Your ride today....

[Old jon]

The hills got steeper! You guessed it, I took the fixed out on the road. Fitted a larger sprocket yesterday, and a more reassuring front brake. The original canti-thingy, well. I do not understand. I had a similar setup on a bike in the middle sixties, Mafac maybe ( ? ) and they were brilliant in all respects. Anyway, a straight forward Shimano caliper has been fitted, and it just works. I suspect it was an accumulation of little details that spongified the original, and I just ran out of patience. Have a look, and ponder a little. New Shimano caliper complete, £30. New camera mount, four bits of die cast ally a tatty plastic sleeve and three little bolts, £42. Oh well, I wanted it so I should shut up.

Very much a repeat of my previous ride, but riding around the north of Garforth and missing out the Peckfield Bar through Sherburn loop for a 26.6 mile round trip in what I still call flatland riding. The garmin reports 307 metres of climbing with an incredible 25.5 maximum speed, the gearing may still be a little high if I can spin that fast.

After Lotherton Gates I saw quite a number of riders out, surprising considering how perishing cold it still is. Aberford and Barwick, Scholes and the ( my legs were tired ) lanes to the A 58, all without incident apart from a few crows disputing ownership of something you do not want to hear about, and that quick descent of Boot Hill, 25.5 mph. Still unbelievable. But, a thoroughly enjoyable rather strenuous ride for me. Roll on the next one!
Map, and the bike hiding most of my scruffy front door.

Hope all that worked.

 

[cosmicbike]

After a few days of commuting it was nice to get out on a 'me' ride. Bit of a change in weather from last weeks wet & windy, today dawned cold with light winds, so an opportunity to take the dry weather bike out. As ever my route was unplanned, and I ended up heading out (in snow flurries I might add!)through Staines, Wraysbury and Datchet until I reached Eton. Here I came across a barrier in the road, with a sign on it warning of barriers in the road......
Stopped at one of my usual spots on the bridge between Eton & Windsor, looks like new landing pontoons being put together ready for Summer

Pretty much straight home from here via Old Windsor & Runneymede. Thankfully the early flurries of snow came to nothing, but the temperature didn't get above zero for the duration. Home on just over 18 miles. Quick change of bike then into town for a utility ride, so 21 miles for me today.

 

[Jon George]

After an hour-and-an-half standing in front of the PC updating an outline, I had to get out for some fresh air and some lunch. I took Pasty #3 The Hybrid, as she has mudguards, and headed out of Ipswich towards Playford. Within minutes of leaving the house, I had stopped at a co-op for a sandwich (the height of luxury). Fed, I meandered over to Playford, on towards Culpho and into Tuddenham St Mary. It was here that the welcoming light of The Old Stores (a tea shop) drew me in. As I live within fifteen minutes of the place,, I've never stopped before, but I'm glad I did today. It's fabulous! And warm! Coffee and a slice of Bakewell tart for a fiver - I will be back.
Ten and a bit miles. Oh, it was damn colder than I thought it would be.

The church at Culpho.

The refreshments at The Old Stores.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

I rode over the hill to meet Pete M in Colwall. It was time for some riding in the quiet of Herefordshire. The plan was to zig zag our way to The Hop Pocket at Bishop's Frome. Grey and cold it was but with sensible layers it wasn't too bad. We went by Coddington to double back to Bosbury and on to Catley Southfield. Pete's fingers were complaining but that wasn't going to stop us. Around by Canon Frome took us to Upper Egleton and Much Cowarne. Not far now and we were sitting down to refreshments. An old work colleague (Debbie) was there so we did a catch up.

We left by the tiny lanes below Halmond's Frome and got muddled up amongst some road works. We were allowed through and climbed to Acton Green. For a change we took the right turn for Greenhill before crossing the main road for Mathon and a return to Colwall. Pete headed home while I climbed back over the hill. Certainly it had been a good ride in the part of the world that doesn't get enough riding done. 43 smiles

 

[GuyBoden]

Should I wrap up warm for tomorrow's ride or just stay in with the heating on.

Friday Feb 10th is forecast to be very cold here in the NW..........

 

[Jon George]

I almost T-Boned a car when it turned left out of a queue of traffic. I was concentrating on the hubcap sitting in the middle of my road and never noticed she had full lock on her steering even though her vehicle was sitting still

Wow! Did she then proceed to drive on the wrong side of the road? Glad you're okay.

 

[gavgav]

A short spin after work. Very cold, but wrapped up in layers and quite enjoyed the still chilly air and the fact that it wasn't fully dark when I set off at 5:15pm. The nights are drawing out and can't wait until it's fully light for evening rides again.

11.3 miles around my usual route to Heathgates, The Quarry, Copthorne, Radbrook, Meole Brace and home.

Nothing to note other than some courteous drivers, which isn't normal for a Friday evening!

 

[cosmicbike]

2 very brief pedals out on the Brompton today. One to ride home after dropping off SWMBO car for MOT, another to collect. Pleased to say the 17 year old VW Polo passed with only a few minor advisories
2.7 miles for me today, and can't say I missed going out for any longer with the horrible weather.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

A short spin after work. Very cold, but wrapped up in layers and quite enjoyed the still chilly air and the fact that it wasn't fully dark when I set off at 5:15pm. The nights are drawing out and can't wait until it's fully light for evening rides again.

11.3 miles around my usual route to Heathgates, The Quarry, Copthorne, Radbrook, Meole Brace and home.

Nothing to note other than some courteous drivers, which isn't normal for a Friday evening!

I think the discourteous ones were out when I was trying to get home. A Porsche that came too close, immediately followed by a fat BMW that passed even closer with the driver making some kind of gesture at me after he'd passed..... Charming.

Plenty of nice polite ones that did make up for it though and I got snowed on which was a novelty.

 

[gavgav]

I think the discourteous ones were out when I was trying to get home. A Porsche that came too close, immediately followed by a fat BMW that passed even closer with the driver making some kind of gesture at me after he'd passed..... Charming.

Plenty of nice polite ones that did make up for it though and I got snowed on which was a novelty.

BMW, says it all!

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

BMW, says it all!

Indeed. Another one that had to "Bully My Way through"

 

[Shut Up Legs]

A double ascent of Mt Dandenong for me, as part of my ongoing preparation for a June cycling tour in Italy and France. It was a good solid workout, with 81km and about 1450m climbing, with some of the climbing up moderately steep grades.
If you don't know where that is, it's not surprising: it's east of Melbourne, Australia, and about 15km south east of where I live.

Same again, in my weekly quest to toughen up the legs for the Mortirolo and other mountain passes, so it doesn't destroy me in June / July.

This one, however, was about 1500m climbing, because about 2km from home (downhill all the way), I realised I'd forgotten my helmet, so had to ride uphill to home to get it (as you tend to do, living in a country where nobody's given the choice).

 

[Supersuperleeds]

32 miles this morning in the cold and sleet, unsurprisingly I only saw one other nutter out in it. Need to sort a squeak on the commuter then it is going to be lazy day indoors

https://www.strava.com/activities/862292135

 

[cosmicbike]

Utility duties for me this morning, and since the local Sainsburys is resurfacing the carpark I took the Brompton as there are no stands to lock bike to ATM. Ended up going to Egham too, so added a few extra miles ambling about one handed with my free Waitrose coffee
9.5 rather chilly miles, and enough to avoid having to go out on a 'proper' ride in the still horrible weather.

 

[tallliman]

Another weekend in North London for me and better forecast than in the East Midlands. 100km route planned to take me to a cafe via some bits to see.

Started well heading up a new road to me, Moat Road up into Epping Forest (with Genesis playing in my head). Pretty steep on the whole which surprised me just how far I climbed!

Headed into Epping by which time the snow was getting heavier and the Easterly wind was pretty chilling. Made it to North Weald when I was passed by an old routemaster bus so I followed it to the former tube station in the village where I was informed a train would shortly be leaving. Stayed to watch and then decided it is just too cold to do the full 100km so headed back home for a nice round 50 instead.

As I type this, it's taken nearly an hour to warm up properly again!