Cycling UK Forum

gbnz wrote:

Airsporter1st wrote:Otherwise try an alternative form of exercise/sport. Having not swum for 30 years in a pool, I took it up during the summer months to avoid excess dehydration and maintain fitness. 100-150 lengths at speed 4-5 occ's per week is effective

This year I've taken up open water swimming. I don't know why I ever swum in a pool. So much nicer.

If money is no object, what about Topeak? Click in and out easy peasy.

LollyKat wrote:Want to keep cool? Come to SW Scotland! The heatwave ended here a couple of weeks ago and temperatures are in the low 20s. We haven't had much rain but enough to green the lawn again.

Up to Glasgow at the weekend (Freelance Friday at Citizen M - 5-7 pm - all freelancers welcome - just turn up!). Aiming for Victoria Park parkrun on Saturday, but won't have my bike.

OK- drink water with electrolyte tabs (what I do)

I always know when I've lost too much salt - the cats use me as a salt-lick!

I take my bike on the train quite regularly. It's not always possible to book.

Mostly it works - main issues I've had are:

1) The hanging spaces on some trains - my bike was in one, I needed to get off, and the bike was blocked in by pushchairs and luggage.
2) Modern day version of guards van - despite booking he had the 4 bikes he said he was allowed, and literally threw mine onto the platform. I was not best pleased.
3) Booked train cancelled, next train already had max number of bikes (this at the start of our Lejog!)

TrevA wrote:If going up the west side of Scotland, then going over to Arran from Ardrossan and then onto the Kintyre peninsula and up to Oban means you can miss out Glasgow. Further north it gets a bit more difficult due to lack of roads. You could go over to Mull (Craignure) ride up to Tobermory then over to Kilchoan and onto Ardnamurchan. You could then bag the lighthouse as the most westerley point on the mainland. Then follow the western part of the North Coast 500 to get to JOG. This is likely to take quite a bit longer than a straighter route to JOG though.

Edit - just noticed you are planning a JOGLE so all of the above would be in reverse.

This was what we did (Arran and Mull) - it was the best bit of our Lejog.

Blog here with route http://lejog-leblog.blogspot.com/

It sounds doable, but it does depends on your starting level of fitness. If you're a couch potato, it's going to be harder than if you're already at a reasonable level of fitness.

If you've done 6 miles on your first ride, that's a reasonable start. You will get saddle sore to start with, but it does get better!

Sounds like you've got the motivation you need, so get cycling

See if there's a local cyclingUK group you can go out with - the rides are usually social and friendly, and it's much more fun to cycle with company.

You say you're a new member - are you a cyclingUK member? If so, you've got 3rd party cover

https://www.cyclinguk.org/member-benefi ... ance-cover


If not, you may have something on your home insurance policy that provides 3rd party claims - give them a call to check.

Hope you make a speedy recovery - get well soon!

It is really hot. Felt quite ill after 30 miles on Sunday.

Take lots of water (and drink it!)
Keep to shade as much as you can
Cycle early morning
Short and flat

(Or do as I did yesterday and find your local outdoor swimming venue instead!)

And, channelling my inner Baz Luhrmann, Wear sunscreen.

Did I miss the results?

We did 'west' and took in Arran and Mull - and that was the best bit of the trip, so do give that some consideration. It does add on a few miles though - I think we came in at around 1150.

We did the A82. It was the most horrible bit of the whole trip - lorries thundering past and no 'escape' - cliff on one side, loch on the other. Drumnadrochit was lovely though. If I was doing it again, I'd definitely do the other side - I drove that way recently and it was beautiful - if you don't mind hills!

bertgrower wrote:CUK membership is going in the wrong direction but do not know why


http://www.cyclinguk.org/sites/default/ ... 010417.pdf

It's an interesting one. You'd have to compare to similar membership organisations (British Cycling?) to see if there is simply less of an interest in affiliating yourself with a cycling membership body, or whether it is something that is unique to CUK.

From my own experience, most of my local CUK group has a consistent core of members, and a few joining and leaving. In my view, the way to increase membership is to offer rides that appeal to a wide range of people - but those rides rely on the volunteers to publicise and lead them.

In my area, there is an informal facebook group which has a huge number of regular riders - people post up rides - distance/speed and they're usually well attended. I suspect that many people, especially younger than the typical CUK demographic, are more comfortable with informal social media arrangements than joining a group with regular rides.

AndyK wrote:As I'm standing on the basis of my technology strategy expertise, I would also expect to get involved in improving access to information on the website. Despite the recent relaunch it's obvious that a lot more work is needed there.

I voted for you Andy.

It's worth remembering that the role is non-exec - so you'll probably only be able to get involved with the website at a very distant level. As an IT techie and NED of another membership organisation I'm frequently frustrated that there isn't an opportunity to actually 'do' more. I settle for logging numerous tickets with the helpdesk

I considered applying and got as far as putting a CV together, but got busy with work and didn't complete the process. I'll give it a go next year.