Early Tuesday Morning road ride from Stokesley

Looked out the window around 5.30am and no snow but van was covered in ice so time to have an early start to miss traffic on the A19. It was dark and 0 degrees when I left Stokesley at 6.50am on my Norco Search. The roads were covered in ice nearly all the way around so took it steady on descents and corners. After daylight coming through so did the sun. Still a chilly headwind in places and the roads were muddy with plenty of pot holes. Had to stop at the train crossing so had a drink & 1/2 energy bar. Good ride but legs were empty by the end. Once back I had covered nearly 47 miles in less than 3hrs 10mins with less than 2000ft of climbing (flat route). I could never try and describe the route as I don't know the roads down there that well. I followed the route on my Garmin, the last time I did it was two years ago. The Garmin was going mentally a couple of times so had to stop and restart the route. After that it behaved itself and was easy to follow. Here is a link to the ROUTE it is mainly back country lanes / quiet roads with very little traffic.
Once back to Stokesley it was time to change out of the damp cycling gear and into warm clean clothes. Then it was time to call in past Westys to drop off the Cannondale Slate Apex - gears not working, loose spoke in rear wheel and loosen off crank bolt so I can grease up the bb30 bearings,
Below are a couple of snap shots but did not stop that often to take them, enjoy and hopefully more soon -

Time to wash, dry & lube the bike ready for its next outing.

Early Monday morning ride on the Salsa Beargrease.

The forecast is looking not too bad so decided to take a few more holidays to get caught up with some jobs and some riding! I was up and out just after 7am and its was nippy but the wind has finally died down. I dusted off the Salsa carbon Beagrease, put some more pressure in the back tyre and she was ready for a spin down to Durham, around the river banks, then up and down the trod followed by a loop around Maiden Castle then home via dog kennel loop. It was lovely and quiet down in Durham with only a few students milling around and some dog walkers. The sun was trying to poke through the clouds but failed. It was dry and the trails were not too muddy / puddles.
Time to wash and dry the bike off and get on with a few jobs in the man cave before getting out the paint brushes.
Below are a few snaps from the ride, enjoy and hopefully more soon -

Fresh Goods Sunday - Sidi Drako Carbon MTB Shoes

I have worn and used Sidi cycling shoes for many many years now in both mtb and road versions. My current pair of mtb shoes are 14 years old and still work as good as the day I bought them. My cycling shoes have a hard life as I never wash or clean them but I do dry them out after a wet ride. My old sidi mtb's have had a couple of pairs of new cleats and a full sole insert replacement kit but that is it. I found these in the sale just after Christmas time so thought it was time I treated my feet to a new pair. Then a couple of days later found the same model of shoe in the road version so bought them as well (more on them in a later Fresh Goods Sunday).
Now these are bright but they do come in different colour options but I opted for the day glo yellow, not that will stop yellow long! There are very comfortable from new (just tried them out in the house) and will take no breaking in hopefully. I have fitted a new pair of Ritchey cleats and copper greased all the screws holding the inserts on. I haven't had a chance to read the instructions fully but you can adjust the heal tension which I could not on my older ones. All the buckles are ratchet wire type so you can dial in as much tension as you want. Its still too cold, wet and muddy for me to try them out on the trials as I am still wearing my Northwave winter boots at the mo. Once Springs comes in I will feedback on how they are getting on.
The rrp is a massive eye watering £325, I paid £164.58 from Merlin cycles inc p&p.

Manufacturers blurb -

Sidi Drako Carbon MTB Shoes - 2016

Microfibre Techpro:

Microfibre Techpro is a microfiber PU Made in Italy. It is considered a highly technological and innovative, eco-friendly leather suitable for technical and sports products which require high performance levels. Microfibre Techpro incorporates features of resistancy, stability, lightness, water-repellency and eco-friendliness. 

 

Microfibre Techpro has a Hydro and anti-mold treatment, which eliminates the onset of molds and bacteria. Microfibre Techpro is Oeko-Tex certified, does not contain harmful substances and respects law restrictions.

 

Soft Instep 3 System:

The Soft Instep 3 System is a wide, anatomically curved strap combined with a soft, thermo-formed EVA pad that distributes pressure evenly over the instep area. The Soft Instep 3 System is adjustable from both sides, to perfectly center the EVA pad over a high or low instep. The system eliminates the need for the High Instep Extender. The Soft Instep 3 System is replaceable.

 

Techno-3 Push:

SIDI’s Techno-3 Pushdials in fit along the entire length of the shoe, adapting the upper to the shape of the foot for a customized fit. SIDI’s famously reliable and replaceable closures are improved by an all new proprietary SIDI Wire material that is completely non-binding for intuitive and effortless on-the-fly adjustments. Like most SIDI small parts, the Techno-3 Push buckle is serviceable and replaceable. It can be adjusted while riding, thanks to an innovative button which can be pushed to lift the buckle and facilitate the adjustment.

 

Adjustable Heel Retention Device:

The Adjustable Heel Retention Device reinforces the top of the heel cup and improves the fit by closing the back of the shoe securely around the rider’s heel. The heel retention device tightens the top of the heel cup so that the heel doesn’t slide out during steep climbs or sprints. Each side of the heel can be adjusted independently, for a perfect fit. For a custom adjustment turn the screw towards the + sign to tighten the heel retention device and towards the – sign to open it. Light weight, easy to use, and replaceable.

 

Tallone Sidi:

The reinforced heel keeps the foot in a optimal position and avoids the shoe being deformed by extreme performance or prolonged pressure.

 

MTB SRS Carbon-Ground Sole:

The MTB SRS Carbon-Ground Sole raises the standard for mountain bike performance, dropping off about 100 grams per pair compared to the previous Dragon Carbon SRS sole without sacrificing power or durability. The MTB SRS Carbon-Ground Sole consists of replaceable tread blocks in the toe and heel attached to a medium-modulus carbon sole, plus the innovative Replaceable MTB Plate, designed to prevent sole damage from pedal contact.
 

 

Winter boots, new shoes & spare shoes