[Percy B]

Here's a useful routeplanning site - particularly if you've got a Garmin computer on your bike....

www.bikeroutetoaster.com

Works well, you don't need to sign up, gives you useful stuff like a route profile and you can upload routes onto a gps thingie if you have one so you don't really have any excuse for getting lost. Supposedly.

[slackline]

so you don't really have any excuse for getting lost. Supposedly.

Did the batteries run out?

[Percy B]

No. I simply plotted a massive loop on the map, popped it into the garmin thing, went for a ride and followed the directions. 35 miles out I realised that the loop on my computer screen was considerably larger on the road! Modern technology only works if you know how to work it. Mistakes can be tiring. The bloody Garmin thing even rubbed salt into the wounds as I limped home (a shadow of my former self) by telling my I'd burned through 2500 calories in 2 and a half hours. I'm so over technology....

[Obi-Wan is lost...]

On a related note, I've been playing with Nokia Sports Tracker on my new phone, very similar to the one on the iPhone.
http://sportstracker.nokia.com
Here's the ride Big Phil and I did tonight
http://sportstracker.nokia.com/nts/workoutdetail/index.do?id=1450114

[slackline]

On a related note, I've been playing with Nokia Sports Tracker on my new phone, very similar to the one on the iPhone.
http://sportstracker.nokia.com
Here's the ride Big Phil and I did tonight
http://sportstracker.nokia.com/nts/workoutdetail/index.do?id=1450114

The nice thing about that is you can save and export to KML (the Google Earth markup format) and then overlay it on an embedded Google Map on your page.

I recorded part of a walk along the edge of Kinder Plateau (unfortunately the batteries ran out after 4 hours of polling the GPS satellites for position about four times a second!).

It doesn't always load properly, but I exported and embedded the map here along with some simple instructions (although as I say it doesn't always load and overlay properly, but this could be down to the low spec hardware the wiki/blog is running on  ).

[DubDom]

conclusive evidence that Sir Chris Hoy is a boulderer

[clm]

Just got back from....
3 days surfing at moliet plage and san sebastian.
nice road bike ride up soem random basque hill
2 class mtb routes round barege
col du tourmalet
luchon uplift
2 days at valnord bike park
mont ventoux

oh... and lots of food and sunshine

[Yossarian]

There are some activities that I know I will love, but I also know that I am a bit too 'enthusiastic' for. My body is fucked up enough without letting me loose on a downhill bike. A bit of XC and beng a roadie is enough for me. I'm way too stupid to be allowed a downhill bike!

I sooo relate- the same reasoning lead me to never, never get a motorbike.
I'd be dead, you would all be desolate, I couldn't inflict that on you.

They wouldn't be desolate.  Judging by the accuracy of Fatdoc's diagnosis of my smashed hand, he'd probably tell everyone that you were having a little nap...

[fatkid2000]

Anybody need a new bike?
http://www.labicicleta.co.uk/r3-sl-tour-de-france-limited-edition-frameset-54cm-only-i316.html

[tlr]

54cm is too small for me unfortunately. Alex is building an R3 up in my size though....

We partook of Alex's wares recently actually, bought her indoors a Cannondale Carbon Synapse from him. Very nice it is too, but a bit small for me. She seems to like it though.

Lovely shop.

[Duma]

 

[Percy B]

Alex is building an R3 up in my size though....

Woah there, Tim! You can't give out snippets like that without giving us a bit more detail. Which groupset, wheels, etc? Are you going fully bling? I think you're probably obliged to with that frame..... indeed

[tlr]

Woah there. Apologies, you misunderstand me.

Alex is simply building up an R3 frame that happens to be in my size (as I'm the same size as him). He's not building it up for me specifically (although I suspect that the thought might have crossed his mind).

It does mean that I might get to ride it though and then who knows......?

Sorry to get you all excited. Buying Kim a road bike has sated my itchy bike buying wallet finger for now.

[Percy B]

Shame....my advice is not to even throw your leg over it even if it does fit you. Its one of those bikes that once you've tried it you'll almost certainly end up remortgaging your house for it (and I reckon you'll need to! Bugger all change out of £2k just for the frame!)

[SteveM]

We partook of Alex's wares recently actually, bought her indoors a Cannondale Carbon Synapse from him. Very nice it is too, but a bit small for me. She seems to like it though.

Snap! He delivered it last night and I think we're heading out for a first ride together this evening if
a) she contains her excitement for long enough
b) it doesn't rain

Got the frame and forks sorted for the "not the lagerfish bike project" and alex has taken them off to bash a headset into place. Photos to follow when I get them back.

I wonder if he'll let me ride the R3, it's the right size for me too...

 

[tlr]

Nice. I'll keep my eyes open for another one on the roads of Sheffield.

Is it the Turquoise/White colour?

We are off to do the Fred Whitton route (over 2 days) in a couple of weeks, so we'll be out and about getting her fit for that.

[SteveM]

Is it the Turquoise/White colour?

No, the non-carbon but almost all black one. Blinged up with white tyres and hbar tape to keep her happy ;-)

[clm]

Is it the Turquoise/White colour?

No, the non-carbon but almost all black one. Blinged up with white pale brown tyres and hbar tape to keep her happy ;-)

those tyres will be white for at east 20 seconds.

[fatkid2000]

Alex is simply building up an R3 frame that happens to be in my size (as I'm the same size as him). He's not building it up for me specifically (although I suspect that the thought might have crossed his mind).

Come on you know you want it - or more likely need it!!!!!
Or are you in denial about buying a bike you know you will have to ride a full pelt everywhere you go.

[Percy B]

Exactly. Saw the R3 today - its a beautiful thing, but like Fatkid says, it would make you super fit. The scornful glances of roadies on inferior machinery as they overtake you means that it is only ever possible to ride a Cervelo at full pelt, all the time, as far as I can see. Mind you, I do regularly ride past a lot of fat blokes on £5 grand bikes who seem to have got over it (particularly the guy on the Pinerello Prince who must have been struggling to maintain 10mph today). I spose its all a matter of principal. I'm one of the naive believers in the fact that you should only ride a bike that you can do justice to, but the reality is that this is almost never the case unless your a pro and get your bikes for free. The super fit rarely have the disposible cash to buy an amazing bike, whereas there are plenty of tubby exec's out there who have the cash to own expensive bikes, but can't ride them like they are supposed to be riden. Oh, the bittersweet irony 

[fatkid2000]

I saw some tubster spend over £5K on a spesh tarmac SL with upgraded wheel set a couple of months ago. I reckon with the size of his gut he would struggle to get down on the drops!!

Anyway Tim - when's your Cervelo going to be finished? Come on don't deny it.

[fatdoc]

There are some activities that I know I will love, but I also know that I am a bit too 'enthusiastic' for. My body is fucked up enough without letting me loose on a downhill bike. A bit of XC and beng a roadie is enough for me. I'm way too stupid to be allowed a downhill bike!

I sooo relate- the same reasoning lead me to never, never get a motorbike.
I'd be dead, you would all be desolate, I couldn't inflict that on you.

They wouldn't be desolate.  Judging by the accuracy of Fatdoc's diagnosis of my smashed hand, he'd probably tell everyone that you were having a little nap...

OI!

it was bruised...

just fractured underneath

[Yossarian]

i think your expert diagnosis was, "It's grazed..."

still, no-one else believed it was either, till the x-ray arrived anyhow.

i think the wilier cento falls into the same category as the r3. one would have to ride like a beast...

[SteveM]

those tyres will be white for at east 20 seconds.

They have a nice brown tinge to them after last night's ride. And two dirty patches on the bars too from her old gloves. I swear that she almost took Jif to them when we got back

 

The super fit rarely have the disposible cash to buy an amazing bike, whereas there are plenty of tubby exec's out there who have the cash to own expensive bikes, but can't ride them like they are supposed to be riden. Oh, the bittersweet irony  

Was chatting to Alex about this a while back and he just shrugged. I guess tubby money is good money at the end of the day, much like the below average & average climbers who make up a significant portion of the gate at the works. I'm always worried where to lean my bike when I go into the shop, the only place I can find that's cheap enough is the little stand of goodies in front of the till!

[tlr]

The super fit rarely have the disposible cash to buy an amazing bike, whereas there are plenty of tubby exec's out there who have the cash to own expensive bikes, but can't ride them like they are supposed to be riden. Oh, the bittersweet irony  

Was chatting to Alex about this a while back and he just shrugged. I guess tubby money is good money at the end of the day, much like the below average & average climbers who make up a significant portion of the gate at the works. I'm always worried where to lean my bike when I go into the shop, the only place I can find that's cheap enough is the little stand of goodies in front of the till!

You're not wrong. I quite like having a reasonably tatty (by roadie standards) old bike. Not so much to live up to. Its a good bike, but it doesn't look super bling.

You wouldn't believe the number of very expensive bikes being pushed up hills in the Sportives, and I don't mean Hardknott Pass. Certainly should be each to their own though, and if you can afford it then why not buy a lovely bike, there's no ability based entrance exam to owning a flash bike.

Maybe there should be a man with a stopwatch and a clipboard at the top of Froggatt Hill confiscating bikes that are too good for their owners....

"15.47? sorry mate, thats £1500 bikes maximum for you. Come on, hand over the Colnago".