Today's Ride

[moonlite]

Having celebrated the arrival of summer on my last ride report, I set out today in 8C, windy weather. The winter clothing, toe warmers, gloves etc. that had been ceremoniously folded and packed away were all pulled out and pulled on. Very uncharacteristic weather for October here -- last night's wind chill was 0C -- but I wanted to go a bit longer than my recent ~20k MTB rides, so harnessed up the Airborne and got pedalling.

Sadly, no stops for pics -- I was too keen to build up a bit of body warmth. Overall it was a good ride, with a wind-assisted return to town helping the average speed but not the frozen extremities.

 

[db95]

Short shakedown at sunset.

Small early birthday gift to myself, the Felt frameset seemed a little on the small side so picked up a 55 Vitus frameset along with a new front mech as frame is braze on mount. Very short 8 miles but feels nice to be back on carbon No major flaws from the shakedown minus a rattling spacer, now have around a week to make adjust the fit and get a longish ride in as planning a century for a birthday ride next weekend.

 

[oligali]

One loop around Roadbiker´s Paradise up and down the mountain with oligali Jr. today...










About 30 km, 850 m alt in about 1:30 hrs enjoying autumn colours and nice enough temperatures.

 

[2manyoranges]

One loop around Roadbiker´s Paradise up and down the mountain with oligali Jr. today...

View attachment 1014230

View attachment 1014231

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About 30 km, 850 m alt in about 1:30 hrs enjoying autumn colours and nice enough temperatures.

Zagreb

Like it

That's not a sign you see very often on Retrobike

 

[bikeworkshop]

Old friend Jaro and I took P7onEarth and Minty on a loop into the forest of Dean, back down to the wye and up the hill to home.
Great routes

Gorgeous autumn colours

 

[2manyoranges]

View attachment 1014293
Old friend Jaro and I took P7onEarth and Minty on a loop into the forest of Dean, back down to the wye and up the hill to home.
Great routesView attachment 1014309
View attachment 1014301
Gorgeous autumn coloursView attachment 1014300

great shorts
great tights
great beard

that is STYLING IT

 

[2manyoranges]

Today ride - was effing annoying...

Second commute in the pitch dark - 18kms

Five years ago the problem on the unlit urban backwater and rural bikeways was people without lights.
Tonight was a fest of being blinded by bikes with incredibly powerful front lights and then blinded by oncoming cars with lights on full beam.
Grrrrr.
One bike came towards me with a full-on off road daylight beam, with a headtorch flashing on top. I tucked into the lefthand side as much as I could but Searchlight-Christmas-Tree Boy nearly piled into me, FFFFFFFFF.........

I have a couple of Ravemen lights - PR600 and PR1600 - bright, but I have checked whether they dazzle on-coming bikes - answer = no. I run them on the low setting when likely to encounter other bikes, and the beam is prismatic - the lens has a set of tiny tiny prisms which make a very flat and wide beam which is just great for commuting.

A car.....



Leaves yellow spots on your eyes.....

 

[Hombre]

great shorts
great tights
great beard

that is STYLING IT forget

Do not forget the socks!

 

[db95]

Second longer shakedown ride actually in daylight this time which allowed for some better pictures of the completed build. Building in the back is Ryhope Engine Museum, pumping station built in the 1860s. Shut in 67 but everything kept working by volunteers, listed building etc. Had seen the chimney from afar for as long as I can remember but never thought to actually go have a look until today.

Same parts diff frame; Vitus Venon with a 105 r700/ultegra 6800 mix, Ksyrium SLS with GP5000s, FSA compact bar/pro stem etc. Really enjoying it arguably more than the other road frames I've had but could just be new frame placebo. Not a massive fan of the Vitus seatpost as it seems nigh on impossible to perfectly level the saddle. Swapped back to the ME700 pedals over the M520's; had been getting left knee pain which after hours of fettling with bike fit, cleat position etc I think it just comes down to an old ankle ligament injury. Not that I'm a fit expert by any means but I think the stiffness (or arguable weakness) in said ankle is causing the knee to try and make up for the imbalance which causes the pain. Back on the platform SPDs and pain near enough gone, will chuck the m520s up for karma.

Anyway it's an absolute rocket and I'm very pleased, ride safe.

 

[2manyoranges]

Autumn colours are gorgeous.

and then....

Accumulated leaves begin to decay to create a VERY slippy-slidey surface



woah horse chestnuts and their shells, bonk slide




yikes sweet chestnuts and beechnuts crunch crunch skip hop



Need to be on point, but love it....a favourite time of year