Well it is for this year anyway. The weather is properly packing it in now, the roads are already covered in detritis and the forecast is for much more rain and wind. Fortunately for me I don’t have a carbon super bike (yet) but my trusty steed is getting filthy on every outing at the moment even with a pair of Crud Roadracers (Mk1’s not Mk2’s).
Saturday’s muck encrusted ride was effectively an extended version of my last ride (http://girodilento.com/change-of-training-strategy) with the extra distance to take me up a longer, harder hill into the Ashdown Forest. So the ride distance increased from 65km to 75km and the climbing increased from 925m to 1125m. It was a cool day that cleared as I rode – very grey to start with but the sun shone on and off for the last hour. It had rained the night before and the road surface was pretty wet in places but the wind had dropped since the last ride which was very good news.
For a Saturday there were much fewer cyclists out on the road, which again is fair reflection of the change in season and the state of the roads. I’m trying to keep cycling regardless of the weather and so far so good.
Pleasingly even with the extra distance and climbing my average speed was slightly higher than last time. Bikewise I was getting wheelspin on the hills quite regularly that a post ride inspection showed was because my rear Vittoria Pave has now worn off all of the tread, so after 4,300km I’ve done a tyre rotation as the front tyre was still in very good condition. I suspect this will make a noticeable distance and I think the more worn tyre now on the front wheel still has plenty of life left it it. I’ve been running Michelin Latex tubes with the Vittorias and interestingly they had bonded to the tyres which made the swap over very easy as the tyre and tube came off as one.
A thorough post ride clean has taken place and my bikes now on my workstand in the shed sans wheels waiting for the next call to action…. hopefully this is going to be tomorrow.
Thanks for reading
