Not Responding
I was more excited this Christmas Eve than I have been for some years.
I'd been allowed a pre-Christmas preview of my Dahon Speed TR on the
basis that if some crucial part or tool was required, I wanted to find
out ahead of a four day retail shut down. In the end the only
requirement from messers Halfords was a pump and a puncture repair kit.
Christmas morning was spend doing serious origami and getting the fit
right. Experimental runs included quick dash to the pub for a sharpener
and a couple of times around the village showing my 6 yr old how to ride
her new bike on the roads.
The Big Ride was on Boxing Day. The cold almost put us off; everything
was frozen solid and the roads very icy. The plan was to do the
Peterborough Green Wheel; just under 50 miles of mixed roads and
landscapes. Everything from perfect tarmac, through Sustrans
abominations to undrideable construction traffic mud-ways.
On tarmac, the folding bike was superb. Agile and fast. I like the SRAM
hub/derailleur combo but, think it's all a bit low geared. Great for
climbing hills but most people will spin out quickly on the other side.
No that I got to try this as the roads were so slippery, we went down
under braking at less than 10mph.
25 miles saw us feeling fresh but cold. An open pub could not be passed
and the open fire kept us there for 2 drinks too many. We faded rapidly
after the pub. This also coincided with the start of the Sustrans style
tracks. Horrible on any bike but ghastly on a small wheeler with high
pressure tyres and no front suspension. Every rut or pebble went
straight through the bike and into my long suffering arm. Ouch.
It was soon dark and the low full moon hanging over the fens was wonderful.
Made it back in time for turkey and pickles in front of the fire at
about 1900.
Excellent.
I'd been allowed a pre-Christmas preview of my Dahon Speed TR on the
basis that if some crucial part or tool was required, I wanted to find
out ahead of a four day retail shut down. In the end the only
requirement from messers Halfords was a pump and a puncture repair kit.
Christmas morning was spend doing serious origami and getting the fit
right. Experimental runs included quick dash to the pub for a sharpener
and a couple of times around the village showing my 6 yr old how to ride
her new bike on the roads.
The Big Ride was on Boxing Day. The cold almost put us off; everything
was frozen solid and the roads very icy. The plan was to do the
Peterborough Green Wheel; just under 50 miles of mixed roads and
landscapes. Everything from perfect tarmac, through Sustrans
abominations to undrideable construction traffic mud-ways.
On tarmac, the folding bike was superb. Agile and fast. I like the SRAM
hub/derailleur combo but, think it's all a bit low geared. Great for
climbing hills but most people will spin out quickly on the other side.
No that I got to try this as the roads were so slippery, we went down
under braking at less than 10mph.
25 miles saw us feeling fresh but cold. An open pub could not be passed
and the open fire kept us there for 2 drinks too many. We faded rapidly
after the pub. This also coincided with the start of the Sustrans style
tracks. Horrible on any bike but ghastly on a small wheeler with high
pressure tyres and no front suspension. Every rut or pebble went
straight through the bike and into my long suffering arm. Ouch.
It was soon dark and the low full moon hanging over the fens was wonderful.
Made it back in time for turkey and pickles in front of the fire at
about 1900.
Excellent.
