Who got soaked?
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Xenocide

Original Poster:

4,286 posts

231 months

Friday 30th May 2008
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Went out for a ride with a couple of mates last night (29th) at Stourhead. It was tipping it down, really grotty. We sat in the van for a while peering out at the rain pissing down (and into) the windows. At the last moment just leaped out and went off for a good 2hr ride.

Best.ride.ever.

There was mud everywhere, couldn't see for the sand in my eyes, couldn't do anythign without a huge amount of effort not to mention needed a service and new pads on my bike now. I've never had so much fun in my life.

So who else loves riding in the pissing rain?

Nick_F

10,598 posts

269 months

Friday 30th May 2008
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I failed to make it up King's Settle Hill to Alfred's Tower at Stourhead on the Tour of Wessex last weekend - it was a nice morning but the road was still wet from the night before and I actually got wheelspin, on a roadbike, on a road...

I like riding in the rain - just hate cleaning up afterwards. Stourhead is barley 10 miles from home for me, though: what's the riding like up there?

Baldspeed Racing

52 posts

232 months

Friday 30th May 2008
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yeh I got wet bout 4 miles of heavy rain on the way home last night, had to take my oakleys off in the end as I had so many spots before my eyes lol

neil_bolton

17,113 posts

287 months

Friday 30th May 2008
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Nick_F said:
I failed to make it up King's Settle Hill to Alfred's Tower at Stourhead on the Tour of Wessex last weekend - it was a nice morning but the road was still wet from the night before and I actually got wheelspin, on a roadbike, on a road...

I like riding in the rain - just hate cleaning up afterwards. Stourhead is barley 10 miles from home for me, though: what's the riding like up there?
Pretty good, off road wise, I've done a few MTB races in my years gone by - although I don't know whether they run them any more.

The riding and area is pretty good IIRC thumbup

Nick_F

10,598 posts

269 months

Friday 30th May 2008
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Cool. I may potter up there on Sunday for a look round, since I'm now the proud owner of a mountain bike and all.

Depends on whether my SPD shoes turn up tomorrow, though...all the road riding I've ever done has been with clips or roadie SPD-SLs; I can barely stay upright without them.

Xenocide

Original Poster:

4,286 posts

231 months

Friday 30th May 2008
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I'll send you an email if i'm going again on Sunday. We'll meet up!

Nick_F

10,598 posts

269 months

Monday 2nd June 2008
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New shoes arrived on Saturday morning - Shimano M-181 for £55 and next-day delivery! Thankyou CRC.

So that evening I finished getting the computer on the bike and a few other bits and bobs and thought I'd go out for a potter once the children were in bed. Headed-off down the lane from the house and spotted a wooden sign that I'd only ever driven past before; turns out that it actually says 'public highway' and not 'public footpath' as I'd always assumed.

About a mile-and-a-half later I've fallen-off three times, ground to a halt axle-deep in water, walked across a railway line, offered several prayers of thanks that the nettles are flowering, and not stinging; and survived two massive stoppie moments without going over the bars. It's marked on the map as an unclassified road - so I guess it muct be a BOAT - and it links-up with miles more of the same - all starting just a couple of hundred yards from the front door.

Forty minutes to clean my nice new shoes and then two hours yesterday to clean my nice new bike.

I now need a new helmet, gloves and shades so I don't wreck my roadie stuff...

Xenocide

Original Poster:

4,286 posts

231 months

Tuesday 3rd June 2008
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Nick_F said:
New shoes arrived on Saturday morning - Shimano M-181 for £55 and next-day delivery! Thankyou CRC.

So that evening I finished getting the computer on the bike and a few other bits and bobs and thought I'd go out for a potter once the children were in bed. Headed-off down the lane from the house and spotted a wooden sign that I'd only ever driven past before; turns out that it actually says 'public highway' and not 'public footpath' as I'd always assumed.

About a mile-and-a-half later I've fallen-off three times, ground to a halt axle-deep in water, walked across a railway line, offered several prayers of thanks that the nettles are flowering, and not stinging; and survived two massive stoppie moments without going over the bars. It's marked on the map as an unclassified road - so I guess it muct be a BOAT - and it links-up with miles more of the same - all starting just a couple of hundred yards from the front door.

Forty minutes to clean my nice new shoes and then two hours yesterday to clean my nice new bike.

I now need a new helmet, gloves and shades so I don't wreck my roadie stuff...
Good ride then? biggrin.

Nick_F

10,598 posts

269 months

Tuesday 3rd June 2008
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I think so...I could hardly stop laughing from one end to the other.

Did you go back to Stourhead? What's the best place to start out from up there?

Chris71

21,548 posts

265 months

Tuesday 3rd June 2008
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I went out yesterday (Monday) and it was the wettest ride I've ever been on! Good fun. Bizzarely I've discovered the only surface my continentals actually grip well on is wet tree root.

The ride itslef wasn't a classic, but there's something almost spiritual (hippy) about listening to the rain hitting the trees when it's just you out in the woods.

flattotheboards

6,688 posts

229 months

Wednesday 4th June 2008
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Riding in the wet is great fun (when its muddy) However when its muddy you tend to go though brake pads.

motorheadmadness

7,193 posts

215 months

Thursday 5th June 2008
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nah, its not too bad. who uses brakes anyway? haha. after a really muddy ride the only thing i hate doing is cleaning my spd shoes. :-( not fun. had thought about getting overshoes so that i could just chuck them in the washing machine when i get home an save my shoes from getting crusty, any suggestions on which ones to go for? preferably from CRC- great value and quick P&P.

Xenocide

Original Poster:

4,286 posts

231 months

Friday 6th June 2008
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Nick_F said:
I think so...I could hardly stop laughing from one end to the other.

Did you go back to Stourhead? What's the best place to start out from up there?
Yeah I was laughing the whole time too.

We start from (well down the road from now) alfreds tower. From the tower go down the field and on the right there's an entrance down a stony path into the woods. Go down there and have fun.

Didn't go back the other day though. Will be riding some time after work during the week if you want to come along with me and a mate. We're not that quick though!

mchammer89

3,127 posts

236 months

Saturday 14th June 2008
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Love riding in the rain, get some funny looks while wearing sunglasses to stop the rain blinding me though, remember coming in from a ride through the rain and got weighed, 2 kilos heavier than when I left, that's 2 litres of water in my clothes! I'm too stubborn to go for waterproofsbiggrin