Pale Rider
Legendary Member
43 miles today in the company of @ColinJ @Pale Rider @Littgull @Pennine-Paul and Colins mate Bill.
Chilly and hilly were the words today, but after the first flat 8 miles to pick up the other 3 riders, Colin lobbed us in at the deep end with the first of the climbs, the first of a few long dragging climbs, so it was pick a nice gear and winch your way up. Another group was soon overtaking us on this one and it must have looked like a Sportive was in town with how many riders were going up here... loads of people out!
After we had descended across the motorway, Colin turned the heat up further with the steep half of the ride. Four of these little leg-benders had to be cleared before we could get to the cafe, and if we hadn't already been feeling sorry for Paul on his single-speed, we definately were now as he was forced to get off and push a few times.
There was also the only mechanical of the ride when @Pale Rider 's ebike dropped its chain off the front ring, jamming it against the gearbox. We soon had it extracted and it was onwards to the cafe... Via the appropriately-named Steep Lane (it is).
The cafe was absolutely rammed with people, but it was worth the wait for a table as the food was fantastic, I'd definately stop there again
And with that there was only the descent of Cragg Valeand then to Hebden Bridge and then back to Todmorden.
There are two observations to take from today.
1. ebikes make very tempting drafting targets for roadies.
2. Said ebike could be seen towing two gasping roadies uphill into the wind.
3. As you think you're doing well on a steep one, that "whirr, whirr, whirr" sound from behind you is the sound of inevitability
Fantastic day gents, pleasure to meet you all!
https://www.strava.com/activities/521299136
Thanks to everyone for a grand day out.
And a genuine doff of my cycling cap to the company as well, these guys are strong cyclists.
Take @Pennine-Paul as an example, he rode in from somewhere, did the ride and rode off - on a single speed bike.
As I thought, my ebike did level the playing field just enough for me to keep pace.
I pulled away a tiny bit on one or two of the climbs, even giving a draft to Colin's mate Bill.
He was suitably grateful, proving us ebikers do have their uses in a roadie environment.
In any group, I think it's best to climb at your own pace.
The ebike has speed, cadence and torque sensors which gives me a sweet spot for climbing speed, I couldn't go a lot faster, but equally it's hard to go any slower.
I was hoping for a longer rest at the top of some of the climbs, but the others were barely a minute or so behind.
That long, draggy one which I helped Bill up was bordering on the enjoyable, head down, long, but steady effort.
Some of the others hills were just plain nasty, and I wouldn't mind that so much but no sooner have you got to the top, then you drop off a cliff down the other side.
Fast descending is not my thing, so the others had to wait a short while a few times for me to complete my brake test on the way down.
As @MikeW-71 mentioned, only one minor mechanical when my chain popped off the front ring and jammed around the bottom bracket.
I think it's due to a rare combination of me changing gears while pedalling hard on a climb and going over a bump.
Thanks again to Mike who helped me sort it by shoving the derailleur forward, making it much easier to remount the chain.
The cafe stop at the farm shop seemed a long time in coming, but was good when we got there, hot drinks under £2, although the food was a bit more than most us would normally pay.
Me, Paul and Mike wimped out of the last loop, giving us an easy few miles back to Todmorden.
@ColinJ and @Littgull bashed on for some more gradient punishment.
Me and Mike spent a while shooting the breeze in the car park at Todmorden, during which time we saw Bill trundle past - he left us at the cafe stop to do his own thing.
There was only time to take one pic on the ride - the bikes outside the cafe - but Mike pronounced the pace 'quite good' when we returned to the car park.
I was pleased about that, given my concerns that I might not manage to make it in fit roadie company.
Good job all round.
.
If you ride in full pro kit it must be like having a target on you. Down the lovely descent of humble lane passed a rider travelling in the other direction in GB kit but I suspect that was a replica kit the way he was being caught by another roadie .Into Cossington and Rothley and Cropston were I got passed by a fellow rider so I upped the pace and hung on for a while battering along at 25 mph . A quick chat as we get to the junction he's goes right and me left .Into to Anstey and as I approach the hill I live on top off I got a roadie just in front and a hybrid a bit further ahead so what to do but chase them down as I past the roadie he grabbed my wheel so now full attack and dropped him and the past the hybrid at before the top . 34 miles done in 2 hrs 6 mins . Loads of riders out today making the most of the sunshine
