[svccridesupdate] Disc brakes in hot weather
Heads up! Take care when storing your bike with disc brakes in hot weather! I recently took my bike on holiday and, as there was nowhere secure to store it, decided that the safest place would be locked inside my car. Big mistake! When I retrieved it a couple of (hot) days later to go on a ride I discovered to my horror that the brakes weren’t working at all! Fortunately this was before I set off straight down the steep hill into Okehampton. So no ride ☹. The bike was fine on my ride beforehand and I had new brake pads so I knew they were ok. Having researched online I have discovered that hydraulic brake fluid can overheat and boil in extreme heat creating air bubbles which reduce its pressure and lead to brake failure. It’s possible that the bike having been laid on its side in the car could have been an issue and of course it does get v hot in a car. The brakes still don’t work now that it’s home and cooled down. So its off to the Bike Drop on 12 August, the first available date, to sort it out. At £30 per brake it’s an expensive lesson! Thank goodness my team did well in the Treasure Hunt, my £10 prize voucher will help. Cycle safe. And check your brakes! Anne
________________________________ From: svccridesupdate@googlegroups.com <svccridesupdate@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Clare Smith <clarefrgsmith@gmail.com> Sent: 01 August 2026 08:37 To: Stroud Cycling Club <svccridesupdate@googlegroups.com> Subject: [svccridesupdate] Sunday 2nd August Ride to Hill
Good Morning Everyone
It’s another ride to Hill Tea and Cakes – so don’t forget your cash! About 57 miles / 92km in total with 2,500 ft / 750m of climbing. Due to a lot of roadworks around Coaley / Peter’s Street, I’ve decided to throw in a bit of a challenge and go up Frocester Hill and down Crawley Hill through Uley. You can probably get through the roadworks on a bike, if you want to avoid Frocester Hill.
Meet at 9:30am at Wallbridge Lock Ebley, Ryeford, Stanley Downton, Frocester Hill, Uley, Dursley and Leaf and Ground at Stinchcombe for a coffee stop after about 12 miles. Then Wick, Damery, Tortworth, Cromhall, Tytherington, Itchington, Thornbury, Oldbury-on-Severn, Hill after about 35 miles. I’m hoping to get there a little bit before 2pm, ready for the afternoon opening. Return through Rockhampton, Berkeley, Slimbridge, Cambridge where I will leave you and you can choose your preferred route home. The Ride with GPS route goes back via Claypits and Eastington to avoid the roadworks. Ride to Hill via Frocester Hill<ridewithgps.com/routes/56435819> I will put Live Location on for anyone joining en route or taking a slightly different route.
Hope to see some of you tomorrow – hot and sunny and no rain forecast.
Clare
________________________________ From: svccridesupdate@googlegroups.com <svccridesupdate@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Clare Smith <clarefrgsmith@gmail.com> Sent: 01 August 2026 08:37 To: Stroud Cycling Club <svccridesupdate@googlegroups.com> Subject: [svccridesupdate] Sunday 2nd August Ride to Hill
Good Morning Everyone
It’s another ride to Hill Tea and Cakes – so don’t forget your cash! About 57 miles / 92km in total with 2,500 ft / 750m of climbing. Due to a lot of roadworks around Coaley / Peter’s Street, I’ve decided to throw in a bit of a challenge and go up Frocester Hill and down Crawley Hill through Uley. You can probably get through the roadworks on a bike, if you want to avoid Frocester Hill.
Meet at 9:30am at Wallbridge Lock Ebley, Ryeford, Stanley Downton, Frocester Hill, Uley, Dursley and Leaf and Ground at Stinchcombe for a coffee stop after about 12 miles. Then Wick, Damery, Tortworth, Cromhall, Tytherington, Itchington, Thornbury, Oldbury-on-Severn, Hill after about 35 miles. I’m hoping to get there a little bit before 2pm, ready for the afternoon opening. Return through Rockhampton, Berkeley, Slimbridge, Cambridge where I will leave you and you can choose your preferred route home. The Ride with GPS route goes back via Claypits and Eastington to avoid the roadworks. Ride to Hill via Frocester Hill<ridewithgps.com/routes/56435819> I will put Live Location on for anyone joining en route or taking a slightly different route.
Hope to see some of you tomorrow – hot and sunny and no rain forecast.
Clare