Gran Fondo Conwy April 2014

First Sportive of the year - the Gran Fondo Conwy.  I entered for the Canol (110km / 2000m) but that was just too amitious for me this early in the year so took the decision to downgrade to the Bach route (70km / 1000m) about a week before the event.
Good start venue but only public parking available - good job it was early enough in the morning for there to be plenty of spaces.  Registration (including changing route) was very straightforward - a self adhesive tape containing the time strip, the offer of some energy snacks and a number for the handlebars.  Notice a few very small bikes around with timing strips attached, so good to see they were taking the 10mile family route very seriously - good way to get the kids engaged.
Set off in groups of 25 riders 3 minutes apart by the town's mayor on the sunny but initially chilly Conwy Quay at the foot of the dramatic castle walls.

Conwy Castle.  Cool enough at the start to need a wind proof jacket

The route headed through Deganwy and onto the Orme in the clockwise "reverse" direction.  A chunk of the Orme was timed for a bit of added interest.  Didn't realise how steep the Orme is and this was a bit of a wake up call so early in the route.  Nice run down the other side into Llandudno with the town and pier laid out to see.  With a high tide, the pier looked at its best.  From here it was a very flat run all the way along the coast (apart from the short but sharpish climb over the Little Orme), including the cycle path to Pensarn, just outside Abergele.  Some of the waves along this section where smashing into the sea wall and providing some cooling mist! Abergele was 33km and the first of the food and drinks stops.  Although flat, the constant 3/4 front breeze coming off the sea meant that this wasn't a flat out cruise, but it wasn't too hard either.

Crossing over the A55 the route essentially turned back on itsself and West along the A547.  Then it cut South West and the big long climb kicked in.  You can see what this means on the profile between miles 23 and 29:

                       Great Orme   Little Orme     Coast                Big Climb From              The Forgetten Climbs

                                                                                                Abegele to Conwy Valley

This is the section that confirmed I was correct in choosing the shorter route with less climbing!  This was hard work and has helped me to think about getting a lot more riding done and a lot less eating of cake.

It was a long climb and reasonably steep.  The split followed fairly soon after and there were lots of marshals around to make sure you head in the right direction.  One of them shouted "all down hill now", which sounded great and aligned with my memories of the profile, but as you can see above, somewhat inaccurate.

As is the way with downhills, they go all to quickly, but it was good to catch my breath.  Hit 58km/h down there, but that's really put in perspective by the Pro Peloton who cruise along the flat at 40 km/h...  I do tend to pass quite a few on the downhills.  Not sure if that's too much risk taking, or just a legacy of mountain biking where you learn very quickly how to balance a bike on the descents.  Part way along this section a second drinks only stop had been provided.

The final few spikes on that profile were more vicious than they look - particularly that really steep peak at 35 miles - that necessitated a weaving technique across the width of the road to reduce the severity of the climb, but even that didn't help me get past the person in front who was walking.  But at least I was still on the bike!

The routes re-joined in the Colwyn valley which is very picturesque.  We followed some roads I remember riding with my wife on the tandem when we were on holiday in the area about 18 or 20 years ago.  This section had a brand new surface then and has a brand new surface now.  So they either do this every year or every 18 years or so!  Just underlining that the short route was right for me this time were the number of riders from the longer routes who passed me on this bit.  Ho-hum, but that is quite motivational at least.  We passed a pub along the valley side where there was some kind of Ferrari owners' club meeting underway - lots of red and yellow in the bright spring sunshine and lots of cameras in use.

One of the climbs late in the ride at the location below

The descent into Conwy was welcome, but the last mile felt like it was just for the council's tourism promotion plans - you approached the finish venue then had to kick left to do a loop of the very picturesque town centre before returning back to the quayside to pass under the banner and collect a commemorative slate drinks coaster, produced locally - a bit different to the usual t-shirt or buff.  Refreshments at the end were confined to fruit flavour water (been drinking that for 3 hours), bananas (been eating them for 3 hours) and a few biscuits and fruit gems.  Would have much preferred a cup of tea and a decent slice of fruit cake myself.

In terms of timing I completed in elapsed of 3hr 27m, ride time of 3hr 17m being around the middle of 103 riders.  On the timed Storm the Orme section I was 53rd, so again about middling.  A lot of work to do as I'd much rather be about middling on the 70 mile route.

This was a well organised event with a pretty challenging route in fantastic countryside at a reasonable price.  I would be happy to support more Always Aim High events, but decent finishing refreshments please folks!

Spring Has Sprung

Just 3 weeks ago we had 2 feet of snow (deeper in the drifts).  This weekend its been bright and sunny, so the start of the "quick training ride before the family get up for their weekend breakfasts" has kicked off in earnest.

Loving the Infinito - such a pleasure to ride.

Here's the bike at the top of Moel Famau / Bwlch Pen Barras this morning:

A Wheely Weighty Issue

From a wheel perspective the Infinito came with:

Fulcrum Racing 7 rims and hub
Vittorio 700 x 23 white tread tyres
Unnamed inner tubes
Campagnolo Veloce 10 speed cassette

Infinito, as purchased

First ride suggested that the wheels weren't spinning up as well as I was used to on the via Nirone 7 that was fitted with a Xero wheelset (that seems to be no longer available in the UK).
Some hunting around t'Internet suggested that Pro Lite Bracciano wheels were getting good reviews in terms of value for money.  When I found a black set at High on Bikes with a £100 discount, the deal was done.

When they arrived I kitted them with:

Continental Gatorskin (puncture resistant) 700 x 23 tyres
Specialised inner tubes
Campagnolo Centaur 10 speed cassette

Here are the weights for comparison.

FRONT
Fulcrum = 1280g
Pro Lite = 1065g
Difference =  215g

REAR

Fulcrum = 1780g

Pro Lite = 1600g

Difference = 180g

 

That's a weigh saving of 395g - quite significant on an 8.5kg bike!  And no more poser white tread tyres either.

Infinito with Pro Lite wheels and Gatorskin tyres

Riding impressions to come.

What A Machiiiiine

... with apologies to Jeremy Clarkson (it's often you'll hear that eh?).

First 15 miles on the Infinito today - first time that I've been further than the end of the next street.

Bright, crisp, breezy, main roads dry with dusty salt, some of the single tracks had a damp and slippery surface.

Whilst I read bike reviews with some enthusiasm (but not very often), I'm pretty skeptical about how much different each bike rides.  I can see how an hybrid in aluminium can be different to a road bike in steel, but would a full carbon bike really ride that much differently to an aluminium main triangle with carbon forks and seats stays?  From the same manufacturer?  Both built as sportive bikes?  Surely the differences are going to be subtle?

So why bother buying a carbon framed bike if you're skeptical?  Well, I have to admit that I appreciate the technology (even if I think my riding isn't capable of exploiting it), the Via Nirone is now 10 years old and to be very honest, I like the idea of the pleasure of owning a really nice piece of kit that very much looks the part!

I headed off in the 3 deg bright sunshine and quickly started to enjoy riding on the road again - been concentrating on the mountain biking in the Winter weather, so although we're already 6 weeks into 2013, this was my first road ride of the year.  DIY pressures meant that I only had about an hour and a wee bit to spare towards the end of the afternoon, so it was going to be short but sweet - hopefully.  First out of the box is the long steady climb up from Mold through Gwernymynydd



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and whilst I could feel the bike was a bit lighter, it didn't feel particularly special.  But then this is about 3 minutes into my ride, and it takes longer than that to get some warmth into the legs.  On the downhill towards Loggerheads I started to notice some differences - the quietness (and that's weird because the Via Nirone isn't rattly or anything), the responsiveness of the steering (without being twitchy) and I was into top gear somewhat quicker than usual.


Hitting the short sharp climb up from Loggerheads towards Cilcain,



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and I find this one a bit easier than usual - in fact, rather than just getting on with the climb, I feel the need to attack it and find that when I push harder the bike goes up the climb that bit quicker, and when I stand up in the pedals it doesn't make a small difference to forward progress, it makes a major difference.  This road is also suffering somewhat from surface crumbling which revealed another benefit - the ride is incredibly comfortable compared to aluminium, very cushy for my aging frame.  Oh, and the next climb up into Cilcain village felt much shorter than usual, and out the other side I found myself attacking the downhills aggressively too.  What fun!

So there you go.  Very happy.  Or justifying another mid-life crisis.  You choose.

Nercwys Forest 31st Jan

Sneaky extended lunch break today.  Went up to Nercwys, did three laps then rode back down the hill.

The forest is a real mix of sufaces today.  The sandy / pebbly bits have a groove where the melt and rain waters have eroded the surface and the bike wheel likes to follow this, the knarly stoney bits are the same but have a coating of slippery mud, there are sections that are very slippery with 2-3 inch deep mud, most of the gravelly / rocky climbs have water flowing down them and in amongst the trees there are even patches of dry sandy smoothness.

So a steady run round as it was all a bit unpredictable.  Could still get some speed up on the downhill from the viewpoint (I went round anti-clock today).

At the viewpoint:

After forest, before Fenwick's:

BIANCHI MUTT MTB: NOW SOLD

Please have a look at the MTB I have for sale on ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290816805653&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:GB:1123

Thanks

Llandegla Blue on New Frame

First time out on the new medium framed Bianchi Mutt today.

After some first doubts, now its actually built up with the Pace forks, better components etc., I'm happy with the look of the 120 year anniversay frame's metallic black, metallic silver and celeste colour scheme.  Don't think I'll miss the Desert Bronze bike when its gone.

Climbing is somewhat easier - because I'm not reaching forward so much, there's more room for me to breathe deeply when climbing and some of the stomach cramping I used to get has gone.  Agility is also up - easier to throw the bike in a different direction, when its needed.  Overall it feels much lighter but I don't think that's down to the physical weight difference in the frames - I'm sure that's only a few grammes, so it much be more down to the riding position and the feel.

First run was on the Llandegla blue run today as my son Callum (he's 9) accompanied me.  We usually ride the green together, but that has a water splash over quite a large stream - its about 10cm deep and about 3m wide, and we decided that would be too cold to go through as you need to cross it about 6 times - once per lap of the reservoirs peripheral tracks.  So we did the blue which includes the full red route climb.  We took our time, but Callum on his steel framed, single speed, 20" wheeled bike got up there - what a great performance, and he got a round of applause from a group of 10 or so other riders at the top.  He found some of the berms and the speed of some of the downhills on the very bumpy surface a challenge, but came through it all really well.  Great ride Callum!

Build Observations

Upper Tyre - 2.1"  Lower Tyre - 2.3"

Upper BB bearing - Shimano Octalink.  Lower BB bearing - Shimano tapered.  Tapered design much heavier.

Shimano LX triple chainset before cleaning

The same chainset - and just why I like to use Fenwick's FS10 bike cleaner

Both completed bikes clearly demonstrating the difference in frame sizes.  The Medium (smaller of the two) frames suits me much better

Strip and Build of Medium Frame

Stripped Medium Frame

BB Area

It's just about possible to see the top tube profile here.  The Large frame has a round top tube, the medium frame has a round top, but a U shaped lower half

Cockpit installed

Rear Hope Mono Mini caliper

Details are important!

BB installed - Shimano Octalink.  Old inner tube initially fitted to protect chainstay from chain slap damage.  Later in the build this was replaced by a LizardSkins protector - more expensive, but a much smarter result

Ready to roll - first time out was the next day at Llandegla

Very happy with the resulting look

Shimano LX triple chainset

Shimano XTR rear mech

Pace RC39 carbon forks. Hope Mono Mini disk brake, Mavic X317 rims. Panaracer Fire XC Pro 2.1 tyres

Cockpit looks complicated - the Hope brakes are provided with very long hoses, which you have to tidily route best as possible

Cockpit

Strip down of the components took about 90 mins.  However, the importers had fitted some low rent www.bianchibikes.co.uk stickers down the seat stays and they took a painfully slow 2.5 hours to remove.  Grrr.
All the components off the large frame needed a thorough clean down before they could be fitted to this frame - I think it was about 90 mins.
Assembly was under 60 minutes - I must be getting quicker with the practice.
Only new part was the chainstay protector from LizardSkins.
Adjustment of the gears took about 20 mins and everything went perfectly well on the first test up and down the street - except I didn't have the handlebars perfectly aligned, but a couple of mins with the 5mm allen key had that sorted quickly.
First ride at Llandegla the next day.

Strip and Build of Large Frame

Fully stripped - bottom bracket area.  Hydroformed shaping can be seen just below the B on the downtube

Removing the bottom bracket bearing requires specific Shimano splined tool, and suitably butch 32mm spanner.  Spanner this size isn't really needed to apply large amount of torque, but the removal tool is 32mm A/F

Front end installed

 

Shimano triple installed - good view here of hydroforming on the down tube

Rear end installed

End result - large frame with all the components swapped over from the smaller frame

Stripping down the Desert Bronze large frame took about 90 mins, removing the components from the black and silver medium frame also took about 90 mins.  Cleaning took another 30 mins (the components from the medium frame were already very clean).  Assembly about 60 mins then another 30 mins to make sure all the adjustments were OK.  Only 2 x new gear cables were needed.  All runs well and looks great.

Time to get started on putting all the components from the larger frame and onto the smaller frame.

At Last The Swap Is Underway

So the plan is as follows:

- Purchase secondhand Mutt with the smaller 17.5" frame
- Strip both Mutts
- Fit the best components to the smaller frame
- Fit the VFM components to the larger frame
- Sell the larger framed bike
- Ride the smaller framed bike

This is because I've always felt very "stretched" along the top tube of the Mutt.  Its taken me a few years to eventually decide its not right, then about 9 months to actually find a smaller framed Mutt at the right price in the right condition.

So work is underway now, starting with stripping down the components off the "new" smaller frame.

"Older" 19.5" Mutt - Desert Bronze

"Newer" 17.5" Mutt - 120 Anniversary special edition colours

 

Smaller frame stripped ready for full cleaning and build-up using the better components from the larger frame (apologies for mobile phone picture quality). You can just about make out the Via Nirone 7 and Desert Bronze Mutt in the background

The smaller frame is in great condition - just a few chips on the chain stay caused by chain slap and 3 small chips on the right rear seat stay.  I think the colour scheme will take some getting used to - I like the touches of Bianchi Celeste, but not so keen on the older font "Bianchi" branding on the down tube.  I really like the older frame's Desert Bronze colour too - its a bit different to most MTBs which seem to be white, black or red in the main.

Will try and find time to post up other pics as the build progresses - after cleaning the small frame down I'll get to stripping the components off the larger frame.