Today's Bike Ride

[creaky]

Service every 2 to 3 months, bloody hell, mine is lucky to get wiped with an oily rag every couple of months and can go years between services. On the other hand I don't cycle as much as some on the forums these days.

[Llani Boy]

Yes. The scheme open for registration as of 2345hrs tonight on The Energy Saving Trust website.

Only 500,000 vouchers available and a max of 2 per household. I've just been chatting to my local bike mechanic and she is/has registered as an approved repairer.

So it will be, stand by your keyboards, later!

It appears that the Energy Saving Trust website is not up to the job. Bugger.

[Stagger]

It appears that the Energy Saving Trust website is not up to the job. Bugger.

I didn't stop up late for the 50 quid but tried this morning.

Typical result.

I feel the voucher should be allocated by a person's weight. (Currently 15 st 1 lb)

[anthonykay]

1930 Metres, with about 15 Metres of climbing. Time unknown, but probably less than it took me to get on and off the bike on my own!

1.2 flat miles might not sound much to you, but it's the other side of the moon to me at the moment, in my first ride after major surgery on my leg 21 days ago. Very little torque in my leg (can't ride out of the saddle) as they had to cut a lot of my adductor muscles which had heavily overdeveloped.

Every journey of 1000 miles begins with one step. Just build up gradually; after a while you will be doing bigger mileages than Graham Breeze; then you will be riding further than Llani Boy; then who knows?

[anthonykay]

You're right, he's given me some harder exercises and once I'm able to ride 2 miles I'll be able to reach the Tame Valley and then the Mease Valley and miles of flattish quiet lanes

Ah yes, around Clifton Campville. I have cycled around there, but it's a 50+ mile round trip from home for me, which is a distance that I now regard that as a seriously long bike ride.

[anthonykay]

Clifton Campville? Now you're talking. My first ever solo cycle ride of note was to Clifton Campville when I was 14. After that it was No Man's heath, then Measham, then Ashby, then Breedon on the Hill. And then finally, in an after-tea ride of juvenile madness, I went past Castle Donnington, over the M1 and through Kegworth into Nottinghamshire. Circa 72 miles, on my own at 14 years old. Almost pitch dark by the time I got home, and this was early in July.

Breedon on the Hill is one of my favourite places to visit on a cycle ride (only about an hour from home). I trust you went to the church at the top of the hill, not just the village.

72 miles at age 14 is rather impressive. I built up my mileages very gradually during my teenage years, and wasn't doing much more than 20 miles at that age. But I was riding a heavy "roadster" with Sturmey-Archer 3-speed hub.

[PeteS]

67km with just over 1000m ascent playing dodge the shower around North Worcestershire. The yew tree in Belbroughton churchyard saved me from the worst one but got a good soaking on the way home.

[Travs]

6720 Metres of flat lanes, with around 45 Metres of altitude. Leg feeling good until I met the humpback bridge over the Coventry canal, where low leg strength and 155mm cranks necessitated some zig zagging.

To my total open-mouthed amazement I even managed to overtake a cyclist on an uphill incline (you really couldn't call it a hill, however generous you're being)on the way back. As they say, there's always someone worse off than you!

I assume this was somewhere to the east of Tamworth? (possibly Polesworth/Atherstone area?)

I used to enjoy the odd cycle slightly east of there, from just north of Cov, out through Nuneaton then up the A444 all the way to Burton-on-Trent and back. Although had sometimes been known to lug the bike onto a train back to Nuneaton! Return trip didn't give much change out of 60 miles.

Also some great quiet lanes in the countryside around Market Bosworth/Twycross areas.

[Graham Breeze]

My son bought me Simon Warren’s Cycling Climbs of Yorkshire - meaning ‘ard cycling climbs, since when he has logged his accomplishments on Strava and, naturally, as his father I have to do the same.

Today was Hartwith Bank out of Summerbridge - maximum 18.9%, badly broken-up road surface, so dark under the trees you need lights to be seen by descending vehicles - near Pateley Bridge. Pateley Bridge delights by being situated in the deep River Nidd valley so every road out goes up and steeply.

So 44 miles, 3600 feet and a max pulse at 300% of resting.

Such a challenge having a cycling son. I think I’ll just have daughters next time round.

[anthonykay]

Into the flatlands around the confluence of the Derwent and Trent rivers: the area where a certain John Wild grew up (just to prove that I have read Running Hard ). Around 37 miles, including seeing swimmers jumping into the Derwent from the Wilne footbridge, and meeting some interesting people in the churchyard at Church Wilne.