Bicycle thread!!

Discussion in 'Anything Goes' started by cat0020, Apr 20, 2017.

  1. 34468 Randy

    34468 Randy Secret Insider

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    Ya. I doubt that they took your actual bike out of the system, where ever it was at the time of your enquiry, took a photo to send to you, then put it back into the system. I just hope you have better luck with your purchase from a Chinese firm than I have recently. An item ordered in June, enquiries met with what appeared to be responses from a menu, and finally they say it was delivered in October or early November. I am only out $54.00 but the biggest thing is I have totally lost confidence in ordering anything what so ever from Chinese sources myself. I will buy Chinese made products to some degree, but the purchase will be from a localized source. In other words, I walk out of a place with the item after I have paid the price.

    We have a whole week of nice weather predicted here with nothing but sunshine. I see my bike coming out of the shed and ot getting some exercise. I will probably benefit from that too.
     
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  2. Millietant

    Millietant New Member

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    I'm normally a very keen cyclist, riding a hardtail MTB (Giant Talon 2.5 mostly and Land Rover Khartoum occasionally). Had both since 2009 and put a lot of miles on them. From 2012 to 2019 I was averaging 3,500-5,000 miles per year on them. Last year, I was down to just under 2,500 miles through a combination of Lockdowns/Covid and family strife (bereavements) which just took the wind out of our sails.

    A normal mid weekly ride is around 25-35 miles, with slightly longer ones at the weekend. My wife and I take part in (and organise some) Charity rides throughout the year, ranging from 50 miles to 250 miles (1 day to 5 days) and usually have at least one cycling "holiday" each year, which usually gets the miles up in short sharp bursts :).

    With the weather and a bit of mild illness, I've only done 70 miles since Christmas. Up until Covid, most of my Christmases for the last 10 years have been spent in Bolton, Connecticut, where there are loads of great cycle routes (on and off road) that I ride. I don't know why, but cycling in winter just seems easier in CT than it is in the UK - the atmosphere here in the UK always seems "wetter" and the ground is softer. I think the colder temperatures and dryer atmosphere help. This photo is out on the Shenipsit trail, a couple of years back (Christmas Day) on the old Specialized Hardtail MTB I use out in CT.

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    And this one is in better weather, a bunch of us about to start a 150 mile, mostly off-road, 3 day ride (which my wife and I organise, and ride) from the west coast to the east coast of the UK in aid of MacMillan Cancer Support.

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  3. Millietant

    Millietant New Member

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    And the old Specialized, parked up on the Hop River Trail

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  4. Jim McCulloch

    Jim McCulloch New Member

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    Good on you organizing rides! We need more folks like you! My hat is off for you and your wife!
     
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  5. Millietant

    Millietant New Member

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    Thanks Jim,

    On our annual 3 day Coast to Coast rides that Liz and I organise we raised over $40,000 for charities between 2008 and 2018, We had nearly 350 participants in the event over that period and we have many now-lifelong friends from it. I always played the role of "sweeper" at the rear, riding with those who struggled the most, or picking and helping those who broke down (physically, mentally and mechanically) or had punctures - the route involves climbing over 13,000ft, so is not what most people would call easy. We're even been lucky enough to have riders from Colombia, Mexico, Venezuela, Australia and Spain join in with this ride over the years. We changed for 2019 to organising a ride around the Isle of Man TT circuit, but 2020 has been a total bust due to Lockdowns and travel restrictions.

    Hopefully later in 2021 we can get back to something more normal.

    Longer term, I had plans for a Connecticut Bike and Hike trip (10 days in total), with around 12 UK based friends wanting to take part and some from Texas. Don't know if/when it will happen though right now :-(
     
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  6. Millietant

    Millietant New Member

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    Nice little ride out today, blooming freezing, but I was warm and toasty except for my toes....plenty of mud as well to give me something to wash !

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  7. Millietant

    Millietant New Member

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    It seemed a lot colder than 41 F out there yesterday.....lots of frost and ice on the roads.......still, trying to keep fit on my mountain bike, for the new motorbiking season :)

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  8. Millietant

    Millietant New Member

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    The temperature got up to 46f on Friday, so I took the chance to get out when the rain stopped and sun shone for a couple of hours.....lots of flooding (had to ride through 18"-24" of water a couple times to keep following my usual ride route. At least my new waterproof socks got a test (they passed with flying colours :)).

    Depite the weather, Im pleased that I managed to get 150 miles pedalled in January, but no miles on a motorbike, sadly. 29.01.2021 Cycling.JPG
     
  9. Millietant

    Millietant New Member

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    Took advantage of a dry spell today to get out on the bicycle - the roads are still very wet and filthy (heavy rain again last night), and now so is my Land Rover Khartoum.
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  10. Millietant

    Millietant New Member

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    So, with the sun shining and the temperature JUST creeping over 40 F, I decided to once again break the Lockdown boredom with another bicycle ride.

    Right now, I've cycled further this year than I have driven in a car and ridden on a motorcycle ............. combined

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  11. Millietant

    Millietant New Member

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    Took the old Giant Talon 2.5 out for a little ride yesterday - learned that my backside (ass) has become much more attuned with the seat on the Landrover :):)

    Still, I managed to keep the legs turning (4th ride in just over 2 weeks recently).

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  12. RhINO

    RhINO New Member

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    Took the winter tires off the commuter bike today, hopefully spring is coming now and I can get the bike out as well

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  13. Millietant

    Millietant New Member

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    Only been out 5 times so far in March, the weather's been putting me off (very windy and wet), but I've got myself up to just over 110 miles in total.......nothing unusual happened, but on Friday I rode through the heaviest rain I've encountered in many, many years......and it kept hissing it down for close on 2 full hours.

    Very glad I had my Sealskinz waterproof socks and gloves on and a good waterproof jacket too. It was actually a lot of fun, splashing everywhere, especially on the muddy off-road sections. Rode down to a local cycle shop for a coffee outside in the rain, can't think of why, though it seemed like a good idea at the time - I haven't even washed the bike yet though, must do that today, its filthy.

    26.03.2021 Cycling.JPG
     
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