I thought I would let people know my plans for a long ride this summer – there will be things I want advice on I expect, so I’ll start it as a new thread.
My Sherpa continues to serve and suit me very well – it was built up from a Ripio onto a new Sherpa 530S frame with 853 forks in July 2015. It is very similar to the ‘lightweight Sherpa’ in the menus at the end of the Thorn brochure – C2 I think. Straight bars (I have fairly short arms and prefer an uprightish posture), DT Swiss 32 spoke rims on Deore hubs, XT chainset (so I can get shorter cranks), thumbie shifters, XT brakes, Tubus rack. Saddle – Specialized. There is really nothing I would change on it. The wheels run sweet and true despite fast rides on urban potholes, transmission excellent. In this trim, the Sherpa is an agile, fast and robust bike.
The only thing about the bike I am uncertain about is footwear / pedals – I have used GR9 pedals + toe clips with some excellent Merrell trainers for years – no plans to change. But the trainers are now worn out and held together with Shoe Goo – and I have found nothing to compare with them for comfort and firm grippy soles – working on it.
In June, I will be setting off to ride from St Malo to Nice, through most of Western and Southern France. My plan is to follow the route in the excellent book France en Velo. Travelling to St Malo by train / ferry, back from Orange on European Bike Bus.
http://franceenvelo.cc/route/Accommodation – mixture of B&Bs, whatever I can find, and a lightweight tent – depending on weather, tiredness, availability etc. I will be travelling as light as possible – no cooking gear, just a mug, plate and spork. Most campsites have a café / bar on or near them. I have been loaned an OEX Lynx EV1 tent by a friend who purchases kit for a big outdoors company – good friend to have! Very light, bigger than many 1-person tents, fits perfectly fore-aft on the rack.
Panniers etc – small Topeak bag under the saddle for tools, spares etc. 2 Ortlieb panniers. Tent on top. A Carradice zip roll bag as a bar bag – I am not keen on most bar bags, and the fact that this will not be all that easy to get to or remove is a bonus as far as I am concerned.
I’m looking forward to the trip, but yes, pretty apprehensive about it. Close on 1000 miles – longest sustained ride I have done since the late 1960s, and I will need to maintain a pretty decent (for me) daily average to avoid running out of time or money. But here goes. Living in the Peak District, and often holidaying in the hilly Jura region of France, I reckon I can handle the hills . . . he says . . . .
Advice please! – on electronics – something I never used to bother about!! I will be taking a Sony compact camera, and a Nokia Windows phone. Also a Garmin 1000 – mixed feelings about that, happy with maps, but a Christmas present . . . I still have to figure out how to use it. All use the same micro usb port, so will borrow a Power Monkey, only 1 lead needed.
The camera is a Sony DSC RX100. Large sensor, beautiful pictures, and I know how to work it. But no built in wifi, which makes sending pictures harder. I suppose I could swap the card into the phone and use that, but that sounds fiddly at the end of a long day. Any other ideas? I am reluctant to change kit because of cost etc.
Bike preparation – unsure about this . . . New brake pads fitted, and there is the old dilemma of overhaul versus ‘if it ain’t broke don’t fix it’. I may replace the chain, possibly the EBB bearings, and leave it at that.
I’ll let people know how I get on.
Lewis - Sheffield
