Hills in rain.

Posted on 20th Feb 2016 by essiep

I rode Fixed with MapMyRide+! Distance: 34.53mi, time: 02:25:45, pace: 4:13min/mi, speed: 14.21mi/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/1352912209
That was an early one, 8am start; which is unusual for me in February.

This rain marks the start of a long finger of wet weather that stretches thousands of miles across the Atlantic. It’s one of those dreadful fronts that runs parallel to the wind direction bringing non-stop rain for days and days.
That was the bad bit. The good bit was the hill climbs. Two this time.

The biggest spike is Bannister Hill; the one before- the village of Dalton. I can’t recall ever doing both climbs in the same ride.
I got home feeling pretty good too.
Note to self:1, take more early morning rides.
2, learn how to make my own flaplack.

Clieves-Eight, x2

Posted on 18th Feb 2016 by essiep

7°C, brisk SW, mostly clear with some showers.
I rode Fixed Paddy-Wagon with MapMyRide+! Distance: 9.60mi, time: 36:30, pace: 3:48min/mi, speed: 15.78mi/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/1350870575

Not much time, so had a quick blast with the fixed. Cold wind blew from the southern approaches, on a short one, that doesn’t really figure.
Today has not been an example of a well used day. This ride did blow the cobwebs away. Without cycling, I would have lost my marbles long ago.

Quicker

Posted on 14th Feb 2016 by essiep

I rode The Jake with MapMyRide+! Distance: 18.33mi, time: 01:26:13, pace: 4:42min/mi, speed: 12.75mi/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/1345027265
Much faster today. The puddles are shrinking and surfaces firmer. In response, I put the hammer down. This north east wind is piercing though. It eats through your clothes and bites your skin underneath.
I did set off with the intention of riding the ‘cross. The fixed gear Paddy Wagon has a flat rear tyre. So it seemed series, at the time, to jump on the Jake.

Cross the Moss.

Posted on 13th Feb 2016 by essiep

I rode The Jake with MapMyRide+! Distance: 16.50mi, time: 01:33:42, pace: 5:41min/mi, speed: 10.57mi/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/1342875599
Very squidgy, the back wheel was all over the place.

The rear wheel slid all over the place. Sometimes the front too, but I stayed upright. With a few more weeks of this cold bright weather, the mud could thin.

Favourite route, 1 st. Lighter.

Posted on 7th Feb 2016 by essiep

I rode Fixed. with MapMyRide+! Distance: 51.99mi, time: 03:42:53, pace: 4:17min/mi, speed: 13.99mi/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/1337951053
Climbed Bannister Hill for the first time in ages, possibly six months. Last time I went up weighing about a stone more. It still felt hard though, but my lungs didn’t feel as though they were about to turn inside out.

A very satisfying day’s ride.

First proper Sunday 50.

Posted on 31st Jan 2016 by essiep

9°C, no rain but very wet roads, minor flooding in places. Storm Henry is brewing up.
I rode Arrow with MapMyRide+! Distance: 49.59mi, time: 03:44:52, pace: 4:32min/mi, speed: 13.23mi/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/1329584081

I’ve worked hard today. Up before five, catalogued more LPs, marked for 4 hours, then rode all afternoon.

First proper Sunday ride of ’16. Windy, wet roads often covered in mud. The average speed is quite low and it all felt like wading through treacle. Another week to build up should improve on that. I have lost form during the previous fortnight. With patience and effort, I can pull it back soon.
Easter is early this year, so the question remains, will I get the usual 1 thousand miles done in time?

Found a new cafe today in Shackerstone. Well, new to me it is. The place was empty; these places do struggle in January each year. However, the guy running it was very amiable and probably appreciated some company. I shall go back in the next few months. It will probably fill with steam train people in the summer. The coffee smelt good but I opted for tea, can’t risk disrupted sleep.
I took no photos today, so here’s one from yesterday:

What are you doing in my kitchen, it’s still January?
I carefully lifted her off with a piece of paper, then put her in the first place I could think of- a Spider plant pot.

Try cyclocross they said…

Posted on 30th Jan 2016 by essiep

6°C, sunny with moderate SW. very muddy all over.
I rode The Jake with MapMyRide+! Distance: 17.43mi, time: 01:52:19, pace: 6:27min/mi, speed: 9.31mi/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/1327847005
Endless deep mud. It makes the going quite slow. The worst stretches returned an average 8 mph. It was tremendous fun though. That was the first outing on the ‘cross. Some stretches were such a quagmire that I had to jump off and run. There was lots of side slipping and the ever present threat of a cold water dunking in the canal.

Need to clean this better.

Slime tubes work in an interesting way. I pulled the cross bike out to find flat rear tyre. Slime tubes will self seal if you put some pressure in. Even better, if you can find the leak, you can see green blood bubbling out. The trick is to turn the wheel so that the leak is at the bottom. That way, the slime inside the tube will seep towards the puncture.
As I have been ill recently, the bike has stood still for a few weeks. This is a problem because if you spin a wheel, it feels very unbalanced. The slime has probably gathered at the bottom and added weight there.

By the way, I’m fully recovered.

Kona, 1 year.

Posted on 24th Jan 2016 by essiep

One year ago, I bought my Kona Jake. Remember how excited I was? In that time, I clocked up almost 1,000 miles on it add have no regrets about the choice. I clearly remember those nervous outings on slimy surfaces. Contrast that with improved bike handling now. It’s a transferable skill, I ride the commuting bike on muddy lanes less cautiously these days. There’s justification for a CX bike in anybody’s stable.

A good purchase.

Weekend at home.

Posted on 16th Jan 2016 by essiep

-2°C, clear, rain has frozen, treacherous outside.
Snow is coming. Today could be a brief window where I can grab a ride between melting ice and the predicted snowfall. This week’s milage is low, and despite a one mile swim on Thursday, I am restless. Very restless.
This bad tempered, fidgety feeling is exacerbated by work stress.

Take an novice out.

Posted on 10th Jan 2016 by essiep

I rode Fixed with MapMyRide+! Distance: 20.00mi, time: 01:43:19, pace: 5:10min/mi, speed: 11.61mi/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/1302994541
I’m a gap between storms, I took young (12 years old) E. out on his new bike.

For him, this was his first adventure on his new Christmas bike.
It’s only right since it was my idea to buy it for Christmas, and to spend this much. We took a route avoiding big roads without cycle tracks. Other roads had usable footpaths he could use. Some roads, this was not possible, so I rode behind, slightly outside in a guard position.
It was quite obvious that cars treated us differently to single, adult cyclists. They waited patiently and from further back when trying to pass.
The ride length was just about right. He got tired on the return leg, but wouldn’t get off and walk the last significant hill.
He’s been enthusing about it since.

Micycle

Mike thinks b/hikes

Category Archives: Cycling