OP
OP
Andrew Br
Still part of the team !
- Location
- Chorlton Cum Hardy
Trains out of Euston cancelled so 2 riders aren't going to make it.....
FNRttC FNRttC Manchester-Morecambe, 31st May 2024.
- Thread starter Andrew Br
- Start date
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ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
That's a shame! I hope that the rest of you enjoy the ride.
OP
OP
Andrew Br
Still part of the team !
- Location
- Chorlton Cum Hardy
03.00 and we're at the food stop.
Only 3 of us but we're making light of the hills and having a great time.
It's not warm though, Garmin was showing 8.3 deg. C on the moors.
Flowers for alans/jogler:-
Only 3 of us but we're making light of the hills and having a great time.
It's not warm though, Garmin was showing 8.3 deg. C on the moors.
Flowers for alans/jogler:-
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OP
OP
Andrew Br
Still part of the team !
- Location
- Chorlton Cum Hardy
3 riders didn't make it from London in the end.
DaveL and I are on the train from B/Pool to MCR.
Moodyman got the Leeds train from Morecambe.
Great night. I'll expand in a later post.
DaveL and I are on the train from B/Pool to MCR.
Moodyman got the Leeds train from Morecambe.
Great night. I'll expand in a later post.
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Moodyman
Legendary Member
OP
OP
Andrew Br
Still part of the team !
- Location
- Chorlton Cum Hardy
It seems that bad luck dogs this ride.
This year the trains out of Euston were cancelled so 3 riders couldn't make it to MCR and one of the locals pulled out because of back issues leaving just 3 of us, DaveL (not OTP), Moodyman and YT. So, what we missed in numbers, we made up for in competence and humour.
On top of it all, the weather forecast was for clear(ish) skies and no rain and so it proved although it did get cold on the moors and after we left the food stop.
NCN6 was a usefully safe (traffic free) and flat way out of Manchester and we soon arrived in Bury where we left flowers, as usual, for alans/jogler. Photo above.
Bury is the start of the hills proper: relatively easy up through Tottington then a bit up and down to Edgworth before the long, long climb up to the Grane Road. We got to the top with no problems at all and we enjoyed the long descent to Shadsworth and on to the food stop on the M65 services, bang on schedule at 03.00. As usual the attendant remembered us and, as we were leaving, said he would see us next year !
It was cold when we left the stop but, for once, I managed to get us out of Blackburn without any wrong turns......
We enjoyed the (cold) descent towards Ribchester but this is where it started to go wrong for me. The rear of the bike started bouncing and it was obvious that I had a puncture. Normally the GravelKing SK tyres come off very easily but this time it was really difficult and needed lots of force with a tyre lever. Then we discovered the reason for the difficulty, the inner tube was stuck to the inside of the tyre. Previously, they'd been set up tubeless and, despite the sealant having been left exposed to the air for several months before I fitted the tyre, it was apparent that the latex in the sealant still had some adhesive properties.
When we finally got the tube out of the tyre, I fitted a swanky, orange TPU tube straight out of the box. My pump didn't prove to be very effective so we used DaveL's small Lezyne to get some pressure in the tyre and off we went up the hill to Longridge. All was good until a couple of km later when the bike started bouncing again. Hoping that it was just "one of those things", we stopped to put more air in it but no such luck. About a further km up the road the tyre was going down again so we decided to put a new tube in, this time my other spare, a brand new latex one. We couldn't get this one to inflate so I used one of DaveL's spares; this was also latex. We pumped up the tyre (not easy with the mini-pump) and set off to Longridge and then the lovely countryside towards Lancaster. This was the end of my tyre issues but I really don't know why 2 new(ish), unused tubes failed. I also don't know what caused the original "puncture" since we didn't find anything in the tyre and we couldn't detect where any air was coming out of the original tube. I also need to look at getting a new pump....
All this messing around cost us the best part of an hour so we arrived at the Morecambe Wetherspoons at around 09.00 rather than 08.00 as I'd hoped/anticipated. It's worth mentioning that the approach to Lancaster from Conder Green along the sea front was truly lovely with the sun twinkling off the sea and the river.
After a more than OK breakfast and lots of coffee, DaveL and I set off to ride to Blackpool and the train home while Moodyman said his goodbyes and got the train from Morecambe.
Our ride was mostly terrific but the cycling infrastructure after the Shard Bridge was absolutely dire and we spent some time on a fast, busy, A road before we could find our way to Blackpool Prom and Blackpool North Station.
Our "adventure" wasn't over yet. The train (only 3 carriages) became very crowded as the journey progressed and it seems that all airport trains after our's had been cancelled..... Getting off at Manchester Deansgate needed a lot of co-operation from the other (friendly) passengers.
The (my) troubles weren't finished even then.... As we approached Chorlton(CH), we had to come off the bike lane and then re-join it. After looking around (you have to have eyes everywhere on this "infrastructure") I mistook a white, raised kerb for a white line and the bike went from under me. According to DaveL it was very spectacular and I slid quite a way. The bike is fine but my knee, elbow and wrist copped for it and my bibs are toast......
It wasn't the best end to what was, issues aside, a terrific evening.
I hope to offer this ride next year and I really, really hope that it goes smoothly.
Many thanks to DaveL and Moodyman for their excellent company and, particularly, their patience as I tried to sort out my tyres.
This year the trains out of Euston were cancelled so 3 riders couldn't make it to MCR and one of the locals pulled out because of back issues leaving just 3 of us, DaveL (not OTP), Moodyman and YT. So, what we missed in numbers, we made up for in competence and humour.
On top of it all, the weather forecast was for clear(ish) skies and no rain and so it proved although it did get cold on the moors and after we left the food stop.
NCN6 was a usefully safe (traffic free) and flat way out of Manchester and we soon arrived in Bury where we left flowers, as usual, for alans/jogler. Photo above.
Bury is the start of the hills proper: relatively easy up through Tottington then a bit up and down to Edgworth before the long, long climb up to the Grane Road. We got to the top with no problems at all and we enjoyed the long descent to Shadsworth and on to the food stop on the M65 services, bang on schedule at 03.00. As usual the attendant remembered us and, as we were leaving, said he would see us next year !
It was cold when we left the stop but, for once, I managed to get us out of Blackburn without any wrong turns......
We enjoyed the (cold) descent towards Ribchester but this is where it started to go wrong for me. The rear of the bike started bouncing and it was obvious that I had a puncture. Normally the GravelKing SK tyres come off very easily but this time it was really difficult and needed lots of force with a tyre lever. Then we discovered the reason for the difficulty, the inner tube was stuck to the inside of the tyre. Previously, they'd been set up tubeless and, despite the sealant having been left exposed to the air for several months before I fitted the tyre, it was apparent that the latex in the sealant still had some adhesive properties.
When we finally got the tube out of the tyre, I fitted a swanky, orange TPU tube straight out of the box. My pump didn't prove to be very effective so we used DaveL's small Lezyne to get some pressure in the tyre and off we went up the hill to Longridge. All was good until a couple of km later when the bike started bouncing again. Hoping that it was just "one of those things", we stopped to put more air in it but no such luck. About a further km up the road the tyre was going down again so we decided to put a new tube in, this time my other spare, a brand new latex one. We couldn't get this one to inflate so I used one of DaveL's spares; this was also latex. We pumped up the tyre (not easy with the mini-pump) and set off to Longridge and then the lovely countryside towards Lancaster. This was the end of my tyre issues but I really don't know why 2 new(ish), unused tubes failed. I also don't know what caused the original "puncture" since we didn't find anything in the tyre and we couldn't detect where any air was coming out of the original tube. I also need to look at getting a new pump....
All this messing around cost us the best part of an hour so we arrived at the Morecambe Wetherspoons at around 09.00 rather than 08.00 as I'd hoped/anticipated. It's worth mentioning that the approach to Lancaster from Conder Green along the sea front was truly lovely with the sun twinkling off the sea and the river.
After a more than OK breakfast and lots of coffee, DaveL and I set off to ride to Blackpool and the train home while Moodyman said his goodbyes and got the train from Morecambe.
Our ride was mostly terrific but the cycling infrastructure after the Shard Bridge was absolutely dire and we spent some time on a fast, busy, A road before we could find our way to Blackpool Prom and Blackpool North Station.
Our "adventure" wasn't over yet. The train (only 3 carriages) became very crowded as the journey progressed and it seems that all airport trains after our's had been cancelled..... Getting off at Manchester Deansgate needed a lot of co-operation from the other (friendly) passengers.
The (my) troubles weren't finished even then.... As we approached Chorlton(CH), we had to come off the bike lane and then re-join it. After looking around (you have to have eyes everywhere on this "infrastructure") I mistook a white, raised kerb for a white line and the bike went from under me. According to DaveL it was very spectacular and I slid quite a way. The bike is fine but my knee, elbow and wrist copped for it and my bibs are toast......
It wasn't the best end to what was, issues aside, a terrific evening.
I hope to offer this ride next year and I really, really hope that it goes smoothly.
Many thanks to DaveL and Moodyman for their excellent company and, particularly, their patience as I tried to sort out my tyres.
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Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
Misfortunes never come singly. But at least you've increased your stock of tales to tell 
Domus
Guru
- Location
- Sunny Radcliffe
Good report Andrew. Must check my tyres, they too were tubeless now reverted back to tubes. Better in the garage than in France. 👍
Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
I'm pretty sure I've used formerly tubeless tyres with tubes before without problem. But for future reference I'll add plenty of talc if I do it again to prevent stickage. (Maybe that's what I did last time and maybe that's why I didn't have the problem)
Domus
Guru
- Location
- Sunny Radcliffe
Good call Andrew, both tubes stuck like "s**t to a blanket"
As a precaution new tubes installed along with lots of talc.
As a precaution new tubes installed along with lots of talc.
OP
OP
Andrew Br
Still part of the team !
- Location
- Chorlton Cum Hardy
The GravelKings hadn't been set up tubeless by me. They were surplus to requirements and I had them given to me without them having been used. It never occurred to me that the sealant would still be "sticky", they certainly didn't feel that way when I fitted the tube.
Yes, when I get time the rear tyre is coming off and I'll talc the tube.
FWIW, the front is still tubeless with the insert in it. The rear was the same until I managed to run over a massive screw/bolt which made a huge hole in the tyre writing it off. That's why I'm running mis-matched tyres front and rear.
I've several things to sort out before the Tour.
Yes, when I get time the rear tyre is coming off and I'll talc the tube.
FWIW, the front is still tubeless with the insert in it. The rear was the same until I managed to run over a massive screw/bolt which made a huge hole in the tyre writing it off. That's why I'm running mis-matched tyres front and rear.
I've several things to sort out before the Tour.
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OP
OP
Andrew Br
Still part of the team !
- Location
- Chorlton Cum Hardy
A tube update:-
I've found a very small hole in the original (stuck) tube and patched it. It won't be going anywhere near a tyre until I talc it. I need to buy some talcum powder....
The TPU tube inflated OK and is still inflated. Go figure....
There was quite a large hole in the spare, unused, latex tube. I've patched it and it seems to hold pressure. Again, go figure....
I think I'll leave the tube "saga" there.
The wounds from my "off" however.........
I've found a very small hole in the original (stuck) tube and patched it. It won't be going anywhere near a tyre until I talc it. I need to buy some talcum powder....
The TPU tube inflated OK and is still inflated. Go figure....
There was quite a large hole in the spare, unused, latex tube. I've patched it and it seems to hold pressure. Again, go figure....
I think I'll leave the tube "saga" there.
The wounds from my "off" however.........
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