CAUGHT IN THE RAIN

JD SHELTERING FROM THE RAIN

JD and I were out for a training ride together on Monday.....
We will probably only manage one more ride together before we leave for Gibraltar although we will manage quite a few more miles riding on our own.
Anyway back to our Monday ride.....the original weather forecast was for a dry day, however as we set off from Wimborne there were one or two big black clouds hovering over in the direction we were heading for.

Now regular readers will know that I like to avoid riding in the rain if I can. Well actually getting caught in the rain is one thing...I can live with that- after all there is not much you can do about it.
Where I do draw the line is if it is pelting down before I leave home....under those circumstances I probably would't bother.
To be truthful it's not about me getting wet...it's more about the bike getting filthy on the muddy country roads and all that cleaning afterwards...I can do without that..!
The big black cloud seemed to be dancing around us as we headed in the direction of the 'Tarrant' villages. At one point we rode through a light shower but after a few minutes it stopped again.....
About 30 mins later it rained again....this time it didn't stop.

Just as we were riding through Gussage St Michael we noticed a small wooden bus shelter. It didn't take more than a second for the decision to be made. A couple of minutes later the two of us plus the bikes were sat inside in the dry having a slightly early lunch break.
While we were sat inside the shelter a guy who works in a small workshop across the road came across to chat to us....I have spoken to him before...he normally rides mountain bikes but has recently purchased a road bike because he has signed up to do a charity ride from London to Paris in early September.
He was interested in our ride especially the distance that we will be covering. We joked with him that we were making the most of somewhere to hide from the rain, because when we are in Spain- if it rains -there probably won't be anywhere for us to escape to, as 'the rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain' and we will be cycling across an awful lot of plain. (As well as an awful lot of mountains)
By the time we had finished chatting, the sun had come out....the roads were almost dry and we set off again suitably refuelled for the rest of our ride.....and we didn't even get wet.

CYCLISTS FIGHTING CANCER TEAM JERSEY

When I finally got home following our ride there was a small package waiting for me.It was my CFC team jersey and bibshorts for the ROCK2UK ride....
Enclosed in the package was an information sheet about the charity and I have reproduced some of that information below:-
CYCLISTS FIGHTING CANCER
Positively helping kids whose lives have been affected by Cancer.
Cancer treatments can cause a wide variety of issues, from loss of limbs to blindness, weakened hearts, lungs and muscles to depression and loss of self esteem.
Exercise is very important for rehabilitation. Bikes are the best form of activity for kids.
Our bikes and trikes give the kids a fun , exciting focus for their recovery and also provide a way to build lost self confidence.
£350 is the average cost of our awards.
500 bikes have been awarded so far.
£1050 is the cost of a typical adapted trike.
102% of the money given goes to our objective.

REFLECTIONS...

CLOSE UP OF ZEFAL BIKE 'SPY' MIRROR 

I certainly wouldn't consider having any form of mirror on my Felt or Tifosi bikes but it does seem a good idea if you have a regular commute or want to do some touring.

When we were in France a couple of months ago I noticed that I had less movement in my neck when I had to twist to look over my left shoulder compared to looking over my right shoulder as I do when cycling here in the UK.

Mike had fitted a mirror to the handlebars on Chris's bike and I saw that Peter had also fitted one to the downtube on his bike. Both of these mirrors were large and in my opinion a bit unsightly, but of the two Chris's seemed to be the best  as it gave a clear uninterrupted view to the rear.

The one on Peter's bike was supposed to give him a view to the rear between his legs- which in theory sounds ok but in practice tended to have a view often blocked by the panniers he was carrying on the bike.
Anyway...the more I 'reflected' (sorry) on the idea of a mirror for touring, the more I liked the idea as a way of overcoming my aging neck problem.

After trawling all the usual internet sites I came up with the Zefal Bike Spy Mirror. The great thing about this mirror is that it is small - so it doesn't look as if you have a cup and saucer fitted to the end of your handlebars and you don't have to remove your bar end stops to fit it. It has a rubber fitting catch that binds around the end of your bar and can be fitted and removed in seconds... This means  you can instantly swap it from one side to the other.....ideal for when you go from the UK to Mainland Europe.

Although the mirror is small it poses no problems in seeing what is behind you as you cycle along and is also easily adjusted as you cycle.... I am hoping that this will do the job well for me as I cycle back from Gibraltar.

ZEFAL MIRROR FITTED TO TOURER

When the idea was originally conceived to cycle back from Gibraltar to the UK it was not my plan to raise money for a charity by doing it...
I just wanted to do it for my own sense of achievement I suppose and anyway, each of the long distance rides I have done with JD and others in the past were for charity so I felt that I had done enough..
However the more I thought about it, the more I thought that it would be an opportunity wasted!

On the long distance rides for charity that I have done with JD it has been for a charity that was basically decided upon by him and although I was perfectly happy to support him and his charity choice (all of which were first class charities by the way) on this ride I wanted it to be for a charity that was a bit closer to me.

Being told that you have cancer is pretty bad news for anyone....for a child or young person and their families  it must be devastating....after all, their lives have only just begun. At least when I was told I had cancer I had already done a fair bit of living!

'Cyclists Fighting Cancer' is the charity I have chosen to raise money for and their purpose is to provide bikes, adapted tricycles and equipment to children and young people whose lives have been affected by cancer.
The bikes provide a fun and practical way to regain lost strength, fitness and confidence.

You only need to read my blog over the past year to see what a difference riding my bikes made to my recovery process so please help me to raise funds for this really deserving cause...........
                                                                       .

ADDING A BIT OF COLOUR......

A BIT OF COLOUR

The preparations continue for the ROCK2UK road trip......this week the Revolution Touring Bike was taken over to Bicycle World at Longham in order for Mark to work his magic. Mark always prepares our bikes for extended trips like this one. Although I will do most day to day maintenance on my bikes I do like a professional bike mechanic to prepare the bikes properly for the longer trips.

Prior to taking the bike over to Mark I fitted new tyres...Schwalbe Marathon Kevlar 700x32.. the only new item Mark fitted was a new chain. The existing chain had only completed about 400 miles but I felt that I would be happier starting a ride of this distance with a new one. The rear wheel needed a minor amount of adjustment to make it true but other than a bit of oil and grease here and there nothing else really needed doing.

Before I left the bike shop Mark gave me four spare spokes- just in case. I am hoping that we won't need them, but on every trip to Europe that I have done with JD he has managed to break at least one spoke! Still as I say, hopefully we won't need them.

A couple of weeks ago when I was over at JD's house he was showing me his bike shed when I spied his bar tape. He had seen some Fizik blue edged duo bar tape at Bicycle World while Mark was servicing his bike. He thought that it would look good on the bike and add a bit of colour. He hadn't told me about it because he thought that I wouldn't like it and would take the mickey out of it......
He was wrong!    
I loved the way it looked and I thought that it added some real colour to the bike- ideal for a trip to a  colourful country like Spain.
I told Mark that I had to have some...so Mark wrapped the bars with the new tape when the bike was being serviced.
Love it or hate it, you must admit it certainly adds some colour!   

COUNTDOWN FOR 'ROCK2UK'

BACK TO THE ORIGINAL PLAN

Three weeks tomorrow I will be setting off for the outward journey to Gibraltar and the start of the 'Rock2UK' ride.

It was about this time last year whilst I was still undergoing radiotherapy that the idea was hatched. The very thought of a bike ride across the entire length of Spain and France gave me great strength and a lot of hope during a very dark episode in my life's story and although the recovery process has not all been plain sailing I am pretty certain that ROCK2UK enabled me to concentrate my focus on recovery and has helped get me to this point one year on.

Since ROCK2UK was first discussed the original plan has changed a number of times due to all the variables involved in arranging a trip like this.
Dave (broom wagon) Vaughan had told us that he would be unable to accompany us as support, as his employers would not give him the time off required. This meant that we faced the extra task of crossing Spain first to get to Gibraltar before heading back to the UK...it looked like it was going to be UK2ROCK2UK.
We had also hoped that we could  recruit some additional adventurous souls to ride with us.

The final plans are as follows.....

Dave HAS been able to negotiate some extra time from work by selling his soul to his employers...!!!
This means we will now be driven by Dave in the broom wagon to Plymouth on Sunday 21st August. We will then catch the ferry to Santander arriving there at about 12.00hrs local time on Monday 22nd. Dave will then drive us to Salamanca where we will stay overnight before continuing our journey to Gibraltar where we hope to arrive on the evening of Tuesday 23rd.
We will start the ride back to the UK on either the Wednesday or Thursday. Dave will accompany us with the support vehicle for the first four or five days and then he will head back home. We will be on our own as an unsupported ride for the rest of the trip.

No other possible riders came forward..........a lot of people said that they would love to do a ride like that, but were also able to put forward a score of reasons why they were unable to actually do so.....therefore it will be just JD and myself doing the pedal pushing.

For my part..although it has been a touch or go type of situation with my health all year... I have managed to continue with the training rides and by the time we set off I should have about 5,000miles under my belt so far this year.
One of the reasons for me doing this ride....apart from the pure cycling enjoyment of course....is to draw attention to the fact that even a diagnosis of cancer need not mean you cannot achieve your goals..!
Just go for it..... look at Lance Armstrong.

Both John and myself will be hoping to raise money for our respective chosen charities- more of which in another post.

As we approach the start of this trip over the next few weeks I will post more about the plans and our expectations of the ride itself.

A FANTASTIC TOUR..!

A TOUR RIDER FROM THE PAST

Another year...and another Tour de France completed.
What a wonderful sporting event the Tour is. It never fails to deliver thrills and excitement and this year these carried right on up to the final line.

Cadel Evans proved a worthy winner (a first for Australia) - he had ridden a consistent race clawing back time where it was needed and battling through the mountain stages in classic style. His time trial around Grenoble was total cycling magic and a joy to watch. Overall a dogged and tenacious performance.

Mark Cavendish won the green jersey as well as that final stage( a first for the UK) .....to watch his team HTC all working together in order to deliver him to that springboard position was perfection.

As for the Schleck brothers....to get two brothers on that final podium is no mean feat as well as being another first.

We must not forget Thomas Voeckler either.....ten days in the yellow jersey and a truly heroic ride - his courage throughout the tour really was something to behold.

The only thing that I regret is that I now have to wait another year for what I think is the most exciting three weeks in the sporting calendar.

 SORRY FOR THE RECENT BREAK IN MY POSTINGS....I AM PLEASED TO BE BACK.

HOW GOOD ?

PRO-LITE BRACCIANO WHEELSET

I thought that I would report back to you on some of the cycling gear that I have recently been testing out.

I will start with the Pro-Lite Bracciano wheelset that I have been using on my Tifosi Training/Audax bike. When I took delivery of them they were both true and perfectly round.  These wheels have now been used on the bike for well over a thousand miles and are still round and true.
They have 27mm V section 6066 Aluminium rims.  In the front there are 20 evenly tensioned aero spokes and in the rear there are 24 spokes laced in a 2 cross pattern.
The freewheel makes a quite distinctive and loud noise.....but I have to say I like the sound.

These wheels have a real turn of speed as well as giving a very comfortable ride. They really are a light and fast wheelset at 1482grms.
Responsive and stiff these wheels are superb and have proved great when ascending and also on the descent. Finally they are fantastic value for money and I would say that they are almost as good as the Fulcrum Racing Zeros that I have on the Felt and those wheels are almost four times the price..!!
A great buy and a wheelset that I really do recommend.

UNIROSS  HY MINI WIND CHARGER

This item I have used on two trips now. A weekend cycle camping trip...and a longer trip (11 days) to Northern France.

This neat looking bit of kit can be charged from the mains or from your computer via a USB cable or it can be charged on the bike by the wind generated by forward motion.
When fully charged it had no problems in charging my phone and my Garmin GPS cycle computer.

One drawback for a lot of people is that this charger is not compatible for charging an i-phone.

On the trip to France, most of the campsites we stayed at had facilities for charging from the mains power......because of this I am still uncertain of the units ability to charge sufficiently from wind power alone. It has proved fine when using a mix of both mains and wind and I get the feeling that you would need a full days cycling ( 6-8 hours) at reasonable speeds to charge the unit from just wind power only.
I do intend using the Hy Mini charger on my trip back from Gibraltar starting mid August and I think that will prove it's worth one way or the other.
On that trip I will also have the back up of a Solar Panel charger and a Power Monkey just in case the Hy Mini charger fails to do it's job.........

RSP TOURLITE (TOURING RACK LIGHT)

This light unit has proved a total success......
Once fitted to the rack on my touring bike I could just forget about it. Because it is actually screwed on to the rack, there is no need to have to remove it from the bike when you park up and leave your bike.
The unit has 3 LEDs and can be used in either of two flashing modes or a non flashing mode.

Peter Calcutt has one of these lights fitted on his bike and on our return from France I cycled behind him from the ferry port at Poole.
I  found that if I was in line with him while cycling along an unlit area I could see nothing past him as this light is so bright. In order to reduce the glare of this light I needed to cycle slightly to one side of him.
From behind you would have no idea of the size of the 'vehicle' in front displaying this light. Believe me this light is BRIGHT.
In my opinion there is no way that a driver would NOT see you if you were using the Tourlite.
If you look at the photo above you can see how bright the light is in daylight. Along an unlit road it is unmissable and on a lit road it appears as bright as the best costing a lot more money.

Yes, this really is a first class and top value light....I paid only £12.95 for it and I think that is really cheap for such a powerful light,

BLACKBURN LOWRIDER RACKS AND ORTLIEB FRONT PANNIERS

There is nothing that I can say about the Ortlieb Panniers that has not been said before. I love them.
The way that they just drop onto the racks and are instantly secure and the ease of removing them is fantastic.

I was a bit concerned before I had used them, that they might upset the steering on the bike. I need not have had any concerns.....the bikes steering was not affected at all.....indeed I had no problems on descents in France of just under 40mph.
I certainly felt that the bike was MORE stable using both front and rear panniers than it has been in the past whilst using rear panniers only.

The Blackburn Lowrider front racks are as fitted to the Ridgeback Panorama bikes that Mike and Chris used on the French trip...Peter also had fitted the same racks to his Revolution Tourer.

Now I am a bit of a perfectionist and when I fit something I like to ensure that everything lines up with equal distances etc. One thing that I found an irritation, was that after fitting I noticed that the rack on the right side of the bike sat closer to the wheel than the one on the left of the bike. No matter how I tried I could not get them to match perfectly.
 I happened to mention this to Peter and he said that he had found the same problem when he had fitted his.........on speaking to Mike he told me that he had noticed the same on the bikes that he and Chris had and remember their racks were fitted at the factory.

Anyway it seems that when Blackburn manufacture these racks...the machine that drills the hole for fitting to the front fork is very slightly out of line and that's why this misalignment is repeated on all of our front racks.....
Having said all of the above the racks perform just as they should....were easy to fit....and look good on the bike.


UNFORTUNATELY THERE WILL BE A HIATUS ON THIS BLOG FOR A FEW WEEKS. 
I WILL TRY AND RETURN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

FRANCE - DAY TEN & ELEVEN

COASTAL VIEW

SMALL COVE ON OUR COASTAL RIDE

The day of the Coastal Ride that Peter and I had planned started dull and very overcast. We had experienced rain over night but at about 0700hrs the rain stopped. We had breakfast and prepared the bikes and at about 1000hrs we were off.
Mike and Chris had planned to have an easy no cycling day while Peter and I were cycling along the coast. The route out of the town centre was easy to follow and as I had pointed out to Peter we only needed to ensure that we kept the sea on our left.
The route was typical French coastal road cycling ....plenty of ups but just as many downs...the road surfaces as most of the time in France were smooth and the cycling was exhilarating. The only real downside were the crosswinds which meant that you had to keep your wits about you....if you weren't careful you could get blown badly off course. After about an hour it started to rain and for only the second time on this trip I had to put on my waterproof race cape.
We visited Pointe du Grouin which seemed to attract quite a number of visitors and then we headed for the small town of Cancale where we found a small cafe for lunch. I must say that I found Cancale a bit of a dissapointment...I don't know why but I had expected it to be a more attractive place than it was. Having said that, the rain of course did not help.
After lunch we headed back to St Malo via a more inland route but the crosswinds were just as bad.
We found our way back to the campsite with no problems, even being cheered on and waved at by a coach full of French schoolchildren.
Cycling is such a popular sport in France that wherever you go you often get schoolchildren waving and shouting 'Allez Allez' in encouragement as you go past.
That evening the four of us had a look around a World War 2 Fort that was just behind our camp site before settling down for a meal.
So our cycling was now all done....apart from the five minute ride to the ferry port on the Friday we wouldn't be doing any more riding. The plan was that on the Friday morning we would have a lazy breakfast.....break camp and pack everything in the panniers....and than leave the bikes at the campsite while we had a look around the old walled section of the town just the other side of the ferry port. The camp receptionist said we could leave the panniers in the office for safety and lock our bikes up just outside the office.
We had a great day looking around the town (some pictures below) and before we knew it the day had gone and we were in the short queue for the ferry and our return trip to the UK. On it's return to the UK the ferry called in at Jersey and we arrived back in Poole just after 2300hrs.....

It had been a great trip and although we didn't cover huge distances it had been another key step on my recovery back to health after my cancer treatment. There was a point during my treatment that I didn't think that I would get back on a bike again, let alone do a trip like this, so this was a bit of a milestone for me.
It was certainly a good test of Me - Bike - and Equipment prior to the ride back to the UK from Gibraltar (UK2ROCK2UK) that JD and I plan to do in a couple of months time.

I will tell you about the success or otherwise of certain items of equipment in my next post.......

VIEW OF THE FERRY FROM NEAR OUR CAMPSITE

THE ETOILE DU ROY IN THE PORT OF ST MALO - THIS SHIP WAS BUILT AT MARMARIS IN TURKEY  AND IS AN   AUTHENTIC REPLICA OF THE FRIGATE HMS BLANDFORD FROM 1741

A FRENCH CUSTOMS BOAT

A VIEW FROM THE OLD TOWN WALL - ST MALO

ANOTHER VIEW FROM THE TOWN WALL

GENERAL SEA VIEW

NEAR ST MALO PORT

OUTSIDE THE OLD TOWN WALL

PETER PACKING UP ON OUR LAST MORNING