You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
Over Castleton yesterday with a day off work. Everything drying up nicely. I did plan Jacobs Ladder loop but the thread was knackered on my crank arm bolt and my left crank kept coming loose, so I just looped round Castleton, Mam tor and nick in case I had to walk it wouldn't be too far. I'm out again tomorrow morning and probably evening and there's a good chance for Monday too 😁😁😁👍👍👍🚲🚲🚲
Just been for a bimble on the road bike with the wife, it's bloody glorious out.
Tomorrow I'm doing the Mini Enduro at FoD, hoping not to come last. The wife is coming with and we're camping the night so we can both ride at FoD on Monday.
Heavy head cold maaan..nose dripping like a tap ..nothing doing until Monday ..maybe🤧
Dartmoor demon sportive today. Absolutely stunning weather. Set off early and on the road from postbridge to Haytor there was only me and another chap. Absolutely beautiful
however I would like to chat to the person who decided the finish should be at the top of a massive hill!
I did the first cycle commute yesterday, and it would appear I'm much less fit than I hoped. 35 mile round trip, but the last 9 miles of the return leg was bimble pace.
I'll probably nip out on the hardtail for a quick local loop tonight/early doors tomorrow, then maybe a road ride on Monday. I really need to work on getting my fitness up.
swapped my projekt baron to a DHF to see if I can go faster on the new red trail at cathkin braes. bumped into ali Clarkson and McTrailrider (if you follow youtube) there. averaged 2-3s quicker with the DHF so happy with the result of that. Found my minion SS offers little grip on that loose surface though. no vid or pictures this time.
No pics, as often the case, but did a 60-odd mile trip to Petersfield's cat3 and back yesterday, with a few cat4s thrown in. Pushed pretty hard from "River to hilltop" and by ~90mins later, my legs were wrecked and had to take the ride home including the final cat4 very easy. can't complain though, that intensive first hour was a new FTP best, despite having to do the final ~6mins downhill after giving it all up to the top of "Bell Hill to the top."
https://www.strava.com/activities/1549427912
Caersws uplift tomorrow. Am sure there will be dust!
Just under 19 miles around Bluebell hill/Boxley, found some cracking singletrack and also some brutal climbs!
That's my longest ride pretty much ever, last October I was done in after 10 miles round bedgebury/swinley so I'm making progress on the fitness. 1742ft of climbing too. Dry mostly but the singletrack is still pretty slippy, will be good once it's dried out fully.
[url= https://farm1.staticflickr.com/977/41909903921_d0673d2b28_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm1.staticflickr.com/977/41909903921_d0673d2b28_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/26Rrdjn ]IMG_20180505_134758[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/tallpaul_s/ ]Paul Sims[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://farm1.staticflickr.com/907/40102502460_76a8a3c911_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm1.staticflickr.com/907/40102502460_76a8a3c911_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/246HNQd ]IMG_20180505_134741[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/tallpaul_s/ ]Paul Sims[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://farm1.staticflickr.com/980/40102499690_ffd50e838d_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm1.staticflickr.com/980/40102499690_ffd50e838d_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/246HN1s ]IMG_20180505_154038[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/tallpaul_s/ ]Paul Sims[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://farm1.staticflickr.com/947/41192349164_b3dcc45b6f_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm1.staticflickr.com/947/41192349164_b3dcc45b6f_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/25L2yhC ]IMG_20180505_154235[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/tallpaul_s/ ]Paul Sims[/url], on Flickr
First proper bike ride in over a year. Did the Roman Lakes route in Marple. Just over 14 miles and really chuffed with how I rode. Riding buddy lost two spokes, but thankfully towards the end of the ride. Glorious weather and stunning views.
Can’t get photos to link 😕
A very hard 30 miler today round Kentmere , Nan beild and Garburn 
And the Landrovers trying to climb Gatesgarth
Hope Triple 8 for the first time today. Challenging, fun, and a beautiful area.
[url= https://farm1.staticflickr.com/962/27043653177_daf879de01_o.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm1.staticflickr.com/962/27043653177_daf879de01_o.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/HcKMUn ]20180505_143234[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/dave-lowe/ ]Dave Lowe[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://farm1.staticflickr.com/965/41013284575_ed14a8db35_o.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm1.staticflickr.com/965/41013284575_ed14a8db35_o.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/25ucNC8 ]20180505_143246[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/dave-lowe/ ]Dave Lowe[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://farm1.staticflickr.com/868/28042313038_784d19a232_o.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm1.staticflickr.com/868/28042313038_784d19a232_o.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/JJ1bFQ ]20180505_145537[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/dave-lowe/ ]Dave Lowe[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://farm1.staticflickr.com/980/40105751030_b87b9f5410_o.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm1.staticflickr.com/980/40105751030_b87b9f5410_o.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2471sw3 ]20180505_162320[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/dave-lowe/ ]Dave Lowe[/url], on Flickr
Cheeky Tour of Wetherlam today. Blistering weather, great crack with all the walkers and stunning views. Typically Strava crashed on my biggest ride of the year so far.
Borrowdale Bash with the addition of Fleetwith Pike to make it interesting. Trashed a freehub in the last 3rd of the ride so limped back to Keswick.
Grand day out in the hills
Carlos
Summerised the hardtail (will be pressed into service tomorrow pending a pivot bearing change on the Rocket). It also required some parts replacing...
[img] 
[/img]
[img] 
[/img]
Then a quick local road road loop in the afternoon sun on the bamboo bike.
[img] 
[/img]
[img] 
[/img]
[img] 
[/img]
Into the woods on the BFe tomorrow hopefully.
Was in Cannock for 7am this morning. The sun was shining off the pebbles. Authority is also granted for a ride tonight.....
A quick spin around Delamere, some dry, dusty trails, but some places seem to be getting wetter/swampier.
some of the wettest places also seem to have the smell of cow pats to them as well. 💩
Dammit, mid morning I discovered that the Isle Of Wight Randonee sportive today was free entry, albeit I was then a bit miffed that the clockwise island route does not appear to do a single categorised climb.
Wiped out crossing a ford 10 miles inti a Swaledale ride. Now sat in A&E waiting to get patched up, so that's my bank holidaysorted.
Thanks to the guys who helped at the side of the road!
<span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);">4</span>3 km outside Stellenbosch today, first time back on a mountain bike after injury since August. Dry trails, sun on ones back-:)
Steady 38miles today. Bluebells everywhere..
Legs feel rubbish, might have to have a few days off even though its sunny.
[IMG] 
[/IMG]
<div class="_4rbun">Took out the mtb which has been summerized from its winter mode of single speed and carbon fork. Now running it with 2x11 di2 syncro shifting after I found 1x11 too limiting. First impressions are very good. Did a 70km loop yesterday then on the road bike for a 130km loop today.
</div>
Back on the MTB this morning.
[img] 
[/img]
[img] 
[/img]
[img] 
[/img]
Nothing special, just an easy cruise round the local bridleways on a beautiful evening.
Managed longest road ride of the year yesterday. 46 miles to Bridgnorth and back, made a good effort on the first roadie tan lines of the year.
Then today hit up Nant Yr Arian with a mate, found the reaper trail and chipped on with MTB tan lines too!
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bicbfs_hWwZ/
Dumgoyne loop this morning.
I have so far got lots of riding in, but yesterday's to Ogmore-by-Sea - one of my favourite places on Earth - was fantastic. Certainly one of my most memorable rides ever.
Bring on tomorrow!
P.S. What's with all those fat-looking, knobbly tyres in the other posts, above? 😉
Arran saturday, road pootle for monkfish n chips with wifey on Sunday. Braw.
Does Bank Holiday Monday count as the weekend? Replaced all the pivot bearings on the Rocket this morning, so thought I'd better get a quick shakedown ride in once it cooled down a bit.
[img] 
[/img]
[img] 
[/img]
[img] 
[/img]
Raced the Macavalanche. A puncture in stage 2 and a couple of big crashes in stage 3 made it a very tough day out but it was still a fantastic race.
Some gravel riding,
Wash and change of wheels for a road ride!
Daughter and me fancied somewhere a little different for a change so set off to the trails at Glenlivet. It's the first time we have been so stuck to the blue for a couple of laps and really liked it although now she thinks that it would be a good idea to do the red.
It might have helped that the weather was great and the trails were in really good condition but we had a cracking time there so a return visit is already being planned.
Saturday was spent at the side of the track at the Steel City DH, glad I missed Abigales crash on the jump
Sunday we went back and spent some time on the Wharncliffe side and then Sunday had an early start up onto Cutgate
Great weekend
[img] 
[/img]
[img] 
[/img]
[img] 
[/img]
[img] 
[/img]
[img] 
[/img]
[img] 
[/img]
Raced at Graythwaite PMBA. Most tech race I've ever done! My mate said it was more tech than EWS Finale last year. Not a lot of pedalling, in fact some of the stages my feet weren't even on the pedals much lol! Practise went ok really, until my calf injury and then cramp pestered me on last couple. The transitions were mainly pushups, which was the worst thing for my calf. Race day and I had a nightmare! Basically couldn't remember where any of the rock features were and its ok to stop and contemplate in practise, but not in race! I crashed multiple times on S1,2 and was riding terribly, so fearing breakages, decided to quit early and miss 5/6.
Weather and event was spot on though!
Ended up having a brilliant weekend. The Mini Enduro was great fun, though I now know I awful at riding steep fresh cut trails with off camber roots.
The route I rode Sunday with the wife was excellent as well, there is so much stuff at FoD it ridicouls and we only scratched the surface.
[url= https://farm1.staticflickr.com/980/27103083947_179af82a70_k.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm1.staticflickr.com/980/27103083947_179af82a70_k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/Hi1oAP ]Me trying to race[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/91843706@N08/ ]Sam Dexter[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://farm1.staticflickr.com/980/27103083287_5e255443cd_k.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm1.staticflickr.com/980/27103083287_5e255443cd_k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/Hi1opr ]Sare at FoD 1[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/91843706@N08/ ]Sam Dexter[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://farm1.staticflickr.com/949/28100592238_a8d01e3e84_k.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm1.staticflickr.com/949/28100592238_a8d01e3e84_k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/JP9T4C ]Sare at FoD 2[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/91843706@N08/ ]Sam Dexter[/url], on Flickr
Bluebell day in the Forest of Dean. Hot, dusty and generally blooming amazing 🙂
[url= https://farm1.staticflickr.com/982/41239999104_67f57c71be_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm1.staticflickr.com/982/41239999104_67f57c71be_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= https://farm1.staticflickr.com/831/41913797332_f38b121650_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm1.staticflickr.com/831/41913797332_f38b121650_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= https://farm1.staticflickr.com/955/27089469137_1f865072fe_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm1.staticflickr.com/955/27089469137_1f865072fe_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][
[url= https://farm1.staticflickr.com/977/41913762862_e4c59c1eaf_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm1.staticflickr.com/977/41913762862_e4c59c1eaf_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= https://farm1.staticflickr.com/827/27089463607_33e5eef97e_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm1.staticflickr.com/827/27089463607_33e5eef97e_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= https://farm1.staticflickr.com/975/27089452667_05e4738c77_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm1.staticflickr.com/975/27089452667_05e4738c77_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= https://farm1.staticflickr.com/981/40164999010_431101da79_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm1.staticflickr.com/981/40164999010_431101da79_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url]