Cycling 2026

[Slim]

My intention today was to do a fondo, probably making use of the Lower Westbound route. However by 11AM, I found that I didn't really feel like it. So I did a Twycrosser instead.

I did a relatively long version, down to Witherley and even had a detour through Nailstone and Ellistown on the way up, but still ended up on no more than 52.29km.

There's a balance, I think. If you don't feel like it, don't do it for its own sake. Even so, I can't help thinking of all those winter days when weather like today's would have seemed like a cycling godsend.

Oh well that's probably it for June and I did hit my target for the month about 300km ago so it's all good.

Highslide Image Viewer

910km done in June, 5183 in 2026 and 96587 since January 2015, which is 60,016 miles, so I've gone through another imperial 10,000 mile marker.

Nice out there. Not overly warm. Cloudy. Photo taken at Market Bosworth.

https://www.strava.com/activities/19110946505

[Nickslikk2112]

Right, weather back to something more like normal, time to ride something more like normal and get out to the Peak District again.

But go the easier way, up through Dronfield and Holmesfield to Owler Bar and beyond. Gets you 1,000 feet of elevation gain, but because it's a bit up and down Strava says your biggest climb is 285 feet! Surprised that it's been over a month since I last did it.

When heading away from Owler Bar roundabout I saw a bloke come the other way dressed in INEOS Grenadiers kit. My first thought was that it was a Saddo dressed up, then I wondered if it was an INEOS Grenadiers Academy rider as they haven't been rebranded as Netcompany INEOS. When I got back I looked on Strava as I had come back the other way and saw that Ben Swift had been out for a ride. Thought pro riders were always supposed to wear team kit on their rides, maybe he hasn't been given enough of the latest kit to wear. He didn't ride the British champs on Sunday, maybe he doesn't want people knowing he's out and about.

Didn't take enough cereal bars out with me today either. Had one half way through the ride, went to get another later and my pocket was empty. Would I bonk? Well no, I don't go full bore and it was mostly downhill from where I was so back without a wobble.
Anyway back on 40 miles to finish June on 618 and 3,346 for the year to date, 600 miles up on last year.

https://www.strava.com/activities/19123002369

[Nickslikk2112]

With there being no cycling for me to watch this week, I thought it was time to get up off my sorry arse and get out there and do more than a 40 miler. Expand your horizons Sims.

So, I did, today for the first time in two years - bloody hell, two years - I pushed it out to 50 miles. Hoorah! I've now found that my legs are dialled in for doing no more than 40...

Still, it was nice out there and lots of others were making use of the conditions. Not seen so many cyclists in ages. Some were doing similar to me going out reaching a point turning round and going back again as I saw them both ways.

Back in the day I'd have carried on from my mid-point and headed out deep in the Peak District. Back in the day I didn't waste so much time watching cycling and on a Saturday Mrs S would be up at her mum's all day so I could get out and ride. Not sure that I've got it in my legs to drop down into the Derwent Valley and climb back out of it again these days, it's a struggle to get to the top from this side!

https://www.strava.com/activities/19137041692

[Slim]

Another warm, dry day. Today's plan was simple: I was going to do a fondo along the Lower Westbound route. Since warmer conditions were expected after midday I set off relatively late, at about 1225.

By the time I got to King's Bromley though, I'd decided to go north from there to Sudbury, to come home along the Upper Westbound route. So I did. I took a brief diversion through Sudbury so I could go and sit on a log along there and refuel with stuff I'd bought at a petrol station - including a bag of Maltesers that subsequently melted, and a grape juice drink with chunks of "nata de coco" in it. I thought they were chunks of fruit or something but apparently they are "a chewy, translucent, jelly-like food produced by the fermentation of coconut water". Pretty disgusting to be honest, I felt like I was swallowing vomit.

After Swarkestone I came back the longer way through Weston, Aston, Shardlow and Donington. I also detoured into Barrow upon Trent, just off the usual route. Not particularly interesting. Got held up at the level crossing at Hatton. I find it odd that it's human-controlled. A bloke in high visibility gear comes out of the shed and opens and closes the gates himself.

Highslide Image Viewer

Actually I went over while the red lights were still flashing. The gates had been put back. I couldn't really imagine that a train would come along and smash into them, a fraction of a second after collecting a bike. But I did have a careful look along the track.

Nice run out. Back on 111.82 km, good early start for July.

Highslide Image Viewer

Some nice views of planes coming in near Donington.

I finished the Reacher novel - not bad, not one of the best ones but not one of the worst. More memorably, I listened to England vs DR Congo for the last couple of hours. Tense! The final whistle went just as I was opening the garage door. Good timing.

https://www.strava.com/activities/19141825950

[Nickslikk2112]

And to get up to 125 miles for the week I went out and did a 35 miler today. Had to do some careful plotting to avoid some snarly roadworks and still managed to find a couple of more sets I hadn't noticed, but thankfully not on busy roads.

Bit of a stiff breeze today, so had to work harder than I would have liked at times, but got a bit of free speed at others. It's the bad times you remember though.

https://www.strava.com/activities/19149697211/

[dom]

Yeah in my experience wind is only ever a hindrance! When you're going faster than you might expect that's down to your own power output nothing to do with the wind.

When slower it's always the wind

[Slim]

Best way to mitigate the effects of a headwind is to slow down - because the resistance due to the wind increases with the square of your speed through the air (not relative to the road) and the power you need to apply to the pedals to overcome it increases roughly with the cube of your airspeed.

And unfortunately (as any fule kno) a tailwind of the same strength won't pay the energy back, which is why I'm picky about low wind days for long rides.

This is something I noted down from a conversation with ChatGPT a year or two ago:

A 10 mph wind costs about four times the extra aerodynamic energy of a 5 mph wind.

But because not all your energy is aero drag — some is rolling resistance, drivetrain losses, body metabolism, little climbs, the total ride energy may be more like:

5 mph out/back wind: maybe 8–12% more than calm conditions.

10 mph out/back wind: maybe 30–45% more than calm conditions.

So compared with the 5 mph case, the 10 mph case might cost around 20–30% more total cycling energy, assuming you ride sensibly and don't try to force normal speed into the headwind.

About 10mph today in fact.

[Slim]

Again, a warm, dry day. A little bit warmer this time, but I set off relatively late to allow minimal clothing for the whole ride. Maybe a mistake, because i wasn't that cool starting off, but was definitely too warm later.

I decided on the Lower Westbound again. I was going to take a slightly different route to Measham over the first few km, from Gallows Lane, which is part of a Twycrosser route. But of course my brain went into Twycrosser mode, so I avoided the turn and kept on keeping on, on autopilot.

I recovered by heading to Appleby Parva, a waypoint on an old route, via Austrey. This involved descending a hill known to local cyclists as the "ski slope". In the following photograph you can see the S Works parked at the top.

I've only ever been down there once before as far as I remember. I think I ascended it once.

Highslide Image Viewer

Anyway .. I joined my intended route, eventually, at Lullington. Usually I'd get there in about 19km, today I'd done 35. I continued on to King's Bromley and, same as last time, decided to come back via the Upper Westbound route. So I did that. But this time I came back south via the usual way, through Melbourne. I didn't much fancy climbing Rotter's Rise, but couldn't be bothered to detour it today. However I stopped for a rest in the shade beforehand, gulped some chocolate milkshake and some Irn Bru Zero that I'd bought at a petrol station (lovely!) and it wasn't too much of an ordeal, even in warmer conditions.

Listened mostly to Times Radio but also picked up the Dredd short stories again. Couldn't remember where I'd left off so ended up listening to a few of them for a second time. But that was fine.

Back on 108.66km, thoroughly decent start to July I feel.

https://www.strava.com/activities/19166863557

[Nickslikk2112]

Managed a couple of hours out today before the Tour de France, on my usual one man Team Time Trial.
It was a bit of a trial when I got to a single lane section of road in Barrowhill where a couple of removal lorries were having to reverse because they couldn't get under a low bridge. "Professional Removals" it said on their vans, professional? Don't think so!

Noticed I'd got a third fastest time - for me - on a couple of segments today, don't normally bother looking at things like that but I remembered that Netcompany INEOS rider had been that way in the week, and I was faster than him, hello, Dave Brailsford got a spare place on the team I then noticed quickest rider of the week was wearing a Movistar jersey, turns out it's Lucas Jackson an 18 year old on their development team.

Back on 32 miles it was enough.

https://www.strava.com/activities/19176129488

Highslide Image Viewer

[Slim]

I had the idea today of going out later in the day, at about 1900, to do maybe 65km. The forecast was too warm for earlier than that.

However - after lunch I was overcome by an urge just to get on with it. It didn't seem that warm out there and I thought the cloud cover would help. So I set off at about 1325. I did a Twycrosser, with a diversion to the east through Nailstone and Hugglescote.

I did Fenn Lanes at the bottom, but I took what I hoped would be a more direct route to Bosworth from Sutton Cheney, along Bosworth Road. But because I missed a turn it ended up being a longer route along Ambion Lane and past the old Shenton Railway Station, which is still part of a heritage steam railway line.

The first couple of hours were fine but it was indeed too warm later on. A better bet would have been to set off a couple of hours earlier.

Still - good run out. Back on 61.66km. Listened to more Dredd, Times Radio and a bit of Wimbledon.

I reckon I must know the roads round these parts better than most natives of North-West Leicestershire. Isn't it odd that there's no word for "native of Leicestershire" like Lancastrian, or Devonian, or Salopian?

https://www.strava.com/activities/19191700690

[Slim]

Another warm day, too warm in the afternoon to go far. I thought I'd just do a Twycrosser again. Set off at about 1100, did a longish one, taking in Fenn Lanes at the bottom and Kirkby Mallory to the east.

Came up through Barlestone and Nailstone, made a nice change. Then Ellistown and Hugglescote.

Back on 65.67km.

Listened to World Cup chat, tennis and the Farage announcement on 5 Live. Also took a call from Vodafone while seated at the bench at Witherley. They wanted to talk about my upcoming broadband installation.

Loving the new wheels on the X. If I see them at less than £400 a set again I might get some for the Cannondale, or the Roubaix. Or both!

That's 5532km this year. I'm ahead of the July 7th position for every previous recorded year except for 2025 (449km behind).

Three hot days coming up.

https://www.strava.com/activities/19215356225

[David L]

Around 34 miles on the road bikes this morning.

We set off quite early to avoid the worst of the heat, around 9:45am. Headed out to Crawley, Minster Lovell and on to the 'picture card' Cotswold village of Burford. Over the river Windrush at the bottom of Burford High Street heading west along the valley to Taynton. Great Barrington is on the river but to get across the A40 you must tackle the steep climb to get up the southern side of the Windrush valley.

From that point, the terrain flattens as you head south towards Filkins on a quiet single-track country lane. Before reaching Filkins, we turned towards Shilton (home of Quo drummer John Coghlan, aka 'Spud'). Alvescot, Black Bourton, Bampton and back to Witney via Lew Hill.

Lew Hill is on the direct approach to the runway at RAF Brize Norton (probably less than 250m from the end of the runway) and we just missed an A400M doing circuits as we started up the hill. We saw that it was going around so stopped to watch its next approach. Unfortunately when it came around it stayed high over the airfield. We caught it low overhead on its next circuit as we passed through Curbridge as it performed a landing approach proper.


On returning to Witney we stopped for a couple of beers outside at The Fleece Hotel to relax after a reasonable effort in warm conditions. Seemed rude not to!

[Nickslikk2112]

I was determined that today I was going to head further out into the Peak District and do some proper climbing today, but, for one reason or another I was later setting out than I intended so went out the quicker way.

I did think I'd made the right decision as at one point I could hear a noise like ball bearings rattling around. Uh-oh, not a good sound, then it went away. Why? has whatever it is now failed? well it can't have as it still seems to be moving OK. A few miles later on it returned as I was going uphill but disappeared when I changed to the small chainring. A stop and inspection didn't reveal anything untoward so I carried on.

Five miles on it returned again only to disappear. At this point I was getting a bit paranoid, but as the bike was still moving I carried on, but at a lowered intensity, just in case. Now I have been having a bit of disc brake rub a lately and as I was now on the alert for any errant sounds that was getting louder and louder to my ears, so I made me way home. Getting back on 37 miles, rather than the intended 45.

https://www.strava.com/activities/19213795473

After watching the Tour de France I took the wheel out, made sure the cassette and disc rotor were tightened up properly - as that has been the source of strange noises before. I moved the brake callipers further apart, put the wheel back in and spun it round, all sounded fine, Mrs S walked in and the noise started. Bingo! It was the front derailleur cable rubbing against the tyre! When my mechanic had last changed the cable he hadn't put back a little plastic clip which holds the cable in position and that rubbing makes the awful noise!

At least I hope that's the end of it...

[Nickslikk2112]

It was a warm 'un again today, but I hd to get out to see how the bike sounded today and it was completely silent Nice to hear, although it could be that I was taking it a bit more easily because of the heat. Riding around a gear lower than normal whenver I could remember.

Yet another slower time up the Col de Wigley to, but I wasn't going to flog myself going up it, although it was only the last steep bit where dropping down a gear led to me losing 6 seconds over last week.

Then just meandered round the tops before diving back down Cutthhorpe. Bugger, it had only just become safe to ride at speed after a tar and gritting and they've had to redo half of it. Don't like downhill on gravel.

Just managed a 16 mph average for the 40 miles.

https://www.strava.com/activities/19227912685

[Slim]

A hot day was forecast. But the new bridge at Zouch is said to be open to traffic now, so I thought I'd go and have a look. Wanted to be back before the thermometer climbed north of 30C. But it was a reasonable 24C when I set off at 0915.

So I went and had a look. It was quiet along there. There was, genuinely, No-one at the Bridge when I arrived there. I suppose the local traffic hasn't yet got used to the idea that it's open.

Nothing spectacular - just a perfectly serviceable new road bridge running parallel to the old one, which is now being demolished. You can see the old one to the left in the following image.

Highslide Image Viewer

So anyway I went over the bridge, into Nottinghamshire then took a left into Sutton Bonington. Then I came back over the bridge, then took the long way home through Long Whatton, Diseworth, Top Brand, Griffydam. Back on 48.10 km, by which time it was definitely getting too warm to operate a bicycle.

Highslide Image Viewer

Listened to Robert Jenrick guest-presenting on LBC for a few minutes, then Times Radio.

I'm glad the new bridge is open but the closure was helpful in a way. It prompted me to sort out a route through Loughborough which will be useful for longer rides.

The road is still closed further along Rempstone Road, where they're demolishing and rebuilding a bridge over a railway line. But I can detour that via Sutty Bonner and I'd usually go via Stanford anyway.

https://www.strava.com/activities/19242821255