127 mile canal ride for charity training suggestions

[Pjays666]

HI Pjays
We also did over the Liv to Leeds over three days and this was purely down to the camaraderie side of things, none of the nine cyclists had ever been to Liverpool before so we stopped overnight and visited the docks & the Cavern, needless to say that after getting *issed in the cavern doing it in two days was not possible so we stopped in Chorley in another hotel and did the same again, three of the nine were total strangers who are now good pals and will be joining us on the coast 2 coast plus (see charity rides Bradford). Good news when you get about 4 miles from Leeds, they have just resurfaced the towpath

as long as you enjoyed it that's fine as far as I'm concerned I think if you don't enjoy it then why do it. Although I am cycling it alone there are 6 of us going and camping along the route. A couple of them will be doing some of the journey with me but its really about raising money and enjoying it. Back out today 21 mile (first ride in a month) hopefully weather will stay like this now.

 

[Pjays666]

Another 21 miles today but my backside is aching now. Just changed my tyres to marathon plus's and running them at 100 psi is that too high????? The tyre says 60 - 100 psi

 

[Pjays666]

30 miles today. Beautiful day, hoping to get some miles in from now and hopefully my cycling log ticker will be working again soon. Really sore backside at moment though.

 

[matthat]

Ha ha good going that 30 miles!! to much time sitting on comfy settee and not enough time in the saddle hence the sore Butt!! Now the suns coming out its a bit nicer, I've just done 13 miles round route today nice temp but still windy!! Hoping to get out tomorrow with work mate and do 30-50 ish not sure where to yet see what the weathers like in the morning.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

Another 21 miles today but my backside is aching now. Just changed my tyres to marathon plus's and running them at 100 psi is that too high????? The tyre says 60 - 100 psi

100psi is too high for anything but Tarmac for me.

Psi is a trade off between comfort and rolling resistance & secondarily puncture proofing. For towpaths you may want to drop the pressure to give a softer ride for your bum and palms and make it less skittish and unstable on loose gravel & slippery surfaces. A rock hard tyre will slip off a piece of loose gravel where a softer one will squidge a bit, absorb it and roll over in a straighter line. Mountain bikes can be down to 20 or so psi for really rough riding.

I run my road bike at 100-110 psi. My ute bike, which I use mixed roads, towpaths & light off road is usually 75-80psi on 700x38 marathon racer tyres, I think this is a bit too pumped up for the loose gravelly bits but its a trade off for using mixed surfaces.

 

[Pjays666]

Well what a lovely day 42 miles today (Burnley - Gargrave return) met some other lads on canal and cycled with them so if Steve, Steve and Paul from duke bar are reading cheers lads and don't have too much home brew tonight.

 

[Pjays666]

Decided go out for a road run today. Got about 300 metres and had to turn back, my bottom bracket was wobbling a lot on the chainset side, dropped the bike off at the bike shop, beginning to lose faith have had quite a few problems with my diamondback contra flow and only had the bike since August and done about 700 miles in total and bottom bracket has been tightened 3 times, on third set of pedals due to to clips snapping, new front forks on 6 week service and had to have rear wheel rebuilt due to loose spokes. Now the bike shop saying that bottom bracket will need replacing due to not being checked and tightened before every ride!!!!!!!!!!!!! What next.

 

[Pjays666]

to add insult to injury this will not be covered in warranty????????

 

[matthat]

Gutted for you!!

 

[matthat]

Can't think what the best advice is for you!! I've had loads of problems with my bottom bracket on my Hybrid (4yrs old now) which is why i've given up and bought my new rd bike!! I think them saying its your fault because of not checking bike each time is a cop out really!! Have you contacted diamond back at all??
I don't know what Diamond Backs are like as i've never owned 1 but canals are pretty rough riding so i do wonder if its cut for the job. That's just thinking aloud not wanting to offend!! I'll try and catch up with you tomorrow!!

 

[Pjays666]

Unfortunately I was in the hands of the LBS when I got the diamondback as I didn't have a clue what to get. I did tell them what I wanted it for though. They said they would ring me back today and that they would see what they can so we will see later hopefully.

 

[Pjays666]

Wish I'd known about this site then only found it afterwards but I wait with baited breath. The canal here is mainly Tarmac so can't see that would put undue strain on my grandsons 3 wheel trike IMHO lol

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

Which lbs? I'm guessing the Raleigh centre.

 

[Pjays666]

No it was on yer bike cycles

 

[wiggydiggy]

Wish I'd known about this site then only found it afterwards but I wait with baited breath. The canal here is mainly Tarmac so can't see that would put undue strain on my grandsons 3 wheel trike IMHO lol

Hey,

Meant to add something earlier this week but have been lazy

Anyway the towpath from about 2 miles before Gargrave in the West and about a mile after Silsden in the east is a bimbling nightmare! I did Leeds > Withnell (just near Hoghton Tower) a week last sat and the mud was attrocius, a MTB may have coped ok but my Hybrid (28c Cross Tyres) just bogged down and gave up. Depending on when you do it, the ground may still be quite wet, I've done this route before but during the summer so it was bumpy but dry.

BTW Do you always get scrotes on mopeds riding along the towpath lol This was Accrington/Burnley/Blackburn areas where 2 different layabouts on mopeds buzzed by.