23/6/21
Irritated by my lack of rides recently I had initially intended to get up early, get my jobs done and set off out to try for 50 miles plus. Predictably, things took longer than expected so I had an early lunch and set off soon afterwards. Not so warm as it has been, cloudy with sunny spells and possibly rain later.
The Linear was facing towards the drive inside the garage so that dictated my initial direction of travel. Out on to the drive, round the block and on to Swanlow Lane, where I realised that I was riding into a headwind. It seemed promising -headwind out, tailwind back.
Rolling pretty well through the uphill traffic lights, an uneventful run to the A54 roundabout, Delamere St, Chester Rd to the turn off for Sandiway. Down the narrow potholed hill with high hedgebanks under the old railway bridge then off to the left to climb Cassia Green Lane. Steeper than I remember but it is pleasantly shady, and keeps the wind off.
At the junction at the top of the hill I turn left, rushing to get through the lights on Whitegate station bridge before they turn red, then into the station car park. To reduce the effect of the headwind I am going to use the shelter of the trees which line the rail trail for part of the route. Nevertheless, my progress feels slow. I soon become too warm and take my top off.
I soon reach the Kennel Lane bridge with its steep climb and sharp steep turn to the right after passing through the pedestrian/bike access. There are tree roots and a step on turning right, and on the other side of the lane a fallen fence with several barbed wire strands. Not something I want to run my tyres over. As on my previous trip this way, I have to have two bites at it.
A good downhill on a loose, gravelly sandy surface after crossing the bridge causes me to have to brake as the speed available exceeds my ability to stay upright. The surrounding trees absorb the wind. After crossing another lane there is a climb on a similar surface. Beyond the summit I hear dogs barking on the left from the kennels which presumably give the lane its name.
Another downhill leads to a tarmac surface which soon comes to a crossroads on the A556 in Sandiway. I wait for a gap in the traffic and launch across to Weaverham Road. This would normally be an easy freewheel but due to the headwind I find I have to pedal. Eventually it steepens enough so that I can just roll along. Across another crossroads, still pedalling to the hump over a railway bridge and freewheel to the next crossroads at the bottom of the hill where I turn right for Hartford and Northwich on Hodge Lane.
A slightly undulating road but I can’t get up much speed as the wind is still on my port quarter. I keep rolling to a double railway bridge with traffic lights. I am passed by a car just before I reach the lights which triggers the green then goes red. I ease off and change down then it goes green again. Having lost speed I spin furiously to get up on the bridge while the lights go red again. Obviously calibrated for cars! I keep going expecting to meet a car coming the other way but there is a queue stopped at the lights on the other side.
I keep going then turn right at a roundabout at Hartfordbeach then straight on at the next lights for Northwich. Traffic is building up as it is school run time. Down a slope to another set of lights which change just before I reach them so I have momentum to get up the other side.
A long traffic queue waits at the next lights at Castle so I approach slowly and manage to get through without coming to a halt.
A gradual downhill follows to the next set and I get through but two lanes of traffic are static on the other side. I hop onto the pavement and slowly follow a dog walker through a small park which cuts off the next corner. The path comes out next to very narrow footpath over a swing bridge over the Weaver. I Fred Flintstone it across the bridge then follow the pavement round to the right. I reflect that I could easily have cycled through on my steel tourer with its Randonneur bars, but the wide bars on the Linear could too easily make contact with the ironwork on either side and cause an off.
There is a police car with blue lights parked on a traffic island and traffic is backed up in all directions. I follow the pavement to the bridge over the River Dane and see a fire engine on the other side with its lights flashing. I ask a council worker with a hi viz jacket on what’s happening.
He says there has been a car on fire which has stopped all the traffic. The fire crew seem to be packing up their things and the traffic is beginning to move. I need to get across the road and an elderly walker (ie older than me) needs to as well. We both go together and the traffic stops for us. I thank him and he goes on his way.
I can’t get on to the road on the other side past the law courts as it’s full of cars that have tried to get through the back streets to avoid the congestion and now can’t get out onto the main road. I follow the pavement, join a cycle trail that follows the railway viaduct and come across a man pushing a mountain bike with its rear derailleur dangling by its cable. He is having a loud conversation with someone using his bluetooth ear piece. I ask him if he needs any help but he says he’s nearly home.
I stop to take photo of the pedestrian bridge to the locks.
I carry on along the path which now follows the riverside. I slow down behind a cyclist who has come across a long line of middle aged and elderly walkers. They have walking poles and backpacks and all the gear. The lead person says “cyclists!” in a tone that could just have easily said “spawn of the devil!” and they all press themselves to the side of the path to let us pass. I thank them and continue.
I have previously noticed that there is a cycle path alongside the road through Kingsmead and turn off the riverside path to try it out. I find that there is a clearly marked path in pink divided from the black footway by a white line. They are separated from the road by a kerb. Some months ago I saw someone riding a unicycle along here. Probably I make the same impression on passers by as he did. The cycle path is of a minimal width and is only on one side of the road. It’s nice to know it’s there but progress is slow across the various junctions and personally, if the traffic is not too bad I’d use the road. I follow the path to the roundabout on the A556 and cross over to Davenham.
The schoolkids are out in force now and one or two of them tear past on their bikes. Ho hum. I pass through Davenham on London Road avoiding the speed humps then turn towards Moulton on Jack Lane, avoiding yet more speed humps, crossing a mini roundabout and turning right on to Niddries Lane. I follow it uphill to the top, where it becomes unsurfaced and goes downhill. I am experimenting with the front drum, wondering if I can actually lock the wheel on this surface when, unusually, a car comes the other way. I squeeze into the hedge bank and he goes on his way.
Down through the tunnels under the railway, and across Meadowbank swing bridge. There are two bridges, one swings, the other is fixed.
I go left past the salt works and the bike seems to go really well. I suspect it is the benefit of the following wind as once I turn right on to the lower end of the Whitegate Way my performance becomes rather more flaccid.
It takes very little time to get to Grange Lane and turn left, and I ting my bell at two ladies walking slowly in the road deep in conversation.
Before I can catch up with them there is the dreaded solid thumping from the rear wheel and I find the tyre is flat. It’s not only my performance that has been flaccid, it is my back tyre too. The two ladies continue without noticing me as I get my pump out and pump away furiously. Maybe it is a slow leak, I think hopefully as I get on and start pedalling again. Within a few yards it is flat. I wheel the bike up the lane hoping to find a field entrance where I can fix it. After a hundred yards or so of rubbery squeaking I find a suitable spot. Annoying, as it’s only a couple of miles from home.
The Linear with its rearward facing dropouts and hub gear/derailleur combination is not an ideal candidate for rear wheel removal by the roadside but having previously trialled tube removal in the discomfort of my garage I am confident that if I can find the hole I can patch it without having to take the wheel off.
I swivel the mirror downwards and unclip the front light. I can then turn the bike upside down and rest it on the vertical bar ends on the accessory bar and the seat back which gives a solid base to work on the wheels. I am in the process of getting the tyre off when a helpful mountain biker stops and asks if I need help “Though I have no tools”. The moral support is welcome though I know what needs doing. We pull the tube out in stages then stuff it back in so we can rotate the wheel to a different spot. Nothing in the tyre (though there are many small cuts and nicks). The tube has two holes about 50mm apart so I patch them and hope for the best. The tyre is duly back on the rim, and stays up. We turn the bike the right way up, the mountain biker says cheerio and I thank him. It gets me home, and at the time of writing is holding pressure. I meant to take a photo while the tube was hanging out but hey ho.
Passing by the swings at the sports complex one young boy says, “Look! I want a bike like that!” A girl replies “I want one with 2 wheels at the back”. She is actually riding a small bike at the time. A bit much to hope that we have a couple of future recumbentists here, but who knows?
Over the last year I have often wondered what would happen in the event of a rear wheel p******* and how I would deal with it on the road. Normally with a conventional dropout I would just change the tube and fix it at home. Still, patching in place obviously works unless the valve has pulled out of the tube, and there are workarounds even for that, without completely removing the wheel. It was less dramatic than I’d feared, and I’m more sanguine about the prospect now.
Distance 22.5 miles. Max speed a very grudging 24mph. Average 7.8mph. Too much off road!
Total Ascent: | 608 | ft | |
| Total Descent: | 608 | ft | |
| Start Elevation: | 189 | ft | |
| End Elevation: | 188 | ft | |
| Min Elevation: | 40 | ft | |
| Max Elevation: | 273 | ft | |
but now is blocked either side of the A1(M) and a single carriageway bridge provides a crossing. Joined the A61 to Ripon then passed through the market place.
