I jumped on my Pompino to take a pootle through to the next village with coffee and cake on my mind.
But it seems cursed with a steering problem. I'd barely gone over a mile when it insisted on veering offroad.
I'm beginning to suspect this Pompino is really the bastard offspring of an Inbred. Before I realised what was happening I was ploughing uphill through slurries of cowshit and mud.
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Fortunately we were soon past that.
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I did not know where the track lead, but I could make a reasonable guess because I could see Ben Wyvis coming into view and I'd made a bit of height.
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Eventually the top. Doesn't look that high, but I'd just climbed over 1,000 feet in less than 4 miles.
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I recognised the trig point and knew there was track leading down to DIngwall. Locals will recognise this view.
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Then it was really steep downhill on sketchy surfaces, a bit testing with skinny tyres and cantis, and wonder of wonders, I got through the farm without being eaten by the dogs.
What really pleased me was how well the bike handled on a lot of what is really mtb terrain, and also my gear problems of a few weeks ago are sorted because I certainly had to use the low gear on my 3 speed. I suspect this gears business may catch on...
Anyhow, if you're agonising about which gravel bike to buy, don't fret on the details, just get the one that looks the prettiest, because when it comes down to it, any bike will do. 🙂
And.... The other great thing is that with decent mud guards on you and the bike aren't totally clattered in muck! 😀
Edit: great pics by the way.
Poopscoop - Member
And.... The other great thing is that with decent mud guards on you and the bike aren't totally clattered in muck!
Yup, but unfortunately I was wearing sandals...
Nice!
Make me feel the need to get my old, much neglected Pompino up and running again.
That looks to be a similar vintage to my one too. Think I bought mine in 2004/5.
Welcome to the roughstuff fellowship. Now buy the sticker.
https://www.rsf.org.uk/rsf-goodies/769-badges-and-stickers.html
epicyclo
Yup, but unfortunately I was wearing sandals...
Thats ok, just makes you an optimist. 🙂
TiRed - Member
Welcome to the roughstuff fellowship. Now buy the sticker.https://www.rsf.org.uk/rsf-goodies/769-badges-and-stickers.html
br />
Been a member for many years - I'm not really a mountain biker.... 🙂
I've been happily graveling for years (long before the term existed) on hardtail mountain bikes and still do. My 27lb+, 26", 3x9 rigid steel hardtail is hardly a classic gravel bike, but it does the job.
I went on a very off-road jaunt on my road bike once cos I fancied it. 23mm tyres, drop bars, calipers, 105 clipless pedals and proper road shoes. Actually wasn't that bad, was kinda exciting in a "my face is going to meet those rocks" way (but good!).
23mm tyres, drop bars, calipers, 105 clipless pedals and proper road shoes
Did similar with a group of six riders a year or two back. After about 10km of reasonably tame landrover track, we'd collectively run out of spare inner tubes and the only ones still going were the two lads on tubulars. Turned round and headed gingerly back to the safety of tarmac...
TiRed - Member
Welcome to the roughstuff fellowship. Now buy the sticker.https://www.rsf.org.uk/rsf-goodies/769-badges-and-stickers.html
predictably quaint the only way to pay is to post a cheque
[i]To order please send a cheque payable to the Rough Stuff Fellowship[/i]
I should've spotted the signs. Sandals. Of course, how did I miss that!
Funny, I've had a hankering for a Pomp again. I had one of the old ones with the 135mm back end...
Picture 5 has got to be worth some sort of prize, surely?
most struck by the fact that your bike appears to have ridden itself all the way... 😕
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Fantastic, aren't they John?
johnx2 - Member
most struck by the fact that your bike appears to have ridden itself all the way...
That's the great thing about Pompinos. They mastered the art of autonomous driving ages ago. 🙂
Besides you don't really want pics of me spoiling the view...
Nice post. Did you have off road flavoured tyres on?
I've been gravelating on this a fair bit. Get off the train a stop early and ride over the hill. 28c in there at the moment, but there might be room for 32c when these wear out.
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benp1 - Member
Nice post. Did you have off road flavoured tyres on?
No, smooth Vittoria Voyagers 38mm which meant I had to be very smooth on the climbs when the surface was slippy or I'd spin out. Then it was hard to get going again.
It's more of a disadvantage on steep downhills with poor surfaces if you're trying to slow down.
My only problem was in the slurry of cow exhaust when a spin out meant a foot had to go deep into the mire.
That's the disadvantage of sandals. Yuck. 🙂
The advantage is a quick rinse of your feet in the next stream and you're clean and they dry quickly - which is why I wear them as I often have to ford burns or cross bogs. (The ooze would have filled a shoe or boot anyway).
nedrapier - Member
I've been gravelating on this a fair bit...
Nice bit of steel there. Ideal in many ways, especially comfort.
That's the sort of bike we used for the purpose back in my day. The slightly older models with the long angled dropouts meant you could often squeeze in a slightly larger tyre (35-38mm) if you pulled the wheel right back in the dropout.
Edit:
I've shoehorned a 38 in the back of my Andre Bertin C37 by doing just that.
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