Weekly Round-up: 22 Feb 2026
All the latest news, events, and results for NFCC Members from the previous week of two-wheeled adventures…
Gravel’n’GroggThere was no holding back on this week’s Gravel’n’grogg – the ride started at a fast pace, and seemed to continue at the same level for the whole route… The downhill from Lyndhurst to Brockenhurst, with Richard B on the front certainly helped too! Just Richard and a duo of Phills for the first half this week, before collecting Stu at the halfway point. Departing Brock, the quartet welcomed a freshly resurfaced section of trail form Balmer Lawn Rd. to Standing Hat – so freshly resurfaced, it was smoother than most of the roads in the Forest at this time of year! |
 The second half of the ride took the quartet across the op of Beaulieu Airfield again, where just like last week, they all left with wet feet. Dodging through the tracks a trails, and avoiding the odd Phill Grant crouching in a bush, it wasn’t long until Lyndhurst was in sight. Approaching the final gate at Beechen Lane, to everyone’s amusement, there was a rogue block of butter atop the gatepost… despite the many theories discussed over refreshments, no conclusions were made as to how it got there! |
Saturday Club RideWith the mercury tipped to stay in double digits for the day, a goodly number of club riders were tempted out this week. Had the forecast been accurate and predicted some of the wind and rain it might have been a different number. There were sufficient riders for two strong pelotons and almost needing a third. This week’s plan was the usual winter fare of 100Km around the muddied and pot holed forest roads and a welcome coffee stop at The Potting Shed. There were a couple of strange kit choices at the start with Joe and Luke opting a a bare arms / covered legs combo that I’m certain will not catch on. I’ve checked Velominati and it’s not in The Rules yet but I’m sure it soon will be. |
 The ride started well, kitman Sean was appropriately attired in club Gabba jersey after last week’s Guinness tribute fancy dress. Mike turned up sans helmet but luckily lives close by and was able to make a quick return.It didn’t take long for the applications for this week’s barrel to materialise. Jonesy, fresh after his acclamation as Mechanic of the Year for his services to drivetrain squeaking gave notice that it will take a strong effort to wrench the trophy from his mighty hands. He duly raised the bar by having a bottom bracket that knocked with every pedal stroke like a 90 BPM metronome for the whole ride. He has promised to rectify this by next week and potentially sell it onto Adrian as it still sounded better than the one he clanked around with last winter. Next on the list was Mark. His Ironman training had him plan a 4.5 hour ride this week, so he meticulously planned to rendezvous at Beaulieu. He somehow managed to miss the two groups and was rewarded for his effort with a 90 minute solo chase to catch the group close to the coffee stop. |
 Never one to miss out on a week packed full of miscreants Matt K decided to throw his hat into the ring. Before coffee, his Di2 had become a single speed due to lack of battery. This is now on record as the first time a solicitor has failed to charge! Before coffee we had the strange phenomenon of St Phil of Lyndhurst joining the ride late. This along with his recent peeling off early is a warning to anyone considering fatherhood as it can seriously damage your cycling. Despite his lack of mileage his appetite for cake and flapjacks has not diminished. Sean is on notice that it might be more than him and Barry buying the 2XL kit with the next order! |
 Coffee was taken, and everybody stuck to the cake and avoided the risks of hot food lead times. Two groups headed back for the second southerly loop of the day. Phill B could hear the grind of metal on metal when he braked and decided to peel off to a Local Bike Shop in Ringwood for replacement pads. A quick roadside calliper rebuild and new pads fitted, thanks to Claire having an unlucky puncture post coffee, Phill was able to wait on the road for the second group to catch up. The ride made its return to Brock with a few peeling off to watch the rugby. At the time of writing, only Sean will have been happy with that decision as the English supporters wished they had stayed out for a couple more hours in the wind and rain as that would have been more fun. |
 So, who goes into the barrel after all that? As previously mentioned, Mechanic of the Year is a coveted award and Phil after extolling the virtues of using some gravel tyres in winter also managed a slow puncture. He then confessed to not checking the tyres before the ride. The gauntlet has been laid down for those aspiring to next years award. For his standout double Phil Jones has to be the week’s barrel dweller. Thanks as ever to those who took turns putting their noses into the wind for hard turns this week. Thanks also to all the riders for some tidy riding and uplifting conversation.– Barry. |
Sunday Club RideAttendance on Spond looked… optimistic at best early Sunday morning, which came as no shock given the falling rain and a Met Office forecast that could only be described as “don’t bother.” Nevertheless, three hardy souls from Group 2 ignored all sensible judgement and assembled in the car park, proving once again that common sense has no place in cycling. The watt‑bomb group had clearly made the wiser choice, opting to stay in bed — or more likely smashing out sprint intervals in the warm, dry comfort of Zwift. Jane suggested riding the loops in reverse to reduce the headwind across the open forest — a rare moment when aerodynamics, logic, and suffering reduction aligned perfectly. This excellent idea was briefly derailed by the need to reverse the route on Andrew’s Garmin. A deep dive into the Garmin manual followed. We failed completely, gave up, and set off anyway on the basis that we roughly knew where we were going. |
 It started dry. Briefly. We slipped past the closed road sign by the Pig, charged past Hatchet Pond, through Beaulieu and up to Hilltop, carefully avoiding the growing collection of rivers now masquerading as roads, before splashing our way towards Blackfield. At the Blackfield traffic lights, Stuart picked up a puncture on his brand‑new tyres — clearly proving that all that winter tyre research was a monumental waste of time. Luckily, a bus stop appeared like a mirage in the rain. Stuart’s tubeless setup ensured the bus shelter received an enthusiastic coating of orange sealant, while Andrew wisely kept his strangely shaped tool in his pocket, this time and the tubeless repair tutorial got underway. A quick dynaplug, a blast from the electric pump, and after a brief pause to admire the mess, the tyre held and we were mobile again. Turning by Lepe, we met the full force of the south‑westerly wind and immediately formed a tight peloton, heads down, to Exbury. Riding the route in reverse proved surprisingly interesting, revealing sights we’d apparently never noticed before — including a small lighthouse and an impressive number of shiny, expensive houses appearing at speed. |
 St Leonards passed without drama, but there was growing tension about the inevitable headwind back across the airfield. Approaching Hatchet Pond once more, a tactical masterstroke was deployed: send the big man to the front to shield the rest of the group. Textbook stuff. We rolled back into the café without further incident and, for the first time, actually sat inside. The usual post‑ride conversation followed, starting with “that was fun, wasn’t it?” and rapidly spiralling into a wonderfully random mix of 1970s TVs, new bikes, and raving in Prague — to name just a few highlights. After coffee and cake (the real reason we ride), we headed back out into the rain for the journey home and the promise of hot showers all round. Despite the miserable conditions, it was good fun, good training, and we all felt much better for having endured the ordeal — though not that much better.Cheapeau! |
Get Involved:If you find yourself out and about representing NFCC, don’t forget to jot down a few words, snap a few photos and send them over to press@newforestcc.co.uk. |
