Cycling UK Forum

Some pics of our explorer and travelling companion here: https://www.instagram.com/taryam/

Check if your route passes somewhere to fill up. Almost every church will have a water tap in the churchyard somewhere. Often a farm will have a standpipe. Also you may want to try a different water pack. I use an Osprey with a 3 litre bladder which I find very comfortable. https://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/gear/category/accessories/luggage/hydration-pack/product/review-osprey-raptor-10-48216/

westerdaled wrote:Just so I understand your correctly, you are both converting GPXs posted on on various web sites and exports from Strava,to TCX. In which case I can do likewise with my turn by turn test route.

Out of interest have you the same maps enabled as me.

I create the route I want to ride on RideWithGPS.com (free version) and export as a .tcx file. I drag that to "new files" on the Garmin. I'm not sure what maps I'm using. I'm just using whatever is on the Garmin. It works well most of the time but the navigation element does not always prompt me correctly. I usually have back up map on my phone (which also doesn't work properly).

I usually export a .tcx file from RideWithGPS (free version), which when it works is great. But my Garmin Edge Touring seems to have acquired full consciousness and decides to mess me about no end.

cycleruk wrote:I downloaded a TCX route from RwGPS into my PC and that is the file which goes easily into the Edge but wont go into Connect.

It appears that Garmin Connect won't import "courses" only "activities". See this thread https://forums.garmin.com/forum/into-sports/garmin-connect/73786-import-track-file-gpx-tcx-to-garmin-connect

I can import a .fit activity (a ride I did yesterday) but not the course route .fit file that my Garmin converted from the .tcx track that I put in the "New Files" folder.

cycleruk wrote:Does anyone know how to get a TCX file from RidewithGPS into Garmin connect ?

Cheers

Have you tried?
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/import-data

I tried it tonight but couldn't import .tcx - sometimes the Garmin Connect is a bit flaky.

I finally got around to doing the second leg of my SDW tour today - Amberley to Hassocks. The trail is bone dry all the way. I came off route part of the way so missed about 3k of SDW and decided to have coffee in Shoreham. It was a long detour and a very long climb from sealevel up to Truleigh Hill to rejoin the trail. I started at 1pm and was at Hassocks at 7.30pm.






Those are the Jack and Jill windmills in the distance. SDW on right.

taryam wrote:Would greatly appreciate it if you could take a look at my routes and offer any suggestions.
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27833246
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27831842
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27826380

Interesting routes. They mix quite a bit of on- and off-road and some of it looks pretty rough. You might find some of that slow going, especially if you are carrying luggage. Did you plot these or did you get them off a friend? I've travelled between Seville, Granada Alicante, Valencia and Barcelona back in 2001 and I know the area around Benidorm and north-east up the coast from the last few years. Some stretches of the n332 main coast road can be very busy but part of it are great to ride. But if you are travelling now it is high season. Sorry to hear about bad experience in Barcelona. Not my favourite Spanish city to be honest. Like you, I prefer the small towns and villages. I slept rough a lot in Spain back in 2001 on my six week tour.

Scooter Boy wrote:I got some Schwalbe pro-ones a month ago for my road bike and have generally been happy with them.

What size are you using? What sealant? Did you use the Schwalbe valves and kit?

Samuel D wrote:
I’m used to traffic but the A283 looks grim on Google Images.

You could ride along the Downs Link track which is sort of parallel to the A283. But the surface is not particularly good. https://www.westsussex.gov.uk/media/2203/downs_link_6_stage_route_2010.pdf

Si wrote:Might have to swap the chain rings for something smaller.

You can fit a 33 inner ring on a compact, not as if it gains you much... On my road bike I replaced my Campag 50x34 with 48x33 TA rings, but I'm limited to 13-29 with a Campag 10 speed cassette. I'd prefer to have a 32 rear cog as I'm now heavier and older. For my gravel bike I have Shimano 46x34 with 11-34, also 10 speed.

Cunobelin wrote:Lets take a serious look at these pictures.

They have no real agenda apart from price!

Most cover photographs are from a stock library and then the Magazine pays a fee.

I would suggest that in most cases if there was a choice between helmeted, non-helmeted and a badly fitting helmet, the one the magazine was allowed to use for free would be the one on the cover

Wrong. The images were taken by Joolze Dymond a professional photographer of a women's cycling organisation in Bradford. The photos were commissioned by Cycling UK. These are real cyclists doing a great job encouraging people to cycle more. See another image from the same photo shoot below.

See this https://twitter.com/Joolzephoto/status/990267855215251457 and this https://twitter.com/Joolzephoto/status/1001717522578722816

pjclinch wrote:And of course in the CUK Facebook page where the new Cycle cover is shown, the inevitable muppetry has popped up in the comments about showing normal people doing normal stuff in their normal clothes being a dreadful example...

I noted that. Funny how walkers don't get the same attention. Front cover of The Ramblers magazine.

Cycling as safe and, above all, enjoyable. https://www.cyclinguk.org/publication/cycle-magazine-june-july-2018

Paulatic wrote:

LinusR wrote:I measure from the pedal because I’ve four bikes with three different crank lengths. Keeps the maths simpler.
All have same set back as well as saddle height but some, particularly MtB,have different reach.

Your aching glutes and upper hamstrings and knee pain are all due to spending time measuring bits on your bike. You are too old for doing all that bending over and straining your eyes to read off little marks on a tape measure. Have a lie down for goodness sake!