Club Ride Diary

Brutal start to tempo ride

Brutal start to tempo ride

Today was the final and hilliest day of the Tour de France Femmes. It was also the first road stage of the mostr brutally hilly of the grand tours, the Vuelta a Espana. To honour these two events, the ride leader picked a particularly brutal way onto the Cotswolds....

Hot ride to Northleach

Hot ride to Northleach

Ten riders left the Square and picked up a latecomer as we sought to avoid the roadworks in Cheltenham Road. The leader, in view of the tropical temperatures forecast, plotted a route avoiding hills, something well nigh impossible in the Cotswolds. He led the riders...

How many hills?

How many hills?

I have often said that you have to go uphill to get to Northleach, but I don't think you have to go up as many hills as the tempo group did this morning. The constant succession of hills, coupled with narrow lanes meant that there was no opportunity for "pace line"...

Pleasant ride out to Thornbury

Following one of the warmest weeks of the year, this Sunday (04/08/24) began quite cool in comparison. Nevertheless twelve riders (including myself) set off on our trek to Thornbury, when there was a suggestion of a small amendment to the route, which was duly...

Uneventful ride to Falfield

As a ride leader, you dream of uneventful rides, where there are no mechanicals, navigational problems or splits in the group, and this morning's ride was just that. To avoid anticipated congestion in Thornbury, the tempo group diverted to Eastwood park garden centre....

Three Cities Reliability Ride

Eight riders took on the challenge of the 3 Cities in the 102nd annual running of the event. They were rewarded with warm sunny weather. On his 50th birthday, Tim Butler set a scorching pace to match the weather and ended up beating George Unsworth’s club record (set...

Way out West across the Wye

Way out West across the Wye

Taking advantage of an early start and a direct route to Highleadon, eight of us we were making good time with a view to riding some unfamiliar lanes north and west of Ross on a glorious sunny day. One rider who had previewed the route chose to fit a smaller chainring...