Category Archives: General

Shape of my heart

"What is this bike of which you speak?"  Asked a Facebook friend in jest.

"I don’t have a bike", quoth I,  "I have a wall-mounted sculpture, an installation".

Well it’s very pretty to look at, but of absolutely no use to me at present.  Just like most installations.  Except that quite a lot of them aren’t pretty either.  Or ever of any use.  Although there’s that whole "beauty in the eye of the beholder" thing going on.  Hey, all art is subjective, right?

I wonder if hibernation is an option?  I could eat lots and lots, go to sleep, and wake up in the Spring refreshed, slim, and raring to go.  Sounds good to me…it’s practically a training plan! *grin*.

Always look on the bright side…

  • For the third time this week the weather is gorgeous and fab for cycling.
  • For the third time this week my plans have been thwarted.  So.
  • For the third time this week I’m not riding when I meant to be.  And.
  • For the third time this week I am not a happy bunny.  *grrrrrr*.  🙁

Hopefully I’ll get out over the weekend, but based on this week so far, I’ll not be counting any chickens!  Still, if you’re looking for silver linings, maybe the “rest” is good for my knee/back?

Weak

I had my appointment with the sports physio today, which was interesting.  My problem is kind of an RSI kneecap tracking issue apparently.  It’s all about adjusting how that happens, tweaking things a bit.  I have a set of exercises to strengthen various muscles, and stretch others, that affect the way the kneecap moves, and should hopefully see some improvement in 4 weeks or so if I do them properly and frequently.  Here’s hoping that’s true.  I also have the kneecap strapped up for the minute, to get me through today’s gym session and up the Gorge tomorrow – if it stays on that long.  So, it’s painkillers, ice as and when, and exercises.  I also need to get my bike set-up checked over again – saddle height, cleats, etc. – just in case.  Well, a quick fix was never going to be possible I guess…dagnamit!  *grin*.

Happy Torq, keep talkin’ happy Torq…

6 days before an event is not a good time to discover that you’ve run out of fueling supplies.  My tub of energy was nigh on empty, and there weren’t as many bars floating around as usual.   It occurred to me that Torq have previously been pretty fast at delivery so on Monday evening I ordered a new 1.5kg tub (current fave flavour is Natural Pink Grapefruit) and a pack of 10 assorted bars.   Well, doing an event on unfamiliar stuff is a bad idea.  Best to stick to what I like and what I’m used to.  Oh, and that which works too.  Buying direct also gets you the best prices, and there’s no charge for p&p either.  So – a big plug for Torq all round 🙂

This morning it arrived.  One less thing to worry about.  Torq delivers 🙂

If I had a hammer

I’ve just spent a very constructive afternoon with Andrew, he of Kalas and Scorpion CS fame, doing remedial stuff to my bike.  All the miles it has done are taking their toll.

  • I’ve gone through yet another set of brake pads and needed new blocks too.   On a related note, the brake callipers have started seizing so had to be loosened off.  Sometime soon I should replace both of them apparently.  With better ones.
  • The gears were changing by themselves – I need a new chain and cassette fairly urgently – and it needs to be Ultegra/105 to match what is there already, so that will have to be ordered then fitted.  The cables had also loosened and have been tightened so at least changing up and down the front rings is now better.
  • The handlebar tape had to be replaced, having met the ground one to many times.  I left mine at home by accident but I think the stuff I’ve bought from Andrew is nicer anyway.
  • The headset bearings need replacing but it is apparently a non-standard size so was instead cleaned and re-greased.  Parts will have to be ordered then fitted soon.
  • The wheel bearings on both wheels are a tad knackered, but the hubs have no adjustment to them and so the bearings need replacing.  Which may or may not be possible, so maybe I’ll need two new hubs instead.  Another work in progress…
  • Sooner rather than later I’ll be needing a new chainset.  Andrew promises me that if I switch to a compact, as he recommends, I won’t lose my bottom gear so…
  • My left knee has been playing up so we adjusted the cleats.  The handlebars are now a tad lower too, which I’m looking forward to trying out.
  • And to end on a positive note – I now have a shiny carbon seat post.  I’m sure I’ll go much faster now! *grin*

I can see life is about to get quite expensive… Still, a lot of it will be a chance to improve things, rather than just fixing them, and Andrew is doing a stormin’ job so…well…it could be worse.  😉

Happy Birthday

Give or take a day or so, it’s a year since I started riding my “new” bike.  I guess that, a year later, it isn’t that “new” anymore.  It is still very lovely though 🙂

I took it out for a ride with GW today which, for various reasons, ended up being shorter than planned which is probably just as well as it was cold out there!  I can’t believe it’s May and I’m still losing my feet 🙁

I’m supposed to be tapering pre-Sunday’s Ride It – which GW was well aware of – but apparently that still involves going up Shipham Hill.  Not in my universe but hey, anything to keep the peace.  So, we went up.  And down via Rowberrow.  And round Wrington to Yatton, along the main road to Puxton, Sandford, Winscombe and home.  My knee held off – but then since it had been pink-pilled, it may just have been artificially subdued.  I enjoyed the main road stretch from Yatton, and also down from Winscombe – much speed and fun to be had there 🙂  GW let me go in front so I couldn’t see how fast she’d have been doing it left to her own devices…

Although it was cold, it was pretty much as forecast for Sunday so I now have a better idea of what I should be wearing and taking with me.  That is of course supposing that weather forecasts are accurate which is somewhat of a leap of faith.  I’m guessing that my wardrobe will involve layers though…there’s a surprise.

Cycling time: 1:27:01
Distance: 21.36 miles
Avs: 14.6 mph
ODO: 4131 miles

As you can see, in the last year, my bike has done 4131 miles.  That’s probably more than my car!  I do like my figures.  Now all I have to do is make my figure reflect them – think how much faster I could go then!  *grin*

Plan ahead

I’ve decided to commit myself, and have signed up to do two Evans Ride Its – one on 11th April, and the other on 9th May, which fills the gap between the Mad March Hare and the Dragon Ride.  I’ve added them to the Cycling Events links over there –> in case you’re interested in the details, or fancy joining me.

I’ve have liked something a little bit longer, but I couldn’t find any sportives local enough in that time period, so this will do nicely.  Plus entry only costs £10, and with a Sunday Times voucher code, I saved £5 per entry – bringing the cost for two rides down to £10 total.  Bargain! You don’t get many sportives, apart from the Mad March Hare, with entry fees like that! 🙂

I’m also pleased to notice that the odometer on my new bike has just gone over 3000 miles.  Sounds like a long way doesn’t it ?  I do like my milestones 🙂

Happy Birthday!

A year ago I started blogging my rides.  Since then I have:

  • had 3 accidents: cracking 2 helmets, and adding concussion, a few more scars, and a chipped shoulder bone to my list of cycling war wounds.  In fact, the first of these incidents was a year ago today too!
  • upgraded my bike and kit
  • raised £1654.03 for Action Medical Research, thanks to friends, family, and my lovely sponsors.
  • completed 7 events up to and including the London to Paris – a total of around 830 miles.
  • made lots of lovely cycling friends both locally with the ACG and further afield from the L2P.  I couldn’t have done it all without their help and support.
  • cycled 4928 miles – which is a bit like spending 2 weeks non-stop on the bike, and is further than I drive in a year!

So, Happy Birthday to my blog 🙂  I’ve enjoyed writing it, I hope you’ve enjoyed reading it, and I’m sure I shall continue.  After all, I don’t cease to be the Cycling Mayor until May, so you’ve got months more of me to go yet! *grin*.

Mr Blue Sky

Sometimes it’s nice to combine cycling with life.  As Sunday was Dad’s birthday, we had plans for a family lunch in Portishead.  What’s the best way to get there?  On two wheels of course!  With the support car bringing up the rear, full of “proper” clothes (ie no lycra!), the mob, and the bike rack on the back for the post-lunch journey home.   G was also planning on get some miles into his Sunday, so agreed to come along for the ride, and then head off and do his own thing.

We set off from the Square at the usual 9:30am, in distinctly chilly sunshine.  I’d gone with the winter jacket, wooly socks, and even my new buff to keep my head warm – and I was to remain glad of all of those.

You’d think going to Portishead was a fairly direct thing – and it can be.  It’s about 18 miles or so if you go the straight there way but…well…that wouldn’t get many miles in would it?  So, we went my much more circuitous route, via WSM and the like.  It took me quite a while to warm up – both physically and literally.  G is just too fast for me – and I did feel like I was having to keep up again.  Maybe it’s something about the “G” thing?  I shall take to avoiding cyclists with that initial at once! *grin*.  😉

Anyway, it was a good day for a ride, as well as for seeing the seaside – at Weston and at Sand Bay – it was clear, blue, still, and relatively tourist free.  I lost my toes somewhere around Kewstoke…but I’m going to have to get used to that again now 🙁  Hey, I’m sure they’re not essential…

G and I parted company near Clevedon – as he had bigger hills to climb and I’d been holding him back a bit.  At that point we’d been doing an average of 16mph.  Obviously, left to my own devices, and with the long climb up to Portishead, that went down a bit.  Just before I took the left to climb up in Walton in Gordano, I was overtaken by a white Buff estate car covered in their logos, which made me smile, what with them having sponsored me, and me sporting a logo on my back too.  I wonder if the driver noticed?  🙂

Cycling time: 2:08:32
Distance: 33.73 miles
Avs: 15.6 mph
ODO: 2471 miles

It was a good ride – and I proper felt like I’d earnt my lunch.  The weather was just lovely – much nicer than expected – but there’s definitely very little heat left in that sun now.  Time for the overshoes as well methinks.  And I really must get myself some decent winter gloves, rather than just talking about doing it.

I’ve also been wondering how much it would cost to get my old bike set up as a winter training bike – with new wheels (the old ones are slightly buckled), drop handlebars, and so on.  It would make more sense than trashing this one but…  Well, maybe I’ll go and ask Paul, and see what he says.

Pieces of me

I don’t usually go out on Mondays.  In fact it’s often my day off.  But since I had a day off yesterday, two in a row seemed a tad excessive.  Besides which after all the eating at the weekend, and general lack of decent nutrition over the last few weeks, I think I have some compensating to do.  On top of all that the weather forecast was reasonable (they lied!) and I felt like it would be a good ride.

And in some respect it was.  My legs were well in, it was feeling pretty easy, the roads were quiet, and up until nearly the end there wasn’t much wind.  However there was grey blanket cloud.  Which got lower and lower until it became cycling through cloud – aka drizzle.  When it lifted, it moved on to proper rain instead!  I nearly wimped out and cut my route short, but I stuck to the plan – I’m stubborn like that.

I only did the usual kind of loop.  Even taking the basic loop and adding extras like Burtle and Nyland I was hard pushed to get much over 2 hours though, which is a continual problem.  If you get faster, your normal routes get quicker!

Cycling time: 2:14:26
Distance: 35.06 miles
Avs: 15.6 mph
ODO: 2261 miles

I was fairly fast, so that’s good.  I was a bit twitched by the wet roads – I’m working on the skittish thing, but my bike is definitely less sticky in wet weather which really doesn’t help.  Still, I stayed on, and as I’ve said before, any ride where I stay on the bike is a good one! 😀

In other news I saw a physio today – conveniently my local surgery seems to have one now.  Turns out he cycles – how handy is that?!  He’s given me some exercises for the knee and the shoulder.  Broken bones, or bits thereof, take longer to heal than you’d think apparently.  And knees take ages too as that particular bit of muscle has a crappy blood supply so even with the cleat changes having helped it won’t heal overnight.  I think I’m just getting old and starting to fall apart *grin*.