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• #7702
^ so where's this route then?! would be good to see it cheers
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• #7703
Well, I haven't really done any long rides in the past couple of months thanks to awkwardly slipping down some stairs onto my ankle - to my great regret I DNSed the Ditchling Devil, as I still wasn't 100%.
To make up for this I've been doing the odd 30 miler on top of the commute as 'rehabilitation' to work up to longer stuff again. I know this isn't strictly a weekend ride, but as I had today off I thought I'd try something a bit different and rented a Brompton from outside Bristol Temple Meads with the goal of taking it up to Bath and back (along the Sustrans 'railway path') before lunchtime. In my usual spirit of total unpreparedness I took a bank card, but that was about it.
I haven't really used a Brompton before but was fairly impressed by the ride in general. It was a bit plastickier (is that even a word?) than I'd expected, but felt like a real bike, although the folding and unfolding process made me wish I'd bought a tub of Swarfega.
It was rush hour, and I was going against the flow so the first few miles were a gentle uphill into the teeth of a howling nodder gale. Despite all the dangerous promuter overtaking, gurning, flapping tabards and the like I held my line and got through Staple Hill tunnel without incident.
Near Mangotsfield I stopped to admire some bit of railway architecture and was passed by a cyclist who must have been 90 if he was a day, dressed in a raincoat and flat hat and riding an elderly brown shopper / folder thing. Skids were neither requested nor given.
As time passed the other path users gradually thinned out and I was left alone with the sunshine and insects, hundreds of which were pinging off my forehead. Things continued in this sort of vein alongside the railway with its train-baiting graffiti, over a few bridges (I have pictures but can't be bothered embedding them) and through some woods and before I knew it I was in Bath, or rather what appeared to be a small industrial estate on the outskirts of Bath. A bit of gesticulating at buses later and I was cruising into the centre, followed by a cruise out again when I realised I hadn't really planned on doing anything when I got there.
A quick coffee and some cheap calories, and I was heading back the way I had come. By this time the beardy cyclo-tourist types were out on force so it was a sociable ride home with the sun now at my back. Total time elapsed back to Temple Meads was, er, no idea, though I think it took about an hour each way (with an extra thirty minutes while I worked out how to refold the thing).
Overall a pretty nice excursion, though I'm not sure I'd want to go any further than that without drops. I only saw one other Bromptonenger all morning.
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• #7704
Here you go: https://www.lfgss.com/thread98129.html
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• #7705
I did the LtB ride on Sunday, and due to the fact that I needed to have my car there on Sunday evening, so I could drive back to London first thing on Monday, I decided to drive down to London on Saturday morning, drop off a bag at my sister's house, drive to work to pick up other peoples' bags, then drive to Brighton, park the car near the hotel, and ride back to London on the reverse of the normal LtB route. So having packed up my bags, I downloaded the LtB gpx file, produce a reverse trip based using that file, and uploaded both to my Garmin.
For various reasons I was a bit late setting off from Brighton, so didn't leave the car park until half one. After a dickwad in a Mercedes A-class tried to kill me as soon as I left the car park, I set off following the Garmin route. I did think at one point that I didn't recognise the route from last year, but carried on anyway. After 7 miles I got to a dead end leading to a gravel track. It was at that point I realised I'd downloaded to LtB off-road route, and that trying to ride the off-road route on a fixed road bike would be potentially rather challenging.
By now it was two o'clock, so I just told the Garmin to take me to my sister's house in West Hampstead. Once I'd got out of Brighton the route it picked was actually rather good, although since the Garmin doesn't know about topology it was rather lumpier than I would've chosen for a fixed ride. By four o'clock it was clear I wasn't going to make it back for dinner at this rate (I'd cycling 12 miles before I even got out of Brighton, together with the late start), so I told the Garmin to take me to East Croydon train station instead. The route it picked included Titsey Hill, which I'd never done before, and which proved to be a bit of a challenge after having already done 50 miles. So much so that I did end up walking a very little bit of it. #hangsheadinshame
Got to East Croydon after 64 miles and hopped on the train to W Hampstead.
The next morning I met up with the colleagues I was doing the ride with, one of whom managed to have a SPD unclipping fall at some traffic lights before we even got to the start (it was only the third time he'd ever ridden with SPDs). Then it turned out one of the group hadn't realised he needed to bring his race number with him, so our 8am start turned into an 8.30am+ start. Still, we set off eventually, surrounded by the usual hordes of happy nodders, wobblers and ineptualists.
If anything the ride was even busier than last year. I'm pretty sure I was able to ride up Turner's Hill last year, whereas this year that definitely wasn't possible. Two more colleagues managed to fall off during the ride (including another SPD unclipping incident by someone using SPDs for the very first time). The rest of the ride was the usual effort to survive the swerving, wobbling and random behaviour. Didn't see anyone else do a shoulder check before violently swerving onto the other side of the road once. Still, I managed to ride up Ditchling Beacon again, which made me unbearably smug once again.
Then off to the hotel, and a rather good dinner before a horribly early start at 5.30am on Monday morning.
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• #7706
Ineptualists. Washing that corker around my mouth a few times.
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• #7707
It's a good word, isn't it. One of my favourites.
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• #7708
So first we went on this cycle path:
.
FML.
That's fucking disgraceful, cycle path or no. Flithy fly tipping bastards.
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• #7709
That was Hats dumping out the contents of her jersey pockets.
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• #7710
I did the LtB ride on Sunday...............
Great report, repped.
I'd have killed several Ineptualists if it were me. The slower group we had to start with for Bergen Voss, after over sleeping, were fast enough to be honest. But at least 3 guys near me couldnt work their bidons without swerving wildly. My temper lasted 5 minutes. Before I throw all the toys out the pram, and sprinted off to find another Group.
If I was riding a lumpy course, fixed, I'd of had a proper hissy fit.
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• #7711
That was Hats dumping out the contents of her jersey pockets.
Always good to have plenty of blankies and a trolly on a long ride.
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• #7712
Sunday ride. I overtook some guy on a roadbike and in club kit, saying 'hello' as usual. He replies 'hi'. He then re-takes me on a short hill obvs pushing a bit, so I push on and close the gap and then go past again on a long drag, to which he looks angrily at me shouting 'stay behind!'.
I say 'pardon' but there now being a bit of a gap I dont hear him say anything else. I look behind to see him make an effort and get on my wheel (actually half-wheeling me for some reason), so I start the usual pot-hole pointing while discreetly puting out as many watts(shitloads) as possible up the drag. Didnt see him again.
So now you know, dont dare re-overtake someone unless you want an ear-full.
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• #7713
looks like cambridge was the flavour of the weekend. rolled out there on sunday. pootled. saw cliveo at much hadham. sunk pints in two separate wetherspoons there. got busy train back. lots of wheels on it.
good work ludwig. better luck next time poots.
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• #7714
Sunday ride. I overtook some guy on a roadbike and in club kit, saying 'hello' as usual. He replies 'hi'. He then re-takes me on a short hill obvs pushing a bit, so I push on and close the gap and then go past again on a long drag, to which he looks angrily at me shouting 'stay behind!'.
I say 'pardon' but there now being a bit of a gap I dont hear him say anything else. I look behind to see him make an effort and get on my wheel (actually half-wheeling me for some reason), so I start the usual pot-hole pointing while discreetly puting out as many watts(shitloads) as possible up the drag. Didnt see him again.
So now you know, dont dare re-overtake someone unless you want an ear-full.
This sucks. People like this ruin cycling for me.
I came out of a side road a few hundred meters behind a guy on a road bike on sunday. Decided that his fluoro rain jacket, and hairy legs meant I was faster than him. Attacked him constantly for a couple km's, while, of course, trying to look like I was taking it easy. Never even made his bloody wheel. Then when he turned off to the right. I caught a glimpse of his face and saw that he was fecked. I gave a massive exhale to let him know I'd been pushing it too. Exchanged waves and rode on.
This is how these little encounters should go.
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• #7715
Well. I should have passed him while sat up drinking from my bidon and scrolling through my garmin. Then cruised off to MAMIL glory. But you get the Picture.
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• #7716
How can you attack someone who is ahead of you?
Bloody mamils.
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• #7717
How can you attack someone who is ahead of you?
Bloody mamils.
Cycle crossbow?
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• #7718
Well. I should have passed him while sat up drinking from my bidon and scrolling through my garmin. Then cruised off to MAMIL glory. But you get the Picture.
Unfortunately for you he was was near the end of a 150km recovery ride :(
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• #7719
How can you attack someone who is ahead of you?
Bloody mamils.
You need to hear my drive Chain.
You can hear me closing from quite some distance.
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• #7720
...he looks angrily at me shouting 'stay behind!'.
Such weird behaviour, you'd think he'd welcome you sharing the work. I do know one person who acts a bit like this. He's getting on a bit and is coming to terms with the fact he's not fast any longer - just average. I find it puzzling.
How can you attack someone who is ahead of you?
Dunno, you could pee in a bidon and throw it?
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• #7721
This sucks. People like this ruin cycling for me.
I came out of a side road a few hundred meters behind a guy on a road bike on sunday. Decided that his fluoro rain jacket, and hairy legs meant I was faster than him. Attacked him constantly for a couple km's, while, of course, trying to look like I was taking it easy. Never even made his bloody wheel. Then when he turned off to the right. I caught a glimpse of his face and saw that he was fecked. I gave a massive exhale to let him know I'd been pushing it too. Exchanged waves and rode on.
This is how these little encounters should go.
yes, just cant understand the attitude of some people! Did make me lol though.
For comparison, later in the ride I was hanging off the back of a rider (thin climber type) up a big hill (14% av for about a mile- biggest in the area) all the way up- just managed to keep him at around 5 bike lengths while going pretty much flat out.
Looked like he wasnt trying that hard but when we both summited neither of us could speak for about a minute! Then exchanged words and shared wheels for a couple of miles. Cant imagine how pissed of that other guy would have been if I overtook him at the top.
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• #7722
Have to say, it's been a while since I've headed North East out of London and it's still as vile as it ever was. That drag from Lee Bridge Road to the other side of High Beech especially notable for utter c**ts who have no concept/respect for speed limits. How people regularly go for Epping spins after work is baffling.
Turn off the main drag earlier. E.g. turning down Whitehall Road, right onto Forest Side, left then right near Chingford station down Bury Road then onwards to Upshire or wherever. But generally learn ways of getting off the main drag earlier and staying off it as much as possible!
I was out last night and went out via Buckhurst Hill, which means you turn off Woodford Green High Road before it becomes Epping New Road and miss the worst of it. I came back down Epping New Road from just south of Epping but that was much later - 8.30 ish - and by then it is a lot quieter, plus I detoured off to High Beech on the way back. Strava so you can see what I'm on about:
http://www.strava.com/activities/154815506I still had some knob on a motorbike go past me at (literally) about 100mph doing a wheelie on the second stretch before Buckhurst Hill, but I think that was actually partly because it was so quiet - there was no other traffic down that stretch at the time - and long straight quiet road + knob on motorbike = twattishness.
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• #7723
Such weird behaviour, you'd think he'd welcome you sharing the work. I do know one person who acts a bit like this. He' getting on a bit and is coming to terms with the fact he's not fast any longer - just average. I find it puzzling.
yep, I was pretty surprised to be honest. If he didnt shout that right in my ear I would have been happy sharing wheels for a bit.
It wasnt even like I blasted past him without a greeting, goading him to chase. If someone passes me with a greeting Ill usually just carry on at my pace. If they pass without any words then I normally take that as an invitation to stick on their back wheel just to see if they like it or not! Not really out of order to do that though I dont think...
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• #7724
How can you attack someone who is ahead of you?
Bloody mamils.
How To Attack And Breakaway Like A Pro - Road Cycling - YouTube
Duh. Attack from the bunch.
Bloody 'crossers.
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• #7725
(14% av for about a mile- biggest in the area)
Where is this?
She looks like a very amiable/non grumpy type! Good work her!
Not sure how many miles you're looking at but My Only Way is Essex (and Herts) route is lots of quiet lanes and one stage you don't see cars for about an hour...train out/back from Bishops Stortford avoids London traffic vileness too.