Cycling 2023

[Slim]

I've used a helmet four or possibly five times this year, out of fifty rides. Statistically I'm on pretty safe ground but I must admit, tales of dented helmets do give me pause for thought!

Glad you're OK, Dom.

[dom]

The helmet goes with the bike for me. I really don't find it an inconvenience at all. Just like the cycling shoes and gloves they go on when I go out for a spin. Need to order a new one now thanks to that moment's inattention. Stupid of me but I think the helmet probably saved me a trip to the hospital

[Slim]

Another dry, warm day - a little cloudier than Wednesday but more irritatingly, a fairly stiff breeze was coming from the east. I set off with the vague intention of doing some of the eastbound route, but after 9 miles or so I turned left for Long Whatton. The headwind was annoying me and I decided the rush hour traffic on the other side of the A6 would annoy me even more.

I went as far as the airport, then came back down a longer way than usual down through Belton, Griffydam and Coleorton. Much nicer with a bit of a tailwind.

I used a GPS tracking app on my phone, imaginatively titled 'GPS Logger' to record the ride. I'd thought I'd probably only managed about 23 miles, but once I uploaded the track, Strava claimed 30.38!

Oddly the app itself claims 27.4, so where Strava has got the additional three miles from, I have no idea. But even 27.4 seemed a bit suspect so I recreated the route as a track in RideWithGPS, and that claims 26.3. I'll take that. It seems a bit more likely.

Interestingly, the track that the phone app has recorded is bizarrely jagged and wonky. Technology, eh?



Actually I've just loaded the track into a GPX editor (GPSPrune) and smoothed out the kinks using a track compression algorithm, and now it measures as 26.5. So I think the RideWithGPS figure is close enough. I'll go with that.

517 done this month.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9145260631

[Nickslikk2112]

Wasted today watching the Giro. Bloody Welsh choker To be fair though G is 27 and he still came second in the Giro - barring accidents - and second on today's stage. It was a bit brutal, a time trial finishing with a 4.53 mile climb at an average of 11.8%, the first 2.72 miles averaging 15.6%. I start to whimper at 10%. Interesting that Roglic used a single 40T Chainring with a 10-44T rear cassette. Bonkers.

Anyhow, I managed a couple of hours out and had to put a bit of effort in to get the desired mileage in. Interesting that I averaged the same speed as on June 1st last year when I did the same ride. I'm happy with that. 35 miles gets me to 639 for May, should get to 700 now.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9152086287

[Slim]

Too windy to do a particularly long one today. I didn't want to get up early and I had other things to do this afternoon. I thought 40 or so would do.

I set off at about 10:20, on my usual eastbound route. After 23 miles I took a left turn along a road called Lawn Lane to Old Dalby. I thought I'd just explore for a mile or so then come back the same way, but it was a nice quiet road so I kept going. I came to a T junction with a sign to Wymeswold, so I took that. From this point I was on a road that runs parallel and to the north of the usual eastbound route. I have taken it a few times, but not for a couple of years. Must do it again some time soon. The only downer really is that the road surface is mostly poor.

Back the usual way from Wymeswold, except that I elongated the ride a bit by coming home through Griffydam and Coleorton.

I wore minimal clothing, shorts and a light short-sleeve top. Nice on the way back when conditions had warmed up a bit and I had a tailwind, but I was a bit too cool for the first hour or two, except when the sun came out.

Still - an enjoyable run out, particularly nice to do something a bit different. Will see if I can incorporate Lawn Lane into a new route.

I listened to Beggar's Banquet by the Rolling Stones, then my MP3 player app cued up the next album by alphabetical order. Beings by Lanterns on the Lake. I didn't recognise it at first, thought it might be some obscure Sinead O'Connor record I'd forgotten about. What a brilliant, intense record.

I used my Casio GPS watch to track the ride, something I don't do that often because although I really like the watch, the app it connects to and the Casio online service are crap. And although the app managed to register the activity, it hasn't uploaded it to Strava.

Would be nice if the Casio site offered the facility to export tracks to files, but it doesn't. So at the moment this is all I have to show for it:



I didn't get the watch synced to the satellites until 0.39 miles into the ride so that's 47.37 miles, 565 this month.

[Nickslikk2112]

Didn't watch the Giro today, after the Welsh choker messed up yesterday (but did watch some of the Boucles de Mayenne) and so missed Cav winning the final stage - and G even helped lead him out, there's sportsmanship.

AS ever the Garmin was recommending a rest day, but hey, life's too short to rest, so headed out on the lower level rolling roads, which still lead to a fair amount of overall elevation gain. Took it steadily though spending more time at a moderate heart rate than any other. Makes a change.

Definitely a steady ride as my average speed was below yesterday's and at one point even the pavement cyclists were pulling away from me. 41.77 miles means I now stand at 681 for May.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9158175132

[Nickslikk2112]

Today's Garmin recommendation was a 30 minute recovery ride. So that'll be a two and a quarter hour tempo ride then The legs aren't feeling that bad and hey, the sun's out and if I stay at home Mrs S will find jobs for me to do. Out we jolly well go.

Last couple of rides, I've been thinking I've got a front wheel puncture and sealant is jetting out, but it's just bits of fallen blossom that stick to the tyre and as it spins you see little white bits coming round on the tyre like sealant. All adds to the fun. Now I've got the Carbon fibre front wheel on I've been reminded how noisy the front disc rotor gets under heavy braking. Must try and remember to take a look and see if it's on tightly. Anyhoo, today's 35 miles gets me over 700 for May

https://www.strava.com/activities/9163878830

[Slim]

I set off at 15:44 with a simple mission in mind: to do at least 36 miles, to take the May total over 600 miles. A stiff wind was coming from the east which is awkward for a ride after work, because it usually leads to tangling with rush hour traffic near Zouch on the eastbound route. Nevertheless, I did head over that way regardless. Didn't want to face a headwind on the way back.

Cooler than I expected. I did wear a few more layers this time but over the first half of the ride I was a little uncomfortable. It was cloudy as well. But nice and dry.



I got as far as Cotes then decided to take the road to Hoton, to do something a bit different. From there I took the "Lost Road" to Wymeswold for about a mile. Then I came back.

Went out a longer way through Coleorton and Diseworth, but came back down the quick way through Belton. I was much happier with a tailwind and a bit less traffic to contend with.

Not the most enjoyable ride over the first half, but happy to have clocked up 603 miles for May. 2553 this year.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9171863052

[Nickslikk2112]

Took the Gravel bike out today to make sure I took it steady. Tried my best, but there's plenty of short sharp climbs out there on which you do have to put effort in.

I also did a reasonable amount of gravel out there too, a couple of bits were new to me. One of which finished on Postman's Lane, which I'm going to assume is named in honour of my GtGt Grandfather was the Postman who lived in the Post Office at the top of the lane. I'm still a big wuss on gravel when it goes downhill, afraid of locking up the back brake or taking to fast and skidding off on corners. It doesn't help when it's gnarly chunky gravel shaking you to bits either.

It's all fun when it ends though and today's 30 miles gets me to within 30 miles of doing 1,250km for May.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9170029961/

[Nickslikk2112]

Once more to the wheels! Well I couldn't get so close to Strava's 1250km challenge and not actually complete it, so I did. May actually rest tomorrow, but Mrs S wants me to do some jobs, so it might be a case of sneaking out whilst her back's turned.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9176441118

[Slim]

Very similar conditions to my last couple of rides - dry, cloudy and cool with an annoying wind from the north-east. I didn't want to embark upon the eastbound route again so soon and I hadn't done any of the southbound for a while, so - I decided I'd suck up the headwind on the way back and go south.

I got as far as Kirkby Mallory then headed west to Sutton Cheney, then from there along Fenn Lanes. The idea was to do the first 20-odd miles of a Twycrosser from there, but in reverse. But rather than coming up through Twycross, Snarestone et al I veered eastward toward Market Bosworth and came up through Carlton and Barton.

The headwind was certainly annoying on the way back up but at least I only had myself to blame. Good run out regardless. 33.35 miles.

Listened to more of my current Reacher novel, Bad Luck and Trouble. Good one so far.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9183934606

[Nickslikk2112]

I was a good boy and helped Mrs S with her jobs. She was a big help in clearing out my dad's house so I'm doing the odd little bit to help her clear her auntie's. If I'm as much help again as I was today she won't ask me to do it again

I ended up with a window of about an hour and a half to get out and ride and I used up nearly all of it to get in almost 24 miles. So that's June underway, Hopefully this nagging NE wind will drop for the Weekend and the skies will clear.

[David L]

I've just ordered 2 Michelin Lithon 3 tyres from BikeInn for £44. I looked for exact replacements for my Pro Race 3s but no longer available. They've got good reviews and they were available in red to match the bike    I hope the Lithons are going to be easy to fit, some road tyres can be an absolute pain to get on the rim.

The tyres I bought for my S Works are Lithion 3s . Bought them for the same reason (red). They weren't too hard to get on. Seem to have lasted well, no problems so far.

New Michelin Lithion tyres fitted - ready to go! (strangely, the site I bought them from list them as 'Lithon'  )

[Nickslikk2112]

Finally managed my first 50 mile ride of the year today. It's been a long time coming for one reason and another. Nearly didn't happen, I just drew level with our drive ready to go up when I saw it was still at 49.97 miles so rode a bit further. Also got over 4,000ft of climbing in for the first time this year.

Went up Horsleygate road to Owler Bar today, I'd forgotten how much I don't like it. Just when you think a steep bit is relenting it ramps up again. Seems I averaged 3 W/Kg going up, if I can double that I can think about entering the Tour de France...

Made my first ascent of the Abney Climb this year, it's a favourite of lots of people, yet I think it's a steep first part with a long slog followed by another steep part then more slog. Still I overtook two people on the way. So long suckers.

For the last 8 miles my Garmin reckoned I was virtually dead, my stamina levels were <1%, my potential stamina was <1% and I could do <1 mile. Bloody good job it was mainly downhill.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9196118678

[Slim]

I logged into Facebook late last night, and a photo that I'd posted from my most recent Norfolk-and-back ride, exactly a year previously came up in my "Facebook memories". My first thought was - how is that a year ago already? It was the Platinum Jubilee weekend, as it happens.

But my second thought was - I'd been looking forward to doing a long ride for a long time, but I'm not sure I've taken full advantage of the longer days now that they're finally here. Perhaps I should have planned Norfolk and back this weekend. I have done Wales and back this year to be fair, but I want to do a longer one than that this summer.

And for a moment I did contemplate getting up at 4AM this morning and doing a 180 mile ride out east. It wouldn't take much preparation. That was my third thought. My fourth thought was that having had a beer and a couple of vodka martinis, I didn't fancy my chances of getting out of bed at four in the morning.

But my fifth thought was that I could at least get up at 0830 and do at least 80 miles. So that's what I did.

Set off at about 0930. I'd thought I'd need a fleece for the first 20 miles or so but as soon as I opened the back door I realised I wouldn't need it. So I removed it and left it at home.

The idea was a very simple one, just to do the eastbound route for 40 miles and come back. But I went east via the "old" route through Rempstone and Wymeswold. I got as far as Colsterworth. I'd done 42 miles at that point. Came back through Burton on the Wolds and Stanford as usual.

I stopped at the Deli at Waltham after 33 miles. The lady behind the counter wanted to know how many miles I was doing and how often I did long rides. Always nice to have a bit of a chat with a stranger on a long ride. Bought a cornish pasty and a coffee. I asked for a strong one, but it wasn't.



I stopped and had a sandwich and a mint Magnum ice cream on a stick at the village shop at Buckminster on the way back. A bit of an indulgence but they definitely keep you going.

The headwind was annoying on the way out but I felt like I was being towed on the way back - really glorious to be gliding along in the warm sunshine coming south-west from Eastwell.

Listened to a few hours of the Reacher novel. I tuned into the FA Cup final 10 minutes late, hoping that nothing important had happened. But in fact if I'd tuned in 15 seconds late I would have missed a goal.

I trialled a new invention - DIY wind noise reducers.

It's possible to buy a sort of furry sleeve that goes round the strap of your cycling helmet, one on each side in front of your ears. These intercept and absorb the onrush of air to stop it interfering with your earbuds when you're trying to listen to an audiobook, or 5 Live or whatever.

However they cost more than £20, so I had the idea of making some myself. I bought a pair of sweatbands - the sort intended to go round your wrist - for £3.59. They came with a headband as well. I folded the wristbands in half and secured them round the strap of my helmet on each side using rubber cable ties. They're thick and fluffy and they work brilliantly - you can tell how much they mute the oncoming wind by pulling one of them away from your head for a moment - the difference is dramatic.

I did catch a glimpse of my reflection in the window of the Deli at Waltham just before I removed my helmet to go inside and they looked ridiculous, but I don't particularly care about that.

Back on 85.31 miles. Very enjoyable day out on the bike. However it's time to start thinking about a 170+ mile ride.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9196070597