ta11pau1 I struggle to “mount up” with that much kit. The only time I’ve ever done any serious bike adventures (out to Stasbourg and the Vosges on the previous bike) I managed to do myself an injury, thereafter referred to as my “getting my leg over” injury and pulled something ;-)

I really should do something like it again (the trip, not the muscle tear).

ta11pau1 Thanks. I’ve found it on Amazon. Looks good.

Out of interest how tall are you? I’m LittleRob because I’m ‘only’ 6’2″ (there’s a BigRob who is a fair bit bigger).

LR

is it a 5th gen vfr800

ta11pau1 that feels like the sort of question to which I should know the answer!

Not sure. How would I tell? Its a V-reg if that helps, and I think is a pretty early. (goes off and googles) Looking at the wiki page its certainly a 5th gen rather than a 6th.

Once you fit the ball, where did the mounting bracket for the GPS come from? Does that come with it? It looks like a neat solution, though I have a baxlux tankbag that might get in the way.

The other option is to put the GPS under the clear cover on top of the tankbag, but its very slim, and I wouldn’t be able to operate it if I needed to.

To echo what some others have said here, we’ve a place (in the Peak District) that we’ve marketed through Sykes for about 3 years. Bookings this year are *very* slow.

We wondered if it was us, but talking to others in the business (all over, including a friend with a place in the Dordogne) this year seems to be a bit of a stinker.

At the risk of derailing the conversation I rode my VFR 800 into North London on Monday and was thinking that I should get a GPS. However, when I google they seem very expensive (~£380) and I’m not sure where it would actually go in what seems a relatively cramped cockpit area.

If I can help with the actual question please fire away. I’ve had mine about 15 years (perhaps a bit longer) and I still love it. Of course I’ve had the old rectifier issue which took a little while to sort as its symptoms are a little inconsistent. (Starts, runs for an hour, stops, won’t start. An hour or so later its fine).

I am starting to get a bit concerned about its overall age, but I don’t see any modern bike that I would consider a good replacement and of course its yellow – and I like yellow.

LR

Regarding food, what I did noticed on Friday (but didn’t use):

There is a farm-shop just after the A286 crossing near Cocking. No idea what they sell, but there was a sign for ice-cream I think.
Trueleigh Hill YHA has a sign for Cafe “open to all”.
There is a cafe at Saddlescombe Farm.
Often an ice-crean van at Ditchling Beacon car-park.
When you hit the A27 (and turn right for the water stop) if you were to go left 1/4 mile or so there is a petrol station.
SouthEase YHA has a cafe that I think is open to passers-by.

Another one here rooting for Tea Boy.

We did it last Friday and it was very wet for the first few hours. I think the forecast for 21st is looking much better.

Not sure I have any top tips other than, as other’s have said, check the locations of water points. We were able to fill up at: QECP (lots of work going on there, but porta-loos and a tap at the far end of the building), Washington, on the A27 crossing, and Jevington church. The tap near Amberley was out of order, but there are plenty of others.

Don’t forget to stop and tale it all in, its really stunning.

LR

How big an area do you need? What I have done in the past (prior to getting a Garmin 1000) was:

a) Goto bing.com/maps
b) Zoom in
c) In the top RH corner select OS Maps as the overlay.
d) Use the Windows “Snipping tool” to grab sections of screen
e) Paste into a Word document and print out (annotated as necessary).

That then gave me a couple of pages to stick in my pocket. For most rides there was only a little bit where I needed the security-blanket of the map.

Thanks for all the replies. I did this yesterday so thought, whilst its still fresh in my brain, that I’d write a quick review so that its here for anyone else wanting to give it a go.

1. There was actually no shortage of water availability. Starting in Winster I passed cafes/shops in: (Note: These are my approximate distances from Winster)
Edensor (17 miles)
Hassop Station (20 miles)
Miller’s Dale (25 miles)
Chee Dale (26 Slightly off the route at the hire place)
Hartington (36)
Wetton Mill (43)
Mill Dale (48)
Tissington (52)
Carsington (56)

Note that the stop at Tissington (in the car-park) doesn’t open if there are no visitors (e.g. bad weather) but the toilets do, and I was told there is a tap on the end of the building (though the proprietor filled my bidons whilst making me a cup of tea). There is also a tea room in the village.

2. As a route its OK, but not great. Some bits, like Gratton Dale (just after Elton), I found hard to ride – A narrow path, and very stony. Also, some bits are just across grassy fields. It makes a routes like the SDW look like a motorway in comparison.

3. There are lots of shonky gates. Many needing 2 hands, and some where I had to dismount. Not a problem, but it mounts up.

4 I can’t recall where I got my GPX from, but is wasn’t 100% accurate, so I found myself actually at Pilsbury Castle (and having to get out via a kissing gate) when I should have been slightly North of there. Signage is patchy, with long sections where I saw none of the specific blue signs. (Or perhaps I wasn’t in the right place!).

Overall it was OK. The views are fabulous, and the logistics much simpler than an A-B route like the SDW. I’ll probably ride it again, but I’m not sure that I’d recommend someone going a long way to do it. So, if you’re in the area and fancy a big day then this is it.

My route here, though as mentioned above, its not quite right, https://www.strava.com/activities/2393643590

LR

I’d echo a lot of what others have said: The Dolomites are ace, Corvara is a great base (good cycling too!), and Colletts are a very good company. However, its not essential to go that far. We’ve done one in the Jura https://www.viaferrata-fr.net/via-ferrata-172-Le-regardoir–Lac-de-Vouglans-Moirans-en-Montagne-Jura.html and several in the Alps (e.g. https://www.viaferrata-fr.net/via-ferrata-140-Curalla-Passy-Haute-Savoie.html)

As others have said, you need a proper VF sling (i.e. Don’t use a rope). And the rules are pretty much: Don’t fall.

Also, be careful in the afternoon if there is a threat of thunder.

LR
PS If you do go to Corvara, rent road bikes from Sport Kostner and do the Sella Ronda. Its epic.

jeffl I’m starting from Winster so currently my possible stops look like:
Hassop station (~20 miles)
The bike-hire place in Chee dale (~27 miles)
Hartington (~37 miles)
Tissington Tea Rooms (~52 miles)
Carsington (Tea rooms or visitor centre) (~57 miles)

However, all of them probably involve me buying something, and I was sort of hoping for the occasional tap, like you get on the SDW.

Pook I had a look at the tapandtrough and, whilst its a good idea, there isn’t the coverage to help at the moment.

I was planning on carrying 2 bottles (water & sport-drink) but I could also carry a ruck-sack with bladder for another 2L.

Bez, we’re fairly flexible. The only reason for doing it the way round I initially said was:

a) The short crossing initially, so that we would have 1/2 day riding.
b) The long crossing back so that we got a good sleep (I’ve done the overnight to Caen before and if felt like we got about 3 hours in bed).

I’ll re-think things, and perhaps make less riding, more time for sitting in sea-side restaurants ;-)

LR

There’s only one Thursday night sailing and it’s next week

Oh poo. I had a look the other day and concluded “its every Tuesday & Thursday”. It’s even worse than that as there are hardly any night returns during July and August.

I might have to go back to the drawing board ;-(

LR

Interesting, if somewhat contradictory, answers ;-)

I was thinking to come back from St Malo simply because the overnight crossing might be easier after a long day in the saddle (I’m not great on ferries). I think it runs Tues/Thur. There’s certainly no danger of me doing the long crossing during the day!

The intent was roughly:
1. Arrive Cherbourg ~13:00 leaving a few hours to get somewhere.
2. Another overnight (probably somewhere between Coutances/Avranches/Villedieu les Poeles)
3. Home overnight from St Malo.

So we’d be away 3 nights. 2 in France, and one on a ferry.

I’m intending to put as much stuff on my bike as possible, leaving my wife’s virtually luggage free.

Also, what’s the situation with Parking at Portsmouth? I had a google and it shows a multi-story, but since we’d probably be driving down with the bikes on the roof it suggests we’d have to unload everything *before* parking (and vice-versa on the way home).

LR

I’m interested in doing something like this. I was thinking of ferry to Cherbourg, then home from St Malo. However, I’m struggling with the logistics.

a) Do we go light i.e. Hotels, thus a bit faster, but we have to find conveniently placed hotels.

b) Take camping kit, and be a bit more free, but with the associated baggage of camping.

Roughly speaking, how much slower might we expect to be on relatively laden road bikes?

e.g. If a typical ride might be 13-15 mph, then would 10mph be reasonable, or might we be even slower? I’ve never ridden with much kit (other than some off-road bike-packing that doesn’t really help).

Interested to hear any anecdotal advice/evidence.

LR

Crikey, getting up there fed and watered by 8 could be a bit of a long-shot!

Also dannyh when you say

do the ace descent to the res road and turn left

Do you mean continue in a generally North direction and join the road by the little inlet of the reservoir, or are you talking about dropping down to the right and joining the road sooner?

LR

When people say “be there early” what are we talking here?

Ta. I should have said I’m, driving from the South (White Peak). Is it worth driving to the top, or is there somewhere to part at the southern end?

We have a place in the Peak District that we let through an agency.

Yes to the internet thermostat. It allows you to turn the heating on before guests arrive so that its warm, and after they’ve gone you can put it back down to the baseline low-level.

We do allow dogs and, on the whole, its been fine. We certainly get a lot of bookings that include a dog and you have to ask whether those weeks would have gone otherwise (though this is unknowable). We charge extra for a 2nd dog. Ideally you don’t want to exclude any segment of the market. So think about kids & disabled access (sadly our place isn’t good for either of those categories).

Change-overs can be pricey. We use a specialist company, which is better than an individual, as they can cover holidays/sickness etc. Changing over our place is ~£100 as not only does this involve cleaning and re-setting, but also laundry/ironing. Hence there is a slight element of how many people stay.

The agency take quite a large cut, but they get many more weeks than we ever could privately, at least that is my impression as it has let pretty well.

You won’t make a lot of money. Well, we’re not at any rate. Feel free to ask any other questions and I’ll help if I can.

LR

Have a look at https://darkwhitecycling.co.uk/ Quite a lot of information on the “Peak Epic”, depending on how hilly you want it.

As sarawak has suggested – avoid riding into a car.
a) It’ll hurt
b) On the TTs I ride its an immediate 6 (or possibly 9) month ban from competing.

I’ve only done a few TTs, and I’m not all that good, but with regard to changing bars first ask yourself the question “Who am I racing?”

If you consider yourself a contender then the money might be worth it (plus you’ll need a new bike to put them on, a disc wheel, aero helmet and skin-suit ;-)

For me I’m racing previous versions of myself. As such its become important to me that I don’t change the bike too much otherwise any improvement is the bike, and not me and I ruin the experiment IYSWIM.

I think the first TT is just a line in the sand, its hard to take too much from it. You won’t know how hard to push, or where. Next time you’ll have an obvious target to beat.

Good luck, they are awful, and somewhat addictive.

LR

I’m now about 400 miles into commuting on a Triban RC520 and its been OK so far. At the tail end of last year I was using it on some bridleways but TBH that’s got too muddy now (for any bike) so I’m sticking to roads.

Early on I swapped the stock 28mm tyres for 38mm. These are the largest it’ll take, and there’s not a lot of clearance. I couple of times I’ve got a leaf caught and been convinced (by the noise) that I’d got a massive puncture!

One thing I have noticed is that changing tyres/tubes has just about killed the speed. Now that I’m staying on road for the next month or so I’m tempted to swap back to the originals.

I’ve had some teething problems, but to their credit, Decathlon have sorted everything free with no quibbles.

HTH

Rob

There isn’t any way (obvious) to force the ride to upload. When there are un-uploaded (if that’s a thing) rides I get a blue-bar at the top which I press to upload. Now my only options are to delete it, or create a route from it.

In the end I’ve plugged it in and uploaded the .fit file to Garmin connect, which was very easy as its just a drag-drop.

Thanks for the replies.

Rob

tjagain You make it all sound so simple. The cynic in me was concerned that it would be a total cluster-do-dah. Silly me.

I’m with GrahamS on this one. Brexit is like trying to get the milk back out of your coffee. I can’t imagine that Scottish independence will be any different. What about:

* North Sea oil.
* Faslane.
* The Army.
* The NHS.

and so on. It would be another total shambles.

A bit off topic, but its well worth getting a tag for the peage. It means that you don’t have to open any windows, wake the passenger, faff around with cash and – best of all – you can use the 20Kmh “fast” lane.

We’ve had ours for about 6 years and its brilliant.

If anyone wants one let me know because if I recommend a ‘friend’ I get a discount.

Note: That’s not why I’m posting. They’re just really handy when its raining, 2AM, and everyone else in the car is asleep.

LR

We’ve used Colletts (in the Dolomites about 4 years ago) and found them to be a very good company. I’d definitely use them again.

HTH

LR

Noticed a slight issue with my Bikehut lights recently (actually a 500 in this instance but I suspect my 1600 will be the same). When I put it on charge in my kitchen the DAB radio cuts out, or goes to static.

Charging it in the hallway was enough not to interfere.

I don’t see any mention of http://revisionisthistory.com/ I think its excellent.

Bit late to this conversation but, FWIW, I had this done back in Jan. I’d had several years of running induced pain and an inflamed calcaneous (with knobbles on it). Since the injection I’ve been totally pain free and its been nothing short of magnificent.

There is an issue around driving because of the local anaesthetic. As it was, I turned up to mine on my motorbike (in full leathers) and had to assure the Dr that I would call someone for a lift home.

I walked out expecting to be dragging my foot behind me but couldn’t feel any difference, so I got on the bike and rode home. Perhaps my boots helped.

I’ve not tried running because I’m afraid of starting it all over, though it was probably marathons that did for me. That said, it was one of the reasons for switching more to cycling and, at the moment at least, I’m doing so much of that there isn’t time for running.

HTH

Don’t get her to use Strava. QOMs off-road are much easier (it seems to me). I’ll go out with the Mrs and its QOM all the way down. She’s got dozens of the bloody things.

To really answer your question:

a) Is it slow? Do users report it as slow (i.e. Follow the first rule – see post above).

b) Look in the slow_log. Is the rows_examined very high (is it looking at *lots* of data needlessly)

c) Look at the explain. If you see tables with no entry in the ‘keys’ column, or large numbers in the “rows” column then this might also be an indicator of poor performance.

d) Index cardinality (OK, we’ve not done that yet ;-)

Its very hard to know, and something that you need to consider is that adding too many indexes can adversely affect performance. Remember the first rule of optimisation “Don’t do it”. (The 2nd rule is “Don’t do it yet”)

That aside, there’s quite a bit to know about the sorts of indexes to create. You could do a lot worse than buy a book like https://www.amazon.co.uk/High-Performance-MySQL-Optimization-Replication/dp/1449314287/ I read Version 2 and its *very* good.

e.g.

In the diaryentries table You might have created separate indexes on engineerid and entrydate, but MySQL can only use 1 so it picks the best that it thinks it can. However, it seems to me that a composite would work better (I’d need to see the results of an explain with all the possible indexes to know for sure).

Because of the way the index is defined (id first, then date) if MySQL only needs an index on id (e.g. You have another query elsewhere with a JOIN or WHERE on engineerid) then it can use this index just as well as a dedicated index.

However, if you have a query that needs just date then its useless.

i.e. MySQL can use the left-most parts of a composite index with no (or very little) loss of performance.

and so on, and so on…

I would do it as something like:

ALTER TABLE teammembership ADD INDEX idx_id (teamid);

ALTER TABLE diaryentry ADD INDEX idx_id (engineerid);

i.e. Give them names.

but you could possibly do

ALTER TABLE diaryentry ADD INDEX idx_id_date (engineerid,entrydate);

for more oomph. Or better, do both on diaryentry and see which one the EXPLAIN says that it uses. What you are hoping to see is that the “Possible Keys” column lists them all, and the “Key” column picks the one you think it should have. (nd you can drop the one you don’t need later.

BTW, it goes without saying that ideally you wouldn’t do this on the LIVE system (yet!)

EDIT – It doesn’t like my back-ticks around the index names, but in any case you don’t need them in this instance.

Killing the errant process will probably put you back to where you where, but the fact that the explain shows that the query doesn’t use indexes on tables t & d would bother me (if it were my app).

It looks like an index on teammembership.teamid would help, and also either diaryentry.engineerid or possibly a composite index on engineerid,entrydate.

Though if there’s one thing that doing this for the last 10 years or so has taught me its that what works in one place rarely works in another.

Another useful thing would be to re-direct the slow_log to a table rather than a file as its easier to query.

set global log_output=’table’;

Though this may cause problems if you also have the general_log enabled (and its a particularly large system).

Just my 2P worth.

Going back a couple of years now, be we had home and contents with Allianz and when our bikes were nicked (5 of them) they were a pleasure to deal with. Really efficient. Lady came round, took details, agreed claim, and we had the money in a few days.

Could have knocked me down with a feather.

HTH

Unprecedented.