*Moan* Oh God, the mud..

[badkitty]

Ok, that's it. I officially cannot stand any more mud.

I have tried so hard to cycle the school run whatever the weather etc and have managed it until now.
We survived the frozen conditions last week (even did it in record time thanks to the lovely hard mud) but today the mud won. More or less the entire 3 miles of tracks, woods etc is all just one muddy hell-hole.

After the bike slipped sideways from under me and daughter for the third time, I just gave up and pushed the wretched thing.
It would seem I do have limits and horrible, claggy, squishy mud is mine.

I'm sure by Monday I will be back on top and ready to battle with it again. Hopefully.

Please forgive me for moaning, but I really need tea and sympathy....

Thanks.

 

[summerdays]

Is there another route that you could do on the really muddy days?

I took an alternative route the other day... turned out to be much worse than expected and I had to ring ahead to say I would be late. Must remember to experiment with routes on my way home not on my way in!!!

 

[badkitty]

Sadly not really. The alternative is to ride down the main arterial route through Southern England - not quite a motorway, but might as well be as far as trying to cross it with a bike is concerned. Way too dangerous for having little one on the back.
Might try it on my own though when I'm feeling brave. And lucky!
Then would only have to do the mud twice a day instead of 4 times.
Thanks for the reply though summerdays - lol re your experimentation.

 

[summerdays]

Oh I am well known for my experimentation of routes... I've ended up stuck in a graveyard going round in circles till I found my way out again, through a muddy farm - couldn't use my brakes after as they were full of mud and grit, and just generally lost. However I am also the person who knows many of the good short cuts too (which work colleagues make use of ... occasionally when I give them instructions I forget a car can't do the same route).

 

[badkitty]

.. occasionally when I give them instructions I forget a car can't do the same route).

Are you sure that wasn't deliberate? Bad summerdays....

 

[515mm]

slightly OT, but I'm thoroughly hacked off with the state of the cycle path that I use for travelling to work. I put a beautifully clean, lubed and silky smooth chain on after spending two hours cleaning my bike - she was gliding along with hardly any effort at all, just delicious. Five miles of tarmac cycle path that hasn't been cleaned of leaf litter in an age and my bike feels like a £50 clunker. And my Blackburn speed/cadence sensor has filled with water and has started to corrode. And my rear wheel has developed an alarming buckle. Not the 13th today is it? I feel like going back to being a fat bastard.

 

[fossyant]

slightly OT, but I'm thoroughly hacked off with the state of the cycle path that I use for travelling to work. I put a beautifully clean, lubed and silky smooth chain on after spending two hours cleaning my bike - she was gliding along with hardly any effort at all, just delicious. Five miles of tarmac cycle path that hasn't been cleaned of leaf litter in an age and my bike feels like a £50 clunker. And my Blackburn speed/cadence sensor has filled with water and has started to corrode. And my rear wheel has developed an alarming buckle. Not the 13th today is it? I feel like going back to being a fat bastard.

Try riding on roads......... it's worse...add in the salt........

 

[515mm]

Actually, not in my experience - yet. During the recent cold admittedly dry spell, to avoid the ice on the cycle paths I rode in on the, er, road. My iron stayed lovely and clean. Didn't enjoy the grumpy traffic much but the looks of ''you brave little soldier', you could do with a cwtsh (cuddle)'' from the mums in cars was quite cheering

 

[mickle]

You're not suffering from bad mud badkitteh, you're simply wearing the wrong tyres.

 

[bonj2]

if it's commuting simply use the road.
if it's mtbing for pleasure simply use a trail centre.
sorted.

 

[Keith Oates]

I have a section of my present commute ride that's muddy and I complain but yours seems much worse badkitty, so perhaps I should be thankful for small mercies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[badkitty]

You're not suffering from bad mud badkitteh, you're simply wearing the wrong tyres.

Thanks Mickle...I've got big knobbly tyres on it which I'm sure are for mud etc.
Which ones would you recommend?
All help gratefully received..

 

[badkitty]

if it's commuting simply use the road.
if it's mtbing for pleasure simply use a trail centre.
sorted.

Oh my god - why didn't I think of that?
And here I am, making life sooo much more complicated for myself by not throwing myself and the five year old into the 70 mile an hour traffic so that she stands a reasonable chance of making it to adulthood.
What an idiot I've been!

Thank you thank you Ben 3 - You're a genius!




I take it you were joking...

 

[silverbow]

I understand what you're saying, I don't taking my little chap on road with a (legal) speed limit over 40. Getting off and walking the difficult bits are probably out of the question too? My bike is not very stable with out my weight on it when the little chap is on the back, so walking through ‘slippy’ mud wouldn't be ideal.

 

[summerdays]

Have you scoured the maps (high resolution ones) to see if there are any alternative routes that you haven't noticed before? Might be slightly longer but in comparision nicer?