The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

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Ray P
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#2641 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Post by Ray P »

Yesterday I had my first outing on the new wheels that replaced the Mavic's with the broken rim. The new wheels are DT Swiss, really good quality and they roll very nicely. They're tubeless ready but for now I'm using the tubes/tyres from the old wheels as there's a lot of life left in them.

It was a good ride and I managed a new personal best on one of the 'big' hills just south of Taunton that climbs up onto the Blackdowns (big being relative of course, it's no Mont Ventoux!).

It was just a little warm!
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IslandPink
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#2642 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Post by IslandPink »

Nice, looks like a decent hill to me.
I just went out intending to do about 1 1/2 hrs but did just over 2hrs in the end.
It was a sort-of variant of the last 2hrs+ ride but clockwise instead of anti-clockwise.
Went alright apart from the depressing number of sections of (perfecly good) smooth tarmac that are being covered in chippings at the moment.

Did anyone see that hard club-run that they ran in Italy yesterday ? The guy at the front was very keen to get home for some tea and fruit cake - managed 189 miles at an average of 26mph !
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Ray P
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#2643 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Post by Ray P »

Good ride Mark.
IslandPink wrote: Sun Aug 09, 2020 7:21 pm It was a sort-of variant of the last 2hrs+ ride but clockwise instead of anti-clockwise.
Coincidentally, my ride today was the reverse of one I did on Wednesday...
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IslandPink wrote: Sun Aug 09, 2020 7:21 pm Went alright apart from the depressing number of sections of (perfecly good) smooth tarmac that are being covered in chippings at the moment.
Same down here, the number of times I've had to detour to avoid miles of the damn things. It's not just that they're puncture traps, the dust gets in the drive chain and if you go at more than walking speed it chips the paint off the frame.
IslandPink wrote: Sun Aug 09, 2020 7:21 pm Did anyone see that hard club-run that they ran in Italy yesterday ? The guy at the front was very keen to get home for some tea and fruit cake - managed 189 miles at an average of 26mph !
Missed that but I couldn't believe it when a work colleague posted his Sunday solo ride a few weeks back; 200miles at 17.5mph! Even more impressive was that he did it on the lumpy terrain in West Somerset and Devon.
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#2644 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Post by Ray P »

Took the fat-tyred bike out for the first time for a couple of months this afternoon - pootled 20miles along the local canal tow path, mostly gravel tracks. Hardly anyone about, very quiet and peaceful with lots of nature. I might have mentioned before that the towpath has a scale model of the solar system with an enourmous sun at the hafway point and the planets, at scale size and distances along the way.
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#2645 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Post by IslandPink »

If you are doing that sort of thing, then one of these days you are going to come across Adam Watkins. Have you seen any of his videos on Youtube ?
He's a scream, i really like them. Plenty of long distance Audax stuff, but a lot of good shorter films just covering rides from Bristol. There are long-running themes like 'Ooh - Pile of Dirt' when he spots something dodgy in a field , etc. His love of cycling really comes across, though.
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#2646 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Post by Ray P »

IslandPink wrote: Wed Aug 12, 2020 10:26 pm ...then one of these days you are going to come across Adam Watkins.
I'll check him out Mark, cheers.
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#2647 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Post by IslandPink »

Here's a good example :
"Once you find out ... the Circumstances ; then you can go out"
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#2648 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Post by jack »

Most of us consider cycling LEJOG (or JOGLE); some do it...

A friend of my son is running it and wild camping along the way. He used to weigh over 135kg (he's a chef). Since lockdown, he's run over 12.5km/day, every day - he's not missed a single day. This Sunday, for his birthday, he's running a marathon round Hyde Park. He's still about 120kg, but lordy, he's fit. He was at school with my son and I remember him playing rugby and having to do "rolling subs" as he only lasted 15 minutes at a time...

So, Sept 1 he sets off with my son possibly doing it with him... then, later this year, he intends to run the length of New Zealand...

The older son is wild camping and cycling in Kerry, Ireland. Yesterday he attacked Coomanaspic Hill - average gradient is 9%, steepest is 26%... He's also a fit bastard and a great cyclist, but said it almost killed him!
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#2649 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Post by jack »

Department of Transport consultation document on "Changes to The Highway Code: improving safety for cyclists, pedestrians and horse riders" - https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/K736D5/

May be of interest if this hasn’t already been seen - your chance to contribute.

Potential changes to rules for cyclists at number 72 and a survey.

May I suggest that anyone completing the survey familiarises themselves with the Bikeability Guidelines before doing so.
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#2650 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Post by Ray P »

Well. after the tribulations of my abandoned charity ride last Sunday I've just ordered a pair of Schwalbe tubeless tyres - 64% price reduction in the 'Sale' section of Merlin's webpage - you can't go far wrong with Schwalbe tyres... I hope to have them on the bike for the weekend's second attempt.

Also, it seems of the box of four Continental inner tubes I bought, two had faulty valves! Now resolved with replacement valve cores.

I took the winter bike out last evening, having mudguards was really good given the amount of rain we're having. I was quite pleased that I was only 1min slower over my usual there and back route in spite of the mudguards, 32mm tyres and generally heavier bike. It's chucking it down here again this morning so it'll probably get another outing today.
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#2651 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Post by Ray P »

I picked up my wheels, now shod with tubeless tyres, from my bike mechanic chum yesterday lunchtime and headed out for a ride last evening - not ideal conditions and it was really blustery and showery, but I wanted to try them and after sitting working all day I needed the exercise. Anyway, given the conditions it wasn't my fastest ride by any means but I was really impressed with ride on the tubeless tyres, they gave me a feeling of being more in touch with the road and they roll really well - they feel faster. A good investment I think.

I had the tyres fitted for me as I didn't want to mess up the install by doing it myself as there is apparently a technique. I'll get a lesson on the technique when there's a bit more time available.

I'm planning my second attempt at my charity ride tomorrow.
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#2652 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Post by IslandPink »

Good luck tomorrow. Will the wind be any lighter ?
I'm just going to head out to test a new pair of shorts.
Tubeless sounds interesting , I suppose you save approx 100g per tyre. Your omments remind me of hoe it felt riding tubs. Not sure what happens if you hit a pothole, though. It must rely on the rim being a very good seal to the tyre, can that be compromised ?
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#2653 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Post by IslandPink »

I've just come back from my first Winter ride.
It had all the elements. Strong Westerly wind with showers that came on right from the start. Cold rain, mud on the roads, plus some hedge clippings. Final stretch was back uphill, into the teeth of the wind, as the rain came on harder. All nicely rounded off with a half-hour dose of toothache when I got back into the house and put the heating on.
"Once you find out ... the Circumstances ; then you can go out"
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#2654 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Post by Ray P »

Cheers for the good wishes Mark. I was going to ride today but the forecast is for slightly lighter winds tomorrow so I thought I would wait - just had a gentle ride out along the canal today on the fat tyres - enjoyed coffee and cake at the visitor centre.

Regarding potholes, you need to think about where the tubeless thing started - downhill mountain biking - where pinch punctures in inner tubes were a problem with the rough surface. My other road bike has wheels that can take tubeless tyres so I'm thinking of switching over that one too.

Anyway, tomorrow I'll be fully equiped with a new larger aero saddle bag that now holds a spare tube, puncture repair kit, CO2 inflator and three cartridges, a mini-pump and a multi-tool, plus gels, energy bars, spare isotonic drink tablets and cash for the coffee & cake stops.
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#2655 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Post by pre65 »

Ray P wrote: Sat Aug 22, 2020 6:51 pm
Anyway, tomorrow I'll be fully equipped with a new larger aero saddle bag that now holds a spare tube, puncture repair kit, CO2 inflator and three cartridges, a mini-pump and a multi-tool, plus gels, energy bars, spare isotonic drink tablets and cash for the coffee & cake stops.
Wot, no embrocation ?

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