Cycling 2022

[Slim]

I'm pondering going for a gentle bike ride after work this afternoon. The UV will be less fierce after 3pm, but the temperature will be 37 at 5pm and won't dip below 30 until after 9pm. I suspect I probably won't.

[Slim]

An intensely hot day. I hadn't had a chance to go cycling for a few days so I decided to brave the heat after work. Left it until about 5:35pm before setting off. It was still 36 degrees C out there, but at least the UV levels would have diminished somewhat.

I did a short version of the Twycrosser, that takes a left to Bilstone and Congerstone then comes up through Shackerstone.



Obviously I took it easy, but I really wasn't too uncomfortable. Nonetheless I thought it best to keep it short. Drank plenty of water, even though it was warm after half an hour. Maybe tea's the thing to take in your bidon in weather like this.

I didn't see a single other cyclist out there for the first 18 miles, after which I did see a young man in t-shirt and shorts on a hybrid.

https://www.strava.com/activities/7490589329

22.71 miles, 319 this month, 3045 this year.

[Nickslikk2112]

Good on yer James, but it was too hot yesterday. I was going to get up early today and get out whilst it was cooler, but mananaged to oversleep and the air temperature was 35C at half nine.

[Slim]

I cleaned the Cannondale on Monday, taking advantage of the hot weather to dry it off quickly. Used my Park Tool chain cleaner for the first time. It must have done some good because the degreaser went a very dark colour, but the chain still emerged with a thin film of dark gunk clinging to its sides.

I'll GT85 it later, will be interested to see how much muck comes out.

There are still some bits of grime hanging on to the nooks and crannies on the bike, but ah well.

What degreaser do you guys use? I use a citrus one that I bought from Amazon in a large container, but how good it is - I don't know.

[David L]

I cleaned the Cannondale on Monday, taking advantage of the hot weather to dry it off quickly. Used my Park Tool chain cleaner for the first time. It must have done some good because the degreaser went a very dark colour, but the chain still emerged with a thin film of dark gunk clinging to its sides.

I'll GT85 it later, will be interested to see how much muck comes out.

There are still some bits of grime hanging on to the nooks and crannies on the bike, but ah well.

What degreaser do you guys use? I use a citrus one that I bought from Amazon in a large container, but how good it is - I don't know.

I use Mobi (also citrus) from Wiggle. No problems using it with the Park chain cleaner - chain comes up shiny as new. Needs rinsing off with water (use the Park tool for that too). I use a Park sprocket brush for the cassette.
Once dry, re-lube with Muc-Off Dry lube - job's a good 'un

[Slim]

I'd picked out today as ideal for a post-work Fondo out east from the weather forecast a few days ago, but light rain struck unexpectedly. It had stopped by early afternoon, but the roads were a bit damp when I set off. Not for long though. By the time I was in Coalville, two miles away the roads were completely dry, so we must have had very localised weather.

I wasn't troubled by precipitation for the rest of the ride either.




Very annoyingly a stretch of Ashby Road near Zouch has been resurfaced, if I can dignify what they've done with the term, by scattering heaps of sharp, dusty gravel on it.

I turned round after 30.8 miles, because I intended to do a detour via Diseworth on the way back - to avoid some of the gravel. Nice to have a tailwind on the way back. I especially love to see wind turbines pointing in the right direction, in the distance. I did the Rempstone / Wymeswold route on the way back.

Nice weather for it, intermittently cool and slightly warm. I thought a lot about my mum, and our home in Hartlepool leaving the family tomorrow, especially as the afternoon drew on. I felt an urge to be there again one last time, to see the sun go down in the back garden where I played as a kid.

I'd been looking forward to doing the eastbound Fondo again for a while but I was so preoccupied that it mostly sort of washed over me. But it was good to get out for a few hours.

https://www.strava.com/activities/7506778428

63.26 miles.

[David L]

I'd picked out today as ideal for a post-work Fondo out east from the weather forecast a few days ago, but light rain struck unexpectedly. It had stopped by early afternoon, but the roads were a bit damp when I set off. Not for long though. By the time I was in Coalville, two miles away the roads were completely dry, so we must have had very localised weather.

When we were away the other week, we had an afternoon out in Hathersage. Whilst enjoying some food and drink at The Bank House, a cyclist stopped for a break at the table next to us. A grizzled, bearded old fella, probably in his sixties (hard to tell as he kept his helmet and shades on). I couldn't help but strike up a conversation with him. He was a member of the Coalville Wheelers (had the club colours on). A club of some standing, established in 1930.
Really nice guy. He told us he'd done 130kms to get him there. He told us about the extensive cycling he'd done (and still does) on the continent. I think he's probably done all the notorious climbs, he embarrassed me with his experience.
Had a nice Cannondale with Ultegra components. A real road warrior, he was. Unfortunately, he' had a heart attack recently and we discussed the nature of that particular event given that he'd been an active cyclist all his life. He has family history so clearly it is pretty difficult to avoid issues in that instance, even if you are as fit as a fiddle. He seemed to be recovering well after treatment though and was just getting on with it, regardless.
It was a pleasant 30 minutes or so in his company before he set off up the High Street, presumably to cover the 60 or 70 miles required to return to Coalville

[Slim]

Hoped to do about 40 today. A pretty much perfect day for cycling, easily warm enough for bare legs but decently mild, and the wind was light. I decided on a Twycross Bypasser, mostly because I wanted to pursue my hobby of identifying distant objects on the horizon, but also because the wind was coming from the south-west.

I did a long version, going up to Packington at the top, across to Warton on the left, right along Fenn Lanes at the bottom and right over to Kirkby Mallory on the right.

Unusually, I came back home through Hugglescote from Ellistown, rather than through Ibstock. I used to do this quite often a year or three back and I'm not sure why it fell into disuse. I was only reminded of it a week or two ago when I was with 'er indoors when she was driving back from Ellistown, and she came the same way herself. Probably 99%, literally, of my rides involve coming home along Heather Lane, or down the main road from Ibstock, or along Ashby Road from Coleorton. So today's ride was in the 1%. A nice change.

Back on 42.62 miles.

https://www.strava.com/activities/7515627945

[Slim]

When we were away the other week, we had an afternoon out in Hathersage. Whilst enjoying some food and drink at The Bank House, a cyclist stopped for a break at the table next to us. A grizzled, bearded old fella, probably in his sixties (hard to tell as he kept his helmet and shades on). I couldn't help but strike up a conversation with him. He was a member of the Coalville Wheelers (had the club colours on). A club of some standing, established in 1930.
Really nice guy. He told us he'd done 130kms to get him there.

I was in the Wheelers myself for a year. Their clubhouse is just south of the bottom end of Top Brand, I pass it very often. I joined up when my knees were still at an early stage of recovery to see if I could benefit from other peoples' experiences and advice (and to get the club discount on physiotherapy / sports injury treatment), but I never actually went riding with them in the end.

They're mostly about times and competitions, not really my thing.

[Nickslikk2112]

Did only my second Fondo of the year today - been a funny old year - and the first of the year with over 5,000 ft of elevation gain, which was nice.

Not an especially nice day, cloudy, bit of a stiff SW breeze on the tops, but a Goldilocks temperature. Even though I was trying to keep well within myself, I set best times of the year on a couple of my regular climbs. On the big climb of the day - 1,000ft of gain, but you only end up 732ft higher - I was setting decent times compared to past years. Maybe the legs are finally getting into it. There were lots of bloody sheep to avoid though. I'm surprised there aren't a few flat ones given the way half the population seem to drive.

https://www.strava.com/activities/7516773842

[dom]

Went for a spin yesterday morning before going with my son to the Bray Air Show.

27kms at 22km/h. Below the sort of spin I'd normally be at at this time of year  but fair enough as I'm on recovery mode after the stent operation just over a month ago.

Anyway I was into the last 3 to 4 kilometres of the trip when I started feeling nauseous. I had to stop thinking I was going to be sick. I wasn't so I took the last bit of the journey very lesuirely and made it home.

15 mins of laying down and I was back to normal. Never experienced that on a bike before. I have on occasion after over-exertion in the gym.

I'm putting it down to the fact that I hadn't had much to eat the evening beforebut I'd be interested to hear if anyone else has been through this?

[Slim]

I haven't had that myself, even after 140+ miles (although I don't do any substantial distance at 22km/h). I'd be concerned that you're not fully recovered and you're making your ticker work too hard - of course that's not an informed opinion, just a thought based on your recent experience.

Maybe do 20km rides for a bit and go a bit slower?

[Nickslikk2112]

27kms at 22km/h.

What's that in real money?

Anyway I was into the last 3 to 4 kilometres of the trip when I started feeling nauseous. I had to stop thinking I was going to be sick. I wasn't so I took the last bit of the journey very lesuirely and made it home.

15 mins of laying down and I was back to normal. Never experienced that on a bike before. I have on occasion after over-exertion in the gym.

I'm putting it down to the fact that I hadn't had much to eat the evening beforebut I'd be interested to hear if anyone else has been through this?

I sometimes feel sick before a ride, but that's just nerves.

Anyhoo, I learned something new today, it was my first time changing brake pads on a bike with hydraulic disk brakes. Got the old pads out, put new ones in, but no room for the disc rotor to slot back in. Seems that on hydraulic brakes the brake pistons move out as the pads wear down and you have to get them back in again. Took the gradual insertion of thicker and more strips of plastic to push them back. Jobs a good 'un now.

[Slim]

The rain came down in bucketloads a couple of times during the day but by 4pm, when I'd removed the X from its perch, only a few puddles remained. A pretty powerful wind was coming from the west, but I only wanted to do 35 or so. I wanted to examine the view from Little Orton through binoculars, which I took in my backpack - so I did a Bypasser.

Once again, warm enough for bare legs. I must be on the longest unbroken run of legs-out cycling in my cycling career. Decently bright when I set off, but by the time I was pushing along the right turn to Norton Juxta Twycross, conditions had gone ominously crepuscular and a couple of spots of rain had made their presence felt. I was actually glad of the wind I was struggling against because it looked like it was going to push the rain clouds over and make way for blue skies. And it did. Twenty minutes or so later, warm sunshine. I did a bit of the Dad's Army route at the bottom, just to give myself a tailwind for a bit longer after I turned back. Which was very enjoyable.

The sky went a bit gloomy again for the last half hour, but it didn't rain.

Back on 38.26 miles. 463 miles this month, which is 63 over target. If I can do another 60 this month, I'll only have to exceed the remaining monthly targets by 50 in total to hit 5,000 this year.

https://www.strava.com/activities/7527605789

[Slim]

A year or two ago I had the idea of doing a bike ride that would take in every village in North-West Leicestershire with a name ending in "stone". I think I did plan a route back then, but I never got round to it.

Last night I planned a new one anyway - it came to about 36 miles, perfect for this evening because I wanted to be back by about 7pm to stand a decent chance of not getting rained on.

So I set off at about 3:30pm and pedalled through Thringstone, Swepstone, Snarestone, Bilstone, Congerstone, Shackerstone, Odstone, Nailstone, Barlestone and finally Ravenstone.

Mostly roads I've already done before many times on previous rides but there were a couple of parts I hadn't done - Church Hill near Thringstone and the road through Barlestone.

I had to keep referring to the GPX app on my phone on the handlebars so it wasn't the most relaxing ride but anyway, glad to have done it.

I was threatened by some very dark clouds and was convinced I was going to get rained on at some point, but I wasn't.

Back on 37.35 miles (and actually I could have done it in fewer but I took the long way through Ibstock on the way back). And that's 500 this month.

I could possibly extend the ride to take in Aylestone and Whetstone one day, but those are a fair way to the east and would add about 25 miles I suspect.

https://www.strava.com/activities/7538851342