So, time for more feedback on this since we’ve had some questions about the bike lets start with those:
1. What gearing are you running? I’m running 46 on the front and 14 on the back, for me this is actually okay I’ve cycled up moderate inclines on this and haven’t found it terrible. Madingley hill, near Cambridge, is a slog (for around here) and I’ve done this a couple of times but never considered getting off. As for top speed, it’s good too, I’ve managed 26 mph on the flat - I’m not in top shape and didn’t take it any faster than I thought was safe given the fact that I’m still testing the bike.
2. How is the braking. Fine. There is a front brake. For the first couple of weeks I was trying to ride without using it. Then I saw Sheldon Brown’s web site and the suggestion that using the pedals for braking could weaken leg muscles, so now I use the brake for heavier deceleration.
3. Have you thought about hub braking to assist the rear ot even front wheel braking? No I haven’t. I could just fit the normal rear brake again, and some may suggest that it would be safest to have both fitted but I’m not riding for sport, just for fun! (Although I admit that a cable snap could be a bit troublesome in an emergency situation!)
So I’ve used this bike for several rides now, nothing major, just a few 14 mile jaunts and a run from Cambridge to Ely which I will detail here. Having fitted bar tape, a slightly less worn saddle, some clipless/normal pedals, and a computer I headed off one evening in glorious sunshine towards the Fens. I had to stop at Newmarket road as the combination of home wound bar-tape and cycle computer mounting wasn’t working. Fortunately I “Heath Robinson-ed” something together next to the cemetery. I took it easy and had a couple of stops for water, and a snack, despite the ride length being a derisory 22 miles or so.
Some self discipline was required having been out of the saddle for a while I tried to maintain a cruising speed of 18 mph, although I noticed that this would creep up to and above 20 along some of the straight Fen roads!
I stopped prior to Ely at a spot known as “Robert’s Bench” on the National Cycle Network path next to the river. This route is currently open despite the work to replace a bridge that has been trashed by a derailed train!
Apparently Robert Gray was a very active member of Sustrans and worked on many of their cycle paths. It was interesting to see this relatively discrete memorial bench dedicated to him:
You can see how low the sun was at this point. The colour of the gold bike looks quite nice in the evening glow I think! After a brief, misty-eyed pause to drink more water and eat a banana it was off on the bike for the last mile to Ely station to catch (just!) a train back to Cambridge again.
I’ve included a Google Earth KML file of my journey as recorded by GPS! You can download and view it here.
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