Ride Reports

always_tyred

Blealach na Ba.

Steep.

Ouch.

Good view.

cjcp

MatHammond wrote:

Usually roll in just before 9, roll out any time between 6 and 7.30. Left early today to get to Crystal Palace, managed to get lost ( :oops: ) but still made it there in time to get registered. The race was a humbling experience - I need to work on my speed and bike handling at the best of times, but after over a month out of the saddle (barring the commute) I was very quickly struggling to stay in contact, managed to stay with the pack for about 3 laps or so then got dropped. Kept going until the bell, I think my cornering improved as I got familiar with the course and I felt strong up the hill but its fair to say I was a bit out of my depth! Still, got to start somewhere - I'll be trying a time trial at Richmond Park next month so maybe that'll be more my thing.

You'll be a lot better next time out. Part of this comes with familiarity, so you'll know when you can go fast into a corner etc, but the best training is to race.

cjcp

Always Tyred wrote:

Blealach na Ba.

Steep.

Ouch.

Good view.

Is that the longest rising road in the UK? Got any pics?

Roastie

MatHammond wrote:

Usually roll in just before 9, roll out any time between 6 and 7.30.

Ah, OK. I leave in roughly the same sort of time range, but arrive at Fenchurch St Station at about 7:00-7:20.

Left early today to get to Crystal Palace, managed to get lost ( :oops: ) but still made it there in time to get registered. The race was a humbling experience - I need to work on my speed and bike handling at the best of times, but after over a month out of the saddle (barring the commute) I was very quickly struggling to stay in contact, managed to stay with the pack for about 3 laps or so then got dropped. Kept going until the bell, I think my cornering improved as I got familiar with the course and I felt strong up the hill but its fair to say I was a bit out of my depth! Still, got to start somewhere - I'll be trying a time trial at Richmond Park next month so maybe that'll be more my thing.

Chapeau for giving it a go!

Sounds like a fairly typical first race at Palace, it is a very hard crit circuit. And it does get better. See you there next week?

Maybe also give Hog Hill a bash - it is fairly easy to get to from town (train out of Liverpool St is what most guys do), and the circuit is less technical (so you're not always trying to make up ground lost in the corners) but still interesting.

cjcp

MatHammond wrote:

Usually roll in just before 9,

Mat - very similar to me. What MTB do you ride?

bigmat

Its an old steel hardtail (and front!) Ridgeback, with Celeste graphics. I think I may have spotted you leaving Fountain House once - guy in Kingston Wheelers shorts anyway.

At Roastie, not sure if I can make next week but will if I can. A couple of guys I was talking to also said Hogs Hill was a lot easier so might look into that. It'll definitely improve my performance doing a few races, I'm just not used to attacking corners / powering out of them but hopefully it'll come with practice.

cjcp

MatHammond wrote:

Its an old steel hardtail (and front!) Ridgeback, with Celeste graphics. I think I may have spotted you leaving Fountain House once - guy in Kingston Wheelers shorts anyway.

Yup, that would be me. Have noticed a couple of guys with bike gear entering FH from the side entrance.

Roastie

MatHammond wrote:

..., I'm just not used to attacking corners / powering out of them but hopefully it'll come with practice.

It most certainly will!

Let me know if when you want to try Hog Hill. One of my mates takes the train out, you could always meet up with him and then follow him up to the circuit (to avoid getting lost ).

bigmat

Cheers Roastie, I may well do that!

always_tyred

cjcp wrote:

Always Tyred wrote:

Blealach na Ba.

Steep.

Ouch.

Good view.

Is that the longest rising road in the UK? Got any pics?

Yes, and not downloaded yet. Its not the highest ribbon of tarmac in the UK, but its the highest that actually goes anywhere.
Its a typically UK climb - sensible for a short distance and then bonkers steep. The difference is that instead of being 1-2km long like most UK climbs, the bonkers steep bit keeps going for about the same again.
Here's a wikkpedia shot -

My VDO read about 14% on most of what you can see, pitching up at the hairpins. Only the odd 11-12% stretch of relief, flattening out to about 8% just at the top out of shot.
Nice and steady 5-6% for the first 200m of climbing, out of the valley to the left.

benno68

Always Tyred wrote:

cjcp wrote:

Always Tyred wrote:

Blealach na Ba.

Steep.

Ouch.

Good view.

Is that the longest rising road in the UK? Got any pics?

Yes, and not downloaded yet. Its not the highest ribbon of tarmac in the UK, but its the highest that actually goes anywhere.
Its a typically UK climb - sensible for a short distance and then bonkers steep. The difference is that instead of being 1-2km long like most UK climbs, the bonkers steep bit keeps going for about the same again.

My VDO read about 14% on most of what you can see, pitching up at the hairpins. Only the odd 11-12% stretch of relief, flattening out to about 8% just at the top out of shot.
Nice and steady 5-6% for the first 200m of climbing, out of the valley to the left.

Wiki says it goes to around 20% in places - phew it looks awesome, think I'd need to bring a pair of walking boots if I tried cycling up that!

@Always Tyred - What VDO do you have and how have you found it?

always_tyred

Benno68 wrote:

Always Tyred wrote:

cjcp wrote:

Always Tyred wrote:

Blealach na Ba.

Steep.

Ouch.

Good view.

Is that the longest rising road in the UK? Got any pics?

Yes, and not downloaded yet. Its not the highest ribbon of tarmac in the UK, but its the highest that actually goes anywhere.
Its a typically UK climb - sensible for a short distance and then bonkers steep. The difference is that instead of being 1-2km long like most UK climbs, the bonkers steep bit keeps going for about the same again.

My VDO read about 14% on most of what you can see, pitching up at the hairpins. Only the odd 11-12% stretch of relief, flattening out to about 8% just at the top out of shot.
Nice and steady 5-6% for the first 200m of climbing, out of the valley to the left.

Wiki says it goes to around 20% in places - phew it looks awesome, think I'd need to bring a pair of walking boots if I tried cycling up that!

@Always Tyred - What VDO do you have and how have you found it?

I'm not sure its that steep really. I just about made it up Great Dun Fell a few weeks ago - nearly 700m of climbing - my computer claimed 18% in places. UYou have to bear in mind that with an atmospheric altimeter, you only get average grades over 100 yards or so. So, I'm sure on both climbs you'd find steeper pitches, but very short. At the Bealach (not Blealach, sorry) these would be around the hairpins.

Not sure which VDO - its wireless and has an alti, but no cadence. To be honest, I've had interference issues with the speedo, probably from my hrm. Given that both are supposed to be coded signals, this is disappointing.

roger_merriman

well on the weekend I did the Tour of the Black Mountains lovely mist early on.

I did the 60 as i hadn't trained and other shouldah/wouldah/coulda. was lovely to be back in the area i did set off to fast and should have taken it steadier, this said i no point did i need to stop or walk and i was well in the bell curve of times, though the ride back to my parents home, only 6 miles and while uphill at railway grades was painful...

but in many ways more impornat to me is the next day i conquered the Cuckoo which is more normal uk climb ie short and dumb steep in this case 18% average with some tasty ramps into the "you have to be kidding" steep any way inspite of fairly bushed legs from Sat i manged to get up and while hard out of the saddle i was in no danger of stalling, only half as the whole hill is half a mile while my folks place is off a turn off half way up. but on fresh legs should be doable though it is steeper as you go further, any way since last time i tryied it took me to the cleaners i'm very glad to have beaten it, as there is nothing to compare around london.

il_principe

@AT - looks fantastic!

Christophe3967

Always Tyred wrote:

Blealach na Ba.

Steep.

Ouch.

Good view.

Hmmm - I managed an evening ride from Hampton Court to Effingham with the GF last night. Seems like you got the best deal....

always_tyred

Christophe3967 wrote:

Always Tyred wrote:

Blealach na Ba.

Steep.

Ouch.

Good view.

Hmmm - I managed an evening ride from Hampton Court to Effingham with the GF last night. Seems like you got the best deal....

Did you have to drive for 5 hours first, though?

Christophe3967

Always Tyred wrote:

Christophe3967 wrote:

Always Tyred wrote:

Blealach na Ba.

Steep.

Ouch.

Good view.

Hmmm - I managed an evening ride from Hampton Court to Effingham with the GF last night. Seems like you got the best deal....

Did you have to drive for 5 hours first, though?

No, although the GF did have to drive home from HC (whilst I cycled rather than sitting in the car with her). Even though, that's a fantastic ride by the looks of it, so I hope you felt it was worth it. Did you have another 5 hours return journey?

always_tyred

Yup - I was up in the area for a long weekend. Not much riding, mainly kayaking and hiking. But I just had to negotiate the time to have a crack at the the Bealach.
In 3 days, I saw the UK's highest road pass, highest mountain, highest waterfall and most haunted village (or so that oddly translucent local assured me).

Roastie

Always Tyred wrote:

Here's a wikkpedia shot -

OMG, that looks awesome.

benno68

Managed to do a couple of hills last night but they pale into insignificance really. Went through Dinas Powys via Penyturnpike Road and into Sully, then to Penarth Marina and up a fairly steep but short hill from the Custom House Restaurant climbing towards Penarth Town centre (CJCP and I freewheeled down it at 40mph + a couple of weeks ago). Stopped and checked the computer at the Barons Court - 13 miles in 40 minutes.

I then pootled to Canton to visit my mother before returning up my favourite, Leckwith Hill

Anyone out there know the calculations for working out the % gradient? In simple terms if possible as I'm a bit thick :oops:

roger_merriman

using bike hike, Leckwith works out as about 9% average.

from bridge to top is 0.73km and 63meters gained so 63 goes into 730, 11 odd times, which gives on the ratio so 1 in 11,

100 divided gives the ratio which rounded up is 9% if you want to be more sure check the height etc is correct by checking the contour lines etc.

benno68

roger merriman wrote:

using bike hike, Leckwith works out as about 9% average.

from bridge to top is 0.73km and 63meters gained so 63 goes into 730, 11 odd times, which gives on the ratio so 1 in 11,

100 divided gives the ratio which rounded up is 9% if you want to be more sure check the height etc is correct by checking the contour lines etc.

Thanks Roger. Not a long climb but certainly gets me blowing

Roastie

Hog Hill. Felt really good, if lazy. The most fun I've had on the bike in ages. Won the sprint for the Prime , but not well positioned to contest the final sprint - so it goes. Beaming ear to ear as I type this.

cjcp

Chapeau!

Kieran_Burns

Right.

I managed to beat my personal distance record by a fair way and not wuss out on the several occasions I could've 8)

I'd decided that as I knew I could get to Tissington and back I'd do that run and throw in a loop or two or maybe go further up the trail (as the mood took me)

So, and thanks to everyone for the excellent advice on food, I set off after prepping malt loaf, flapjacks, and an emergency chocolate bar - plus my own 'energy' drink (cordial with sugar and a pinch of salt). I'd had a bowl of noodles and good oat breakfast earlier, so I was fully stocked.

Nice quiet run, with the only notable bit being the way I managed a hill I could only walk up before and now I just found the right gear and kept going... most satisfactory I was also in a higher gear than the last time and really it seemed 'smaller' this time.

So I keep going and get to Ashbourne feeling really good. The only qualm I had was the bloody big hill I descended and I knew I'd be going back up later :? Well that and the scary dip from hell - 15% down, 18% up. It's VERY hard to get speed up on the way down as you are completely unsighted due to a dual carriageway going over the top.

The Tissington Trail was as full of clueless bike rental types wobbling along as I thought it would be.

The only increasingly annoying thing was my right knee starting to give me gip and a growing realisation that my saddle was lower than it was at the start.

Just as I'm thinking I should stop and adjust it, I bounce off this dip and the bloody saddle dropped right into the frame! :shock:

I stop and get the allen key out, adjust the saddle and tighten it up... only there's something not right.. I knew I'd set this and tightened it up, so why was it so loose?

I figure I'd work this out later and keep going, get to Tissington and have a food stop (1 hour and a bit in.. see I remembered ) So... now what? The High Peak trail was about 10 miles further up the trail I could do that, stop at the cafe and come back, but I was seriously aiming at 50 miles, and I was at 20 by now. I could loop back and throw in a couple of extra bits. Only, why not extend how FAR I'd gone from home?

So I keep going Bouncing along the rough surface and I swear the damn saddle is lower again, poor surface at the start due to wet mud everywhere on the covered stretch but it soon improved... only the damn saddle WAS lower. I stop twice before getting to the High Peak trail to adjust it and each time I tighten it as far as I dare.

Only now a suspicion has set in..... :evil:

At the High Peak / Tissington trail junction there's a cafe with a bike hire place and after looking at all the other bikes I confirmed what was wrong. Just to check I went to one of the guys running the shop and said "Look at the saddle stem clamp... do you think it's on back to front?"

Yup. It was. The bloody bike shop has fitted the damn thing back to front. with the bolt at the FRONT. A quick adjustment and after being complimented by the guy on the excellent CX bike ( ) - he did say that they see a lot of Tricrosses up that way.

Distance out: 29.4 miles. Top speed 36.6mph. Cycling time: 2:07hr

The run back was quicker... all downhill and the trail was quieter, but my right knee was suffering and becoming a cause for concern... the lowered saddle for quite a stretch had really hurt it. I stopped for another bite to eat (next hour) at Tissington and then kept on to Ashbourne.

Oh, that bloody hill out of it.... :shock: Still I did it without stopping and then tore down the 18%.. ish... I did hit the brakes at the second brow as you really can't see anything!

Then the ripples all the way back to Alkmonton which is 8 miles from home and now showing just under 50 miles

So.... I can go straight back still hit the original target of 50 miles and some... That would be great and my knee was really starting to protest by now... Only... only 2 more miles would see me hit 60... a distance I have only once exceeded and that was when I was half my present age!

So, the knee could go hang and I turned left, and not straight on to get back home.

Nothing much to say except I forgot to drink as much as I should've and left calf started to cramp. aaaand my right knee let go at least twice and caused me to cry out in pain, but I was determined to get to 60.

I did... albeit only just... I was not that tired but my right knee was now agonising and I knew I'd pushed it too hard.

Distance back 31.75 miles, top speed 38.8mph, total time: 2:03 hours 8)

Total Distance: 61.15 miles, total time: 4:10 hrs
Cute arses on bikes ogled at.. WAY too many!
Yummy mummies waited behind longer than I should've...
Bike Shops going to get a bollocking: 1
Smug middle aged guy: 1

Got to say I am very pleased with that attempt - all your invaluable advice made all the difference. I never once felt hungry, or low on energy.. I really think if it hadn't of been for the right knee I could've gone further.

Now I'm going to check on bike hike and see how much climbing I actually did!

Eau Rouge

Kieran_Burns wrote:

Total Distance: 61.15 miles, total time: 4:10 hrs

Oh god, I'm hating writing this, but someone is going to have to tell you at some point.
1 mile ~ 1.61km, and 61.15miles is 98.41km.
Sorry
Sounds like a great ride though.

I set out to do the same. I tried out a few routes on Bikely and eventually found one I liked. The last time I'd tried it, I'd been able to take a shorter route home and cut it down to a little over 50 miles, so this time I was determined to force myself to go to the 100km

It did mean the middle of the route was on roads I've not even driven, and it quickly becomes a maze of "left at this junction, right at that one." Without a GPS or a map, remembering the route would be enough fun.
It was a lovely day for it down here, sunny, but with enough cloud cover as not to be silly warm. Some rain clouds showed up later, but weren't a problem.
The problem was getting lost. I'd been doing quite well, recognising funny-shaped junctions and village names. I'd found the alpine-esque hairpin on the 8% climb in Wherwell, till I came to Danbury HillFort. I wasn't expecting that, so assumed I'd gone wrong somewhere. Looking at it now, I hadn't. D'oh. A little detour though, and knowing roughly where the next town was supposed to be in relation to where I was, got me back on target with only maybe 6k extra ridden.
I stopped in Broughton for a few minutes rest as it was (had been) half way around. I was feeling ok still, but the worst was to come. Another correct turn up a really nasty, unexpected 10%+ hill was not nice, then missing the maze to West Tytherely and ending up in East Tytherely instead, but thankfully remembering which of them I wanted (it is only Hampshire that does this "more than one village with the same name" thing, I must have had about 4 or 5 examples on this route?), on to West Dean, and the start of the killer loop. This was a loop that would take me over the long 12% Dean Hill, and then back over it again from the other side and back to West Dean. I was a long way in by now, must be getting on for 65km, this was not what I needed. I *crawled* up it, free-wheeled the other side, then stopped for another rest. The way back was via another road for a bit (to make it a loop) which involved dismounting to let a huge tractor past, but thankfully the climb isn't so bad from this side.
The decent was though. I hit 69.3kph without turning a pedal, then very nearly hit the ditch at the turn at the bottom. Braking at that speed is not something I'm used to.
However, the climbs had done me in. My thighs were on fire, worst than I've had before. Energy wise I was fine, my legs were just shot. The last 20k were pottled with a stop or two thrown in, before a quick call at the office to change glasses and the handful of km home. All in all, 106km. I'm happy I made the distance, but I'd have preferred to make it "properly" and not the slow pootling (freewheeling down anything vaguely 'downhill' etc) that the last part become. Still, 6 months ago that was how the 30mile rides were ending.

Kieran_Burns

It didn't even occur to me to worry about the metric ton! :roll:

Meh. I've done it once. (as near as) so next time

Aidy

Kieran_Burns wrote:

At the High Peak / Tissington trail junction there's a cafe with a bike hire place and after looking at all the other bikes I confirmed what was wrong. Just to check I went to one of the guys running the shop and said "Look at the saddle stem clamp... do you think it's on back to front?"

This was recommended for a particular carbon post (I can't remember which one); idea being that the pressure around the post would be more even, with no 'pinch' points.
Yeah, I'm not convinced either.

Also, forward facing clamps do feature on a lot of bikes - but the slot is cut that way.

Kieran_Burns

The slot on my bike is at the back, so I'm even less convinced!

Plus the clamp has Specialized written across it, which is only clear when the bolt is at the back....


<edit> I've got the Specialized brochure here and the photos clearly show the clamp at the back... grr.

cjcp

Not exactly a ride as such, but rode a single speed for the first time yesterday (if you exclude a BMX).

Only went up and down the street a few times, but it was my neighbour's 1940-50ss Holdsworth frame, which he's restoring; his dad used it for time trialling, so the position felt very similar to how I imagine a track bike would feel like with its angled-down stem. Narrower bars too than my 42cms, I guess for that time trialling position.

He's got a 46x16 on it and felt nice to ride. How I'd deal with all that spinning on Embankment though is another matter.