The Imperial Century A Month Challenge Chatzone
- Thread starter Rob S
- Start date
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StuAff
Silencing his legs regularly
- Location
- Portsmouth
650B wheels?
Yes. This is a Pinnacle Pyrolite. The tyres just roll over pot holes.
StuAff
Silencing his legs regularly
- Location
- Portsmouth
I bet!
Pale Rider
Legendary Member
Co-designed by a bloke called Decker:
https://www.evanscycles.com/coffeestop/news/pinnacle-pyrolite-leading-the-650b-road-revolution
Son of the above
Lilliburlero
Pro sandbagger
- Location
- South Derbyshire
February`s ride done and dusted today. The forecast frost was nowhere to be seen this morning so I thought it would be rude not to take advantage. Hard going at times, the wind was very cold..... 28 miles with my mate Paul and the rest solo. https://www.relive.cc/view/1391576201
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Well spotted @Pale Rider
I am doing a test ride and a write up. It is a great bike. Very nicely specced and rides very well. My max speed yesterday was around 40mph and it was stable as anything. It is also very comfortable to ride, particularly over pot holed roads. Yet to try some gravel, but I expect it will be good on that as well.
Many of the Friday Night riders will know how awful the canal path is between Higham and Gravesend, so I will give that a go as part of the test.
Aravis
Putrid Donut
- Location
- Gloucester
I managed February's contribution today. Passing through Newport, which was a blast from the past. It was very cold, but I'm too tired to say very much else!
The Gospel Pass Audax on June 9th looks rather improbable at the moment.
The Gospel Pass Audax on June 9th looks rather improbable at the moment.
Aravis
Putrid Donut
- Location
- Gloucester
I think I've just about recovered from Wednesday's torture. The post-ride weariness is still there but I feel coherent again.
I know we get more data from our rides nowadays than is healthy, and it's easy to see stuff that isn't there. But there's no disguising that I'm a mile an hour slower than I was a year ago, and it all feels like much harder work.
I'm sure I've told the story of how during 2015 I was steadily learning to enjoy cycling again, but 100 miles in a day seemed an impossible dream. Around August my doctor put me on metformin; once I'd become accustomed to it I suddenly found I could ride 100+ miles again, and it seemed far easier than I remembered it. From what I read, metformin may have some performance enhancing properties, but is likely to have negatives as well. It seems it just worked for me.
It's been all too easy to take this rediscovered ability for granted, but this winter it's begun to feel much harder and it would be difficult to describe recent rides as fun. I doubt that asking for an increased prescription of metformin is the answer. Maybe I'm taking too much blood-pressure medication - I was quite a bit heavier last time that was reviewed! Then there are boring things like taking diet a bit more seriously.
The one thing I'll definitely carry on with is the ICAM challenge. If I stopped I'd just pine, and in any case, one of the great strengths of these challenges is the gentle encouragement to keeping going when you might not feel quite like it. Then things have the chance to get better. My mid-March there'll be some pleasant warmth around and the days will feel so much longer.
Gospel Pass? Why was I ever worried?
I know we get more data from our rides nowadays than is healthy, and it's easy to see stuff that isn't there. But there's no disguising that I'm a mile an hour slower than I was a year ago, and it all feels like much harder work.
I'm sure I've told the story of how during 2015 I was steadily learning to enjoy cycling again, but 100 miles in a day seemed an impossible dream. Around August my doctor put me on metformin; once I'd become accustomed to it I suddenly found I could ride 100+ miles again, and it seemed far easier than I remembered it. From what I read, metformin may have some performance enhancing properties, but is likely to have negatives as well. It seems it just worked for me.
It's been all too easy to take this rediscovered ability for granted, but this winter it's begun to feel much harder and it would be difficult to describe recent rides as fun. I doubt that asking for an increased prescription of metformin is the answer. Maybe I'm taking too much blood-pressure medication - I was quite a bit heavier last time that was reviewed! Then there are boring things like taking diet a bit more seriously.
The one thing I'll definitely carry on with is the ICAM challenge. If I stopped I'd just pine, and in any case, one of the great strengths of these challenges is the gentle encouragement to keeping going when you might not feel quite like it. Then things have the chance to get better. My mid-March there'll be some pleasant warmth around and the days will feel so much longer.
Gospel Pass? Why was I ever worried?
- Location
- Egham
Similar boat for me, having to learn to walk again a few times between 2013 -2015 until I got the right pills. My only other prescription is exercise to counter muscle loss in the event of further 'episodes', in my case cycling since it's my legs that are directly affected with circa 50-70% muscle loss dependant on severity. My motivation to keep cycling has been the monthly challenges, and the Metric Half in 2016 was tough, easier in 2017. But then the Metric Century was tough, and now the Imperial? Well I may not make it, but I have at least done one ride of 101 miles now, a distant pipedream a few years ago..
Right. February's qualifying ride all done and dusted. A blast down to Ashford for some Scrambles Eggs on Toast 
It was minus 2° and sunny blue skies when I left home. It was nice to leave for a ride in daylight and for that matter, also arrive home in the daylight. A first for 2018
So it was a tad chilly out and there was a fair bit of ice on the country lanes. But the roads were nice and dry which meant none of that mucky stuff all over me and the bike. 54 miles in and I got to Ashford, stuffed my face and turned back for home... yeah.. but now it was raining and windy, though the temperatures has risen to a balmy 6°
It didn't stop raining the whole of the way home. So 3 and a half hours of cold rain and drizzle, of which turned the roads all mucky, of which turned rider and bike all mucky. But hey... it was jolly good fun to be out the the bike.. I think.
.
Anyway, scores on the doors.
A tad over 101 miles for the day. Century #3 for the year, #231 over all.
It was minus 2° and sunny blue skies when I left home. It was nice to leave for a ride in daylight and for that matter, also arrive home in the daylight. A first for 2018
So it was a tad chilly out and there was a fair bit of ice on the country lanes. But the roads were nice and dry which meant none of that mucky stuff all over me and the bike. 54 miles in and I got to Ashford, stuffed my face and turned back for home... yeah.. but now it was raining and windy, though the temperatures has risen to a balmy 6°
It didn't stop raining the whole of the way home. So 3 and a half hours of cold rain and drizzle, of which turned the roads all mucky, of which turned rider and bike all mucky. But hey... it was jolly good fun to be out the the bike.. I think.
.Anyway, scores on the doors.
A tad over 101 miles for the day. Century #3 for the year, #231 over all.
StuAff
Silencing his legs regularly
- Location
- Portsmouth
Was a bit driech out there- bad enough on the Honda. Chapeau! Next weekend for me, hopefully (wind looking rather brutal tomorrow).Right. February's qualifying ride all done and dusted. A blast down to Ashford for some Scrambles Eggs on Toast
It was minus 2° and sunny blue skies when I left home. It was nice to leave for a ride in daylight and for that matter, also arrive home in the daylight. A first for 2018
So it was a tad chilly out and there was a fair bit of ice on the country lanes. But the roads were nice and dry which meant none of that mucky stuff all over me and the bike. 54 miles in and I got to Ashford, stuffed my face and turned back for home... yeah.. but now it was raining and windy, though the temperatures has risen to a balmy 6°
It didn't stop raining the whole of the way home. So 3 and a half hours of cold rain and drizzle, of which turned the roads all mucky, of which turned rider and bike all mucky. But hey... it was jolly good fun to be out the the bike.. I think.
Anyway, scores on the doors.
A tad over 101 miles for the day. Century #3 for the year, #231 over all.
View attachment 395318
The International Train Station. Nice and big place, never busy. Food is not the best but good enough and not expensive. Decent bogs too.
Febs done and dusted again in the company of @Supersuperleeds who's wheel I needed after the second cafe stop. @tallliman also joined us for his metric century
103.5 miles 6.45.42 moving time 3631 feet of elevation
Anstey out and over the Trent at Swarkstone and a loop of villages of south Derbyshire around Hilton to suzies cafe at Hatton . Back to Loughborough along the Trent valley via Weston ,Aston on Trent ,Shardlow ,Kegworth where we parted company with @tallliman . Me and @Supersuperleeds headed for our favorite cafe nice pie at Old Dalby via East Leake ,Costock ,Willoughby on the Wolds . Coffee and cake consumed and then the run home . I was feeling it now so drafted @Supersuperleeds for a while .Home via Barrow and Quorn with a few extra loops as @Supersuperleeds needed some extra as he was going for 200km
Great ride despite the unforecast rain with great company . It is easier to do the miles with company
103.5 miles 6.45.42 moving time 3631 feet of elevation
Anstey out and over the Trent at Swarkstone and a loop of villages of south Derbyshire around Hilton to suzies cafe at Hatton . Back to Loughborough along the Trent valley via Weston ,Aston on Trent ,Shardlow ,Kegworth where we parted company with @tallliman . Me and @Supersuperleeds headed for our favorite cafe nice pie at Old Dalby via East Leake ,Costock ,Willoughby on the Wolds . Coffee and cake consumed and then the run home . I was feeling it now so drafted @Supersuperleeds for a while .Home via Barrow and Quorn with a few extra loops as @Supersuperleeds needed some extra as he was going for 200km
Great ride despite the unforecast rain with great company . It is easier to do the miles with company
