Travis_Bickle
Great article on climbing in this month's Singletrack. All about learning to love it. 30 sounds good. I'm having me one of them 12-32s if I get a new road bike. Is it right Wiggins has used an XT mountain bike cassette before? I know Contador uses 34! Spin bike tonight. Hit a new high for heart rate. A & E here we come.....
under_the_arches
Have been off the bike for two weeks, just by being a lazy cunt. Did a good shift this morning, just shy of 70k. But Christ did I feel it! Really sluggish. I finished off with a 4mile climb. Which just blew me body too bits, plus it was cold & wet. I was knackered when I got in & that shivery feeling. Never mind I will be out 2morrow night, on the hills. Like you say you get to love it. I am gonna try my damnedest not to get too fat over Xmas. It took me 2month to get it off last year &really slowed me down. The 200k er in the new year should help!
Travis_Bickle
Been completely shit today. Work meant I didn't get out this morning. Or that's my excuse. Just haven't felt right all day. Meant to do a spin session but sacked that off. Back in the saddle Tuesday.Trying to make sure I get more miles in next year. I reckon I can manage a couple more sessions even if it's on the rollers.Where's the four mile climb UTA?
Cuts
When did people start riding like that, all the trick stuff? We used to be impressed if you could hold a wheelie for the length of our street (I never could).Snow and ice round here, Santa on the back of a fire truck riding round. I think I'm done for this year. Try not to over indulge at Christmas, yeah right...
under_the_arches
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Travis_Bickle
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under_the_arches
Major arse with the bike the last two days. The front mech went. Took it to the local bike shop & they said it has seized up. Shit I thought as I have a randonee in less than two weeks. Anyway I gave my mate a bell who is a bit of a professor of bike mechanics and the cable wasn't correctly in. I will be taking him up star hill now for some punishment. He's been good to me really. I hope he is now better!
Travis_Bickle
I’d checked the weather forecasts. All of them. High winds, heavy rain.Perhaps not the ideal conditions for the longest ride you’ve ever done but there was no fucking way I was swerving it.An exchange of texts, I was offered the light but said no and it was still on.9am at Harry’s and we’re off.We had an unscheduled stop at the Golden Acre car park as my back end was all over. The tyre was flat-ish. If we’d bothered to check at the start we’d have had the choice of two track pumps but in our haste we’d just got going (more of that back wheel and of rushing out later).A quick blast of the Pocket Rocket and we’re away.West Park, Otley Road through Bramhope, down past the Chevin and we’re heading for Skipton.The plan was to keep it simple and relatively flat. Boring roads and loads of traffic but we were eating miles as quickly as we could. I was holding Harry’s wheel for long periods. Anyone who has read about cycling or has put the miles in on the road will know the difference that makes when you’re the one benefiting from the tow.It is incredible. The weather was fairly benign at this point, cold, raining but nothing crazy.We got a fairly decent lick going and the ride was enjoyable.We had a chat about his recent ride in India (Tour of Nilgiris) and him training with the Brownlees. I blabbed on about the impending arrival of child number two. Chewing the fat. Good times. On a steepish descent I felt that wobble again. I’m getting better at descending on the road and even with the water flowing down the tarmac I knew it wasn’t my imagination or nerves, the wheel wasn’t right.A quick check revealed that the blocks were hitting the rim....and the bead of the tyre. My road bike is a Franken-bike. It’s made from loads of bits. And it seems that what it really needs is those longer callipers at the back. It’s almost certainly been doing it for a while but I’d not noticed.Right, we’re probably 15 miles in and I’m on one brake.No drama.As we get further ‘in country’ and nearer the Dales proper the weather gets shitter. Much shitter.I know, I know, excuses this early but it really was shit. Lashing rain and wind. Fact was though, the latter was behind us for the outward leg (we’d love it at Fleet Moss).Through Ilkley. Through Addingham. I felt good. I’m a 44 year-old ex-smoker. I’ve been on the road bike less than a year and been doing ‘proper’ training since February. I’d not have got this far a couple of years back. I’d been playing at riding mountain bikes since 1999-2000 but the difference getting just a little bit of fitness makes is enormous and makes the whole experience so much more satisfying.Anyway, we skirt Skipton and take the Grassington Road towards Hetton. By now the sky’s getting dark (it’s not even lunchtime).Rylstone, Cracoe, and then we’re in Kettlewell. These are places I know from being a kid. But back then I saw them from through the window of a VW Polo. Now I’m on a bike. And I’m enjoying it. The rain was coming in sheets. The rivers and streams were raging. Truly beautiful to watch. Thick and brown and powerful. You could hear them long before you passed or crossed them. The colours out there are amazing and make you realise you don’t get out to what’s on your doorstep enough. Those Italians and Spaniards and Columbians are in for a treat in Summer.At Buckden we fork left down Dubb’s Lane. There are some blokes fixing a dry-stone wall. There’s a flooded road. And I mean flooded. I ride a large framed bike. 60cm I think (never have quite got my head around road bike frame sizing). The water is well over the hubs and bottom bracket. It’s not far off our knees. We’d had a ‘shall we?’ moment but the alternatives were shit. So we rode through it.I was already cold. In the next few minutes I would lose all feeling in my feet. Literally. No feeling. I could wiggle my toes and couldn’t feel myself doing it.There are some vicious little kicks ahead. They hurt. They’re 200m or so if that, but they’re steep. ‘Here we go’ Harry had said as we headed upwards. He wasn’t wrong.We were passed by a farmer on a quad with his daughter pressed into his back against the rain and wind. Never fall for that romanticised city-dweller view of the country life. It looks fucking hard. The sheepdog was shivering like a shitting sheepdog. He wasn’t, I checked.And then we were there.Fleet Moss. Fleet fucking Moss. Not the longest or steepest but after 40-50 miles or so not what I wanted. I got up. I didn’t push. I did ‘pause’ a couple of times. Did I tell you I have a 12-23 cassette......?The descent from the top is fucking mental. Straight.And steep. 20% steep.And fast.Lads on the Etape Du Dales least year were hitting the high 50s mph. I had one brake. And a tyre that was interestingly shaped.It was a blast. Harry’s helped me massively with descending and when you remember to relax and go with it, it’s a fantastic experience.We arrive in Hawes and we eat and drink. Full English, two coffees and cake. I also used all of their radiators to try and dry my gloves and socks (Seal Skinz only work when water doesn’t get in the top). It didn’t work.I said earlier we’d rushed out. That meant I left the spare socks and gloves in the car. Prat.When we finally got back on the bikes all of my clothes and, more importantly and worryingly, every inch of my body were freezing. Fucking freezing.We headed towards Leyburn so we could turn right and get back to Grassington.And when we did turn it went shit.The run towards Leyburn was great. Fuelled, warmed-ish and a nice rolling Dales road. We got a decent lick going and made good time.But then we turned for Grassington.The wind that had pushed us along and up Fleet Moss was now in our faces. And I mean in our faces. I don’t know how fast the wind was. But I can give you an idea of the effect it had.By now I was tired. Really tired. So when the road went down, even though I know I shouldn’t have done, I freewheeled. And that was when the wind came into play.On a 3-4% downhill a gust practically stopped me. Seriously, I was barely moving. The rain was cold and hurting my face.Harry is a pro-athlete and he was feeling it. That made me feel slightly better. Actually it didn’t. I didn’t have time to think about that. I was fucked off. No point pretending. I was very, very cold, very very wet and tired.There were more flooded bits. We saw the AA saving a car. Can’t be sure but I reckon they’d gone through one of the floods and fucked it up.I was tired. I was cold (have I told you that?).Which meant the 16-18% hill we had to get over was the last fucking thing I wanted to see.I got over it. I pushed for the last bit. No point trying to ride it. Legs were screaming and I had to get home.We didn’t have long. The light was fading badly and we had one small rear light between us.Harry rang the other half and she was heading out from Leeds to get us when we needed her.We turned off to take the back road to Burnsall. By now I was worried about the light. It was very dark and I felt a bit of twat. Motorists can be off with cyclists but people riding with no lights get what they deserve.Bit of a fuck up. Anyway, she found us on that road. So desperate was I to get all the miles in I could we agreed we’d ride to the village with her behind us, full beams on. Bit daft I know. Actually, very daft. But the road was dead. We didn’t see anyone for the mile or so we did.By now I was going a fair speed downhill which, backlit, is ‘interesting’. And then we were in Burnsall. Dark as night. Dales black. But now we were in the car. She’d brought tea, a giant Toblerone and big sweaters.We drove back to Leeds and, after checking Strava, realised we’d done 86 miles.So despite the aim of the day, I’m not in the 100 club. I don’t give a fuck. The ride was hard. And the conditions were shit (I've just checked, the internet suggests 20mph plus on the headwind and there’d been an Amber weather warning apparently).If that sounds like an excuse, maybe it is. I don’t care. I rode it and I defy anyone to 'perform' on a day like today.And the lack of lights was schoolboy. As we drove back by Cav Pav etc and up through Otley I was asking myself, could you have done the 14? I reckon I could. But I’m not sure.There’ll be others. I’ve got the Etape Du Dales to do in May.I’ve had a bath. And a large glass of red. And I feel mint. Can’t wait for the New Year. Loads of miles to do. And the chance of a free 10-speed Ultegra chainset when Harry gets his new one. I know, no more 12-23 folks! I’m having me a 32!Should add. As we neared Leeds a gun went off in the car. It didn’t. It was my rear tube blowing up. Heat in the car will have expanded it. Thank fuck I stayed off that back brake eh.........
Young_Marxist_at_Tescos
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Foxy_Dread
Don't be hard on yourself, well do but not for failing, just for venturing outdoors. :D
Bielsa’s_Bucket
Wow....I wouldn't worry too much about not getting to 100, 86 miles today must be worth 200 on a fine day ??You deserve praise for just setting off. I've not been out for weeks now, I bought a turbo trainer which I've got set up in the garage with big projector on wall etc, but to be honest feel like a bit of a fraud now when I'm using it especially when I read something like what you've just done.I got the trainer to prepare for the c2c in a day I've signed up for in June. The panic has not hit me yet.....but I'm sure it will do soon.I did a hill climb training session tonight on it, then drank a bottle of red wine and 2 cans of stella cider for my recovery drink......something's not right ??
Cuts
Lightweight.I'd be wrecked on a sniff of Guinness after an effort like that. Well done and great write up too.
Ray_Hankin's_shorts
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under_the_arches
Great great write up that. I have done hardly any cycling this holiday, maybe 40k? My excuse the weather! And I live in the south west. 86miles with one brake, very good effort in horrible conditions. CHAPEAU!Not having a back light is pretty mental though! Fair play for some assistance! My Mrs would have told me to fuck off.I really don't know how I am going to manage a 200k on Saturday, with the lack of miles I have done. I am hoping to get someone's wheel like last time and it isn't as hard as the last one I did. So fingers crossed I will be ok, and I have got to finish as it will be my first audax with being a signed up member.
Placid
Respect Trav. I've hardly been back on a bike after C2C. Will be out in the New Year.
wayne_kitkat
You want a medal for that Travis,maybe your head examining too :)
gore
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under_the_arches
After your post I had to get out on the bike. Fuck the weather and full guts. It was horrible. Horizontal rain, streams down the roads, cycling into a headwind, wind blasting your face like pebble dash, and your body being blasted by the wind. That was the downsides, the pluses where I burnt off 1400 calories, tested my new garmin GPS out (a great piece of kit) and I climbed 652metres in 38k, which wasn't bad, plus the new 30t cassette made a difference up the hill.I was only out 1hour 50minutes, never mind 10 odd hours with a 23t cassette!Oh yeah I even passed a fox hunt going into the town (well more like village centre). No decency those people. I wanna know who let the twats do it. Tradition my arse!
under_the_arches
Up at 5 in the morning, to Tewkesbury for 6, as the start of the 200k was @ 7. Sat in the car for 10minutes listening to the local radio with the rain pissing down and them saying that it was for the next few hours.I turned the engine of the car back on and went back home , back in bed for 7.A hardened cyclista ...... No. A fair weather cyclist......... Oh yes!
Djpekingman
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