Category Archives: Cycling

Try a ride today.

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14°C, light showers later. No rides for over a week now. That cold turned into a bit of a chest infection. Typical After vast amounts of sleep, I will try to shift the remains of this cough with a short ride.

later: Rode Fixed-Distance: 19.27mi, time: 01:13:23, pace: 3:48min/mi, speed: 15.8mi/h. http://mapmyride.com/workout/582229249 image
Also, called in on Formby Cycles to oggle at the carbon racing bikes. There are quite a few at reduced prices that feel as though they weigh nothing. Be careful when you pick one up, they are so light you might fling them across the shop.

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Not the same this year.

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15C, sunny, wind has dropped.
Rode: 36 miles today. Things have changed this year. I ride more on work nights, but the usual surge of energy and enthusiasm has not taken over this time. Something has changed and I am feeling for what it may be.
Rosie leaving still seems the most likely reason. Annoyingly, I can’t be sure. The house feels wrong without a dog. There is no curious wet nose pressing at the gap as I open the door to come in. No-one to think of as I potter about the house, no daily visit to the local field. I don’t know how the juvenile oak tree getting on in the spring light.

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Aksium, first outing.

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15C, strong W. Many showers.
Cycle, Racelite-8, Distance: 41.41mi, time: 02:49:30, pace: 4:06min/mi, speed: 14.66mi/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/565813479
First ride on new wheels. Even in the first few miles, it was obvious they are lighter. Most striking is the quicker acceleration. Stiffness was reasonable, though some flex showed while climbing. I have yet  to find a wheel that does not rub the rear brakes when I am out the saddle.
These Aksium wheels feel better than the previous Campagnolo pair.
The rims are slightly deeper but I noticed no pulling in today’s strong cross wind.
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Best without wind.

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Cycle fixed: Distance: 55.6mi, time: 03:27:33, pace: 3:44min/mi, speed: 16.1mi/h. On 42×16.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/557777869
On low rolling lands and light wind you can find perfect single-speed bike conditions. Even the hills don’t seem as intimidating as on a windy day.
Tendonitus flared up yesterday during a long drive. It does seem to get aggravated by long periods of sitting still. Three and a half hours of cycling has soothed most of it away. Odd how that happens.
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This Laburnum at work is in full bloom, whereas mine at home shows no yellow at all. Perhaps view are different varieties. I know not.
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What’s in the box?

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3C, sunny and still.

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Been shopping? For the first time in about 20 years, I have bought a new pair of wheels for a racing bike. Previously, all the wheels I have, were built using hubs with replacement rims. Sometimes, the bearings needed renewing, sometimes just packing with grease. They can be re-used many times so the layout cost can be spread over a decade.
The bike is quite old with its 8-speed cassette. So. I may have to fiddle with this wheel set which was designed for 11-speed gears. The local bike shop said they will work with 8-speed using two spacer washers.

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They are Mavic Aksium wheels. This rear hub is laced with 20 spokes, straight laced on the left, and 2-cross on the right. The front is all straight laced. Each spoke is a flat blade with no bend, which is the point where they might break. I tend to break spokes.
The pair feel light to me and ring clearly when tapped. That should mean they are well built.
More later, I can’t fit them today anyway.
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New season.

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Cycling, Distance: 63.23mi, time: 04:25:43, speed: 14.3mi/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/535495432
First ride on the racing bike this year. It’s running as I left it, apart from new cables and bar tape. Though this tape looks all “retro”, it’s rather slippery compared to the spongy type on the other bikes.
The bottom braket still creaks, and the gear cables are a bit too short. Still, it was a great to ride; I always say that each spring.
Finally, there was no sign of the tendonitus that was a worry as recently as yesterday. Does that suggest that there is something about the winter bike that aggravates it? I have exercises to do which seem to help quite the problem with quick results.
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Clockwise.

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Fixed gear ride- Distance: 62.91mi, time: 03:59:48, pace: 3:49min/mi, speed: 15.7mi/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/520722496
Rode a fairly familiar route, but this time clockwise. Some junctions look quite different which is why I took a few wrong turns.

Descending Bannister Hill was a surprise, it looks so steep going down that tipping over the bars is quite possible.
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No Sunday ride.

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9C,hail, sun and showers.
No ride today- so I filled in a job application, chopped wood and fixed up the summer racing bike.
It’s not right though, the local bike shop put new bearings and free-hub, but it feels wrong. The axle is this enough but there is free play in the wheel when fitted into the drop-outs. I suspect that the free-hub is not the right one. The gear change seems okay, though I have wet to ride it.

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The garden is coming to life. After this coming week of frosts, I can plant all the bulbs. Tomorrow is said to be the coldest this year- and we’re out of winter now.

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Bats.

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Commute- Distance: 23.20mi, time: 01:34:58, pace: 4:06min/mi, speed: 14.6mi/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/506053223

A ride home through quiet country roads. I saw many things, mist forming in the corners of fields, the setting sun, stars appearing, Jupiter, and bats.
The first ones were notable in the corner of my eye, but then one flew in front. It flitted in before me as I rode at about 15mph. There it was, for about 10 seconds before escaping across the hedge.
That made my day.
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