London-Edinburgh-London 2013: The thread

[PpPete]

First night ride yesterday.... I need a long time to build up to this !!

Unlit lanes, Tesco 3 W torch, Cateye EL450. Both mounted on lowriser bosses (one each side). Not enough light at 20 kph.

Petzl Myo XP head torch JUST enabled me to keep up speed up closer to 30 kph where the gradient allowed, and deliberately point beam at any motons who did not dip their headlights, and check the Garmin occasionally.

I'm definitely going to have to get something A LOT better for a long run like the LEL.

Has anybody worked out a way of using a SON to charge AA & AAA NiMH when it's not being used to run the lights? This would enable one to run the Garmin and a decent rear battery rear light without relying on spare batteries or sockets for charging.

 

[PalmerSperry]

Has anybody worked out a way of using a SON to charge AA & AAA NiMH when it's not being used to run the lights? This would enable one to run the Garmin and a decent rear battery rear light without relying on spare batteries or sockets for charging.

I'm sure there are instructions floating around the net for various homebuild systems, but there's also the (non-cheap) Busch & Müller E-Werk.

 

[Fixedwheelnut]

Thanks for that, I've been trying unsuccessfully to work out in my head the required average speed.

Yikes.

I've been working on 116 hours divided by 24, makes something like 4.8 days.

Here is my data for 2005
----------------------------------------------------
Total ride 1419.49km that includes my off route bits
Total time taken ; 106h 50m
Ride time 61h 58m = average riding speed 22.9km/h @ 70 rpm = approx 260260 turns of the pedals.
Sleep time 17h 30m
That leaves the remaining 27 hours faffing and eating and cleaning etc
------------------------------------------------------
day 1 233.3km @ 25.8km/h
day 2 341km @ 23.5km/h
day 3 327km @ 20.3km/h hilly part
day 4 286.8km @ 23.3km/h
day 5 230.5km @ 21.7km/h

 

[Nuncio]

Total time taken ; 106h 50m

And me - just checked my card. But I did 18.49kms fewer.

 

[Auntie Helen]

Well I know I couldn't do the ride... but am miles from the controls too. I shall cheer you all along from my nice warm home where there's no rain inside and no mechanicals...

Grüße, PalmerSperry!

 

[Auntie Helen]

I think it came into English through the German, and is probably short for something quite a lot longer, so the standard rules don't apply. I'm sure Auntie Helen will know

I'm pretty sure it's from Greek 'dunamis' meaning 'power'. However I do think the plural is 'dynamos' not 'dynamoes' which may be a way that we pluralise words nicked from Greek. The German plural is indeed 'dynamos' though, but I don't think that's got much to do with the English spelling - although Busch & Müller seem to be Big Cheeses in bicycle dynamo world.

 

[Arch]

Well I know I couldn't do the ride... but am miles from the controls too. I shall cheer you all along from my nice warm home where there's no rain inside and no mechanicals...

Grüße, PalmerSperry!

S'alright. We'll just ride to your house for tea and cake afterwards....

 

[PpPete]

I'm sure there are instructions floating around the net for various homebuild systems, but there's also the (non-cheap) Busch & Müller E-Werk.

That looks like the business. Yet another piece of kit to add to the shopping list, and there was me thinking I already had a bike that would just be just right for long Audaxes (what is the plural of Audax please!)

 

[PalmerSperry]

Grüße, PalmerSperry!

Vielen dank! Even if I am an English ex-pat, as was possibly clearly indicated by the fact that I'd mis-spelled Österreich in my profile! Now if only we hadn't had ~5-10cm of snow that landed on us over the last 2 days. Making a snowman today was fun, but I'm not sure it really helped me prepare for the 200 I've got in a months time!

 

[Auntie Helen]

Vielen dank! Even if I am an English ex-pat, as was possibly clearly indicated by the fact that I'd mis-spelled Österreich in my profile! Now if only we hadn't had ~5-10cm of snow that landed on us over the last 2 days. Making a snowman today was fun, but I'm not sure it really helped me prepare for the 200 I've got in a months time!

Yes, I did notice the Östereich, but an unaccustomed attack of Höflichkeit meant I didn't mention it. This will, of course, amaze Arch, with whom I'm having a grammar/spelling pedantry competition. We're at about a draw at the moment.

 

[Ashaman42]

Well I did my first metric century ever yesterday, I need to get faster for sure.

Took me 5hrs17 riding time to do 62.3 miles. Though I did stop for some toast and tea at my Dad's so the whole trip took 6hrs20 in the end.

Average speed of just under 12mph, so need to work on both speed and endurance.

In my defence though it was rather windy and I only cycled 170 miles last year and about the same so far this year, the fitness is coming back just a little slowly.

 

[Arch]

Well done! That's not a bad speed, more or less my average for the summer months last year (it goes down in winter on my heavier bike). And it's early in the year still. And toast and tea is very much an approved refuel in my book!

I've been out and done 21 flat miles on the trike, enjoying the sun. Trying not to push it too much, with my back bad at the moment, so I'm waiting to see if I'm crippled later. Was pretty comfy on the trike, although I think I need a wedge of foam to make me sit a touch more upright.

AH - I'm afraid I haven't hope at pedantry in German!

 

[Arch]

I will.

Inspired by arallsopp.

I have clearance form the OH.

PM me a rough location, and I'll put you on the map...

 

[Arch]

Ok, random SW London location chosen. You're a womble!

 

[Dayvo]

Ok, random SW London location chosen. You're a womble!

Yeah, Crock; remember you're a womble!