Aren't Bicycles Great.

Nebulous2

I did the snow roads in 2013. I've also done this one. 626 metres climb in 6 miles.

I'm not much of a climber though and with reduced mileage last year due to an accident this year is about rebuilding fitness.

brat

Nebulous2 wrote: »

I did the snow roads in 2013. I've also done this one. 626 metres climb in 6 miles.

I'm not much of a climber though and with reduced mileage last year due to an accident this year is about rebuilding fitness.

The only thing holding me back from getting out this morning is the risk of accident from icy roads. I'll wait til midday I think, then keep it low.

I do enjoy the challenge of a climb. I'm hoping to get up to Applecross some time this year to do some cycling and take on Bealach Na Ba.

Last year's big challenge was almost a pass too far for me. The Passo Di Tremalzo is an iconic Italian route, but it is much more of a mtb route than I had realised. The top 2300 feet of its 5700 foot height is gravel track, some of it with 1500 feet sheer drops at the roadedge. I took it on with a knobbly tyred cyclocross, and paid the price with a few cuts and bruises and a bucketload more adrenaline than I had planned for!


http://www.mapmyrun.com/workout/859924031

I think I'll stick to the tarmac from now on, or at least use the right bike for the job!

For me, the beauty of cycling is that you can get out on the quiet roads where there is hardly any conflict with other road users.
In fact most of the relationship with car drivers on quiet rural roads is to acknowledge their good behaviour around cyclists. It's so different from the city conflicts (which I also fortunately don't have to endure) but which seem to be the primary cause of dissent from motorists and concern from cyclists.

chucknorris

Nick_C wrote: »

Good for you. Most of my travelling is from the South Coast to London. 2 hours door to door by public transport. 90 minutes by car. Impossible by bicycle.

Impossible? Why couldn't you drive 60 to 80 mins with a bike in/or on the back of your car, park, then cycle the rest of the way? Then on the way home, cycle to your car, then drive home.

Nebulous2

brat wrote: »

Last year's big challenge was almost a pass too far for me. The Passo Di Tremalzo is an iconic Italian route, but it is much more of a mtb route than I had realised. The top 2300 feet of its 5700 foot height is gravel track, some of it with 1500 feet sheer drops at the roadedge. I took it on with a knobbly tyred cyclocross, and paid the price with a few cuts and bruises and a bucketload more adrenaline than I had planned for!

That's amazing we certainly don't get climbs like that here. I rarely get abroad, certainly not with a bike, but we went to see the Tour de France last year. I met another cyclist at the campsite and we did a small section of the route, both of us on cyclocross bikes.

That was good fun but hard work. It wasn't even classed as a mountain section but it still had some significant climbs. We were based near Gerardmer so saw the end of one stage and the start of the next.

brat

Some images from yesterdays ride. It's surprising where you can get to on a three hour bike ride!

armyknife

Brat, nice photos; I need to get out more.

sdavies13

Yeah loverly photos!

I'm only currently commuting during the week. The bike gets no love at weekends.

Hoping to start cycling to where my sister (about 2.5 hours door to door) and brother (3.5 hours door to door) live.

Also have a few friends who have done London to Brighton and are busy trying to encourage me to join in. Only problem with that is they are a lot closer to Brighton than I am (almost two hours to get to where they live).

First I need to get over the psychological barrier of commuting five days a week as only currently doing it for four (112 miles in a week seems hard enough).

brat

sdavies13 wrote: »

Yeah loverly photos!

I'm only currently commuting during the week. The bike gets no love at weekends.

Hoping to start cycling to where my sister (about 2.5 hours door to door) and brother (3.5 hours door to door) live.

Also have a few friends who have done London to Brighton and are busy trying to encourage me to join in. Only problem with that is they are a lot closer to Brighton than I am (almost two hours to get to where they live).

First I need to get over the psychological barrier of commuting five days a week as only currently doing it for four (112 miles in a week seems hard enough).

112 miles is good mileage! I only commute 20 miles a week. I'm lucky that I work shifts, so I get a good opportunity to get out for leisure rides during the day while the rest of the family are at work or school.

Johnmcl7

I've had a good start to the year, took part in a CX race on the fat bike and finally had a go at the Strathpuffer 24 (MTB endurance event) so I need to decided on another event to aim for.

I started MTB night riding a couple of years ago over the winter and initially hated it as it was a steep learning curve to improve my fitness, technique and get used to riding in the dark but a ride in the snow convinced me to stick with it as it was incredible cycling in darkness but not really needing lights and just gliding through the untouched snow. I had another ride like that this week, we went up a hill and were cycling along marvelling at the shadows cast by the moon and decided to try switching off all the lights and cycling purely by the moon light. It's quite a novel feeling being out in a forest in darkness going through the untouched snow purely by the light of the moon.

armyknife

Johnmcl7 wrote: »

I've had a good start to the year, took part in a CX race on the fat bike and finally had a go at the Strathpuffer 24 (MTB endurance event) so I need to decided on another event to aim for.

I started MTB night riding a couple of years ago over the winter and initially hated it as it was a steep learning curve to improve my fitness, technique and get used to riding in the dark but a ride in the snow convinced me to stick with it as it was incredible cycling in darkness but not really needing lights and just gliding through the untouched snow. I had another ride like that this week, we went up a hill and were cycling along marvelling at the shadows cast by the moon and decided to try switching off all the lights and cycling purely by the moon light. It's quite a novel feeling being out in a forest in darkness going through the untouched snow purely by the light of the moon.

Yeah, cycling by moonlight can be a special experience, sounds like a very nice trip.