Manchester - Llandudno 2016 : Saturday April 23...for Harry, England and St George

[YahudaMoon]

Hi everyone

Really enjoyed the day and it was great meeting new faces and old, not posted due to me being so busy with my new job, Im now commuting between Manchester and Bradford using the train and a push bike so a Brompton may be on the cards, that or another flat in Bradford?

I stayed in Eureka Cafe till everyone left and made my way home through Chester Zoo, Frodsham, Tatton Park, Knutsford, Wilmslow Manchester Airport, Wythenshawe and then home, I had a nice tail wind unlike you lot, stopped off in Knutsford at the park where they have the penny farting races for ice cream where the temperature dropped and I couldn't get warm again, other than that it was perfect

Hope seeeing you all real soon

John

 

[YahudaMoon]

I thought you had made them yourself

Not something I would have expected a female to be envious of......

You've not seen my shopper / commute / bash / skip bike, they are something else, they are made up from two different guards and are about 10 years old, held together with bolts zip ties, string, anything that makes them work really

 

[Pale Rider]

Hi

Im using the old French mudguard by Salmon

Here

http://www.cyclesdsalmon.com/gardebouevelocarbone2016.html

The good thing about them is they'll fit any race bike with no clearance for guards, you just need the conversion kit or make your own

The only UK retailer that I know of is Mudguard Man who mails them. not sure if he's still up and running, I used him a few times and can be cranky if you ask any questions

Can't find a link for him, sorry

A member of my group has these SKS guards, which fit bikes with no clearance.

They look smart on her bike, which is probably a small or extra small.

It's a flat bar road bike, running what look to me like 23c tyres.

I've not seen @theclaud's bike, but the common theme may be that it's difficult to build decent mudguard clearance and 700c wheels into a small frame.

https://www.merlincycles.com/sks-raceblade-long-v2-mudguards-black-57505.html

 

[DiddlyDodds]

I got a lot of stick for having a clicky left pedal which I thought a little unreasonable given my status as ride leader. Anyway, their cards have been marked....

You just reminded me.......... you have a clicky left pedal.

 

[Crackle]

You just reminded me.......... you have a clicky left pedal.

The trouble is, he's only got one bike: Shameful.

 

[nickyboy]

The trouble is, he's only got one bike: Shameful.

.....which now has new pedals

 

[mythste]

.....which now has new pedals

Hoorah!

Still awaiting my new legs. Knee seems to be healing up nicely but now my achilles tendon on the other leg is giving me murder - I can only presume due to the 15 miles of one legged pedaling I did to get to the train station!

I hope it rains for another week or so.

 

[nickyboy]

Has that stopped the noise?

Almost unbelievably I correctly diagnosed a click on my bike so yes it has. I guess by the law of averages I would guess right eventually

 

[Leaway2]

Almost unbelievably I correctly diagnosed a click on my bike so yes it has. I guess by the law of averages I would guess right eventually

So now he has 2 bikes from all the parts he previously diagnosed.

 

[Wobblers]

Great story, thanks Crax.
While I'm here, I may as well post up a few more pix

View attachment 126490 View attachment 126491 View attachment 126492 View attachment 126493

You appear to have managed to get me in at least two of your photos. Which rather scuppers my plan on turning up to these rides, cheerily insulting all and sundry, and then slinking off again in discreet anonymity. Damn. To add insult to injury, I'm even smiling in one of them....

Actually, I had a splendid time. Well, okay, there was that sweary moment of trouble shooting a recalcitrant Garmin only to discover it wasn't finding any maps or rroutes because... ahem.... the memory card was still in my PC at home (itself the product of a previous sweary moment when my Garmin refused to talk to the computer). And not merely was the head wind on the coastal path unreasonably strong but sodding cold to boot.

But... the hilly option was so much nicer than the A548 last year, and in glorious sunshine too (the gratuitous inclusion of a few extra hills before Pentre Halkyn will not be commented on...). The leaving of Rhyl was glorious. And BEER is always a civilised way to end a ride.

@Crackle may think me insane for riding back afterwards. The thing is, I actually rather look forward to the silent, still roads. There's a wonderful peacefulness you just don't get any other time: no incessant whinging coming from the direction of @rich p, for instance. Though, after some dithering at some bleak roundabout wondering whether I was going the right way, it dawned on me that every single junction as going to be like that... or I could just stick with the A547. No contest - especially as the A547 bypasses Rhyl entirely. Four hours patient pedalling got me home for a well deserved up of tea and bed.

Bit far to go to the pub, isn't it? But worth it. Thanks @nickyboy!

 

[rich p]

@Crackle , did you ever compare our route over the Welsh hills with the 'real' thing? Overall mileage wasn't too far out IIRC.

 

[Crackle]

@Crackle , did you ever compare our route over the Welsh hills with the 'real' thing? Overall mileage wasn't too far out IIRC.

Bit longer coz some tonk mades us go to Prestatyn.

But only a few miles in it.

 

[nickyboy]

Bit longer coz some tonk mades us go to Prestatyn.

But only a few miles in it.

No Prestatyn = No unrolling vista of N Wales' premier seaside resort as you trundle along the revetment.

I know you wouldn't want to have missed that

 

[mybike]

No Prestatyn = No unrolling vista of N Wales' premier seaside resort as you trundle along the revetment.

I know you wouldn't want to have missed that

And no hour long chat at the Bike Hut either.