A week last Saturday did a group ride. I'm not a great fan of peloton riding but it was enjoyable and so easy when a group shares the effort!
On Saturday last I decided I needed a challenge instead and went solo out towards the N. York Moors. With a slight tail wind progress was good after negotiating the York city centre and I got my average speed to 24 km/h (it was also my Elemt Bolt's maiden voyage) by the foot of White Horse Bank. On the way up I was passed by cars and a line of about 12 motorbikes. I could have done without that - the air quality plummeted as the fossil-fuel burners passed me.
Once at the top I had a fine undulating route before the long descent into Helmsley. With my gears I pedal out at 56km/h but by lowering my profile as much as I could I did manage 64 for some of it. The old British Eagle tracks beautifully at that speed. Helmsley was deserted apart from the car-tourists and I was the only cyclist.
Unfortunately the breeze had stiffened considerably and my return trip would be into the teeth of it but it was all good training! The worst of it was the appalling road surfaces - I am going to miss cycling in France
![Sad :(](/forum/Smileys/classic/sad.gif)
It's great to have a decent cycle gps/computer and watch the metres stack up as you climb (1013 in 109.9 km); next I will try it on the Roberts and see how much difference a lighter bike makes.