Chargeride
Well-Known Member
Thats a long ride in those conditions, you officially earned that ice cream.
2025 - Our Rides in Words, Photos, Maps and Videos
- Thread starter Saratoga Dave
- Start date
Chargeride
Well-Known Member
The Llandegla ride with just me and Gary, Bri is babysitting.
He wanted me to concentrate on the steep descents, suffice to say this is far steeper than it looks and is pretty tense to ride down
The end drop is around 15ft and starts vertical, you wouldnt dream of doing it without seeing someone else ride it first.
Gary lectured me on tyre pressure and got a flat two minutes later
Everyone stopped to check this, even really good riders, its a bit of an illusion from the riders view point
The other descent, the lens flattens it out, but if you look at that stump on the right, it is sticking straight up, that puts in to perspective how steep this is.
When you don't want an audience.
Brummies everywhere, that's the nickname for people from Birmingham, so everyone sounds like Ozzie Osbourne, its only an hour for them to get here.
Now things get serious, this track looks completely impossible when you start it at the top, a crowd develops to watch any nutter trying it.
You cannot come to a halt because you will go over the bars, just 1mph with the back wheel bouncing six inches continuously.
You may say, why bleedin bother, there's peer pressure and also a feeling of accomplishment and facing your fears, it is doable, most people could,
the issue is where the track whites out is a vertical drop to the path.
Its actually really smooth, just stay off the brakes and keep your bars straight, this is even worse than the previous edge drop.
After youve conquered these, it puts everything into perspective and confidence gives safety.
I'll put that on my Tombstone
The big squeak was the motor over running after the chain popped off on the climb, it must be a safety feature, because the bike turned off as well.
It all was fine, no lasting effects.
He wanted me to concentrate on the steep descents, suffice to say this is far steeper than it looks and is pretty tense to ride down
The end drop is around 15ft and starts vertical, you wouldnt dream of doing it without seeing someone else ride it first.
Gary lectured me on tyre pressure and got a flat two minutes later
Everyone stopped to check this, even really good riders, its a bit of an illusion from the riders view point
The other descent, the lens flattens it out, but if you look at that stump on the right, it is sticking straight up, that puts in to perspective how steep this is.
When you don't want an audience.
Brummies everywhere, that's the nickname for people from Birmingham, so everyone sounds like Ozzie Osbourne, its only an hour for them to get here.
Now things get serious, this track looks completely impossible when you start it at the top, a crowd develops to watch any nutter trying it.
You cannot come to a halt because you will go over the bars, just 1mph with the back wheel bouncing six inches continuously.
You may say, why bleedin bother, there's peer pressure and also a feeling of accomplishment and facing your fears, it is doable, most people could,
the issue is where the track whites out is a vertical drop to the path.
Its actually really smooth, just stay off the brakes and keep your bars straight, this is even worse than the previous edge drop.
After youve conquered these, it puts everything into perspective and confidence gives safety.
I'll put that on my Tombstone
The big squeak was the motor over running after the chain popped off on the climb, it must be a safety feature, because the bike turned off as well.
It all was fine, no lasting effects.
Last edited:
DaveMatthews
Dave's not here. Cheating since 2018
- Region
- Canada
Nicely done mate. Not sure I'd tackle those drops anymore.
RabH
Well-Known Member
I had another weather window but this time it was a 6am start (first light) to beat the wind and rain, as it turned out there was no rain at all but the wind was gnarly at times! The wind was a direct southerly and gusting around 25-30mph when I set off just ater 6am and was set to increase as the day progressed, so I made my way south towards Lanark into the wind!
I stopped for some photos of the Clyde Valley just before arriving in Lanark!
I turned in to Lanark Loch hoping to get some nice photos but the sun was in a very awkward position which meant only this photo was half decent...
I continued down to Hyndford Bridge and was riding along the main A73 towards Biggar, I was now getting some crosswinds when the trees were a bit sparse!
Tinto Hill was clear of cloud for once!
This part of the A73 was the worst, I thought Tinto Hill would have protected me from the crosswind but I was wrong...
At least the wind was blowing me into the verge and not into the traffic, as soon as I reached the next junction I was glad to get off the main road to safety!
You can see the strength of the wind from the grass in this photo!
I was now on the back road to Thankerton with the wind at my back for now!
After crossing the bridge in Thankerton I had this view of Tinto Hill!
I had some protection from the wind on this back road to Biggar, my first time using this road and it was in very good condition!
I arrived in Biggar and it was time to turn north and enjoy a cracking tailwind for 25 miles with a 35-40mph tailwind and it was pure bliss!
This photo was taken as I left Biggar!The first 6 miles or so were all uphill but with that wind at my back it was very easy, I had this view of Tinto Hill in the village of Libberton!
The climb up to Carnwath!
Looking back down the hill at the top of the climb!
From Carnwath I continued north, time for more climbing!
Then the steep climb up to Braehead!
The descent at the other side of Braehead was awesome!
The road leads to Wilsontown and then ramps up to almost 1100ft, mostly gradual though and its such a great road!
I then had the big descent down into Breich to look forward to, I was hoping to hit over 50mph down this one today but the wind was swirling a bit so I only managed 45.2mph...
It was time to start climbing again, up through Longridge!I stopped for this photo on the way up!
Another big descent followed down into Whitburn where I found the road to Armadale closed but I pushed the bike along the footpath and bypassed the roadworks and joined the cycle path up to Armadale! I decided to continue north as the back road to Blackridge would have been scary with the wind today! So I took the road to Westfield and stopped for a photo of the viaduct!
I had no choice but to head west here and the crosswind was really wild, after only half a mile or so I turned north to take the back road to Avonbridge!
This road is tree lined so I had no issues with the wind, at Avonbridge I decided to keep heading north up the back road to the village of California! I stopped for this photo and heard a horse nearby, I think it wasn't happy with me as it was making quite a racket!
It was very cute though!
I turned west before California to take the back road to Slamannan, another tree lined road to keep me out of the wind! Then I had this climb which was also protected from the wind thanks to the big hill on the left!
At the top looking back down!
I passed through Slamannan and continued west to Greengairs, I chose this road as its tree lined all the way so I had no crosswind issues! From Greengairs I turned south into the wind with just 5 miles to go! I was glad I decided to get up at 5am for this ride, it was just incredible and I managed to pick the best route for the conditions! I passed 5000 miles today also, now 5047 miles for the year!
Attachments
Chazmo
fat-tire biker
- Region
- USA
- City
- Central Massachusetts
outstanding, Rab!
Stefan Mikes
Gravel e-biker
- Region
- Europe
- City
- Mazovia, PL
You are a very brave person, Chris. I'm totally not in MTB as I think I have already used up my eight lives
Considered a proper body armour? A full face helmet?Doesn't your Levo have a so-called "chain guide" near to the chainring? Had one on my Giant. A perfect measure to prevent chain drops.
Is your Levo SRAM or Shimano for the drivetrain?
Chargeride
Well-Known Member
Its been removed to have a bigger chainring fitted, so Gary starts giving advice on securing it properly if I modify and fit one.You are a very brave person, Chris. I'm totally not in MTB as I think I have already used up my eight lives
Doesn't your Levo have a so-called "chain guide" near to the chainring? Had one on my Giant. A perfect measure to prevent chain drops.
Is your Levo SRAM or Shimano for the drivetrain?
Ten minutes later, we are walking pace riding through the carpark and his drivetrain goes bang, his chainguide bolt snapped clean off and I saw it fire twenty foot in the air.
We found it and it was all getting a bit Twilight zone
DaveMatthews
Dave's not here. Cheating since 2018
- Region
- Canada
Not gonna lie... I'd love to do those roads...View attachment 198862
I had another weather window but this time it was a 6am start (first light) to beat the wind and rain, as it turned out there was no rain at all but the wind was gnarly at times! The wind was a direct southerly and gusting around 25-30mph when I set off just ater 6am and was set to increase as the day progressed, so I made my way south towards Lanark into the wind!
I stopped for some photos of the Clyde Valley just before arriving in Lanark!
View attachment 198863
View attachment 198864
View attachment 198865
I turned in to Lanark Loch hoping to get some nice photos but the sun was in a very awkward position which meant only this photo was half decent...
View attachment 198867
I continued down to Hyndford Bridge and was riding along the main A73 towards Biggar, I was now getting some crosswinds when the trees were a bit sparse!
Tinto Hill was clear of cloud for once!
View attachment 198868
This part of the A73 was the worst, I thought Tinto Hill would have protected me from the crosswind but I was wrong...
View attachment 198869
At least the wind was blowing me into the verge and not into the traffic, as soon as I reached the next junction I was glad to get off the main road to safety!
You can see the strength of the wind from the grass in this photo!
View attachment 198870
I was now on the back road to Thankerton with the wind at my back for now!
View attachment 198871
After crossing the bridge in Thankerton I had this view of Tinto Hill!
View attachment 198872
View attachment 198873
I had some protection from the wind on this back road to Biggar, my first time using this road and it was in very good condition!
View attachment 198874
I arrived in Biggar and it was time to turn north and enjoy a cracking tailwind for 25 miles with a 35-40mph tailwind and it was pure bliss!
View attachment 198875
The first 6 miles or so were all uphill but with that wind at my back it was very easy, I had this view of Tinto Hill in the village of Libberton!
View attachment 198876
The climb up to Carnwath!
View attachment 198877
Looking back down the hill at the top of the climb!
View attachment 198878
From Carnwath I continued north, time for more climbing!
View attachment 198880
Then the steep climb up to Braehead!
View attachment 198881
The descent at the other side of Braehead was awesome!
View attachment 198882
The road leads to Wilsontown and then ramps up to almost 1100ft, mostly gradual though and its such a great road!
View attachment 198883
I then had the big descent down into Breich to look forward to, I was hoping to hit over 50mph down this one today but the wind was swirling a bit so I only managed 45.2mph...
I stopped for this photo on the way up!
View attachment 198884
Another big descent followed down into Whitburn where I found the road to Armadale closed but I pushed the bike along the footpath and bypassed the roadworks and joined the cycle path up to Armadale! I decided to continue north as the back road to Blackridge would have been scary with the wind today! So I took the road to Westfield and stopped for a photo of the viaduct!
View attachment 198886
I had no choice but to head west here and the crosswind was really wild, after only half a mile or so I turned north to take the back road to Avonbridge!
View attachment 198887
This road is tree lined so I had no issues with the wind, at Avonbridge I decided to keep heading north up the back road to the village of California! I stopped for this photo and heard a horse nearby, I think it wasn't happy with me as it was making quite a racket!
View attachment 198888
It was very cute though!
View attachment 198889
I turned west before California to take the back road to Slamannan, another tree lined road to keep me out of the wind! Then I had this climb which was also protected from the wind thanks to the big hill on the left!
View attachment 198890
At the top looking back down!
View attachment 198891
I passed through Slamannan and continued west to Greengairs, I chose this road as its tree lined all the way so I had no crosswind issues! From Greengairs I turned south into the wind with just 5 miles to go! I was glad I decided to get up at 5am for this ride, it was just incredible and I managed to pick the best route for the conditions! I passed 5000 miles today also, now 5047 miles for the year!
Stefan Mikes
Gravel e-biker
- Region
- Europe
- City
- Mazovia, PL
What continent?
RabH
Well-Known Member
I'm sure you would love the quiet roads, the hills not so much Dave...and then there's the winds...Not gonna lie... I'd love to do those roads...
DaveMatthews
Dave's not here. Cheating since 2018
- Region
- Canada
Well there are plenty of hills in this area, but not so much local to me. Your bike is better equipped for those scenarios as well mate!I'm sure you would love the quiet roads, the hills not so much Dave...and then there's the winds...
Chazmo
fat-tire biker
- Region
- USA
- City
- Central Massachusetts
I had a black bear sighting on my 20mi rail trail ride yesterday. I didn’t get a picture, but he/she was about 20 feet from me as I rode by, about 10 feet below me on a steep grade that leads from the trail to the water/stream. I wish I’d gotten a picture for you to share. Oh well.
Chazmo
fat-tire biker
- Region
- USA
- City
- Central Massachusetts
Yeah, bears are a reality now here in central MA. I haven’t heard of any actual problems due to this, and I’m a firm believer in the fact that we have to share the woods with the bears, but this is the first time I’ve actually had a sighting from my bike.
I had this guy lumber through my back yard in July. My property borders on a huge forest acreage that protects the reservoir (which, incidentally, the rail trail is on) where I’m sure this black beauty is living. That was a first too. I don’t think this is the same bear I saw yesterday, though. Yesterday’s was full grown.
