Tell us about your weekend ride

Chapeau for riding fixed around there. I love your second picture.

I'm going to be in Bala on the 26th, but alas with no bike as I'm white water rafting on a stag do. We've hired a minibus for the day and I'm going to persuade the driver to drive up Bwylch y Groes and then down to Bala, still one of my favourite descents.

^That bike looks ace.

On the subject of weird types erecting masts (no euph) I cycled from my parents' place to The Cloud yesterday (a hill near Congleton). On top there was a guy who'd set up a mast and was listening in to air traffic control's conversations with planes entering and leaving the airspace round Manchester Airport. Not how I'd choose to spend my day but each to their own.

Today I did something I'd been meaning to do for ages and cycled round some roads I've driven on before in North Wales. I planned a 70 mile route yesterday starting and ending in Bala, heading up the A4212, which I love, and then going down the coast from Harlech to Barmouth and back to Bala.

The only bike I have up here is fixed, and I was running 49x19. I would love to do it again on a road bike, because there are some amazing descents, and I'm not a big fan of fixed descents, especially at 35mph on that gearing.

North Wales has some amazing scenery/road porn:

And Barmouth has some great chippies.

A pleasant day's riding, all in all, apart from the fact that my well-worn Flite (previously owned by an 18-stone gent) droops so much that I can feel the seatpost through it. Remaining seated for too long becomes incredibly uncomfortable. And also my cockpit setup is so stiff that I still have pins and needles in my left hand 6 hours after the ride has finished from the road buzz. Thicker bar tape and better gloves in order.

http://www.strava.com/activities/128859983