Your ride today....

[cosmicbike]

Bloomin' cold on the commute home at 7 o'clock this morning
Getting towards icicles in my stubble And yet tonight it's 6 degrees, and I'm likely to get wet on the way home in the morning

 

[Oxo]

I rode for 45 minutes along a cycle trail in New York State. Sorry no photos. Then it was out of the spin studio and back into the gym.

 

[GuyBoden]

Nice and easy, flat 35mile ride around local Cheshire country lanes, a bit of drizzle, but very enjoyable nonetheless, ideal ride for older riders like myself..........
https://osmaps.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/osmaps/route/922990/Lymm-Hoo-Green-Pickmere-Comberbach-Daresbury

 

[postman]

[QUOTE 4524920, member: 21629"]I understand now what my cousin used to have in her mind when she used to say "that woman looks like a fly with those sunglasses on". Huuuuuge black eyes. The rest of face is ... it is. Somewhere.[/QUOTE]

I might get a slap for this,but here goes.Young lady you are bootiful,stunningly.I wish you all the very best in the coming months.I have been reading your posts,keep your chin up as we say here.

 

[Donger]

24 miler out to Arlingham and back today. Wore a combination of some of my warmest bits of kit (inc long sleeve base layer, bib tights and full gloves) and felt comfortably warm all the way round, although my face told me it might be cold. Beautiful conditions, except for a bit of a stiff westerly breeze.

Yesterday, while taking Mrs Donger to Ikea in Eastville, Bristol, I stopped off at the Specialized bike shop next door. I was in there for about 15 minutes, and I was their only customer. I was taking a look at some of the winter clothing and high viz stuff, and was quite pleased to see they had a few items in size "2XL". So off to the changing rooms, then. Now at this point I suppose I should point out that I am about 6' 6" tall, and weigh about 20 stone with a 38 inch waistline. So I knew it wasn't cut and dried that anything would actually fit me quite right, even if it was marked up as 2XL. But to say I was disappointed with their stock and the size labels would be putting it mildly.

Both the winter jacket and the high viz gilet that I tried were marked up as size "2XL", but I couldn't even get the two halves of the zips within 3 inches of each other ... and they were both at least 4 inches too short for me anyway. Size 2XL my **rse! And those were the biggest things thay had in the store. Despite me being the only customer at the time, none of the three assistants noticed me leaving without buying anything. I really should have complained, but this sort of thing grinds you down after a while. Just in case Specialized are responsible for any of the "robots" that regularly watch this site, I can tell them that for today's ride I was wearing the following items in a variety of genuine 2XL and 3XL sizes all of which fit me perfectly:
(1) AGU overshoes that I can get over my size 14 trainers
(2) Craft windproof long-sleeved base layer ... long enough at the back to even keep my bum warm
(3) Dare2B long sleeved jersey
(4) Funkier bib tights
(5) DHB close fitting winter jacket.

You shouldn't have to tell a cycle store that large cyclists really do exist and that some firms really do supply kit that fits them. In any other type of clothing, a size 2XL would be what you would expect a very large person to require. At Specialized that size label seems to be designated for small people who have just swallowed a Mars bar. I shall carry on buying my cycling kit elsewhere, and the Specialized shop can keep their hobbitwear collection.

Cheers, Donger.

 

[cosmicbike]

My ride today was wet. I'd kind of hoped the torrential rain I watched through my night shift would ease off by home time, but twas not to be. On the plus side, an opportunity to test my Decathlon BTwin £25 waterproof trousers. Well, I arrived home perfectly dry, despite the best efforts of a dumper truck giving me a good splashing in a large puddle, so pleased with them. The funny little shoes covers attached to the legs were going to get cut off, but actually worked very well at both keeping shoes dry, and stopping the legs riding up.

@Donger I think the Specialized shop floor staff are all trained the same way. My local concept store shop floor guys showed zero interest in me looking to buy jerseys, but their workshop guy was nothing short of fantastic when it came to helping get my Roubaix up an running..

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

At last. Back in the saddle. This wasn't an easy ride really as I'm just starting to rebuild lost fitness. The autumn is well advanced now since my last outing. Still some colour on the trees and some blue in the sky. The nagging north westerly on the return leg had me struggling and with a saddle which slipped it was more difficult. Now for some bike fettling. 43 miles

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

Only managed a couple of hours around dinner-time

Temperature it was okay (1 degree??), but after a while, the cold started to get to my feet, even with overshoes
Normally, when it's cold I'd put some bubble-wrap in the front of the over-shoes, but forgot it

I was however, a bit wary on the return, as I circumnavigate a roundabout/junction with the M62, if I come back the way I did
It's a bit of a 'dog-bone' with roundabouts to either side of the over-bridge
There was a hell of a smell of diesel around it, & a gleam on the last section (as though, the driver had changed lanes at last second), & a slightly squirrelly feel from the front tyre
Thankfully, standing the bike up a bit, kept me from the truck behind me

Earlier in the ride
Back Newton Lane

- top of 'Mary Pannal hill'
- turn right, at the traffic-lights
- follow for a couple of miles
- the sign in the mid-distance, is the turning, onto Claypit Lane, towards Ledsham

 

[Venod]

Back Newton Lane

You don't do Strava then

Back Newton Lumps

https://www.strava.com/segments/5456631

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

You don't do Strava then
Back Newton Lumps
https://www.strava.com/segments/5456631

No, don't even have any kind of electronics on it, just the digital watch that I wear

 

[Big Andy]

Another very enjoyable evening ride with the Leicester Spokes cycling group, a bit chilly but bearable. Wasnt even spolied by a visit from the puncture fairy!!

Check out my ride on Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/770927691/shareable_images/map_based?hl=en-GB&v=1478730573

 

[Elybazza61]

Chilly commute down the 20p road today which then turned in to a wet one.

Was a bit late leaving but still tried to do a proper warm-up to start so the fingers were a bit cold until I got to Wilburton where the push up the 'tor' warmed me up,nice roll through to Cottenham and then Histon and Impington before turning down Kings Hedges Road.

Got about half way down when I heard the dreaded hiss and hoped the sealant would work,alas not and probably not helped by coming to a stop at some lights so off the bike and set up on a path,disposable gloves on and start to put in a tube.Found what was a gash so probably a bit of glass and after making sure there was no debtis inside I got the tube in;a few pushes on the pump to get the tube carefully inflated and then a blast with the co2 to finish the job.

Unfortunately as I was fitting the tube it started raining so everything got nice and wet as I had it all strewn across the path,so just threw it all in the rucksack and it's now strewn over a bench to dry out

https://www.strava.com/activities/771175282

 

[Old jon]

After yesterday’s pusillanimous ( what a speller I be ) surrender to the weather, there was no way I was risking having to type that word again. Besides, there was blue sky to be seen, a gentle breeze, it could have been any time of year. Still cold mind, so I devoted some thought to clothing and made close to the right decisions.

As ever, the Holbeck wander and a minor corner of Hunslet, turning left to cross the river at Crown Point Bridge. Nose to tail traffic again as far as the Eastgate roundabout followed by miraculously clear roads all the way past the clock at Oakwood. By the school someone had parked their car, boot to the kerb, bonnet overhanging the white line. That is novel, some of the drivers in the queue might have been saying. I do wish I had had the time to join in the frivolities, it looked fun but I had just warmed up enough, so on I pedalled. Over the top of Boot Hill, turn right on Red Hall Lane, straight on for Skeltons Lane and left at the end for the swoopy downhill bit into Thorner. Exit the village riding up Church Hill and on to that nice flat looking stretch of road towards Bramham, it feels downhill in this direction.



Before the village, accurately, before the A 1(M) flyover, turn left on West Woods Road, the only way off is at Wattle Syke, so along the road of that name to Collingham. It was sort of tempting, after turning left, to take the next left up Jewitt Lane, but if any road in the area was going to have slidey patches, it would be that one. So, the A 58 all the way back, turn off for the clock at Oakwood, Roundhay Road to Roseville Road to Regent Street. It has just occurred to me, the end of Regent Street is that John Lewis place. OK the Eastgate Roundabout is between. Hmmm.

Twenty eight point three miles for the morning, reached home with a cold left foot again, and the shower was welcome and warm. Good one.

The inevitable map, still amuses and amazes me,

 

[Salty seadog]

Chilly commute down the 20p road today which then turned in to a wet one.

Was a bit late leaving but still tried to do a proper warm-up to start so the fingers were a bit cold until I got to Wilburton where the push up the 'tor' warmed me up,nice roll through to Cottenham and then Histon and Impington before turning down Kings Hedges Road.

Got about half way down when I heard the dreaded hiss and hoped the sealant would work,alas not and probably not helped by coming to a stop at some lights so off the bike and set up on a path,disposable gloves on and start to put in a tube.Found what was a gash so probably a bit of glass and after making sure there was no debtis inside I got the tube in;a few pushes on the pump to get the tube carefully inflated and then a blast with the co2 to finish the job.

Unfortunately as I was fitting the tube it started raining so everything got nice and wet as I had it all strewn across the path,so just threw it all in the rucksack and it's now strewn over a bench to dry out View attachment 150641


https://www.strava.com/activities/771175282

A fair bit of kit there, I must ask though what is the plastic hinged thingymabob bottom right, the metal rod just below the lock (looks a bit like a preset valve) and the black thing to tight below the blue plastic (multi tool?)

Please feel free to give a full listing as there are a couple of other bits I don't recognize too in the middle.

Can see the pump, levers, driver, hand wipes? Cable ties and tube.

Cheers.

Edit, Bottom right looks like a var style tyre lever.

 

[Elybazza61]

A fair bit of kit there, I must ask though what is the plastic hinged thingymabob bottom right, the metal rod just below the lock (looks a bit like a preset valve) and the black thing to tight below the blue plastic (multi tool?)

Please feel free to give a full listing as there are a couple of other bits I don't recognize too in the middle.

Can see the pump, levers, driver, hand wipes? Cable ties and tube.

Cheers.

Edit, Bottom right looks like a var style tyre lever.

Looks quite a lot spread out like that I agree,

Anyway here goes(roughly left to right and top to bottom);

In the Kriega pack are glasses and contacts plus some medical stuff like tablets and nasal inhaler(I suffer with sinus headaches).
compact track style pump
Abus cafe lock
With a tubeless 'worm' tool next to it
spare tube
tiewraps
tubeless valve(removed from wheel)
Lezyne tyre levers(which clip to the container lower down)
co2 inflator
hand wipes with tyre boot,patches and spare KMC link hideing next to them
multi-tool
pouch to hold a some of these bits
Lezyne container which holds the boot,patches and tubeless 'worms'
And the Koolstop tyre lever*(https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/tools/koolstop-tyre-mate/)

This all lives in an Alpkit drybag which can be switched between my Alpkit gourdon rucksack or the panniers on the Trek.

On club rides and sportives I use a small tail pack and jersey pockets and have a much smaller Lezyne pump to use with the co2.

Didn't actually need this as the S-Ones come off the rim pretty easily with the Lezyne levers and to be honest I haven't used the tubeless repair stuff either as I just bung a tube in for convenience and sort a repair out later.