Tomorrow

After 2 weeks of The Netherlands it's time to progress into Germany. From Arnhem we will follow the Rhine southwards into Germany. We're not finished with NL however, we will return to IJmuiden to get the ferry back to Newcastle.
We went in search of maps for Germany today in Arnhem. Being so close and on the Rhine bike route we thought the VVV (tourist info) would have something but they had absolutely hee-haw. It was suggested we tried an outdoor shop a few doors down. They had plenty maps but not what we were after. We were pointed in the direction of a map shop a few minutes away further into the city. If anywhere has the map we're after it's them. Right enough we got the appropriate map to see us through. I think it is also a guidebook with information on nearby attractions but its entirely in German. The maps are nicely detailed with supermarkets, campsites, restaurants etc marked on them. We are currently unsure how long we will follow the Rhine and as a result how long we'll spend in Germany before making our way back to the ferry.
As always keep an eye on the map (on the Where am I page) and you can follow me on Twitter, it's @pedalpoweredeu.

Week 2 already!

It's hard to believe it's week 2 already, it seems like only a couple of days ago we got off the ferry. Quite a lot has happened so far that I'm starting to struggle remembering everything that's happened in order.
Thankfully the issue with the front rack has been resolved and we're back on the road. I think I need to increase my fluid intake as I think I'm a hit dehydrated. As a result I'm feeling rubbish so we decided to stay another night at this campsite. It was an easy choice to make as it has a pool table, fridge and great showers. Today wasn't really a rest day at all. We pedalled around 20kms or so to go swimming. I'm not the biggest fan of swimming but somehow had the urge for it. Or just a good bath maybe. We arrived half an hour before the pool opened again after lunch, so I made use of the coffee machine. The changing rooms/area were a bit of a maze with rooms having 2 doors. At one point I thought I'd never make it out alive. The pool had a great water slide that I take great pride in saying I went on; they're fun, don't pretend you disagree.
After swimming we went for a big lunch (it was around 3), did the daily shop and headed back to our tent.

The evolution of camping

Tent - small caravan - big caravan with awning.

Breakages so far

Firstly I snapped the hook that attaches the tent's footprint to the flysheet. A trusty zip tie and spare peg does the job. Also, the plastic that gives my barbag shape has snapped so it's a bit limp. Then my bike computer decided to reset itself. I'll just have to beat my max speed of 47km/h!
And then today I noticed the front right pannier rack was a bit wobbly. It turns out the bolt that threads into the fork has broken in two! The end is still threaded in the fork and there's not enough thread to get another bolt in. So it's off to find a bike shop to drill it out. Currently using the carrying straps from our bar bags to carry the pannier on our backs.

Mobile pics

A few pictures from Heeg.

First blog post

This is the first computer I've got to for a blog post, I could write it on my mobile but the keyboard is a pain. Annoyingly I can't upload any photos as I can't get into the actual computer to put the memory card in.

So what's been going on so far?

The train to Newcastle with East Coast trains went well, the train guard was incredibly helpful giving us a hand get on and off the train. The ride out from the station to the ferry port took us along the Hadrian's Cycleway. The sun was out and everything was going well, surely a good sign!

We pedalled on the ferry, secured the bikes to the ship and went to find our cabin for the night. The cabin was a small one but adequate - we are to spend the next 2 months in a tent so we best get used to it. On the ferry we decided we would go along to the whale and dolphin talk that was given by the charity ORCA. After exploring the ship and being taken aback by the prices of the food on board we went back to our cabin to have our dinner - sandwiches we had purchased in Newcastle.

At exactly 8am the tannoy announced it was 8am, telling everyone on board to get out of bed! Fortunately we didn't need this 8am wake up call as we had been up since 7 stuffing our faces with a cooked breakfast, cereals, yoghurt, fruit, pastries, coffee and apple juice. That's what buffet breakfasts are for! Once off the ferry the trip really began. Initially feeling very odd riding on the right I got used to it fairly quickly. Our first trip was to stock up on food for the next few days so we located the supermarket (easy enough in most of Europe, just head where it's busier). I got a good telling off, in Dutch, that I hadn't weighed my veg on the weigh machine to get a barcode printed off that I should have stuck to my veg. Once I had figured out what crime I had committed I ran off in search of the weigh machines. Thankfully, pictures of the different fruit and veg saved the day and I managed to get barcodes printed for my veg. By the time I got back to the checkout there was a growing queue that wasn't very happy. I'll know next time.

Day 1 ended on 58kms from IJmuiden to Edam where we found a campsite and were shown to our pitch by the lake. After a dinner of pasta with veg we completed the first entry in our journals and went to sleep.

Day 2 started off very hot and sunny but with a mild headwind for most of the day. On our way to Hoorn we paused for coffee and appeltaart at a small cafe at the side of a windmill. It turns out the windmill is also a museum so we went in to have a look. Inside the windmill was set up in a traditional manner that we would be seeing more of in the next while. What struck me was the tiny beds hidden in a cupboard in the corner of the room. For a nation that is known to be quite tall I wouldn't have fancied sleeping in there. In Hoorn we discovered that we could get free wifi at the bank so I managed to download a few more Teach Yourself Dutch type things that would make supermarket shops a bit easier. Stopping in Hoorn we decided we would push for Oostwoud, where we had our first night at a Natuurkampeerterreinen campsite, ending on 43kms. After a hot 43kms my socks were in need of a good wash, so much so they had to stay outside the tent!

Day 3 was spent as a day trip to Enkhuizen where we visited the Zuiderzee museum. Locking the bikes beside everyone else's at the train station we would explore Enkhuizen on foot. See Emily's blog post about the museum. On the way back to the campsite the rain started so we raced to the sheltering comfort of our tent. Once happily in our sleeping bags the rain got heavier. Then it got considerably heavier. Then a proper thunderstorm passed over us filling our tent with bright light from thunderbolts and keeping us awake with incredibly loud thunder. It passed after about 40 minutes or so and we drifted off to sleep. The day ended on 44kms - more than I thought our short day trip would be!

Day 4 saw us ride from the campsite in Oostwoud to Enkhuizen to take the ferry to Stavoren. After seeing the weather forecast was very unsettled we decided we would take the ferry over to Friesland where we would find some accommodation to give us the chance to do some laundry and dry everything out. Once off the ferry in Stavoren we decided we would head to a campsite a bit north but after a few pedal strokes we spotted a sign to a campsite very near by. It was very windy so we decided to stay there. After struggling a bit with the wind we got the tent up and got settled. Just before I got into my sleeping bag I heard the sound of two freewheels and tyres crunching on the gravel. I got out to see who it was and started chatting to Petra, her husband Andres and their dog Coco (if you are reading this and I have written your names wrong I am sorry!). Coco travels with them in his trailer which is towed by Andres. Sometimes he would get let out to run alongside the bikes and have a quick toilet stop. After chatting for a short while the rain started to come on a bit so we thought we better let them get their tent finished and get some sleep. Total distance 28kms.

Packed and ready to go

The panniers are packed, the racks are loaded and we're ready to go. Time to get some sleep before an early train tomorrow morning. Hopefully the next post won't be far away, I'll try to update regularly. I'll probably be updating the Twitter account more often so keep an eye on that.

Review - Vittoria Randonneur Touring tyres

Now that the bike has been finished for a few months and I've had the chance to test out different components I plan on doing a few reviews. To see how my opinions may or may not change I'll do a review before I go touring and another after a few weeks of touring.

So I'll start off with the Randonneur Touring tyre from Vittoria. 

I'll be honest and say that I chose this tyre as I got it pretty cheap. It also has a reflective stripe on both sides of the tyre for extra visibility at night. I have the 700 x 35 on the front and back. I wasn't entirely sure I'd have enough clearance for the 700 x 38 tyres so played it safe with 35. It turns out there is plenty room for a 38 tyre in there so it's something I'll bear in mind when they need replaced.

I've been using these tyres for around 4 months now and I honestly don't have anything negative to say about them. They're easy to get on and off my Mavic A319 rims and I'm pleased to say I haven't had any punctures in those 4 months. These tyres have Vittoria's Ultra Shielding puncture protection which seems to be doing it's job pretty well as I've ridden it through glass and even a thorny off-road section.

The tyres hold well through cornering and braking, even in the wet. This is a tyre for long distance touring, it's not something that's going to win you a road race. Being a chunky tyre with, as far as road tyres go, chunky tread they do roll slower than a slick road tyre. But that's ok; I want a tyre that's going to perform well with 4 pannier bags and last for thousands of miles. That's what I think these tyres will do.

A mini-tour

Scotland has been blessed with some spectacular weather this week. With temperatures reaching 27°C it's been warm and dry. So with two and a half days off work in a row only a fool wouldn't make the most of it. The plan was to get the train to Dundee, ride to a campsite at St Cyrus and then onto Stonehaven the next day to get the train back.

Starting off in Dundee

The trip was to be a short trial-run of touring. Things didn't get off to a good start. After a few minutes of riding to the train station I had realised I had forgotten to pack my bib shorts, so I sprinted back to get them in fear of missing the train to Dundee. Like a shot I picked up my bib shorts - still hanging in the wardrobe - put them in a pannier and pedalled like mad to the station. Once on the train I realised I had forgotten the meths for the Trangia stove. Thankfully Dundee's Tiso store had plenty bottles of meths in all shades of purple for sale. By this time we were getting a bit peckish so decided it was time for elevenses before eventually setting off. Two words on the menu jumped out at me - Scooby snack. Everything you could ever want in a roll, and a big roll at that. Sorted!

Following Sustrans' Route 1, we were taken out of Dundee (easily done as Dundee is pretty small) through Dundee's port where photo ID is required. If you don't have any there is an alternative route but it wasn't obviously signposted. The route then goes on to Carnoustie and Arbroath whilst making it's way to the very top of Scotland.

Carnoustie

There are certain things that bike tourists cannot say no to. And one of them is a sign promising tasty strawberries. Diving off the road to indulge in some of the farm's red beauties we purchased a punnet and sooner than you could say anything at all they were gone!

Thumbs up!

Suitably fuelled, we carried on and made it to the campsite some 50 miles after leaving Dundee. It has to be said the campsite was pretty luxurious as far as campsites go. Each tent pitch had it's own picnic bench and BBQ and the grass was just the right length. Unfortunately we weren't equipped to test out the showers at the campsite as they only accepted 50p coins. I had read on their website the showers were £1 for 8 minutes and coin operated so we turned up to the campsite with enough £1 coins for everyone to have a shower! Of course they were no use so we had to make do with a quick wash from the basin. 

The campsite guard

After a very comfortable night's sleep we packed up and set off for the train station in Stonehaven to take us back for work the next day - boo! Learning lessons from the day before we covered ourselves in sun cream and covered up just to be sure. The sea breeze may cool you down but the sun will still burn. Day 2 would only be around 20 miles, less than half the previous day, so we had plenty time to get ice-cream in Stonehaven and catch the train home.

3 bikes

The sun finally made an appearance after a fairly dismal week of rain and grey skies. The only thing to do was to get out on the bike. But which one? Why not all three?


I started off with a DH run up Wood Hill, then a 30 mile road ride with a stop for tea and lunch in the middle, then an XC ride to finish the day off.

1 month to go

It's only one month until the trip begins. To say we're excited is an understatement. In one month time we will be getting the train to Newcastle to get the ferry over to the Netherlands where the trip will start.


To celebrate this, and the completion of Emily's bike, we went out for a short pedal in today's wind and rain. We had a head-wind all the way out and of course not a tail-wind on the way back. Typical. We were fuelled by Werther's Originals, it helped to mentally battle the rain!

Just in

Dusseldorf Aluminium camera case from Port Designs

After years of using a neoprene case for my camera I'm amazed I haven't broken one yet while out on the mountain bike. I take my camera with me on almost every ride and it gets thrown around in my bag and I'm not the most gentle when I take my bag off and put it on the ground.

Handy karabiner for attaching to brake levers

The clam-shell designed case has a squidgy foam inside and an aluminium body to protect your camera from knocks. It's not cheap with an RRP of £25 but if you have a good camera it's worth spending a little bit more to keep it safe.

Update

I've realised there hasn't been a post since last month! So here's a wee update on what's been happening. To be honest not much has gone on but I have picked up two new touring related things.


Firstly, I took another step towards today's technology and got an HTC Wildfire S smartphone. It's currently locked to a specific network so it has never been used as a mobile phone but I can still make use of it's Internet-ness. Basically I'm using it as a tablet, but tablets are quite expensive. I've started using Endomondo to track walks and rides which is fun, if a little inaccurate. The phone meets my main touring requirement of being able to charge from my dynamo charger. I'll be using it on tour to get online, update the blog, do e-mails etc. As for a mobile phone, I'll continue to use my current cheap handset.


Secondly, I purchased the kettle for my Trangia stove which I bought used from Ebay and it didn't come with a kettle. There are two reasons I decided to go for the kettle. Firstly, pouring water into mugs is easier from the kettle than from the pot. Secondly, it can free up a pot to be used for something else whilst the water heats in the kettle. I'm still waiting on it arriving in the post; rest assured as soon as it arrives and I get the chance I'll be making a brew!

Something different

Today I swapped two wheels for two feet and went for a walk in the local Ochil Hills. From Tillicoultry I climbed The Law. From the top of The Law walkers can go left onto Ben Cleuch (the tallest of the Ochils at 721 metres) or right onto Andrew Gannel. I decided to head left to the summit of Ben Cleuch where I would pause for lunch. After a windy lunch I back tracked towards The Law and descended into Tilly via Andrew Gannel. It was good to be out in the hills on a great day but I couldn't help myself picking out lines for when I'm there next on two wheels!

Sheep and The Law

Ben Cleuch as seen from The Law

Baaaaa

Summer?

Today marked the first short sleeved ride of the year! It's been dry and warm the past few days meaning the trails are fast. 
Thinking back to this time last year, we still had snow on the ground! Is this a promise of things to come?


So dig out the short sleeved tops, put away the leg warmers and get out there!

I am awesome

That's right; awesome. I am awesome at coming off the bike! After a whole week of dry weather I get a day off work and it rains. The result is those fine, dry trails are now as wet as a wet thing. Not to be put off I waited until after lunch when the rain had eased to explore some new trails. What I found was quite exciting! A whole range of very steep and sometimes quite techy trails that with a little bit of thought can be linked up to make a good run. Unfortunately they are so loose with today's rain that I came off. Quite a spectacular looking result but I landed on my feet and managed to run to a halt. We're both fine. Next time I won't brake as much on the loose stuff!

It gets steep

Night riding

I've finally gathered the courage to get out riding at night since I'm at work during the day. With a Lezyne Superdrive LED light mounted on the bar and Alpkit Gamma headtorch mounted to my helmet the trails are lit up bright enough to ride. Riding the trails you're used to in daylight at night is quite different. The biggest difficulty I find is the inability to see well round corners and far down the trail. When night riding it's a good idea to have a helmet mounted light so when you turn your head to look into corners before you hit them, the corner is lit up (the bar mounted light won't illuminate the corner until you're turning into it). It's also a good idea to always use a red light on the back just in case you need to head onto the road.

So get yourself some lights and go out at night. Don't be scared!

Buy or build?

Are you looking to get a new touring bike? Why not try build your own? If you have a good knowledge of how bikes work and what you want from your bike you can do it! It's easier than you might think.

My fourth complete build

For me building bikes will always be better than buying one new. The whole build process is much more rewarding than going into a bike shop and walking out with a new bike. Aside from the satisfaction of building your own bike, there are two reasons why you should give building serious thought. The first is that building, not buying, can work out cheaper. Secondly, you won't have to take off components you don't like to swap for those you do (stock bars can be too narrow, saddles are often uncomfortable and pedals are usually not clipless).


For your first build the chances are you'll do something wrong. Make a spec list before you purchase any parts and ask around the local bike club or bike shop for their approval. They may even have some of the items on your shopping list lying around in the garage you can have for a good price. Don't think you must buy everything new. A looked after used handlebar will last just as long as a new one. Avoid things that wear out such as tyres, chains, cassettes etc. Used brakes are fine to buy but factor in the cost of new pads if necessary. 


If you have never built a complete bike before I would recommend you fully understand how bikes work and how to maintain them. The best way to gain knowledge of bike building is to start by upgrading the bikes you currently have. Start off easy, things like replacing your bar tape/grips or brake pads. Then move on to giving your gears and brakes a service to see how they work. There are many useful websites such as Park Tool Repair Help and Sheldon Brown if you want to do it on your own or ask if an experienced rider from your local bike club can help.

Getting your gears shifting smoothly is easy, honestly!

Soon enough you'll get the bug and you won't want to stop building new bikes. Don't worry if you don't. It's not for everyone. I know many riders that dread the slightest bit of bike maintenance. If you'd rather leave it all to a bike shop, that's fine.


Also, you don't have to do everything. I don't fit headset cups into the frame as I don't have a press as they're very expensive and if you don't get the cups in just right you can damage the frame. I leave this to a decent bike shop. Everything else I will do myself.


I hope this has inspired you to think about custom builds or upgrading components yourself. Don't forget you've always got your local bike shop/club to help you out if you get stuck. They'll be just as happy as you when the build is finished.

Complete

That's the bike completely finished. The final parts arrived and have been fitted. This includes an FSA OS190 stem with a swanky carbon faceplate. I've always viewed stems as a piece of kit you can buy cheap as all decent stems do the same function. The only major difference between them is the weight. And since weight isn't an issue on a touring bike I went for the cheapest stem I could find in the size I wanted. This one happened to have a carbon faceplate - bingo! Along with a few spacers, this completed the build.


As soon as the weather picks up a bit I'll get out and take some pics of the new bits!

Almost done

I'm very happy to say she's almost finished. I borrowed a stem and some spacers from my Genesis to try out for size. As if by magic I got the set up just right and she's very comfortable with a 90mm stem and 25mm worth of spacers. So far I've only been out for one short ride to stretch the cables out for final adjustments. From this initial testing I think we're going to get on just fine. 

All that's left to do is to fit the rear mudguard (I need extra long bolts to get through the sliding dropout), fit the new rear rack and front rack, new stem and make final brake/gear adjustments. And I'm pleased with my bar taping efforts after my last disastrous attempt!


Unfortunately she won't stay this shiny for long!

Mostly done

I got a good start on the build today. Just got a steerer to cut, headset to finish and get everything "just right".

Expect many photos tomorrow!

Just in/recycled

Braze-on front mechs seem to be a thing of the past these days so it wasn't very easy finding a 9 speed triple braze-on front mech! Luckily I managed to get one from Germany. This one is a Tiagra front mech which is from the same groupset as my shifters.

Shifting things on the rear end is an XT Shadow rear mech that I have taken off an older bike that's currently in several bits. The mech is still relatively new and after a good clean it's looking pretty good. However, the jockey wheels were so worn they had to be replaced. XT rear mechs come with sealed jockey wheels using ceramic bushings. These replacement jockey wheels are unsealed non-XT ones which is a step in the wrong direction but the budget couldn't stretch to XT jockey wheels. I'll see how long these last. If they don't last very long I'll invest in XT or Tacx jockey wheels.
The good thing about Shimano's Shadow rear mechs (available in Deore, SLX, XT and XTR level) is that the mech sticks out from the bike less than standard mechs. This means more clearance for pesky wobbly pannier bags!

Sneak preview

I'm desperate to get the build finished but I'm saving that till I have all the parts. In a fit of excitement I attached the wheels, fork and seatpost to the frame to get an idea of how she'd look. I thought I wouldn't like the chromed fork but I think it's actually ok.

What do you think? 

Just in

The wheels that will see me through the trip arrived from Germany. The front wheel is a Shimano dynamo hub laced onto a Mavic A319 rim by DT Swiss Champion spokes. Rear wheel is a Deore LX hub with a Mavic A319 rim also.

Also new is the Biologic Reecharge dynamo powered USB charger.

Image from www.thinkbiologic.com

The ReeCharge takes power from the dynamo hub, stores it in an internal battery and can charge devices via USB. The unit can also be charged from USB or any mains electrical outlet. The ReeCharge comes with adapter tips for various mobile phone makes including Nokia and Samsung. It's incredibly easy to use, push the Power In button to charge the ReeCharge, push the Charge Out button to charge your device. The middle button is a battery indicator which displays how much juice the Reecharge has in a 3-light format.

I have tested the ReeCharge with some of my gadgets and it charges my Lezyne light, MP3 player and Kindle. I have a USB charger to charge AAA batteries for my headtorch and rear light but it will not fit into the ReeCharge so I'll have to get an extension cable for that. Annoyingly, it does not seem to charge my new Nikon Coolpix S6100 which is a bit of a let down.

Why I love my Kindle.

Aside from the obvious benefits of holding a ridiculous number of books and having an immense battery life Kindle's have some other handy features. 


These days, bike tourers often carry a number of electronic gadgets. Each one of these gadgets will have a manual to go with it. The thought of taking them all touring with me didn't sit very well so I found the PDF version of them online and saved them to my Kindle. The manuals can then be viewed on the Kindle whenever you might need them! I've also scanned important sections and diagrams from my bike repair book and put them into a handy PDF. 


Documents can be transferred via a USB cable or can be sent via e-mail to your Kindle (which would require an Internet connection). Supported file types include .doc, .docx, .html, .rtf, .gif, .jpeg and .pdf. Files are converted into a Kindle-compatible format. This could be very useful. 


If you need to keep a particular webpage or document you could e-mail it to your Kindle to use later. Need to show a booking confirmation to the hotel reception? You can save the booking confirmation to your Kindle rather than paying for printing! Need an important document very quickly from back home? Get it e-mailed to your Kindle!


Your Amazon account has a 5GB storage for your personal documents which can be downloaded to your Kindle which is plenty.

Shimano AM41 Shoes

I had been using Shimano's SPD pedal system for a while until I switched to flat pedals for two reasons last winter. Firstly, my right knee started becoming a bit sore on long rides. Secondly I got fed up with the cleat getting covered with ice/snow which meant I couldn't clip in. After searching for the perfect pedal for me I decided on a pair of Wellgo B54s. And for shoes it was a tie between Shimano's AM41s or a pair of Five Tens. I went for the cheaper and longer lasting AM41s. At first my feet were constantly coming off the pedals and I wasn't getting on with them. Then, as if by magic, it just worked. Using flats after years of clipless takes some time to get used to but it is worth it if that's what you want to use. Back to the shoes. As with most Shimano shoes they keep the water out better than other shoes and as a result keep your feet warmer for that bit longer in winter. My biggest negative is that the soles got eaten by the pedal pins quite quickly. Despite this they still grip very well.

What I really do like about them is their use off the bike. Any time there's ice outside I'll be wearing my AM41s as they grip the ice with so much affinity it was unbelievable at first. 


So now I use flat pedals for winter when I know I'd get frustrated with clogged cleats and Time pedals for the rest of the year. Sorted.

Just in

Let's see what postie brought this time!

First up is a FSA Orbit XLII headset. Using oversized cups the headset should be strong enough and with sealed cartridge bearings I shouldn't need a new headset ever. When the bearings go, they can be easily replaced. I purchased mine from CRC and didn't receive a top cap, as usual CRC's service is ace and they've sent out a top cap. I'll also need to get a star fangled nut though.

Image from www.topeak.com

To keep my tyres full is a Topeak Mountain Morph pump. Topeak have came out with another clever product with this pump. It's a mini pump and a track pump at the same time. There's a fold-out foot pad at the bottom and the handle folds out to make a T shape - a mini track pump! The fairly short hose rotates 360° to reduce the risk of breaking valves! 


Here's what Travelling Two have to say about it.

Having been using KMC chains for years now and thinking they're the bee's car keys there was only one choice of chain - a KMC X9 73. These chains come with a KMC Missing Link giving you the opportunity to break the chain without the use of a chain tool continually until you lose the Missing Link. To anyone using these - take several spares.

Next we have 6 Continental Tour 28 inner tubes in the 700 x 32-47 Schrader valve flavour. Having used Continental's tubes for a while now they hold their air well. As for puncture resistance, well that's mostly down to tyre choice and pressure.

Lastly we've got second-hand Shimano Tiagra STI shifter/brake levers on a 460mm wide bar. I gasped at the price of new STIs so quickly started looking for a used pair. I got the bar and shifters from a member of the local bike club that I've bought 2 bikes from and as many bits to build a third! I'm a big fan of wide bars so I wasn't prepared to get a narrow racing bar - I've got a bar bag to fit in there!

Just in

Where to begin? The first of 3 boxes arrived from Rose Bikes. Like a child at Christmas I couldn't wait to open the box up and drool over the contents.

First up is a Shimano Deore FCM591 chainset. Using the HollowTechII bottom bracket the chainset has 26-36-48 toothed rings. I opted for 26-36-48 as it's a good mid-point between 22-32-44 standard MTB triple rings and 30-39-52 road triple. Initially I was going to go for a square taper BB set up but then changed my mind. Square taper BBs are easy to replace and are widely available. Being internal they are well sealed from outside dirt and, in my experience, last a long time. External bearings, such as Shimano's HTII offer an increase in stiffness over square taper set ups and are lighter. 

On the other end of the chain I've got a 9 speed CS-HG61 11-34t from the big Japanese S. It's nothing fancy, it's just a mid-range cassette.

Also in are Vittoria Randonneur Touring Reflex tyres in 700x35C flavour. Using Vittoria's Ultra Shielding Puncture Protection and Micro Carbon Compound they keep my wheels rolling for a long time. 

Holding the front wheel in place is a rather shiny rigid fork from Rose Bikes. Costing £27.90 it is cheaper than most 700c rigid forks out there. They featuring a shiny chrome finish, and braze-ons for a front rack and full length mudguards. Available in 1-1/8th inch 280mm threadless steerer only. I'm not looking forward to cutting the steerer! Measure twice, cut once!

To keep my hands happy on the bar is a cork bar tape with a gel strip underneath, again from Rose Bikes. The tape comes with bar end plugs and extra tape for finishing off.

Just in

New today is a very cheap but nice unbranded seatpost. I think the two big issues with the older Kona Sutra frames are the odd 26.8mm seatpost size and braze-on for the front mech. Braze-on front mechs were meant to ensure you had a big choice as it didn't matter what your tube size was, any and all would fit. That's great if manufacturers produce braze-on front mechs; there are no MTB braze-on front mechs and braze-on road mechs are getting harder to find - I'm getting mine from Germany.
Seatposts are the first thing to be fitted to the bike. The reason for this is that the frame is held to the workstand by the seatpost, not the frame. Clamping the frame runs the risk of bending the tubing by over-tightening the clamp. If you over-tighten the clamp on a seatpost and bend it you only need to replace the seatpost - a pain that it'll cost you money but it'll cost less than a new frame! Once the seatpost is on, everything else can be put on the frame.

Just in

Alpkit Gamma headtorch - £12.50


From Alpkit.com.

Image from www.alpkit.com

Weighing a claimed 118g with batteries this headtorch isn't particularly heavy but nor is it the lightest. The torch has a total of 4 lights on the front. There is the main white LED with an output of up to 88 lumens and 3 5mm LEDs is white, red and green flavour. The green and red LEDs are useful as they preserve your night vision better than a white light. 
The high powered LED has 3 settings - high, low and flashing.
The 5mm LEDs are continuous lights with the exception of the red LED which flashes.
The battery set up is 3 x AAA batteries stored in a battery pack which sits on the back of your head. While many other headtorches have the battery pack and bulbs in one unit on the front, Alpkit have cleverly utilised this two unit set up. On the battery pack is a strip of red LEDs. This is especially good for bikers in the event your normal rear light fails for whatever reason.
I can't comment on run time as I haven't had it very long but I can say it's light, comfy and has more than the necessary functions. And it's £12.50.


Why the Alpkit Gamma?

It's simply a great value headtorch. It has more features than other headtorches. Pair it up with rechargeable batteries and a dynamo hub battery charger and you've got a great lighting set up.


As expected you can find out more about the Alpkit Gamma and Alpkit's other products at www.alpkit.com.


Unfortunately the Gamma headtorch is currently out of stock but is due to arrive in March 2012.

Winter riding.

Don't be put off by the cold weather. Winter can be a great time to get out on the bike. However there are a few things you should consider to keep yourself safe.

Firstly you have to decide if it's safe enough to go out. If it's really windy it won't be particularly fun and there's a chance of getting knocked over by the wind. Similarly, if there's ice on the ground it's probably best not to go out. What to do instead? I'm sure there's something that can be done to the bike. Gears skipping a bit? Brakes needing bled/adjusted? I bet you've got a whole pile of punctured tubes waiting to be patched up! I certainly do. Or plan out big rides/tours for when the better weather comes back.


At the moment the weather here is dry and cold. With little to no frost and not much wind it's absolutely fine to get out on the bike. Here are a few tips you might want to consider for winter riding.


Get a Buff. In fact, get two. I wear one pulled over my neck and the other over my head so it covers my ears. You can make them into beanies for this purpose but I just pull it over my head so it covers my forehead and ears and let the remainder of the buff stick out the back of the helmet. Buff do many types including reflective and windproof buffs. 


Think layers. Many thin layers are better than one thick layer. It's true. I start with a merino wool long sleeve top (merino wool is the ideal material for bike touring), then a short sleeve jersey, then my winter jacket. If it's really cold I'll add my Gore-tex jacket for more insulation.


The same applies for your hands and feet. I'll usually start off with merino socks then a warmer hiking sock then Gore-tex/Sealskinz socks. Gore-tex socks are warmer than Sealskinz in my experience.

There are warm winter gloves available on the market but personally I don't like them. They're too bulky and restrict movement in the hands which means changing gears (if you have them!), braking and getting your water bottle is more difficult. If you have an old, stretched pair of gloves that have seen better days put these over your normal gloves. For a long time I preferred riding with 2 pairs of gloves (Endura Full Monty inside and Troy Lee Designs XC outside).


Get bib tights or leg warmers. If you don't already use bib shorts/knickers/tights then I'd highly recommend them. Normal padded shorts can move around too much. With bibs this isn't an issue. Plus you get an extra layer on your torso. I use bib shorts with leg warmers so I can wear my bib shorts all year round and add leg warmers when it's cold. I also have 1 pair of bib knickers (3/4 length) for those in-between days.


Keep hydrated. In order to function properly you need to be well hydrated. If you're dehydrated you will feel the cold more. Even drinking cold water will keep you warm, just keep drinking. Take a flask of tea/coffee/hot chocolate/soup or take some money to stop off somewhere for one. A hot drink will go down a treat on a cold ride.


Sunglasses aren't just for summer. The winter sun can be bright. When it's not so bright outside clear glasses are good at keeping the wind out of your eyes. Many companies do glasses with changeable lenses (clear, dark and yellow). I got mine for a few pounds in Aldi.


Lip balm is essential for me when riding, especially in winter. The cold, dry air quickly destroys my lips. You can get lip balms with UV protection which are handy.


Don't forget your lights! It gets dark quicker in winter. You might not plan on being out for long but things can happen. Changing a tube or a spoke is much more difficult in the dark. Knog make small silicone-housed lights you can leave in your bag in case of emergencies.


When you stop for lunch/a snack/rest try to keep moving if you're stopped outside. Walk around while eating to try and keep yourself warm.


If you just can't warm up go inside. Stop at the next shop/supermarket/tourist office/library etc and pretend to look around until you warm up a bit. You don't even have to spend any money!

Riding in the sunshine

Today Emily and I took a pedal out to the historic Royal Burgh of Culross. The morning started off with a bit of a frost which was to remain for the whole day. Riding in the bright winter sunshine it remained cold but not miserable. Despite wearing two pairs of socks and two pairs of gloves my hands and feet were getting too cold for my liking. I had to nip into a shop to try and bring some life back to my freezing feet but I had to give up after a short time. There is only a very limited time I can pretend to be interested in slimy tinned veg. 

We took Sustrans' Route 76 (Round the Forth) which is a mix of traffic-free paths and low-traffic roads. From my experience, Sustrans routes are very well signed. We did come across one junction where there was no visible sign. After spotting a blue sign further along the correct road it turned out the sign had fallen down - possibly due to the recent high winds we've had.