The Ofcom Files, Part 4: Ofcom Rides Again

https://prestonbyrne.com/2025/12/04/the-ofcom-files-part-4-ofcom-rides-again/

#HackerNews #OfcomFiles #Ofcom #Rides #Again #DigitalRegulation #TechNews #MediaWatch

On Raclette, White Wine, and Group Rides

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Sunday bike rides are not as common as Saturday bike rides so when I committed to the Eysins Raclette event I thought it wouldn't matter. I didn't count on having a Sunday bike ride.

Before a bike ride I like to have a high protein, high carbohydrate meal. I like to have plenty of energy to burn the next morning, in the hope that my endurance will be good enough to last for the ride, with some bars or gels along the way.

On Saturday, instead of having rice and chicken, like I usually have, I had potatoes and Raclette cheese. I also had white wine. Although cheese is high in calories, it is not good for exercise.
The reasons are that it's fatty, so it makes you more sluggish, it contains salt, so it dehydrates you and that it's low in carbohydrates. This trifecta, combined with white wine is enough to make a bike ride the next day challenging.

So challenging, that, for the first time in a while I felt like aborting the bike ride. I felt low in energy, in stamina, and in motivation. It was also cold and foggy.

I tried to eat potatoes in the hope that they would provide me with carbohydrates but obviously they were not enough. I suspect that I was dehydrated and low on fuel.

According to the Apple Watch I burned 1720 kcal of energy on Saturday and 1967 on Sunday. On Wednesday I burned 2814 kcal of energy.

Wednesday morning I woke up and I had doubts. I felt rough with a cold but chose to go on the morning group ride anyway. When the ride finished I had the opportunity to do a second ride. During the second ride when we got close to the top of the Jura I bonked. I had to stop and get some energy back. I had a raspberry chocolate thing and it tasted delicious.

I could feel that my legs were tired and that they needed a real break but we couldn't really stop. I suspect that this influenced Saturday, and Sunday.

Hike or Cycling

I suspect that if I had gone for a hike, rather than a bicycle ride I would have been fine. Hiking is a gentler sport. With hiking you walk at a comfortable pace. You stay at between eighty to one hundred beats per minute, especially on a relatively flat route.

In my case, as a person who walks up to ten kilometres per day, almost all walks are relaxing, especially one that is just thirteen kilometres long. With hiking you can also carry snacks and a "meal" rather than energy bars and energy gels. You can eat, and drink more comfortably, and you're walking with people that hike slower than you.

Most rides have people with thousands of kilometres of cycling for that year setting the pace.

And Finally

For years, when I have heard people suggest raclette or fondue I have thought "But that's not a real meal, that's not what I need" and yesterday proved it. For years I have read and heard about hiker hunger. Yesterday, and today, I got to experience cyclist hunger.

I cycled for six hours on Wednesday, then several on Saturday, and then several more on Sunday, and with this endurance challenge, the need for proper nutrition made itself visible.

It's rare for me to get home, and just vegetate in front of the computer, and to be so knackered that a one hour siesta is required to recharge partially, before a full night of sleep.

I expected to be able to go skating, and socialise but I was knackered. Next time I will try to eat proper food, or hike instead.

#cheese #cycling #group #nutrition #raclette #rides #wine

Cloudy Fun

https://kiko.io/photos/25-07-Schweden-690-D50

#CarnivalVibes #SkyHigh #AdventureTime #ThrillRide #Cloudscape #ScenicViews #FunTimes #AdrenalineRush #AmusementPark #Rides #Photography

Perth Royal Show vendors upset by price hikes, say crowds are down in 2025

Perth Royal Show vendors say they are considering not returning next year, as the cost of operating ratchets…
#NewsBeep #News #Headlines #AU #Australia #claremontshowground #Perth #perthroyalshow #perthroyalshowprices #perthschoolholidays #rides #royalagriculturalsocietyofwa #royalshow #stalls #wa
https://www.newsbeep.com/163053/

#dnd #rides! :D

The 31st annual Yemassee Shrimp Festival features food and fun for the whole family

CAMPUS — FROM 10 TO 4PM.///// STARTING TODAY – THE RETURNS WITH PLENTY OF FUN AND FOOD FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY. WJCL’S MELISSA HALL IS IN YEMASSEE RIGHT NOW AS ORGA…
#dining #cooking #diet #food #Food #fun #HamptonCounty #Lowcountry #Rides #southcarolina #weekendevent #YemasseeShrimpFestival
https://www.diningandcooking.com/2290240/the-31st-annual-yemassee-shrimp-festival-features-food-and-fun-for-the-whole-family/

North Carolina Mountain State Fair wraps up after 10 days of fun and food

FLETCHER, N.C. (WLOS) — Today is the final day of the North Carolina Mountain State Fair, which ran for 10 days from Friday, Sept. 5, to Sunday, Sept. 14. FRIED AND TRUE: FAIR FOODS TO SAVOR A…
#dining #cooking #diet #food #Food #community #Fairgoers #festival #games: #MountainStateFair #northcarolina #Rides
https://www.diningandcooking.com/2284228/north-carolina-mountain-state-fair-wraps-up-after-10-days-of-fun-and-food/

Today was a great day to ride from Bundeena to Kiama, despite what my legs are now saying about the matter.

#sydney #bike #rides

Four Thousand Meters of Cycle Climbing in the Franco-Swiss Jura

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Mt Tendre via Rolle

For a year or more I had been tempted to cycle up to the Mont Tendre and on Saturday I got the opportunity to try that ride with Tête de Course, a Nyon cycling community and café/restaurant.

The route went from Nyon to Rolle, and then from Rolle upwards towards Aubonne and then upwards towards Montricher. From Montricher you have the climb to Mont Tendre.

In theory this is a quiet road with limited cars. In practice we had quite a few cars passing us. The road is narrow, so when a car passes you need to get to the side of the road but with débris and more it does not fill me with euphoria. If the road was completely closed to cars, then this would be a nice climb. For me, good climbs are those with no cars, or those where the road is wide enough for cars to pass with ease.

When we got to the top of this climb haze obscured the view slightly so it wasn't as rewarding as sometimes. I have been up to Mont Tendre two or three times, but with snowshoes around April. For once I was up there with a bike.

This ride was with people who are fast. They climbed it at least twenty minutes faster than some of us. It's a shame they didn't know we were going to be so slow. They could have had a drink or snack,

The ride back down was along the foot of the Jura rather than along the lake roads so we had a little more climbing to get through.

The climb is strenuous. It's at an average grade of 9 percent for the entire time, so it requires good stamina to get to the top. The way down was okay. I felt tired. I made sure to fuel up every so often. In Nyon I felt I had energy left over, so I made up my mind to try the next day's ride with Le Cerle, the No Pressure Club.

The No Pressure Club Challenge

The No Pressure Club Challenge is another ride that starts in Nyon. We met by the bike shop and then headed up to Crassier, La Rippe, and then into France, to head up La Combe Blanche. This is a long climb with a gentler gradient. With this group, on the first climb I was at the front rather than the back. I had enough energy left over to sprint up the last 300 meters or so, before waiting for the others to arrive.

Riding at this time of year, you're warm in one place, and cold in another. When everyone was up we headed down to Mijoux and this descent was cold. You're going from a valley facing the sun to one hidden from it.

Once at the bottom we did several more climbs. In total we did 10 climbs yesterday, for a total of 2180m of ascent.

The French Jura is beautiful. You have pine trees and forests. You have undulating hills, some used for pasture, and others left to the wild. Population density is also lower so you get to be in nature. You get a break from civilisation. Switzerland is more densely populated nearby, so France is quieter.

I was amused. At one moment I thought, "We're going to pass by the Roche Au Dade and we did. I wanted to stop and take a photo but I didn't want to keep the group waiting. A year ago I wanted to go through the challenge of cycling to this VF. Now, I know that I can.

Out of Morez you climb the Côte de Prémanon. For me this was a 29 minute effort. When you're tired from the previous climbs this can be quite a challenge. Luckily this road is relatively quiet.

After this the last climb was the one to La Cure, and from La Cure down to St-Cergue and from St-Cergue back towards Nyon. By the time we got to St-Cergue I started to feel like lying down and resting. I still had the descent that I often enjoy rushing down. For once I took it easy.

And Finally

This weekend was sporty. On Thursday I ran a 5k, and walked quite a bit. On Friday I ran the Wake Up and Run 5k, and then I did the Mont Tendre climb, and then I did the NPC Challenge ride to climb 2100m. This was a sporty weekend. I pushed so hard because I saw that this week will be rainy. Now, while it is rainy, I can rest and recover.

#cycling #group #Jura #mountains #rides

44th Annual Italian Festival celebrates community, culture

The 44th annual Italian Festival is returning to Port Washington. Provided by Schneps Media Library The aroma of simmering tomato sauce, the sound of l…
#dining #cooking #diet #food #Italiancuisine #fair #family #festival #fun #Italia #Italian #italiancuisine #ItalianFestival #italiano #italy #johnmichaelmarinolodge #PortWashington #Rides
https://www.diningandcooking.com/2235061/44th-annual-italian-festival-celebrates-community-culture/

Quick Thoughts on Drafting while Cycling

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When you ride alone you face the headwinds, and have to fight them. When you want to speed up you get to a certain speed, and if you want to ride faster you need to fight the wind. On a windy day you might feel sluggish and slow. You might then see a group ride overtake you with ease and think "I wish I was as fast as they are", or even "I wish I was in that group".

Drafting as Lanterne Rouge

When I was on one ride three or four days ago someone wanted me to rejoin the group by drafting, and I wanted to but my legs were tired so when I tried to push they didn't give the thrust I wanted them to. The result is that I had to make more effort than my body was ready for and I got fatigued.

Drafting is not simply a matter of getting behind someone and being pulled along. It's about having enough power to keep up with the person in front. That's why it's easier with a larger group going at a comfortable pace.

In contrast when I was riding behind that individual during a LeCercle Ride I had to push hard to try to keep the wheel. I had to burn through my reserves to keep up.

The Drafting Three

Fast forward to this weekend, when I was drafting behind the people with aerobars and the situation was different. Through Versoix I struggled but once we were back on the "flat" between Mies and Nyon I could cope much more easily.

I still had to push hard, and I needed to throw out a lot of power to hold the wheels. By the time I could finally slow down, in Nyon I was ready to limp home, rather than ride hard.

By 'limp home' I mean 'ride slower'.

Today I was on a solo ride into Geneva this morning and I saw people riding and blocking the cycle lane so I chose to sprint along the road as it was quiet. I managed to overtake everyone, and I managed to reach faster speeds than usual. I felt that my position was different, as if the ride behind those with aero bars changed my habits.

And Finally

Today I was fresh, so I could ride hard. I wasn't riding to a group ride. I was just riding to drop off the bike, for a few hours, and will pick it up this afternoon. That's why I pushed myself.

#collaboration #cycling #drafting #group #rides

Five Days Cycling Out of Seven

Reading Time: 4 minutes

If I drove four hundred and thirty kilometres I would either be going on holidays or wasteful with petrol. To do the same thing on a bike is much better for the health of the planet and my own. The reason for this is simple. Good cardiovascular health.

Normally I would not consider riding this many times in a week. My rule was to ride twice per week, not more. If I ride more than twice per week, especially alone, I find car driver behaviour to be toxic.

Plenty of Group Rides

The reason for which I rode so much is that group rides were organised for Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday.

The first ride was a relaxed ride towards Corsier before heading back up from the lake towards the interior of the Rive Droite of the Canton of Geneva. The second ride was a short climb towards Le Coin where the first part was not too hard, but the second part was challenging. The third ride was a ride from Nyon to Geneva, to meetup with the group, and then a ride back towards La Rippe and then up towards La Barrillette but only the first three or four kilometres before the group headed to Geneva, I left them in Crassier to head back to Geneva.

Saturday the ride was a "relaxed ride" but in my experience the relaxed rides are only relaxed for people with a certain amount of time spent on a bike. Those with less experience are often pushed quite hard. Whether a ride is relaxed or hard depends on how often you ride, if you're used to the rolling hills, and on whether your bike has tires that are well inflated and more.

On Saturday I spent the day at the back of the group, riding with the slowest person. With properly inflated tyres I expect he would have suffered much less.

You might ask "but why would you ride at the back if you're a strong rider" and "That's very nice of you, to stick at the back like that" and both of these are valid.

The reason is economy. The reason is endurance. The reason is the 80/20 rule, as well as the Zone 2 rule. The rule about volume, not effort.

My ride is very often not just the planned ride. Almost every ride I do from Geneva involves fourty kilometres of riding, to get to and from Geneva. This means that I have an initial ride into Geneva, the group ride, and then maybe a ride back with someone towards Mies, and then ride the rest of the way solo.

Drafting Behind People with Aero Bars

On Saturday I had an excellent experience. I saw two riders with aero bikes so I accelerated, got alongside the person in front and asked if I could draft with them. When they said yes I slowed down and then I got into their wheel and drafted from before Bellevue towards the Piscine de Colovray in Nyon before riding the last three kilometres home.

The thing about drafting is that it requires a certain level of experience, and stamina. If you lose the wheel then you have to work very hard to get back into the slipstream. When you're in the slipstream you still need to work hard to keep up with the group.

I expected that I would be dropped at the end of Versoix but I found more stamina so I sped up and got back onto their wheels after the climb, and the rest of the route was much easier because it's flatter, but also because it was cold, and quiet on the Route du Lac. With fewer beach goers that road was pleasant.

If I had been dropped I would have taken a different route through the fields, and I would have had to fight the wind alone.

Sunday Sweeping

Sunday I rode from Morges towards Geneva, this time along the top, rather than the lake. This is an undulating route with quite a bit of climbing and descending. It came to 1200m of climbing in a single ride.

I really liked the pace of this group. It didn't feel fast, and the group did not explode during the climbs. We stayed as a tight group more than we do with other groups.

I felt so at ease in this group, and with this pace that I had time to take pictures, and time to appreciate the views.

One person was struggling yesterday because she had been trail running the day before. It's for this reason that I think it is good for groups not to ride at their maximum all the time, especially in relaxed, and moderate groups.

A Different Bike

I don't know whether it is because I was riding a different bike yesterday but most of the time I felt perfectly within my comfort zone. I suspect that it is because those in front set a pace that was easier to follow.

I was second on the first serious climb, and I made an effort to hold the person in front's wheel to see what a difference it made. If you can put out the required watts you can keep in someone's wheel, but you need that stamina.

From the second climb up I said that I would stay at the back. I know these climbs so psychologically they're easier. I climb them regularly with the Nyon groups.

Conserving Energy

By staying at the back and using others to pace myself I get the kilometres in, without pushing myself to exhaustion like I would if I tried to stick to the front.

It's a luxury to be in a group where you are not the lanterne rouge working hard to keep up with a group. I get to enjoy a bike ride without exhausting myself.

Relative Effort

On Sunday I did a massive relative effort. On saturday it was a tough relative effort but this was due to the time trial between Bellueve and Nyon, rather than the ride beforehand. On Sunday, in contrast, my relative effort was low. It is interesting, given that I did 1200m of climbing, and that's without counting the ride to get down to Morges.

And Finally

I spent so much time on the bike last week because quite a few bike rides wwere organised. By slowing down and sweeping I got to enjoy group rides without pushing myself to my limit on every ride.

After drafting behind the people with aerobars I expected that I would be knackered for yesterday's ride. Luckily I wasn't. I do want to rest today, and tomorrow, before trying another group ride from Nyon Wednesday evening.

#cycling #endurance #rides #social #stamina #sweeper

Coney Island, 1955

From family home movies

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all yours for 2500, clean title
this is more or less typical #rides

A Groupe Ride from Nyon to Les Fruitières with Tête de Course

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Yesterday we left Nyon through the "secret" passage that takes you from near Place St Martin to the lakeside. We had to take this route because of the défilé des enfants. Roads were blocked so some drivers might have been trapped for an hour or two. On a bike I was blocked from going one way so I went another way, and then I walked to the meeting point.

Tête de Course is a group that meets on Wednesday mornings, at 06:30, Thursday at 18:00 and on Saturdays it depends, in so far as I can see. I am still new to the group.

The Morning Ride

The Morning ride is open to riders that can ride twenty five kilometres an hour or more. On Wednesday it involved quite a bit of climbing but I was able to keep up with the group and will almost certainly ride with them again next Wednesday. Riding at 06:30 is nice because the roads are empty, but also because the temperature is still relatively low. At the end of the ride you can have a coffee and croissant before getting on with the rest of your day.

The Evening Ride

The Evening Ride is split into three groups. Group 1 is the fastest, most demanding group. They ride fast and do the full loop. Group 2 rides a shorter route at a slightly slower pace. Group 3 is a more relaxed pace. In theory if you can't keep up with group 1 you can drop to group 2.

My first ride with this group was a group 3 ride. Initially the idea was to ride a shorter ride up the Baudichonne climb, stopping at the P'tit Bar. I rode to it, had a quick snack, and then continued riding upwards. I was the only person from group 3 to get to the top. That's why this week I decided to ride with group 2.

This week group 2 rode to Les Fruitères de Nyon. It's a climb up the Jura to a farm from which you have a good view of the Léman and the Alps, including Geneva.

What struck me about last night's ride is that we were riding as a peloton, up steep gradients, and keeping as a tight group. It's the first time I ride in such a group, where we stick together until a certain point. Eventually as people grew more tired the group elongated.

Near the top group 1 flew by group 2. At the top we stopped for a few minutes, to appreciate the view, before heading back down.

How Does it Compare to Bike Club Switzerland

Whilst Tête de Course (TDC) starts from a café in Nyon Bike Club Switzerland (BCS) starts from a bike shop in Les Grottes by Cornavin train station. It uses meetup.com and has clear and distinct groups for relaxed rides, moderate rides, peak rides and gravel. So far I have focused mainly on relaxed with this group.

The relaxed rides are meant to go at 20km/h or so but can trend upwards depending on the level of the group and they try to be around 50 km long. Some relaxed rides are long, and thus 80 or more kilometres in distance.

With the relaxed rides you stop for coffee at some point. Within this group climbing is at your own pace.

I cannot comment on moderate to peak rides yet as I have not tried them. I do joke that we did a recovery ride one sunday at 29km/h or more. This is not a criticism. It amused me.

And Finally

I enjoy riding with Tête de Course. I enjoy that it is local to me. I enjoyed riding in a peloton part of the way up the Jura, before fatigue encouraged me to have more space between myself and others. If you love to climb on every ride then this is a great group. Tomorrow they are going along a route that will have 1400m of climbing. I could be tempted, if I didn't think that I need to give my body time to rest and recover. That's where BCS comes in.

If you live in Geneva BCS rides are from 40-80 kilometres long, but if you live in Nyon then every ride is a century. It is possible for me to do 100+km rides consistently because relaxed rides are at a pace that I can sustain for longer periods of time. Tomorrow I might ride 120km. I suspect that I will catch the train from Geneva to Nyon, or Coppet.

I am enjoying these bike rides.

#bcs #cycling #Geneva #groups #Nyon #relaxed #rides #tdc

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