R O T H A R . C O M

First ride of the year today and it was into work, which isn’t very exciting to be honest. Other things have taken priority over the last few days and despite some loosely made plans, nothing materialised on the riding front. The commute was one of those winter rides where you have to be careful of what’s happening under the tyres. The roads were a combination of snow, ice, water and dry patches at varying points along the journey. Once or twice the rear wheel lost grip completely under acceleration, other times it was twitching under braking, but perhaps miraculously I made it into work without any serious drama.

Riding home was much the same. It was cold just getting changed back into riding gear and that was indoors. That kind of cold that penetrates through thick wool socks from standing around on a cold floor. Then as soon as I was outside the air was so cold and dry it just seemed to suck the warmth out of your lungs. Riding along meant cold air penetrating any body parts not insulated and windproofed. I think I’m going to have to dig out the winter neck warmer so I can pull it up over my chin and nose. It’s getting properly cold now!

Went riding today, but only managed just over half the distance. It was Baltic out there. Ended up getting frost nip on my right hand (even through big thick winter biking gloves) and very cold feet. Still at least it was so cold all the mud was frozen so we came home with clean bikes.

Headed over to Paris for a long weekend before Christmas. It was warmer than Manchester, it didn’t rain and there was even one day of sunshine. Fantastic city, but don’t go there for the Christmas markets – the one in Manchester is better. Go there to experience an amazing city, absorb culture, be sickened by the opulence of Versailles, be amazed by the vast galleries and treasures of the Louvre and gobsmacked by Parisian parking and the traffic chaos that encircles the Arc de Triomphe…

Didn’t find any bike shops, but never looked. Did find the Peugeot store on Avenue des Champs-Élysées and was able to marvel at the impressive concept cars including the rather funky Hoggar twin engined dune buggy… In other news Apple are featuring Brain Cox on their website at the moment. Nice bit of cross promotion for the University and them which propels the prof further into the media limelight…

It’s been a long week. Looking forward to the weekend and getting out on the mountain bike and getting dirty! That said I’d be quite happy if it chose to warm up a bit so it wasn’t the kind of weather that makes your toes feel like they’re going to fall off! There is a beautifully photographed set of pictures cataloguing the return to racing of Lance Armstrong. Check it out Elizabeth Kreutz’s site for pictures and go to index bottom left and look for Lances return. They’re incredible photos.

Rode in today late because I had to go to the Hope Hospital for an outpatient appointment. Dermatologist reckons that one of the moles on my back is worth taking out for a closer look so I’ll be going under the knife next year. No big deal, better to be proactive about these things I thing.

Anyway legs felt like lead. Like one of those times you have a big headwind and the going is really slow and hard work for not much progress. Ground into work and realised that I was probably wearing too many layers for the temperature outside. I’m fighting off a cold, but it’s taken ten days for me to feel it affecting my legs. Not particularly excited at the prospect of having to ride home again in the cold…

Jam Price has given me a heads up  on a new site and enterprise being setup by two guys from Lichfield, One F Gear. They’re a bunch of blokes that like to ride bikes, talk bollocks and now design some clothes.  Not just any old shite though, got to be cool and as they love their single speeds, they thought that’d be a good theme. The who thing sounded really simple in the pub… Check it out!

I’ve also been meaning to link to the Adventure Cycling site for a whiile. Adventure Cycling Association’s nonprofit mission is to inspire people of all ages to travel by bicycle for fitness, fun, and self-discovery. Founded in 1973 as Bikecentennial, Adventure Cycling is the premier bicycle travel organization in North America with 44,500 members.

It’s been getting colder recently. At the end of last week I had to add in a fleece gillet between a merino base layer and softshell jacket and this week, I’ve moved up to a full fleece midlayer. The bandana has been broken out too, mainly just to keep me from getting an ice cream headache on the ride home at night. There’s been some lingering frosts too, but the ice is nothing on the conditions that last weekend brought which were snow and sleet. The commute has been pretty good or I’ve been very chilled because there don’t seem to have been any people trying to take me out.

Stopped at a set of lights and had a chat with another rider on Wednesday night. I’d seen him weaving through the traffic ahead of me at a good pace, but he didn’t seem to have any rear light. Turned out it had flicked up onto the top of his bag where you couldn’t see it and he seemed grateful for having this pointed out. Can’t help thinking that he’d have been better off having a fixed light on his bike and a backup on his bag, but then I would say that – it’s the setup I use…

Rode out this morning under blue skies and although there was a chilly wind blowing that numbed fingers and toes even through winter layers, it was a great ride out. What made it special was the fact that it was one of those rare days when the conditions are perfect and as you ride through the woods, your tyres rustle up the leaves, leaving them crackling and crinkling under the treads.

Rode in this morning against a bitterly cold headwind blowing from the North. I was glad I’d put gloves on. Up until the last few days it has been borderline in terms of whether it’s cold enough to warrant them. No idiots trying to kill me, some actually quite considerate drivers for a change. Saw a big smash on the Hathersage Road Upper Brook Street junction last night which just reminded me that big junks of steel on four wheels are still fragile things…

Riding tomorrow morning. I’m looking forward to it and will probably get the Singlespeed out, although I’ll need to take off the 1.5 Conti tyres. In sad news Tyrrell’s Voodoo Wanga singlespeed was stolen from Altrincham recently. It’s a very distinctive bike so hopefully will be spotted around and about and reunited with it’s rightful owner in the end.