Out Of Town

[Marcus von Cube]

I'll be on a bicycle trip for the next 10 days. We are going from Usingen near Frankfort to Lyon, France by train (TGV from Frankfort).

On Friday the fun begins. We will ride some 100km per day and reach Usingen on Saturday, May 23. The group is comprised of some 25 people, German and French. We are celebrating the town twinning between Usingen and Chassieu.

So don't expect much input to the forum from my side. I'll be way too tired in the upcoming evenings to answer any complicated questions .

[d b]

That sounds like a great trip. Enjoy every Km.

[CR Haeger]

According to the WP34S, that's about 62.1 miles a day and about 473 miles in total. GREAT rides!

We just finished a tiring weekend tour in its 54th year here: TOSRV 54

Hope the weather and traffic cooperate with you all.

[Gerald H]

Hope I don't find a bug while you're off.

Bon Voyage.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyiQSje09BI

[Marcus von Cube]

Quote:Dieses Video ist in Deutschland leider nicht verfügbar, da es Musik von UMG enthalten könnte, über deren Verwendung wir uns mit der GEMA bisher nicht einigen konnten.
Das tut uns leid.

[Tugdual]

Bon courage Marcus. I have a technical question though not related to the 34s. What are the specs of your bicycle for such a ride?

[Marcus von Cube]

(05-14-2015 09:41 AM)Tugdual Wrote:  Bon courage Marcus. I have a technical question though not related to the 34s. What are the specs of your bicycle for such a ride?

It's a Felt road bike that I bought for about €1000 6 years ago. It is made of aluminum and is equipped with Shimano 105 components. I've changed the pinions (got rid of the smallest in favor of a bigger one on the other end which I desperately need to climb the hills.)

One of the older guys is using a pedelec (electric bike) and two people (man and wife actually) are riding on a tandem. We have even some people using ordinary tour bikes or MTBs (with road tires).

It will be fun regardless of the material we're riding on.

[Tugdual]

It will be epic for sure. Was asking because years ago I used to do such trip with a standard road bike and we were breaking wheel spikes one after the other and would end up with a 8 shaped wheel after a few 100kms. We were carrying tent, clothes and food and the bicycle was obviously under spec. May be you have cars following you ?

[Dwight Sturrock]

Which calc or calc emulator will you be bringing?

[Garth Wilson]

Yep, for sure this is "Not remotely HP Calculators," but it interests me as not just an HP calc enthusiast but a cyclist.

Tugdual, the big problem there is the stock wheels that road bikes typically come with. The frames themselves are tough, and I've known of several 350-pound riders on carbon road frames with no problems with the frame but they needed special wheels. I and my family are bantamweights by comparison (130-170 pounds), but we got our wheels made by Peter White at Peter White Cycles after breaking a lot of Bontrager wheels. He really knows wheelbuilding better than anyone else I know of. I found out about him on the T@H tandem forum where many tandem teams had 36-spoke wheels built by him and were showing a great track record. I have not done heavy touring on my pair (only light), but I have 30,000 miles on them and they've hardly even needed truing. They have Velocity Aerohead and Aerohead O/C rims and Ultegra non-cartridge-bearing hubs, 28 and 32 round double-butted Wheelsmith spokes. One of our sons was commuting with heavy loads, sometimes up to 90 pounds of tools and supplies on the rear rack, and on very bad roads, and his Peter-White-built rear wheel with a Velocity Deep-V rim and 36 spokes has proven completely reliable over many thousands of miles.

[Thomas Klemm]

(05-14-2015 09:47 PM)Garth Wilson Wrote:  we got our wheels made by Peter White

This guy is golden:

Quote:I don't yet have secure, on-line ordering. Carrier pigeon security protocols are currently in beta testing. Some people get mad at me because I don't have a "Shopping Cart" system on the website. Don't get mad. I only recently got past making fire with two sticks. These things take time.

Cheers
Thomas

[d b]

Thomas; Did you read this? He is golden.

"..... I am required to fill out customs forms. Often, people ask me to put false information on those forms so as to save them import duty in their country. I don't know what the jail term is for filling out fraudulent customs forms, and I'm not the least bit curious to find out. I've been told federal prison food is terrible. They use too much salt in the bouillabaisse. So, with a heavy heart, I'll be filling out all customs forms correctly."

If I ever need new rims I'm sending a carrier pigeon to this guy.

[Marcus von Cube]

written on my iPad, so forgive any strange spelling...

We've made the first 120km today from Chassieu to Cuiseaux. No broken spikes so far but a lot of rain and cold wind from the wrong direction. The lot was split in two groups. It took the other group 140km to arrive at the same destination. Not all guides are equal. The e-bike guy was in the latter group. He was unlucky because both batteries were flat 7km before arrival. Poor guy...

My right knee is aching. I hope that it will not hamper me tomorrow.

BTW, if I ever need a new wheel I'll ask my brother in law. He makes them.

To answer the calculator question: WP 34S is installed on my iPad but I haven't used it so far.

[Tugdual]

So how was that knee today? Are you actually carrying all your stuff or you have cars following?

[Marcus von Cube]

(05-16-2015 08:26 PM)Tugdual Wrote:  So how was that knee today? Are you actually carrying all your stuff or you have cars following?

My knee is still not totally painless but I can stand it. Luckily our baggage is taken care of.

Today we've made the trip to Besancon, 127km over a quite hilly terrain. I'm tired for a reason. The weather was fine, a bit cold until noon but mostly sunny thereafter. Now other parts of my right leg have started aching. I guess I will stand that, too, tomorrow.

[CR Haeger]

Remember, whether or not you feel good at the start of a long bicycle ride... this will change before the end.

[Mark Hardman]

Marcus (the Gorilla) von Greipel as the peloton passes
through today's feed zone. Marcus had to settle for
second in the stage's sprint finish to The Couple on the Tandem.

[PANAMATIK]

(05-15-2015 09:53 PM)Marcus von Cube Wrote:  The e-bike guy was in the latter group. He was unlucky because both batteries were flat 7km before arrival. Poor guy...

Obviously this poor guy has just a normal e-bike perhaps with BOSCH motor.

I developed the electronics of a very sporty e-bike some years ago. It makes 160 km and more with its batteries. And when they are empty it runs easy like a normal bicycle. However after 160 km you feel the difference when the motor don't assist you any more.

Seems that you will have no rain until tomorrow night.
   
Have a nice trip
Bernhard

[Marcus von Cube]

(05-16-2015 10:25 PM)CR Haeger Wrote:  Remember, whether or not you feel good at the start of a long bicycle ride... this will change before the end.

You hit the nail on the head!

On day three we've arrived in Bain le Bain after a 117km ride. Why are the steepest slopes always at the end of a tour? My knee is still aching as is my left hand. The rest of my body is just tired.

We are in a rural environment so more info later...

[Tugdual]

(05-17-2015 08:44 PM)Marcus von Cube Wrote:  

(05-16-2015 10:25 PM)CR Haeger Wrote:  Remember, whether or not you feel good at the start of a long bicycle ride... this will change before the end.

You hit the nail on the head!

On day three we've arrived in Bain le Bain after a 117km ride. Why are the steepest slopes always at the end of a tour? My knee is still aching as is my left hand. The rest of my body is just tired.

We are in a rural environment so more info later...

Hmmm too bad I'm traveling abroad we could have met today.
Best luck with your knee there is still a nasty little mountain to cross...