-
Yeah, was pretty good - it's a big club so riders of all standards. Our group was one below the fastest, we split so there was 7 of us which was ideal. Good chat all the way round, and a good cafe stop. The club does have a bit of a rep for older riders being sticklers for doing things right, but if you are in the area (I was just visiting) then they seem to do the best Sunday rides.
-
I had a windy 130km in the wind north of Rotterdam... Going out was fine but coming back into the wind absolutely murderous. I was actually swearing out loud whilst grinding away and my left foot went inexplicably numb for the last hour and a half.
Now drinking beers back in my flat and feeling slightly abused... -
Beautiful moment descending Bowers Lane into Eyensford when I stopped for a pee and saw/heard a pair of skylarks larking around over a scrubby field which was densely poppied and looked stupidly picturesque in the sunlight. I was a bit bonky at the time but that moment reminded me why I love this hobby so much.
What? Piss Twitching?
-
A 67 mile loop out of Norwich (was visiting mates), along the coast for a bit at Sheringham and then into the wind back to Norwich for a pint. Not fixed I'm afraid, but I left it in the big ring for the day so I humbly request forgiveness. Those lanes are lovely thereabouts. My pal plotted a few miles of off road which were much better suited to a cross bike so I had to whisper loving apologies to my steed while soaping her down afterwards. He paid for his agricultural navigation with 30 miles of leg cramps though. Fair play, he dragged himself home with the help of some drafting and some healing man hands by a barley field (a very real and sustainable memory for us both #wankbank). The drivers all treat cyclists like porcelain antiques too. Very pleasant day in the saddle. I'm up for a lot more of that!
-
-
The last time I had a free weekend and some suitable extreme weather conditions was in April, when I headed over to the Cyclopark. Back then it was the middle of the UK's monsoon season and the park was a work in progress - essentially a fully completed track, surrounded by ploughed fields, a portaloo and a few gazeebos:
ANYway, seeing as Saturday saw the SE's weather doing its best impression of the Roaring Fourties, it was clearly an appropriately bad time to dust off the nice bike, strap on a number and ride round in a circle for an hour or so. Almost from the off, the gusting Southerly winds made their impact felt on the East-West oriented track, with nowhere to hide except for the Dutch-style echelons that formed and very quickly the front group was whittled down to 10-or-so. Standing about as much chance of winning a bunch sprint as Peter Stringfellow in a convent, I made a solo bid for glory on the last lap, almost stacking it on the hairpin corner that I had been taking aggressively all day, but getting enough of a gap to stay dangling off the front. Unfortunately some bugger had put the line a couple of hundred metres further back than I thought, and I was pipped to the post. Still, had great fun pretending to be a good cyclist, and I think my heart enjoyed exploring new upper limits
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/189492082#Sunday was the extravagantly early starting first round of the Richmond Park time trial series. With a start time of 6.03, that meant waking up at 4.30 to cross a surprisingly busy London before reaching the blissfully peaceful Royal Park. Some aggressive cornering, a mild case of the bonk, and a four-egg binge later, and I was ready to eat my way through the rest of the weekend with the fantastic Father's Day set menu and Elliot's cafe. Great weekend, all in all
Oh, and I also did some cutting and stitching so that the rapidly wearing through backside of my uber-expensive Assos shorts no longer display my crack to all behind me #winsallround
-
What? Piss Twitching?
Read carefully and it is worse even than that: Twitching, pissing and bonking all at the same time. There's probably a new niche porn market in there somewhere...
Glad the Tandem is working out Tom. It looks awesome - I miss mine, but then my partner was never very keen on the whole stoker thing.
Have the two of you got the synergy thing sorted yet? First couple of rides we did on ours had a few dodgy moments when Olivia suddenly stopped pedalling and tried to lean into corners before we needed to start turning. It was amazing how small shifts in the weight of the stoker can throw out your line. Having said that our tandem had well twitchy handling anyway.
Anyway, great stuff, I look forward to reading about the epic expeditions you'll no doubt make. -
Did the summit65 mtb sportive with my son. Good news was the entry was free courtesy of Bucks county council. Bad news was son fell off on a fast descent but luckily just grazed and bruised. The half way point was 21m at which point he was stiffening and elected to go for home 5miles away. I continued realising a) I'd missed the feed stop and b) left keys in car door. Both situations sorted by very friendly souls either giving me food or handing keys into organisers.
-
On friday night I joined thousands of cyclists on the annual ride around lake Vättern in Sweden. I took gears (sorry BMMF).
The first half (riding into darkness) was fast and fun in a dwindling group. The support from the locals (students sitting on roundabouts, families, pissheads, fancy-dress-sailors and preaching evangelists) was all great and spirits were high. I got some cramps but they seemed to not be getting any worse and the lake looked awesome. Everyone high-five everyone!
The heavy rain set in as the around 4am. This changed everything. It was light now but cold and I got very, very cold with just a gilet over my jersey. With over 100k to go I lost the ability to eat or feel my right thumb. I stopped at several stations in hope of warming up with the hot berry juice or honey water but couldn't even hold a cup towards the end. The warmest place to be was on the road with gritted teeth. It was bleak.
I'd do it again (with a good jacket packet – whatever the forecast). It's quite possible fixed.
-
The climbs are all gentle and the roads are super smooth/fast. They don't really have potholes as we know them!
The fastest riders can get round in less than 8hrs. Continental, Bianchi, Crescent and other industry brands have teams and take it seriously, yet you have every level of cyclist there having a go.
-
Have the two of you got the synergy thing sorted yet? First couple of rides we did on ours had a few dodgy moments when Olivia suddenly stopped pedalling and tried to lean into corners before we needed to start turning. It was amazing how small shifts in the weight of the stoker can throw out your line. Having said that our tandem had well twitchy handling anyway.
Anyway, great stuff, I look forward to reading about the epic expeditions you'll no doubt make.I don't think I did any inadvertent leaning (in fact I'd entirely forgotten how to steer by the time I tried to ride in this morning and nearly rode into a bus) though I did cause some excitement when I put my foot down into one of London's famous road craters and we nearly went sideways. I felt this was apt revenge for Tom riding me into a holly bush though.
-
Write up from a ride in Snowdonia a couple of weeks ago now - heading up the steepest road in the UK and the very difficult Bwlch-Y-Groes, as well as featuring a greasy sausage roll and some Welsh road rage
http://100climbsfor2012.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/tour-de-wales-day-3.html -
Good work, my dad owns the pub just by that road in Harlech. Have been convincing myself to give it a go fixed for quite a while now.
Looked like a nice pub - and you should definitely give it a go. Instant kudos if you make it in anything bigger than 39-25!
Blog updated for Day 4 of the tour. Taking in the Devil's Staircase and Llangynidr Mountain, as well as dodging pot-shots and being forced to ask for directions (the shame!)
http://100climbsfor2012.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/tour-de-wales-day-4.html -
Left London midnight on Friday and arrived in Edinburgh city centre yesterday afternoon. In between was (actual) hills, gradients, undulations, flat stretches and lots of lovely countryside and great views. Much of those views and villages reminded me of Jamaica.
I rode with lots of other people of varying cycling abilities with road bikes, tourers, a Brompton, a hybrid with a susp seatpost which developed problems and a tandem or two and we encouraged each other along the way. They will continue on to John o'Groats, arriving on Saturday.
Early starts meant early nights and I've never eaten so much on a daily basis in my life! No weight increase somehow. Group spending en route contributed much to the local economy although one particular cafe just before the Scottish border had a rather grumpy person muttering about depleted stock and being told we would only want tea and cakes. Just as well it was the missus that was in charge!
I still hate hills and will never be fast but I'd do it again, with less luggage and another granny ring.
-
Tonight SS MTB
http://app.strava.com/rides/11403271Monday, Fixed
http://app.strava.com/rides/11147943#amidonigitright?
-
dunno i liked this from Dooks
http://www.lfgss.com/post2966240-3761.htmlbeen doing a madison session on the track, quality, getting up to taking laps in pairs, pretty lively stuff,
then coached the childrens session, grass track/ speedway racing,
well earnt rest now(did this last weekend http://www.lfgss.com/post2967383-3763.html )
Canny_Jock
Wrongcog
6pt
FridayMarch26th
user20714
Benj
1894mk2
Steves
miro_o
rhb
tricitybendix
laner
hippy
cafewanda
andy.w-
Post a reply
About
Tell us about your weekend ride
Posted by
How was it riding with Verulam? Friendly vibes etc? I was thinking of going along for a club run after meeting a guy who rides with them the other day, plus they helped organise the chiltern 100 which was great.
Did the standard 65 (windy) miles in essex yesterday, plus an impromptu hill session with a mate doing loops of swains lane (for the first time) / highgate west this afternoon.
Going down swains is terrifying, dodging dozy pedestrians / berks in 4x4s / speed humps etc. Going up isn't that bad really. Pint of leffe at the flask after went down a treat.