Category Archives: Cycling

Stiff link

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Bike chain and chain tool on the ground

Bike chain and chain tool on the ground (Photo credit: londoncyclist)

12°C, grey with some drizzle CR:46 miles.

It’s never simple is it? Spend the morning finishing the bike service and it runs sweetly while hanging from a rope in the shed. Have lunch then set off on a ride to dodge the rain clouds. Next comes the bit I still don’t understand- the chain develops a stiff link. How can that happen, unprovoked after 6 miles? I stopped a few times to try to free it, but only to give up and turn back for home. The return ride was rather crunchy as the chain skipped across the adjacent gears. By the time I got home, my knees hurt.

I decided to thoroughly defeat this one and removed the links either side and insert a fresh piece of chain. I have, remember, only put this chain on yesterday. Okay, done, the bike ran reasonably smoothly for the rest of the day. I still can’t adequately explain how a link can stiffen up after only a few miles on a new chain.

Bike servicing: Indexing

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8°C, grey. CR:34 miles

Ordered spares for the winter bike last week. Yesterday was the promised delivery day. No phone call, so I went in this morning. The parts have not arrived. “They’re made in Japan and haven’t arrived on the ship yet”. That’s such an old excuse, I’ve heard it so many times over the years. Presumably there are still open orders from the days I lived in Bristol. The ship will never come in.

Spent all afternoon servicing the race bike. It’s had an on-going problem for years- indexing the gears has been poor. I was very close to a per-d’oing moment- on opening the rear bearings it looked as if the whole thing would spring apart and be impossible to re-assemble. It seems to be okay now after fiddling with sticky grease and poking about with old spokes used like a chop-sticks. It still doesn’t index perfectly even now. Tomorrow, I shall probably try replacing some of the outer sheaths.

Finally, I got my thousand miles done, only just, I might add. It’s a standard that I have hit each year for the last 25 years. Actually, the figure is somewhere around 1,150 this time. 2011 had a very late Easter, so I clocked up 1400 miles that time. Check the cycle-computers again in the morning.

Goodnight.

cold shirt

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9° to 4°C, rain then cleared

I didn’t mind the ride to work in the rain, it fell a little thicker than drizzle & blew my road speed downwards. However, I was comfortable. The heated pipes that can be relied on to dry my clothes, ran less hot as we approach the start of spring. Putting on a wet, cold shirt in preparation for the journey home is the bit I react to. It’s a kind of physical jolt from the part of us that does reflex actions. It only took about 3 miles before body warmth raised the temperature of the water that had soaked through every layer of clothing this morning. Body heat is good at that, and you generate more of it at speed.

Two weeks on

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9°C, sunny. CR56 miles

After 12 days I am recovered. Today’s ride was far better than I expected, I have lost less form though gained some weight (it seems). Anyway, spring is in the air, flowers out and the sunshine bright enough to show up how much cleaning is required.

Infamy, infamy, everyone’s got it in for me.

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-1 to 3°C. Clear, CA:43 miles

Three hour ride today. I really needed this one for its de-stress effects. The start was hard though, legs felt empty and riding hills was a disproportionate effort. I don’t really know what caused that so I rode along puzzling over plausible causes. Was that the stress causing the weakening too? I will never know, but it’s possible. It’s also possible that last night’s supper was guilty- too much cheese and not enough of the usual carbos.

Here we are, a new week. This one comes with a dark cloud hanging over it however. Maybe that will clear on Thursday.
Maybe not.

High Moor, Parbold

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9°C, drizzle. CK:40 miles

I normally hate riding in the rain so this ride was remarkable. The mild air, relief from strong winds and a strong desire for a good ride drew me out. The route included High Moor from Parbold up that steep climb which I have been up before. I have not made it to the top on the single-speed though, but for some reason today I ground on. There is a slight relaxation of the incline about half way up so I stared at that. Once I passed it, the effort didn’t reduce, but it did cease to increase, which was good enough. The last part just before the crest involved pulling on the pedals in addition to weaving. Weaving does decrease the incline slightly.
It seems a double victory to get to the top without any foot-down stops- I am heavier (14st 9), the wet, and my ankle problem which decided it was a good day.

I now have feet that feel considerably better than before. A very good day out in the rain.

There is a fly in the house- what are they doing here in early January?

Boxing day

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10°C, sun & strong wind. CK:57 miles

Good Christmases have to include a good bikeride, this one was despite the wind. It was warm (relatively) so much that I sneaked into a farm to use a standpipe to replenish my water bottles. Several recent rides have been spoilt by dehydration so I’m keeping on top of that. Using a 42×17 gear felt just right too. My troublesome tendon is  not noticeable when riding without overshoes. Those things put too much pressure on that achilles tendon. A good day followed by deep sleep.

no white Christmas

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5°C, rain & warming. CK26 miles

Decent ride around Lancs in the gloaming. The new Armadillo tyre seems fine. Naturally, I’m wary of tough, puncture resistant tyres but there are many punctures to be had in Lancs- especially on those cycle-tracks near Southport. Puncture resistant tyres have, in the past, given a harder ride & are prone to skids. They don’t even offer any real reduction in punctures.
Today’s ride tested them reasonably well on slimy roads with black clay mud in Lancs lanes. I felt no wheel-spin or skittishness on corners.
Interesting how two rides can contrast. Sunday, I rode 33 miles and was pretty worn out at the end. Contrast that with today’s outing. Fewer miles, yes but finished feeling refreshed and warm all day. It’s not good to miss more than 2 days’ exercise.

Tomorrow is to be warmer- possibly 12°C and no rain. What a contrast with last year!