equivalence
Well-Known Member
Well this is my first post to mark my first ever ton! The Trossachs Ton was also my first ever cycling event. I started a bit later in the morning about 8:20-8:30 ish which in my mind was still incredibly early. I started off keeping within my limits and pedalled most of the way to the Dukes Pass without seeing a single sole - only the early food stop assured me I was actually going the correct way!
Going up the Dukes Pass was a bit of an eye opener as it felt hard very very quickly; further exacerbated by the fact that I couldn't change into the required gear due a now slightly buckled back wheel hitting the derailleur. I hopped off to see if I could do anything but I just had to stick to the more uncomfortable gear until I got to the top.
The trip round Loch Katrine was a bit of a surprise as I hadn't predicted the road being so lumpy. On the road down back to Aberfoyle the mechanical went from bad to worse as the tyre was now hitting the side of the frame, which after a few miles turned into the rim hitting the side of the frame! At this point I had to stop and curse about forgetting to take the spoke tightener from my car. I flapped around for a bit trying to do something but alas I was stuck. After a while someone passed with a small spanner that I managed to contort to tighten the spoke until I got to the Rob Roy.
Having spent time getting the bike "fixed" and having something to eat with my uncle who had driven out to see me, I ended being at the lunch stop for close to an hour. I really liked the dimension the lunch added to the event - I hope the don't abandon this part of it in the future. I then set off, only to realise a mile or so down the road that I'd left my gilet. Damn. So I turned back.
Man the A81 was a hell of a head wind - made worse by the fact that I had already had a false start on this road. I ploughed on, passing only a few people along the way and no one coming through, so it was another lonely section - probably best that way as I've never cycled in a bunch and I'm likely to have brought everybody down!
Then after turning off at Strathblane the mechanical problem raised it's ugly head again. I kept going for a bit as I thought the food stop was soon and hoped that my uncle who I had met for lunch might be sitting there to help me out. As it turned out he was and just as well he did. When I got off the bike I realised one spoke had completely gone and 4 were loose. At this point I feared it was over.
We tried in vein to fix the wheel but the spoke nipple must have shattered as it wasn't even inside the wheel. As luck would have it my uncle had thrown a wheel from his old, but classy, bike in the back of his car in case it was required. The problem was now that I was using a Shimano 105 10-speed with a retro Campag 5-speed. After much tampering we managed to avoid the chain skipping off the top into the wheel. So after more than 30 minutes at the entrance to the last food stop I was off again.
I couldn't believe how smooth the ride was the Campag cassette - not to mention the lovely sound you get off it. The only problem being that I could only get the top 2 gears, but at least it was the "right" two for going up the Crow Road.
So I hit the Crow Road and again it was a bit of a shock at the initial turns. I was stuttering along at a miserable 6mph. After a while I managed to get into a rhythm and was keeping it at 9-10mph - which I was happy at as I find it difficult shifting my fat 16.5 stone ass up any sort of hill. I then started struggling again big time around the car park area. God it felt painful and I was back at the 6mph pace if that. Then the new tarmac appeared, and as my uncle put it "I thought someone had given you a new pair of legs". Now for some reason I wasn't feeling the pain quite so much and I was charging along at around 11-12mph with my head down not even looking up - I presume the gradient wasn't as bad but I feared raising my head would make me lose momentum!
After the Crow Road was over I was again surprised at the profile from there back to Stirling - it didn't seem quite so hilly on the profile map. As many have mentioned the road surface wasn't that great, but my normal rides on some of the back roads in Renfrewshire are just as bad, so I didn't think anything of it.
From here to Stirling I passed quite a few people who were really struggling, and I had a quick chat to a few of them. In particular, the kind gentleman who had stopped for me on the road into Aberfoyle and helped me back on my way. With the new lease of life still there, I managed to make my way back to Stirling without feeling too tired but was glad to see the finish.
Well that's it. Sorry that was a bit long and not much info on the conditions etc, I just thought the mechanical woes may be more entertaining! Despite the problems, and contrary to my feelings at the time, I really enjoyed it and I'm glad I done it. Now I need to get my back wheel fixed which is completely managed.
Thanks Mags for posting your ride report, and also the picture as I recognise the face of HLaB! (HLaB: I cycled over to the park with you from your car).
Going up the Dukes Pass was a bit of an eye opener as it felt hard very very quickly; further exacerbated by the fact that I couldn't change into the required gear due a now slightly buckled back wheel hitting the derailleur. I hopped off to see if I could do anything but I just had to stick to the more uncomfortable gear until I got to the top.
The trip round Loch Katrine was a bit of a surprise as I hadn't predicted the road being so lumpy. On the road down back to Aberfoyle the mechanical went from bad to worse as the tyre was now hitting the side of the frame, which after a few miles turned into the rim hitting the side of the frame! At this point I had to stop and curse about forgetting to take the spoke tightener from my car. I flapped around for a bit trying to do something but alas I was stuck. After a while someone passed with a small spanner that I managed to contort to tighten the spoke until I got to the Rob Roy.
Having spent time getting the bike "fixed" and having something to eat with my uncle who had driven out to see me, I ended being at the lunch stop for close to an hour. I really liked the dimension the lunch added to the event - I hope the don't abandon this part of it in the future. I then set off, only to realise a mile or so down the road that I'd left my gilet. Damn. So I turned back.
Man the A81 was a hell of a head wind - made worse by the fact that I had already had a false start on this road. I ploughed on, passing only a few people along the way and no one coming through, so it was another lonely section - probably best that way as I've never cycled in a bunch and I'm likely to have brought everybody down!
Then after turning off at Strathblane the mechanical problem raised it's ugly head again. I kept going for a bit as I thought the food stop was soon and hoped that my uncle who I had met for lunch might be sitting there to help me out. As it turned out he was and just as well he did. When I got off the bike I realised one spoke had completely gone and 4 were loose. At this point I feared it was over.
We tried in vein to fix the wheel but the spoke nipple must have shattered as it wasn't even inside the wheel. As luck would have it my uncle had thrown a wheel from his old, but classy, bike in the back of his car in case it was required. The problem was now that I was using a Shimano 105 10-speed with a retro Campag 5-speed. After much tampering we managed to avoid the chain skipping off the top into the wheel. So after more than 30 minutes at the entrance to the last food stop I was off again.
I couldn't believe how smooth the ride was the Campag cassette - not to mention the lovely sound you get off it. The only problem being that I could only get the top 2 gears, but at least it was the "right" two for going up the Crow Road.
So I hit the Crow Road and again it was a bit of a shock at the initial turns. I was stuttering along at a miserable 6mph. After a while I managed to get into a rhythm and was keeping it at 9-10mph - which I was happy at as I find it difficult shifting my fat 16.5 stone ass up any sort of hill. I then started struggling again big time around the car park area. God it felt painful and I was back at the 6mph pace if that. Then the new tarmac appeared, and as my uncle put it "I thought someone had given you a new pair of legs". Now for some reason I wasn't feeling the pain quite so much and I was charging along at around 11-12mph with my head down not even looking up - I presume the gradient wasn't as bad but I feared raising my head would make me lose momentum!
After the Crow Road was over I was again surprised at the profile from there back to Stirling - it didn't seem quite so hilly on the profile map. As many have mentioned the road surface wasn't that great, but my normal rides on some of the back roads in Renfrewshire are just as bad, so I didn't think anything of it.
From here to Stirling I passed quite a few people who were really struggling, and I had a quick chat to a few of them. In particular, the kind gentleman who had stopped for me on the road into Aberfoyle and helped me back on my way. With the new lease of life still there, I managed to make my way back to Stirling without feeling too tired but was glad to see the finish.
Well that's it. Sorry that was a bit long and not much info on the conditions etc, I just thought the mechanical woes may be more entertaining! Despite the problems, and contrary to my feelings at the time, I really enjoyed it and I'm glad I done it. Now I need to get my back wheel fixed which is completely managed.
Thanks Mags for posting your ride report, and also the picture as I recognise the face of HLaB! (HLaB: I cycled over to the park with you from your car).
(Welcome to the forum by the way! 
)
Then frustration with it all pushed me on towards the end.
and nice meeting you 
