'The End Of CycleChat As We Know It' forum ride (Hebden Bridge, 20th Nov)

[DCLane]

Hope the ride goes well - won't be able to make it as it includes a Sunday morning.

 

[I like Skol]

I just need to get final confirmation from the boss but initial negotiations last night were promising.

Woohoo! Permission granted, just need to decide if I will drive up there with the bike or go nuts and try to cycle there and back as well?

Hey you've been on one forum ride and you're already giving me abuse

Sorry mate, I didn't realise I had to earn the right to give you abuse. From studying the forum I just got the impression it was the done thing? Anyway, I am sure you will get your revenge on Sunday.

 

[ColinJ]

Hope the ride goes well - won't be able to make it as it includes a Sunday morning.

Thanks. I'll make sure to organise a few Saturday rides next year. Most people seem to prefer Sundays but I know that some can only make Saturdays.

Woohoo! Permission granted, just need to decide if I will drive up there with the bike or go nuts and try to cycle there and back as well?

Excellent!

The forecast for Sunday isn't looking too bad at the moment but I never really trust them until about 24 hours before, and even then they are sometimes wrong.

I've got my lights ready in case it is murky on the tops. My last couple of rides have taken me up into very low cloud and I felt vulnerable without a rear light.

 

[Alun]

Ouch indeed, get well soon pal.
Need you fit for SITD so Colin has some company at the back, me and Phil are riding with Svendo next year as pacemakers for him

Cheers mate, that's the last time I wear SPDs on a forest trail though!

I'll have a lot of training to do even to be the back marker on the SITD, I'm not missing the scran at the finish again though !

 

[SlowerThanASluggishSloth]

.
Well, Colin, when you first proposed this I thought it would suit me perfectly: not too long, easy pace, good company, cafe stop. I was all set to make some rearrangements then my father-in-law was admitted to hospital at the week-end.

I'll be thinking of you as we trek over to Southport and look forward to meeting up with you all next year. Have a good ride.

Alun, hope your recovery is swift and complete.

 

[ColinJ]

Well, Colin, when you first proposed this I thought it would suit me perfectly: not too long, easy pace, good company, cafe stop. I was all set to make some rearrangements then my father-in-law was admitted to hospital at the week-end.

Oh, that's bad news - I hope he gets well soon.

Keep your eyes open in early 2012. We'll have to see what kind of winter we have, but if we get a non-icy/non-foggy weekend towards the end of January, I'll organise another one of our rides to the cafe in Waddington (or maybe Chipping for a change).

 

[totallyfixed]

Just wondering Colin, how steep are the climbs on your route? I'm asking because I see someone else was thinking of riding fixed or ss, any idea of percentages, length etc? I remember telling you I grew up in that area but can't remember the roads now but I used to go down Thursden as a boy, happy days.

 

[ColinJ]

Just wondering Colin, how steep are the climbs on your route? I'm asking because I see someone else was thinking of riding fixed or ss, any idea of percentages, length etc? I remember telling you I grew up in that area but can't remember the roads now but I used to go down Thursden as a boy, happy days.

Yes, perhaps a subtle warning is called for ...

If you are contemplating doing this ride on SS/fixed - please note that there are a few really tough climbs on it, and over 80% of the route is either uphill or downhill so consider what that is going to do to your legs!

I'm not trying to put you off, but I wouldn't want you to get caught out.

The Jowler climb is hard. It averages about 10% for 2 km but there are 3 sections which get a chevron on the OS map; they are more like 18%.

There are quite a few other climbs which would be pretty stiff on SS/fixed but the other killer will be that Thursden climb which has an initial ramp at close to 25%, then it eases off and kicks up again at about 18%. I usually ride up it, but I walked it last time and may do so again on Sunday. At least it isn't too long!

This monster ...

If the weather is okay and we have enough time before sunset, I might suggest extending the ride to return via Worsthorne and the Long Causeway instead. That would add about 11 km to the route and miss the Thursden climb, but the road up from the dip at Mereclough is at about 20% for 100 yards or so.

 

[Svendo]

I'll be at work overnight Saturday until 3.30pm Sunday, so can't make this ride. Forecast looks OK too, still fairly mild and at most damp. I went over Cold Edge Road the other week and I think the surface is better than it used to be.
I first went that way I think on the first ride of Colin's I went on. I missed a turning with Longers (who'd correctly suggested the first turning), waited ages then tried to ring before catching you up on the far side of Wainstalls. I'd forgotten what a lovely twisting dipping lane it is before the bravery testing descent to the main road again, tried to not brake 'til the end but chicken out and scrubbed some speed half way down!

 

[potsy]

I won't be joining you either I'm afraid, as expected I am starting my working week on Sunday night.
Oh well, just have to potter about the nice flat TPT instead

ps- Ordered my CX bike today, it comes with a 30t 30t low gear, ideal for next years SITD

 

[ColinJ]

I'll be at work overnight Saturday until 3.30pm Sunday, so can't make this ride. Forecast looks OK too, still fairly mild and at most damp.

Shame - catch you another time instead!

I went over Cold Edge Road the other week and I think the surface is better than it used to be.

I thought so too, the last time I went up there. It still wasn't perfect, but that's okay because it puts off a lot of drivers who would otherwise use Cold Edge as a shortcut.

I first went that way I think on the first ride of Colin's I went on. I missed a turning with Longers (who'd correctly suggested the first turning), waited ages then tried to ring before catching you up on the far side of Wainstalls.

Yep, that was your first.

I'd forgotten what a lovely twisting dipping lane it is before the bravery testing descent to the main road again, tried to not brake 'til the end but chicken out and scrubbed some speed half way down!

You've really got to watch parts of that lane in mid-winter. Some parts are in perma-shadow at that time of year so the whole road can be covered in ice. I went up there once and nearly got caught out by it. I walked round the bend and saw a motorcyclist coming towards me pretty quickly so I stood in the road and flagged him down to warn him.

That Thursden climb is the same - direct sunlight just doesn't get down there in the winter.

Those roads are gritted rarely, if at all.

Fortunately, it seems that we won't have icy conditions at the weekend. Fear of ice is the main reason that I curtail my cycling in the winter. Most of the hilly lanes I love so much are not safe when there is ice about. I'll have to stick to the main roads if I want to ride on icy days.

Yes - that steep descent to the Keighley Road above Oxenhope is a bit scary but at least we are going down it and not climbing the thing!

I won't be joining you either I'm afraid, as expected I am starting my working week on Sunday night.
Oh well, just have to potter about the nice flat TPT instead

ps- Ordered my CX bike today, it comes with a 30t 30t low gear, ideal for next years SITD

Oh well, catch you in January for a ride to Waddington or Chipping then, assuming that the forecasts for a late but severe winter are wrong?

The new bike sounds nice, but won't you be so fit by next April's SITD that you won't be needing a grovelling gear any more?

 

[colly]

95% certain for Sunday. Barring domestic disputes/chaos/incidents of a dubious sexual nature I will be along.

 

[ColinJ]

95% certain for Sunday. Barring domestic disputes/chaos/incidents of a dubious sexual nature I will be along.

Goody - I've moved you to the other list!

So that leaves oldfatfool and YellowTim as maybes. Any final decision chaps?

Is anybody else interested in coming along?




PS Don't forget that the forum is being turned off at 22:00 on Saturday for the software to be upgraded so make sure you post by 21:00 if you are going to! I'll check in one last time at about 21:30.

If you decide to turn up unannounced, make sure that you get to the Market Place car park by 09:45 on Sunday!

 

[YahudaMoon]

Hi. Im up for this. Weather pending

Though I'll be cycling over from Manchester. It's only a few hours going slow and it's flat via Todmorden if anyone is up for it and it's OK with Colin

 

[Littgull]

Shaun, our beloved Admin (aka The Guy In Charge) has unilaterally decided to wean us off our web browsers next Sunday in order to promote CycleChat III - Beware of a Geek Bearing Gifts!

So - we might as well get out on our bikes instead of messing about on t'Interweb all day! I thought I'd take the opportunity to organise one final forum ride for 2011 before the cold and lack of daylight really kick in.

Bearing in mind the early sunset now, I've come up with a shorter route than usual. It is still pretty hilly, but slightly less demanding than some of my rides. We should have no problem getting back before it gets dark (though it might be wise to carry emergency lights just in case).

Route description:

Hebden Bridge, Pecket Well, Old Town, Midgley, Jerusalem Lane, Booth, Jowler (*tough* climb!), Wainstalls, Cold Edge (we will use a stretch of rough road over Oxenhope Moor but it is rideable on road bikes - just watch where you are going!), Oxenhope, Penistone Hill (west side), Stanbury, Oakworth, Scar Top, Herders, Laneshaw Bridge, Trawden, Clarion House, Coldwell Activity Centre (cafe stop at 28 miles), Thursden (*tough* climb), Widdop, Slack, Lee Wood, Hebden Bridge.

Route map:

Bikely, GPX file (you may need to reduce the number of trackpoints for your GPS, though it works perfectly on my Etrex).

Route profile:

The second part of the route will be familiar to all of you who have ridden through Trawden with me before, and returned via Widdop. The first part will be unfamiliar to many of you.

We'll have a cafe stop at Coldwell Activity centre after 28 miles.

Nobody will be left behind, but you should be confident that you can tackle a very hilly ride of this distance. It will be slow, slow, slow. Don't come along and complain about it being slow. IT WILL BE SLOW! (We won't be riding quickly ... )

We'll be aiming to set off at 10:00 so let's meet at Market Place car park, Hebden Bridge, at 09:45 on Sunday, 20th November. Map showing car parks.

The centre of Hebden Bridge is now pedestrianised and there is a one-way system. To get to the car park turn right up Commercial Street as you come into HB from the Halifax direction, second left after about 100 yards by the White Lion. Follow that road round over the river. The car park is then on your right.

If you are coming from the Todmorden direction, turn left down Old Gate (one way street) at the end of Market Street, just after the Inn on the Bridge on your left. Follow the road round past the Hole in t'Wall. The car park is straight ahead on the right.

If anybody decides to turn up announced (it has happened before) make sure that you get to Market Place car park by 09:45 because we won't be hanging about once all those officially riding have gathered!

I reckon we will get back at about 15:00. (Told you it would be slow!) but I suggest you bring lights in case of problems, or if we decide to add a few miles on after the cafe stop (there are two good options if the weather is nice and we decide to make the most of it).

Riders:

• ColinJ
• Steve H
• I like Skol
• colly

Possible riders:

• oldfatfool
• potsy (working)
• YellowTim

I'm taking names now. Hurry - numbers are strictly unlimited!