Going up Eskdale yha with a mate for a ride in the high hills next weekend…
Hope the weather is nice for you, Jim!
Just a point of order but IMHO it’s about time it stopped raining! 
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I used to use the Bristol-Bath cycle path to get out into the countryside when I lived in Bristol. I believe this was one of the very first rails-to-trails conversions. It was a great way to dodge the city traffic, but typically quite busy, and shared with numerous pedestrians. I could then turn off into the western region of the Cotswolds where the “real riding” was done.
First ‘Belgian toothpaste’ ride of the autumn today. It really is a bit c**p when you have to spend ages cleaning the bike after each outing 
Yestyerday afternoon in autumnal sunshine. The smart amongst you will notice I either have an amphibious bike, or this was taken from my kayak! Did have nice cafe stop halfway so I think it counts.
Bruce
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Anyone with experience of using noseless saddles ??
I have a condition that really requires me to have my seat lower, so I can still be seated with one leg on the ground.
As such, when out riding, I’m finding that I’m always sliding forwards on the seat. Yes if a couple of inches higher it’s fine. Maybe a change of saddle ??
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Crikey Tobs, sorry to hear of this condition, (…and i’m afraid to ask!) 
The blue and red are amazing looking saddles, not seen the like before, sorry no experience of them here.
On a typical racing bike, a sliding forward problem is a sign of wrong saddle tilt angle, the saddle tilt needs to be adjusted more front up - rear down. I expect you already know about this and have done it tried it, and i can imagine it would be a problem to raise the handlebars to compensate because this would put even more weigh on you butt due to a more upright riding position.
Or maybe the noseless type of saddle is so short it’s unable to provide a stable position?
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What event were you in?
I ride on my own so never get splattered following other riders, and no one behind for me to splatter either.
One more ride tomorrow in the dry i hope, then Friday looks wet and windy so a good day to stay indoors to fit the mudguards back on the Domane : )
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Just a three-up thrash around the lanes of North Yorkshire. At this time of year, with farmers still on and off fields the roads are covered in mud…
I think I might have found the reason why I was slipping towards the front of the saddle all the time.
My riding posture has mostly been with my core pelvic sitting straight up and my back arched.
Putting my back more straight with some angle on the back pelvis area, holding in stomach muscles and the groin angle facing more higher - like you would do if sat legs flat on the ground and bending forward with your fingers touching your toes with a straight back - seems more productive and not so much sliding forward.
Is this correct ?
Indeed. Flexing forwards at the hips and keeping the lower spine straight (I.e not leaning forwards) is the way to go.
Slam that stem 
Tobs, do you mean you’re bolt upright?
I’m really not very good at other peoples bike-fit, but wonder if you’d be good to go on a recumbent…
Pretty cool eh? 
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I’m not so sure it’s something we have much control over. There have been some pretty curved pro-cyclists (Rominger and Armstrong spring to mind). And they were fast enough. They had access to great doctors, kinesiologists and physiotherapists (some would say too much access to some types of doctoring, but that’s a different matter!) and they were either unable to get into a “better” position, or they simply accepted that the natural position was the best for them.
It’s a weird one, that. I personally think that of you insist on an aggressive position, you’ll actually be able to achieve/maintain it. I personally like a low front and a reasonable load on my arms. If always ridden like that and I have zero lower back issues of any type. This is my previous road bike (which I still have). My new one is perhaps even lower at the front. I’m 58, but am finding the position just as comfortable as when I was 20.
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Agree. I’m a mere 55 but find that I’m getting too old and slow to push more air than I have to. Bio-mechanically having to support a forward flexed lumbar spine is taxing on spinal musculature and compresses the discs. Having the spine straightish and getting low by hip flexion is much better for your back.
Same age as me.
Check out my bike above.
Designed for Safety.
Plus comfort.
Which makes it hyper inefficient.
I must be doing something right because i rarely suffer backache from riding my bike.
My left knee problem seems to stem from an impact injury of a few years ago, and probably along with some age related arthritis. I’m booked in to have an MRI scan of left knee next month.
Meanwhile over the past week i’ve been riding around with the new wheels. First impressions of the tubeless tyres are favourable, especially gained comfort, the bike now floats harmlessly over bumps which before would have shaken my tooth fillings out on the aero wheels that came with the bike when new. The extra width of the Conti GP5000 TL 700 x 32 tyres must be less air drag coefficient but this is far too slight for me to notice averaging around at 15 - 16mph.
The revolving weight is almost as much tyre (and fluid) as it is rim mass, the Conti’s weigh in at a hefty 370 gm each, but they work fine in practice. I’ve no idea if the ‘Vibrocore’ rim fill is actually doing it’s job of cancelling out rough tarmac road vibrations (?) but i’m not complaining, at least the box section rims can’t fill up with puddle water. The clincher rims weigh in at 430 gm each, and are 28mm wide with 24mm internal to help spread the tyres on to a good rolling profile.
Climbing seems very slightly easier than before, tubeless tyres have more traction, the feel of ride is very confident and grippy which includes going downhill at speed, but the main benefit is comfort 
Spank Vibrocore Flare Rims (clincher - internal 24mm) Disc 28h
Hope RS4 28h / Blue 12mm Thru axle
Sapin CX Ray Black spokes / Blue alloy nipples
Wheel weight without tyres / discs / cassette. Rear 865 gm / Front 710 gm
I just hope they never puncture 
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2020 Tour de France route
Anyone had a look yet?
Very southerly aspect.
Seems like they’re going for a fair sprinkling of flat/hilly/mountain stages until a very tough final week with three back to back mountain stages plus a stage 20 time trail to conclude.
- 9 flat stages
- 3 hilly stages
- 8 mountain stages with mountain-top finishes (Orcières-Merlette, Puy Mary, Grand Colombier, Méribel Col de la Loze)
- 1 individual time-trial stage
- 2 rest days
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…and Stage 20 is the TT, a climb to La Planches des Belles Filles. Climbers tour more than ever I think. I must admit I’d prefer the TT earlier and if it is close the race settled on a final normal stage. More potential drama that way I reckon.
Bruce
I’m a bit fed up with the Tour being a best climber competition. Of course mountain stages are more picturesque and can enable time gaps but also exclude any winners apart from climbers.
Adding more TT kilometres would give all-rounders a chance - although they are pretty tedious to watch I accept.