OK, so I have the shiny new bike.  I do not as yet have a computer for it – there’s one on order – so I’m having to approximate stats here.  First off, I went out on it for 16 miles or so, taking it easy (it was pre-event!), on Saturday morning with M. Today  I did a 35 mile loop with G, which took about 2:25 elapsed time, and therefore averaged around 14.5 mph ish…

New bike stats so far:
ODO: 61 miles..

It’s hard to say whether or not it’s set up right as yet, because it all feels different.  Nothing is the same – from how it works, to how I sit, to how I hold the bars!  Changing gears is proving to be easier than I’d though, whereas braking is harder.  Changing position, between the drops, the tops, etc., is something I need to work on.  The one time I stood to go up a hill, it was all so wobbly that I sat down again – clearly more work required there too.  I got my middle of the back shoulder pain earlier than expected so A may be right and we may need to change the handlebar stem to adjust the reach length…or maybe it’s something I have to get used to?  After all, the “old” bike was much longer…and if getting shorter causes pain, will even shorter be worse?  As for my right ankle…

On the positive side – apart from being VERY pretty – it seems to be a much smoother ride.  Although A thought I might need a carbon seat post, I don’t think that’s going to be an issue.  The gears seem, if anything, to be a little lower than on the other bike, which is nice.

On balance I think it’s going to be grand…I just need to practice more 🙂  So, feast your eyes on my new baby – I’ll add photos from the other side another time!

It may have been a Bank Holiday, after a long enjoyable weekend, but that’s no excuse for not getting the miles in so, at about 10:30am, I headed out again.  To be fair, it was no great hardship as the sun was shining and the mob were happy at home with hubby.  I did one of my usual training loops – not being in the mood for innovation.

There was a little more wind than I’d been expecting (isn’t there always?!) but since it was a Southerly, at least it wasn’t a cold wind, and although it was a bit of a slog across the levels at times, it was at least behind me for the last part of the loop.

Cycling time: 2:14:30
Distance: 35.077 miles
Avs: 15.7 mph
ODO: 9389.1 miles

It felt like hard work at times, but looking at the average speed, I guess I was probably pushing it a bit harder than usual.  It certainly took a good 15 minutes less than I’d been expecting!  My legs were feeling it though, and are a bit achey if you pay attention – I get the feeling they could use a good stretch, so will bear that in mind for the next gym session.

In other news the bike I’ve decided I want has gone up £120 while I wasn’t looking, which is a bit of a disaster…I really need to get on and do something about purchasing whatever it is I’m going to get…but it all boils down to the sizing which I still don’t have figured out yet…*grrr*.

And if you like number crunching, since this blog started in October 2008, I’ve now done over 2000m cycling – I love big numbers like that 🙂  If you look at the website stats, around 300 people pop in here a month (not including robots etc).  I have no idea who most of them are, and I’m sure some of them didn’t mean to end up here, but if you did –  if that’s you – say hi?  Introduce yourself?  Pull up a chair and make yourself at home 🙂

Yesterday I did not go out on the bike.  OK, so I did go to the gym, but that’s different ok?  To be fair, it really wasn’t a good session, so I wasn’t expecting good things from today’s ride.  However…

Things got off to a good start when, on setting out, I realised it wasn’t as windy as I’d expected, and that the wind wasn’t as cold as it has been either.  In fact, it was verging on warm.  I picked up M and we headed out towards Wookey.  My trusty arm warmer bolero only stayed on as far as Draycott before being consigned to the saddle bag – and out came the arms.  The less encumbered I am, the faster I feel – even if that effect is only psychological!  My legs were feeling way better than expected which was a very pleasant surprise – I guess they liked having a day off?  M and I looped around for a bit, and then parted company in Wedmore as she had to get back and I needed to get a few more miles in.  I headed off towards Mark…

Cycling time: 2:10:11
Distance: 33.366 miles
Avs: 15.4 mph
ODO: 9268.3 miles

I had a blissful hour plus of me, the bike, the mp3, the sun, the road…and eventually, the wind behind me.  Now that was a blast!  Even when it was a headwind – which it was for a lot of it – it didn’t seem to be holding me back too much.  I was having such a nice time that I made myself come back home up Winscombe Hill which I usually avoid like the plague!  Then I came back down the bypass, doing over 30 miles an hour, with a huge grin on my face, and met hubby and eldest just coming back into town in the car – cue lots of mad waving 🙂

It’s been an SW week.  On Tuesday we saw the first SWallows back in Axbridge.  I have now seen two SWans nesting in various places around the levels.  And today’s ride was SW…EEET!… 🙂