The 2018 Half Century a month Challenge chatzone
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Unlucky, I'm about 12 miles from Radcliffe and had a dry but very dark gray afternoon.
NorthernDave
Never used Über Member
- Location
- The real Northern Powerhouse
I'm just in from quite possibly the worst metric half of the year - but the challenge is complete for another year. 
Off to change out of these wet clothes, thaw out and have something hot to eat. Report some time after that lot.
Off to change out of these wet clothes, thaw out and have something hot to eat. Report some time after that lot.
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The Met Office was showing no rain, but quite windy with gusts up to 30mph, so planned to go against the wind on the way out and have it behind me for the return. Didn't work! Started spitting within 30 minutes of setting off then turned into the really wet drizzle where everything mists up. The wind seemed to be coming from all directions - one moment pushing me along nicely, then blowing straight into my face.
The Buttsbury ford was in full flow. One car being pulled out when I passed in the morning and a group of lads watching things going on when I returned. 3 more cars pulled out apparently. The 3ft marker was only just visible so I don't know how they thought going through was a good idea.
Anyway, the 2018 challenge is done! That's the 3rd one completed for me. Can't wait for January to come around to make a start on the 2019 challenge.
The Buttsbury ford was in full flow. One car being pulled out when I passed in the morning and a group of lads watching things going on when I returned. 3 more cars pulled out apparently. The 3ft marker was only just visible so I don't know how they thought going through was a good idea.
Anyway, the 2018 challenge is done! That's the 3rd one completed for me. Can't wait for January to come around to make a start on the 2019 challenge.
the stupid one
Über Member
- Location
- NWUK
Right then. New bike arrived on Tuesday afternoon, as hinted at above. I went a bit mad and ordered a Kinesis Tripster AT, built up by Epic Cycles in Ludlow. New Shimano 105 w/ hydraulic disc brakes, Shimano RS170 wheels, Ritchey kit inc. very flared drop bars, and the Kinesis saddle I bought from ade towell of this parish not long ago.
Today I took it out for the first time. Fast enough for me on the roads, and the brakes are great - not just the effectiveness, but the reach. I'd struggled with the Microshift levers on the Triban 500 so I was a bit nervous spending so much on more drop bars, but the 105 brakes are exactly right, whether on the hoods or the drops.
No problems on the first bit of roughish track I came to - very stable on the 40 mm Maxxis Ravager tyres. The gears were smooth when I got to the first uphill, and the bike handled the rougher Landican Lane very comfortably. After Brimstage I spotted a bridleway I'd not considered before, so swung off the road and onto a narrow muddy track, covered in leaves, with hidden rocks and tree roots. Bit of a culture shock! It was fun, I didn't even have to unclip. The rest of the route was a typical one, no problems at all until I turned a corner on the Wirral Way just as a woman let fly a ball from one of those throwing sticks, straight down the middle of the track, with two dogs in full target-acquired mode. Of course its final bounce brought it straight at the bike, so there was a bit of a collision, but nobody was hurt.
Home with sore legs and abdomen, from the front being slightly lower than I'm used to, but I'll sort that out. And I completed the challenge, which looked unlikely a week ago. Result.
Today I took it out for the first time. Fast enough for me on the roads, and the brakes are great - not just the effectiveness, but the reach. I'd struggled with the Microshift levers on the Triban 500 so I was a bit nervous spending so much on more drop bars, but the 105 brakes are exactly right, whether on the hoods or the drops.
No problems on the first bit of roughish track I came to - very stable on the 40 mm Maxxis Ravager tyres. The gears were smooth when I got to the first uphill, and the bike handled the rougher Landican Lane very comfortably. After Brimstage I spotted a bridleway I'd not considered before, so swung off the road and onto a narrow muddy track, covered in leaves, with hidden rocks and tree roots. Bit of a culture shock! It was fun, I didn't even have to unclip. The rest of the route was a typical one, no problems at all until I turned a corner on the Wirral Way just as a woman let fly a ball from one of those throwing sticks, straight down the middle of the track, with two dogs in full target-acquired mode. Of course its final bounce brought it straight at the bike, so there was a bit of a collision, but nobody was hurt.
Home with sore legs and abdomen, from the front being slightly lower than I'm used to, but I'll sort that out. And I completed the challenge, which looked unlikely a week ago. Result.
The new bike looks lovely, but how do you cope with debris getting caught between tyres and mudguards off road?Right then. New bike arrived on Tuesday afternoon, as hinted at above. I went a bit mad and ordered a Kinesis Tripster AT, built up by Epic Cycles in Ludlow. New Shimano 105 w/ hydraulic disc brakes, Shimano RS170 wheels, Ritchey kit inc. very flared drop bars, and the Kinesis saddle I bought from ade towell of this parish not long ago.
Today I took it out for the first time. Fast enough for me on the roads, and the brakes are great - not just the effectiveness, but the reach. I'd struggled with the Microshift levers on the Triban 500 so I was a bit nervous spending so much on more drop bars, but the 105 brakes are exactly right, whether on the hoods or the drops.
No problems on the first bit of roughish track I came to - very stable on the 40 mm Maxxis Ravager tyres. The gears were smooth when I got to the first uphill, and the bike handled the rougher Landican Lane very comfortably. After Brimstage I spotted a bridleway I'd not considered before, so swung off the road and onto a narrow muddy track, covered in leaves, with hidden rocks and tree roots. Bit of a culture shock! It was fun, I didn't even have to unclip. The rest of the route was a typical one, no problems at all until I turned a corner on the Wirral Way just as a woman let fly a ball from one of those throwing sticks, straight down the middle of the track, with two dogs in full target-acquired mode. Of course its final bounce brought it straight at the bike, so there was a bit of a collision, but nobody was hurt.
Home with sore legs and abdomen, from the front being slightly lower than I'm used to, but I'll sort that out. And I completed the challenge, which looked unlikely a week ago. Result.
the stupid one
Über Member
- Location
- NWUK
I didn't even think about that! And to be honest I wasn't really troubled by it. I avoided sticks and broken branches, but there wasn't a time when I noticed any particular build-up of leaves or mud. And the bridleway was very leafy, and very muddy.
I did notice how much debris was washed into the brakes when I got home, though. The scraping noise as I wheeled the bike away from the hose made me go straight back and give the brakes another blast. So that's one to bear in mind next time.
More finishers missed @the stupid one crossing the line and today's finishers @dickyknees and @Slick . Well done .
9 finishers to date
9 finishers to date
Slick
Guru
Another single point tonight it I'll update this and the other thread later.
No 10 over the line
Well done @steveindenmark
Well done @steveindenmark
so 11 finishers
Domus
Guru
- Location
- Sunny Radcliffe
What a performance. Went out on Wednesday to meet a mate who rode from St Helens to Sunny Radcliffe via Leigh.
I got to Leigh Costa looking like a deep sea fisherman who had been swept overboard. Left Costa with very wet seats and large puddles to be mopped up. Arrived home no wetter as we could not have gotten any wetter but only 43.6 Kms under my belt.
Rode today with John to Leigh Costa in still damp waterproofs and returned home with a few twists and turns added to reach 50.14 Kms
The hardest point of the year.
Going to Grange tomorrow with the pressure off, Sunday looks promising so may add to the total.
Addicted me? Naaah
I got to Leigh Costa looking like a deep sea fisherman who had been swept overboard. Left Costa with very wet seats and large puddles to be mopped up. Arrived home no wetter as we could not have gotten any wetter but only 43.6 Kms under my belt.
Rode today with John to Leigh Costa in still damp waterproofs and returned home with a few twists and turns added to reach 50.14 Kms
The hardest point of the year.
Going to Grange tomorrow with the pressure off, Sunday looks promising so may add to the total.
Addicted me? Naaah
Despite a forecast of rain the sky was blue and the temperature mild, so I abandoned my planned turbo ride for a 50km bimble.
My motivation was the fact that 30 miles would bring up one of my targets for the year, 4,000 miles and now that’s ticked off.
My final objective is 100 points in the challenge, the ride today takes me to 96, so fingers crossed I don’t fall off again like last year!
My motivation was the fact that 30 miles would bring up one of my targets for the year, 4,000 miles and now that’s ticked off.
My final objective is 100 points in the challenge, the ride today takes me to 96, so fingers crossed I don’t fall off again like last year!
