In preparation for the Sydney - Gong ride this coming Sunday, the Apollogy got a new 39t chainring and a large Topeak aero wedge bag last weekend. The chainring is a quick compromise to drop the gearing to a useful 37 inch climbing low gear for the big hill out of the Royal National Park and other hills that may come my way. Test ride on saturday demonstrated that it was pretty useful on the steep bits while the 52t big ring still gives me plenty of flat grunt. Short term I would like to drop the 52t down to a 49t to avoid some close ratios but I haven't yet been able to source a 49t.
Ultimately I'm aiming for a triple ring with a 50, 42 and 32ish type of range for carrying a bit more load under fatigue but I'm optimistic that the 39 will cut the mustard on short rides and resolves a whole lot of flow on problems in converting to a triple.
The Topeak aero wedge is another compromise but will happily handle phone, wallet snacks and spray jacket. Tools and spare tubes are going into a bidon tool box slung under the downtube. It should be useful for rides up to 200km.
I have a larger and much older Karrimor saddle/handlebar bag which has a useful capacity but doesn't really fix properly on the saddle or handlebars. Again, long term goal is a nice handlebar bag to improve capacity for longer rides. There's a nice Vaude model that I like, but ultimately one of those rack mounted Berthould bags on trad bikes would fit more with my aesthetic.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Saturday, October 20, 2007
100km Brevet
Completed my first 100km Brevet today with the Wollongong Audax guys. Lovely day for it too. Hardly any breeze early on though getting hot after lunch time. They call the route the coast run which follows a big circuit north from Dapto to Bulli for coffee at Ruby's cafe and then south along the coast to Shellharbour, down through Jambaroo and then up over the mountain through Albion park and back to Dapto.
I felt strong and rode quite well today and ws very happy to complete the ride in 5 hours 15mins with about 4.15 in the saddle. Average speed was just over 24kph which just goes to show how much faster you ride in a group.
A few adjustments still required for the Apollogy, will look at smaller chainrings to replace the 52/42 set currently in place. I need a lower low gear for the climbs hereabouts and think I might be able to get a 39 small ring on. so look at something like a 49/39 setup.
I felt strong and rode quite well today and ws very happy to complete the ride in 5 hours 15mins with about 4.15 in the saddle. Average speed was just over 24kph which just goes to show how much faster you ride in a group.
A few adjustments still required for the Apollogy, will look at smaller chainrings to replace the 52/42 set currently in place. I need a lower low gear for the climbs hereabouts and think I might be able to get a 39 small ring on. so look at something like a 49/39 setup.
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Loop around the Lake
Storms rushed through the Illawarra last night, but this morning dawned clear and bright with a south-east breeze. Time to hit the road!
I drove south to Berkley on the Lake with the idea of following the KBUGs lake ride. Heading west I road through the back of Horsley and West Dapto, then scooted down Marshall Mount Road to Yallah and along the cycleway past Macquarie Rivulet. Serious head wind travelling south west and but I kept my head down and thought about turning to ride with it with it when I got passed Yallah.
The path here is really nice and for some reason doesn't see much traffic. From there its a mixture of cycleway and on road riding back around the lake to Windang, Warrawong and across t0 Berkley and the car.
Apart from a taxi pulling out in front of me it was a fairly uneventful ride.
46.8kms in 2hrs and 5 minutes averaging 22.8kph with a couple of quick stops for photos and directions.
I drove south to Berkley on the Lake with the idea of following the KBUGs lake ride. Heading west I road through the back of Horsley and West Dapto, then scooted down Marshall Mount Road to Yallah and along the cycleway past Macquarie Rivulet. Serious head wind travelling south west and but I kept my head down and thought about turning to ride with it with it when I got passed Yallah.
The path here is really nice and for some reason doesn't see much traffic. From there its a mixture of cycleway and on road riding back around the lake to Windang, Warrawong and across t0 Berkley and the car.
Apart from a taxi pulling out in front of me it was a fairly uneventful ride.
46.8kms in 2hrs and 5 minutes averaging 22.8kph with a couple of quick stops for photos and directions.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Walk to work day
Last friday was walk to work day and a bunch of us from Wollongong decided to walk to work in Campbelltown. OK, So we didn't walk all of the way, but managed a 16km wander along the 10b fire trail through the Dharawal State Conservation Area to Wedderburn.
It was a beautiful day and one of the joys of walking at this time of the year, in this part of the world is seeing the gorgeous flowers. There's been plenty of rain over winter and the Teleopea's were fabulous.
We were raising money for the Cancer Council and managed just over $1000 which was great.
Not much cycling in the last few weeks, just a few short trips around to the shops, though I'm feeling fit for the Sydney to Gong ride in November and hope to do a 100km populaire with the Illawarra Audax group in a couple of weeks.
It was a beautiful day and one of the joys of walking at this time of the year, in this part of the world is seeing the gorgeous flowers. There's been plenty of rain over winter and the Teleopea's were fabulous.
We were raising money for the Cancer Council and managed just over $1000 which was great.
Not much cycling in the last few weeks, just a few short trips around to the shops, though I'm feeling fit for the Sydney to Gong ride in November and hope to do a 100km populaire with the Illawarra Audax group in a couple of weeks.
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