Your ride today....

[SpokeyDokey]

Been trying to muster up enthusiasm for over an hour now - not getting there just yet.

Very windy and very cold although quite bright and dry.

Might clamber onto the roof instead and sweep the chimney.

 

[Jon George]

Went out West of Ipswich with good, long-mile intentions ... only to realise after 3/4hr that I was losing heat fast. Turned for home with cold toes and only paused to take the occasional photograph. Off down the pub shortly ...

I think this pic out near Burstall has a quality suggesting the cold that I like;-

And this a spot in Bramford where I used to fish over 45 years () ago :-

 

[Stonechat]

My morning dog walk is my barometer for the ride ahead, gives me a lead on what to wear etc
The barometer said do not go out. Was soo cold then. Decided to miss club run - if anyone went!
Went out nearer to 11, and did a bit of a hard work out with some intervals and loops after
Just an hour and a quarter

21.62 miles @ 17.5 mph no climbing to speak of (125 ft)
At least I got out and cycled hard enough to keep warm
Was at least bearable by that time

https://www.strava.com/activities/437217607

 

[13 rider]

Set off at 0930 this morning waited until frost had cleared still at bit chilly . Set of heading to mates but got text saying he couldn't make it so solo ride it is .Anstey to Cropston were a passed another mate on his mountain bike travelling in the opposite direction nearly didn't recognise him but did wave even if he was on a MTB . On to Rothley ,Cossington ,Sileby past mates house and on to Seagrave and out towards the A46 to Old Dalby ,Willoughby on the Wolds coming out the village I could see a bike in the distance on a long straight road so time to chase them down took a full mile to close the gap I was up to 23 mph but catch him I did rode alongside chatting until the junction were I went left and him right .Through Wysall, Costock ,East Leake ,West Leake , Sutton Bonnington , Normanton , Stanford on soar ,Coates ,Barrow on soar , and Quorn stopped for a quick break time to decided to stay out and do 50 miles plus or take the short route .Decided to take short route so Mountsorrel ,Rothley ,Cropston and home 46.8 miles done at 15.2 mph in distinctly winter feeling weather . First time the winter jacket been called into service should have worn overshoes feet were cold

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Got out after the miserable post a few posts upthread! Gave myself a good talking to and decided to go - glad I did.

24.91 miles / 1794' ascent @ 12.8 mph av' - bit sluggish, I usually do this route in around 13.7 mph av' but who really gives a stuff! Doing it is what matters. Happy with how I went on my first ride for 3 weeks.

Interesting moment: my route was blocked as the filthy singletrack I was pootling along on does a very sharp dip down and up as it goes under a major road. It was flooded and totally impassable - the handy depth gauge painted on the wall showed just over 4' deep. No chance of riding through that! Got off and hauled bike over a handy 5 bar gate, clambered up a small embankment, life in hand I crossed the busy road (nasty) and then back down the embankment on the other side to be greeted by a farmer and a border collie who thought it was very amusing (the farmer not the dog but who knows?) but he did unlock his padlocked gate for me to let me back onto the lane.

Other momentous ride related things:

My DHB toe protectors that cost £'s bugger-all from Wiggle are simply wonderful - first ride with them on and my toes stayed warm and dry. They look a bit crapped up now but hey ho.

My climbing/hiking Buff was called into action for the first time re cycling. My ear tips (I sound like a cat now) also stayed nice and warm too - they usually hurt like hell in the winter.

Slog of a ride on the last 9 miles into the wind and a couple of dodgy moments with some frozen sections of lanes.

That's me then - stay safe all.

 

[Old jon]

By 'eck, it blew a bit yesterday. That and an overnight flat tyre put me right off going out. I decided to buy some new tyres as the pair on the bike have gathered many cuts since June, when I had the previous puncture in Wetherby I found three cuts with sharp bits in them . . . Anyway, bought a pair of Bontrager AW 2 tyres, my first folding tyres, and fitted them.

Less wind this morning, and the new tyres to try out of course. Still cold, the windproof fleece has proved itself against a northerly freezing cold breeze, the tyres did the 29.3 miles rather well I thought. Feel a little different to the Panaracers they replaced, but that could be just newness. So, Dewsbury Road, Jack Lane, Marshall Street and Water Lane ( Hol Beck quite near the top of the culvert ), Great Wilson Street and out to John O' Gaunts, Oulton, Swillington, Garforth, Lotherton gates, Aberford, Barwick, Scholes and cross the A 64 for Thorner Lane, Skeltons Lane and Red Hall Lane for the quick whizzzzzzzz down Boot Hill. Oakwood clock and then I met this, um, idiot.

and I will drive it how I like

 

[ColinJ]

Refreshed, back in the saddle and over the bridge back into Otley, taking a left through the old cattle market and threading through the back streets and onto the A659 towards Pool-in-Wharfedale. Through there and on towards Arthington, with an idea to take a right up Creskeld Lane to climb back up to Bramhope.

However, I missed my turn and after a little way saw a right turn for Black Hill Lane which seemed to be heading in the right direction, even if it did look a bit steep (stop laughing if you know this route...)
.
The first bit was OK, steadily uphill but the hill in front of me was getting taller at an alarming rate. I can only compare it to standing at the bottom of the Matterhorn and looking up... Anyway, here I was and on I pushed. Up it went, steeper and steeper, as slower and slower I went.

On the granny ring approaching what turned out to be the first false summit, where the road curved slightly, then got even steeper. I think I hit 2.3mph at one point before I stalled and had to get off and push for a couple of hundred yards. Even walking was hard work...

Eventually it went from near vertical to a point where I could remount the bike and get riding again.

Anyway, back on the move and with my speed approaching double figures I finally crested the hill, for a gentle descent past Golden Acre park and then retraced my route as far as Wigton Lane where the heavens well and truly opened.

Ha ha - that's Arthington Bank, isn't it! I rode up there on the Tour de Yorkshire Sportive back at the start of May. It was pretty tough and many people were walking their bikes up it but the crowd were screaming encouragement so I gritted my teeth and rode up. I even managed a token sprint over the crest of the hill, before slumping back into the saddle and gasping for breath!

Keep riding over the winter and aim to ride all the way up the climb next year ...?

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Bloody hell it was a bit nippy this morning. Usual Sunday morning ride with our lass, though we had to take a slight detour, which meant our normal just shy of 30 mile ride ended up being 31.3 miles - I think this is her first proper 50km without me fiddling the distance for her

 

[Donger]

A balmy 2 degrees out there this morning for this, my 28th club ride of the year. Layered up in all my Winter audax kit for this one, and never felt the cold, despite climbing above the last little remnants of snow at the side of the road near the brilliantly named "Wilderness" in the hills of the Forest of Dean.

@Frazzle did us proud today, with a tough 43 mile route for the "social" group from Gloucester to Cannop and back, taking in several big hills - most notably Plump Hill near Mitcheldean (with great distant views of the Severn and the Cotswolds) and another mile-long climb through St Whites that varied quite randomly between 9 and 14%. Another tricky hill at Beechenhurst hit 13% at a pair of S bends near the top, too, making this quite a challenge for me. I get the feeling I'm coming down with a chest cold, and for much of the ride it felt like I was firing on only three cylinders. As usual, though, I winched my 20 stone ass up to the top of all of the big hills slowly, and managed not to stop on any of them. (No disgrace). @Frazzle, as ever, was a complete gent, sticking with me at the back with words of encouragement and pretending not to want to go any faster anyway.

My favourite club ride of the year. By the way, the "Pedal a bike away" centre at Cannop looks really good. A large car park and a decent café and plentiful mountain bike hire. People tell me it is great fun, and the facilities certainly look good. Loads of people out enjoying it today. One of them turned out to be the first cyclist I have ever seen who is bigger than me! Someone kindly pointed out that he was probably just doing downhill mountain biking!

Cheers, Donger.

 

[Oldbloke]

Waited until 10..30 for the temperature to rise to a steamy 0c, sunny and light breeze. Rode part of this year's TdF around Fougeres, some icy patches under the trees.

Less than 3 weeks ago I was still in full summer gear, now multi-layered up with thermal cap inside helmet and one of those tubular neck/face warmer things that gets soaked after a while.

Lots of hills, 64 kms at a sedate 25 kph. I blame it on all the extra clothing!

 

[Katherine]

Another new route today. This time, to Lymm the long way round, going over the ship canal at Latchford and back over at Warburton, with the Salford Cycling Club social ride to Lymm. Cafe stop was a canal barge in Lymm which did a lovely hot toasted tea cake. Thus meant that the *******ing public convenience that cost 20p had to be used. I would have preferred a hedge.
Started in the rain and home in the sunshine, bitterly cold. Glad of all my layers, even if it it did take ten minutes to put them all on!
I had to retrace my route on the loop line yesterday to find the cover for my back light, I stopped and searched at all the places I'd stopped with my camera, and found it at the bottom of the steps just as I was about to give up. PHEW, it works!

 

[Racing roadkill]

https://www.strava.com/activities/437323684

The whole reason I hate cycle clubs with a passion. Go on say "your cadence is too low" one more time, I dare you, I double dare you. . And yes I'm well aware that I need to adjust my chain length, anything else you care to add ( bearing in mind I don't recall asking you a damn thing?)

 

[13 rider]

https://www.strava.com/activities/437323684

The whole reason I hate cycle clubs with a passion. Go on say "your cadence is too low" one more time, I dare you, I double dare you. . And yes I'm well aware that I need to adjust my chain length, anything else you care to add ( bearing in mind I don't recall asking you a damn thing?)

Your cadence is too low

 

[Racing roadkill]

Your cadence is too low

Thanks, your comment has been duly noted

 

[Dave 123]

Out into the chill Cambridgeshire air just before noon on the tandem, first stop White Stuff in town for Mrs Dave to return some garment or other, down Magdalene street, along Trinity Street and out through Kings parade, idiot tourist central, on a tandem! It wasn't too bad, only nearly ran one over. "I want to return something to White Stuff" means " and I'm going to buy stuff..." So soft arse froze his nadgers off for 10 minutes like the dutiful husband should!

We then went out through Newnham and through the lane to Grantchester, passing "Lord" Archers place. We'd not gone far enough to earn a tea stop at the Orchard tea room.
We had to stop at Scotsdales garden centre for us both to have a loo stop, luckily it was straight back on the bike and not looking at festive trinkets...

On through Shelford, Whittlesford, Shepreth and Orwell. The most impressive things were a buzzard and a bloke on a hand cycle.

We stopped at Wimpole for some food and drink despite the price the sausage rolls are good! I took a pic of our super cool colour coordinated bike

Silver and green, nice!

Then it was the main event, scaling the dizzy heights of Old Wimpole hill. Granny ring a go go! We had gears to spare and it wasn't that hard after all.

I think we did about 36 miles in all which is good, but it was never warm today.

https://www.strava.com/activities/437354475

Edit- Mrs Dave has yet another new saddle.... She thinks it's the one!