Friday 20 May 2011

Shimano M424 SPD Pedals

ShThe pedals I invested in and upgraded too as my first venture in to the wonderful world of clip-less pedals was a pair of Shimano M424 spd pedals.
 Costing less than £30 these pedals in my opinion are ideal for SPD newbies! The build quality is excellent, with a very well made and solid SPD mechanism in the centre of the pedal that pops up when in use, and can be pushed down when you chose not to use it.
For me this gives me the options I need to ride clipped in or not, dependent on where I am riding, circumstances and choice of footwear.
The Shimano M424 pedal transforms and works as the best-of-both-worlds clip-less or platform pedal. Exterior cage is made of a hard wearing plastic resin, which I have no issues with at all. So far I have ridden many hard miles and to date they have never let me down.
Full spec from Chain Reactions website is....
SPD Off-Road Sport Pedal 
Features 
• Dual-sided pop-up bindings that position the body at 12.5 degrees angle for easy and fast entry. • Large cages for non-cleated shoes for all around use. • Low maintenance sealed bearing cartridge axle. • Cleat tension adjustment for each rider preference.
Specifications:
• SPD Cleat Surfaces - both surfaces • Pop-up Floating Cage - Yes • Spindle Thread - BC 9/16” x 20T.P.I. • Spindle - chrome-moly • Cartridge Spindle - Yes • Cleat Retention Indicator - Yes • Cleat Retention Adjuster - Yes • Pedal Body - aluminum/ barrel • Cage - resin • Average Weight - 472g (pair)


http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=7808

Tuesday 17 May 2011

Muddy Fox Glasses from Sports Direct

Sports Direct is not my favorite shopping destination, but I did manage to spot and purchase a real bargain a few weeks ago.
A pair of Muddy Fox bike glasses, complete with case, cleaning cloth and 4 x inter-changeable lenses.
All for the amazingly low price of just £7.49. Now at this price I wasn't expecting a great deal of quality of durability, but I have been more than pleasantly surprised!
The frames are well designed and fairly light-weight. The individual lenses are fully inter-changeable and come with four options:

  • Clear
  • Tinted (black)
  • Yellow
  • Orange
I have used the clear and yellow lenses so far. Both have performed excellently. The nose piece is fairly comfortable and the arms grip the side of my head well.All round vision is good with no interference from the frame and even in hot conditions have never had any real issues with the lenses misting up.
My only advice or concern would be in relation to build quality if you changed the lenses on a regular basis as the flex in the frame is not great and maybe after a few regular lens changes might be liable to snapping. 
But at less than £8 you could always buy a second set and have the different lenses options. Well worth considering as a great starting set of cycle-specific glasses.

Monday 16 May 2011

Alpkit Socks

Quick product review for a great set of mountain bike socks I purchased a couple of months ago. The quality and specification is really good, but the price and value for money was exceptional.
The socks are made by Alpkit. I first became aware of them, via a review on the Bike Radar site. To see the original review just follow the link below:
http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/clothing/socks/product/review-alpkit-akdrenaline-socks-10-twin-pack-36973
As the review quotes:
Although cheap, these socks have already outlasted a couple of pairs of other cycling socks with no signs of going through at the heel or toe.
Now winter’s here, we’re using these warm socks on nearly every ride. They boast a veritable tootsie topography, with stretch, cushioned and tough bits.
With 80 percent Coolmax fabric, they wick well and dry quickly, but they also get the ‘cat pee’ stench far quicker than wool-mix socks.


As the picture above shows, the most attractive element for me was the price. Just £6.50 for two pairs of great specified socks. 
Ordered on-line and the service was 1st class. Arrived well packaged, with a personalized note the next day. Great service.
On first ride, the socks felt really good, but really came into their own after a number of rides especially in wet weather. my feet stayed comfortable and mainly dry.
The styling and design are great. I have a white pair and a pale blue pair. Have worn off bike as well, when jogging and long walks.
Highly recommended. Just click the title of this blog to find the Alpkit shop and offers on these great socks. 

Saturday 14 May 2011

Bike Ride on Saturday 14th May 2011

Up this morning and weather looked much better than forecast. Quite windy, a bit cloudy but the occasional burst of sunshine, but most importantly dry.
Left home at just after 11:30am, heading towards the Castleman Trailway. Took a different route onto the trailway and found a great piece of single-track that runs adjacent to the main trailway, but is a little more twisting and has some little objects to avoid, such as tree roots, little rocks and twists in the pathway. Great fun and a faster more fun route to start with.
Once I reached Broadstone, it was back onto the main trailway. Trying to keep the pace high, I continued through Creekmoor and dropped down the very steep slope to then join the route up to Upton County Park.
Last week I discovered and overgrown path that links to a bridle path and an underpass that is used by the local farmer to move his cattle from fields either side of the road and traffic intersection by the dual carriageway and local roads. This not only saves a couple of minutes in time, it means that I don't have to try and cross some fast flowing roads of cars entering and exiting the dual carriageway.
Once in Upton County House it is a swift, sharp left hand turn and then through some really great single-track that twists and turns really nicely through the trees. Took a different path initially which was some great fun running alongside the fields.
Out the other side of Upton Country Park I exit onto the very picturesque Holes Bay part of Poole harbour. This pathway runs and twists around the harbour until you reach the large Asda supermarket on the outskirts of town.
Eight miles into my ride, I stop for a few minutes, take on some fluid and squeeze down a sachet of carbo gel from Hi5.
Then back on my bike, feeling good I decide to head further into Poole. Now at the quayside I decide to take a new route over the lifting bridge and along through Hamworthy. Traffic lights and road works make the first bit of the journey a little scary at times with cars getting a little frustrated and not allowing a great deal of room for bikes, but after this I was out onto the open road and heading through Hamworthy.
In-between the two railway bridges is an entrance back into Upton Country Park.  again a great route that is mainly flat with some great twists and turns.
Then I followed the same route back onto the Castleman Trailway and headed home.
Total ride was about 16 miles with average speed of 10.6mph.

My full route on Google maps, time averages and stats can be viewed on my Sports Tracker profile, just click the link below
http://www.sports-tracker.com/#/workout/gtrudgett/e66bqq1h00p57kgq

Tuesday 10 May 2011

Muc Off Degreaser

Purchased and used some Muc Off De-greaser at the weekend. And what fantastic results I have seen!. Initially just sprayed on my rear cassette and left (as instructed for 5 mins). The build-up of grease just melted away!
A brilliant product, that I can not recommend highly enough. Have also used on other areas of my bike that either my bike cleaner and brushes either missed or could not clean off due to it be oil or grease based.
Additionally I also used the degreaser on my brushes and cleaning tools to remove the build of grease and oil on them, this worked really well too.
A large can of Muc Off De-greaser cost me £6.29 from my local bike shop. Like all Muc Off products it is easy to use, gives great results and is very eco  friendly, washing off any excesses by simply spraying with water or wiping with a cloth.
More details can be found on Muc Off website http://www.muc-off.com/shop/product.php?id=6

Monday 9 May 2011

Sports Tracker Results & Stats for w/end 7th & 8th May 2011

Managed to complete two rides over the weekend.

The first was cut a little short due to a small mechanical concern. My gears in low range keeping skipping and slipping, making up-hills a little challenging, so turned back after about 6 miles and had a slow and gentle ride home.

The second ride was my attempt to follow and find the routes on the Castleman Trailway.

All of my rides can be viewed at the brilliant Sports Tracker website. This is a free application that I run on my Nokia E72 smartphone, just click the URL below

http://www.sports-tracker.com/#/workout/gtrudgett/bdtdcsle1pvvsbfg

Castleman Trailway - Quest #1

This weekend I took full advnatage of the weather and managed to get a ride in on both Saturday and Sunday.
On one of my previous blog posts, related to the Castleman Trailway. Now this is a regular route for me when I travel from Wimborne to Poole via Broadstone and Creekmoor.
But the Castleman Trailway also runs in the opposite direction, taking in Stapehill, Ferndown, West Moors; before ending at Moors Valley Country Park.
Having found a selection of maps, I endevoured to complete the Merley to Stapehill section along the River Stour.
The route started out very straight-foward and was really nice, initially taking in a quiet section adjacent to the river, along a tree lined avenue. This part of the trail-way appears to only be occasionally used, due to some parts being quite narrow and a little overgrown. I assume the footpath next to the river is the more popular route with walkers, joggers and dog walkers.
After a couple of miles, I then had to attempt to cross the foot-bridge. This wide bridge is designed for pedestrians and is very narrow with a large step at either end. Once on, I managed a slow wobbly crossing! On the other side I followed the grass path alongside the river, stopping at stiles between the fields, to lift my bike up and over.
The ride is quite pleasant and pretty flat. Eventually you come to a large final stile that leads to a footpath and onto a main road.
This is where I stopped and then retraced my route back into Wimborne before returning home. A trip of about 10 miles. Full details of my ride, route and stats can be viewed at my public profile (gtrudgett) at www.sports-tracker.com 
The history of the Castleman Trail-way is documented and shown in the picture below

Sunday 8 May 2011

Specialised Tahoe Mountain Bike Shoe

Specialised Mountain Bike Shoe
As I have blogged about previously, I have upgraded my pedals to a pair of Shimano SPD types with both a SPD clip-in mechanism and a pedal cage so I can ride "clipped in" or "clipped out". Sounds obvious but to ride clipped in you need a set of shoes with SPD cleats on.
Now I am no serious mountain biker and have viewed some of my peers off their bikes, gingerly teetering around pubs, cafes or car parks in their SPD shoes. This is due to the SPD cleat being prominent on the sole of the shoe, so it is not a flat sole. These type of shoes work really well on bike, but make walking off your bike on a hard or flat surface a little tricky, all though sometimes amusing to the ideal spectator!
Plus my requirements were initially a little different, as aside from riding alone, I do also go out for family rides, so I needed a shoe that allowed me to ride both "clipped-in" and "clipped-out", but also allowed me to walk around normally with my family or friends when we reached our destination.
That is why the Specialised Tahoe shoe ticked all the right boxes for me. My reasoning of why I choose these shoes were:

  1. Styling & Looks: they look great and can be worn with shorts or jeans dependent on what attire is required for different types of rides
  2. Fit & Comfort: using Body Geometery these Specialised shoes are fantastically comfortable and really do support the foot so well
  3. Combination Sole: can be worn or used with or without a SPD cleat as the sole is designed to be multi-use
  4. Price: less than £50 for a great set of highly specific, great quality shoes.

The Specialised website details and describes the shoe as follows:

  • Trail Traction rubber outsole combined with our midsole plate which is stiff for efficient cycling, but flexible enough for walking
  • Our most padded Body Geometry plush insole for on-the-bike support and off-the-bike comfort
  • Rubber sole inspired by an MTB tire tread pattern for reliable traction
  • Suede leather upper with breathable mesh panels
  • Top strap for secure closure also keeps laces safely out of chainrings
  • 2-bolt SPD-style cleat pattern, compatible with all major MTB pedals
  • Approximate weight: 460g (1/2 pair #42)



Fitting of the SPD cleat is very simple. Just remove the square section from the middle of the sole and this exposes the SPD cleat fittings. Just add a little bit of grease to the fixing holes and bolts and then position in either the front or rear position. Easy.

I have worn these shoes on many occasions. When covered in mud the are easy to clean and quick drying. Plus it has nice feature of a Velcro top strap that helps conceal and keep the laces safe and away from chain rings.

The scientific bit about Specialised Body Geometery can be viewed as a PDF article at : http://www.specialized.com/gb/gb/bc/SBCTechPopup.jsp?pid=Shoes_KeyTech09

Summary:
These shoes in my opinion are highly recommended and ideal for first timers to SPD pedals and shoes. Being dual use and flat soled I think is a massive advantage over dedicated shoes. Giving you the confidence and option to ride clipped in or clipped out dependent on your pedal choice, plus the big advantage of being a normal shoe when off bike.


Saturday 7 May 2011

Family Cycle- Paths in Moors Valley Country Park

A really nice family friendly cycle routes are within Moors Valley Country Park. Located on the Dorset/Hampshire county border.
I have previously posted a YouTube video of some of the routes. The official website http://www.moors-valley.co.uk/visit/cycle.asp details and describes the cycle routes as follows:



There are many miles of paths and tracks through Moors Valley Country Park and Forest so why not bring your own bikes or you can hire one from the Cycle Hire Centre.
You are welcome to cycle on any of the gravelled paths however the best paths for cycling are waymarked; there is a central 2-mile circuit with the option to take three additional loops to extend your ride to 6 miles. The routes are waymarked on the ground with round posts with the appropriate coloured band. A copy of the cycle trails map is available from the Visitor Centre at the beginning of your visit.
We can also offer orienteering by bike on our permanent orienteering course in the forest. Map packs are available from the Information Point in the Visitor Centre; priced £1.00 each.
Please Note: cycling is not permitted on the Play Trail or the Tree Top Trail, the Lookout, near the Visitor Centre or around Moors Lake. However the majority of the Nature Trail is flat and suitable for cycling. Cyclists are reminded that they should ring their bells when approaching pedestrians and slow down when passing.
Ranger-led Cycle Events
The Rangers organise many cycle rides throughout the year, from introductory courses for adults who want to get back in the saddle to more demanding off-road events for regular riders. They also run mountain bike events for children during the school holidays. Please look at the events page for details of forthcoming walks and cycle rides by date.

Friday 6 May 2011

Cyclepaths & Cycle Routes in Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole, Dorset

A really nice pdf of cycle-routes and cycle-paths across south Dorset, including Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.
Click on the URL below to view the PDFs that you can then view, save or print.
http://www.gettingabout.info/docs/2009_Cycle_Map_LowRes.pdf

Thursday 5 May 2011

Cyclepaths and Cycle Routes in Poole, Dorset

A really great map that you can view, save or print for cycle routes and cycle paths across the Borough of Poole in Dorset.
Very picturesque countryside, incorporating the world famous Poole Harbour and Sandbanks peninsula. Great riding for all. Plus it is the pathway to arguably the best place for summer mountain biking; the Purbecks!
Just cluck on the URL to view the 2011 map

http://www.boroughofpoole.com/downloads/assets/Cycle_2011.pdf

Castleman Trailway

I ride the Castleman Trailway regularly, here is the history and detail:
The Castleman Trailway is one of Dorset's gentlest way-marked routes. This 16.5 mile (27.9 kilometres) trailway follows much of the old Southampton to Dorchester railway line. The trailway takes you through some of East Dorset's stunning landscape whilst also connecting a string of settlements between Ringwood and Poole.
Whether you are using the route for recreation or commuting to work, the Castleman Trailway offers a beautiful and practical route to take you where you want to go. As you travel along the trail you will pass some of the county's internationally important heathland, cross rivers and pass through forestry plantations. The trailway in particular links with three country parks in the: Avon Heath Country ParkMoors Valley Country Park; and Upton Country Park.
The Trailway is named after Charles Castleman, a Wimborne Solicitor, who was responsible for building the original railway line and the first to connect Dorset to the wider rail network. The Southampton to Dorchester to railway line was nicknamed the Castleman Corkscrew, after its founder and the meandering route it took. It was closed by Dr. Beeching in 1964; however, it had been a secondary route once a coastal main line had been established between Christchurch, Bournemouth, and Poole. The Trailway is managed in partnership by Dorset Countryside, Borough of Poole and Hampshire County Council with the support from other organisations.

Maps for the individual parts can be clicked on, viewed and printed from the links below
I can't recommend this route highly enough, flat, safe and ideal for beginners or families

Moors Valley Country Park: Singletrack

Single-Track @ Moors Valley Country Park
Found this great clip on YouTube of some single-track within Moors Valley Country park, which is only about 10 miles from where I live.

Might try and ride it this weekend.
Details of Moors Valley can be viewed at http://www.moors-valley.co.uk/visit/cycle.asp

Wednesday 4 May 2011

Bar Ends or No Bar Ends! That is my question!!

As I have blogged about previously, on longer rides I suffer some numbness and discomfort in my left hand when I go on longer cross country rides. This is due to the vibrations from the ride causing "cyclists palsy" on the ulcer nerve in the heel of the hand. This particularly affects the left hand due to the hand position being more static when compared to the right hand which changes position regularly due to gift shifts and braking.
Specialised BG Contour Grips
Endeavoring to eliminate this I have already invested in a pair of Specialised Body Geometry Contour Locking Grips (see previous blogs).
For shorter or medium length rides, these work really well, allowing the palm of hand a position to rest, but it does not 100% eliminate the numbness.
So after some more research and consideration, the question related to bar-ends is raised?
The positives are........

  1. Allows an alternative hand position during rides, ensuring the vibration from a static hand position is minimalised.
  2. Makes hill climbs easier due to the out of seat riding position and hand gripping the bars better
The negatives are......
  1. The ecstatics on my bike, as I have a riser bar rather than a traditional flat bar
  2. Will a bar end fit, when I have to move the existing grip, gear shifters and brake levers further longer my over-sized bar
Plus do I choose a full size bar-end or a stumpy smaller version. My choices and preferences are to try bar-ends, with the following options as prime contenders!

Specialised P2 Bar Ends
Tioga Power Studs












So do I invest £16 to £20 on bar-ends that may or may not solve the left hand numbness issue? I'll make a decision soon as I will ensure I update the blog with my findings and conclusions

Tuesday 3 May 2011

Bank Holiday Mountain Bike Ride

Up early on a bank holiday Monday morning, the weather was ideal for a ride. No rain, a bit of cloud, not cold and the occasional bit of sun. The only threat was the wind, but still this was nothing too serious.
Meet up with my friend and neighbour Simon, and we set off. Initially we started on the Castleman  trail-way, an old disused railway line that has been converted into an idyllic local trail-way, used extensively by cyclists, dog walkers, joggers etc.
A good initial pace along this flattish stretch, saw us reach Broadstone in a very quick time. Conversation was good and we pushed on through Creekmoor, before dropping off the Castleman  trail-way and heading into Upton Country House and Park.
A quick dash through the winding paths and trails of Upton brought us out to the Holes Bays in Poole. This pathway hugs the beautiful and very picturesque part of Poole harbour. Wildlife was in abundance and the pace was still at a good level. Once we have traversed the Holes Bay pathways we headed on into Poole. Dodging a little traffic at the main intersection, we reached Poole Quay.
Taking advantage of the great weather, we stopped at Weatherspoons  and enjoyed a well earned coffee and bacon sandwich (thanks to Simon's generosity as I have left home with no money!!)
After a short break the weather clouded over a little and we decided to head home. Would we miss the fore-casted showers?
Pace and speed was fairly high on the way home. We took the same route back but upped the pace. The weather held and we made it home, dry but happy after a great ride.
Average speed according to Sports-Tracker app on my Nokia E72 was 10.2mph.
Total distance was 16.2 miles.

Full details, stats and route via Google maps is available via my public profile on Sports Tracker. Just click the link above.