England : West Yorkshire Spring Into the Dales 110km audax April 12th

[ColinJ]

I'm not really 100% a fair-weather cyclist, but I am definitely not a 100% foul-weather cyclist!

I can cope with a soaking for a while partway through a ride, but 6+ hours of cold, wet and windy torture is not for me when a sunny ride on the same route beckons 2 days later ...

 

[Kestevan]

Well, that was rather damp.. And a bit breezy to say the least.

Did get to see the definition of "optimist" though....that would be the ice cream van parked up on the top of oxenhope moor... Can't see him doing much business today.

 

[ColinJ]

A mate texted me this morning to say "So, where's the rain?" It arrived a few minutes later and then hung about for hours. Recycling bins were blowing about in my back street again, and trees getting swished about by the wind. I was happy not to be riding and watched Paris Roubaix instead.

Typically, the wind has now dropped and we have blue skies before sunset!

 

[zacklaws]

"Spring in the Dales" it was more like "Rain and Gales in the Dales". Really pleased at how my dropping to bits, Mondane featherlight velo jacket performed after I had soaked it in Fabsil Gold, never let a drop of water in, certainly far better than Nikwax....wish I could say same for my Sealskin socks, there was more water inside them than in my shoe, which has never happened before. All I need to do is find a way to stop the racket my jacket makes flapping in the wind, never noticed how noisy it was till towards the end and how quiet it became when I stopped.

I must have been colder than I thought, whilst driving home, I started to warm up, when I looked at the thermometer, it had hit 45C

Got to admit, I enjoyed every moment, maybe apart for Silsden hill with that cross wind, and a rear mech that worked perfect in the hills on Saturday but not today with no low gear for the hills. On checking it at home, the "L" screw needed adjusting, but no idea why it had gone out of adjustment in the first place.

 

[ColinJ]

I was wondering how you got on, zack!

I bet the turnout was down by 50% on sunny editions?

I reckon you mean a 'Montane' jacket - If so, I have the gilet version. I like the sound of that Fabsil Gold - does it reduce the breathability of the jacket much?

 

[ColinJ]

PS I would turn the heater down if it got to 45 C ...

I thought I was done with my heating until next October but I have just put it back on - it has been a chilly day!

 

[zacklaws]

I bet the turnout was down by 50% on sunny editions?

I reckon you mean a 'Montane' jacket - If so, I have the gilet version. I like the sound of that Fabsil Gold - does it reduce the breathability of the jacket much?

PS I would turn the heater down if it got to 45 C ...

I think Chris said there was about 80+ for SITD and about 20+ for the shorter ride..

Yes I ment Montane, I knew Mondane was wrong, but could not work out why. I never noticed any reduction in Breathability, I was damp inside, but I did not put it on till Earsby when the heavens opened up properly so I was damp when I put it on. But it was far more waterproof then when new when it was only good for about 30 mins. If I recall, Fabsil Gold is for fabrics, tenting etc that needs breathability. I just poured a bit in a plastic bowl and dropped the jacket in and squeezed it about till it was completely soaked in it and just hung it up to dry, the jacket, not the bowl.

I think the thermometer hit 45C as it was mounted on the dash and heat from the ducting had warmed up the plastic a bit too much and gave a false reading.....but it was still warm in the car. I think it was all the extra clothing I had put on insulated me from the heat, till it penetrated through the layers and then suddenly felt hot.

I noticed on Strava that the final decent from Cock Hill to Hebden Bridge, the temp was about 7C at the top and 2C at the bottom.

Time now to look at that press fit BB and see what the damage is with all the water that got sprayed on it. Hopefully it has not washed the grease out

 

[Amanda P]

Turnout was a bit thin, wasn't it?

I don't know when I've been so cold for so long. I could have coped with rain, or wind on their own, but it was so bloody COLD in parts! I've never had any serious trouble getting round this route in the past but I think I used up all my energy just staving off hypothermia this time. Leaving Keighley and getting up to Oxenhope... well, grovelling sums it up. I'm sure Mrs Uncle Phil towed me most of the way there, although I think the Rossi's top-up kicked in after that.

Yep, that was me and Mrs Uncle Phil on the Pino tandem. It's done a few audaxes before but not this one. It may have felt at home - it came from JD tandems (now in Gargrave, although they weren't when it was new), and lived for many years in Hebden Bridge before we bought it. It certainly came down the hill with a good show of enthusiasm at the end but then seemed remarkably reluctant to carry on to Mytholmroyd.

 

[zacklaws]

I remember you now "Uncle Phil" in the cafe at Keighley, I saw the tandem outside and that must have been you and "Mrs Uncle Phil" who was sat behind me, I grabbed a quick coke and piece of cake and was gone before I started to get cold and stiffen up. I only felt cold at the finish when I had been sat around for a while and it was only my legs with being wet. I did not relish the idea of Oxenhope myself which was another reason why I did not hang about in the cafe, ten minutes in the cafe could be ten minutes up the hill just going slow, you can loose time easy, but its hard to make up. On the Oxenhope climb I was surprised how easy it was and was up it far quicker than I anticipated, soon as I saw that little copse on the bend on the left hand side of the road, I knew I was at the top. Last year I stood at the second bush just a bit further on the left to watch the Tour de France, so looking at that section of road was ingrained in my mind as I knew the finish was about 200 yds further on. I did find it confusing at the bottom of the hill, the wind was every direction and not till out in the open I was glad to see it was a cross wind and not a head wind, unlike last year.

I took my BB apart, I was hoping for no water inside, but some water had got in but not enough to effect the grease, so a quick regrease and its as good as new, simple, I just need the confidence now to remove and refit them without cracking the carbon frame. But at least its now moisture free and the spindle and bearing are not going to rust and mate themselves together like my last one

The mystery of no low gear at the back was resolved, it was the wrong size shim on the freehub. It was an 11 speed hub which needs a 1mm and a 1.85mm shim combined to fit a 10 speed shimano cassette on, I only had a 1mm shim fitted.....but I cannot understand why it has worked flawlessly for months and then just stopped working. Anyway, I just stuck a 1.85mm shim on and it works now with just a little adjustment with the adjuster......I forgot to put the 1mm shim back on till now, but it works so I will leave it like that for the time being

 

[ColinJ]

'Chapeau' to those of you who turned out despite the bad weather!

I enjoyed my ride round the SITD route in much nicer conditions yesterday - LINK.

 

[zacklaws]

I soon realised that I was feeling very good indeed on the bike. It has been a long time since I have been able to talk while climbing, or sprint up short steep climbs.

You would not have been able to talk much on Sunday, You would have drowned in the torrential rain....or had your eardrums blown out from the inside by the wind........Hope you got Sunburnt.

I did a 120 miler from home, across the Wolds, then the moors to Whitby and back. After sorting out my rear mech problem from Sunday, my front mech refused to play and would not go onto the big ring, I climbed a 33% hill and something must have happened on it. It seemed to have gone out of alignment but I got it going after a bit of tinkering

 

[ColinJ]

You would not have been able to talk much on Sunday, You would have drowned in the torrential rain....or had your eardrums blown out from the inside by the wind........Hope you got Sunburnt.

I had factor 30 on, just in case!

I had a good ride yesterday, but I think I would have had a real problem if I had done it on Sunday. I am only just getting a bit of fitness back and do not have a lot of reserves for coping with being cold and wet!

My friend just rang. She said that she didn't eat enough on the ride so she was feeling a bit spaced out when she got home. She went straight indoors and forgot to put her bike away! Fortunately, it was still leaning against the wall when she got up this morning ...