Your ride today.... (part 1)

[Rezillo]

Mid Suffolk seemed to be alive with cyclists today - waved to a group coming out of Eye, then in the town stopped to talk to a couple more having a snack break, Vic and Stewart, then a few hundred yards later, had to trundle past a narrow gap by a tea room where a cluster of Norwich club riders were tucking in. Saw many more in the next few miles then none at all for the following twenty!

Great weather to be out on a bike - just glorious.

John

 

[mondobongo]

Did just over 46 miles out to Beacon Fell including Crombleholme Fold before heading over to Scorton via Bell Lane and a descent of Telegraph (Long Lane).

 

[redflightuk]

70 mile mix of on & off road. Met quite a few other peeps out enjoying the fantastic weather. Most of the off road was around Lilley and out to Ickleford via Pirton. A quick blast up the A600 to Campton and after a quick stop to see what was on the ground at Meppershall airfield i headed back through the village then onto Shillington/Hexton back through Lilley and on to Whitwell and the stables.
Took the horse out for a ride and then after feeding and putting the horse to bed i headed out again around the lanes through Preston/Charlton/Langley and then home to Knebworth.

 

[asterix]

My first ride back in the UK and it was a good one. As promised in the TV cock's thread in P&L, I headed out to Castle Howard in sunshine.

Travelling out via the Minster and Goodramgate, a guy in a postie's jacket on an MTB pulled up alongside at the lights outside Bulmers. As they changed, he got off to a flying start and clearly fancied himself on a bike! I asked if he wanted a race and he said it would be no contest and maybe more but I'd rather rudely left him behind by then.

Went out via Strensall common and Bulmer Bank which I managed without using the granny ring, just, and on to the 'Castle' through the narrow gateways. At the 'needle' I did a U-turn straight back to York via Thornton-le-Clay this time.

Saw about 4 other cyclists outside York; no Ferraris and nobody tried to run me off the road, in fact almost all drivers were perfectly behaved.

 

[BigonaBianchi]

about 60 miles including bastard Bury hill...fast as you like on my Bianchi 'celeste'

 

[Crankarm]

Cycled into Cambridge, absolutely mad packed with foreign students and tourists. Lots and lots of bikes, no space to lock my bike anywhere. Took 20 mins to eventually find a place. Idiot student cyclists and mums with young kids on the back cycling along pavements and through pedestrian areas. Nuts.

Lovely ride home though with wind behind me and mostly downhill. Beautiful light and sunset. Total distance 55 miles round trip.

 

[Perfect Virgo]

40 mile blast in under 2 and a half hours, partly thanks to a drop in the wind. For the first time in weeks it was only gusting around 15-20mph. I fitted a new cassette, new chain and new wheels to the old lightweight Raleigh, all of which made for a smoother ride.

Chased by 4 dogs including a very noisy German Shepherd. Unfortunately this is typical of rural Canada, so both pepper spray and bear spray are in the armoury! (For jaunts off island.)

 

[lazyfatgit]

just over 30miles out toward Emmaville and back. Met a really nice bunch of people and asked if i could tag along. Very, very windy. got sucked partway across the road at one point and someones chain blew off! Was wishing i had brought 3/4 and a gilet.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lazyfatgit/3956741721/

 

[Jane Smart]

just over 30miles out toward Emmaville and back. Met a really nice bunch of people and asked if i could tag along. Very, very windy. got sucked partway across the road at one point and someones chain blew off! Was wishing i had brought 3/4 and a gilet.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lazyfatgit/3956741721/

Thanks for sharing that photo, glad you got out and lurve your new bike

 

[zacklaws]

After a good club run out yesterday, set off for another, bumped into HelenD123 going the opposite direction, well I think it was, eyesight not to good, and it looked like Helens cycling style so it must have been.

Then it all went wrong just after seeing Helen, a lot of cracking noises from my back wheel, so turned around and went home.

Stripped my back wheel down and was flumuxed to find no grease in the drive side bearing, just metal on metal, yet the other side was perfect? And I only stripped the bearings down and greased it approximatley 2 months ago. Total mystery where the grease had gone. All I can think of is maybe there was still some degreaser in the freewheel when I cleaned it out last time and it never dried out before I reassembled the wheel, its soaked back into the bearing and destroyed the grease, but probably I would have seen it seeping out or splattered on the wheel.

Anyway regreased everything, went out and just did an hours interval training and the wheels running perfect again.

 

[skids]

70 miles(ish) from Brizzle to Monmouth and back. I really do enjoy riding over the 2nd Severn Crossing thing! No issues apart from the plethora of car boot sales (and the associated traffic) that were 'en route'.

 

[Tollers]

Easy one for me. 35miler on the little hybrid around richmond park and back home. Thanks to the lady who suggested i raise my saddle. Still waiting for the Ribble to arrive

 

[gbb]

Just a quick 20 miles @ 17.5 mph average, once again without setting off too hard. Seems the harder i try, the slower i am.
Passed a local airfield just as an aircraft laden with parachutists was readying for take off....the blast from behind as he wound the engines up was surprising...and the lovely smell of kerosine.
Saw a huge Red Kite en route, they're big, but this one was the biggest i've seen.
Rain clouds are gathering in the west..

 

[dellzeqq]

Streatham Hill to Southend-on-Sea with the Babe. We'd gone to Lewes the week before, and the week before that, and, with Turners Hill now just a notch on her handlebar tape, it was time to set about Bread and Cheese. Which she did, and with considerable elan she rose, as if painted by Botticelli, in to my line of vision as I stood at the top wondering and hoping..........so I gave way to whooping and hollering and throwing my cap in the air and clapping, and an elderly couple in their car emerging from the side street at the top of the hill joined in.

I did, however, forget to mention Leigh Hill. She managed it, but she wasn't impressed. All in all, though, 56 miles in four hours forty on the road, much of it through East London traffic, means that she can look forward to Friday night with a deal of confidence.

 

[bonk man]

Malvern to Winchcombe and back..

70 miles on the Moulton and with sciatica to help me on my way.... I dropped off the back of the club ride with 10 miles to go and rode back slowly...

The guys are still taking the micky out of my bike so I won a couple of sprints into villages to make my point that Moultons can go quick.... if it is flat or slightly down hill
Best one of the day was a 3 bike sprint into Elmley Castle at over 30mph