Breezy this afternoon, but sunny. Took the Roubaix out for its maiden voyage. Just 25 miles or so to see if I’d set it up properly. I did a fairly standard Twycrosser, except that I took a detour to the main road at Odstone, because the usual road from there to Heather was closed. Came back home through Ibstock.
First impressions – it rides nicely. Feels sharp and quick, but it’s certainly a comfortable riding position. The shock absorber inserts don’t make a dramatic difference i suspect but it’s a decently smooth ride. The saddle was possibly a little hard and unforgiving. May be just a case of wearing it in, or possibly my 100 mile ride on Saturday had something to do with it.
I noticed a jarring CLUNK coming from the cassette every now and then. I thought it was performing phantom gear changes and tried to adjust it in flight using the thumb adjuster in front of the handlebars, until I realised that it wasn’t actually changing gear. It just felt like the rear gear was slipping for a moment. But shortly after realising that it wasn’t actually performing unsolicited downchanges, I realised that I’d had the same experience before, on the Boardman, with a bent chain link.
Sunset by the time I got back and light was fading in the garage a bit so I didn’t inspect the chain closely, but I mounted the bike onto the wall hanger and spun the pedals. Sure enough the lower jockey wheel was giving a pronounced kick on every cycle of the chain. Definitely a dodgy chain link. Quite pleased really because it will be easier to fix than adjusting a rear Disraeli, although I suppose I’ll have to check that as well after fiddling with the cable tension.
Anyway I shall fit a bar mirror to it, provide it with a spare inner tube and a pump, and take it out again soon hopefully.
Not a bad day for cycling – dry, low winds, mild and I was not on call. I intended to do at least a Fondo today but woke up early, got up early and decided to do a 100-miler.
The wind was coming from the west and slated to grow a bit stronger over the course of the day, so a westward trip was decided upon. I thought I’d take the Wales route (or one of them) for 50 miles then come back. I really should have taken the eTrex but I thought I could probably wing it, and I didn’t bother mounting it on the handlebars.
I took the X.
Things went fine until I got to Kings Bromley then took a road signposted to Alrewas – which I hadn’t come to yet, and which I thought was on the route. But I’d already bypassed it several miles previously, so I ended up homeward bound, without actually intending to. I thought it was odd that I’d passed the works at Orgreave (not the one made famous in the Miners’ Strike) on the wrong side of the road.
Anyway I did a U turn when I realised what I’d done, and continued on my merry way. I’d done a pointless 8 miles but at least they were flat. And the aim of the exercise was to do 100 miles, not go anywhere in particular – so I wasn’t bothered.
I decided to take the A513 to Stafford rather than continue on the A51 on the intended route – just to do something a bit different. This was a bit hilly unfortunately, but otherwise pleasant. I arrived at the outskirts of Stafford having done about 44 miles. I had a pleasant lunch sitting on a surprisingly comfortable crash barrier at the edge of some little industrial property then went exploring suburban Stafford a bit, then decided to turn back. The further I went into Stafford, the further I was descending a hill and I didn’t want to bother climbing it. I decided to make up the miles by exploring somewhere else on the way back, maybe near Abbots Bromley or Barton under-Needwood, where it’s nice and flat.
As it happened though I took a preposterous wrong turn near Handsacre. I recovered several miles later after consulting Google Maps by taking a road through Hamstall Ridware to Yoxall. This was unfortunate as it was strewn with mud, stones and grit for miles, but – I got away with it.
I hoped that this error would have added enough distance to save me messing around, but it hadn’t and I ended up tacking on a Twycrosser at the end of the ride.
I made the mistake of letting a queue of cars behind me overtake me past some roadworks controlled by traffic lights when the lights went green near Milford. This ultimately delayed my own transit past the roadworks, to the point that the lights had already gone green at the other end before I’d emerged and I found myself dodging oncoming motor vehicles in a single lane of traffic demarcated by traffic cones. I won’t do that again.
Good run out, I don’t go over that way often. Nice to do some new roads, even as a consequence of navigational errors. But I’ll take the eTrex next time.
100.41 miles, the first 100-miler of the year and a handy shot in the arm for the March campaign, which has been a bit thin. 264 done this month. Another 41 to target.
Another dry afternoon. I had mounted the X by 4:30pm. With an immoderate wind coming from the north-west, I decided it would be quite nice to go up over Swarkestone Bridge and west along my beloved long A road next to the river. This usually involves going straight up to Melbourne first, but when I came to the crossroads near Lount, I encountered a ROAD CLOSED sign.
To be fair I’d encountered exactly the same sign while driving to Derby on Friday, to be vaccinated. I’d just forgotten about it. So I took exactly the same detour that I made up as I went along on Friday, bypassing Ashby and going through Smisby and Ticknall.
Quite enjoyed myself but I stopped for a wee about a mile short of Willington and noticed that my rechargeable rear light had run out of juice. Not a huge problem as I had an AAA-powered spare, but actually I did wonder if that was nearing the end of its current-battery lifetime as well. So I decided to turn back. However by the time I’d reached Swarkestone I’d decided to press on, through Weston, Aston and Shardlow, to come back down through Donington and Top Brand, where I took this pic. The orange dot is a church on a hill at Breedon that’s illuminated at night.
Not cold. Really quite nice out there. Listened mostly to the Monday Night Club on 5 Live.
A young lady emerged from a side road on one of those battery-powered scooters on the A road, near Barrow on Trent. I assumed I’d be overtaking her over the next minute or so but nope, she left me for dead! I wasn’t pushing hard and there was a bit of a headwind but even so, I was surprised. Those things must be very handy for commuting. I might get one to propel myself around the West End when the pandemic is over. Easy enough to take on a train.
Dry afternoon, wasn’t sure I was going to bother with a bike ride after work but the weather forecast is a bit iffy over the next few days, and by the time I’d downed tools for the day I quite fancied going for a spin.
I’d intended to take the S Works but its tyres were soft when I checked them. It hasn’t had a run out since September. I couldn’t be bothered to pump them up, so I took the Tricross.
First thought after I set off- what a joy to be using Shimano gears again. I’ve got the SRAM setup working fine with the new cable on the X now but it’s still such a clunky thing to use. Just the finger pressure required to change down at the back would consume about half an oat bar’s worth of energy over a long ride. But the Sora gears on the Tricross are so slick and effortless in comparison, even if it is a relatively low-end solution.
Really nice out there. Not quite mild, but not too cold. Sunny when I set off. Quite a bit cooler after sunset. I did a Twycrosser, going through Sheepy Parva, where I took this pic near the restaurant there.
As I came to turn the rear light on, a few miles earlier, I found that the bolt keeping it upright had come loose and it was flopping down. I didn’t have a screwdriver on me but I managed to fashion a sort of suspended support for it by tying a headtorch strap round the saddlebag. That worked a treat, as I think you can see in the pic.
Also visible in the pic, on the left hand side of the handlebar, my new Ledlenser P5 torch. Usually I buy relatively inexpensive Chinese-branded items from Amazon, but this time I’ve splashed out on a reputable brand. Expensive, but worth it – very light and compact and uses a single AA. Ideal for longer rides. Very bright indeed for the size, not as bright as some of my LED torches but more than adequate. Result.
I even caught a rabbit in its beam near Shackerstone, but – in a departure from the popular stereotype – it didn’t freeze, but hopped into the hedge.
A dry day, low winds and I wasn’t on call. Cold, though. I wrapped up warm but actually it wasn’t as cold as I expected. I set off on the X (again – that’s 5 in a row) at about 10:15. I would have taken the Boardman probably but I still haven’t replaced the rear mech and chain.
I wanted to tick off one of the neighbouring counties boxes, either Rutland or Northamptonshire. I decided on Northamptonshire shortly after setting off. Shortly after Newbold Verdon, on a whim, I decided to keep straight on for Desford and do the “old route” down to Welford, through Blaby and Foston then down Welford Road. It fell out of favour about three years ago when I devised the “new route” and I soon remembered why. Apart from being partly based on main roads and a bit urban round the bottom of Leicester, it’s annoyingly hilly.
Some time in 2020, I cycled through Hinckley on a Saturday afternoon during the first lockdown, and I was creeped out by how dead it was. It was like a Sunday in Hartlepool when I was a kid, before the Sunday Trading Act. But as I passed through Blaby this morning, it was pretty much like a normal Saturday in Blaby. Plenty of traffic, pavements milling with people, lots of shops open. As I queued at the lights I noticed that even the corner coffee shop was open, albeit people had to take their drinks away with them. If anything it seemed busier than last time I was there in 2018.
I wasn’t going to stop at a shop on this ride but by the time I’d reached Husbands Bosworth I realised that I was going to be short on hydration, so I went in the little supermarket there, leaving the bike leaned up unlocked outside but within view of the counter, and I emerged with a packet of Hula Hoops, a Malteser bar and a bottle of Lucozade Sport. I had a pleasant lunch at a bus stop bench there. I had a cornish pasty and a couple of mini pork pies with me already.
Rocked up at Welford about 15 minutes later, took the pic, pedalled into the village briefly then turned for home. I came back via the “new route”. I actually took a wrong turn not far from Dunton Bassett, but I came to a village called Ashby Magna with a signpost to Broughton Astley about half a mile later, so I was back on track in no time. The road to Broughton was closed to traffic a bit further ahead due to roadworks, but I managed to bypass that on the pavement without dismounting.
Back on 65.57 miles. Good run out.
Listened to 6 Music and 5 Live, then switched to my MP3 player for a collection of absurdist short humorous essays by Woody Allen entitled Mere Anarchy, narrated by the man himself. Absolutely brilliant, what a writer.
Nice and dry again this afternoon. Cloudy though, and colder than I expected. I’d been fermenting thoughts of doing an adventurous apres-work Fondo, perhaps over the Northamptonshire border and back. But a couple of minutes out in the cold air put paid to that idea. I decided to do a Twycrosser instead.
I’d intended to take the San Giovanni turn at Sheepy which would have seen me home on about 25 miles, but I continued on to Ratcliffe Culey on autopilot. Back on 28.26 miles.
I’m used to farmy smells by now. In fact I quite like them but the stench going south a few miles north of Twycross was overpowering. Like being forced to inhale next to a diarrhetic cow’s rear end while it was doing its unfortunate business. I could see some sort of spraying going on in the field to my left so I assume that was it.
I trialled a new torch as a front light. I have to admit I now have something of a fetish for LED bike lighting. This one is stunning – I’m convinced its beam could be seen from the surface of the Moon. A little bit bulky though.
Not altogether enjoyable in the cold and dark, but I’m glad to have got out. Perhaps I’ll do Northamptonshire and back at the weekend. At the moment the forecast says Saturday will be colder, but Sunday will be windier.
Another belting, sunny day and if I hadn’t been on call I probably would have had a run out east to Belvoir Castle and back. Instead, I had to stay relatively close to home. I had the idea of doing a sort of Twycrosser, with an excursion down the road I took to Historic Warwickshire on a ride a few months ago.
I took the X again, and did that. I detoured Twycross voar Orton. Not long after I took the unfamiliar road from the crossroads near Pinwall, I realised I’d missed a turn. But I wasn’t bothered as I wasn’t going anywhere in particular and in any case I was starting to get cold feet about being too far from base. I turned back after a couple of miles near a place called St Leonard’s Chapel.
But instead of going all the way back to the main road I took a left turn along a road called Warton Lane. Thought it might be fun to try and navigate my way back along an unfamiliar road. I followed signs to Austrey and was back on a familiar route a few miles later. Found my way to Sheepy and made my way homeward a familiar way from there along Bosworth Road, then up through Barton in the Beads, Odstone et al.
As I approached Measham I had the idea of doing the old westward route through Netherseal. I did that as far as Coton in the Elms then came home through Packington.
Home on 63.29 miles, the second Fondo of February and the third of the year. That brings the February total to 350, 87 over target so I’ve more than made up for the January deficit.
I listened to 6 Music, then the audiobook version of Jews Don’t Count, narrated by the author, David Baddiel, himself. A very thoughtful and well-argued piece about how identity politics tends to overlook anti-semitism. I’m not a fan of identity politics myself but it’s more about the inconsistency, and he does make a compelling case. I got through the whole thing in one go. It’s a short book. Naturally I didn’t agree with everything Baddiel says – he can be a bit of a left-wing troll at times and it would be amazing if I did. There are unnecessary and stupid remarks about Boris Johnson and Matt Hancock in passing, and there’s an anecdote involving David Cameron that he uses to make a point I flatly disagreed with. Nonetheless it’s a worthwhile listen.
Saw a crow having a bath in a deep roadside puddle near Netherseal. Don’t think I’ve seen that before.
Another nice afternoon. Only did 17 miles yesterday so I thought my old knees wouldn’t mind another modest run out without a day off. I left early and took the X again, partly because I was curious to observe the gear-changing behaviour, and partly because it was fun to ride it again yesterday.
By applying a deliberate light touch, I was able to get it to change gear at the back a couple of times without skipping a cog. Started to think the cable might be too tight. I’ll fiddle with it tomorrow. In the meantime, it’s quite usable.
Annoyingly my Xoss bike computer started to display the battery warning after about 3.5 miles. I stopped it after 4 and used my Casio watch for the rest of the ride, but the first 4 haven’t made it to Strava yet.
Nothing very exciting – up to Diseworth via Belton and down Top Brand.
A man driving a large oncoming van stopped and leaned out of his window to gesticulate at me not long after Diseworth. “I’d turn round and g’back unless you want a puncture”, he said. “Unbelievable!” he continued. “Never seen owt like it”.
I could only imagine that the road ahead of me was strewn with broken glass but in fact it was strewn with tiny bits of twig removed from the hedgerows by one of those tractor-mounted chainsaw style military grade hedge trimmers. I’d seen worse, and I didn’t think it was likely to give me a puncture. It didn’t.
20.86 miles, nice run out in pleasant almost-spring conditions.
Nice afternoon. Sunny, dry and fairly mild. Ideal conditions for testing the gear cable on the X, I thought.
I fitted a new shroud to the right shifter before I set off. It’s a perfect fit as you’d expect, but it doesn’t quite match the left one. The left one has a checked surface for extra grip.
Unsurprisingly, I had to make an adjustment to the new gear cable tension shortly after setting off. I couldn’t get into the biggest three cogs at the back at all. But I made a couple of stops over the first five minutes to fiddle with the adjuster, and all was well after that. Or at least it was changing up and down, slick as you like, exactly like it used to.
But here’s the weird thing. I kept an eye on the rear cassette during the ride to make sure all was well, and I spotted that every time I shifted up or down, it was shifting two cogs at a time! The thing is – I’m convinced it’s always been like that; I’ve just never noticed. And certainly I don’t see how a new gear cable could cause that. It’s an 11 speed cassette and it’s perfectly usable, but that’s a bit of a mystery. I bought the bike direct from Planet X so it must have been set up that way by one of their mechanics.
Anyway – I didn’t go far. Through Coleorton to the top of Top Brand, across to Belton and back along Ashby Road. Nice run out in the sunshine, albeit brief. Didn’t have much time.
Annoyingly I nudged the bike computer into “pause” mode during one of the thumbwheel adjuster stops and only noticed about a mile later. But I’ve adjusted the distance for the spreadsheet.
17.04 miles, 266 this month. More tomorrow I think, then Sunday. Sunday looks glorious weather-wise but I’ll be on call. I may try to find a victim to cover that tomorrow.
A day off work today. I’d booked it in anticipation of cycling weather. However it was rainy this morning so I used the spare time on wrestling with the SRAM shifter on my Planet X. I had to unscrew a side plate to get the old cable out, but once I’d done that it was fairly easy. I did however split the shroud (unless it was already split) but I’ve ordered another one from Wiggle.
The tiny screws holding the side plate on are a bit cheap and I slightly distressed one of them trying to unscrew it, but I put a touch of grease on it when I fitted it again and made sure not to overtighten. Next time I need to change the rear cable I may just tape the plate in place, it should be secure enough under the shroud.
Got the new cable fitted nicely, clamped down and crimped. I haven’t thoroughly adjusted the tension but I’ll do that some other time. One nice thing is that there’s absolutely loads of range to loosen and tighten in the thumb adjuster at the back, and – given that it was working fine when I took the old cable off – that should be all I need to tinker with to get it working perfectly.
I noticed actually that, on the maintenance stand anyway, before taking the old cable off, I couldn’t actually shift the rear Disraeli into the smallest cog. It must have been set up like that by the mechanics at Planet X and I certainly haven’t ever found myself wishing for an unattainable higher gear so I will just leave it.
So, flush with success at fixing the X, I came back in the house and glanced at the weather forecast. I decided it was good enough for the February Fondo, even though I’d be setting off well after midday and coming back in the dark. After a bit of preparation, I set off on the Tricross at about 12:50.
Pleasantly mild out there and I wore lighter clothing than of late. And a helmet – I decided it was warm enough to go without a woolly hat, although I did regret that when the temperature dropped after sunset. I headed down Heather Lane initially, thinking to do 30 or so miles of the old route westward through Clifton Campville, Coton in the Elms et al – I hadn’t done that one for quite a while. But after half a mile or so I decided that the roads on that route might be a bit muddy following the recent wet weather, so I turned round and decided to do the eastbound route instead. Fortunately the wind was very light so the direction didn’t much matter.
If conditions had allowed me to set off earlier in the morning I might have gone as far as the Lincolnshire border or perhaps further, but since I didn’t know how much juice I had left in my head torch and didn’t want to return home too late, I turned for home a mile or two short of Eastwell. I detoured through Diseworth (where I took this pic) and down Top Brand over the last few miles. Came down through Swannington again, something I’ve only done a couple of times over the last few years because it involves a long slog of a climb.
One really annoying thing was that I’d only recently changed the cleat in my left Shimano shoe, and it was a bastard to get out of the left pedal. The pedals on the Tricross are a bit tight. More than once I had a moment of panic when couldn’t get my foot out immediately and thought I was going to topple.
I could adjust them but I’ll settle for using the Muddyfox shoes, which have more worn-in cleats.
I listened to The World At One on R4, then the Big Finish production from 2002 Spare Parts, in which Peter Davison reprises his role as the Fifth Doctor in a story about the genesis of the Cybermen. Quite chilling, and sad. Then I listened to coverage of the PM describing the ‘road map’ to ease the lockdown restrictions in the House of Commons.
I noticed after a couple of miles that my Casio GPS watch was lagging behind my bike computer on the distance count by 0.7 miles. They were still different by the same amount at the end of the ride, and the watch claimed 64.03 miles. However once uploaded, Strava reports 64.73 miles, which agrees with the bike computer to within 30 metres or so. Odd.
249 miles this month, only 14 short of target for February.
Very satisfying day all round; happy to have got the February Fondo in and even happier to have sorted out the X gear cable, despite the collateral damage. But a new pair of shrouds wasn’t expensive.
