10°C, sunny.
Won on ebay, this unused hub for a Campagnolo 8-speed cassette. The splines are all the same size which would be a clue for an expert. But me, I don’t know what model it is. I only need the bearings and free-hub from it. The hub is of no use, it is drilled for 28 spokes only.
14°C, sun, cloudless.
Rode Racelite: MapMyRide! Distance: 35.95mi, time: 02:12, speed: 16.4mi/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/262780484
A day of firsts, first ride in shorts, first without a helmet, first butterfly in the garden, first bumble-bees. All that work on that bike has succeeded. Before setting off, I took the bottom-bracket out and carefully re-fit. The ride was silky smooth.
BTW: if I count the rides, this year to now, it’s over 1,200 miles.
No signs of any frogs. yet.
17°C, strong SW wind.
The crank that gave so much trouble yesterday did hold today. At home, I tightened with all my strength and took a rest before adding another eighth of a turn. It held through quite a vigorous ride home, 33 minutes is about as east as that route can be.
Relief.
10~16°C, windy with sun.
The bike felt good, to start with. I had to stop to adjust the saddle and then found the front brake loose. It was only tightened a few turns. Okay then for the next 4 miles. There is a big hill half-way, and this loosened the left crank. That damned bike shop didn’t finish the service properly.
Then the journey got really annoying. I tried 2 garages, a builder’s merchant, a plumber’s and even a bloke in a lorry. No-one had a 7mm Allen key. Everyone had 6 and 8mm keys (like I had).
I got there in the end, late. Not sure whether there is any permanent damage to the left crank. Those things are not cheap.
16°C, sun +rain showers. Sunday Ride tracked with MapMyRide! Distance: 27.40mi, time: 01:47 speed: 15.2mi/h. http://mapmyride.com/workout/259040208 Good, if rather short ride. Heavy marking work-load, you see. The Racelite feels mighty fine, bar the bb noise. lodger has a pet.
My lodger has a new pet. It looks healthy enough, but that vivarium seems a bit small to me.
Did I ever tell you how much I hate marking? But then everybody grumbles about their job.
10°C, N wind, hardly any rain.
Racelite ride with MapMyRide! Distance: 39.04mi, time: 02:36:44, http://mapmyride.com/view_route?r=5992020101417664513
First time out this year. The new headset makes it feel great on corners, smooth and accurate. There was a growing clicking from the bottom bracket which could be felt through the pedals by the end. Strange because that bearing is quite new. Nevermind, it was excellent ride where spring is just about given the all-clear to go. Very late but it’s here, just.
…miles to Easter…
the total so far:
Fixed gear 280 miles.
Arrow: 700.5 Miles.
Racelite: 0.0
Not matched the usual thousand miles by Easter. Okay, so Easter is early this year and I lost 2 week’s worth because of bad weather and illness. This is the first time this has happened that I can remember.
-2° to +7°C, E wind, clear.
Lancashire: with MapMyRide! Distance: 57.2mi, speed: 14.8mi/h. http://mapmyride.com/view_route?r=5025384110261010433
Well, that was much easier. In comparison to the ride on Friday; faster, further and easier. All that on the fixed too. Traffic was light, either because it was Easter Sunday or fewer tourists in cold weather.
Bannister Hill has turned into a standard to measure myself with. I got up the climb with a slight, chilly head-wind. A descending cyclist shouted “nearly there!” while I was pulling the last steep bit.. That actually doeshelp on the last 100 yards. You know, the bit where your legs are burning along with the back of your arms and traps.
4C,cold light snow showers.
Rode in Leicestershire with MapMyRide! Distance: 51.22mi, time: 03:44:45, http://mapmyride.com/view_route?r=9110435700007763969
Dry but Derby lane was impassable because of snow drifts. Other cyclists warned me about the route, but the northern end of the road was clear. So, I turned in. Snow has drifted where there were no fences and wind had blown straight off the fields. I walked the bike over the crunchy snow/ice; bemused.
That dreadful easterly wind has eased too. Shame I didn’t get photo, but it was too cold to stop.
A great way to start the Easter holiday. 51 miles has left me all warm, right through a night that reached -4C.
All is well. Today, I will take the winter bike in for a service so will ride the fixed for the next week.
3° +3°C, brisk, cold easterly. fizzy legs: missed my big week’s ride, no turbo time either. But at least the bulk of that marking mountain is demolished.
Micycle 