Your ride today....

[Stevec047]

Absolutely brilliant ride out today spotted a post on Facebook the other day about a social ride out 20 odd miles leaving from the lbs so thought I head over to Halstead and see what it was all about. Grabbed a coffee and whilst watching the world go by I was welcomed into the group of 5 other riders no questions asked. (I bloody love cycling and the way other cyclist are with each other). Anyway after brief introductions and advising I am slow and still building on my fitness off we head from Halsted up a few nasty hills and off to Coggeshall. A quick cross of the always busy a120 and through Coggeshall back to the a120 the other end this time surprisingly easier to cross.

We then headed up towards Earls Colne for a coffee and cake stop. Due to trying to loose weight and the fact I had already had a coffee I thought it best to stick with a spar link water. Back on the bikes and we head through Earls Colne and out towards Pebmarsh up a couple of hills which saw me being dropped but eventually picked up by the rest of the group.

2 of us ended up losing site with the others so made the decision to cut a little corner to get back to the main halstead to sudbury road within 5 mins the chasing pack had caught us and it was a nice steady ride back to halstead.

Finishing off with a short ride back home all in all 28miles and another 50k for the week as a whole with a single turbo ride the other day.

I must say I really enjoyed my very first group ride and the guys were great. Looking forward to getting out more with them and watching the fitness levels increase.

Check out my 3.9 mi Ride on Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/555002277

Check out my 24.3 mi Ride on Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/555252788

 

[Deleted member 1258]

50 miles the journey, Newton Regis the destination. Not a nice day for a bike ride, cold with a strong breeze, the rain arrived as I rode back into Coventry. The original plan was a ride to Rosliston, but on the way out I found myself battling slowly into a head wind on legs that weren't at their best so I switched cafe stops, I have to meet someone this afternoon and if I hadn't switched stops I would have missed him. The ride home was better, I was riding with a tail wind most of the way home, but I ran out of legs as I rode into Coventry and the ride across the city in the rain was a bit of a slow slog.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Usual Sunday morning pootle with our lass, just shy of 30 miles, was a bit cold and the wind made it even colder. On the way back she got a branch wrapped up in the back wheel, luckily she didn't come off but the mudguard snapped in half. Bodged it to get home, then bodged it some more when we got home. Bloody washer on the rear wheel broke in half when I took the back wheel off, managed to get it tight but think I will have to find a new washer for it

 

[Stonechat]

Club ride again.

Reduced numbers today as some have gone early to training camp in Mallorca (they decided to cycle round the island before the others arrive)
So 6 today.
We headed down through Chobham Pirbright Tongham and Seale and Elstead to Milford
The cold wind was cutting through and some felt it quite keenly

I had a bacon roll and all suitably replenish we headed back via some hills Godalming, Hurtmore, Wanborough and Shackleford and Normandy, the via Bisley and CHobham

Managed to miss home to our rendez vous point at Staines Bridge and missed a bit at the start of the return leg from Garmin
So 4.5 miles missing off Strava
(You'd think I'd learn)

59.7 miles total @ 15.8 mph
2162 feet climbed

https://www.strava.com/activities/555314635

 

[Stonechat]

Ride 5 post broken back. Didn't feel like it this morning as I'd had a rough night in pain (good pain from the Physioterrorist).

Headwind out from Gronnant to The Bike Hub in Rhyl - really struggled going out at 11mph on 2.4" knobblies at 20 PSI (comfy but my, do they drag).

Stopped for a well deserved coffee and kit kat. Three cyclists appeared and I thought, 'hmmm are these the CC Llandudno group on the way home', then the chap with the tyre issue mentioned Llandudno. Then I recognised the other chap's cut knee.

Sorry I didn't say hello, I'm not really in the mood for socialising as the cycling is killing me at the minute, feel like I've just started again.

I made a better return at around 16 mph, then was passed by the CC group near Prestatyn Golf Club.

Just 14 miles at 13mph.


View attachment 125977

Have to admire the guts to come back to riding, good luck

 

[Donger]

46 miles and a few punchy little hills today on the club ride. Good preparation for our exchange visit to ride with Caerphilly CC in South Wales next week. Did a nice scenic loop up through Cheltenham, Dowdeswell, Upper Coberley, Seven Springs and Leckhampton, before climbing one final hill and dropping back down Nut Hill and back home to Quedgeley. A great turnout of 26 today, 9 of whom opted for our "Chilled Group" ride. Beautiful scenery, great company. Loved @Frazzle's route.

The only shame was that, every time we hit a climb up a really narrow lane we ended up sharing the road with a classic car touring event and had to somehow make room for a Ferrari, an E-Type, a Bentley, some kind of 1920s Anthill Mob car and a stream of Alpha Romeos and other little sports cars. One apparently got way too close to @Dark46, and he ended up wheels-up, doing a bit of ditch snorkeling. He seemed OK for the experience though, but I think he'll be feeling a bit sore for a few days.

Got to say I loved all the climbs today, most of which I had never done before, but hated all the descents. My rear brake was next to useless, and my front one was squealing and juddering like mad. Having spat out a front brake pad on my way down an Alp last year, this was a little unnerving to say the least. Weighing about 21st, I have the stopping distance of an oil tanker at the best of times. I sense an imminent visit to the LBS, as we've got 3,000 feet of climbing on next week's beasting..... and what goes up must come down.

Back to work tomorrow. Ho hum. Cheers, Donger.

 

[Levo-Lon]

Super mtb ride out today with son in law..i even kept up...yer i know lol..he must be tired after his tuff mudder trainig runs....10 mile 3 x a week.
finished with a nice coffee and a baked spud with tuna and beans at fineshade cafe, delicious..



big well done @fossyant ..pleased to see your turning a wheel mate

 

[Dark46]

Yesterday put a fizik saddle on the bike ready for the KCC ride for today.

I got to the meeting point to find 25 other people there waiting. I was surprised to find no jibes about having my Eastgate Cycling Club top on.

When we left to be honest to chilled group was too big. Not long after we left @gordyfinbar was leading a went straight on where we should have turned right and then declared he didn't know the route? We then made a quick turn around and headed towards the ring road.

We headed towards Matson before going towards Abbeydale then ended up Barnwood and Churchdown. Then by Staverton airport and into Cheltenham. From here it was out to Andoversford and out into the roaming hills .

While out in the countryside in the narrowist lanes up the hills we were joined a Classic car club doing a point to point trail.

Some rather nice cars I clubbing a V12 E type and a couple of Stags us a TR4, Ferrari 348, 360 a couple of Alfas and a Damliar Dart. The sound of a Ferrari on tick over waiting behind some cyclists was amusing. But it sounded great when it got passed and opened it up a bit.

I was down this lane we lost @Donger and I had to give him a call to find out where to meet him.

It was up the next lane and up hill I had my off. I was heading uphill and heard a car behind and I looked behind noticed a white car closing and then as u turned to look where I was going I felt a ridge in the road and was off! Did the car stop? Like hell!

Further up the hill was @Frazzle asking if he could laugh. As I got back on I thought of the mud I would be putting on his saddle!

From here we went down Leckhampton hill which I enjoyed and got up to 48.6MPH. We gathered at the bottom to head towards Shurdington.

My right hop starting to hurt at this point so started to take it easier. But I was looking foward towards desent at Nuthill.

After that the funniest bit for me was a BMX rider trying to keep @Donger back while he was alongside lol. The size difference was funny. Father and son possibly lol.

I caught up with @Donger after his chain jumped off while having to stop quickly at a roundabout while changing gear. Yes because of a car.

All in all it was just over 42 miles for me. I will now be changing my saddle back to the Charge I had on before.

 

[Berk on a Bike]

By and large I'm a solitary creature when on two wheels. I plough my own furrow. However it was nice that on today's ride I had company on three separate occasions. Firstly on the climb out of New Mill me and another bloke winched ourselves up in tandem. Then around Upper Cumberworth I fell in with a guy doing the Brian Robinson Challenge. I stayed on his wheel for a bit then I came through and he latched on.
It's worth noting I was thrashing myself a bit, not wanting to look like a tool. This guy was doing wonders for my motivation...
His route took him off towards Emley, but not before he said thanks for letting him draft. I don't know if I actually helped at all but props to him anyway.
Finally, some more BRC riders caught me up around Upper Hopton and we descended down to Bradley crossroads line astern. Actually I was further back than astern (I'm a timidly crap descender) but still...

So my "solo" ride today was anything but. Like.

The stats: 45.7 miles with 3,054 feet of climbing.

https://www.strava.com/activities/555432453

 

[Freds Dad]

The LBS advertised a local flat ride around the Cheshire lanes so I though I'd tag along with my son and another friend. We discovered some new lanes for the next time we go along with a bit of a climb.

https://www.strava.com/activities/555387925

 

[Racing roadkill]

https://www.strava.com/activities/555477172

A quick 44 mile loop today into Winchester and back, to avoid the Southampton half Marathon chaos.

Mmmmm beer

Top of St Catherine's mount near Winchester.

It was a nice day, and for the first time in living memory, I had strong tail wind up to the top of St Cat's, and more importantly on the fast descent

 

[Dave 123]

Today we fancied a change of scene, so we put the tandem on the car and set off up the A14. (We were going to Rutland Water, but it would be too busy)
Going past Milton we both saw what we thought was a heron, too big, too white...
A mute swan? Not with black in its wings... It was a white stork!

So on we drove and ditched the car just outside the village of Brettenham in Norfolk. Off we rode past pheasant pens and pig arks. Within half a mile I wished I had my Buff and an extra layer, it was raw!
We took a turn down to the church, pretty it was

Back into the village and headed toward Bridgham. We were following NCN signs, 13 I think. It took us up a quiet lane that turned into a farm track, Jo's satnav on her phone was saying it was correct, I wasn't so sure!
We passed people dog walking and then lo and behold the sandy soil turned into soft, deep sand! How I unclipped so quickly was impressive! Nearly an off.
We had to walk for 50yds then it firmed up again

Every now and then we had a firmer track to ride along. We had one more unclipping moment to contend with before we met a road.

There were clouds out that looked a bit evil....

Luckily we avoided this one.
On to Garboaldisham and out into quiet, pretty woodland and small villages with beautiful old cottages. This is where we went through the village of Blo Norton, where I saw and heard a Whitethroat in a rape field.
We ended up in North Lopham were we stopped to admire the church

After this his sunny spell we headed north into the wind, steely clouds ahead, could we find shelter before the downpour.....?

Not quite! This was in Kenninghall, only 20 miles from Norwich. We were deep in banjo country!
It's just about spud planting time and we saw this fella out de stoning a field in Quidenham

On we rolled to the village of East Harling, where we stopped for a sandwich in the war memorial garden. There was a statue of a lamb and a mouse, couldn't get the mouse in at this angle...

There must be a story to it....

Back through pretty lanes to Bridgham and then the car.
This was such a pretty ride in Breckland, we'll do more day trips over the summer (as it warms up!)
25 of your Norfolk miles.

https://www.strava.com/activities/555340019

 

[cosmicbike]

Quick ride out this morning, pretty much the reverse of last Sunday's ride, as the van needed a wash and I had to take my Cubs to St George's Day parade this afternoon.
Back to the commute tomorrow

 

[redvision95]

I've not been riding due to work and weight related health issues.
I got my new bike yesterday and rode it the 5 miles home. Today though I set out to do a ten mile loop and JUST managed to do it.
A slow ride up to Brownhills, Stopping at the Black Cock Bridge for a breather. Off at the Black Cock Bridge and down the A452 Down to Lazy Hill and then a small back road into Aldridge. Down the Walsall Road and onto the Canal at Aldridge Road, Down the Towpath a little and onto the dog walk path into the Arboretum. Nice and easy through the Arboretum with a Lap of Hatherton Lake to finish the ride off.
I'm now nackered but it was well worth it.

 

[Gravity Aided]

7 miles, as I finished testing the Trek 600 today, so I may get farther afield when circumstances permit. A wonderful day, warming but also windy, so few cyclists out there , just a couple I saw ahead of me and a fellow I met near old Route 51.
68F
20C
Winds S 17 mph, G24
Relative humidity 68%
Barometer 29.97
Sunny and pleasant.