First ride of the year!

Commuting, Day rides, Audax, Incidents, etc.
francovendee
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Re: First ride of the year!

Post by francovendee »

If Mick says he's struggling with distance then we have to hope he gets his energies back.
Today 70 isn't the time to give up but Covid has hit many very hard.
I've read your account of the ride with the chopper and the trailer, it was a great feat but I doubt you'll do, or want to do, anything like it again.

I think you need to find another challenge but on a much reduced scale.
I think you've done all the bridges in Cornwall?
Maybe something more local to start. Perhaps village churches, nearby ones at first but as your fitness improves further afield.
You're certainly not done! I'm not and I reach 80 in October and think I have a few miles left in the legs.
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Mick F
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Re: First ride of the year!

Post by Mick F »

You are all so kind. Thank you.

When I first started riding bridges, and attempting all the roads in Cornwall, going to all 226 Cornish parish churches, etc etc, it was an attempt to do something with my riding.

I sort of envy the cycle-commuters, as they have a real reason to cycle like I used to do. All I have been doing it since 2004 was just "riding", and TBH, it became boring - hence my tasks and End3Ends to liven it up.

Any road up, been there, seen it, done it. I do have an idea for later in the year brought about by the post-boxes thread.
I have zero chance of going to them all, but I could do all the parish ones. Calstock Parish - where we live - is one of the largest parishes here in Cornwall. Perhaps do the adjoining parishes too.
Also, I could go the furthest north, south, east and west in the whole county.

https://postboxes.dracos.co.uk/#13/50.4946/-4.2132
Mick F. Cornwall
francovendee
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Re: First ride of the year!

Post by francovendee »

Mick F wrote: 2 Feb 2023, 9:06am You are all so kind. Thank you.

When I first started riding bridges, and attempting all the roads in Cornwall, going to all 226 Cornish parish churches, etc etc, it was an attempt to do something with my riding.

I sort of envy the cycle-commuters, as they have a real reason to cycle like I used to do. All I have been doing it since 2004 was just "riding", and TBH, it became boring - hence my tasks and End3Ends to liven it up.

Any road up, been there, seen it, done it. I do have an idea for later in the year brought about by the post-boxes thread.
I have zero chance of going to them all, but I could do all the parish ones. Calstock Parish - where we live - is one of the largest parishes here in Cornwall. Perhaps do the adjoining parishes too.
Also, I could go the furthest north, south, east and west in the whole county.

https://postboxes.dracos.co.uk/#13/50.4946/-4.2132
go for it >>>>>>Mick!!
mig
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Re: First ride of the year!

Post by mig »

do people change their riding style as they age? or indeed for a 'come back'?

pedal lighter gears? pedal bigger gears? seek for more comfort on the bike or keep everything the same?

from being a big gear pusher in my 20s and 30s i've tended (through commuting on fixed) towards smaller ratios over time through my 40s. i'm now not really sure that i could use a 53 or 50 'ring to any effect although they do still exist on my sportier steeds.
ed.lazda
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Re: First ride of the year!

Post by ed.lazda »

Good on yer, Mick F.

Don't give up yet on longer rides (if you want to do them, of course ...). I returned to cycling 3 years ago when I was 65, after a break of a decade or two, when I found out there was an informal club in the village where I live. Bonked spectacularly the first time out with them, struggled to work up to 15-20 miles. But kept doing it, upped the mileage slowly. Last summer & autumn I was doing rides of 60-75 miles once a week. Even did a 100-mile hilly sportive -- so slowly that they'd all given up and gone home by the time I finished, but that's another story :lol:
ed.lazda
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Re: First ride of the year!

Post by ed.lazda »

mig wrote: 2 Feb 2023, 9:25am do people change their riding style as they age? or indeed for a 'come back'?
Always been a spinner rather than a grinder. Now I find my cadence has gone up even more, possibly as my legs have got weaker. Recently started doing some spells of grinding to see if the strength might come back a bit.
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Cugel
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Re: First ride of the year!

Post by Cugel »

mig wrote: 2 Feb 2023, 9:25am do people change their riding style as they age? or indeed for a 'come back'?

pedal lighter gears? pedal bigger gears? seek for more comfort on the bike or keep everything the same?

from being a big gear pusher in my 20s and 30s i've tended (through commuting on fixed) towards smaller ratios over time through my 40s. i'm now not really sure that i could use a 53 or 50 'ring to any effect although they do still exist on my sportier steeds.
As the rot of aging gradually took effect my riding style has changed, with a more upright position and lower spinning gears being the main changes. A change of bike style, from stiff steel to artfully-arranged carbon fibre frames also made a big difference to comfort but also seems to provide a more efficient transfer of pedal power to back tyre on the road. Much fatter tyres (usually 28mm - 40mm) have also made a difference to both comfort and efficiency, especially compared to the ridiculous hard & narrow things of my racing years. 19 mm wide for time trialling!

Even when going out with the racing lads of the club, back in NW England as I left my 60s for my 70s, these new features seemed to make faster eyeballs-out riding better than it was in the days of steel frames, nose on the front wheel and rock 'ard tyres. Wish we'd had modern bikes with gears lower than 42X21 then.

Cugel
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Cowsham
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Re: First ride of the year!

Post by Cowsham »

Mick F wrote: 2 Feb 2023, 9:06am You are all so kind. Thank you.

When I first started riding bridges, and attempting all the roads in Cornwall, going to all 226 Cornish parish churches, etc etc, it was an attempt to do something with my riding.

I sort of envy the cycle-commuters, as they have a real reason to cycle like I used to do. All I have been doing it since 2004 was just "riding", and TBH, it became boring - hence my tasks and End3Ends to liven it up.

Any road up, been there, seen it, done it. I do have an idea for later in the year brought about by the post-boxes thread.
I have zero chance of going to them all, but I could do all the parish ones. Calstock Parish - where we live - is one of the largest parishes here in Cornwall. Perhaps do the adjoining parishes too.
Also, I could go the furthest north, south, east and west in the whole county.

https://postboxes.dracos.co.uk/#13/50.4946/-4.2132

It is a great blessing to be able to use a bicycle for a purpose and I use it for commuting but I know I'm poking retirement with an ever shorter stick so I've got a plan to still put cycling to good use ( other than shopping etc ) I'm a motorcycle race fan and already planning to travel /camp to race events and help out with volunteer marshalling. You need something to aim for something to look forward to and enjoy to give that extra push towards. More power to you Mick.
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rjb
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Re: First ride of the year!

Post by rjb »

https://postboxes.dracos.co.uk/#13/50.4946/-4.2132
Ask the post office for a key then you could collect the mail for them. Even sort it and deliver the local ones. :lol:
At the last count:- Peugeot 531 pro, Dawes Discovery Tandem, Dawes Kingpin X3, Raleigh 20 stowaway, 1965 Moulton deluxe, Falcon K2 MTB dropped bar tourer, Rudge Bi frame folder, Longstaff trike conversion on a Giant XTC 840 :D
ChrisP100
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Re: First ride of the year!

Post by ChrisP100 »

Mick F wrote: 1 Feb 2023, 9:25am I rode out yesterday for a hilly 15mile circuit. I've not turned a pedal since early December, and that was only 5miles.
Hardly rode far in November or October, so yesterday was hard work! :oops:

My plan is to do that same ride on Friday, and then twice a week for the whole of February. By then, I should have my cycle-fitness back.

Wish me luck, but having turned 70, my distance riding is a thing of the past methinks.
Fair play to you sir.

I hadn't turned a pedal since mid October until last Thursday. Then I did a 10km hilly commute to work. The journey home was emotional to say the least.
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Mick F
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Re: First ride of the year!

Post by Mick F »

Thank you again guys.
I feel rather humbled by your good wishes.

Off out at maybe 0930 tomorrow. About an hour and a half and back circa 1100. Same 15mile route ......... but with (only) 1,300ft of ascent.

The ascent thingy, is rather pertinent to to Clockwise/Anticlockwise thread. Circular route is the same both ways, but one way is easier than the other and I'm taking the easy way.

Dog walk shortly after, and a couple of beers in the Rising Sun half way. :D
Mick F. Cornwall
roberts8
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Re: First ride of the year!

Post by roberts8 »

I am in the same situation plus a few minor ops so I am still procrastinating with myself.
You have inspired me so it is repair that puncture and give all three bikes a look over tomorrow then gently potter down the lanes and check out the legs.
francovendee
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Re: First ride of the year!

Post by francovendee »

Mick F wrote: 2 Feb 2023, 3:50pm Thank you again guys.
I feel rather humbled by your good wishes.

Off out at maybe 0930 tomorrow. About an hour and a half and back circa 1100. Same 15mile route ......... but with (only) 1,300ft of ascent.

The ascent thingy, is rather pertinent to to Clockwise/Anticlockwise thread. Circular route is the same both ways, but one way is easier than the other and I'm taking the easy way.

Dog walk shortly after, and a couple of beers in the Rising Sun half way. :D
The hills near you make a huge difference. Many avoid them as much as possible, I'm one.
I'd guess you don't have much chance of a flat ride around there.
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Mick F
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Re: First ride of the year!

Post by Mick F »

Done the 2nd ride. :D
Exact same ride as the other day, but this time I was 4mins quicker!

Living in Gunnislake, it's up Gunnislake Hill to go west, or down over the bridge into "England" and then up the hill towards Tavistock.
It's the peril of living in a steep valley.

Luckily, there is another way out to the west.
You still have to get out of the valley of course, but instead of heading straight up, you can take the quiet lanes and take the hill in stages. Much further of course, and steep in places, but it's small steps rather than one big one.

Hard and short, versus long and less hard.
Screenshot 2023-02-03 at 14.31.16.png
Screenshot 2023-02-03 at 14.32.31.png
Mick F. Cornwall
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Cowsham
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Re: First ride of the year!

Post by Cowsham »

I'd prefer long and easy if time and daylight permit.
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