The Fridays tour - Normandy 15th-22nd June

[Sketchley]

Does your bike have small chain ring....never seen you use it..

 

[Tim Hall]

I think DZ's small chain ring is 54. Like his large one. It matches his cassette, which goes 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 12.

 

[StuAff]

And you survived Portsmouth! Do visit again!

 

[StuAff]

The Colnago's little ring must be like those famously imperceptible gear changes- not visible to his riding chums.

 

[Andrew Br]

97% sounds like something to be excited about...

Still having to sober up also sounds like something to be excited about.


.

 

[User10571]

I think DZ's small chain ring is 54. Like his large one. It matches his cassette, which goes 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 12.

ROTFLMAO
Oh, and something to get all this tea off my keyboard, please.

 

[dellzeqq]

mind you, Susie did have to manage with a 23 on the back for most of the week (bent mech hanger) and managed the hill up to Brix on a 34/17, so maybe I'm getting softer in my old age

 

[redfalo]

People who are taking the overnight ferry to Caen and riding round to Brix, which of us is going to decide on a route?

I'm happy to work out a suggestion on GPSies.

 

[mmmmartin]

For someone planning a route from Caen to the chateau, be aware that the area of the final section of the route is littered with tiny minute little small beautiful lanes. And that some of them are excellent tarmac. Others (on which I doubt Dell will be taking us) are not, shall we say.

Also note there is a railway line that might become very alluring. It goes to Valognes which is about half an hour by bike to the chateau, and perhaps the last section is where you might be seduced by the allure of a direct route to the chateau. You need to go via Ruffosses as the other direct paths are the stuff that create nightmares for Mice and for which she may never forgive me.
(Edited to remove confusing nonsense.)

 

[AnythingButVanilla]

Does stone-strewn muddy nightmare mean that there were more visitations than usual? I've never had one, touch wood, but would hate to be caught unawares.

 

[AnythingButVanilla]

I was planning to and usually have one with me but just wondering how many is too many. I'm fine sorting the puncture but struggle getting the tyre back on :weakgirl:

 

[mmmmartin]

They have shops, in France? You'll be telling us we can drink the water next.

Less than 2k from the chateau is the biggest bike shop EVVA. Think Decathlon (not quite that big) staffed by Real Cyclists. Dell trusted the rear deraillieur of Agent Hilda with it, nuff said. It seems a visit there is high on the agenda, if only for the ladies. Can't see why. It seems the workshop there is staffed entirely by the local cycle racing team. Think large thigh muscles, small bums, no excess fat anywhere, big smiles, huge spanners.
And yes, the water is nice. I drank loads of it. Other drinks are available.

 

[dellzeqq]

just to be clear - there will be no unmade roads on the tour. We've recce'd every inch of the five main rides, bar a short stretch north of the D22, which I will go through inch by inch on Google Streetmap. There may be mud, gravel and cow poo on the roads, but they will all be metalled. Bring spare brake blocks, though

As it goes, all the routes I planned before going were impractical because of road surfaces - so the recce trip was more than worthwhile.

I'll be sending out a group e-mail asking you how you're getting to the Chateau, and you will receive your personal travel plan in return. This may include baggage carrying services from Cherbourg harbour.

If you're planning to get as close to the Chateau as you can by rail, then the station to look for is Valognes.

And finally - the Chateau is at the highest point of the entire Contentin peninsular, which makes for an effortless start to every day's ride. Don't thank me.......

 

[CharlieB]

And finally - the Chateau is at the highest point of the entire Contentin peninsular, which makes for an effortless start to every day's ride.

But that means…

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

But that means…

That means it's downhill to the café des sports!

(Loving this thread by the way - can't wait till you're all there!)