washlands and villages this morning.
Northampton Boat Club, on the River Nene.
What a lovely day! (Albeit a tad windy out in the more open stretches...)
Back home on just under 17 miles, bringing this weeks total to 101.
Off to w*rk now. Boooo....
https://www.strava.com/activities/264149478
Northampton Boat Club, on the River Nene.
What a lovely day! (Albeit a tad windy out in the more open stretches...)
Back home on just under 17 miles, bringing this weeks total to 101.
Off to w*rk now. Boooo....
https://www.strava.com/activities/264149478
