Sunday to Frodsham — A Broken Insta360 & Bloody Knees
Towards Frodsham Bridge
We finally managed the impossible — a group agreement to meet at 8am sharp at CMA. I even arrived at 7:58, somehow beating my sat nav by a whole minute. Doc, of course, was already there — apparently, he runs on his own timezone and had arrived at 7:50.
One by one the team appeared: Yasir, Atif, Sam and finally Saiful. The plan was clear: a non-drop ride where we’d stick together no matter what.
By 8:10 we rolled out… and within seconds, five of the lads blasted off the front, leaving me, Jay, and Saiful dangling at the back. So much for sticking together. It took us ten minutes to reel them back in, only to be greeted with complaints later when we opened up the legs on the lanes. “You dropped us!” cried Atif and Doc. I laughed and was reminded: two wrongs make a right by Atif.
Bloody Knees
Once settled, we rolled into a smooth little peloton, keeping pace nicely — until the route itself betrayed us. Atif, who had designed it, hadn’t actually checked it properly. Cue Yasir’s grumbles.
About 20 miles in, just seven miles from our café stop, I made the mistake of whipping out my shiny new Insta360 to capture the moment crossing a picturesque little bridge. The footage? Probably cinematic. The aftermath? Less so. As I put the camera away, my bike slipped sideways and down I went. Elbow grazed, knee bleeding, pride dented, and worst of all — both lenses of my brand-new Insta360 scratched to oblivion. Doc was right behind me, apparently holding a banana, don’t ask.
Cafe BLOOM in Frodsham
Eventually, we rolled into Frodsham… only to find that Atif’s “excellent café” was shut. Yasir and Saiful were not impressed. A quick scout down the high street saved the day as we stumbled across BLOOM. Friendly staff, good coffee, and a round of orders that cost a bit more than usual. Most of the lads stuck with coffee, but Sam and I went for food — I had Eggs Benedict. Fantastic… apart from the sourdough, which could’ve doubled as a paving slab.
Amazing view over Cheshire, on top of Brickworks climb
The café stop chat didn’t disappoint: we debated whether Atif had actually stolen this route from Tariq (who we picked up in Lymm), and Doc finally revealed what he thought “BOB” stood for: Banana On Bums. Don’t ask.
Leaving BLOOM, the road instantly kicked uphill. Atif and Sam were grumbling already, legs cooked. Then came Saiful’s mechanical — a loose cassette — which he and Tariq tried to nurse back to health. Not long after, Sam tapped out completely, citing breathing struggles and declaring he was “no longer a man.” Saiful marked the occasion by gifting him an acorn, the same cursed acorn we later decided was responsible for both my crash and Saiful’s bike troubles.
As if the day wasn’t chaotic enough, the heavens opened on the way home. Half of us, wisely, followed Tariq’s advice and packed proper rain gear. The other half, foolishly listening to Atif, got absolutely drenched.
In the end, Doc took over navigation and steered us safely back to CMA, soggy but smiling (mostly). Another day of climbs, chaos, coffee, and crashes — the kind of ride you don’t forget.
📊 Ride Stats
Distance: 57.35 miles
Elevation Gain: 1,883 ft
Moving Time: 3:51
Elapsed Time: 4:59
Average Speed: 14.9 mph
Climbs Conquered: A mix of Cheshire lanes & the Frodsham kicker
Riders: 7 out of 8 (not bad!)
Café Stop: BLOOM, Frodsham
Cake: 7/10
Coffee: 6/10
Eggs Benedict: 8/10 (excellent but bread was solid as a rock)
Service: 10/10 (super friendly)
Banter Rating: Heated but hilarious
Crash Drama: 1 Insta360 destroyed, 1 knee sacrificed
Weather: Sunshine > Rainstorm (Atif’s fault)
Overall Vibes: Chaos with a side of coffee ☕✨