Codg1e

Enjoyed that!

Not this week... going out with 30milers instead. See yous Xmas Eve tho.

Planning on (hopefully) completing the festive 500 this year, so before I employ big miles from Monday, I’ll come out with yourselves tomorrow

Could manage Xmas Eve just not early morning.

Mate that's why I cycle and eat cakes/doughnuts I'm in for this, as long the weather's half decent. I'm hearing we're going to have a settled period of weather around this time followed by a very cold / beast-from-the-east-style January/Feb. Might add a few miles at the start, see if I can finally manage the Festive 500 this year...

Just saw there’s a yellow warning for snow and ice which expires on Sunday morning. Will keep an eye on it and make a decision on the day, but so far I’m still in

I'm in!

For me: 1. Complete 10 & 25 mile TTs 2. Sub 17 on the GT 3. Complete annual mileage goal of 5200 miles - and 520 running miles 4. SA

An enjoyable day! A tad icy on the way out and temp didn't go much above 0C all day - until we left the cafe at a balmy 12C - that didn't last long lol and it was back down to 3/4C all the way home The foot & glove warmers came in very handy! Great run, quite long for a winter run and sun was setting upon returning home, but I put this down to the slow service in the cafe, despite giving them a heads up on our impending arrival - we were in there for just over an hour! Some really poor driving and risk taking by drivers on the usual Helensburgh - Dumbarton stretch but other than that, a great run!

Yeah I think we better phone him before we leave lol

5 competitiors? Where is everyone lol, wasn't expecting to be in the lead at this stage

Enjoyed the Kilcreggan run back in October... how about that again?

Turbo for me

Was showing heavy rain for the full morning earlier on. The heavy stuff still showing around 9am but gets better as day goes on. Will wait and see

Forecast looks rotten, will make a decision in the morn.

Boarding House at Howwood is excellent for a cafe (£2 basic coffee and cake), but only open after 12 in winter. Worth considering

Great bunch today! We met Andy at the bottom of the Bowfield and up we headed towards Lugton at a nice pace, even up the hill! I was wary incase anyone was getting dropped on the Bowfield but we al stayed together really well! Little did I know we were already on the receiving end of a nice wee tailwind which as you'd expect turned into a ridiculous, cold-cutting-right-through-you headwind when we turned at Torranyard. We came out at Cunninghamhead and headed towards Stewarton, before a slight diversion from the planned route to quieter roads, ending at the A77 side of the Clunch Road. We headed up towards the wind farm into that horrible headwind, and I think it's safe to say we were all very glad the wind farm's visitor centre was open for business (but only one roll left - well done Glen getting in early!) After the cafe stop, we descended into Eaglesham before heading along the Humble Road to Newton Mearns and onto Barrhead where most of us split. James and I headed up Lochlibo Road passed the Dalek Brae to climb the Fereneze Road, dropping back down into Johnstone via Auchenlodment. Great morning, slightly shorter route than planned, but plenty climbing! Feeling it in the legs already lol

Yeah mate it's going out up the Bowfield. We leave from Clubrooms to Brookfield up through Kilbarchan and up Burntshields Rd before dropping down to Howwood and up the Bowfield. Then from Lugton down to Torranyard, back road to Stewarton and Fenwick, up the A77 (prob better on road than the cycle path?) then cafe stop Wind Farm - if that's closed for whatever reason then there's a further cafe in Eaglesham, (though a tad more expensive than the wind farm). After that, its through Newton Mearns to Barrhead (nice descent of Aurs Rd) before heading south on Lochlibo Rd and turning right for a final climb of the day - up the Fereneze Rd! We then drop down into Johnstone via Auchenlodment. I better put this in my Garmin to keep everyone right on Sunday lol

Chung, if not the Tak (NNE wind forecast for Sunday so would be headwind out possible tailwind back) then how about Ayrshire: cafe stop wind farm... something along these lines (incorporating the 'Winter Segment Challenge' segment too): https://www.strava.com/routes/16260229 ?

Done. Will likely revisit again before the first stage is up... especially if there's only seconds in it

PVCC do it last Sunday in June. I reckon end of May (holiday weekend) could be a good shout? It's deffo a good day out, just needs a fire team. Then option to cycle to Strachur to add on some miles, and back again. Other option is cycling across the bridge non stop to Arrochar and up the Rest, then stopping at drum up on way back towards Dunoon (when you would normally have stopped at Sheila's Diner), but might be tight for time that way unless leaving really early.

This is good shout... I am probably the least technical cyclist you'll ever know - no matter how hard I try and concentrate, I'm lucky I can get my back wheel off and on again sometimes I'm running a magnetic turbo on my old (old) bike - a triple chains specialised allez in my hut. It does a very basic job. I don't have a spare wheel to swap my current winter/summer steed straight onto the turbo so if I wanted to do that, it would involve switching tyres (to turbo tyre) and then off again when heading out. A direct drive option like the above in the clubhouse seems like the next best thing tbh. If it can go on zwift, then hell that's even better and may even encourage a JWCC virtual race series over the winters (a bit like GGCC did before?). Just my tuppence worth, but I think guys like myself would benefit more from that than standard rollers, or turbos that I'd need to switch wheels etc.

I am well up for this but took unwell on Friday evening with a sickness bug, and still don't feel great so I don't think I'll be out. Going to have a long lie in and if feeling better I'll nip out for an hour or two later in the day. Have a good one guys!! Colin.

+1 for coming along with the summer bike? I'll hang about at the back with Robbie and Charlie

I wouldn't be writing this if it weren't for my helmet three years ago after a fall coming down Gleniffer Braes (pothole, out cold, broken elbow). I vote Yes, regardless of if it's a hill climb competition or not.