The girls thought I was working this weekend and had booked a day oot with Holly’s wee pal and her maw. After they left I sat on the couch and thought about editing up some long overdue gear reviews, but the weather through the window hadn’t totally crapped out yet so I stood straight back up and went rummaging for bike gear. I’m really enjoying when I’m getting out at the moment, I’ll get around to the gear in a minute.
I feared for my legs and lungs, it’s been a while. I’d prepped the bike last week so it was ready to go, the weak link in my chain of events is always me. It felt just the same, the saddle’s the same distance from the bars and my legs are still the same length.
There’s no real demands on handling skills on the ascent to 1000ft but the few downhill passers by I met smiled at with either sympathy or amusement as toiled sweatily uphill in the granny ring. The rain came on before the top, oh blessed relief it was too.
Now that all the stones and rocks were as slippy as fish-juggling in mitts, handling became a factor. Lack of practise bleeds confidence, but it dripped slowly back as the ride rolled on. I kept the pace up as much as I could too. Stopping for one proper wee break for a drink and a photie or two.
The dry trails of a few days ago have been slimed. Cornering was tentative and tension was high, especially passing where I crashed a while back, but with the cool rainwater being blown off my hot face as I charged downhill it was really just pure joy.
When I got back to base I was muddy, tired and wired. I’ve missed working so hard, it’s nice be going a little faster than normal too. It’s just a bugger that being off the bike for a while needs so much catchup time. All my own fault.
Epilogue
I thought Doctor Who versus the Pirates was great, but it’s all gone wrong as I’ve just written this while we watched Avatar for the first time. It’s the biggest budget movie written by a five year old I’ve ever seen.
I just dusted the dust of my bike and fixed the brakes. Will I find time to nip out for a ride?? I hope so as it is a great way to get outside for a hour or so. Hit the trails Petesy and have fun riding this summer.
Oooooh, RaceFace. Check you! :)
I was out on the bike yesterday too, I didn’t take any photies, but can confirm large amounts of mud and brakes that do indeed go ‘Skreeeekkkk!!!’
I’m pleased to announce I outlasted the guy on the pristine £2.5k LaPierre rig who left the car park at the same time as me.
Chain suck was back to haunt me again, time for a complete strip down and rebuild I think.
Not quite the same but I’ve been on the road bike in and out of work everyday for the last 3 weeks and despite the dampness outside I’m looking forward to my ride in again tonight. It’s great goin’ for a ride on your bike!
It’s clearly bike time again….
Back in December I had new carbide rims built around the Rohloff and fitted my studded tires… yesterday I took the studs off, unused, and went back to knobblies, to head out to the Clwydians.
A fantastic ride, 33 miles, 1300m vertical, not much rain, not too much slime, great terrain, lovely views, but I was shot through. We cut the planned route a little short.
We were recce-ing our work charity challenge route – currently planned for 52 miles and 2000m in late June. I either need to cut the route a bit or get some more miles in in the next few weeks! :(
I love the bike. Good to have other stuff, bike, paddlesports or whatever.
Looking forward to some bike camping, been trying to get away for ages but haven’t managed. At least with summer here I’ll be pedaling less weight.
Chainsuck? Nightmare. Last time I had that it was the chain and my middle ring that was the trouble, they’d worn into each others shape and a new chain just wouldn’t work with the old middle ring, hence the Race Face rings above. Tough as nails and worth the money, but unfortunately Race Face went tits-up back in March :o(