Cycling 2026

[Slim]

As of last night the plan for today was to do a Twycrosser or Bypasser and conserve my energy for a longer ride on Thursday, which is forecast to be a warmish sunny day with light winds. However - I got up earlier than I expected and I decided I'd do at least a fondo.

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Fairly stiff wind from the south but very mild (almost warm later) and no chance of rain. I did the southbound route, right down through Welford and kept going as far as Spratton. Turned back there, came up the same way. Had a bit of an excursion past the gliding club at Sibbertoft for a couple of km on the way back up. No gliders out today.

Stopped at the village shop at Gilmorton and noticed something odd - a pair of exactly parallel contrails in the blue sky, very close. I could see the aircraft in the distance, travelling west. They must have been in formation and they weren't on FlightRadar (I have the app on my phone) so I'm sure they were military. I only captured a small section of the contrails, they were striped right across the sky.

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Really nice out there, very enjoyable run out. I took the S Works for the first time since September - rolls very nicely and felt very slick.

Listened to another couple of hours of the Reacher novel and 5 Live. Only about 25 minutes of the novel left - but I'll save it for my next bike ride.

I'm a little concerned by the sheer quantity of daffodils out there. Every grass verge seems to have hundreds of them. The country seems to be infested by them, are they out of control?

Back on 136.11km, longest ride since August. 14 fondos this year now.

https://www.strava.com/activities/17756882950

[Nickslikk2112]

Got out in the old bib shorts and short sleeves today. Only managed a couple of hours because I was faffing about with the seatpost again, think it needs some seatpost Viagra to keep it up. Put carbon paste on it yesterday and torqued up the bolt correctly but it still sank and moved side to side when sat on. Gave it all a good clean and tried agaim, this time it seems ot have held.

Then once I was out I was "racing" to get back as I wanted to see Milano-Torino and then Nokere Koerse. Although I picked the wrong way for racing speed as for the first time this year I rode out to the Peak District, going the long way up through Dronfield. Thankfully it wasn't a headwind ascent.

Even managed to get my average speed up to 16mph, was doubtful if I'd do it due to lack of fitness and having to come down Wilkin Hill due to the road through Cutthorpe being shut. It's a downhill with an uphill and with a closed Cutthorpe too much oncoming traffic on a single track raoad due to the road closure. Yet again a 33 miler.

https://www.strava.com/activities/17766393050/

[David L]

Just completed a 30-miler on the roadies. First time out for them this year. A stop at the coffee shop in Southmoor for a drink and a flapjack then on to Lyford, Charney Basset and Buckland where we each had a pint and a half of 'An Ale Of Two Cities' (Loose Cannon brewery - Abingdon) at the Lamb Tavern.

Glorious sunshine and decent temperatures. The courtyard at The Lamb was bathed in sunshine as we enjoyed the ale and I suspect I will discover later that I've caught the sun. Shorts again but long sleeves over cycling jersey and glad I opted for full gloves for most of the ride.

My wife spotted a wallet in the middle of the road in Kingston Bagpuize. No cash but bank cards and driving licence. Contacted the owner quite easily as he is a doctor and a quick google revealed his practice. Receptionist took my details and I received a call just as we were coming back into Witney. The guy who does the wife's barnet at the salon around the corner is a good friend and lives close to the guy in Lechlade. He has agreed to return the wallet later. The owner is extremely grateful but sounded a bit of a fuckwit. Made us feel good to help someone out, we probably all know what it's like to be in his situation.

Hoping to get another ride in on Friday.

[Slim]

Found a purse while out on a ride a few years ago. Crikey, just checked - 7 years ago https://bikediary.uk/2019/03/02/diseworth/

[Nickslikk2112]

Today was a Goldilocks day. Maybe slightly on the cool side to start off with, but a bit of effort soon warms you up and after that it settled into a nice day. Plenty of sunshine, a couple of degrees cooler than yesterday and just enough of a hint of breeze.

After a longer climb yesterday I could feel it in the legs today, although it could just be that my saddle's about a quarter of an inch higher than I normally have it. I'll be buggered if I'm altering it though after all the effort to get it to stay up!

Went out in my Heathlaps direction, but today did a couple of longer ones up to Hardstoft and back. can't believe how much traffic I'm encountering, a lot of these roads I pick because they aren't too busy, but the last couple of weeks the amount of vehicles out and about seems to have tripled. if only these people were out on a bike instead.

Got out of the 33 mile rut today and did 35 instead. Gets me to 100 for the week so far.

https://www.strava.com/activities/17778849155

[Slim]

Today's plan was to do about 130km if possible. Still a bit too cold in the morning to set off earlier and besides, I did 136 on Tuesday.

Because of the work to replace the bridge over the Soar at Zouch, I planned to go through Loughborough. I'd rehearsed the turns (only a few) on Street View and that went pretty well. Not really enjoyable but at 0530 in the morning, it would be fine and at about 1100, it was OK.

I also planned to visit my Cycling Happy Place, which come to think of it is a term I should have included in my glossary, the territory to the east of Waltham. That would have allowed me to visit Lincolnshire and Rutland briefly, to cross off the last two neighbouring counties of Leicestershire not visited this year. Alas: I encountered a Road Closed sign at the Eastwell Crossroads, barring the road to Waltham.

I continued on to Eastwell, parked myself on the Will and Madge bench (there's a plaque dedicating it to a couple called Will and Margaret) and had a rethink with the aid of Google Maps. I decided I'd descend through Stathern to Long Lane, which is a lovely stretch of road, and pedal up to Bottesford. I believe I'd only been there once before. I remember being slightly alarmed when, while I was consulting my phone, a lady approached me there without regard to proper social distancing. This was during one of the lockdowns in 2020.

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Anyway I went all the way to Bottesford and a bit further, until I came to the A52. Really nice along there. Pleasant and flat. I came back a slightly different way, past Belvoir Castle. I remember the road between the castle and Eastwell as being quite rough but actually, it was fine. Hadn't done it for years, must have been resurfaced.

Back mainly the way I came. I took a slightly different route back through the centre of Loughborough. I hadn't rehearsed it westwards. But that was fine. The traffic was heavy and painful, though. For a very long ride I'd be coming through there late in the evening and that would be fine. But it's not really viable for a late afternoon on a weekday. Going to have to have a think about how to manage a shorter ride until the new bridge at Zouch is open in the summer.

I also came back via Swannymote Road rather than Thringstone, which was definitely a mistake. I'd forgotten about the brutal climb along there. That shortened the return distance, so since I wanted to do at least 130km I did a lap of the village over the last couple of km.

I took the Roubaix with its semi-solid bulletproof tyres. They do seem to be rolling better now they're broken in. You can still detect a bit of drag on a smooth surface. But I'll be happy to use them on a longer ride. It's lovely knowing you're very unlikely to get a puncture.

The wind was supposed to be very light all day but it wasn't, I did have a fairly stiff headwind going east.

Listened to LBC and 5 Live. Finished the Reacher audiobook now. Must get the MP3 player loaded up with another one.

That was a very nice day out on a bike. Back on 130.48 which leaves me just 9km short of the March monthly target, and 26km short of making up the January deficit.

https://www.strava.com/activities/17782669368

[Nickslikk2112]

Well, today was a spend too much time watching cycling day. Five hours of relaxing Italian views and quick camera cutaways from cyclists having a piss and an hour of full on pulse-racing excitement for the last 50km of 299.

I managed 90 minutes of slightly quicker than sedate cycling once it was over. Still reasonably warm at 16:30 plenty warm enough to bare the old arms and legs. Even did 7 W/Kg for 30 seconds at one point, if I could maintain that for an hour I'd be on the same level of Tour de France riders of 20 years ago. But for an hour I could only manage 2.35 W/Kg. Arse. Dropped by the Groupetto. Still a nice 25 miles.

https://www.strava.com/activities/17806839394/

[Nickslikk2112]

Popped out for 90 minutes before watching the Grote Prijs Jean-Pierre Moseré. Enough time to get 25 miles in, that's over 150 for the week my best weekly tally since Christmas Week, can't believe I got more miles in that week. Leaves me needing to find 90 miles in nine days. Will the weather oblige?

https://www.strava.com/activities/17816188233

[Slim]

Another dry day. Cold in the morning though so I didn't want to do much more than the regular fondo distance. The wind was pleasingly light. I thought I'd do a Bypasser, but get it up to the requisite 100km by taking an excursion down the Dad's Army route, past Piccadilly and Kingsbury on the other side of the A5.

So that's what I did. I hadn't planned it and I explored a bit of Kingsbury Road that I hadn't done before (usually I turn south before that stretch). Came across a large HS2 construction site. Thought it was worth a pic. Stopped and turned back when I came to a huge roundabout connecting the A road I was on to the M42 and M6 toll.

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I had to do a pretty whopping eastern / upward leg of a Bypasser to get the distance up, taking in Fenn Lanes and Bosworth with an excursion right out to Ellistown and Bardon Hill. Even then I had to take a bit of a detour round the village to get to 100km. I took the Mill Lane turn for Shenton along Fenn Lanes, hadn't done that for a long time. Not since August 2024 according to my location database.

Nice to do a proper Bypasser again too, I hadn't done one for months because last time I pedalled along Orton Hill (in November), building works was going on along there and the road was covered in mud and grit. The building works are still happening but the road's not nearly so bad. Just had a nosy Google to find out what's happening along there, Twycross Zoo is helping itself to a "development of new animal enclosures and associated infrastructure, new lecture theatre, education block, education facilities, substations and associated residential block and lodges" according to the Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council site. The building visible from the road looks huge.

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Hazy sunshine to start off with, overcast and cooler later. Back on 100.52, 2020 this year now and I've finally made up the January target deficit. Seven fondos this month now and I might be able to get one more in (the weather forecast says maybe).

Again, a lot of daffodils out there. They seem to be out of control at the moment.

https://www.strava.com/activities/17830171467

[Thenop]

More and more the pics are giving me Google Street View vibes. That's a good thing, I love (Google) Maps.

Daffodils are not around in my neighbourhood yet, the magnolia behind the house is in full bloom though.

[Nickslikk2112]

I'd fully intended going out and getting 40 miles in today. I really shouldn't make plans as they never come to fruition. A pre ride check revealed a road closure on the way I had intended to go, then the gusty winds made me decide not to do too much. I would have gone above 1,000ft but the wind at 850ft up reduced me to a crawl and I know that that last bit gets windier.

I also had to change my descent due to an unexpected road closure, had to go down a single track lane which is used as the diversion for the closed road. I was met by a constant barrage of idiots driving at high speed towards me. Drive to the conditions arseholes. A potholed and gravelled track is not the place for it, I expect they'd slow for a motorised vehicle, but a bicycle? Bikes aren't worth much and the rider will bounce.

Still at least I had the wind mainly with me on the way back, but too cross windy at times coming down from the Pennines and it was a bit dicey at times. Good to travel at 33mph down Ashgate Road without pedalling - except when cars shoot out of side roads in front of you. There may come a day when I really enjoy cycling...

https://www.strava.com/activities/17840340862

[Fishy]

30 miles today in really miserable weather.. cold wet windy... rest of the week looks as bad if not worse so today was the day..found a nice B road (Kerrix Road)just up from Prestwick airport which provided a very nice 3-4 mile ride into the small village of Symington.. from there up the cycle  route next to the A77.. to Dundonald up n over the bridge across the motorway and then back.. via some very confusing single track roads which had me "lost" at points.. managed to fuck up Strava again which only recorded half my ride... idiot

[Nickslikk2112]

Finally got a 40 miler in this year. Must try harder. Did what I had intended to do on Tuesday, winds were still a bit stiff, certainly at "altitude", at least I could give a cheery wave to those still battling into it when I turned back at Longshaw.

Put new cleats on my shoes yesterday, I highlighted round the edge of the old ones to make sure I got the new ones lined uo correctly, but my old knees feel a bit beaten up now, must be the added depth to unworn cleats. Also noticed that the front fastening bolt had fallen out of the left cleat, thankfully the rear ones had held tight.

Reached a maximum elevation of 1,278ft today, hardly Alpine, but it felt like it to me. Yet thanks to going up through Dronfield and Holmesfield which is up and down, Strava reckons my biggest climb was 258ft!

https://www.strava.com/activities/17865391431

[Slim]

Another dry day. Cold though, especially in the morning. But I got up earlier than I'd intended so I wrapped up warm and set off at about 0930. The idea was to do the Upper Westbound route. So I did that. I took the long way going up, through Isley Walton. As I pedalled west along the Beloved A Road I had the idea of coming back the even longer way, through Weston, Aston, Shardlow and Donington. So I didn't go as far west as I usually would. Stopped at Sudbury and looped round via Tutbury.

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The weather was supposed to be cloudy today but it was mostly sunny. Which was nice. Much warmer in the afternoon as well. And a nice tailwind on the way back, until Donington anyway.

I was back by 1545 and it was still pretty nice out there, so I could have stayed out longer. But I've already hit my monthly target. It's all gravy for the rest of the month.

A small plane took off from Derby Airfield just as I passed. It's pretty much just a flat field.

Back on 104.89 so that's eight fondos this month, and seventeen this year.

https://www.strava.com/activities/17866828693

[David L]

17.75 miles on the MTBs today. Nice day.....but bloody cold!

We set off through Crawley village then took a bridleway to Leafield. A mile or so of road until Finstock where we were off-road until Fawler. On to Stonesfield by road where we stopped for lunch in the bus stop (!). We dined on home-made sausage rolls and banana cake but spoilt the home-made vibe by also enjoying crisps (the Mrs) and mini-cheddars (me). A lovely cup of coffee from our small flask to wash it all down. We then had a sneaky pint of ale at the splendid, community-owned pub, The White Horse.

We returned via the wood at Stonesfield, East End and North Leigh.

For me, the ride was tarnished slightly by a constant creaking emanating from my bike. I'd previously narrowed this down to a seat-post/saddle issue so the other day I lubed the contact areas hoping to cure it............didn't work 

So, when we got back home I disassembled the post and saddle clamp again. I gave the frame a good flex with the seat post removed....nothing. This time I decided to cut around five or six inches from the excess seat-post length, thinking it may be knocking on the frame lower down as it or the frame flexes whilst I'm riding. I also took the seat clamp apart and lubed the contact surfaces which I hadn't done before. After reassembly, I took her for a test ride and was unable to hear the annoying noises. Fingers crossed, I've finally cured this after putting up with it for far too long.