Cycling 2022

[Slim]

It's a bit grubby. They don't stay shiny very long.

[Nickslikk2112]

Well, that's June over with now. Half way through the year. Nowhere near half the mileage of last year.

However 912 miles in June is better than last year's 838, looks like retirement is kicking in. Looks like old age is kicking in too, I'm consistently a minute down on one of the hills I do. Maybe it's down to not having done as much as last year. Maybe it's a lingering COVID effect. Still, I got nearly 70,000 feet of climbing done.

Got passed by a bloody e-bike today going uphill. Like that is so cheating. I clawed my way back to him along the flat afterwards, then sped by when the road went downhill

[Jonners]

I have noticed a distinct deterioration in my performance since lockdown/covid, and the heart issues attributed to the jabs

and, im nearly 51. Nothing lasts forever, but I have very much enjoyed getting out and about this year so far, rather than the grind of the turbo trainer

Think I need something to aim for, and I do also fancy a new bike, but right now that is a bad idea financially, prices have rocketed

[Nickslikk2112]

I noticed an improvement the last couple of years, thanks to getting out a lot with lockdown and furloughs, but this year my uphill has gone downhill. I did say at the end of last year that I thought 2021 would be peak cycling for me, I'm 60 next year so things definitely can't last.

I fancy a new bike - or two - but the cost is off-putting and Mrs S won't let me hang them from the walls like works of art...

[Slim]

I don't push myself to go fast but honestly, over distances I haven't noticed a degradation in form yet. I don't think I was any more tired and knackered after doing 176 miles last month than I was after doing (more or less) the same ride in 2017, when I was a young lad of 56.

I was thinking of doing Wales & back on Sunday but the forecast is "blustery showers". I think there's probably a nicer day for it before the daylight hours have receded too far.

[Jonners]

choose your day carefully for a wales and back, wind from the east would make the 2nd half of the journey drag

[Slim]

Of course. I wouldn't even do 30 miles with a headwind on the way back.

[Nickslikk2112]

Got a new rear wheel on my Black Giant 
Forgot to compare its weight to the old one. Might be lighter.
Nearly got the rear cassette wrong by putting a spacer in the wrong place, but it was pretty obvious.

[Nickslikk2112]

Took the newly rewheeled bike out for a spin today. Thought it might be a bit quicker, but it wasn't. If anything it was slower, probably because it's got a better braking surface now...

Good job the rear brake surface worked as I very nearly got taken out today. I was going downhill and I noticed a car approach a junction from the right. It looked as if it might come out, then stopped. Then when I was almost upon it he pulled out, causing me to slam on my brakes and nearly hit the back of him. Why do drivers do it? Do their tiny minds just think "Cyclist = Slow"? You can see on Strava how I checked my speed when I saw the car approach the junction, then speed as when I thought he had stopped than a rapid slowing. At least I'd have met my doom knowing I was in the right.

https://www.strava.com/activities/7404617800

[dom]

Note to weather gods- I know I missed cycling for most of April and all of May but I really don't need a reminder of what I missed in July. Thanks!

[Nickslikk2112]

Note to weather gods- I know I missed cycling for most of April and all of May but I really don't need a reminder of what I missed in July. Thanks!

How long have you lived in Ireland? 

I didn't enjoy today's ride. Bloody wind again, nowhere near the light breeze of the BBC forecast. I reckon since I started riding seriously in 2016 it's got windier every year. Managed to pick up a bit of speed on the way back, but nowhere near as much as I'd lost on the way out.

https://www.strava.com/activities/7410116518

[Slim]

Although it was ultimately successful, I made a bit of a dog's breakfast of my mission to Wales and back in 2017 by taking a bike pump that I hadn't tested properly. Ever since, I've wanted to have another crack at it.

Today looked like the day, weather-wise. I was going to set off at about 0700 but I woke up at 0345. I was out of bed half an hour later, and I set off shortly after 0500. Fairly cold at that time of the morning, but I was wearing tights and a few layers on top. Once again the fields were swathed in clouds of mist, illuminated by the early sunlight light bright cotton wool. So pretty. And as you'd expect, the roads were so quiet at that time on a Sunday morning. I only saw two moving motor vehicles over the first six miles.

Unfortunately, from the fourth or fifth moving motor vehicle that I saw this morning, a young man leaned out of the passenger window and shouted WANKER! at the top of his voice as it went past, at considerable speed. This is why I'm glad we don't have a second amendment, because I'd have been taking shots through their rear window with one hand while steering the bike with the other.

I'd picked out a different route from the first Wales trip over the first 15 miles or so. I've done that stretch of roads before, but not for ages. I don't really get why it fell into disuse .. in recent years typically I'd go through Coton or Harlaston but this route, through Lullington and Edingale, is much better. Better roads and less hassle while still being quiet and scenic. But there are so many different options that it's hard to remember them all and I don't go that way so often, anyway. I'll make a note, though.

Really nice to reacquaint myself with the roads to the west of Stone, that I'd only ever done once before. I remembered taking pics at the same county boundary signs for Shropshire and Cheshire.

I arrived in Wales at 1159. The morning sunshine had given way to grey skies by this time, and the rain started. Although there is a "Welcome to Wales" sign I was rolling past it at some speed, so I didn't stop there. I settled for this one, which is much the same pic I took in 2017, but with a different bike.



I checked my rear tyre carefully here. I had no particular reason to think that it might be punctured. It wasn't. But I spent an unhappy 20 minutes or so in the same spot five years ago, after realising that I had a puncture and my pump didn't work properly.

The rain followed me back into Shropshire, but it was very light and only lasted 15 minutes. After that it was dry all the way. Result! I'd fully expected to get rained on a few times, though I knew it would be dry after 5pm.

One minor glitch - the road had been closed off near Audlem on the way back for roadworks, but I was able to get by on the pavement.

I'd expected to be taking my tights and fleece off after 40 or so miles, but it wasn't that warm until 2pm-ish and I didn't bother taking them off until I only had 35 miles to go.

One really annoying thing - the A51 had been resurfaced after Colwich, and it was an awful surface to ride on - coarse gravel that had been sprayed with tar. This was definitely the finished article, because it had fresh white lines on. After I'd put up with it for three miles it I started to worry that I'd have another twenty miles of it, but fortunately there were only five miles of it in total. It didn't seem so bad on the way back, probably only because I knew when it would stop.

The lady in the petrol station where I bought some snacks and coffee on the way back recognised me from a similar shopping trip in the morning. "Have you been cycling all this time??", she wanted to know. I'd been in there at 0800 and it was about 1600 at this time. I told her that I'd set off at about 0500 and still had another 30 miles to do. "You'll definitely sleep tonight", she suggested. And I think she's right, actually I'm half asleep now.

Strange to go past the power station at Rugeley with the cooling towers gone. On the outbound part I took a wrong turn and went through the town, rather than past the power station.

The way back was a breeze, with a bit of a tailwind, nice afternoon sunshine and plenty of gently descending flat bits.

Saw a couple of Spitfires, late in the day - or perhaps the same one, if it had looped round. I heard that distinctive Merlin engine growl and looked up to see the unmistakable shape. Not exactly air display altitude, but very recognisable.

I listened to LBC first thing in the morning and that was really good actually, though why people are taking part in a phone-in show at 5 in the morning on a Sunday is beyond me. Later, a bit of 6 Music and Wimbledon / Silverstone on 5 Live. Then Reacher. I'd only meant to listen to an hour or two of it but I found it really compelling and listened for about four hours, right until the end.

Really a nice, nostalgic ride out and glad to have finally ticked the Wales box again. Back on 142.7 miles. Fourth 100 miler and fifteenth Fondo of the year.

https://www.strava.com/activities/7410440746

[Nickslikk2112]

Unfortunately, from the fourth or fifth moving motor vehicle that I saw this morning, a young man leaned out of the passenger window and shouted WANKER! at the top of his voice as it went past, at considerable speed. This is why I'm glad we don't have a second amendment, because I'd have been taking shots through their rear window with one hand while steering the bike with the other.

You need one of these:

[dom]

Note to weather gods- I know I missed cycling for most of April and all of May but I really don't need a reminder of what I missed in July. Thanks!

How long have you lived in Ireland? 

I didn't enjoy today's ride. Bloody wind again, nowhere near the light breeze of the BBC forecast. I reckon since I started riding seriously in 2016 it's got windier every year. Managed to pick up a bit of speed on the way back, but nowhere near as much as I'd lost on the way out.

https://www.strava.com/activities/7410116518

Nick I've been in Ireland for over 18 years now and you do get nice days in July.  You're right though, I shouldn't expect them!

A 35km spin that I intended to do without stopping but the journey out was into a nasty headwind. I was wrecked by the time I got to Kells, so I stopped for a coffee, a bun and a Lucozade.  The homeward leg was a breeze in comparison with the wind on my back (and some spitting rain) and I wondered if I'd kept going whether it would have been ok.  I imagine that all the sugar helped though!

[dom]

I'll never be ceased to be amazed by these lengthy day trips Slim!  There needs to be a super kudos option on Strava!