New toy

Garmin Edge 705 – more soon.

 

Good stuff I have found…

Free maps for Garmin users here

Great software for Garmin users here – Sport Tracks

Good route creation website for hikers and (off road) bikers (OS Map based) – Bikehike

Good route creation for on-road bikers – Bike Route Toaster

:)

Tunnock’s Tea Cakes

Gotta have one… www.thecyclejersey.com

Cannondale touring bike is finished!

I have finally finished converting my old 1988 Cannondale SM700 to a super comfy, fast touring bike.

I added some multi-position touring bars, called butterfly bars or trekking bars. Found a great pair of BBB BHB-30 Multibars for good money at Freemans Cycles and finished them off with a matching set of foam grips encased in Cinelli carbon tape. The fatter the grip the better (for comfort) and as I am using it to commute, the tougher the better too, hence the Cinelli bar tape.

I found a cheap short hi-rise stem on Ebay to pull the ride into a more upright position, added a Cateye Cordless Strada and a bell to stop the dog walkers on the Sustrans bike paths whinging when I shoot past them. BTW, Sustrans maps now available from Memory Map for 20 quid.

If you look down at my fork crown in the top picture, you can see the best cycle mirror ever made – and I have tried a few. It’s called a Zefal Spy and it fits anywhere (look at this Amazon link and you’ll see what I mean). They are so good I have fitted one to the forks of my road bike too. They have saved my skin a few times and you can see cycling clubs approaching from behind so you can suck in your belly and put on a burst of speed.

The finishing touch is my pride and joy – a copper finished Brooks B17 Special. I had one of these on a bike I had as a youngster – not sure where it came from, probably something my grandfather found somewhere. It was ancient and a joy to ride.

The B17 saddles are touring classics and once broken in, nothing compares comfort wise. They’re not light (I didn’t go for the titanium version, but I do have a titanium Brooks Swift on my mountain bike), but at my age I am happy to forsake a few ounces for a comfy ride. I’m pretty lucky with this B17, I did 60 miles on it today and it feels great, so pretty much broken in after about 120 miles.

I wish I could say the same for the Swift ;)

Whatever bike you ride, invest a few quid and a few miles in a Brooks saddle. Sure, you need to treat them well, nourish them and cover them in heavy rain, but they will last longer than the bike and probably longer than you.

And when you are 92 and find it in your shed, you’ll probably make a profit on Ebay.

Amazing

Astounding, brave, creative, insane… take a look even if you are not into bikes.

Watch him ride up a tree and do a back flip off it.

This kid has BALLS.

Cannondale reborn

My beloved 1988 Cannondale has just come back from being resprayed and reborn as a touring bike. 20 odd years ago, this steed was just about one of the best mountain bikes money could buy, but it’s relaxed geometry is a million miles away from modern MTB’s and my new Marin Mount Vision.

My father in law very kindly arranged the pimp paint job for me – purple/jade/orange tri-tone – and with the ‘Dales gorgeous welds, it looks like its been poured into a mould.

I have rebuilt it from the tyres up, with Shimano SLX 28 speed drivetrain and a new Deore wheelset. The brakes are original (an XT U-Brake on the back and XT canti’s on the front). I have kept my old Pace forks and have fitted some Ergon grips to some narrow, dead straight Ti’ bars. I’ll probably change these bars for some butterfly bars in the next few weeks. Bit more upright and comfortable for taking in the views.

I’m going to be using this bike to do the 12 mile commute into work. I’ve been cycling in since Christmas on my Marin, which isn’t ideal but I’m managing to maintain my 50+ miles per week. I’m the fittest I’ve been since the Cambrian Way and my arse is a lot smaller!

Really looking forward to some Youth Hostelling with the boys as they get older. Aaron is ready for a short, flat trip this summer so I’m planning a route using the excellent Sustrans networks of cyclepaths here in Wales.

Roll on summer :)

Brechfa [take two]

I took the drive up to Brechfa again this weekend after Tim emailed me to say the trails were clear and dry.

I rode the blue and green Derwen trails twice – best fun I have had on a bike since I was a kid jumping over lines of my mates. You can grab the trail maps here.

I was enjoying too much to take photos, but check out this handy site to get a flavour, maps and gpx’s.

Going back real soon to ride the red Gorlech.

Tried my new (2nd hand) Ergon grips – these babies are MADE for the forty-something mountain biker. So comfy, I forgot I had hands.

Thanks to my next door neighbour, Steve, for recommending them :)

Brechfa

I took a drive up to Brechfa today – should have been about an hour if the damned Road Angel didn’t send me on a wild goose chase AGAIN. It is a wonderful tool on the hills, but let it loose on our highways, and no matter what settings you use, it sends you on such a direct route that you end up on all sorts of crazy green lanes.

Tomtom, here I come.

The plan was to ride the two Derwen routes (blue and green) and if I had enough time, to take in the (red) Gorlech trail.

Anyway, I arrived at Brechfa and hour late to find the higher trails under several inches of ice crusted snow – pretty much impossible to ride. I played on the bottom swoopy mile of the Derwen, up and down four times, to make the journey worthwhile. The Raven was closed for logging (open again any day now), but the section down through the car park was rideable and great fun.

It’s a beautiful place. I can’t wait to get back as soon as the snow melts.

Hike’n’bike

Being a hiker and a biker, I am loving this…

Cut Gate Path

A wonderful morning on the epic Cut Gate Path in the Peak District.

My new ride

Went for a quick first ride on my new MTB – lots of ‘spronging’ as spokes settled and components bedded in, so I took it easy. I can’t believe how much mountain bikes have changed in the past 8 years – more comfortable (the geometry has relaxed), much quicker (due to intelligent suspension) and much lighter (carbon fibre and Ti’ bits and bobs and frame construction advances).

Looking forward to a bit of a longer ride across Cefn Bryn and down through Parc le Breos tomorrow if the weather holds off. Sarah has got me an adjustable Gravity Dropper seatpost for Christmas, but that is hidden somewhere until next week. That’ll save a few teeth and the odd collarbone.

Alan kindly gave me a tiny little Specialized Hotrock (his son’s old bike) for Aaron – he absolutely loves it. I bought some new huge knobbly tires and he had his first foray off-road last weekend. He came back muddy and grinning, telling his mum about his exploits.

Joe hopes Santa will bring him a bike this year so he can come too. I expect to be spending quite a lot on first aid products this year.