Looking at getting some climbing in before the end of the month in prep for this ride. Don't want to ride out to Macc or further before I start climbing so thought I might try to string together some local climbs. Came up with this idea:
http://connect.garmin.com/course/1817822
Anyone got any better ideas or reckon I'd be better off heading to the peaks?

Andy
If you can escape work on a Wednesday a whole series of hilly 60 mile rides from Marple 10.00 am start
http://www.aukweb.net/events/
Or the route sheets are available
http://www.highergrangefarm.fsnet.co.uk/PeakAudax/calendar.htm
Just follow the links

Have fun

Derek, thanks for the excellent suggestions. I can't get a Wednesday off between now and the end of the month but I'll certainly consider one of these routes for a training ride. Cheers!

Well I bit the bullet and decided to do the Cat & Fiddle for the first time. Surprised myself with the ride this morning and was back by a little after midday. Feeling good and prepared for the Loch to Loch ride and more hills to conquer on the Malpas club ride tomorrow. Bring it on! 😀

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/211891924

Just 1 week to go! See you all Sunday for my last ride with you before the trip to Scotland. 😀

Big thanks from me and Asthma UK for the generous sponsorship from Carol (Dan, Jacob and Sam) and Les Teal. It's really appreciated and great motivation for the ride.

Now the worrying bit. Returned from the Sunday club run, I ran the chain through my chain cleaner, up and down the gears and then "ping", the rear cassette gear cable snapped! Looking at the positives, at least it didn't happen at Henbury, or worst still en-route during Loch to Loch. I've taught myself how to tune/index my gears and I can do maintenance on most things mechanical but when I looked under the rubber hood on the handlebar I couldn't even see a cable! So, with Monday being a Bank Holiday it was down to Dave Hinde at 9.00 am this morning for an urgent bit of assistance (I leave for Scotland in the early hours of Thursday).

The guys at Dave Hinde wouldn't give any guarantee that I'd get the bike back on Weds but I've emphasised the urgency, so here's hoping. I sincerely hope they don't let me down but if push comes to shove is anyone able to lend me a 54cm frame bike from Weds night until Monday morning? I'm not about to let anyone down and I'll get there and do this ride come hell or high water.

Sorry wasn't out on Sunday to wish you good luck. Sorry to hear about the problems have you asked Hindey if he has a spare bike available? Could be a nice bit of publicity for him.

Cheers Woody - now that's not a bad idea. I'll give Hindes a call tomorrow first thing, see how it's going and if necessary see if I can negotiate your suggested loan in return for some publicity.

😯 Oh no! Turns out it's not the cable that's broken but the Ultegra STI lever itself. None in stock, none at Royals, none at the Bike Factory - no one can do anything for me today apart from Hinde with in-stock Dura Ace levers at £460!

By coincidence I had put George's Trek 1 series in for a thorough service with Dave Hindes only on Saturday, so guess what I'll be riding? Having just made great improvements (for me) in my hill climbing over the past month and feeling confident for L2L, I'm now left to worry whether I'll make it to the hill tops on his 8 speed (instead of my 10 speed with a great big 32T granny gear).

Oh well, it'll be a challenge! 🙄

Andy,

I have a set of levers sat on an old bike if you need one ?

Give me a bell if you need it 07989 534380

its actually the bike in the pic that went under a tractor... 😆

Hi Karl, thanks for the offer, it's really appreciated - for the ride this weekend, I've run out of time as I'm setting off for Scotland very early tomorrow morning (taking a couple of days with the family before the ride).

Jim at Dave Hinde has already ordered the STI levers for me this morning, so I'm not sure if I can get out of that commitment. I'll give Jim a call in the morning and if I can use yours, I'll gladly buy them off you if you're up for offers. Jim was talking more than £200 for a set of two; ouch!

Well Dave Hinde dug me out of a hole, serviced my son George's bike in time for the Loch to Loch ride and repaired my bike by the time I was back.

I did it! A great ride all in all and many thanks to all who sponsored me or wished me well on the way. The scenery was breathtaking and I'm chuffed to bits that I managed every climb on my son's bike without a granny gear and without stopping! As Jim at Hinde's says "it's all in the mind". Well I think that's at least 50% right but certainly last year it was "all in the knees" but they seem to have come along a treat! It wasn't all plain sailing mind you and I had a tumble just 25 miles from the finish on a slippery wooden bridge. Cracked helmet, bruised ribs and a cut knee but it could have been a lot worse. The bike was almost unscathed! How is it the older we get the harder we fall?

If anyone fancies a ride through some of the most stunning scenery possible and with climb challenges a-plenty I can recommend this ride to you in 2013. I'll post some video up on YouTube to give you a flavour as soon as I have time to edit it.

And now George's bike is fully serviced, how much longer before I can persuade him to join us on a club run?

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