Your ride today....

[EltonFrog]

Forgive me bicyclists it has been more than three months since my last confession.

Three months since my last bike ride, I really don't know where the time has gone. The Fragrant MrsP and I went for a gentle ride out to Abingdon to go to the J Arthur, then to the Jewellers to change a bit of Tom I bought for the Mrs then a cup of Rosey in Costa. Then a cycle back via Didcot and Sainsbury's to get some Acker and Water Biscuits.

Nice bright currant ☀️ all afternoon but it was taters, 0 degrees.

Too cold to keep getting out the dog for photos but did take this one of the cooling towers after I stopped for a Jimmy.

The route.

23.64 miles today, it was nice too, lovely to be on the bike again, oh and I was wearing my new cycling shoes.

 

[cosmicbike]

Forgive me bicyclists it has been more than three months since my last confession.

Three months since my last bike ride, I really don't know where the time has gone. The Fragrant MrsP and I went for a gentle ride out to Abingdon to go to the J Arthur, then to the Jewellers to change a bit of Tom I bought for the Mrs then a cup of Rosey in Costa. Then a cycle back via Didcot and Sainsbury's to get some Acker and Water Biscuits.

Nice bright currant ☀️ all afternoon but it was taters, 0 degrees.

To cold to keep getting out the dog for photos but did take this one of the cooling towers after I stopped for a Jimmy.
View attachment 155636

The route.
View attachment 155627

23.64 miles today, it was nice too, lovely to be on the bike again, oh and I was wearing my new cycling shoes.

Welcome back

 

[Reynard]

Still something of a beginner compared to the folks on here - only took up cycling in August after a 16 year hiatus - so still taking baby steps distance-wise.

Did a lovely ride on the Wiggins this afternoon, down Black Bank to Littleport, then turned onto the A1101 (Bate's Drove) and rode to where the B1411 meets the Wash Road. Turned left onto the B1411 and rode alongside the Hundred Foot and from thence along Straight Furlong to Pymoor. Another left turn took me past the recreation ground down Pymoor Lane, O Furlong Drove and onto Main Drove. From there it was a short fizz home. I think it works out around 14 miles and managed it in an hour and 20 minutes.

Left at half 3, really pleasant out, lovely and clear, saw the sun set. Also spotted four barn owls, including one making a kill on the levee alongside the Hundred Foot. The temperature really took a tumble once the sun had gone down, and the last 6 miles from the Wash Road junction were perishing cold despite the fact I was well wrapped up - I need warmer gloves for sure. It looked like the puddles hadn't actually defrosted during the day, and this side of Pymoor the roads were all frozen. Some of the drains were also iced over. Hardly any traffic though and only saw three cyclists - two turning out of Black Bank heading towards Downham, and one chap on a road bike at the Littleport end of Black Bank.

Humorous / weird factual moment cycling down O Furlong - I startled a rat, and it ran ahead of me in the beam from my lights for about 50 metres or so until it got tired and then dived into the bushes. Who knew rats could run at 10-ish mph?

 

[Jon George]

I'm basically too knackered to report in detail ...
A fifty mile round trip to Colchester to see a good mate. I did it on ice-tyres and it seemed far, faaaaaaaar, harder. Still, saw some interesting scenery.

And a view at Dedham - Constable Country.

 

[Dave 123]

Out early today on my new toy. I won't say much, but I got to Wimpole as it started to get interesting...

Just about 19 miles

https://www.strava.com/activities/815497976

 

[EltonFrog]

Out early today on my new toy. I won't say much, but I got to Wimpole as it started to get interesting...

View attachment 155672

View attachment 155673

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Just about 19 miles

https://www.strava.com/activities/815497976

Nice photos.

 

[bruce1530]

From home, headed north along the coast road (A78) to Seamill. Turned and came back the same way, using the cycle path this time.

Just 10 miles, and dead flat.
And slow - average speed just over 10mph.

However, it was the first time back on the bike since my close encounter of the icy kind 5 weeks ago, which resulted in a 2 night hospital stay and 3 weeks on crutches.

Seems to be mostly OK. My fitness level is way down on where I was a month ago, and I felt a bit of pain in my inner thigh muscles - on the opposite side from the injury. The injured leg seems fine.

Bike also seems to have survived, although some of the chain links were initially a bit sticky, and the gears don’t seem as slick as they were. Checking that out is this afternoon’s job.


It was also the first outing for my Christmas present - a Garmin 810.

Later today, I’m heading back to the hospital to drop in a belated Christmas gift for the nurses - they were absolute stars!

 

[Dogtrousers]

I'm just back from one of my most enjoyable rides this year. It was something of a relevation.

Yesterday I replaced the 28mm Marathon pluses with 30mm Schwalbe Winter ice spikes on my Dawes (pics here). The instructions say to break them in on dry roads for 40km without hard braking. Well, the roads were sort of damp, but I've never been one to let mere instructions put me off and I wanted to see what they were like.

So, off I went and did 50km round some local lanes. I'm still getting over a bad cold so wasn't in the mood for any great effort and the bike and its new tyres were insistent that progress was going to be stately. I was fine with that.

Now, what follows may be pretentious rot but anyway ... The bike just loves its 30mm tyres. It's amazing what a difference 2mm of rubber and a couple of bars less pressure make. Previously, with the M+s the bike was like a heavier, stodgy, less fun version of my main bike (which has 25mm Durano+ tyres). But with these tyres its whole personality changed. It's hard to describe - it was just so nice to ride (even if it was making a lot of noise with the spikes buzzing). So laid back. I had pondered what route to take, and I kept the distance down to 50k as I didn't know what to expect, but I could have ridden like that all day and longer. The lanes were eerie and misty, with a bit of blue sky and sun poking through when I got to the ridge of the North Downs. It was just perfect. And slow too, but hey, who cares.

Botley Hill

• Dogtrousers
• 30 Dec 2016

So: Plan for 2017. New, wider wheels for the Dawes (the current ones are really unsuitable for these big tyres) and some 30mm slicks. I'll be starting a new thread for advice on rims and stuff.

 

[Elybazza61]

Nice photos.

+1

Hope you've had time to get them reflectors off Dave 123

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Minus 5 Celsius last night and fog and mist this morning. I met Margaret P-R on Hook Bank. We decided to stick to the gritted road out over the common. By Camer's Green the roads didn't look too bad at all so we ventured away from the gritter's route. Even the lane downhill to Pauntley was OK. Now that bit does freeze quite badly at times. Looks like the dry weather which preceded the freeze has kept the roads safe. Heading for Highleadon we decided a stop at The Trioscape for coffee would allow Margaret's feet to warm up.

We had been in and out of the mists on the way south but the Hams were clear. Now that was a lovely ride under blue skies. On through the school was good but as we got closer to Upton the mists closed in again. We said our byes at Tunnel Hill and I took my standard run back. I eventually rose above the mists over the last couple of miles. Coffee and cake went down well when I got in. 46 smiles which I really needed for sanity's sake.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Foggy and icy on the ride into work this morning, hardly anyone about, just shy of 34 miles done

Fog and ice all gone by the time I left to head home, was a tad warmer than this morning, just shy of 16 miles done. Another puncture on the ice bike, going to change them tomorrow for a new set.

49ish miles in total and the Rapha 500 swimming badge done.

 

[Racing roadkill]

https://www.relive.cc/view/815891599

33 miles in some horrendous fog today.

That was scary.

 

[greekonabike]

Got up, filled up on coffee, looked out of the window and was delighted to see it was foggy but not frosty. Donned some thermals, popped in to see my mum for a cuppa and then down the town to pootle around. Realised I hadn't had breakfast so made a beeline for the bakery to find it closed. Ended up with a couple of Mr Tom bars and a Yorkie. Popped into halfords on the way back to get a bottle cage then went home. 6 mileish round trip.

GOAB

 

[Triple3]

Up at 7:30 and fueled up on coffee and porridge. Set off for first ride with new garmin 820 explore. It took a while to create 3 routes so next time I will let it create whilst I get ready.
A few wrong turns and It was trying to re calculate whilst I doubled back and confused it more but other than that its a brilliant bit of kit. A 22 mile route of mixed surface on the single speed. Out from home and picked up the canal tow path, followed it to Lancaster before heading towards the kellets and down to Capernwray. It then sent me back on the canal but no path this time so a leg busting 4 mile on boggy grass & mud. Wont be taking the fratello on that route !!! Twists and turns to Carnforth and home
Really enjoyed the ride today, warm 9 degrees

 

[User19783]

Earlier this year I tried to sell my On-One bike, but I had no interest, didn't try eBay.
Certainly wasn't going to give it away.

I've fitted a pair of Schmalbe marathon Winter, this week, so I needed to go out and bed the tires in, today I went for a jolly around Oxford.

, so glad I didn't sell the bike, great ride and the tires were okay,.