2025 - Our Rides in Words, Photos, Maps and Videos

[Jeremy McCreary]

Jeremy, I don't think you use Smart Control, do you? User @GuruUno has described Smart Control/Specialized App glitches more than enough. It might be also dependent on the specific e-bike model.

In my own case, there were 4 motor off states on the ride. After the motor on, Smart Control was recovering, only it not necessarily reported the correct distance to the destination (I was correcting it manually). After the 81 km ride was completed, I only got a single recording for the first 21 km (Leg 1) but nothing beyond... It was a Vado 6.0. Smart Control is more reliable with Vado SL, proven.

No, never use Smart Control. Point is, the Specialized app is a solid recording option on rides not involving that mode — which for most riders is probably most of them.

If I ever use Smart Control, I'll record in RideWithGPS instead.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

No, never use Smart Control. Point is, the Specialized app is a solid recording option on rides not involving that mode — which for most riders is probably most of them.

If I ever use Smart Control, I'll record in RideWithGPS instead.

I confirm Specialized App "Ride" has recorded my today's 4-segment ride correctly. The motor was switched off at each stop.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

More Photos From Varmia Gravel 2025

Gravel.Love races can be proud of the photographic service it provides. Of course, the photographers are paid for their hard work, and they indeed deliver quality! However, this year's Varmia Gravel could employ too few professional photographers. The shortest format, Sprint/E-Sprint had only one photographer: a teenage girl, daughter to a professional photographer. The girl has a long way to go yet, from the selection of a good "photo trap" through the selection of the aperture and the shutter time, through avoiding high contrast scene to assuming a good shooting position (prone, kneeling, standing)

The digital photography leaves some space for improving the photo takes. I have thus improved the photos I am in (Adobe Lightroom).

My riding mate Paweł and I. I was just approaching a hanging bush and could see a patch of sand, so I had to slow down and think how to avoid the spill

Paweł's track was clear, so he gained on me there! (And he rode a full suspension MTB).

Suddenly, I noticed the young photographer sitting right on my track! I yelled "Aaaargh!", dramatically braked and changed the tracks. You can see me yelling! Hands squeezing brake levers, haha!

Not the best photos but what do.

 

[RabH]

I'm on carer duties for a few weeks as I'm looking after my sister after a recent operation but I managed to get a ride in this morning, a local hilly one so I got a good workout! It was a blustery but mild morning, with a westerly wind around 25mph so I took advantage of the wind on the way out to Whitecross near Linlithgow! It was a dull morning with a slight threat of rain, I used the back road from Longriggend to Slamannan and stopped for a couple of photos! The Campsie Hills were shrouded in cloud in the distance!

From Slamannan I took the back road towards Avonbridge, this road has been closed for months so it was good to use it again and enjoy the awesome descent at the end of it!

After enjoying the descent I had a big climb up the back road to Shieldhill and was looking forward to the big fast descent down into Glenn Village, the Ochill Hills were pretty clear today! I grabbed a few photos before heading down the descent!

Time for the descent, 36mph down the first part!

42.5mph down the steep part, the smooth tarmac makes quite a difference since it was resurfaced recently!

From Glenn Village I headed east through Hallglen where I had another amazing descent, after passing through Brightons I turned north towards Polmont and then east towards Linlithgow! A mile or so before Linlithgow I turned south towards Whitecross to enjoy this amazing road again!

The scenery around here isn't too shabby either!

You get this stunning view of the Ochill Hills after the climb!

From Whitecross it was time to turn SW into the wind but the road is just incredible, a short time later I passed over the canal and stopped for a photo!

I was now heading for Standburn where the road becomes a proper rollercoaster, I'm so lucky to have such amazing roads so close to home! After the final climb I turned south to take the back road to Avonbridge, another amazing road which starts with this lovely descent!

Westfield village can be seen in the distance part way down the descent!

From Avonbridge I turned south to take the back road to Blackridge! Its another rollercoaster road before the big climb up over Heights, I stopped for another couple of photos!

This one is from the summit looking SE with the Pentland Hills way in the distance!

From Blackridge I turned west towards Caldercruix but I decided to take the back road past Forrestburn Reservoir, it's really smooth in places and really rough in places also and some big climbs once again! A couple of photos of the reservoir!

At the end of the road I turned west towards Salsburgh to find the road closed after a big descent, thankfully I didn't need to turn back though as I used the little back road past Kirk of Shotts church which leads to my favourite back road to Hareshaw so I was more than happy with the closure! If I could I would ride this road every day as it's just incredible for the bike, if you meet 2 cars on this road you are unlucky and I only met 1 today and they actually pulled in to let me pass! Its very narrow... From Hareshaw I took my usual back roads out to Newhouse, grabbing one final photo before turning for home!

It remained dry for the whole ride so it was my lucky day, what a fantastic ride it was! I'm just 18 miles short of 40000 now, I'm not sure when I will get out again though but if the opportunity comes along I will grab it! I'm also only 72 miles away from 4000 for the year, it has been a great biking year for sure despite some awful weather!

 

[Chargeride]

More Photos From Varmia Gravel 2025

Gravel.Love races can be proud of the photographic service it provides. Of course, the photographers are paid for their hard work, and they indeed deliver quality! However, this year's Varmia Gravel could employ too few professional photographers. The shortest format, Sprint/E-Sprint had only one photographer: a teenage girl, daughter to a professional photographer. The girl has a long way to go yet, from the selection of a good "photo trap" through the selection of the aperture and the shutter time, through avoiding high contrast scene to assuming a good shooting position (prone, kneeling, standing)

The digital photography leaves some space for improving the photo takes. I have thus improved the photos I am in (Adobe Lightroom).

View attachment 196591
My riding mate Paweł and I. I was just approaching a hanging bush and could see a patch of sand, so I had to slow down and think how to avoid the spill

View attachment 196592
Paweł's track was clear, so he gained on me there! (And he rode a full suspension MTB).

View attachment 196593
Suddenly, I noticed the young photographer sitting right on my track! I yelled "Aaaargh!", dramatically braked and changed the tracks. You can see me yelling! Hands squeezing brake levers, haha!

Not the best photos but what do.

I'm guessing she screamed as well

 

[Chargeride]

I rode the Moss path which is actually the UK coastal path, it sits on top of the flood defence from the Ribble river, and its very long and a bit boring.

The only fun is the very tight kissing gates, I gave up and opened the main gate

These cows were all on top of each other in a cool bit, it was so cute.

Less happy here as they could reach me, though I'm pretty sure they didn't have the slightest inclination to do so.
I'm now riding down a tributary river from the Ribble towards where I can turn off to visit Bank Hall.

I had to pick the bike over here to enter the boatyard and I got a hand full of very smelly cow dung, those bovines got me eventually.

This was delightful, a mixture of boats and caravans.

I had hoped to cross over here, but the whole area was strictly private including the walkway over the lock,

I used google maps in bike mode to carry on and it took me down this path, I thought they would be annoyed but he agreed it was a proper cycle path.
There were lots of volunteers and boats clearing the river of rubbish and weeds.

It got more and more unsuitable until I rode across this edge walkway, stopped to film the volunteers, put my foot down and there was nothing there.
Straight up to my thighs in the river, much to their amusement.

When I got to the Jacobean hall it turned out it has been converted into apartments, very snazzy place to live.
Built in 1608 you have to book a guided tour, it was remodelled in 1830 to a more extreme Jacobean style and mixed with Georgian.

On the way home Google maps took me through this field..

And through this farm, there were caravans, containers, huts and camper vans everywhere with migrant workers living in them for harvesting work.

These roads are quiet enough for locals to feelsafe walkingtheir dogs around blind bends, which is very trusting as they have 60mph speedlimits

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

These roads are quiet enough for locals to feelsafe walkingtheir dogs around blind bends, which is very trusting as they have 60mph speedlimits

Trusting, eh? Notice who's in the middle of the road.

Actually, it's the same in my neighborhood with narrow streets and no sidewalks. When not behind the wheel themselves, all pedestrians here operate under the deeply held belief that there couldn't possibly be a car coming.

 

[Watana Bob]

they have 60mph speedlimits

60 mph on that decomposing bike trail that is a road, geez, I would be afraid to drive 10 mph on that thing.

 

[Mulezen]

Trusting, eh? Notice who's in the middle of the road.

Actually, it's the same in my neighborhood with narrow streets and no sidewalks. When not behind the wheel themselves, all pedestrians here operate under the deeply held belief that there couldn't possibly be a car coming.

It’s the same here though in greener (and less green$) circumstances. I’ll be pedaling uphill on a lane and a half of chip seal and some gun past me into a curve. But the worst are the Sunday morning biddies late for church…they’re worse than the beered up Friday afternoon tradesmen who at least have good eyesight. I’m scaring myself…

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I'm guessing she screamed as well

Nope. She seems to have never realised what she was doing was wrong and dangerous... Fancy her sitting on an asphalt road?

On the way home Google maps took me through this field..

Google Maps is as accurate a cycling navigation tool as... (I bit my tongue!) Chris, please invest in Komoot. You need no subscription! Only it is advisable to pay a one-time flat fee to "unlock all regions" (it is the most economical option). The strength of Komoot are very accurate maps that can distinguish Cycling, Road Cycling, MTB, Gravel Cycling, and Enduro MTB (as well as Hiking and Mountaineering). Komoot also shows Heatmaps (whether and how often someone rode that trail), and there are even photos of the trail (on a computer)! You do not need to navigate using Komoot. You do not need to record your rides either. You could, however, plan your routes according to your activity type (MTB) to see if the trails in the area would be rideable or not. Komoot even creates a list of warnings for the route ("This part is unrideable. You will need to push your bike" and it will show you the location). Same with stairs etc.

Don't like planning? In case you are lost on your ride, open Komoot then click Routes -> Plan New. Your GPS location will be shown on a very accurate cycling map and then you can make a decision what to do next. I actually do the same on my long rides! (I use a pre-planned route to see how my course deviates from the plan, or, where I actually am).

The website version shows you tons of Points Of Interest, and it is more and more as you zoom in. The green dots are to see the photos. (This map shows the former Military Range, a fascinating area where it is exceptionally easy to get lost without a good navigation or a map).

Google Maps Cycling

These roads are quiet enough for locals to feelsafe walkingtheir dogs around blind bends, which is very trusting as they have 60mph speedlimits

Ireland is a funny country as any narrow and twisting asphalt road has the speed limit of 100 km/h while you can drive perhaps 30 km/h there

The roads on the Wild Atlantic Way can be as narrow as when I stopped here to take that photo, a grandfather carrying his family in his car had to stop behind me! It was, of course, a 100 km/h road

 

[BlackHand]

@Chargeride strikes me as someone who wants to explore without knowing what is around the next bend. He seems to thrive on whatever fortune or misfortune comes his way. Heck, I'm surprised he's riding a bike that doesn't require emergency duct tape field repairs.

 

[Chargeride]

Actually google maps were correct, that was a bridleway, the farmer is OK to plough over it and the canal path is also a bridleway, the signs have long gone and no one has bothered to replace them.
Its pretty laid back in the UK and riding through a farmers field is very unlikely to end in birdshot in the arse.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Actually google maps were correct, that was a bridleway, the farmer is OK to plough over it and the canal path is also a bridleway, the signs have long gone and no one has bothered to replace them.
Its pretty laid back in the UK and riding through a farmers field is very unlikely to end in birdshot in the arse.

Chris, Komoot allows unlocking a single "region" for free. Please just try it. Why to ride through a someone's field if a more interesting path could be found?

Komoot let me find a very interesting shortcut in my nearest neighbourhood. The red line is a former gravel road. The farmer not only ploughed the field but also installed a mighty concrete barrier (black) to protect the field several years ago. Turns out, there is a hidden dirt path marked here with a blue arrow that allows the passage! How would I discover that if not Komoot?

 

[Chargeride]

Why to ride through a someone's field if a more interesting path could be found?

More interesting than a ploughed field?
I dont think so

 

[Stefan Mikes]

More interesting than a ploughed field?
I dont think so

It's good for you to live in Britain Do it in Poland and you end up:

• A horse-cart stanchion hit over your back, or
• A scythe in your back, or
• A mountaineer axe in your spine

We hardly use fences or hedgerow to protect the fields in Poland. We've been taught a hard lesson to respect the private property for years

There was a series of comedy films by name "Sami swoi" ("Their own") in Poland. A farmer in Poland's Far East (pre-WW2) incidentally ploughed his neighbour's field two fingers wide The neighbour sent his son to defend the property; the son wounded the offender with a scythe. As the outcome, the boy had to escape to the United States The feud continued well after WW2 when those two families were incidentally relocated to the same place in Poland's Far West

Be careful!

The U.S. immigrant (the scythe boy) to present a sickle to his Polish nephew (in order to oppress the neighbours even more!)

 

[Chargeride]

Is Polish comedy funny?
No, no, no, its life...and death

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Is Polish comedy funny?
No, no, no, its life...and death

Just to warn you against one of the stupid things a Brit could do in Poland: Seashore sand dunes are severely protected against the damage

"A British e-biker killed by a post German land-mine on Łeba sand dune"

 

[Chazmo]

View attachment 196678

Dang! Messy, wacky ride, Charge!!! Hope you had fun getting dirty and wet.

 

[Chargeride]

There you go I'm in the club, Carbon Velo, do I get a badge or something?

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

There you go I'm in the club, Carbon Velo, do I get a badge or something?

View attachment 196694

Yes, you get the Croix de Spesh for valor in the face of daunting price tags. But it comes with an old guy kissing you on both cheeks. A lot of us pass it up.