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Cycling log - random events in the day of a cyclist II

I did 20 miles through the peak district today, a lot more fun riding up hills than down icy roads today.

The number of people still venturing out in cars as the sun was setting was crazy. 4pm at the bottom of Stanage plantation they were queuing up to burn their clutches out....
 
It’s hovering around freezing during the day here and these days as i get older, I am a lot more cautious about going out in cold and potentially dangerous conditions. It was a turbo trainer session for me yesterday and a walk in the hills through the snow today.
 
sq225917 said:
I did 20 miles through the peak district today, a lot more fun riding up hills than down icy roads today.

The number of people still venturing out in cars as the sun was setting was crazy. 4pm at the bottom of Stanage plantation they were queuing up to burn their clutches out....
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That will be the climbers going home after an afternoon's bouldering. Lots of very popular problems around the Plantation, and it's sheltered, unlike the Edge. Good friction on cold dry rock, but as the temp falls at sunset it gets damp and increasingly unpleasant.
 
sean99 said:
I had a sketchy outing on New Year's Day around 7am. It was about -3C and the roads were dry around my house, but once I got out into the sticks some of the roads had that scary shine to them. I don't know if it was mist condensing on the road and freezing, or residual road salt attracting the water, but ,not wanting to risk it, I rode slowly and carefully back home for an abridged outing. Tomorrow morning is a similar temperature, and I'm not sure what the roads will be like. Sometimes they're bone dry and fine even at -10C - other times it can be +1 or +2 and the roads still manage to get a skin of ice on them.
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Went out yesterday in a group & ended up changing the route as the side roads were iced up, at this time of year you need cars to grind the grit into the surface. I am definitely more circumspect these days & will delay a ride to late morning when possible.
 
NeilR said:
It’s hovering around freezing during the day here and these days as i get older, I am a lot more cautious about going out in cold and potentially dangerous conditions. It was a turbo trainer session for me yesterday and a walk in the hills through the snow today.
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Where are you with all the snow Neil? In the back of my mind you were in Bracknell years ago and the cold stuff isn't in the South here AFAIK. Bike ride for me yesterday and just heading out for a walk now.
 
Steve, oh no, these were desk jockies trying to get up to the last car park right down the far end. Not a Rab or boulder mat in sight.
 
Woodface said:
Popped out for an hour, not as cold as yesterday but feet became wet so I did the bare minimum.
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It’s why I use spd pedals and Specialized Defroster boots on the winter bike, no matter how wet and cold the rest of me is my feet are warm and dry. I’ve got carbon soled spring shoes and lighter vented summer shoes that I use with speed play on other bikes. But the weight of winter bike, lights, mudguards, clothes and all else means I would be kidding myself if I compromised on the foot warmth, I don’t notice flex per se.
 
Paul L said:
Where are you with all the snow Neil? In the back of my mind you were in Bracknell years ago and the cold stuff isn't in the South here AFAIK. Bike ride for me yesterday and just heading out for a walk now.
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Hi Paul, yes that’s right, I used to live in Bracknell. we moved moved to Switzerland about 10 years ago and are living in a small village in the Swiss Jura not far from Basel.

here are a couple of pics from today’s walk

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https://www.strava.com/activities/4560901145
 
New year’s resolution to actually use my bike this year. Just swapped the OEM saddle (a Specialized something-or-other) with a nearly new Brooks Cambium I won on eBay a few days ago. Took it for a short spin to try it out, it seems a fair bit more comfortable to ride, so I’m hoping that’ll help with my motivation.

9 months of lockdown and working from home have made me rather unfit, though. Just did a short local spin on dry roads. Wobbly legs when I got back :(
 
Sue Pertwee-Tyr said:
New year’s resolution to actually use my bike this year. Just swapped the OEM saddle (a Specialized something-or-other) with a nearly new Brooks Cambium I won on eBay a few days ago. Took it for a short spin to try it out, it seems a fair bit more comfortable to ride, so I’m hoping that’ll help with my motivation.

9 months of lockdown and working from home have made me rather unfit, though. Just did a short local spin on dry roads. Wobbly legs when I got back :(
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Eyes peeled for icy spots, I have a no-ride policy these days in weather like this as I don't bounce quite so easily now.
 
Jono_13 said:
Eyes peeled for icy spots, I have a no-ride policy these days in weather like this as I don't bounce quite so easily now.
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Yup, quite paranoid about that myself. Just a short spin, partly because I didn’t want to overdo it, given my dodgy fitness, but also because I didn’t want to take too much risk on the road conditions.
 
Sue Pertwee-Tyr said:
Yup, quite paranoid about that myself. Just a short spin, partly because I didn’t want to overdo it, given my dodgy fitness, but also because I didn’t want to take too much risk on the road conditions.
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I might risk a lunch ride tomorrow as #2 bike has mudguards on..
 
Agreed! Roads are dicey, even on decent knobbly tyres.
Even if you can stay upright, the standard of driving is a liability. 4WD drivers don't seem to understand that all cars have 4 wheel braking and their 4 ton monsters with low profile tyres don't stop too well!
I only ride off road when it's icy and snowy.
 
Paul L said:
It’s why I use spd pedals and Specialized Defroster boots on the winter bike, no matter how wet and cold the rest of me is my feet are warm and dry. I’ve got carbon soled spring shoes and lighter vented summer shoes that I use with speed play on other bikes. But the weight of winter bike, lights, mudguards, clothes and all else means I would be kidding myself if I compromised on the foot warmth, I don’t notice flex per se.
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I use shimano sl pedals on all my bikes, not bothered with winter boots. I am usually ok but today was a little difficult.
 
S-Man said:
Agreed! Roads are dicey, even on decent knobbly tyres.
Even if you can stay upright, the standard of driving is a liability. 4WD drivers don't seem to understand that all cars have 4 wheel braking and their 4 ton monsters with low profile tyres don't stop too well!
I only ride off road when it's icy and snowy.
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Yes indeed. There's been a definite move towards creating many more cycle-friendly roads and junctions hereabouts, and I'm close to various decent cycle tracks and trails, so I manage to keep the actual on-carriageway stuff to a minimum.
 
I had the front end skip about under me a couple of times yesterday, only had to unclip once.

I only have one pair of shoes, they're pretty lightweight summer items but with no venting. I never get cold feet though, my hands though.....
 
I have a single pair of MTB shoes I use year round - thicker insoles and thinner socks in summer, vice-versa plus neoprene overshoes in winter. For hands I have ski mits and inner gloves when it's really cold (below -5C). I find my face the hardest part to keep warm - in particular my nose, because I have to wear glasses and they fog when I stop if I cover my mouth/nose. I use a buff and pull it up and down depending on how cold the nose gets - but the nose is definitely the limiting factor. I joke about finding routes that are all uphill for winter and all downhill for summer.
 
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