What preps are you doing this week? Part 3.

[sniper 55]

Ohhh I've got a BM's nearbye, I'll pop in tomorrow and grab a headlamp or two. Got to get my watch strap fixed in town anyway, my bergan strap caught it as I was taking it off and snapped the watch strap, I felt it go and caught the watch.

[Jan Smits]

So much for re-arranging the bags. I moved a couple of small things onto a keychain, and swapped the rainwear for something I like better. Watched quite a lot of youtube, so ended up ordering a few more bits too - it's a case of making space and then filling it with more stuff.

As for headtorches, I was always sceptical about them. Bought a cheapo one ahead of my recent trip, but despite the ill-fitting straps I have to say I'm converted. Headtorches are the way to go.

[nickdutch]

As part of my drive to get myself to a basic level of fitness which I admit has been going on for a while, I am now looking at another bike. This time it would be a "road bike" what we used to call a racer in the 80s. Sleeker and lighter then the mountain bike, and much less tiring to ride. Generally a faster vehicle.

Reason? I am planning to join the cycling club in the new year. This will mean a regular sporting activity and also sociable too. Cycling clubs aren't all that namby pamby as their rides are 20 - 30 miles for the beginners (!) and longer (like 60 miles) for the proper members!

Now the mountain bike I ave is old school and rather heavy, also the wheels are thick with massive knobbly tires which are great for mud and ok for gravel, but really come into their own in wet roads as far as grip is concerned. BUT they create resistance like crazy so cycling it becomes a resistance workout in its own right (good for the exercise, but bad if you want to get about).

So once the tax bill is paid ( end of Jan) and I have substantially reduced my current credit, I will head out to get a good lightweight machine. Probably doing part cash part credit for it. Seriously a easily "good" bike can cost you the same as a brand new car. It's scary. But that wont be the level that i will be going for.

Hoping to get fit enough to do a "century" (100 miles in a day) at some point. That would be a real goal to reach.

That could mean more transport possibilities too.

[Yorkshire Andy]

As part of my drive to get myself to a basic level of fitness which I admit has been going on for a while, I am now looking at another bike. This time it would be a "road bike" what we used to call a racer in the 80s. Sleeker and lighter then the mountain bike, and much less tiring to ride. Generally a faster vehicle.

Reason? I am planning to join the cycling club in the new year. This will mean a regular sporting activity and also sociable too. Cycling clubs aren't all that namby pamby as their rides are 20 - 30 miles for the beginners (!) and longer (like 60 miles) for the proper members!

Now the mountain bike I ave is old school and rather heavy, also the wheels are thick with massive knobbly tires which are great for mud and ok for gravel, but really come into their own in wet roads as far as grip is concerned. BUT they create resistance like crazy so cycling it becomes a resistance workout in its own right (good for the exercise, but bad if you want to get about).

So once the tax bill is paid ( end of Jan) and I have substantially reduced my current credit, I will head out to get a good lightweight machine. Probably doing part cash part credit for it. Seriously a easily "good" bike can cost you the same as a brand new car. It's scary. But that wont be the level that i will be going for.

Hoping to get fit enough to do a "century" (100 miles in a day) at some point. That would be a real goal to reach.

That could mean more transport possibilities too.

Look into a cyclocross bike. More robust than a standard shaved legs roadie bike and better brakes and the ability to go off road

[nickdutch]

Look into a cyclocross bike. More robust than a standard shaved legs roadie bike and better brakes and the ability to go off road

Cyclocross bikes are fantastic, but as cyclocross races are only 1 hour in duration, they aren't designed for comfort. And if you are planning to go a great distance then you need comfort. The options remain either gravel or road bikes. But as most of my travel is on the road it best be a road bike modified with comfort saddle. Possibly a light weight touring model (rigged for panniers front and back) ideally. I'd love to have a gravel bike too (basically i just want to have money as no object and get tonnes of bikes but lets live in reality for the moment!) but if I am only going to select one and I am going to be doing club cycling, best to stick with one road bike, then wait until next year for the gravel racer.

[sniper 55]

As part of my drive to get myself to a basic level of fitness which I admit has been going on for a while, I am now looking at another bike. This time it would be a "road bike" what we used to call a racer in the 80s. Sleeker and lighter then the mountain bike, and much less tiring to ride. Generally a faster vehicle.

Reason? I am planning to join the cycling club in the new year. This will mean a regular sporting activity and also sociable too. Cycling clubs aren't all that namby pamby as their rides are 20 - 30 miles for the beginners (!) and longer (like 60 miles) for the proper members!

Now the mountain bike I ave is old school and rather heavy, also the wheels are thick with massive knobbly tires which are great for mud and ok for gravel, but really come into their own in wet roads as far as grip is concerned. BUT they create resistance like crazy so cycling it becomes a resistance workout in its own right (good for the exercise, but bad if you want to get about).

So once the tax bill is paid ( end of Jan) and I have substantially reduced my current credit, I will head out to get a good lightweight machine. Probably doing part cash part credit for it. Seriously a easily "good" bike can cost you the same as a brand new car. It's scary. But that wont be the level that i will be going for.

Hoping to get fit enough to do a "century" (100 miles in a day) at some point. That would be a real goal to reach.

That could mean more transport possibilities too.

I used to do a lot of cycling in my younger days, including the ever-ready century ride (100 miles) we'd think nothing of doing 20 or 30 miles a night once we'd got fit (thats the hard part lol) and that was all weather.
As you say you do need a proper road bike, really light and we used what were called then sprints and tubs, a sort of thick inner tube with a tread which is stuck on the wheel, you just carry a spare in your back pocket. It's also handy if you get a cassette rear hub, you can change the gear ratios then for a flat or hilly course.

[Yorkshire Andy]

Look into a cyclocross bike. More robust than a standard shaved legs roadie bike and better brakes and the ability to go off road

Cyclocross bikes are fantastic, but as cyclocross races are only 1 hour in duration, they aren't designed for comfort. And if you are planning to go a great distance then you need comfort. The options remain either gravel or road bikes. But as most of my travel is on the road it best be a road bike modified with comfort saddle. Possibly a light weight touring model (rigged for panniers front and back) ideally. I'd love to have a gravel bike too (basically i just want to have money as no object and get tonnes of bikes but lets live in reality for the moment!) but if I am only going to select one and I am going to be doing club cycling, best to stick with one road bike, then wait until next year for the gravel racer.

What alters the comfort over / between cyclocross vs a road bike?

looking at technical stats there is Very little in terms of geometry between 2 random Cannondales i clicked on from Evans cycles



https://static.evanscycles.com/producti ... ometry.pdf


https://www.evanscycles.com/cannondale- ... e-EV214058

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

https://static.evanscycles.com/producti ... ometry.pdf


https://www.evanscycles.com/cannondale- ... e-EV239413



from a confuzzed fat slob Mountain biker looks like they have slightly heavier ergo stronger wheels which would survive modern "roads" and Disc brakes win a vote from me over caliper brakes in terms of consistent power and no rim wear oooerrrrr

I have got a old Carrera valour road bike but it shakes me to bits and the SPD-R pedals are Lethal so i go full on against the grain with mountain bike boots and spd peddles on it

[poppypiesdad]

Mountain bike amd slick tyres do it for me in the city

J

[gamekeeper752]

Nice little racer for road work and a roller set for winter training but:-

I've got a oldish hybrid thing that I've put panniers on to carry quite a lot of kit.

I've tested it with me a ruck sack and the panniers upwards of 275 kg and the wheels turned round and although a push was needed on the hills was able to get some way away from home 10 miles no problem and quicker than a TAB.
I was already aware of various armies using bikes for kit transport.

[Yorkshire Andy]

tonights little hord

already have one of the torches pictured (got last year) and for the money £12 in lidl with 3 energiser batteries i cant complain.... (that and things that use C Cells are rather scarce meaning that whilst the aaa/ AA / D cells' get hammered i can always keep a working stash of C cell's / get my hands on some when most others are sold out ...


oh and in the sales rack of Asda 4x d alkaline £1.75 BBE 2018 and the AAA energiser AAA £3.49 bbe 2025