The mist that never gets closer . That ride time is long thanks to a puncture half way. Thanks.
Morning commute
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Category Archives: Gravel
Busy day and an airshow.
Up early, as I do in high summer. This was the fastest yet, helped by using proper running shoes. Ideally, I’d like a.oair that are a big less squishy and more springy. I don’t need to build stamina this way, it’s all about building resilience in my legs.
Watched the airshow for a while. From the back garden, Hawker Hurricane, then at the seawall: Mig 15. Then ride through the brown and stopped to see a P51 Mustang. That was great, I loved the sound. It makes a whirring as well as the clattering rumble from the 27 litre engine. It looked fine in silver and red livery.
Sounds ideal this; spent the afternoon killing around on the grass in the garden. The deep cerulean blue sky was perfect and unblemished. Occasionally, it was cut by a vapour trail or a pair of buzzards. Eventually, I rode back home. This time, the route was mostly towpaths and then gravel. Near the end, I grew tired of the vibrations, especially the last 5 miles. I shall sleep deeply.
Five in a row
Summary for the week. Warming up after a cool weekend. Strong sun and little rain.
Ridden the Zing, Jake and the Paddy Wagon this week. The first day felt hard and was rather disheartening, but as the week wore on – it felt more natural. I’ve worked away most weekends on DofE so that has interrupted my cycling habits.
Rides were 36.1+ 51.7+27.9+ 21.5+32.6 = 169.8km
So that’s 104 miles in 5 days. I’m happy with that even with the low pace of several.
Some repairs are pending. My summer road shoes are falling out of shape, the left tends to tilt my foot outwards which then changes the whole leg. My left knee sweeps outwards with each stroke and lowers the prower into the pedal that side. Those Carnac shoes are ancient, I’ve forgotten when I bought them, probably in the 90s. A new pair are on order.
Secondly, the headset on the Jake cross bike has gone notchy so I’ll get replacement races soon too. Next problem is lubrication in gear cables. Muc-off lube tends to dry up quickly making gear changes hit & miss. I’m going to try a heavier grade of oil. Maybe confine the thin dry lube to the shifter mechaisms.
New gravel routes.
18°C, Kona Jake, full sun with a light SW breeze.
Sought out several new gravel routes across farm lands. This was very fine.
The shoes feel much better than the road pair. The Carnacs I use with Look pedals seem to be distorting out of shape. The left one, especially has a twist that effects the pedal stroke.
Grey, gloomy November.
9°C, mist and drizzle higher up. Still.
It felt cold in he damp air today. Nominally, 9°C should be comfortable but not so today. Higher up, near High Moor there was light rain too. I need to fit another water bottle, I was so dehydrated by the time I got home.
Now the speedometer is playing up again. The speed often read double what it should be and he distance was about 30% below. I will have to replace it. This time, it will not be wireless.
1 day warmup
9°C, brisk W
4 days without a ride and feeling frustrated and fidgety. A short blast is such a good way to clear that feeling.
I’ve had an annoying time with repairs not working out well:
- Fit new chain but it skips on the old cassette – so changed it.
- Spare cassette also skips so must be worn out too.It’s been in storage for years.
- Decided to pull out the commuting/gravel bike and it has a puncture.
- Eventually went out on the commuter with its gravel wheels.
- 2 cassettes and 1 chain binned. Replacements ordered.
The problem is keeping track of how old componants are on bikes when you have 6. It was easier when I only had 2 or 3 bikes. Now it seems like a cluster of repears have come together.
Two rides
15°C, sunny with a brisk SW.
Sunday: pulled the bike out and found the front tyre flat. I decided to swap to the gravel wheels and take in some non-road routes. Though the distance is no big deal, the time reveals a decent day out.
Tuesday: fixed the puncture and put the road wheels back in. The fault was a punch puncture. I did find fitting the tyres rather difficult.
Friday the 13th
Damp but some sun. Light SW wind, 11°C.
November is normally the wettest month here, this year is no different. There is lots of surface water around and nowhere for it to drain in this flat landscape. I rode the Mustang with its Marathon tyres. Before setting off, I bloew the pressures up and that makes more difference to handling than with any other tyre. The last ride felt like the brakes were on. I have mixed feelings about those tyres.
Grrr, bark, woof!
15°C, strong WSW but mostly dry. 40+mph gusts. Rather grey.
What a miserable morning! We’ve has 3 days of rain which left me with so much pent up energy in my legs. This ride cleared it.
The Speedo didn’t wake up today. It has a remote sensor on the fork that sends a signal to the unit via a radio link, it’s wireless. I suspect that the sensor’s battery has failed.
‘Cross and 3 punctures.
15°C, light S wind, dry but for rain in the last mile.
A ride ruined. I stopped after 2 miles with a soft tyre to blow it back up. 2 miles later, it had lost pressure as I got onto the gravel section. The inner tubes are slime filled which seals punctures but I was thought the valve was bunged up. It certainly looked green (the colour of the slime).
Eventually, I took the tube out and found 2 needle-like thorns. Okay, 1 more try… No better. Being 10 miles from home, I put a normal tube in. Meanwhile the clouds loomed dark.
I’m now taking a break at home because I’m having troubles finding the holes to patch.
Micycle 