Author Topic: Have you been out today? (Read 3885843 times)

LittleWheelsandBig · « **Reply #22250 on:** 25 December, 2018, 05:32:19 pm »

https://www.letsride.co.uk/rides/cyclists-in-southwark-christmas-day-ride-2018

Jurek · « **Reply #22251 on:** 25 December, 2018, 05:44:35 pm »

Quote from: LittleWheelsandBig on 25 December, 2018, 05:32:19 pm

https://www.letsride.co.uk/rides/cyclists-in-southwark-christmas-day-ride-2018

Thanks for that.
I stand corrected.
I'd no idea..... (I'll be checking that out next year)
Shame you didn't hook up - hope you had a good ride regardless.

LittleWheelsandBig · « **Reply #22252 on:** 25 December, 2018, 05:50:45 pm »

The ride itself was mostly good fun, once we realised we'd never join the ride itself. HK and I have already heard most of our best stories (or were there at the time), so conversation might have been a little thin at lunch. I enjoy listening to some unfamiliar anecdotes.

Jurek · « **Reply #22253 on:** 25 December, 2018, 05:55:40 pm »

They sound suitably badly behaved - so what's not to like?

Paul · « **Reply #22254 on:** 25 December, 2018, 08:31:20 pm »

Quote from: Kev Sp8 on 25 December, 2018, 03:34:44 pm

Working 2-10pm today, so took the opportunity to do an extended commute in to work. 35 miles of very pleasant cycling on deserted roads and now focusing on post ride nutrition in an equally deserted office!

35 miles before 8 hours of anything sounds like a big day.
Hope you sorted your fuel and have a safe ride back.

Jurek · « **Reply #22255 on:** 26 December, 2018, 01:03:19 pm »

Just back from Southwark Cyclists Healthy ride - round a deserted City of London to check out some recent
art / sculptures.
Sedately paced.
Conditions of mildness.
Good to get out in the air.
Thank you, Werner, for leading.

Socks · « **Reply #22256 on:** 27 December, 2018, 03:10:52 pm »

We're staying at a cottage near Dalbeattie for few days so I took the chance of a 30 mile pootle along some quiet roads and a bit of sightseeing. Mild temperature, light wind and a bit of sunshine. The scenery at Auchencairn Bay and balcary point was lovely. And a well preserved old tower to climb up near Palnackie. Lovely area for cycling.

essexian · « **Reply #22257 on:** 28 December, 2018, 08:47:46 am »

Out yes, but not really out out....

I went out to Manchester to do 20 or so laps of the velodrome as part of my taster session. This was the second time I have been on a track so it was easier and more natural than the first time. The group was mixed abilities with some people not being able to get off of the infield, while others got up to the black line without any bother.

It is strange how after only 20 laps, or about 3 miles, how knackered you feel!

After the session there were riders doing some more advance track work.....nah, they were taking it far too seriously for me so when I go again, I'll simply go for the ride rather than trying to get a licence.

Its a shame that there isn't an indoor track in Birmingham or the West Midlands as getting to Manchester is a bit of a pain. Yes, I know there is a track in Derby, but it seemed not to have thought about putting on Taster Sessions over Christmas: the Manchester ones were sold out!

Kim · « **Reply #22258 on:** 28 December, 2018, 02:05:39 pm »

The great thing about the Derby one is they're positively enthusiastic^[1] about having their lap records broken by weirdos in funny-looking bikes. The other ones all seem to suffer from typical British Cycling style snobbery about it.

Having done it both ways, I've concluded that velodromes are much more fun when you can go fast enough to make proper use of the banking.

The not so great thing about Derby is that it involves Crosscountry trains.

_{[1] The BHPC are going back there on the 23rd of March. Bound to be entertaining.}

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #22259 on:** 28 December, 2018, 03:08:06 pm »

Not with dangly spaces though. At least, when I took a XC from Newport to Gloucester that was heading on to Derby, it was a smaller style with either tip-ups or corridor spaces. (Or was it going to Nottingham?)

Kim · « **Reply #22260 on:** 28 December, 2018, 03:36:49 pm »

Quote from: Cudzoziemiec on 28 December, 2018, 03:08:06 pm

Not with dangly spaces though. At least, when I took a XC from Newport to Gloucester that was heading on to Derby, it was a smaller style with either tip-ups or corridor spaces. (Or was it going to Nottingham?)

The Cardiff-Nottingham train is a Class 170; bikes slide in easily by the reveal-a-door-toilet, then you wonder why all the fold-down seats are broken.

There are a sufficiency of other Crosscountry services heading to points north-east that also get you from Mordor Central to Derby. These are Voyagers with the dangly spaces, and to be avoided.

The smart Kim gets the Nottingham train from University^[1], thereby beating the rush at Mordor Central.

_{[1] Surely the most arrogantly-named station in the UK?}

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #22261 on:** 28 December, 2018, 07:11:35 pm »

Quote from: Kim on 28 December, 2018, 03:36:49 pm

The smart Kim gets the Nottingham train from University^[1], thereby beating the rush at Mordor Central.

_{[1] Surely the most arrogantly-named station in the UK?}

I wonder how many tourists from ABROAD assume it's a sort of joint station for Oxford and Cambridge? Is it infested by hordes of American/Chinese/German visitors with outsize lenses searching disappointedly for bright young things in mortar boards?

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #22262 on:** 28 December, 2018, 07:14:05 pm »

Oh, this is the going out thread. I still haven't done that 200 but I did go out and get some shopping and it's a good sign that the tube held pressure. Only took me four tries to not pinch it.

That's what comes from lack of practice and then switching from nice floppy Rubinos to GP4S.

giropaul · « **Reply #22263 on:** 28 December, 2018, 10:50:56 pm »

Quote from: essexian on 28 December, 2018, 08:47:46 am

Out yes, but not really out out....

I went out to Manchester to do 20 or so laps of the velodrome as part of my taster session. This was the second time I have been on a track so it was easier and more natural than the first time. The group was mixed abilities with some people not being able to get off of the infield, while others got up to the black line without any bother.

It is strange how after only 20 laps, or about 3 miles, how knackered you feel!

After the session there were riders doing some more advance track work.....nah, they were taking it far too seriously for me so when I go again, I'll simply go for the ride rather than trying to get a licence.

Its a shame that there isn't an indoor track in Birmingham or the West Midlands as getting to Manchester is a bit of a pain. Yes, I know there is a track in Derby, but it seemed not to have thought about putting on Taster Sessions over Christmas: the Manchester ones were sold out!

Derby is, I’m led to believe, on financially sticky ground - hence Pantos etc in the circle. Coaches have no 360degree visibility of riders, so tasters are difficult.

Kim · « **Reply #22264 on:** 29 December, 2018, 02:28:04 pm »

Quote from: Giropaul on 28 December, 2018, 10:50:56 pm

Derby is, I’m led to believe, on financially sticky ground - hence Pantos etc in the circle. Coaches have no 360degree visibility of riders, so tasters are difficult.

It would also help if they didn't use whistles of the same type as used by people playing ballsports in the centre of the track, and then expect the cyclists to respond to them.

Blodwyn Pig · « **Reply #22265 on:** 30 December, 2018, 08:18:31 am »

Went out yesterday, did 57 km, that now brings my Dec total on 'my cycling log' to 857 km, my highest for 3 years ( since buying Olive ) . 2nd highest was August 2017 with 853 km. Olive is now just about 250 km short of 15,000 km (3 years).

rogerzilla · « **Reply #22266 on:** 31 December, 2018, 09:33:50 am »

It's warmish, still and dry here. I did a couple of errands first thing on the singlespeed, which no longer makes a clanking noise on taking up drive since I rebuilt the freewheel. I think it was a sticking pawl - components like this can sit on shop shelves for a decade before being sold and the lubricant goes gummy.

ElyDave · « **Reply #22267 on:** 31 December, 2018, 06:39:50 pm »

Annual diabetes consultant appt today, so rode to the station, train to Waterbeach and rode from there. Involved a couple of Cambridgeshire hills which were not good on the back, one out of the saddle effort which was not nice at all.

Heart rate a good 10 bpm higher than it should be for the speed and relatively benign conditions. Just over 50km done at an average about 25.5km/h. Fitness needs a bit more work. Neck/shoulders aching more than the back now. Need to think about the Mersea Oyster in 2 weeks.

Blood pressure was suprisingly good though at 113/71 sat down and 101/70 stood up, after having ridden there.

cycleman · « **Reply #22268 on:** 31 December, 2018, 08:52:21 pm »

Just some gentle pottering around slough. My right thigh mussel is painful but I will try and get a couple of miles in tomorrow.

Ashaman42 · « **Reply #22269 on:** 31 December, 2018, 08:57:14 pm »

Well only 8 miles but the first ride since the end of October. Would have been further but I left late and had to get home in order to go out again.

Still it blew the cobwebs out.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

Butterfly · « **Reply #22270 on:** 31 December, 2018, 11:03:25 pm »

I rode to the park, in order to keep up with the duck on his new scooter. Average of 4.4 mph, which isn't bad, especially with the amount of stopping and starting and avoiding pedestrians. His cruising speed is at least 5 mph I think.

cycleman · « **Reply #22271 on:** 01 January, 2019, 07:54:31 am »

there wiĺl be no stopping him now!

.

T42 · « **Reply #22272 on:** 01 January, 2019, 01:52:54 pm »

First of the year and first after a week off. Lumpy 48k, a not very fast 21 kph but who cares, it's better than staying in. Forecast was low cloud with no rain, which was about right for the first 20 k, then the 'no' went out the window. Thereafter it was kinda moist but there was a steady 20 kph westerly so I only got soaked on the one side. There was a rather measly tree down across the cycle track so I got off and tried to drag it aside but the branch I pulled on broke. Missus wondered later why I had mud between my shoulder blades.

Didn't see any other dyed-in-the-wool cyclists, but as I was approaching home I saw an entire family - Mum with youngest in trailer, Dad back with Junior on his own bike - struggling at about 4 miles/fortnight straight into the wind and rain. Undertones of 'why the f*ck did we have to get him a bike for Christmas?' but their hello was cheery enough.

Feeling somewhat languid now. Nice.

Jakob W · « **Reply #22273 on:** 01 January, 2019, 02:54:04 pm »

The local CTC group had organised an impromptu New Year's Day ride, but, despite the dry weather, I was the only person other than the ride leader to turn up. Still had a pleasant 20 mile loop through the lanes before popping into the supermarket to get some groceries and heading home. Felt my lack of fitness and surfeit of Christmas mince pies somewhat on the hills, but good to get out for a blow - the sun even made a brief appearance. 25 miles for the day; hopefully I can keep up the momentum for the year.

T42 · « **Reply #22274 on:** 01 January, 2019, 04:12:25 pm »

Quote from: Jakob W on 01 January, 2019, 02:54:04 pm

The local CTC group had organised an impromptu New Year's Day ride, but, despite the dry weather, I was the only person other than the ride leader to turn up. Still had a pleasant 20 mile loop through the lanes before popping into the supermarket to get some groceries and heading home. Felt my lack of fitness and surfeit of Christmas mince pies somewhat on the hills, but good to get out for a blow - the sun even made a brief appearance. 25 miles for the day; hopefully I can keep up the momentum for the year.

Crikey. Everything was shut here, even the pâtisseries.