England : Rutland Rutland Ride Mon 4th June

[Janeyb]

The only reason you wiggle side to side is those handlebars - so much harder to climb on them. It won't be long before you're tempted to exchange them back for the original drops I bet!

I also hear that TF offered to take you out to train you on downhills... Janeyb has also signed up (now keen to beat her new record...!)

It's the uphills I need help with. If anyone wondered why I suddenly stopped midway through conversations - it was to continue alone in my world of pain that is climbing. Can't converse while gasping for breath - one takes definite priority over the other.

And TF - can we start a new class especially for Cornishjock. A 'how not to ride like a Frenchman' class. I think the lack of white lines confused him even more than normal.

 

[totallyfixed]

It's the uphills I need help with. If anyone wondered why I suddenly stopped midway through conversations - it was to continue alone in my world of pain that is climbing. Can't converse while gasping for breath - one takes definite priority over the other.

And TF - can we start a new class especially for Cornishjock. A 'how not to ride like a Frenchman' class. I think the lack of white lines confused him even more than normal.

Well you do live in an area where it is difficult to practice hill climbing! The more you do the easier it becomes. There is a lot of rubbish spouted about hill climbing on forums [IMO] the one that crops up the most is "hills don't get any easier you just go faster". Of course they get easier as you get stronger, what they are trying to say is that if you always push to your maximum they will always feel hard. On a club ride or any social ride [most people on here don't race so this is the riding we are talking about] as you become more adept at climbing the hills become easier, you lose the fear and even look forward to them, honest.
Lots of theories as to why Cornishjock cycles on the wrong side of the road - too twee having those bikes next to each other: afraid you might belt him one ; out of earshot [he said that]; the whole bike suffers from the same problem as Angel-Divas front wheel.............there are others.

 

[potsy]

TF/dr-pink did this ride go anywhere near Rockingham hill?
Colleague of mine was talking about it the other day, he rides around there a bit.

Is it a tough climb? Or is he exagerating a bit?

 

[cornishjock]

Lots of theories as to why Cornishjock cycles on the wrong side of the road - too twee having those bikes next to each other: afraid you might belt him one ; out of earshot [he said that]; the whole bike suffers from the same problem as Angel-Divas front wheel.............there are others.

In my defence, there are other extenuating factors at play m'lud..... my mongrel upbringing and lack of those white liney thingies in Naarfolk aside, I now believe that both my and AD's bikes are blessed with the power of dowsing...not for water mind you...but foodstuffs hidden in the hedgerows ... who knows what McVities treats have been casually thrown away by the unsuspecting. Maybe before the next ride TF, you could hide a few Mars Bars around the course and see if we're able to locate them (let's not get onto what would happen if there was whisky in the hedgerow mind you....the bike would be truly unruly!)

 

[cornishjock]

too twee having those bikes next to each other:

Now look here TF...we were blessed with Identical Twins and love them both equally ... even better that one was a boy bike and the other a girl bike

 

[totallyfixed]

TF/dr-pink did this ride go anywhere near Rockingham hill?
Colleague of mine was talking about it the other day, he rides around there a bit.

Is it a tough climb? Or is he exagerating a bit?

Afraid to say he's exaggerating a wee bit as I can get up it ok on fixed, have a look at a 1:50000 map of the area and you will see a preponderance of contour lines in large parts of Rutland, fortunately I have several other counties to pick from that are not quite so demanding. BTW, purely in the name of research I had to start working my way through the left over cakes and I can safely say.............you would have enjoyed them

Now look here TF...we were blessed with Identical Twins and love them both equally ... even better that one was a boy bike and the other a girl bike

Blessed!!?? I can think of a more appropriate word but this is a family forum

 

[Orange]

Oops, a bit slow responding - been busy this week. A really good ride, seemed easier than last time, so maybe the commuting miles are having an effect. Some great downhills towards the end. Thanks again TF and good to meet new riders all.

 

[potsy]

Afraid to say he's exaggerating a wee bit as I can get up it ok on fixed, have a look at a 1:50000 map of the area and you will see a preponderance of contour lines in large parts of Rutland, fortunately I have several other counties to pick from that are not quite so demanding. BTW, purely in the name of research I had to start working my way through the left over cakes and I can safely say.............you would have enjoyed them

But he is an old man of 52 with creaky knees (he's also much fitter and lighter than I'll ever be )

I'm sure the cakes were very nice, so good of you to not let them go to waste

 

[potsy]

Afraid to say he's exaggerating a wee bit as I can get up it ok on fixed,

Saw him today, he's devastated

Told him about the hills CJ takes us up on the forum rides, he went pale which isn't easy for him

 

[ColinJ]

Told him about the hills CJ takes us up on the forum rides, he went pale which isn't easy for him

Talking of monster hills ... I rode back from Hathersage yesterday. (I was going to ride from Nottingham but didn't fancy its busy roads and the extra miles so I caught the train to Hathersage to start somewhere nice.) I opted for Strines Moor and Langsett rather than Snake Pass and Holme Moss. I had a bulging rucksack on my back which wasn't much fun, but my new super-granny gear got me up Ewden Bank without stopping. I was pretty chuffed with that because it has stretches of 20-25%. My back went on Scapegoat hill out of Slaithwaite, however, so I stopped twice on that climb to stretch. I'd just got back to Mytholmroyd when it started peeing it down. Apparently Sheffield and York had heavy rain and flooding so I just avoided that!

I uploaded the forum ride tracklog from my GPS and can see what went wrong when I got lost riding to Nuneaton to catch the train to Rutland. It is a salutary lesson in disorientation! I'd got within 200 metres of the road I was aiming for but had become confused by the twisting and turning of the lanes that I'd been on. I'd turned right instead of left and sent myself in a huge sweeping circle. When I'd asked a woman for directions, I thought I was in a village west of Nuneaton, but I was in fact by then in a village south of Nuneaton on the fringes of Bedworth. That's what comes of not carrying my backup map and it is typical that the one time I didn't carry a map, I hadn't programmed my GPS either!

 

[totallyfixed]

not carrying my backup map

Saying nowt

 

[Smurfy]

Talking of monster hills ...... ...... I opted for Strines Moor and Langsett rather than Snake Pass and Holme Moss. I had a bulging rucksack on my back which wasn't much fun, but my new super-granny gear got me up Ewden Bank without stopping. I was pretty chuffed with that because it has stretches of 20-25%......

Are you referring to this road by any chance?

The bend up ahead is almost a hair-pin, and I got caught out in my car trying to drive up it in second gear . Had to put the hand brake on and resort to first gear . Strines Moor is a beautiful route though, and I remember thinking it would be good as part of a longer ride.

 

[ColinJ]

Are you referring to this road by any chance?

The bend up ahead is almost a hair-pin, and I got caught out in my car trying to drive up it in second gear . Had to put the hand brake on and resort to first gear . Strines Moor is a beautiful route though, and I remember thinking it would be good as part of a longer ride.

Yes, that's the one! The inside of the bend was so steep that it forced me way out into middle of the road just as a car was coming up behind me. I thought I might get some crap from the driver, or they might even force their way through on the inside but they waited patiently and eventually overtook me higher up. The car went by slowly and its occupants gave me a wink and a big thumbs up - all I could manage in return was a manic grin and a slow shake of my head, as in "I must be mad riding up this"!

Yes - it is a very beautiful route - IMO much nicer than the busy Snake Pass alternative.

It's funny how a tough climb imprints on the memory ... I used that Streetview link to replay the ascent and I remembered the car overtaking after the bend, then stopping*** by the red car at the farm higher up to let a hen and her chicks cross the road, and the feeling I had at the RH bend by the wood towards the top when I saw that the gradient kicked up steeply again, and finally being overtaken by two lads on motor scooters on the LH bend round the wood. I can even recall the smell of the exhaust fumes from their engines!

One day, I will concoct a mega-tough forum ride from Hebden Bridge to the Hope Valley and back. I'd probably take us out over Holme Moss and Snake Pass and come back over Strines. It would be just over 100 miles with an awful lot of very tough climbs. Definitely one for when I am properly fit again. The 50 miles I did on Sunday was hard enough for me in my current condition!

*** Ah yes - I did stop on the easier part of the climb, but only because I didn't want to run over the chicks!

 

[Smurfy]

The inside of the bend was so steep that it forced me way out into middle of the road just as a car was coming up behind me. I thought I might get some crap from the driver, or they might even force their way through on the inside but they waited patiently and eventually overtook me higher up. The car went by slowly and its occupants gave me a wink and a big thumbs up - all I could manage in return was a manic grin and a slow shake of my head, as in "I must be mad riding up this"!

The gradient warning is 25%, but I'll bet the hairpin was steeper than that. You did well to get up wearing a rucksack

 

[ColinJ]

The gradient warning is 25%, but I'll bet the hairpin was steeper than that.

Indeed, I'd guess way over 30% for 5 or 6 yards ... I looked up at it and thought "No way, José!" so after a quick glance over my shoulder to make sure the car was far enough back, I bolted for the middle of the road where it was more like 25%.

I got forced back into a hairpin on local 25% climb Mytholm Steeps once by a stupid driver overtaking on the bend and cutting me up. I came to a dead stop and toppled over still strapped onto my pedals. (That incident convinced me to give up on clips & toestraps and go clipless!)

You did well to get up wearing a rucksack

The heavy load on my back paled into insignificance compared with the huge load on my front ...