Today's Bike Ride

[Llani Boy]

I have not run since The Wrekin ten days ago as I have a sore heel which I have self diagnosed as Plantar Fasciitis. Very frustrating, as no pain other than when I put weight on it.

Going stir crazy so the bike it has been.

Good Friday was lovely road ride out to the Goyt Valley, Cat and Fiddle, Flash, The Mermaid down to Warslow, Hartington and home. 50 miles, 4'650 feet in 3hr 39 min.

Easter Sunday another lovely road ride, this time through the Hafren Forest, Dylife, back to Staylittle, Y Fan and home to Llanidloes. In addition to hundreds of lambs, a fantastic selection of birds spotted including Osprey, Buzzard, Red Kite, Curlew and Lapwing. 32 miles, 3'658 feet in 2hr 22 min.

Today, a tarmac and trail ride from home. Cool and very breezy up to Chelmorton and on to the High Peak Trail. Along it to Parsley Hay then Biggin on the Tissington Trail. Over to Minninglow on the High Peak Trail via Cardlemere Lane and back to Parsley Hay where I had a latte at the Blueberry Kiosk. They told me that they are now open every day until the winter. Back along the trail and home via Taddington. 40 miles, 2'326 feet in dead on 3hrs.

I am hoping the total of 122 miles and 10,634 feet on the bike will enable my lungs and legs to get me around Cribyn on Saturday and if it keeps pissing down until then it'll be nice and soft underfoot which my heel will prefer!

[Graham Breeze]

Fifty miles to Malham - and given the tourist honey-pot that is Malham this could only be to do one of the two savage climbs that leave to the North past the Cove towards Malham Tarn. Naturally I did the tougher of the two referred to in Simon Warren's "Cycling Climbs..." with bits of 1 in 5. This explains some of the 4000 feet of climb today.

From the base of Malham Cove emerges the source of the River Aire and I did think of dropping a plastic duck in the stream and chasing it back to Ilkley - but since Ilkley is on the River Wharfe I had second thoughts.

[felltrumpet]

I’m getting into velodrome cycling and enjoying the training. I went to the over 40s morning session on Tuesday as my daughter was doing a session outside in the morning and then on the track in the afternoon.
There was an older chap with a sponsor’s kit and rainbow stripes on the sleeves and collar. I then just about managed to hold his wheel on various drills etc…he was a beast, and obviously well respected by the coach and other riders.
I glanced his name on his top tube and made a note to Google later: Geoff Cooke. Quite a legend of British Cycling and 33 years my senior. Massive Respect!

[PeteS]

Legend he is. Quite an amazing palmarez and certainly someone we should all seek to inspire us in later life

[Graham Breeze]

Before departing to view 27 Vermeers in Amsterdam (but too late for Amstel Gold) and watch Liege - Bastogne - Liege in...Liege, I did another 50 miles this week through Settle and over High Hill Lane to Airton. The sign at the bottom said 12.5% but that is not what I remember and Veloviewer confirms it peaks at 17%. Such a mild climb is probably why I caught a rider up who had a dinner plate on his rear wheel but not wanting to humiliate one so young I just followed 20 yards behind for 6 miles and then whoosh! in Airton.

I think my generosity of spirit has always held me back in life. It'll be different next time round.

[molehill]

My 14th ride of 2023 and slowly progressing, 34 miles with 4370ft ascent, I took it steady and it was pretty slow but I was happy to make it on the loop.
Despite that I took a big chunk off a couple of V70 segment records on the Strava , up a climb and down the other side. I am happy to bask in the glory, even if only 3 other V70 (strava) riders had ever been over there.

[Marco]

... I did another 50 miles this week through Settle and over High Hill Lane to Airton. The sign at the bottom said 12.5% but that is not what I remember and Veloviewer confirms it peaks at 17%. Such a mild climb is probably why I caught a rider up who had a dinner plate on his rear wheel but not wanting to humiliate one so young I just followed 20 yards behind for 6 miles and then whoosh! in Airton.

I think my generosity of spirit has always held me back in life. It'll be different next time round.

I think you're selling yourself short here, Graham. According to my mapping software, the climb peaks at 20.6 percent. The 1:25000 OS map gives it a double chevron (1:5 or steeper) at this point too.

For what it's worth, I would have sat down, stuck it in the 25T sprocket (the biggest I own), and attacked early on my 38t inner ring. The earlier you go, the more time you gain. If you leave it late there's a chance they will not lose much and, worse still, may catch you on the descent!

On rare occasions I slow down and have a chat with riders in a case like this. It depends a lot on how much I'd have to slow down, and if I'm feeling competitive. It doesn't happen often.

[Marco]

Last night's forecast was for 0 percent chance of rain and 10 degrees C at 09:00 this morning with cloudy sun. And what did we get? About 8 degrees and rain, lots of it.

Was a bit surprised that anyone else turned up at the meeting point, but there were 5 of us (which quickly became 4 when one man's tubeless tyre punctured and wouldn't hold air put into it). There was one guy who currently still races, two of us who used to race, and a guy younger than me built like a brick out-house. None of us with mudguards, or anything approaching substantially waterproof clothing.

After 4 miles of flat riding at speeds of over 20mph, on saturated roads with puddles over half the width of the road, I decided that discretion is the better part of valour (or something like that) and turned around. The other three continued on into the rain

It took longer to clean and dry the bike when I got back than I was actually riding it, and it's stopped raining now and it looks like the sun might come out

[Graham Breeze]

I think you're selling yourself short here, Graham. According to my mapping software, the climb peaks at 20.6 percent. The 1:25000 OS map gives it a double chevron (1:5 or steeper) at this point too.

Thank you.

It was my son's Veloviewer data from when he did it. Perhaps he reduced it to 17% for me in case I got too full of myself?

[Marco]

It was my son's Veloviewer data from when he did it. Perhaps he reduced it to 17% for me in case I got too full of myself?

If you suspect that your son might be downgrading your achievements, you could always get your own route mapping software. Here is what the free, and excellent, https://cycle.travel/map makes of it. Just select your start and end points and then click on the 'Mountain' icon to get the profile. Works on footpaths too.