Cycling UK Forum

Many thanks for this post. I've been wondering what to do since the CTC gave up providing the camping carnet, and I don't care for the idea of handing over my passport to the camping patron. A good find.

^^^^^^^How true. I'm so tired of tourers being regarded as the poor relation and having to do with the various cast-offs from the racing and MTB products.
As regards bringing older bikes up to date, to me it is about rejuvenating an well-loved old friend. I become attached to bikes and why not given the years and thousands of miles of faithful service they have given me. Moreover it concerns quality, something which deserves to be respected.

I've had a pair for quite a while now and like them. I did cause a bit of a riot when I modelled them at our DA meet but I'm convinced that was due to the lacy bit at the top which does look like a garter belt. They do work well and I find that they do not cause overheating as do trousers. They are surprisingly effective and while they extend to just below the knee the whole leg is kept dry. A bit on the dear side but I'd recommend them.

People do tend to overate old Flying Scot frames. It should be remembered that they made frames according to price. Some were superior and cost accordingly while some were of lower quality.

Johnw Since I posted I had another look and went to Hubgear's link looking for plusses. I've found just what I've been looking for and here they are.
http://www.groundeffect.co.nz/product-d ... ON-SHO.htm

I do remember the plusses and have to say that I miss them and would want another pair. I sympathise with your experience re baggies and the only pair of these I liked were an early pair made by Madison which featured a towelling insert rather than a pad. That said some baggies do come with thinner pads than others but it's a matter of finding them.
Can I offer two suggestions. Try wearing a pair of racing shorts which are far more comfortable than any baggie short in my experience. If you find these too revealing then wear a longish top (I wear Rohan Polycotton tops myself) and have the best of both worlds.
Again, buy some barrier cream similar to "Siopel", which is a water barrier and will keep your nooks and crannies dry, preventing chafing. This is found in Boots. An alternative would be some form of "Chamois " cream which serves the same purpose and can be bought in most cycling shops.

I've tried the leather tape and binned it promptly. It had no shock-absorbing properties at all (which in to be expected I suppose) and was uncomfortable for this reason. I think it sells on nostalgia alone and the gel tape now on sale beats it hollow for comfort.

A couple of the large Ortlieb panniers on the back should really encompass all you need for cycle-camping, especially if these are combined with front panniers.
Travelling with a partner should also mean that it's easier as the load will be shared. The great danger is in taking far too much stuff and it pays to be ruthless when choosing what to take.

Ritchie<Like you after a few hours it's gone but within 60 mins riding it's back. I also have 26" wheels and a Ahead stem on a Thorn Raven Tour where the bars are flat but anotomical curved for a more natural hand position, and i have been adjusting bar hight and reach and angle of stem over a period of many months but still can't seem to get it right. >

I too had a Thorn Raven and it took me months to get the bars comfortable as I had been using drops for thirty plus years. In the end I did away with the raised bars and went for flats as they allowed me the room to move the brakes etc. along to get enough space to shorten the width of the bars and fit bar-ends. When I fitted bar-ends and padded them as below, the problem was solved and I could then have the "on the hoods position."

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b332/ ... CT0177.jpg

Odd how when one's getting on a bit the body seems to go haywire. First it's the weight gain followed by the joints acting up and then the reaction to wheat-based foods.
I long for the past when I had the digestion of a wolf and could sleep on the edge of a razor blade. Now it's a question of babying myself along and keeping my knees warm so that they don't lock-up. I now find myself automatically scanning the road behind in case a body part has dropped off.
And don't mention memory loss.....

Suffering from the bonk after ten miles does seem a bit odd. As the bonk is caused by low blood sugar, then it very much is dependent on what you eat the night before. I make sure that my diet when on tour is heavy with pasta in the evening followed by porridge in the morning. As the energy gained by porridge does not kick in until roughly two hours after eating, I have it with lots of honey to compensate for this. A couple of oatcakes or a banana every two hours will sustain the sugar level to an optimum level.

Have a look here as the tools and spares for extended tours are usually listed.
Have a go by all means as it's no big deal really, just pedal and keep pedaling. After about 7-10days your body will change and the aches and pains should disappear as you become acclimatised to the constant exercise.
It is addictive though.

If your bars are set 1" above the height of the saddle then most of your weight would be on your saddle. This is acceptable for short distances but most riders would prefer a position where 40% of your weight is on the bars and 60% is on the saddle. To achieve this the bars would have to be set to at least saddle height although some people prefer them slightly below.
The problem is exarcebated by the use of a Brooks saddle which demands the right angle. May I suggest that you first check the top tube length and if this is right for your reach then start with the saddle level. Check that you are not sitting on the rivets at the rear and if so move the saddle to the rear. Now check that you are not sliding forward. If so, raise the nose of the saddle slightly (less than 1/4 ") and see if this places you "in" the saddle rather than feeling that you are perched on top.
Hope that the above is of some help.

Best of all is porridge if you can eat the stuff. Nothing compares with porridge for providing long-lasting energy. I do wish I liked it though.

rolly wrote:It is a largish frame but it is also a very tall stem, too tall it now seems. Has anyone cut down a stem? It is the type with the diagonal wedge.

Yes, I've done this a few time in order to get the correct fit. Make sure that you follow the angle of the existing diagonal and do ensure that there is sufficient stem remaining in the head tube in order to be safe. It's a good idea to use plenty of copper grease when assembling in order to prevent future freezing up.