Out for a shorter ride this morning taking in some local hills . As I climbed up Priory lane near the junction of Polly Botts lane a lot of cars were parked and cycle event signs were up meaning a hill climbs on . Carried on with my loop taking in Beacon hill our local big climb. Heading back over the Priory lane hills I decided to check out the hill climb got to the bottom of Polly Botts and it's not started yet so headed up the climb getting cheered along in places ,a bit disconcerting to be going fairly hard only to be past by a rider doing his warm up 😮. Watched half the field come up before I got cold . My best time on the Strava segment which is only slightly longer than the hill climb is 4min 2secs that's with a rolling start on a slight downhill ,the fastest time when I left was 2min 37secs from a standing start 😮. Everyone looked a bit 🤢 sick at the finish must be type 2 fun . Rolled home 17 miles with 1900ft of upness is a hilly ride in these parts
Your ride today....
- Thread starter gbb
- Start date
Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
fritz katzenjammer
Der Ubergrosserbudgie
Ride? Today? Nope.
VinSumRox
Über Member
- Location
- Scottish Borders
N0bodyOfTheGoat
Über Member
- Location
- Hampshire, UK
Ended up not even turning a pedal! 
Procrastinated due to zombieness since getting up around 1100; eventually got changed around 1545; carried ebike downstairs; locked front door and put key lanyard around my neck...
Only for the rain expected an hour later by my three weather apps to start as I zip up my jacket.
I don't believe it!
(I've had the perhaps silly "rule" that I don't ride outdoors when it's raining or expected to rain for 8+ years unless I was commuting, or when the lanes will be full of gritty water from earlier heavy rain, because I was always awful at cleaning drivetrain after a mucky ride and I'm even worse at doing such chores since long covid.)
Procrastinated due to zombieness since getting up around 1100; eventually got changed around 1545; carried ebike downstairs; locked front door and put key lanyard around my neck...
Only for the rain expected an hour later by my three weather apps to start as I zip up my jacket.
I don't believe it!
(I've had the perhaps silly "rule" that I don't ride outdoors when it's raining or expected to rain for 8+ years unless I was commuting, or when the lanes will be full of gritty water from earlier heavy rain, because I was always awful at cleaning drivetrain after a mucky ride and I'm even worse at doing such chores since long covid.)
Last edited:
Andy in Germany
Guru
- Location
- Rottenburg am Neckar
In the UK, that may be a problem.
Ian H
Ancient randonneur
A weekend of riding and board meetings and an AUK reunion. I did a bike-train-bike trip to Derby (30 & 40k) on Thursday. Sat in a meeting most of Friday. Saturday I joined the 50k social ride, a circuit from Derby, then attended the reunion. Sunday, a reverse of the journey up, riding from Derby to Tamworth - the short train was so crowded that I had to be very assertive to get the bike onboard, and couldn't get to my seat until the next station - then from Taunton over the Blackdowns to home - The torrential rain at Taunton surprised me; I was utterly soaked by the time I finished.
https://www.strava.com/activities/16407587907
https://www.strava.com/activities/16407587907
Flick of the Elbow
Run of the Mill
- Location
- Pentlands Water of Leith
In anticipation of frosts forecast for next week I fitted my studded tyres this morning. Took them for a little 20 miler this afternoon, snap, crackle and pop all the way. Besides the noise they slow the bike down by a full gear step but they allow me to keep riding through the winter so its a price I’m happy to pay.
Today's 26 mile utility waft started off on a positive note having drained a particularly painful saddle sore in the shower, which once papered over with a man-plaster (bit of masking tape) gave no more issues. This was very welcome as it would otherwise have made the ride borderline untenable given what a literal pain in the arse it had become yesterday.
Questionable over-sharing aside it was a cracking warm, sunny day and I pretty much took the usual route with a few sub-noteworthy detours. Events arguably worthy of recollection include:
I deliberated over a £10 Dualit toaster (yes, a proper one) in the charity shop; but decided against it as while still a score it’d evidently had a life and would have required more attention to tidy it up than I was comfortable allocating. There was also a slight crisis over a nice but ultimately unsuitable burnt-orange Uniqlo wool jumper in another charity shop and I managed to avoid an ostensibly nice but slightly sub-optimal black rollneck in the next.
I got hello’d at by a girl riding the other way whom I’d previously chatted to at an event a few weeks ago – her having broken the ice by thanking me for being courteous / accommodating when I’d passed her on the tow path previously. Perhaps I should have stopped but she seemed in a hurry too so I cracked on after returning her greeting.
The warm afterglow of the above was mercilessly cut short by a puncture on the tow path. Thankfully I was next to an amenable bit of grass so I flipped the bike over and got on it - the cause fairly quickly revealing itself as a sizeable bit of glass that’d worked its way through the tyre... which never stood a chance. Things were further complicated by the previously-patched spare tube subsequently fitted separating at the valve / tube interface – the resultant leak initially being blamed on the pump leaking until I gave my head a wobble and had a proper look.
To be fair it looked ancient, a bit undersize (max 28mm tyre stated, fitted to 32s) and oddly Raleigh branded (I’ve never knowingly bought a Raleigh tube) so feck knows where that came from. Anyway, obviously past its use-by date so not a bad thing to have it out of commission and not having failed under more critical circumstances.
As it happened it was still beautifully sunny and I was surrounded by tweetling birds and general natural niceness so had already taken the time to patch the punctured tube before I fitted the knackered replacement. The time spent doing so at least allowed the repair to cure properly and hopefully prevented the mistake I’ve made in the past of refitting / inflating a patched tube too early and causing gradual separation of the bond near the hole.
I think I saw a yellow wagtail; which until that point wasn't a bird I was aware existed..
Onward to a tough and slightly demoralising session on the rings, however I felt a lot better afterwards following a good round of stretches (both activities I’ve shamefully neglected recently).
The ride was rounded off with a wrap and moderately successful scouring of the supermarkets (highlight being the purchase of a siameased potato that looks like an arse) before heading home.
Having been exhausted and generally all over the place this week I really wasn’t feeling it this morning, but feel great for having gotten out
Questionable over-sharing aside it was a cracking warm, sunny day and I pretty much took the usual route with a few sub-noteworthy detours. Events arguably worthy of recollection include:
I deliberated over a £10 Dualit toaster (yes, a proper one) in the charity shop; but decided against it as while still a score it’d evidently had a life and would have required more attention to tidy it up than I was comfortable allocating. There was also a slight crisis over a nice but ultimately unsuitable burnt-orange Uniqlo wool jumper in another charity shop and I managed to avoid an ostensibly nice but slightly sub-optimal black rollneck in the next.
I got hello’d at by a girl riding the other way whom I’d previously chatted to at an event a few weeks ago – her having broken the ice by thanking me for being courteous / accommodating when I’d passed her on the tow path previously. Perhaps I should have stopped but she seemed in a hurry too so I cracked on after returning her greeting.
The warm afterglow of the above was mercilessly cut short by a puncture on the tow path. Thankfully I was next to an amenable bit of grass so I flipped the bike over and got on it - the cause fairly quickly revealing itself as a sizeable bit of glass that’d worked its way through the tyre... which never stood a chance. Things were further complicated by the previously-patched spare tube subsequently fitted separating at the valve / tube interface – the resultant leak initially being blamed on the pump leaking until I gave my head a wobble and had a proper look.
To be fair it looked ancient, a bit undersize (max 28mm tyre stated, fitted to 32s) and oddly Raleigh branded (I’ve never knowingly bought a Raleigh tube) so feck knows where that came from. Anyway, obviously past its use-by date so not a bad thing to have it out of commission and not having failed under more critical circumstances.
As it happened it was still beautifully sunny and I was surrounded by tweetling birds and general natural niceness so had already taken the time to patch the punctured tube before I fitted the knackered replacement. The time spent doing so at least allowed the repair to cure properly and hopefully prevented the mistake I’ve made in the past of refitting / inflating a patched tube too early and causing gradual separation of the bond near the hole.
I think I saw a yellow wagtail; which until that point wasn't a bird I was aware existed..
Onward to a tough and slightly demoralising session on the rings, however I felt a lot better afterwards following a good round of stretches (both activities I’ve shamefully neglected recently).
The ride was rounded off with a wrap and moderately successful scouring of the supermarkets (highlight being the purchase of a siameased potato that looks like an arse) before heading home.
Having been exhausted and generally all over the place this week I really wasn’t feeling it this morning, but feel great for having gotten out
Last edited:
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
I tried that with duct tape once but it only stayed stuck in place for about 30 minutes!
I got better results on other occasions by slathering each developing sore with Sudocrem the night before a ride.
Thanks - I'm surprised about the duct tape as it's tenacious stuff and tbh the masking tape becomes difficult to get off if left on for too long.
I've tried Sudocrem but haven't found it much use for alleviating infected sores and tbh am a little suspicious that it contains something that doesn't agree with me... whatever works though!
HLaB
Marie Attoinette Fan
Didn't expect anyone to be out this morning, after last night's discussions on WhatsApp. But I threw it out there this morning, "how's the roads in Northamptonshire?" . After 10mins just as I was climbing back into bed, one of my mates replied, that he was still planning to go out as it had stopped raining. He wasn't 100% right, it was dreich, but knowing that he was going to the meet, I felt obliged. Just as I was about to head out another mate said he'd meet us at the cafe and when we were on the ride two more said the same.
It wasn't the fastest of rides but a pleasant chat. Then at the cafe we briefly met the mate who first said he'd meet us at the cafe. But he had p'tured bad with tubeless off road and with no back up he thought he'd go straight home. So we met the other two. Lol, just as we were finishing our coffees, he came back he remembered that he could dive into a lbs who gave him a sealant top up. Most folk had to get back early but I decided that I have a coffee with him, then make sure he got home.
Given he was on a gravel bike, albeit a super light one we were probably slower again.
After dropping him off, I went on for a wee solo loop by Kings Cliffe.
After spending a while cleaning my bike, I reviewed my bibs and the Ass Saver did it job 👍
Lol, I could do with a Back Saver though 😅
Just as I was putting the bike away, I remembered the Triban that had been stored at my mates place had one.
Ignore the junk mail, it stops the drip wax falling on the floor.
I could do with putting a larger cassette back on my fully guarded commuter/winter bike and a new chain to accommodate it. I had had a 11sp 11-28 on it for ages, even though it is a 10sp bike. I just adjusted the upper limit screw. But another respected lbs (who unfortunately closed after 50 + years) convinced me whilst something else was getting fixed, that they'd have to change it to a 10sp cassette. The only cassette they had in stock though was an 11-23 and a bottom gear of 38x23 isn't ideal.
It wasn't the fastest of rides but a pleasant chat. Then at the cafe we briefly met the mate who first said he'd meet us at the cafe. But he had p'tured bad with tubeless off road and with no back up he thought he'd go straight home. So we met the other two. Lol, just as we were finishing our coffees, he came back he remembered that he could dive into a lbs who gave him a sealant top up. Most folk had to get back early but I decided that I have a coffee with him, then make sure he got home.
Given he was on a gravel bike, albeit a super light one we were probably slower again.
After dropping him off, I went on for a wee solo loop by Kings Cliffe.
After spending a while cleaning my bike, I reviewed my bibs and the Ass Saver did it job 👍
Lol, I could do with a Back Saver though 😅
Just as I was putting the bike away, I remembered the Triban that had been stored at my mates place had one.
Ignore the junk mail, it stops the drip wax falling on the floor.
I could do with putting a larger cassette back on my fully guarded commuter/winter bike and a new chain to accommodate it. I had had a 11sp 11-28 on it for ages, even though it is a 10sp bike. I just adjusted the upper limit screw. But another respected lbs (who unfortunately closed after 50 + years) convinced me whilst something else was getting fixed, that they'd have to change it to a 10sp cassette. The only cassette they had in stock though was an 11-23 and a bottom gear of 38x23 isn't ideal.
