I’ve spent far too much time on the Turbo this holiday. So today it was time for our annual pilgrimage to Talybont-on-Usk to ride the classic gap loop.

We do this every year, and every year the weather is different. In 2017 we were falling over in 3 foot snowdrifts and worrying about benightment. Today conditions were benign, 8 degrees, dry and mostly dry under-tyre. And no wind. Bliss. Obviously karma dictates multiple meetings with the destroyer-of-things fairy. I was left me with no rear brake, half a derailer and zero tubes, after my mate went through all our spares. In one descent 🙂

What a day to be out though. This ride rocks. Literally!

Forgot my normal camera, so all of these are off my iPhone. I’m pretty impressed how good it is.

So what have you got?

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Fun times on the magic carpet this afternoon. Another bite early doors tomorrow before getting back on the DIY train… #uksurf #polzeath #surf #howiescape

A post shared by Less Bikes, More Stuff (@jim_gardiner) on Dec 26, 2018 at 11:29am PST

Despite a heavy cold I went out with Jnr as he’s keen to ride his Christmas present – a new Whyte 403:

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2crotiB]IMG_0428[/url]

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2crotm2]IMG_0411[/url].

He loved it.

Kids riding new bikes. Officially the best thing 🙂

We call it the ‘Merrineum’.

Off to FOD in the morning.

FOD should be okay. Been pretty dry here. I reckon it’ll be busy….

It’s called Twixmas, apparently.

Roadtrip! Going to friends in Perpignan (South of France) for NewYear

Liza Tarbuck pointed out that it’s called the ‘perineum period’, which seems very appropriate.

Sadly no riding photos here 🙁

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#cycling #adventureroad #adventurecycling #ride #gravelbikes #gravel #dirtydropbargoodness #ukgravelcollective #willtravelforgravel #gravelgrinder #gravelbiking #gravelbike #gravelcyclist #gravelcyclingshots .#NWAlpsCC @trekbikes

A post shared by Low Speed Adventurer (@rocketdoguk) on Dec 27, 2018 at 7:48am PST

First ride since my foot operation. Up onto Cutgate with the family. Plenty out. Foot held up so bikes will be going up north with us for the New Year celebrations

Nice ride from Hope up Roman Road/Beast etc.

Had a first for me; an MTB burn!
At the end of the ‘Alpine Descent’ from Whinstone Lee Tor, I let my rear disc touch my leg, only for it to scald off a layer of skin! Obviously too heavy on the coward levers

https://i.postimg.cc/tg6gKqGm/20181228-170000.jpg

First tentative ride for three weeks today. Just a simple, gentle run round the woods. Ankle and foot OK – little bit of an ache after but generally fine.

As all the military training areas near e are open over the holiday period, I took the opportunity to ride from Lightwater to Aldershot via Porrdige Pot Hill and Ash Ranges.

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So great to be able to ride all the military ranges at this time of year. Sad to see the destruction of the trails on Porridge Pot Hill since it was closed to the public though.

A post shared by Nick Akroyd (@ashfordakers) on Dec 28, 2018 at 6:37am PST

Mastiles Lane. @ahsat in the photo

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2dTcvD2]Untitled[/url] by ritcheyp20, on Flickr

rode into Melbourne on Boxing Day to pick up car abandoned in favour of beer:

reading an excellent article on cylingtips (ignore the out of contest intro shot) picked up on a nice sounding sneak past traffic …”There’s a rocky stretch of fireroad along the valley out of Warrandyte, which turns into increasingly rough singletrack before spitting you out at the base of Menzies Road……continue east along another ridgeline toward the gravel and Yarra Glen, through Christmas Hills” article here https://cyclingtips.com/2018/10/the-breakdown-ride/ and yes its cycling and mental health……

sneaky singletrack

regular gravel

Southern Tassie gravel loop with the Bottles & Chains crew.

I managed to break myself on an almost flat piece of trail on Saturday. My pedal struck a rock and sent me through the bike, winding me as I went. I’m now sat at home, in a sling, nursing a tender shoulder.

Cracking ride round Hebden yesterday…

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Lots of mucky fun around #hebdenbridge today. Here's @andypez1 on a nice bit of #singletrack. #mtblife #steelisrealmtb #starlingcycles #yorkshirecycling #yorkshire #winterride #29er #tiltshift #calderfornia #cyclingshots #bikelife

A post shared by unduro (@unduro) on Dec 30, 2018 at 10:26am PST

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The #orangestage6 at #stoodleypike this morning, though apparently the locals say "Studly Pike". #ridethestage #yorkshirecycling #29er #singlepivot #orangebikefans #mtblife #bikelife

A post shared by unduro (@unduro) on Dec 30, 2018 at 1:29pm PST

Had a pedal strike and crash myself, but on a sunken trail so I just ended up leaning against a mossy wall of dirt and rocks, at speed. Bent pedal axle and minor grazing.

Went for three days bikepacking in Kielder Forest stopping in bothies. Apart from a couple of hours on Friday morning when it was a bit “dreich” we had surprisingly good weather. About ten degrees warmer than when we rode there at the same time last year.

Me again. My 4th ride with Jnr since Christmas Day 😀 At least I know he likes his present. This time at Swinley… he did 4hrs and 42k ( and slept well last night):

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2cNCZvf]20181230_113119[/url]

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2dQ1vPd]2018-12-31_12-25-05[/url]

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2cNCZkq]20181230_130332[/url]

Heal soon @hairyscary!
Nice pic that top one @chapaking and that earlier one by @p20
Still looks cold @whitestone

Dug the RipMo out yesterday. Been riding my HT for two months so a bit of readjustment required. Then I remembered what a brilliant bike this is. Even with a pair of totally shagged tyres.

FoD was petty dry and lots of fun.

Few days up in Scotland for us, very mild and trails not that moist.

Due to the nasty cold/cough that has taken me out for about a week or so, there has only been one ride in “The Gap”.

Thankfully it was a cracker.

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Brilliant day on the bikes at Sherwood Pines today. Jacob got his first ride in on the very special @orangebikes Five @chainlinephil has so kindly him. He was absolutely loving it and visibly quicker everywhere. Trails were tacky and lovely, bikes barely needed cleaning and it was "no jacket" temperatures for the most part! #mtbkids #miniripper #mtb #mountainbiking

A post shared by Dan Lees (@danlees78) on Dec 30, 2018 at 10:44am PST

@Tracey – What a fab tail Spooky Wood is! I really need to go and ride again in Scotland.

@dan – that’s an awesome looking bike. Great colour. Lucky lad!

47 miles on my singlespeed around Clumber, Sherwood Forest and surrounding area

Haldon was busier then I’ve ever seen it with all the shared paths full with walkers who didn’t seem to realise it was used by cyclists. Lots of smiles and excuse me’s

Took the new bike out for its second ride on Dartmoor. Really impressed with it, and finally getting things dialled in how I want.

Quick dusk/night ride to see out the MTB year.

Haven’t been on the bike for over 4 weeks ( work ) ..but putting that to rights tomorrow with my good mate Jaco ..just a Bolts Law lollipop route ..then out again on Friday with another mate Ian Bell ( The Bike Place Kielder) ..can’t remember the last time we rode together..venue as yet undecided …so looking forward to it !

@Whitestone ..that looks like Flittingford Bothy ..where else did you stay ? The Green ? Roughside ? Wainhope? Spithope?..all easily linked up ..cracking !

Always like to get a ride in New Year’s Day but was pushed for time today, so just a really short (10km) blast after we got back from the coast.

Some great, inspiring pics in this thread.

Down in Cornwall for New Year, so found a gpx online to have a scoot around on the fatty and try out my new elemnt bolt for navigating.

I think it was set by a roadie though judging by the road/off-road split. Never mind, great to be out wherever and went through some lovely places in the quiet still of the early morning. 👍

Port Isaac

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2bbpe2w]New Year's day. Cornwall 2019[/url] by kayak23, on Flickr

Can see my parents house in that pic.

@hodgynd – Yes, Flittingford bothy. Stopped the previous night at Kershopehead. We’d parked up at Stonehaugh so popped in to look at Green bothy on the way back. We stopped at Spithope last year. Not been to Wainhope or Roughside.

Lots of turbo’ing over the holiday period but got one decent ride in yesterday at CwmCarn. 18 miles as rode it twice, passed a friendly runner who ran it all in 1 hour 3 mins…… compared to our 1 hour 20 minute loop. Fair play to him!

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Start as you mean to go on. Riding a bike! #dharco #newyear #girlswhoride #ridelikeagirl

A post shared by Alison Clarke (@golfchick24) on Jan 1, 2019 at 3:47am PST

Not a bike ride, but a walk up to Grisedale Tarn with the family.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2dXu6WK]Grisedale Tarn[/url] by Paul Evans, on Flickr" alt="Grisedale with Fairfield and St Sundays Crag in the distance" />

@Whitestone ..Roughside & Wainhope are larger bothys and until recently Roughside lived iup to its name as it got trashed by the young ” party ” set fairly regularly ..a lot of work has gone into the property over the last year ..with plod also visiting regularly ..
Wainhope gets closed at certain times of the year so as not to disturb the returning Osprey’s ..it’s not too far away from the nesting site ..funnily enough the only one I haven’t visited is Kershophead..sounds like you had a good time .
I’ve been out today and had a cracking time with Jaco & Barking Mad over Bolts Law ..just stopped off on the way home at a cycling shop disguised as an Indian takeaway to improve my spare tyre ..
A couple of pics ..to follow

New years day Lakes ride. Loverly day for it