Sole use: http://www.wallabarrow.co.uk/phdi/p1.nsf/supppages/1723?opendocument&part=3 might be a squeeze at 10 people capacity but some great riding in the area and a pub down the road.

Looks like Trek do: http://www.trekbikes.com/uk/en/support/warranty/

Hope so as racing tonight on my new Superfly 🙂

Wrong trousers – will do but cannot see your email in profile.
Iain.

Hi wrong trousers, the riding is surprisingly okay as long as you are not looking for gnar singletrack, there are a lot of good and challenging bridleways with a lot of up and down and stunning scenery. I have a couple of friends I ride with that live in Stratford, they generally escape the town by going south on the Greenway to Long Marsden, from there there is good riding around Mickleton, Ilmington, Blockly, Sainrbury, etc. having got that far then there is some really good riding in the Cotswolds from Broadway south by Laverton, Stanton, Winchcombe, etc. Pretty much where the Hell of the North Cotswolds is run.

Feel free to grab some routes from my Strava data, if you have premium you can get the gpx, if not I can mail you some. Always welcome to join us for a ride some time. https://app.strava.com/athletes/408193?utm_source=top-nav

I moved here from Edinburgh originally and love the area. Which was a big suprise as Edinburgh is pretty good.

Hope this helps.

On that note the Heritage Motor Museum in Gaydon is also good.

Edit – oops, you meant the Gaydon one!

I live 9 miles south (shipston on stour) and while Stratford is nice you may run out of things to do, mix it with Warwick and Leamington and it opens up more options. Another vote for the butterfly farm, great for kids and adults! Stratford is lovely if the weather is good as well, a trip up the river on a punt with a picnic is nice.

There’s always a local MTB ride with us lot on a Sunday morning or Wednesday night if you have a bike with you!

Interesting, I joined the local road club a couple of years ago that runs out of a Trek shop, I bought a Madone 6 and have seen some of the bikes that have been warranted and replaced FOC and have no interest in buying any other brand now – Trek are really good, consistently.

I also have a SuperFly 9.9 on order through Project 1 that was delayed in delivery. I was keen to have it for the HONC last weekend and when it looked like it would not arrive on time they loaned me a brand new Superfly 9.8SL for the event – great service 🙂

Cheers Paul, cannot believe the difference in speed going from 26 to 29 inch wheels, should have done it years ago!

Kryton, I don’t think the MTBers give away that much now to the cross bikes if you are on a light 29er with skinny tyres. I ran the first half with a number of cross bikes and didn’t feel too disadvantaged being on an MTB, the mountain bike was certainly quicker on all the downhill sections, some of the road bits were problematic in not being able to get low and out the wind but still manageable. It seemed to be only in the second half where a few of the cross bikes pulled away – but that’s also probably because they were younger and fitter than me!

The first two guys home in the 100 were on cross bikes, not sure about the third guy as I could not catch him, spending several miles about 300 meters behind him before the gap opened too far.

Russyh – did the stomach bug contribute to the wind?

So how did everyone do today? The wind was fairly brutal at times, thought my legs were going to break in the second half on some of those climbs!

Did the 100km route in 4 hrs 16 mins which I’m pleased with having been aiming at 5 hours – a bit sore now and just about to open the beer…

Ps if anyone here borrowed my multitool from me about 20 miles in then give me a shout and I’ll send my address, apologies for not stopping but did not want to lose the group.
Cheers
Iain

I had a set of fake RXL bars that cracked after 3 months, got a full refund from ebay seller. Thankfully they did fail completely…..but could have.

Just put two Thunder Burt’s on tonight…..that’s sure to make it rain 🙂

http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/article/continental-grand-prix-4000-s-ii-tyre/aid:709344?utm_source=criteo&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=criteo2

I got barred from the Canny Mans in 1993, my stag night started there and they were not happy about it…

Russy, Schwalbe Thunder Burt EVO Snakeskin – very fast, Racing Ralph, still fast but likely to clog a bit if muddy., Rocket Ron’s are a good compromise for the front if muddy. Wiggle have deals on on some tyres just now, otherwise try Bike-discount.de, their prices are great just now with the way the Euro is. Play safe and only go for the Snakeskin EVO Tubless easy version. Hope this helps a bit, there are also lots of other good tyres from Maxxis and Conti but Schwalbe are a good place to start.

Ps have a look at http://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com

Hi RussyH, that’s what I thought, thunder burt on the rear for definite, not sure about the front yet – will depend on weather this week. I think I’m getting too old to get battered on a cx bike round the course these days! But it would be the quickest way.

Rode about 55miles of the route today (the legal stuff!), and the route is holding up well, a couple of muddy bits – the first one about 18 miles in (just east of Snowshill) on the bit through the trees and then down the valley to the Warren, that was horrible! The other bit that was a struggle for traction was with about 10 miles to go where you turn left of the road and go straight up the bridleway – just out of Sevenhampton.

The route looks like a good compromise for the weather, it had been raining all night and most of the day, so considering this it should be a good day out.

See you there!

I think the madorc is harder but that’s only from reports of friends that rode it – more single track. The cool thing about the honc is 1350 other people in a mass start, pretty amazing 🙂

It’s much the same course as three years ago, which was fairly fast and not too taxing. The last climb over Cleeve is tough if the wind is wrong however. It’s certainly the easiest start you can get our of Winchcombe because it’s a smooth untarmaced road effectively. There is a lot of road this year, the muddiest bit will be the run down to the Warren about 10/15 miles in.
I was going to ride the bits you are allowed to tomorrow so will report back if anyone is interested. It has been raining a lot here so some bits will be claggy, but not like 2 years ago which was hell!
Iain

Orange Crush – the old 26 inch versions have a very short hop tube, my lad rides ones. Great small bike.

I’ve got this for sale… http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=318216

Iain

Just ordered a 9.9SL of Project 1, spent a lot of time stressing over size and went for 21” in the end. I’m 6,1+1/2 and felt the 19” was a bit tight for me. I tried the 21 in 9.8SL version and really liked the extra top tube length.

Be aware that the frames measure up an inch below stated size, ie the 21 inch measures in at a 20inch frame size so the 19” will be actual size of 18” which makes a difference if you are between sizes like me.

Delivery date of 2nd April – quite looking forward to it 🙂

Good luck with yours, lovely bikes.

Had two STI’s (that’s the car not my personal life 🙂 ). Both have been great – reliable and fast but fairly basic. Both lasted two years before selling. Definitely recommended.

Kryton, be careful – I stopped cycle racing in my twenties and took up circuit racing with a sportscar – ended up with no money for 10 years, never went on holiday but have some great memories. Have been working in the Motorsport Industry for the last twenty years and probably could not do a ‘proper job’ now!
You have been warned – bikes are cheaper!
Iain

This is a great piece of kit: http://www.bontrager.com/model/07331 as it allows you to use a pump and a cartridge, it also lets you control the inflation easily. I never leave home without one!

Light blue touchpaper, stand well back….

Can’t see why drafting a bus is cheating?

64 round my home and one in Scotland, maybe I need to get out more! http://labs.strava.com/achievement-map/#408193/ride/6/-5.42725/51.71342

229th in the league table. 69th is bloomin good!

Have a read of this http://media.bontrager.com/images/features/201108_aeolus/bontrager_aeolus_d3_wheels.pdf it will give an understanding of wheel dynamics.

I have a set of aeolus 5’s which are good but my club is run from a Trek dealer so it was an easy descision. The Zipp’s are very good, some others are a handful in crosswinds.

TBH, and this will seem sad, the noise they make at speed is the best bit 🙂

Iain.

njee20 – he based it on his cross bike.

Just ordered a 32 on a 29er, mates just got his 29er with a 36(!) on it, but he does have an FTP of 385watts so I guess he’ll be okay….

You’re right in that the bits on the bike are not great and not worth much. The rims are alloy and part of the mystery as I do not know the history of them, some of the other bits were cast off’s from me as a lad. The frame is 22.5”.

Thanks, the problem is I also have my dads 1948 bike as well so I’m going end up with far too much old stuff and need to move some of it. I cleared my mums house last year and found a load of old bike bits that I had forgotten about including an Assos crankset, campagnolo super record Ti bolts, lots of worn out tubs and various other bits of discarded stuff.
Well spotted on the Royce ring, I also had a set of Royce hubs in about 1986 which were brilliant.

Twicewithchips – yes that is exactly what I usually ended up doing!

It’s still a mystery to me who refurbed the bike, a couple of old mates have shops in Edinburgh and it was not them, one day I’ll find out.

Thanks, it’s funny but I rode it round the block the other day and several things stood out:

You could eat a plated meal, hands off with the plate balanced on the bars along a bumpy road easily it’s so stable.
The brakes are awful, not just bad but 35 year old pads do not work, was going to stick some spare Ultegra ones on but couldn’t 🙂
Can’t believe I could ever use friction shifters in the past, how I ever got myself in the right gear at the finish of a road race as a kid amazes me as I could barely get one to engage now.

There are some things that have improved massively in bike technology over the last 30 years but a good bike is still a good bike whatever the age.

Cheers.

Bump, looking at something like this for the summer. Cheers.

Lee, didn’t realise you had bought it – thanks. Posted on Thursday first class.

Cheers
Iain.

SRAM also http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/sram-powerlock-chain-connector/rp-prod123404?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=Shopping&utm_name=UnitedKingdom&gs=1&gclid=CIGG_620zcMCFSQGwwodkC4AxA&gclsrc=aw.ds

Thanks njee20!

I have one on ebay…. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/271760016428?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1558.l2649

I’m sure a deal can be had!

Iain

Might be too late http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/crc-vouchers-get-em-while-theyre-hot