Forum ride from Hebden Bridge, Sat 22nd Oct 2022, 52 km (33 miles)

[ColinJ]

Looks like the second half of the ride was the nicer lanes?!

I was saying on the ride that the network of lanes on the hills between Mytholmroyd, Ripponden, Sowerby Bridge, and Luddenden Foot has some of my favourite local roads. There are great views, is usually barely any traffic**, and the ups and downs can give you a really good workout if you attack them or you can just ride slowly and enjoy them.

I know a few of us were from Leeds way how about a ride from Leeds, perhaps up to Ilkley on the back roads up over the cow and cafe and back along the canal to Leeds?

I'd be interested in something like that, but maybe not until next Spring? I will probably only do one more forum ride this year (unless we are very lucky with the weather in November and December) and that would be my Trawden ride from Hebden Bridge.

The scenery was spectacular. The low sun added a fair bit of "fwaaaar".

The autumnal scenery was particularly nice yesterday. Most of the leaves will probably have gone by the time we do the Trawden ride on the 12th November (if it actually takes place - odds are probably 50-50 at the moment).

The low sun was causing me a few problems on the ride back from Hebden Bridge to Todmorden. I could cope with it, but I always worry that a dazzled driver will run me over and blame the sun for it****.


** There was much more traffic than usual in places, probably because of that kids' pumpkin event!

**** That was the excuse that a driver used for destroying @Littgull's parked car... It wasn't her fault - she couldn't see the vehicle parked there because the low sun was shining into her eyes!

 

[ColinJ]

Currently in the process of converting the bike back to drops. My arms were absolutely killing me when I got home.
Flat bars don't agree with me it seems.

Did you use your bar ends at all? I have the same problem with flat bars so I spent most of the time holding the bar ends when riding my MTB.

 

[colly]

Currently in the process of converting the bike back to drops. My arms were absolutely killing me when I got home.
Flat bars don't agree with me it seems.

I found that with my (now stolen) MTB. Even with bars ends nowhere seemed properly comfortable and after even a relatively few miles my hands were aching somewhat chronic. As for getting out of the saddle to crest a hill?............. It seems so awkward.

I guess it's what you get used to.

 

[FrothNinja]

12th November

😢 Working until 3 - first day I have had to work Saturday in donks

 

[Vantage]

I was saying on the ride that the network of lanes on the hills between Mytholmroyd, Ripponden, Sowerby Bridge, and Luddenden Foot has some of my favourite local roads. There are great views, is usually barely any traffic**, and the ups and downs can give you a really good workout if you attack them or you can just ride slowly and enjoy them.

There were hills? With ups?

I did try my bar ends a few times but they're at funny angles and my rear view mirror constantly got in the way. A complete inability to look behind without crashing means a rvm is essential to me.
The bike looks better with drops anyway.

 

[ColinJ]

😢 Working until 3 - first day I have had to work Saturday in donks

Shucks!

It might possibly happen the following Saturday after if the weather on the 12th is bad and/or I don't feel up to it after having a big tooth extracted the week before.

A complete inability to look behind without crashing means a rvm is essential to me.

I don't know if you spotted me nearly crash just before we turned right off the Cragg Vale road on our way back to Hebden Bridge? My front wheel caught something in the road, a raised drain cover, or something similar. I was looking ahead to see if there was oncoming traffic and didn't see what it was that I hit. I am surprised that I didn't go down!

I had a second near-miss on the way back from Hebden Bridge. I have a stiff neck and I sometimes struggle to look over my shoulder. I was a bit startled by a loud vehicle suddenly racing up behind me and when I tried to look back I veered left and almost hit the kerb.

The bike looks better with drops anyway.

I do like drops. I have bought bars with shallow drops for the bike I rode yesterday and my singlespeed bike. I wasn't using the drops much when I had standard bars on the bikes; the shallow drops are much more comfortable to reach down to.

 

[Jameshow]

My Devon bike is a flat bar MTB. Cannot get on with it! But it suits rye lanes if Devon tbh as well as sentimental value.

Are you in Devon in Nov? Thinking of a w/e tour of Devon Exeter Dartmoor hartland Exmoor loop.

Anyone else interested pm me!

 

[ColinJ]

Are you in Devon in Nov? Thinking of a w/e tour of Devon Exeter Dartmoor hartland Exmoor loop.

I think my next visit is likely to be February but I will have to see what the winter is like up here and down there... A bad Yorkshire winter and a good Devon winter would bring the visit forward. A bad winter here and there, and I would be hibernating with my turbo trainer!

 

[GuyBoden]

Most of the leaves will probably have gone by the time we do the Trawden ride on the 12th November

Weather permitting, I'm looking forward to another ride in Calderdale on the 12th Nov.

 

[ColinJ]

Weather permitting, I'm looking forward to another ride in Calderdale on the 12th Nov.

I just emailed my pal Carrie to let her know that we might be doing it. If we go ahead and she decides to join us, we will meet her at Oxenhope station. She would ride back over the hill after the cafe stop at what is our finish.

 

[Jameshow]

I just emailed my pal Carrie to let her know that we might be doing it. If we go ahead and she decides to join us, we will meet her at Oxenhope station. She would ride back over the hill after the cafe stop at what is our finish.

Where the cafe stop?

Could do second half of ride!🤣🤣🤣

I could meet at oxenhope station?!🤔🤔🤔

 

[Jameshow]

Having said that I've promised a mate whose been through a rough time a weekend in Devon so that comes first!

He dosent know a paint brush might be handy!

 

[Domus]

Busy that weekend, since it's inception I have worked as part of a geriatric pit crew for an injured Royal Marine Major, blown up by an IED in Afghanistan. He can however pedal a Caterham 7 very quickly.

https://www.raceofremembrance.com

 

[ColinJ]

Where the cafe stop?

Could do second half of ride!🤣🤣🤣

I could meet at oxenhope station?!🤔🤔🤔

At the official finish in Hebden Bridge. It isn't a long ride so that shouldn't be a problem.

There would probably be somewhere in/near Trawden but it is a bit too early in the ride. There isn't anywhere between Trawden and Heptonstall. There is a cafe in the village but I would rather avoid Heptonstall itself because of having to ride downhill on cobbles, and the cafe is often busy.

 

[Vantage]

Any chance the ride returns to Hebden Bridge using the West Yorkshire Cycle Route instead of the A6033 from Oxenhope?