Tell us about your weekend ride

^^ And the people who have it

Took the Sunday Best bike out for a quick spin up into Herts and back in an attempt to improve its ride-to-drama ratio which was frankly getting ridiculous. Rewarded with and entertaining headwind on the way out and and a spot of traffic on the way back, but nothing too strenuous. Bit of irritation for a second when the speedplay adapter decided to start slipping around on my shoe but nothing a spot of roadside fettling in faux-countryside wouldn't fix. Heart rate monitor was also playing silly buggers briefly, and Garmin couldn't find satellites for the first five miles. Curious - but if that's how the curse of the CAAD9 is manifesting itself for now I can live with it.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/342486903

Also: duckies.

Finally took up my barber's offer to join him & his mates for their regular Sunday morning jaunt, so I rock up at the cafe near Southgate on my creaky Marin hybrid SS conversion with the super-wide bars to find 3 guys, one of whom had just returned from an Etape and a lot of carbon including a Dogma 60.1

I think they were kind to me. Lovely run though.

http://app.strava.com/activities/66948977

My mate Matt who joined us bonked halfway round so after we'd got back to the cafe start and he'd refueled I thought it only fair to take him on a tour of the northern aspect of my commute.

http://app.strava.com/activities/66975950

Should've put some suncream on. I feel like I've been under a grill

Managed to navigate to Brighton for the first time, took a little while to get out of London and then after 10 miles on the A23 I thought fuck this and had to stop and plot a new route along country roads were we got lost a couple of times but the last 35 or so miles were lovely swooping country lanes, then ditchling came up right as it got to around 2PM, fucking hot but 3 of us made it up!

Very tiring, good job guys!

I had good fun but someone scratched my wheels :(

You with the homie in sharkpits in beltchingley?

Today, I did a repeat of the ride I did last week but this time, I added Strava:

http://app.strava.com/activities/67022497

It was hot.

^were you the fellow on a white road bike?
And rep to Indra for a great ride and successful (mostly) navigation

rode through Reading to Palmer park to support local riders in the national youth track omnium final.csb

I had a go at the route for the Midland Super Grimpeur 300

, originally mentioned by Greenbank..

I grew up in Sutton Coldfield - I find the idea of starting an audax there sort of surreal, given how utterly un-bike-friendly it is. How do you find the route between there and Ashbourne? I imagine it being a bit car heavy. The route through the peaks looks lovely, though.

managed to sneak in a few quick miles in Malvern whilst I was working there this week, some beautiful scenery and great climbs.

(gratuitous shot of Roberts)

^^The section below the Peaks wasn't so bad. Wide roads, moderate traffic, not too many hairy junctions. A couple of stretches did make me little uncomfortable, but these never lasted for very long. Also, the homeward leg was also completed at night, and with no traffic around I thought the A road rattle home made for a reassuringly easy end to the day.

Lovely Peaks! It's a top route. Holme Moss made for a great half way marker.

Extra snacks are needed for the stretch after Glossop, I found nothing by way of food stops between there and the eventual popping out of the Peaks near Ashbourne, and even then it was a way to the nearest garage.

first proper ride of the year due to injury, I thought I'd give the rapha rising challenge a go so went to biggin hill and went up and down that for a while. Just over 100k ridden

Barely made a dent in the challenge and my legs are fried... wont make it, still got a good ride done and it was lovely to be out again

http://app.strava.com/activities/66977162

Stunning out there today, although I began to get "greeting fatigue" as it became apparent that we were doing a local sportive course in reverse.

Ha, same thing happened to me last week.

Did the coastal viking trail from Herne Bay to Margate with OLC on Saturday. The train journey was hell mainly as we were stuck on a short train full of medway chavs who all looked and acted like they were on their way to Benidorm. Soon I hope to be able to ride to these places instead of being stuck on shitty, overpriced trains.

Was a lovely ride when we got there though. Fuck the 30 degree heat in London, was a cool and breezy 20 degrees on the coast. The sea was a beautiful azure colour and I had fun dodgy the bumble bees near Reculver. The main achievement of this ride was the fact that I managed to get up some hills! I usually end up walking up them, hopefully I am well on my way to doing the London Classic next year.

Managed to fit in some essential beach grub (fish and chips and ice cream) along the way. All in all a day well spent.

The connecting train home from Bromley to Herne Hill was cancelled so we had to ride home in the London heat which was nice and sweaty and I managed to make it up more hills. Yay.

^^ Similarly I found myself on the route of the Buxton Tri, had to say hello to lots of wobbly triaferletes*

• takes one to know one
  

Set out excited to get some hills in for Rapha Rising, only to realise it's measured in metres and not feet :(.

http://app.strava.com/activities/67002213

Still, a fun club ride into Essex fuelled by 4 bidons, one energy gel, an ice cream, sandwich, flapjack, dairy milk and several coffees. Average speed is poor, need to sort myself out on that front.

Set out excited to get some hills in for Rapha Rising, only to realise it's measured in metres and not feet :(.

http://app.strava.com/activities/67002213

Still, a fun club ride into Essex fuelled by 4 bidons, one energy gel, an ice cream, sandwich, flapjack, dairy milk and several coffees. Average speed is poor, need to sort myself out on that front.

Well, only 22,000 (ish) more to go!

I also did a ride to Brighton yesterday, mainly to prepare for the DD this weekend. My main intention was to prove the bike and equipment setup. Since I only just put a rack and pannier on last week. I also wanted to try using OsmAnd for navigation.

I had planned on leaving earlier, but I did not set off till 9.45. Getting to Mitcham was easy enough I know that part of London quite well. Traffic was not too bad. Once I got to Mitcham and was on the road to Sutton I switched the navigator on. I took a couple of wrong turns around Chipstead, but nothing major, only a few 100m each time. Having said that It did take me ages just getting to the M25.

I had forgotten how hilly this route is actually, I could swear I had found it easier the last time I did it. Perhaps it was the heat, or more than likely I just have gotten used to riding around the flat parts of London. Getting up Turners and Clayton Hill in particular were bad. Mainly because of the self created mechanical issues. My chain came off, shifting badly going up Turners. Then on Clayton I managed to get my rear derailer to skip, making a racket and making me think my chain was going to come off again. I think I need to do more hill training, and perhaps some shifting training too.

Riding with a single loaded pannier is a pain in the ass. I think I was carrying more than I needed just to get the utility of having a rack and pannier. Commuting wise it make sense, but for this kind of ride it was overkill. In the pannier I had two locks, food, a change of cloths, tubes, and tools. I didn't even lock up my bike! I am going to go find a top mounting rack bag for the DD.

My cycle computers battery flap has morphed into the case, and I have still failed to get that fixed. So I basically had no idea how quick I was going or what time I was where. Other than when looking at my backup dumbphone's screen. Even though I brought a double capacity battery for the GPS phone, the phone was dead just after Turners Hill. I knew the route roughly from having done it before, so I figured I would get a map from a petrol station when I came across one. As it turns out I did not need it. I did stop a lot because of the heat. The other annoyance I created for myself was that I was wearing a loose belt, which meant my shorts needed adjusting every so often. I lost a water bottle between Ardingly and Lindfield. A brand new Camalbak I had just bought the day before.

I stopped at Lindfield for a good 20 minutes, but still struggled getting up the hill leaving Lindfield. But once I got going again I was good until Ditchling. Now I had intended to do the Beacon but by this point I was fed up with the hills. So I opted to stick with the route I had planned and headed towards Clayton Hill. That route actually goes on to the A23, which I was apprehensive about doing.

Earlier on my trip I had been cycling with a group of three other riders on and off from around Ardingly. Sometimes they would stop, and I would carry on. Then they would catch me up, when I stopped and we alternated this for a while. I went down the A23 until the cafe, hoping there was a way on to the crossing bridge I could see. But there wasn't. I decided to turn around and work out how to get on to the bridge. Just as I was doing this, these three riders had caught up with me. I asked if they were going to carry on down the A23, which the leader responded to with a 'yes'. So I just joined them. As it turns out after about two miles in the hard shoulder, a proper cycle path springs up. Clearly they had ridden that route before. We rode together until partying ways around the center of Brighton. I headed to the pier for some chips.

I was in Brighton around 3.30 so nearly 6 hours, which is a little disappointing. I think my big mistake was setting off without having any proper food. Then making too many stops. Not too worried about the DD though, so at least that is a positive.

Things I learned :
Eat properly before setting off!
Always fit a bike computer.
Wear clothes that fit and belts with enough holes.
Keep a charged spare battery for the GPS phone.
Don't carry locks if you don't need them!
Panniers suck for this kind of ride.

Things I saw :
The Dulwich Paragon doing a road race at Chipstead had to wait a good 10 minutes for them to go.
A classic car show in Ardingly - did not have time to stop properly. But I could see quite a few cars on the field as I went by.

Things I re-affirmed :
Surly make awesome bike frames.
Continental Four Season tyres are also awesome.
Brighton chips > London chips - maybe.

Got back from France last night, spent the best part of 8 days cycling around it (the others were spent being wined and dined at various Chateau, ridiculous food, just glad I didn't have to pay!)

Firstly loved cycling in Bordeaux, although at first I didn't know where to look considering the hodge-podge of trams, cars, scooters and peds pretty much everywhere. Witnessed a lot of near misses but somehow the chaos worked, mainly because no one got mad. It was a relief for me as I could escape to to pavement when required and no intakes of breath, angry looks and outraged cyclists taking to the internet to vent their spleen. A far few fixed gear riders there too, did run into a cadre of them on a night out and a shared a few 'belle velo' comments as they had them stacked up on the bench next to the tables.

Since my phone was useless I have no idea of the mileage covered, but I was going 80-100k a day fully laden without any major problems, at least with the legs. The problem came from my arse and my hands. Tried rotating the saddle back a little and raising the bar, but apart from that just needed a day's worth of downtime, spent watching le Tour in a bar.

The Guerc looked sexy on French streets

Outside Leoville-Barton, fully laden, about 70k into a 110k ride. Had a major wobble in Margaux due to dehydration, thank good for generous restaurants and l'eau frais from the bar.

Roads were good but often exposed, and early starts were needed to avoid major midday wobbles, since so many French towns are flippin' ghost towns

I ditched the bags for the odd day, here I was off the Royan to search for a bike shop and a new lock via the ferry across the entrance to the Gironde.

Met dave. He was 'Murcan and riding from Germany to Portugal. We may have got stoned together. I can neither confirm or deny. Dude is a legend though.

Chateau Pichon Comtesse de Lalande. They wouldn't let me in to fill my bidons, the dirty swines.

Cos d'Estournel my personal favourite. Bonkers building.

Very sensible in that sun, at times it was utterly brutal. Was putting away a litre an hour, which on 8 hour rides was a challenge sourcing.

Reminded me of my old skateboard. Anyway fucking incredible time, but plenty of mistakes made. In July in France a bivvi bag is asking for trouble: I got bitten to hell lying on the ground and no protection. Insects didn't even factor into my thinking, from now on always a tent. 20 minutes trying to get a beetle out your ear at 2am after it crawled it and got stuck is not an experience I ever want to repeat.

That all looks/sounds amazing.

(Except the beetle.)

I thought the beetle was the best bit.

I thought the beetle was the best bit.

It was very entertaining but the only part I'm not jealous of.

That was some straight up Wrath-of-Khan shit. I was half-cut, doozing and suddenly this thing was in my ear.It was squirming right next to me ear drum, I could feel and hear it, thrashing its legs. Ugh. I tried to poke it out with finger and then dangerously allen key, tried to improvise my bidon as ear syringe and squirted a ton of water in my ear. Eventually the squirming died down, and judged the beast dead, but still far inserted into my aural canal. Oof.

decision was to lie back down and get up early to get some medical aid, from the campsite staff or a pharmacie to remove the invader. So I laid back down with my penetrated ear toward the ground, hoping gravity might help.

Then it squirmed again. And again. Fucker wasn't dead. At this point I think I freaked out and started hammering the other side of my head to dislodge the chitinous beast. And thank fuck it worked, a finger in my ear detected a hard, chitinous lump and somehow managed to drunkenly pop it out. Still expecting bits of leg to emerge from my ear though.

And some mind control. Possibly freaky stuff from Hippy.

It squirming beside my ear drum still haunts me. I can hear it now.

6am with the bike on the beach, only because some obnoxious French lads had been up all night taking drugs, then came back to the campsite and decided to talk until 6am, and didn't offer me ANYTHING the swines.

hoping to make some money from this one, offering it to Hallmark. Just before being attacked by killer moths once the sun went down. I think insect kind were on some sort of jihad down there. I was literally batting the things away.

To me she's saying, 'your bike is sexy' and other such stuff

yeah sunshine vibe in the place to be.
scroll back a few pages for winter rides to remember.....
#lifeiscontrast