Your ride today....

[twentysix by twentyfive]

It snowed. But the roads were clear. Freezing wind straight from the Pole. Not strong enough tho' as no Polar Bears have been displaced. I started out with the gritted road route but decided that running back north would be dreadful with that brisk wind. So I headed cross wind instead as the lane appeared to be fine. There was some frozen stuff around The Rampings but a few 4 wheelers had cleared a gap for me. I was exposed to that North wind only briefly on this route and even on the less sheltered cross wind section to Ryall it wasn't too bad. Just a bit of North wind on the run back through Hanley Swan and I was back and ready for a hot cuppa. 34 smiles

 

[Illaveago]

As we don't often get snow I thought I would dig a bike out and go and have some fun. 6 inches at home I thought I would go for a ride up a lane to a farm. Ploughing along in bottom gear I was finding it fun although it was quite an effort.
When I got to the top of a lane I thought I would continue down the long winding drive which lead to the farm. I managed the downward leg fine but I hadn't considered the climb back. It was a nightmare with a blizzard blowing across from my right side. I could only manage a few revolutions of the pedals before I started to lean to one side and ground to a halt. I was trying to stay in the tyre tracks of a vehicle, but failing to do so because of the wind and snow sticking to my glasses. I
I inched my way up the slope until my front wheel dug in and I fell off. It was a soft landing as I was cushioned by deep snow. It was something like 8 inches. I was giggling! I wasn't hurt, a bit embarrassed but fine. This when I found that I couldn't get up. Somehow my right foot was trapped under the rear wheel . A bit of shuffling about and I got back up again.
Riding back up that slope with the crosswind blowing was like learning to ride a bike all over again.

The return journey was a lot easier. I found it was best to ride down the hill staying in the clean snow rather than following tyre tracks. My progress was slowed by the ratchet effect of the remaining side tread of the tyres in the soft snow. All I needed was slight pressure on the brake levers to help slow my progress.
It might have only been 2 miles but it felt more like 10. But it was fun !

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Shropshire seems to have mostly missed out on the snow and I took the chance to get out this afternoon after the frost had melted.

I had a longish ride in mind but when I got out that northerly wind was evil and I was still feeling the cold through four fleeces. As a result I ended up cutting it short and did a Condover, Longnor, Acton Burnell, Cound, Pitchford, Cantlop, Condover loop with a climb over Lyth Hill both ways.

Funnily enough I didn't see any other cyclists out today but there were three runners and a horse rider. I passed the horse twice due to stopping for a photo and it decided I was scary on the second pass.

The ungritted roads did still have odd patches of ice on them but always with a bit of a path cleared for a cycle to get through safely.

23.1 miles at 12.5 mph average and

The snow capped hills didn't come out very well on the phone - wish I'd taken the proper camera. This was the best shot I could get of them from near the Longnor crossroads.

 

[cosmicbike]

Snow day for the school meant I was Daddy day care, but I managed to sneak out for 10 minutes post dog walk. 2 miles in the slush means I'm still good for the ride every day challenge...

 

[gavgav]

A tiny ride of 2.2 miles, this evening, but still frozen and lost all feeling in my toes!!

My carbon has been up with @Rickshaw Phil for a service and it was time to pick it up.

Phil gave me a lift up to his and I then rode it back, using the most direct route, with frost glistening on the ground and even a few snowflakes in the air.

No “moments” though, as I took it steady and there is a noticeable difference in the gear changes and handling, following Phil’s excellent handiwork

 

[Supersuperleeds]

I was supposed to be doing an imperial ton with @13 rider today, but looking at the forecast I didn't fancy risking the road bike on ice and I knew I would be too slow for him if I ventured out on the ice bike, so that is postponed until next weekend.

Anyway I decided to do a 50km on the ice bike and grab some more photos for the A-Z challenge (https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/abc-bike-photo-challenge-2019.244314/)

Having already done A-G I had a route to get H-L, only problem a bit of climbing on the ice bike was required.

Picked up my phone, 60 something % charge on it, so decided to plug it into a power pack and off I set. Very icy side roads but the main roads were fine. Headed north into the cold wind to Houghton on the Hill, grabbed the photo, and headed to Illeston on the Hill which included a nice steady climb up to Kings Norton which I also seem to feel even on a road bike, so it was hard work with the ice tyres. Took the phone out and it said 1% charge! Don't know what happened but it stayed like that for the rest of the ride - luckily I got the photos I needed.

After Illeston I went down one of my favourite roads, it is hardly used by cars so was very icy. Over to Tilton on the Hill, 30 mph+ down hill not a very lot going up the other side. Then I went onto the really scenic roads, the ones that only the farmers seem to use, had a couple of miles of sheet ice to deal with before I got to John O' Gaunt and then the long and steady climb out fo Twyford for the turn back towards home.

Pootling along the South Croxton Road a bike came by me.. Road bike with tri bars, mudguards and panniers. I decided not to try and keep up as I was turning off shortly onto another scenic road and I expected him to stay on the main road and so he steadily pulled away.

Anyway he turns off onto the road I was taking. When I get to the turn the road is covered in a good coating of snow and ice so I quickly caught him back up and passed him. Fair play to him he was slow but the conditions didn't bother him at all, there was no way I would have ridden on that road on normal tyres.

After a couple of miles the ice and snow started to clear as I got back to busier roads, Keyham and Leicester snapped to complete the photos and back home in 2.5 hours of riding. 33 miles and just shy of 2,000 feet of climbing

https://www.strava.com/activities/2118614673

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[Dave 123]

This time last week it was a shorts and t shirt ride down the costa blanca.
There were certainly some white bits today!

Unfortunately the ground wasn’t quite as frozen as I’d have liked. The south Cambs clay sticking and sucking. So I didn’t go down the edge of Hardwick wood, otherwise I might still be there now!
Plenty of birds today, fieldfare and redwing back around, along with buzzard, kestrel and lots of blue tits. I also saw some Meadow Pipits between Toft and Hardwick..... not seen them in these parts before. Maybe the cold is making them move around?

Up to Wimpole for the first time in a while. The shire horses looking handsome.

17 cold miles, and the bike was fairly clean!

https://www.strava.com/activities/2118746507

 

[gbb]

Has a week long head cold, today it's become a headache and felt sluggish and crud for a few days now so it's just an amble on the crossfire e, no time to bust a gut.
11.6 miles at no pace at all, just stretching the legs.
6 years ago today (according to FB timeline) I had an off and dislocated my finger.
Today. Approaching what looked a fairly Innocuous bend in the road in a village, front wheel straight from under me and a crached to the floor and slid for a few feet. My good jacket has taken a rip, jeans are cruddy but thankfully I'm ok and better still the bikes ok

Shortly after I saw this...something I've never seen in my 60 years..

Sadly dead.
My crossfire e...just for the sake of it..

In one field I saw....
One deer, probably muntjac.
A flock of partridge next to the hedge.
Loads of crows and pigeons
A flock of fieldfares along the hedges.
Magpies amongst the crows etc
A flock of peewits
A couple of pheasant...this field seemed alive with wildlife, just over the road a huge red kite loped off from a tree as i approached. Plenty if wildlife out there.

 

[13 rider]

As mentioned up thread mine and @Supersuperleeds imperial ton ride has been put back until next week . Waited until hopefully all the ice was clear and rolled out at 12.30 ,no route planned just trying to get 50km in . Anstey ,Cropston ,Cossington and onto Humble lane a quiet road where I encountered my first little patches of ice glad I was going up it wouldn't have wanted to discover the ice at 25 mph . Radcliffe on the wreake ,Thrussington ,Hoby then Ragdale which has a climb in and out which was into a headwind .Down Paudy lane into Barrow ,Quorn ,Swithland and home 31.5 miles in pretty chilly but a bit of made in quite nice and pretty good road conditions . This 50 km ride has made 50 consecutive months of completing a 50km ride

 

[JPBoothy]

I had a quick ride down the Wirral Way to Parkgate at 9am this morning as it was safer than the slippy country lanes. There was still a bit of crunchy snow to keep you on your guard but, the blue sky and sunshine made up for the cold toes. The only negative was that the sun was so low I was worried about drivers seeing me on the road sections.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

I was on my own to the meet in Upton today. As expected John G and Pete M turned up but Steve E had cancelled his trip North so turned out too. Most wanted a short one so we took the shortest possible route to The Mythe for coffee. June P was there with her Cheltenham pals. John headed back up the main road while we three took to The White Rabbit for Upton. Steve parted there while Pete and I took the usual run back but added a small loop by Clevelode. Lovely bright sunshine spoiled by a brisk chilly wind from the North. Bits and pieces of ice here and there but mostly OK underwheel. 36 smiles

 

[cosmicbike]

Bit a rubbish ride this afternoon really. Waited it out figuring the ice should be gone by after lunch, all OK for the first few miles, then made the mistake of going through the Wentworth estate. Looked OK at the entrance, but not long after it turned to re-frozen slushy snow. A very slow, one foot clipped in and a few hairy moments brought me out to the A30. Out onto the A30, through to Englefield Green, down Priest Hill. Up Priest Hill, along the A30 to Sunningdale, where I spotted a far better form of transport for this weather

Back down the A30 to Englefield Green, down Priest Hill, and back up again etc etc. Rather dull, but got the metric half done, and managed very very close to 20m/mile of climbing (9m short..)

33.6 miles, 671m of climbing.

 

[fossyant]

20 miles out and through Lyme Park. Fair amount of ice near home, which gradually turned to snow and Lyme Park. Lots of walkers out, some silly parking near Lyme Park's West gate, and walkers in the road, causing traffic chaos. Climb up into the park was very icy, with walkers slipping and sliding, as I rode past with my Ice Spiker Pro Evo's. Got some astonished looks. The park was very busy, but I carried on through and out towards the East Gate. Caught a lad up on his cross bike, as he was walking by now. I let him know I was cheating with ice tyres.

Then came a rather tricky descent - it was rocks and an ice river. Water still flowing. Only down side, more walkers sliding all over. Had to stop to let them move. Yet more astonished looks. I did let one guy know I had ice tyres as it was far safer than walking. Climbed up the other side and caught another MTB'er walking - shocked look on his face. "Ice tyres" I said.

 

[The_Weekend_Report_Guy]

Road bike 2 Vs MTB 3... Have to fix this tomorrow!

Title says it.. 2 rides on the road bike…

One fast and furious pass Alora and back fighting my way there against the wind and flying on my way back trying to break personal best. No pics Tuesday.

Wednesday I decided that climbing season started so I went climbing pics and ride in my profile.

Thursday was a day off… But we have one of those friendly competitions with the local guys at a made up MTB circuit, I got curious about what I could do there so I went out with my older son to try… Fun..! Finished 5th out of 4… LOL!

Friday is my usual MTB day with an older group so I took my older son again with us and he enjoyed the downhills too much for my taste.. He already drops me on them.. Good thing he has no endurance and doesn’t know how to climb YET.. He weights 60 kilos and is 18… He will learn. Also explaining to him the art of sucking wheel when we hit the road.. There is no place like the old man wheel to hide.

Today was wet, cold and extremely windy… So change plans and headed out on the MTB again with a more experienced group… Didn’t do too bad, Actually happy with how much they wait for me on the downhills.. not that much.

All the rides and pics are on my strava.

Tomorrow I need the universe back in balance and go for a road bike ride.

 

[Heltor Chasca]

10km yomp with my 9 year old today. Not a ride, so I’m expecting some flack from the Mods. Yikes! Pretty out so made the most of it.

We are quite small in The Nature.

5 Arches Railway Bridge, Radstock.

Good skills kids, but I think the local dairy farmer is going to burst an udder.

The top of our hill and almost home