Worse and best ride ever

[RyanW]

Went for a "short" night time ride at about 1am.

Was me and two house mates, one on some ridge back step over frame thing and another on his "bomb proof mtb"

planning on a quick 5-10miles so an hour max just to get some air (spent all day cleaning)!

Yeah like hell was it 1 hour. We went to bushy park, though oh its a amazing night, lets go Richmond park (6miles so far) got there, and i had the great idea of going round. there is a nice bit near Kingston gate where you can see all the way to Hampton court (where we had just been).

So we get half way round and all of a sudden the guy on the "bomb proof" mtb pulls over "i have a flat".......

Yeah, no spare tube, no pump nothing. Luckily i had a spare mtb tube in my pack (just in case someone needs one when im out and about) so i hand it over along with my pump.... take one look at his wheel and laugh, they arnt QR, his front is, not the rear and no one has a spanner, i mean why would we of the 6 wheels 5 are QR. At this point i was going to leave him there to get eaten by the deer but felt bad so continued on.

So we walk out of the park to roehampton, bare in mind i'm totally lost, and just ride alone to try and find anything that's open. Get to a shell garage and ask the guy if he happens to have a spanner.... "No" very helpful. so i ride back, get them and walk (in my socks as i have spd-sl's to the petrol station, buy a drink to which the guy reply's "why are you here so late" because someone has a flat "well why don't you change it" erm.... because i needed a spanner "Ah a SPANNER yeah sure" hands it over.

You have no idea how thankful i was at this point, changed the tyre thinking OK all is good, home it 20minutes.

Pffff i wish "i know the way" so i follow the ridge back, to find 20minutes later "i'm lost" GRRRRRRR. luckily i have a pretty good sense of direction. So after 3 and a half ours of a 1hour ride we made it home.

Moral's of the rant:

Don't ride with ill equipped riders
Always ask a guy in a shell garage twice for a spanner
Never trust a woman's direction's.

Now im off to bed

 

[RyanW]

Oh i didnt add, best ride ever?

Nothing like riding through richmond park at 2am, surrounded by deer, lit by moon light and stars with a light breeze in your hair and the sweet smell of nature (well TBH the smell of deer crap) with 2 of your best mates with not a care in the world "pop" Doh!

 

[Crackle]

Worst. Took off on a 40 miler with my mind in a whirl. As I reached half way I realized I was bonking. No money, no food and pre-mobile. Had to crawl home 20 miles in a pathetic state, stopping every few minutes as I was hardly able to turn the pedals.

Best: A lovely 70 mile ride which I just seemed to float around, one of those days that feel effortless and easy. I had set off with no route in mind and 4.5hrs later was back with an average speed I've never repeated over that distance.

 

[arallsopp]

Lol @ Ryan. Considering we've never ridden together, that sounds awfully like me last year. Different locations, same techniques.

 

[Cyclist33]

Why didn't you just repair the puncture with the wheel still on?

 

[guitarpete247]

Why didn't you just repair the puncture with the wheel still on?

You need a repair kit for this. Did anyone have a repair kit Ryan?
I carry 'Slime Skabs' with me as well as spare tube. They take up next to no room in seat pouch.

 

[guitarpete247]

My worst ride. After runing out of money in Kings Lynn. Mate and I had no option but to cycle back to Doncaster in one go. Waited till rain stopped at 12:00. Got back to parent's at 23:00. Knacked.

Best. I'm enjoying dicovering the villages around where I live now. Some lovely rides to had here lots of interesting places. There are others that cycle our lanes as well. Almost bumped into Solihull CC here yesterday. Any of you guys on here remember seeing me as you came round bend? I was in a blue Aldi jersey.

 

[petebud]

wiltshire ride

Hello, I must tell you about my Wiltshire ride. I always do a summer cycle for a few days just a change of clothes and a tent and the usual, innertube pump and stuff. I always travel light. This year took me to Salisbury. I always take the train out, I live in Sussex. I deceided to take the A road to Devizes and cycle the Kennet and Avon Canal down to bath. What a great ride, it was all downhill passing flights of locks and barges and also a great path (national cycle network route 4) After doing a bit of touring around Bradford-on-Avon, Trowbridge, Frome I took the Cycle Route 24 back to Salisbury. A lovely run taking in little vilages woodland, rivers and streams. A joy to behold. Highly recommended.

 

[RyanW]

Why would i take a puncture kit when i have a spare tube......

yeah lesson lurnt

 

[fossyant]

Worst...hmm not many. Suppose crashing on the Cat and Fiddle with a 15-20 mile ride home with a huge hole in my shorts and skin, or on a club run coming back up Axe Edge towards Buxton in howling conditions - one of the younger lads broke down in tears it was that harsh - was hard work getting him to continue in those conditions.

Best - Loads.....

Big fun this year was the big freeze. Immediate decision, right MTB and off I went - hour later of ploughing through a foot of snow for 8 miles I arrived at work. Got sent home at 11.00am as no-one else in, and didn't arrive home for a good couple of hours.....yes went the long way back home through various trails....