Bikes

[lnr]

damerell is planning to cycle Lands End to John O'Groats in September, and I think it would be rather fun to join him (and others). So since I'm pretty unfit at the moment I took the advantage of today's sunshine to go out for a spin round the block. Up Kings Hedges Rd, right along Histon Rd, down Castle Hill, left onto Chesterton Lane/Rd/High Street, Greenend Road, and back along the other half of Kings Hedges Rd. Stopped on Chesterton Road at Townsends and booked bike in for a service on Monday, as well as buying a bottle cage and a new cheapo bike computer. Spent the last half hour or so fitting those (the bottle cage was a pig, the screws are barely long enough) and setting up the computer. Maybe after I've been to occupational health I'll give it another spin round the block and see how far it is.

Comments

[angua.livejournal.com]

If anyone needs crash space at the Lands End end (as it were) then my parents live just outside of Penzance and they don't know it yet but they'd be happy to put people up for a couple of days :)

I might even be tempted to come down and wave people off!

[saraphale.livejournal.com]

And then get the train, to wave people into John O'Groats?

[angua.livejournal.com]

You know, that actually isn't such a bad idea.. it would be great to travel the length of the country and stop off at a few cities I'd like to see on the way!

[damerell.livejournal.com]

Hey, that's awfully kind of you, but you realise we'll be kind of mob-handed, right?

[angua.livejournal.com]

How many of you are there likely to be?

I've taken 12 people to kip at my parents before now.. admittedly it was in tents in the garden but by then they'll have the new extension build with more rooms.

[damerell.livejournal.com]

Half a dozen?

OK, perhaps that isn't so many by comparison...

[angua.livejournal.com]

That will probably be doable then... My folks are nice really and good at putting people up for a day or two :)

[aldabra]

So a bike computer is something that lets you check LJ on the way?

[lnr]

*giggle* unfortunately not. Just a speed/distance travelled measuring device. I can *post* en route by SMS, but I think I'll have to give up on reading.

We were aiming to set aside a fortnight for it, multimpa says shortest route is 826.81 miles (1,330.62 km) - and of course we'll be taking quieter roads. 60 miles a day every day for a fortnight sounds pretty daunting actually.

[gnimmel.livejournal.com]

Wow, that sounds rather exciting. :)
60 miles a day repeatedly sounds terrifying, though; the most I've done in a day is 35, and I was somewhet besplatted afterwards. I guess having a good bike in good condition helps (as opposed to having to stop every five miles and re-inflate the tyres).

[damerell.livejournal.com]

Dunno about reinflation, but the single biggest improvement one can make to most bikes is to remove knobblies and fit road tyres - it can add 2mph...

[lnr]

Yup, that's going to be the next investment on my bike. On a smooth road surface you can *hear* my current tyres.

[damerell.livejournal.com]

Given the shortage of Avocets in this country, the Conti Ultra Gator Skin seems to be the most readily available mid-priced tyre with an effectively slick tread (there are some purely cosmetic indentations) - I use 'em. I used to use Conti GP3000s but they started to last less long than I can deal with in an expensive tyre, and the last one I got in 23mm was impossibly tight.

[lnr]

Given this monster has currently got 700x38C tyres I'll try dropping to 28mm and see how I get on with those. Hey and wiggle actually have some shorts in which they say are a size 16-18, I might even fit in them by September if I'm lucky.

[damerell.livejournal.com]

If you can fit 38mm tyres and can get them as near-slicks, I'd use 'em - especially for touring. Certainly 32s over 28s.

I use narrow tyres because my frame doesn't have the clearance for much more, although I'm hoping to rearrange things in front and cram in a 25 - at least then they'd match...

[lnr]

How's: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/?ProductID=5360010748

[bellinghman.livejournal.com]

A data point: some friends did Cropredy back to Cambridge in a day - about 80 miles - and were pretty knackered at the end of it.

(They'd done the outbound trip over two days with no trouble.)

[lnr]

I've done 55 miles in a day (London to Cambridge) and 40 in an afternoon with no trouble (round trip to Royston, scenic route). That was the summer before last when I was fitter and thinner though. But plenty of the year left for training.

[damerell.livejournal.com]

80 mpd seems to be a middling figure for groups who don't have much previous cycling experience, so I think it'll be OK - when one thinks in terms of speed over ten hours of riding, it's not so daunting.

Robin and I might hire a tandem, which would relieve matters for the only total novice.

[arnhem.livejournal.com]

Is that a fortnight cycling, or a fortnight including the logistical bits at each end?

Go for it! 8-)

[damerell.livejournal.com]

2 weeks off work is 16 days, which I figure is 14 days actually in the saddle (plus a couple of short days either end).

[damerell.livejournal.com]

2 weeks off work is 16 days, which I figure is 14 days actually in the saddle (plus a few miles in the loose day at either end).

[beingjdc.livejournal.com]

Not even I am that mad. My plans extend only as far as doing Oxford-Cambridge in both directions this year.

[timeplease.livejournal.com]

Are you planning to camp (and carry all the appropriate equipment), or travel between B&Bs each day?

[lnr]

B&Bs I think, minimise the weight we're carrying.

[damerell.livejournal.com]

B&Bs for sure - we're employed, and we'll have an easier time of it if we're not carrying camping equipment. I reckon without camping we'll get it down to one pannier of clothing, waterproofs and spares per person - hell, I commute with more junk than that. :-)

[lnr]

One pannier of clothing? We're going to be doing a hell of a lot of laundry at that rate!

I wonder if I'll be able to get decent padded shorts to fit :-/

[damerell.livejournal.com]

SJS cycles sell some pretty large shorts - albeit it's a pain to buy clothing without trying it.

Laundry - yeah, but it's that or carry fourteen pairs of shorts...

[lnr]

Only one pair of size 18 women's shorts. I've no idea what size I'd be on the unisex ones, and they don't give a lot of info.

[naath.livejournal.com]

Dude that sounds really cool. I wanna come now. Probably can't afford accomadation for 2 weeks and the repairs my mother's bike needs before it'll stand up to 2 weeks on the road or the work that mine would need before it'll take paniers etc.
Not to mention that I probably can't manage 60miles a day.

[damerell.livejournal.com]

Well, if you can get the money together, the more the merrier, frankly...

[naath.livejournal.com]

And I'm going to Oxonmoot... what fact I just remembered.

[perdita-fysh.livejournal.com]

You might want to consider a camelback over a water bottle, for a length ride like that. It certainly saves time and effort when you can just sip as you go without any complex manouvering or need to stop. www.wiggle.co.uk usually have the best prices.

[lnr]

Oh I might well by that point. Just wanted the bottle cage for the meantime anyway, since I already have suitable bottle from the previous bike.

[damerell.livejournal.com]

Putting weight on the back rather than on the bike is not really a good idea for road cycling, especially since a fair proportion of it ends up on the wrists with a forward posture. Conversely, I find (admittedly after some practice) that I can drink from a waterbottle while pedalling constantly - so it's actually pretty easy once you're used to it.

[skorpionuk.livejournal.com]

Hey that is a really cool idea. I'm half-tempted also - but no idea if 60 miles a day is feasible for me, and also not sure about holidays and such.

Still, one to keep in mind... :-)

[damerell.livejournal.com]

As for holidays, by the end of this week we should know for sure if the dates will be the 4th September to the 19th, which is what we plan on - remind me to let you know when those dates are definite.

[LNR - you're going to be seeing this para about three times, sorry...]

Googling around a number of people seem to have made 80 miles a day without prior cycling experience short of training in the months immediately prior - 60 is probably an underestimate since we wouldn't be going by the very shortest route which is apparently kind of miserable - but it seems quite viable. It sounds like a lot but after all it could be done at an average 10mph with plenty of time for big lunches and beer in the evenings...

[mhk.livejournal.com]

Good for you. If you can do this, or something like it, I think that you will feel a lot better.