Today's Bike Ride

[Graham Breeze]

Someone has grassed you up, Graham. I tried to drive up to Thruscross on sunday, but they now have steel fencing across the entire carriageway from wall to wall. If you wanted to bypass it, you'd have to chuck the Bianchi over it and hope it landed on the wheels.

I have to wonder if a safety report has been submitted regarding a sixty-something gentleman on a bicycle disobeying orders? I'd like to think a safety meeting was hastily arranged on your account, that would be ace.

Ha ha. I rode up yesterday afternoon to check on the security arrangements. A rider followed me up and "discussd" why the road to the bridleway to Thuscross was blocked off with the security man.

Then the rider followed me down.

In the time it took me to ride up the couple of miles of climb at least a dozen cars went past me ignoring the Road Closed signs and swerving through the half-way chicane nominally blocking off the road.

Then, having reached the steel wall and the security guard, they all came back down again. Why do these people ignore the Road Closed signs? Do they think they are cyclists?

I then went off to Storiths - Appletreewick - Burnsall. Only a 30 miles ride (2600 feet) but it was freezing in the afternoon. As you know that back road under Simon's Seat and above the Wharfe and Bolton Abbey is heaven on earth (if you overlook the broken road surface, natural detritus and occasional vehicle).

Oh and of course there is the ford with its sloping uneven stone bottom which yesterday was quite forceful. I did stop and look before I splashed through. That'll now be another bottom bracket needed soon.

It was the first time I have ridden that way since the landslip was repaired and I must say I was impressed with all the new fencing and smooth resurfaced road surface.

I started to ride down one of the steep descents, after just being overtaken - quite civilly - by a Land Rover to see a man pushing a bike up the hill - which I saw to be a tandem. Twenty or so yards further down the hill I met his wife who shrieked at me "and the only reason we are pushing the bike is because we have been ridden off the road by that f****** Land Rover".

I smiled with empathy but since she seemed a tad distraught I decided not to stop and commiserate fully.

Probably tourists.

[Marco]

Someone has grassed you up, Graham. I tried to drive up to Thruscross on sunday, but they now have steel fencing across the entire carriageway from wall to wall. If you wanted to bypass it, you'd have to chuck the Bianchi over it and hope it landed on the wheels.

I have to wonder if a safety report has been submitted regarding a sixty-something gentleman on a bicycle disobeying orders? I'd like to think a safety meeting was hastily arranged on your account, that would be ace.

I bet Graham enjoyed reading the part I have high-lighted in bold

Signed: A fifty-something thug from Staffordshire

[Graham Breeze]

I bet Graham enjoyed reading the part I have high-lighted in bold

Signed: A fifty-something thug from Staffordshire

Now steady.

I know who my friends are.

[mr brightside]

I'm always reluctant to provide technical help for strangers on the basis that every man and his dog can profess to be an expert at certain things, but as I summited the chevin earlier I noticed a couple googling how to jump start a car at the top car park opposite the mistral chilli place, and decided to break my own rules. They had the leads connected to the dead car well enough, but the live car only had an exposed +ve terminal under a sliding flap with no obvious gnd in sight. This was the subject of the googling. I explained that with all the conductors hidden we would need an engine mount to get a gnd from, not a body bolt, as the engine mount would have at least a 10mm2 connection to the battery -ve. The body gnd link, not being visible, could not be relied upon to take 40A as it was of an indeterminate CSA. I selected an engine mount on the engine side of the rubber mount and gave the jump lead clamp a good wiggle to cut through any surface corrosion, the dead car sprang to life with no problems. I find it annoying that Mercedes would make it so difficult, as it might have been the Merc that needed a jump and they would be letting their own customers down then, not just preventing someone else's rescue.

[Mike T]

I'm always reluctant to provide technical help for strangers on the basis that every man and his dog can profess to be an expert at certain things, but as I summited the chevin earlier I noticed a couple googling how to jump start a car at the top car park opposite the mistral chilli place, and decided to break my own rules. They had the leads connected to the dead car well enough, but the live car only had an exposed +ve terminal under a sliding flap with no obvious gnd in sight. This was the subject of the googling. I explained that with all the conductors hidden we would need an engine mount to get a gnd from, not a body bolt, as the engine mount would have at least a 10mm2 connection to the battery -ve. The body gnd link, not being visible, could not be relied upon to take 40A as it was of an indeterminate CSA. I selected an engine mount on the engine side of the rubber mount and gave the jump lead clamp a good wiggle to cut through any surface corrosion, the dead car sprang to life with no problems. I find it annoying that Mercedes would make it so difficult, as it might have been the Merc that needed a jump and they would be letting their own customers down then, not just preventing someone else's rescue.

I have never had to do this, though I have read up about it several times just in case. So if the need arose I would be looking at the car manual or on the internet.

Several years ago after a club run a car was "dead" - there were about 8 of us and only 1 was 100% sure what to do - so while the rest of us scratched our chins and thumbed our phones he just got on with it - problem sorted in a couple of minutes - before retirement he had been an engineer. I was impressed.

[Graham Breeze]

I'm always reluctant to provide technical help for strangers on the basis that every man and his dog can profess to be an expert at certain things, but as I summited the chevin earlier I noticed a couple googling how to jump start a car at the top car park opposite the mistral chilli place, and decided to break my own rules. They had the leads connected to the dead car well enough, but the live car only had an exposed +ve terminal under a sliding flap with no obvious gnd in sight. This was the subject of the googling. I explained that with all the conductors hidden we would need an engine mount to get a gnd from, not a body bolt, as the engine mount would have at least a 10mm2 connection to the battery -ve. The body gnd link, not being visible, could not be relied upon to take 40A as it was of an indeterminate CSA. I selected an engine mount on the engine side of the rubber mount and gave the jump lead clamp a good wiggle to cut through any surface corrosion, the dead car sprang to life with no problems. I find it annoying that Mercedes would make it so difficult, as it might have been the Merc that needed a jump and they would be letting their own customers down then, not just preventing someone else's rescue.

That Mercedes sliding flap sounds familiar. I rode up East Chevin road around 12.30 today (then up Old Pool Bank, Norwood Edge and over Blubberhouses: 2600 feet of climb) so I am glad my expertise was not required. I can't remember what I have done when I have jump-started another car but I know I read the instructions around three times to reassure myself before wielding the crocodile clip.

[Graham Breeze]

If anyone can be credited with fighting the good fight against drug use in cycling it is David Walsh.

I have just read his article suggesting that primarily (ie rather than technical bike developments) it is better nutrition and cyclists' ability to absorb a higher carbo load through gels and bars etc (120 grams/hour or more) that explains why performances today are better than in the infamous drug years.

He writes that there is no evidence that cyclists today have just found a better way of doping.

I think he is right.

[Marco]

If anyone can be credited with fighting the good fight against drug use in cycling it is David Walsh.

I have just read his article suggesting that primarily (ie rather than technical bike developments) it is better nutrition and cyclists' ability to absorb a higher carbo load through gels and bars etc (120 grams/hour or more) that explains why performances today are better than in the infamous drug years.

He writes that there is no evidence that cyclists today have just found a better way of doping.

I think he is right.

I'm not convinced; gels and bars have been around for decades. The rumour is that the cheats have found that they can micro-dose without getting caught, because there is no surplus of the drug in the body which could be detected in a drugs test a few hours after taking it. By taking really small amounts of drugs regularly they can get most of the benefits without getting detected.

The other thing is that if a new chemical is created, it is not cheating to use it until it is on the prohibited substances list. Then, even when it is on the list, a test has to be produced to detect it. Sadly, it has always been a case of the drug testers playing catch-up.

[PeteS]

On today's run around the Clent Hills (and no, I haven't got the wrong thread!), I paused at the bottom of St. Kenhelm's pass whilst waiting to cross the lane. It was busy due to the remembrance service at the church which is also the site of the war memorial. Anyway, while I waited to cross, I looked to the heavens to see if there was any sign of a let up in the persistent drizzle we had this morning. There was not but then I noticed a sign, high up a telegraph pole proclaiming the start of the climb and various stats such as length, average gradient, max gradient and even times for KOM and QOM. I've not seen it before - obviously I normally speed past so fast in pursuit of the KOM, that it is a blur! The pass (rather grand title for what it is) is a popular cycling climb around here and one of about half a dozen that you can string together if you fancy a tough day out. A couple feature in Simon Warren's books although what I maintain is the toughest is sadly omitted. Anyway back to the sign - it is a professional job but no details of where is has come from or who has put it there or why. I've seen others on notable climbs e.g. the tumble but nothing of the like around these parts. Next fine day, I will take the road bike around all the other climbs and see if we have others. It's a nice thing to have - just find it a little strange.

[Graham Breeze]

On today's run around the Clent Hills (and no, I haven't got the wrong thread!), I paused at the bottom of St. Kenhelm's pass whilst waiting to cross the lane. It was busy due to the remembrance service at the church which is also the site of the war memorial. Anyway, while I waited to cross, I looked to the heavens to see if there was any sign of a let up in the persistent drizzle we had this morning. There was not but then I noticed a sign, high up a telegraph pole proclaiming the start of the climb and various stats such as length, average gradient, max gradient and even times for KOM and QOM. I've not seen it before - obviously I normally speed past so fast in pursuit of the KOM, that it is a blur! The pass (rather grand title for what it is) is a popular cycling climb around here and one of about half a dozen that you can string together if you fancy a tough day out. A couple feature in Simon Warren's books although what I maintain is the toughest is sadly omitted. Anyway back to the sign - it is a professional job but no details of where is has come from or who has put it there or why. I've seen others on notable climbs e.g. the tumble but nothing of the like around these parts. Next fine day, I will take the road bike around all the other climbs and see if we have others. It's a nice thing to have - just find it a little strange.

That's nice. I don't recall ever seeing one and we have some interesting climbs like Park Rash and Malham. I can never take highways signs too seriously because presumably they indicate an average but for a cyclist it's the steepest bit that matters!