Another day, another ride. I’m making up for lost time, having had no access to my road bike since pretty much the start of the year. I’m absolutely bloody loving it on the carbon frame rolling out around deserted Estuary Wilds lanes.
Thursday lunchtime felt like the first ride of the autumn. It was blustery and the leaves were falling. The sun was making an appearance but it was hardly heatwave weather.
Confirming my autumnal awareness was the bloke picking blackberries on the run-in towards Alresford. He had the entire stretch of a hedge to himself.
TUCK IN!
I saw a couple cycling in the same direction, roughly 500m in the distance. They looked like leisure riders.
I didn’t want to take them on but I thought I’d set myself a challenge of at least catching up with them before we meet the turnoff out of Alresford.
I pressed on a little more with the pace but it wasn’t exactly time trial speed. Much to my surprise the leisurely couple weren’t that leisurely. They were soon out of my sight and off to Gawd knows where.
I reached some of the fields where lawn grass is grown before being sold on. It’s got to be better than astroturf, right? Finally there is a very light green tinge appearing across the fields selling the sods.
I got blown off course towards Great Bromley. The cross winds were ferocious out across the fields.
A little further along and the village hall had set up shop as a polling station for the day. Not another one, etc. I’ve absolutely no idea who was being elected or why.
The remotest part of the ride was a little surreal. I was convinced I saw a Tardis in a field. It wasn’t a Tardis, it was a solitary blue portaloo.
Chapeau!
My road bike started to develop a slight clicking noise towards the end of the ride. This was most disconcerting. It appeared to be coming from somewhere down by the cranks.
Oh dear.
I tried various different pedalling techniques and also changing up and down the gears, but nope, the bloody annoying clicking noise was still there.
I noticed on the final hill climb of the ride that when I was dancing on my pedals the clicking stopped. Ah, even though it sounds like it’s coming from down below it might be something to do with the seat as there’s no pressure on it.
Back at base and a little Chat GPT online investigating led to the suggestion that my seat was a dirty and the seat pole needed cleaning.
I whipped out the WD40. Whenever you are in doubt about life in general, then WD40 is usually the solution. I gave the seat pole and the clamp a bloody good clean. I managed to reassemble them without everything falling apart.
I gave the road bike a very quick road test up and down the local streets. The clicking sound had gone. That’s my achievement for the day.