Your ride today....

[Deleted member 1258]

Willoughby the destination, 46 miles the journey. I'm having mixed feelings about my cycling, on the one hand its lovely being on the bike again, but my lack of pace and endurance is making me very frustrated, I've got a top end about 16 -17 mph with an average around 12 mph and I'm boloxed after 40-50 miles. Lovely day for a bike ride, cold, minus 2 when I went out, bright with the odd fluffy cloud about, it clouded over for the trip home. Very little ice about, the bridge on the allotment path in Baginton had a dusting of frost and the Willoughby duck pond had ice on it. My route out took me through Baginton, Wappenbury and Eathorpe and across the fosse to Marton, then though Birdinbury and on to leamington Hastings and Hill, then a short section of main road before turning right and across Grandborough fields to Grandbough and onto Willoughby. My route back followed my wheel tracks to Marton, then onto Princethorpe to pick up the fosse way across the A45 and on to Woolston to pick up my usual route home past the speedway across the TGI Friday roundabout down the Binley road then right into Hipswell Highway and across Coventry home. A good morning out on the bike but knackered now.

 

[cosmicbike]

This morning was my coldest ride yet. Minus 4 degrees C, and it felt like it too. Only the commute home from work which should be 7 miles, but for some reason I chose to extend it to 11 miles. 2 pairs of gloves and I still had painful fingers, and after 8 miles or so my feet were getting cold despite thermal socks and fleece lined winter boots. On the plus side there was very little ice, just one big patch in Staines (on a corner where else...) which was taken with care..
Looking forwards to a warmer ride in tonight, forecast is minus 1 degree...

 

[13 rider]

At the end of Feb I'm leading a Cycle Chat ride to Wymondham Windmill ( all welcome ) I've not been before so I thought it might be a good idea to have a trail run .Waiting till 1030 for most of the frost to thaw so out with the bike .Anstey ,Cropston ,Rothley ,Cossington to the ride starting point . Up humble lane and out up the Wreake valley .Ratcliffe ,Thrussington ,Hoby ,Asfordby and up Saxileby hill . Scalford ,Waltham on the wolds and on to new roads Garthorpe and Wymondham . Quick coffee at the cafe at the windmill which was very busy with lots of cyclists . Quick look round the bike shop some lovely Bianchis in there .While I sat drinking coffee the sun finally came out and it was quite pleasant . So off again Little Dalby ,Great Dalby and the sun goes back in and it's cold again . Gaddesby ,Rearsby ,Thrussington ,Ratcliffe and back to Cossington 44 mile loop . Check the milage and I need 11 more for a metric century and 6 miles from home so extended route home . Sileby ,Mountsorrel ,Rothley ,Cropston and home 62.8 miles in the bag in decidedly chilly conditions still plenty of ice on puddles on the quiet lanes .Loads of riders out especially around the cafe didn't realise it's that popular considering its in the middle of nowhere but approx 30 miles from Leicester ,Nottingham and Peterborough so plenty of catchment I suppose

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

Was only out for about 2 hours
Damned cold, even with decent gloves & overshoes
I forgot to put the bubble-wrap in the toes of the overshoes though, so felt it far more on the tootsies!!

 

[Gareth C]

Relatively quiet weather and a training ride for the Dirty One Thirty.

Gravel was going to feature heavily during the day.

Light snow started to settle as I gained height.

More gravel (with a pine cone).

Gravel (with snow settling).

Mushrooms (beside the gravel).

Lovely colours in the heather.

Nearing the top of the forest.

High point for the day.

So quiet.

Beautiful carpet of pine needles.

Autumn colours still holding on.

Strava segments name = "steep, steep, steep"

Someone has been busy.

Not heading down "Dangerous Descent" today.

Lovely grassy road.

Great views over the forest.

All downhill from here.

 

[ianrauk]

It was so very cold this morning. Chilled to the bone cold.
I left home at 6.45 to meet rb58 and martint235 for a ride to Whitstable for a big fat full Whitstable Waterfront brekkie.

Luckily the roads were relatively dry with only a few lanes suffering from damp or wet run off from the fields. We did however rounded a bend at a fair old lick only to find ourselves smack bang in the middle of an ice and slush field that was covering the whole road. Nothing for it except to try keep in a straight line, put both feet down and slowly stop. Luckily none of us ended up on the deck. That was the only part of today's ride that gave us problems. The rest of the ride was plain forward, lovely cold, crisp, sunny sunshiny, windless cycle riding..... until we got to Faversham when we were enveloped into the deepest, thickest fog. Enough to make going much harder then it should have been.

We go to Whitstable to be beside the sea.. though the view from the Waterfront was obscured somewhat.

By the time we got to Whitstable, it was so cold that all our water bottles had frozen on the journey.

Full English Brekkies all round and a couple of mugs of tea and it was time to head back out into the cold and fog for the return journey. By now the temperature had rose to the giddy heights of a balmy 3°. By the time we had cleared Faversham we had cleared the fog and was back into sunshine again followed by cloudy murky skies.

A few hours and we were back in Crayford and Bexley, saying cheerio to the other guys, and a quick sprint of 14 miles to home. Walking through the door 15 minutes off my target time of 4pm.

So a great days cycling despite the very cold temperatures. And nice to see Martin back in on the Imperial Century a Month Challenge.

So scores on the doors.
118 Imperial miles (though Garmin lost 5.5miles through Rochester, bloody machine or bloody Rochester)
This was Century # 3 for the year for me, and a milestone of 200 Imperial centuries over all. So chuffed with that.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

It was so very cold this morning. Chilled to the bone cold.
I left home at 6.45 to meet rb58 and martint235 for a ride to Whitstable for a big fat full Whitstable Waterfront brekkie.

Luckily the roads were relatively dry with only a few lanes suffering from damp or wet run off from the fields. We did however rounded a bend at a fair old lick only to find ourselves smack bank in the middle of an ice and slush field that was covering the whole road. Nothing for it except to try keep in a straight line, put both feet down and slowly stop. Luckily none of us ended up on the deck. That was the only part of today's ride that gave us problems. The rest of the ride was plain forward, lovely cold, crisp, sunny sunshiny, windless cycle riding..... until we got to Faversham when we were enveloped into the deepest, thickest fog. Enough to make going much harder then it should have been.

We go to Whitstable to be beside the sea.. though the view from the Waterfront was obscured somewhat.
View attachment 334468

By the time we got to Whitstable, it was so cold that all our water bottles had frozen on the journey.

Full English Brekkies all round and a couple of mugs of tea and it was time to head back out into the cold and fog for the return journey. By now the temperature had rose to the giddy heights of a balmy 3°. By the time we had cleared Faversham we had cleared the fog and was back into sunshine again followed by cloudy murky skies.

A few hours and we were back in Crayford and Bexley, saying cheerio to the other guys, and a quick sprint of 14 miles to home. Walking through the door 15 minutes off my target time of 4pm.

So a great days cycling despite the very cold temperatures. And nice to see Martin back in on the Imperial Century a Month Challenge.

So scores on the doors.
118 Imperial miles (though Garmin lost 5.5miles through Rochester, bloody machine or bloody Rochester)
This was Century # 3 for the year for me, and a milestone of 200 Imperial centuries over all. So chuffed with that.

View attachment 334469

It was so very cold this morning. Chilled to the bone cold.
I left home at 6.45 to meet rb58 and martint235 for a ride to Whitstable for a big fat full Whitstable Waterfront brekkie.

Luckily the roads were relatively dry with only a few lanes suffering from damp or wet run off from the fields. We did however rounded a bend at a fair old lick only to find ourselves smack bank in the middle of an ice and slush field that was covering the whole road. Nothing for it except to try keep in a straight line, put both feet down and slowly stop. Luckily none of us ended up on the deck. That was the only part of today's ride that gave us problems. The rest of the ride was plain forward, lovely cold, crisp, sunny sunshiny, windless cycle riding..... until we got to Faversham when we were enveloped into the deepest, thickest fog. Enough to make going much harder then it should have been.

We go to Whitstable to be beside the sea.. though the view from the Waterfront was obscured somewhat.
View attachment 334468

By the time we got to Whitstable, it was so cold that all our water bottles had frozen on the journey.

Full English Brekkies all round and a couple of mugs of tea and it was time to head back out into the cold and fog for the return journey. By now the temperature had rose to the giddy heights of a balmy 3°. By the time we had cleared Faversham we had cleared the fog and was back into sunshine again followed by cloudy murky skies.

A few hours and we were back in Crayford and Bexley, saying cheerio to the other guys, and a quick sprint of 14 miles to home. Walking through the door 15 minutes off my target time of 4pm.

So a great days cycling despite the very cold temperatures. And nice to see Martin back in on the Imperial Century a Month Challenge.

So scores on the doors.
118 Imperial miles (though Garmin lost 5.5miles through Rochester, bloody machine or bloody Rochester)
This was Century # 3 for the year for me, and a milestone of 200 Imperial centuries over all. So chuffed with that.

View attachment 334469

Well done fella, 200 hundreds is bloody brilliant

 

[ianrauk]

Well done fella, 200 hundreds is bloody brilliant

Cheers.
Took 7 years to do.

 

[tallliman]

@13 rider, it's also the only cafe within a 15-20 mile radius I think....possibly more to the north.

Decided to go out for a second ride this weekend today. Aim was predominantly to test the legs after yesterday's post-flu ride. Glad to report that the legs felt more like mine again!!

The route was mainly through the flatter bits near Loughborough. So Shepshed, Belton, Long Whatton, over to Gotham at which point I thought that I'd be a couple of miles short of a metric half century if I'd just gone home. So instead, I popped up the road to Clifton and back again through East Leake and Stanford upon Soar. 33 miles, legs feeling more normal and not too chilly!!

 

[CanucksTraveller]

Up and out early this morning since my wife wanted to ride in the afternoon, meaning I would be pulling babysitting duties after lunch. I had to get out and do something, however little, as I'm trialling a new Aliante saddle and it won't test itself.

Frosty, cold, but bright. I took it very easy, particularly on the back roads where the layer of frost was thick and crunched under the tyres.
Through Hitchin, south towards St Ippolyts where I detoured off up the surprisingly steep little climb to the village which sits on a hilltop. Retraced my steps back to the main road and then almost immediately off again at Poynders End to head north through Gosmore. Way too cold out there, and with nip in my toes I decided I wouldn't be troubling the 50 gang today! With January's 50 in the bag I'll save it for February. Just a measly 15 today.

Church at St Ippolyts:

In the village of St Ippolyts:

Village of Gosmore:

And boy, did the skies look big today:

And the ugly yellow test saddle!

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Cheers.
Took 7 years to do.

That makes it even more impressive, 28+plus a year average.

 

[EltonFrog]

As one who lives on the tow path. I have to accept there are different users with different needs and problems. I am also a dog owner. Unless very early in summer, you have to watch out for hazards can be very busy

Have you ever met the bloke who walks up the tow path near Staines with a parakeet on his shoulder?

 

[Reynard]

Gravel was going to feature heavily during the day.

Those look like rally stages... Fabby pics of fabby scenery tho

 

[cosmicbike]

Have you ever met the bloke who walks up the tow path near Staines with a parakeet on his shoulder?

That is @Stonechat

 

[nickyboy]

I hardly rode my bike over the Xmas hols due to a chest infection. Then I went on a 10 day business trip. So the rest of January is all about getting the pounds off that I've packed on and trying to get the fitness back up to reasonable levels.

So I had done 6 rides in 8 days and today was a chance for 7 from 9. The forecast was cold but dry so I planned about 60km of hilly stuff. Out the door and a couple of snowflakes were drifting down. Hmmm....strange, that wasn't forecast. Headed down to Marple and then Poynton initially. But by the time I got to Poynton it was raining pretty hard and my Garmin was registering +1degree. That meant that it was below freezing in the hills which mean the rain was probably snow up there.

So I canned my hilly ride and headed out to Prestbury and Alderley Edge and then back through Marple to Glossop. Garmin said the avg temp was zero but it was OK once the rain eased off. There were a few fellow cyclists out, mainly MTBers but it was quiet for a Sunday

65km with 700m of climbing at a reasonablish speed. Fitness is coming back. Managed 230km this week, nowhere near enough for the Cyclechat Strava Club distance leaderboard but still one of my bigger weeks