Cycling 2025

[Nickslikk2112]

It looks as if the weather may settle down for a couple of weeks now, good. Although I did encounter a bit of rain today which was completely unforecast.

Went out to Tibshelf and back again today, but varied the route out there and actually set my best time on one uphill bit, there's a nasty little kicker on it so I just got out of the saddle on the big chain ring and powered up. Bit me in the bum though as I lost all power when the gradient dropped! Must be one of the toughest climbs in Nottinghamshire - which doesn't say a lot!

Got it up to 43 miles today, which about gets me back on track for 500 miles in October. Looks like I might struggle to get to 6,500 miles for the year.

https://www.strava.com/activities/16062397269/

[Nickslikk2112]

Last night's weather forecast promised lots of sun for today. Wrong! Little Paul on Look North is normally quite good on these things, but not this time. Maybe he was just thinking about Yorkshire 

Still, when the sun did appear it felt warm on bare flesh. It felt cold when travelling downhill at speed when the sun wasn't shining on bare flesh.

Today for the first time in month's I've managed to get out via Sheepbridge and Dunstone. What had they been doing whilst there were traffic light controlled roadworks for three months? Putting in a set of permanent lights at a junction, that's what. Three months? No wonder this country's going down the pan.

I'd like to say it was nice riding up the Cutthorpe climb for the first time in ages, but it was bloody awful! I've not been doing enough long climbs and it shows. Must try harder. Managed to get it up to 41 miles today which was just what I wanted. So I'm happy now. Well, I'm not, I'm never happy.

https://www.strava.com/activities/16074027621

[Slim]

Dry and mild. Only wanted to do a Twycrosser today really, but shortly after setting off at 1220 I changed my mind and thought I'd go down the Dad's Army route for a bit.

Stopped at the butchers' stand at the garden centre near Kingsbury to get myself a large sausage roll, and was persuaded to buy an apple crumble as well. Why not?

Down to Kingsbury, left along Knowle Hill for a bit then I turned back. Came back up a different way. Intended to go up through Polesworth after the roundabout on the A5 but took a wrong turn after Dordon and ended up doing Dordon Hall Lane, which is a horrible, gritty, stony little path. There is a brilliant view from the hilltop at Dordon though. Back up via Sheepy and Swepstone.

Near Orton, I found a discarded inner tube near the large log where I stopped to eat a cheese & onion pasty. Disappointing. Very long valve stem, suggesting an expensive set of wheels - and probably therefore an experienced rider who should have known better. Disgraceful. I brought it home with me and binned it.

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Listened to 5 Live and their coverage of the last day of the party conference, and started Judge Dredd: Year Three. I've already listened to Year One. Year Two doesn't appear to be available in audiobook form. Anyway it really is very good. Superbly voice-acted by the narrator.

Back on 78.59km.

https://www.strava.com/activities/16077428459

[Nickslikk2112]

No sunshine again today, despite it being forecast to be sunnier. Suppose it's what you get for living in North East Derbyshire.

Suppose it was a bit cool too, but I soon warm up and there weren't any fast downhills today. Not much fast anything, actually managed to come in with a "Tempo" ride. That's what happens when I go out and do a few Heath/Sutton Scarsdale loops.

Another 41 miles for three forty milers in a row. I'll settle for that.

https://www.strava.com/activities/16084931931

[Slim]

Was in two minds over whether to do a fondo today. Hadn't been on a bike since Wednesday and conditions, although cold in the morning, were otherwise pretty ideal. Low winds and a bit of sunshine in the afternoon.

So I did the Eastbound Route, through Walton, which I always seem to do now. But only as far as Six Hills. Then I turned back. Came west through Wymeswold and Rempstone. Did the detour round the back of Sutton Bonington (particularly nice along there) then came the long way through Diseworth and Top Brand.

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Listened to LBC, then more of the Dredd novel. Back on a mere 78.59km, but weekdays are better for fondos really. Going out all day on a Saturday can cause a bit of domestic friction.

That's 284 done this month. I note from my spreadsheet that I did 1173km and nine fondos last October. Must have been unseasonally good weather. I would think 800km and four fondos is more likely for October this year. But that'll do.

https://www.strava.com/activities/16107161630

[Nickslikk2112]

Still not even done a fifty miler this year. When I've got all time in the world to ride the urgency disappears. That and I spend too much time watching Pogi disappear into the distance.

With sunset heading back towards 18:00 now, I only had a couple of hours to get out today. I aimed to do 32 miles. I did do 32 miles, but I was a minute over. Traffic hold ups cost me - slow vans, busses and unexpected roadworks did for me.

I really haven't done enough serious climbing this year. Plenty of 150-250 foot ascents, but not many of the 500+ ones. I don't like it when I'm fit, but the two ascents of Cutthorpe this week have been brutal. Not helped by the fact that I refuse to use the two largest rear sprockets, they're for the real serious stuff and because I know I don't need to use them normally I refuse to now, even though it would be to my benefit. I'm a stubborn old Hector.

https://www.strava.com/activities/16108622740/

[Thenop]

Someone was cleaning out a communal shed we have over here, lots of bicycles, tools etc, and came across this one. Forgot I had it, but it's mine! So it needs doing up, and some friendly (pensioned) neighbours offered up help.
So far the tires have been changed out (not on this pic yet clearly..) to a bit more road friendly types (the grip profile is useless on a road, impossible to do a sharp corner), the chain has been cleaned but the gears need looking at. Feels like the freewheel is either full of old, dried out grease or it's simply shot and I need a new one.

In any case, hopefully it'll all be done in a week or so. I still can't walk normally so a bike would be handy to get around. Won't be doing any fondo's or the like, just some local pedalling will do.

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[Nickslikk2112]

Maybe I should have taken the Gravel bike out today after watching the World Gravel Championships, but it needs cleaning and lubing and it looks like it's got a rear flat, so back out on the Bianchi. Mrs S says she'd like to give gravel riding a go as there are no cars about.

Just a couple of hours at Tempo today. Whilst it is nice in the sun it's a bind at this time of the year late in the afternoon as half the time it's blinding you. Added an extra mile on just to avoid a direct ride into the sun. Also took the time to ride the road from Bottom Duck to Staveley as that's going to be closed for ten weeks from Monday. I thought today's 34 miles would give me my cyclingest week of the year, but I came in half a mile short.

https://www.strava.com/activities/16119982956

[Nickslikk2112]

Took the Bianchi out again today, but after cleaning and lubing the chain, the indexing appears to have gone a bit out. There's an awful lot of noise and jumpy changing on the larger rear cogs, fine on the small ones, but then it doesn't happen on the small chain ring. Tweaking the barrel adjuster didn't do much either, just meant I kept changing to small chain ring a bit earlier if I saw other cyclist coming, so they didn't think I can't keep a bike running nicely.

Mind, when I did see other cyclists, they were wrapped up like it was the middle of Winter! There's me still with bare arms and legs, OK it was a bit nippy if you went downhill straight after slogging uphill, but it wasn't that Arctic.

Went up the Col de Wigley for the first time in a while. Took it steadily yet set my best time of the year. Turns out all the others were into a brisk headwind. Then went and set my best time on a couple of segments where I noticed that the Queen of the Mountains was that French Wonder Woman Audrey Cordon Ragot. Have to try and beat her. Back on 42 miles.

https://www.strava.com/activities/16137215073/

[Slim]

Mind, when I did see other cyclists, they were wrapped up like it was the middle of Winter! There's me still with bare arms and legs, OK it was a bit nippy if you went downhill straight after slogging uphill, but it wasn't that Arctic.

Was gloomy and damp all day here. Was in two minds about riding a bike. In the end I thought to myself - now I've got more time, I can be a bit more choosy about the weather. But a couple of years ago I would have gone out in it for sure.

[Nickslikk2112]

Took the Bianchi out again today, but after cleaning and lubing the chain, the indexing appears to have gone a bit out. There's an awful lot of noise and jumpy changing on the larger rear cogs, fine on the small ones, but then it doesn't happen on the small chain ring.

And all was fine with it today. Go figure. Weather was fine too in that it didn't rain, but I did put a base layer on today as it was forecast to be a degree or so cooler. Didn't get too warm in it.

Today I just stayed close to home and did a few local laps. Ended up doing more climbing than when I've been riding out to the Peak District! I don't have to go far to find hills round here. Looking back I quite enjoyed it, but I didn't at the time.

With a weekend off looming I made sure I got another 40 miles in, which puts me a hundred miles up on where I want to be for the month and it also got me the Strava climbing challenge completed for October.

https://www.strava.com/activities/16148411154

[Slim]

No cycling for a few days so I was keen to get out for a bit today. The weather wasn't bad, cold and cloudy but dry. With a light wind coming from the north-east, I thought I'd do the Eastbound Route.

Once again I went the Walton way after Cotes. Went all the way to Eastwell this time, where I took the pic. So disappointing to see "metres" misspelled in an English village. And not an England flag in sight, either.

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Looped round Sutton Bonington again, and did the long detour through Diseworth and Coleorton on the way home.

Very light drizzle for 20 minutes near Eastwell.

Listened to 5 Live, and finished off the first of the three Dredd novellas from Volume Three. Not too keen on the way it ultimately wraps up.

Back on 112.43.

https://www.strava.com/activities/16150914670

[Nickslikk2112]

And out under the grey leaden skies again. A little bit warmer today and thankfully just as wind free.

I had thought about going up to the tops again today, as looking at the local roadworks it seemed to be the most obstruction free way to go, but I really didn't want to slog up a long hill again and managed to time my way through Brimington to perfection.

Also was back on the Giant TCR again today, roads are dry, so I thought it would be nice to treat it to a spin again, especially as it needs less effort to do the same speed as the Bianchi. Funny, even riding at the same speed as on the Bianchi it feels like you're going faster. That bit of extra lightness and stiffness makes you feel good.

Got up to 43 miles today, which means 125 for the week, which is just what you need to get 500 miles a month in. Weather for the rest of October doesn't look too good though for after my weekend away.

https://www.strava.com/activities/16159206152

[Slim]

Today's plan was to do an eastbound fondo again so I did, but I went exploring a bit after Six Hills. Eight or nine years ago I took a different route back from a route over to Belvoir Castle (probably) and I came across a caff. I thought it was near Grimston, on a parallel road to Six Hills Lane. So I went looking today, at the expense of a fair bit of hill climbing, but I didn't find it. Odd one. Must be misremembering somehow. I spent about half an hour looking for it on Google Maps and Streetview last night as well. Frustrating.

I did the Walton route coming east again and this time I decided I'd try a different route out of the village. It has a dead end sign, but it's called Six Hills Road. I hoped it would lead to some sort of pedestrian-accessible barrier where I could manhandle the bike onto a road near Six Hills. Nope! After 3km or so it deteriorated into a track looking more like tractor ruts in mud than a road. So I turned back.

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Since I'd added a fair bit of distance from exploring I turned west early. Had to do the Sutty Bonner detour to get up to fondo distance, but I wanted to anyway. Also came the longer way via Coleorton.

Early start, I was away by 0850. Cold, but pleasant out there. Overcast again though. I listened to 5 Live, and the Kiss album Love Gun, in memory of the recently deceased Ace Frehley.

Back on 100.51.

https://www.strava.com/activities/16170325938

[Slim]

Hadn't operated a bike for a few days due to rainy weather so I was keen to get out for a bit today. Alas, rain was due over at about 1400 so I'd have to make do with a Twycrosser or Bypasser.

So I did a Bypasser. I was defeated by a road closure at Orton Road - there's been a traffic light system there for a few weeks, but now there's a barrier right across. So I tracked back and went east to Sheepy via Orton Lane. I was defeated by another set of road works along Ratcliffe Road as well. So I gave Atterton Lane a miss and went east via Sibson Road. Then up via Shenton, Bosworth, Heather, Ibstock.

I did pick up three or four spots of rain near Ibstock but it hasn't rained since then. Could have stayed out longer.


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I listened to Boris Johnson's evidence at the COVID enquiry but became angered by the questioning, so I listened to Groove Armada's Vertigo, Evelyn "Champagne" King's Get Loose and Martin Taylor's Don't Fret which I remember buying in the jazz & classical department at a long-gone music shop in Leicester in 1992.

Back on 57.41km.

https://www.strava.com/activities/16211192529