Your ride today.... (part 1)

[beardy01]

Bit late but my ride was yesterday 50 miles to dorking and back through redhill and reigate along the a25, with a cup of tea and a bit of flapjack at the top of box hill. Great view from the top but was expecting a bit more of box hill being the first time have ridden it, some of the lumpy hills on the way back were tougher. The contrast between the bottom and top of box hill made me smile though all leather, horepower and harley davidsons at the bottom and lycra and leg power at the top. Great ride done in 3hrs 17mins only down side my phone battery is playing up and only logged on map my ride to the bottom of box hill..... still makes 160 miles for the week. Rest day today with trip to evans got loud clanking noise when i put pressure / power onto the pedals. Any clues or ideas what that is?

 

[ScotiaLass]

I was awake early this morning and the sun was out. What could I do at 8.30am on a Sunday morning? What else but go for a ride!

It was very quiet, even the slight headwind didn't dampen my spirits as I sang along to the tunes on my iPod. I did my usual loop down to Helix Park, around the Kelpies and home. 11 miles, giving me a 40 mile total this week.

The farmers' crops were looking stunning in the early morning sun and I just had to stop to take a photo.
I was wearing lycra shorts today so had no pockets to put my camera in but I'm glad I stopped and pulled the camera out of the rucksack!

I got to the Kelpies and sat, having a drink, Just me and a guy taking photos...

I headed home, which is uphill. This is where the real fun began!
Priscilla was being naughty. In fact she was naughty yesterday on the Belles ride, as she downright refused to change down to the lowest gearing, leaving me struggling uphill at the Falkirk wheel in 11th gear! I called her some names when I got to the top!

Anyway, today she did the same. I had to ride around the bottom of the cemetery hill several times, whilst changing in and out of gears to try and get into the gear I needed! It eventually worked and cursing, I set off up the hill. At the top, I went into the new part of the cemetery and was amazed at the view...so it's not just me, it really IS a steep hill!

I think need to get the gear cables adjusted - a job for the pros I think!
I'll try and get that done this week. All in all a lovely ride

 

[stephec]

I was awake early this morning and the sun was out. What could I do at 8.30am on a Sunday morning? What else but go for a ride!

It was very quiet, even the slight headwind didn't dampen my spirits as I sang along to the tunes on my iPod. I did my usual loop down to Helix Park, around the Kelpies and home. 11 miles, giving me a 40 mile total this week.

The farmers' crops were looking stunning in the early morning sun and I just had to stop to take a photo.
I was wearing lycra shorts today so had no pockets to put my camera in but I'm glad I stopped and pulled the camera out of the rucksack!

View attachment 50337


I got to the Kelpies and sat, having a drink, Just me and a guy taking photos...

View attachment 50338

I headed home, which is uphill. This is where the real fun began!
Priscilla was being naughty. In fact she was naughty yesterday on the Belles ride, as she downright refused to change down to the lowest gearing, leaving me struggling uphill at the Falkirk wheel in 11th gear! I called her some names when I got to the top!

Anyway, today she did the same. I had to ride around the bottom of the cemetery hill several times, whilst changing in and out of gears to try and get into the gear I needed! It eventually worked and cursing, I set off up the hill. At the top, I went into the new part of the cemetery and was amazed at the view...so it's not just me, it really IS a steep hill!

View attachment 50341

I think need to get the gear cables adjusted - a job for the pros I think!
I'll try and get that done this week. All in all a lovely ride

She's being moody as she's found out about Arabella.

 

[ScotiaLass]

She's being moody as she's found out about Arabella.

I called her bad names...

 

[Jon George]

Had warning of those clouds, but took the wrong rainwear - a ride in the rain became Help-me-I'm melting-as-I-ride-in-the-rain. Listen to that inner voice, Jon. Listen to that voice.

 

[stephec]

I called her bad names...

Isn't she a lucky girl?
Did anyone else hear you?

 

[GrumpyGregry]

One by one the texts rolled in "Can't make is. Soz." and "Visitors. Can't ride" et cetera until it was just me. Now I get all the solo riding I need on my commute (150 - 200km a week) so my motivation was at a low ebb. TLH is proper poorly with a cold so I had had a poor night's sleep.

Somehow I dragged my ass out of bed at 08:30 gulped a coffee and hit the road. With no pre-planned route and no plan of where to go. As I rode through town to get out of town I thought about maybe joining in with my club's runs but a premonition that whatever social/lower intermediate group I'd end up in would simply ride my commute routes put me off that idea - I thought it would be churlish to go to the rendezvous, find out where they are going and then say "no ta" and set off on my own, so out of town I went.

Heading south all I could see to the south and west was rain clouds and within minutes a benign drizzle was falling. Whoosh! A disc braked hybrid overtook me. I let him go and a gap opens up. First climb I'm on his tail as we hit the crest. He pedals off on the downhill, I freewheel and feather the brakes and the gap opens. Next climb... back on his wheel about half way up. Same pattern is repeated another couple of times before I get bored with the game, pass him at the bottom of a steeper ramp and turn right down a lane I don't remember riding down for years'n'years.

It now occurs to me that my Etrex is only showing the basemap as I appear to be riding across terra incognita, no roads. Eventually I reach a junction with only the vaguest of ideas of where I am. But at least the drizzle has stopped. It becomes obvious that in changing the batteries in the Extrex I dislodged the SIM card with OCM on it. I set off again down lanes which have clearly seem more than drizzle; glad I put mudguards on. Joining a main road I decide I'll turn right down another lane I can't recall riding down before and meet the Sussex Nomads Club coming the other way. Roads here are bone dry. Funny things showers.

I zig zag west and endure the 'joy' of crossing the A24 NSL DC on the level. The South Downs mark the horizon on my left and I resolve to take picture of Chanctonbury Ring with my phone.

and while I'm putting the phone away the Sussex Nomads pass me again. Maybe they ride round in circles! Spin home, feeling good, pushing the big ring and the bottom half of the block all the way. Lovely ride; 50 odd km in a touch over two hours which shows sometimes you have to put your misgivings to one side and just ride.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Nice slow gentle 30 mile pootle with our lass this morning, got a bit wet at the start, by the end was very warm and the sun breaking through the clouds.

http://www.strava.com/activities/165316064

 

[beardy01]

Bottom bracket is finished and needs replacing so no bike till wednesday after evans work there magic!!!!! Will probably get pelters for this but hope it rains till wednesday 5pm when my lycra will be back on and pushing those pedals☺

 

[Dark46]

Just got back from first weekend ride since my knee injury. Was hoping for 10miles but ended up being 7.7. That's the prpblem with Strava on your phone in the back pocket of your cycling top.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

This morning was a test ride to make sure that my backside and the new saddle on my touring/expedition bike are getting on (I go on a solo tour on Tuesday, so it really did need to get on with it). A quick check of the tyre pressures using the old school method soon had the track pump out... The bikes have been away (indoors) over winter and their tyre pressures were down below 20psi, they should have been at 65psi! Oops, but at least all 4 were at the same low pressure, so nothing to worry about. And given that we needed to visit my Grandfather in hospital this afternoon, it was a morning only ride and well, the expedition bikes are not light... so it was a slooooow ride getting re-accustomed to the riding position (upright mtb style) that they have and adjusting to life in the slow lane, but I do so love being able to change gear when stationary! One look at the weather did not convince us that the weather forecast was correct (it had been raining but was due to dry up) and some of those clouds looked really dark and wet, but it didn't rain and was even sunny by the time we got back.

It is strange how many other cyclist decide to completely ignore you when you are not on a 'normal' bike (by which I mean road/mountain/recognisable hybrid) and few cyclists returned our hellos today .. It took a while to find the correct saddle position and ironically it was not my backside that was having the problems but an old RSI injury in my right foot. The good news is that the new saddle and I get on fine, the less good news is that the rails are not really long enough and I do so hope that 'stop' sign on them is not that important ... I also established that I need to tighten the chain a touch (my expedition bike is a Rohloff hub geared bike with an eccentric bottom bracket) but that is easily done tomorrow. I may also need to adjust my brake pads or even put new one on. The existing ones have only done around 10,000km of fully laden touring - I was expecting more from them tbh...

One slightly amusing incident part way round has us laughing and surprised.... At a certain point, there is a place where ladies can jump a gate and have a pit stop in total privacy, only today there was a portaloo there, so I thought to myself 'I'll give it a try'. to my surprise not only was it totally clean, totally smell free, but it had toilet paper, soap, hand towels and water for the wash hand basin... I know this because it wasn't locked... well, what was I to do? go behind it, or use it?

45.7km in 2hrs 30 mins. Not too bad given that even unladen the bikes weigh in at over 20kg and I am almost ready for Tuesday morning...
http://www.strava.com/activities/165302436

 

[jayonabike]

Ride with @toptom & @CharlieB
I met Charlie at the station, we were supposed to be meeting Ian but he had texted me on the way down that there was problems at Euston and couldn't make it.
Two minutes later Tom turned up, Charlie finished his pre ride ciggie and we were on our way. A couple of miles on a fast B road through Hemel and we had our first climb up to Potten End to warm the legs. What goes up must come down and this meant a lovely sweeping descent into Berkhamsted.
Up the second hill of the day out of Berko and into the lanes towards Wiggington with rolling roads and beautiful countryside. Another fast descent dodging the gravel at the bottom and back on to the fast B road heading back towards Berkhamsted.
Next was a nice climb up to Ashridge with red kites circling overhead looking for their breakfast. Back down the other side with what has to be the worst bit of road surface around here, I'm sure I lost a filling or two on the way down. Back on to the rolling fast B roads for a few miles before we turned off towards the village of Slapton with its cream coloured church. A few roads around here are being resurfaced with that awful stuff and we were now (again) on one of them, dodging bits of loose gravel being shot up at us from passing cars. Luckily this didn't last for long and the roads were smooth(ish) again. I don't know what's worse, cycling on pot hole laden roads or this freshly laid crap with all the loose gravel that goes with it.
By now we had 34 miles under our belt and were in the village of Wing. A quick stop at the local shop for a sugar hit (a can of cherry coke and a peanut lion bar for me, the cherry coke didn't even touch the sides!) we had parked our bikes next to this impressive looking bike with a laser gun attached to the back. I like that idea, I could of done with one of those myself to deal with a couple of muppets in cars today

Five minutes later and the bikes were rolling again, as were the roads to Cublington and then on to Long Marston. Next was a quiet flat country lane for a couple of miles in the shadows of Wendover Woods and the highest point in the Chilterns which we were heading to. The first part of the climb has a real kick before we turn off into the woods and up towards the cafe.
On our way up you could see the black rain clouds rolling in pretty fast and with perfect timing as we locked the bikes up and walked into the cafe the heavens opened and it poured. Coffee, Toasted sandwiches/baguettes and cake were eaten and timed perfectly again the rain stopped as we finished eating.
Being the highest point in the Chilterns it meant the only way was down. For 6 miles! Fantastic cycling with some great sweeping descents all the way into Chesham where we said goodbye to Charlie and made our way to Bovingdon where we picked up the lanes back to Hemel and home.

72 miles for me and a cracking route which I will definitely ride again.

 

[derrick]

Saturdays ride to Leigh on sea for a beer and some lunch.

A nice easy pace there and back, had another pub stop half way back, great ride the best company lovely day was had by all ;-)

http://www.strava.com/activities/165027680

 

[stephec]

Saturdays ride to Leigh on sea for a beer and some lunch.

A nice easy pace there and back, had another pub stop half way back, great ride the best company lovely day was had by all ;-)

http://www.strava.com/activities/165027680

Lovely pictures, that's my kind of ride, plenty of refreshments.

 

[beardy01]

Just got back from first weekend ride since my knee injury. Was hoping for 10miles but ended up being 7.7. That's the prpblem with Strava on your phone in the back pocket of your cycling top.

well done pal keep going it wont be long till your racking up the miles