Whitwick / Coalville / NW Leicestershire Riders

Is anyone heading Oop North to T’Peaks from near Loughborough on Sat – if so do you room for me and a Commencal? 😛 Cheers

If the weather is like this then it will be a cracking morning for a ride.

Might have to slalom the red sock brigade though.

I’m not driving Rascal but hopefully someone can fit you in.

Rascal.

I’m trying to get your number off of Steve – unless you read this first and post it up.

I should be able to give you a lift, but it might be a squeeze in a Focus!

If I can get your number I can give you a call.

I’ll be there with Danny as he’s kindly offered to pick me up at 7.30 😯
Quick roll call…who’s deffo going to make it? So far it’s Danny, me, Scandal, Phil56 plus one that I can see…Muddy, has your knee got any better – good enough to make tomorrow? Been a while since I rode in the Peaks – should be a good one! See you then.

Have fun fellas, gutted I can’t make it, though I’m going up on Sunday all being well. Hopefully see you Wednesday.

Rob is also attending.

Looking forward to this. Take it the best route is m1 to chesterfield junction?

Yes. M1 to J29. Then through Chesterfield.

See you in t’morning. No heroics on the first climb please boys!

BTW I’ve ordered a narrow-wide chainring for the following reasons.

I need to MTFU and having my lowest gear in what is currently my middle ring will help.

I am getting PO’d with my chain dropping.

I’ll glean some advice from you tomorrow if that is ok.

I’m not going to make it I’m afraid. The knee is a bit better but I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t be much use after a couple of those climbs. Also it seems to take longer to recover each time I irritate it so the peaks probably isn’t the right place to test it… It’s nothing to do with the 7.30 start, honest! 🙂

Shame I can’t make it, I’ve been wanting to ride that area for ages. Hopefully we can arrange another trip sometime. Have a good ride!

Well, the inaugural NWL Riders’ day out in the peaks was nothing if not eventful.

From the ‘banter’ over Matt and Rob’s late arrival, we finally set off. After some puffing and panting from some (ahem) and balls-out red line climbing excellence from others, we were out on the open moorland when my bike decided it was time to hit the self destruct. Rear mech into spokes under load resulting in a buggered mech and badly bent mech hanger. Ride over for me. Or so I thought. Enter rascal, the saviour. In a selfless act, the like of which has not been seen since Shackleton at the South Pole, rascal offered me his bike. He also nursed my damaged steed back to the pub err I mean car.

One man and one bike down, we pressed on. Some great riding was had before my jinx struck again. This time the upper jockey wheel of the mech on rascal’s bike came out, but fortunately wedged itself in the cassette with only one washer missing. The scenes that followed were like something out of McGiver. Bikes were being disassembled to find spare washers, I thought someone was going to try to fashion a spare out of the surrounding boulders at one point. My lazy and unhelpful requests to ‘just put the bolt back in and let the chain run over that’ were met with a ‘we are doing this properly or not at all’ attitude from Phil and Rob that made me proud to be British. Eventually a spare washer was found and the bike was as good as new.

Shortly after this we lost two more riders, to be fair, they would probably have been able to do nearly the whole ride if I could have kept my bike in one piece, but there you go. How did you find the Beast chaps?

We pushed on, now down to six. Another climb and two descent later we arrived at the foot of the last climb. Again, time pressure resulted in two more riders cutting it short. So we (well everyone apart from me) had a crack at the flagstone climb. Fatbob got within a whisker of the gate, but then stalled and dismounted into a heap. The best effort I’ve ever seen up that climb. He then also smashed the multiple line bit up to the open moor, fair do’s. We then did the cheeky descent straight on at the top. Apart from a very naughty drop to one side at a couple of points we got down that ok, with only a couple of offs. The fifteen or so kids being led up by some geezer, all wearing motorbike helmets, some on rigid bmxs added a surreal twist. Particularly when they kept falling back down. We finally finished and had a drink at the Yorkshire bridge.

Seriously though, thanks all for coming. Big thanks to rascal for the loan of a bike. I think he heard my tone when I shouted ‘shit’ at the top of my voice and that swayed him!

Mentions to Phil and Rob for their mechanical know how. Rob again for his ‘tache and good nature despite having nearly ‘cleaned his testicles off of his body’ at one point. Matt for running a single ring up front and gurning his way up every climb except the last. Also to everyone for putting up with my bike-wrecking antics and being a good group to ride with in general. Group hug.

I won’t be out to play on Wednesday as I won’t have time to re-build my drivetrain tomorrow night even if all the bits arrive.

I guess it’s the first person to suggest a time and place and that’s it?

Hopefully see you next Wednesday, we might even be out in the snow soon………

Excellent write up Danny, and a massive thanks for organising a fantastic day out in the hills.

It was a good day with plenty of great riding, I’ll certainly make more effort to get up there on a semi regular basis now, although I’m sure I’ll have to gurn my way up most of the hills on each occasion.

One thing was learnt by all and that was don’t let Danny anywhere near your bike 🙂

Oh and apologies for the late arrival and car park faffing 😳

I am not 100% certain for Wednesday, I may be roped into a spot of babysitting for my cousin but it’s not certain.

Are you able to ride Muddy? I believe a guide is required over your way on Wednesday 😀

As per what scandal said – can someone please make a call about a meet for tomorrow night?

I deffo won’t make it as my parts haven’t arrived yet. Hopefully they’re getting delivered to work tomorrow so I can build whilst others ride 🙁

I appreciate the compliment about my write up, it won’t win any Pulitzers though.

I don’t know if going to 1×10 from 3×9 is throwing the baby out with the bath water, but we will see. At least I will have to try harder on the climbs rather than just knocking it down into the granny ring and bimbling up any upwards gradient.

Is the hanger ‘fixable’? To me (top of WLT) it looks too damaged and should become a singlespeed fulltime IMO.

BTW my rear mech has been on every bike of mine since 2002 8)

Hora.

I’ve managed to get it straight again and it looks fine. Time will tell I guess on the fatigue strength, but I’ve heard encouraging things from other people, so i am hopeful. I’m going to go 1×10 so that should reduce the length of mech required, which should reduce any leverage, which should reduce the chance of it going into the spokes again.

I will never be strong enough to ride ss, so this has to work. If not, I’ll be getting anew dropout brazed on 🙁

You will be pleased to hear that the hairdryer and terminal screw driver did the trick and I am in a position to remount the ‘the old gal’ (cue the innuendos). I can’t help but feel that I wouldn’t have been able to carry on if it wasn’t for the tache giving some addition strength.

Danny, thanks again for organising the ride and to everyone who turned up…it was most enjoyable. The climbs were worth all the blood sweat and tears for the cracking descents! I must also apologise for Matt’s terrible time keeping and vehicle problems (I was a passenger after all). I also won’t make it out tomorrow unfortunately…minor inconvenience of packing for a house move on Friday…sigh. Hopefully I will be back in action next week and I’m praying I can keep the pace without my performance enhancing lip rug.

Good luck with getting things ‘straightened out’ Danny. Top tip (and to inspire confidence in your new set up) you will most likely need to adjust the bottom mech stop beyond optimum to prevent 9th gear catching the chain and picking up when back pedalling (I had to do this on mine and Matt’s with the same set up).

Hopefully see you all soon.

dannyh – carry a chain splitter and spare powerlink then you’ll have peace of mind 🙂

A few years ago over the Swiss border I went over on foot to fetch a fallen bikers bike and bring it back to Les Gets. Picked the bike up, ready to set off and within 200m’s of a downhill back the rear mech went into the spokes wrecking the whole wheel. It was a fun walk/ski-lift back. 😐

Really enjoyed the ride on Saturday, cheers to everyone that was out.Hope the drivetrain rebuild goes well danny.

If anyone is planning to go out tonight I will check back on here later, if not I guess we will re-group next week with fresh legs, less gears and more upper lip hair!

Sounds like Saturday was an adventure!

My week at work is starting to look like a typical week at rascal’s place so I’m not going to be able to make it tonight… I’ve not been on my bike for two weeks now 🙁 This weekend is out too so I’ll be lagging behind even more than usual next week!

Sounds like you had an eventful day Saturday, still gutted I missed it.

I can’t make tonight either (yet again), loads on at work and stuff that needs doing at home before going to Wales at the weekend.

Well, the ‘bits’ from Wiggle and CRC have arrived, so I will be using the usual ride three hours tonight to get my bike back in order.

Sounds like I’m not going to miss a ride anyway as life is ‘getting in the way’ for lots of you this evening.

Let’s get something organised for next wednesday soon though, we don’t want our wednesday evenings to wither on the vine.

Also out now, sorry for late notice.

Certainly up for getting something nailed down for next week.

Possibly looking to ride on Sunday if anyone is interested.

Ill be up for a ride on sunday if anyone is game.

Can’t do Sunday, away in Leeds on Saturday, not coming home until Sunday afternoon.

I’m probably going to nip out for a bit tomorrow night to give the new drivetrain a shakedown. It seems absolutely bob-on in the stand, but you never know until you put some load though the pedals…….

At least if I’ve got a reasonable set-up in place for next Wednesday I shouldn’t, errr, delay any of you on yet another ride 😕

There’s good news and bad news. But the good far outweighs the bad.

The bad news is that I can’t do next Wednesday night either as I’ve been stitched up by her indoors. Apparently I ‘agreed’ that I wouldn’t go out riding as she is going out for the evening. I suspect I may have been ‘asked’ about this when I was a bit pissed. Looks like I’m soloing it another night instead.

The good news is that tonight’s test ride of the new drivetrain went rather well. It is truly amazing how much noise is eliminated by a clutch mech. It is a bit eerie, although the hope rear hub stops things getting too sinisterly silent. I will probably be suffering a bit if I go to the peaks again soon, as the lowest gear is not as easy as a genuine granny. But I did make it up and down Beacon Hill three times, and didn’t really struggle on the steeper bits, so I’m hoping some extra manliness will pick up the slack.

Still, all in all a great success. Hopefully that’s the end of my drivetrain dramas, but it don’t want to jinx it.

Is anyone out tomorrow? I will have my bike with me so hopefully we can get something sorted.

As above, I’m on the sidelines tomorrow night. Been out for a couple of hours this evening, though. Trails are running nicely at the moment, as there hasn’t been too much rain of late, so you’ll not regret sorting something tomorrow evening!

The new drivetrain set up has reinvigorated my riding effort. I’ve been out three times at night since Friday now. I need to build up my ‘grunt’ to cope on longer rides, but just knowing that the chain will be on after a rough section is soooooo good!

Keep the dream alive, people!

I’m taking the bike and all associated riding crap with me to work tomorrow very much hoping to be out to play. Man Within Compass car park 7pm?
I slung the bike in the garage after the Peaks ride and it’s sat there ever since – untouched and unloved. Did manage to clean DANNY’S Peaks mud off it tonight though 😉 and gave the dodgy-jockey-wheeled rear mech a bit of TLC.
Who’s looking likely to make it for a spin and a pint then apart from me and Fatbob?

I am hoping to be out, depends on work, probably a 90% chance at the moment.

I finally admitted that google probably isn’t the best way to solve a knee problem and gave the doctor a call. Result is another 2-4 weeks off the bike. 🙁

So I’m definitely not going to make it this week or next. After that, I’ll have to see how it is…

Have fun!

Looking like a bit of a no-show at the mo.
Scandal, if you’re looking unlikely I might ride Swithland way as its on the way home – Fatbob is that ok for you? If there’s more uptake I’ll happily revert back up to Whitwick…

Swithland is closer for me but I am happy with either. The weather looks good so we should try and make the most of it.

Rascal are you able to put a bit of a route together, my local knowledge is a bit lacking!

You chaps feel free to ride over there. I have a lights issue atm, took them to work this morning to charge but the light on the charger wont come on, think its new lights time unfortunately.

Ill prob head out over here at some point tyis evening as theres a couple of routes I want to try before one of our rides so ill take the un tested head torch out and hope to be able to ride for more than 10 minutes.

Have a good one and we can reconvene shortly.

Anyone fancy Cannock for a blast one day?

Yep I can put a local loop together Swithland way.
Shall we meet in Woodhouse Eaves village hall carpark at 7?
You’ll have started there before if you did a loop with Danny.

Yes, see you there at 7. Good luck with the head torch scandal!

I’ll try and join you if i can sort everything out.

Decent ride last ride – for me anyway!
I bailed after my lights packed in (again) – haven’t charged them for ages so can’t complain 😳
Jez and Fatbob went and did Windmill and Beacon Hills after that – hope you had a cheeky pint in the Curzon after! The fitter 2 of the 3 were chomping for a few extra miles. Nice naughty run through Bradgate – the deers didn’t seem remotely bothered. Swithland Woods was doing a very good job of hiding some sticky boggy mud under a beautiful leafy cloak.

Back up to Whitwick next week with a few more takers?

Were you guys the three I saw last night riding through Wood house away from Quorn? I was on a cross bike heading the other way after work.

Schmiken – we rode out of Woodhouse Eaves up Brand Hill and passed a couple coming up from Swithland…was one of them you?

Good ride last night. Really enjoyed it. Nothing wrong with a cheeky detour through bradgate park. Best time to ride it at night.

Evening all.

I’m pretty much restricted to one riding slot over the weekend, so I thought I’d make it into an invitation event.

If anyone fancies a ‘riding into the twilight’ effort on Saturday afternoon then you are most welcome. I’ll be starting at 3pm in Woodhouse Eaves if anyone is interested. If anyone is up for it, we can use the car park as a meet.

Stick the lights on as I am thinking of riding until about 6 ish, so it’ll be half light, half dark.

We can either do my standard Saturday ‘leg-stretcher’ or more of a ‘play’ ride.

Anyway, the offer is there if anyone is up for it.

Would love to get out and join you mate but I have been given my orders.

Looking to ride this week coming though.