Kona Jake, 6°C, light NE, dry & grey.
Kona Jake: good conditions & I wore a layer less than yesterday. 6°C is exactly average for the end of December, colder weather will come soon. I’ve lowered the seat by nearly 5mm, a good idea. Thicker winter clothes make this necessary.
Anyway, recovery is going well if somewhat masked by winter conditions. We’ve got two months of this to go.
Kona Jake: cold 6°C, brisk SE, sunny & dry.
Three weeks off due to a long heavy cold with a persistent cough. There were times with fever and others when it seemed never ending. The turning point was during our holiday in Mallorca. The hotel has a good gym which I used several times a day.
Now I’m back. I’ve lost form (as you’d expect) and ended with a dry cough. Oddly, riding I felt the weight on my arms & shoulders. I thought I’d worked upper body in that gym. It’s going to take a good month to come back.
Was it COVID?
15°C, rain & strong gusts.
Been ill for all month so far. Heavy cough/cold and sometimes – running a temperature.
14°C, mostly dry and sunny, strong SW wind.
Mustang: I’ve loaded the Coospo page since I made a mistake with Mapmyride and didn’t start it properly.
The Mustang is going well. It has a good solid feel and at the same time, the handling is light at the front. The result is a feeling of confidence. On the other hand, the brakes are heavier.
Mustang, 15°C, moderate SE wind. Light cloud & dry.
Lots of miles this week, over 140 miles.
15°C, grey, dry & warm. There’s a brisk S wind from the Azores.
Mustang, I’ve taken the rack off and was surprised how much it weighs. I’d swear that the bike rides lighter now. Anyway, I had a very nice ride despite the dull sky.
It had everything today, muddy lanes, fast open lanes, steep climbs & a section of canal towpath.
I enjoyed that ride thoroughly. Right to the end, I had plenty of energy but daylight was running out as was the charge in my front light. Just 100m from home, the light went out.
11°C, early heavy shower that turned sunny. Strong SW.
Started at 10am in good sunshine. Encouraged by a decent forecast I got the Racelite out. Only 15′ later, it was obvious that I had the wrong bike. For a while, that rain was heavy, not good on a bike 25c tyres & no mudguards.
Nevermind, it brightened up half an hour later. I went up Bannister Hill but had a problem descending the other side. A small puddle hid a pothole. Seconds later, the rear wheel was flat down to the rim. That’s probably the only puncture I’ve had this year.
11°C, brisk SW, low sun & bright
Frequent but easy rides this week. It’s half term & I’m pretty free to choose when to go. The early sunsets are very apparent. I checked there was plenty of charge in the lights this time.
It’s almost November and conditions are good for the summer bike. Remarkable.
11°C, brisk NW, rain getting heavier.
Three days since the last ride, and despite the weather, I went anyway. The Mustang rides well although quite heavy. It feels light at the front, quite racy really.
12°C, light offshore breeze, dry & grey
Most of today was a much needed service for the Mustang. To Start with, it was filthy and neglected. So I started with a deep clean and lubrication. The chain was badly stretched so I put a KMC 8 on and then the gears skipped. That means the cassette is worn too. I do have a spare 12-28 so that went on. It’s meant as a stopgap (but I may keep it).
Then I did a longer test ride (10 miles) and it runs nicely except for a creaking saddle.
Micycle 