Weekend Roundup

[Rob]

Well, did you get out?

I know there was quite a few of you out on Saturday.....

Turned up in the Square this morning after those early snow flurries. Set off out with Muzzy while Bernard and Willy rode a bit more sensibly.

Turned into a classic winter clubrun. Strangely, Helperby Lane and many others were not gritted and white over at times. For once though it was "the right sort of snow" and reasonably grippy. All felt rather Chrismassy as we headed up the Vale of York, eventually to Thorpe Perrow, just shy of Bedale. Came back through Bagby, Kilburn and Coxwold. It was a tough ride - engines running a bit "lumpy" in the cold. Around 90 miles covered with half an eye on Tan Hill in 4 weeks. Paul went rather quiet towards the end and I nearly fell face down on the mat when Claire opened the door. Fantastic

[Tullio]

A small clutch of hardy MTBers continued the night riding season at Dalby on Friday. Conditions were bracing apparently. This Friday they're off to Yearlsey Forest for a change (see thread on MTB Board).

A group of about 15 went to the South Lakes for a weekend organised by newcomer Richard. The riding was good but several toes and fingers were lost to frostbite. It's all prompting lots of discussion around what the best clothing is when there's a mixture of mud, cold and water. Ideas welcome.

[Helen]

Wimped out of riding first thing- find it hard to breath and then there is my fear of coming of in the ice. Set of at 11am,still some ice about and did a long loop round York to be back for 3pm. It was beautifully clear day, I had views of the frosted hills and coming back into Bishopthorpe the Minster was golden in the sunlight. It would have made a great photo.

Helen

[tomf]

I'm impressed anyone got out at 9am Sunday. I was determined to answer the call of the clubrun but when our youngest got me up at 5.10am and I saw the snow and the thermometer showing -1 I decided discretion was the better part of valour.
Waiting until after lunch seemed a good plan as the snow was melting fast. I hoped to do Bossall, Crambe, Kirkham, Birdsall, Thixendale and back through Millington. It started well in the sunshine but the snow turned out to be very unpredictable. The Crambe road was a sea of rutted slush, so I turned back over Howsham bridge, which was completely clear. From there to Burythorpe (past a fine chapel on a hill) was fine, Birdsall was full of slush, the road into Thixendale was fine again, but the road out over to Huggate was still covered in clean frozen snow. If you let the snow do the steering, it seemed to work OK. I had to give Millington a miss as the road into the valley was very icy, and went over the top towards Warter and back via Pocklington on a nice gritted road instead. Got home a little after dark. It was good to see all the snowy views in the evening sun, but I was grateful for overshoes, mudguards and 28mm Marathon tyres.

[paulM]

Robs correct - I was quiet for the last bit - the last 30 miles to be precise. It wasn't the weather the BBC had been advertising. It was never more than a few degrees above freezing and although I was expecting a gale force tailwind to blow us back East from the cafe, it actually seemed to be against us more on the return leg. Only ridden 20 miles in the last 2 weeks as my winter bike sadly passed away and I've spent the last week swapping parts onto a new Ribble winter frame. This I finished about midnight on Saturday so rode Sunday on a bike I'd never actually ridden. All fine except the seat slipped down, the back brake didn't work and the chain was too short! Help my knees hurt! Great day nontheless. I would have gone slightly mad if I hadn't made it out yesterday so I was never not going out. What Rob didn't mention and which might explain the slight fatigue we both felt was the fact we were home just after half two.

Paul - This is what I was wearing which kept me warm (but with mudguards!) - Thermal peaked cap under helmet - keeps ears warm and peak keeps sun / car lights out of eyes.
Long sleeeve thermal vest.
Long sleeve Clifton training top.
Short sleeve club jersy
Waterproof gillet which I kept on all morning. (Also carried a goretex jacket which I didn't use).
Bibshorts
Lusso ultratherm bibtights - circa 1992 so thick & heavy they stand up on there own. If I wear these three times in a winter - its been a bad winter!
thermal socks
Just bought some communal Endura water repellant overshoes - just about kept my feet dry all day despite riding there and back through standing water.
Also used a pair of liner gloves inside a pair of cycling gloves which I could dry quickly on the radiator in the cafe.
I stayed warm - but its scary how much it all weighs when you take it off!

[timj]

hi tim here
been training on turbo for about a month .onlly a cheap one with resistance features only.i have a heart rate monitor and timer but no way of telling distance/speed etc.my sessions are recorded with cadence hrt and time. anyone offer any advice on how to monitor my progression. cheers

[Rob]

hi tim here
been training on turbo for about a month .onlly a cheap one with resistance features only.i have a heart rate monitor and timer but no way of telling distance/speed etc.my sessions are recorded with cadence hrt and time. anyone offer any advice on how to monitor my progression. cheers

here comes another 100+ posts...........eat your heart out Will

[willyh]

I bought a pretty expensive MINOURI turbo (from Cycle Heaven, of course, with a whopping discount) three-and-a-half years ago after I broke my hip.

I've been on it ONCE.

The thinking was that I'd get faster into some sort of safe way of riding practice, but achieved the same, in a more civilised way by buying an extra-low instep little folder, and using that until the leg would swing over (ahem) again without pain.

Is the essence of riding bikes not the freedom of going where you want to go, and turning own effort into the thrill of speed, while turbo turning, well, to me it's doing sentence time...

Well, to each his own, as the French say...

[Helen]

Anybody asking for training tips simply starts a members' debate over who has the best way of training.
Tim -This is the weekend round up thread you need to start a new thread with your question. You will need to let potential advisers know age,weight,past history and aims. You should get lots of answers. Another alternative if you can make it is to turn up for one of the club rides. If you let the organiser know you are coming and would welcome some advice based on how you are riding. If you can't make any of those rides put out a thread to see if anyone else is free when you can.

Helen

[Arthur]

Tim - as Helen says. Pop the post over int he training forum and I'm sure we'll all chime in.

[tomf]

Anybody asking for training tips simply starts a members' debate over who has the best way of training.

Helen, that's unfair and inaccurate. You very well know that pompous, self-serving discussions full of boasting dressed up as training advice only really get going when someone asks about... warm clothes or root vegetables?

• 

[PhilBixby]

Anyone got a good recipe for swede?

[ClaireG]

Never got round to posting Sat ride report........

Kevin & Howard took the club Sat rides this w/e gone. Howard's group taking a slightly swifter and longer route to Millington and I joined Kevin, Cath, Arthur M and Dave l'A on a classic 40 miler to Millington.

Climbing Kirby Underdale in a headwind white flurry of snow felt ominous, but by the time we reached the top, the snow subsided (although the north wind kept us 'perky')! Descended via Painsthorpe to Thixendale and took the Huggate, Warter, Nunburnholme, Harton, Kilnwick Percy route into the back of Millington for a well-earned cafe stop by the open fire.

Swift return to York gave us 63miles for the day. Thanks to Kevin.

I managed another 16 miles Sunday evening after putting little one to bed. I thought of WillHub doing his 18milers at 1am in the City of Manchester whilst I was out. It is certainly not the weather for high gears, sprinting and no warming up. My modest winter aim was for consistency, routine and refreshment.

ClaireG