Mouseman

Great stuff. I've tried replacing myself but cant get the back off even with watch tools...

Hello, Does anywhere know of a place to get your watch batteries replaced that doesn't cost a fortune? Everywhere wants about a tenner to replace a battery that costs pennies... Thanks Tom

Hi there, I got a ticket last night for £100 (or £60 if paid soonish) after parking on the pavement at the back of the cinema. Didn't have much option as the place was rammed and we didn't block anyone in or cause any sort of obstruction. Still got a ticket though. Has anyone else had one from there and what happens if you ignore it? With it being private land I think enforcement is a lot tougher compared to ones issued by the Council/Police as it has to be based on the landowner suffering some sort of loss (clearly none here). Any experiences on fighting/ignoring these tickets much appreciated

Hello, We are a group of 7 cyclists who are heading down to the Alps and the Pyrenees this July to ride some of and spectate on some of the last two weeks of the Tour de France, including seeing the finish on the Champs Elysee. We would be leaving on Saturday 12th July and returning on Sunday 27th July. We are travelling by minibus and need a driver for the trip. Ideally someone with experience of driving on the Continent and without any penalty points or driving convictions etc. We recognise that this could be a bit of thankless task for anyone good enough to volunteer and so we would be paying for the drivers accommodation, meaning that apart from buying food and drink the trip would be largely free. So, if you're a cycling fan or if you just fancy seeing some of the nicest parts of France this summer then let me know and we can get talking. Cheers Tom

Yes, I did that event and I'm more than familiar with the climbs in the Peaks. The point of this ride was to try out some hills within the City limits. Thanks anyway though.

This was my first ride in a town centre, and so was a nice change for me. It was always going to be a novelty, not a way of riding from now on... Hardest was Hagg Hill as it was relentlessly steep. Lodge Lane had a few bit that were easier on it where you could have a breather.

For anyone interested, I tried these climbs out today. Because I was starting from my parents house near Dore Station, I decided to leave out the hills over in Stocksbridge, Oughtibridge and Worrall for another day as a separate self-contained ride. The short daylight hours meant it was likely I'd end up riding some of these in the dark! I missed out one or two of the remaining suggested climbs due to location or lack of perceived difficulty (I checked out roads I wasn't familiar with using Google Street View and those that didn't appear too steep were dropped, although I'm aware this wasn't a foolproof method!). I started off at Dore Station, meaning that I was straight into it with the climb up Twentywell Lane, then on into Bradway and dropping down Queen Victoria Road so I could get to the bottom of Prospect Place, then back down Queen Vic and left at the bottom up Mickley Lane. I followed the roads back into Bradway, on to Greenhill and down to Archer Road and along Abbeydale Road turning right up Woodseats Road, over the crossroads up Scarsdale Road and along to Bishops Court Road. I went down that and then straight back up it, then the same for Derbyshire Lane. Then down through Heeley onto Queens Road turning right up Myrtle Road and then back down to Queens Road past the ice rink and through the town centre onto Penistone Road turning right onto Rutland Road. I turned left off there taking the road up to the Ski Village, but on reflection going up Rutland may have been harder. I stopped at the Ski Village for a coffee then down Infirmary Road (fell off when my front wheel got stuck in the tram tracks!) to Stannington Road, which I followed for most of the way then failed to notice it branches off to the right and ended up going on until I reached Rails Road. I went all the way down to Rivelin Valley Road before I noticed my mistake and had to double back, giving me a "bonus" hill. I got back onto Stannington Road and followed it to the junction with Lees Moor Lane and then turned off that onto Storrs Lane (it would have been harder doing that road in the other direction as it has a killer gradient) and then up Spout Lane. Back down Stannington Road and down Hollins Lane (another I should have climbed rather than decended!) across Rivelin Valley Road and right onto Waller Road. Then looping back down onto Rivelin Valley Road and along to the bottom of Hagg Hill, Back Lane and Stephen Hill. I turned right at the top of them heading out of town on Manchester Road then right to go up Lodge Lane. Back into town on Redmires Road and Sandygate Road and stopped for a break at the Jet petrol station. Back down Stephen Hill to Rivelin Valley Road and along that into Hillsborough (another tumble, this time skidding on the wet tram tracks rather than wedging in them! Got some lovely road rash...) and picking up the bottom of Walkley Lane and all the way up that to Crookes high street. Along to Manchester Road again and down to the junction with Fulwood Road, turning right heading out of town and going and up back down Shore Lane, then further down Fulwood Road for Gladstone Road and then Ivy Park Road. Back again to Fulwood Road and again heading out of town following it to the bottom of Crimicar Lane. At the top of Crimicar it was virtually dark and I had one climb left before home - Hangingwater. I'd thought it would be bad but it turned out to be less strenuous than Hagg and Stephen Hills. At the top I headed back to to Dore along Ecclesall Road South. So, I think I managed a fair few of the hills suggested in this thread. Some got missed out due to being in the wrong place or being basically duplicates of climbs heading up the same hillside (this was particularly true in Fulwood) and the rest I've saved for a day in NW Sheffield. Bit tired now though...

No, I'll be trying them all in a single route in about 2 weeks time.

Looks good on Street View. Thanks!

The next challenge in all of this is to put all these roads together into one massive route!

So, basically, you're talking about going down Wood Fall Lane into Low Bradfield?

All good stuff so far - any more? Just keep 'em coming! Tom

Hello, I'm looking for some good steep hills in Sheffield for cycling up. I've already got Hag Hill, Gladstone Road and Hangingwater Lane on the list but any other suggestions would be excellent. Thanks Tom

Cheers Rosy!

Hello, All my life I've been really inflexible and would like to do something about this. I'm wondering how to go about this? It's mainly my legs that are the problem. Would a yoga class be the right approach? I'm only looking to increase physical flexibility, not do any meditation or anything to do with state of mind. Any ideas? Thanks Tom