Your ride today....

[Gravity Aided]

I hate wasps!

Finally got round to re-fitting the Superstar Components rear wheel to my Planet X last night as it had to have a spoke replaced and the rim re-trued after a breakage at the start of August - when I also got a wasp sting on my right thigh which turned an angry shade of red, put out an extra ordinary amount of heat and gained a few inches in circumference..

Today I took the bike out for a couple of hours for a spin in the countryside to the north and west of Ipswich only for one of the stripey b*st*rds to get inside my jersey and sting me on the right side of my chest. I've now got a succession of ice packs to go under my t-shirt hoping to minimise the effects.

Other than that the ride was lovely - clear blue skies, warm but with a decent breeze to keep the temperature down and surprisingly clear roads. Roll on tomorrow when a bonus day off work will see me at Rutland Water.

https://www.strava.com/activities/686124956

Might try baking soda on the wasp sting. Alkaline will counter the acidic nature of the venom, just the opposite of the bee sting, which is more alkali, and can be treated with vinegar, or orange juice, in a pinch. (Folk remedy, as my folks told me to do that.)

 

[Stonechat]

Meant to get out really early to avoid the heat, but in fact didn't get out until 9.50

Did some intervals, and loops round the Chertsey area.
Was quite hot

35 miles @ 16.8 mph (Garmin)

1024 feet climbed

Temp between 26 and 31 deg C

https://www.strava.com/activities/687174410

 

[Levo-Lon]

Way too hot for a day ride...
so ive moddified the new helmet and the bike.and fitted the Cree lights...

daylight !!!

 

[mark st1]

Out for a quick burn on the road bike today back on Tarmac which was nice and a relief on my arris ! Went through the the Walthams towards Twyford turning off into the back roads around Hurst heading towards Wokingham left into Bracknell which is a Mecca of roadworks and new buildings at present cranes galore !! Hit the back roads again for a nice bit of welcome shade. Back on the main roads around the edge of Ascot racecourse up to the peanut roundabout near Legoland then forced to stop for some fluids hot was an understatement...

A welcome bit of shade for me.. Downed some couple of month old jelly babies and Tangfastics that were in my saddle bag (bit ropey) then head down arse up for the Drift Road but being baked in sunshine and a unfavourable headwind it was bloomin hard work. Did the full road this time and then turned off towards Shurlock Row through White Waltham and glad I got home when I did 2 full bottles gone which is unusual for me. Missed a short sharp rain shower which arrived 10 mins after I got home just as I was finishing my Nobbly Bobbly which my granddaughter had lovingly saved for me . I was lucky if I got to eat 20% of it tbh !
32.9 miles in 1 hour 47 mins with a 18.4 avg and a mighty 646 ft of climbing .

https://www.strava.com/activities/687434023/shareable_images/map_based?hl=en-GB&v=1472053942

Cheers
Mark.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

4 of us today. Little me, Peter T., Julian H., and Steve E. The guys were intrigued about the plan so the map came out. Off we went for Knightwick and then the climb to Clifton-on-Teme. It should be called Clifton-above-Teme as it is quite a height up there. Then we tracked across lumpy country for Kyre where another climb awaited us. Now it was just a reasonably easy drop all the way down for Steen's Bridge. All we needed now was a little dodge through the lanes to get us to the Golf Club at Bodenham where beans on toast and cups of tea awaited us.

Much chat later the plan was to take the flat way back by Withington and Weston Beggard. We stopped at Yarkhill to take a look inside the Church. What a lovely spot that is. Then more fairly easy riding took us towards Bishop's Frome and the climb to Acton Green. Now we were looking for a pub but the Nelson at Longley Green was closed as was the Oak at Leigh Sinton. Pete lives in Leigh Sinton so went home while we rode uphill into town checking out the Plume of Feathers on the way. Finally the Nag's Head hove into view. Pints all round went down well. It had been a hot and sticky ride so our rehydration had been well earned after those 70 miles

 

[NorthernDave]

I really like the Boardman Pro Carbon. Mine's been absolutely faultless in the 3 years I've had it. The only thing that bothers me (slightly) about the new one, are the disc brakes. Interestingly the new SLR, doesn't have disc brakes, but it does have SRAM groupset, which is not to my liking. I hope you enjoy your bike anyway.

Cheers - first road bike with discs, so just getting used to it. I suppose being able to stop in the wet will be useful...(if the frame doesn't melt first)
Still needs a few tweaks to get it set up just so, but by heck it's quicker than the Road Comp

Bit gutted though that I've barely had chance to ride it since I got it - managed 8 miles or so on Sunday with virtually empty legs and with work getting in the way the only other ride I've managed all week is a cheeky 10k tonight while Mrs ND got the tea on.

 

[gavgav]

Nice evening for a ride, cooler than the last few days and hardly any wind for a change! I did a route that I've not done in a long while, heading out through Bayston Hill and down to Exfords Green, before taking Long Lane (usual ridiculous amount of traffic for a narrow lane, 6 cars in a mile to pull in for) and then climbed up to Oaks.

Paused to enjoy the fabulous views over to the East of Shropshire, before the nice downhill run to Plealey, which would be very fast if it wasn't for the narrow road and blind bends meaning you can't let the bike go properly.

Turned North to Annscroft and then out onto the busier road to Hook-a-Gate, along which I encountered the only nobber of the ride and my first for a few rides actually, a black taxi from Comet Cars of Shrewsbury, which squeezed past me and a car coming the other way, giving me about 2 inches of clearance and doing way over the speed limit. Rather than giving him sight of my anger I have dropped an e-mail to the company and threatened to report him to the police unless I receive acknowledgment of my complaint.

Once back at Nobold, I turned through Meole Brace and back home having done 16.7 miles and 753ft of climbing

 

[Jenkins]

Might try baking soda on the wasp sting. Alkaline will counter the acidic nature of the venom, just the opposite of the bee sting, which is more alkali, and can be treated with vinegar, or orange juice, in a pinch. (Folk remedy, as my folks told me to do that.)

Thanks for the info, but it's a bit late now. Despite the ice packs I've now got a normal sized pasty English bloke coloured left side and an angry red coloured 38C right side to my chest!

Didn't stop me enjoying Rutland Water today 'though. Baking hot and got through 2 litres of squash in the 44 miles of two loops. Loads of people circulating and I hope the bloke with the mangled mudguard got things sorted as neither of us had a 15mm spanner to release the wheel to get at the retaining screw.

 

[Gravity Aided]

7.2 miles on the single speed today, only saw the old fellow on his hybrid. I warned him about the cloud of hornets I had just ridden through.
(I was too fast to stop, and the hornets were as astonished as I was, @Jenkins )
85F,29C
Winds W13
Relative humidity 61%
Barometer 29.99
Clouds,
hornets.

 

[postman]

Special day out today.28 miles to Roberts Park,Saltaire near Shipley.Special because my daughter rode with me.She is off the Edinburgh soon to Uni.It was a wonderful day.

 

[guitarpete247]

Went for my normal 16 mile circuit yesterday. When I got to the garage it seems the fairy had been in there overnight. Front tyre felt a little soft and upon inspection found a thorn in the side wall. Pulled it out to the sound of hissing.
After swapping tubes I went out. The intention was to repair tube when I got home. I left it till early evening. I'm got pump and repair kit. Quickly found the hole so started sanding around it. Got tube of glue out but it had gone solid in the 2 years since I last used it.
Only used 1 patch used and now useless. I'll nip into Halfirds later to see if they sell glue alone.

 

[Elybazza61]

Bit grey this morning after the last couple of bright mornings and the odd bit of drizzle;bit weary after not sleeping too much(thunderstorms keeping us awake) so a fairly easy z2 ride in with the XLS back on the old used Randonneur tyres.Obv not as nice running as the Hutchinson or IRC tubeless but still a good tyre for the money and will be used more when winter kicks in(might get some of the Voyager hypers that Planet X has cheap or some Schwalbe s-one tubeless if I'm feeling flush).

https://www.strava.com/activities/688186010

 

[Stonechat]

One thing I didn't mention about yesterday's ride was the glue in my helmet started melting it dissolving, running down, I had meant to order a new lid, so have had to bring it forward. Recently received a half price offer on a Mavic one, so ordered that

 

[cosmicbike]

After a sweltering day up in 'the smoke' yesterday which involved lots of walking and a hospital visit (planned), it was nice to get out this morning. Moving house tomorrow, so made the most of the 2 hours I had to clock in a quick 30 miles around WGP and Sunningdale before home through Chobham. Nice out today, not hot but very humid and sticky.
669 miles done this month, 108 to go to target..

 

[guitarpete247]

I used one of my glueless patches. at least I'll get to find out how long they last. they're at least 3 years old.

Got 2 tubes of glue £3.
I hope she doesn't come a visiting again any time soon. If she does I'm ready for a proper repair.