twentysix by twentyfive
Clinging on tightly
- Location
- Over the Hill
Your ride today....
- Thread starter gbb
- Start date
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Oxford Dave
Senior Member
- Location
- West Oxfordshire
Just been out for a short (ten mile) local loop on my new bike - I succumbed to the charms of a second-hand Dawes Super Galaxy yesterday while collecting my repaired wheel from an Oxford bike shop.
Much more comfortable - both the saddle and the riding position. Still need to get used to the gear shifting and brakes - it's about 30 years since I had a bike with drop bars, and that had the shifters on the frame.
Plodded around a few familiar roads, got back to find I had 'plodded' about 1.5 mph faster than any previous rides, and I was taking it easy as I have to play a gig this evening.
All in all, very happy with the Galaxy, looking forward to getting to know it better over the coming weeks as we get some miles covered together.
Much more comfortable - both the saddle and the riding position. Still need to get used to the gear shifting and brakes - it's about 30 years since I had a bike with drop bars, and that had the shifters on the frame.
Plodded around a few familiar roads, got back to find I had 'plodded' about 1.5 mph faster than any previous rides, and I was taking it easy as I have to play a gig this evening.
All in all, very happy with the Galaxy, looking forward to getting to know it better over the coming weeks as we get some miles covered together.
Landsurfer
Veteran
First ride since i had the heart monitor embedded in my chest. All healed up ,, just a big scratch ... but i now have a third nipple ...lol
Mr Celine
Discordian
- Location
- Waxing my moustache
A quick blast before the impending storm, though as I ploughed into a strengthening head wind up Yarrowdale it appeared to have arrived early.
A stop for a breather before turning south and tackling the Swire
The respite from the wind was short lived as the climb gradually turns back into it. The last 50m or so required honking on the 28T inner ring. This is the view back the way -
And this is the view of the descent -
I'm amazed this photo isn't blurred as despite standing behind a wall I was almost getting blown over. When I got back on the bike it was a real struggle to get going and stay on the road and the first part of the descent needed hard pedalling in the granny ring.
Once safely down into Ettrickdale it was still blowing a hoolie but it was now a tailwind which gave rise to some impressive strava times.
Today's map -
29.8 miles @13.8mph 585m up.
A stop for a breather before turning south and tackling the Swire
The respite from the wind was short lived as the climb gradually turns back into it. The last 50m or so required honking on the 28T inner ring. This is the view back the way -
And this is the view of the descent -
I'm amazed this photo isn't blurred as despite standing behind a wall I was almost getting blown over. When I got back on the bike it was a real struggle to get going and stay on the road and the first part of the descent needed hard pedalling in the granny ring.
Once safely down into Ettrickdale it was still blowing a hoolie but it was now a tailwind which gave rise to some impressive strava times.
Today's map -
29.8 miles @13.8mph 585m up.
Spiderweb
Not So Special One
- Location
- North Yorkshire
Out at Lunchtime for a gentle ride before the storm. A beautiful day in North Yorkshire with dry roads for a change. 20.45 miles with an average of 14.4 mph.
EltonFrog
Legendary Member
Another dry sunny day, not as cold as yesterday for a ride out Wallingford again to Rides on Air for a test ride on a couple of bikes to if they would take my fancy. After riding them around town I had a bit of lunch in Greggs and rode back home into a steady headwind all the way back, only stopping at the farm shop to a few bits of dinner.
22.34 miles today.
22.34 miles today.
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
Despite the threat of the storm, Mrs F decided she wanted a spin out this morning. Bikes in the back of the car then off to Middlewood Way for a coffee stop at Bailey's Trading Post on the Peak Forest Canal. Lovely and sunny with little wind.
Back to the car and used my ebay special pressure washer to rinse the bikes. Proper wash when home.
Back to the car and used my ebay special pressure washer to rinse the bikes. Proper wash when home.
twentysix by twentyfive
Clinging on tightly
- Location
- Over the Hill
4 of us in the Green this morning. Mrs 26, John G, Steve E and me. Pete M and Jules H were waiting in Upton. It was Steve's birthday so he headed off for family celebrations. We took to Queenhill and on down to the Hams with a stop as John picked up a thorn in his rear tyre. We checked out a flock of Greylag Geese but couldn't see any other species. Then we went by Hartpury for the Trioscape cafe.
All too soon it was time to head for Brand Green and Redmarley D'Abitot. Mrs 26 found the hill a wee bit tough. John headed off up the main road while Pete took directions so he could round the southern hills and get back to Colwall. Just 3 of us now headed for Pendock and the standard lanesy route. Mrs 26 called a pause at Castlemorton before Jules headed off on Hook Bank. Mrs 26 wanted to go by Brotheridge Green which kept us in lovely lanes a bit longer. Only a few miles left to roll back for a very pleasant outing. 49 smiles
All too soon it was time to head for Brand Green and Redmarley D'Abitot. Mrs 26 found the hill a wee bit tough. John headed off up the main road while Pete took directions so he could round the southern hills and get back to Colwall. Just 3 of us now headed for Pendock and the standard lanesy route. Mrs 26 called a pause at Castlemorton before Jules headed off on Hook Bank. Mrs 26 wanted to go by Brotheridge Green which kept us in lovely lanes a bit longer. Only a few miles left to roll back for a very pleasant outing. 49 smiles
Grant Fondo
Guru
- Location
- Cheshire
Sun was out at 10am so some MTB action down the Shropshire Union out of Chester and over the tracks towards Ellesmere Port, very acceptable 10 miles or so.
Not looking too good out there now!
Not looking too good out there now!
NorthernDave
Never used Über Member
- Location
- The real Northern Powerhouse
I really had to have a word with myself to get out today, but with the coming of the apocalypse foretold for tomorrow I thought I'd better at least try to get a qualifying ride in for the Half Century challenge.
Still windy today as I discovered, but my plan was to head for Otley so at least I'd have a tailwind on part of the return. I've not been out much recently and my fitness (or lack of...) told it's own tale today, but I stuck with it and I'm glad I did now.
The ride as far as Arthington Lane was pretty uneventful, if just slow, but at the top of the hill i decided to go straight on and descend down Black Hill and then along what i hoped would be the sheltered road at the bottom of the valley. Unfortunately I'd forgotten just how steep that hill is and just how much mud (and other stuff...
) the local farmer could spread on the road.
I'm usually pretty fearless (or stupid, you decide) on descents but today I was genuinely scared for a good way down the hill - the disc brakes did their thing, but I couldn't pull them on hard enough to slow me down without locking the back wheel due to the slippery road surface so I still topped 30 mph freewheeling down the hill. I barely touched the front brake for fear of that locking up and it washing out under me.
Anyway, I survived and made my way along to Pool and then Otley, sadly not sheltered from the wind as much as I'd hoped.
The only way out of Otley is up, so I climbed the A660, slowly.
For the first time ever I stopped, just before the summit where I'm not sure if this road sign was being ironic or just taking the p***
Despite being a bit grey, it's still a great view:
Back in the saddle and on my way, only to be checked by temporary traffic lights in Bramhope, where motorised muppetry was at it's worse.
Just as I cleared the roadworks a police car was coming towards me on blues and twos, so I pulled right in and stopped so he could pass the queuing traffic in the opposite lane. Unfortunately the driver who had been behind me decided to pull alongside me and stop there rather than behind me, blocking the road completely...then look at me like it was my fault
Anyway, that sorted and down to the roundabout where a muppet in a Mini gave me the close pass of the day, getting close enough for me to adjust their door mirror if I'd wanted to. The big scrape on their front wing suggested this wasn't the first time they'd got too close to something they shouldn't have...
Retrace of the outward journey from there, with a few bits added on to bump the mileage up and it was home and job done.
31.31 miles (50.38 km) in 2h 58m at an average of 10.5 mph with 1,591ft climbed and an average temperature of just 3.1°C
Glad I stuck with it now, and the challenge continues for another month at least.
And to end, a map:
Still windy today as I discovered, but my plan was to head for Otley so at least I'd have a tailwind on part of the return. I've not been out much recently and my fitness (or lack of...) told it's own tale today, but I stuck with it and I'm glad I did now.
The ride as far as Arthington Lane was pretty uneventful, if just slow, but at the top of the hill i decided to go straight on and descend down Black Hill and then along what i hoped would be the sheltered road at the bottom of the valley. Unfortunately I'd forgotten just how steep that hill is and just how much mud (and other stuff...
) the local farmer could spread on the road.I'm usually pretty fearless (or stupid, you decide) on descents but today I was genuinely scared for a good way down the hill - the disc brakes did their thing, but I couldn't pull them on hard enough to slow me down without locking the back wheel due to the slippery road surface so I still topped 30 mph freewheeling down the hill. I barely touched the front brake for fear of that locking up and it washing out under me.
Anyway, I survived and made my way along to Pool and then Otley, sadly not sheltered from the wind as much as I'd hoped.
The only way out of Otley is up, so I climbed the A660, slowly.
For the first time ever I stopped, just before the summit where I'm not sure if this road sign was being ironic or just taking the p***
Despite being a bit grey, it's still a great view:
Back in the saddle and on my way, only to be checked by temporary traffic lights in Bramhope, where motorised muppetry was at it's worse.
Just as I cleared the roadworks a police car was coming towards me on blues and twos, so I pulled right in and stopped so he could pass the queuing traffic in the opposite lane. Unfortunately the driver who had been behind me decided to pull alongside me and stop there rather than behind me, blocking the road completely...then look at me like it was my fault
Anyway, that sorted and down to the roundabout where a muppet in a Mini gave me the close pass of the day, getting close enough for me to adjust their door mirror if I'd wanted to. The big scrape on their front wing suggested this wasn't the first time they'd got too close to something they shouldn't have...
Retrace of the outward journey from there, with a few bits added on to bump the mileage up and it was home and job done.
31.31 miles (50.38 km) in 2h 58m at an average of 10.5 mph with 1,591ft climbed and an average temperature of just 3.1°C
Glad I stuck with it now, and the challenge continues for another month at least.
And to end, a map:
Spiderweb
Not So Special One
- Location
- North Yorkshire
We need a pic of your Galaxy please.😁
chriswoody
Legendary Member
- Location
- Northern Germany
With the impending apocalypse arriving tomorrow, I decided I'd get out for a ride today. I headed North on quiet country roads and into the forest. After a few kilometres of rough tracks I stopped for a while to soak in the solitude. As the forest grew used to my presence more and more bird song sprung up, spring is not going to be much longer now. Throwing my leg back over the saddle I continued on, past an area recently churned up by the wild boar and deeper into the forest. As the kilometres rolled by the forest changed around me, from Silver Birch to Scot's Pine, large clearings to close dark stands of spruce. I emerged onto quiet country lanes that weaved there way back steadily towards home, 29km after setting off, at an average of 22kph.
After Lunch I headed back out, this time with my young lad. We headed into a section of forest near my house and did a large loop, exploring lots of different tracks and by ways. Overall the lad managed just over 20km of off-road riding, quite some achievement for a 6 year old.
After Lunch I headed back out, this time with my young lad. We headed into a section of forest near my house and did a large loop, exploring lots of different tracks and by ways. Overall the lad managed just over 20km of off-road riding, quite some achievement for a 6 year old.
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Jenkins
Legendary Member
- Location
- Felixstowe
Today I changed age range tick boxes on some forms, so what better way to celebrate than with a ride. Overnight rain dictated the choice of a mudguarded bike and I'd initially planned to use a known route out to Manningtree and the Dedham Vale area with the wind direction. This started out OK with the normal run up to Ipswich through Levington & Nacton and then turning down the other side of the River Orwell, under the Orwell Bridge...
and up to Freston where I was greeted with a road closure changing my plans. Changing destination, I carried on down alongside the river to Shotley where I found the side road that took me to what was left of HMS Ganges - I used to be able to see this from my bedroom on the other side of the river and most people of a certain age will remember John Noakes climbing the mast on Blue Peter (it doesn't appear to be on Youtube, but this gives an idea of what was involved)
Unfortunately it's been left to decay badly while arguments about planning permission for the site and who pays for the restoration continue
After another quick stop to look across at Felixstowe Port from the other side
it was back inland along the other side of the peninsular that roughly follows the River Stour through Harkstead, Stutton to Brantham and then up to East Bergholt, under the A12 and finally a bit of a tail wind for the run from Raydon to Hintlesham, Sproughton & Bramford where the sundial was running about 25 minutes fast
Once I got to around about here, I started thinking that instead of the metric 100 I was aiming for, why not extend it to the equivalent of 2km for every year I was celebrating - rough calculations suggested that 110km was about 69 miles so instead of heading towards the outskirts of Ipswich, I carried on out to Claydon and then back via the old Norwich Road to Westerfield, an unplanned stop to change inner tubes at Rushmere St. Andrew (my first of the year), then the usual Bucklesham Road run to home.
https://www.strava.com/activities/3082743649
and up to Freston where I was greeted with a road closure changing my plans. Changing destination, I carried on down alongside the river to Shotley where I found the side road that took me to what was left of HMS Ganges - I used to be able to see this from my bedroom on the other side of the river and most people of a certain age will remember John Noakes climbing the mast on Blue Peter (it doesn't appear to be on Youtube, but this gives an idea of what was involved)
Unfortunately it's been left to decay badly while arguments about planning permission for the site and who pays for the restoration continue
After another quick stop to look across at Felixstowe Port from the other side
it was back inland along the other side of the peninsular that roughly follows the River Stour through Harkstead, Stutton to Brantham and then up to East Bergholt, under the A12 and finally a bit of a tail wind for the run from Raydon to Hintlesham, Sproughton & Bramford where the sundial was running about 25 minutes fast
https://www.strava.com/activities/3082743649
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AndreaJ
Veteran
It was another lovely morning in Shropshire with the wind predicted to pick up from this afternoon so decided on a route to avoid the main roads as much as possible as there seems to be a lot of muppets in cars lately. I set off to Whixall with the breeze helping me along and turned to Fenns Bank, Fenns Wood, Blackloe, Alkington, Tilstock, back to Whixall where I retraced my tracks for half a mile before turning up Goblins Lane, Stanleygreen, Lower Houses, Coton, Waterloo, Edstaston, Paddolgreen, , Horton, Loppington as I turned towards Lyneal there were a line of cars going down a normally quite lane with more following me which I thought was a bit strange then we caught up with the rest of the local hunt and I was in the long line of hunt followers in cars. They all came to a halt while they waited for the hounds to pick the scent back up and a nice lady in a land rover stuck her head out of the window and asked them all to move over so I could pass, the hounds were just setting off again across the fields when I got to the front and could carry on to Lyneal and Welshampton back to Northwood,passing the hunt followers again, Wolverley and home. 33.29 miles at 15.4mph despite the pedestrian pace of the North Shropshire hunt. The wind is really picking up now and I don’t think I will be riding in it tomorrow.
- Location
- The TerrorVortex
I'll do a full write-up in A-Z when I get home, but today I did a ride to Zouch! I'm now going to go from Z back to A, so Yaxley will be next on the agenda.
