London-Edinburgh-London 2013: The thread

[arallsopp]

Well I did my first metric century ever yesterday.

Bloody well done mate! That's further than I'd managed this time last year, and is a very good opener. Once the weather warms up, this will be a perfect foundation to rides of great stupidity

Am quite envious of you. Its a hell of a curve you're facing

 

[Ashaman42]

I'm definitely looking forward to the lighter evenings, it's be a while till I can afford a dynohub so will be nice to be able to extend my commute without worrying about lighting.

Am surprised how little my legs hurt today, they did not feel good when I finished my ride yesterday. Not sure if the knee pain was fit related or simply not being used to that sort of mileage. Will be keeping an eye on it.

Only just managed the last ten or so miles but have plenty of time to work on the old endurance.

 

[Amanda P]

Oh 'eck.

We did about 130 hilly miles over two days this weekend. I'm knackered: I've a long way to go to be ready!

Still, I suppose I could look on it as an early start to the training.

And on the dynamo thread, my 'bent is now equipped with a SON hub and a IQ Cyo light. I've no excuse not to do it now, really, have I?

 

[PpPete]

My legs were also a little knackered this morning....

Yesterday:
Nice steady 30km on my own outbound at 24 kph which I was pleased about.
Return with a horrendously slow group at about 16-17 kph, all of which would have been fine, until we (16 y.o. son and I) left the group about three miles from home. What is it about teenage boys having to prove themselves?
More to the point why did I rise to the bait?

 

[Arch]

I'm definitely looking forward to the lighter evenings, it's be a while till I can afford a dynohub so will be nice to be able to extend my commute without worrying about lighting.

Am surprised how little my legs hurt today, they did not feel good when I finished my ride yesterday. Not sure if the knee pain was fit related or simply not being used to that sort of mileage. Will be keeping an eye on it.

Only just managed the last ten or so miles but have plenty of time to work on the old endurance.

When I did my first (and so far, only) imperial century last year, it was the last 10 miles before my legs started to hurt - but my shoulders, wrists and bum were screaming from about 70 miles. I think the legs get pretty strong with any amount of regular riding, and the real test is the contact points (ah the joy of recumbents!). I only just made the last 10 miles of that 100, not helped by the fact that I got back to the edge of York on 90, so had to go back out to bag the full 100. Now THAT was mind over matter.

I only did 21 miles yesterday on the trike, but my excuse is a bad back - a back which feels miraculously better today than it did last week. I'll be honest, I was starting to think I'd never cycle more than my commute ever again, but I feel much happier now. Just need not to put it back by overdoing the lifting at work.

I better start saving for a SON then.

 

[Ashaman42]

Well I've got a little bike kitty going, everytime I commute I move £5 into a separate account, originally started it to stop me spending money on stuff when I wasn't doing any cycling. Think that's go towards the dyno gear though I don't mind if I have to top it up a bit from my proper savings.

Wasn't just my legs, bum and neck were getting quite sore too, will stick with it a bit, see if I adjust to riding again after so little last year.

Must admit I am tempted by a 'bent, no room at the moment but I'm planning to get a garage put up this spring (my poor motorbike is rusting away) so it's a maybe.

 

[Greenbank]

I wouldn't worry too much about the choice of dynohub lights or battery lights. I've used both and would happily use either based for any ride based on the toss of a coin.

I did LEL with battery lights (2 x B&M Ixon IQ that take 4AA batteries each) and needed one spare set of batteries (which I bought en route). Most of the time I was using one light on the low power setting (which lasts for at least 10 hours or so). Only on a few descents did I go onto full power (4 hours from one set of batteries) and sometimes even turned on the second light (both on full just to show off how bright they were). The spare was also there should one fail or run out of batteries at an inopportune time.

I only needed 2 or 3 hours of lights per night because it's only dark enough to need bright lights between 10pm and 4am at that time of year, and because I'd stop for the night somewhere for some sleep. Just have a cheap flashing light for being seen to save the need for the bright lights until it's properly dark enough.

I've done all my other Audaxes leading up to it with a dynohub wheel and light, but for LEL I thought I'd treat myself to less drag (even it's not noticable, it is there) and a lighter front wheel with less rotating weight.

For 400s and 600s I'm more likely to be riding right through the night so it makes more sense for dynohub powered lights, especially on a ride in spring/autumn where the nights are considerably longer.

 

[PpPete]

I can see your logic there Greenbank.... but 2 x Ixon IQ is expensive too. Maybe not quite as much as a SON Dynohub + a Cyo but I don't see that I'll be able to afford both systems. And as you say the dynohub is probably the way to go on a 600, which I sort of think I "should" do before the LEL

 

[arallsopp]

And as you say the dynohub is probably the way to go on a 600, which I sort of think I "should" do before the LEL

Greenbank knows his stuff, and was in considerably better condition than me by the time we hooked up southbound. Then again, I completed my virgin "600" on the way up, some 15 miles south of Eskdalemuir

 

[Ian H]

Just to put your equipment worries in perspective, I did the 99 PBP on a forty year old fixed-wheel with, at night tiime, a seven quid Union dynamo rattling against the back tyre.

And rode there and back.

 

[Tynan]

I wouldn't worry too much about the choice of dynohub lights or battery lights. I've used both and would happily use either based for any ride based on the toss of a coin.

I did LEL with battery lights (2 x B&M Ixon IQ that take 4AA batteries each) and needed one spare set of batteries (which I bought en route). Most of the time I was using one light on the low power setting (which lasts for at least 10 hours or so). Only on a few descents did I go onto full power (4 hours from one set of batteries) and sometimes even turned on the second light (both on full just to show off how bright they were). The spare was also there should one fail or run out of batteries at an inopportune time.

I only needed 2 or 3 hours of lights per night because it's only dark enough to need bright lights between 10pm and 4am at that time of year, and because I'd stop for the night somewhere for some sleep. Just have a cheap flashing light for being seen to save the need for the bright lights until it's properly dark enough.

I've done all my other Audaxes leading up to it with a dynohub wheel and light, but for LEL I thought I'd treat myself to less drag (even it's not noticable, it is there) and a lighter front wheel with less rotating weight.

For 400s and 600s I'm more likely to be riding right through the night so it makes more sense for dynohub powered lights, especially on a ride in spring/autumn where the nights are considerably longer.

no no no no no, heresy

 

[Ian H]

Eh? Sounds very sensible to me.

 

[Tynan]

I was being a tad silly

heresy against the pro hub clique

 

[PpPete]

tad silly?
Isnt the whole concept just a teensy weensy bit more than a tad silly?

 

[Greenbank]

heresy against the pro hub clique

True. People can get very defensive about justifying their purchases.

Hubs work well. Battery powered lights work well. Both have their pros and cons. I pick and choose which I use for the appropriate situation.

As for the expense, yes, they are but good stuff generally is.

My SON wheel was close to £200 (Ambrosio Excellight rim). My Solidlights 1203D was £140, plus another £70 to have it upgraded to the brighter XB2 emitters.

For a cheaper option you can go for a Shimano Dynohub wheel (~£120) and something like the B&M Cyo (£70) or the cheaper and not quite so good but still good enouhg IQ Fly (£50).

B&M Ixon IQ can be found for € 59,90 at RoseVersand. There are probably cheaper lights that are just as good (or even better) but I haven't bought them to recommend them.