Lovely little spin, clank identified and remedied!

There was no club ride this morning due to hangovers so I took the opportunity to watch Super Sam play his first ever rugby match and I'm really pleased I did. I was put off mini rugby by an experience with older brother Joe and I'm pleased to say things appear to have changed for the better. Then it was a cracking stew and dumplings lunch at the inlaws and it wasn't until after 4 that I got out on Clive.

So off I set with the clicking which we think is the pedals and the clanking that inexplicably Chris at c&dcycles couldn't detect. Even so the noisyness wasn't a hindrance to riding but I was convinced only one noise was in the pedals. The clank appeared to be coming from the frame.

I went through Harrington to Kelmarsh, past the Buddhist centre on to Haselbech and then Naseby. At Naseby I headed off down my favourite downhill towards Guilsborough. When I say favourite downhill it also doubles as my favourite uphill in that masochistic way where I think it's the hardest slope in Northants. I turned off down the gated road to Cottersbrooke where I had my epiphany.

I needed a wee. As I got off my bike I put pressure through the bars on one side and I got the clank noise. As I urinated I cogitated and came up with a plan. I tightened everything on the front end of the bike. All of the bolts on the headset and the handlebars took a good couple of turns so they were a little loose. For good measure I tightened the front wheel too. Hey presto the clank was gone. Andy, the king fiddler, did say it could be in the headset. It's not a surprise because I'm one of those straight armed sportive riders that real racers pour scorn on. It made me recall that I'd read about the need to ride with a bend in the elbows, which I don't do naturally and it made me notice just how much weight I put through the bars especially when climbing. The click is still there so tomorrow I'm buying new pedals. I have a feeling after that I'll start noticing my creaky old bike shoes again but that, I'm definitely going to live with that...well I expect I'll buy new shoes too when funds allow. Stroke your till Chris! Anyway the clank is sorted. I'm just a little disturbed how many good thoughts come to me whilst relieving myself!

I headed up through Brixworth up that mega lump from the ladies tour and crossing the Brixworth bypass I was pleased to see traffic being held up by something other than a lycra clad group. Take your medicine car drivers the road does not belong to you.

Steam engine thing probably contains beards

Next up was beautiful Scaldwell, onto Old, up Mill Lane and down the very fast slight downhill into Loddington. I was feeling great at this point turning into Orton green lane and decided to really go for the mini lump segment of the Col de Loddington. Big mistake. As I rounded the fast downhill corner at full speed I encountered a big white car in the middle of the narrow lane. Evasive reaction required, frankly I pooed my pants (metaphorically no lycra was damaged on this ride!) A miss is as good as a mile so no damage to bike or person but a lesson learned and a sharp reminder...if you can't see round the corner don't fly round it at warp speed! Needless to say I was a bit more tentative over the last few miles.

Tomorrow it's a potentially soggy commute and as long as people behave themselves I can get some new pedals from the shop.

Happy pedalling