Cycling 2025

[dom]

Would a tyre  unused in a shed or garage wear more quickly than one on the road?

Genuine question but I would have thought one that was being used would degrade quicker than an unused one

[David L]

Would a tyre  unused in a shed or garage wear more quickly than one on the road?

Genuine question but I would have thought one that was being used would degrade quicker than an unused one

Yes, it would. We have a motorhome that spends a lot of time parked on the drive. When tyres need to be replaced it's because of 'cracking' in the sidewalls or perishing. I doubt we'll ever replace tyres due to tread depth on that vehicle.

[Slim]

Well - it wouldn't wear at all but it might degrade through lack of use. Flexing a tyre keeps the rubber supple. Also a garage that gets very warm, like mine does, will probably dry out the oil in the rubber.

Even so I've kept tyres in there longer that that one that have been fine. I'm saying it's a manufacturing fault or design defect.

[Slim]

The intention was to do another fondo today. I felt a bit lethargic when I got up but I set off at about 1135. A couple of km later, I realised I hadn't brought a bike pump with me. I didn't want to go back and start again, so I decided I'd do a shorter ride. Turned right onto Pisca Lane to join the Twycross Bypasser route from Heather.

As soon as I'd turned onto Pisca Lane, my mood lifted. I was much more in the frame of mind to do a Bypasser than a fondo. I'd felt that I should do 100 km or more to make the most of another beautiful day, but I didn't really want to.

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Anyway - I did a pretty typical Bypasser with an excursion down Grendon Road and Spon Lane. Pedalled through Upton and Shenton on the way back, always nice on a sunny day. Back on 62.58 km, very nice run out.

Listened to 5 Live and more of The First Men In The Moon.

https://www.strava.com/activities/15388582893

[Slim]

Not so much time today and it was surprisingly cool in the morning, considering the temperature in the afternoon. I settled for a Bypasser. Set off at 1140. Came up through Upton and Shenton again, just as I did on Friday.

Along Atterton Lane I saw a herd of cows coming, with escort vehicles at the back and front. So I stopped by the side of the road, to let them pass. They wouldn't. They clearly found the prospect of having to pass a stationary cyclist upsetting. A few of them mooed loudly, to attract the attention of the chap driving the escort vehicle in front, who'd stopped by this time.

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He gestured to me to move back a bit further from the road. I did, and they passed reluctantly.

Very warm in the afternoon. Listened to more of the HG Wells and a bit of footy on 5 Live. 58.94 km.

https://www.strava.com/activities/15411558045

[dom]

A couple at the front there looking very threatening!

[Nickslikk2112]

Crikey! Four days off and it shows. The legs weren't too bad, but the Cardiovascular system appears to have suffered. Rich food, Red Wine, Rocking out and not enough sleep don't help.

I didn't intend doing much today and I didn't. Just the 26 miles, it started getting a bit warm too. Yet more Road works/Road closures meant my usual easy ride out and back rod weren't available. Luckily it seems like my out and back today are just as easy.

https://www.strava.com/activities/15420360255/

[Nickslikk2112]

Don't know if my ride today happened. Can't see it on Strava, I sign in with Farcebook and the app link isn't working. I know I've done it, but if I can't see it on Strava has it happened? Schroedinger's ride. It is on Garmin Connect, so it most likely did happen.

I thought today was supposed to be sunny, but there was a blanket of cloud around and the occasional big raindrop. It looked even darker over the hills so I headed to Nottinghamshire where it looked and indeed was brighter.

I've never known the A619 to be as busy as it was today. Loads of closeish passes from all sorts of vehicles, it was a relief to turn on to the A60. On the plus side it was nice to do a ten mile stretch at over 20mph with very little serious downhill involved. The benefits of heading into Notts.

The climb up past Whaley Quarry didn't come as a shock today, still a bit unexpected to find a climb so steep out there, but it doesn't last long. Back on just under 43 miles, it may have been cloudy, but it was warm. My brain feels cooked.

[Slim]

A very hot day was forecast. Cooler in the morning though, so I got up (relatively) early and was away by 0915. The intention was to do about 65km. I thought I'd have a sentimental journey over to Markfield first, then busk it from there.

At Markfield I had a quick visit to my old house. I noticed an item of cast iron street furniture that, apparently, was erected during my year there. Never noticed it before. I found it quite poignant.

From Markfield I made my way back up the hill to Copt Oak - I remember struggling up the hill ten years ago, today it was easy. Then after a stop at a petrol station in Whitwick, I joined the eastbound route.

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I checked the bike computer at Belton. 19.63. My detour to Markfield hadn't added nearly as many km as I'd expected! Went through Normanton, Stanford, Cotes as usual, then took the alternative route toward Six Hills through Walton on the Wolds. Very nice, should do that more.

Turned back at Six Hills. By this time it was pretty hot. Even so I decided I'd take a scenic detour round Sutton Bonington, so I turned right for East Leake. What I should have done was take the West Leake turn, so I arrived at Sutty by a rather more roundabout way than I'd intended.

Glanced at the bike computer at Zouch, again. 54. So I should arrive home on about 70km. And yet - when I did arrive home, the bike computer said 65.17. Very odd. Had I really only done 65km? I felt I'd done a few more than that. And how could I have got the maths wrong?

Then I noticed the little text "mi" next to the number. It had been set to imperial measurements the whole way round. Every time I'd looked at it I'd thought I was reading km.

So: inadvertently, I'd done a fondo. 104.89km.

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Surprisingly cool for the first couple of hours and even more surprisingly, very light rain. Until the sun came out at about 1100 then conditions heated up dramatically. By the time I was doing the last 5km it was definitely too hot for riding a bike and I was glad I wasn't a longer distance from home.

I listened to the first Hatfield and the North album - I'd forgotten what a glorious record that is. I finished off Wells' The First Men In the Moon. And - delightfully, I channel hopped to R4 Extra just in time to hear an old Goon Show from December 1957. Genuinely still funny. The announcer offered a health warning about the "different attitudes" in effect sixty-eight years ago, and I assume he was thinking of a brief ad-libbed exchange between Sellers and Milligan in cod-Indian accents, which - I confess - I found hilarious.

Anyway: my first inadvertent fondo. If I'd known I was going to do one I'd just have gone to Eastwell and back.

https://www.strava.com/activities/15433870981

[Nickslikk2112]

Hoorah! I could get back into Strava again, yesterday did happen. OK I know it happened as I could see it in my Strava app on the phone, but I like to look at it in more detail on the PC.

Took it decidedly steady today, it was warm. Didn't feel that warm when I was out, but as soon as I got home and lost the speed generated wind effect I started melting. That was with just riding out and going over the flattest bit of land I know multiple times. Just managed to get over 100 miles for the week with today's 31 miles. I had thought of riding a bit each day in the week as I have a semi-party weekend coming up, but I may just rest tomorrow.

https://www.strava.com/activities/15444028282

[Nickslikk2112]

Mrs S had an early departure for her Ladies who Lunch meet up today, so would not be available for rescue duties, therefore she told me not to go too far from home. Being a dutiful husband, I obeyed.

Just checked online and at no time was I more than 5 miles from home as the crow flies. Well, maybe a couple of hundred yards at one point, but as the circle is centered slightly below my house, I'll say I stayed within my self appointed bounds.

Still managed to get a 40 mile ride in, needed a few judicious loops, but nothing too drastic. Still managed to get in a climb with 545' of elevation gain as well, without having to head for the Peak District. I'll accept that, even if the average grade was 2.8%. Felt a lot steeper than that, but it's an undulating climb which does kick up to 12% in parts. It was a bit warm again, needed my two bidons.

https://www.strava.com/activities/15466941946/

[Slim]

I was all set to do a long ride today. Maybe 250km, back onto The Fens for a bit. I got everything ready, went to bed early, then I got up at 0600. I put on a cycling jersey and looked out of the window. The village green was shrouded in a thick mist. So I went back to bed.

I rose again at 0800 with a more modest aspiration. Maybe 180 or so? I set off on the eastbound route. Once again I went the alternative way through Walton. Lovely and quiet along there. A couple of hours into the ride I'd decided I was just going to take it easy and settle for a fondo, or maybe 120. Too hot.

But that did present me with an opportunity - a run along Long Lane, which I think I've only done once so far this year. This involves descending from the long ridge of terrain that runs (roughly) west to east toward Lincolnshire. Can be pretty steep and hairy. But I tried a new route down there, down from Clawson Lane to Long Clawson and this one is actually pretty painless - no buttock-clenching warp speed descents over shitty road surfaces. I'll definitely do this more often now I have a viable method.

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Really nice along there as well. I turned back after 63km. Actually came back up a different way, though I didn't intend to and only noticed after looking at the track on Strava. Came back through Burton on the Wolds so I could get more hydration from the petrol station - I consumed about 2 litres in all.

Listened to 5 Live, and started the next (19th) Reacher novel, Personal. It's written in the first person which I'm not that keen on, but at least it doesn't have the ex Military Police drifter getting involved in some life or death drama by pure chance, which does stretch credibility a bit after a while.

Cloudy and cooler later on which made me think I could have gone further east really to make the best of the longer days before they're shorter days again. But hey ho. Back on 124.77.

https://www.strava.com/activities/15470066272

[Thenop]

Love the look of that bike with all red accents, tyres and saddle, but the hideous lavender coloured pack needs to go!

[Slim]

Love the look of that bike with all red accents, tyres and saddle, but the hideous lavender coloured pack needs to go!

Heh. What I like about it is that it's very light. I bought three or four of them from Amazon for about £3 each if I remember correctly. Not all that colour.

[Slim]

Another cool in the morning, warm in the afternoon sort of day. I was off and away on the eastbound route by 1100. I did pretty much the same thing as Friday, except that I didn't go quite so far. Needed to be back by 1700. I tried a different descent to Long Clawson from Six Hills Lane. Just a bit more hairy than the Melton Road version I tried on Friday. Turned back just after Hose.

I meant to come back the "old way" from Hose and Long Clawson, more directly to Wymeswold. But I took a wrong turn and found myself coming back up to Six Hills Lane. Came back through Wymeswold and Rempstone.

I've enjoyed going through Walton on the outbound leg this last couple of times, but it is a bit more hilly along there.

Stopped at the caff at Long Clawson again, and went to sit on a bench under an apple tree. Helped myself to an apple. No idea what variety. A pinkish one anyway. Quite pleasant. Free cycling food.

Listened to more of the Reacher novel. I quite like it but it's a bit less tense, so far anyway, than usual. The reader hasn't really been given a reason to hate the villain or to care very much about his sinister plan, so despite being called Personal, it does feel less personal.

Also listened to footy on 5 Live Extra (Forest vs Brentford) and 5 Live (a bit of United vs Arsenal).

Back on 101.95 and that's five fondos out of seven rides so far this month.

https://www.strava.com/activities/15491822871