your daily bicycle log

in 93 my team ordered knickers in team strip at time when other local yokels only barely had sublimated shorts-- or even jerseys really. BIG PIMPIN.

I'm quite a warm person, if that makes sense, but I've got a dodgy left knee; keeping it covered is good cos the cold can flare it up.

Working from home today, so did a quick 12 miles for breakfast.

I wear bib shorts when it's 15C and above, 3/4 bibs when it's 9-14C, and longs for colder. As you can imagine there's quite a lot of the middle range in the UK - reckon I get a good 3 months per year commuting wear out of them at least.

I'm riding ~50 miles with a very special someone today, I'll try to grab a picture for y'all.

http://images.wikia.com/muppet/images/a/ae/Kermitbike.jpg

?

http://insidecroydon.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/boris-on-a-bike.jpg
?

He invited me too, but didn't deign to hold his ride in the southwestern PA area.

who is it
http://unconditionalconfidence.com/mt/mt-static/FCKeditor/UserFiles/Image/nervous.gif

no podemos esperar

http://i.imgur.com/1FqKHh.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/zupC2h.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/tPJMoh.jpg

lol @ GoPro

that's so great. fun?

it was totes fun, let me c/p from other source:

‎200 people at rollout. Tranquillo until about a third of way through reverse Paradise (7 miles of twisty rollers). Hammer got dropped (some Italian former pro and a K3lly B3n3fits domestic pro) and we went from 3 wide to single paceline. I tried to keep it frisky on my pulls. Bert stayed in the top 8 for most of Paradise. I went for and won the Chicken Sprint (38mph), but I doubt that more than a dozen of us knew about that. Regrouped and then it got fast again up Chapman. I was a little further back than I'd liked to be, there were a lot of digs by dudes who ended up going backwards about halfway up. The pace was high up and over Chapman all the way to the bottom of the hill where about 50 of us were left and rolled back to the start point.

18 very windy miles which included a biblical deluge which lasted five minutes, was accompanied by a bright rainbow, and seemingly came from a big patch of bright blue sky. wtf.

Another seriously wet ride today with the same friend. 60 miles through Ayrshire this time. It was about as crazy a ride as I've ever done. I was so cold by the time I got home that I could hardly take my bag off to get my keys out, let alone actually unlock the door. I've just thawed myself out for an hour in a hot bath. It's times like these that life is made of!

vid from AC ride:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fru8fHL2YSE
he's behind me ~1:53-2:00

the ride was advertised as mellow group ride... lol

Fantastic!

As you come into shot at 1.53 you look destroyed :) Great video, thanks!

18.2 miles in blustery conditions. I've got the dreaded Catford Hill Climb to do on Sunday morning, so I belatedly thought I'd make the most of the little time I had for training ride by doing some hill climb practice. I rode up to Epping Forest to the Mott Street climb that my club uses every November for its championship. This isn't really identical to Yorks Hill, but it should take about the same amount of time to get up: Mott St is longer (about 1km) than Yorks Hill (about 700m), but Mott St has a nearly flat section in the middle where you can recover / big ring it and is only 12% at its steepest, whereas Yorks Hill is uphill all the way, *averages* 12.5%, and has two stretches of 25% according to the race programme (gulp).
I went flat out the first time up and did it in 2:44, which is my second fastest time ever and only three seconds slower than my best. I then rode around a triangle of roads for 5 or 6 minutes, back down to the start and did it again. This time I could only manage 2:55 and it hurt a lot more, so I decided to call it a day.

Just under 34 miles this morning, including an 800 foot hill. Clocked my fastest ever mile coming down it 1:52.

worst ride EVER today. hadn't been on my bike in a few weeks because i'm lazy and decided to do an easy city lap. it's fleet week and jets are flying overhead annoying the fuck out of everyone, so i thought i'd ride down the embarcadero to see some planes doing some loop de loops or something. didn't realize that everything ended when i started my ride. billions and billions of tourists walking, on bikes, tour busses, traffic. i could have killed myself. i should have just gone home. i kept thinking to myself, the only thing that could make this ride worse would be if i fell. half a block from home and i push off and start to clip in, there's a giant wedge shoe right in front of me. i hit it and tried to unclip, but instead i just tilted over in slow motion towards the foot that was already clipped in. 2 asshole dudes in full sailor gear saw the whole thing and one of them gave me 'good job, dumbass' eyes. glad it wasn't raining, i guess.

Ah man that sucks.

Just did a tough 42 miles with a lot of slow hills, which has taken my total for October so far to 201 miles.

Only 9.1 miles today (bringing my weekly total to a distinctly unimpressive 28 miles), but that included the Catford CC Hill Climb which was about as intense as it gets. Will write up a report on the racing thread.

are we live?

Yep

Started *gulp* jogging and doing intense stair climb repeats (.3 miles at 20-25% grade)

lol offseason

Jogging disgusts me.

Not been for a ride since Saturday in an effort to really concentrate on physic on my shoulder, which is much improved. Back in the saddle again on Saturday I hope.

STOP AUTOCORRECTING PHYSIO.

In the 99 days between Sunday 10th July & Sunday 16th October 2011, I cycled just over 4000 fixed-gear miles around Glasgow.

I'm taking this week off!

.

That sounds crazy

I am pretty much certified.

im starting to run a little again. i did four months of running last year, did my events, and threw my shoes far to the back of the basement. starting over is shitty.

I can't run, knees are shot to bits. Too many years playing football and too many years as a very fat mantis.

Whopping great massive hat! To krakow, that is very very impressive

Just done 25 miles, first ride since Saturday and since the shoulder's been feeling better. Almost got lost. Found a cattery, I think.

Did 34 miles today: long sleeves and tights - the shape of things to come.

First ride out on kaffenback tomorrow, sort of nervous, what if I don't like the bike I've drooled over for so long?

33 miles this orning to take me to 299.94 for the month so far (why did I not just do a loop of the church hall to cap 300?!). 3/4 bibs, arm warmers, wind jacket winter collar, winter socks (long enough to tuck into the 3/4s!). It was about 6 degrees when I set off at 7am, and windy. Capped a 1:59 mile coming down Haldon hill on the way back. Gonna need a base layer and a hat soon.

Pootling 8 mile loop this morning on the new kaffenback, tested out through the cassette and rings, scared myself a little with the cantis. They break like a dream from the drops, but from the hoods they are definitely for slowing rather than stopping, erk. Leverage I guess. It's slower out of the blocks than the felt but seeing as it's got 28mm stelvios on, it spins up beautifully. I've got some conti 4000s in 25mm on order, they should be perfect. Climbs like a dream though, especially when stood up, it just feels great though, handles like a dream.

Did you hear my "faster faster!" peptalk?

I didn't phone is always in case in back jersey pocket. Was taking it slow too, need to get used to those cantis. Loving the ultegra though, soooo smooth .

I finally got back out on the fixie for the first time in a year (I broke the frame in an ultra-low-speed crash, then didn't get round to sending it off for repair for 9 monhts, oops). I'd forgotten how much less immediately responsive it is than the Focus. But I'm really looking forward to taking it on the commute. Here it is in its current guise (bar tape and possibly saddle will get a Christmas overhaul):

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6115/6270126547_b20d9c0a22_o.jpg

15 miles then hit a gust of wind and some country lane mud at the same time. Then I hit the ground. Knackered my other shoulder. Wife is on the way to fetch me.

Unlucky

Ouch dude, hope it heals up quick.

I've got a trapped nerve or muscle strain or something in my shoulder, didn't feel it at all when on the bike yesterday but it hurts like a motherfucker now, and feels like it's spreading down the middle of my back. Off now to get a new, firmer pillow.

Saw your road rash on twitter, you'll heal.

I've been laid up all week with a nasty cold and now I get to spend a week in the hyatt in Alburqurque hope they have a half decent gym.

Hip/arse and ankles are pretty much fine. Shoulder, which took the brunt of my 12st 6lbs frame impacting onto dirty tarmac, is in quite a lot of pain, though. And just after the other shoulder had got better! A week out of the saddle, I think. 317 miles this month, not so bad.

http://sickmouthy.com/2011/10/24/hit-the-ground-riding/

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6052/6277162372_d21bebc728_z.jpg

Levis-Trow, WI, this weekend

so fukkin good