Your ride today....

[Pat "5mph"]

I'm right with it with this technology palava hehehe, posting from my mobile so I don't have to transfer ride pictures to the laptop, let's see if it works!
Another Belles ride today, along the river Clyde certainly not for the challenge but for the company.
Clinck clanck clunking, there's been a noise from my bottom bracket since yesterday's commute, must investigate.
It was a lovely morning, quite mild for February, hardly anybody about, which is convenient when using shared paths.
Lots of banter, hardly an incline, we did a wee explore too, without getting lost!
Signaling right was seriously practiced: what better place than a quiet, straight, river path for this?
Coffee break was had in Cambuslang's Morrison's, where the price of Sheba cat food was commented upon ... Ahem ...
The return to the Green was much busier with joggers and other cyclists, so I took the girls round a quieter way, no dogs but plenty of dog poo, sadly.
Around 25 miles for me today: on crossing the main road towards home, looking forward to my cuppa, a board of local rascals (only kidding!) cried out "Pat, Pat, can you pump our tyres up!!"
A picture of cycle path metal art for you, testing upload from mobile!!!

 

[Gareth C]

I imagined a gravel ride around Kielder would be good endurance training, but ultimately boring fireroads: how wrong I was! Having signed up for the Dirty 130 (shorter version of the Dirty User9609 gravel ride), I figured it would be good to at least have a reccie. I had the whole route in the Garmin, and a few shortcuts to make it manageable, a good stepping-stone, and to fit in with a more leisurely start.

I parked up at Lewisburn carpark – this has a long history with me, being my venue of choice “back in the day” when I used to bring my Halfords Special mountain bike up for riding across the border. It seems to have seen better days, and is now just the foundations of the old buildings, a couple of picnic benches, and (importantly for a Yorkshireman) no parking payment machines.

I rode down the lakeside path to Low Cranecleugh Outdoor Centre where the route turned into the woods and hills. The first climb was, as expected, not too steep and nice on well-packed gravel. I overshot the first turn, and on tracking back, things turned a bit challenging: while marked on the map as a fire road, it was overgrown, greasy, mossy and steep! It wasn’t rideable for me, so push, push, push. When it leveled out a bit, the “steep” bit was replaced with “boggy”, so it was still barely rideable. I had plenty of time to reflect on what this would be like on the Dirty User9609 – I could imagine people trying to pass in conditions where there was no line choice. Probably made my mind up that maybe it wasn’t for me.

From there, back on gravel roads “as expected” and some nice turning of the pedals up and down the hills. Aiming to hit the road section up towards the Newcastleton trail head, I’d planned a short-cut to the Dirty User9609 route to speed this bit along. This was a lovely bit of riding, but towards the end there was a forestry works sign, with a “no access” notification. In the distance I could see them chopping down trees, right next to the fire road with some big old timber coming down. Hmmm. I could back-track and find another way around, but figured I had learned enough about the route already (and knew the section from Newcastleton anyway, from mountain biking visits). Turn around.

I headed back to Lewisburn, largely by the same route, with one-or-two diversions, which were mostly beautiful. I need to come back and do some nice long distance riding in the forest (probably at this time of year to skip the insects), but maybe not in some manic semi-race environment. When I got back to the car my legs were empty: this likely a combination of lack of fitness, the terrain, and just having a bag of M&Ms by way of nutrition!

Still, a nice day out on the bike.

https://www.relive.cc/view/869654553

 

[Gareth C]

What a contrast to yesterday: where there was stillness, now there was bluster. A local ride out of Hamsterley Forest, and a bit of a “what’s it like riding the fat bike for long(ish) distances over hilly terrain” kind of study. Hamsterley Forest was full of the usual trail centre bikers, families, walkers and so on, but five minutes of spinning sees all that left behind as I head along Euden Beck. I wouldn’t see anyone else all day (except a farmer shouting about how draughty it was as I zipped by in a (rare) tail wind).

The climb out of the forest was OK: steep-but-manageable, sheltered by the trees, and on a good surface.

On leaving the forest, all that changed: still uphill, but now Sharnberry Gill makes a good wind tunnel, and everytime I’ve been here there seems to be a headwind that is either unpleasant, or downright impossible. Today is was somewhere inbetween, and only the old mine workings and the gravel in front of the tyre add interest to keep things going.

On reaching the Eggleston to Stanhope road, the route turns right, and the headwind becomes a side wind. New to me was the effect this has on massive fat bike tyres: I zig-zagged up the road. At the top there was still some old snow from weeks ago hanging around.

It’s then “chocks away” as the road heads down to Bollihope. The fat bike can get up some real speed, and at speed the fat wheels seemed to be trying to resist the side-wind.

At the bottom, I turned right towards Bollihope quarry, and now had a full-on tail wind. It was at this point that the farmer and son were building a wall, and shouted their greeting about the weather. Even the climb up the road to Hill End was easy with wind assistance.

But all good things must come to an end. I turned right to White Kirkley, and the steep dead-end road towards the moor top and the Elephant Trees on the skyline. The climb was a mixture of pushing and riding, but surprisingly the last grassy steep ramp to the moor was ridden. On the way up, the views were spectacular over Weardale.

The section along the moor top is one of my favourites, and in this direction it was slightly downhill and with a tail wind. Does it get any better? Rocky enough to add interest, but never too hard.

At the end, another short road section, steeply down then, yes, steeply back up to Doctors Gate. Here there has been much publicity about the 4×4 brigade (this part of the route is a Byway Open To All Traffic) who have conspired to destroy this beautiful route. I thought I might be able to ride it, but the couple of kilometers down across the moor were all walked in thick mud. Plenty of recently added signs have been added, showing “no entry,” “this way” to the off-roaders, and “please keep to the track” (which was mostly bottomless mud, or bottomless puddles/lakes). The final rocky section was rideable, and I quickly regained Hamsterley Forest for a quick spin back to the car (with clods of mud launching themselves from the bike).

https://www.relive.cc/view/871123577

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Brilliant pictures @Gareth C!

 

[Gareth C]

Brilliant pictures @Gareth C!

Thanks Pat - still working on photo's from today's ride - Swaledale!

 

[Elybazza61]

Got out for a nice 50k this morning, first proper ride for a bit and felt like hard work for the first part which was mostly in to the wind.

Headed out on the usual ommute ride down Twenty Pence Rd then out of Cottenham to Westwick to pick up the busway and then turning off to go out through Willingham and head up to Earith;then on to the 'Haddenham Speed' sector, up through Haddenham then back to Ely for a warm down through the city.

Pretty pleased with the ride considering I've only done some short rides this month and the bike is all set now for the year(apart from re-setting the wheels for tubeless).

https://www.strava.com/activities/872002127

 

[Reynard]

Loving all the photos in this thread Must get my own act together at some point...

 

[Gareth C]

Day 3: where to go? If in doubt, Swaledale – mountain biking: lovely rocky tracks, amazing scenery, and the old lead mine history all around you.

I’ve been neglecting my full suspension bike since acquiring the fat bike, so today was time to make amends. However, when loading it into the car, it seemed the front wheel bearing had seized! It really was feeling unloved. Getting it fully tightened up in the fork and a good amount of torque got things moving again, and some GT85 and grease applied to the gaps into the bearings (probably did no good at all, but it made me feel better – I’ll get it serviced properly in the near future).

Reeth was busy, so I went up the valley to park between Low Row and Gunnerside. My first objective was to cycle along by the river to reach Gunnerside.

Then it was climbing up the old mine access road, steeply at first, and then evening out a little (but still always up).

Things then started to get a little more remote, with tempting views up the valley to some of the mine workings.

"In the red" - lots of climbing

Once I’d left the main made-up track onto a little bridleway going roughly across the valley side, it wasn’t long before a cracking little descent to the mine workings proper.

There was then a bit of hike-a-bike to get out of the steep valley…

… before eventually reaching another made-up-track that would take me over between the valleys into the Old Gang Mine. On the top it was like the moon, with old mine machinery abandoned, and the mist and old snow drifts just making it more atmospheric.

Then onto the track down the valley to the Old Gang mines.

To finish off the day, a short-but-sharp climb up from Surrender Bridge, and then a brake-burning descent to Low Row. Return to the car, disassemble bike, another great day out cycling!

https://www.relive.cc/view/872494083

 

[Biff600]

For a change I put my GoPro under the saddle, put it on a short time lapse with a narrow FOV and did 35 miles around the north of Peterboring.

The footage is dominated by the stem and my legs rattling up and down, but you get the idea !!

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRUB0LzYWzs

 

[Gravity Aided]

I am trying for the metric half tomorrow. On the K2, as the Trek 600 is not out of the basement yet.

Took a bit, but I got there. I was lucky to have 60 degree weather for the Metric Half century ride for the challenge today. It was a ride of two parts. First, I rode to the Lake Bloomington area, full of permanent and vacation homes, and a very pretty lake, all resembling little communities along the eastern shore. The K2 did well, but anything longer, and I'd for sure want the Trek600. The second half of the ride was more urban, through Normal along the trails, which were packed. I saw the new northbound platforms for the passenger station, very snazzy. Ride was fueled by bridge mix. A bit of town, a bit of country, 33 miles and change.
51F(to start) or 13C
Winds S12
Relative humidity 89%
Barometer 30.08 or1021.6mb.
Temperature reached the mid-60sF and humidity dropped as the day went on. More on my blog this week!

 

[Old jon]

A bit of breeze, I thought, looking out of the kitchen window. At one point on the ride, just after the clock at Oakwood, I found the bike steering itself a meter to the right of where I thought it was. Windy then. Before that, riding towards Jack Lane, I thought there was a little more road vibration than usual. Dismissed the thought ‘cos it was early in the ride, but convinced myself all the same. Could be a difference in bikes, phase of the moon or just plain nincompoopery. There may be further instalments on this subject.

Anyway, where the wind caught the bike was on Princes Avenue, I had decided to ride that way, past the big park gates and turning right down Park Lane. Across the Ring Road and up the hill to the lights at Slaid Hill and that gorgeously enjoyable ride along Wike Ridge to East Keswick. Main Street was steep this morning . . .

Turn right onto the A 659 left on the A 58 in Collingham and through the village to Wattle Syke, which, oddly, is still the A 659. Its an old friend, make that very old, and I rode along it to Boston Spa and took the first right turn for Clifford. Bramham next, and the climb to cross the A1M, then on to Thorner. Out and up Sandhills, which had conspired with the wind to make them quite a bit steeper than usual, and so was Skeltons Lane and Red Hall Lane. All this was on the bike with the gears, and the wind made sure I used most of them. The Boot Hill grin had an airing again, on the way back to my front door 30.1 miles after leaving it. And the drizzle started, but did not dampen any enthusiasm.

A morning's meander

 

[Smithbat]

*snip* As my other half builds up distance towards her charity ride in May, we decided to make today the day to aim for her first metric half century. *snip*

Is your good lady doing the Ride the Night in May by any chance?

 

[Deleted member 1258]

A short ride for me today. Coventry Road Clubs Deeley charity Ride, I did the 28 mile short route and rode to and from the event, a total of 37 miles. Another lovely day for a bike ride, cool cloudy and with a light breeze. Out about nine for the short ride to the HQ to get signed on then out onto the course. Most of the ride was on familiar lanes but there was one I've not ridden before a couple I haven't ridden for sometime and a couple of junctions I approached from a different direction just to keep me on my toes. A well organized well sign posted event and a lovely morning out on my bike.

http://www.coventry.gov.uk/events/e...ntry_road_club_sportivecycle_ride_for_charity

View: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/13028650

View attachment 338590

We raised over £2000 for the Zoe's Place hospice

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/5g1ic9keyo80d2m/AADHAWXcpP07_n3NDU8ze3Yia/Start photos & PR?dl=0

 

[cubey]

A trip upto Emley moor TV mast and back around 40km.

View attachment 338830

 

[Jon George]

After a morning's unexpected work, I thought about giving Patsy #5 The Bandit another shake-down blast before her MOT tomorrow, but thought the weather was too good to miss trying out Patsy #1 The Carbon for the first time this year (it is only February, isn't it?), together with a trial adjustment of clothes after yesterday's boil-in-the-bag excursion. So I went for a quick 12 mile trash around the outskirts of Ipswich.
It seemed that the wind was gathering strength all the time, but at least I got the major benefit on the return leg through town. (I passed a rider surrounded by police, with a car parked nearby on the kerb, seemingly checking he was alright, so I'm assuming a bit of a bump between the two. The rider was upright and not clutching any important parts of his body, so he's probably just a bit shaken.)
Four minutes later, with the wind behind me, I was racing one of the police cars along Norwich road.

Patsy #1 The Carbon, pleased to be out on the road again.