Ride Reports

pollys_bott

I'm feeling rather chuffed as today I did my longest ever ride / first ever century. Previous best was 67kms a few weeks before Christmas, but I've taken on the metric century challenge and went for it today, clocking up just under 102kms. It was very nice pedalling around the snowy Leicestershire countryside, and I'm now wondering just how stiff my legs will be tomorrow :?

cjcp

8) Good effort.

A cold bath may help the recovery process.

itboffin

Pollys Bott wrote:

I'm feeling rather chuffed as today I did my longest ever ride / first ever century. Previous best was 67kms a few weeks before Christmas, but I've taken on the metric century challenge and went for it today, clocking up just under 102kms. It was very nice pedalling around the snowy Leicestershire countryside, and I'm now wondering just how stiff my legs will be tomorrow :?

Nice work, i'm planning my first metric of the year tomorrow - hopefully, i'm guessing it's going to be 5+ hours given the conditions.

itboffin

That was an old ride, it's pouring with rain here and foggy so I took the opp to fit my crud racers on the CX and set off on a test ride, previous experience with mud guards has been one of rubbing, poor fitting and lots of noise, i'm please to report the cruds suffer none of those short falls and also did a damn fine job in keeping me and the bike clean.

Anyway it's windy as usual but nothing special, yet for most of my ride I struggled to get any pace 17mph at best most of the time, odd because even when I put more effort in the pace only slightly changed :? I might need to check the battery in the comp. still makes a change to climb and descent without the fear of losing the bike from under you, was also refreshing not to have to wear quite so many layers.

Slight tailwind on the way home was nice, which I made good use of coming from Oxenwood at a steady 30mph funny how some roads which have only the slightly of gradient can really get your speed up or down (in the morning).

gert_lush

Had a fun ride around south Bristol on the back roads and on the advice of Mr Attica I took the little road that goes around the circumference of the airport, which was nice although had to go through some 3-4inch deep floods. And Wrington Hill is fun
Also have the backroads around where everyone else rides been coated in a thick layer of cow sh*t and mud from the farmers? The old Galaxy looked more like a CX bike by the time I got home, even had to clean her!

attica

gert_lush wrote:

Had a fun ride around south Bristol on the back roads and on the advice of Mr Attica I took the little road that goes around the circumference of the airport, which was nice although had to go through some 3-4inch deep floods. And Wrington Hill is fun
Also have the backroads around where everyone else rides been coated in a thick layer of cow sh*t and mud from the farmers? The old Galaxy looked more like a CX bike by the time I got home, even had to clean her!

Ha, I took the same road, today, I love that climb, not so keen on the descent into Wrington. Likewise with the cow sh*t but that stands to reason seeing as I rode the same roads.

il_principe

First ride since October today. Only 5 miles from Pimlico to Wandsworth. It was chucking it down and I had toe clips on (sister was using the bike for Tri training and is averse to clipless). God it was good to be back in the saddle, even if I did fall off! Yep, stacked it thanks to a puddle covered manhole, typical, first ride back and I crash. Anyway, bike is ok, minor cosmetic damage and I seem fine, think I've bruised a rib but aside from that everything's ok i reckon, no damage to the broken clavicle I think - I'm sure I'd know about it if I had done something.

Anyway, gonna try for a 20 miler tomorrow as pre-commute practice.

Bassjunkieuk

Glad to see your making a comeback IP! Sorry to hear about the minor off - just put it down to un-familiar bike :-)

itboffin

Il Principe wrote:

First ride since October today. Only 5 miles from Pimlico to Wandsworth. It was chucking it down and I had toe clips on (sister was using the bike for Tri training and is averse to clipless). God it was good to be back in the saddle, even if I did fall off! Yep, stacked it thanks to a puddle covered manhole, typical, first ride back and I crash. Anyway, bike is ok, minor cosmetic damage and I seem fine, think I've bruised a rib but aside from that everything's ok i reckon, no damage to the broken clavicle I think - I'm sure I'd know about it if I had done something.

Anyway, gonna try for a 20 miler tomorrow as pre-commute practice.

FFS man stay on the bike

Perhaps you could get a lift in ...?

Bassjunkieuk

Well that was a pleasing ride! Setting off nice and early again this morning I headed south out of Croydon now I had decided that today I was going to have a crack at Succombs Hill It's not a monster long hill at just over 1/4 mile but it's the 25% grade that makes it a challenge and as I have a rather odd fixation with hills this seemed perfect as it was certainly one of the steepest in my neck of the woods!
I headed out via the A23 and then switched to the A22 at Purley Cross, it was lovely! Hardly no wind and asides from a brief period where I couldn't see an effing thing thanks to the low lying sun it was great, I even got a nod off a runner coming down the road in the opposite directing :-D

I arrived at the Wapses Lodge roundabout (with the Ann Summers offices to my left :-D) I thought to myself "Why the hell do I do this to myself?" before taking the first exit and passing the 25% gradient sign. I start working up through my cassette at the back as the road headed skywards. Knowing what was coming I tried switching down to the small ring up front (I'm running a triple) but the chain didn't budge........oh b0ll0x. Still I had 42x25 which I thought might get me up.....It become a bit more of a struggle and I knew I still had the steepest part to come which cruelly is the top section! I pulled into a side road to catch my breath and see if I could get it to change down. Thankfully the mech was moving the chain hopped onto the small ring. I had a gulp of water and turned around and carried on up. As it turned out I only had about 50-75m left however the 34" gear I now had made it feel remarkably easy!

Once I got to the flat section at the top I just had to remember where I needed to head, as I like to keep my routes simple (no Garmin, just a paper map) I knew I just had to head pretty much straight until I hit a triangular arrangement of roads at which point I was to bear left and then pick up the main road. As it happened the triangular arrangement was actually a village area and one way :-)

Now for the proper fun bit to start as I headed downhill back to Croydon town centre :-D Unfortunately just as I built up my first bit of speed I hit a small pothole which sent a nasty shock up through the bike and it all felt a bit odd. After pulling over to check things where OK it turned out it had almost knocked my chain off the big ring up front! I'm sure if I'd carried on riding it would have corrected itself but after putting it back on I duly set off down the road enjoying the deserted roads and as I kept it in primary and just gunned it, trying to keep an eye out for the dips this time! 2-3 miles later I was rejoining the A23 with a huge grin on my face

Took a diversion on the way home to add in some extra miles and round off a fun morning on the bike! Nokia STB seems to have had a silly session today as it reckons I passed over a 2000ft+ peak somewhere in the middle of Croydon and then hit 47.3mph at one point - when my cycle comp only recorded a max of 34.3!
Route details here

Now I need a new challenge.....I'm thinking Zig Zag Road leading upto Box Hill next :-D

roger_merriman

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

Well that was a pleasing ride! Setting off nice and early again this morning I headed south out of Croydon now I had decided that today I was going to have a crack at Succombs Hill It's not a monster long hill at just over 1/4 mile but it's the 25% grade that makes it a challenge and as I have a rather odd fixation with hills this seemed perfect as it was certainly one of the steepest in my neck of the woods!
I headed out via the A23 and then switched to the A22 at Purley Cross, it was lovely! Hardly no wind and asides from a brief period where I couldn't see an effing thing thanks to the low lying sun it was great, I even got a nod off a runner coming down the road in the opposite directing :-D

I arrived at the Wapses Lodge roundabout (with the Ann Summers offices to my left :-D) I thought to myself "Why the hell do I do this to myself?" before taking the first exit and passing the 25% gradient sign. I start working up through my cassette at the back as the road headed skywards. Knowing what was coming I tried switching down to the small ring up front (I'm running a triple) but the chain didn't budge........oh b0ll0x. Still I had 42x25 which I thought might get me up.....It become a bit more of a struggle and I knew I still had the steepest part to come which cruelly is the top section! I pulled into a side road to catch my breath and see if I could get it to change down. Thankfully the mech was moving the chain hopped onto the small ring. I had a gulp of water and turned around and carried on up. As it turned out I only had about 50-75m left however the 34" gear I now had made it feel remarkably easy!

Once I got to the flat section at the top I just had to remember where I needed to head, as I like to keep my routes simple (no Garmin, just a paper map) I knew I just had to head pretty much straight until I hit a triangular arrangement of roads at which point I was to bear left and then pick up the main road. As it happened the triangular arrangement was actually a village area and one way :-)

Now for the proper fun bit to start as I headed downhill back to Croydon town centre :-D Unfortunately just as I built up my first bit of speed I hit a small pothole which sent a nasty shock up through the bike and it all felt a bit odd. After pulling over to check things where OK it turned out it had almost knocked my chain off the big ring up front! I'm sure if I'd carried on riding it would have corrected itself but after putting it back on I duly set off down the road enjoying the deserted roads and as I kept it in primary and just gunned it, trying to keep an eye out for the dips this time! 2-3 miles later I was rejoining the A23 with a huge grin on my face

Took a diversion on the way home to add in some extra miles and round off a fun morning on the bike! Nokia STB seems to have had a silly session today as it reckons I passed over a 2000ft+ peak somewhere in the middle of Croydon and then hit 47.3mph at one point - when my cycle comp only recorded a max of 34.3!
Route details here

Now I need a new challenge.....I'm thinking Zig Zag Road leading upto Box Hill next :-D

I'd try whitedown/winterdown as Zig Zag in terms of getting up it isn't hard, a good time thats another matter.

I'd take the % signs with a pinch of salt I think they just grab what every is nearest frankly.

Bassjunkieuk

@RM - They both look like good fun and I'd certainly get a nice warm up riding out to either of those :-)

Maybe I should post this on the Social Rides thread and see how many sadists sign up.....

cjcp

57.74 cold, wet miles around RP. Been off the bike the last few days, so really needed it.

itboffin

cjcp wrote:

57.74 cold, wet miles around RP. Been off the bike the last few days, so really needed it.

there you are, I was just about to send out a search party

cjcp

MonkeyMonster

itboffin wrote:

cjcp wrote:

57.74 cold, wet miles around RP. Been off the bike the last few days, so really needed it.

there you are, I was just about to send out a search party

only to make sure you weren't going to come back and catch him up... 8)

il_principe

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

Now I need a new challenge.....I'm thinking Zig Zag Road leading upto Box Hill next :-D

As Roger says ZizZag is not a massive challenge, but it's all about the timings:

http://www.bikeradar.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12674438

Also this is a great resource for Surrey Hills:

http://www.jibbering.com/hills/

Bassjunkieuk

Il Principe wrote:

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

Now I need a new challenge.....I'm thinking Zig Zag Road leading upto Box Hill next :-D

As Roger says ZizZag is not a massive challenge, but it's all about the timings:

http://www.bikeradar.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12674438

Also this is a great resource for Surrey Hills:

http://www.jibbering.com/hills/

Hmm, 7 minutes flogging myself up a hill ;-) Having said that tho I'm 10kg lighter then the lightest person on the list so far which has to be an advantage :-D

I have seen that second link, been looking over there for some ideas........

Christophe3967

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

@RM - They both look like good fun and I'd certainly get a nice warm up riding out to either of those :-)

Maybe I should post this on the Social Rides thread and see how many sadists sign up.....

Was just about to say something about CJCP (The King of Pain) and JG (The Goat) and what do I see? A post from the man himself - all about subjecting himself to more torture riding round RP in the rain :roll: QED.

It did look rather wet, so I stayed at home :oops:

cjcp

(My hands and feet were unpleasantly cold, mind. About as bad as they've been.)

cjcp

Another six-lapper of the Park. Wet and windy this time, but not cold thankfully.

itboffin

cjcp wrote:

Another six-lapper of the Park. Wet and windy this time, but not cold thankfully.

:shock:

Yuk i've just gotten back from Woking (in the car) pouring down out that way, just a light drizzle out here in Windshire ATM.

Just carb loading before I head out on a shakedown ride for tomorrow.

itboffin

63.68 miles from Yatton (Bristol) to Salisbury in the company of Attica, great ride and excellent pace overall 16mph avg and well in to 20s TM on the flat, all I can say is don't believe ascent data from online websites and making someone hump up to the top of Cheddar Gorge and then not doing the descent is just cruel, cruel I tell you.....

Loads of cyclist out today, nod-tastic

I look forward doing that route again perhaps in the summer, cracking!

FeynmanC

I rode my bike, for the first time since the end of october and my knee didn't hurt

It was only into town and back, about 8 miles, but it felt SOOOO good!

I'm going to have to get a few more rides in before i'm involuntarily out of action again in February

FeynmanC

itboffin wrote:

making someone hump up to the top of Cheddar Gorge and then not doing the descent is just cruel, cruel I tell you.....

I look forward doing that route again perhaps in the summer, cracking!

Attica is a bit of a sadist, that's true.

I'd be up for that run come the summer and renewed fitness, so let me know if you do decide to, should you fancy another person to share the work.

itboffin

FeynmanC wrote:

itboffin wrote:

making someone hump up to the top of Cheddar Gorge and then not doing the descent is just cruel, cruel I tell you.....

I look forward doing that route again perhaps in the summer, cracking!

Attica is a bit of a sadist, that's true.

I'd be up for that run come the summer and renewed fitness, so let me know if you do decide to, should you fancy another person to share the work.

Your more than welcome but I tend to let attica do all the work, he loves it and I like looking at his muddy tail :shock: :roll:

No that's not code

itboffin

FeynmanC wrote:

I rode my bike, for the first time since the end of october and my knee didn't hurt

It was only into town and back, about 8 miles, but it felt SOOOO good!

I'm going to have to get a few more rides in before i'm involuntarily out of action again in February

Your knee hurts, pah! take a look at mine in 2008



and no that is not a breast that has slipped :?

Hurt like hell, way more than the girly torn ligament in 2009

FeynmanC

OUCH! What the hell is that?

To be fair, the knee has been OK since before chrismas, when my arse fell out (literally :oops:) and i've got to have the op to fix it.

itboffin

FeynmanC wrote:

OUCH! What the hell is that?

To be fair, the knee has been OK since before chrismas, when my ars* fell out (literally :oops:) and i've got to have the op to fix it.

that my friend is 30ml of fluid on the knee, even after a dozen draining sessions still refilled in a couple of hours, in the end I whacked it hard with a spray can, next day - gone!

cjcp

@ITB/Attica - nice work, chaps. Think my century challenge attempt isn't even going to get off the ground. Can't make it out today.

@Fenymanc - good stuff on getting out.