Things I'm looking forward to

attica

I spent another 4 hours cleaning bikes today, my commuter hadn't been used all week and I'd obviously ridden through something fairly salty the last time I rode it, the degreaser ran orange off the chain and any visible bit of steel/chrome is now peppered with rusty patches, then there was the bike from the stupidity of the Ashdown which was in remarkably good shape seeing as I'd ignored it for 6 days.
There was one small glimmer of hope though, I took the bikes out the front of the garage and had them up on the workstand, at one point the clouds parted and I actually felt the very weak warmth of the sun on my back, it got me thinking:-

I am really looking forward to any of the following happening:-

1 - Not automatically reaching for my bib tights when dressing for a ride
2 - Or 15 layers
3 - Or my overshoes
4 - Spending substantially more time riding than cleaning my bikes
5 - Knowing that I will be able to ride tomorrow no matter what
6 - Seeing my home in daylight on a weekday
7 - Dealing with hayfever (If it means it's summer I'll put up with it)
8 - Being able to spend enough time in the saddle to actually improve my fitness
9 - Worrying about salt in my drink not on the road

In short, I'm looking forward to the spring and summer, and truth be told it's not that far away.

cjcp

Clocks go forward next month, and we'll be commuting home in the light again! Hurrah!

Looking forward to warmer riders too. My feet were like blocks of ice on Friday morning and felt like Steve Martin in that scene from Planes, Trains and Automobiles when him, John Candy and the dog are all frozen in the back of the truck.

Also gave my bike a bit of a scrub today after Ashdown. It seemed ok. Did wonder if that snow washed a load of guff off it. Got to wash the commuter down tomorrow.

linsen

I cleaned my bike on Tuesday after HOTA and my front wheel is not true anymore :?

I am looking forward to some summer riding - especially in the evenings.

Adventures are good - HOTA may have been a step too far though :shock:

cjcp

linsen wrote:

HOTA may have been a step too far though :shock:

Not at all. Gotta start somewhere. It gives you something to measure future events against, so, if you're feeling a bit tired, you can at least say to yourself, "well, at least I can see the road, instead of snow."

linsen

cjcp wrote:

linsen wrote:

HOTA may have been a step too far though :shock:

Not at all. Gotta start somewhere. It gives you something to measure future events against, so, if you're feeling a bit tired, you can at least say to yourself, "well, at least I can see the road, instead of snow."

Ha ha that is true - part of me thinks if I can do that I can do anything!

PIty is that I haven't sat on the bike since - feel like I have forgotten how to ride!

ris

Attica, your post has made me think how brilliant spring will be now! but right now i'll settle for being able to get out on the road at all, wilts council ran out of grit 2-3 days back and most of the roads by me still have an inch of snow lying on them.

just the thought of putting 23c slicks on the road after a night at -4 makes me get into my car like the girlysaurus that i am.

winter is fine, but ice - that's not playing fair

itboffin

linsen wrote:

cjcp wrote:

linsen wrote:

HOTA may have been a step too far though :shock:

Not at all. Gotta start somewhere. It gives you something to measure future events against, so, if you're feeling a bit tired, you can at least say to yourself, "well, at least I can see the road, instead of snow."

Ha ha that is true - part of me thinks if I can do that I can do anything!

PIty is that I haven't sat on the bike since - feel like I have forgotten how to ride!

I've only ridden 1 mile since HOTA and it's killing me, I really needed a recovery ride instead I ended up with leg ache, I never get aches :evil:

I can't believe you lot risked leaving your bikes so long before cleaning them, I used the snow.

itboffin

I might just go and clean my MTB but it kinda feels wrong MTB should be slightly dirty shouldn't they?

cjcp

itboffin wrote:

I can't believe you lot risked leaving your bikes so long before cleaning them, I used the snow.

I know, but lack of time last week.

itboffin

cjcp wrote:

itboffin wrote:

I can't believe you lot risked leaving your bikes so long before cleaning them, I used the snow.

I know, but lack of time last week.

If I leave my bikes unwashed for just a day they start rusting :evil: and having spent £30 on a new KMC SL chain just for HOTA there was no way I was gonna risk it.

I have just discovered finish line degreaser spray - amazing stuff just spray and all the dirt disappears :shock:

linsen

Well I just got back on the bike - only a 10 mile loop but I had to start somewhere.

Felt remarkably good actually - legs felt fresh, lungs feel purged and I realised just how grumpy I get if I don't exercise for a few days (let alone a week).

jonginge

linsen wrote:

Well I just got back on the bike - only a 10 mile loop but I had to start somewhere.

Felt remarkably good actually - legs felt fresh, lungs feel purged and I realised just how grumpy I get if I don't exercise for a few days (let alone a week).

+1
I haven't ridden yet due to my damaged wrist (nothing too serious but just giving it a few days) and I'm climbing the wall

jonginge

So.... the things I'm looking forward to are:
getting back on the bike
being able to wear the 2 ss jersies I bought last week without turning blue
consigning the lights to the 'do not use till september' corner
a late summer bike holiday in the pyrenees or dolomites (possibly, not booked yet)

itboffin

Thanks linsen for reminding me.....

and it's snowing here AGAIN ARGHHH!!!!!

il_principe

I can't wait for Spring. Just took the Prince out for the first time this year, but only did 10 miles before worrying about grit sent me home. Love my new FFWD deep rim wheels though, and first impressions of the Pro Race 3's is that they are fab! Damn those carbon wheels are stiff though. Back on the Turbo for the rest of the week.

ris

itboffin wrote:

Thanks linsen for reminding me.....

and it's snowing here AGAIN ARGHHH!!!!!

knackers, if you're in marlborough then that means it's probably only an hour or so from 'nam.

gb155

Attica wrote:

I spent another 4 hours cleaning bikes today, my commuter hadn't been used all week and I'd obviously ridden through something fairly salty the last time I rode it, the degreaser ran orange off the chain and any visible bit of steel/chrome is now peppered with rusty patches, then there was the bike from the stupidity of the Ashdown which was in remarkably good shape seeing as I'd ignored it for 6 days.
There was one small glimmer of hope though, I took the bikes out the front of the garage and had them up on the workstand, at one point the clouds parted and I actually felt the very weak warmth of the sun on my back, it got me thinking:-

I am really looking forward to any of the following happening:-

1 - Not automatically reaching for my bib tights when dressing for a ride
2 - Or 15 layers
3 - Or my overshoes
4 - Spending substantially more time riding than cleaning my bikes
5 - Knowing that I will be able to ride tomorrow no matter what
6 - Seeing my home in daylight on a weekday
7 - Dealing with hayfever (If it means it's summer I'll put up with it)
8 - Being able to spend enough time in the saddle to actually improve my fitness
9 - Worrying about salt in my drink not on the road

In short, I'm looking forward to the spring and summer, and truth be told it's not that far away.

Amen to that and also allow me to add to the list

1. Not wearing 2 pairs of thermal socks

2. Not wearing thermal pants

3. Not leaving in the dark.

EDIT:Its SNOWING AGAIN !

Bassjunkieuk

Hmm, I'd have to say that I'm certainly looking forward to being able to consign the lights to the storage bag under the stairs :-)
Also being able to ride in shorts and something with short or no sleeves will be nice, I'm certainly a warm weather person! It also means I won't have to wait for 10 minutes for everything to warm up in the morning and should be able to improve my average speeds!

Also lets not forgot the dangers of riding in town when the weather is warm, the local "scenery" can prove quite a distraction :-P

I'd also add a few sportives (wife permitting) and my second attempt at the Capital to Coast!

itboffin

RAIN.....

Yes believe it or not I'm actually pleased it's raining, at last the snow is finally starting to go, replaced by rain but I can live with that.

don_don

itboffin wrote:

RAIN.....

Yes believe it or not I'm actually pleased it's raining, at last the snow is finally starting to go, replaced by rain but I can live with that.

+1!

I'm looking forward to a week's mtb'ing in the Sierra Nevada at the end of March

iain_j

I'm looking forward to riding along and feeling the fresh air and the cool breeze on my arms, legs and face, rather than blocking out the icy wind as much as possible.

And doing long rides with full feeling in my fingers, rather than short rides with numb fingers.

And not having to spend ages before a ride putting all my cold weather gear on and likewise at the end of a ride taking it all off.

And not having to worry about my chain, gears, mech, bearings, brake pads, brake rims, frame, pedals... well, the whole bike... being eaten alive by the salt and grit every time i take it out.

And not having to worry about being visible in the dark, avoiding those who don't worry about being invisible in the dark (cars, bikes, pedestrians...), and being dazzled by those being too visible (headlights on full/too high).

And heading out on looooong rides without worrying about what time it's going to go dark (though some extra long ones will still have this worry )

biondino

Wearing some of the dozen cycling tops I have bought over the winter - I mean I wear some of them now but when they're covered by two other layers you can't see how lovely/horrible (and often both at the same time) they are.

Feltup

I'm looking forward to the time when I can believe I will be able to cycle up Hardknott Pass because at the moment I believe I will be walking!

Rich158

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9knx9Fcnhxc

Posted by someone who's not doing it, don't you just hate some people :evil: . And if the videos are to believed walking up in road shoes is near on impossible as well :shock: :shock:

Rich158

I'm looking forward to my first time trial this year, and finding out just how slow I am :oops:

cee

these nights are fairly drawing out.

cjcp

IIRC, summer, along Embankment at least, brings almighty headwinds on the way home. Terrific.

The upside is that the sight of cyclists scrambling to get onto rear wheels along Millbank is worth paying for.

Feltup

Rich158 wrote:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9knx9Fcnhxc

Posted by someone who's not doing it, don't you just hate some people :evil: . And if the videos are to believed walking up in road shoes is near on impossible as well :shock: :shock:

Yeah saw that, put my training back a month watching that!

Rich158

Yep, it scared the crap out of me. It seems to be getting closer at a far faster rate than my training is progressing :? Now if it was in a couple of years time.......................

soy_sauce

looking forward to (apart from my 2 weeks holiday to Hong Kong 8) )..

don't need to wear layer over layer over layer..
don't need to take the stupid buses to work (too icy to cycle past couple of weeks..:( )

lost_in_thought

Cycling home before dark...