A wrong turning. The Oxonian 25 mile time trial at the weekend, turned into a 26.5 mile time trial. It was a course I hadn’t ridden before and got mixed up with another version of the course which uses the same roads but turns at a different roundabout.  As I flew through the roundabout (instead […]

Sunday was a 36 mile Time trial organised by Speedwell CC. It wasn’t exactly mountains, but it felt like it, especially last climb up Clee Hill to about 375 meters. It was hard to know how to pace yourself for a race like this – very different to a flat 25 mile time trial. If […]

After Sunday’s ride, I was down for a 23 mile hilly time trial in the Cotswolds. It was cold early on (for a change). It was two laps around Temple Guiting near Stow on the Wold. It probably makes a nice place for tourist rides. It was quite picturesque. It would have been idyllic if […]

A tandem from race on Saturday. You never feel a puncture is a lucky one – especially when it’s a £50 Vittoria Eso CX tub. It’s done 2 races or about 30 miles. – So a fairly expensive 30 miles – even accounting for prize money of about £20 for the two races. (BTW: I […]

Not Shap hill Climb – a more traditional Lake District 15% climb. This weekend was a long drive up north, to take part in the Shap Hill Climb from Kendal towards Shap (Penrith) on the A6. It is 9.1 miles long and climbs from 55 metres to 425 metres at the top. There are also […]

This bank holiday weekend I had three races in four days. The first was on Friday morning. A 10 mile time trial organised by High Wycombe CC. I finished 10th out of a strong field of 90. My time was 22.11. The event was won by Richard Prebble in 21.23. Saturday was a 30 mile […]

Saturday afternoon was the Oxonian CC 31 Mile ‘Hardriders’ event. It is quite hilly, especially in the first half. There are also quite a few sharp corners. The road surface had taken a real battering from the harsh winter. I opted to not use a discwheel, and made sure I had a spare tub and […]

Returning from Race This was a good weekend for cycling. Firstly, the temperature crept into double figures (10 degrees) in the first time for what seems like ages. Double digit temperatures mean racing in shorts, and the annual ritual of shaving the legs the night before. The course was shortened from 10 miles to about […]

(Why do I do these early season races again?) Last Sunday morning was my second race of the season – Banbury Star CC 23 mile hard rider event. The course was undulating with a sharp 16% twisty climb in the middle. On the way out, you descend the rather tricky descent and on the way […]

Last Saturday, was the first race of the season. – A hilly 10.2 mile TT organised by Andover Wheelers. The course was shortened slightly due to some hedge trimming.  The hedge cutter was one of the few vehicles on the road. It was a very quite course in terms of traffic which was nice. It […]