Recce aborted. First part went well enough, got to Bembridge at 2ish & my front mech is suddenly nonfunctional. No cable tension. Self and Rob (
@PaleRider) tweak the cable a bit. Riding up and down to check it, chain explodes, pin from quick link nowhere to be found. Rob has a chain tool & with an extra pair of hands he shortens and rejoins the chain by one link. Front might shift but I don't risk it, rear I try and leave alone but seems OK. Bike is rideable reasonably quickly. Back to Ryde Tesco (hand washing) & then Fishbourne. Now waiting for 0600. My first ever night ride mechanical. Would have to be a big one! Many thanks to Rob for getting me rolling again.
And thanks to you as well Stu for the ride and company.
Shorter than we anticipated, but it gave me a flavour of this Friday night malarkey.
As I said before we parted, it was still a good adventure on a bike, just not the one we anticipated.
Overcoming mechanical challenges brings its own satisfaction.
I was pleased with my chain joining, having never done it before.
A bad workman blames his tools, but this average workman is going to praise the Park Tools Mini Brute chain breaker.
It handled your Campag 11-speed fine, and my initially hamfisted attempts to drive home the rivet.
Not much I can say about the ride, having only done a short section of the easiest bit.
But as you've commented, riders would need to be fairly strong cyclists to enjoy it.
The constant ups and downs reminded me of some of the terrain near my static caravan in North Yorkshire.
One climb and descent after another can be very wearing.
Doing another recce is a good effort.
However hard the route is, participants can be confident the leader has done a proper job on it.
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/...gclid=CN-PmL7qh8cCFWPnwgodXnMGtg&gclsrc=aw.ds
