Tell us about your weekend ride

68 beautiful miles around Fife yesterday.

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70km on the xc bike yesterday and today im finished

Lovely 65 mile ramble through Essex villages and calling in at the caf in norton heath.

Only slightly marred by two motorists who felt compelled to take me to task for going early on the lights at waterworks corner. Apparently I am a f*cking w*nker who will get run over. Ok guys, the power of your argument is clearly overwhelming...

Ironically, I was waiting patiently at the next lights when this debate took place.

long time lurker with not many posts but had a great ride out from Reading past Haslemere and back. 92 lovely miles on 42x15. Have decided England is very beautiful.

Rep

this is what I was supposed to have seen yesterday, had it not been for the

• bit of a late start
  
• route file not showing up on my Garmin
  
• lack of knowledge of local roads between here and the next big town that I don't ride often
  
• nice man giving me the wrong directions
  
• headwind!
  
  

But I had a nice ride on my old Toei anyway :) https://www.strava.com/activities/568533153

Nice ride out to Walton-on-the-Naze via as many small lanes as possible, then followed the coast down through Frinton and Clacton, avoided Jaywick and then did the Wivenhoe trail. 85km total with around 25-30km on gravel tracks.

Got charged 20p by the woman in the beachfront cafe to refill my bidons because "we can't just give water away", and then got a puncture from broken glass 5km from home by a shard of glass. Realised I'd already used my spare tube and cracked open the brand new repair kit, popped the seal on the tube of glue to find it only contained air. I'm not even sure how that happens, it didn't leak out and it felt full when it was sealed but it was completely empty. Walk of shamed the last 5km home, a nice MTBer offered help but I said not to worry as I was basically home by that point.

Despite that it was still a 10/10 ride. Perfect weather, sea air, nice trails and I remembered sun cream so I didn't lobster up like last Sunday.

Great write up. Thanks for sharing

She's not too shabby.

Fred Whitton, again. Beautiful conditions. I knocked 3m35s off my PB for the course, @Cycliste knocked the best part of 3/4 of an hour off hers. I'll have whatever she's having...

Quick evening spin around the ring road just as dusk was falling. Nice and cool and not too many cars. Summer evening riding and it's not even summer yet :)

I had to look after guests at the farm, so could only get out for 1hrish rides the past three days.
It was great. Today was absurdly brilliant (https://goo.gl/maps/ycQYvGTqtSN2)
Yesterday was wet and slippery (see attached photo).
And Friday was re-acquainting myself with this hill- hits 28% for a bit.
https://goo.gl/maps/6KFoR7wxPbz

Bike didn't skip a beat, 1x was excellent.

Out in the Peak District enjoying the sunshine. Cos it's Giro time saw the obligatory bloke in pink jersey.

Nice to be out in a short sleeve jersey and not hiding from the weather.

Rode Brockley to Brighton - Suburbs to the Sea.

Got to try out my new gilet for the first 400 metres or so before the sun made it too much.

Glorious weather the whole way, Ditchling Beacon nearly killed me for some reason.

All the beer I could fit in then the Train home.

Ditchling Beacon nearly killed me for some reason.

It's what it does. :)

I went out to Kent with @amey and @pastry_bot - well at least until Toys Hill. They went out further and south Royal Tunbridge Wells (for even more hills) whereas I headed back. Proper thankful to have been on the bike on Sunday, it was so warm and relatively calm, so nice it almost felt a little weird. Valleys and valleys of bluebells, however I only stopped to a take picture of one this underwhelming (relative to what I'd seen earlier) grove. Apolz for nicking your picture Oli

On Saturday I went for a quick ride to the LBS to see if my new tyres had arrived. After hiding in the shade of the bike shop for way too long I started to head home the long way as I had been enjoying my new bike. The long way soon became a very long way. I was totally unprepared for the heat or distance. 1 water bottle, no food and no suncream. Was really struggling towards the end. Still very much enjoyed the scenery, would do again but with some snacks.

https://www.strava.com/activities/568355683

You rode right past my front door.

Lovely day for a ride yesterday. 57ish with a bunch, great fun. Did 40 or so on Saturday in nice weather with some spring/summer showers which was nice too.

Jesus, wasn't yesterday lovely?
Days like that make living in the UK worthwhile. Lots of cricket being played, much rustling in the undergrowth etc etc.
Took advantage of the weather for a lovely ride through the Chilterns to Oxford.
First time into the Chilterns and I'll be back for sure.
Even Stains didn't look too bad in the sunshine :)
Sunburnt and dehydrated upon return.
9/10 - point deducted for tree spunk / pollution combo.

https://www.strava.com/activities/569917464

The weather was so nice for the past couple of days that I decided to not work today and extend the weekend! Introduced a friend of mine who is now riding a racing bike for one year to the hills of Limburg, in the south of the Netherlands (Amstel Gold race territory) and across the border into the Fouron province in Belgium. Absolutely lovely, the roads were almost empty and the sun was out as was a cool breeze, a perfect day for cycling. We took a relaxed approch to the terrain, easy climbing and not riding fast on the windy high(ish) plains. A Weizen beer and omelette upon return rounded things off perfectly. 10/10, not even the car driver with trailer that overtook me to turn right at a junction and nearly run me over as I was turning left, with my hand out signaling, could spoil the fun.

https://www.relive.cc/view/570502662

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Hey! I did it too, amazing weather and support too. I got round in predictably sub par 9:45. How'd you find Hard Knott?

Hardknott was as hard as ever! It's the fifth time I've done the Fred, I think - could be the sixth. The first few climbs seemed to come and go reasonably quickly, the only problem being that the water bottle on my downtube kept on ejecting itself. It happened twice, but I managed to retrieve it both times, albeit at the cost of some time. I was even feeling perky enough climbing up Honister to pull a small wheely for the photographer.

On the way down Honister my water bottle made its third bid for freedom, and it was successful on that occasion - I went back to find it, but couldn't. That meant I was in some difficulties between feed stations, as given the temperature I just didn't have enough water on me. And then my Garmin started bleating about a low battery, before dying altogether - I'd forgotten to switch the backlight from being on all the time to staying on for only 15 seconds. Schoolboy error.

Made it up Hardknott and Wrynose without walking, albeit with plenty of grimacing:

If you look carefully at that photo, you can just about make up a bloke wearing a full-face motorbike crash helmet on the corner. He'd parked his bike on that corner, and decided to set off just as I was approaching. He stalled it, let the clutch in, rolled backwards, and dropped the bike inches away from me. Which was exciting.

I got a bit sweary at one bloke who'd walked up Hardknott, but decided to start riding again on the flat bit just before the top. Nothing wrong with that, but he made a total horlicks of clipping in, and swerved in front of me, meaning I had to trackstand while he sorted himself out. Not really what you want after you've just ridden up Hardknott.

I made it back in 7h50m, beating last year's time by about three-and-a-half minutes. @Cycliste went round nearly 3/4 of an hour faster than she's ever done it before (it was her 7th time, I think).

Gran Fondo Felice Gimondi in Bergamo next weekend.

Gran Fondo Felice Gimondi in Bergamo next weekend

Lucky you! Have you done it before? One of my favourite events, a cracking course in amazing scenery and really well organised. The food stops are out of this world.

Kudos to you. I'd love to ride it one day. Well done!

No, I haven't - first time for me. @Cycliste has, but it was a long time ago. It was back in the days when she was still riding with flat pedals, and one Italian gentleman riding past shouted 'Complimenti! Pedale normale!' or something to that effect.

It's the Gran Fondo Nove Colli the week after the Felice Gimondi - it'll be my 5th time, I think. Also fantastic food stops, which I will be trying not to spend too long at.