Have you been out today?

[Socks]

I had a bit of a John Shuttleworth moment in an Alston café. Halfway through my cheese cake little Joe declared that he didn’t want his black pudding after all.  Having already eaten mine I knew it was an excellent black pudding but I couldn’t go back to savoury after my sweet.  I’m still quite sad about it.

 Can't go back to Savoury - a classic Shuttleworth song.

[orienteer]

Having my first attempt at a group ride this year rained off on Sunday, I finally got out today in a group of six, having selected the Bridgestone from my Moulton collection.

Starting in Uxbridge we made our way via suburban back roads and park tracks to Brent Valley Golf Course for coffee, then more of the same via Pitshanger Park and Ealing down to The Globe in Brentford for lunch. At one point we had to ride through a deep puddle but just managed to keep feet dry.

Then back along the Brentford branch of the GU Canal before turning west back to Uxbridge, where we got caught up in the school run traffic.

Thirty miles, the longest ride this year, the legs fairly empty by the end but immensely satisfying.

[T42]

First ride this month, weather promised cloudy but dry. Set out, got heartily pissed upon and soaked through on first climb, went home. 8.5 km.   

[cycleman]

Windsor, bray maidenhead Riverside and home
About 14 miles 

[T42]

50k round trip via localish patisserie. Annoying wind.  Rain forecast for pm so went home again.

[nobby]

21km for coffee and pastry and I am noticing that the happy times are going.
There are more dodgy drivers back out on the road.
I am usually getting 3 foot of so of clearance by overtakers but two today misjudged the speed of the vehicle coming towards them and cut me up to get back in.

[The Family Cyclist]

Last night 42km. Due to being rather busy not made it out on the Thursday rides for a while so seemed so much darker. The wind had abated and wasn't as cold as I expected. Was a lovely evening for it and generally very enjoyable. Roads seemed very quiet. Saw lots of deer and two barn owls in about 30 seconds. Towards the end of the ride was extolling dynamo lights as several of the group had lights run flat but had enough spares between us to get everyone home lit.

[rogerzilla]

About 45 miles the meandering way to Cirencester and back.  Probably the last racing bike outing this year.  It got a bit spattered.

[MattH]

Good to see you are able to ride now & having some fun on the Trice.

Yes, it is good to be able to ride again. Probably be OK on my other bikes now, but this gives extra confidence in not needing to do quick unclips or ungainly loading of my leg on sudden stops.

Went out again today, proper ride (albeit only 20km) around the lanes between Sherfield and Silchester. Riding with my copilot, Mac, now I've built a frame to mount on the pannier rack and properly support his "pet palace" motorcycle bag. He's nearly blind now, but loves coming out with us especially as I can talk to him as we go.



(should this be in "I carried this on my bike"?)

[BFC]

Good to see you are able to ride now & having some fun on the Trice.

Yes, it is good to be able to ride again. Probably be OK on my other bikes now, but this gives extra confidence in not needing to do quick unclips or ungainly loading of my leg on sudden stops.

Went out again today, proper ride (albeit only 20km) around the lanes between Sherfield and Silchester. Riding with my copilot, Mac, now I've built a frame to mount on the pannier rack and properly support his "pet palace" motorcycle bag. He's nearly blind now, but loves coming out with us especially as I can talk to him as we go.



(should this be in "I carried this on my bike"?)

It may be an optical illussion or photographic effect, but the steering geometry on the left hand photo looks really bad.  Far too much toe out!

[MattH]

It may be an optical illussion or photographic effect, but the steering geometry on the left hand photo looks really bad.  Far too much toe out!

It is something odd in the photo. I saw that myself when I uploaded the photos, and went to check because I was sure it was OK and would have noticed it. Not sure it would even be rideable if it was as it looks there.

[markcjagar]

Had a little crash last Saturday on my way back from work because of the tram tracks in Hillsborough.

Not the first time and I'm sure it won't be the last...

I've taken it easy this week and rested my bashed and scraped left knee, until today, when I did 32km/550m around Bradfield & Strines.

The weather was nice and my new kit (base layer and 3/4 bibs) performed well.

It was pleasant but my knee had a few twinges towards the end. I'll have another couple of days off the bike and see how it feels on Wednesday.

[cycleman]

A Potter out to Dinton pastures with bjorn notp  . Back via Twyford 

[L CC]

Out on the tandem for the first time in too long.
It didn't rain, we didn't walk anything (some were >10%) & there were no domestics. Double plus good.

[Paul]

I've been a member of CTC (or whatever) since 2002, but yesterday was my first ride with them. I had a great time. 40 miles from Derby to a cafe in Denstone (Staffs, I think) and back (20 each way).

Great weather, lovely route and good company.

I'll do that again.

[robgul]

I've been a member of CTC (or whatever) since 2002, but yesterday was my first ride with them. I had a great time. 40 miles from Derby to a cafe in Denstone (Staffs, I think) and back (20 each way).

Great weather, lovely route and good company.

I'll do that again.

CTC? - You'll be wanting a pair of corduroy shorts and an Aertex shirt before you know it 

Rob

[Paul]

You say that, possibly with the benefit of experience, but yesterday 40% of the riders were women, and 40% of the bikes were aluminium or carbon and everyone was wearing lycra.

I was the only one with any canvas or leather.

I can’t believe it but I was the one dragging a CTC ride back into the 20th century!

[Kim]

You say that, possibly with the benefit of experience, but yesterday 40% of the riders were women

Yeah, but how many riders were called John?  It only passes the cycling Bechdel test when you have more women than Johns.

[Paul]

You say that, possibly with the benefit of experience, but yesterday 40% of the riders were women

Yeah, but how many riders were called John?  It only passes the cycling Bechdel test when you have more women than Johns.

There were no Johns!

[T42]

80-odd k, stiff NNE wind. Going with wind on right shoulder-blade was fun, going home wasn't.

Seen: three roe-deer belting along in the same direction as me, beautiful.  Also, in another field, a raven, a buzzard and a heron no more than 5 metres from each other and each keeping an eye on the other two. Cue Morricone, Il Triello...

[robgul]

About 35 miles pottering around locally - bit windy on the way home (into it) - another couple of weeks and I reckon I'll have to put away the red plastic machine and revert to the Van Nic Ti road machine for the winter, as well as the Orbea motorised machine for some rides.  Summer tourer already shrouded up and packed away until Spring.

[meddyg]

Gorgeous sunny morning in peripheries of Cardiff - since we're not permitted to stray off piste into Rhondda Cynon Taf or Vale of Glamorgan.
This is around north of Pentyrch and Creigiau - having started at St Fagan's. There was an Audax route ending near here (Glamorgan Gloom / Glory) and the last info checkpoint was 'who is the vicar of Pentyrch?' SO some of it at least was familiar.

(Let me know if you can't see these fotos - experimenting with imgbox.com)

[The Family Cyclist]

Our Thursday night ride numbers are plummeting with a direct correlation with darkness and cooler weather.

Only two of us last night so probably half the ride was on own down country lanes in the dark, not something I have done much of but enjoyed.

An early heavy shower was the only rain but the wet roads did the usual trick of reducing effectiveness of lights and with the mud all over them made descents a slower than usual pleasure.

Did get rather cold so skipped the offer of a beer as leaving the pub back into the cold was less tempting then a beer

Confused a bit on way home. Saw a single rear light in distance and was going to try and catch but was trying to wrk out why it was so bright. Then realised it was hopefully the local game keeper out after rabbits rather then any poachers. I doubt it was poachers. With the advances in night vision I can't imagine they would risk being that conspicuous

[Joe.B]

Out at 0700 this moring for a chilly 40 miler.  Loads of bikes out today, came across a Hase Pino and a BJ tandem too.

[Wowbagger]

You say that, possibly with the benefit of experience, but yesterday 40% of the riders were women

Yeah, but how many riders were called John?  It only passes the cycling Bechdel test when you have more women than Johns.

There were no Johns!

Oh! No Johns? No Johns?? No Johns??? No!!!! [/oxfordschoolmusicbook]