Official P&b Cycling Thread

[broon-loon]

Bit the bullet and took the older road bike to work today. Had to stop twice within a mile or so to tiptoe through the mud that has been washed off the fields. The joys of rural cycling..

Anyway,  far from speedy but at least some calories were burned aff the beer belly..

 

[statts1976uk]

16 hours ago, broon-loon said:

Bit the bullet and took the older road bike to work today. Had to stop twice within a mile or so to tiptoe through the mud that has been washed off the fields. The joys of rural cycling..

Anyway,  far from speedy but at least some calories were burned aff the beer belly..

 

Still faster than all those sat on the sofa and using more energy than those sat in their cars!

[oldbitterandgrumpy]

On 09/03/2018 at 09:53, broon-loon said:

 I may even start using the MTB fitted with slicker tyres until the roads are patched up a bit as the wheels and tyres on a road bike are just too easily damaged.

Until the roads are patched up a bit?   How much time have you got?

[Unleash The Nade]

52 minutes ago, G_Man1985 said:

New traffic lights which give cyclists a head-start over other traffic have been proposed along Edinburgh's tram route https://t.co/WrD3D29AcV https://t.co/SpMOVP14Ms

Great idea

Hopefully this will be implemented in many more cities and towns throughout the country 

Edited March 14, 2018 by Unleash The Nade

[bennett]

20 hours ago, oldbitterandgrumpy said:

Until the roads are patched up a bit?   How much time have you got?

The patched up bits are now needing patched up.

[Shandon Par]

1 hour ago, G_Man1985 said:

New traffic lights which give cyclists a head-start over other traffic have been proposed along Edinburgh's tram route https://t.co/WrD3D29AcV https://t.co/SpMOVP14Ms

Could be lethal given the amount of red light running. Even saw a private hire cab speed up to go through a set of lights a good couple of seconds after they had gone red on Lothian Road earlier. 

[Dindeleux]

No updates here for over 2 weeks?

I cycled Kilmarnock to Darvel and back today, a 20 mile loop.  My bike (Boardman Road Comp 14) finally broke down a couple of weeks ago and I invested in a new set of wheels as my rear hub had failed.  Got a set of Mavic Aksium Elites which are as low budget as you can get but an improvement on what I had.  I can feel a noticeable positive difference with them although I got my chain and console done too so its probably just all feeling better in general.

They are also all black and I got some black tape for the handlebars, changed from white, so it kind of looks and feels like a new bike.

[statts1976uk]

2 hours ago, Dindeleux said:

No updates here for over 2 weeks?

I cycled Kilmarnock to Darvel and back today, a 20 mile loop.  My bike (Boardman Road Comp 14) finally broke down a couple of weeks ago and I invested in a new set of wheels as my rear hub had failed.  Got a set of Mavic Aksium Elites which are as low budget as you can get but an improvement on what I had.  I can feel a noticeable positive difference with them although I got my chain and console done too so its probably just all feeling better in general.

They are also all black and I got some black tape for the handlebars, changed from white, so it kind of looks and feels like a new bike.

I do like Mavics, I have a set of Cosmics for my winter bike and a set of Carbone for my good bike. 

[Unleash The Nade]

Just back from Tenerife

Hired a bike for a day and did a 35 mile loop up around part of Tiede, climbing 3800 feet in 16 miles 

Nice to be be able to get out in the shorts , great road surfaces and no asshole drivers 

[Dindeleux]

Some more details about my much maligned charity cycle.  On the first day I am driving from Kilmarnock to Basle via the Ardennes Forest where I'm going to hit this cycle route: https://www.freewheelingfrance.com/where-to-go/trans-ardennes-bike-path.html    Cycling 50 miles there and then back into the car and continuing on the road to Switzerland where I'm staying for 2 nights.

On day 2 I'm heading to Geneva and going to cycle around Lake Geneva.  Then I'm heading into Germany at the start of day 3 where I'm going to cycle a part of the Black Forest south route: http://www.germany.travel/en/leisure-and-recreation/cycling/southern-black-forest-cycle-route.html

I'm staying in Germany at the end of day 3 before heading to Belgium.  Not 100% sure where I'm going to cycle but hoping to do it somewhere close to Spa on Day 4.  Once I'm done in Belgium I'm driving straight to Amsterdam that night.   Up early on day 5 to complete my 5 day challenge somewhere in Holland (possibly Achterbos which looks like its got some kind of man made lake based on google maps).

Then I've got 2 days to myself to........er.........relax in Amsterdam before I head home.

[Unleash The Nade]

First proper run out of the year with efforts

62miles, 2400 feet climbing , 17.5mph average

Legs a wee bit nippy now 

 

[Dindeleux]

23 hours ago, Unleash The Nade said:

First proper run out of the year with efforts

62miles, 2400 feet climbing , 17.5mph average

Legs a wee bit nippy now 

 

Good work UTN.  What was the wind like?

[Unleash The Nade]

50 minutes ago, Dindeleux said:

Good work UTN.  What was the wind like?

(Avoiding the obvious “Carry On” response )

It was weird tbh . Headed out east into a head wind thinking and hoping we’d be blow most of the way back and hammer some Strava segments .

However , it didn’t work out that way as we cycled back into a head wind the majority of the way home , as the wind seemed to have done a complete 180 on us 

[Dindeleux]

1 minute ago, Unleash The Nade said:

(Avoiding the obvious “Carry On” response )

It was weird tbh . Headed out east into a head wind thinking and hoping we’d be blow most of the way back and hammer some Strava segments .

However , it didn’t work out that way as we cycled back into a head wind the majority of the way home , as the wind seemed to have done a complete 180 on us 

I've started to have a look at the met office wind maps before leaving the house and doing exactly what you did and heading into it.  Its demoralising but worth it for the way back - if as you said the wind doesn't f**k you over.

[Unleash The Nade]

4 minutes ago, Dindeleux said:

I've started to have a look at the met office wind maps before leaving the house and doing exactly what you did and heading into it.  Its demoralising but worth it for the way back - if as you said the wind doesn't f**k you over.

Yup 

Always plan your route to head out into the wind if you can, especially on long runs as if makes a huge difference coming back with a tail wind if you’re gubbed 

[Unleash The Nade]

Still delighted to see my personal fan club is following me on here

Sad and lonely nights alone give him a little excitement # missingmoira

[dorlomin]

On 14/03/2018 at 21:10, G_Man1985 said:

New traffic lights which give cyclists a head-start over other traffic have been proposed along Edinburgh's tram route https://t.co/WrD3D29AcV https://t.co/SpMOVP14Ms

Standard at a lot of busy junctions in central London. "The left hook" or left turning HGVs has been a leading cause of death here especially with female cyclists 

 

https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/london-life/why-women-seem-to-be-more-vulnerable-around-traffic-blackspots-in-london-10341420.html

There was a lot of political focus on this from about 10 years ago so some of the solutions were far more advance stop lines, separate timing lights for cyclists and mirrors at many junctions. 

 

[Dindeleux]

1 hour ago, dorlomin said:

Standard at a lot of busy junctions in central London. "The left hook" or left turning HGVs has been a leading cause of death here especially with female cyclists 

 

https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/london-life/why-women-seem-to-be-more-vulnerable-around-traffic-blackspots-in-london-10341420.html

There was a lot of political focus on this from about 10 years ago so some of the solutions were far more advance stop lines, separate timing lights for cyclists and mirrors at many junctions. 

 

There's traffic lights in Anderston near the police station that have bike lights.  The amount of times I've driven straight throw a red light because of the bike light is unreal.

[Benjamin_Nevis]

Finally got out on an actual bike the last couple of weeks. A 42 miler last week, and 50 on Sunday. Pace is shite, averaging 13.5 and 13.6mph, although got some decent climbs on a fine Spring day on Sunday, about 2400ft on the Angus backroads. I've got the Loch Ness Etape in 27 days and am nowhere near where I need to be to break the 4 hour mark. I'll have to settle for bettering last years 4:30. Hopefully the weather is decent the next few weekends and I can try to batter out a few 50+ mile rides. 

Also had the fun of spending a £1000 Cycle to work voucher in Decathlon last week. Got a new mountain bike and shitloads of gear. Glorious. 

[statts1976uk]

8 hours ago, jupe1407 said:

Finally got out on an actual bike the last couple of weeks. A 42 miler last week, and 50 on Sunday. Pace is shite, averaging 13.5 and 13.6mph, although got some decent climbs on a fine Spring day on Sunday, about 2400ft on the Angus backroads. I've got the Loch Ness Etape in 27 days and am nowhere near where I need to be to break the 4 hour mark. I'll have to settle for bettering last years 4:30. Hopefully the weather is decent the next few weekends and I can try to batter out a few 50+ mile rides. 

Also had the fun of spending a £1000 Cycle to work voucher in Decathlon last week. Got a new mountain bike and shitloads of gear. Glorious. 

I’m taking part in the Etape too and nowhere near where I want to be with training. My gym work is fine but I really need on saddle time but work and weather are conspiring against me. When do the start times come out?

Edited April 3, 2018 by statts1976uk