Spin down the C2C to Sunderland n back on the Creo 1 gravel

 

What a difference a day makes, it was less than one degrees yesterday morning and it was 12 to 14 degrees on todays ride. I headed towards the coast / Sunderland on the C2C from South Pelaw and had a lovely tailwind all the way down. This only meant one thing I had a headwind nearly all the way back up! Most sections were drier than yesterdays ride as there is more tarmaced stretches but there was also alot of flooding, massive puddles and mud on the none tarmaced sections. There was loads of dog walkers out and a few other cyclists. I decided not to wear my winter boots due to the higher temperature but when I was riding through the flooded / deep puddle parts the freezing cold water wet straight through my Sidi's and socks and my feet were freezing, now that was a bad idea. The sun tried to get out a few times to brighten the ride up but never really managed. Nothing has changed down this part of the C2C and is still closed at the end under the green bridge with the diversion in place. 

Below are a few snaps from the ride, enjoy and hopefully more soon- 

It stopped raining for a few hours so back out in the cold and slop

 

What the hell is going on with the weather. Last weekend we had two days of 40-50mph winds. Yesterday rained for nearly 24 hours solid again with no let up. The temperatures have been up and down like a yoyo. Yes as I am typing this it is raining again! 

Anyway I cleaned my winter mtb Northwave boots at the weekend, first time since I have bought them and they are nearly as good as the day I bought them. I have used them for many many years now and this is my third pair from memory. Don't worry they will not last long this colour! 

I did one of my regular loops taking in two of County Durham's old railway lines with an inter linking road section. As you can imagine the lines were flooded in places and loads of massive deep puddles. The mud is back again and the Garmin was hovering below one degree at 6am this morning. There was not many other out, just a few. On the plus side the wind has finally died back down and I had a lovely sunrise at Bishop Auckland. 

When will I ever be able to remove my Ass Saver Win Wings? The bike was covered from head to toe in black cutting paste slop again and so was my leggings. It is starting to wear thin now with the onslaught of minging conditions. Below are  few snaps from the ride, all in 19.2 miles in 1hr 27mins with 750ft of climbing, enjoy and hopefully more soon - 

Fresh Goods Sunday - Cannondale KNURLCORK BAR TAPE (Blue)

 

If you have followed my blog over the years you will know that I have Cannondale bar tape fitted to most of my drop bar bikes. Cannondale used to have several different models and the one I loved was called Synapse but a good few years ago they discontinued this model. They have serval new models but still cannot find the exact tape that was called Synapse. 

I bought this cork tape for my Creo 1 gravel bike thinking the blue would match the frame but it is far too bright but has faded down a little with use over the last three months or so. The feel is ok but not as thick as the older Synapse. It has just enough stretch to fit to curved bars but I tend to find the edges can tear easily. The feel of the surface / grip of the tape is spot on and not had any problems with gloves on during rain, snow and dry. 

I have the same model of tape on my Creo 1 road bike in red and that is a bugger to keep clean and I now cannot get the black marks off it. As ever shop around for a deal as the rrp is a the steep side for a basic bar tape. 

RRP £18 and I paid £8.31 inc 48hr p&p from Sigma Sports 

Manufacturers blurb - 

More comfort, more control.

Lightweight EVA foam and cork combine with a contemporary knurled texture twist – offering a stylish, comfortable, and durable finish to your bike.

Where it thrives

The open road, gravel roads

What it's built for

Grip, durability

Highlights

• Comfortable, lightweight EVA foam absorbs road-buzz and feels great
• Natural cork elements and debossed knurled pattern for better grip in all conditions / Includes: 2x tape rolls, lever strips, bar end-plugs, and finishing strips
• Thickness: 2.7mm, length: 200cm, weight: 82g

A very windy and flooded ride up to Consett & the Waskerley Way

 

I was back to work this week and it was catch up time after my holidays. No spare time for cycling or anything else to be honest. 

We have had some horrendous rain through the night / early morning with local flooding so it was probably not a good idea to go off road in any way shape or form. I joined onto the old railway line at Langley Park and headed for Consett. The sun was in and out but the wind was unreal. I had a massive headwind all the way up which was not pleasant mixed in with the massive freezing cold puddles. On the plus side the temperature has gone through the room for some reason. I turned left at the smelter truck and up the Waskerley way until I could not take any more headwind. It was mainly quiet but quiet a few walkers and dog walkers out,  not many other cyclists. Below are a few snaps from the ride. All in 25 miles with 1100ft of climbing in 1hr 56min.