Fail

http://failblog.org/

 

So much fun you can write off the next hour of your life.

New toy

Garmin Edge 705 – more soon.

 

Good stuff I have found…

Free maps for Garmin users here

Great software for Garmin users here – Sport Tracks

Good route creation website for hikers and (off road) bikers (OS Map based) – Bikehike

Good route creation for on-road bikers – Bike Route Toaster

:)

Tunnock’s Tea Cakes

Gotta have one… www.thecyclejersey.com

Three books

I was looking for Tom Hutton’s new book and found these three books on the Halsgrove site. Haven’t read them, so this is just for your info really.

 

 

A Boot Up The Brecon Beacons

A Boot up the Brecon Beacons is a collection of ten easy to moderate walks in and around the glorious Brecon Beacons National Park. They are especially written with families and groups of friends in mind looking for an active and interesting day out. Local expert,Tom Hutton, takes you from the tops of the highest mountains to the floors of the most spectacular valleys, highlighting plenty of fascinating points of interest along the way.

Enjoying the Brecon Beacons

The marketing slogan chosen for the Welsh National Parks of “Britain’s breathing spaces” was never more appropriate than in the Brecon Beacons. The vast majority of the seven million annual visitors to the National Park come from the valleys of South Wales, for whom it has been a vital lung and escape route for generations.

Since before the rapid growth and later decline of the coal mining industry, the Beacons had beckoned the people of the Rhondda and the other South Wales valleys by the striking contrast provided by their clean, fresh air and wonderful vistas to their grim everyday working conditions.

It was the proximity to the populations of these dark, industrial landscapes which was one of the major reasons for the designation of the National Park. Even today only 32,000 people actually live within the National Park, but its catchment area for potential day visitors runs into millions.

This practical visitor guide, published in partnership with the Brecon Beacons Park authority to mark the Park’s 50th anniversary, gives you everything you need for an enjoyable visit to the Brecon Beacons. After a regional breakdown in geographical areas, the guide looks at the Park’s history, human and natural, and lists things to do and places to visit, ending with a useful gazetteer of towns and villages.

Portrait of the Brecon Beacons

From the majesty of the Beacons themselves to the intimate detail of remote mountain llyns, cwms and the elusive wildlife and flora of the area, Tom Hutton’s portrait of the area is unlike anything seen before. It will become a must on the bookshelves of Beacon lovers everywhere.

Cannondale touring bike is finished!

I have finally finished converting my old 1988 Cannondale SM700 to a super comfy, fast touring bike.

I added some multi-position touring bars, called butterfly bars or trekking bars. Found a great pair of BBB BHB-30 Multibars for good money at Freemans Cycles and finished them off with a matching set of foam grips encased in Cinelli carbon tape. The fatter the grip the better (for comfort) and as I am using it to commute, the tougher the better too, hence the Cinelli bar tape.

I found a cheap short hi-rise stem on Ebay to pull the ride into a more upright position, added a Cateye Cordless Strada and a bell to stop the dog walkers on the Sustrans bike paths whinging when I shoot past them. BTW, Sustrans maps now available from Memory Map for 20 quid.

If you look down at my fork crown in the top picture, you can see the best cycle mirror ever made – and I have tried a few. It’s called a Zefal Spy and it fits anywhere (look at this Amazon link and you’ll see what I mean). They are so good I have fitted one to the forks of my road bike too. They have saved my skin a few times and you can see cycling clubs approaching from behind so you can suck in your belly and put on a burst of speed.

The finishing touch is my pride and joy – a copper finished Brooks B17 Special. I had one of these on a bike I had as a youngster – not sure where it came from, probably something my grandfather found somewhere. It was ancient and a joy to ride.

The B17 saddles are touring classics and once broken in, nothing compares comfort wise. They’re not light (I didn’t go for the titanium version, but I do have a titanium Brooks Swift on my mountain bike), but at my age I am happy to forsake a few ounces for a comfy ride. I’m pretty lucky with this B17, I did 60 miles on it today and it feels great, so pretty much broken in after about 120 miles.

I wish I could say the same for the Swift ;)

Whatever bike you ride, invest a few quid and a few miles in a Brooks saddle. Sure, you need to treat them well, nourish them and cover them in heavy rain, but they will last longer than the bike and probably longer than you.

And when you are 92 and find it in your shed, you’ll probably make a profit on Ebay.