Tell us about your weekend ride

Christmas ride out with the university club today, got about 80k in with a lengthy cafe stop in the middle. Some rough weather but a decent pace despite it being a mixed A/B ride. Highlights included the club captain riding with a speaker taped to his bike blasting christmas tunes and the general festive getups on bikes. Great day out!

Slightly misguided 8am start for 70 miles in the hills this morning. Spent the first 25-30 miles trying not to fall on my arse on roads that were, quite literally, ice rinks. We were the only ones out until about 10am, when we started to see a few more people who had made the sensible decision to let the sun come up a bit.

It was good fun though, 3,400 ft of climbing which is the most I've done in a while (York is pretty fucking flat).

Here are my ridemates (both of whom had dramatically stacked it on ice in the last half hour) opting to walk the hill I just rode up, as it was sheet ice for the first few meters. Wusses.

Today was filthy in Suffolk. Tried riding off road to Thetford forest but it rained continiously. very muddy got soaked and cold. turned back near Elvedon and when I got back i could not even hold the door keys i was that cold.

Still i would rather have wet than ice.

The ice was exciting for about 5 minutes, then it just became a real grind. It was shit not being able to descend at a decent speed all day as well, just in case what looked like a mark on the road surface turned out to be a patch of black ice.

Started reminiscing about summer rides today. That was a bad idea :'(

Ice is OK as long as you don't lean.

Yeah, I think there's something to be said for just pushing through as well. Both of the guys who fell off did so when they were being tentative. As soon as I felt traction going I'd just keep going as straight as possible. Nearly came off once, but managed to stay upright.

@Oliver Schick don't lean is far to old a saying to strike chords in 2015.
I actually enjoyed ragging the ogre around a couple of trails today
No pic. No strava. Just me mucking about on two wheels

Muddy

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don't lean is far to old a saying to strike chords in 2015.

You say that, but Trekard would never have killed the alien Jedis if he had leaned.

I'm sorry young man you're conflations are beyond the ken of many younger Jedi in the current star system

Surrey loop today, started dry and then got wetter. By the end my pro team jacket was wet through and was getting a little cold in the wind, though thankfully it was behind me for most of the return.

It was lovely just to get out and turn a pedal for the hell of it. Synapse is just so comfy, there were a couple of times when I thought a tyre was losing pressure, just because it deals with the poor road surfaces with aplomb. Garmin took me through a National Trust property for a couple of miles along unpaved road and it was quite fun.

https://www.strava.com/activities/453422089

@dancing James - looks like a great route.

115km 90% off-road in the Peaks/Dales. 12 of us all on road/cross bikes: 1 fixed, 1 SS, a couple of Indy Fabs, a Chickens, and some home brewed customs.
Beer and whisky started at 0815 and continued through the day then a lovely pub meal and ale session and a drunken final 6km to a travelodge at 2330. Long day, unbelievable December weather and great company. Reminded me why I ride bikes

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yeah baby

Good, muddy offroad riding in Surrey today, taking in Leith Hill and Holmbury Hill with a visit to the excellent Volunteer Inn in Abinger Hammer along the way.

Home to Hammersmiff Odeon and back for no reason other than I wanted to.

good enough reason^^
this was so windy I got arm pump from holding the bike on the road, storms off Africa and that.
was a ride i pressed button wrong
https://www.strava.com/activities/456496960

From last week doing the Festive 500.

A lovely slow, solo, cold and wet 60km on my favorite Layhams/Beddlestead loop.
Feeling desperately unfit after a few weeks off the bike and a 12 hour session on the lash yesterday.
My soul (what's left of it) is feeling mighty refreshed however. Lots of flooding in the lanes.
9/10. Fucking freezing now.
This is the route to ride if you need your mojo restored and you live in SE London.
https://www.strava.com/activities/462147980

Did almost the exact same loop today, just a bit further down to Titsey. First proper ride since I hurt my back in September, starting to feel a bit better, hurrah!

Holy shit, it is wet out there. Poured about a pint of water out of my shoes when I got home

https://www.strava.com/activities/462039023

First time out in about a month. A damp, blustery ride out West with a fucking horrible headwind on the way back that almost made me soil my undercrackers with dismay as all my cycling muscles have atrophied during stationary beer and pie consumption. Pic is from sunny, cheer-inducing Erskine, a town that would be the jewel in the crown of any country...

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What a Beaut.

@ùbér_grùbér looks like the sign is nicked?

Cold.

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The top one? Yeah, maybe, it's the north side of the bridge:

More likely it's just a charity that's gone bust-nothing worse than planning to top yourself, reaching out to someone and then getting a jaunty 'number not recognised' message, eh?

Not nicked, it's a hinged sign in the closed position. No idea what it says when opened though.