Your ride today....

[wafter]

@C R - that's more like the typical miserable visage of Britain we've all let slip from memory during the glorious summer! Good work for getting out in it


This morning was uncharacteristically bright (relative to the weather forcast) and we were getting a bit tight for eggs.. by now you know the drill!

Contrary to Tuesday's effort I didn't feel like much of a ride but it got better as I went on. Felt properly autumnal today; the usual long-sleeve base layer and baggy swimming shorts (😊) feeling borderline-acceptable for the first time in a long time, with evident wind chill on the exposed hands and legs for the first time this side of summer.

After a while got warmed up though and was fine; which was a good job as the five egg boxes take up any room in my rucksack that would otherwise be reserved for additional layers!

I thought I was going to get taken out by some dickhead pulling off the dual carriageway on my way to Cumnor; obliviously (if thankfully slowly) swinging wide out of the T-junction; the front passenger-side corner of his soft-roader describing an arc that would pass perfectly right through my path; which was held out of nihilism and defiance on my part. Once he was a couple of feet from me he finally twigged my presence; snatching the wheel over and hitting the brakes; then hanging well back until we reached the next junction a bit further down. I think he shook himself up tbh given how close he came to hitting me through his own total lack of observation. Hopefully a lesson learned...

Despite arriving a little late the egg-shed was reasonably stocked; albiet with more average 60-ish grammers rather than the 85g monsters from a while ago; I wonder if chickens have a "seasonal blowout" come the end of summer..? Rucksack filled I continued on my way with the less than uplifting Smiths soundtrack (appropriate for my mood) along the usual route; Abingdon, Culham, Didcot.. inadvertantly starling a buzzard from its roadside pearch with my tortured wailing along to one of Marr and Morrissey's miserable epics..

Stopped on the cycle path by the power station to pick so blackberries before continuing along a "new" bridleway between Sutton Courtney and Drayton - not a terrible excursion but one that probably won't be repeated as the route from SC to Abingdon is better-surfaced and cuts out more A-road.

A break to put some more air in the back tyre as I'd felt that horrible "bottoming out" feeling too many times and probably deserved a puncture by this point. Back to the convenience of the potatophone for images:

Pootled the rest of the way back, making it about 40 miles at about 14mph. Saw quite a few other cyclists about but I think the noticeably lower temperature today had kept a lot of people inside; not that I'm complaining! I feel a lot better today for some reason too; that nice post-exercise calm; perhaps because of the exertion of a slightly chilly fasted ride


Finally, found a bonus phone pic from a great ride on the Raleigh earlier in the week; which encompassed some cracking sunset action through Port Meadow 😊

 

[C R]

@C R - that's more like the typical miserable visage of Britain we've all let slip from memory during the glorious summer! Good work for getting out in it

Yep, we've really been spoilt this year. Yesterday's was my first wet ride since mid March.

 

[Old jon]

After a couple of rainy days a fine morning is here. Promise of some wind, but someone had suggested a ride. I was not going to say no, so took the Spa out and rode to the northern edge of Leeds.

A bit of a chat, and off we went along Wike Ridge Lane to Wike itself. Turn left to Harrogate Road, then right to Harewood. Ride through the grounds, down the hill to the A659, then right and left back onto the A61. Only as far as the right turn to Kirkby Overblow. This is a bit uphill, and after turning left in the village there is more of the same. Reach the A658 and head east, along here is the junction into Follifoot.

Back across the A658, then the drop into Knaresborough, crossing the River Nidd on the way. And travel along the river to the Wetherby Road. Go back across the river here, and ride along the other side to the Watermill Café. Hunger and thirst to look after. And it was chilly too. Back to the Wetherby Road and with the wind on our backs it was a speedy ride through Little Ribston and North Deighton, oh and Kirk Deighton as well, all the way back to Wetherby.

A bit of route discussion, so its Wattle Syke and West Woods Road to Bramham, turn right there, almost all the way to Wothersome and then take the right fork. This eventually leads to a left turn onto Milner Lane. Not all the way to Thorner, ride to Scarcroft instead. And the land mostly rises now, or so it seems, all the way back to Slaid Hill, where we split up to go our separate ways.

My way was past Roundhay Park’s big gates, the clock at Oakwood and down to town centre, escaping across Crown Point Bridge into the tangle of roadworks that I suppose adds interest to an otherwise routine end to most of my rides. Smile on mug though, home in sight, forty eight miles and 3000 feet up, when I had a better look at the garthing. A good one again.

ups and downs in plenty

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Despite my best intentions I haven't managed to get out on the bike for over a week so I took the chance to head out on the Raleigh this morning, hoping to get back before it got too windy. Just one of my usual routes (I've really got myself stuck in a rut lately): Condover - Cross Houses - Cound - Harnage - Acton Burnell - Longnor - Condover and back via Lyth Hill.

Setting off into a chilly but sunny morning I found the roads reasonably quiet and had a nice tailwind for the first couple of miles which became a cross-wind after changing direction after Condover. It helped again on the main road section at Cross Houses, again fairly quiet, and onwards to Cound then up the hill to Harnage. The St. George's Cross was todays flag at Cound.

A cross-head-wind slowed me a bit to Cound Moor then there was a slight hold up as the JCB I was catching up with stopped and started reversing back towards me unexpectedly. The driver apologised - he'd missed the gateway he was looking for.

There is a nasty little climb on the way to Acton Burnell and today on reaching the top I found the levelling out of the gradient didn't make the riding easier as the wind had picked up. With a cross wind I didn't make particularly good progress to Longnor where I turned back into the headwind for the last few miles to home and really knew about it. This was somewhat slower going than I'm used to and reaching Condover again I decided to go over Lyth Hill rather than slog up the exposed bit of main road. I had a bit of a moment back in the village when having braced myself for gusts from the left I unexpectedly had one come at me from the right. According to the Met Office it was blowing 14 mph when I set out and 24 gusting to 40 by the time I got back.

One of those rides where I was glad to have got out but also quite glad to get back. 24.7 miles at 14.3 mph average.

It looks and feels properly autumnal near Harnage.

A couple of snaps from Lyth Hill.

 

[wafter]

The GF decided I could be put to use today, so off to the shops I went on the Raleigh. I had a bit of a float around town beforehand; the temperature far more in keeping with the time of year now with trousers and fleece feeling thoroughly appropriate at least until a bit warmed up.

The wind was brutal throughout and I only managed about 7 miles of wafting before I'd had enough. I got most of the stuff I'd been instructed to at the shop and scored a few bargainous reduced items too; for which I'll no doubt be rewarded later as my body becomes flooded with histamine from my rapidly-becoming-out-of-date dinner

The Pannier rack on the Raleigh once more bailed me out; accommodating the overspill from my already capacious rucksack. Hardly a proper ride but yet another reinforcement of how great the bike is as an urban utility tool.

Wind excepted it was a pleasure to be out in an autumnal Oxford; especially viewed from the saddle of a decent ride. I'm a sucker for nostalgia and have fond memories of razzing around the streets of the city many years on my first road bike - a tatty, otherwise unbadged 501-framed example I bought off a fellow student many years ago for £20, that I now wished I'd kept having come full-circle back to steel after flirting with "better" more modern materials in the interveining years..

 

[Mike_P]

Realised this evening how lucky I was the other week plodding slowly in the dark along the cycletrack on the ebike along the old railway to/from Starbeck, a couple of horses passed in the opposite direction and a bit further on their was a foot high pile of fresh manure. Came back from Morrisons the same way with the ebike now fitted with one of those Halfords front lights that can, and in this case, does have a handlebar trigger to flip it and off and switch between modes, so no problem manure avoiding, and equally able to swop instantly between the Halfords light on fully in dark areas or just the Ebikes light.
Discovered on Monday while using the Ebike for work visits again that to celebrate a year on from the UCIs their is a set of TTLs at the junction between where the finish line was and the start ramp. The weather also celebrated a year on by flooding the A61 between Ripley and Ripon last night and again this morning.

 

[itboffin]

To busy with work this week and especially today to ride booooo!

 

[13 rider]

Finally free from having to work on Saturdays a return to my new normal routine ,early out the door for the weekly food shop then back home breakfast and out for a ride . Out the the door at 10 and a definite autumnal chilly in the air . Warmer jacket ,leg warmer and my knitted ear warmer made its first appearance since April . I had no plan other than do 50km I have 2 standard 50km loops but fancied a change . Headed out towards Market Bosworth and the quiet lanes . Got to the village of Upton 16 miles in so turned for home . As I came into the village of Cadeby there was 2 riders at the side of the road looked at a bike I slowed and asked you alright ? No can't sort the chain out came the reply so I stopped . The chain had come off but had some how doubled back on its self and there was 2 loops in the chain either side of the front derailleur . Just before I got the multi tool out with a chain breaker I said let me have a quick look . The guy stepped back and I managed to force one loop through the derailleur and the loops litterally just fell out off the chain very difficult to describe but the guys were amazed as they had been struggling for a while ,more luck than my mechanical skills . The guys were soon heading home having thanked me prefusely good deed done . Back home via Peckleton and Desford 33.9 miles with 1700ft of upness at a steady 16.2 mph . The sun was pleasantly warm but the wind was a bit cutting

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

John G, Steve E were set for a ride. Margaret PR and Jules H were at the meet for a chat. Eventually the 3 of us took the run out to Alfrick and Mini Ankerdine. We looped to Martley but the guys chopped off the Ockeridge loop so we were soon at the cafe. Very quiet there and outside was clear of virus with the goodly wind that was coming out of the north. Underway again it was onto Bransford Bridge where I took the lanesy route back. The other two headed off on the busy main road with speed being a priority. Nice wee social one. 35 smiles

 

[itboffin]

84 miles today from Pewsey to Wilton then Wylye valley to Warminster, Westbury and back apart from the brutal headwind for most of the way the traffic was terrible in fact i'd say the worst i've seen this year, lots of it and everyone needing to get past immediately by close passing and multi near misses with on coming traffic, what was going on today in the west country?

This helped as did the three coffees and the a sausage roll at the second stop

 

[ianbarton]

A couple of photos from Thursday's ride when the sun was still shining and it wasn't windy. My usual loop through Audlem to Market Drayton and back via Moreton Say and Ightfield. The pond at Moreton Say really is that green. Probably some sort of algae. There were a couple of half grown Coots swimming on the pond, but they are too small to see.

I stopped at Ightfield for a rest as my knees where sore after riding more than 200km last week. The church at Ightfield is still closed, which is a shame as the interior is well worth a visit. The breeze was behind me from Ightfield and most of it is slightly downhill. Total distance about 41km.

 

[DCBassman]

Just a quick ride today to Leg O'mutton ramp and back, to ensure I'd put it all back together properly. New rear tyre, a folder, feels very different. Should it?
11.07 miles, and MapMyWhatever main site is playing up.But the app is telling me8.4mph avg and...that's it, it's fallen over. No, back again, 0 feet gain. Yeah right, in Devon? Gimme a break, fellas...

Quite busy, some high-speed unlit loonies in the Grenofen tunnel.
Back out to Brentor for nearly two weeks, so will continue the Revell resto there, and dream up some rides.

 

[wafter]

Drinks with friends on the cards in the afternoon, but I wanted to squeeze in a ride as I was suffering the predicted allergy issues and (rightly or wrongly) feel a good thrash on the bike can help ease these somewhat.

Awoke in a crap, antisocial mood with not a huge amount of time to spare and wanting to get in a fair amount of work opted for a short blast on the Boardman for only its third outing since I got the Genesis in April..

I'm not going to lie, getting on the Boardman brought to mind all the usual cliches heaped upon decent CFRP bikes - it did indeed feel light, responsive, stiff yet well-damped. As much as I love the Genesis I'd forgotten just how much the Boardman goads you on to pile on the speed with its apparent willingness to aid this process.

Wearing light walking trousers for the first time in a long time, as well as my hat for the 2nd time it was fairly chilly as I headed out towards Wytham (mostly into the pretty brutal headwind), then Wolvercote, round the ring road for a bit then off towards Elsfield, Stanton St. John, Wheatley, Horspath and back through town. Thankfully by around 7 miles in I'd warmed up nicely and conditions felt a lot more tolerable; the cold and wind having made the ride far more visceral than the easy-going summer weather of weeks past.

Town was bloody horrible - seemingly every route in or out backed up to the outskirts of the city; with a correspondingly large amount of muppets about. "Highlights" included some dickhead pulling a 3-pointer and stopping blocking the road to "discuss" this with me once I'd come to a complete stop I also saw some stupid woman open her car door into the cycle path and nearly take out the father and son cycling in front of me; who luckily managed to swerve into a gap in the traffic to avoid disaster.. this typified all of the town riding tbh; small gaps, vacuous / inconsiderate drivers, blind spots, pedestrians everywhere... hazard-tastic and certainly not fun.

I attacked everything mercilessly today; the wind, the hills, the obstacles.. ending at a little under 23 miles and 700ft at 16.7mph and 161bpm, for around 1200kcal burned. This is the 2nd highest mean heart rate I've managed (82% of max, around 68% zone 4 and 8% zone 5); it's odd how I can barely touch these areas on some rides and yet push this hard for nearly the whole duration on this occasion.

I set 22 Strava PBs, although tbh this isn't surprising given the combination of the lesser-used but faster bike, relatively minimal previous use of some segments, thrashy mood and wind (when it was in my favour) although some of the climbs were against the wind and still scored PBs

After I got back I went straight out again on the Raleigh in the hope of retrieving a Raleigh Lizard I'd seen apparently being given away outside a house, but when I got there it was gone - hopefully it went to a good home! That was another 10 miles and I got back a while ago from the pub, which must have been another 4-5. Not a bad day's cycling I guess

 

[oldfatfool]

Well today not only was the wind against me (it even stops when I stop only to resume blowing against me when I set off!!) I also believe I have centrifugal brakes that appear to come on when I am moving but appear to give perfect clearance when I stop 🤔🤔🤔

Check out my activity on Strava: https://strava.app.link/k3uQcz0A79

 

[Donger]

Apparently it was chilly today. I honestly didn't notice it a bit, and turned up for our club ride in shorts and short-sleeved jersey as usual. Nearly everyone else wore either long tights or long sleeves with gilets, jackets or snoods and shivered quite a lot. Another great route devised by @KingswayRider today, going around the West side of Newent before stopping at Staunton Garden Centre for coffee and cakes and returning via Hartpury and the Woolridge.

A decent turnout of ten of us meant splitting into two equally-paced groups for social distancing, but we never lost sight of each other on the road. Nice to see @Dark46 back in the fold and our friends Jim and Lisa making their first appearance of the year. Another great ride, leaving me about 14 miles short of both my 250 mile monthly target and my original end-of-year target of 3,000 miles. A shame we got caught by every single damn traffic light on the way back around the Gloucester Western By-pass. 42.4 otherwise enjoyable miles today.

Enjoy your rides, guys ... before autumn sets in with a vengeance. Cheers, Donger.