Cycling - hints, tips and routes

Make sure you grease your nipples, I forgot Today and went for a 3 hr ride, i'm regretting it now ;)
 
warspite said:
I'm lucky that where I live in Urmston it is a 10 minute easy ride to the paths of either the Bridgewater Canal or the River Mersey and as Arfur Daley said ''the world is your lobster'' you can get anywhere, me and a couple of mates went down the Bridgy the other week and with a few diversions onto roads ended up at a great pub called The Ferry right on the banks of the Mersey at Fiddlers Ferry
Keep your bike maintained especially your brakes, if they get spongy change the pads they are not expensive and keep everything well oiled, also carry a bag over your shoulder with basic tools and a spare inner tube or puncture kit, also a bottle of water as with all exercise never do it dehydrated
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There's also the Trans Pennine Trail that goes up towards Fiddlers Ferry. It is a much better track than the Bridgewater Canal.

There's a nice cafe at Jodrell Bank that is a favourite with cyclists. They're all from clubs, with full Lycra kit, and rigid shoes that they tiptoe around in.
 
Yep been up the TPT many times but always come off at Latchford Locks and go down side roads and lanes to Fiddlers Ferry, not my choice it's the lads I go biking with insist on it, they like to stop at a pub in Thelwall Village
 
South Yaaarkshire police have declared war on cyclists, they have banned all road races and cycling clubs riding in large groups all because a farmer riding a combine harvester complained about them, the ban is currently under review say the police, Sky News
 
warspite said:
South Yaaarkshire police have declared war on cyclists, they have banned all road races and cycling clubs riding in large groups all because a farmer riding a combine harvester complained about them, the ban is currently under review say the police, Sky News
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Loathe as I am to defend the south Yorkshire plod, there's a bit more to it than that.


Cycling road races in South Yorkshire have been suspended over safety concerns and complaints - including the last-minute cancellation of a 105km race scheduled for today.

British Cycling Yorkshire said a "recent incident involving riders and a combine harvester … have not helped."

It said the decision to halt Tumby’s road race near Stainton comes after "further complaints" and issues that "go back years".

"No specific reason has been given but it seems they are saying the course is unsuitable and overused which possibly points to complaints from local residents," said a statement on the Rutland cycling club site.
 
Are you only interested in MTB routes? There are some great long weekend cycling holidays you could try all on National Cycle Network routes: C2C, Coast and Castles, Way of the Roses to name but three. Check out Sustrans website and also websites relating to each of the above trips. They're great trips to do and you'll feel a sense of pride upon completing them and be hooked!
 
malg said:
What are the advantages of tubeless tyres? Seen a bit about them on YouTube, but no too sure about them. Oh, and is it hard work to convert, or best leave it to a bike shop?

Thanks for all the tips. Oh, I've started going through red lights (safely!), so I'm half way there - still not graduated to riding on the pavement yet!
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I wouldn't worry about tubeless atvthe moment- we've been using inner tubes for the last 100 or so years since dunlop sorted it out. They're not going away anytime soon.
 
dan_bo said:
I wouldn't worry about tubeless atvthe moment- we've been using inner tubes for the last 100 or so years since dunlop sorted it out. They're not going away anytime soon.
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Good point. Typical bloke, trying to run before I can crawl.......I'll be getting knee and elbow pads before I know it!
 
discopop said:
120 psi on a mountain bike are you mad? Even on a road bike it would be on the upper end and potentially become a a bit bone jarring but each to thier own I suppose, the rest I completely agree with, plenty of really good social cycling groups out there on FB land
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Didnt know he meant mountain bike,I was referring to a road bike and I keep my tyres to max inflation without issue
 
Uncle Wally One Ball said:
Didnt know he meant mountain bike,I was referring to a road bike and I keep my tyres to max inflation without issue
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Sorry bud didn't realise you hadn't seen the Mtb mention

Current thinking is running slightly wider tyres (25mm) at a slightly lower pressure I run Conti 4 seasons and 4000's on my bikes at around a 100 psi no speed drop off and a slightly plusher ride but as I said it really is each to their own but I ride mainly over the border in Saddleworth and some of the road surfaces really are shite and the set up helps.
 
I'm running Mavic 23's at just over 100 psi and they are harsh on anything but smooth surfaces. That's with a quite compliant Canyon Ultimate frame. I will be switching to 25's once these have worn a little.
 
Gaudion M said:
28c is where it's at on a road bike. Mine are tubeless at c90 psi.
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I tried 28's this year on a Cannondale Synapse I had on hire in Majorca and although they were smooth and grippy I just could get used to seeing a 28 stuck out in front of me it just looked all wrong :)
 
If you ride up the ashton canal to portland basin and hang a right under the stone footbridge..you'll find yourself on the peak forest canal, this will provide you with a further 12/15 mile run out thru marple locks eventually terminating around whaley bridge. If you're feeling lively you can jump out onto the road (Whaley end) and the appropriately named Long Hill will be infront of you, up there 7 mile and you'll be in buxton, where with a little help from a sane local you should be able to locate the Tissington trail which interlinks enough to provide plent of mileage with breathtakng scenery

Grab yourself a pair of semi slick style of tyres if you're not going fully dedicated Mountain bouncy forky, sometimes life's not just so convienent to provide all off-road on your doorstep but with a little swerve (tyres) you can tie two or three trail types together via a bit of road.

Rochdale canal out of town is rideable thru to rochdale, Tod, Ebden and Sowerby bridge, Hudderfield, dropping down into Marsden, saddleworth, staley rowing boats, portland Basin, etihad.
 
Chaps,

My GF and i have been talking about getting into cycling for a while now. We're not looking to get to serious into either road or mountains, more likley we will be doing some country route cycling involving some road as well as some tougher terrain - is there a "happy medium" type of bike that works well on both or do i just go for a couple of Mountain bikes because a road bike is (i assume) less than useless off road?

Thanks a massive novice
 
Southbanken said:
Chaps,

My GF and i have been talking about getting into cycling for a while now. We're not looking to get to serious into either road or mountains, more likley we will be doing some country route cycling involving some road as well as some tougher terrain - is there a "happy medium" type of bike that works well on both or do i just go for a couple of Mountain bikes because a road bike is (i assume) less than useless off road?

Thanks a massive novice
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The happy medium you're looking for is a hybrid bike.

I use a road bike for long rides and a hybrid for getting around locally, say up to 10 mile rides.

Mountain Bikes are pretty useless these days, imo
 
Fat Chance said:
If you ride up the ashton canal to portland basin and hang a right under the stone footbridge..you'll find yourself on the peak forest canal, this will provide you with a further 12/15 mile run out thru marple locks eventually terminating around whaley bridge. If you're feeling lively you can jump out onto the road (Whaley end) and the appropriately named Long Hill will be infront of you, up there 7 mile and you'll be in buxton, where with a little help from a sane local you should be able to locate the Tissington trail which interlinks enough to provide plent of mileage with breathtakng scenery

Grab yourself a pair of semi slick style of tyres if you're not going fully dedicated Mountain bouncy forky, sometimes life's not just so convienent to provide all off-road on your doorstep but with a little swerve (tyres) you can tie two or three trail types together via a bit of road.

Rochdale canal out of town is rideable thru to rochdale, Tod, Ebden and Sowerby bridge, Hudderfield, dropping down into Marsden, saddleworth, staley rowing boats, portland Basin, etihad.
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That Peak Forest canal run is scenic but it's very rutted and muddy, managed ok on my MB but seen others struggle, prefer to carry on thru Portland...you have to come off canal at Asda Ashton...up to Staley and out into the countryside, great run
 
Make sure ya bike is set up right,i.e nads just touching top frame and when pedaling a slight bend in your knee area when youve reached ya full extension when pedaling and a good saddle(read reviews on saddles,i have a charge spoon and it cost me 17 quid and its the best in the business imho..
Upgrade when necessary..
 
warspite said:
That Peak Forest canal run is scenic but it's very rutted and muddy, managed ok on my MB but seen others struggle, prefer to carry on thru Portland...you have to come off canal at Asda Ashton...up to Staley and out into the countryside, great run
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...up to staley and then onto stannedge tunnel, up the little lane besides the large B&B and on to Marsden..back out of marsden you can drop into greenfield reser (not literally), still lively and you can climb the service road which will take you to Chew reser on top of the mountain. Back down and out towards Ashton, over hartshead pike thru woodhouses...hey presto there's Clayton vale again.

A mtb with a good rigid fork is not 2nd division tackle, the right size tyres with the correct pressure for the ground your planning and a rider can learn to float. The floaters i've seen are never in a rush for it to end and tell you (me) about new undiscovered inclines like they've found a nude bird
 
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