Brooks issue a new Despatch/Bugle/40% discount for 15 May 2012

[rualexander]

Anyone who missed this 40% discount deal shouldn't be too disappointed as the starting prices from Brooks themselves are much higher than many other retailers offer Brooks saddles at.
e.g. Team Pro direct from Brooks is ?73 but available from bike-discount.de for around ?47 plus about ?6 postage.
Bike-Discount.de don't have the full Brooks range but they have some great prices on other models too.

[JimK]

My sweetheart's son has a type of autism. He's 18, just graduating from high school, heading off to college, planning to study electrical engineering. In some ways he is quite smart, but then sometimes he just misses the boat. That's how his autism manifests!

He and I are registered for the Erie Canal Ride in early July - 400 miles in 8 days. Then after that, his Mom, and perhaps my sister and maybe even one of my sister's friends, will head into New York City for the Bridges Ride for Autism. This will only be 19 miles, but my sweetheart isn't a big biker, or hasn't been.

But then she suggests we get in a bit of training, on the Hurley Rail Trail, which ought to be quite flat. I use the S&S couplers on my Nomad to pack that in the rear luggage compartment of my Corolla, and then hang her Giant Transcend off a rack on the back of the car.

The start of the trail along Route 209 is smooth and level. But then where the trail and the road split apart, the trail turns into gravel, mud, tree roots, etc. Neither of us have ever been on this section of the trail. In fact we're not quite sure where it goes!

We just keep going to find out where it goes, and end up in High Falls, where we get a nice brunch at The Last Bite.

By the time we get back to the car, it's turned into a 19 mile bike ride. My sweetheart says it's the longest ride she's ever been on! And she's sore from all the bumping around!

When this thread got started, I took the survey and wrote down the codes for the discount on the back of some envelope along with all kinds of other odd notes. I looked at the Brooks web site to see how I might take advantage of the discount. I love Ventile cloth and would love one of their cycling jackets, but 60% of $1000 is still out of my budget! I have a spare Flyer Select in my storage unit, in reserve for when my current Flyer Special gives up the ghost. I just couldn't see a good way to use the discount!

After today's ride, I could see that a B67 could be just the ticket for my sweetheart. Oh, that discount! When I got home I dug through my trash and lo, there was the envelope! And the discount is valid through June 21! So I just ordered a B67 S Aged. 57 Euro instead of 95. Nice!
 

[Danneaux]

...I could see that a B67 could be just the ticket for my sweetheart. Oh, that discount! When I got home I dug through my trash and lo, there was the envelope! And the discount is valid through June 21! So I just ordered a B67 S Aged. 57 Euro instead of 95. Nice!

What a wonderful story, Jim, and so glad the discount worked out to bring your sweetie into the Brooksian fold. I'm sure she'll enjoy it, and this change might make biking in general more appealing to her.

I so hope the Erie Canal Ride will go well for you and her son. He's dealing with some challenges, and you may be too as you ride with him on the long tour. A good deal of patience may be the answer. Some friends have kids who fall somewhere on the autistim/Asperger's spectrum, and they find the simpler life of camping does wonders. As their son said, "The world here is about the right size for me". Ironic, given he was talking about the Great Outdoors, but perfectly understandable when taken to mean a simpler lifestyle with less "noise and static" for him to deal with. Perhaps that will be the case here as well. There is a gentle rhythm to camping, touring, and living outdoors, and certainly the simpler lifestyle appeals to me as well.

The Bridges Ride for Autism sounds special because you can all do it together.

Meanwhile, the ride to The Last Bite sounds worth it for the food alone -- sign me up for the "Widowmaker" sandwich!

Isn't it great to explore new paths and places? Now you know where the path goes when it splits off Route 209, and your sweetheart surprised herself! Well done, and a nice introduction to longer (but not "too long") cycling for her.

Best,

Dan.

[JimK]

Now you know where the path goes

One fun detail about this rail trail. There is one place where a long railroad bridge is just gone. The stone abutments are all that is left. The trail drops down into the low ground cut by the creek, and crosses the creek over a much smaller bridge. The trail cuts a sharp turn around the first abutment before a steep descent. I was going slow but had a difficult time keeping control on that steep gravel. I shouted a warning and my sweetheart could stop at the top and walk down.

Coming back through after our brunch, I tried to climb that gravel but quickly gave up. Standing up on the pedals to get the power to climb such a steep grade, I lost the weight I needed on the rear wheel to get enough grip on the gravel. I have 2 inch Duremes on the bike.

This was the first time I've had to walk my Nomad up a hill! Often enough I have stopped to get my wind back, but then I keep riding. This otherwise very gently sloped rail trail was just beyond my capabilities!
 

[JimK]

A couple comments about that little hill from

http://www.traillink.com/trail-reviews/d--h-canal-heritage-corridor-(ow-rail-trail).aspx

Large Hill North of 213 where bridge used to be:
Hi, I saw that this hill is already mentioned. I have a a suggestion (would love to know where to send it) It's very difficult to walk down with a bike and a very bad idea to ride down. I would suggest putting a railing of some sort to hold on to as you walk down to control the pace and weight. The other hand can then hold the bike. It would make the ride possible. As it is now I'd want to turn back at that point. Thanks

Dangerous hill:
The part the past Cottekill road to Leggett road has very dangerous hill where once a rail road bridge was.
Do not ride down hill. It is very easy to fall. It is very poorily designed.

[JimK]

The B67 S Pre-Aged got delivered here this morning:



I gather the "aging" process makes the leather soft enough that it is liable to sag before long, so they install laces to make it easy to snug it up lateraly:



If my sweetheart comes to love this saddle, then maybe for the next one we will skip the pre-age bit, and the one after then can be the tougher Select version. But for someone who is not sure about cycling at all and for whom the Brooks is intended to create a more comfortable entry, the pre-aging seems appropriate.

Here is the saddle on her bike:



Not a fancy bike. I was surprised to find that the seat clamp has no tilt adjustment! The saddle seems comfortable enough to me on my little ride around the grass. She and her son are off for a few days at his first year college orientation. I'll be anxious to see how she likes her new saddle, but no telling when she will get around to testing it! So I need to relax and let go!
 

[Danneaux]

Hi Jim!

Gee, that's a lovely saddle, and even prettier on the bike. It really helps to see how they look off the catalog page. Much nicer than I could have imagined. The lacing looks good, too. Indications are good for an early break-in for your sweetie.

Have you seen how nicely Richard's saddle has aged in his latest update for Torla? See:
http://www.thorncycles.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=3916.msg20447#msg20447

Not a fancy bike...

Oh, but a very pretty one in that shot of yours. If one looks past the straight-bladed fork, it has classic lines and the rack stays are so very nicely curved. Someone who Cared about bikes set it up. I suspect it was you, given the very nice job you've done on your Nomad.

I was surprised to find that the seat clamp has no tilt adjustment!

None?!? What a shocker! Wow! I hadn't thought that possible! If it helps, the angle looks near 'nuff perfect in the photo. Fingers crossed it will be in practice; indications are good it will be fine.

She and her son are off for a few days...I'll be anxious to see how she likes her new saddle, but no telling when she will get around to testing it! So I need to relax and let go!

Ohhh, the waiting is the hardest part, Jim! No doubt she'll be thrilled when she sees it and how very nice it looks on the bike. Well done!

All the best,

Dan.

[StuntPilot]

Jim - great looking bike! With that saddle and frame your lady is up there with the cycle chic of Paris!

http://www.cyclechicparis.com/

[JimK]

the cycle chic of Paris!

I think the basket helps, too! The bike came with the fenders and rear rack. She really shocked me when she just bought that bike on the spot when we saw in in the bike shop around the corner! But she definitely has an eye for chic!

We live in Woodstock NY which is a big weekend town for New York City folk and really people from all over. The bike scene here is definitely picking up. There have long been mountain bikers and roadies and then the "beater" bikes. But now some very hip urban bikes are showing up, fixies and such. I should take a camera on the street and try to catch some of the rising ferment!

 

[JimK]

Ah, my sweetheart went out for a ride this morning:

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/107991601

& made no negative comments about the new B67 on her bike. Mind you, I didn't go fishing for them, either!

I've been encouraging her to take frequent short rides rather than rare long rides. 3.5 miles is a good starting point - with 120 feet of climbing!

[Danneaux]

Jim,

I'm guessing it is Yerry Hill that accounts for the "bump" in your elevation graph.

my sweetheart went out for a ride this morning

Well, this is encouraging, but not as much as...

& made no negative comments about the new B67

Outstanding! Sometimes, no news is good news, where saddle comfort is concerned.

I didn't go fishing for them, either!

Nuh uh! If the saddle is "transparent" to her riding experience, that is the very best outcome of all! "New saddle? What new saddle? Doesn't look "brand new" to me...". A very wise choice of finishes in more ways than one, methinks.

I've been encouraging her to take frequent short rides rather than rare long rides.

<nods> The perfect strategy, Jim, and one that will allow her fitness and comfort levels to climb, rather than break-down. If frequent shorter rides are pleasurable, they will only encourage longer stuff while keeping it all fun and enjoyable.

3.5 miles is a good starting point - with 120 feet of climbing!

Sounds like the ideal mix for all purposes.

Keep it up, Jim; you're doing all the right things to introduce her to cycling more while making it still appeal.  Well done! And, she does have an unusually nice-looking bike to do it on. I am still amazed at how "right" it looks with the new saddle. Not surprising; a Brooks complements the appearance of many bikes!

Best,

Dan.

[JimK]

I'm guessing it is Yerry Hill that accounts for the "bump" in your elevation graph.

It is a total mystery to me how MapMyRide puts a category 5 hill in that 3.5 mile ride. Tinker Street is a long very gradual climb, like 1%, from Woodstock to Bearsville. That little turn up toward the real Yerry Hill doesn't really get as far as the hill.

Here is the real Yerry Hill climb.

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/59272932

 I think actually my first photo posted here was on Yerry Hill Rd! That is still a tough climb but I can get up it now. I am definitely getting stronger, but it sure is a slow process!

[JimK]

oooo, out on her bike two days in a row, and I got invited along this morning!



I took my Azor with its B66. I have the nose on my saddle up quite a bit, so I was worried about her saddle because her seatpost forces it to be level. But then I could see, on my Azor I am sitting quite vertical while on her Giant she is leaning forward - not a lot, but maybe 30 degrees. I think the angle of the saddle needs to reflect the angle of the pelvis which will reflect the angle of the torso.
 

[il padrone]

I reckon you're correct about the saddle angle for different riding positions. I find a similar angle is required to be comfortable on my Shogun Metro roadster.