I'm just trying to get out as often as I can, not worrying about huge long rides at the moment, just using my bike instead of the car when running errands.

Hopefully next week I will start to add in a commute to the office each week, which is a 40 mile round trip, I shall add in a second commute a week after half-term. All my plans will be shafted when work ask me to go to Finland or Norway or Amsterdam again though.

Done any training? Gonna bother?

Did an 85km road ride on Saturday with 2000m of climbing, so roughly equivalent to half the 100mile route (but on Tarmac!). Going to do another long road ride with climbs on Thursday. Then maybe a couple of 30K rides a week until half-term when I've got time for some longer ones again. When (if!) Dartmoor dries out
then I'll do some longer off road rides, including this one, the Hell of the West CX route sometime in March...... http://tinyurl.com/p9cy8ab.

Still got to get around to building up my drop bar gravel grinder though. It's just a couple of boxes of pieces at the moment.

training?

not exactly going well - My OH fell over and has broken her elbow - this means i have to take her to work (in the car) so i'm missing the commute (115 km/week) it's also eating into evenings and weekends as i'm doing all the housework instead of half.

I rode for 2 hours on the turbo last week. Normally a bad week would be 6 hours! I'm going to try and focus on quality not quantity for a few weeks and then pack in some miles late feb march!

I did buy myself a lovely wildcat bag - how many hours of training is that worth!

s8tannorm wrote:Just hoping I can get project 'Proper Shopper' finished in time

Is this turning into Wacky Races?

Is this turning into Wacky Races?

Oi, I resent that

I just feel that given my original brief then I should really put my money where my mouth is ... if possible.

my money where my mouth is

i don't mind what you ride stu....

but please don't come in before me riding a shopper!

thomthumb wrote:

my money where my mouth is

i don't mind what you ride stu....

but please don't come in before me riding a shopper!

May have to make some diversion signs to ensure this doesn't happen. Maybe this will turn into wacky races...

< shopping bikes CX bikes >

^ MTBs

Re training, did 54 miles on the singlespeed on the 19th and 130 miles in 8 hours on the CX bike yesterday, still can't decide whether to do it on the 29er with Alfine or the CX. Thinking the CXer might be a bit harsh over 24 hours and fragile on the rockier bits. Shopping bike is definitely not on the agenda.

s8tannorm wrote:Oi, I resent that

I was under the impression you were going for comfort rather than speed.

I was under the impression you were going for comfort rather than speed.

Not sure the finished article will have either. :D

Might need to think about training, I hadn't realised how long it was since I'd done a long ride. But commuting again so hopefully that'll help.

It is 9 weeks away this weekend. Going to get a long ride in this weekend on the cross bike, maybe head to Sherwood Pines and add on Hicks Lodge if I am feeling frisky.

Blackhound wrote:if I am feeling frisky.

Planning on a big road ride this weekend if i can find a weather window. Freezing rain at the moment :(

Chew wrote: Planning on a big road ride this weekend if i can find a weather window. Freezing rain at the moment :(

I had a rest last weekend, so this weekend I'll have to get out whatever the weather. Looks like Saturday morning might be good so will try to get out early and just get wet at the end. Wouldn't mind being back before the sun goes down with my freezing toes problem at the moment. :?

Neil, have you tried overshoes on top of your winter boots?
I get a similar problem in prolonged sub zero temps, and it makes a real difference even if the overshoes are comparatively thin.

Ian wrote:Neil, have you tried overshoes on top of your winter boots?
I get a similar problem in prolonged sub zero temps, and it makes a real difference even if the overshoes are comparatively thin.

Yeah I have some BBB Neoprene over shoes that have worked well for me in the past. This is there last winter though I think, they are starting to tear and wear out in places now.

After my hospital stay last week and my knackered left leg, I'm now thinking an overnight bivi will be my best option at the moment on the 100 and not stress about the "race"

JohnClimber wrote:After my hospital stay last week and my knackered left leg, I'm now thinking an overnight bivi will be my best option at the moment on the 100 and not stress about the "race"

There may be a few of us thinking of that option. Just to finish would be an achievement no matter what the time!

I'm thinking along similar lines too, finish in the same weekend not the same day.

Although if my knees don't get better that might be pushing it too.

sillybigfella wrote:There may be a few of us thinking of that option.

Great news,

managed a 133 mile ride out yesterday. feel ok now strangely!

Taking a punt on proper winter not materialising and putting the gravel bike (v1) together!

getting more excited now!

JohnClimber wrote:After my hospital stay last week and my knackered left leg, I'm now thinking an overnight bivi will be my best option at the moment on the 100 and not stress about the "race"

No shame in that, in 2011 I'd do a hundred mile round trip to Thetford in the car and feel chuffed with doing, what, 16 miles?

Genesis bikes have just announced a gravel race, claiming it to be the first of its kind in the UK

Genesis bikes have just announced a gravel race, claiming it to be the first of its kind in the UK

Do you mean the Adventure X series they're supporting or something else?