Bolsover & District Cycling Club

worksop local , Keith Twigg created a cracking route tonight, surprising us with some exceptional little pockets of riding in the flatlands just to the north of worksop

the ride route can be seen here, and was just over 28km , but did feel like more and certainly had a large amount of fun

A good turn out saw Keith , Neil , Steve & Aaron , myself and ...

Initially they all dropped like flies...Andy Brickles was working away , Keith Twigg had a family emergency...and Adam Galley seemed to prefer decorating to riding , even though it wasn’t raining. Like me the previous week the boy cannot be feeling well.

Still i was able to stop coughing enough to feel like getting out again this week, and the Tuesday night MTB ride from Barlborough Royal Oak pub seemed like a great opportunity to blow out the cobwebs

As the min...

As a fan of the spring classics and especially those that are cobbled I have been desperate to try and find any stretches of cobbles we have in the region. After reading an article in Cycling Weekly earlier this year that mentioned a cobbled climb near Laughton-en-le-Morthen I have been trying to track down its exact location. After a bit  of detective work I found out it was near Roche Abbey so on Saturday morning I set off to find it.

After a couple of hours of riding...

The BBC Weather forcaster said is was going to rain and for once they were right. I had a text conversation with our ruffty tuffty Chairman who claim's "RAIN DOESN'T BOTHER ME", he managed to dig up some excuse about his contact lenses and backed out. Seeing things is for wimps.

In all 4 riders turned out in that "fine rain that wets you through", a pair of first timers, John Grainger (a new member) and Lee Mellor who we hope will be a new member soon. The old bloke Andy an...

So, we headed off from Bolsover to Crich. Why do it? Why grunt and grind up more than just one or two of those really sharp climbs that seem to litter this part of the landscape? Why do it in the heat of the summer sun? Why into what could be quite hefty gusts of wind? There are obviuous answers involving "'cause it's there" and "masochism". However, there's so much more. There's the sense of success; the joy of feeling life-blood flooding through your veins; the rush of hurtling down s...

I have spoken to the original Pub Landlord, Kev "Yer Barred" Maidens the other day. We were talking about the Race Night we held at the Blue Bell a couple of years ago. Everyone who went enjoyed themselves, we sold tickects for a pie and pea supper, a couple of Club WAG's took bets and we raised a fair amount of cash for both the Bike Club and the Bolsover Alternative Commitee.

Kev was wondering if we could do another, he would compare the evening again if we could hire th...

A glorious summers evening heralded a new event on the calendar. Polaris Clothing of Dronfield decided to celebrate Bike Week by extending an invitation to local riders to join many of its employees in a 30 mile sportive into the peak district

A handful of us arrived around 6pm (Graham , Tom , Paul Smith & me) at the polaris offices and paid our trivial £2.50 entry fee.

Polaris didnt do a massive promotional run for the event (perhaps through a fear of genera...

What a difference the sunshine makes. After the cold, dark days of winter, spring and summer certainly sees the emergence of many bright and wonderful colours. They may not be as fragrant as all the other flowers and blossoms, but the myriad of colours sported by different cyling fraternities sure brighten up the roads.

Unfortunately, while on the Sunday club run, the cyclist who has been giving it some welly up a hill in pursuit of the bunch - tha's right, the one who now ...

The weather has turned , perhaps the hottest evening of the year so far tempted a total of eleven riders out for tonights ride, yes i repeat 11 !!!

To try and keep a little bit of spice in our invention of spiraling, I suggested that we reverse the usual 10 mile loop so that it ran Clowne,Elmton, Whaley & then Bolsover...

In hindsight this could have been an error , despite being a cracking route , and one that i prefer to the usual way around , ...

There was a big black cloud over Barlow when we arrived, the threat of rain and thought of lots of big hills playing on my mind. I tried to claim I had forgotten my cycling shoes, unfortunatley Andy "found them" for me. In all 6 riders made the trip to the edge of the Peak District, Mark started to show everyone a map (he's not ridden with mountain bikers much), Kevin and Dave took note, Andy and I rode in circles round the car park trusting Mark's navigational skills and then Toby arrived.

One of my key targets in recovering from the "Beckham" injury , was to test my fitness in a local time trial , and to see how i progress over the following months on the same course & distance

Goaded on by new "members" Dave & Stu , i decided tonight to chance myself with one of the kiveton Park promoted 10 mile time trials , which starts at Cuckney at 7pm

its about 21 years since i last did any time trials , and i did that one on the mountain bike , so i wasn...

Well it was my idea so i'd better put it to use,

the pass had  been stamped for the sadly cancelled Cleethorpes run,

and as with other family orientated things are not exchangeable,

sadly the day pass option i had was also altered so the misterton run was off as well!

not to worry once you become a bike rider you really do discover what a gem of a place chesterfield/bolsover is for truly excellent cycling country

ok i know it's late.........

it's easier to shake yourself in the morning with sunlight streaming through the kitchen window,

i can't honestly say the 15 month old little man hasn't helped with my early morning training,

Craig had a rude awakening to club rides as we both live in hasland (amongst others) and it's ALL uphill to the pub at Bolsover,

just a solitary figure at the pub; Mr Howells, Vern being away on the Chesire Cat, ...

I had to drag myself out today , rain loomed in dark clouds , and when i felt the first spots straight out of my front door , i almost stopped myself . Fortunately the wife kicked me out and I set out on the short ride to Bolsover to see who else was keen enough to risk the elements.

I was really encouraged to see Vern , John Howell & Gavin Long waiting at the Blue Bell , after several minutes the father & son coupling of Tom & Graham Whiting arrived. We di...

i knew that the shiny shiny sunshine would bring out a few more riders this week , and after the 6:30 deadline came & went  , nine riders arrived on their shiny shiny bikes , fantastic turnout given that a few of the regulars were missing

several new faces arrived for a blast , and Steve , a beginner on a tank of a mountain bike

with a starting word about splitting off into two groups , the riders all headed off. unfortunatley the challenge of pe...

I got home from work late, my back was hurting, the forecast said it maight rain later on in the evening and Andy was on a cruise so there was a good chance if I was leading the ride that we would get lost. Do I stay in with the wife or go out for a ride? Silly question I know, I rammed a peanut butter sanwich down my neck (peanut flavoured burps mmmhhhh), got togged up and rode to the Blue Bell.

I met Howard from Lincoln, he had bunked off work early just so he could get t...

with some trepidation , i decided that tonight would be my first time back on a bike in nearly six months. The Achilles is almost fully healed , and while im still walking with a limp , a few short tests on the turbo revealed that cycling is not uncomfortable..so worth a try on a warm sunny night.....

4 more turned up at Clowne community centre , Martyn , John H , James & Dave and we set off to take in the northern loop of the spiraliing course , my first mistake w...

Had my physio assessment today. Conclusion, patellar tendonitis in both knees. So, being booked in with physio to get some stretching of bits in legs which will help. The good news is I can get back on my bike, has to be flatish though. Five pits it is then.

Anyone want to come for a really steady flat ride with me! Not too far either, I'm under strict instructions not to over do it.

This isn't a blog as such, it's more of a beware to all out there.

Took a group out from Pleasley Vale today for a ride down to Teversal Visitors Centre and managed to take a right flyer. Nowt broken apart from my cred with the group. Anyway I'm degressing there.

Just be careful if your when riding down from Norwood Road to Teversal Visitors centre. It's been resurfaced with a fabulous new hard pack, good for setting a good time on the Triangle TT, however,...

As this ride is so close to my house I decided to ride up to the pub, good job I did coz my chain snapped after a couple of turns of the cranks. Not far from my tools so when I had finished swearing it was a quick fix. I did however miss the start and the nice downhill to the rear of Bolsover Castle. Nevermind, there were 7 other riders that had turned out and I met them at the bottom of the first desent. I tagged along sure that rest of the ride was going to be uphill as it was one devised b...