Cycling UK Forum

Check out http://www.m-gineering.nl/cassette.pdf - it has details on Shimano, Campag, and Sram cassettes.

I think the one you are after is the HG70 i, which is:

11 12 14 16 18 21 24 28

Will

#192

Anyone else want to confess

Will

Judy,

Tiree is really flat, though it means you don't get much shelter from the wind. When I was there last June, it was really calm & sunny.

Barra and South Uist are a bit "lumpy". The roads are pretty quiet at the best of times. You do get a bit of traffic when the ferries dock, but it doesn't last long. The wind can play a big part and will probably dictate how far they can go.

You don't need to book the ferries in advance, you just turn up and buy your ticket (including one for your bike). The bigger ferries require you to fill out a boarding card (you hand it the top part when you board and the bottom part as you leave). Make sure you have one completed otherwise it's a mad dash back to the booking office to pick one up (they won't let you on the ferry without one).

Will

I've been out to the Western Isles a couple of times, and the last time I went, I used the train to get to Oban. The train to Oban (from Glasgow Queen Street) is quite well equipped for carrying bikes, with space for six bikes that hang vertically by the front wheel (you have to remove your panniers). I think you have to book your bike(s) on the train, even when it is quiet.

I assume that your Virgin train arrives at Glasgow Central. It is only about half a mile from Glasgow Central to Glasgow Queen Street, but the roads are busy and with a seven year old, you should probably just walk it.

The train that leaves Glasgow Queen Street splits in two about half way up, with one half going to Oban and the other to Mallaig - make sure you are in the right half.

The youth hostel in Oban is really nice, overlooking Oban Bay. You will see two youth hostels listed for Oban, the Oban Lodge is situated around the back of the original Oban Hostel, but booking are taken separate from the Oban hostel.

I've been to Tiree in June, but camped rather than used a hostel. I think it will be really busy in July - Have you booked your accomodation yet?

The hostel in Castlebay (Barra) also gets really busy at times (usually with large groups).

If you get as far as South Uist, there is a hostel at Howmore (Tobha Mor). The hostel is run by the Gatliff Trust and is very basic. There is one building with bunks that is mixed. There is also a small room in the other building that sleeps 3, but it seems to be quite popular (with young women). You cannot book a bed with the Gatliff hostels, but they are rarely full up (even in July). Many people who stay there camp outside and use the hostel facilities.

See http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/southuist/howmore/index.html

Will

I have a naturally low resting heart rate, which is even lower due to cycling. It is usually around 41 BPM. I had a BUPA health check last year and when they were checking my blood pressure, the nurse said my heart rate was at 39 BPM.

My maximum heart rate is also high for my age at 198 BPM (I'm 45).

Having a naturally low heart rate can make you look fitter than you really are. I had a medical about 20 years ago and the doctor asked me if I was a professional athelite (due to my low heart rate). This was before I took up cycling and I hadn't really done any real exercise, other than walking, for several years (though my job involved being on my feet much of the day).

Will

johnmac wrote:Does anyone know if these bikes have a frame number? I can't find mine.

Ive got a 26" wheel version of the Cheviot and the frame number is in the usual place under the bottom bracket shell.

Will

I'm looking to go on an Exodus trip to Indo-China next year. Day 8 of the itinery states: "We will have a couple of stops, one in the town of Skuon, which is known for its local delicacy of fried spiders."

I'm scottish, and we live on fried food, but I draw the line at eating spiders.

Will

I was out that way two years ago, and used Memory Map to get a profile of the climb. The steepest bit is just after the Huisinis junction where it's about 20% for 200m. After that, it's about 10% for another km and then you get another km of fairly easy climbing (about 2%), followed by 500m at 6%. From there, it tends to descend for about 5km with a few short climbs (the biggest about 400m at 7%) before the final climb to the summit (1 km at 5%). The 2.5km descent down the other side is pretty consistent at about 7%.

As bodach says, the real problem out there is the wind. I've been out there in June a couple of times, and my experience is that the winds are mostly from the north. I was chatting with a local on North Uist last year and he told me that for the last few years the wind in summer has often been from the north, and he had witnessed many cyclists struggling their way northwards against the wind.

If you are struggling with a head wind and don't fancy taking on the Clisham, you can always take your bike on the bus. Coaches are used on the Leverburgh to Stornoway route, and you can put your bike in the large boot. There are plenty of stops along the way, so you can miss out as much of it as you like. I had to make use of it between Tarbert and Stornoway two years ago as I was stranded on Berneray for four days waiting out a really bad storm and had to make up some time. We ended up with seven bikes on the bus that day.

One final piece of advice is to stock up with food whenever you can. Shops out there are few and far between, and since they opened the CO-OP stores, many of the small local stores have closed.

Will

Everthing from the Cove range of mountain bikes has to be on the list.

I was on an Exodus trip to India last year. One of the group had his own Cove mountain bike with him and he had scrapped off the model name because he was so embarrassed of it. None of the other members of the group had heard of Cove bikes, so his secret was safe with me.

Will

andymiller wrote:

Will wrote:

The only slight complication is that you may find Dutch maps using their old grid system. Have a look here for more information. Check on the Garmin website - or contact their customer support - to find out if the dutch grid reference system is supported. It probably will be, but you may well not need it.

The Dutch system (RD) is not supported by Memory Map. It isn't even available as an add-on.

Erm I never made any claims about Memory Map (though maybe you meant garmin's own mapping?).

I was simply adding to your statement regarding the availability of the RD system on a Garmin GPS by pointing out that it is not available on systems with Memory Map.

Will

The only slight complication is that you may find Dutch maps using their old grid system. Have a look here for more information. Check on the Garmin website - or contact their customer support - to find out if the dutch grid reference system is supported. It probably will be, but you may well not need it.

The Dutch system (RD) is not supported by Memory Map. It isn't even available as an add-on.

The ANWB maps are based on the RD system (though it makes no mention of it on the map). If you have a map already and are not sure what grid it is using, then the ferry terminal at Ijmuiden is in square 100E, 497N in RD (a square is 1Km). In UTM, it is in Zone 31(N) with co-ordinates 608E, 5814N (approx.). If your map is UTM then it will probably say so somewhere on the map and give you the zone number.

You cannot translate between the two systems simply by adding or subtracting as they are based on totally different map projections (UTM uses a Transverse Mercator projection and RD uses a Double Stereographic projection).

Also does anyone have experience of getting out of Ijmuiden Ferry Terminal and heading North is it straight forward or not.

I've crossed the sluice gates to get to the northern side. There are cycle paths all the way across, and it is pretty quiet traffic wise. The scenery is really awful - it is totally industrialised.

I've not been on the stretch of road that takes you from the sluice gates to the ferry, but I have been on the cycle path that runs parallel to this stretch of road that is east of the ferry and the road was really busy (I assume with traffic for the ferry).

Will

I like to navigate 'old school', but also like to have a GPS as backup. Sometimes it is nice to just head in a general direction, following a signposted route that may not be shown on your map. When I do that, I use the GPS to check my position every now and again. If I need to follow a specific route then I will use my map as the screen on the GPS is too small and difficult to see as you ride along.

It helps a lot if the map on your GPS is the same as the one you have on your bar bag (especially if it is a cycling specific map). I run Memory Map Navigaor on my Pocket PC/GPS and scan and calibrate my paper maps (it takes me about 1 hour to do a map). The quality of the maps is reduced since it has been scanned and you have to reduce the colour depth. Also, the maps do not contain elevation data or place name data, so you cannot use it to look at elevation profiles or search for place names. The tricky bit is finding information on how to convert the map coordinates to latitude/longitude in order to calibrate the map.

I was in the Netherlands last year and used the ANWB Cycling specific maps: http://www.stanfords.co.uk/stock/netherlands-anwb-50k-topographic-survey-maps/. I have the following maps on my GPS: 10,15,16,17,18.

You can also build up maps from sites such as Google Maps, Yahoo Maps etc. so you have access to maps anywhere in the world (I used maps I created from Google Maps when I was in India).

Will

i am getting pee'd off by all these maps like the ANWB and LF guides everyone is talking about though i can't find any on sale. where do people get these maps???

http://www.stanfords.co.uk/stock/netherlands-anwb-50k-topographic-survey-maps/

Will

I've used a Mio 168 PDA with memory map - obviously in the UK only.

I've got the Mio P350 with Memory Map. You can download the 'Navigator' version of Memory Map (your license for the OS version of Memory Map allows you to install it). The 'Navigator' version has the facility to calibrate your own maps (for some reason, this feature is missing from the O/S version).

I created my own 'digital' maps of Holland by scanning paper copies and then calibrating them. I found a web-site that allowed me to convert the RD co-ordinate system (as used on Dutch maps) to Lat/Long.

The Internet is also a good source of maps that can be calibrated. Google maps are good for creating town/city maps (just use 'Print Screen' to build up a big enough map). Via Michelin is also quite good.

To calibrate the maps, I use Google Earth. I just match up easily identifiable features (such as road junctions, roundabouts, etc.) and take the co-ordinates from Google Earth. You only need three points to calibrate, but I usually use quite a lot more.

Most of the time I navigate 'old school', but it is handy to be able to check your position now and again, especially in towns.

Will

Looks like Virgin Atlantic have just changed their policy regarding free additional allowance for sporting equipment. Previously, it only applied to golf clubs. The new policy states:

Passengers can take one piece of sporting equipment free of charge, in addition to their free baggage allowance. The sporting equipment can weigh no more than 32kg.

WHAT IS CONSIDERED AS 1 PIECE OF SPORTING EQUIPMENT?

Non-motorised bicycles including tandems, in protective box or bag. (Bike pedals must be removed, or fixed inwards, handlebars fixed sideways, to minimise risk of damage tyres can be deflated).

Excellent news for me as I am flying with them on Friday to Delhi with a bike and I was going to be over my standard allowance.

See http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/en/gb/pa ... ipment.jsp for more details

Will