Recumbent Rides

[a.twiddler]

Some Tiny Recumbent Rides
You might all now be eagerly looking forward to reading about some escapades on a tiny recumbent. Well, the Spirit is tiny compared to the Rans Stratus XP (but what isn't?) and possibly it's a bit shorter than your average SWB but it's not actually tiny despite being in some interpretations a "Compact LWB recumbent". Nope. It's about tiny rides.

6/5/26
Small Shopping on the Spirit
A trip to the shops for a few items, the quick way down the long hill to the town centre supermarket then back via a longer route. A pleasant ride.

For those that like it snappy!

Distance 4.95 miles. Max speed 21.1 mph. Average 7.1 mph. According to Garmin.
Ascent 143 ft. According to Bikehike.

20/5/26
Small but heavy shop on the Spirit.
A couple of days ago I’d removed, rubbed down and repainted the sidestand, a job that I’d been putting off for some time. In contrast to the quality of the finish of the rest of the bike, the side stand had developed a lot of powdery white aluminium corrosion which was causing the black paint to lift and flake off. This isn’t some Far Eastern item as far as I can tell. It has Esge and Plescher embossed on it. Anyway, after giving it 24 hours to harden up I refitted it and this was the test ride. I wanted to see if there was any vibration or strange noises, or contact with anything as the suspension moved.

The quick way again, right at the lights on Swanlow Lane. A random youth on a bright red MTB coming uphill on the opposite pavement said, “That ride is sick as f---!” in a laughing voice. I lifted a hand, and down the long hill to the town centre supermarket I went. After loading up, with a bit of ingenuity to cram everything into the seat back bag, I got going. After getting up the hill on the path alongside the A54 dual carriageway I took a zig zag route through various estate roads. I passed a woman at one point, and a voice from behind said, “Just want to say, that bike is so cool!” Perhaps it is. A morale boost today, making the rider feel a bit less old and boring, anyway.

I got my load of shopping home without drama, and unloaded.

The sidestand didn’t vibrate loose or fall off, and didn’t make any untoward contact with anything so presumably, that was a success.

Distance 3.11 miles. Max Speed 23.3 mph. Average 7.8 mph. According to Garmin.
Ascent 126 ft.According to Bikehike.

21/5/26
Library and Haircut Ride, Return via prickly path on the Spirit.

I needed to return a library book so as it hadn’t rained for a while today I decided to go on the Spirit. The quick route again today, right at the lights on Swanlow Lane then straight downhill towards the town centre lights. I sailed through a mini roundabout and the intermediate traffic lights remained obligingly green so I barely had to push a pedal from turning left downhill to the point where I had to turn right just before the town centre lights. Then, on to a cycle path which took me to the library. Locked up to a lamp post, into the library, dropped off my book then after a mooch round set off back the way I came.

Feeling somewhat hairy round the ears I wondered if I could book a haircut for later on the way home.

I went up the long hill much more slowly than I came down. I turned right near the top to get on a short cut to Swanlow Lane. Left then, and left again once I reached The Townfields Road lights.

Soon afterwards I bumped up the pavement to the hairdressers. Conveniently, they could squeeze me in straight away so I soon came out less hairy than I went in.

I took a long way round to get home including a path which was unexpectedly festooned with prickly and stinging plants.

I was glad that I hadn’t given in to the temptation to wear shorts today. The path ended in front of a house where two cars were parked leaving just enough space to squeeze through then the path continued as a similarly prickly test of fortitude.

Finally, out on to a road, left to reach Swanlow Lane then across to a barriered lane and out on to an estate road. Following it round, left on to a path leading to another road, right then left at a T junction to swoop about a bit before reaching my back gate.

Distance 3.69 miles. Max Speed 21.4 mph. Average7.5 mph. According to Garmin.
Ascent 122 ft. According to Bikehike.

I have the same feeling as of this time last year - most of the way through May and no decently long rides yet. Last year it was painting fences, this year mostly the weather.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

They all love sick recumbents. Always brings a smile.

 

[a.twiddler]

25/5/26
Recumbent Ride
A Day of Sweat and Suffering.

I’ve been champing at the bit to get some longer rides in for some time. It’ll soon be the end of May, people will be talking about Midsummer rides soon (only next month). Since I read the post about riding your age in miles I realised that I’ve inadvertently been doing it for the previous few years, so I’ve been hoping to get that done at least.

As for Sir Arthur Eddington, I’d like to show willing to increase my lifetime number by a few digits, given the chance

Weather and gardening are the main deterrents. Today, I managed to set off by 10:00, later than I’d intended. It was already warming up but I’d chucked on a long sleeved white shirt in the hope of keeping the sun off. With a floppy sun hat and clip on shades I hoped that I was prepared for the worst. The object of the exercise was going to be temperature management. I definitely don’t do heat, and my performance declines rapidly if I overheat.

Left out of the gate, on to the road, into high gear and gently pedalling downhill. Riding steadily to try to keep the temperature down, approaching Darnhall bridge traffic lights which stayed red until I was virtually at a standstill causing me to have to blast up the other side with the inevitable rise in temperature. As I neared the top of the climb a hot dry wind simultaneously held me back and failed to cool me down.

Fortunately as the lane wound about there were patches of shade in places. So I carried steadily on, down another dip needing another blast up the other side, along a straight undulating stretch through Wettenhall then a terrible stretch of road full of potholes. Still straight with only the occasional tree to give shade, I was grateful to reach the railway bridge then the bridge over the canal before turning in to Wettenhall Marina.

It was quite crowded. After a sit down in the shade and an ice cream I’d cooled off enough to set off again. The next stretch was more shady and a bit more sheltered.

I managed to stay cool until I reached Poole bridge and had a breezy downhill but heated up getting up the other side. Fortunately after reaching the top it was smooth and shady so I was able to take it easy and cool off a bit. Soon I reached the Chester -Wrexham road and turned left for Nantwich.

I flowed through the town with the traffic

and got on to the A530 Whitchurch Road. I turned in to Coole Lane for a photo with the sign. Wishful thinking that it might be actually cooler, but enough adolescents have called out “cool bike!” as I went past to make it worthwhile.

Amongst the crowd of signs the one missing was Coole Pilate to which Coole Lane leads. Don't know why Hack Green Not so Secret Bunker needs TWO signs.

Then it was left up the slope to Baddington Bridge with its traffic lights. I only had a couple of miles before my turn off. I hoped that the lights would give me some traffic free spells in between bursts of vehicles. I stopped at the lights on red and saw traffic accumulating in my mirror. I waved them on at green then followed them over the top and down the other side.

I felt pressurized to push on a bit with the impending traffic behind. A fairly narrow road with high hedgerows but little shade. I stopped in an entrance to let some traffic past and cool off in some rare shade. Further on, not far from my turn off I pulled in again to let a truck and its attendant stream of smaller vehicles go by. There was an uncomfortable amount of traffic about. There was no shade at this point and I felt the sun striking through the long sleeves of my shirt. I felt my temperature rising as if I was being cooked.

I got going again and gratefully turned left in to a shady Heatley Lane. Appropriate name in view of the rising temperature! It was only a short stretch but it took me away from the baking main road, with the intention of using a cut off back to it a bit further on, to a crossing for the road to Sound, then Wrenbury. I passed the entrance to Mickley Hall Lane and was impressed how straight it ran into the distance so turned in to it as the first few yards were shady. I ventured further into the sun, took a photo then retreated into the shade.

It goes on much further in a straight line beyond that rise in the distance.
I took a photo of a farm entrance which had a pair of pinnacles on top of the gateposts which looked like they came from a church.

Back to Heatley Lane, then took the cut through to cross the A530 into a lane to Sound. It was wooded here, and shady. I stopped at an entrance with a sign for Suddenstrike and sat on a shaded rock for a drink. I’d hoped to do 50 or 60 miles today but the way the temperature was rising I decided to just go to Wrenbury and see how I felt.

I continued through Wrenbury Heath and was soon in Wrenbury.

I spotted a shady bench opposite Wrenbury Primary School and took another cooling break. Then I pressed on to the place where the road meets the Llangollen Canal at a bascule bridge. I turned on to the towpath and sat on another shady bench. I could see that the road straight on from the bridge to the A49 and Cholmondeley Castle had road closed signs, starting today, though the road that branched left after the bridge was clear.

If not for the heat, I would have seen the road closed signs as a challenge, with the bonus of a traffic free ride. I didn’t take it up today, but since the closure is for a couple of weeks I hope to come back another day when it’s cooler. Meanwhile I took some photos and set off back the way I’d come.

After a short time a SUV full of girls pulled alongside and one of them called, “Hey! Wanna race!” to an accompaniment of giggles. “No”, I replied, “But I’d appreciate some air conditioning!”

“Have a nice ride!” Was the response, as they zoomed off.

The wind that I’d been riding into must have been stronger than I’d realised as together with the downward trend in the direction towards Nantwich it made for easy going. The drawback was that there was no cooling effect running downwind and the shady patches were all the more precious. The sky had been a relentless blue all day.

There were a couple of dips in the vicinity of Ravensmoor and I gave it some of my diminishing stock of beans in order to get up the other side. My temperature rose sharply but I was soon at the steep canal bridge where the road comes into Nantwich and I was able to freewheel for a shady half a mile or so on the other side as compensation.

Left into Welsh Row, right at some lights then left into Welshman’s Lane. Intensely hot between the shady spots under trees. I stopped in a well shaded field entrance for an unpleasantly warm glug of water before pressing on to the Chester-Wrexham road.

Traffic was non stop so I went for the signposted cycle crossing rather than brave the charge across two lanes into Wettenhall Road. An obliging motorist towing a trailer waved me across so I followed the pavement cycle lane round into Wettenhall Road. Making the most of the following breeze on the subsequent smooth surface, down the dip at Poole Bridge to stop most of the way up the other side in a shady spot for another tepid glug of water.

A gentle climb followed, just about balanced out by the tailwind. A motorcyclist came the other way with his helmet on his arm, riding a vintage Honda CD185 or CD200. Obviously too hot for him, too!

I turned in to Wettenhall Marina for another break, this time a full fat Coke out of the chiller. I sat at a picnic table under a parasol. I noticed that the sunlight was throwing intense shadows on the old worn steps of the lock on the other side of the road bridge so took a few shots to try to capture them.

Since the staff were beginning to put away the signs and parasols I gathered myself together for the last few miles to home.

Once over the canal bridge and under the railway bridge it was fairly plain sailing with the wind assistance. The potholes seemed even worse on the way back I wondered if the heat had made some difference to the air pressure in the 40mm tyres giving a harder ride. I wasn’t about to mess with the Presta valves now that I was nearly home.

A tall rider hurtled past. He had time to say, “That looks like a comfortable ride” and I had time to say, “It is” just before I crashed through another pothole. The intense sunlight made it hard to see the blighters under the trees with shades on, and it was uncomfortable to ride without them.

I recently thought I’d found a solution in the form of flip up sunspecs which clip on to your glasses. I didn’t think they were still available. Very 1970s. Cheap and cheerful, though those craters can still catch you out.

A little further on, I saw a cyclist in the distance. Initially thinking it was the tall rider who’d passed me setting off again after a break, I realised it was someone else. As I slowly caught up, I thought it might be someone who’d been even more wrung out by the heat than me. This gave me something to think about as I got closer to him just before Darnhall bridge. I actually got past near the top of the climb on the other side, realising that it was quite a young club rider in all the gear. Oh well.

I expected him to come past on the slight downhill on the other side but he turned right at the next junction.

I'd seen quite a few cyclists out and about today, less this afternoon. but this was the only one I'd actually overtaken.

Arriving at my back gate I felt like a radiator and I spent some time spread out on the living room settee under the ceiling fan before I felt up to getting my stuff in. I definitely don’t do heat. Although I've just realised that it's a metric half century, which is some consolation.

Distance 32.93. Max speed 26.9 mph. Average Speed 8.1 mph. According to Cateye Velo 7
Ascent 569 ft. According to Bikehike

 

[a.twiddler]

31/5/26
Recumbent Ride
Rans Pootle and unexpected speed on the Test Hill of Doom.

Cloudy, breezy, not so hot today. I was feeling a bit down at having got to the last day in May without getting anywhere near my targets for this year’s cycling yet. So, I already had enough supplies on the bike to keep me going if I decided to go further today but my main intention was to go for a pootle and take it from there.

Left or right out of the gate? Left gave me more options without having to go into town. Off I went, downhill into a noticeable headwind. A helping hand on the way back, I hoped.

I turned into Hall Lane and shortly afterwards a group of bepanniered touring cyclists came the other way. They tinkled their bells merrily at me, I tinkled back.

As I approached Darnhall bridge, I hoped for a car to overtake to trigger the lights. Not today, but I was far enough up the hill when they changed to green to give time for a bit of a run up. It seemed easy, until I ran into the headwind that the dip had been sheltering me from. It was a pleasant breeze, not too hot or cold, so I counted my blessings and carried on.

I came to the turning for Hickhurst Lane and plodded on into the wind in the direction of Eaton. It seemed a bit of an uphill grind today. The sky got greyer and I wondered if the rain would hold off. I mentally tossed a coin and made a spur of the moment decision to turn right into Dogmore Lane.

The going got easier as the slope eased and the wind was behind me. Through Rushton Spencer, along the old wall of Oulton Park,

which has had some patching recently. Brownhills Road loomed on the left. I turned into it and soon heard loud voices. A bunch of cyclists came the other way.

I came to the high hedgebanked junction with Beech Lane and turned carefully right. A steep downhill followed, allowing me to pedal furiously to get up the other side. There were some gnarly potholes at the bottom, though the lack of traffic allowed me to swerve about and miss most of them. Easing over the summit and gaining speed again through the woods past the modern entrance to Oulton Park motor racing circuit,

then left opposite the old gateway, into Coach Road before a right turn into the crowded woodland car park of Little Budworth Country Park.

A brief expedition to inspect the plumbing then out on to Coach road again to the right.
It was quite busy here with traffic on the road and horse riders in the woods.

I came to a crossroads. Coach Road straight on, Beech Road as a muddy and puddled bridleway to the left, Beech Road as a metalled road to the right. Beech Road to the right it was, and I got going again.

More dog walkers, a bit of up and down then just before I turned left into White Hall Lane, “Santa’s Xmas Tree Land”! Whaat? Just to remind me of my gloomy thoughts about time passing quickly at the beginning of this ride. Presumably, the signs are up all year. I carried on up White Hall Lane.

I came to where it crosses the A54 with its hurtling traffic then continues as Pit Lane on the other side. Safely across, I followed it to where it meets Longstone Lane. Left then straight on for an unexpectedly long way until just past the junction with Shays Lane on the right there was the Long Stone on the left. I stopped for a photo.

The remains of a headless cross, one of several on the former pilgrims’ route to Vale Royal Abbey.

Then, on to Shays Lane for a mostly downhill route to where it joins Clay Lane, then mostly uphill again.

I stopped to look at what I originally thought was a pheasant but which turned out to be several guinea fowl which were pottering around in the road before crossing it and disappearing through a hedge. Pretty birds but incredibly noisy.

Just after I got going a bunch of cyclists passed me going uphill, and a few minutes later another bunch passed me in the other direction.



As I came to the summit I debated whether to go back via the Whitegate Way and check on the status of the Whitegate Road Bridge, or go on via Cinder Hill and Whitegate village.

I went straight on over the bridge and down the other side but before I’d gone very far I realised I had a headwind which meant that any attempt at getting a new highest speed down Cinder Hill (aka the Test Hill of Doom) wouldn’t have a promising start. I turned round and went back over the bridge into the old station car park. There were many bikes at the car park, most with mudguards as I passed through en route to the loo. Might as well make the most of the conveniences since I was there. I went to the car park exit and saw that there was a footbridge closed sign. Bridgeworks extended until June, it said.

Ah well then, Cinder Hill it would have to be so I set off with no more ado. I followed the rail trail to the platform, stopped to remove a leafy twig from my back wheel and emerged a bit theatrically from behind a parked car to see a row of cyclists getting ready for the off. “I like that bike!” said one of them, giving a thumbs up and clicking his tongue. “Thank you,” I replied as I rolled by.

Up the exit ramp, over the bridge and riding a bit more purposefully towards the junction with Dalefords Lane. Straight across. I had my clip on chinstrap attached to my cap today so no fear of it blowing off. I kept rolling to where the downhill begins.

I could see a car coming up in the distance behind but just kept going. I’d got a good speed up at the narrowest part of the hill but still he kept on coming, a big black SUV, and then he squeezed past.

As expected, a bit further on he braked for oncoming traffic but he was far enough ahead for me not to have to brake too. I was still pedalling at this point. Although not a school day I eased off where there were 20mph signs a bit further on and turned right into Vale Royal Drive then Sutton Field before turning right into the downhill Mill Lane and left into Grange Lane.

After passing some cottages, instead of plunging into woodland immediately, I came across this

another scene of improvements. I wondered if this access would be barriered off too. Fortunately, it was clear and though the rather narrow path through the wood was becoming overgrown, at present it was passable and was an easy, pleasant ride. I stopped to check my bike computer, usually set for mph. I was surprised to see the highest max speed of any of my bikes to date. Particularly since I hadn't been feeling on top form today.

I didn’t meet anyone else on the way. I was soon where Grange Lane opens out into a farm access cum bridleway and it was an easy, if uphill and bumpy, ride to where it becomes a tarmac road again.

Past the access to the rail trail, down a dip and up the other side, through the sports complex car park, through the barrier, up a steep lane and out on to an estate road. Left on Delamere St, then with the following wind some easy rolling to the A54 roundabout.

Quickly across, then rolling down Swanlow Lane to wait at Townfields Road lights before accelerating down a dip to get momentum for my uphill turn off. Then a cooling meander to my back gate via the lanes.

Today, one of those rides that didn’t start out with great promise but turned out very enjoyable nevertheless.

Distance 17.81 miles. Max speed 37.5 mph. Average 8.2 mph. According to Cateye Velo 7.
Ascent 485 ft. According to Bikehike.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Found some fields full of poppies today after spotting them on an opposite hill.