Keirin Racing in Japan

Posted on March 21, 2011 by Cappuccino Cycling Club

Check this out….very colourful and mad!!

http://www.nowness.com/day/2011/3/8/keirin-bike-racing

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Fleet Moss – 19th March 2011

Posted on March 21, 2011 by Cappuccino Cycling Club

Fleet Moss – Thanks to Pete Flynn for this….

6 months in training and time for Fleet Moss.  And as it was such a beautiful, dry spring day – it was time to bring out the Roubaix.  I had acquired the bike 4 months previous on ebay.  It had cost someone £3,500 new in early 2008, and he had recently upgraded bike with £800 new wheels – evidently perfect for climbing.  Mine for £850.  Result.

I rode smoothly up the 1:6 by home to leave Nidderdale under a cool spring early morning sun and meet the Cappuccino guys and headed off deep in the Yorkshire Dales National Park.  First a steady 5 mile climb to Greenhow and then rolling up and down into Grassington, and through the back road following the River Wharfe up to Kettlewell. And then a steady steep climb up (the back of) Fleet Moss – rated one of the best and steepest climbs in the UK.  Thought at one moment I might take the front of our peleton on the climb, until I realised I was deep in anaerobic shock and settled back for grand ascent.

The bike was fantastic, far better than its rider, responsive, wonderfully light and really comfortable. With my new shoes and pedals (I was fully blinged up), transferring power to the wheels was never easier.  It is difficult to describe really, it’s that you’re in tune, in sync with the bike and even hard, all-day riding is comfortable and fun.  It just feels right.

From Fleet Moss a fast descent into Hawes and then a climb up and out – into a headwind – to the Ribblehead viaduct with its amazing view of the Three Peaks, and then down into Horton for an amazing lunch at a farmhouse – scrambled egg, toast, beans, bacon, tea £3.80!  80km in.

Post lunch, down into Stainforth and then up and over a pass into Littondale and then back into Wharfedale with Pen-y-Ghent on the left and Fountains Fell on the right.  One of the finest roads for bike riding you could find.

Back in Grassington for a quick pit stop and then over Dibbles Bridge – for another steep climb on not fresh legs to Stumps Cross Caverns and Greenhow and then home.  8 hours, 4,800 calories expended, 2,600m of climbing, 135km in the legs.  Top weather, great company, as much fun as you have on a bike.

Thanks to Malcolm for being our sage and for leading the way (though not for the shorts).  For Martin (!) for his ever present smile and for proving new is irrelevant when you can ride.  For Dave for demonstrating to us all day his smooth nigh-on-perfect technique.  For Luke who gave us a demonstration of toughness and determination – respect. To Karl who showed that being a metrosexual is not inconsistent with top bike riding and to the Roubaix.

By the way, Rule 5 applies.  It always applies….

http://www.velominati.com/blog/the-rules/

 

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Fewston – 17th March 2011

Posted on March 21, 2011 by Cappuccino Cycling Club

Seven of us set off on a cold but clear night to do a slightly different route to Fewston and back.

Down the Otley Rd all trying to keep up with Alex, we turned left at Beckwithshaw and right up Norwood Lane and then on to cross the reservoir at Fewston which looked quite dramatic in the half light. We had a good race climbing up the hill to Timble followed by a fast paced descent back down the other side. We returned to Harrogate via Penny Pot Lane which involved a little cyclocross through the mud at the road closure point and then overtook some MTB riders up Harlow Moor Rd. Overall a fun ride on a beautiful clear night and another good turnout.

23 miles at approx 14.5 mph.

 

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Sutton Bank – 15th March 2011

Posted on March 21, 2011 by Cappuccino Cycling Club

Ride to White Horse Bank…

7 off us set of eventually after a puncture ,..dropped phone and the group splitting up ,1 hour to Knaresborough must be a record, Boroughbridge, Cotswold , Kilburn and the dreaded White Horse Bank.  Lunch at the top of Sutton Bank at the visitor centre, great food and made us very welcome . The fog was getting worse so a cut in the route to take us back down White Horse Bank, left to Byland Abbey and Cotswold back over the A19 to Boroughbridge and Knaresborough.

65 miles average speed 15mph, great day out with good company.



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Boroughbridge – 15th March 2011

Posted on March 16, 2011 by Cappuccino Cycling Club

Boroughbridge and nearby villages that pass in the night…..

Four riders, Matthew, Rosie, Darrell (Cycleguru) and Martin P. emerged through the gloom to start this visually challenging outing.  Darrell’s first night ride was a real baptism of fog as visibility was down to 25 metres on some country lane sections.

Took the Calcutt route into Knaresborough and up Briggate to give the legs an early wake-up call, then on to Scriven, Farnham and Staveley trying our best to avoid the potholes. After Minskip we pushed on to Boroughbridge and took the left turn to Roecliffe and Bishop Monkton with conversation mainly on compact chainsets, hills conquered and bigger challenges to come. After crossing the A61, the most testing part of the ride was the back narrow lane into Markington with our lights proving barely adequate in the dense patchy fog. From the village we headed up towards Bishop Thornton then took the left turn at the crossroads down the bank to Ripley. Stayed on the main road through Killinghall then up the hill past the Majestic back into Harrogate.

All in all about 28 miles at full gallop.

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Beningborough Hall – 13th March 2011

Posted on March 14, 2011 by Cappuccino Cycling Club

Seven hardy souls gathered in the pouring rain for a spin out to one of our favourite destinations….Beningborough Hall.  We set off at a steady pace to get the legs warmed up towards Knaresborough and onto Farnham, Staveley, Minskip and Boroughbridge.  We then headed into the back lanes down through the Dunsforths, into Ouseburn and over the bridge a Aldwark.  We had a slight delay at the bridge as we had hit Sunday morning rush hour…it was then swiftly on to the farm shop at Beningborough to warm our bones with some coffee and cake.

The coffee stop was pleasant until Pete decided to take his socks off and wring them out on the flag stone floor, creating a puddle inside to go with the many ones outside.  Malcolm also nearly nutted the girl behind the counter when he was the last to get his coffee having been the first to order it!

Anyway, after refuelling we retraced our steps to Aldwark and made our return to Harrogate, via Whixley, Cattal, Walshford and North Deighton.  We left Rob at North Deighton as he was struggling and wanted to get back to Harrogate at his own pace.  The rest of us returned via Spofforth, Follifoot and Rudding.  However, whilst we were going up the Wetherby Road, we were heckled, by what turned out to be Rob…who had only phoned his wife and got a lift back…fineable offence that Mr Minors!!

A really good ride despite the weather.

Route details: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/72828997

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Little Almscliffe – 10th March 2011

Posted on March 11, 2011 by Cappuccino Cycling Club
Two riders,Malcolm and Martin P, set off on this cold and very windy evening ride.
Preferring to have a tail wind on the way home, we headed off into the gale force wind towards Burn Bridge.  Climbed a slippery Brackenthwaite Lane then rode along the ridge before dropping down back towards Beckwithshaw. The steady climb up to Little Almscliff and down to Norwood seemed much longer than usual with a strong headwind making the the going strenuous.
After passing by the Sun Inn we turned down Penny Pot Lane with the wind at our backs and the chance to hold a conversation once more. At the Army College we turned left and rode back through Jennyfields and the hill up by the
Majestic, arriving back into Harrogate after an enjoyable 20 miles, windblown but thankfully not wet.
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Tockwith – 8th March 2011

Posted on March 11, 2011 by Cappuccino Cycling Club

Another good turnout saw 7 of us braving the cold tonight. Looking for something different and not hilly Luke suggested we ride to Tockwith and back.  We set off down the Wetherby Road turning right down past Rudding Park.  We crossed over the bypass and then a bit of a sprint occurred all the way down Haggs Road.  Turning left at the Spofforth mini roundabout we made our way to Little Ribston, Cowthorpe, right just before Tockwith, and into the headwind along the B1224 to Wetherby and then back to Harrogate via Kirk Deighton, Spofforth, Follifoot, Rudding Park, & Wetherby Rd again.

The ride started out clear and dry but we hit strong winds followed by sleet towards the end.  The mileage from St Aidans was approx 28 miles and my speedo showed an average of 15.2 mph – a fast one.

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Pateley Bridge Hilly – 6th March 2011

Posted on March 7, 2011 by Cappuccino Cycling Club

A record 13 of us set off for a hilly out to Pateley Bridge led by Malcolm, including 2 new faces Rob and Darryl – welcome both.  At Beckwithshaw he took us along a private road (keep that one quiet!), which led to Norwood Lane from where we headed to Fewston onto the A59 and then right up to Thruscross Reservoir.  After this hilly bit …we turned right to Braithwaite and then left downhill past Yorke’s Folly to Pateley Bridge for coffee n’cake at the Lemon Meringue. Having lost Alex earlier he rejoined us here along with James who was on babysitting duties & came in the car.

After coffee Malcolm led us up the very steep climb of Old Church Street and then the nice descent before Brimham Rocks to Ripley where some of us topped up the carbs with an ice cream. A gentle roll back to Harrogate via Knox Mill completed a route of approx 38 miles which was v hilly, v beautiful, and a lot of fun. Wildlife watch: 1 deer, 1 hare, 1 squashed frog.

View the route: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/71536318

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Wetherby – 3rd March 2011

Posted on March 7, 2011 by Cappuccino Cycling Club

There were 4 of us out tonight and we opted for a slightly flatter ride this time and so ended up doing the Wetherby run.

Out via Burn Bridge and across the A61 roundabout turning left down the lane to Kirkby Overblow at a brisk pace. Martin suggested… we do at least one hill so it was right and down to Barrowby Bank hill (the shorter version) which never fails to get the lungs working.  We then went through Sicklinghall, Wetherby, Kirk Deighton, Nth Rigton and then straight over the rondabaout at Knaresborough (no Macdonalds stop tonight) before returning to Harrogate via Abbey road and a final charge up the Knaresborough Road Hill.

It was a cold but clear night and and we covered approx 25 miles at an av speed of 14.3 mph.

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