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On Sunday, Doctor Bike (Andy Sinclair) and I completed the Dartmoor Classic Cyclosportive 2008. Yippee!
Dr Bike and Bernard About To Set Off
It was bloody hard, partly because it was so hot, partly because we hadn’t done nearly enough training, and mostly because I weigh so much! If there were prizes in the Over 100Kg category, I reckon I would have placed pretty well. I might even have won.
Me showing off my trophy - my very own piece of Dartmoor Granite
It was a beautiful day, and the whole event was impeccably organised. So smooth, in fact, it reminded me of a Chain Gang bike tour (sic). We had to cycle 100 miles around and across Dartmoor, setting off at about 8.00 am on Sunday morning. To my astonishment there were about 2,000 riders, split between the 100 Km and the 100 Mile event. We had timers fitted to the front wheel of our bikes, rider numbers attached to the handlebars, it felt very professional.
It reminded me a bit of a period a few years ago when I entered a few aquathlons (swimming and running). You have a number written on your leg, and it’s difficult to wash off. So for a few days it’s like a badge of honour if you’re wearing shorts or swimming: “I compete. I’m a racer”.
The illusion only ever lasted until my first stroke, but you could see some people a week later who had obviously gone to great lengths to make sure their competitor number hadn’t rubbed off. Part of me wanted to keep my rider number, 1262, on my bike, but by the time I got to the train station to come home I was just too embarrassed. Anyway, it felt great for a day.
The scenery was just fabulous. We started off cycling north from Kingsteignton toward the first control at Okehampton at the beginning of the Granite Way cycle path. Then we skirted the north of the moor ending up at Lydford Gorge, cycling down the west side of the moor towards Tavistock, a murderous slog up to the 2nd control in Princetown before making our way back via Two Bridges, Dartmeet and Haytor.
Here’s the route in full. Note that with a total ascent of 3,368 metres that’s slightly more than cycling up Mont Ventoux twice on the same day, so I don’t feel too bad about feeling a little bit tired.
And here's Andy with his very own piece of Dartmoor Granite
You’ll see that me and Andy
finished nearly last of the finishers. I’m not sure it’s meant to be a race, and we certainly didn’t treat it like one, but I’d like to mention a fantastic performance by John Nolan, aka The Cannibal of
previous blog postings.
You’ll get some idea of why Andy and I found it difficult to keep up with John on the hills when I tell you that John was the 12th finisher on Sunday, in a time of just under 6 hours. And this is a very hilly day, I’ll tell you.
On the last day of our Tuscany cycle tour there is a particularly nasty hill between the Abbey of Saint Antimo and lunch at Bagno Vignoni. Sunday was like riding up and down that hill all day long. So under 6 hours is a bit special. Over 9 hours suggests a particularly leisurely approach to proceedings, but we had a really great day.
A brilliant ride John, hats off to you. And thank you to the Mid-Devon Cycling Club for a fantastic day out.
We’ll be back, Doctor Bike and I. I’ll be competing firmly in the Under 100Kg category, and who knows, we might just try and threaten the 8 hour mark.
With the Dartmoor Challenge only days away, and with almost no preparation on the training side, it becomes even more important that the bike looks the part.
Apart from looking good at the start of the ride, and attracting admiring looks from other riders, a clean, smooth drive train gives me my best shot at actually completing the ride, so there’s a powerful incentive for me to get on with this job.
The Problem
Today’s jobs are the chain, the rear derailleur and the rear cassette.
Here Is Our Toolkit
I started with the Chain Cleaner, a wonderful piece of specialist equipment. You open up the chain cleaner, fill it with degreaser, clamp it round the chain (middle chain ring, 3rd smallest sprocket) . . .
The Magic Chain Cleaner
. . . and start turning the pedals. After a few dozen turns it’s worth wiping the chain with a cloth, but basically you keep spinning the pedals until the chain looks shiny new.
Shiny Chain, Dirty Cassette
Next is the cassette. You need some special tools here, which make the job very easy. Without them you’ve got no chance: chain whip, cassette removal tool, and either the correct spanner, or an adjustable. Holding the cassette still with the chain whip, insert the removal tool into the cassette locking ring and turn anti-clockwise.
Lovely Tools
Then it’s like magic. The locking ring unscrews and you just remove all the sprockets off the cassette.
We get a close-up of some pretty serious dirt here . . .
Filthy Cassette
. . . but if you’re able to separate the sprockets the job of cleaning them, with a cloth and more degreaser is an easy one. Be careful, between each sprocket is a spacer, to ensure the indexing works correctly. Don’t lose any, and I’m afraid they have to get cleaned too.
Once all the parts are clean, it’s time for reassembly. Each sprocket has an outside and an inside, and an extra large spline so that provided the writing is on the outside, you can only put the sprockets on correctly. Careful to put the sprockets and spacers on in the correct order, and as the cassette is reassembled you’ll notice there is a very specific pattern to the sprockets. They’re not the same all the way round, and they’re not symmetrical. They have special features to help with smooth gear changing and dirt dispersal.
Looking Better . . .
. . . And Better
Put the wheel back on, and your bike has been truly transformed.
Beautiful
I put the chain cleaner on one more time to make it squeaky clean.
Try The Dirt Test
Very Important. Remember, there is no lubricant at all on the drive train now, so you must lubricate your chain again before you ride. But does that look beautiful or what?
All Ready For A Bit Of Lubricant
Next step, the Chain Set, and the derailleurs, but we’ve made a great start.
