Tell us about your weekend ride

the 52 ring would have been pointless and antisocial!

Yet you were preparing to sprint for the town signs at the finish :P

I’m v impressed that you racked up 100 miles on a 3 speed bike, I’m not sure I would succeed even I was brave enough to give it a shot

This is wonderful. If I can ride 100 miles when I have as much experience as you I’d be delighted. Spectacular effort and thank you for the write up

I’m v impressed that you racked up 100 miles on a 3 speed bike, I’m not sure I would succeed even I was brave enough to give it a shot

I wasn't certain I could do this ride, but that was largely because I'm old and hadn't tried to do much more than about 70 miles in a day recently. Once I'd decided I was going to do it (and managed to get up early enough) it didn't prove to be very difficult.

As to the 3 speed bike, I don't think the number of gears you have is important, it's having the right ones for the ride you're doing. In this case, as I said, there were a couple of steep climbs I chose not to strain over (I walked), but other than those few hundred yards my three gears were perfectly adequate. Faster companions might have required bigger gears, or heavy luggage lower ones - it's just a question of making a good guess as to what you need for the day.

If I can ride 100 miles when I have as much experience as you I’d be delighted.

That's a wonderfully diplomatic way of referring to my age!

I'd like to draw your attention to a passage from 'The Modern Cyclist, 1923' by Kuklos (W. Fitzwater Wray) - I think both Francis and I had this in mind when planning our day. Of course, we wouldn't agree with every word, but the general idea seems right even today.

Sorry, the two sections have loaded in the wrong order - read the bottom one first.

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Yet you were preparing to sprint for the town signs at the finish :P

No, I wasn't preparing to sprint - I was just fantasising afterwards!

SSMTB loop around Bristol this morning between rain showers. Splashy fun, hit the deck once but it was into a sloppy forest floor so no harm done.

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Police car & ambulance attending a group of cyclists along Pilgrims Way, Kent, around lunch time.
Hopefully nothing to serious & swift recoveries for any of the injured.

I think I've been "dangerously over-taxing myself" on rides for the last 15 years.

I think I've been "dangerously over-taxing myself" on rides for the last 15 years.

You've just realised this because you find 'hot toddy' (or similar) a beneficial restorative?

More the lack of sleep thing.

Maybe I just need swap beer for hot toddies.

Seriously Overtaxed

Here's someone who's seriously overtaxed themselves. It's Anquetil after a mountain stage in the '61 TdF.

Just came across this by chance and thought it fitted the thread.

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I have a lot of selfies from ultra races that I never post because looking at me is probably some form of abuse in and of itself. ;)

Quick blast on the geared bike to the in-laws.
50 miles of pretty flat and quiet riding. I’d hoped to keep it as 50 miles of continuous effort, but I got a puncture at pretty much exactly half way. So speedy tube swap and back on the way. Was managing about 20mph average and feeling like I’d be able to hang onto that, then a nice headwind made the last 10 miles fairly awful. And then I realised I’d loaded the route onto my garmin that has a few miles of farm track at the end. And then after cycling past my destination to make the distance up to 50 miles, I got another puncture a mile from home, lol.

Managed to spend a lot of time in the extensions, hopefully the nicer ones I’ve ordered will be more comfortable than the eBay specials I’ve got on at the moment. Seems like I should manage to keep it over 20mph for my first 25 mile TT in September at least - they asked for an approximate time and I have no idea where to start. But I guess the answer is to go out and do a 25 mile ride on clear roads and see how I get on.

My god this is fantastic. Absolutely inspiring.

drink as little as possible

Wonder why they suggest that?

Absolutely lovely 70 miles around the lanes of Winchester and the South Downs. Very briefly met a couple (I think) from London Daytripping on some nice Grav* bikes.

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I actually took the bike off the turbo for the first time since Pendle and rode near London.
Didn't die, which makes for a nice change. Need to learn how to shift gears again...

I live in the driest capital city in the driest state on the driest continent, apparently

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Did the Tour o the borders sportive. 74 miles/3800ft.
Up at 5am, at the start for 630. It was nice weather, we hung onto some terminator that was dragging about 40 people up the main climb halfway round the route, until they fell off the back (including us about a mile from the top). We then realised we’d probably overdone it and enjoyed rolling down the descent with no one else around. Couple of food stops - including one serving macaroni pies (Scotland’s best invention, the telephone can suck it).
Some fun riding in groups, and much faster than the solo riding I’m used to. But also fun blasting along solo (managed a long flattish section at 30mph with a tailwind and getting on the aero extensions). Got a puncture on a cattle grid and my brother caught up, offered me a gas canister which I refused but he insisted, which then bent the threaded bar in the valve, so I let him get off while I fiddled with it and got it sorted, which left about 20 miles to just go flat out and empty the tank. Failed to catch him by about 2 minutes but a good ride at a decent pace of 18.9mph.
I have to admit I found the whole “sportive” thing a bit strange. Getting a medal for going on a bike ride is odd etc. But riding on closed roads in amazing scenery in top weather was wicked.

And my rear tyre deffo needs replaced.

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Nice day out.

Did some good miles for me.

Ate cake.

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A bit of glue in the holes and you'll be fine for another 300 miles I reckon... ;)

Looks lush !

Was a good day. Started earlyish, but probably overcooked myself by mid afternoon.