Cycling 2024

[dom]

Went out for a short spin late yesterday morning.  Finding hills (such as they are in Meath)  relatively easy so I came up with  a route that would be as hilly as possible.

Headed out of Navan on the Slane road then crossed the Boyne at the Broadboyne bridge - nasty little climb there as you climb out of the valley - (according to Strava 0.27km at 10.1%)  Turned left onto the N2, which takes you to the very bottom of Slane Hill - from there climbed to the Hill top 158m above see level where St Patrick lit his fire (1.64km at 7%)  Back into Slane village and up to the hill top on the Drogheda side (0.3km at 5.6%)

Then back down the hill out the Navan Road, right then left onto the Kells Road.  Nice and gradual climb here that seems to go on for quite a while (apparently 3.5km km @1.6%).

Another drag as you go through Gibbstown and then a bumpy ride back to Navan alongside the Blackwater.  And despite my best efforts to make it a hilly run I only managed 457m of climbing in the 43km spin.  The climb out of the valley was really tough but thankfully short.  The climb up Slane Hill was made easier by the traffic lights turning red halfway up the climb.  Quite tough to be much of a grimpeur in Meath.

[Slim]

Might well have done a fondo today, but I didn't go to bed until about 0415 last night (this morning) folowing airport taxi duties, I didn't get up again until about 1100 and I didn't much feel like riding a bike. But with rain in the forecast for the next few days, I decided I should make an effort and I set off to do 30-odd at about 1520.

I did a Bypasser, with a couple of deviations from more usual versions. Firstly I did a very minor detour into Warton village, only because I'd caught sight of a rather athletic pedestrian in flared psychedelic gym pants, and I wanted a closer look after she took a right turn. Secondly, I did the right turn toward Nailstone again, same as last time. But this time I went right through Nailstone to Ellistown, so I sort of tacked on the last few miles of the southbound route onto the ride. Made a nice change.



Nice day, easily warm enough for short sleeve top and shorts. Quite a few barely-dressed female joggers were out for a run this afternoon, which is always good for morale. I got caught paying closer attention to one than might be considered necessary while pedalling through Ibstock. She glanced around and noticed that I was having a good look as I went past. She took it well, though. She grinned. I grinned back, quite involuntarily, out of embarrassment. Busted.

In my defence - she was a phenomenal specimen. I'm all for not objectifying women, but in my view they need to meet you half way and not wear tiny jogging shorts that look like they've been sprayed on.

Anyway back on 37.97 miles.

https://www.strava.com/activities/11953857038

[Nickslikk2112]

Went out for a short spin late yesterday morning.  Finding hills (such as they are in Meath)  relatively easy so I came up with  a route that would be as hilly as possible.

Headed out of Navan on the Slane road then crossed the Boyne at the Broadboyne bridge - nasty little climb there as you climb out of the valley - (according to Strava 0.27km at 10.1%)  Turned left onto the N2, which takes you to the very bottom of Slane Hill - from there climbed to the Hill top 158m above see level where St Patrick lit his fire (1.64km at 7%)  Back into Slane village and up to the hill top on the Drogheda side (0.3km at 5.6%)

Then back down the hill out the Navan Road, right then left onto the Kells Road.  Nice and gradual climb here that seems to go on for quite a while (apparently 3.5km km @1.6%).

Another drag as you go through Gibbstown and then a bumpy ride back to Navan alongside the Blackwater.  And despite my best efforts to make it a hilly run I only managed 457m of climbing in the 43km spin.  The climb out of the valley was really tough but thankfully short.  The climb up Slane Hill was made easier by the traffic lights turning red halfway up the climb.  Quite tough to be much of a grimpeur in Meath.

I'd kill for flat roads like that!   

[Slim]

The Cannondale is running nicely on the new chain, except that getting it onto the big ring at the front is more of an effort than it should be at the shifter. It requires a harder push than it should (or used to). I think I'll probably end up fitting a new cable and setting the front gear up from scratch. I don't think I'll bother with a new cable housing but I'll flush the old one through with GT85 to give it a good clean. Not going to bother with the rear cable. Ain't broke - don't fix it!

I entered the garage earlier, armed with a new gear cable, a cable cutter and a new barrel adjuster, acquired from Amazon. I started to pull the old cable out of the shifter, but changed my mind after I'd pulled a couple of feet of it out. It's still in really good nick, no kinks, no frayed bits, no oxidation. Just a bit of surface dirt.

So I had another go at setting the front Disraeli up on the old cable. With the cable disconnected I set up the limit screws. Then, on a hunch really, I clicked the front shifter down to get the cable as loose as possible, then I pulled it as tight as possible onto the gear clamp and tightened it down. And that's done the trick - the reason that the front shifting was too tight is that it wasn't balanced against sufficient cable tension. Haven't actually tried it on the road but it's changing nicely through all the gears now, nice shifter action and no chain rub.

I also gave the cable guide on the bottom of the frame a good clean with a toothbrush and some GT85.

So: no barrel adjuster or new cable fitted but I'm very happy it's properly set up now. It needs new handlebar tape as well really but that won't stop me taking it out.

[Nickslikk2112]

Cleaned and lubed the chain on the Giant TCR yesterday which promptly put the rear derailleur indexing out of synch. Why? Spent half an hour fettling with it, pulling the cable through a bit tighter, adjusting it with the barrel adjuster until they all worked. Brought inside, tried again, wouldn't go to the smallest cog. Arse. Who uses the smallest cog? Well me, comes in handy downhill, it's the largest one I barely use - on the almost too steep hills.

Anyway, took it out today and it does drop to the smallest sprocket. Does it go to the largest one? I don't know, stayed at least two below it as it wasn't too hilly today. I even set my fastest time up to Hardwick Hall today, thanks to having a car behind me, it's single lane and I'm not stopping if I'm doing over 12mph. Besides I get held up by cars when I drop down the hill the other side of the hall.

Anyway, that's 41 miles in the bag, 42 more for 500 in July.

https://www.strava.com/activities/11959712377

[dom]

"fettling" good Northern word, Yorkshire even!

[Slim]

The forecast threatened rain in the late afternoon, but I thought I'd take the Cannonale out for 40 miles or so to check the gears are set up properly after yesterday's adjustments. I was going to do a Bypasser, but the wind was a bit stiff so I decided to keep it short and do an old-fashioned Twycrosser.

The first hour or so passed pleasantly enough, then the rain came down a few hours earlier than advertised. It mostly rained for the rest of the ride, though the last 25 minutes or so was dry. At least the wind was warm so I dried off quickly.

I didn't do Mythe Lane / Atterton this time, I went through Ratcliffe Culey and Sibson then down to Fenny Drayton and along Fenn Lanes. Very nice to get the respite from the wind when I turned into Fenn Lanes to come back up.

The gears are set up very nicely now, thankfully. Very happy to have got the Cannondale sorted out at last. The saddle feels a little bit low - unsure whether it's slipped or I set it up like that when I installed the carbon seat post. But I'll hoist it up a few mm and apply some of the grippy paste I bought for the Roubaix, which seems to work nicely.

Back on 35.98 miles, 514 this month now.

Surprisingly I've done more miles this year now (3601) than I had by this time last year (I'd done 3565). Last year is my record distance year. But I have no particular wish to break the record.

https://www.strava.com/activities/11970509187

[Nickslikk2112]

Got out for another 40 miler today. Decent enough weather with just the occasional spot of rain, not even enough for me to consider turning round.

Takes me over 500 miles for July and up to 3686 for the year, which is 600 better than this time last year and 830 down on this time 2021 my best ever year

[Slim]

Surprisingly I've done more miles this year now (3601) than I had by this time last year (I'd done 3565). Last year is my record distance year. But I have no particular wish to break the record.

Prompted by this observation I added a column to my spreadsheet to tell me distance done to the present date over every previous year. The other column is the total for the whole year.



So  (for example) in 2020, I did 3442.96 miles between Jan 1st and Jul 25th.

I see that 2023 has just overtaken 2024, must have done a ride on this day last year.

[Slim]

Another nice day if a little windier than I prefer. Things to do this morning and this evening, but plenty of time for a Bypasser. So, that's what I did.

Pretty much the same route as last time, except that I had a bit of an excursion toward Dordon at the south-western end. I took a left turn from Grendon Road on a whim. Didn't think I'd been that way before but I recognised the junction at the end of a road called Dunn's Lane, so I have. Perhaps I'll have a look at the segment explorer function on Strava and find out when.

Once again on the way back up I took a detour to Nailstone, but I took a shorter route from there to Ibstock this time. Saw a beautiful shiny blue steam engine parked outside the pub at Carlton. Would have taken a pic, but because I'd left my usual phone on a charger at home I only had my non-smartphone Nokia with me. No camera. However, I did find a pic of it online (I searched on its name, 'Baltasha').



Listened to 5 Live, mostly discussion about the almost-upon-us Olympic Games from Paris.

Back on 40.12.

https://www.strava.com/activities/11988389378

[Nickslikk2112]

Went out for a quick spin after the Time Trials today and for me this year it was a quick spin with a 17.8 mph average. Don't think I was inspired by the Time Triallists as they hammer it for the entire race, I can go it for about ten seconds.

Still, after thinking that I've never beat a segment time I set last week I beat it again today If I really went for it I could quicker, but I'm happy where I am now. The Giant TCR does make you go for it though, put effort in and it responds. Set some other PBs as well today without really trying and the wind wasn't even that favourable

https://www.strava.com/activities/11996277985/

[Slim]

Didn't want to knock myself out today as I may well do a long one on Tuesday, but since 'er indoors turned down my offer to take her out this afternoon, I decided a Twycrosser was in order. So I did that, except that I took an excursion west to Polesworth at the bottom end.

Didn't really know what I was doing in Polesworth. Only been through there a couple of times and it's not very interesting. Not very flat either.

Anyway I had to consult Google Maps to escape, and I ended up coming along the A5 for a bit.

I was overtaken by a sports car along Grendon Rd a bit more closely than I'd have liked. He cut in very sharp to avoid a car coming the other way. I gave a theatrical shake of the head which clearly didn't go unnoticed, as the driver extended his arm out of the driver's side window to offer the universal sign language for "wanker".



I also had an excursion along a right turn off Sibson Road called Ratcliffe House Lane. I'd passed it many times and thought "I wonder where that goes?".

Nowhere, is the answer. It's pleasant enough but leads to a cattle grid, then sort of peters out.

I adjusted the saddle height on the Cannondale yesterday and it's spot on now. Applied some grippy paste to the seat post and have fastened a small plastic tie round it, 5mm above the clamp, to check for slippage. None so far. Very happy to have the Cannondale option again.

Listened to Olympics coverage on 5 Live and Caress of Steel.

38.38 miles and that's 592 this month. I think I can get that up to 700.

https://www.strava.com/activities/12003263327

[Nickslikk2112]

Just went out for a 30 miler today. It was enough. By keeping it reasonably flat and riding the Giant TCR I managed to average over 18 mph for the first time since November 2022, on a very similar route too. Like yesterday I had a 10 mile section where I average over 20 mph, just a bit more effort and favourable traffic lights I'd have made it 15 miles at over 20. Not done that in a long while and then only with a long descent from the Peak District.

https://www.strava.com/activities/12004283958

[dom]

My smart watch is starting to lose its marbles a little and I can't rely on it to track my spins anymore. It had to today though as I forgot to unpause the spin after the coffee in Duleek

Net result is that I had to use the watch's data today. It actually wasn't that bad. Ok it took the first 7 or 8km to get started and was resolutely working during the coffee stop.

So approx 83km but only but only 76 of them covered by Strava. Glorious day which I didn't properly dress for and the tights were pretty uncomfortable by the end.  In my defence it was quite cool at 9am when I set off and didn't get much warmer til the afternoon

[Slim]

38.38 miles and that's 592 this month. I think I can get that up to 700.

I made this remark on the basis that I was going to do at least 110 today, which I did intend to. But I went to London on an impulse instead.

Just as well. If the weather in London is anything to go by, I would have fallen off the bike with heat exhaustion. I'll probably only do about 35 tomorrow.