Your ride today....

[snorri]

Hi Pat, sorry I didn't see you at the Parly, I stopped for a snack between The Meadows and The Parly and was a little late in arriving. I'm planning a trip out west tomorrow so might see you there.

 

[mybike]

Rode a totally boring 12 miles (Garmin Connect says 11.9 but my eTrex said 12.3) along the Welsh North Coast Path. Flat and smooth! I'd intended to stop at the Hub in Rhyl for lunch but I realised part way that I'd not brought any money, so headed on toward Towyn. I've got video but this m/c can't handle it so photos will have to wait.

12.3 miles max 16.2 avg 9.1 mph. Year to date, 93.5miles, Target 500 miles

 

[cosmicbike]

https://www.relive.cc/view/953242795

I decided to go to Hayling Island today.

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A few clouds, but mostly warm.

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Hayling's amusement park.
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View from Portsdown hill today.

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A beer at the Churchillian at the top of Portsdown hill.

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The view towards Southwick, from the top of Portsdown hill.

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A nice view.

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A massive pub garden, that I somehow didn't know about, despite having lived round here on and off for about 40 years

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A lovely sunny day.

Which pub is that? Heading to Hayling for a few nights in the van at the end of May, good pub is always welcome, especially one where the kids can go play..

 

[gavgav]

@Rickshaw Phil came round this morning and provided his expertise in setting my new bike up for me (Thanks Phil ). It's a full carbon racer, which is very different to what I'm used to!

We spent an hour or so doing the set up and then went for a short shakedown ride, to see if everything was ok.

Everything felt very different as we set off, with me using the wrong gears on the Campagnolo set, on a couple of occasions (I.e shifting up instead of down!!) but I soon got used to that. The drop bars felt a bit odd to start with and the sharper steering, but soon got to grips with things and it feels so light!!

We only did a loop down to the business park, around the local estate and back, but even those 4.6 miles were enough for it to start to feel reallly nice to ride.

Looking forward to giving it a longer test ride, but that will have to wait as I'm playing cricket this afternoon.

 

[TheDoctor]

Cycled to Letchworth to work, then headed over to Hitchin for breakfast. It's cooling down now, so I really ought to head back. Maybe after some more tea.

 

[Donger]

My ride yesterday. Unfortunately most of my photos taken later in the day were ruined. When I stuffed the camera in my bar bag, the settings must have shifted, and they were all horribly over-exposed.

A fantastic day out in Wales with my mate Rich W from Kingsway CC and my man in Wales, (our Passepartout), @Banjo. Started off in the village of Marshfield between Cardiff and Newport, and had a nice gentle and pan flat flat ride below sea level until we got to the Newport Transporter Bridge. There's something about unusual bridges and ferries that I really love, and I like to take bike rides across them. This one ticked both boxes, as the road surface itself hangs on wires and gets ferried across the River Usk. It is a classic piece of Victoriana. ..... in it's time, cutting edge technology, but constructed in a madcap end-of-the-pier helter-skelter funfair style. There was a bit of waiting around for it to open (@10:00am for anyone who is thinking of trying it), but I enjoyed the experience tremendously.
A few of the surviving photos:
(1) Me with @Banjo:

(2) Banjo & Rich:

(3) The wonderful transporter in full flight:

After that, we picked our way up some steep streets in Newport and then out along wonderfully scenic quiet roads through Caerleon and Usk to Abergavenny, stopping at a motorbikers' cafe (the Steel Horse) for pancakes and bacon with syrup. I know. But somehow it works. That fuelled us up nicely to take on the mighty Tumble. Four miles of climbing, with a brutal average of 10%. Here we cut Rich loose and let him go for it. Fair play to him, he got up it in one, and had plenty of time to sit back on a grassy mound in the sunshine eating an icecream and chatting to other cyclists. I didn't fare so well, stopping four times on the climb. Still reckon I was probably the fastest 20 stoner to get up there for a while, though. What got me was the 13-15% bits climbing up through the woods for the first couple of miles. Fortunately the half mile immediatley before the summit is much gentler, so you can arrive at the top still retaining a modicum of dignity. I decided to defy our club rules of never being photographed holding your bike above your head. (What the hell!).

The descent through Blaenavon was exhilarating, and we had a great ride through Pontypool (apart from getting a bit lost) and onwards mostly downhill back to Newport and Marshfield. We had two more stops on the way, one in a cracking new cafe at the side of a reservoir at Llandegfedd, and then a final stop in the riverside beer garden of a pub in Caerleon. A truly brilliant day out. Many thanks again to Banjo for plotting the route and keeping me company on the climb, pretending not to want to go any faster. Oh, and for the coffee and cake.
112Km (69.7 miles) and one big mountain done. Loved it all. I shall be back to wales again and again. Just a shame none of my photos of the beautiful country side survived. There's no way I'm doing the club ride today, so I'm off out for Sunday lunch with Mrs Donger. Cheers.

 

[Racing roadkill]

My ride yesterday. Unfortunately most of my photos taken later in the day were ruined. When I stuffed the camera in my bar bag, the settings must have shifted, and they were all horribly over-exposed.

A fantastic day out in Wales with my mate Rich W from Kingsway CC and my man in Wales, (our Passepartout), @Banjo. Started off in the village of Marshfield between Cardiff and Newport, and had a nice gentle and pan flat flat ride below sea level until we got to the Newport Transporter Bridge. There's something about unusual bridges and ferries that I really love, and I like to take bike rides across them. This one ticked both boxes, as the road surface itself hangs on wires and gets ferried across the River Usk. It is a classic piece of Victoriana. ..... in it's time, cutting edge technology, but constructed in a madcap end-of-the-pier helter-skelter funfair style. There was a bit of waiting around for it to open (@10:00am for anyone who is thinking of trying it), but I enjoyed the experience tremendously.
A few of the surviving photos:
(1) Me with @Banjo:
View attachment 348954
(2) Banjo & Rich:
View attachment 348950
(3) The wonderful transporter in full flight:
View attachment 348953
After that, we picked our way up some steep streets in Newport and then out along wonderfully scenic quiet roads through Caerleon and Usk to Abergavenny, stopping at a motorbikers' cafe (the Steel Horse) for pancakes and bacon with syrup. I know. But somehow it works. That fuelled us up nicely to take on the mighty Tumble. Four miles of climbing, with a brutal average of 10%. Here we cut Rich loose and let him go for it. Fair play to him, he got up it in one, and had plenty of time to sit back on a grassy mound in the sunshine eating an icecream and chatting to other cyclists. I didn't fare so well, stopping four times on the climb. Still reckon I was probably the fastest 20 stoner to get up there for a while, though. What got me was the 13-15% bits climbing up through the woods for the first couple of miles. Fortunately the half mile immediatley before the summit is much gentler, so you can arrive at the top still retaining a modicum of dignity. I decided to defy our club rules of never being photographed holding your bike above your head. (What the hell!).
View attachment 348955
The descent through Blaenavon was exhilarating, and we had a great ride through Pontypool (apart from getting a bit lost) and onwards mostly downhill back to Newport and Marshfield. We had two more stops on the way, one in a cracking new cafe at the side of a reservoir at Llandegfedd, and then a final stop in the riverside beer garden of a pub in Caerleon. A truly brilliant day out. many thanks again to Banjo for plotting the route and keeping me company on the climb, pretending not to want to go any faster. Oh, and for the coffee and cake.
112Km (69.7 miles) and one big mountain done. Loved it all. I shall be back to wales again and again. Just a shame none of my photos of the beautiful country side survived. There's no way I'm doing the club ride today, so I'm off out for Sunday lunch with Mrs Donger. Cheers.

A like for the ride, if there was a dislike button, I'd use that for the holding of the bike above the head.

http://www.velominati.com/the-rules/ffs-friday-rule-95-violations/

 

[Banjo]

Magnificent day out yesterday with @Donger and his mate Rich.

Trying to avoid main roads after the Transporter Bridge I selected a fairly crap route through Newport involving some steep glass strewn roads through a housing estate but we were soon out into the country enjoying the ride and the scenery.

Our main objective was the Tumble Mountain and with a cooling breeze behind us we set off ever upwards. I had to stop a few times purely to take photographs of course

After Tumble we meandered down to Pontypool then across to Llandegfedd Lake before heading back after a welcome drink in a riverside pub at Caerleon.

Selected a pleasanter way back through Newport to finish a great day out.


PS Finally got photobucket to work for me.(I hope)

 

[Banjo]

A like for the ride, if there was a dislike button, I'd use that for the holding of the bike above the head.

http://www.velominati.com/the-rules/ffs-friday-rule-95-violations/

Velomanti rules.......less said the better.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Velomanti rules.......less said the better.

Agree. No need to drag a great thread down with that velominati rubbish.

 

[13 rider]

After yesterday's exertions I wasn't sure wether to ride today or not . Woke to and text from big sister did I fancy meeting a Nice Pies for breakfast ? Err yes . Nice pies is 16 miles from home so a 50km ride . Took the direct route Anstey ,Cropston ,Rothley ,Cossington ,Sileby ,Seagrave to Nice pies . Just ordering my coffee and sister walked in . So nice relaxed time consuming coffee and breakfast while chatting away .Back on the bike fairly direct route back again but went to Barrow instead of Sileby . Back home with 32.7 miles in the bag and the legs are not to bad but I felt the hills today. The weekend miles turned April into my biggest milage month and this week done 250 miles which I still find hard to believe I can complete this sort of milage

 

[TigerT]

Had no intention of going for a ride today, was fully intending to go for a drive instead but indecision set in. After a bacon sandwich and a coffee for breakfast, the sun was out and the weather forecast was promising it would be would be warm, so i decided a ride was the better option.

I headed down to the cellar to choose a bike. Decided todays destination would be Baden and therefore the hybrid was the best bet. The route goes on a lot of unpaved paths and whilst it's doable on a road bike, I appreciate the suspension on the Scott. I haven't used it for nearly 18months and it didn't start well, it was really dirty (and stayed that way) and when I went to pump up the rear tyre, the valve shot out and took a while to find.

Eventually I set out on the route and into the countryside. It's a pretty nice route to Baden on quiet roads and tracks through a lot of little villages and a couple of farms. When I started cycling out here it used to be my favourite ride, as there are so many railway stations on the route, I could stop whenever I wanted! + Baden is a really lovely town to visit. No stopping today though - It was too cold to stop, the promised warm weather still hasn't turned up. I had leg warmers, but no arm warmers, and my arms would just not warm up. So nice as the ride was, I was pleased to get to my coffee stop at Baden Railway station.

Feeling refreshed I decided to try something new on the way back. Whenever I've driven to Baden it's a more direct route, but has more hills. Last time I did it I noticed most of the route has a cycle path, so I diverted onto this route at Würenlos. This made a nice change, although it was higher up and more windy, the cycle path was very nicely surfaced and there were some lovely views. The last bit wasn't so good, busy roads and no cycle lane. Will investigate that for next time.

Altogether it was a very nice ride and I enjoyed the variation on the way home. 48km in total, just wish it was a little warmer! Felt guilty about the state of the bike when I got back, so cleaned it before putting it away.

Here are a few photos :

An odd roundabout in Büchs

Old wooden bridge to cross the river

Up hill on cobbles on the way into Baden (My favourite - not!)

The countryside on the way home

and finally a map

 

[NorthernDave]

Just an hour to spare this morning, but the weather was too good to waste by not getting a ride in.

On the Road Comp again (it's still the one nearest the door...) and out up the familiar four of Coal Road, Red Hall Lane, the A58 and Whin Moor Lane, but today I took the first right down Hobberley Lane, which is a fun descent (if you avoid the potholes) and brings you out half way down Shadwell Main Street.
Right and completed the journey down the hill, across Bay Horse Lane and up the sharp climb back to the A58 and across onto Carr Lane.
From here it's a combination of twists and turns and ups and downs all the way to Thorner, where I turned right again and through the village to tackle the biggest climb of the day up Sandhills (Van Zyl Hill). It's always hard work up here, but it didn't feel too bad today nice and early into a ride. Set my fastest time of the year up here too.

Rather than the near obligatory right at the top onto Skeltons Lane, I went straight on and endured that horrible quarter mile of the A64, before turning right again onto Scholes Lane and then Station Road as I recreated the TdY sprint (in my head).

Now with time short I didn't stop to take any photos today, but here is one that I took last year that gives an impression of how I might have looked climbing over the former railway bridge into the village...(but without all the other riders and support cars, etc)
TdY in Scholes by Dave, on Flickr
On through the village to the Coronation Tree where it was right again onto Leeds Road and the descent down to Cock Beck. Yesterday was a rare day with no headwind, unlike today when normal service was resumed and I was having to pedal downhill again to keep a decent lick going.

Checking the time showed I still had a bit to spare so I added a long loop around the Manstons in, before heading up to home with a bit extra added to push the mileage on.

12.01 miles (19.32km) in 53m at an average of 13.5mph and with just 643ft climbed. Glorious weather (pesky headwind excepted) and great to get out there, even if for just under an hour. Quite a few other cyclists out there making the most of it too.

And here is a map

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Found out the hard way yesterday that my new Defy 1 does not corner as well as my hybrid - one broken collar bone and 6 weeks of a sling to ponder the Defy - currently thinking of some 28mm tyres with a degree of grip rather than the rather slick 25mm it came with and Joes Run Flats as well.

Sorry to hear that. I hope you're on the mend soon.

 

[gbb]

Just a meander round Peterborough, set off over to Halfords, lost my mitts somewhere in the house and while they've given me sterling service (Endura) it's time for a new pair anyway. Sadly halfords offerings didn't Inspire me so rode on without.
Onto Whittlesey, back toward Stanground, towards Pondersbridgebut cut off towards Farcet, backdoor to Ikea and home through the Ortons.

20 miles at no great pace, Thoroughly thoroughly enjoyed it.