Any Road cyclists amongst?

I have a few bikes dating back to the seventies mainly 531 tubing etc. They dont see a lot of use as I use an electric mountain bike for exploring the fell tracks of which there are many in my part of Cumbria. The C2C route passes my front gates and I'm always amazed how many cyclists doing the route which has some pretty brutal climbs are on mountain bikes. In my experience riding a mountain bike on tarmac is like riding through glue compared to a road bike. I've rescued a few on Hartside with mechanical or exhaustion problems sometimes in terrible weather. A few told me they decided to do the route on a whim and bought bikes not long before which is a bit bold in my view.
 
Love the handebars, I have funny wrists and straight bars make them ache after a while. Yours look very comfortable
They were, but there is a technique in riding it, because when you turn the handle bars you need to keep your knees out wide, otherwise the bars will not be able to be turned enough. And to think, I picked it up for tenner (they wouldn't accept my original offer of a fiver!) at a place I was working at, some 33 years ago, where it used to be used (for many years) by the trades persons taking their tools etc around the site to carry out maintenance works etc.
 
I used to find the down tube shifters a complete pain even the Campag ones. Then Sun-Tour brought out bar end shifters with a non slip ratchet mechanism and I used those for years the only disadvantage being extra long cables and a cable stop in place of down tube levers.
 
I've never known anything different to the down tube shifters, perhaps if I get through the hard work of getting back to some type of fitness and of course avoiding aggravating the knee or any other injuries I may then perhaps consider a bike upgrade. I do think (present company accepted) that some people spend a lot of time getting the "right type" of bike, when initially it's more about just getting out on a bike (any bike) and getting the heart pumping once again. That reminds me, after Boris's initial hype about everyone jumping on their bikes (remember that?), it may almost be time to start scouring Gumtree for those that thought it may be a good idea!
 
Well with all the responses (which I wasn't expecting)
Anyone one up for a dedicated thread for daily/weekly rides (if we are allowed, powers that be?)
And I also thought I should show you my self built franken-bike. View attachment 59357
Nice bike - and self-built - impressive!
I used to frequent some cycling forums plus others but these days I only post if I have a question I couldn't find an answer elsewhere, very rare. Also found I spent too much time on forums and social media in general - now I'm restricting myself to very few hobbies and topics.
Regarding ride reports, here is the map of one of my regulars, especially in the summer months, 60k round trip to Windsor & Eton:
Capture3.JPG
 
Yesterday, my wife and I, loaded my bike with with tent, food, the kitchen sink and went for a ride along the Bournemouth promenade.... surprisingly the beach was packed for a Monday and never seen in September. We pitched the tent near shore road and we spent hours looking at the sea, eating, sleeping and reading from inside the tent :) not a great deal of cycling though but at least we did 20 minutes of swimming :)

I must fit a pannier rack to my wife's bike....
 
Thought I recognised the images Merkurologist (from your previous posts); yes no social distancing applies on Bournemouth beach, unfortunately! As you are aware, if you walk 200 metres from Shore Road towards the Haven Hotel, you will find it deserted; as usual, no one can be bothered with the walk! Swimming and cycling, almost a triathlon!
 
And remember folks to stay hydrated!

Had a kidney stone removed earlier in the year. My doctor thought cycling was likely to blame. You can get dehydrated very easily on long runs. Over time that increases the risk of a stone.

Kidney stones hurt. A lot. At one point I was written up for morphine...
 
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