Author: james

Showers were forecast for the afternoon and it was definitely cold this morning, but since I hadn’t been out on a bike since Sunday I felt the need to get 50 or 60 km in today.

With the wind coming from the north unusually I decided a trip up to Derby was in order. Up through Melbourne, over Swarkestone Bridge, up Infinity Park Way. I found Moor Lane and had a sneaky look round the grounds of the Rolls-Royce recreation centre where I used to go shooting in the early ’90s.

I did briefly consider repeating my old cycle ride home to Oakwood from there. But I decided against it. I came round the ring road and pedalled south along Chellaston Road, back to the roundabout over the A50.

Then I headed homeward via Weston, Aston and Shardlow. From Shardlow I had a brief excursion west back toward Derby. Nice bit of flat road. Then I turned back to Shardlow. Cavendish Bridge, down through Donington, Top Brand, Griffydam et al.

The weather warmed up nicely when the sun came out in the afternoon. I did pick up a few spots of rain going past the airport but I couldn’t call it a shower.

Noticed a shocking traffic jam on the A50 when I passed over it, what a way to spend a Friday afternoon.

Listened to more of the Reacher novel. The plot has taken an odd turn and a lot of the tension has gone out of it, I suspect it’s not going to be one of the better ones.

Nice to get out. Back on 67.73km.

https://www.strava.com/activities/13880879263

Fitted a Schwalbe Lugano II to the rear Roubaix wheel, to match the Lugano (I) I fitted to the front. The II apparently has inferior puncture protection, but better rolling resistance compared to the I.

I’m disappointed by all the flashing (as I believe it’s called). The little protrusions from the moulding, and the little fin that’s formed from rubber seeping into the seam in the mould. Probably doesn’t make a practical difference but I may go round them all with a sharp knife, or a guitar string cutter anyway. Carefully.

Another very nice day with bright sunshine and unseasonably high temperatures, this time with a moderate wind coming from the east. I wanted to go a bit further today – over the border to Lincolnshire, which I hadn’t ticked off my list for 2025 yet. Set off at about 0935.

Really nice out there, a bit cool in the morning but I was able to backpack my tights and a fleece a couple of hours after setting off.

I tried a variation on the route that approaches Waltham via a village called Scalford. About 6km of roads I hadn’t done before. It was worth a try, but I don’t think I’ll do it again. A bit too twisty-turny and stony.

Got as far as Stainby, about 2km into Lincolnshire – then I turned back. I was only a few klicks away from Rutland at that point actually, the one remaining neighbouring country of Leicestershire that I haven’t done this year – but I decided to leave it for another day.

I came back the usual way, ie avoiding Scalford. I was going to stop at my usual village shop at Buckminster, but a new establishment caught my eye. A little row of businesses in a new site on the other side of the road. One of them was a deli. So I tried that. I came to regret being unfaithful to my usual village shop. The selection of food was not great. Most of the drinks were in glass bottles or cans. And the ice cream fridge was empty and unplugged. Also, although it’s not visible in the pic (below), I had to get the bike across an expanse of stony gravel to park it outside. I carried it.

Shame, as I’d been looking forward to my village shop visit. But I had to try it once. I actually do feel a bit bad about it as they’re really nice people at the usual place, and they gave me a free samosa once.

Came back along Narrow Lane rather than Paddy’s Lane. But it was the usual route after Wymeswold.

Really lovely to glide along Six Hills Lane on the way back in the afternoon sunshine with a tailwind. I made much better time than I expected. Surprised to see that I got four Strava PRs, certainly wasn’t trying to.

I was back a long time before sunset and about 45 minutes before I expected. Should have gone a bit futher really. But it’s only March. Lots more nice cycling days coming up over the next few months, hopefully.

132.07km, longest ride this year so far.

Listened to LBC, more of the Reacher novel which has taken an odd twist, and football on 5 Live.

https://www.strava.com/activities/13836129978

I was going to take the Roubaix out tomorrow but on closer inspection, I definitely won’t be.

I have a barely used Schwalbe Lugano in the garage. I think I took it off the front of the Cannondale because something bad happened to the rear one. They have a white stripe so you’ve got to match them really.

Ordered another one, should come on Monday.

They tyre in the pic is a Specialized, the one that came with the bike. It had done 6614 km, not that much really. I knew it had a few cracks but I hadn’t noticed that chunks of the rubber had come off.

A thoroughly decent day with double digits temperatures forecast for the afternoon. Only intermittently sunny, but bright. A stiff wind from the south. So I did the southbound route. Pretty much the same as Saturday, except that I went a little bit further toward Sibbertoft after crossing the border into Northamptonshire. But not much. I didn’t take the Wood Road diversion on the way back up. But I did come the short way over the last few km, now that Standard Hill has a tolerable surface. After doing the longer way through Ibstock so many times it feels a bit like coming through a wormhole.

I stopped for refreshments at the village shop at Gilmorton. To my disappointment the single table outside was already occupied by a small group of cyclists, but fortunately they were about to leave. One of them had a limited edition Boardman with carbon forks like mine. I could see it had had some use – the yellow bar tape and yellow-sided tyres had been swapped out, also like mine. I didn’t engage them in fraternal cycling chat.

Listened to another couple of hours of the Reacher novel. Nearly half way through and he hasn’t hurt anyone yet, which is unusual. I also listened to 5 Live for a while – Jay Foreman from the excellent YouTube channel Map Men was on talking about English counties; in particular the confusing differences between historic, administrative and postal definitions. One of my favourite niche nerd topics, even more so since discovering that I live in an exclave of historic Derbyshire surrounded by historic Leicestershire.

Sorry to say that the new saddle did feel a bit uncomfortable after 40km or so. But tolerable. I probably wouldn’t do much more than a fondo on that bike anyway so it’s destined to stay on there, I think.

Very enjoyable one, 104.47km. Hopefully more on Sunday to make the most of the weather before the rain and single digit temperatures return.

https://www.strava.com/activities/13815831186

Another sunny day. Had a lunchtime appointment so I couldn’t take full advantage of it, but I was off and away before 1400. I did a pretty typical Bypasser, except that I took a wrong turn after Upton somehow, and came back onto the A444. I don’t go through Upton that often.

Noticed that the old pub, which had been disused for quite some time now, at Norton-Juxta-Twycross has been demolished and a small group of new houses are going up. Shame, it was a nice old building. Did give the village a certain character. Don’t know when it closed but I never went in it myself.

Oh – just checked, it closed in 2008. https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/local-news/derelict-pub-near-twycross-zoo-8974124

.. in fact contrary to that piece from December 2023, it looks to me as though the whole building has been flattened despite it being Grade-II-listed.

Listened to 5 Live and another couple of hours of the Reacher novel.

Two military helicopters bristling with rocket pods and other weaponry came over quite low as I made my way north from Bosworth, heading roughly east. Heading to RAF Coningsby possibly. That direction anyway. Must be a lot of fun to fly low over the English countryside in one of those, especially on a day like today. Just did a bit of YouTube research. Apaches, £50m a go.

Very nice for cycling as well. Back on 63.84, a couple of minutes after sunset and I’m pretty pleased with 232 km this month, 5 days in. Happy to have given the S Works a run out as well, first time since August surprisingly.

https://www.strava.com/activities/13798649924

Another lovely sunny day out there, but after all the rubbish weather we’ve had in the first couple of months, we definitely deserve it. Only wanted to do about 60k or so since I had an appointment this morning. An ideal opportunity to test the new saddle on the X.

Once again I did half a Twycrosser, down as far as Witherley this time, then came back the same way (apart from looping up to Ratcliffe Culey at the bottom). I went up and pedalled around Ashby for a bit as well on the way back.

Really nice out there, very pleasant. The saddle definitely felt very comfortable for the first 25k – I’m not sure, after that. But that might just be because I’ve done a fairly decent distance this last few days. It’s going to stay on for a while at least.

Listened to LBC then the Reacher audiobook, definitely a good one so far. Back on 64.18k.

https://www.strava.com/activities/13778498619

A very good cycling day, lots of sunshine, not too cold. The wind was light enough that I could head off in any direction without worrying about a headwind on the way back.

I decided on the eastbound route since that’s my favourite fondo, but before I’d got more than a few hundred metres I decided to do the southbound instead. Just more in the mood for it.

Really nice out there, dry and sunny. Cold in the morning but mild enough to backpack the overtrousers after a while. I went down to the glider club at Sibbertoft – nothing going on there today – and into Northamptonshire for half a km or so. Then I turned back. I came back a different way ovr the final 10km, taking the usual diversion along Wood Road and the quicker way into the village along Standard Hill.

I took the Cannondale, its first run out since October. Really enjoyed it. Listened to fallout from the Trump / Vance / Zelensky debacle on LBC, the Bowie covers album Pinups and started the next Reacher novel, A Wanted Man. Kept my attention for a few hours that did, very good.

Back on 104.33 km, a few minutes before sunset. I only did 626km in February which is the lowest monthly total for nearly two years. But I’m glad to have got March off to a decent start.

https://www.strava.com/activities/13762542746

I was determined to do a fondo today. A dry, sunny day was promised. A bit of a stiff wind from the west, and it was cold in the morning. But no excuses. I decided on the Upper Westbound route – I hadn’t done the Beloved A Road for a while. Very nice to do that again in the sunshine. Especially on the way back with a tailwind, and when it was a bit warmer.

At Sudbury I turned left to go south, then right at Draycott in the Clay. I used to go north toward Ashbourne. Not sure which I prefer really. Both are a bit too hilly for my liking.

I turned back after about 48km, thinking that I’d make up the fondo distance by coming back the longer way through Isley Walton and down Top Brand. But I had to do a little bit of faffing around in the village to hit the required 100km. Very slow traffic on Swarkestone Bridge on the way back, there was a broken down car on the other side.

Back on 100.08 km. Probably my shortest ever fondo! But I’m glad to have got two in for February and three for the year so far. Doesn’t seem like a lot but it’s the same as Jan/Feb in 2020, 2021 and 2022.

Listened to LBC and 5 Live. Fascinating interview on Matt Chorley’s show with Simon Hart, who was the Tory Chief Whip for two years of the Sunak government and has published his diaries. I bought his book, in audiobook form, as soon as I got home.

The second pic was taken at the entrance to Donington Park.

https://www.strava.com/activities/13743209330

I bought another saddle for the X. I thought I was buying a ROCKBROS model as they’re well reviewed, but now that it’s arrived (from eBay) it looks like a copy of one, with a different brand name.

Still – I’ll give it a go. It was cheap (again) but I was swayed by the reviews. it seems decent quality.