Three 30-minute rides each week of the year Challenge 2023

[ColinJ]

Ride durations rounded down to the nearest quarter of an hour and excluding breaks.

Week 10: 3 rides, 27 km, 1.5 hrs.

• Ride 1 (Tue): (Singlespeed) 8km. Lumpy local loop in bitter northerly wind. 1/2 hr.
• Ride 2 (Wed): (Singlespeed) 8km. Lumpy local loop plus an extra hill in bitter northerly wind, just before snow started. 1/2 hr.
• Ride 3 (Sun): (Singlespeed) 11 km. Snow has melted! Extended lumpy local loop by one extra hill and 3 extra km. 1/2 hr.

Success rate: 10 weeks out of 10.

30 rides so far this year, totalling 476 km, and taking approximately 27.25 hrs.

 

[Alex321]

4 rides this week (Drove to work on Wednesday because of the snow).

W10 R1 07/03/2023 0:37:46 10.02 miles Up through Welsh St Donats, on to the A48, along it to Cowbridge, back through Aberthin, then back road to home.
W10 R2 10/03/2023 1:03:21 15.43 miles Commute to work
W10 R3 10/03/2023 1:04:17 15.27 miles Commute Home
W10 R4 12/03/2023 1:46:01 25.43 miles - City - Llangan - Corntown - Ewenny - Colwinston - Sigginstone - Llantrithyd - Welsh St Donats - Home

9 weeks success out of 10.

 

[FrothNinja]

W10R1 - Hybrid 45 mins - Gravel and path/road on snow and ice to local bike shop (not that local) to drop bike for new tyres (going tubeless) Quite sketchy in places. Walked back - my knees are still hurting.
W10R2 - Mares 35 mins - local gravel on ice with bald back tyre (yes it needs doing too but it is already tubeless) - quite entertaining.
W10R3 - Mares 34 mins - Similar to ride 2 but more on the towpath. Mostly snow/ice free but still covered in the deep shade, especially on the N/E sides of the canal bridges.
W10R4 - Mares 30 mins - Local gravel loop, much quicker as almost freeze free, though the canal was starting to freeze over.

 

[bluenotebob]

Week 11 (13th March to 19th March)

242km cycled this week (year to date = 2251km)

Four of the five bikes have done over 100km in March 2023

16 rides this week over 30 mins:

Week 11 – ride 1 (Mon) – 50 mins – a white-knuckle Pontmenard loop, in 40+mph winds: on the MASSI
Week 11 – ride 2 (Mon) – 33 mins – local lanes and some off-road, grimly hanging onto the bike: also on the MASSI
Week 11 – ride 3 (Tues) – 51 mins – Devison and SBdM, still very windy (20+mph): on the Urban Shaper
Week 11 – ride 4 (Tues) – 36 mins – a Pontmenard loop: also on the Urban Shaper
Week 11 – ride 5 (Tues) – 1 hr 7 mins – le Faux, Ville Nizan, Kerminy, Geffray and Ville Tual: on the MASSI
Week 11 – ride 6 (Wed) – 34 mins – local lanes: on the RAID
Week 11 – ride 7 (Wed) – 1 hr 27 mins – Esquiniac, Evriguet, Kerminy, Plaisance and SBdM: on the Princess
Week 11 – ride 8 (Thurs) – 39 mins – local lanes: on the Urban Shaper
Week 11 – ride 9 (Thurs) – 43 mins – Plaisance, SBdM and the D2: on La Rossa
Week 11 – ride 10 (Thurs) – 53 mins – SBdM and Devison: on the Princess
Week 11 – ride 11 (Fri) – 1 hr 7 mins – Devison, Justice and SBdM: on the MASSI
Week 11 – ride 12 (Fri) – 47 mins – two loops of Pontmenard: on the Princess
Week 11 – ride 13 (Fri) – 55 mins – a mostly off-road loop around Devison: on the RAID
Week 11 – ride 14 (Sat) – 1 hr 6 mins – same as Week 11/ride 11 but this time on the RAID
Week 11 – ride 15 (Sat) – 43 mins – a Pontmenard loop: also on the RAID
Week 11 – ride 16 (Sun) – 3 hrs 24 mins – SBdM, Brignac, la Riaye, la Corbinais, Kerminy, SBdM, la Plaisance, [lunch – drove to Mauron with the bike in the van], Mauron, Loyat, Lézonnet, Loyat, Mauron: on La Rossa

On the V3 Voie Verte this afternoon, near Trégadon quarry .. heading back to the van

 

[ColinJ]

Ride durations rounded down to the nearest quarter of an hour and excluding breaks.

Week 11: 3 qualifying rides, 27 km, 1.5 hrs.

• Ride 1 (Thu): (Singlespeed) 11 km. Extended lumpy local loop with an extra hill. 1/2 hr.
• Ride 2 (Fri): (Singlespeed) 8 km. Lumpy local loop. 1/2 hr.
• Ride 3 (Sun): (Singlespeed) 8 km. Lumpy local loop. 1/2 hr.

Success rate: 11 weeks out of 11.

33 qualifying rides so far this year, totalling 503 km, and taking approximately 28.75 hrs.

 

[FrothNinja]

W11R1 - Mares 56 mins - Brierfield, the Ridge, Sabden, Whalley, Old Langho. The Ridge was all black ice but quite pretty (see pic).
W11R2 - Mares 30 mins - Gravel and path/road to local bike shop to swap bikes over.
W11R3 - Hybrid 37 mins - Gravel and path/road from local bike shop to Burnley.
W11R4 - Hybrid 1 hour 57 mins - Burnley, Pendle Water, Barrowford, Roughlee, Clarion, Newchurch, Sabden Fold, The Ridge, Whalley, The Ridge, Fence, Burnley.

 

[Alex321]

Week 11 - 5 rides

W11 R1 14/3/23 0:39:02 9.03 miles Ride to Toolstation in Pontyclun to get stuff for woodturning finishes.
W11 R2 17/3/23 1:04:22 15.43 miles commute to work
W11 R3 17/3/23 1:04:06 15.29 miles Commute home
W11 R4 18/3/23 1:17:20 20.93 miles. Loop round through Pontyclun - Tabot Green - Llanharan - Pencoed - B&Q (Coychurch) - Treos - Llangan - City - home
W11 R5 19/3/23 2:18:50 35.39 miles. City - Llangan - Corntown - Ewenny - Castle-Upon-Alun - Wick - Monknash - Llantwt Major - St Athan - Llantrithyd - Warren Mill Farm - Welsh St Donats - Trerhyngell - Home.

10 weeks success out of 11.

 

[Houthakker]

Well managed to get my 3 rides in last week so still in it. Just the bare minimum this week staying close to home in case of any post operation problems, but all seems to be good thanakfully.
W11R1 16/3/23 33:31 5.5 miles
W11R2 17/3/23 34:17 5.3 miles
W11R3 18/3/23 30:56 4.7 miles

 

[bluenotebob]

Week 12 (20th March to 26th March)

250km cycled this week (year to date = 2502km)

Pleased to have reached 2500km before the end of March – at one point I thought I was going to struggle to get there but Saturday’s 81km made a big difference.

All five bikes have done over 100km this month - so January/March 2023 completed in that particular personal challenge.

Four of the five bikes have passed their individual targets for March – just the road bike which is behind …only 285km completed out of a target of 375km: it just hasn’t been a road bike-friendly month at all. In contrast, in March 2022 the road bike achieved 601km – but it was a dry and not very windy March last year.

16 rides this week over 30 mins:

Week 12 – ride 1 (Mon) – 1 hr 13 mins – Plaisance, Devison, Esquiniac and Raserais: on the Princess
Week 12 – ride 2 (Mon) – 1 hr 8 mins – le Faux, Evriguet, Kerminy and la Touche: on the Urban Shaper
Week 12 – ride 3 (Mon) – 46 mins – an early evening Devison loop: on the MASSI
Week 12 – ride 4 (Tues) – 55 mins – Devison and la Touche in a blustery SW wind: on the Urban Shaper
Week 12 – ride 5 (Tues) – 1 hr 2 mins – Devison, Plaisance and SBdM: on the Princess
Week 12 – ride 6 (Wed) – 49 mins – Devison and la Touche in the rain at 8am: on the Urban Shaper
Week 12 – ride 7 (Wed) – 36 mins – still raining – local lanes: on the RAID
Week 12 – ride 8 (Thurs) – 40 mins – Plaisance and SBdM: on La Rossa
Week 12 – ride 9 (Thurs) – 34 mins – Pontmenard loop: on the Urban Shaper
Week 12 - ride 10 (Fri) - 50 mins - Devison and la Touche: on the Urban Shaper
Week 12 – ride 11 (Fri) – 46 mins – Pontmenard loop in 40+mph winds: on the MASSI
Week 12 – ride 12 (Sat) – 1 hr 10 mins – Kerminy, Evriguet, Plaisance and SBdM: on La Rossa
Week 12 – ride 13 (Sat) – 41 mins – Devison and la Touche: on the Urban Shaper
Week 12 – ride 14 (Sat) – 1 hr 22 mins – le Faux, Evriguet, Kerminy, Plaisance and SBdM: on the Urban Shaper again
Week 12 – ride 15 (Sat) – 1 hr 28 mins – Kerminy, Corbinais, la Riaye, Brignac and SBdM: on La Rossa

Cream-crackered after yesterday’s 5+hr epic battling the wind so only one short ride today ..

Week 12 – ride 16 (Sun) – 57 mins – Devison and SBdM: on the MASSI

 

[Houthakker]

W12R1 19/3/23 59:43 9.5 miles Along the prom, Lodge lane, Moss Side, Saltcoates home
W12R2 22/3/23 1:08:39 11.7 miles Starr gate, progress Way, Queensway
W12R3 24/3/23 1:30:36 14.5 miles Saltcoats, Wrea Green, Great Plumpton, Peel corner than back via the moss.

 

[FrothNinja]

W12R1 - Mares 31 mins - Local bike shop to home via some lappage of the Steve Burke track.
W12R2 - Mares 39 mins - Gravel and road locally
W12R3 - Hybrid 48 mins - Local loops round Burnley, Brierfield, Wheatley Lane, Colne, etc.
W12R4 - Hybrid 6 hour 32 mins (moving time 4 hours 37 mins) - Col's Calderdale offroad run - Hebden Bridge, Midgehole, Walshaw, Gorple, High Gate, Mytholm, Blackshaw Head, Eastwood, Mankinholes, London Rd, Cragg Rd, Rudd Ln, Cragg Vale, Turvin Clough, Steep Lane, Mytholmroyd, Hebden Bridge, Heptonstall, Hebden Bridge (total 56.4 km / 35.1 miles plus 4,429 ft / 1,350 m ascent)
W12R5 - Hybrid 41 mins - Clarion run.

 

[ColinJ]

Ride durations rounded down to the nearest quarter of an hour and excluding breaks.

Week 12: 3 qualifying rides, 89 km, ~8 hrs.

• Ride 1 (Wed): (MTB) 17 km. Lumpy local MTB test ride. 2.25 hrs.
• Ride 2 (Fri): (Singlespeed) 8 km. Lumpy local loop. 1/2 hr.
• Ride 3 (Sat): (MTB) 8 km. My lumpy Calderdale offroad forum ride. 5.25*** hrs.

Success rate: 12 weeks out of 12.

36 qualifying rides so far this year, totalling 592 km, and taking approximately 36.75 hrs.


*** I'm guessing. I don't know what the total stoppage time on that ride was. Maybe we stopped for quite a bit longer and the ride time was shorter? I could go through my GPS tracklog and work it out, but... I can't be bothered to!

 

[Alex321]

Just four rides this week, all commutes (Realised on the way home on Friday that my bottom bracket was knackered, so took the bike in to the LBS yesterday, won't have it back until tomorrow).

W12 R1 22/03/23 0:57:27 15.43 miles, Commute to wokl
W12 R2 22/03/23 0:59:32 15.3 miles, commute home
W12 R3 24/03/23 1:00:04 14.41 miles, commute to work
W12 R4 24/03/23 1:09:56 15.3 miles, commute home (against very strong headwind)

 

[bluenotebob]

Week 13 chat ..

I’ve had a few problems uplifting my ride notes from MSW and posting them here. I can’t be bothered raising the issue in ‘Site Support’ but to make Sunday evenings a bit easier (and just for the sake of variation), I think I’ll post my rides every two or three days instead of just once a week.

Two gentle rides today after the exhaustion of yesterday – I was too tired to light a fire last night, or eat any dinner – and I slept for 11 hours.

Week 13 – ride 1 (Mon) – 52 mins – Plaisance and Devison: on the Princess
Week 13 – ride 2 (Mon) – 1 hour 27 mins – Esquiniac, Guilliers, Evriguet and SBdM: also on the Princess

The last of these two rides got me to 1006km in March, so that’s another target met.

I’m determined to get out more on the Princess – she’s a good bike but hasn’t had many rides in the last 12 months. Partly the problem is to do with the tyres – 28mm slicks. Hopeless on the wet and muddy roads around here – and when the weather’s better, I tend to use the road bike instead.

Anyway, the Princess has now done 417km this year – and is determined to catch up with @ColinJ ! .. she might – but not when Colin starts doing his 100km Loony Rides (do you have a plan for doing this, Colin?).

I note that @FrothNinja is going tubeless on one of his bikes – and that @ColinJ is repairing yet another puncture.

Have either of you considered “anti-puncture” innertubes? I’ve never seen them mentioned on CC (perhaps they’re not available in the UK?) but I’ve got them fitted on all five of my bikes – and I’ve cycled over 52,000km since Jan 2017 without a single puncture.

Here’s the Princess having a rest and enjoying some spring sunshine this afternoon.

 

[Alex321]

Have either of you considered “anti-puncture” innertubes? I’ve never seen them mentioned on CC (perhaps they’re not available in the UK?) but I’ve got them fitted on all five of my bikes – and I’ve cycled over 52,000km since Jan 2017 without a single puncture.

If you mean the "slime" ones, I have tried them, and just given up after Friday. They certainly seemed to help, but when I did get a puncture that wouldn't self-seal, they are pretty well unrepairable - I couldn't get a patch to stick at all. And they made a mess of the inside of the tyre, though that doesn't matter as much.