Cycling 2023

[Nickslikk2112]

Having racked up 170 miles in my previous rides in the week I thought it would be rude not to make it up to 200. So I did. First week since last October that I've gone over 200 miles for the week.

Spent lots of time mulling over where to ride. I was thinking of trying some new roads, but one looked as if it could be on the steepish side, so I binned that idea and just rode out to Tibshelf and back. As far as possible today - i.e. when I remembered - I tried to ride a gear lower than I normally would, this led to me spinning a faster cadence than normal and I ended up with an average of 94, never got it that high for a full ride before.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9202722018

[David L]

Did just under 34 miles on the road bikes today. Absolutely lovely conditions out there. A modest wind kept us cool.
Stopped for a lunch of sausage roll and carrot cake from Lynwoods on Burford High Street. Managed to squeeze in a pint of Hawkstone cider at The Maytime, Asthall.
Set me up lovely for one of my wife's superb roast dinners (roast chicken). Fortunately, she still had enough energy left to knock it out of the park....again!

[Nickslikk2112]

Been having problems shifting up to the big chain ring on the Bianchi a lately, so I took the time to have a look at it yesterday. On Ultegra shifters, there's a funny little adjustment you make on the front mech to bring two lines into alignment, I had a look and they were out of synch, so made the adjustment with a fiddly little Allen key. Success

No problems at all on today's 43 mile ride, not with the front mech anyway. I'll never get used to hills though, no matter how many times I do them. I find it easier to shrug off close passes. Almost. They still get a two fingered salute.

Had to change the batteries in the power meter pedals when I got back as I had a low power warning. That's 84 hours, when they reckon on 120, maybe I should have seen how long the batteries lasted before going completely flat. At least I'm now over 2,000 road miles for the year.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9213088453

[Slim]

A disappointingly cold and cloudy day, today. Not cold by winter standards perhaps and it was certainly dry, but I wrapped up in several layers on top and a pair of cycling tights and I still felt the cold a bit.

A stiff wind was coming from the east, yet again. I don't mind that on a weekend but after work on a weekday the traffic near Zouch is a limiting factor. So I went over that way, but turned back to go west through Long Whatton, past Isley Walton and back down through Coleorton.

Lots of road signs, tents and big electronic displays up for the Download festival which presumably is this weekend coming at Donington Park.

I went up Heather Lane for a mile or so to get my distance up a bit. Still only did 25.41 miles. I must try to figure out a better option for weekday later afternoons with an easterly wind.

Listened to the Reacher novel for the whole ride. Nearing the climax now.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9216425051

[Nickslikk2112]

Out for a nice relaxing 30 miler today, would have been more relaxing if it had been sunny, but hey, you can't have everything. Would have been nicer if people on shared use paths can hear you coming, but no, they are oblivious to the sound of tyres crunching on gravel. Would be nicer too if dog walkers could keep the bloody thing on leads, but hey-ho. As for the woman who must have had a dog, but was just carrying a bag of dog shit, dude WTF?

OK so it could have been a lot more relaxing - pricks in Beemers on the road - but I got out when I wa thinking of not doing so, but if I stop in Mrs S expects to see evidence of work being done around the house, so out I go.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9219458659/

[Nickslikk2112]

Today's recommendation was to do an hour and twenty seven (Why not hour and a half?) of Base Level riding. OK, will two hours of tempo do? Whatever happens happens and so long as I get home and still walk then all is fine.

Did a few lanes I've only done once before today, which were nice - apart from the steep bits - and apart from all the Range Rovers coming the other way It's the middle of nowhere with next to no people living there and not on the way to anywhere, but still the drivists come out and snarl up the roads. Ho-hum.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9225812407/

[Slim]

I've been frustrated recently by the limiting factor of having to contend with heavy traffic near Zouch on the eastbound route on late weekday afternoons, as I've mentioned here a few times.

The wind was due to come from the east again today so last night, using the RideWithGPS route planner, I devised an alternative eastbound route that would start by going south rather than north down to Bagworth, then east through Thornton, Markfield, Rothley, Ratcliffe and Thrussington before rejoining the original eastbound route near Six Hills, after about 25 miles.

I thought I'd do about 18 miles of this route - not all the way to Six Hills - then come back the same way.

So I set off at about 1535. I've been that way as far as Markfield quite a few times but after that, the route was mostly new to me. I had the route uploaded to my eTrex but I still managed to miss a turn near Cossington. I tracked back from the next roundabout.

After going down a long, steep hill bear Swithland Wood I decided I wasn't going to come back that way. I decided to continue all the way to Six Hills, then come back home via the traditional eastbound route. But I consulted Google Maps at Thrussington and took a short cut up to the old route from there, rejoining it near Cotes.



The new route that I'd intended was nice - nothing special but nice to be doing something a bit different. Especially nice to be pedalling along the roads near Bradgate Park, which I used to do 30-odd years ago on my  Raleigh Routier, usually on Sunday afternoons. But the short cut which I hadn't intended was perfect cycling territory - quiet, pleasant and well-surfaced. I snapped the pic along there. I can use some of it as an alternative section on the old eastbound route. I'll definitely do that.

Glorious weather out there, properly warm and sunny. Very enjoyable coming back westward with a tailwind. Happy to have done a decently long one today because the weather for the weekend looks iffy.

I finished Bad Luck and Trouble. Not sure if I've ever got through a Reacher novel so quickly. I can completely understand why it's been chosen as the basis for the next TV series adaptation.

Back on 49.04 miles.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9228908887

[Nickslikk2112]

Well, I beat last Saturday's ride by a mile. That's all that can be said in its favour. It was a slog today. Complete and utter no fun slog.

Suppose I should have gone out this morning when it was cooler. But no, I stopped in to watch the Criterium du Dauphiné. They were riding up mountains today, I Like watching people ride up mountains, it's more fun than doing it. I did watch some downhill Mountain Biking before the Dauphiné, now that's stupid.

When I looked at my time for the climb up Harewood Road, I was slowest in my age group, behind people I normally beat. Looking at their rides - and it was a group ride - they set out in the morning and the average temperature for them was 12C, for me it was 27C. Think that was the reason. Couldn't even average over 200W for the climb.

I got shat on by a bird as well today. It's good luck they say. Well, I suppose it was, can't understand how it only splattered both legs of my bib shorts and nothing else.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9240516846/

[Slim]

I'm on call at the moment. I wouldn't have let that stop me doing a decent bike ride, but what I did let stop me were temperatures in the high 20s and the threat of rain in the early afternoon. The rain didn't happen but it certainly was too hot to ride a bike for any distance. So I decided to wait for the late afternoon.

This was very fortunate because, very unusually, I was called at about 2pm for a high priority incident that required my attention. I can't tell you how many times I've been 20 or more miles away from home on a bike on an oncall Saturday afternoon and if I'd done that today, I'd have had some difficult explaining to do. I must have a guardian angel.

Regardless, I set off to do about 20 or 30, slightly hesitantly, at 1642. UV levels had dissipated nicely by this time (I assumed) and the temperature was a bit less fierce. I had a San Miguel first, for Dutch courage.

The plan was to go up to Melbourne, take a right to Isley Walton and come back down Top Brand. But I pressed my luck after Melbourne and carried right on up over Swarkestone Bridge. From there I went east through Weston and Aston to Shardlow, then down to Isley Walton through Castle Donington. Much the same ride, but substantially extended at the north.

The Download Festival is on at Donington Park at the moment but I didn't see any of the revellers around the town. Sometimes on a Download weekend the local pubs and streets are choked with stoner-looking deadbeats and kids in Motorhead t-shirts, but I saw none of that today.

Just as an aside, Metallica are claimed to have caused a noise nuisance on Thursday night for people living 15 miles away. We live less than 8 miles away to the south, and 'er indoors claims to have heard them when she was in the garden at the time, but it was very faint. They've been playing again tonight; I went outside half an hour ago and I couldn't hear anything.

Saw a Sunwing passenger jet taking off from the airport as I passed. I'd never heard of Sunwing. Apparently it's a low-cost airline based in Toronto. A minute later I saw a Lear Jet coming in to land. I very rarely see aircraft taking off or landing when I pass the airport so that was a nice change.

A layer of cloud rolled over at 7pm and the temperature receded a notch; I was grateful for that.

With about two miles to go, I developed a suspicion that my rear tyre was flat. It was certainly very soft. It had been a little bit softer than I'd have expected when I inspected it before setting off, to be fair. I pumped it up to 100PSI and assumed it would be fine. I got it up to about 50PSI (at a guess) with my mini pump in Coleorton but it was soft again a mile later. I gave it a couple more goes over the last mile and I got home OK. The rim looks fine. The tyre looks alright.

Oh well, something else to do tomorrow. Back on 31.02 miles, 224 done this month.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9241235086

[dom]

First fondo since October '21 yesterday. Met up with my bike buddy in Bective and decided on a flattish south easterly route to Maynooth.

I'm still intermittent fasting so the first 45k was done without having had breakfast before or sustenance during the trip.  As a result I felt fully justified in going for the full McDonald's including strawberry milkshake when we arrived in Maynooth. Perhaps unsurprisingly I began to develop stomach pains on the homeward leg and had to stop in Summerhill to allow the American fast food to settle. I got back to Navan to find it backed up with traffic heading to the Harry Styles concert in Slane. With 97k on the clock, I had to keep going to get to 3 figures so I prolonged the journey a little. That's my stent's first fondo. I like to think it enjoyed it!

https://strava.app.link/Wxr5OBkAxAb

[Nickslikk2112]

After being absolutely drained after Saturday, I didn't bother going out on Sunday and Monday is always a rest day - except when it's not - I made sure to get out today, trying to be as early as possible.

Not as early as I would have liked due to one thing and another, but I was still out before the full heat of the day set in and trying as far as possible to take it steady. I only took in one long climb today to keep things easier and managed to get caught at lots of unforeseen roadworks to get a bit of unexpected rest.

Really lovely in the sun today and for once the recent nagging easterly breeze actually made things more pleasant. I noticed quite a few really old blokes out cycling today, good on 'em, hope I'm still out there in my 80s - although knowing how people round here look they were probably in their 50s...

On the way back I saw a couple of crows attacking a Lapwing. Should have filmed it for Springwatch.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9257089237

[Slim]

Another warm, sunny day with a fairly strong wind coming from the east. I decided to do 15 or 20 miles of the southbound route, then come back.

I'd done about 17 when I got to the T junction just after Potters Marston. Rather than turn right toward Stoney Stanton as I normally would, I took a left toward Croft. I was only going to do another mile or two and I thought it would be easier than negotiating the crossroads at Stoney. A bit flatter and quieter as well.

Quite nice along there, but I only did another mile then turned back. Came a slightly different way home over the last few miles, along Wood Road then through Hugglescote. The Hugglescote way is a bit quicker, but the road is a bit lumpy and climby.

Back on 35.69 miles.

I listened to Let It Bleed by the Rolling Stones - I'm not a big fan of the countrified Americana they indulge themselves with on a few of the tunes, but they do it very well. Easily the best one so far, eight albums in.

I must admit I'm slightly concerned by the noise my DIY-rebuilt freehub is making, on the second Boardman. Not overly alarming but louder than I'd expect. Still working fine but maybe I used the wrong lube. Maybe I should grease it.

The wind is due to die down to 4 or 5mph by Friday, and the weather will remain warm and sunny, at least according to the forecast - definitely an invitation to do a long one.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9259394060

[Nickslikk2112]

Sunny again today. Very sunny. A couple of degrees cooler and with a still refreshing Easterly. Took the gravel bike out for a day of steadiness. The riding was steady, but my mind kept skipping because that's what my gears were doing, well skipping a couple at a time or not changing at all. Something to be sorted when I got back. Hopefully sorted now, but we'll find out tomorrow. Gear changes on the bike stand never seem to be the same on the road.

Went out up the Clowne Greenway again today, thankfully not many dog walkers out today and the ones that were seemed to be responsible ones. Got off the trail a bit earlier than last time to avoid going through Cresswell, land of the Troglodytes.

Once in Elmton I headed off road down a recommended gravel route, started out a bit gnarly with a ramp up through stones like half bricks, but then it settled down to a nice gravel run until it became a narrow path with vegetation brushing both shoulders, probably get Lyme Disease now.

Then a run down Oxcroft lane to Bolsover- don't stop, keep pedalling - before running back through Hardwick Hall park then back home. A nice 36 miles.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9263591143

[Nickslikk2112]

And another nice day. Won't last, but you have to get out there whilst you can. Not tomorrow as my legs want to drop off and I've had too much sun on the top of my head...

Out on the Graveller again today. For weeks now I've been looking on Komoot for bits of gravel to ride and then just sticking to bits I know will be easy. Today I decided to incorporate at least one bit of unknown gravel into my ride.

So, after the regular start out I took a trip up Hey-Ho Way. Let's go baby. It started out fine, a nice compacted surface that the road bike would cope with, then it kicked uphill with baby's fist sized bits of gravel on it. I was then faced with two loose Border Collies which were thankfully called to one side by their owner. Then after a few open gates I came to a closed one which promised COWS. Luckily the promise wasn't delivered, but the way was now just a singletrack up the side of a field, possibly the furthest outside of my comfort zone I've yet done, but I survived. Onwards and Upwards.



I didn't bother with the other considered off-road option, as half the roads I used to get back to "civilisation" were gnarmac at best.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9269924157

[David L]

Love Komoot!