At last.

Well, it was only 17 miles, but it felt good!

helen s

wafflycat came up with the following;:

Quoted message said:

Well, it was only 17 miles, but it felt good!

LOL

Most, though certainly not all, of my cycling miles are done in rides of 10
miles or less. Admittedly they're mostly off-road and probably take longer
in time than many 30 to 50 mile road rides, but as I've been often told, the
length doesn't really matter, it's what you do whilst getting there ... 😉

--
Paul ...
(8(|) Homer Rules ..... Doh !!!
ebay 5849533390

"wafflycat" <w*a*ff£y£cat*@£btco*nn£ect.com> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Well, it was only 17 miles, but it felt good!

Good for you, I'm a bit frightened to get on the bike these days because of
the idiot vehicle drivers.

Alan

Quoted message said:

helen s

"Alan Holmes" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"wafflycat" <w*a*ff£y£cat*@£btco*nn£ect.com> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Well, it was only 17 miles, but it felt good!

Good for you, I'm a bit frightened to get on the bike these days because
of the idiot vehicle drivers.

Alan

Well, there are some idiots out there but the majority are not out to get
you. Honest. If a middle-aged woman like me can cycle in traffic, so can you
🙂

Cheers, helen s

"Alan Holmes" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Good for you, I'm a bit frightened to get on the bike these days because
of the idiot vehicle drivers.

You're probably not going to agree with this, but I reckon it's worth saying
anyway : There isn't any need for problems with idiot vehicle drivers.

The primary way to avoid such problems is to ride properly. If you're not
confident, find somebody to help you - there are probably people willing to
help, and there are certainly professional cycle trainers.

It's very rare that there are repeated deliberate problems. If you're in an
urban situation, and there is eg a junction which is a bit tricky, it isn't
against the rules to avoid it.

FWIW I cycle every day on famously dangerous trunk A roads (nos 9 and 2 in
the top 10 most dangerous according to one report), and don't feel hassled
by traffic. (And I don't ride in the gutter either).

The most important thing is to be out there and be visible - this is not
just a question of clothes, but also riding style and position, which
returns us to my primary point.

cheers,
clive

wafflycat said:

"Alan Holmes" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"wafflycat" <w*a*ff£y£cat*@£btco*nn£ect.com> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Well, it was only 17 miles, but it felt good!

Good for you, I'm a bit frightened to get on the bike these days
because of the idiot vehicle drivers.

Well, there are some idiots out there but the majority are not out to
get you. Honest. If a middle-aged woman like me can cycle in traffic,
so can you 🙂

I understand it's a lot more dangerous when you're cycling at 50 mph and
upwards.

--
Ambrose

"Clive George" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Alan Holmes" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Good for you, I'm a bit frightened to get on the bike these days because
of the idiot vehicle drivers.

You're probably not going to agree with this, but I reckon it's worth
saying anyway : There isn't any need for problems with idiot vehicle
drivers.

The primary way to avoid such problems is to ride properly. If you're not
confident, find somebody to help you - there are probably people willing
to help, and there are certainly professional cycle trainers.

It's very rare that there are repeated deliberate problems. If you're in
an urban situation, and there is eg a junction which is a bit tricky, it
isn't against the rules to avoid it.

FWIW I cycle every day on famously dangerous trunk A roads (nos 9 and 2 in
the top 10 most dangerous according to one report), and don't feel hassled
by traffic. (And I don't ride in the gutter either).

The most important thing is to be out there and be visible - this is not
just a question of clothes, but also riding style and position, which
returns us to my primary point.

cheers,
clive

Aye, assertive (not aggressive) cycling is the way to go. Cowering in the
gutter really does render you invisible and effectively encourages vehicles
to pass too close. In case Alan isn't aware of it, 'Cyclecraft' is a good
book to read, inwardly digest & put into practice as far as cycling on road
goes. I find cycling on cycle farcilities far, far more frightening and
dangerous than cycling on road!

Cheers, helen s

"Ambrose Nankivell" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I understand it's a lot more dangerous when you're cycling at 50 mph and
upwards.

--
Ambrose

Well that's alright then. The most I've managed is 42mph on a long downhill

Cheers, helen s ;-)

"Ambrose Nankivell" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

wafflycat said:

"Alan Holmes" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"wafflycat" <w*a*ff£y£cat*@£btco*nn£ect.com> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
> Well, it was only 17 miles, but it felt good!

Good for you, I'm a bit frightened to get on the bike these days
because of the idiot vehicle drivers.

Well, there are some idiots out there but the majority are not out to
get you. Honest. If a middle-aged woman like me can cycle in traffic,
so can you 🙂

I understand it's a lot more dangerous when you're cycling at 50 mph and
upwards.

Ah, so that's why I'm having trouble!

Alan

Quoted message said:

--
Ambrose

"wafflycat" <w*a*ff£y£cat*@£btco*nn£ect.com> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Clive George" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Alan Holmes" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Good for you, I'm a bit frightened to get on the bike these days because
of the idiot vehicle drivers.

You're probably not going to agree with this, but I reckon it's worth
saying anyway : There isn't any need for problems with idiot vehicle
drivers.

Why didn't I get this article from Clive George?

Sometimes this damned machine drives me up the wall!

Alan

"wafflycat" <w*a*ff£y£cat*@£btco*nn£ect.com> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Ambrose Nankivell" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I understand it's a lot more dangerous when you're cycling at 50 mph and
upwards.

--
Ambrose

Well that's alright then. The most I've managed is 42mph on a long
downhill

How on earth did you time it?

Alan

Quoted message said:

Cheers, helen s ;-)

"Alan Holmes" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"wafflycat" <w*a*ff£y£cat*@£btco*nn£ect.com> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Well that's alright then. The most I've managed is 42mph on a long
downhill

How on earth did you time it?

Alan

Pooter on bike. It didn't half up my average speed for that trip ;-)

Cheers, helen s

Alan Holmes said:

"wafflycat" <w*a*ff£y£cat*@£btco*nn£ect.com> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Well, it was only 17 miles, but it felt good!

Good for you, I'm a bit frightened to get on the bike these days
because of the idiot vehicle drivers.

Read Cyclecraft. Go out with a mate, someone who'll follow you and
look out for you. Get your bike serviced and keep it in good nick.
Get decent lights and reflective gear. Go out when it's less busy and
build up to riding in rush hour etc.

Just get out and do it and you'll soon build up your confidence.

Chris
--
Chris Eilbeck
MARS Flight Crew http://www.mars.org.uk/
UKRA #1108 Level 2 UYB
Tripoli UK Member #9527 LSMR

wafflycat' w*a*ff£y£cat*@£btco*nn£ect.com said:

"Ambrose Nankivell" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I understand it's a lot more dangerous when you're cycling at 50 mph
and upwards.

Well that's alright then. The most I've managed is 42mph on a long
downhill

On what? My personal best is 36.4 mph on a road-rigged MTB.

Chris
--
Chris Eilbeck
MARS Flight Crew http://www.mars.org.uk/
UKRA #1108 Level 2 UYB
Tripoli UK Member #9527 LSMR

wafflycat w*a*ff£y£cat*@£btco*nn£ect.com said:

Well, it was only 17 miles, but it felt good!

I went out for my first ride of the year yesterday. I was a little
apprehensive since what with moving and Chrimble I haven't done much
riding for several weeks now (although I've been going swimming in a
vain attempt to maintain what little fitness I have).

The ride wasn't too bad, although it's a fair bit hillier here than on
the flat banks of the Humber, but I managed to get lost down a muddy
track in Calke and by the time I realised my mistake, the only thing for
it was to press on, since going back would have been even worse. I
carried poor Perdita up steps and across bridges, pushed her up muddy
inclines and persuaded her that she *didn't* want to eat her own chain,
no really, she didn't.

By the time I got back on to the Calke Abbey estate road that I'd
already ridden down once, I was utterly knackered, mud spattered and
brambled. Conclusion: Cyclocross is no doubt a noble sport, but really
not to be undertaken on a recumbent trike...

I think I saw a goldcrest though.

After that, the climbs were painful, but bearable in light of the fact
that every pedal-stroke got me nearer to the nice warm bath that was
calling me.

One very whizzy descent on the way back made me glad I hadn't gone the
other way round the circuit, but even though I was doing 30mph at the
bottom, I was still slowed to a crawl by the time I reached the top of
the next incline. Bah.

There were only 10 miles on the computer when I got home, but what with
the offroading and the unaccustomed hills it felt like considerably
more. I shall attempt the same trip again sometime soon, and this time,
instead of poddling through the woods like a nit, I shall go and visit
the Garden Centre which lies about a mile in the opposite direction and
test the quality of its Tea Shop.

--
Carol
"Reality is almost always wrong" - Dr Greg House, House M.D.

"Chris Eilbeck" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

wafflycat' w*a*ff£y£cat*@£btco*nn£ect.com said:

"Ambrose Nankivell" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I understand it's a lot more dangerous when you're cycling at 50 mph
and upwards.

Well that's alright then. The most I've managed is 42mph on a long
downhill

On what? My personal best is 36.4 mph on a road-rigged MTB.

Are you somewhere flat?

(although my pb in the UK on a solo (49) was near Cambridge on an entirely
flat road with the wind going the opposite direction to me. Note I didn't
say into a headwind :-) )

cheers,
clive

Chris Eilbeck said:

wafflycat' w*a*ff£y£cat*@£btco*nn£ect.com said:

"Ambrose Nankivell" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I understand it's a lot more dangerous when you're cycling at 50 mph
and upwards.

Well that's alright then. The most I've managed is 42mph on a long
downhill

On what? My personal best is 36.4 mph on a road-rigged MTB.

Easily over 40mph on mine (road rigged MTB). And on a shared use path
too (shade under 70kph).
I can top 40 locally on my way in to work if it is a) bone dry and b) I
am feeling silly by going down City Road. The gentle bend at the bottom
seems very tight at that speed.

On the road bike I have topped 70kph several times. Once or twice in
Norway, Once on the A404 descending towards Marlow (46.5mph) and off
the back of the Colle della Maddelena (or some such) just outside
Turin. I could probably have gone as fast coming down from the
Bassilica di Superga (scene of the famous Juventus plane crash in the
50's) but was too scared as my brakes were feeble and my hands were
getting cramp from holding them on. Lots of hairpin bends and speed
bumps.

Latest time was on the way back from Edinburgh just after passing
through Lochgelly and I wasn't expecting that kind of speed. I'd just
tucked on a short but steepish hill and my excess body weight took
over.

...d

Clive George said:

"Chris Eilbeck" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

wafflycat' w*a*ff£y£cat*@£btco*nn£ect.com said:

"Ambrose Nankivell" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

>
> I understand it's a lot more dangerous when you're cycling at 50 mph
> and upwards.

Well that's alright then. The most I've managed is 42mph on a long
downhill

On what? My personal best is 36.4 mph on a road-rigged MTB.

Are you somewhere flat?

Nope, Malvern, fairly hilly. I just couldn't pedal any faster and I
really did need to brake for a junction 🙁

Quoted message said:

(although my pb in the UK on a solo (49) was near Cambridge on an
entirely flat road with the wind going the opposite direction to
me. Note I didn't say into a headwind :-) )

Whoa!

Chris
--
Chris Eilbeck
MARS Flight Crew http://www.mars.org.uk/
UKRA #1108 Level 2 UYB
Tripoli UK Member #9527 LSMR

"Chris Eilbeck" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

wafflycat' w*a*ff£y£cat*@£btco*nn£ect.com said:

"Ambrose Nankivell" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I understand it's a lot more dangerous when you're cycling at 50 mph
and upwards.

Well that's alright then. The most I've managed is 42mph on a long
downhill

On what? My personal best is 36.4 mph on a road-rigged MTB.

Chris

'Twas on Gino, going down a long drag

Cheers, helen s