Cycling

Cycling trip preparations

Posted on 2013-06-25 21:28 by rv

This week I will embark on what will undoubtedly be the least adventurous cycling trip I've ever done. I'm cycling my home country for a mere 3 days (any more and I'd run out of home country to cycle in - Holland is just too small..). We pre-booked hotels and won't even be bringing camping equipment, so no random places to stay for the night. Furthermore, I pre-planned the routes on the superbly excellent cycling directions site, and downloaded both the routes and all the map data for the areas we're cycling in to my phone. But wait, you say, I'll run out of battery. Nope. I got a ridiculously large aftermarket battery (6200mAh) and will be bringing the charger pack (10,000mAh) that my girlfriend lent me. I will not be running out of power. I've got an excellent pump, plenty of spare tires, plenty of bike tools. Nothing can go wrong.

There. By saying that I've ensured that something unexpected and undoubtedly exciting will happen during this trip :D

Posted in Cycling

Mini-cycling trip 2013: off to Holland we go!

Posted on 2013-06-22 16:38 by rv

It's decided! :D Next week Kamil and I will fly to Rotterdam, from where we will cycle all the way north to Groningen to my parent's place. Although Kamil will have to leave soon after to go back to work I've booked a ferry back at a later date and will cycle back to London from Harwich. I can't wait!

Posted in Cycling

I feel the need to cycle

Posted on 2013-06-06 11:41 by rv

Might be doing Sri Lanka this summer with Kamil. I'm feeling free-er and free-er lately. Japan is not finished yet. Perhaps I can do New Zealand this winter. Life is not about work. Life is about roads.

Posted in Cycling , Daily Life

Cycling to Oxford

Posted on 2013-06-02 22:06 by rv

Posted in Cycling , Photography , UK

Today's paths

Posted on 2013-05-27 23:01 by rv

[jsgallery size="large"]

Posted in Cycling

Cycling magic

Posted on 2013-05-26 21:19 by rv

I really felt it again today. A route, the first half of which was known, the second half was new. A beautiful day to cycle. And perhaps most importantly, a freshly tuned bicycle. With a thoroughly cleaned chain, a new saddle to test out and an adjusted handlebar position, I was not disappointed today. It felt like a whole new bicycle. Here's the Endomondo log of the trip.

The saddle I bought is a Serfas gel saddle. I kind of bought it on impulse, on a single recommendation of a random guy on the internet who also did touring. The saddle itself looks... uncool. It's extremely thick. Based on today's experience I'd say it's the most comfortable saddle I've ever used, even beating out my old saddle that I rode on for 5 years straight and was completely accustomed to, although by a very thin margin. It's a bit of an experiment, I'll have to see how it holds up in the long term. Even if it turns out to be crap I won't have wasted much money. Not sure if I want to shell out lots of money to buy a Brooks yet, the iSaddle of the hipster.

It's hard to describe, but something about the trip today made me feel that I'm ready for another long-distance tour. I'm still dying on the uphills, but I can at least manage the tempo at which I am dying. The bicycle is ready too, and the right season is approaching. Time to start planning.

Posted in Cycling

notes

Posted on 2013-05-12 15:27 by rv

timelapse cycling sitting by the lock listening to music change is good. all change is good? - changing room selfactualized me need to go on a cycling trip

Posted in Cycling , Thoughts

Cycling season

Posted on 2013-04-17 19:35 by rv

Today was 17 degrees. Couldn't have been much better weather for cycling. I ventured out for a bit and ended up making a much bigger loop than I had originally intended.

[jsgallery]

Google Maps betrayed me. I ended up at a nice reservoir, cycled along it to the north back towards my home, but then found out that the road that was indicated on Google Maps was inaccessible. So I had to go all the way down south again, through the forest to get back. In the forest my gps failed me (of course) so I ended up further south than I expected. Still, I managed to make it back before dark, and was actually not that exhausted when I got back. Probably burning off all that extra energy I stored up during hibernation.

In the forest I was a bit optimistic about navigating a puddle and ended up half a wheel deep in mud, but miraculously my fairly thin road tires held their grip and I managed to get out without getting my feet wet. The way back was along busy-ish roads, but I think that's where I belong. Listening to music (softly, of course), making great progress on a long straight road just feels great. It's much better than cycling on those so-called "cycling paths" designated by the UK, which are cobbly hellholes that will rock your socks off and make you old before your time. I managed to hit 52kph on the home stretch, going down the massive hill into South Oxhey, no traffic anywhere to be seen. Brilliant. I'm looking forward to doing more cycling the next couple of weeks.

Posted in Cycling

Spring is coming

Posted on 2013-04-08 14:14 by rv

Posted in Cycling , Photography

StemCAPtain FAIL

Posted on 2013-03-09 20:52 by rv

Well, I managed to install the little compass onto my bicycle today. As it turns out, it's totally useless and always points towards the center of my handlebars. If you've got a Surly Long Haul Trucker I can pretty guarantee you that the compass will not work, and I'd be very wary of buying it if you've got any kind of steel handlebars. Try it before you buy it.. It's a real shame too because the build quality is excellent and it really does seem like a great product.

Ugh, maybe I should just give in and get something more high-tech..

Posted in Cycling | Tagged long haul trucker , stemcaptain , surly

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