Enduroman 1st - 10th June 2012

You can only swap if the cassette's are compatible, i.e. number of cogs/speed and make (SRAM, Campag, Shimano).  e.g. youll get indexing problems/slipping gears if you try a Shimano 8 speed on a 9 speed set up.

The easiest way to avoid this is to have the cassette from the broken wheel put onto the replacement wheel.  This is also a good idea because a chain and cassette wear in together.

Sometimes you can get away with combinations of different makes/speeds but its a bit hit and miss.

And that's japanese to me

;-) the cassette is the bit on the back wheel with teeth, a collection of cogs if you will... and they aren't part of a wheel, they're an add on and therefore could be moved from the broken wheel onto the substitute wheel without necessarily upsetting the bikes gearing...

Hope you get something sorted Seren

Gastank - thanks (I think)

Seren - you're more than welcome to my back wheel if you want it and it fits

Schmunkee, I am Japanese as well, always have been. Others are Italian but it's not for me

Get it sorted Seren, that's still far more miles than I have done yet. Purple hope you're on the mend. I've been told by the Physio no swimming for at least 2 weeks due to injury in my shoulder after the crash. Biking and running ok though.

Italian very pretty and fairly reliable; Japanese not so pretty but practically bombproof, on balance I go for the Italians though

thanks for that Barley........gas tank.thanks for that explanation........i am crap on bikes......so the cassette comes off...need to find out size of wheel...the tyre says 700 so i take it thats a size..........can't find any writing on the wheel to tell me what it is..will have to look to see if i can find my original order for the bike.......

there is an identical brand new wheel on my OH's shiny new bike in the shed........but i'm not allowed it although he said i could borrow thw bike..........but its set up for him not me......so wouldn't do many miles on it...........

definitely jinxed myself barley...the chain will go next

Racing bike wheels are pretty much std in size, but tyre width varies Seren and yes the cassette can be removed a LBS/bike mechanic/bike geek could probably sort pretty easily - I've only done it once using a Hayes manual but was pretty straight forward with the right tools

Seren, if a spoke is broken and you say 2 more are split I would have thought you could take it to the local bike shop and get them to repair it, probably much cheaper than replacing it for now. If the shiny bike in the garage has an identical wheel could you not just borrow this for a week or two whilst yours get repaired/replaced? Don't think riding the other bike would be a good option but getting that wheel will only take a few minutes to change.

As Gastank says wheels are just about the same size for a racing bike so not a problem if you get one new. Just make sure if your original hub is shimano/campagnolo that the new one is the same to be compatible with the cassette you have now. It doesn't sound like you have the tools to change the cassette so the LBS would sort this out ( easily if they are a decent shop ).

One thought on repair though is if one spoke has broke and 2 others are splitting could others be affected and may need replacing themselves in the near future? May need to invest in a better quality of wheel this time.

Anyway, did an 18 mile two up time trial today. It was windy and cold and whilst into a head wind early in the event it decided to pelt down with hailstones!! It was cold!! We did just under 50 mins so an average speed of of about 21.6mph. Quite happy with that given the conditions, pretty crap road surface and on my road bike.

OK

Who is taking what kit to AT? I am spending the week down there and will take my bike and running stuff for a bit of training, supporting, getting in peoples way. I am sherpa'ing for one of my clubmates who is doing the quin and will maybe give Dave a break from the gobby one for a day if I can read his spreadsheets
I have an empty ish car and can cram a few bits and bobs of spare bike bits in there, wheels/tyres/etc

chilliboy....where the spoke was attached to the wheel there is a big hole now so not sure they could make a repair.....will phone up a shop on monday to see if i can take it in.....if they can't sort it out soon i will have to work on OH to knick his wheels.....

great speed for you....

Plum.a new pair of legs would be useful.....

i was thinking of taking my OH's planet x so that if mine broke someone could just take it off his.like swap a wheel if i get a puncture

I will have spare wheels Seren,,,, I presume you have a 10 speed shimano set up

i will have a look at the paperwork.......all i know is that its black and a compact and its got scram gear levers

Plum, will be good to see you at AT.

Talking of spares, what we need is a pirate team car with half a dozen spare bikes on the top

I wouldnt worry about rear cassette's being compatible, in the unlikely event (barring Serens experience), its only a 10 minute job to swap a cassette assuming someone has the necessary tools?

Barley, the problem does arise if people are running shimano or campagnolo as they are not compatible at all. Also I think problems will arise if you are running 9 or 10 speed. I think the spacing on 10 is small than that of 9 so will lead to indexing of the gears not working correctly. Not sure about SRAM think it MAY be compatible with shimano but not positive. I'll have a spare set of wheels with me on the day running shimano 9 just in case. Front wheel obviously makes no odds, just about any will do.

Sorry you did mention all this in an earlier post!!!

Hello everyone, lots of great bike and run miles being done.
Gom- sorry you can't make it now.
Sykes, did I miss your decision, what distance are you opting for?
Oi Plum, how very dare you, it will be much appreciated if you are there, Dave did get a break from me last year and SYmes and Gom were amazing couldn't have managed to continue without them.
Well LeJog went brilliantly , day 1 was a struggle, was still feeling a bit ill and we were into a head wind and although we were on the main a39 road to get through Cornwall fast Bodmin Moor was lumpy. Once off at Launceston and after a stop at tesco for macaroni cheese the ride into Oakehampton and on to Whiddon Down was pleasant. Only a 6 minute trot to the pub to check out when they stopped doing food, as we had had a later start from lands end than planned, couldn't skip breakfast.
Distance 106.43 miles, ride time 8.33, avg. 12.4mph, ascent 7053ft.

Day 2 we expected to feel crap but this was a very good day, ok, we were on flatter roads and with less wind. Great cafe stop in Cullompton it had framed jigsaws covering the walls, mostly of American Indians. Mysteriously one had a piece missing. Ice cream milkshake and a toasted tea cake. In fact the whole trip has been a proper ctc event. Had a lunch stop at a transport cafe near Pawlett, scampi and chips and a catch up with the freakish world of Chat magazine. In Clifton we were stopped for an energy bar break and got talking to the number one dapper gent in the entire Bristol area: moleskin camel trousers and waistcoat (bottom button undone of course), gold watch chain, brown polished brogues,panama hat and walking cane. He stopped to ask about our pirate kit so there was mutual sartorial admiration. We stayed at Thornbury and I got a longer run in than planned as I decided on taking an interesting looking public footpath, and being out and back averse ended up somewhat lost. But was feeling good. Meanwhile Dave had gone to tesco and was spoiling his tea by scoffing reduced sausage rolls.
Distance 104.3 m, ride time7.09, avg 14.56, ascent 5383ft.

Day 3 we had rain until Kidderminster. We met dave's friend Ben atGloucester train station as he was riding with us to home. He slotted in perfectly with our pacing and meant we had an extra person to do 5 mile stints on the front. Food stops were tea and blueberry muffins at Gloucester and chicken selects meal and hot chocolate in Kidderminster. With big cooked meals in the evenings this was an eating fest.
Lovely riding through Shropshire and once we got on to recognisable roads we could smell home and so picked up the pace a bit. But hasn't shifnal got a lot of pubs for such a small place? Another short run along the canal tow path at home, so didn't get lost.
Distance 115.92m, riding time 7.47, avg. 14.89, ascent 4435ft

Day 4
Ben and his wife Susan came down to see us off from audlem in the morning. This was a bit of an event as photos were taken of us being presented with a big cheque from the local theatre group who had donated their Christmas panto raffle proceeds to Teenage Cancer Trust (who we have raised about £ 4000 for so far). Also audlem cycling club who we ride with joined us for the first 30miles to Warrington. The weather was wet, so another tea cake cafe stop was welcome. Then we pressed on into the industrial north. Through Warrington,Wigan and Preston. The average dropped as it was all stop start at traffic lights and junctions. Lunch time stop was at a new garden centre cafe in Leyland it was brilliant, really warm, and a decent cheese and ham toastie. Once out towards garstang the going was easier and the weather dried off a bit. Our night stop was in Kendal , a short run round the town, before showering and a chinese.
Distance 100.17m, ride time 7.54, avg. 13.96mph, ascent 4540 ft.

Day5 kept expecting real tiredness to kick in but once in the saddle we were both ok, typically for the lake district it was raining and Shap summit was bathed in mist. We caught up with a trio of end to Enders a family from fort William, I was very impressed as their 11 year old was cycling lejog they had chosen longer time and quieter roads so didn't expect to get all the way to John o Groats before the school holidays were over. I wonder how they got on? Our first cafe stop of the day was a brilliant one in penrith, lunch was in the worst cafe of the whole trip at an outlet village in Gretna, but Dave knew the choice was limited once you got to the remoter areas in Scotland. I have to say the stretch from Gretna to Lockerbie was not pleasant, we were getting rained on and the places we passed through were deserted. We did see a lot of under 50cc motorbikes heading the other way doing Jogle and were in time to see a major bike race pass just north of Gretna. Think I may have inadvertently shown my lady parts to a lorry driver while having a wee on this day. Once again it dried off later on and the scenery got more lovely as we rode towards Abington, short run, and Chinese with dave's mum and dad in Biggar .
Distance104.19m, riding time 8.43, avg. 13.8 mph, ascent 4801ft.

Day 6
The day with the snow! Started out in full waterproofs, and in heavy rain. As we climbed through Dumfries and Galloway it then started to snow. Wouldn't normally choose to cycle in this weather. I was pretty chipper though as at least it had stopped raining. We descended into Whitburn where we met another end to ender who had done 20 miles and had decided to stop for the day Three days later we saw him pushing north as we drove down from Inverness so the weather hadn't beaten him.. We had per booked hotels and a time scale so Had to press on. fOrtunately the little cafe in Whitburn was staffed by the nicest ladies you could meet and told us to dry all our stuff off on the radiators, they even dragged Dave up the ramp from the toilets when he was falling about in his cleats. Only lentil soup would do. Dave's mum and dad weren't far away and joined us supplying us with dry clothes and latex gloves to go under the other gloves which meant Dave was now wearing 4 pairs, but it did the trick.above Linlithgow, we blogged the use of the poshest toilets ever in a steak restaurant, they were flowery mock victoriana,very nice. I suppose they were concerned I might wee in the car park. We did photos on the FOrth road bridge which is disconcerting as it vibrates as the lorries rumble past. Our lunch stop was just past Cowdenbeath in Kelty- eggy bread, yum!
We had to ask directions in milnerfort as the road is a bit tricky there, luckily it was the local snp mp sandy Baxter, who unusually for a politician told the truth.
Onwards through Perth after which we wereon the busy a9 and it was rush hour not nice. Tried out the cycle path which I have to say got me more sweary than the snow, only fit for mtbs and a time scale of several weeks.so we hopped over the central barrier back onto the a9 to finish in pitlochry for the night, because of the snow delaying us and the fact that everyone stops doing food in Scotland after 8.30 I missed my run.
Distance 11.45m, riding time 8.43, avg. 12.76mph, ascent5246 ft

Day7 we were starting to feel fit, and not feeling any worse for the days done so far. But this was the longest day in terms of miles on the trip. After disappointing boiled eggs for breakfast we were off towards aviemore. This was one of the best days of the trip,lovely scenery, not too much wind and a dry start for a change. I think the number 1 cafe of the trip was Ralia about 20 miles south of aviemore a fantastic muffin, decent sized pot of tea,free wifi, warm and art on the walls. Although the one on the last day runs a close second. Lunch in aviemore the recommended cafe was full but we ended up in papa rock diner and I had hot chocolate with all the trimmings. The rain had started for the day, the descent from schlod summit was wet and cold and the most unpleasant part of the journey was through Inverness during rush hour. I had to eat awhile bag of foamy bananas to get over the experience. Overnight stop was at the excellent Carnegie lodge in Tain,any hotelier that puts a dish of sweets in your room gets my vote, plus we could ramp up the radiators to dry the kit.
A short run round Tain,legs feeling a bit more tired on the run.
Distance 122.9, riding time 8.44, avg. 14.07 mph, ascent 5403ft.

Day 8
The last day, we got an early start as we had to get driven back to Inverness after the finish and find food. It ended like it started 24 mph head winds which picked up through the day. The road followed the coast so my main concern was being able to have good views, which because for a change it wasn't raining we did. Beautiful countryside, but so so remote, think I would go stir crazy living there. The hardest climb of the trip, but we were feeling pretty good and it was certainly nothing on the Fred whitton scale so I was pleasantly surprised. We even got papped on the way up. The highlight of the day was the tearoom at the croft museum,about the only cafe for 30 miles. I had Cullen skink because the scots always cook it on Come Dine WithMe and I needed to know what all the fuss was about. It was ace, we heard that a group of 15 had passed through about an hour previously but by the time I had had home made fairy cakes our chances of catching them were slim. Still worth a try, we pushed on to wick,by then they were 40 minutes ahead, so not enough miles left to catch them. Never mind we could enjoy the gentle descent into John o Groats. Erm there was a lot of irritating headwind climbing before we got the last bit of downhill with the sea ahead it looked like you could ride off a cliff fortunately there was a car park souvenir shop and numerous people milling about to prevent that happening.
Distance 85.92 m, riding time 6.59, avg. 12.3 mph, ascent 4478 ft.

In conclusion, now I've bored you to death, we had a great time and just wanted to keep going, so you really do ride yourself fit. There are different ways of doing this trip, we had the lite speeds, minimal luggage and support at the end and sometimes during the day. Others we saw took less direct routes, took their time and had panniers and tourers. If I did it again, I would like to take longer do different roads and be self sufficient. I rule out camping though. I,ve already seen a titanium Dawes that would be just the ticket.

Monique - I am in awe, absolutely fabulous riding and it sounds like you enjoyed it too.

Seren - I hope the bike gets sorted soon.

I had two rest days following my minor op. Yesterday I had a PT sess followed by what was supposed to be a four hour recovery ride. I got lost and was out for 5 hours. Was exhausted when I got back.

I got up today planning to do a very slow 26 miles. I was so tired though, I went back to bed and woke up at 3 o'clock. So I guess that was my body telling me something !!

Fingers crossed I'll be back to normal next week.