Your ride today....

[Elybazza61]

A bit grey and misty this morning so thought a Twenty pence rd run would be best,quieter today and no hassles so a good ride in despite the mist.
Only blip was my left contact falling out,not too much of a problem as it was the short dietance side so could see safely on the road.

https://www.strava.com/activities/680126707

Nearly 150k for the week and inching(prob should be centermetering)ahead on the 12k goal;now 84km ahead.

Weather looks pants for the week-end though,strong winds which is not fun out in the fens ; dunno what rides I'll get in so may slip behind again.

Oh and still a Strava Fondo/100km challenge ride to get in too.

 

[biggs682]

Nice misty early morning ride today going in opposite direction to normal on of my regular shop loops.

First double figure ride on my latest arrival.

 

[welsh dragon]

An epic I0 mile ride for me today. Rather hot and sticky. There wasn't much air about, and there was a heat haze. There may be a storm later. Still I got out there.

The A470 was as busy as ever.

This is a lane that runs parallel to the A489

I know my times look dreadful, but that's because they are, plus I did stop to talk to a roadie, so thats my excuse anyway.

 

[Buck]

Thought I'd get out whilst the sun was still shining (looks to weekend weather forecast )

Also a good excuse to try out my new road shoes which are SPD-SL rather than SPD. I'd had a couple of practices of clipping/unclipping in the garage and all good although on the road I did find that clipping in my second shoe wasn't always a first time success

Anyway, a slightly different route for me today heading west out of the village along the country lane down through Matthewman's Wood and up the other side to head into Stocksmoor. I caught up with another rider and had a quick chat - he'd just finished his ride so I headed off and let him finish his cool down.

I kept to the country lanes and enjoyed a pleasant (if at times quite steep) descent down into New Mill.

I'd noticed the bike was rattling a bit but I couldn't place it. A rearranging of the contents of my saddle bag (i.e. keys and coins) reduced it but not totally - still not sure where it is rattling - a good fettle at the weekend is called for!!

From New Mill I then headed up the Sheffield Road on the steady climb through Jackson Bridge and passed the Spiced Pear Restaurant. The last bit of the climb is somewhat steeper and a right turn at the crossroads brought a bit of welcome relief to the thighs!!

On towards Hade Edge then a left and up past Winscar Reservoir - I noticed the levels were markedly lower than normal - a sign of the dry weather we've been enjoying for the last few weeks.

I then headed through Townhead and Carlecotes and instead of my usual straight across at the crossroads, I took a left heading through Fox Holes and Crow Edge back to the top of the Sheffield Road climb. A right and I was back on my usual roads up past the windmills and then down into Thurlstone and onto the edge of Penistone. I stopped at the garage there to buy a bottle of water to refill my bottle adding a zero tab I'd brought with me. Then off up past Penistone Grammar School and my usual left to head up alongside Ingbirchworth reservoir.

After cycling around the back of the quarry I decided to go just a little further and head across into Upper then Lower Cumberworth then onto Shelley before a fast descent back onto the A629. A steady climb up the main road then right into the village which I'll be honest did feel a little like hard work today!

I headed down home hoping to have cracked the 30 miles but looking down my Garmin had turned itself off (low battery?) so I pulled into the drive and called it a day. What's 0.5 miles between friends anyway?

No photos today but rest assured it was sunny. Ah there is one - my new shoes that were competing with the sun for brightness!

My email for relive.cc arrived quickly today as well so here it is: - https://www.relive.cc/view/680473115?r=ride

29.5 miles and 2,510 feet of climbing

https://www.strava.com/activities/680473115

 

[hondated]

First night ride of the year, and a superb night it was

T.M.H.N.E.T I had a really bad nights sleep last night and at about 2am I was tempted to go out on the bike but I had done a good a few miles during the day so I resisted the urge.
But today has been a keep the wife happy day so if I have the same restless night sleep tonight the water bottles fitted lights are too so I will be out.
Just cannot think its going to happen some how.

 

[hondated]

Thought I'd get out whilst the sun was still shining (looks to weekend weather forecast )

Also a good excuse to try out my new road shoes which are SPD-SL rather than SPD. I'd had a couple of practices of clipping/unclipping in the garage and all good although on the road I did find that clipping in my second shoe wasn't always a first time success

Anyway, a slightly different route for me today heading west out of the village along the country lane down through Matthewman's Wood and up the other side to head into Stocksmoor. I caught up with another rider and had a quick chat - he'd just finished his ride so I headed off and let him finish his cool down.

I kept to the country lanes and enjoyed a pleasant (if at times quite steep) descent down into New Mill.

I'd noticed the bike was rattling a bit but I couldn't place it. A rearranging of the contents of my saddle bag (i.e. keys and coins) reduced it but not totally - still not sure where it is rattling - a good fettle at the weekend is called for!!

From New Mill I then headed up the Sheffield Road on the steady climb through Jackson Bridge and passed the Spiced Pear Restaurant. The last bit of the climb is somewhat steeper and a right turn at the crossroads brought a bit of welcome relief to the thighs!!

On towards Hade Edge then a left and up past Winscar Reservoir - I noticed the levels were markedly lower than normal - a sign of the dry weather we've been enjoying for the last few weeks.

I then headed through Townhead and Carlecotes and instead of my usual straight across at the crossroads, I took a left heading through Fox Holes and Crow Edge back to the top of the Sheffield Road climb. A right and I was back on my usual roads up past the windmills and then down into Thurlstone and onto the edge of Penistone. I stopped at the garage there to buy a bottle of water to refill my bottle adding a zero tab I'd brought with me. Then off up past Penistone Grammar School and my usual left to head up alongside Ingbirchworth reservoir.

After cycling around the back of the quarry I decided to go just a little further and head across into Upper then Lower Cumberworth then onto Shelley before a fast descent back onto the A629. A steady climb up the main road then right into the village which I'll be honest did feel a little like hard work today!

I headed down home hoping to have cracked the 30 miles but looking down my Garmin had turned itself off (low battery?) so I pulled into the drive and called it a day. What's 0.5 miles between friends anyway?

No photos today but rest assured it was sunny. Ah there is one - my new shoes that were competing with the sun for brightness!

View attachment 140239


My email for relive.cc arrived quickly today as well so here it is: - https://www.relive.cc/view/680473115?r=ride

View attachment 140238

29.5 miles and 2,510 feet of climbing

https://www.strava.com/activities/680473115

Buck interesting to read about your change over to SPD- SL shoes as I have been using the same on one of my bikes just recently. Although my shoes are a lot older and less high spec than yours are. I have been using them long enough to wear the rubber parts out but to be honest given I hardly walk in them I am just going to keep using them until I have problems clicking in to the pedals.
I started to use them because I read somewhere that they spread the load on the pedal more than a SPD but I am wondering whether like me your questioning the inconvenience re walking compared to a SPD.

 

[Big Andy]

Had a lovely 50 miler today. Fairly leisurely pace. Excellent coffee and cake stop at the Pavillion Cafe at City Park, Bradford

 

[Dark46]

Last night's ride with Eastgate popped a couple of cherries for me.

We ( me and @Frazzle ) left with 8 others and headed for the A40 which some of the group used the underpass and @Frazzle didn't lol.

From here it was through Staverton to Brockworth and towards Leckhampton.

This is where I popped my first cherry of going up Leckhampton Hill a sod of a climb for the unfit and overweight lol. Its a cat 4 climb and about 2.5 miles.

I got up without stopping, thanks to Rachael for giving me advice for getting rid of cramps. I was stretching amd drinking to get rid of it and succeeded.

We all stopped at the top for a rest vefore heading off. As I tried to get going my chain came off and it took a while to fet it back on.

So it was up to Birdlip where @Frazzle decided we cut a bit out of the route and go down Widcombe . That was my 2nd cherry gone as I'd necer been up or down it, but had heard plent about usually about going up and NOT to attempt it lol.

Straight down I was told! So who forgot to say about the double left hander just after the start as I was really gathering speed! Well I got Glen just before the double left . So I had to hit brakes or I would have easily been heading for the kerb on the wrong side of the road. G. Thomas on the Brazil road race springs to mind.

After that I was free wheeling from there just incase of any more bends. I could see @Frazzle in the distance I tucked as low as possible to try and get any draft effect. It was at time I thought of Senna in Monaco footage. With the vibrations I couldn't see a thing lol and my eyes watering too didnt help lol.

At the bottom my garmin was reading 51.8mph , but when I down loaded it on to strava it went up to 53.5mph !

From here it was down through Hucclecote and it was here the fast boys past us. But it seemed the lights were against them and everytime the pulled out the nexr set of lights turned red. That was great riding with them and seeing their turn of speed.

From here it was straight to the pub and then home.

The ride nearing the estate was reading 27.8 miles so I thought I can't go home without doing 30 miles.

 

[mybike]

OK, so feeling a little guilty that I haven't posted for a while, especially after the comments about enjoying reading this thread. I'll make you sorry you said that.

It must be getting on for two weeks since I went out, my excuse is that baby worship takes precedence. Anyway, the day was dull and I was hoping for a cooler ride. Then the shelf in the bathroom fell down.

Eventually I got out to the bike, then discovered I'd left the GPS behind! So I was a bit later than planned.

I caught up with a father and son, the father was fixing something on his bike and the son had ridden ahead. No assistance seemed to be required and despite my expectation that they'd be overtaking me soon they insisted I went first. Thus I was riding a bit faster than normal, in order to not be in their way. There's a stretch of the canal towpath that also acts as an access to a old lock keepers cottage and is hence wide and rutted, but quite fun. Once I reached the cottage I stopped in the shade of a tree to check how close behind they were. They're just visible this side of the previous bridge.

I will say the shade was very welcome, and I paused for a while. The next section, while quite wide isn't quite as wide.

They were hard at work at the boatyard.

The trees seem to have recovered from their rather brutal pruning earlier in the year.

When they did seem rather denuded.

This time, while the heron eyed me with some suspicion, it didn't fly off when I got near. It probably reasoned that the water didn't look too inviting to me.

And further along a swan and cygnet were lunching.

I'd planned to do 20 miles, but by the time I reached this spot I was feeling rather tired. Still there was a bench.

And the view from the bridge of the bit I didn't ride

And the road over the bridge leads out to the main road which is a much easier ride. As the weather has got drier the towpath seems to have got rougher and there were stones flicking out from under my tyres most of the way. Still I did manage to beat my time along the Berkhamsted dash and Chaulden Lane segments. The adding of photos here seems to work better, well done @Shaun .

15.2 miles max 19 avg 7.9 mph. Year to date, 340.5miles, Target 400 miles. Curiously BaseCamp and Connect give different figures, I'll take the highest.

 

[Alex H]

A short ride this morning to test out the new saddle

38km in 1.5 hrs - 408m of climb.

The new saddle seems OK, for that distance - time will tell. Noticed that the only cafe / shop in Saint Cyr has shut and is for sale, along with a British owned B&B

 

[Old jon]

Barbara asked me where I was going to ride this morning, and I had no answer. ‘Why don’t you ride around the blue pig?’ she said. Halfway up the map, left of centre is Eccup Reservoir. If you look at it long and daft enough, it resembles a blue pig. And this morning I rode around it, but not too close.

Quite an interesting ride in many ways. Down Dewsbury Road and a ride around the streets to Office Lock. Along the towpath to Viaduct Road and follow the well worn route out to the Ring Road at Lawnswood. Turn right at the traffic lights onto Church Lane, past Adel Church and its dam a bit further along. Keep straight on to the crossroads with King Lane, staying on Eccup Lane which misses the village but does pass the New Inn. Which was shut.

There follows an interesting descent through Weardley, if the road surface was better I would be stupidly faster, and at the end is the A 659. Turn right for Harewood Bridge and left to ride north for a mile or so along the A 61 to the right turn for Kirkby Overblow. Which is where the weather turned damp.

Carry on to Sicklinghall, I was going to write straight on, but there are few straight roads around here. And on again to Wetherby. The town was oddly busy, traffic queues at every junction and the A 58 roundabout had really slow moving traffic. All became clear as I rode towards Collingham, Wattle Syke was closed, so anyone travelling towards Boston Spa or Bramham would have had to go via the Wetherby roundabout. One tiny little shortcut road is closed, chaotic traffic all around. Hmm.

I rode 34 3/4 miles today. I wrote it like that ‘cos it is numerical alliteration and you do not see many of them. The last ten or so of those miles were increasingly submerged, so I guess the dry spell has ended. It all adds to the fun, while the warmth stays.

How to ride around a blue pig . . .

 

[cosmicbike]

Great ride last night, started out at about 2am. Still shorts sleeve weather even at that hour. Nice ride around deserted roads from work and just kept adding little loops off the usual commute home. Ended up at 26 miles. Having a rest today, and planning on a longer ride tomorrow. Currently 22 miles ahead of the 25 miles a day target for this month, finding it hard work now.

 

[gavgav]

The lull before the storm. Been chucking it down most of the day here, but a brief lull after work, before what looks like the first proper Autumn storm tomorrow, in Mid August . Original plan was to get my 50k qualifier in tomorrow morning, but the forecast has put pay to that, basically meaning Bank Holiday Monday looks my only chance now .

Made do with a short ride after work instead, in winds that got more blustery as the ride went on and seemed to be in my face for the whole ride .

Took the cycle paths to Heathgates and then through Castlefields to the river towpath. Nice and sunny as I wound my way through The Quarry, avoiding the final dismantling of the Flower Show marquees and lorries waiting to transport them away.

Up through Porthill and then to Shelton, where I followed some new territory down to the new expensively built Mental Hospital, to see what it looks like. Couldn't be any more different from the old listed building that it used to reside in.

Joined the cycle path past the acute hospital and came out at the bottom of Racecourse Lane, before having a quick snoop around the new housing estate that is sprawling out towards Radbrook. That was my next destination, before heading through Nobold and Meole Brace and home.

14.3 miles

 

[hondated]

OK, so feeling a little guilty that I haven't posted for a while, especially after the comments about enjoying reading this thread. I'll make you sorry you said that.

It must be getting on for two weeks since I went out, my excuse is that baby worship takes precedence. Anyway, the day was dull and I was hoping for a cooler ride. Then the shelf in the bathroom fell down.

Eventually I got out to the bike, then discovered I'd left the GPS behind! So I was a bit later than planned.

I caught up with a father and son, the father was fixing something on his bike and the son had ridden ahead. No assistance seemed to be required and despite my expectation that they'd be overtaking me soon they insisted I went first. Thus I was riding a bit faster than normal, in order to not be in their way. There's a stretch of the canal towpath that also acts as an access to a old lock keepers cottage and is hence wide and rutted, but quite fun. Once I reached the cottage I stopped in the shade of a tree to check how close behind they were. They're just visible this side of the previous bridge.
View attachment 140319

I will say the shade was very welcome, and I paused for a while. The next section, while quite wide isn't quite as wide.

View attachment 140320

They were hard at work at the boatyard.
View attachment 140321

The trees seem to have recovered from their rather brutal pruning earlier in the year.

View attachment 140322

When they did seem rather denuded.

View attachment 140323

This time, while the heron eyed me with some suspicion, it didn't fly off when I got near. It probably reasoned that the water didn't look too inviting to me.

View attachment 140324

And further along a swan and cygnet were lunching.

View attachment 140325

I'd planned to do 20 miles, but by the time I reached this spot I was feeling rather tired. Still there was a bench.

View attachment 140327

And the view from the bridge of the bit I didn't ride

View attachment 140328

And the road over the bridge leads out to the main road which is a much easier ride. As the weather has got drier the towpath seems to have got rougher and there were stones flicking out from under my tyres most of the way. Still I did manage to beat my time along the Berkhamsted dash and Chaulden Lane segments. The adding of photos here seems to work better, well done @Shaun .

15.2 miles max 19 avg 7.9 mph. Year to date, 340.5miles, Target 400 miles. Curiously BaseCamp and Connect give different figures, I'll take the highest.

View attachment 140337

MB well worth the wait thanks

 

[hondated]

Great ride last night, started out at about 2am. Still shorts sleeve weather even at that hour. Nice ride around deserted roads from work and just kept adding little loops off the usual commute home. Ended up at 26 miles. Having a rest today, and planning on a longer ride tomorrow. Currently 22 miles ahead of the 25 miles a day target for this month, finding it hard work now.

CB snap as I said in the thread earlier I,ve had trouble sleeping so decided that if I woke early this morning the bike was ready and I,d be out
Well guess what 2.15am and I,m awake so it was on. Quickly got cycling gear on and set off. Decided with Bib Shorts short sleeve top and gillet and I am glad I did as it was a warm morning down here in Eastbourne. So I set off from where I live out to the valley road which until you reach it is well lit.
But once in the valley its pitch black and I was pleasantly surprised when I lit up my main light, I used a pulsating one until then that the road was brilliantly lit up. What was so amazing about that was the main light is a twin cree rechargeable that I brought on Ebay for under a tenner a year ago.
I rode for about 90 minutes and it remained charged all that time. Given how much I paid for it how bad is that !
Anyway I gradually made my way up the valley which is a bit of a climb for me any way and sadly it was cloudy night so I couldn't see much but at the top I dropped down to Birling Gap. There were a few camper vans parked up but no one about and deadly silent.
For a rest I stayed there for about fifteen minutes and then rode on up to Beachy Head. All the time it was silent but at the same warm.
From there I dropped down into town and made my way home. And it was only then when I met up with a couple of cars.
During the ride I did take some photos but as you would expect given most of the ride it was pitch black the photos taken on a Cyber Sureshort did not come out very well so its not even worth trying to put them on here.
The problem I now have is not getting tempted to do it tonight again but I am sure next week I will be thinking differently.
Bexhill would be a nice easy ride for me !