Lose lbs from your bike with this one simple trick

Swapped the drivechain on my genesis, got rid of the plateau du fromage that it came with and bunged on one of these I did want a stainless steel surly one but they cost a bomb and the fsa was even cheaper when I got it. That saved me a good 20g, probably put all that back on again with a 1/8" chain but it was all I had in stock. See how long this lasts, the original ring was getting hooked, if I was still running the original freewheel I'd have just run the whole lot into the ground but I didn't want the WI getting wrecked prematurely*.

Busy weekends and no nightride due to various reasons meant another full week of commuting last week, I'm hoping this is good base fitness training but it's probably just training myself to ride for 13miles at a time, ho hum atleast it's getting rid of christmas weight. Riding has been top notch too, perfect winter weather, dry crisp days. Last thursday was sublime, bit of mist as I turned onto the dirt at the bottom of my road, sun shining through the trees, searing shafts of light in the mist, firm fast trails plenty of grip, did the woodsy singletrack on the way in for the first time ever on my cx I think. Gorgeous. Of course a couple of nobs tried to ruin it on my way through the city centre but I was too happy to let them trouble me. Friday I yomped home at full pelt got home properly buzzing from endorphins, not had that in a while, fun fun fun.

Oh yeah, if you want to lose weight from your bike don't ride in the dark, check the calendar, spring appears to be here! I took my Hopes off >400g gone, might need em again briefly when the clocks go forward, we'll see but right now commuting offroad is going rather well, another thing to thank STW for as it was a thread on there that got me considering year round xc commuting. In mid summer when it's wall to wall rain and mud you can laugh at my complaints.

*Guy at work just changed his original shimano freewheel on his langster after about 3 years use, I never get anywhere near that long out of mine, but then I had a look at it, teeth really hooked, bearings rough as hell, would hardly turn and the guy admitted it did slip frequently pulling away from lights and stuff. I guess if you're prepared to put up with shonky performance they will last.

How was it for you?

Well that's summer gone, hope you made the most of it. As mentioned I haven't maximised my riding but it's been ok. Back on the road last week, incident of note, coming home I briefly join the Manchester ring road, bit of dual carriageway, I could see on the other side a posh audi pulled up in lane 2 (of 2) cars behind him queueing up, honking and when they got the chance speeding around him with much revving of engines and grinding of teeth. On closer inspection he was looking out for a guy lying down, his head on central reservation, his feet in the road, dunno if he'd been hit or what but no-one else seemed to care except audi man. "what a load of uncaring gits" I though closely followed by "hmm wonder what's for tea" then followed by "that makes me and uncaring git too doesn't it" U-turn go back and help. Guy is OK just a bit befuddled having trouble walking, probably booze but don't like to assume. Me and audi man help him across the road out of harms way, one passer-by also asks if he can help but we've got it, another says "hur hur big pisshead" (well done!) car drivers don't make it easy for us even tho we are quite obviously helping a struggling man across a busy but slow moving road. Guy thanks us, we get going feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. Good deed done. Posh bloke in big expensive car turns out to be a nice bloke....

...unlike Jag driver this morning who starts off to my left at the lights, he's in lane 2 me in 3, we set off he gets just slightly ahead then cuts in front of me I slow, move to his right between 3 and 4, he slows so I start to overtake then he cut's infront of me again to join lane 4, when I make comment on this he gets irate and as I pass (I've slowed behind him and moved back into lane 3 now) starts to rev and steer towards me. Dick. Fortunately he's stuck in traffic so I ride off. Will have to keep an eye out for that nutter in the next few days in case he carries a grudge.

Egos writing cheques...

Another big plan to do a big ride let down by my feeble body. Monday was a little tough after Sundays exertions, ride to work, 5 aside, ride home I was pooped. Rest Tuesday, no-one out for weds night ride so howabout ride to work then ride straight to rivi, up winter hill over to darwen, big miles? Nope. I had to call home for my camelbak for one thing, doh. Commute was hard going, I've temporarily got heavier tyres on my etsx, well over a pound extra I reckon, suspension seemed too soft again but worst of all gears. First time I've ridden in to work xc with gears since July*, what a load of old faff they are (specially gears that need some TLC) up down up down all the bloody time, SS rocks for this route. On the way home I realised I had problems, legs were fried, I'm having trouble getting back into the routine of 4 commutes a week, football and weekend ride. Got home and nearly didn't leave but I just couldn't waste a perfect evening so ate half a pound of pick n mix** rehydrated and set off, slooooowly. Up to burnt edge met these long haired hippies

Get a haircut! Spotted various burnt moorland evidence of "numpties out in the sun" crawled up to 2 lads, ripped down there then halfway down wildes across to montcliffe back up to georges lane and home via barrow bridge. Short and sweet, best I could manage. Yesterdays commute was a slog, this morning felt a little easier but only coz I went so slow, building up fitness/endurance is slow going.

Nice couple of weeks but weather seems to be waning for easter :-(

*these are the kind of facts you can pluck out of the ether when you have a ride diary
**Mates wedding reception had a big pick n mix counter, still loads left at closing so I got myself a big bag of goodies for mid ride replenishment.

ex see at last

Ooh first offroad commute of the year on friday, marvelous, everywhere starting to dry out and solid lines forming through the trails carnage left by winter, the epitome of spring (in my mind anyway)

How do these lines appear anyway? Do tyres just squash the water out of the earth and solidify it? Can I get one of those whackers road builders use and batter the whole of my commute into submission? Good stuff anyway, on my way home I thought i'd check out a bit of trail I'd seen from the train, turns out its a bit of a road to nowhere, nicely gravelled canal towpath, might have been useful but there's an untreated mudbath at one end and the other dumps you on an industrial estate in the middle of salford. Also tried a bit of trail blazing at ringley wood but that went nowhere either. Ho hum, they can't all be winners.

Don't remember much rain over the weekend but it was a whole lot wetter this morning and bloody cold, picturesque tho, low sun, golden light, mist, lovely.

tho that's probably not the best pic. I also saw 3 deer, couple of canadian geese, a heron, a rabbit and loadsa squirrels. Singletrack, views, wildlife, commuting, I could get used to this.

Not right but it's ok

So my chest still isn't right, slogged my way up snowdon and on monday I was feeling the same as I have the past few days, chesty cough. I ride into work tuesday and my co-workers have to put up with a bob fleming soundtrack. Hmm. Taking it nice and easy(ish) on my road bike, nice weather good to be out, commuting by train was doing my head in (and costing £30 a week) so I'll stick to light biking duties.
Riding down the dual carriage way this morning a driver came passed and beeped at me so I gave him a cheery wave and blew him a kiss, either he wanted to reciprocate or he didn't appreciate this and wanted to have a word whatever the reason he slowed right down and I guess considered stopping. This could well have made him a hypocrite, presumably he was moaning about me taking up a lane whilst not travelling fast enough (in his opinion), either way he had a think then sped off. If you're going to get upset about waves and blown kisses i think you need to chill out a bit more.

You checking out my stroke?

Some right nobs about on the roads this week. Coming home tuesday I hear a beep, I look round and some bloke in a car has honked cause there's a cyclist who has the temerity to over take me while he wants to speed passed, I gave him the finger. Driver slowed and looked like pulling in for an argument then must have realised he didn't fancy 2v1 even if we were pansy arse cyclists and accelerated away. Had a chat with the rider checked he was overtaking safely and didn't swerve out (yes and no) Turns out this guy has seen me several times (i only remember once) and recognises me from my distinctive pedal stroke, my right knee wobbles a bit as I put down the power, indicative of a bad knee injury apparently. First I've heard of it. Paul I think he said, nice bike Viva SS, danish I think, similar price to my pompino but looks much nicer.
Short ride with Johnnie weds night, he wasn't up for much and my chest has been getting worse again so a short run up rivi and 2 lads drop down to the school and I couldn't convince him to ride back up bastard climb so back to the car. Slippy, fun, quite a few peeps about again now.

Chests buggered properly now so resting, grumble grumble.

Thrash

I took the kids to Whacky warehouse at the beehive at weekend, met up with some mates and their kids, was fun to catch up with everyone and see the kids get along together. Charlie lost his cup in the ball pool, they called me next day to say they'd found it, these things cost 99p but hey, any excuse to do a 10mile detour on the way home :-) It had been 6aside at football so my legs were still OK for some more punishment, I had intended to go down the middlebrook cycle route but it was full of ice/snow so I went down chorley new road. Not been along here for ages, big wide road, decent sized cycle lane, good surface, perfect for a bit of speed therapy. Was going pretty quick on the way there but on the way back I thrashed it, attacking the hills and spinning like a loon on the downs (on the pompino). Jumped the queue at the lights at gilnow road and raced down ahead of the cars, was a fair way ahead when I got to the lights at the bottom too. Legs were a bit wobbly when I got home, no murder attempts even felt compelled to wave thanks to some drivers giving me lots of room and letting me through, nice!

Nearly DNF

Friday was 'orrible on the way home, really cold, sleet and lotsa traffic. Back end of the bike was feeling a bit weird, kinda wobbly, old knackered tyre must change soon. Riding through swinton big hiss of escaping air, tyre flat in 2 seconds oops. Found a bus stop to shelter under and change the tube. New one in and start pumping, oh dear, tube is bulging out of a hole in the side of the tyre, uh-oh. Disconnect pump and valve core comes off with the pump, must have cross threaded this in the past. Double uh-oh. Use my make shift tyre boot, try to cobble together a spare pump adaptor but no pressure going into the tyre. Hmm break out the emergency micro rocket. Bit of a love/hate thing this, nice light pump that stays hidden in your bag/pocket until you desperately need it but when you do it takes half an hour to pump your tyres up. Inflate to about 70, disconnect rear brake, text Mrs to be ready for a rescue call, set off, try to get warmed up again and keep hoping it'll last 8 more miles. Which it did, just! Got home got changed tried to warm up, I went back into the hall about 20mins later and Psssssshhhhhh. Tyre just spontaneously went down, no one touching it, phew, close one.

Car reg 208SF

A new naff shape honda civic, driven by witless doddery old fornicating geriatric disciple of onanism in  need of an eyesight test and/or a driving ban! I'm tanking round the height roundabout, 2 forward lights, more hi viz and reflective trim than a health and safety convention, headtorch aimed squarely at the aforementioned driver as he is approaching the entrance to the roundabout in the righthand lane, I'm indicating to take the exit immediately after his entrance, he floors it and cuts right in front of me. I slam on swerve and give a full blooded bellow inches from his side window he keeps staring straight ahead and drives off. What a nobber!

Sods law in action

"Commuting has been fairly OK-ish, I've shouted at a few drivers not looking where they are going but nothing really scary, fingers crossed that continues or improves" How stupendously naive of me, had a run in with a lorry this morning. basic facts: me in mandatory cycle lane, flatbed lorry on road, lorry cut into my lane, my jacket caught on the mesh rebar (apparently - cheers lowey) on the back, jacket shredded. Nice. Knocked on door of lorry driver shouted something then drove off. Grrr. I was well lit up, hi vis-ed and I was not in a blind spot - I could plainly see driver in his mirror pity he didn't return the favour.

Where did the time go?

2weeks since my last post? Blimey. Well after my big ride I was feeling a little peaky, rest day then a couple of rides to work then 5-aside and inevitably ended up with a cold so an enforced rest week just a little light commuting, not been logging it so tried to guess the mileages. Hopefully back on track again now, not been doing nightrides so not been offroad since the Lee ride. Commuting has been fairly OK-ish, I've shouted at a few drivers not looking where they are going but nothing really scary, fingers crossed that continues or improves (ha!) Still waiting for heavy frost and some stunning wide open clear blue sky winter rides. hopefully getting out tonight, will be windy tho so might have to stick to low level stuff, we'll see.

When will I learn?

Didn't do much over the weekend, took kids to park and whilst dicking about with them on the slide I fell and landed on my elbow jolting my chest/shoulder (WWIL number 1) Fortunatley managed not to take out the wife as I fell so she maanged to catch the kids :-)
Rode into work xc again yesterday much drier than friday and the ride home was superb, but for all the leaves on the ground it could have been a summers day (especially considering the summer we've had) apart from the odd mud puddle the trails were well buff and on fresh legs I was motoring, hammered it all the way home. Nailed the trails at drinkwater, now they aren't overgrown and you can actually see the trail speeds are higher :-) Despite several calls to manchester council they haven't removed the fallen tree at forest bank however the leaves and twigs have dropped off so it's lean bike over duck under a branch and then watch out for the other branch at a shallow angle on the ground (will have to watch out for that in the wet) Bolton council however have sorted the blocked bridge near home just a pity the short lead up to it is 6" deep mud.  Weather forecast said we'd be rain free till wednesday too so was looking forward to another 2 fast dry commutes. Got up this morning didn't bother looking out the window just dressed and headed out, obviously it had pissed down over night (wwil 2) lying beggars. Muddy, not a total bogfest but trails are back to slippy not grippy. Bonty mud-Xs are worth their (light) weight in gold, not been dumped on my arse yet.

Careful out there kids, it's slippery

Not been doing much as I've had another cold, spent 2 weeks mincing into work on road barely getting my heart rate above rest. Finally made it out for a night ride on weds, Johnnie was there, he's not been too well lately either, only Simon on usual form. Up to the pike, trails not too bad considering all the rain, down the drops and over to hole int wall, lots of slippage on the wet muddy grass, getting quite a bit sideways climbing but cleaned it. 2 lads was proper slippy so went a bit gingerly, down the chute at the end I was trying unsuccessfully to slow down when I noticed a vole or shrew (something small and furry anyway) running down the narrow channel ahead of me, tried to slow but couldn't and looked like I went over it, eek! stopped when I could and went back, no sign so hopefully I missed it. Down wildes next, I was on autopilot, quickish but nowt special, got to the corner before the wood and noticed Si was pretty close behind so I got on the pedals  and let it all get a bit sketchy, was wet but not too slippy, pushing my limits made me enjoy it more. Made it to the bottom no sign of anyone behind me :-) Si confirmed I did seem to suddenly disappear. Johnnie split there and we carried on up school climb, really was a perfect evening for riding, clear skies, not a breath of wind absolutley still, trails not too damp, brilliant. Up to ICR, been taking a few risks here lately when Si has been breathing down my neck so I made sure he went first seems a lot rockier than usual but no dramas. Back to cars and home.
Decided to give the xc commute a go this morning, not as well drained as most of the rivi trails, quite muddy and more slippage going on but I wasn't too muddy when I rolled in to work could still do with a hosepipe at work to rinse bike down tho :-) Was really tense and slow on the wet slippy canal stones, wil take a few goes before I relax, trust my tyres and get quicker again. No dog walkers about, did see 1 biker, oh and a bat flew along the clifton park singletrack really close to me for a few seconds cool.

Ah yep, that's night riding.

Gurning up hole in the wall on my singlespeed, rear tyre ripping up some grass just about keeping traction, lights illuminating the incessant drizzle and mist, ay up winters back. After last weeks rest I wanted to get a full weeks commuting in, weather looked foreboding but no rain yet, wasn't sure whether to ride to rivi or car, always feel like a lightweight driving up but being able to decide last minute to ditch for waterproofs and a nice warm dry ride home are powerful incentives. I manned up and rode. Barrowbridge reminded me I was out of shape, up to winter hill down hole int wall due to lateness, a saddle up mince, as was wildes. Over to rivi and met Johnnie, he's had even longer off the bike so leisurely climb to the pike whilst catching up on events. Met some of the boggies at the top, chatted a little then we all launched down the drops. Down georges lane just got to the big puddle on the corner when Johnnie shouted me back. As the boggies infront passed a guy with bike leant up against the side of the trail, one boggie asked "OK mate?" guy says "No".....nobody stopped, johnnie checked "did he just say No?" boggie confirmed. Oh well, we'll stop then eh? The guy had flatted but then his pump had broke so we leant him one. Black mark against the boggies there, not very charitable, especially after actually asking.
Anyway up hole in the wall, over to san marino and more saddle up mincing (that carbon seatpost is begining to look like a liability) lots of new water run off gulleys and damage from last weeks mini monsoon and my brakes howled everytime i touched them - which was a lot. I had a couple of dodgy moments where I almost lost it, as did Johnnie, but we got down safe, final chinwag and then a quick blast home on the road. Short one but just the job.

Pleasant enough commute this morning, chilly but reasonably quiet, I noticed a couple of cyclists join the height roundabout from swinton just as I got on, they followed me onto east lancs, together we hogged our lane all the way to salford uni, felt safer than normal apart from the prick who squeezed between us and a motorbike in the middle lane, silver car, golf I think, bwfc sticker on back window, unable to use the middle pedal, didn't get the reg, too busy swearing and gesticulating. nice day, was hoping to ride in xc tomorrow but looks like it'll be pissing down again :-( Think that's it for this year, apart from (hopefully) some frozen winter trail action we will have to wait til next spring for dry dusty trails.

How Disappointing

Been doing plenty of offroad commutes and all was well in the world, (yesterdays puncture not withstanding - torn sidewall) I switch to road today - partly due to rain but mainly due to getting up 30mins late - and it goes downhill. Overtake a line of waiting traffic, as I get near the front it starts moving, I find a space and move back in and over to the now useable cycle lane. A few cars later mondeo man cuts across the cycle lane slightly and starts pointing at the side of his head. Hmm, I shrug the universal "Eh?" he keeps pointing to side of his head, more like a gun pointed at his head rather than "you are tapped/mental" sign. No idea what that was about. A few minutes later at the bottom of a dip a rider absolutley flies passed me, the speed, the shaved legs and minimalist lycra shouts roadie but he's on a mtb, proper knobly tyres, off road shoes, tube taped to seatpost, maybe an xc racer then. Anyway I'm up on the pedals and catch him on the climb, keep up with him for a while on the flat almost spinning out the whole way. Guy is properly quick, I don't draft him cos some of his line choices are a bit iffy, my lack of gears mean I aint gonna stick with him on the upcoming downhill so after 10mins of suffering i ease off and save some energy for the dual carriageway. I'm well out of practice on my commuter racing.
Totally hogging the lane and caning it on the DC is still working for me so far, no dodgy passes and the few people who did get stuck behind me for a few seconds didn't start honking and screaming, nice one! I hit the lights on broad street with speed just as they were changing, big head start on the traffic so I move across to the 3rd lane for my intended destination, couple of seconds later a motor bike passes me the rider sticks his hand out left signal, right signal, left signal, right. Same guy did the same thing at the same place a few weeks ago, he obviously doesn't like my lack of signalling, hey ho. At the next set of lights he's waiting so I coast to a stop next to him, he thinks I'm going to run the red and starts to shout "red light" I calmly say "yeah I know, look mate I'm never going to signal on that stretch, I'm too busy pedalling and concentrating on not getting run over by arsehole drivers" I'm not trying for an argument, I'm calm and speak quietly, just letting him know why I don't signal there but he goes off on one saying he's done his cycle proficiency, I should signal etc etc. It's a dodgy bit of road, drivers treat it as a drag strip, there's loads of lane changing, my signals would mostly be ignored, no way I'm taking my hands off the bars and brakes there. He moans a bit more, I can't understand due to his full face helmet. Lights change we set off, further down I'm leant against a bus at a red light, I hear him behind me moaning some more, no idea what he said. Lights are about to change I edge ahead of the bus (which was half over the stop line) and biker screams about red light...which has just changed, I head off. Don't think me and him are going to get on, bet I see him again soon too.
Sun is shining now, should have dragged my arse out of bed earlier and come in offroad.

One of them really nice ones

Sun shining through the trees and reflecting off the river, fast dry trails, sinuous singletrack, fresh legs, plenty of speed, leaves and twigs whipping the ends of my bars, brmc salvation on the ipod. One of those commute moments that makes me really happy to be a cyclist. Just think, some people have no idea about these little pleasures, sat in their tin boxes or packed sardine like onto the train, the usual morning monotony.

**** me, I'm a lucky sod.

Even more road rage

Another driver loses it at a cyclist, but on a more positive note police are backing up the cyclist and seem to be taking it seriously AND it's currently the top story on the BBC website. With a bit lot more exposure and backing from the police hopefully this sort of behaviour will (rightly) be stigmatised by joe public. (and hopefully in any future events the passing motorists might say/do something rather than just drive around the incident)

Road rage...again

On my way home friday I see a bus up ahead indicate to pull out, it's quiet so I move out to where the bus driver can see me in his mirror and wave him to pull out, he starts to do so. Just then I hear a car coming up behind, I hear him speed up, passing us and preventing the bus from pulling out. I flap my right arm up and down to signify my annoyance (I may have been holding an imaginary beer bottle at the time) Car goes passed, bus starts to pull out again then has to brake again as the car has pulled in ahead of the bus...uh oh! I tuck in behind the bus but nope the driver has seen me and starts shouting "was that at me? Eh? WAS THAT AT ME?" Oops. "if you can't take a bit of criticism then don't drive like  wanker" was not my response, well not unless I wanted to follow it up with "unhand me you oaf" and "strike me down and I shall become more powerful than you can possi...OUCH" This guy looks a bit of a scrote but he is driving a nice car so he's either well dodgy or he's in the cars, beer and burds neanderthal brigade. Either way that plus the fact that I'm exit strategy deficient in the damp paper bag scenario means I aint squaring up to him. So I do the valiant thing and run away, pavement, 1 way street, exit stage left. Another adrenaline riddled commute ending with sewing machinists jangly leg syndrome. Tool!

But not as much as a tool as this absolute degenerate.
:-(

An error in judgement

Nearly threw myself under the wheels of a car this morning, worst mistake I have made on the road in a looooong time. Approaching a big roundabout there's a long line of cars stopped on the cycle lane so I cut down the right hand lane intending to slot in further up the line where the bike lane becomes mandatory (so will be free of cars...yeah right!) it's a big roundabout and has a cycle lane so no matter how busy it is I can normally get on and off without problems using the mandatory bike lane*. Anyway I'm heading down the right lane, no spaces at all then a space appears right at the front, I race forwards to try to get to it but the van next to me floors it too, I'm faster but not quick enough to get into the left  lane properly, I endup charging into the roundabout too fast, too wide and pretty much straight into the path of a car already on the roundabout. Fortunatley he/she saw me and braked I waved apology and again as he/she passed me on the exit. Felt like a right tool, stupid stupid idiot.

I dunno this probably wouldn't have fazed me when I was younger, infact half the incidents I moan about on here probably wouldn't, near misses were still misses - I win. Nowadays I know how to ride "properly" and I know how other road users should treat me, before it was "the road is for cars, i'll just weave around them", now it's "we are all traffic, lets do things properly please". So I get all flustered when people don't give me some common courtesy, ie a bit of room so I don't get hit by a tonne of fast moving metal if I fallover/wobble/breath out and I get more worked up about a driver treating me as a 2nd class road user than I will about someone nearly killing me, education can be a dangerous thing**

*This is fine if you are taking the next exit but if you are taking the 2nd, 3rd or 4th exit the markings indicate you keep to the edge and stop at every exit road and wait for a space to cross it then move on to the next one, daft, instead of getting into the flow of traffic and it being 2 junctions (1 on 1 off) the road planners want to you to negotiate several. Rubbish design.

**education is like a communicable sexual disease, it makes you unsuitable for certain jobs and you feel the urge to pass it on :-)

Full service resumed

Blimmin heck a proper week, ride on sunday, commuting 4 days, a night ride and 5aside! I've not done a full week in yonks. Admittedly sunday was just a quick road ride to check my legs and lungs were still working after a week off the bike (results were "yes" and "sort of") Monday was a bit of a bugger, all sorts of toolery going on around me, cars racing to beat me to pinch points, some idiot gunning his engine to get passed me then immediatley pulled left and braked hard so he could do a U turn and park on the otherside of the road, and various other stuff. Tuesday not bad, some polite drivers for a change, at nnight Johnnie had to cancel last minute due to a mechanical pneumatical so I did the jumbles loop again, did manage all the climbs this time but the rollercoaster one took a fair bit of grunting/thrutching when I went offline and stalled halfway up. Got plastered in mud, first really muddy ride for a while, chain on SS is dying loadsa stiff links. Saw a BIG group above turton tower, dunno if it was woolybacks or boggies, a good twelve or so riders.
Yesterday was my first 5aside in... oooh a long time, took it easy didn't chase as much as usual but still got injured, somehow got a knock to my right calf got a big lump and it's sore now and Si managed to nobble my left leg too. I seem to get injured everytime I play, dunno if it's me lumbering about the pitch, bad luck or just me being a mard arse, I enjoyed it tho, even scored once. So stiff legs riding in this morning, fine for pedalling but standing up trying to absorb bumps hurts. Prob no riding this weekend so a good job I fit plenty in during the week.