Anyone had an interesting ride recently ?

[EddiePJ]

And your new forks...... How are they?

I'd forgotten all about them.

I played with the lock out for while, but left them un-locked for most of the ride and have to say that they seem silky smooth. The biggest difference with them that I noticed, was the lack of weight. Lifting the front to jump/hop over holes in the road and just generally playing around was just seemingly so easy by comparison with the Heavy Suntours. With a suspension seat post, the bumps would now be ironed right out*.
Another thing that I'm glad to have changed was the handlebars. Changing the OE bars for wider ones, has transformed the whole feel of the bike for the better.


*Coming from the person who said that he didn't like suspension when riding on the road. I was wrong.

 

[jackhandy]

Biked over to Lanhydrock (nr. Bodmin) Bike Hub for the grand opening of the new offroad trails this morning: Was chased by a dirty great black cloud for a couple of miles, which finally dumped serious weather upon my person & arrived to find no ceremonials, the new cafe & bike hire surrounded by a sea of mud & not open yet...

But - The trails are open & they've done a great job:
A Green Trail, for family & kids, which will take a Trail Buggy comfortably, is pretty smooth, but twists & turns through woodland, so not boring.
3 or 4 Blue Trails classed as moderate & actually varying from easy with care to, "Don't touch the front brake!" with steep ups'n downs & testing switchbacks.

I rode most of the Blues on my road/trail Trek Mamba & thoroughly enjoyed myself - all the tight & fast curves are well banked & the surface is all-weather hardpack: GPS track attached. I didn't attempt the Red - May give it a go on the bouncer another day.

Only got accused of cheating once: Most of the lads younger than me were fine with the bike - partickly when I accelerated away from them up the long drag back from the end of the Timberline Trail back to the carpark )

Thoroughly enjoyed meself & will be making it a regular ocurrence, hopefully with the rest of the family, especially the Grandaughters, once the moat round the cafe is sorted. Once the weather dries out a tad, the picnic area will be put to good use.

 

[Jonah]

Sounds good. I must get over and have a look.

 

[jackhandy]

P'raps best not on the brommie tho', eh?

 

[Jonah]

Indeed, the Brommie's even a bit sketchy on a wet road! Thinking of getting a Focus Jarifa or a KTM e-Race P for demo purposes.

 

[jackhandy]

I'd love to compare either with my ezee-equipped trek; particularly the erace-p: That was top of my wishlist, but funds woz limited.

 

[jackhandy]

Needed to condition my 2nd Ezee 14ah flatpack battery, so headed off toward Sibleyback Lake, high on Bodmin Moor & decided to use level 3 assist throughout (normally use level 2 on a long ride, saving 3 for when I'm knackered), following directions from Cyclestreets on a bluetooth earpiece.
From the outset, it sent me by a different route to Lanhydrock, which is one of my regular destinations, about 10 miles away, but I thought "What the hell" & took its route: Should mention that I had it set on "Quietest route", but it was nowhere near as pleasant as my normal variations, which take in Helman Tor enroute; but it may have been a trifle quicker.

Just after leaving Lanhydrock, on a fast downhill, the damned earpiece flew out of my lughole, never to be found ; but onward... & a very nice, with lots of heavy breathing, ride unfolded, even tho' I had to navigate the hard way.
After a quick comfort break at Roadford reservoir, decided not to bother with Sibleyback & pushed on over the high moor, past the legendary Dozmary Pool, to Jamaica Inn.

There I was stuffed - No circular route possible without using the dual-carriageway A30, so had to backtrack, whereupon the battery died at 27.3 miles. A quick change & orf goes I, heading for St. Neot & a spot of lunch.

High water at Roadford

"Bottomless" Dozmary Pool

St. Neot

Well - Well!

From St. Neot, accross the A30 skirting the West moor, to Blisland; managed to keep the bike going past the Blisland Inn & dropped down to join the Camel Trail at Merry Meeting.

From there, an uneventful ride to Grogley Halt & up the Tremore Valley to home along one of my most-travelled routes...
Apart from the encounter with a road-rage-enfuriated yokel in a crappy old Landrover which I didn't see coming up behind


Total climb on the outrun = 3,140ft: 27.3 miles
" " homerun = 3,035ft: 27.2 miles.

Some video of the trip:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkVFDRYr53k&feature=c4-overview&list=UU9jD1GRImyrA1fMGgDzSg6A

Apologies for the shaky video - It smoothes out when I'm going downhill: More effort = Shakey

 

[EddiePJ]

Nice long run Jack.

I'm guessing that you used Map My Tracks for the route. Having never heard of this app, would it map you off road as well?

 

[jackhandy]

Nice long run Jack.

I'm guessing that you used Map My Tracks for the route. Having never heard of this app, would it map you off road as well?

No, I use Viewranger: The app works as gps on the phone & you upload your tracks to Myviewranger, where you can turn them into routes etc. It has the usual online free maps, plus you can download a free one & use it offline.It gives you surprising detail on your ride.

I use it partickly because you can buy OS 1:25,000 or 1:50,000 map tiles:
That way, I only need to buy the tiles for my rides & can even do that while I'm out if I have phone coverage; handy for when I ride off the edge of the map - Here be Dragons . I have a thing about knowing where I am & what's around me & you can't beat OS maps for that.

I just wish Speedict was half as reliable

 

[pdarnett]

I ditched my headset a while back and now have one of these clipped to my backpack handles. http://www.divoomusa.com/products/bluetune-bean

 

[jackhandy]

I ditched my headset a while back and now have one of these clipped to my backpack handles. http://www.divoomusa.com/products/bluetune-bean

That looks promising: Might just give it a go.

For now, I'll try the phone's earpiece, but the problem is I keep the phone on the bars & it makes my eyes water when I forget I'm tethered & dismount a bit sharpish

 

[pdarnett]

Its very loud if you want it to be and I have it clipped on quite high up near to my shoulder so I'm not like some teenager with their phone on speaker!

 

[EddiePJ]

Looking at other people routes is certainly interesting.

86 miles for this route a serious ride. http://my.viewranger.com/route/details/MjU4ODU=



.

 

[RobF]

After a quick comfort break at Roadford reservoir,

You didn't pee in the reservoir?

I bet you did.

The good folk of Cornwall should be advised to boil their drinking water.

 

[Jonah]

Trip up to Bristol this weekend. Saturday saw us ride to Bath and seek out the new mile long tunnel near Midford. Total ride from Leigh Woods was about 45 miles. We took our Bromptons so there was room left for us to sleep in the van. A few pictures attached that show Clifton Bridge, outside the tunnel with our bikes and inside the tunnel.

 

[EddiePJ]

I decided to make the most of the sun this afternoon, and set out to ride roughly just to the foreground of the horizion from this view that we get from our house.

Sadly it did quite go to plan, as my knees just became too painful after approx. 38 miles, so I cut the ride short and ended it back at home after 44.7miles. Still good to be out and about though, and I did learn a couple of things.... 700ml of water isn't enough when things warm up, and I also learnt that the free gel energy pack that I received at the last Wiggle event, is enough to test your gag reflex. How the hell do people take those things without wanting to puke it back up again.

The 44.7miles once again only used half of the battery power, and the distance was a ridden using a mix of no assist, tour, and two hills in sport. The biggest irritation is having click past eco. What a pointless mode, that Bosch should get rid of.

 

[jackhandy]

Biked over to Lanhydrock (nr. Bodmin) Bike Hub for the grand opening of the new offroad trails this morning:

Thoroughly enjoyed meself & will be making it a regular ocurrence, hopefully with the rest of the family, especially the Grandaughters, once the moat round the cafe is sorted. Once the weather dries out a tad, the picnic area will be put to good use.

As an update...
Took the bouncer over in the van today, to see what the trails are like on a proper offroader:
Verdict - Even more fun than on the Trekker


Think I covered all the Blue trails this time - Only stalled once, on the last stretch of the last trail, so tiredness was probably a factor: I had to keep my bum off the seat all the way round, as the battery support collided with the back wheel on even moderate bumps.
The 600w peak power of the 250w GNG chaindrive is enough to make singletrack a blast without providing silly levels of boost, making me feel I really did it!

Wot I learned from my day out...

Battery bracket needs more clearance from back wheel
Motor needs more ground clearance
2-finger brake levers essential for downhill

Other than that - Magic

 

[EddiePJ]

A pleasant 30 mile ride yesterday through the Sussex countryside.

 

[RobF]

I decided to make the most of the sun this afternoon, and set out to ride roughly just to the foreground of the horizion from this view that we get from our house.

Sadly it did quite go to plan, as my knees just became too painful after approx. 38 miles, so I cut the ride short and ended it back at home after 44.7miles. Still good to be out and about though, and I did learn a couple of things.... 700ml of water isn't enough when things warm up, and I also learnt that the free gel energy pack that I received at the last Wiggle event, is enough to test your gag reflex. How the hell do people take those things without wanting to puke it back up again.

The 44.7miles once again only used half of the battery power, and the distance was a ridden using a mix of no assist, tour, and two hills in sport. The biggest irritation is having click past eco. What a pointless mode, that Bosch should get rid of.

Eddie,

Pleased you are getting some use and pleasure from the Haibike.

The Bosch system, while not exciting, does give a nice relaxing and unobtrusive ride.

In that respect, Bosch has succeeded in making it close to 'proper' cycling.

 

[EddiePJ]

Bosch has succeeded in making it close to 'proper' cycling.

That is actually a very accurate statement of the system, and isn't one that I have previously been open minded enough to consider.

I still prefer my hub drive, but the Bosch system is proving very useful as a way of keeping fitter than had I just had the BH. I'm sure that riding it in between my off road antics, is actually helping me.
What I can't fathom out with the system is that despite being adamant that it is slower than the BH on hills, I'm seeing far more personal records set on the Haibike when using Strava. I'm not setting out to do this, as other than on one occasion, I just go out to enjoy a leisurely ride.
There is still one very steep mile long hill that it still lags 4mph behind the BH on though, which confuses things even further. I guess maybe that goes back to your 'proper' cycling statement again, so isn't perhaps any negative reflection of the system.

What I am in no doubt about though, is just how good the battery range is with the Bosch system.