Lejog for wimps please- or am I on my own? ( merged )

[Nickeveson]

Just back from a 31 mile roll out on the new bike, and very impressed with it. Highlight of the day was reaching the top of Peak Hill Sidmouth.....lowlight was getting to the bottom and looking up knowing it had to be climbed!

[oldmanonabike]

Just back from a 31 mile roll out on the new bike, and very impressed with it. Highlight of the day was reaching the top of Peak Hill Sidmouth.....lowlight was getting to the bottom and looking up knowing it had to be climbed!

That's great what bike did you get.
Did you manage to get onto Strava I haven't seen you on the board?

[Nickeveson]

Haven't got Strava yet.....phone is playing up. Got myself a Dawes Karakum 2018 model....loving the butterfly bars!

[oldmanonabike]

Haven't got Strava yet.....phone is playing up. Got myself a Dawes Karakum 2018 model....loving the butterfly bars!

I'm not familiar with that bike but I converted a straight bar bike to butterfly bars and used it for a winter bike I agree they are. comfortable .
I've bought a Planet X RTD-80 frameset and fitted a Shimano 11speed group set from my slightly too large Giant Defy.
I thought that as the backup bus was carrying all our tents and equipment I would use a lightweight low geared disc brake bike to try and make the ride as easy as possible .
At my age I need all the help I can get

[Nickeveson]

I know what you mean! Those hills are horrid! A mate of mine (truck driver) saw 4 Lejoggers heading up through Redruth yesterday and heading up a hill slowly. The Karakum is almost a Galaxy.....but I find it a tad easier to ride for a distance.

[Mick F]

Up through Redruth eh?
Good hill up through the town past the station.

First time I did that hill, was downwards. At the bottom, there's a T junction with traffic lights. One heck of a pull on the brakes.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.23210 ... 312!8i6656

[Mick F]

Just a little info about the route down west.
I was riding today 46miles of Cornish roads from Camborne and around in an effort to ride all the Cornish roads.

The recommended LEJOG route from Hayle to Camborne takes you through Hayle town centre to the roundabout at the east of the town, then over Connor Downs up the Old A30 to Camborne town centre.

Today, I tried another route.
Hayle area from the south, but not to the roundabout. Instead I went through Angarrack and joined the Old A30 further east for Redruth.
DO NOT DO IT.

The Old A30 Connor Downs is the "modern" turnpike route.
Going via Angarrack is the old packhorse route and the road down to Angarrack and out again is horrendously steep in and out, especially out.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angarrack

[Mick F]

Should have told the route I rode today.

Camborne/Pool/Illogan/Portreath/North Coast/Camborne.
Camborne/Carhell Green/Praze an Beeble/Leedstown/Sithney/Godolphin Cross/Townshend/Relubbus/St Erth/St Erth Praze/Hayle/Angarrack/Roseworthy/Camborne

Sort of figure of eight.

[Mick F]

This is what my West Cornwall map looks like now.
What's that song?
I've Been Everywhere, Man!

[philvantwo]

How many roads have you got left to cycle along Mick F?
Johnny Cash sung that song, don't know how he remembered all the words!!

[Mick F]

How many?
I can't honestly say, but I'm considering the future of the whole project.

We drove from here at 7am yesterday morning, up to the A30 and west, then we peeled off down the A39 to Truro. Mrs Mick F wanted to do a spot of Truro-ing and shopping, so she took advantage of the ride west.
From there, I went up the A390 through morning rush-our traffic - horrendous! - and re-joined the A30 for Camborne, park up in the long-stay carpark, assembled Moulton, and rode away at 9am.

Considering it took two hours from home, to do a 4hr 46mile bike ride and collecting Mrs Mick F at 2.30pm and driving home - with a total of nearly four hours of driving plus 4hrs of cycling, made it long and tiring day ................... I'm not sure it's worth doing any more.

This is a pastiche of the maps combined as of yesterday's ride.
Yes, there's many minor roads to do, but is it worth it?
I've been everywhere, man, with all villages and towns - and Truro city - ticked off. I've done the whole of the Cornish coast too.

[A7 Simon]

As they say: "When it stops being fun, stop"

Loads of respect from Simon & Jan.

What is it with bikes? I have this Daves Kingpin I bought as a spoof present for a mate, and have an insane desire to ride it about the countryside.

Because I don't care about it I took it along our canal towpath at its puddliest - it did rather well and I got less wet than I would have on the full suss.

No so good on the hill back to home. I will fit it with a bigger cog sometime.

Simon

[Mick F]

As they say: "When it stops being fun, stop"
Loads of respect from Simon & Jan.

Thanks Simon!

On our way home yesterday, we were chatting about the Cornish roads idea and how it's nearly sort-of done.
Some years ago, I crossed all the road bridges over the River Tamar. 23(?) in all from north of Bude on the north coast to all the way down to Plymouth.

On the A30 dual carraigeway, I suggested a good idea would be to cross all the bridges over it from Exeter to Penzance. I've done quite a few and in Devon too, so it would be a case of listing them all and taking a few rides to finish 'em.

The A30 through Devon and Cornwall is our version of a motorway, as the M5 is the only motorway in the Far Southwest and terminates at Exeter then splits into the A38 and A30 ....................... so after doing the A30 bridges, I could do the A38 bridges.

Underpasses and roundabouts are no fun, but bridges have views and places to contemplate all the Grockles and Emmets in their cars.

[Vorpal]

No so good on the hill back to home. I will fit it with a bigger cog sometime.

Simon

Is it a single speed or a 3 speed? If it's single speed, you might be able to find a 3 speed Sturmey Archer hub for it

[cycleruk]

We had 9 in-putters to the Wimps Strava group last week.
SBCoombes doing the longest single ride (120 miles) and also the fastest average speed (very suspicious )
He was followed, but not closely, by Softlips and me with 79 & 77 miles respectively.

With the Strava group it is not only the "longest single ride" that is measured. There is also the total miles for the week, number of rides, average speed and total elevation.

Obviously everyone is "training" getting ready for the "GO".
Just under 7 weeks now (45 days to the convene day).

Already 6 in-putters to this weeks Strava due, no doubt, to the grand weather over the bank hol' weekend.