Category Archives: Cycling

Puncture!

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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.

3rd of three.

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11°C, brisk SW, low sun & bright

Low sun.

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.

Mustang service.

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12°C, light offshore breeze, dry & grey

Mustang,

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.

Storm Amy.

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Kona Jake, 14°C, gales S. Some squally showers

Slow in the headwind.

Storm Amy has just blown over and is moving north up the Irish sea. The are fewer squally showers than this morning but those last ones were just as violent. On the bike, it feels like the rain is going into one ear and out through the other. Back home now,.it feels like I’ve ridden twice the 24 km shown above.

October ride.

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17°C, growing S wind, dry though.

Stranded

This van obviously dropped a wheel off the tarmac which drops away to ditches on both sides. The driver was still sitting inside, perhaps waiting for rescue.

Further on, I stopped an artic coming out of a farm who looked like he was turning towards the van. I warned him off that route and then rode off. A car pulled up and they told me the lorry had  turned down towards the stranded van. We laughed, imagining the inevitable foul up. Oh dear.

103km: Rivington-Aughton & back

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25°C strong sun & easterly 10 mph

My legs said ‘go’, so I went. Average speed started out low at 20kph into the headwind then the hills. Horrocks Hill was first (Bannister Lane) and then you drop back down to Coppul. Then it’s Up to Irvington for the café stop.  Coming back I took the back descent to Parbold.

Does not include the return 20km.

What an exceptional day. Perfect weather (25°C full sun). The bike was good but lacked the lower gears. If this Campa transmission should play up, I may put the Tiagra 10spd on instead.

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Bannister Hill is 13%

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22°C, light W 10mph, strong sun.

I chose this route partly to find the actual gradient. My GPS Speedo does report gradients (along with other stuff like temperature). After riding up this hill for 15 years, I finally know its gradient.

I’ve had an excellent cycling week. As you can see, my weekly target was met.

The first number is my record and the second – my target. 162.4 km is set because it’s 100 miles.