under_the_arches
That is so true. The best way for climbs nice & steady & try not to look forward, especially when a wall is in front of you. Most of it is in your head.I must of made the attack it mistake loads of times!
luxury_scruff
Do you do wheelies at any stage of this riding lads?Used to love doing those front wheel at 45° wheelies, slightly turning the handlebars.
Travis_Bickle
Manuals are where it's at now....don't pedal, just roll.....
Travis_Bickle
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Travis_Bickle
Mills Hills Sportive today.Fuck me that was hard. I don’t think I’ve ever done anything as hard before in my life. Not really longer than the first sportive I did (a few kilometres) but the 300 extra metres of climbing felt like 3000!The course started in Mytholmroyd and went up Cragg Vale. Not the best start as I lost my chain before the climb even got going. Got caught up in the front mech so I lost a minute or so. Gutted as I’d decided that I was going to beat my best time to date. I did on the top section and reckon I’d have taken a minute off it at least.Felt good as we dropped back into Ripponden, crossed the main road and wound our way to Norland Bank. The tarmac is new and like glass, good job as it’s vertical. Great climb, I cleaned it and felt okay (even with my 12-23 rear cassette, I know, I know, I’ll be dining on that for years). We dropped through Barkisland and then took some narrow back roads to get us back into Sowerby Bridge. They weren’t very long but some were crazily steep in places. Those roads that as you approach a t-junction the road seems to bend upwards to 30% plus. Killers when you’re legs are fading.Anyway, into Sowerby and up out towards the Burnley Road. We drop into Luddenden and then turn off up Stocks Lane. We left that road to drop into the valley bottom. Nice bit of freewheeling but, and this became a theme for the day, you know that going down that quickly means that you’re going back up fairly soon.The drag up to Wainstalls is brutal. Long, straight and fucking steep. I got off and pushed for a bit. I wasn’t alone and had nearly 60 miles to go. I was happy with what I got done and the tactic paid off through the ride as I didn’t cramp or pull. And this, for me at least, was hard, long ride.We climbed steadily for what seemed like forever to get us to Warley Moor. The weather had been drizzly and overcast but it was when we got there that the mist descended and things took a turn for the worst.I know these roads as they’re part of the routes I ride the mountain bike on. The descent into Oxenhope is a belter. One of the great things about today’s ride were the chances to kill the descending demons. And this was a good chance to put the advice into practice, relax, let the bike take you there, arms bent, loose hands and all that.We’d stocked up at the first feed station. I took four gels, four energy bars and plenty of drink with me. Grabbed some extras on the way round. Eating even when you don’t feel like it has been drummed into me so I was determined to get it right.We leave Oxenhope as the ‘short route’ people set off back towards the start. We head to Colne that takes us past the windmills. The rain is now horizontal. Literally. It was funny to watch it coming off the moors as it was sideways. And the wind was fierce. It was as if every 20m or so someone was trying to push you off sideways. I got on the big ring and pushed it as hard as I could. Seemed to help stop the wind blowing me all over. This was a good part of the ride. The legs were warmed up and the terrain was fairly friendly.The route is taking us back towards our start but there’s no chance to get excited about finishing as we’ve another ‘loop’ to do before we can go home.And then we had to climb Ridehalgh Lane.It feels like climbing up to the end of the world. Guidebooks would call it ‘rugged’ terrain. Hard work. And some more pushing. The first section is crazily steep. A car passed us and struggled with the first 50m or so.Once out of the way we’re at the second feed station at Widdop Reservoir. A quick stop, fill the bottles again and then we’re off. It felt like the home stretch but we were only 42 miles in.At a t-junction one of the blokes I’d met en route and was riding with was tempted to turn left and head to Heptonstall but his pal intervened and we were heading in the wrong direction again.Through Blackshaw Head and onto the Long Causeway. Not flat but horizontal enough to let me get the legs warmed up without having to fry them on a climb.At the outskirts of Burnley we’re dog-legging back on ourselves and climbing again. One of those long, long drags. Nothing earth-shattering but just relentless. And it kept going. Over the brow and there’s another one. Drop into Bacup and, again, they’re roads I know. I’ll be dragging my aching body out of bed at 6 tomorrow to help set up the course for the last round of the Brownbacks mountain bike race series but today I’m dragging it up the hill out of Bacup.The next 10-15 minutes or so are shit.I’m tired. I hurt. I ache. My head feels a bit foggy and I just want to go home. There’s still enough of the course left to mean I don’t want to fuck this up so I get off. Have something to eat as I push for a bit and I’m soon feeling better.Nice long drop towards Todmorden and then the sting in the tail is upon us.The climb out of Tod is vertical. Cross Stone Road I think it'd called. It just goes up and up and up and then when you think it's done, it's going up again.I rode bits and I pushed bits. And it hurt. My legs were probably done but I just wanted the free pies at the end. And the heated seat in the car. And a bath. So I kept going.We end up back on the Long Causeway and ride a shirt section of the loop again in the opposite direction. And then had to drop back into Hebden. My arms were tired. My back hurt and so the crazily steep descent down Rawtenstall Bank and beyond was crazy. You could hear brakes being squeezed all the way down (as an aside, I reckon these road bikes with discs are the way forward and if I ever get some brass I’m having one as rim brakes are completely and utterly shit and give you nothing but heart failure as they fail to actually slow you down and arms like Popeye as you try to make them).Once in Hebden I started smiling as I cycled down the main drag. I’d done it. Apart from a 20m kick up there’s no climbs. Lovely.Over the timing mat and I’m enjoying a pie and a natter with a few of the other brave souls who did it. My hands looked like I’m been in the bath for hours. Soaked to the skin, knackered but happy as a pig in shit.I’ve come a long way in the last year but I’ve still got so far to go and today really inspired me to crack on. I’m borrowing some rollers soon and I reckon with them, the spin, the mountain bike and some hours on the road I’ll get there.Seven and a half hours, 75 miles and 2400m climbed.
Cuts
Well done Trav. Looked at my bike today as I got some tools out of the garage. When this house is done, I'm never moving again. I think I'm getting flat spots on my tyres.
Young_Marxist_at_Tescos
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Travis_Bickle
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wayne_kitkat
That is a fantastic achievement. I bet there were not too many others with a 12-23 cassette on.
Travis_Bickle
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Cuts
I hope you beat him. With a big stick that is.
king_of_the_slums
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Cuts
Fair play to him he's made a career out of been a bit daft on his bike. Usually has decent music too.
Travis_Bickle
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Travis_Bickle
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Bielsa’s_Bucket
[quote=Travis Bickle]Mills Hills Sportive today.Fuck me that was hard. I don’t think I’ve ever done anything as hard before in my life. Not really longer than the first sportive I did (a few kilometres) but the 300 extra metres of climbing felt like 3000!The course started in Mytholmroyd and went up Cragg Vale. Not the best start as I lost my chain before the climb even got going. Got caught up in the front mech so I lost a minute or so. Gutted as I’d decided that I was going to beat my best time to date. I did on the top section and reckon I’d have taken a minute off it at least.Felt good as we dropped back into Ripponden, crossed the main road and wound our way to Norland Bank. The tarmac is new and like glass, good job as it’s vertical. Great climb, I cleaned it and felt okay (even with my 12-23 rear cassette, I know, I know, I’ll be dining on that for years). We dropped through Barkisland and then took some narrow back roads to get us back into Sowerby Bridge. They weren’t very long but some were crazily steep in places. Those roads that as you approach a t-junction the road seems to bend upwards to 30% plus. Killers when you’re legs are fading.Anyway, into Sowerby and up out towards the Burnley Road. We drop into Luddenden and then turn off up Stocks Lane. We left that road to drop into the valley bottom. Nice bit of freewheeling but, and this became a theme for the day, you know that going down that quickly means that you’re going back up fairly soon.The drag up to Wainstalls is brutal. Long, straight and fucking steep. I got off and pushed for a bit. I wasn’t alone and had nearly 60 miles to go. I was happy with what I got done and the tactic paid off through the ride as I didn’t cramp or pull. And this, for me at least, was hard, long ride.We climbed steadily for what seemed like forever to get us to Warley Moor. The weather had been drizzly and overcast but it was when we got there that the mist descended and things took a turn for the worst.I know these roads as they’re part of the routes I ride the mountain bike on. The descent into Oxenhope is a belter. One of the great things about today’s ride were the chances to kill the descending demons. And this was a good chance to put the advice into practice, relax, let the bike take you there, arms bent, loose hands and all that.We’d stocked up at the first feed station. I took four gels, four energy bars and plenty of drink with me. Grabbed some extras on the way round. Eating even when you don’t feel like it has been drummed into me so I was determined to get it right.We leave Oxenhope as the ‘short route’ people set off back towards the start. We head to Colne that takes us past the windmills. The rain is now horizontal. Literally. It was funny to watch it coming off the moors as it was sideways. And the wind was fierce. It was as if every 20m or so someone was trying to push you off sideways. I got on the big ring and pushed it as hard as I could. Seemed to help stop the wind blowing me all over. This was a good part of the ride. The legs were warmed up and the terrain was fairly friendly.The route is taking us back towards our start but there’s no chance to get excited about finishing as we’ve another ‘loop’ to do before we can go home.And then we had to climb Ridehalgh Lane.It feels like climbing up to the end of the world. Guidebooks would call it ‘rugged’ terrain. Hard work. And some more pushing. The first section is crazily steep. A car passed us and struggled with the first 50m or so.Once out of the way we’re at the second feed station at Widdop Reservoir. A quick stop, fill the bottles again and then we’re off. It felt like the home stretch but we were only 42 miles in.At a t-junction one of the blokes I’d met en route and was riding with was tempted to turn left and head to Heptonstall but his pal intervened and we were heading in the wrong direction again.Through Blackshaw Head and onto the Long Causeway. Not flat but horizontal enough to let me get the legs warmed up without having to fry them on a climb.At the outskirts of Burnley we’re dog-legging back on ourselves and climbing again. One of those long, long drags. Nothing earth-shattering but just relentless. And it kept going. Over the brow and there’s another one. Drop into Bacup and, again, they’re roads I know. I’ll be dragging my aching body out of bed at 6 tomorrow to help set up the course for the last round of the Brownbacks mountain bike race series but today I’m dragging it up the hill out of Bacup.The next 10-15 minutes or so are shit.I’m tired. I hurt. I ache. My head feels a bit foggy and I just want to go home. There’s still enough of the course left to mean I don’t want to fuck this up so I get off. Have something to eat as I push for a bit and I’m soon feeling better.Nice long drop towards Todmorden and then the sting in the tail is upon us.The climb out of Tod is vertical. Cross Stone Road I think it'd called. It just goes up and up and up and then when you think it's done, it's going up again.I rode bits and I pushed bits. And it hurt. My legs were probably done but I just wanted the free pies at the end. And the heated seat in the car. And a bath. So I kept going.We end up back on the Long Causeway and ride a shirt section of the loop again in the opposite direction. And then had to drop back into Hebden. My arms were tired. My back hurt and so the crazily steep descent down Rawtenstall Bank and beyond was crazy. You could hear brakes being squeezed all the way down (as an aside, I reckon these road bikes with discs are the way forward and if I ever get some brass I’m having one as rim brakes are completely and utterly shit and give you nothing but heart failure as they fail to actually slow you down and arms like Popeye as you try to make them).Once in Hebden I started smiling as I cycled down the main drag. I’d done it. Apart from a 20m kick up there’s no climbs. Lovely.Over the timing mat and I’m enjoying a pie and a natter with a few of the other brave souls who did it. My hands looked like I’m been in the bath for hours. Soaked to the skin, knackered but happy as a pig in shit.I’ve come a long way in the last year but I’ve still got so far to go and today really inspired me to crack on. I’m borrowing some rollers soon and I reckon with them, the spin, the mountain bike and some hours on the road I’ll get there.Seven and a half hours, 75 miles and 2400m climbed.[/quote]Excellent. Had to force myself to get out today. Difficult to get motivated now the weathers getting worse. Managed 20 miles but still felt like 50 !!Need to steal some of my wife's energy, she puts me to shame :/She's at it again tomorrow :rolleyes:[url=uk.virginmoneygiving.com/gillyriley]www.ukvirginmoneygiving.com/gillyriley[/url]
Cuts
Taking my bike to work tonight to clean. Hey, you can just sleep on a 12 hour shift can you?
Cuts
Taking my bike to work tonight to clean. Hey, you can just sleep on a 12 hour shift can you?
under_the_arches
Can't cycle stretched me groin. Ace!
Travis_Bickle
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