19/5/25
Recumbent Ride
Northwich Locks and River Ride
Sunny, but a bit cooler today. Time to get the Rans out and give it an airing. I wanted to try out my modified home made chain guard, too.
I swapped the tools, pump and windproof jacket over from the Linear. I slapped some sunblock on. T shirt, nondescript trousers, black cap, track mitts, shades. For weeks I’d been Painterman, slapping endless coats of paint on the gate, fences, and sheds. I’d had a couple of breaks for bike rides but despite the fine weather I felt I was slipping behind in my cycling schedule.
So, today I was going to be Recumbentman. "🎶Recumbentman, Recumbentman, rides a recumbent wherever he can.” I’d checked the tyres and chain yesterday so all was good to go.
Out through the gate, all quiet so I rode off the pavement to the right. I’d moved the seat forward a day or so ago and the reach to the pedals felt right.
I soon came to the uphill traffic lights on Swanlow Lane and turned right. Over a small climb, then left downhill to the town centre. Easy going, then held up for a while at the traffic lights before going straight on to Grange Lane. After negotiating various speed humps I soon came to the point where the lane turned off to the right and passed through an estate of houses on the way downhill to open countryside.
I freewheeled for a short time as I passed a golf course then engaged a highish gear and pedalled downhill into a dip. I was surprised again how far I was able to get up the other side and sooner than expected came up to the narrow entrance to the Whitegate Way on the left. I swung out to the right to get a straight run but had to stop as a cyclist came through with a small dog following.
Once they had gone I got on to the small ring and got through and on to the uphill ramp to the rail trail. I’d developed a strategy of setting off uphill in a lower gear than I thought I might need, as it’s easier for the chain to climb down to a smaller cog for a higher gear than vice versa. The Linear has an easy solution: change down on the hub gear, even at a standstill, but with the conventional 3 X 9 derailleur on the Rans it needs a bit of forethought.
I was soon rolling easily along the gradual uphill, changing up with the help of a tailwind. I found it easy to get up to 10 mph compared to the 6 or 7 mph on the other bikes. Before I knew it I was at the Whitegate Station car park, inspecting the plumbing at the conveniences.
I was soon under way again, back on the rail trail, passing under the station bridge. It didn’t take long to pass under several other bridges
and arrive at a picnic spot for a break. There was another rider on a hybrid just finishing off. He departed, I took a photo.
I carried on to the end of the Whitegate Way where it turned into a narrow path which wound downhill alongside a fence then joined a drive under the main line.
From here it was Waste Lane which is a private road which comes out on to Norley Road. With a steep climb to the right to Cuddington, I was puffing a bit by the time it levelled out. Here there were some roadworks where the lane crosses the A49 and I had a long time to get my breath back before the temporary traffic lights changed and the long queue of traffic got moving. Most of them turned off on to the A49 so progress on the other side was fairly pleasant.
I followed the road to where it joined the dual carriagewayed A556 and once there was a gap in the busy traffic I launched to the left. The road sloped downhill from here so I hoped to get a good bit of speed up.
I pedalled furiously downhill to where the road sloped uphill again and turned left on the road to Northwich. My speed diminished and I slowly climbed the hill. My Garmin bracket had loosened and swung down. The unit was swinging on its lanyard which I always loop round the handlebar in case it should come loose. Once I’d passed the junction with the Whitegate road and turned left I stopped to have a look at the bracket.
It was originally held on by two cable ties. One of them had broken, so it was only held on by the remaining one. I had some spares, but decided I would just use it as it was, and put some double sided tape and fresh cable ties on when I got home. I straightened up the bracket, clipped the Garmin back in, and moved it back in place from time to time as I went along.
When I had time to look at the readings I was disappointed to find I’d only maxed out at 31.6 mph down that last hill, pedalling all the way. I’d been quite motivated by the rush hour traffic hurtling by on the dual carriageway. But then again, I was impressed that I could actually keep pedalling fast enough to be doing that speed, as my cadence is usually on the low side. On my last ride on the Linear, I maxed out at 30.2 just by freewheeling. I must try
that same hill on this bike.
Rolling easily downhill in the direction of Northwich all went well until I came to Hartford and hit the schools traffic.
Like other cyclists, I got on the pavement to get round the jam. I got on to the road after the next junction as it was clear, and carried on. Despite the length of the bike, I found it surprisingly agile.
I flowed along with the traffic to Castle, where we all stopped at some lights, then a little further on I turned right on to a side street which passed under a railway bridge to a mini roundabout where I turned left to join a signed cycle route to Northwich Locks on the river Weaver.
I got through some barriers easily and followed the path until I reached the locks. Here I crossed over two locks using the bridges built on top of the lock gates.
Through another barrier then down another overgrown path to cross over a pedestrian swing bridge. Turning right through another barrier at a pedestrian crossroads I was then on a riverside path.
Before long I came to another barrier by the Northwich Rowing Club. I was soon through the barrier, leaned the bike on it with the bridge in the background for a photo then pressed on.
The final barrier, then there was a clear run to the A556 bridge.
A women’s rowing team went past as I took some pictures of moored boats.
There were many dog walkers, walkers and cyclists about but everyone gave each other room.
It wasn’t long before I passed under the bridge carrying the A 556 over the Weaver. There is a series of swinging gate type barriers along the next stretch. The first one was pinned open and possibly the rest were too. When I came this way on the Linear last year all the barriers were open apart from the final one. It was no problem to stand the Linear on its back wheel and wiggle through. I’ve trimmed its rear mudguard so it can stand on its tyre. The Rans still has its full rear mudguard. I’ve been in two minds about cutting down this mudguard. It improves accessibility through barriers but has the drawback of allowing some spray to reach the rack bag in wet weather.
So today I decided to go up the long steep ramp from river level to Davenham. There are a couple of fixed barriers on the way up. I could have ridden up this ramp, but today I decided to take advantage of the luxuriant handlebars and walk up with the bike. Once at road level, I carried on cycling up the remainder of the hill until I reached a road that took me into Davenham.
From here there were a few options. Follow this road to its junction with the main road through Davenham to turn off for Moulton then to Niddries Lane and the bridge over the Weaver to Bradford Road.
Follow this road then turn off through an estate to get on a smooth tarmac path which comes out on the road to Moulton.
Or, turn right into Eaton Road. I haven’t been this way for a while, the last time on the Linear which did OK. This road eventually becomes a bridleway and the surface is variable. A good test of the Rans in comparison to the Linear. So away we went. The tarmac ended at a speed hump, with a crushed stone surface ahead.
There was a car in the distance raising a cloud of dust as it slowly went along. I slowed down so as not to end up following it too closely in the dust cloud. Behind, I heard someone on a mountain bike, by the sound of his tyres, going for it. He went past heading for the dust cloud.
The road rose and by the time I’d reached the top the car had disappeared leaving just settling dust, perhaps turned into a farm entrance. The other cyclist wasn’t far away, as if he’d slowed down once he’d gone past.
I rolled downhill to where the track narrowed and split in two directions. I turned left and followed the narrowed trail. The surface was bumpier than before but manageable enough. There was a clear view all round, and I could see that I was eventually heading for the back of some houses.
The narrow trail went left, and ahead was something more like a footpath. On the right were fields full of sheep. Various joggers and dog walkers came the other way, but I carried on. The cyclist from earlier on was closer now, but before I could catch him up my route went right on Niddries Lane, while he went straight on.
Before long the rutted and unsurfaced road went downhill, a good test of the stability and brakes of the Rans as I approached the place where it passed under the West Coast Main Line and a former junction, through two tunnels. As I stopped to take a photo a man on a gravel bike came uphill out of the nearest tunnel. “Hi” he said, and I responded.
Downhill through the tunnels where the surface was reasonable, then a bumpier stretch until I reached the Meadowbank Bridge. I stopped under some trees to let some walkers go by from the bridge then rolled forward again. An older couple with a small dog surprised me. The man said, ”hey, I really like that bike”, and the woman said, ”yeah!”.
I bumped over the bridge and came up to Bradford Road. A few cars went past before I tried to turn left on the sharp uphill turn. Oops! Trying to start in too high a gear. I tried again, swinging wide across the road to get going, then getting into a rhythm and changing down.
Gradually increasing speed uphill past the salt mine, I saw a youth on a mountain bike in my mirror He got closer but as the road levelled out and my speed increased he dropped back. As I got going down the other side he seemed to give up. Shortly afterwards I turned right into an access to the Whitegate Way, through a barrier and past a couple of joggers who moved over to let me go by. I saw the youth go past the entrance in my mirror obviously going somewhere else. Soon afterwards another rider caught me up. He had a white helmet fixed between his drop handlebars. “nice evening for this sort of thing” he said. “it certainly is”, I replied.
He slowly disappeared into the distance. I plodded on, my speed not so good as it was on the earlier stretch of this rail trail. I came to the old Marton crossing and surprised myself by getting through both barriers without stopping. As the barriers are on opposite sides of the old line, presumably to deter motorcyclists, you have to do a tight zig zag to get through. Although I can also do this on the Linear, it’s tricky, especially with the relatively limited lock with the USS.
The line levelled after this, and I could see buildings on Grange Lane. Soon I was going downhill on the narrow path to the exit barrier. I managed to get through here without stopping, which involves a virtual trackstand at the end before you can see if the road is clear to the right before proceeding.
Feeling suitably gratified, I got going to the left, getting up speed so I could get a good way up the other side of the dip here before having to change down again. Steadily plodding past the golf course, between the houses and on to a T junction where I turned right then crossed the car park to access the path between the playing fields of the sports complex. Another rider came up behind me so I gave way to let him get through the barrier. He rode his drop handlebar bike straight through, though I had to paddle through with the tight clearance of the mirrors.
I soon got up the lane, out on to the estate road, right up the hill, left on to Delamere St. then steady rolling with the traffic.
The A54 roundabout was full of traffic. I aimed for a gap then took the first exit to go downhill and hop on to the pavement. I waited for a gap so I could cross over then rode uphill, left on the pavement until the traffic eased, then on to the road on Swanlow Lane. Phew! I can usually get across the roundabout but it was a bit too hectic today.
Rolling along to the Townfields Road lights, waiting for the green then getting up speed for my uphill turn off.
Once over the hump, a leisurely freewheel through the lanes to my back gate.
I’ve learnt a bit more about the Rans’ abilities away from tarmac. It’s actually surprisingly good.
My home made chainguard has improved things, though hasn’t solved the problem completely. A slight trace of oil visible on my lower trouser leg but I can live with that.
A short ride with a bit of variety.
Distance 20.95 miles. Max Speed 31.6 mph. Average (with all that off road stuff) 7.7mph. According to Garmin.
Ascent 700ft. According to Bikehike.
