C&DCYCLES Saturday Shopride

Once again the highlight of my cycling week was this 30ish mile loop with my good friends from the C&DCYCLES club. Of late Big Steve Major has led a lot and he's doing a great job. On the ride. Today we had a bit of an issue. One of our biking brothers, a newbie called Gary, was knocked off his bike by an inpatient van driver. For those of you who know it, there's a bridge over the Nene at Woodford Mill narrows to only allow one vehicle. People travelling towards Ringstead have right of way and that's what we were doing. Unfortunately red van man valued the next ten seconds of his life so highly that with disregard to us lycra clad loonies he decided to cross the bridge at the same time. Someone in front of Gary had to take evasive action. Gary slammed on the anchors, locked up and bounced off the vans wing mirror. Gary was battered bruised cut and his jacket was wrecked. The van nan did the right thing and took him home and I hope Gary is ok. This isn't a cyclist v motorists rant. I'm both and I've made plenty if mistakes on bikes and in cars. The thing is our sport can be dangerous. It doesn't have to be and this us one of those times where it was totally unnecessary. As someone once said to me: it's better to arrive late in this world than early in the next. The rest of us continued and the the ride concluded without further incident.

The ride itself was typical Northamptonshire rolling scenery. For those following you'll know about my relationship with certain hills. Another PR on the hill out of Thrapston suggests to me I might be starting to win some of the gravity resistant battles. 14 other PRs is a great return and whilst the shop ride isn't about personal goals I'm pleased with that. Roll on next week and hopefully incident free cycling.

Another Friday another trip to...

No not A&E just a return to the crash scene and a successful completion of the planned route. I have to say I remembered something tonight. I bloody love cycling. This is a good route. Nice bit of off road, interesting features and some interesting animals. It's also a good time for a blast around Pitsford because it's quiet. The reservoir bike track can get very busy and too right too. It's a fantastic local resource that we're lucky to have. The wooded sections were splendidly lit up by my trusty one23 which added a nice bit of atmosphere to the ride.

The main thing to report is I still have stitches in my calf but I was absolutely fine. So it's game on for  the C&DCYCLES shop ride tomorrow.

Tonight's bike was my classic Orange P7. This steel framed beast from the early noughties has served me so well. It's so dated with calliper brakes and rigid forks. It's also so brilliant. I can't explain why but off road it's just really agile. I'm told it's the geometry and also replacing the forks would ruin this. I've also ridden her on the Oxford - Cambridge charity ride for the BHF. I'd love to get the updated version 2011 Orange P7 or maybe the clockwork orange 29er. Great British bikes. Unfortunately you can get nearly as much bike for a lot less cash in other brands so this maybe the only Orange I ever own. The biggest laugh of this is my total cluelessness when I bought my Orange 2nd hand for £270 in 2006. I had no idea what a great bike it was and absolutely no idea that putting slicks on it to ride to work was a complete waste of this bike's talents. If I didn't know before, the bike shop manager at Cannock Chase virtually coming in his pants when he saw my P7, was the icing on the cake.

The dreaded ford and scene of last week's crash

Lovely bit of off road action

Llamas or are the alpaca?

another life lesson

Ok so tonight I learned another valuable lesson. If your riding through a ford for the first time take it easy! I'm writing this in A&E. I have a gash on my leg, probably caused by my chainring after a heavy fall! Mr tumble strikes again. In better news there is no apparent bike damage.  

So here's an update: I got five stitches and have to lay off the bike for at least a week. The place I fell is notorious and in fact my Dad has come off on the very same spot. I'll ride this route again in a few weeks and explain the pics etc, I won't be using the ford, I'll use the footbridge next to it.

The gate of many tools at Holly Lodge, a feature on this route

The folly on spectacle lane, about 200 yards from the ford of tumble!

Yeah it hurts!

Misty miles

In several minds is the only way I can explain this evenings route choice. I must have changed my mind 10 times before and during tonight's ride. After the morning fog cleared I sulkily looked out of the window at work, wishing the clock to 5 and hoping to get out for a few miles. That's the problem I think. I'd had too long to think about it and I know too many routes. To be fair they're all good and the roads I used provided enough variety for a very enjoyable ride.

One thing I can tell you from my ride is that there will be fog in the morning. As the sun set mist was forming In the valleys making the light a bit eerie. So it's a good job I got out tonight because it won't be much fun in the morning. Once again the trusty one23 extreme bright light gave me confidence in the dark. 

Some features of tonight's ride are East Carlton Country Park which is a lovely place to take kids or walk dogs. The ride goes through the beautiful villages of Pipewell, Ashley and Stoke Albany all of which would be lovely places to live with Ashley being my favourite on account of there being a pub.  The hill from Ashley to Stoke Albany is a tester and I'm pleased to get a PR there this evening. 

Rides give me a chance to ponder life, the universe and everything. This evening I pondered the heckling of cyclists. Why is it some people feel the need to shout at us. Sometimes it's the short sighted or insane who yell at me. Well I presume that's it due to the following: "hey sexy," "nice bum," or " nice legs." I once got an insult and a compliment by consecutive cars. Sometimes I get "go on Bradley." Then lots of little kids just whoop. The most bizarre ever happened on Tuesday when a teenage boy screamed "I smell nice!" This was no doubt due to industrial quantities of lynx so kudos to the fragrant youth!

Once again this lucky man was supported by his wife who today left me a roast chicken dinner in the microwave having fed the kids earlier. Thanks again Mrs Lindsley, another perfect post ride meal. I think I've earned a beer to wash it down with.

And finally, two rides no punctures. Gatorskins. Nuff said!

The setting sun

Sunset spin

So I got home from work, looked at the beautiful weather and said: "mind if I go for a spin darling?" No not at all she said and even better my tea would be in the microwave to warm up on my return. A proper post ride meal of toad in the hole, mash, carrots, peas, sweet corn and gravy! Life is good!

The weather wasn't my only motivation. The night before I'd swapped my front tyre. Clive came supplied with Kenda Kriterium tyres and I've had more punctures than I've had rear derailleurs (for those of you not following I got this bike in August and I'm already on my third shimano 105 rear mech, they're not crap I keep crashing on ice.) I was going to buy a 23 mm gatorskin, my tyre of choice but already having a 25mm on my triple I just put that on instead. I'd already replaced the rear kenda which also punctured frequently with a 23mm gator so you can all mock me for the mismatch but I doubt it's the cycling equivalent of mixing crossplys with radials (if you're not a child of the 70s ask your Dad.)

Now gatorskins split opinion and you either love them or hate them. It's not quite campagnola v Shimano for an Italian but it still gets heated on roadie forums. For me they stick on bends even in the wet, rarely puncture and don't break the bank. I would like to upgrade at some stage to GP 4 seasons, another continental tyre, but that's for another day.

So how did the gator perform on Clive? I'd read that 25mm might be the better choice for the heavier rider and it certainly felt like that to me. I'm no expert but I felt the gator rolled better and given that tyre was on my triple for two years without a single flat I felt more confident. Job done I'd say.

Another bonus is it's getting warm. I went out in shorts, with no leg warmers, no overshoes and cycling mitts instead of full fingered gloves. It felt wonderful.

This was a race against the setting sun that I had no intention of winning so I fitted Clive with my trusty one23 extreme bright light. What a piece of kit it is. I had it on flashing mode and the effect on any reflective surface was brilliant, road signs lit up like Christmas trees. If you couldn't see me coming a trip to specsavers is in order.

A lovely ride was crowned on my return by flocks of birds doing that impressive swirling cloud display thing. No idea what it's called, it just looks great. I didn't get a picture but you can see what I mean here Ooh it's called murmuration

A lovely ride and cheers Mrs Lindsley, dinner was very nice!

Sun getting low

Now its gone

Look its the moon

Grafham water with super Sam and ninja Niamh

Ok so today's ride went outside Northamptonshire as we went to Grafham water, another Anglian water site. Link:  Grafham water

I'd been told that this place is similar to Pitsford and I really can see that comparison. The circuit around Grafham is a little longer, has a few more hills and has a bit more variety in terms of surfaces. As such it's a bit more challenging which is good for Sam. However it's also 30 minutes from our house as opposed to ten for Pitsford.

Grafham today was absolutely heaving. We were lucky to get a parking space, it took 15 minutes to get a parking ticket and there was no way I was wasting my life in the cafe queue. Today's hot chocolate was made by me at home. Another limitation was the play areas. Where Pitsford has everything, Grafham has swings and a slide.

Like Pitsford there is a big bike shop, with hire if that's what you need. Unlike Pitsford the circuit  includes sections on public roads.

I think we'll definitely go back to Grafham at times but it does come second to Pitsford for me and a definite third when you compare it to Fineshade Woods. That might sound spoilt and that's the truth. Round here we are spoilt for great places to ride!

Lovely view

Quick rest stop

Like I said lovely day

Action shot

The track had variable surfaces

Back in the very full carpark

Hot choc at home, rated very highly!

C&DCYCLES 1st anniversary ride

What an awesome morning with my very good friends the brothers and sisters of the C&DCYCLES cycling club. There was a massive turnout for our first anniversary ride meaning we split into two groups. The rabbits set off whilst I had some last minute adjustments to Clive, who, by the way is back to full health due to the kindness of Nathan and the attention of the lads in the shop. That meant I was in the chasing group! Yikes on a bike. To be honest it did me some good to go a bit quicker and the stack of PRs proves that. I also think the two groups is a good idea because it does get risky when we get groups approaching 20. We caught the other group and spent time with them too so it remained a sociable spin. Anyway route below, the standard Oundle loop.

On our return to the shop we had a bit of a celebration. My splendid wife, Lee, is a cake maker extraordinaire and made us a cake to truly be proud of. It looked good and tasted good, so well done Mrs Lindsley.

I feel proud to be part of this highly inclusive club. It's a real credit to Andy for starting this and to Chris for supporting our activities at the shop. Many of us have led rides and it is this collective responsibility that makes us strong. I've made some great new friends and my cycling has benefitted greatly. Long may it continue.

A last word to the magnificent Mr Major. Big Steve tried so hard to modify his workmanlike vocabulary. He tried but of course he failed. We love you for that Stevie. In future though Lee's cakes are to be referred to as the canine's cadooberries.

The brothers C&DCYCLES in that posh old Oundle

Love these action shots!

Other half of the gang at Wadenhoe...near the infamous Barratt's corner!

My wife made the most awesome cake

First health and safety concern

Andy cuts the cake

You truly deserve to look that happy mate!

No shortage of assessors for cake quality control