2020 mileage, riding, days out update

[weeksy]

Out last night with my boss and another mate, over by Greenham Common way. Pace was comfortable for me, tough for them 2.... My boss set 3 KOMs, which i then stole all 3 from him when i uploaded my ride LOL... Ooops. I'm sure a P45 will be on the way today, there was some banter on Whatsapp last night about it.
Some great woods sections though that i really enjoyed lots along with some roadie plods upwards, which were OK as i was practicing lower cadence and standing up for them. Nice to ride with a mate or two that's for sure

[Slenver]

It may be quite boring, but I have a road route I quite like and have been doing the same one twice a week before work for a bit now. It's 25 miles and about as much as my old legs can manage, so it's useful in that I know I can make it so resist the urge to take a shorter way home. There's a fateful junction just past the halfway mark, and once I turn left then there's no shorter way back

I'd really like to up it to 3 times a week, reckon that'd make me continue to improve whereas now I've sort of plateaud.

I've set up Strava by dividing the entire route into 9 long, private segments so, rather than pointlessly trying to race fitter people over little sprints, I'm using it like sectors on a racetrack. It's partially successful, though Strava have clearly never thought of this use case and the screen is 99% empty as it's clearly expecting hundreds of other people to show up, and it also seems that my time is utterly dependent on that day's wind, but it's quite cool in its way.

[millemille]

Drove down to Cannock Chase this morning to meet up with a mate for a pedal around their red XC loop called the Monkey Trail.

https://www.cannockchasecyclecentre.co. ... ls_red.pdf

I ended up on me tod as said mate is more than a little slack when it comes to bike maintenance and preparation and his brand new chain and cassette - that I had to fit in the car park for him - wouldn't play ball with his very worn front sprocket.

Enjoyable spin, short switchback climbs and some fun little descents where the black DH runs cross or join the XC loop, but there was a certain frisson of anti e-bike sentiment from one or two Amish riders. To the point where I felt compelled to use [mention]Couchy[/mention]'s line on one of them and tell him that "maybe if he'd worked harder at school he could afford to buy one of these....".

[weeksy]

Do I have a faceplant emoji yet?

[formula400]

me and the wife did a 28.5km cycle today, went from north london down to and around brick lane, and back, nice and early to avoid any of the knobbers that were in London today.

looking forward to doing more, i want to go to Epping forest and see whats there.

also ordered some bibs to see what the fuss is about.

[weeksy]

Just under 50km today. Mostly trails. My lad was heading to Skate Park so i thought we'd all do a picnic and i rode the scenic/woods route and they drove the 8 miles.
2020-06-14_05-32-52 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

Ride was nice, the picnic was epic, i then went exploring on the way home taking in lots more woods.

Tired now !

[Dodgy69]

My mate puts them in the microwave.

[weeksy]

My mate puts them in the microwave.

I'm not carrying a bloody microwave

[formula400]

well Monday i went out with 2 mates and a cousin, first MTB I've done in 7/8 year's. At the start of lock down i picked my Boardman FS comp from my mums (where its sat for many years in her shed) and gave it new tyres and tubes.

So we headed to Peaslake and around that area, after about an hour my mates YT brakes locked on, both front and rear and had to go home.

all in all we covered 25km (loads of hill as the mate who was meant to show us around went as his bike was buggered)

Untitled by lewis wilson, on Flickr

loads of fun coming down the trails, there was some hard ones and even managed to get both wheels off the floor, but at the end of one i could smell was the brakes as toward's the end as it was crazy steep and a bit beyond me, but still loads of fun. i was just happy i was not the un fittest out of the 4 of us, plus my mates got an electric Cube, i had a go and its crazy, riding up hills, well its not really riding when its set to turbo.

looking forward to getting out more.

whats the best way to store my camelback water bag, to stop it getting mouldy and smelly???

the only hill i walked up

Untitled by lewis wilson, on Flickr

Untitled by lewis wilson, on Flickr

Untitled by lewis wilson, on Flickr

Untitled by lewis wilson, on Flickr

Untitled by lewis wilson, on Flickr

Untitled by lewis wilson, on Flickr

[millemille]

[mention]formula400[/mention] Milton sterilising tablets to de-clag camelbaks and water bottles.

I had intended to get an early start this morning for an epic, 2 battery, High Peak attack today. However, it was blowing a hoolie and pissing down at 05:30 so I went back to bed. Tried again at 08:30 and it was almost sunny and no rain.

Parked up at Cut throat bridge, where we parked before [mention]Couchy[/mention], and decided I'd do the big Ladybower and Mam Tor loop the "wrong" way round. I'd gone with the stupid fat 3" tyre fitted wheels, which initially on the sandy path up to the top of Whinstone Lee Tor were good fun.

Got round to the opposite side of the valley and started up Lockerbrook and the tyre choice showed it's shortcomings as there was no grip on the wet rocks that litter the peak district tracks. Nearly got run over by some knob head who thought half ten on a Sunday morning on a public bridleway was the best time to be practising his world cup downhill skills as I was grinding up. Stopped at Hagg Farm for a photo opportunity...



Down Hagg side, across Snake Pass and attempted to ride up The Beast. An exercise in frustration with those tyres, wheel spin and sliding everywhere. Got up to Hope Cross...



...and headed down Jaggers Clough towards Mam Tor and the great ridge on the horizon.



If you've ever seen the Channel 4 program intro's with the big chrome 4 robot thing then you may recognise the hills as this is where they filmed it.

Made it down to Edale and then turned off to head up to the top of Hollins Cross, but it was getting too steep and gnarly to ride, I was on my own and no-one else knew exactly where I was and low cloud and heavy rain were coming in so, discretion being the better part of valour, I turned round and started to head back down with intention of heading further North on the Edale valley road and then getting up to the top of Mam Tor.

But while coming down off Hollins Cross I got stuck in a deep rut and had a monumental pedal strike, ripped my foot off the pedal and smashed my leg into the frame and made my sphincter 5p/50p several times until I got back in control. Got back to the valley road and the motor was making an 'orribe noise whenever I put any force into the pedals. If you've ever cleaned a cement mixer by chucking a couple of bricks in it and letting it run you'd not be far off the mark.

Something in the motor had been monumentally fucked by the pedal strike so a very gentle road pedal the 10 miles or so back to the van followed.

The bike is now sitting on the naughty step and is, hopefully, thinking about what it has done....

[weeksy]

Eek that could be expensive!!!

[millemille]

Eek that could be expensive!!!

Hopefully the £250 full overhaul that performance line bearings offer will cover it.

[weeksy]

Eek that could be expensive!!!

Hopefully the £250 full overhaul that performance line bearings offer will cover it.

Good luck, keep us posted as I'm sure in the coming years we'll all need some service work etc

[Couchy]

Oops, ask them to put the drive side seal in they sell too. Should come back better than ever

[Couchy]

Had a day out with the girls today, managed a local blue route with them around 6.5 miles. Little un is flying along now for a 6 year old and I may have to update the good lady’s bike to keep up. I rode mostly in off mode only turning motor on to push little un up the steepest hill. Back at the bus we had a picnic then I thought I’d ride home. Hadn’t charged bike so knew it would be the same eco and off. Did half a red route and then home about 9 miles. Got back with 1 mile range left. Tbh looking at strava after sections weren’t bad considering I was on 40% assist and not 360%

Untitled by Tony H, on Flickr

[millemille]

Oops, ask them to put the drive side seal in they sell too. Should come back better than ever

Already sent them an email asking exactly that...

[formula400]

did 14 odd miles around Swinley today, started on the blue, not going to lie, did't really enjoy it, but once we got going and got to the red I loved it, the 2 things that held me back today were my fitness and the heat. after a while a changed my mind, you get what you put in, it was hard today in this heat but there was some good jumps to see, hitting a few small ones i realised my tyre pressure was too low, and i landed a bit crossed on one and scared my self

all in all really liked the place and looking forward to going back and getting stuck in again.

had a go on my mates cube E bike, going up hills WOW, going down a trail with jumps WOW, the thing is so plated, was surprised how well it handled and and planted it felt going down a quick run and hitting a few jumps. Only issue is now i want a new bike, i want a Whyte T 130-S

IMG-20200623-WA0008 by lewis wilson, on Flickr

20200623_141356 by lewis wilson, on Flickr

20200623_133340 by lewis wilson, on Flickr

[Couchy]

Had 2 days at local trail centre with the kids, as I know it well I’ve been taking little uns friends on guided rides, parents seem happy to let me do it while they sit around drinking . I’d rather be on the bike with the kids. Had 5 with me on Friday and 3 today incl my own. Made them a short 4 mile route on green trail with some of the old cx course thrown in. To say they all loved it is an understatement it was great to see. Stopped at the kids skills loop for an hour too and we nearly made it out safe till one of them decided to grab his back brake mid corner at speed. Managed to skin both knees, luckily his mums a nurse and had a first aid kit with her .
After today’s ride took a long 16 mile ride home on me own which was ace.

[Docca]

Did just under 60km today, which is my furthest MTb. Brilliant route. Really loving strava explore.

Had a 'veleforte' gel about half way round and that did the trick. Didn't feel anywhere near as tired.

I'm off all next week so am going to see about getting some serious kms in ( on top of the DIY the Mrs has lined up for me)

[Mr Moofo]

Docca,

60kms is pretty impressive ... I would call that serious miles. Despite my nephew in Oz just posting a 325 km road ride!
I am more that happy to hit 40kms plus.