Tell us about your weekend ride

I saw the pope in Murlo yesterday @ L'Eroica. Or was it?

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Thanks. I guess it's good to be back at it. My body took a fucking beating though and I still have a 600k to do before the end of the month. I should've ridden the Crux. Fuck mudguards. (oh, this isn't the gravel thread, soz) :)

I did wonder why you popped up on Strava in Italy. Good fun? What bike did you ride? Does it have disc brakes? ;)

Yikes. You 'have to'? Because you need to qualify for something? Or is it just the normal 'masochism on a schedule'?

Would have been fun on a fully on some downhills, pouring rain the days before. But yeah, always nice to be here!

The 1970s Gazelle did well, on its proper 25mm gravel tyres ;)

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'masochism on a schedule'

I like that. I basically refer to it as 'arbitrary numbers'. Times, distances, goals, etc.

I want 10 x SR series so I can claim some other AUK badge and I don't want to miss a year because I might be dead and then I'd die without having it, so you know, better tick that box and shit.

Looks like my first race bike, but with better tyres :)

Big fan of rides that have a (short) ferry crossing

The ride was worth it just for that. :)
I didn't even know about it. It was in the original A&S 400k route:
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/36344031

Yeah did that as a calendar event years ago and the crossing was quite the novelty

Ride out in Mallorca today.

Mid 20's C, slight sea breeze.

Found this valley.

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Veteran-Cycle Club (NR Section) Oldest Bike Ride

Sunday 13th October.

A modest little ride round the lanes of Hertfordshire, starting from Stevenage and doing a circuit which included Cromer, Great Munden, Watton at Stone, with lunch at Bull's Green. Just short of 30 miles.

Perhaps barely worth reporting, except that our leader was riding a beautiful Lea Francis roadster dating from 1902. This was obviously a 'gentleman's' machine which must have been very expensive when new. Although it had many interesting details, it was basically the pattern of a standard roadster which continued in the same form for decades - it's probably still possible to buy one today, but in 1902 it was a new cutting edge product. It was only in the mid 1890's that having different sized front and back wheels went out of fashion!

This particular bike had a single freewheel and was geared (I think) 44 x 18 with 28" wheels (68.4") and, although the owner is a strong rider, it was impressive to see how well it worked over a route that had some fairly tough climbs.

I hope to get a photo of the Lea F. for you, it hasn't arrived yet, so in the meantime I'll just have to show you my own oldest bike, a Sunbeam frame with my components which are of various ages.

Sorry, can't find photo atm - will follow.

VCC Photo

Sunbeam

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A Question

The Gazelle's rear derailleur - has the jockey wheel cage been turned upside down, or did it start life like that?

No, it's like it should be, not upside down. Might look a little funny because I use a short chain, that way the Nuovo Record derailleur can take a 28t rear sprocket.

If you're local and didn't already know.
The A57 Snake Pass is closed to cars from Glossop to Ladybower until 25th October.
Lots of cyclists taking advantage of the closure today (plus motor bikes, dog walkers and a few cars).
Would never cycle up there if it was open but really enjoyed the ride today.

Can you go up from Ladybower or is it accessible from the glossop side only? Read conflicting reports.

After a rest, I did a u turn at the summit and returned to Glossop so didn't get all the way to Ladybower. Everyone else I saw continued from the summit down to Ladybower, I assumed they were doing some sort of loop based on Castleton or Edale.

Glorious sunshine and 22C in Slovenia on Sunday.

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First weekend ride in months. Saw some lovely knitted robins, some statues in parkas and some lovely flint walls.

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I did the Christmas Lights ride with the Clarion guys and gals last night, great fun and a nice bunch to ride with.

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I joined the Clarion second claim because of the third party insurance that comes with membership, but it does seem a lively club that does a fair amount of actual bike riding, and it's refreshing to find this in these days when so many clubs are in the doldrums.

Is the abandoned bottle on the grass in the Big Ben and statues photo any kind of comment?

Haha, I’m sure some bright spark will think of a metaphor.

Yes the TP insurance and the ethos of the club persuaded me. They do lots of rides aimed at different abilities, I'm going to try to do a few more next year.

I went out whale watching this morning hoping to spot a pod in the wild... The ones that wear full lycra and matching kits LoL. Came across a giant octopus portrayed in a style matching today's njs choice of bike to ride.

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Nothing epic, but a lovely sunset on yesterday’s ride.

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