Cycling 2023

[Nickslikk2112]

I think that'll be March done for me now. A monthly total of 356 miles, not very good and a yearly total of 648 so far. Not been that low after three months since 2016 - and that was my first year of being a "serious" cyclist.

One of those days where the weather never seemed to know what it was going to do, but I eventually bit the bullet and got out. Just up and down the local lanes. They're not too far off being gravel and liberally strewn with potholes, so I got a good work out, even though I was going to take it steadily.

One day I'll put the road wheels on the gravel bike and see how much difference they make, but not whilst the roads are as filthy as they are. Had the bike less than a week and have washed it three times already!

https://www.strava.com/activities/8802390839

[Slim]

The weather forecasters threatened light showers for the afternoon but I was keen to do at least 39 miles, to get the March total up to 300. With the wind coming from the SW, I decided to do a longish version of the time-honoured Twycross Bypasser. So I did, going up to Packington at the top and down to Fenny Drayton at the bottom.

Apart from a couple of brief episodes of very light rain, the weather was lovely - spring-like and sunny. Very nice to go along Mythe Lane again, I haven't been down that way for a while.



I stopped for a wee and a cheese pasty at a regular off-road farm gate along Fenn Lanes and to amuse myself, I took stock of the various objects littering the ground around me. I saw wood screws, plastic wall plugs, an empty blister pack that once contained Nurofen or similar, a discarded latex glove and six tins of paint with black & yellow tape wrapped round them bearing the words ENVIRO CRIME HAZARD - DO NOT CROSS.

I was going to take Boardman II but noticed that the rear tyre is completely flat. Something else to do at the weekend, then. I took the X.

That was actually a lovely ride out and I wouldn't have done that route if I hadn't particularly wanted to do 39 miles. Happy I did. Back on 41.34 which takes me to 303 this month. Given the awful weather and having been out of the country for a week, I'm not displeased with that even if it is below target. I'm ahead of the game in the bigger picture, anyway.

https://www.strava.com/activities/8804464800

[Fishy]

Don't usually plan my route usually just follow the force but today I knew exactly where I was going except for a wrong turn half way thru but then picked up the route again... so it was out to Dalrymple then out on a single track road from there to the lovely village of Kirkmichael then across to Crosshill then onwards to Maybole where I was looking for the route7 cycle network but picked it up again via the road to Culzean Castle.. up n over the Carrick Hills onto the Dunure Road into Ayr and then dropping down to the seafront out to the pier then home... a very satisfying 31 miles in pretty decent weather.. the odd spot of rain but definitely milder and sunnier and warmer

[Nickslikk2112]

Had the gravel bike over a week now, still not done much gravel LOL! Mind all of today's ride was on road, but a good half of it sounded like gravel under the tyres - small country lanes which are crumbling to bits.

Went up a road that I've only ever been down before - and I've only been down it when other roads have been shut. Didn't enjoy the bits where my Garmin said it was 17% It's bad enough for me on 7% inclines. Must admit it doesn't seem that steep going down.

Forgot to eat my in ride snack today, the roads were so up and down that I didn't want to reach round and get my oat bar. By the time the roads had flattened out I was nearly home again. That's April's account opened with just over 32 miles. Hopefully I'll get out tomorrow, but might just watch the Ronde van Vlaanderen.

https://www.strava.com/activities/8814235301/

[Fishy]

Clocked up a 32 miler earlier today.. out to Auchincruive then heading to coylton then dropping into Dalrymple then took a new single into the middle of nowhere .. followed the force that eventually brought me into the back end of Kirkmichael.. took the well trodden other single track back to Dalrymple so had essentially down a very big loop then headed back to Ayr..
Weather pretty decent fairly warm
Nice bottle of red waiting on my return🍷👍

[Slim]

A dry day with a decently late sunset and a moderate wind from the east. I promised myself I'd do at least 80 miles, with the thought that I might do 100 if I got up early enough - and if it wasn't too cold.

I got up at about 0700 and was away on a bike by 0756. I had a simple plan: to do the eastbound route for as long as I felt like it, then to come back roughly the same way.

Because I knew the temperature would improve later in the day and because I didn't want to carry clothing around in my backpack for most of the ride, I wrapped up relatively light. Intermediate level; a few layers on top and a pair of tights over cycling shorts.



The temperature seemed bearable when I set off but five miles later, on lower ground, I was shivering. Very annoyingly I was uncomfortably cold for the first three hours of the ride. But the sun coming out later on made a big difference. So did the tailwind on the way back.

I took a minor diversion through Rutland and was in Lincolnshire fifteen minutes later, so that's the last two neighbouring counties boxes ticked for 2023. I'd decided I was going to do at least 100 miles by this time. I turned back after a bit less than 50 miles, because I was going to take a slightly longer route home (through Cotes and Stanford).

I realised when I got to my 21-miles-to-go point that I was still going to be a bit short, so I tweaked the route home by diverting through Wymeswold and Hoton. Actually a lovely quiet bit of road that, well worth doing in any case.

Sunday's not the best day for a long ride because the shops tend to be closed in the afternoon, but I stocked up at the village shop at Buckminster on the outbound leg. Very useful, well located (40 miles from home) and it has cyclist-friendly benches outside, but they tend to sell "lookalike" products - for example you can buy something that looks superficially like Lucozade Sport in a similar-styled bottle, but it's really just rather indifferent fizzy orange.



Anyway - that was a lovely ride out. I was especially pleased to be reunited with my Cycling Happy Place east of Waltham and in the end it was worth shivering for a few hours early on to make it over there.

Listened to footy chat mostly, plus commentary on West Ham vs Southampton and some of the first half of Newcastle vs Man United. Both entertaining games. For the first half hour of the ride, I listened to the end of the Australian Grand Prix. Farcical.

I also listened to the fourth Rolling Stones album, Aftermath. What an extraordinary creative breakthrough after their first three albums of R&B covers. Their previous album, released less than a year earlier, had consisted entirely of other peoples' tunes but everything on Aftermath is a Jagger / Richards original. Equally importantly it's a much more eclectic and interesting record than the first three, with some really strong songs. Reminds me of The Kinks in places.

With beautiful timing, the AA batteries in my DAB died two minutes after I arrived back at the garage.

Back on  100.43 miles.

https://www.strava.com/activities/8820654439

[Nickslikk2112]

Well, for the first time this year I managed 100 miles of road cycling in a week! Mind, if I'd not spent five hours watching the Ronde van Vlaanderen I might have had enough time in the day to get 100 miles in. Enough in the legs? Probably not, I'd be more than happy to fit a 50 miler in.

As it was just a 21 miler, but nice in the sunshine and nice that the roads were much drier and cleaner than yesterday. Didn't have to wash the bike down when I got back today.

https://www.strava.com/activities/8820765253

[David L]

Ventured out on the mountain bikes late morning, primarily to assess whether either bike had any niggles to sort out before our trip to the Peak District next weekend.

Mine has had a lot of work done recently and Clare's Trek has just had a new 34-11 cassette fitted to help with the climbing. I've also mended slow punctures in the rear wheels of both bikes over the last few days, which, I'm pleased to say were still mended when we decided to go out.

We headed out just before midday with the promise of clearing skies and some sun from 2:00pm. We took in a couple of climbs to test our new 'granny gears'. My gears were the only ones to give trouble. Chain was slipping on the 7th, 8th and 9th cogs under load (very annoying after spending over £400 quid at the bike shop!). Clare was happy with her new cassette and showed a definite increase in her climbing rate today.

We stuck to the tarmac, it's much too wet around these parts to venture off-road at the moment. I didn't use an app so distance was a guess, probably somewhere between 15 and 20 miles.

For a lot of the ride I was considering what to do about getting my gears sorted and settled on Google when we got home. The general opinion suggested the chain tension was incorrect and the derailleur tension may require adjusting.

I found a really clear explanation of the role of the 'B-gap' adjustment screw and after two complete turns, I think I've sorted it....fingers crossed (I've never really got too involved in anything more than the most fundamental maintenance with bikes so it was great to increase my knowledge). It appears that, once the workshop had changed the 30-12 for the 32-12 cassette, the gears appeared to be working OK on the bike stand. Of course, things can be a whole lot different when the bike is ridden and the drivetrain is used under load. I think the technician left the chain tension as he found it. Anyway, after adjustment, I failed to reproduce the problem.

The new saddle appears to be comfortable enough, although the covering is a little slippery but that may well be the leggings I had on over my shorts.

We did get some sunshine but not warm at all out there. Hopefully the weekend will see some higher temperatures for us.

[Nickslikk2112]

Nice day for it today, and getting out for a ride. If only the weather would settle down and be like this for a bit, well, say six months or so.

Managed to get in my longest ride of the year so far, managed to break the 35 mile barrier! Taken some time getting there. Even got in a bit of proper gravel too. I say gravel, but there were lots of bits the size of half bricks in the track and indeed some half bricks too. Even coming off none too smooth roads, gravel for me is a different kettle of fish. Maybe I'll get used to it one day, I'm feeling very much like an old dog. Perhaps I should take in more disused railway lines to break myself in.



Photograph is on one of the better gravelly bits.

https://www.strava.com/activities/8830307451

[Slim]

Another dry day. Sunnier than Sunday, a bit warmer and the wind was lighter as well, coming from the south. I got out of work indecently early with the intention of going down the southbound route for 20 miles or so, then back up.

When I got to Stoney Stanton after 18 miles I kept straight on over the roundabout - the usual route for down Fosse Way, although I wasn't going to do more than another couple of miles. Just messing around. Then at Sapcote I turned right on a whim. Turned for home after 20 miles, though I came back into Stoney Stanton on a different road and ended up taking a fairly busy road back to Earl Shilton, where I rejoined the usual route.

I think I did much the same thing on a ride over the Christmas holiday. A but unfortunate to be doing that busy road during the rush hour, would have been fine on a Sunday, albeit still a bit urban.

Really lovely out there, sunny and spring-like.

Back on 40.69 miles.

https://www.strava.com/activities/8832280635

[Slim]

I stopped and examined it and the freehub was freely spinning both ways. I did manage to get it working briefly - but only very briefly; I got another half or mile or so out of it. So of course I called 'er indoors and she came out to collect me. I walked the bike some of the way back, and even managed to roll down a couple of descents on it.

This has given rise to a plan.
Instead of replacing the freehub body on the Cannondale rear wheel, I'm going to upgrade the Cannondale wheelset instead.
Then I'll upgrade Boardman II with the present Cannondale wheels - using the freehub body that was on the original Boardman I wheels, which I've been keeping as spares for years.

Rather than swap the old freehub in, which may not actually be possible anyway (the hub's probably incompatible though I didn't check) I decided to have a go at fixing the one already attached to the Fulcrum 5s that were on the Cannondale. So .. I bought some freehub springs from Amazon and fitted one to the freehub.
Actually a pretty simple job once you've taken the freehub off the wheel - you just wrap the spring, which looks like a slightly-oversized cheap keyring, around the groove in the freehub body. The pawls are designed so that the tension in the spring makes them stick out and engage the hub when not freewheeling. I'm no mechanical engineer but I reckon that using a single spring for this is a poor design.
The remaining springs in the pack are shown here:

I gave the innards a good wipe round, and relubed the pawls and the hub. Fortunately the Fulcrum 5 rear wheel has sealed bearing units so I didn't have to bother with regreasing little steel balls.
Working nicely now.  Some freehubs have independently sprung pawls. like this:

.. and that's surely a better design.
Still to do: swap the 8 speed cassette off Boardman II and put it onto the Fulcrum 5 rear wheel. It'll need spacers because the Fulcrum freehub is designed for a 10 speed cassette.

I get round to most things eventually, and today I got round to doing this. Removed the cassette from the rear Mavic onto Boardman II, cleaned it (WD40 degreaser shifted the grime very quickly), put it on the repaired rear Fulcrum 5. I had to use a 1.5mm spacer to get it to fit.

Put the rear Fulcrum 5 wheel on the Boardman, checked it was changing gears properly on the stand (seems fine), replaced the front Mavic with the front Fulcrum 5 as well.

Will it make a difference? Dunno. I must admit I'm slightly wary about riding a bike that I've repaired myself with generic freehub springs from Amazon. I may never do a fondo on it again! But I have other bikes better suited to that purpose anyway.

[Fishy]

29 miles earlier in what looked like a perfect day but there was a really biting brisk cold wind out there... started off down the seafront picking up route 7 then onwards to Dalrymple Coylton Stair Auchencruive then back along the river and home..... quite happy to get home give the bike a quick clean and open a bottle of Nero D'avola

[Nickslikk2112]

Ow! New shoes ended up giving me a painful right foot. Not surprised at this as I have a fallen arch on my right foot and need to get things set up well. I'll have a tinker, but maybe use another bike next time out.

It was a lovely day for it, sunny, not too warm but maybe just too much a wind up on the tops. Certainly too much traffic around, mostly driving too quickly and too close to cyclists. Lots of cyclists about too, got fed up of waving/saying hello to them.

Didn't bother venturing off road today as too many buggers are out walking. They tend to be just as unforgiving as drivers towards cyclists too. However, if you ride close to the kerb - not that you should - any ride can be turned into a gravel ride.

Managed to get in my first 40 miler as well today, taken a while to get there.

https://www.strava.com/activities/8847533441

[Slim]

Sunny day, light wind from the north-west. A bit cool when I got up, though. On a different day I might have attempted another 100 miler, but I may do a long ride on Sunday instead - so I decided a fondo would do.

The wind direction seemed to dictate the Upper Westbound route. Not the most imaginative or adventurous option but I decided to make it more interesting - slightly - by diverting through Wilson on the way back. Not only because it would be a bit different, but because I'd avoid Rotter's Rise after Melbourne.

Very nice out there and the roads were pleasantly quiet until the A515, going north toward Ashbourne. Bank holiday traffic, I assume. Eventually I got caught in a traffic jam going up a hill, possibly due to roadworks further ahead - but I'd done 30.8 miles by this time, so I turned back.

Stopped for some snacks at the petrol station near Scropton.

What will happen to all the petrol stations once there are no more diesel or petrol vehicles on the road? They're much handier for cyclists than village shops, because they tend to be open all the time.

Anyway - I came back through Wilson as intended, and unlike last time I didn't take two ridiculous left turns trying to find my way home. Back on 64.12 miles, and that's 205 this month already. That was this year's tenth fondo.



My personal DAB conked out after about 9 miles, just as I was coming into Melbourne. I was surprised, because I thought there was at least another five hours in the rechargeable AAs. So I put two new alkaline AAs in it (I always take spares). Those died after about 30 seconds. I did drop it in the garage but it only took a mild knock. Have I broken it? Will test it later.

I had a new phone with me, one I haven't installed BBC Sounds or other radio apps on yet, so I put its MP3 player app to work. I listened to

Talc: Licenced Premises Lifestyle
Earth, Wind & Fire: The Best Of, Vol 1
Judas Priest: Stained Class
Style Council: Confessions Of A Pop Group
The Beatles: Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

I doubt I've ever listened to five whole albums in the same day before! The Beatles album especially gave me goosebumps. Every time I listen to it, I try to imagine its impact on popular culture on its release. Some of the music journalists of the time had started to suggest that the Fab Four had run out of ideas, that the creative well had run dry, in the months leading to its release. Yet they followed even the brilliant Revolver in the most devastating manner possible by crafting the first progressive music masterpiece. Every single progressive music record, by King Crimson, Yes, Genesis, whoever has Sgt Pepper DNA in it.

I stopped for a bit of a picnic at a lovely spot next to the quarry near Breedon. By this time I was too warm so I removed and backpacked my fleece and cycling tights, making this the first legs-out ride of the year - albeit only about 10% of it was done in that mode.

And I spotted the first discarded knickers of the year, about a mile from Melbourne. Lacy, very brief and a sort of mahogany brown colour. Unusual colour for ladies' underwear, I thought.

Lovely run out. More on Sunday I hope.

https://www.strava.com/activities/8848732795

[David L]

Nice ride out on the mtbs today in nice weather (in the sun..warm, out of it...not)
From Hope we headed up Eccles Lane to Bradwell. Took the long climb starting at Michlow Ln into Cresswellpart Ln turning south at the summit towards Little Hucklow. Crossed the A623 at The Anchor, down into Tideswell and then into Litton.
Lovely coffee and cake at Litton stores and returned the same route.
Back to the campsite at Hope just after 2:00pm.
Tomorrow, the legendary climb up to Mam Nick.