Fresh Goodies - Assos Spring Fall Headband & Assos Summer NS Skin Layer No Sleeve

 

Here are another couple of buys from last week. With the weather picking up on odd days it was time for a new headband for the Spring. My old head band is old to say the least so time for a new one. I bought this one from Cycle Store for £25.54 inc 48hr p&p, rrp £31. Fingers crossed I can get to wear it soon. 

I also bought a new no sleeve base layer from Assos. I have two other white sleeveless base payers but again they are very old and baggy now. I picked up this one from Westbrook Cycles, they had new stock in but was full rrp £65 but the lad found this one in their stock room which is a good few years old but was only £39. It will be a while until I can start wearing this! 

Ride of two halves in Weardale & Teesdale inc England's highest road pass - Harthope Moss (630m / 2067ft)

 

No riding yesterday as I working outside at home all day as the weather was dry, sunny and warmish. Today was forecasted the same and no wind so I headed for the hills as they say. I parked up at Frosterley in Weardale and headed straight up towards Hill Top but turned off right to Middleton in Teesdale. What a difference compared to Monday morning on the same section of road, visibility for miles, no ice and 15 degrees warmer. I was in for plenty of climbing so I took it steady as my legs were sore after eight hours of manual graft the day before. From Middleton in Teesdale I turned right and headed up the one and only road towards Alston. After Langden Beck I took the road on the right and headed up the beast as I call it, the highest road pass in England. I love the warning sign at the bottom warning cyclists of poor weather at all times, well not today for a change. The descent off the top down to St Johns Chapel is fast and I mean very fast. I was on the brakes scrubbing off speed and I still topped 54mph! Once in St Johns Chapel I took the back country lane to Daddry Shield, Stanhope then Frosterley. At the bottom of the blog I have attached a route map. All in 35.25 miles in 2hrs 34mins with 3400ft of climbing. Enjoy the sunny snaps below and hopefully more soon- 

There is a road snaking up the hill to the top 

Very fast descent to St Johns Chapel, be careful. 

A mixed loop of gravel in Hamsterley Forest to Moorland roads in -6 degrees

 

The forecast was wall to wall sunshine all day so I had planned on doing outside jobs but wanted to get a ride in early doors. I drove over to Hamsterley Village and parked up. From there I rode down to Hamsterley Forest where it had clouded over and the temperature dropped to nearly minus -6 degrees! Everything was frozen with a white crispy frost topping. I did not venture too far from the forest drive as I wanted to keep it simple as possible today. Climbing out of the forest onto the moorland I still had no sun and visibility was dropping. I should have had my lights on my bike for the next road section but most of the route back is on very quiet roads apart from one short section of steep incline. Most of the roads were heavily slated just as well as the amount of ice was unreal. About a mile from Hamsterley village the sun decided to come back out, typical but hey ho. I did not drop back into the forest on the return leg like I normally do but plan to get around this loop again this year where I will have more time to play with. All in just under 24 miles in 1hr 47mins with 2000ft of climbing. Below is the route map. Enjoy the few very cold looking snaps below and hopefully more soon- 

Catch up inc a spin out on the Specialized Creo 2 to Bishop Auckland n back.

 

Hello, I was off work last week for three and a half days and never managed to get out on any of my bikes mainly due to wet, wintery, cold and windy weather conditions. We have also been away for a few days down in North Yorkshire. I am now off work until April, I have a long list of jobs today inside and outside but going to find some time for a few rides. Today I was up and out by 8.30am and as per normal back to overcast, cloudy, cold with a gentle to stiff breeze. I hoped onto the old railway line at Langley Park and had a steady away spin over to Bishop Auckland. The lines were pretty wet and muddy in loads of places with the recent rain. There was also quite a few others out. I had a sausage buttie from Fifteas tea rooms in the market place. I had a funny feeling I had a tailwind on the way out and by god was I right, headwind nearly all the way back. All in 28.5miles in 2hrs 7mins with 860ft of climbing. Below are a few snaps from the ride, enjoy and hopefully more soon-