As I am rapidly approaching my 70th birthday I have noticed a remarkable geographical fact; hills are becoming much steeper and are lengthening in duration! I may well send this remarkable insight to National Geographic for their education.
To counteract this evolutionary change I have needed to make some dramatic engineering changes to my bike fleet.
Witchcraft, my Giant Advanced TCR SL3 with an Ultegra Di2 Groupset has had a cassette change to give a 32t large cog from the traditional 28t. This was thought to be impossible but my LBS at Bespoke have weaved some magic and it all works fine.
My beloved Mercian Vincitore Special was equipped with a Campagnolo Chorus Triple which only allows a maximum rear tooth count of 29. So I have had this upgraded (?) to a Shimano Tiagra Triple with a 34t cassette.
This now means that I have a lowest gear on the Giant at 28 inches whilst on the Mercian it is now 23.3 inches.
I should perhaps point out here that my son thinks this is all needless as I had yet to encounter a hill I could not climb with the original kit.....and I am a bit loathe to confess to him that so far I have got nowhere near my new bottom gears...still I am approaching 70 and regard this as future proofing :-)
Showing posts with label Campagnola. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Campagnola. Show all posts
Sunday, November 27, 2016
Monday, February 15, 2016
Rutland and Beyond.... an OAP's Adventure
For those of you who read my last post, Driven by Targets, you will know that following last year's abject failure to achieve the objectives, I have decided to become even less competitive and just pootle around. However a friend, a keen audaxer, has set himself the target to complete 10 Baby Audaxes ( 100km or less ) this year and after many discussions in a local coffee shop he persuaded me to join him on the first one, the Leicester Forest Cycling Club's Rutland and Beyond Audax.. A gentle introduction with some beautiful scenery he said.
The weather forecast promised arctic weather and high NE winds, with the winds having the cruel capability to alter direction dependent upon the cyclists heading.
In the event my friend decided that the combination of zero temperatures, high winds, and a very early start made staying in bed at home a preferable option, leaving me to attempt a solo ride with the aid of my trusty garmin and an old fashioned bit of paper with writing on it .. I eschewed maps as I can never read them properly, but more of navigational issues later.
I have joined Derby Mercury RC this last year, not with the intent of cycling with them, far out of my league but just to help out as a gofer at events, and I mentioned that I was undertaking this event. This inspired Team Mercury to also have a go and so Mark, Debbie, Phil and Nigel, the Mercury Marvels, entered.. For this foolhardy crew, a mere 100km was not worth getting out of bed for and so they decided to ride both to and from the event to raise a more respectable 200km ride. In order to assist them they had recruited two sacrificial lambs in Mark and Sarah from Cycle Derby to act as their lead out team.
And so, around 160 cyclists converged on Ride HQ at 08-15
I had a plan. Not to be put off by all these fit young people and to ride at my own pace. I know I dont climb well and there were plenty of climbs on the course so I had stocked up with my home made malt loaf and flapjcks and a bottle full of fluid to lessen the risk of dying completely on some far forgotten hill. Eat little and often was my moto.
And so, positioning myself at the rear of the peleton we set off and encountered the first climb after 800m. It became apparent that perhaps I am not the world's worst climber as some seemed to start suffering already, indeed quite a few people never managed to complete the course.
Navigation is another skill I lack and as I approached Rutland Water a couple of riders in front of me whom I had caught up, suddenly veered off left against all the advice of my Garmin! It was then I discovered that not all riders out on a Sunday morning cycling around Rutland Water are neccessarily in the audax. And so to the first Control Point
Lots of people came over to chat to me, but it seems it was not my scintillating wit they were interested in, but my Mercian Vincitore Special.
The Mercury Marvels had stormed past me on the hill into Rutland Water, resplendent in their kit, my Mercury jersey was well covered in multiple layers so as not to degrade the image and also I needed layers to keep warm.
Loving numbers, I had flipped through the garmin screens, a big mistake! From here on in my turn by turn instructions vanished and I had to resort to following cyclists butts ( not always a pretty sight ) or when alone relying upon the cue sheet with its original Egyptian Hieroglyphics
The hills kept on coming and I was beginning to wish that I had chosen a Shimano Groupset instead of the Campagnolo as that would have allowed a much lower bottom gear (30/29 is my lowest ) and though I rarely engaged that bottom gear I did at times envy the people twirling away on the steepest climbs.
There is a reward from the hills though. At one point the view into the valley with the viaduct stretching out across the peaks is a marvellous sight. It was around here that I saw a large red kite flying low in the sky espying out the young lambs as a potential lunch..or perhaps he was waiting for me to fall.
Just prior to the third control point is The Hill, a leg sapping lung busting monster for an OAP. I was determined not to let it beat me and though my brain was telling me to get off and push, my inner self would not relent, and indeed I passed another couple of riders on this climb.
For those who reached the check point and cafe early there was plenty of food
Some even were treated to a Valentine Lunch!
However by the time I arrived the place was packed with sunday tourists and stifling hot with wait times up to 45 minutes...so a gel, a piece of malt loaf and I soldiered on
The last section was probably the toughest for me, the wind was horrendous and the terrain very exposed...but I made it!!
For those who like statistics the Strava Ride is here
To give an indication of how I coped, my normal ' Suffer Score '; for my T-Shop Pootles is around 50...this ride was 388 .... I have never been tis close to the edge before
But did I enjoy it? Yes
Did I feel a sense of achievement ? Yes
Would I do another Audax ? Well.......
The weather forecast promised arctic weather and high NE winds, with the winds having the cruel capability to alter direction dependent upon the cyclists heading.
In the event my friend decided that the combination of zero temperatures, high winds, and a very early start made staying in bed at home a preferable option, leaving me to attempt a solo ride with the aid of my trusty garmin and an old fashioned bit of paper with writing on it .. I eschewed maps as I can never read them properly, but more of navigational issues later.
I have joined Derby Mercury RC this last year, not with the intent of cycling with them, far out of my league but just to help out as a gofer at events, and I mentioned that I was undertaking this event. This inspired Team Mercury to also have a go and so Mark, Debbie, Phil and Nigel, the Mercury Marvels, entered.. For this foolhardy crew, a mere 100km was not worth getting out of bed for and so they decided to ride both to and from the event to raise a more respectable 200km ride. In order to assist them they had recruited two sacrificial lambs in Mark and Sarah from Cycle Derby to act as their lead out team.
And so, around 160 cyclists converged on Ride HQ at 08-15
I had a plan. Not to be put off by all these fit young people and to ride at my own pace. I know I dont climb well and there were plenty of climbs on the course so I had stocked up with my home made malt loaf and flapjcks and a bottle full of fluid to lessen the risk of dying completely on some far forgotten hill. Eat little and often was my moto.
And so, positioning myself at the rear of the peleton we set off and encountered the first climb after 800m. It became apparent that perhaps I am not the world's worst climber as some seemed to start suffering already, indeed quite a few people never managed to complete the course.
Navigation is another skill I lack and as I approached Rutland Water a couple of riders in front of me whom I had caught up, suddenly veered off left against all the advice of my Garmin! It was then I discovered that not all riders out on a Sunday morning cycling around Rutland Water are neccessarily in the audax. And so to the first Control Point
Lots of people came over to chat to me, but it seems it was not my scintillating wit they were interested in, but my Mercian Vincitore Special.
The Mercury Marvels had stormed past me on the hill into Rutland Water, resplendent in their kit, my Mercury jersey was well covered in multiple layers so as not to degrade the image and also I needed layers to keep warm.
Loving numbers, I had flipped through the garmin screens, a big mistake! From here on in my turn by turn instructions vanished and I had to resort to following cyclists butts ( not always a pretty sight ) or when alone relying upon the cue sheet with its original Egyptian Hieroglyphics
The hills kept on coming and I was beginning to wish that I had chosen a Shimano Groupset instead of the Campagnolo as that would have allowed a much lower bottom gear (30/29 is my lowest ) and though I rarely engaged that bottom gear I did at times envy the people twirling away on the steepest climbs.
There is a reward from the hills though. At one point the view into the valley with the viaduct stretching out across the peaks is a marvellous sight. It was around here that I saw a large red kite flying low in the sky espying out the young lambs as a potential lunch..or perhaps he was waiting for me to fall.
Just prior to the third control point is The Hill, a leg sapping lung busting monster for an OAP. I was determined not to let it beat me and though my brain was telling me to get off and push, my inner self would not relent, and indeed I passed another couple of riders on this climb.
For those who reached the check point and cafe early there was plenty of food
Some even were treated to a Valentine Lunch!
However by the time I arrived the place was packed with sunday tourists and stifling hot with wait times up to 45 minutes...so a gel, a piece of malt loaf and I soldiered on
The last section was probably the toughest for me, the wind was horrendous and the terrain very exposed...but I made it!!
For those who like statistics the Strava Ride is here
To give an indication of how I coped, my normal ' Suffer Score '; for my T-Shop Pootles is around 50...this ride was 388 .... I have never been tis close to the edge before
But did I enjoy it? Yes
Did I feel a sense of achievement ? Yes
Would I do another Audax ? Well.......
Monday, April 1, 2013
Mercian, The Prince of Bikes, #61416
The weather has been arctic and my cycling non-existent for the last 10 days. So, I thought I would publish a post about my vintage Mercian Audax no 61416, the first 2 digits signifying the year of frame build, 1961
I am at least the fifth owner of this bike and during the past 52 years it has seen many places and wonderful stories must be embedded within its frame.
This is how the bike looked when I became its latest owner in June, 2009 after espying it hung up on a garage wall looking magnificent. I asked the seller to give me some of its history and this is its, and his, story.
" I purchased it for my son in 1983.It had formerly been used a s a commuter bike for some years, and now stood, covered in dust, sad and neglected in a garage. A sight to tug the heartstrings of any enthusiast. With worn and flat tyres, worn out rusty chain and brakes, it had not been cared for or appreciated for a number of years. I think the man said it had belonged to his son originally before he had began using it as a commuter bike to the local Rolls -Royce factories in Derby. But under the dust, the purple frame was as good as ever, a testimony to Reynolds 521 steel. I think I paid £48 for it, more to save the bike than to please the old owner. After a spruce up with new tyres, tubes, chain and brakes it was presented to my own son who rode it for a few yers until he went off to university.
The bike was then not used greatly unless he was at home during the vacations. After he left university the bike remained with me and I decided to sort out the whole bike from the frame up. Many things had now worn further including the headset which was very badly worn; so much so that I had to have the tubes interior rebuilt up by welding and then re-bored to take a new headset.
To replace it I chose a taper roller headset normally used on cross country bikes. It should not need to be ever adjusted again. The frame was stripped of the old paint, trued up and resprayed and then a chrome finish was added to the wheel drop outs and the frame above for about 18 inches. The original frame had this chrome finish too. I splashed out on two new 27 inch wheels hand built by Mercian. A new Campagnola seat tube plus new bars and head tube completed the rebuild. The bike was then used for summer rides, I could not bear to take it out in the winter salt! Most of the rides were around 60km or with the local CTC group.
At some point, about 10 years ago, I was knocked off the bike by a motorist who ignored the stop sign at a set of crossroads. He collided with the back wheel and sent me flying - result - a buckled back wheel and a return trip to Mercians to get the frame checked. No problems on the frame and with the wheel rebuilt onto the same hub all was well. However, as I now owned 5 bikes the Mercian got very little use., and, as I recognized a growing fanaticism in a friend, ( ME !!! ) I sold it to him to fan the flames. Little did I know the roaring fire that it would produce!! "
And how right he was!
The group set has gone through many variations, from a compact 48/36 Stronglight when my friend acquired it, to a Campagnola 52/42/30 during his period of ownership to its current evolution with a Stronglight 46/36/26 triple as I prepare for the advancing years and try to learn some bike maintenance skills. I originally intended to try and restore it to the condition when it was first built, but a lack of knowledge, coupled with the fact it was probably a high geared racing machine, deterred me. There have been other changes which might form the topic of a further post but now it is back in regular use as a winter bike with 63*32 Schwalbe Marathon tyres ( the only tyres I can get to fit these wheels ). My new Mercian Vincitore Special has become my summer bike and it too has already started to evolve.
Steel is forever, and I have given my daughters-in-law strict instructions on how I want their sons to develop so that, one day, they will be able to inherit and fit perfectly my beautiful racing machines of engineering excellence
I am at least the fifth owner of this bike and during the past 52 years it has seen many places and wonderful stories must be embedded within its frame.
This is how the bike looked when I became its latest owner in June, 2009 after espying it hung up on a garage wall looking magnificent. I asked the seller to give me some of its history and this is its, and his, story.
" I purchased it for my son in 1983.It had formerly been used a s a commuter bike for some years, and now stood, covered in dust, sad and neglected in a garage. A sight to tug the heartstrings of any enthusiast. With worn and flat tyres, worn out rusty chain and brakes, it had not been cared for or appreciated for a number of years. I think the man said it had belonged to his son originally before he had began using it as a commuter bike to the local Rolls -Royce factories in Derby. But under the dust, the purple frame was as good as ever, a testimony to Reynolds 521 steel. I think I paid £48 for it, more to save the bike than to please the old owner. After a spruce up with new tyres, tubes, chain and brakes it was presented to my own son who rode it for a few yers until he went off to university.
The bike was then not used greatly unless he was at home during the vacations. After he left university the bike remained with me and I decided to sort out the whole bike from the frame up. Many things had now worn further including the headset which was very badly worn; so much so that I had to have the tubes interior rebuilt up by welding and then re-bored to take a new headset.
To replace it I chose a taper roller headset normally used on cross country bikes. It should not need to be ever adjusted again. The frame was stripped of the old paint, trued up and resprayed and then a chrome finish was added to the wheel drop outs and the frame above for about 18 inches. The original frame had this chrome finish too. I splashed out on two new 27 inch wheels hand built by Mercian. A new Campagnola seat tube plus new bars and head tube completed the rebuild. The bike was then used for summer rides, I could not bear to take it out in the winter salt! Most of the rides were around 60km or with the local CTC group.
At some point, about 10 years ago, I was knocked off the bike by a motorist who ignored the stop sign at a set of crossroads. He collided with the back wheel and sent me flying - result - a buckled back wheel and a return trip to Mercians to get the frame checked. No problems on the frame and with the wheel rebuilt onto the same hub all was well. However, as I now owned 5 bikes the Mercian got very little use., and, as I recognized a growing fanaticism in a friend, ( ME !!! ) I sold it to him to fan the flames. Little did I know the roaring fire that it would produce!! "
And how right he was!
The group set has gone through many variations, from a compact 48/36 Stronglight when my friend acquired it, to a Campagnola 52/42/30 during his period of ownership to its current evolution with a Stronglight 46/36/26 triple as I prepare for the advancing years and try to learn some bike maintenance skills. I originally intended to try and restore it to the condition when it was first built, but a lack of knowledge, coupled with the fact it was probably a high geared racing machine, deterred me. There have been other changes which might form the topic of a further post but now it is back in regular use as a winter bike with 63*32 Schwalbe Marathon tyres ( the only tyres I can get to fit these wheels ). My new Mercian Vincitore Special has become my summer bike and it too has already started to evolve.
Steel is forever, and I have given my daughters-in-law strict instructions on how I want their sons to develop so that, one day, they will be able to inherit and fit perfectly my beautiful racing machines of engineering excellence
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Marginal Gains
First of all a few numbers.
Total distance cycled = 1564 km
Longest Ride = 110 km
Total distance climbed = 11285 m
Total distance swam = 28.4 km
Whilst the furthest distance cycled has not increased, this has been intentional as I have been doing some regular 75 km rides together with a range of other rides as determined by the plan. My intention is not to exceed the 110 km distance for a while yet ( it is 68% of total challenge distance ) but to work on building up other aspects of my cycling fitness.
This brings me on to my attempts to improve by aggregating some Marginal Gains.
Weight kills on a bike, especially when you are having to lug all those extra kilograms up hills and Box Hill lies in wait for me like a tiger stalking its lunch.
I currently weigh in at 73.5 kg but the total whole system weight includes not only me but also my bike, tools, spare bits and provisions. So something needs to be done.
Step 1. Lose weight and I have made a start by having my hair cut. This seemed to me to be a cost effective way to proceed but in the event the improvement in performance has been very marginal indeed :-() It would appear therefore that personal weight loss will be insufficient. Other things need to be addressed!
Step 2 The Brooks 17 saddle and I have a love-hate relationship. It loves tormenting my butt whilst I hate the pain that can ensue. It also tips the scales at 574 gms. So, riding to the rescue has come a Fizik Arione which not only looks smart and sleek but also comes in at 225 gms, a huge saving and must be worth loads of haircuts .An Italian saddle to go with my Italian Nitto stem, a perfect match and as I explained to my non-cycling wife, things have to be coordinated don't they ? In addition I acquired it at a bargain price :-)
Step 3 Having successfully explained to my wife the need for full coordination, I thought it would be worthwhile explaining to her the principles of Rotational Mass and the benefits to be had from steel spokes with aerodynamic shape and aluminium nipples using a laced pattern with 20 radial spokes on the front wheel and 24 spokes on the rear, 16 being double crossed at the drive side with 8 radial on the left side.
This Campagnola Neutron wheel set, and being Italian obviously complements the saddle and the seat post. Naturally, they are only to be used in summer so I still need my hand made Mavic wheels with Miche RC2 racing hubs
Of course rotational mass is all about something
called the moment of inertia and is
ω is the rate of rotation, expressed is radians/second:
so
That is, the rotating energy is 1/2 the linear (translational) energy.
I looked up at this point to see if wife thought a diagram might assist but she had fallen asleep! Can you believe it!
When fitted my Mercian Vincitore Special looks like this :
Well, I think it will give me a load of marginal gains, and is far easier than actually dieting.
I am sure wife will agree when she wakes up :-)
Total distance cycled = 1564 km
Longest Ride = 110 km
Total distance climbed = 11285 m
Total distance swam = 28.4 km
Whilst the furthest distance cycled has not increased, this has been intentional as I have been doing some regular 75 km rides together with a range of other rides as determined by the plan. My intention is not to exceed the 110 km distance for a while yet ( it is 68% of total challenge distance ) but to work on building up other aspects of my cycling fitness.
This brings me on to my attempts to improve by aggregating some Marginal Gains.
Weight kills on a bike, especially when you are having to lug all those extra kilograms up hills and Box Hill lies in wait for me like a tiger stalking its lunch.
I currently weigh in at 73.5 kg but the total whole system weight includes not only me but also my bike, tools, spare bits and provisions. So something needs to be done.
Step 1. Lose weight and I have made a start by having my hair cut. This seemed to me to be a cost effective way to proceed but in the event the improvement in performance has been very marginal indeed :-() It would appear therefore that personal weight loss will be insufficient. Other things need to be addressed!
Step 2 The Brooks 17 saddle and I have a love-hate relationship. It loves tormenting my butt whilst I hate the pain that can ensue. It also tips the scales at 574 gms. So, riding to the rescue has come a Fizik Arione which not only looks smart and sleek but also comes in at 225 gms, a huge saving and must be worth loads of haircuts .An Italian saddle to go with my Italian Nitto stem, a perfect match and as I explained to my non-cycling wife, things have to be coordinated don't they ? In addition I acquired it at a bargain price :-)
Step 3 Having successfully explained to my wife the need for full coordination, I thought it would be worthwhile explaining to her the principles of Rotational Mass and the benefits to be had from steel spokes with aerodynamic shape and aluminium nipples using a laced pattern with 20 radial spokes on the front wheel and 24 spokes on the rear, 16 being double crossed at the drive side with 8 radial on the left side.
This Campagnola Neutron wheel set, and being Italian obviously complements the saddle and the seat post. Naturally, they are only to be used in summer so I still need my hand made Mavic wheels with Miche RC2 racing hubs
Of course rotational mass is all about something
called the moment of inertia and is
| I = 0.5 m r2 |
| ω = 2 π rev/sec | ||
| rev/sec = v / circumference = v / (2 π r) | ||
| ω = 2 π (v / (2 π r)) = v / r |
| Erotating = 0.5 (0.5 m r2) (v2/r2) | ||
| = 0.25 m v2 |
I looked up at this point to see if wife thought a diagram might assist but she had fallen asleep! Can you believe it!
When fitted my Mercian Vincitore Special looks like this :
Well, I think it will give me a load of marginal gains, and is far easier than actually dieting.
I am sure wife will agree when she wakes up :-)
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
The Novice Bike Mechanic ( Part 1 )
I worked for one of the world’s premier engineering firms for over 35 years but my skills were much more theoretical than practical and I must be a contender for the world’s worst mechanic.
So it was with much trepidation that I decided to teach myself how a bike was put together by actually dismantling and rebuilding one rather than just study a maintenance manual.
I also have to recognize that as I get older those Derbyshire Peaks seem to be getting steeper and, whilst I can still climb as well as any on our Thursday Veterans ride, the others manage it by having a chainset which is much more suitable for the task than those on my bikes.
My 1961 Mercian still has its original Campagnola 52/42 chain rings to which someone has later added a 30 tooth inner ring and these combined with a 12-28 cassette mean that all hills encountered to-date are manageable, but this will not always be the case.
So, I decided that my introductory bike mechanic project would be to change the chan rings to a more hill friendly set. One of the great things about cycling is that people are always ready to give you recommendations and advice on how to proceed. After much discussion at many tea and cake shops, and looking what others had fitted, I determined on a 46/36/26 chainset with a strong recommendation to buy some proper tools to carry out the job and not bodge my way through.
My first lesson about bike upgrading was that it is very similar to my wife buying a dress for a wedding or any other event.. There is an inevitable creeping project scope as the dress needs complementing by a pair of shoes, handbag, jewellry, special hair cut etc, none of which were envisaged in the original scope spec that I had imagined. The final cost makes the dress look a minor part of the whole ensemble!! Now bike scope creep is much more exciting as I discovered that I needed a new compatible Bottom Bracket and obviously (??? ) a new set of pedals so I could be firmly attached to the bike when hill climbing. I also needed some tools so purchased crank extractors, pedal removal spanner, 2 sets of bottom bracket sockets ( as new chain rings were not compatible with old BB ) and, as it turns out, a BIG spanner.
One of the amazing things about practical bike mechanics as opposed to the theoretical reading about it is that where in the instructions it says “ turn bolt anti-clockwise to remove “ it mentions nothing of the fact that after 50 years the original pedals were attached without greasing the threads ( see, I am learning! ) and now the things seem to have welded themselves together never to be separated from the cranks again in man’s lifetime. However, fortified by an extra piece of cake, and using what I considered to be excessive force, they eventually gave in to reason and the nuts loosened. This theme of very difficult to loosen nuts/bolts was a recurring feature of the dismantling process and the crank removal was a particularly frightening experience as everyone warned me that the combination of hardened steel tools and aluminium crank threads could have dire consequences if you got it wrong.
But eventually I managed to remove the cranks and exposed the bottom bracket.
Whoever had installed this had obviously not read the same articles that I had. It was meant to be inserted and then gently tightened until just firm. In order to remove this I needed not only the correct socket but an 18 inch spanner which was repeatedly thumped at the end with a rubber mallet before I could get the bolt to move. But eventually it did and the bottom bracket could be extracted.
Part 1 of the project, disassembly and removal, is now complete and the next stage is just to clean things up before rebuilding with the new bits begins.
Or is it?
Now that I have got this far, the frame does looked a little scratched in places, and you can no longer get 27inch wheels, and the tyre choice for 27inch wheels are very limited and am I really happy with those brakes?
Time to ponder.
Better cycle to the cake shop and have a think...
Sunday, April 22, 2012
The Mercian Stable
So how many bikes does one need?
Rule #12 states that while the minimum number of bikes one should own is three, the correct number is n+1, where n is the number of bikes currently owned. This equation may also be re-written as s-1, where s is the number of bikes owned that would result in separation from your partner.
I currently have the minimum number.
When I started cycling following retirement I bought a Specialized Sirrus Comp ( 2008 ).
I don’t really know why.
I wanted a bike and sitting upright seemed a safer option. It was built with an aluminium frame and carbon forks, which I assumed was a lighter option. Equipped with 27 gears that seemed more than enough though precisely what that 50/40/30 and 12-28 cassette meant I had not got a clue. The group set was Shimano Tiagra and the wheels were fitted, so I was told, with 700x28mm tyres which I noticed had very little tread.
And so my cycling adventure began!
I got on board and cycled the 7km home, most of which was uphill..and I was exhausted. Driving a desk for 35 years was just no true preparation for riding a bike.
Encouraged by my wife, whom I secretly suspect thought the prospect of having me at home 24x7 after a lifetime of having the house to herself was an anathema , I persevered and soon my fitness improved, the distances increased and I began to experience the thrill of completing a climb and touring the country lanes around Derbyshire.
I soon met other cyclists who welcomed me to the fraternity and started explaining the basics of cycle maintenance and introduced me to that road to ruin, the ( essential ? ) upgrade. Looking at their bikes and listening to their stories I was introduced to the legendary names of equipment manufacturers, the famous races and the incredible history of the sport. Campagnola, Brooks, Mercian were soon to become as much a part of my vocabulary as it was of theirs.
And a Brooks B17 saddle was my first upgrade, just the smell of the pure leather was intoxicating. This was rapidly followed by a further purchase, a jar of Sudo Cream, as I became painfully aware that leather saddles need to be broken in before that state of ultimate seat comfort could be achieved.
It was whilst talking about bikes in a tea shop during a break in one of our rides that the opportunity to add to my bike stable emerged. One of my friends mentioned that he had an old Mercian that he was thinking of selling. It had been hanging from his garage wall for the last 5 years and so he thought it needed a new owner and a new lease of life.
I bought it!
It is a 1961 Mercian Audax with a Reynolds 531 frame and I am at least its fourth owner. It was originally equipped with a Campagnola Group Set with a 53/42 chain set but this has later been modified by adding a 30 tooth inner ring. The rear cassette is now a Shimano 14-28 and gear change is accomplished by a gravity downtube shifter though I have upgraded this to an index system for the rear cassette.
The quill stem, bars and seat stay are all the original Campagnola but the brakes are a mixture of bits from Shimano and others.
The bike currently has 630x32 Schwalbe Marathon tyres mounted on what could be an original Mercian hand built wheel on a Jet Set R-10 rim at the rear and a Mavic Module-3 on the front.
Though the bike was obviously not built for me, it does ride beautifully and whether it is the lower rider profile on the drops, the larger chain rings or some other factor, it is certainly much quicker than the Hybrid. In summary, it is a bike which seduces you to the majesty and engineering excellence of a hand built machine.
My love affair with Mercian had begun.
And so I determined to have my own hand built bike and a description of it has been the topic of previous posts. The result is a Mercian Vincitore Special ( 2012 ) and I wonder if the story will end here, or........
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Marques of Distinction
The history of cycling is littered with iconic names
The names of the Five Monuments of Cycling are generally considered to be the oldest and most-prestigious one-day races on the calendar.
- Milan - San Remo ( Italy )– the first true Classic of the year, its Italian name is La Primavera (the spring), this race is held in late March. First run in 1907.
- Tour of Flanders ( Belgium )– also known as the "Ronde van Vlaanderen", the first of the 'Spring Classics', is raced in early April. First held in 1913.
- Paris - Roubaix ( France )– the "Queen of the Classics" or l'Enfer du Nord ("Hell of the North") is traditionally one week after the Ronde van Vlaanderen, and was first raced in 1896.
- Liege - Bastogne - Leige (Belgium) – late April. La Doyenne, the oldest Classic, was first held in 1892 as an amateur event; a professional edition following in 1894.
- Giro de Lombardia (Italy) – also known as the "Race of the Falling Leaves", is held in October. Initially called the Milano–Milano in 1905, it became the Giro di Lombardia in 1907.
and at the other end of the scale are the Grand Tours lasting more than 14 days each
- Tour de France– Tour of France (est. 1903), held in July
- Giro d’Italia– Tour of Italy(est. 1909), held in May
- Vuelta a Espana – Tour of Spain (est. 1935), currently held in August
The stories of the men who have competed in these events; their feats of endurance, daring , bravery and imperviousness to pain are the stuff of legends.
And they were all done on a bike whose basic concept has rarely changed over the decades. Though advances in engineering technology and material science has now allowed the introduction of exotic materials into frame construction and wireless technology into gear change.
It was to capture some of the essence of those early pioneers that I wanted my bike to be built from components which harked back to those early years. A retro bike in these days of carbon frames and electronic gear shifters.
A bike which would salute those Marques of Distinction.
Monday, April 9, 2012
When Dreams Encounter Reality
The hardest decision that I had to make when specifying the kit for my dream Mercian was what Group Set to have fitted. The choices seemed endless.
Shimano or Campagnola or SRAM.?
And then a double front chain wheels or a triple?
And what range of tooth set on the cassette?
And of course there was the question of component quality
And style, tradition and engineering pedigree
To help the decision making I could of course call upon Sheldon Brown and his Gear Inch Calculator, http://sheldonbrown.com/gears/ ;though one still needs to be able to translate into the reality of climbing a mountain the difference between 32 and 38 inches.
My vintage 1961 Mercian Audax with its original 53/42 front chainset coupled to gravity non-indexed gears with a 12-25 cassette results in a lowest gear of 45.4 inches which is certainly a challenge to my aged legs. Hence it has been modified to something more manageable by one of its previous owners to have a third ring of 30 teeth and a cassette reaching the dizzy heights of 28 teeth resulting in a manageable 28.9 inches.
But do I REALLY need a triple? Those 50/34 compacts with a 12-26 cassette result in 35 gear inches, only a mere 6 inches difference from my ancient steed. “A trifle” says my heart and the whole classical Campagnola range are open to me if I go with the compact, and after all, how many hills have I not been able to climb? None. So, a few extra inches, piffle.......to a man of 65 years who is a novice and whose strength will soon be ebbing :-()
Is there a reason why most of my riding companions have gone for triples with 46/36/26 rings and upto 34 teeth on the rear cassette? Do those Derbyshire Peaks get steeper with every passing year?
Dreaming meets Reality.
Or does it?
Currently I can power up the hills and the recovery rate is rapid. I rarely use anything bigger than 30/22 , (or 36.8 gear inches ) and when I have tried riding a 26/34 combination my legs were spinning so fast to get nowhere I almost fell off. So perhaps a compact IS feasible, even with my poor conditioning.
And so to a decision.
I would choose Campagnola because of its classic heritage and its reputation for engineering excellence.
This decision meant that all the rear cassettes above 29 teeth were ruled out as Campagnola seem to believe that road bikes are designed for fit young men and only make a token effort towards the casual veteran cyclist. That token, a Centaur Triple with 50/40/30 front chain rings and a 10 speed 13-29 cassette would be my choice. And if, in a few years time as my strength starts to fade rapidly, I find the hills too hard to manage, I will change the entire group set for something easier. Until then i will enjoy the excitement of the ride.
Would you have made a different choice?
Shimano or Campagnola or SRAM.?
And then a double front chain wheels or a triple?
And what range of tooth set on the cassette?
And of course there was the question of component quality
And style, tradition and engineering pedigree
To help the decision making I could of course call upon Sheldon Brown and his Gear Inch Calculator, http://sheldonbrown.com/gears/ ;though one still needs to be able to translate into the reality of climbing a mountain the difference between 32 and 38 inches.
My vintage 1961 Mercian Audax with its original 53/42 front chainset coupled to gravity non-indexed gears with a 12-25 cassette results in a lowest gear of 45.4 inches which is certainly a challenge to my aged legs. Hence it has been modified to something more manageable by one of its previous owners to have a third ring of 30 teeth and a cassette reaching the dizzy heights of 28 teeth resulting in a manageable 28.9 inches.
But do I REALLY need a triple? Those 50/34 compacts with a 12-26 cassette result in 35 gear inches, only a mere 6 inches difference from my ancient steed. “A trifle” says my heart and the whole classical Campagnola range are open to me if I go with the compact, and after all, how many hills have I not been able to climb? None. So, a few extra inches, piffle.......to a man of 65 years who is a novice and whose strength will soon be ebbing :-()
Is there a reason why most of my riding companions have gone for triples with 46/36/26 rings and upto 34 teeth on the rear cassette? Do those Derbyshire Peaks get steeper with every passing year?
Dreaming meets Reality.
Or does it?
Currently I can power up the hills and the recovery rate is rapid. I rarely use anything bigger than 30/22 , (or 36.8 gear inches ) and when I have tried riding a 26/34 combination my legs were spinning so fast to get nowhere I almost fell off. So perhaps a compact IS feasible, even with my poor conditioning.
And so to a decision.
I would choose Campagnola because of its classic heritage and its reputation for engineering excellence.
This decision meant that all the rear cassettes above 29 teeth were ruled out as Campagnola seem to believe that road bikes are designed for fit young men and only make a token effort towards the casual veteran cyclist. That token, a Centaur Triple with 50/40/30 front chain rings and a 10 speed 13-29 cassette would be my choice. And if, in a few years time as my strength starts to fade rapidly, I find the hills too hard to manage, I will change the entire group set for something easier. Until then i will enjoy the excitement of the ride.
Would you have made a different choice?
Saturday, March 3, 2012
A 65th Birthday Present
2.March.2012
Collected my new dream bike to-day, a 65th birthday present to myself. It is a Mercian Vincitore Special in Ice Cold Blue with Yellow Pearl as the highlights. Driven with a Campagnola Triple Chain Set. The black Brooks B17 saddle was really hard and brought back memories of the first time I rode on my first Brooks. It will wear in with application of cream.
The saddle seemed much higher than the one on the bike I usually ride but after a short distance I soon became accustomed to it. Managed the 11.7km journey home without mishaps and even started using some of the gears, but not yet changed from the middle ring.
Have arranged to take it to a photo shoot on Monday ( 5.March )so a friend can document it in its as new condition.
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