After getting my good wheels (deep rims) back on the bike i had a pinch puncture on Sunday at the bottom of the Yetts O' Muckhart climb out of Dunning. Unfortunately the spare tubes i had were short valve! Thankfully one was long enough just to poke through the rim to allow inflation. This prompted todays ride to the LBS in Stirling to get a couple of new tubes. I took the long way and had a nice 44 mile ride via Gleneagles and Sheriffmuir (the easy way!) but experienced a nasty headwind on the climb. The descent into Stirling via Bridge of Allan is a road surface shocker. Got my tubes then TT'd it home with a tailwind.
Your ride today.... (part 1)
- Thread starter gbb
- Start date
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Old Plodder
Living at the top of a steep 2 mile climb
- Location
- Surrey/Hants border
One of those rare occasions.....
BigonaBianchi
Yes I can, Yes I am, Yes I did...Repeat.
- Location
- Iskele TRNC & Mordor UK
beautiful day out there...my legs are zonked after yesterday though...hmmm...common boab...arse into gear...shirker
KEEF
Veteran
- Location
- BURNOPFIELD
My ride to day was the same as I do every day an 11.5 mile loop before breakfast come what may and you peeps on Strava putting in your segments are cheats!!!!
going round in the car I bet.
going round in the car I bet.
HLaB
Marie Attoinette Fan
Not today but last night, today is a rest day. Went out to meet some mates last night did 40odd miles at over 21mph but that was thanks in large part to the two guys who dragged us round the central part 30miles at 21.8mph. I was going to give them a break honest but I got boxed in and nobody else did, if I had succeeded the average would have been only 20mph 
Same here. The sun is shining, legs are shredded (6 days on the trot) but i think i'll just have time to go out on my short 10 mile loop, which i shouldn't as it's not ideal recovery terrain. But the sun is shining! Help...beautiful day out there...my legs are zonked after yesterday though...hmmm...common boab...arse into gear...shirker
48 miles.Tried to go to Burnsall,but just as i was about to leave home at 09-15 my mate rang.Asking about my holiday,we had a natter and i told him i was going out.Result was he came too but we set off at 10-15.Now he has been off the bike for a while so he suffered a little.So at 12-00 and at Bolton Abbey i stopped the ride.It was a pity because i was in the groove and i don't often shout about my good days,but today was one of them.So today i more than doubled my last ride.
BigonaBianchi
Yes I can, Yes I am, Yes I did...Repeat.
- Location
- Iskele TRNC & Mordor UK
i eventually got on the bike and rode to the post office to send a hedcam back to be fixed, then over to town to sort out a few errands, back here to get some rays in the garden....which is proving impossible due to the neighbour screaming down the phone at somebody...probably about 3 miles today all in for me
SatNavSaysStraightOn
Changed hemispheres!
- Location
- ɐᴉlɐɹʇsn∀ 'ɐɹɹǝquɐƆ
Today was "Operation Dundee Cake" (times 4 - that is 4 cakes...) My parent's and grandfather were expecting me over to bake cakes what with me going away for several weeks on Friday.
The day didn't get off to the best of starts after a "discussion" with a workman after I rode through a temporary red light which I had neither hope of setting off nor clearing the entire set of roadworks on what would be 'my' green - uphill all the way. The conversation went as follows as he walked alongside me cycling up the inside of the cones in my grannie gear - not yet warmed up having only covered 1km.
Workman: "have you just ridden through on red?",
Me:"yes"
WM: " you are meant to stop"
Me: Are the lights going to detect me?
WM: (no answer)
Me: Are the lights going to see me come out of xyz lane?
WM: Probably not
Me: Am I going to be able to get up this hill on the green light?
WM: No
Me: So what is the problem? I don't stand a chance either way which is why I'm cycling up the inside of the cones, not in the traffic... .
In the end he gave up as the cars started to come towards us - I had not even got 1/3 of the way up the hill through the roadworks... point made superbly.
Further on and I was thinking I had made a real mistake with my clothing today, cycling out of blue skies and sunshine into dense fog, but it was only the River Weaver doing its usual and I quickly cycled out of it again. 3/4 lengths and short sleeves was most certainly the order of the day.
Later on I had another unusual incident, this time a good one with a pedestrain. After another hill, I looked up just in time to see a (older) teenage girl step off the curb on the opposite side of the road on a zebra crossing, so I eased up to let her cross. She stopped dead in the road in giggles waving me through, telling me not to stop, somewhere between her's and my giggles at this point we both managed to thank each other. Then the rest of the ride to my mum's was punctuated by more temporary traffic lights (3 sets in the first 6 miles alone), none of which detected bikes, but the roads were busy enough for me only to have to wait 30 seconds or so before a car arrived to trigger them and all the vehicles were well behaved and helpful.
Operation Dundee cake complete - and I could come home. I had a good ride home, though did have some "fun" with one driver who refused to overtake me for a considerably period of time - in the end when there was no posibility of any other cars - you could see the road for nearly a mile and it was clear, he finally overtook and all was revealed: he was driving a 13 reg plate car!
I have no idea what happened on the ride home, but somehow I have managed to knock +6 mins of my personal best for that route. previously it has taken me 1hr 30 mins 34 seconds being my PB. Today it was 1:24:34 giving me an average speed over 15mph
(which is unheard of for me!). Why I have no idea but somehow 3 crackers & humous for lunch, plus a licorice bar seem to have worked miracles. Perhaps there was a tailwind or maybe that new crankset with more teeth has helped? No idea.
Out http://www.strava.com/activities/80013266
Home: http://www.strava.com/activities/80013253
The day didn't get off to the best of starts after a "discussion" with a workman after I rode through a temporary red light which I had neither hope of setting off nor clearing the entire set of roadworks on what would be 'my' green - uphill all the way. The conversation went as follows as he walked alongside me cycling up the inside of the cones in my grannie gear - not yet warmed up having only covered 1km.
Workman: "have you just ridden through on red?",
Me:"yes"
WM: " you are meant to stop"
Me: Are the lights going to detect me?
WM: (no answer)
Me: Are the lights going to see me come out of xyz lane?
WM: Probably not
Me: Am I going to be able to get up this hill on the green light?
WM: No
Me: So what is the problem? I don't stand a chance either way which is why I'm cycling up the inside of the cones, not in the traffic... .
In the end he gave up as the cars started to come towards us - I had not even got 1/3 of the way up the hill through the roadworks... point made superbly.
Further on and I was thinking I had made a real mistake with my clothing today, cycling out of blue skies and sunshine into dense fog, but it was only the River Weaver doing its usual and I quickly cycled out of it again. 3/4 lengths and short sleeves was most certainly the order of the day.
Later on I had another unusual incident, this time a good one with a pedestrain. After another hill, I looked up just in time to see a (older) teenage girl step off the curb on the opposite side of the road on a zebra crossing, so I eased up to let her cross. She stopped dead in the road in giggles waving me through, telling me not to stop, somewhere between her's and my giggles at this point we both managed to thank each other. Then the rest of the ride to my mum's was punctuated by more temporary traffic lights (3 sets in the first 6 miles alone), none of which detected bikes, but the roads were busy enough for me only to have to wait 30 seconds or so before a car arrived to trigger them and all the vehicles were well behaved and helpful.
Operation Dundee cake complete - and I could come home. I had a good ride home, though did have some "fun" with one driver who refused to overtake me for a considerably period of time - in the end when there was no posibility of any other cars - you could see the road for nearly a mile and it was clear, he finally overtook and all was revealed: he was driving a 13 reg plate car!
I have no idea what happened on the ride home, but somehow I have managed to knock +6 mins of my personal best for that route. previously it has taken me 1hr 30 mins 34 seconds being my PB. Today it was 1:24:34 giving me an average speed over 15mph
(which is unheard of for me!). Why I have no idea but somehow 3 crackers & humous for lunch, plus a licorice bar seem to have worked miracles. Perhaps there was a tailwind or maybe that new crankset with more teeth has helped? No idea.Out http://www.strava.com/activities/80013266
Home: http://www.strava.com/activities/80013253
- Location
- Shrewsbury, Shropshire
As the forecast doesn't look that promising for the next few days I took the chance to get out in the 
on my Melverley route, this time taking the Raleigh (well, I had to do a comparison after doing a quickish time on the knockabout bike 
).
The ride started out okay but after 1.5 miles I felt something in my shoe. I assumed it was my shoelace as this has a habit of getting tucked into the top even when I double tie it, but no - it was a wasp. Stop bike, hop around getting shoe off and swat at wasp & its friend who came to see what all the fuss was about, somehow without getting stung.
After this there were all the school kids to negotiate as I just got there at kicking out time. On the plus side, the road is very much faster than the cycle path they were blocking.
I had the wind behind me en-route to Great Ness, which was great and meant I was cruising at 18-20 mph for much of the way. This made up for the irritation of a completely unnecessary close pass early in this section.
Nesscliffe to Melverley was also quite quick even though the wind was no longer in a favourable direction and my speedometer was showing a 16.5 mph average by this point.
The next section to Westbury was slower. This is the hilly part of the ride and with the wind against me now it was disappointing to see the average slipping away, but I knew I could make some of it back between Westbury and Nox as this is a long straight bit and slightly downhill most of the way.
I was starting to struggle a bit having pressed on quite well at the start of the ride so decided to head up the A49 from Hunger Hill, as it seemed quieter than normal, to avoid going over Lyth Hill. I don't usually ride this road if I can avoid it and had a reminder of why when a lorry gave me a close pass on the way, and there was a hooting of horns from the drivers coming the other way that were also getting squeezed against the kerb so he could fit - moron!
I felt very smug when I sailed past him (and all the other vehicles that had passed me) stuck in a traffic jam only a mile up the road.
33.2 miles covered today at 15.8 mph average.
This is very quick for me!
The only pic I took today. Drink stop near Great Ness, looking towards The Long Mynd and the Stiperstones. The fields have been harvested and harrowed in preparation for the next crop.
on my Melverley route, this time taking the Raleigh (well, I had to do a comparison after doing a quickish time on the knockabout bike ).The ride started out okay but after 1.5 miles I felt something in my shoe. I assumed it was my shoelace as this has a habit of getting tucked into the top even when I double tie it, but no - it was a wasp
. Stop bike, hop around getting shoe off and swat at wasp & its friend who came to see what all the fuss was about, somehow without getting stung.After this there were all the school kids to negotiate as I just got there at kicking out time. On the plus side, the road is very much faster than the cycle path they were blocking.
I had the wind behind me en-route to Great Ness, which was great and meant I was cruising at 18-20 mph for much of the way. This made up for the irritation of a completely unnecessary close pass early in this section.
Nesscliffe to Melverley was also quite quick even though the wind was no longer in a favourable direction and my speedometer was showing a 16.5 mph average by this point.
The next section to Westbury was slower. This is the hilly part of the ride and with the wind against me now it was disappointing to see the average slipping away, but I knew I could make some of it back between Westbury and Nox as this is a long straight bit and slightly downhill most of the way.
I was starting to struggle a bit having pressed on quite well at the start of the ride so decided to head up the A49 from Hunger Hill, as it seemed quieter than normal, to avoid going over Lyth Hill. I don't usually ride this road if I can avoid it and had a reminder of why when a lorry gave me a close pass on the way, and there was a hooting of horns from the drivers coming the other way that were also getting squeezed against the kerb so he could fit - moron!
I felt very smug when I sailed past him (and all the other vehicles that had passed me) stuck in a traffic jam only a mile up the road.
33.2 miles covered today at 15.8 mph average.
This is very quick for me!The only pic I took today. Drink stop near Great Ness, looking towards The Long Mynd and the Stiperstones. The fields have been harvested and harrowed in preparation for the next crop.
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As the forecast doesn't look that promising for the next few days I took the chance to get out in the
The ride started out okay but after 1.5 miles I felt something in my shoe. I assumed it was my shoelace as this has a habit of getting tucked into the top even when I double tie it, but no - it was a wasp
[.
Those pesky things really are out to get us this week aren't they!!! I killed another at lunchtime at work today, so I'm winning 3-1 now
. You were very lucky not to be stung!
Wayne Tully
Senior Member
Those pesky things really are out to get us this week aren't they!!! I killed another at lunchtime at work today, so I'm winning 3-1 now
I went straight through a swarm the other day and somehow didn't get stung or get any of them on me, I hate the bastarding things.
- Location
- Shrewsbury, Shropshire
I know. With that, one that chased me round at breakfast and one that had a go at me in the loo earlier, I've had my fill of the dratted things today. They're a pain in the .... well, wherever they get you really.Those pesky things really are out to get us this week aren't they!!! I killed another at lunchtime at work today, so I'm winning 3-1 now
I headed out after work to do something that I hadn't done in ages, which was to ride around the town that I reside in, Shrewsbury. I headed out along Whitchurch Rd and then through Castlefields and then alongside the River Severn on the towpath, passing the very sad sight of seeing the luxury riverside apartments that are being built on the former site of where my beloved Shrewsbury Town Football Club used to play (Gay Meadow). Mind you, after last nights 4-1 thrashing in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy against Oldham, they are not so beloved to me today!! This site used to have a covenant on it that stated it could only be used for leisure purposes. That seems to have conveniently been forgotten.
I continued into the Quarry Park and it was very pleasant in the lovely warmand there were a few cyclists about, including one young lad who was out with his sister and fancied racing me as I overtook him........I won 
!! There have been a number of irate letters in the local rag recently, from pedestrians, who have been moaning about cyclists speeding through the Quarry and almost knocking them over. I really do wonder how this is the case, as the traffic free road really is wider than most 2 lane Main Roads!! Some people really do just have nothing better to do than moan. Life is too short, get over it!! 
I then dismounted to walk over Porthill Bridge, passing the very nice Boathouse Inn, which looked very inviting for a pint on their beer terrace overlooking the river, but I resisted and carried on into Porthill and then out onto Roman Road and through Copthorne estate, towards where I work at the Hospital. I then doubled back around Crowmeole Lane and down towards Meole Brace, out onto the cycle path. I had to navigate around a car that had decided a cycle lane also doubles as somewhere to park their car and I arrived in Meole Brace, navigating around a car that had broken down blocking the junction near Upper Road.
I then proceeded along Oteley Road, passing the new (well since 2007 anyway) home of Shrewsbury Town Football Club. It is a typical soulless out of town ground, that are becoming the norm these days. It doesn't have anywhere near the atmosphere of the previous ground, but it is comfortable and much safer and I suppose those things have to come first these days.
The Greenhous Meadow
I continued along Oteley Road and turned left into Sutton Farm estate and then took the cycleway along the old track bed through to Reabrook. I then headed along Bage Way, Telford Way and back along Whitchurch Road.
The one thing I discovered was that cycling in the town is nowhere near as much fun as being out in the countryside. There are too many stops and starts to gain any real momentum, too many pedestrians walking in the cycle lanes who won't get out of the way and the noise of constant traffic and the exhaust fumes are very off putting. I have recently been thinking of cycling to work, but I have decided definitely against it now, as cycling is an enjoyment to me and I think if I join the commuter cyclists through town every day it will become a chore and not an enjoyment any more.
The legs felt a bit heavy today, perhaps too much sitting down at work! I am hoping to get a 40 miler in with @Rickshaw Phil this weekend, although the weather looks like it is going to do it's best to put pay to that
.
11.72 miles, avg speed 11.4 mph
I continued into the Quarry Park and it was very pleasant in the lovely warm
and there were a few cyclists about, including one young lad who was out with his sister and fancied racing me as I overtook him........I won !! There have been a number of irate letters in the local rag recently, from pedestrians, who have been moaning about cyclists speeding through the Quarry and almost knocking them over. I really do wonder how this is the case, as the traffic free road really is wider than most 2 lane Main Roads!! Some people really do just have nothing better to do than moan. Life is too short, get over it!! I then dismounted to walk over Porthill Bridge, passing the very nice Boathouse Inn, which looked very inviting for a pint on their beer terrace overlooking the river, but I resisted and carried on into Porthill and then out onto Roman Road and through Copthorne estate, towards where I work at the Hospital. I then doubled back around Crowmeole Lane and down towards Meole Brace, out onto the cycle path. I had to navigate around a car that had decided a cycle lane also doubles as somewhere to park their car
and I arrived in Meole Brace, navigating around a car that had broken down blocking the junction near Upper Road.I then proceeded along Oteley Road, passing the new (well since 2007 anyway) home of Shrewsbury Town Football Club. It is a typical soulless out of town ground, that are becoming the norm these days. It doesn't have anywhere near the atmosphere of the previous ground, but it is comfortable and much safer and I suppose those things have to come first these days.
The Greenhous Meadow
I continued along Oteley Road and turned left into Sutton Farm estate and then took the cycleway along the old track bed through to Reabrook. I then headed along Bage Way, Telford Way and back along Whitchurch Road.
The one thing I discovered was that cycling in the town is nowhere near as much fun as being out in the countryside. There are too many stops and starts to gain any real momentum, too many pedestrians walking in the cycle lanes who won't get out of the way and the noise of constant traffic and the exhaust fumes are very off putting. I have recently been thinking of cycling to work, but I have decided definitely against it now, as cycling is an enjoyment to me and I think if I join the commuter cyclists through town every day it will become a chore and not an enjoyment any more.
The legs felt a bit heavy today, perhaps too much sitting down at work! I am hoping to get a 40 miler in with @Rickshaw Phil this weekend, although the weather looks like it is going to do it's best to put pay to that
.11.72 miles, avg speed 11.4 mph
Snapper88
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Northampton
I know. With that, one that chased me round at breakfast and one that had a go at me in the loo earlier, I've had my fill of the dratted things today. They're a pain in the .... well, wherever they get you really.
I've done my fair share of killing
B******s just keep coming back
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