Clifton CC

Not much of a report from me this week I’m afraid.

Set off on the “K” Ride, destination Helmsley, with Kevin, MarkB, Ian, Nick and newbie James.

Farmer had obviously been busy cutting the hedgerows around Overton and I quickly succumbed to a rear puncture. Removed what I assumed was the offending thorn, committing the cardinal sin of not checking the rest of the tyre properly, and replaced the tube. Had a bit of a struggle refitting the wheel and we managed to convince ourselves that the rear derailleur had somehow jumped past the retaining pin and was now in completely the wrong position. Struggled with it for a bit before seeing sense and deciding it was actually ok and the wheel was back on.

You guessed it, by this time the tyre was flat again and further examination revealed an even bigger thorn properly lodged inside the tyre. Tried to extricate it with the help of Kevin’s new tweezers but only succeeded in snapping it off. Kevin kindly provided another tube but I reckoned James had probably witnessed enough comedy on his first Club Ride, I didn’t fancy attempting the full distance with the thorn in situ and so ushered the others on their way and headed for home along the A19.

Unbelievably, by the outskirts of Skelton the front tyre was flat. Had to pump it up four times between there and home but managed to limp back with just about everything, pride aside, intact.

Sorry for the hold-up guys, I hope the remainder of the ride passed without incident.

Enjoyed a relatively uneventful solo ride on Sunday.

Craig

Sunday Clubrun Report:
Heather, Steen, Andy, AndynotGraeme, Nigel, IanH, Broomy. Bernard tagged along to the cafe before taking the sensible return option. Jonny joined us from the cafe in Thornton-le-Dale. You won't find many more experienced groups out in the lanes - lots of reliable back wheels to follow.

Cracking day of blue skies and little wind. A little snow on the road in Dalby, but never an issue. Troutsdale remains one of my favourite roads, though this is a hard ride for early Feb.

Heather and Nigel told a great story of their version of Tan Hill (a week before ours in December). They started from Pateley. Greenhow, Kidstones, Askrigg Common, Fleetham, Langstroth, Tan Hill, Buttertubs, Fleets Moss, Fan Carl. Will over 100 miles and lots of rain. Descended Fleets Moss in the dark.... Epic stuff.

Anyway, thanks to all on Sunday. Running on empty by the time we returned home at just before 4pm with 91 miles in the legs. And Broomy, nobody needed a coat.

Unlikely to be out this week. Steen and Andy are talking about Cockayne. See you the week after.

R

Sorry to hear about another puncture Craig. Hope you got back OK. The rest of the K ride continued off to Helmsley and the Sun started to come out a bit. We were cursing the weather reports that said we should have 7 degrees when it was just 2!. We were all freezing after Craig's puncture stop so we kept up a fair pace. On the run downhill towards the B road into sproxton Ian's front tyre exploded in spectacular fashion. He was just on my outside unsighted and behind by about a bike length so I only heard the noise! He had a major wobble but held it and stopped safely. I looked on my Garmin when I got home and we had been at 40 mph just before that so he did pretty well to keep his face off the tarmac. We sent Kev, Mark and James to the café and fixed the tyre which had been split by the brake block being just slightly too high as it had worn down and caused the failure. The subsequent bulge and wheel wobble was apparent all the way to the café but after lunch Kevin's box of tricks produced a piece of Colgate toothpaste tube that reduced it. Returning back through Harome on the usual route I noticed my gears were sticky and just at the bottom of the climb up caukleys bank from Nunnington my rear gear cable snapped leaving me in the 12t sprocket for the rest of the day. We got to Hovingham and split up with Ian escorting me very slowly back through Brandsby and to his place in Stillington where he very kindly gave me a lift home to Bilbrough. My legs were spent at this point so I would have struggled to do the last 18 miles even if it was flat. Thanks a lot Ian. I owe you one. An eventful K ride but still got 55 miles in with the early stop so not too bad. Great company guys - we did try to convince newbee James its not always like this!

Sounds like Kevin's group had some fun!

The Intermediate ride to Pateley was routine in comparison - 7 left the square - John B, Graham, Dr Joe, Tony G, Simon, Stu and self. A steady ride via Markington to Brimham Rocks where Tony headed back and we descended to Pateley. Unfortunately the usual cafe was shut so we opted for a litle place just over the bridge - mistake!! The food resembled overboiled school dinners and took ages to come - I'm advised that the tea-room in the auction house a little further up on the other side of the road is a better option.

We returned via Yorke's Folly past the spot where John B had a tumble and broke a finger last year. No dramas on this occasion and we headed for home via Fewston and Pannal. Somewhere nr Wetherby Dr Joe and John slipped off the back without us being aware of it - by the time we realised they weren't in sight so we...........carried on. Sorry guys

On the run through Angram I became aware that my front wheel:mudguard interface was choked with mud and stopped to clear it out. Funnily enough I found the effort:speed ratio a lot more rewarding after this!!

Dr Joe phoned me shortly after returning home to confirm his safe arrival and I hope I grovelled suitably

A long ride for this time of year as Rob has already said above, I had some trouble with my lowest gears which caused me some trouble on the very lumpy bits (sorry for the language) if anyone heard me as they were moving away from me.

Felt very tired at the end as with the weather I haven't been doing much for a week or two, (excuses over with now) changed back to my old shifters the next day which seem a lot better.

Ian H

Wow, it sounds like we Sunday riders had a seamless day compared to the difficulties experienced by the Saturday rides. This week people didn't need to spend too much time waiting for me on the climbs but Rob kindly neglected to mention I sneaked off for a head start on Dalby forest drive. As someone who doesn't climb, I really like that road that way around, it winds upwards with lots of bends and different gradations of slope without getting so steep that it becomes a battle for me just to make the next pedal stroke.
I was a bit disappointed in myself in that by the Malton - Galley Gap road on the way back, I couldn't really take a turn on the front, but when I got home I'd done 97 miles - my longest ride since the keeping growing ride in November and definitely harder geography so not too bad - so especially hats off to the fixie riders a very tough day on one gear and no free wheeling.

As usual, excellently led by Rob (so the question being asked by the world's leaders and opinion formers is can Steen live up to Robs example next week - so no pressure there then ).

6 of us for the 08:45. Very glad that the temperature had risen by a couple of degrees and we weren't contending with icy roads again - the draw back to the early start on a Saturday morning.

The route up to Helmsley was a shock to the system after so many weeks' riding over to Boroughbridge. The odds were stacked against Simon T on the climbs as he couldn't find his first couple of gears - blamed on a dodgy freewheel - and he had to do a walk of shame on the climb up to Nunnington.

It was great to welcome a new joiner to the club - Luke P - who rode hard from the moment we left the Square until the constant climbs, and lack of food, started to get the better of him. After quick injection of PowerBar he was back up to speed.

Safely back to the Square just after 12:30 - the climbs and the cold weather having taken their toll on everyone's legs.