A 'quick' blast around Reddish Vale turned into a 2.5hr slog fest in constant rain, but not just any rain, no it was the fine stuff that soaks you through. I wasn't in the first world war but I'd liken conditions to the Somme. I've probably taken a year off the chain's life and I'm pretty sure my brakepads are now shot. I can't say for sure as they're under several soggy sods of earth. My £12 waterproof bottoms from Decath were outstanding, as was the bird in the red Astra doing a bit of dogging in Bredbury. I was too early/late to go into any detail but she had a nice embarassed smile and seemed as keen as the bloke who was frantically undoing her strappy shoes.
I'm glad someone was hot. I was steadily freezing thanks to a never ending spray of cold muddy water from both wheels. The mud guards did their best but there's only so much they can keep out.
Jimmy Schwalbe front tyres….they're good! The Conti Vert on the back did it's best but I felt at times like Nori Haga. Squeaky bum all the way round.
High point – the amount of owls that were out, always nice to see.
Low point – not the hooters I would have liked to have seen 🙂

Grrrrr.

The Somme wasn't particularly muddy, being fought in the summer through to very early winter of 1916.

The iconic images of the mud come from Passchendaele, near Ypres, fought through the very wet summer and autumn of 1917 over a patch of already very wet marshland.

[courtesy of a work colleague with an obsession with WW1]

only on stw

lol

lol

more detail on the doggers needed..pics??

On a ride near Luton once came across a guy sitting on a bench enjoying himself a bit too much! Didnt even seem that bothered as we went flying past!

You get > 1 year from a chain? Obviously you're normally a fair weather rider 😉

why was he taking the shoes off?

amateur!

You get > 1 year from a chain?

I was very jealous of that too!

pics of the bird dogging please !

Regarding the chain; in order to get better life it's simply a case of re-evaluating your 'need' for perfect gear shifts. If you can get past that a chain will last for years. Ditto your various cogs etc.