tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-150910282024-03-03T06:31:10.969+13:00Jeff's Bike BlogJeff's Bike and random bike related stuff from NZEl jefehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00411840288979303062noreply@blogger.comBlogger352125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15091028.post-3372384462792947152024-01-06T09:20:00.012+13:002024-01-10T14:53:08.212+13:00Growtac Equal brakes review<p> When I saw the <a href="https://growtac.com/en/products/mdcs/">Growtac Equal cable brakes</a> come onto the market a while back I wondered how good they would be and if they could be a worthy replacement to the randomly dragging Sram Force hydros on my OPEN UP. <br /><br />My buddy was doing one of his many trips to Japan for work so the timing was right. There are no agents for Growtac in NZ and buying locally in Japan was a smart move.<br /><br />As soon as he saw mine he decided he needed a pair for himself, his being gold anodised post mount, vs my blue flat mount variants. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf41MNrpKiWdgUrkwfC5JAC0TcSBACyvljFITZxkvvG48yP-XKWJtdISfFJtuuYT4wZS-aTV1Eu8HKEEkRrHRl1P_My2QnLzvxFp7q0pgM8muVnuaBMu92_KRMAI9XBLpWlVfAKbJjZm8SiVro-CJ68l2OIy1z9mlb2t3Q8dtX4oD08DKbT7hZ/s3000/SM-FB-IMG_3749.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf41MNrpKiWdgUrkwfC5JAC0TcSBACyvljFITZxkvvG48yP-XKWJtdISfFJtuuYT4wZS-aTV1Eu8HKEEkRrHRl1P_My2QnLzvxFp7q0pgM8muVnuaBMu92_KRMAI9XBLpWlVfAKbJjZm8SiVro-CJ68l2OIy1z9mlb2t3Q8dtX4oD08DKbT7hZ/w640-h426/SM-FB-IMG_3749.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flat-mount front<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgBPy-725J1HGHyvotC1tYFEizlkJtL6QpVji41LxJAB4YnVhdVW29B9W1tEJHuwAOJ8siIbheqniWASUtp-mbwtOc6Vnl-MzwPuoQvL9GWOB1-bTXbFUX17H1MgEzvi8sxhXAKt4xlz2ij_dLbDXQkdxF72z5gMI8jmmw0RCWqrDVlZf-Mx3E/s3000/SM-front-IMG_3600.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgBPy-725J1HGHyvotC1tYFEizlkJtL6QpVji41LxJAB4YnVhdVW29B9W1tEJHuwAOJ8siIbheqniWASUtp-mbwtOc6Vnl-MzwPuoQvL9GWOB1-bTXbFUX17H1MgEzvi8sxhXAKt4xlz2ij_dLbDXQkdxF72z5gMI8jmmw0RCWqrDVlZf-Mx3E/w640-h426/SM-front-IMG_3600.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjikI38N3zbMbbG5bsI4x_06SbICMAOqfrRERDNB86KkXJ2Bs-5JM-cOobXFnCbuVUIMJ4TVUY8olPL7YM5ScyrykpdiZqaiO1ChkqK3WA0ABHMIy0hype1y-08qPHeQ6XTZg_2-KIttlFFZzjHSRTxMHOxVjaEtiLBNQZbTYWSk8EMLJf5k5K/s3000/SM-REAR-OPEN-IMG_3598.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjikI38N3zbMbbG5bsI4x_06SbICMAOqfrRERDNB86KkXJ2Bs-5JM-cOobXFnCbuVUIMJ4TVUY8olPL7YM5ScyrykpdiZqaiO1ChkqK3WA0ABHMIy0hype1y-08qPHeQ6XTZg_2-KIttlFFZzjHSRTxMHOxVjaEtiLBNQZbTYWSk8EMLJf5k5K/w640-h426/SM-REAR-OPEN-IMG_3598.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flat-mount rear<br /></td></tr></tbody></table>All the reviews I'd seen had been good and <a href="https://outpostrichmond.com/blogs/news/growtac-equal-brakes-so-hot-right-now-but-do-they-deliver">at least one of them I trusted</a>. I had several sets of Sram red cable brake/shifters in 10 speed mode so I would need to swap the shifter ratchet from my Force hydro 11 speed into one of the 10 speed cable shifter bodies if I was to retain 11-speed life. Easy peasy. I could have also dropped in a 12 speed <a href="https://ratiotechnology.com/">Ratio-Technology</a> ratchet, but having an extensive collection of 11 speed cassettes and compatible wheels, I was not that keen to dive into 12 speed life, where the cassette spacings are all different. Sram wide, Sram Road, or Shimano - I don't even know if Shimano MTB is the same as Shimano Road, but I do know that Ratio-Technology makes different ratchets for the first 3. But I digress, this story is about brakes, mostly.....<br /><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjusgwLp15MEqHTD10PfhnU5nx8Uhl8vozBfN_Z4n0xec9K6JsXWwa74W3OOkuugxYG3Y05301ZsU-zcNIou749NhUjZCPfOC8dOxN4Hve85Rce_Uyb0wbS0-gwh41vILoHBQAaWp8tiWlNdyY-ThTiJtlggmLNRyMcQcPxURuOPi7qaAnJMLD/s1273/levers.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="955" data-original-width="1273" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjusgwLp15MEqHTD10PfhnU5nx8Uhl8vozBfN_Z4n0xec9K6JsXWwa74W3OOkuugxYG3Y05301ZsU-zcNIou749NhUjZCPfOC8dOxN4Hve85Rce_Uyb0wbS0-gwh41vILoHBQAaWp8tiWlNdyY-ThTiJtlggmLNRyMcQcPxURuOPi7qaAnJMLD/w640-h480/levers.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sram Red 10-speed cable levers with an 11 speed ratchet borrowed from the Hydros. Very light.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>The Growtac kit comes with two sets of cables, compressionless and standard. 2x 170 cms of compressionless and 2x 100 cms of standard. They advise you to use combinations of the standard and compressionless (with a joiner) if you are worried about lots of bendy angles or internal routing paths that might make it tricky. I went with full compression-less, which was a bit wider in diameter than the standard.This made it a bit more of a challenge, forcing it through the cable exit holes in my OPEN, compounded by me not having a proper cable routing tool. I got there in the end with the help of the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=re4VzBBonkA" target="_blank">Rides of Japan OPEN</a> building tutorials which are way more extensive than OPEN's.<br /><br />Growtac's instructions are precise and very simple to follow, although I used the Japanese instructions rather than hunting down the <a href="https://growtac.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/mdbc_manual_en_20210709.pdf">English versions which are online</a> here. The set-up is very simple. Visually align the "notch" in the brake caliper over the disc rotor by tweaking the inboard and outboard pads. When the caliper is centred, tighten down the caliper's mounting bolts - whether it's flat mount or post mount. Then you back off each pad until there is no dragging. The inboard pad is fixed and the outboard pad moves as you apply the brake. With adjustments via a 3 mm allen key here, and via a nut at the cable adjuster. Dragging brake pads are now a thing of the past.<br /><br />The inner pad adjuster can be tricky to reach with a multi tool if you are running a large cassette so it's best to carry a small 3 mm separate allen key in your kit.<br /><br />Although the brakes have a small rubber o-ring inline to stop water ingress the rear brake might benefit from a rubber boot to stop water running down into the cable housing.</p><p>Of all the tweaks I've done to my OPEN I think this is the most satisfying. The brake lever action is very light and the braking strong - at least the equal of my old hydros. Maybe that's where the brake's name comes from - "Equal" ? </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtdYzj9hKoyNhHZyccdS5H5VSJphl3RTXGU0RSU0Wf4HBotdWSxO4-zqkcyDDrGpkcVqxfgLD-9CKW7-udjA6Uw34mmLhqBBkpEQ0Hkbn6pliBdf1Xkld3Vw94MufOV0p5UeFVM1ToYR6qDNXpBfJsQ1FWVmGS_n439nxLMdxTMSII59QEVCyh/s6000/SM-OPEN-side-IMG_3755.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtdYzj9hKoyNhHZyccdS5H5VSJphl3RTXGU0RSU0Wf4HBotdWSxO4-zqkcyDDrGpkcVqxfgLD-9CKW7-udjA6Uw34mmLhqBBkpEQ0Hkbn6pliBdf1Xkld3Vw94MufOV0p5UeFVM1ToYR6qDNXpBfJsQ1FWVmGS_n439nxLMdxTMSII59QEVCyh/w640-h426/SM-OPEN-side-IMG_3755.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>I have given these brakes a good thrashing on my local trails over the last month and so far they have performed faultlessly. The kind of riding I do is mostly as I would on a hard-tail, running 2.0 inch 650B tires, often linking up Wellington's trails via our urban short-cuts. For gravel riding and commuting I use the 700 c wheels. </p><p>The Equals are running the stock organic pads, completely silently, but I expect to change to sintered metal when the organics wear out. I haven't ridden the bike with a full Bikepacking load on but my gut feeling is that they would be great. I do not feel like I am missing out on any performance compared to my hydros with these brakes, they are strong and predictable. I am running 160 mm rotors and the silence that comes from this set-up makes it worth every cent. </p><p>Some people ask, what about adjustment, hydros do it automatically as they wear, cable brakes don't. Thats a fair point, but you won't be getting any surprises when your pads do wear out, as often happens with hydros, because you will be more aware of the amount of wear, because it's you that is doing the adjusting. I know a lot of people used to bad-mouth BB7s for this, I suspect they are using organic pads. In the Tour Aotearoa which was 3000 kms long I tweaked my BB7s once.</p><p>If you are someone who worries about potential issues with hydro brakes while bikepacking then they are totally worth considering. I know people say this does not happen, but I know it happened to a few of us on the first Tour Te Waipounamu, with air in our brake lines.<br /></p><p>The Equals should be compatible with any mechanical rim-brake groupsets brakes out there, and there are many.<br /></p><p>The brakes are short-pull only, so compatible with road levers or specific flat-bar levers that are built for using with road disc, road calipers, mini-vees, or canti's. Shimano makes many of these levers as do some of the boutique makers.<br /><br />So far my buddy is really happy with the post-mount versions he has installed on his Singular Gryphon singlespeed, using Tektro singlespeed levers, replacing the BB-7s.<br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDuHGdEl13ZBfbK3UKYUgj86Wa7EkOkUuBEw0BZyXvvpI8NdtFmKnV3LEFwSvL_Sh2smezXzaDnoNez_zTrh6_RwUOZmdFcP6f41JBVmESnXaexGF1IggVu-05-CirAsyTI6whKb_t3dPl9ZI_8Mq_kuz1uuNXQQbkA9YikMnlcTs2oYoDX2q2/s3000/SM-M-FB-IMG_3620.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDuHGdEl13ZBfbK3UKYUgj86Wa7EkOkUuBEw0BZyXvvpI8NdtFmKnV3LEFwSvL_Sh2smezXzaDnoNez_zTrh6_RwUOZmdFcP6f41JBVmESnXaexGF1IggVu-05-CirAsyTI6whKb_t3dPl9ZI_8Mq_kuz1uuNXQQbkA9YikMnlcTs2oYoDX2q2/w640-h426/SM-M-FB-IMG_3620.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Post-mount front<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj110ML06L8tH_eRkc9ILbg51lmzx1Nh6F6rVxF_6k2v2N8uM8_6BT4FGOJh4MRgq_uF0XSEN9YNLClsurh5e4oxNU7WVBjIbHZY0kKwYdybB1y-ju7yoavv7kFkYkD-Mc7pzOhYR8f9PC6A3ZgF1p7qufgsN0UfGt02yG4JF3ZNxS2orhFaejJ/s4757/gold-crop-IMG_3674.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3333" data-original-width="4757" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj110ML06L8tH_eRkc9ILbg51lmzx1Nh6F6rVxF_6k2v2N8uM8_6BT4FGOJh4MRgq_uF0XSEN9YNLClsurh5e4oxNU7WVBjIbHZY0kKwYdybB1y-ju7yoavv7kFkYkD-Mc7pzOhYR8f9PC6A3ZgF1p7qufgsN0UfGt02yG4JF3ZNxS2orhFaejJ/w640-h448/gold-crop-IMG_3674.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>My bike is set up with Sram Red cable brake/shift levers, probably the
lightest road levers there are, so your mileage will vary with the
overall weight if you use something else. <br /></p><p>I carefully weighed both the Sram hydro brakes and the Equals as I
installed them and was impressed to see that the Equals/Red combo were around 7
grams lighter than the hydros on my medium sized bike. The larger the bike, the more
your cabling will weigh, by comparison hydraulic hose is very light.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwXxqtyrSUsHSkbH72KXi5L1QmzB3Ca5HMDUe0Lb7JwttWwfTQqvRp-TUcZWAt0NaTt1_7WtHeiV6_dKK-rgy_-pO86eZjLzKuwl6ZzJkYMXgCXeRVaPBnuncN8umI3f5tmyp1E1BKo04mEJI4km5JPDIXMMzsKJ0amIbLvPfLKR47U0pcbkpy/s4080/20240105_095950.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3060" data-original-width="4080" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwXxqtyrSUsHSkbH72KXi5L1QmzB3Ca5HMDUe0Lb7JwttWwfTQqvRp-TUcZWAt0NaTt1_7WtHeiV6_dKK-rgy_-pO86eZjLzKuwl6ZzJkYMXgCXeRVaPBnuncN8umI3f5tmyp1E1BKo04mEJI4km5JPDIXMMzsKJ0amIbLvPfLKR47U0pcbkpy/w640-h480/20240105_095950.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><b>Weight information<br /></b></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><b>Growtac Equal - front brake:</b><br />Front cable (80 cm)<br />Outer - 46 grams<br />Inner - 12 grams<br />Lever - 140<br />Caliper - 136<br />Tiny bits - 2 grams<br /><b>336 grams</b></p><p><b>Growtac Equal - rear brake:</b><br />Rear cable (140 cm) <br />Outer - 79 grams<br />Inner - 17 grams<br />Lever - 140<br />Caliper - 136<br />Tiny bits - 2 grams<br /><b>374 grams<br /></b><b>Growtac Equal total = 710 grams</b><br /></p><p><b> </b></p><p><b>Sram Force hydro - front brake</b> <br />Front sram hydro lever + hose - 246 grams<br />Caliper - 100 grams<br />Tiny bits 7 grams<br /><b>353 grams</b></p><p><b>Sram Force hydro - rear brake</b><br />Rear sram hydro lever + hose - 257 grams<br />Caliper - 100 grams<br />Tiny bits 7 grams<br /><b>364 grams<br />Sram Force Hydro total = 717 grams</b></p><p><b> </b></p><p><b>Pros</b><br /></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Strong braking</li><li>Light weight</li><li>Great colours</li><li>Field serviceable</li><li>Shimano compatible pads</li></ul><p><br /><b>Cons</b><br /></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Inner pad adjuster tricky to access with multi-tool allen key.</li><li>Rear brake cable might benefit from small rubber boot.</li><li>The outside brake adjuster's tiny rubber grommet could be easily get lost</li></ul><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVYvE9rNcD23yAfGCkYqs9hFGMhgwhBeMoIlfCwaV8iHqfid2YmSp0WYsGQPLvs7Pfv9gGQ1eP0iEj6WPp7yUN3PK0mmNK2jWnG2N8cGWDjHgV22ZL-SBJKAov_X57leN_cSaS2x1ydqzNilG93xJjMB0lFEW_x0Ko7tw5aXsqndOQZ-etg6aq/s4686/quail.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2821" data-original-width="4686" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVYvE9rNcD23yAfGCkYqs9hFGMhgwhBeMoIlfCwaV8iHqfid2YmSp0WYsGQPLvs7Pfv9gGQ1eP0iEj6WPp7yUN3PK0mmNK2jWnG2N8cGWDjHgV22ZL-SBJKAov_X57leN_cSaS2x1ydqzNilG93xJjMB0lFEW_x0Ko7tw5aXsqndOQZ-etg6aq/w640-h386/quail.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cheeky Quail during photo session<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /><b>Related links</b></p><p><a href="https://theradavist.com/growtac-equal-brakes-long-term-review/">https://theradavist.com/growtac-equal-brakes-long-term-review/</a><br /><a href="https://www.bikegeardatabase.com/gear/growtac-equal">https://www.bikegeardatabase.com/gear/growtac-equal</a><br /><a href="https://bikerumor.com/review-growtac-equal-mechanical-disc-brakes-bicycle/">https://bikerumor.com/review-growtac-equal-mechanical-disc-brakes-bicycle/</a><br /><a href="https://www.bikeradar.com/features/growtac-equal-mechanical-disc-brakes">https://www.bikeradar.com/features/growtac-equal-mechanical-disc-brakes</a><br /><br /></p><p></p><p><b>Growtac Equal brake adjustment</b><br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwINFSxrizI&t=265s">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwINFSxrizI&t=265s</a></p><p><b>Growtac Equal Brake full break-down<br /></b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWGguSAWM0s">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWGguSAWM0s</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Jeff's bike stories and links from Wellington New Zealand</div>El jefehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00411840288979303062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15091028.post-88597083189580997132023-12-29T18:44:00.001+13:002023-12-29T18:44:28.001+13:00The Big Finish Line Party<p>The Big Finish Line Party is the brainchild of Andy Chalmers. A bikepacking event that doesn’t have a start, only a finish. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSX1yS_S1_fHbfC0OGobbOqs20YSlOLswasCVdJ-CWteNVHrmwkzu6HalMWpi7homYoJnxvuk665uLPkF2AYXfY4o7_vBA0eAwv1S23MRGqCQ55LqdZ8_UY5smc5vz5LtJCbBihtPOLdqYNFSY1mrkA_X3sDU_Amr5Ui9hh91AGZw_kapl3v1e/s4080/Wakakaho-track-4000.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3060" data-original-width="4080" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSX1yS_S1_fHbfC0OGobbOqs20YSlOLswasCVdJ-CWteNVHrmwkzu6HalMWpi7homYoJnxvuk665uLPkF2AYXfY4o7_vBA0eAwv1S23MRGqCQ55LqdZ8_UY5smc5vz5LtJCbBihtPOLdqYNFSY1mrkA_X3sDU_Amr5Ui9hh91AGZw_kapl3v1e/w640-h480/Wakakaho-track-4000.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>.... well, it does have a start but that’s up to you, where and when you start, and with who you ride. Don’t like rules? There is only one rule. Don’t be late. See you at the finish line. 5pm Saturday. Born from the idea of maximising camaraderie and letting people chose their own experience and level of difficulty, the Big Finish Line Party is in it's third year.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9CRb5Hs7p4ukq0nMNdM8QUT0NkxhjBZOlQDhf2kKk2MBmJ4SAuD18LLo8VNkK9mAxYPs6W1vUATvH5Qw9dQc0vnKF2erme4_pf8_Ke83Awzmwb_VdVdRIKMSWxlIOrGoXMVuG_QsOZlfY5Kj8_bRJkuBQlwZh0GxJV5i0X6XPRiTQ7yEIbZsw/s4080/Link-track-4000.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3060" data-original-width="4080" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9CRb5Hs7p4ukq0nMNdM8QUT0NkxhjBZOlQDhf2kKk2MBmJ4SAuD18LLo8VNkK9mAxYPs6W1vUATvH5Qw9dQc0vnKF2erme4_pf8_Ke83Awzmwb_VdVdRIKMSWxlIOrGoXMVuG_QsOZlfY5Kj8_bRJkuBQlwZh0GxJV5i0X6XPRiTQ7yEIbZsw/w640-h480/Link-track-4000.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>I had limited annual leave so it would be a short trip for me, time enough to catch the evening Ferry from Wellington to Picton in Te Wai Pounaumu, (the South Island) and get in 2 and a half days riding before the finish, then catching up with my family who live in Marlborough. The link Track parallel to Queen Charlotte Drive was my starting point, with the Nydia and Archers Tracks being the ultimate destinations for the day, time allowing.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYbMvTQ8OBP0knwFrzrR_WbjUDEgjj_150-O0BwJUpyWkSXIvutD29PRiUnB12OWEx8CDP1zj-Wwiqf46e2dtNOUP0cC9K1lUcnL6vTU23xkEqh_S8y-6AYf10Jj6LheHnZSddfHK6g-7F3_3c9yZl_MzTq619s6AKjO3VpOQCBBm6D7_gdUWc/s4080/20231026_133842.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3060" data-original-width="4080" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYbMvTQ8OBP0knwFrzrR_WbjUDEgjj_150-O0BwJUpyWkSXIvutD29PRiUnB12OWEx8CDP1zj-Wwiqf46e2dtNOUP0cC9K1lUcnL6vTU23xkEqh_S8y-6AYf10Jj6LheHnZSddfHK6g-7F3_3c9yZl_MzTq619s6AKjO3VpOQCBBm6D7_gdUWc/w640-h480/20231026_133842.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>I asked around and people seemed to think that the Nydia Track, despite being a Black Diamond Trail, was rideable in the opposite direction, which I was intending to do. I had no idea how far I was going to get, but I had a new tent and there were plenty of opportunities to camp in the Marlborough sounds. I was riding by myself so had to be very careful from a safety point of view.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3tApB4oYIOLyOi203LnRNIZRzB_B-j6DV1ifnaZnpNUiyCe4LlflzgBZ1Hld1fKsjiUk8Ep3vA2JKjq1RfhoE9EWQ2nGr4kJ8bLVkugjL2SwYVNQZuxGdZuKF02l3F9ul-2gwAkjIIuZDe2Cv1RPmDijGsZbFRcetVPe9OsRxiE71ClGqWlkq/s4080/20231026_120800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3060" data-original-width="4080" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3tApB4oYIOLyOi203LnRNIZRzB_B-j6DV1ifnaZnpNUiyCe4LlflzgBZ1Hld1fKsjiUk8Ep3vA2JKjq1RfhoE9EWQ2nGr4kJ8bLVkugjL2SwYVNQZuxGdZuKF02l3F9ul-2gwAkjIIuZDe2Cv1RPmDijGsZbFRcetVPe9OsRxiE71ClGqWlkq/w640-h480/20231026_120800.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>The Nydia track was beautiful. It would have been a lovely place to hike, or run. But rideable segments were less than I had hoped for. Waterfalls crossed the track in many places and required 100% concentration to cross. Despite this I lost my footing, and almost lost my bike on one of them. A good reason to remember to carry your personal locator beacon on your body.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMuoHCvo7t5cyFoR8LXJjHTkxfZyFAAfJ93EvEprIgDmED03z-ljj28m0AhyphenhyphenFMIGWY_vsCYF71i-wmlNfw_kuW6PvdnS3I518UCrc7UKgOKG9VYbxaQuczb5OWGYmPkz9ekTjOM1tjYft8KRhadUI2xPwMYOv0QEgLvFvmq1pDo1RTv_FPA93i/s4080/20231027_071428.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3060" data-original-width="4080" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMuoHCvo7t5cyFoR8LXJjHTkxfZyFAAfJ93EvEprIgDmED03z-ljj28m0AhyphenhyphenFMIGWY_vsCYF71i-wmlNfw_kuW6PvdnS3I518UCrc7UKgOKG9VYbxaQuczb5OWGYmPkz9ekTjOM1tjYft8KRhadUI2xPwMYOv0QEgLvFvmq1pDo1RTv_FPA93i/w640-h480/20231027_071428.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>Archers track was more fun, following the coastline closely with a lot less tree-fall on the track. I saw a doe disappearing up the bank at one point and nearly hit a mother goat and her kid as they launched off the bank to my side. I rolled into Elaine Bay at around 7pm and set up my new Big Agnes tent at the DOC camping site. There was a long-drop toilet and hand basin nearby so pretty civilized. I was immediately visited by a very inquisitive Weka and as I started to nod off was startled by a strange noise. Sure enough, in the morning I noticed pig-rooting sign all around my camp site. Thankfully not fresh.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLPldZi8zmIKX1Uvl5hELvVNWciB4FPo6W1bG4hgp8M3EYQt0pQYfIjzwaWp5o_zU_67fp1PWnED2tefV65bkoknBxG5njt-E4YgsxQqeBk2ih4vbLqW6lR94MMd98b1jYeuaV5UkJzgt57qnb0PetYDh-N7f4qFsdvyNFpjAdHVByoQg-7wXG/s4080/20231027_081810.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3060" data-original-width="4080" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLPldZi8zmIKX1Uvl5hELvVNWciB4FPo6W1bG4hgp8M3EYQt0pQYfIjzwaWp5o_zU_67fp1PWnED2tefV65bkoknBxG5njt-E4YgsxQqeBk2ih4vbLqW6lR94MMd98b1jYeuaV5UkJzgt57qnb0PetYDh-N7f4qFsdvyNFpjAdHVByoQg-7wXG/w640-h480/20231027_081810.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>The climb out of Elaine bay was on the seal but still very steep. A similar climb out of Okiwi Bay followed with more seal, then a diversion to get off the main road onto a nice quiet gravel B-road. The mussel pies and and hot chips at the Brick Oven café in Rai Valley beckoned, and as I parked up a nasty cold squall raced through. Timing is everything. I stocked up for my next segment which was to be the Waikakah o Track via Pelorus, Havelock, Linkwater and Cullensville.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtP3oq-tZlXkjKYAskWbjroaIIZgCHNnW0Qxxz3xOuiIH5oQ5bMqHpIkIWUppjrLSEc7eaEF66XzOqECoy63E_-BVS87NPJsR0DaeY7t_1vDFV8Dfz8_n3oRqsrFiITbtzOt77PqH3yJekk3jIwd3khpPytkoRR50FXyygoGLbAS77XLBgmDwv/s4080/20231027_115034.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3060" data-original-width="4080" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtP3oq-tZlXkjKYAskWbjroaIIZgCHNnW0Qxxz3xOuiIH5oQ5bMqHpIkIWUppjrLSEc7eaEF66XzOqECoy63E_-BVS87NPJsR0DaeY7t_1vDFV8Dfz8_n3oRqsrFiITbtzOt77PqH3yJekk3jIwd3khpPytkoRR50FXyygoGLbAS77XLBgmDwv/w640-h480/20231027_115034.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>I got to the start of the Waikakaho track at around 1:30 pm. The sign said 5 hours walk. Usually track times are a lot less than they state on signage. I figured, I have a bike obviously I will be a lot faster. I couldn’t have been more wrong. It’s an old narrow gold mining track, like many, hacked out of the side of the hill. Initially there were some rideable bits but there was a lot of elevation to cover, and walking turned out to be just as quick as riding.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHE4x1auS2aOzQvgcJ007QUtIg6w9foiJEpSqtyWEmSc_vwS5b9kQnlp2USlS0OF0csr_mbk-pX-LYltc-_vpXjEnla2uG9PQViCReQpfwXRQrx2d1v26E54mXJ51tUoS4IJQV9a_nwkdxhUyilBCLeIisG1X0-i8uUXqMvd9ChMQUMWJR-i2C/s4080/20231027_153656.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3060" data-original-width="4080" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHE4x1auS2aOzQvgcJ007QUtIg6w9foiJEpSqtyWEmSc_vwS5b9kQnlp2USlS0OF0csr_mbk-pX-LYltc-_vpXjEnla2uG9PQViCReQpfwXRQrx2d1v26E54mXJ51tUoS4IJQV9a_nwkdxhUyilBCLeIisG1X0-i8uUXqMvd9ChMQUMWJR-i2C/w640-h480/20231027_153656.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>It got colder and darker and eventually I came out on a crazy little clearing. Apparently an old mining hut site and probably the only place you could pitch a tent on the whole ride. What I thought was rain turned out to be light snow so I kept moving. A quick look at my app had me still a long way from the finish with no idea on what the upcoming terrain would be like. I eventually found the track exit from the clearing and came across the shell of a Powelliphant a, the giant snail that can live up to 20 years.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimzke13yvwbZ1F1Cx_WsoPklhqYFx5LoCSQ7wJMkWwbl_WUbwTuT59HPm7x1m_ENtUVEMnxSwg4PWE1C9e5FVpAt6WG9h6hgU1SGKvUBjrYCEMtFGb0b0bW3ehLNSeL3l1GmqXl6rBqn_9brAxg9jjUTBaTpGawPc05kWbSSDkG0r84Ezq_vyk/s4080/20231027_165437.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3060" data-original-width="4080" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimzke13yvwbZ1F1Cx_WsoPklhqYFx5LoCSQ7wJMkWwbl_WUbwTuT59HPm7x1m_ENtUVEMnxSwg4PWE1C9e5FVpAt6WG9h6hgU1SGKvUBjrYCEMtFGb0b0bW3ehLNSeL3l1GmqXl6rBqn_9brAxg9jjUTBaTpGawPc05kWbSSDkG0r84Ezq_vyk/w640-h480/20231027_165437.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>The terrain just seemed to get gnarlier with a fair bit of tree-fall across the track. I realised I wasn't going to break any records with all my bikepacking gear on, and had to stop a lot for micro-breaks, observing all the wild pig-rooting sign. What were they hunting, snails? Eventually snippets of rideable track appeared off and on, and before too long I could tell I was descending a bit. I overshot the track and came across an abandoned mine shaft, back-tracked and tried to carefully enjoy the rooty descent.</p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIafVNYDXpF09hQOZNJ6dDjijW1XbMujinNnQj4OQEH9UFWB29GvMhRuN-AuqLXMnZAITnaY7tCm-LoIe5nSYxxwJf0Lg6bvao26jgHoJAkIQy2jxQ5mc3cO3E1eCeQ0JDUtB_EJvcq9eV4Mqme82EHun1BJayzEFbY45xJMf4ZDKtCWGloh-E/s4080/TW-20231027_163244.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3060" data-original-width="4080" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIafVNYDXpF09hQOZNJ6dDjijW1XbMujinNnQj4OQEH9UFWB29GvMhRuN-AuqLXMnZAITnaY7tCm-LoIe5nSYxxwJf0Lg6bvao26jgHoJAkIQy2jxQ5mc3cO3E1eCeQ0JDUtB_EJvcq9eV4Mqme82EHun1BJayzEFbY45xJMf4ZDKtCWGloh-E/w640-h480/TW-20231027_163244.jpg" width="640" /></a><p>I rarely bikepack by myself so had to be very careful not to spear off the track and end up down a bank, it's not like anyone was going to rescue me if I did something dumb. Coming across an old homestead site told me I was getting closer to the trail's end. The final descent was mostly wet clay, but surprisingly I had no offs. It was a wet cold drag all the way out of the valley, but I was happy to be out of the bush. My original plan was to camp at Whites bay on the Beach, and do the loop there on my final day, but I was wet and cold and couldnt see myself warming up much, even if I did get the feeling back in my cold hands. I rung my brother to see if I could crash at his place the night. Sorted. Remember there are no rules, well just one - dont be late.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk9eoX9nKqiy3zMjpY0MmJyamSRZL0tMs2Rh1ISXLi8goLwVXAMhfDjAT0iNgo6l8T8Ik9qV-EnoRORCxdGKATKfDeHBJvOFS7l5miHIa2Asl9G6b6-ybJJcr3LHZ1TPFgVragBRN5Rw_7TVdFv1jlKQRV4iwydqPQtFYQLzyASoG6xw2YcwBX/s4080/20231027_174813.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3060" data-original-width="4080" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk9eoX9nKqiy3zMjpY0MmJyamSRZL0tMs2Rh1ISXLi8goLwVXAMhfDjAT0iNgo6l8T8Ik9qV-EnoRORCxdGKATKfDeHBJvOFS7l5miHIa2Asl9G6b6-ybJJcr3LHZ1TPFgVragBRN5Rw_7TVdFv1jlKQRV4iwydqPQtFYQLzyASoG6xw2YcwBX/w640-h480/20231027_174813.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>Obviously I had a luxurious sleep in the next day and decided on a new route. I was done with hikeabiking. A nice 76 km gravel loop of the Taylor and Redwood passes seemed like a much better option. I had barely started when a random guy catches up and says, "Hi there Jeff, I work at the Council with your brother". I think we had met once before at the start of the 2012 Kiwi Brevet, small world. He was my personal escort for the next few hours and showed me a few local short-cuts. It was great to have someone to chat to after riding solo for two days. Of course, the best was yet to come. We were all to meet at the Dodson Street beer garden, 5pm - don't be late. </p><p>This is where you find out who else was doing the ride, and like any other decent event in New Zealand, there are always a couple of top 5 Tour Divide riders there. Not that it matters, it's not a race. There is a lot of catching up with familiar faces and talking about who went where, with who, and where they stayed. It's a great concept, and it works well. It really takes the pressure off. One group's members split off in different directions on multiple occasions depending on wellness, fitness or fatigue - some of them had been riding since the Monday. </p><p>The Big Finish Line Party concept could be the best thing to encourage newbies into bikepacking since the 6 hour stand-down periods that were introduced when Simon Kennett brought bikepacking to NZ in 2010. There has to be a reason for its popularity across the ages and genders in NZ, and knowing that you don't have to indulge in sleep deprivation is a definite plus. </p><p> A brief AGM was held to choose the location of the next Big Finish Line Party in 2024. </p><p> Watch this space. (<a href="https://arcg.is/X4PTy0">Better pix here</a>) </p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgksUvJJzLdRvIuZ3ZPKXKevOCDwCmLF8k9RJXGMEgw1YQvlPWEkOqyxrPZI4kTCHOwto3Im0eLyOgd1ddCjSnQY9hrnN11OpiZlO6QuUmzWYRzZk3Tlb27YK7kt9f8LEBTvhotWISkh7kgGCBBFwqdUiWtymqMkVMNScMmjmnJ6soVkrbNpEWo/s4080/20231028_185141.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3060" data-original-width="4080" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgksUvJJzLdRvIuZ3ZPKXKevOCDwCmLF8k9RJXGMEgw1YQvlPWEkOqyxrPZI4kTCHOwto3Im0eLyOgd1ddCjSnQY9hrnN11OpiZlO6QuUmzWYRzZk3Tlb27YK7kt9f8LEBTvhotWISkh7kgGCBBFwqdUiWtymqMkVMNScMmjmnJ6soVkrbNpEWo/w640-h480/20231028_185141.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">Jeff's bike stories and links from Wellington New Zealand</div>El jefehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00411840288979303062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15091028.post-44964985631800117272023-10-18T22:58:00.004+13:002023-10-20T13:50:20.678+13:00I went for a 24 hour ride and this is what I ate<p>I went for a ride the other day. Just one ride. 310 kms. From Wellington to Wellington via the south coast and Ngawi and back over the Remutaka incline. We left home at 9:50pm saturday night and got home 9:50 pm sunday night, no sleeps, 24 hours for me. A bit less for Matt who lives in the Hutt Valley.</p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRmebGOOg76sFknBXlTRVYMroVUdrv00iD9clOlgrZwtu0k4k20UBpCzbEZgYFXShmgEZymZIhY0NXmya8i0mluA36HxMe0asxKSpV1WPjE3pt3zVJ4w3gieHWFQ3IIDCtUdjvksgbNRbo5NpaxD0XVSUuV1wgTme0cm1AiIrr5AmhpGczItxY/s1079/tempFileForShare_20231018-202052.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="949" data-original-width="1079" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRmebGOOg76sFknBXlTRVYMroVUdrv00iD9clOlgrZwtu0k4k20UBpCzbEZgYFXShmgEZymZIhY0NXmya8i0mluA36HxMe0asxKSpV1WPjE3pt3zVJ4w3gieHWFQ3IIDCtUdjvksgbNRbo5NpaxD0XVSUuV1wgTme0cm1AiIrr5AmhpGczItxY/s320/tempFileForShare_20231018-202052.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://caltopo.com/m/7ND9F">https://caltopo.com/m/7ND9F</a> (click for map)<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>We had a small gap in the weather and we had to go for it. It was an idea I'd had since doing the same ride over 2 days a year or 2 earlier. I had asked my buddy Matt Dewes if he was interested, he was. That sealed it. If he had said no the idea would have probably died a natural death. </p><p>The plan was to leave early, midnight initially, so that we could finish in the daylight and and not get in too much trouble with our families. </p><p>As spring weather came upon us it was getting harder and harder to find an opportunity to get out for 24 hours of less than crappy weather.</p><p>The problem with leaving so late was that there were no shops open anywhere, not Pirinoa, not Waimeha, so we had to take all our own food and water. There was actually one water stop at Corner Creek camping ground on the South Coast, and no food until returning through Martinborough. So, in order to stave off the dreaded bonk, this is what I ate, as much a record for me as anything.</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Chocolate Up n Goes x2 Calories =195 each<br /></li><li>Cokes 3x 250ml Calories = 105 each<br /></li><li>Jelly beans 1x packet Calories = 870 each<br /></li><li>Peanut M & Ms 1/2 packet Calories = 954<br /></li><li>Cheese and bean toastie pies x 3.5 Calories = 324 each<br /></li><li>Powerade 750 ml Calories = 187<br /></li><li>Muesli bars x 2 Calories = 166 each<br /></li><li>Water 3 litres</li><li>Grainwaves x2 Calories = 700 each<br /></li></ul><p></p><p> Total calories for 24 hours riding = 4928 <br /></p><p>Didn't eat.</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>9 spare muesli bars</li><li>2 litres of water.</li><li>1 packet frog sweets</li><li>1 packet fruit & nuts</li></ul><p></p><p>The real winner in very long rides is the <b>cheese and baked bean toastie</b>, sometimes with some salami. Your tongue can get very tired of sweet things and the humble toastie somehow feels like real food by comparison. It has protein and fat for saiety and carbs in the beans and bread.<br /></p><p>A cheese toastie can live happy in your shirt pocket wrapped up in a bit of lunch wrap for a very very long time. I think 3 days is my record. When cooked correctly the cheese works like a resin in a carbon fibre mould and impregnates the bread, sealing all the good stuff inside! Try it on your next hike!</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqBgO5wWTmTgRatuWAZGt_5_pXpdXHDET6GmrwxMBPhSW6PO4ZA3EevXNIK56Xot5JmVNwn0nhUfkyOOn5p9CrByaIJSSCpKacQPqtPlJdG2LK8SCwm-ZW99qhQq-cNb6h7K87SkM2C1-TdPELcnR3d8QMgNXi1QK-o3vSOzZ44fARlJPRIh6A/s4080/20231019_124414-01%20(1).jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3060" data-original-width="4080" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqBgO5wWTmTgRatuWAZGt_5_pXpdXHDET6GmrwxMBPhSW6PO4ZA3EevXNIK56Xot5JmVNwn0nhUfkyOOn5p9CrByaIJSSCpKacQPqtPlJdG2LK8SCwm-ZW99qhQq-cNb6h7K87SkM2C1-TdPELcnR3d8QMgNXi1QK-o3vSOzZ44fARlJPRIh6A/w640-h480/20231019_124414-01%20(1).jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The humble cheese and backed bean toastie pie<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <p></p><p>See below some piccies from our ride. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4nLFAQCqJbN8mtj2F-xd7XdqlXV4dCtXZjNnIM4I6ixfvdoDE9m_VGX19_1j-T31RuhE5RY9zHERb0k1XeKxEMcXoF8cvpLse-muWlOqOQPJnD7T6YKqEHnw8AM0nXf99UuWoTN3MH_Ns66_97M6WRev1sBeOXpRVufZC5VE4qiHdrfTe4wan/s4080/20231001_023308.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3060" data-original-width="4080" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4nLFAQCqJbN8mtj2F-xd7XdqlXV4dCtXZjNnIM4I6ixfvdoDE9m_VGX19_1j-T31RuhE5RY9zHERb0k1XeKxEMcXoF8cvpLse-muWlOqOQPJnD7T6YKqEHnw8AM0nXf99UuWoTN3MH_Ns66_97M6WRev1sBeOXpRVufZC5VE4qiHdrfTe4wan/w640-h480/20231001_023308.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A moody night on the South Coast</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha-9aUemkHzQHVHCNw9CLTV-oLIn3I4oAAeRejiy2jfvDX9wvTRVm8B6QRWLmB5QHtX9i5dl5DEXrcrhd9MSvzcmivhvvzKF4oHO6n-SzC4PD6lYhE_kPshTzLWef_SvqVSt8g17OGDmxSdwDxP2bxSjATve5f-YAyO2cL3HTwmPjwVWj7sQKz/s1910/Screenshot_20231018_203800_Gallery.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1910" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha-9aUemkHzQHVHCNw9CLTV-oLIn3I4oAAeRejiy2jfvDX9wvTRVm8B6QRWLmB5QHtX9i5dl5DEXrcrhd9MSvzcmivhvvzKF4oHO6n-SzC4PD6lYhE_kPshTzLWef_SvqVSt8g17OGDmxSdwDxP2bxSjATve5f-YAyO2cL3HTwmPjwVWj7sQKz/w640-h362/Screenshot_20231018_203800_Gallery.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Streams were cold and swift</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0B6ArHpQlvxj2EOHYCMFpz7uykOx8faJquoHMQd2O9q9qVvjlPSfGytKzhWn36lB7sf_ShgHb50USgoNMw-i0RqK96Z8oYyCG7jmO6gJ1bPvmSHpv6zx4gsqujsOrIAwuCHm0ZyHReBJAidNqu_y0F1ZpOZt9P8_Vllw55pR7H0Hdt50837oh/s1897/Screenshot_20231018_204040_Gallery.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1897" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0B6ArHpQlvxj2EOHYCMFpz7uykOx8faJquoHMQd2O9q9qVvjlPSfGytKzhWn36lB7sf_ShgHb50USgoNMw-i0RqK96Z8oYyCG7jmO6gJ1bPvmSHpv6zx4gsqujsOrIAwuCHm0ZyHReBJAidNqu_y0F1ZpOZt9P8_Vllw55pR7H0Hdt50837oh/w640-h364/Screenshot_20231018_204040_Gallery.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the road to Pirinoa<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYnZVIFxX6ufJvIGsddjGvGPFzSUS9hmbqVfQYnn_jgvArFEwzzJZBCAi56Xqz4cKARUvcAYawVX-ltN5spHLQkY5-a1SN1kauvHv3jdPCWp14PPG68ZjEHUl18ejySvoNvLbJ5wq-kutbuCCAqHNP1kOBN-HIdtNuLNNZKzbOacCs55ncgYN-/s4080/20231001_055333.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3060" data-original-width="4080" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYnZVIFxX6ufJvIGsddjGvGPFzSUS9hmbqVfQYnn_jgvArFEwzzJZBCAi56Xqz4cKARUvcAYawVX-ltN5spHLQkY5-a1SN1kauvHv3jdPCWp14PPG68ZjEHUl18ejySvoNvLbJ5wq-kutbuCCAqHNP1kOBN-HIdtNuLNNZKzbOacCs55ncgYN-/w640-h480/20231001_055333.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pirinoia, about 5 degrees at 6 am.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiALEe0fxtKUy6RRqJbKa9Eej2tEkLEfl28u7s0GGfL9aWDo8lc7PYUJY4Zh_VIBO4SMecUIJVC244Xv4TaOlY-fVniFLLm5uaOZ_sSVkylUhzWZVFEeIDWpE71ksSvjt_WXG1FCh3eCxbUUU1E9CC45R6NTD6-ztQtQ654Sr_LaPWVtDNpSPMF/s8160/20231001_065534.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6120" data-original-width="8160" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiALEe0fxtKUy6RRqJbKa9Eej2tEkLEfl28u7s0GGfL9aWDo8lc7PYUJY4Zh_VIBO4SMecUIJVC244Xv4TaOlY-fVniFLLm5uaOZ_sSVkylUhzWZVFEeIDWpE71ksSvjt_WXG1FCh3eCxbUUU1E9CC45R6NTD6-ztQtQ654Sr_LaPWVtDNpSPMF/w640-h480/20231001_065534.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIxazOk-2b9NkKDvVxxUDuvMacwt6LgQGlF0jDwXA5KTVtDbB642zEPjdXxTS5FPyGHZKOljIhAYzuA4CAI8G_iOosTywMTzentBoqkmApTelsUJX2EoiAXUZ69mEQMhSgU-Z3P4wxjw_45PbxNLItQEiYoEvvdd1-rh8UicpbNiLdqrkq26as/s4080/20231001_080751.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3060" data-original-width="4080" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIxazOk-2b9NkKDvVxxUDuvMacwt6LgQGlF0jDwXA5KTVtDbB642zEPjdXxTS5FPyGHZKOljIhAYzuA4CAI8G_iOosTywMTzentBoqkmApTelsUJX2EoiAXUZ69mEQMhSgU-Z3P4wxjw_45PbxNLItQEiYoEvvdd1-rh8UicpbNiLdqrkq26as/w640-h480/20231001_080751.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matt making us a coffee at Ngawi at 8 am. We sure needed that.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkF2S7e8v2h_XTKpYIoUug9PEB5pFVkm7vHzS7yGSpnKLNHlEjp7kSxSvEHduz_BrRBx9EI9LWcSxl97nDWYnts2C5r0giL30YiC4e_xMF8GYTBJb6GjbAVn29-QJJqATHPhvQ-t3CaAwkoqNaXPyZdtwKDYJk4r-_ukUk0jK-G9I0CS_jKjkE/s4080/20231001_094842%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3060" data-original-width="4080" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkF2S7e8v2h_XTKpYIoUug9PEB5pFVkm7vHzS7yGSpnKLNHlEjp7kSxSvEHduz_BrRBx9EI9LWcSxl97nDWYnts2C5r0giL30YiC4e_xMF8GYTBJb6GjbAVn29-QJJqATHPhvQ-t3CaAwkoqNaXPyZdtwKDYJk4r-_ukUk0jK-G9I0CS_jKjkE/w640-h480/20231001_094842%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heading to White Rock</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg9dUBw4sDiV1SUa-DOu7jIufO56dKEXq4TU1hCv_GCumLXGE7mUXZd7rzCIjC5G8Z8YO0hu9IFBUwZmfbjpIEAbo49WcRqLjbClxJIH_6NqxeDlvrAP1owR1qJxhu7JwHe_ZnfYMFwNGNPDk0ED4k-gq5v_OfzWwecBU-L_re_UJ1gh9FwutQ/s4080/20231001_100936.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3060" data-original-width="4080" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg9dUBw4sDiV1SUa-DOu7jIufO56dKEXq4TU1hCv_GCumLXGE7mUXZd7rzCIjC5G8Z8YO0hu9IFBUwZmfbjpIEAbo49WcRqLjbClxJIH_6NqxeDlvrAP1owR1qJxhu7JwHe_ZnfYMFwNGNPDk0ED4k-gq5v_OfzWwecBU-L_re_UJ1gh9FwutQ/w640-h480/20231001_100936.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9xeP3xGY1djnhGr2IdtnToAJTo-25wc2U8cyzZ-Lu2EdFNYb4QjP6k8PTH_-EGdwpEBOju5QxiioEFNf6rahQ5qJkfNxO8UN3SQgEotiIHIOhXVQQtJTeaVVYhM4RH-uAZDiCYL1kq4WEJAVXSzqr0PK4DomPjx3i2IYM_HhmuA7HXX7I9IXH/s4080/20231001_101202.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3060" data-original-width="4080" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9xeP3xGY1djnhGr2IdtnToAJTo-25wc2U8cyzZ-Lu2EdFNYb4QjP6k8PTH_-EGdwpEBOju5QxiioEFNf6rahQ5qJkfNxO8UN3SQgEotiIHIOhXVQQtJTeaVVYhM4RH-uAZDiCYL1kq4WEJAVXSzqr0PK4DomPjx3i2IYM_HhmuA7HXX7I9IXH/w640-h480/20231001_101202.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Near Mataopera Stream</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGMH5WW3ZB8I-qY5sZSgc1fm1TlPfdKcGr8BRguoXepct5_17G1MwF7m896jpDljNj2BgOuNwUcw2PLyNcRZesDFp379QKjyxarsBkqo8QXsyVS8sA_VFUF-0ItQC6UGr1RekndNDG2u7kVXWjtY652f9AevOJEnqQ3WB7FqS4RYmnRUU6Mnpk/s4080/20231001_103834.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3060" data-original-width="4080" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGMH5WW3ZB8I-qY5sZSgc1fm1TlPfdKcGr8BRguoXepct5_17G1MwF7m896jpDljNj2BgOuNwUcw2PLyNcRZesDFp379QKjyxarsBkqo8QXsyVS8sA_VFUF-0ItQC6UGr1RekndNDG2u7kVXWjtY652f9AevOJEnqQ3WB7FqS4RYmnRUU6Mnpk/w640-h480/20231001_103834.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Jeff's bike stories and links from Wellington New Zealand</div>El jefehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00411840288979303062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15091028.post-53474819789636703322023-07-06T21:20:00.031+12:002023-08-01T08:25:26.704+12:00UrbanGrinduro - 2023<h2 style="text-align: left;"> UrbanGrinduro - 2023 - July 30th</h2><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvKjI1pBaEfQXJBf-ukAAN-ntdjms6a6b06hgnAmyOOO3RzE3oZkfjhliNLUkuZefMTi-W3WVqQlPRmAafRACZaSdp7H-czRTjM_wP-HjHiAYghzbbWLT2dMPuyTA77u6r9mmvDkViLGe1imr9PYzjxFrOb7gY3uQ-O4ok-suUSntlYJBgXYye/s91/shroom.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="91" data-original-width="73" height="91" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvKjI1pBaEfQXJBf-ukAAN-ntdjms6a6b06hgnAmyOOO3RzE3oZkfjhliNLUkuZefMTi-W3WVqQlPRmAafRACZaSdp7H-czRTjM_wP-HjHiAYghzbbWLT2dMPuyTA77u6r9mmvDkViLGe1imr9PYzjxFrOb7gY3uQ-O4ok-suUSntlYJBgXYye/s1600/shroom.png" width="73" /></a></div><div>Congratulations to everyone that turned up to do the second Urbangrinduro!</div><div>We had mint conditions and a great vibe among underbikers and overbikers alike.</div><div><br /></div><div>Here is the course if anyone wants to do it again, maybe even set an FKT !<br /><a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/9546752050">https://www.strava.com/activities/9546752050</a> also, the segment here:<br /><a href="https://www.strava.com/segments/35038454">https://www.strava.com/segments/35038454</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks heaps to all the people that took photos and especially the guys at <a href="https://shed22wellington.co.nz/" target="_blank">Shed 22</a> who fenced off an area for us so we didn't stink up the joint too much!</div><div><br /></div><div>The Urbangrinduro course from 2021 can be found here:<br /><a href="https://www.strava.com/segments/29989611">https://www.strava.com/segments/29989611</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Cheers, <a href="https://jeffsbike.blogspot.com/p/contact-form.html">Jeff</a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3EOkVpWnQ_fKJWPEWGAW8ZEJni9KduDAzFOvdbNjt60wqCjpZDTgqo9mmGtI-wJZ3JgSs5kBT-X5MvqweLzGQlhWE034lcOLY1Wd7XID9ORqGznbeXyCHm54IRt_-AENBvsOqnRJo9dBPaAl83psZAO5CMRxkELe9LgMS3ifszqY3_lHdQzMy/s2048/URBn.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3EOkVpWnQ_fKJWPEWGAW8ZEJni9KduDAzFOvdbNjt60wqCjpZDTgqo9mmGtI-wJZ3JgSs5kBT-X5MvqweLzGQlhWE034lcOLY1Wd7XID9ORqGznbeXyCHm54IRt_-AENBvsOqnRJo9dBPaAl83psZAO5CMRxkELe9LgMS3ifszqY3_lHdQzMy/w640-h480/URBn.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div><br /></div><div><b>LAST UPDATE 2pm 29/07/2023</b><br /><br /></div><div>I just did a reccie of the second part of the course, most of which I had not done. It was very cool. A couple of things to note.</div><div><br /></div><div>The course is so squirrely you will have to follow your GPS very closely if you want to follow the course exactly, not that it really matters! Set the resolution to 50m if you can. 300m was not doing it for me on one of my two GPSes.</div><div><br /></div><div>It's also wet out there. The CX riders will enjoy a few bits of wet off-camber after Mt Albert !</div><div><br /></div><div>Also, the course is only 37 kms, but the climbs, though short are sometimes steep. Bring stuff to eat and drink !</div><div><br /></div><div>There are also a couple of tight twisty downhill segments on wet asphalt. They also have green lichen and wet leaves on them. Be very careful on these bits. I am probably going to walk some of them. Steep ashphalt can be very unforgiving.</div><div><br /></div><div>Please remember the trails are used by others, in particular, dog walkers near Tawatawa reserve, and walkers on Highbury Fling, so please be courteous.</div><div><br /></div><div>Ikigai/Serendipidty is probably your best place if you want to go fast. Mt Vic looked good today but as usual will have lots of walkers. </div><div><br /></div><div>If it gets a bit much at any time you know you can always straight to Shed 22, (Macs brew bar).</div><div><br /></div><div>Hit me up with any questions. </div><div>Cheers, Jeff</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><p></p><p><b>LAST UPDATE: 6:25pm Monday - </b><b>24/07/2023 </b></p><p><b>Summary-</b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Starts 9am at Transient Track, Polhill/Waimapihi Te Aro</b></li><li><b>Finishes at Shed 22 Queens Wharf pub (Macs Brew bar).</b></li></ul><p></p><p>Hi folks. Here is the latest update for the Revolution Bicycles Urban Grinduro! In exchange for naming rights Jonty has promised to make you all an expresso if you visit him at 69 Ottawa Road in Ngaio. Jonty is one of Wellington's original MTBing pioneers and knows a few cool trails.</p><p><b>9am Sunday 30th of July</b>- we start at Waimapihi (Polhill) at the bottom of Transient, ride up Clinical, Highbury Fling, Sawmill Track, down Ikigai Serendipidy and then back up Transient. From there we head down and across Brooklyn and head into a completely new to me trail that pops us out on the Golf Course in Island Bay. We take in some cool new uphill singletrack over that way before hooking in to Mt Albert, eventually taking in some more new stuff (that I haven't ridden), and ultimately exiting via Mt Vic to visit a pub in town - Shed 22 on the Wharf, opposite Circa/Te Papa</p><p><b>Download GPS files below</b><br />If you have an old school Garmin like an Etrex, you can drag n drop the GPX into your GPX folder no probs. If you have a modern Edge styled Garmin you will have to upload using Garmin-connect or RidewithGPS or however you do it. We will endeavour to have a regroup at the tops of some of the climbs so we don't get too strung out. Although maybe strung-out might be good. We don't want to make nuisances of ourselves.</p><p><b>What the course looks like<br /></b><a href="https://www.gpsvisualizer.com/display/20230723165504-15130-map.html">https://www.gpsvisualizer.com/display/20230723165504-15130-map.html</a></p><p><b>What it looks like in RidewithGPS <br /></b><a href="https://ridewithgps.com/trips/129066027">https://ridewithgps.com/trips/129066027</a></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Download the GPX file from <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/5migrxgqlecf85rg94rmn/URBANGRINDO-combined-S-22.gpx?rlkey=uqj93em6l10c2faak2edcrerd&dl=0" target="_blank">Dropbox here</a> </li><li>Download the TCX file from <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/0l9oxa0h81zk5ae7c4vvd/UGRDO-COMBO.tcx?rlkey=wjxswwqu4t77w3c1ini5iaj0d&dl=0" target="_blank">Dropbox here</a></li></ul><p></p><p>If you can't load the GPS file onto your GPS or phone you could just try to wing it and ride with someone who has the GPS course loaded! </p><p>The course is around 37 kms with around 1100 metres climbing. <br /><br />Cheers, <a href="https://jeffsbike.blogspot.com/p/contact-form.html">Jeff</a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhHc2MRLYg3qZG2M5Z8zB_CsL_rapd3Z6aZFH2h26vVKqIMShaGdom-ayL8Pi55nIzkVYOhO3UaKkS86gB2vEHNOzPkyaJqg-xIpKO5RdVuHG0CxqqE04tPCuYRNkPeAZscpiQCZAZ0yJJ_zpPweC-9-Xei1JwJMZp5GXPY9IPVQjnAzjAy53j/s1200/Urban-grinduropic.jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1200" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhHc2MRLYg3qZG2M5Z8zB_CsL_rapd3Z6aZFH2h26vVKqIMShaGdom-ayL8Pi55nIzkVYOhO3UaKkS86gB2vEHNOzPkyaJqg-xIpKO5RdVuHG0CxqqE04tPCuYRNkPeAZscpiQCZAZ0yJJ_zpPweC-9-Xei1JwJMZp5GXPY9IPVQjnAzjAy53j/w640-h480/Urban-grinduropic.jpg.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://revolutionbicycles.co.nz/">Revolution Bicycles >></a></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Jeff's bike stories and links from Wellington New Zealand</div>El jefehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00411840288979303062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15091028.post-91693265286718364392023-07-05T12:53:00.001+12:002023-07-05T12:58:49.882+12:00Somebody has been eating SRAMs lunch<p> For the last few years somebody has been eating SRAM's lunch, and SRAM
have finally caught onto it. When they launched their 12 speed road
groupset in <b>2019</b> it was wireless only. The heavier and way more
expensive wireless kit was financially out of the reach of a lot of
people. SRAM had officially turned its back on cable gears for 12 speed
road/gravel and left a big hole in the market for people who didn't
think that you should have to pay a premium just to charge their
derailleurs.<br /><br />Enter <a href="https://ratiotechnology.com/" target="_blank">Ratio-Technology</a>. Armed with the knowledge
that SRAM road levers are actually an easily tunable item for the home
mechanic, they started making solutions to fill the gaping hole that
SRAM had left them. Starting with a <a href="https://ratiotechnology.com/product/1x12-wide-rear-cable/" target="_blank">redesigned cable fin to change the leverage of the derailleur and a new ratchet</a> that now had the ability to
shift 12 gears, it was game on. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhFuhqV9GDxRp04rfcOngQm6x9hrbxs72WU76c7oapENGM08hlPj-hEf0t2jLYCysm62W-iNIG82cn4T94oUWZPDL-utHPNY6RIDkrd2c4vL7VGLmMyGXdYq3Iz2aurUxIOo0ORjDXkj7gjgC3zeKGORi_99-X4lsQcffMe-OPlcB9UBXcHtNJ/s2560/SKU002-scaled.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="2560" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhFuhqV9GDxRp04rfcOngQm6x9hrbxs72WU76c7oapENGM08hlPj-hEf0t2jLYCysm62W-iNIG82cn4T94oUWZPDL-utHPNY6RIDkrd2c4vL7VGLmMyGXdYq3Iz2aurUxIOo0ORjDXkj7gjgC3zeKGORi_99-X4lsQcffMe-OPlcB9UBXcHtNJ/w200-h200/SKU002-scaled.jpg" width="200" /></a></div> Not only did this upgrade work
on the modern hyraulic SRAM road system, it also worked on the older
groupset, SRAM Red - 10 and 11 speed, probably the lightest modern road
gruppo there ever was, before the advances of hydraulic braking and
electric gears became popular, forcing the weights up.<br /><br />Timing was
good and with gravel becoming mainstream people were doing all sorts of
really cool things empowered by Ratio-technology's hot-rodding of
SRAM's "cabled" ecosystem. Mullet derailleur set-ups were now doable in
cable, not just wireless. <br /><br />An MTB rear deraillieur with road
shifters was a pretty cool thing, especially with a big increase in
Bikepackers going to drop-bars. But Ratio-tech didnt stop there. They
next built a <a href="https://ratiotechnology.com/product/ratio-derailleur-cage/" target="_blank">replacement cage for the SRAM derailleurs</a> so you could
increase the range. A "gravel" derailleur that originally shifted to a
36 or a 42 could now shift to a 52 with their new cage. That is some
serious climbing ability right there. <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZRws9uvfEs7Lt6oOrUFPx9rTUK6q0PfRqO0ThK7QKHbIRAEAT2_OeNtL6sLhbSwltlsErs0_7IRDtMEhpY4oY7koMdZAP0cEyNo97LK2uyYKOd0Ai8Ie8LEfYC_5TYzNQGATo7tKTTDxII3D77MekT0VByiJ9trsYkZVA8hP58xJu8fYd5gRR/s2560/IMG_2805-scaled.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="2560" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZRws9uvfEs7Lt6oOrUFPx9rTUK6q0PfRqO0ThK7QKHbIRAEAT2_OeNtL6sLhbSwltlsErs0_7IRDtMEhpY4oY7koMdZAP0cEyNo97LK2uyYKOd0Ai8Ie8LEfYC_5TYzNQGATo7tKTTDxII3D77MekT0VByiJ9trsYkZVA8hP58xJu8fYd5gRR/w200-h200/IMG_2805-scaled.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />So thanks to
Ratio-technology, you have a massive range, and the ability to shift to
11, 12 and wait for it, 13 gears. Yes, they also build a ratchet that
lets you use the <a href="https://ratiotechnology.com/product/1x13-upgrade-kit/" target="_blank">Campagnolo 13 speed cassette and chain</a> in an otherwise
completely SRAM set-up. They also build their own special <a href="https://ratiotechnology.com/product/ratio-ring-12-13-speed-5-bolt-110-bcd/" target="_blank">chain-rings</a> and a lighter replacement cage for damaged <a href="https://ratiotechnology.com/product/sr52x-derailleur-cage/" target="_blank">SRAM AXS derailleurs</a>. <br /><br />And
that's not all, they do kits that let you swap out the way the <a href="https://ratiotechnology.com/product/1x12-wide-rear-cable/" target="_blank">cable enters your derailleur.</a> Why is this important? A lot of gravel bikes
have the derailleur cable exiting at the very end of the chain stay,
which is not compatible with the cable entry point of a SRAM MTB
derailleur. <br /><br />SRAM have finally read the memo and a few weeks ago
announced that they are now launching a new <a href="https://bikepacking.com/news/sram-apex-eagle-xplr-12-speed/" target="_blank">12 speed drop-bar cable solution at the Apex level</a>. It seems to fill some of the gaps but if you
already have an existing system, what not just upgrade the internals?<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLXS1tlEBuqERsHfosRVjQmZRaD62UP8JmFKije5g0e3DJHBSHoT0LolNwxvJONlD9CJ3RgZOOXBM9oB81gpxrBSQVCZtgJOTKCd3tC203Nem_i7HkIR9tp1Hxz8iVehHIrJVfESKwaMo0h2WlPq1Dcz5vFJEh7i6W3bpO0T9E5epjc07Ionsc/s2560/SKU0037-40T-Front-1-scaled.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="2560" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLXS1tlEBuqERsHfosRVjQmZRaD62UP8JmFKije5g0e3DJHBSHoT0LolNwxvJONlD9CJ3RgZOOXBM9oB81gpxrBSQVCZtgJOTKCd3tC203Nem_i7HkIR9tp1Hxz8iVehHIrJVfESKwaMo0h2WlPq1Dcz5vFJEh7i6W3bpO0T9E5epjc07Ionsc/w200-h200/SKU0037-40T-Front-1-scaled.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Ratio-technology
is a solutions based outfit so it will be interesting to see what they
do next. All the kits they they build are presented with comprehensive instructions on
their site <a href="https://ratiotechnology.com/" target="_blank">here</a>.<br /><br />I recently gave up on 2x on my gravel bike,
concerned that my chain drops were going to eventually wear a hole
through my BB, mostly due to not having a clutched rear derailleur.<br /><br />I
ordered the Ratio-tech extender cage which I mated with an existing
Rival derailleur body and have had a trouble free run with it so far
using a Garbaruk 11-50 11 speed cassette. I didn't want to shell out for
12 speed compatible wheels at this point given my current stock of
barely worn 11 speed cassettes. The option is there with the purchase of
Ratio-technology's 12 speed ratchet when I need it. Folks want options!<p></p><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCpzUm8i61WHzBAEwOxiNZxhL4iR4XF5P37FxxsQDR5FoBMGWFMU7qtMUehMSvpU9R2V4Oz-VNRz4o4Kz4pL79FuBvRN2SVHwMS0s_aW8k2kB6ErrV72DnU6OGbFn13TM1xZahblqC_6-WAmeppqh2DDwD-2Oxu8uJH4XS0Zpog47vxtrR6h-D/s4623/20230324_123517.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3461" data-original-width="4623" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCpzUm8i61WHzBAEwOxiNZxhL4iR4XF5P37FxxsQDR5FoBMGWFMU7qtMUehMSvpU9R2V4Oz-VNRz4o4Kz4pL79FuBvRN2SVHwMS0s_aW8k2kB6ErrV72DnU6OGbFn13TM1xZahblqC_6-WAmeppqh2DDwD-2Oxu8uJH4XS0Zpog47vxtrR6h-D/w640-h480/20230324_123517.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxdHvqViIeMGy5CoeiaxVKslYH8YMS02wyQovhPQ4V6CC8_I1vLDD9Y3MwjayfZg607L2MnlPQNZsYLrpqIiyjJrPEp__qGHuWf8fSs3G4n8YFMXUv9xPqv0xgj77aDwCTDIVPYmSSJzUFPQhg-novIyzhEoiS-AQS_xgbqoOpE99x_5K8ALEW/s4623/20230324_123541.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3461" data-original-width="4623" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxdHvqViIeMGy5CoeiaxVKslYH8YMS02wyQovhPQ4V6CC8_I1vLDD9Y3MwjayfZg607L2MnlPQNZsYLrpqIiyjJrPEp__qGHuWf8fSs3G4n8YFMXUv9xPqv0xgj77aDwCTDIVPYmSSJzUFPQhg-novIyzhEoiS-AQS_xgbqoOpE99x_5K8ALEW/w640-h480/20230324_123541.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ9CPGuQs9vrrCgkc2VX1-bQj17RzMlUKVSXY6M8S7stztHg8d4m2ZtCwTvzYTDOrKVcrMZPGBDsWJzkbcOXudkc4skGEeNzAYqL1mfFZQ9-LiZOOwRi-XYrLNF_quJEA41E9haRZgbMrg9oreEpGKTZSaZ035ZPfA3pXg46BxtafBU1Mikquc/s4623/20230422_171935.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3461" data-original-width="4623" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ9CPGuQs9vrrCgkc2VX1-bQj17RzMlUKVSXY6M8S7stztHg8d4m2ZtCwTvzYTDOrKVcrMZPGBDsWJzkbcOXudkc4skGEeNzAYqL1mfFZQ9-LiZOOwRi-XYrLNF_quJEA41E9haRZgbMrg9oreEpGKTZSaZ035ZPfA3pXg46BxtafBU1Mikquc/w640-h480/20230422_171935.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIQe3pZZUjAFSjqCVH4nfimgjsUZd9EAKLcRaqBDPlQmgix2xlwWnMEwWbQ2xqefMqxwxBFilQDLLPGtR81j0LgYE3UDlejoFCOv3QNTSIGMsayo9a_3Hfvxten2l7AUwhnHfbo6MxeUJpnQH0SiT-9IDLDan6dBLLioXZA-fSjAZfLdXIb4hb/s4623/20230422_172009.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3461" data-original-width="4623" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIQe3pZZUjAFSjqCVH4nfimgjsUZd9EAKLcRaqBDPlQmgix2xlwWnMEwWbQ2xqefMqxwxBFilQDLLPGtR81j0LgYE3UDlejoFCOv3QNTSIGMsayo9a_3Hfvxten2l7AUwhnHfbo6MxeUJpnQH0SiT-9IDLDan6dBLLioXZA-fSjAZfLdXIb4hb/w640-h480/20230422_172009.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKAXsff5MFcLU_Tt7IDuTdqtlNz3D6DRMmJPQOim3PLw6O1t1JqSQrPvXGFSKaPuexNlCk91WmzxmMPiOX3VbHzw8q9wxc_o4-ll1BdnFhYdTUwFXK7wxonBrnv_2k16LMle8tVWxNVrXZ1V8nBmxL5QG4hA8pjOH3rQqNUTe1tXaTLV4XggI5/s4623/20230422_172020.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3461" data-original-width="4623" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKAXsff5MFcLU_Tt7IDuTdqtlNz3D6DRMmJPQOim3PLw6O1t1JqSQrPvXGFSKaPuexNlCk91WmzxmMPiOX3VbHzw8q9wxc_o4-ll1BdnFhYdTUwFXK7wxonBrnv_2k16LMle8tVWxNVrXZ1V8nBmxL5QG4hA8pjOH3rQqNUTe1tXaTLV4XggI5/w640-h480/20230422_172020.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /><br /><br /></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Jeff's bike stories and links from Wellington New Zealand</div>El jefehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00411840288979303062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15091028.post-21315694768054359432023-02-06T22:04:00.008+13:002023-02-06T22:45:28.954+13:00Dawn chorus phone alarm download<p style="text-align: left;"> One day as I awoke half groggy I said to my wife - "Did you hear the birds this morning, they were so loud", then I realized that it was actually my phone alarm that woke me up. I had recorded the Tui's in our back yard, and was using the recording as an alarm on my phone. So I decided to make a nice "Dawn chorus" ring-tone/alarm to share. All of these birds were just recorded by myself on my phone and I have joined them in order, with the most mellow first. They progressively get more raucous.</p><p>Riroriro >> Tui >> Kaka</p><p>I also have some cool Tieke calls, and seagulls fighting over fish and chips, but I wouldn't want you to wake up to that. <br /><br />You can download the file below via my Dropbox. <br /><a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/jtz4mt9kc2ha2oi/dawn-chorus-m4a.m4a?dl=0"><b>m4a</b></a> file (best for Apple) also works on Android.<br /><b><a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/tmih6z875zz8w9q/dawn-chorus-ogg.ogg?dl=0">ogg</a></b> file Android.<br /><a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/76s041ijhpv52qz/dawn-chorus-mp3.mp3?dl=0"><b>mp3</b></a> file Android.<br /><br />You don't have to be a Dropbox member to download stuff, even though it can try to confuse you into signing up. The "download" experience (from Dropbox) varies a lot from phone to phone, largely due to what browser you use, and what flavour of Android you have. Ditto if you are downloading it on a computer. The experience for enabling the new sound file in your phone also varies a lot. </p><p>You have 2 main goals. </p><p>1. Download/get the sound file onto your phone.<br />2. Open your alarm app, and go into the settings to add the new sound file. </p><p><b>How to</b><br />If you click on one of the links above on your Android Phone you should be able to play the sound, see if you like it, if you do, look about on the Dropbox webpage to try to "Download", "Save" or "Export" the file. Then "Save to device/Downloads". It should then save in the Downloads area of your phone. From here you could move it to the "Notifications", "Alarms" or Ringtones folder on your phone. Or maybe your phone will let it work from the downloads folder, YMMV. Some phones are more fussy than others. Most Samsung phones have a file manager called "My Files" which lets you move stuff around, just like windows does.</p><p>The next thing to do is to go to the app you use for your clock/alarms and select the downloaded sound file by navigating back to where you stored it. All clock/alarm apps will be different.</p><p>For Iphone users I believe you will have to save the sound file into Itunes and sync it over to your phone.</p><p><b>Koha<br /></b>Feel free to make a small koha using the Paypal link on the right, its not compulsory. Just share the love of our amazing birdlife! Questions - contact me <a href="https://jeffsbike.blogspot.com/p/contact-form.html"><b>here</b></a>.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuGU9d_XU0FTDEIPSCq33wXQcwsw1UbS2w85aNcgC56nBt7slN4j8DstHT_h_FvuXJsbp3J5WsMMshtAZ5s9sVYNhYmUb9tLt9VFTjKRT6UnHLVAfm_1WUJaE4tTsKWpj68z37XJDR7r5eAp7M5CucglF2YTPrtEs5os_ygWhK4yf-oo_sFA/s4032/20221224_105850.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuGU9d_XU0FTDEIPSCq33wXQcwsw1UbS2w85aNcgC56nBt7slN4j8DstHT_h_FvuXJsbp3J5WsMMshtAZ5s9sVYNhYmUb9tLt9VFTjKRT6UnHLVAfm_1WUJaE4tTsKWpj68z37XJDR7r5eAp7M5CucglF2YTPrtEs5os_ygWhK4yf-oo_sFA/w640-h480/20221224_105850.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is George, or L-44155. That's probably his call at the end of the recording. <br />When George says wake up, you should probably listen. He can get pretty raucous.</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Jeff's bike stories and links from Wellington New Zealand</div>El jefehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00411840288979303062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15091028.post-83534542640483471002023-01-15T18:02:00.020+13:002023-02-08T20:00:10.671+13:00The Renegades Muster bikepacking event. <p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The Renegades Muster - day 1</b></span></p><p>The Renegades Muster is the brainchild of Tahi Cunningham. An 840 odd kilometre loop that starts in Wanganui and takes in Whangamomona, Ohura, the 42nd Traverse and a bunch of other trails, crossing through private land on several occasions. It's the access to new routes via private farmland that makes courses like this, and the Tour Te Waipounamu so special. It takes a lot of effort to develop the required relationships needed to pull this kind of event off, as if there wasn't enough opposition from the climate. Tahi was continually building alternative "plan-B" routes in case a particular trail was still inaccessible due to the slips and washouts that kept popping up. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWKj1L8pxn--kO0i0z8kYxV94tOQMWQazI2ZUnFjgMsAOJqPs6BaspvgP3ZHfh14N3o58YdkW7V9Je7SFUVBCaz5zj_4d7lVBEjMRRMiSj3X8zX-zbOAPZrw_E4fEAmKxwMUPJLJuAvhSbSLPhhJYGckL8cnyr5DD0hT9lbZRADKtYGBKKRw/s1525/RM-map.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="798" data-original-width="1525" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWKj1L8pxn--kO0i0z8kYxV94tOQMWQazI2ZUnFjgMsAOJqPs6BaspvgP3ZHfh14N3o58YdkW7V9Je7SFUVBCaz5zj_4d7lVBEjMRRMiSj3X8zX-zbOAPZrw_E4fEAmKxwMUPJLJuAvhSbSLPhhJYGckL8cnyr5DD0hT9lbZRADKtYGBKKRw/w640-h334/RM-map.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>My buddy Chris Shaw had said that he was keen to do it again, as it was running in the opposite direction to previous years and there had been a few changes to the course, including the addition of the 42nd Traverse segment, which was added, in the "uphill" direction of course, just to make it a bit more spicy.</p><p>I knew Chris would be good company, as the only builder I know with a Phd there is always plenty to talk about. And Neil Adersley, Chris's buddy was also fun to ride with. Banter is pretty essential on these rides, as the time just flies as the BS flows. I was surprised to find that Neil's political views and musical tastes were compatible with mine so we probably spent the whole ride going "I know, I know!" and finishing off the next verse of whatever song the other was singing, although I never did get "Camptown races" nailed in its entirety.</p><p>Chris is the ultimate planner and assured me that we could crack it out in under 4 days without trying too hard, which I was happy with. I was content to just wing it as far as accommodation went, but Chris had some spots in mind that proved invaluable. The pre-event accommodation he sorted for Neil and I in Wanganui was also top notch.</p><p>One of the best parts of the Bikepacking scene is catching up with the usual suspects, and there were a few there. Bryce Lorcet and the Coastal crew were present and there were a few names I'd only seen as dots while following other events, Grant Guise being one. </p><p>The start of the event was neutralized because of some work being done on a bridge about 20 kms out of town so we had to all stick together until then - in theory.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwZpsKLyDRVlVugcP-EwMxOcw7Oy0RDY9clRbD5TifKHIkX4QV80EqIWacTRUmwSaaenmIwx16zuzpSWsBLsQOEN8RJizhBZs10apjisQNdc4YNo93MmWKqG0Xu1G9XiIUaCcNlRw-JQLIpdOtpwAueh1P0mKPAJt2xT9mFe2qwY0w71n2Mw/s4032/out-of-Wanganui.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwZpsKLyDRVlVugcP-EwMxOcw7Oy0RDY9clRbD5TifKHIkX4QV80EqIWacTRUmwSaaenmIwx16zuzpSWsBLsQOEN8RJizhBZs10apjisQNdc4YNo93MmWKqG0Xu1G9XiIUaCcNlRw-JQLIpdOtpwAueh1P0mKPAJt2xT9mFe2qwY0w71n2Mw/w640-h480/out-of-Wanganui.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>The first bit of the ride was very scenic and relaxing and as we hit the bridge it became obvious that some folks were already gone. </p><p>I ended up chatting with Amy Kwong from <a href="https://www.instagram.com/paperroadsaotearoa/" target="_blank"><b>Paper Roads Aotearoa</b></a> for a bit. The Bikepacking gear she has been building is really fresh and as we chatted she was wondering out loud about potentially quitting her day job.</p><p>Later on I met a guy who it transpired was Evan Wolfe. He'd done the Tour Divide a few years back with a guy I'd ridden with before, Greg Galway. We chatted for a bit and Evan shared with me some hilarious stories about the competitive nature of Greg, or "Mosquito" as he is sometimes known. </p><p>We emerged onto the seal and before long we were heading head on into a pretty firm headwind. It seemed to go on for about 100 kms, but we were able to lap it out a bit at times. We passed Nathan Mawkes who was having a bit of a nana nap on the side of the road. We moved on to fuel up at Patea, then soldiered on to Hawera, where we had a lengthy stop for a Chinese meal. Luckily I ordered some chips as Chinese doesn't come with rice in Hawera it seems.</p><p>As we left town we saw <a href="https://www.instagram.com/wayward_riders/" target="_blank"><b>Andy Hovey</b></a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/eileenschwabnz/" target="_blank"><b>Eileen Schwab</b></a> just behind us but we seemed to lose to them on the next hill I think. Eileen and <a href="https://wildkiwi.site/"><b>Amanda Wells</b></a> were both riding incredibly strongly. Amanda's blog is a good read so I hope she posts her story one day.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOPISp6k85bQBirZFMu1ezqRQj14PYgxm0yNiIG8RGlZjDf8dWpN1-LouOeEzCs4shUbBlVsM5wwoGIXg1_fxM04s5LeGhutVfKOBW_end4VN3hUi3cEz1DEnDUFVpmWZ3ynvC8QW1z3Zbwq7zBtAayX-GqSeDv9qOf1wJrMf-w8mdnSKeHA/s4032/day-1-b.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOPISp6k85bQBirZFMu1ezqRQj14PYgxm0yNiIG8RGlZjDf8dWpN1-LouOeEzCs4shUbBlVsM5wwoGIXg1_fxM04s5LeGhutVfKOBW_end4VN3hUi3cEz1DEnDUFVpmWZ3ynvC8QW1z3Zbwq7zBtAayX-GqSeDv9qOf1wJrMf-w8mdnSKeHA/w640-h480/day-1-b.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoPrKwLSX8dRCsON6T8uH1Z7uzBeUrsm8MpQJdZrEyRTkfhA7EIawO03IAkbD3oKR3_KcBtcObOZCx0iJ6crWnzsfnMoP0OtFJwD6Bq-y0zM096yG566myUT29Q4o2I62jckjTKHMes18fI_ZiBJUYbxX318t1W5aJ14Zrxj6TnoJAYktJqA/s4032/day-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoPrKwLSX8dRCsON6T8uH1Z7uzBeUrsm8MpQJdZrEyRTkfhA7EIawO03IAkbD3oKR3_KcBtcObOZCx0iJ6crWnzsfnMoP0OtFJwD6Bq-y0zM096yG566myUT29Q4o2I62jckjTKHMes18fI_ZiBJUYbxX318t1W5aJ14Zrxj6TnoJAYktJqA/w640-h480/day-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>We rode on into the night and the hills became a bit more prevalent. I started to have a minor bonk, as I had lost a water bottle on a decent, and my new set-up meant I had poor access to food while I was actually riding. A real rookie mistake. </p><p>I had decided to ride my OPEN UP gravel bike, rather than an MTB, but the cockpit was too short to allow room for my feedbags and knees, while standing out of the saddle. Having food in a pack on your back is very inefficient when it comes to eating while you ride. We stopped at the Toko school so I could fill up my water bottles but I stumbled around in the dark, too addled to have gotten out my torch, so rode off empty handed. </p><p>As a result of Chris's excellent research we ended up stopping at a country hall at Tututawa, obviously once a single room country school. Chris set up his tent outside, under a tree near the swimming pool, Neil climbed into his bivvy sack on the deck, and I slept in the toilet, let's call it an ensuite. We had covered 256 kms, largely due to the smooth roads we were on for most of the day.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin1-OEDnsWpmJcJF1_ixmt11SeQ6-ZmGvg3_-NJh73KyO_NOHbOMcdT0OJneA7PnK7Gne4puCB721CVsCc15Zx9BxP9Q7b5jzqZBqaLQwn5_209LumpS74VJnSvp8bmyNWwx9XsJLvjbd3Kar4Qk3xQPEZTDjkOxbz0V-J5lmtcMeOfsMUew/s1126/IMG_20221102_150900_898.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1126" data-original-width="1126" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin1-OEDnsWpmJcJF1_ixmt11SeQ6-ZmGvg3_-NJh73KyO_NOHbOMcdT0OJneA7PnK7Gne4puCB721CVsCc15Zx9BxP9Q7b5jzqZBqaLQwn5_209LumpS74VJnSvp8bmyNWwx9XsJLvjbd3Kar4Qk3xQPEZTDjkOxbz0V-J5lmtcMeOfsMUew/w640-h640/IMG_20221102_150900_898.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">OPEN UP with 700 x 43 Panaracers and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/klite_dynamo_power" target="_blank">K-lite</a> Dynamo set-up</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg52YpyzUv4vHu__5Ylo7lJmvc2G6b13DbVUFWbCj9pCw3CAkjUXT3lV4vkyfKOxH9JSW-JK0ZINMvv80rxJkNYEBS6Wq8H_5_TCN4mUmq9pkSwyhZ5ojYu1kDDh_KjrDoZ2a9kXebifQCcuY_Us5DtJ4WrIcc52uO4E7I_B-llspSFyTYEHA/s3264/the-usual-suspects.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg52YpyzUv4vHu__5Ylo7lJmvc2G6b13DbVUFWbCj9pCw3CAkjUXT3lV4vkyfKOxH9JSW-JK0ZINMvv80rxJkNYEBS6Wq8H_5_TCN4mUmq9pkSwyhZ5ojYu1kDDh_KjrDoZ2a9kXebifQCcuY_Us5DtJ4WrIcc52uO4E7I_B-llspSFyTYEHA/w640-h480/the-usual-suspects.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "usual suspects". Around 65 started.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIr67OJv_MjQPWdLucw1qAJH3zgDlzNVmujpCOcBGgjG3k1p5PgGjDRm2PB7b0ucu_0Ew2k-i4IQbOmMwgvRX2n1SxmVN_IeJwVY5fpVrj8kCSTKK3qslplyKrnjwUln9oEmVJb7f-BQK9lJGrgs8U3h0o7NrypywJyc1Z2rKDdcuQg3WItQ/s4032/bill-front.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIr67OJv_MjQPWdLucw1qAJH3zgDlzNVmujpCOcBGgjG3k1p5PgGjDRm2PB7b0ucu_0Ew2k-i4IQbOmMwgvRX2n1SxmVN_IeJwVY5fpVrj8kCSTKK3qslplyKrnjwUln9oEmVJb7f-BQK9lJGrgs8U3h0o7NrypywJyc1Z2rKDdcuQg3WItQ/w640-h480/bill-front.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's always great to catch up with Bill Brierly to see what phantasmagorical creation he has created for his Bikepacking rig. This is his own carbon created aero-bar designed for speedy removal.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPeYKpoQg1jKdoYJi8jBqP57FPoXwez16ErlB8LcIRoN6JhOvJQR3O1sbjTiDCrhBqAeyWuXs5Nli7gEzcM6MlbpWtaM_jdo7c7kbjs0y8x51m_LArTU1BHunkhwkgyS8zy1QDD2mWJlXKXtjcWNTO6kDFM-25rhl6WGmMZO_OLsGzqwR-ug/s4032/bill-side.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPeYKpoQg1jKdoYJi8jBqP57FPoXwez16ErlB8LcIRoN6JhOvJQR3O1sbjTiDCrhBqAeyWuXs5Nli7gEzcM6MlbpWtaM_jdo7c7kbjs0y8x51m_LArTU1BHunkhwkgyS8zy1QDD2mWJlXKXtjcWNTO6kDFM-25rhl6WGmMZO_OLsGzqwR-ug/w640-h480/bill-side.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There are rumours that Bill turned down a job on the New Zealand Americas cup team in the carbon fibre division.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><b>Renegades Muster - Day 2</b></p><p>Our digs were first class and we rode off around 6am I am guessing. There was a fair bit of sealed road on this segment too, as we made our way to Whangamomona. We were all looking forward to this as we knew that the event organiser, Tahi, had set up a base there where riders could call in and refuel. Food never tasted so good. Although, luckily we weren't the earliest people there, as somehow when driving to the accommodation a pair of lithium batteries made it into Tahi's coffee machine. I am sure it would have knocked any bikepacking induced "mood swings" on the head straight away!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEVWzYH1_SU43Dghc2Og3DBYbBqXiZe5w8kBvrFo6Q1a0S6Mm-jQDO-XhQ0ihAujU2rlDa-tx434yzjt1QJROPUYTlf-mCsa0McvQTdj28b_B-u3Z0CP2Kqovt8F5mfUY6YO3aVYL8nh2F8CKeh4NhumO5L1NbOqkgFwB6Njlo60y1WQc-Fg/s4032/1-farm-climb-1.jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEVWzYH1_SU43Dghc2Og3DBYbBqXiZe5w8kBvrFo6Q1a0S6Mm-jQDO-XhQ0ihAujU2rlDa-tx434yzjt1QJROPUYTlf-mCsa0McvQTdj28b_B-u3Z0CP2Kqovt8F5mfUY6YO3aVYL8nh2F8CKeh4NhumO5L1NbOqkgFwB6Njlo60y1WQc-Fg/w640-h480/1-farm-climb-1.jpg.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinEoA93rjraOC7i69FLgkupLCkWchDII2OXBL7xvBUPJaeowrWewfJkuRiUPnqzyLGAbA04lnP0iS9Uy1znTvFf5eTv4fKkWEKrM5oVQW_dzThvW3xgHpiYg4Jn9riP4ECZeNZiiCxhDVh_l9qMM7s2vjtIDOcpPfzZawkvB1wyP2DQRluTQ/s4032/2-farm-hills.jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinEoA93rjraOC7i69FLgkupLCkWchDII2OXBL7xvBUPJaeowrWewfJkuRiUPnqzyLGAbA04lnP0iS9Uy1znTvFf5eTv4fKkWEKrM5oVQW_dzThvW3xgHpiYg4Jn9riP4ECZeNZiiCxhDVh_l9qMM7s2vjtIDOcpPfzZawkvB1wyP2DQRluTQ/w640-h480/2-farm-hills.jpg.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx8z6GChtlKuag_N45kOWHGXCuFu9bg6y5eXyKHfQuO7X7oo580QTeDjVuQ9ii_S2nTH3554WI3NCnaNurjhGx52Ycoi1qpAAhQteN5S7DUT4nmCFjWrsRGPN88XWEnkHtGIAb32h4UIW3M5zhxpcwDLIRi8gTLeuSg_HWg87-ZXaakHU4QQ/s4032/3-bushline.jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx8z6GChtlKuag_N45kOWHGXCuFu9bg6y5eXyKHfQuO7X7oo580QTeDjVuQ9ii_S2nTH3554WI3NCnaNurjhGx52Ycoi1qpAAhQteN5S7DUT4nmCFjWrsRGPN88XWEnkHtGIAb32h4UIW3M5zhxpcwDLIRi8gTLeuSg_HWg87-ZXaakHU4QQ/w640-h480/3-bushline.jpg.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvlWOWlchXzaZxs11Z6UCk4fi-kdTPNHuJ1_nU3mzMGpD-510sG5jsb72oFf5gk9NfP5ZQg5gdVxW3RITyD5Z1riadtExk-xXLKiYmHwVyIs96OrGjXIx7Mj5Zf5lCpZjuhrDIaeVJfemA1wMxIkytm5uo78qKTgeomxaou-ZENHzLJ1alGg/s3264/4-neil-climb.jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvlWOWlchXzaZxs11Z6UCk4fi-kdTPNHuJ1_nU3mzMGpD-510sG5jsb72oFf5gk9NfP5ZQg5gdVxW3RITyD5Z1riadtExk-xXLKiYmHwVyIs96OrGjXIx7Mj5Zf5lCpZjuhrDIaeVJfemA1wMxIkytm5uo78qKTgeomxaou-ZENHzLJ1alGg/w640-h480/4-neil-climb.jpg.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWT9FKLcwel7hjKOUOMdYCWo1QADmH7YTom_YEc0XQiWfhnYKLG72R_-mQNjE8SkSKjH5ZqkrF-KaEtL0Vh6BbvQyVXG15ieFTbGqP5I1EVA-FqnwUJF9zSGfTMqylAO79y4ReJSpU2Geafs2K0VniEc883m9aK-rAZw4MS80kBKG6ykEwxw/s4032/5-farm1.jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWT9FKLcwel7hjKOUOMdYCWo1QADmH7YTom_YEc0XQiWfhnYKLG72R_-mQNjE8SkSKjH5ZqkrF-KaEtL0Vh6BbvQyVXG15ieFTbGqP5I1EVA-FqnwUJF9zSGfTMqylAO79y4ReJSpU2Geafs2K0VniEc883m9aK-rAZw4MS80kBKG6ykEwxw/w640-h480/5-farm1.jpg.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC88ghytu7citKn0twZNPY_bqHpK7zUDU6-UE0UkjBsx8K1W_k_LezifCpc8z1S71eAjhijHyCwC5aofMql79gHHFXj81RWgpN5RNTi77T9GE4jF8bTfYYfPRcpKF-XnTkOzXw0YhYZV2kJLSirLbjemm-32xnn4B_PXLd9vzUXQ4TpuTsQA/s4032/6-whanga.jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC88ghytu7citKn0twZNPY_bqHpK7zUDU6-UE0UkjBsx8K1W_k_LezifCpc8z1S71eAjhijHyCwC5aofMql79gHHFXj81RWgpN5RNTi77T9GE4jF8bTfYYfPRcpKF-XnTkOzXw0YhYZV2kJLSirLbjemm-32xnn4B_PXLd9vzUXQ4TpuTsQA/w640-h480/6-whanga.jpg.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNWSHXnICaKs1zK3OlbiQJ6BdUdTD-egZM2awKv1qQ54DmIjojIUSlM3N6lzc3i5LHZrxymeMGNUKdtL3_HOJRnICw-U6gwxFkb-roif9yV26ycgSDcfKW155DxwQK-Dn7ej1rIThm3nLw86AI512ohNc23Xml2SGhpYlck4QtPyN0IFYdeg/s4032/7-lunch.jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNWSHXnICaKs1zK3OlbiQJ6BdUdTD-egZM2awKv1qQ54DmIjojIUSlM3N6lzc3i5LHZrxymeMGNUKdtL3_HOJRnICw-U6gwxFkb-roif9yV26ycgSDcfKW155DxwQK-Dn7ej1rIThm3nLw86AI512ohNc23Xml2SGhpYlck4QtPyN0IFYdeg/w640-h480/7-lunch.jpg.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The amazing spread at Whangamomona put on by Tahi Cunningham</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I didn't manage to get photos of any of the many tunnels that make up this route but it was a largely uneventful morning with some very lush farmland traversed as well.</p><p>With too much time on our hands and nothing else to do but ride and talk, we invented the term "Gate Fu". "Gate Fu" is that flow state that you can get into when riding in a group, and constantly stopping and starting to open gates through farmland. I couldn't tell you exactly how it works, you will know it when and if you experience it, probably something like this.<br />Rider 1, opens gate.<br />Rider 2, rides through and takes rider 1's bike.<br />Rider 3, rides right through to the next gate which he opens.<br />Rider 1 closes the 1st gate and gets his bike from rider 2.<br />Rider 1, rides on and takes rider 3's bike.<br />Rider 2 rides through to the next gate which he opens.<br />Rider 3 closes the second gate and gets his bike from rider 1.<br />Rider 2 gives his bike to rider 1.<br />Rider 3 rides right through to the next gate.<br />.... or something. A person could potentially save seconds over a whole farm, but it's really more about experiencing poetry in motion, or at least sharing the role of "gate bitch". We all know that the more people there are in your group, the more downtime you will have.<br /></p><p>We had emailed our requests for food into Michelle at Ohura and when we arrived there some time around 8:30pm we we were treated to some yummy wraps and the last new food we would get for a while. We would have struggled without Michelle enroute. Search "Fiesta Fare Ohura/B&B" * if you are passing through. We rode on into the night and had some pretty nice 4wd type climbing through some forested areas, followed by some fast descending. Managing your temperature late at night can be tricky when sweating up the hills, and then descending into the cold night air, as you don't really want to be stopping and starting all the time to put layers off and on. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5_vwKox30olXD3iHpp08R9Szo0O3lycubn0qN3Q_Nl22HTk_72UH_r7PDUvQWul7suT5JczuwtxBE3mXtxLaYDSqe8bkP1kudHk3DnA_R8bvjwxbq9UwGx8o5vXUX9Ekho7msq2cGxfy2v4s0Mbop3i_coY0IVzEsDD66erQOCK0Sqk1Zww/s4032/8-bridge.jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5_vwKox30olXD3iHpp08R9Szo0O3lycubn0qN3Q_Nl22HTk_72UH_r7PDUvQWul7suT5JczuwtxBE3mXtxLaYDSqe8bkP1kudHk3DnA_R8bvjwxbq9UwGx8o5vXUX9Ekho7msq2cGxfy2v4s0Mbop3i_coY0IVzEsDD66erQOCK0Sqk1Zww/w640-h480/8-bridge.jpg.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Still working on our "Gate-fu".....</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgndoC9FNK1TzoVKyE_mcbsI4-KV32csOy_705448UoXNhIsYTndJ9ZsEZbfg_sF1VT5UtZ7Qqi9Pnr3V8NaJuaIZMu_SLA2KnMskhGK0Q7I82LiOtHITm_i_cIkBSMEM3Rfrd4IWF8V3hlhF5hPJuE3X9ZqGvcLuPUFUK2tuTYU5JC3TPrZg/s3264/9-corner.jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgndoC9FNK1TzoVKyE_mcbsI4-KV32csOy_705448UoXNhIsYTndJ9ZsEZbfg_sF1VT5UtZ7Qqi9Pnr3V8NaJuaIZMu_SLA2KnMskhGK0Q7I82LiOtHITm_i_cIkBSMEM3Rfrd4IWF8V3hlhF5hPJuE3X9ZqGvcLuPUFUK2tuTYU5JC3TPrZg/w640-h480/9-corner.jpg.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9LoAu4-e6YmHU40KyjbpYq7xfIrzFpWiM0xacK9hkrzBCY0wFVbRI6pJBz_VCGw8qkOvLO3AquBhzNt7QQAs6NSzxFVziwLuqyLqWFSS2Hvp6gBpA9bmfIShkp4aVipSj52S5hXLV21LJHFHYHKiq4C0EbOZWO9hUjApd_VfT3iaaPON7SA/s4032/horse.jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9LoAu4-e6YmHU40KyjbpYq7xfIrzFpWiM0xacK9hkrzBCY0wFVbRI6pJBz_VCGw8qkOvLO3AquBhzNt7QQAs6NSzxFVziwLuqyLqWFSS2Hvp6gBpA9bmfIShkp4aVipSj52S5hXLV21LJHFHYHKiq4C0EbOZWO9hUjApd_VfT3iaaPON7SA/w640-h480/horse.jpg.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You saw it here first, a completely bald horse. Freaky.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Once again Chris had done his research and we found a nice spot near an old hall at Otunui around 11 pm. Chris and I set up our tents while Neil bivvyed on the steps. We slept the sleep of the dead, although a few Ruru and dueling roosters tried their best to spoil that. We had managed another 232kms.</p><p><b><span style="font-size: small;">Renegades Muster - Day 3<br /></span></b><br />Day three. We awoke, feeling a "little bleary, worse for wear and tear" but steeled in the knowledge that the Taumaranui Mdconalds was only about 15 kms away. </p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Y3t82e_48FwTwNno-6Bl1WzCXcLa1JVH4rM_dtL0Kju_A8TWZg_zW0_R-wyfJ_a9FJ7GjrfCDJ8ohjkwzNehx6THlNwTH3jsJ0FQLb8aDnGYXxf9tkCs6oSc0t7e3IszCUGxJp5hwr1VGMWVPXOXAb0BghdaKvboI1_tftmpnbkMzLDksg/s4032/pre-breakky.jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Y3t82e_48FwTwNno-6Bl1WzCXcLa1JVH4rM_dtL0Kju_A8TWZg_zW0_R-wyfJ_a9FJ7GjrfCDJ8ohjkwzNehx6THlNwTH3jsJ0FQLb8aDnGYXxf9tkCs6oSc0t7e3IszCUGxJp5hwr1VGMWVPXOXAb0BghdaKvboI1_tftmpnbkMzLDksg/w640-h480/pre-breakky.jpg.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <p></p><p>We cruised in, made our orders and sat about checking the trackers. Before long Brian Anderson rolled up. And then Jason Gestro. We had come across Jason on a few occasions and I think Brian was a bit ahead of us when we stopped riding the previous night. Brian was not faffing about and said "see you later" as he rode off. We never did! I think at that point the next person in front was Brian Alder. Not that we were trying to "beat" anyone. We were just riding at our own level. </p><p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLFhTGlAHiw-c2JJldzVbTMZpM7tH5QH6U1UkMOzEMhfApuoR5GBzcG0MAvuRHI0Nuq1WVnvZLehZzT0DOVxdWBlG_DNo3n1Wzxa_JI87qUSEuWFLFOLbKRpBiP56YatPzJrMUAsW1AWi6_6rvgyKCPsk2rrN5W7YlI_BIEMb5ZuKRMCkleA/s4032/deer.jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLFhTGlAHiw-c2JJldzVbTMZpM7tH5QH6U1UkMOzEMhfApuoR5GBzcG0MAvuRHI0Nuq1WVnvZLehZzT0DOVxdWBlG_DNo3n1Wzxa_JI87qUSEuWFLFOLbKRpBiP56YatPzJrMUAsW1AWi6_6rvgyKCPsk2rrN5W7YlI_BIEMb5ZuKRMCkleA/w640-h480/deer.jpg.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A friendly bambi enroute<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />I seem to recall a bit of climbing through farmland and eventually around 10am we arrived at Owhango, gateway to the 42nd Traverse. We did a bit of a resupply at a Cafe and noticed around 60 off-road motorcycles ominously hanging about. Sure enough, like us they were also riding the 42nd Traverse. I have to say I was pretty disappointed in this segment. I'd heard about it over the years but in my mind I was expecting something more scenic. It was basically a 4wd/trail bike track, plus, we were doing it in the uphill direction. The steady stream of motorcyclists that passed us were pretty respectful on the whole. This was also the point where I wished for some lower gears. My OPEN's 34/42 lowest gear was not optimum and I looked enviously at my buddies using their 26/42's. <p></p><p>Pride comes before a fall, and at one point I was mentally congratulating myself on my mad skills when I got into a skid while riding down the crown of a rut and went over the bars. I bounced pretty hard but my biggest fear was that my carbon bars would have been broken by the impact, especially given the extra leverage on them from the aero bars. Luckily they were unscathed, but my derailleur hanger was bent. We kept rolling to keep the blood flowing into my tenderised butt, until we reached a river crossing where I got out my tools, replaced the hanger and road link, and had a snack. I think Strava told us we got through the Reverse 42nd Traverse in around 4 and a half hours. A pretty grunty ride with some good elevation in its own right. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpnEKpe7lulNnVzbbNN_s4jINrUyQQqZjIi4JGcySYwhTYmF3u7rrgFj-JefwRFW5l_-u3VU5-1ObD2sMRvy7UtUcM9QJL1uK7-sx3zaJxz-gfmi5KE6kEZM-uWeENRcuDZI1CtSBg_9Bl7q0AbsOkOKdPo_Mb6aUzQlc7WxKVgq89ivd8Xg/s4032/hanger.jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpnEKpe7lulNnVzbbNN_s4jINrUyQQqZjIi4JGcySYwhTYmF3u7rrgFj-JefwRFW5l_-u3VU5-1ObD2sMRvy7UtUcM9QJL1uK7-sx3zaJxz-gfmi5KE6kEZM-uWeENRcuDZI1CtSBg_9Bl7q0AbsOkOKdPo_Mb6aUzQlc7WxKVgq89ivd8Xg/w640-h480/hanger.jpg.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't leave home without a spare hanger!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>We called in at National Park for a resupply around 4:40pm and hit Fishers track which was a pleasant change. Next stop for water and ablutions was at the Blue Duck Lodge where we also picked up a sheep dog who ran ahead of us on the trail, causing us to take a wrong turn at one point. We were getting pretty tired. In the dark, with light rain and a very narrow slightly uphill track it was safer, and just as fast to push rather than ride. Head lights were strapped on for this low speed stuff. We eventually made the shelter around 9:30 I think. I cant recall being that tired for a very long time. It was lovely warm night, deep in the bush.<br /><br />Day 3 over, 164 very hard earned kms.</p><p><b>Renegades Muster - Day 4</b></p><p>We awoke and I think we were moving by around 5:30am. It's hard to tell as the tracker pings were pretty dodgy. Brian Anderson had pushed on a bit further and slept at the top of the hill it appears, and got a much earlier start. The other Brian, Alder had pulled the plug at National Park after he developed a niggle in his leg. The climb out from the shelter was nice, with native bush poking out through the fog and a gradient that seemed to suit my gearing. I remembered it from the Tour Aotearoa, in a good way. It was probably drier than then. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdJCgIAfoV-AQTcrRedPPwkVpy44pm0kLDJRqtsrZyNYfZKhYeMEmhqQIZ5pcIMuyTZWAvEu6DXGGNKmLvTwgfOVQ0btfRy3Y7kMQMSCUusRH_nVJxBETKR5EQcz8lJ7iSBFeonGa5RjQthdwSA-ta9UTz_BkBzXCYBHpQzrj63jW15YtGPA/s4032/road1.jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdJCgIAfoV-AQTcrRedPPwkVpy44pm0kLDJRqtsrZyNYfZKhYeMEmhqQIZ5pcIMuyTZWAvEu6DXGGNKmLvTwgfOVQ0btfRy3Y7kMQMSCUusRH_nVJxBETKR5EQcz8lJ7iSBFeonGa5RjQthdwSA-ta9UTz_BkBzXCYBHpQzrj63jW15YtGPA/w640-h480/road1.jpg.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBxXqlEuQE39UuU-sdWfOMWdH9suLfWnrtmc0ga6NvxVSoP7iA-UIi0ixRCDNaO5YY_Twdf2pPXXBgcoaKfUHEmPpLYhVhiRx9Yel8ljvm1Ad3Pm5ggpdx3NsrKLpKI5udFO75mwA5hZZarkUPiYGP93HFmYtJAxsRdLBVMHvhJboxYPwvkQ/s4032/road2.jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBxXqlEuQE39UuU-sdWfOMWdH9suLfWnrtmc0ga6NvxVSoP7iA-UIi0ixRCDNaO5YY_Twdf2pPXXBgcoaKfUHEmPpLYhVhiRx9Yel8ljvm1Ad3Pm5ggpdx3NsrKLpKI5udFO75mwA5hZZarkUPiYGP93HFmYtJAxsRdLBVMHvhJboxYPwvkQ/w640-h480/road2.jpg.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Neil's in the mist.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>We eventually descended down out of the bush onto gravel and then sealed roads surrounded by more farm land. The next memorable piece of off road was the Old Coach Road near Ohakune. Surprisingly, this was actually the roughest piece of track on the whole Renegades Muster. I know because this was the first time I was noticing that I was getting more of a hammering on my 700x43 Gravel Kings than my buddies on their 2.1 Conti Race Kings. Not that bad, but it made me realise how this event was completely doable on a gravel bike if you wanted to do it that way.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioz-yB1hc0GPPJfIwjcVUELwUFGj96jeuSPPQPYi94ANZCm_kaNnV1dhJ_JwqgXoKvi7o0CTKfkaN58j6aDU3OXQd6EldwGACWkXzS6Is2svkk_2-bgHj5-vm1BIsT-kYcTrwKWFn5wmSFFYtO_K_9K8ev4uq9-IymEkFPqzDMUyHnS05Uwg/s4032/river.jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioz-yB1hc0GPPJfIwjcVUELwUFGj96jeuSPPQPYi94ANZCm_kaNnV1dhJ_JwqgXoKvi7o0CTKfkaN58j6aDU3OXQd6EldwGACWkXzS6Is2svkk_2-bgHj5-vm1BIsT-kYcTrwKWFn5wmSFFYtO_K_9K8ev4uq9-IymEkFPqzDMUyHnS05Uwg/w640-h480/river.jpg.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNrjLjbnq4rL6GBGnJw5TZrUOzQWE6nfM1iNezQUBaaZPuh5VoqOclf5RG4W918sD4HpIK0jrmlqp6HpfF4xpCWD95hZXtJyxAx6DsXZI2rhS_P-nHzL-kJmdey6XIJDIzPYJ11ThAmUAIsQG3ZlXM3SOyIN9W-DSuVVUEi1uFOd0GHXIpjw/s3264/ohakune2viaduct.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNrjLjbnq4rL6GBGnJw5TZrUOzQWE6nfM1iNezQUBaaZPuh5VoqOclf5RG4W918sD4HpIK0jrmlqp6HpfF4xpCWD95hZXtJyxAx6DsXZI2rhS_P-nHzL-kJmdey6XIJDIzPYJ11ThAmUAIsQG3ZlXM3SOyIN9W-DSuVVUEi1uFOd0GHXIpjw/w640-h480/ohakune2viaduct.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old Coach road</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPtTgaEpPk6zhoVDsBjqOMnioKzRbGs25qWV8cdKMqGTFVSKqPPs9biRKXH_mgY8TVkNLeCdmuRmlvcMzahxy8OoEh_w3vsP1k2F5vhprzFaBqvMoXZNXQCOrW_UgqTMnppAi4HVrPDnGH5UYsBL6BHVZU_j2MDC-sAmSlAw9GyTfhShfqRQ/s4032/ohakune.jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPtTgaEpPk6zhoVDsBjqOMnioKzRbGs25qWV8cdKMqGTFVSKqPPs9biRKXH_mgY8TVkNLeCdmuRmlvcMzahxy8OoEh_w3vsP1k2F5vhprzFaBqvMoXZNXQCOrW_UgqTMnppAi4HVrPDnGH5UYsBL6BHVZU_j2MDC-sAmSlAw9GyTfhShfqRQ/w640-h480/ohakune.jpg.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old Coach Road</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2XHK3fcogfhEKsY2gMui5TxCpGTLp0mUPfNfTEh-OI1VD80ToI-wPUbTpbd_3oQn-TzTOKHaxgIh1nd2Xgqqdwdi5urFS86dC9eDPONuL7XZ8A1GNT5iARgUNmDSQ3tJoIJlzyWZ-xTOM8jPnZplyHQJpqBKqy4zwxfsplq3o16tG_DNc-g/s3264/river-O-newest.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2XHK3fcogfhEKsY2gMui5TxCpGTLp0mUPfNfTEh-OI1VD80ToI-wPUbTpbd_3oQn-TzTOKHaxgIh1nd2Xgqqdwdi5urFS86dC9eDPONuL7XZ8A1GNT5iARgUNmDSQ3tJoIJlzyWZ-xTOM8jPnZplyHQJpqBKqy4zwxfsplq3o16tG_DNc-g/w640-h480/river-O-newest.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Whangaehu River</td></tr></tbody></table><p>A while later we were taking in some very steep gravel roads under a baking sun, riding alongside the Whangaehu River. We even passed a pond with living frogs in it. I don't know when I last saw frogs in the wild. </p><p>I sensed Chris was getting itchy feet as he had some prep to do before he got back to work on tuesday so we told him to put the hammer down while Neil and I had a leisurely appointment at Ohakune with some pies and coke. </p><p>The trip from there was largely uneventful, but somehow Tahi found a whole bunch more hills for us to climb, and a gentle headwind for the last 20 kms.</p><p><b><a href="https://renegadesmuster2022.maprogress.com/">Neil and I rolled into the finish about 7:10 pm</a></b>. There was a bunch of people hanging about at the finish and shaking hands, including a guy I didn't recognise initially. It turned out to be Evan Wolfe, or Wylie E, on his tracker. According to his tracker, he hadn't actually stopped to sleep for the whole ride....! Chris was there to pick us up already and drive us back to Welly. </p><p>It was a pretty good long weekend. About a third of the entrants dropped out, so it wasn't for everyone. Would I do it again on the gravel bike? At my age, probably not, but if I was younger, for sure. I could have run wider 650B tires for more comfort but I wanted to use my 700c dyno wheel.</p><p>I am embarassed to say that on the way back home my nana-nap in the back seat of the truck turned out to take a full 2 hours, leaving only Neil to make sure that Chris didn't fall asleep at the wheel. Sorry guys !</p><p>Day 4 - 190kms.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrVipFWPFJWwE1db5ap8el5_y0axkaxrU1mKVUwg7jJWxjePHpfkrYjaVPM3SiEG1TsHgOqCQ1CsznEw-MYqVrJi-06tnOtalb5nCk2dcWrowj7vihyXc1cEqfJqmec8s2w1p4iyrS_T0aRcLq0UA7YsZ4-jij3zsdO-zlo4uTJYUaDAq8Nw/s4032/cockpit.jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrVipFWPFJWwE1db5ap8el5_y0axkaxrU1mKVUwg7jJWxjePHpfkrYjaVPM3SiEG1TsHgOqCQ1CsznEw-MYqVrJi-06tnOtalb5nCk2dcWrowj7vihyXc1cEqfJqmec8s2w1p4iyrS_T0aRcLq0UA7YsZ4-jij3zsdO-zlo4uTJYUaDAq8Nw/w640-h480/cockpit.jpg.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Job done.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">Jeff's bike stories and links from Wellington New Zealand</div>El jefehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00411840288979303062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15091028.post-71286194230278804222021-10-19T21:31:00.004+13:002022-08-16T17:22:57.729+12:00Change your Dropsbars to flat bars in 5 mins with DaVinci cable splitters<p> Swap from drops to flat bars and back again with <a href="https://www.davincitandems.com/components/#split">DaVinci cable splitters.</a></p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="364" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ozC3Y_KiEN4" title="YouTube video player" width="650"></iframe><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigd97ZjChpAqilwfe0TL2Fhon8oIDLsVimzle7eQ99U6jvQzYv2Pg7aNrf4d6kUPu3qa2ewkeNlHJftDjpIciv1Fzml86Y8ymR4AcRi_cZNzvxYtirXDbr11k-zoIP59il122C/s2048/20210925_105013.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigd97ZjChpAqilwfe0TL2Fhon8oIDLsVimzle7eQ99U6jvQzYv2Pg7aNrf4d6kUPu3qa2ewkeNlHJftDjpIciv1Fzml86Y8ymR4AcRi_cZNzvxYtirXDbr11k-zoIP59il122C/w640-h480/20210925_105013.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheWsSZWlDboDQHmXMjGh5cQtyOWGwYJPPZnnDJuw30H3tCWpbUCZCMjfS41WwEoqMHxnd2HkJg3JA1SGblZeZLY2Wi4jwItuuJHR-fd4XpCyIDXkU1EMiyU49tvPEzYkb7Ls-_/s2048/20210826_120817.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheWsSZWlDboDQHmXMjGh5cQtyOWGwYJPPZnnDJuw30H3tCWpbUCZCMjfS41WwEoqMHxnd2HkJg3JA1SGblZeZLY2Wi4jwItuuJHR-fd4XpCyIDXkU1EMiyU49tvPEzYkb7Ls-_/w640-h360/20210826_120817.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj99TGZp3rpSFg1GKKdxCBMT7vzvsJs9ejpaNwZ1XUjiYL4YzwjgcszPtctd8hyphenhyphen2YQsvbpkkt2FQMpASbPqgD01tbJUUWeugSpj0g1aNAiLNewwVZJFq_M1mEzDWTOmnkCi9m84/s2048/20210826_181958.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj99TGZp3rpSFg1GKKdxCBMT7vzvsJs9ejpaNwZ1XUjiYL4YzwjgcszPtctd8hyphenhyphen2YQsvbpkkt2FQMpASbPqgD01tbJUUWeugSpj0g1aNAiLNewwVZJFq_M1mEzDWTOmnkCi9m84/w640-h360/20210826_181958.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ig4AzwEWKF8u1LObbiyRRcFQXmuJ1bXK6UJK-LngWSMS5Ukg-WpH0BW1yiQ6zxOwf2fYW_R1Ja70OFmAq4jI0oMQN5o3GjP5cf15x4fUTPgkRhWpk3-xREHyP7n1WUAP43cd/s2048/20210925_105011.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ig4AzwEWKF8u1LObbiyRRcFQXmuJ1bXK6UJK-LngWSMS5Ukg-WpH0BW1yiQ6zxOwf2fYW_R1Ja70OFmAq4jI0oMQN5o3GjP5cf15x4fUTPgkRhWpk3-xREHyP7n1WUAP43cd/w640-h480/20210925_105011.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Jeff's bike stories and links from Wellington New Zealand</div>El jefehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00411840288979303062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15091028.post-34555060637594326022021-09-13T21:50:00.022+12:002023-07-06T21:38:45.472+12:00UrbanGrinduro<p><b>UrbanGrinduro : Like a Grinduro, but with amenities!</b></p><p>Thanks to everyone that came, I hope you had fun. If you can tag your IG photos with #urbangrinduro, that would be cool. I just generated a new segment from my ride, and it seems to have picked up most of us. see below. <a href="https://www.strava.com/segments/29989611">https://www.strava.com/segments/29989611</a> </p><div>Contact me <a href="https://jeffsbike.blogspot.com/p/contact-form.html">here</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiof5kh7600EkU7R_-VS2nppu04JIdQRcVilUZBdn2oaxubs4flzISU-u6kaFjpknTW8X1Hrgu3eZcQupAISmpN5F2B8nXcqvygfBSKrFTpscSSSXGHdn1fEs3iaOYiDMm35PRe/s2048/20210926_095613.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiof5kh7600EkU7R_-VS2nppu04JIdQRcVilUZBdn2oaxubs4flzISU-u6kaFjpknTW8X1Hrgu3eZcQupAISmpN5F2B8nXcqvygfBSKrFTpscSSSXGHdn1fEs3iaOYiDMm35PRe/w640-h480/20210926_095613.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>---------------------------------------------------------------</div>Come for an adventurous ride around some of Wellington's Urban trails. Link up some Single track, back-streets, and town-belt. Bring your gravel bike and indulge in some #underbiking. Drop-bars for the most fun. It wont be much of a challenge on an MTB.<p></p><p>Record your ride with Strava if you want to compare your time.<br /></p><p><b>Download the GPX file below</b>.<br />You <b>will </b>need the GPX file as there are no course notes.<br />(gone)</p><p>The route is only about 40 kms but it will take you 3-5 hours depending on how many cafes you stop at. It's not a race, it's a casual ride. Bring at least a 1:1 gear as there are a couple of short steep bits. Easy to walk them though.</p><p><b>Location</b> <br />See you at 9am at the foot of the Transient Trail at Polhill, Aro Valley. <br />If you are worried about being slow, start earlier! If more than a few people turn up, we can start them in waves. </p><p>If it's a nice day, afterwards we can roll around to the Rogue and Vagabond and Twist and Pour for refreshments.</p><p>==========================================<br /><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmGA5AfbckqzeJCVOV9oOsvNnhPeAMXGgl_hgeyXYLFZeINeElU68mFnhF89piUMpZy8LBy2eVcXHVWn2cQDeJOPFs3wXbkLglssZnKIDem2iMB-oOl5TN5thMHUQld3T2GI9x/s2048/20210912_101125-01.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1533" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmGA5AfbckqzeJCVOV9oOsvNnhPeAMXGgl_hgeyXYLFZeINeElU68mFnhF89piUMpZy8LBy2eVcXHVWn2cQDeJOPFs3wXbkLglssZnKIDem2iMB-oOl5TN5thMHUQld3T2GI9x/w640-h480/20210912_101125-01.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>.<br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Jeff's bike stories and links from Wellington New Zealand</div>El jefehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00411840288979303062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15091028.post-5270837081102496122021-03-17T22:13:00.025+13:002021-06-04T13:28:36.003+12:00Q and A with Ollie Whalley on the Tour Te Waipounamu 2021<p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>A chat with Ollie Whalley, rookie winner and record setter of the 2012 Tour Divide, on completion of his winning ride in the inaugral Tour Te Waipounamu.</b></span><br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqRwtI8FFzX4iPapK8Eosvu3O8lnbNemLpElGgsEz_ftTzfZe0DF3Q7Z8VaoI965nZ0xYHCv9SxP6-8zTZWBdJdGmawvSAF_fkxMDUFvzmJERKlTm7ig-doNrW3Wi6MtCU2vAN/s1223/ollie-R.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1223" data-original-width="1098" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqRwtI8FFzX4iPapK8Eosvu3O8lnbNemLpElGgsEz_ftTzfZe0DF3Q7Z8VaoI965nZ0xYHCv9SxP6-8zTZWBdJdGmawvSAF_fkxMDUFvzmJERKlTm7ig-doNrW3Wi6MtCU2vAN/w359-h400/ollie-R.jpg" width="359" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><b>So Ollie, it's been a few weeks now since your very successful ride in the inaugural Tour Te Waipounamu and on the surface it appeared to be a fairly trouble-free run. With the amazing weather we had it will take a special effort to beat your time of 5 days and 10 hours. Were there any issues that happened that we may not have noticed? For instance, we heard that there was a GPS cable issue? </b> </p><p>Yep a fairly trouble free run with the most significant issue being that my GPS (Garmin Edge 800) wouldn’t take charge from either my dynamo or backup battery. Turns out it was a dodgy USB cable, which may have fatigued from all the bumps. I used my back-up navigation (app on my phone), which while frustrating at times got me to the finish. </p><p>I finally ran out of GPS battery in Methven so had to try and optimise my phone for navigation after that. I put it in battery saver mode, turned off the lock screen and dimmed it as much as I could<b> </b></p><p><b> </b></p><p><b>Did you have an actual holder for your phone or were you constantly getting it in and out of<br />your pocket/gas-tank?</b></p><p>No phone holder so initially I just stashed it in my pocket. First the pocket of my jersey, but at the end when the terrain got mellower I put it in the handy side pocket of my Ground Effect limousine shorts. I was really paranoid about losing it! For my long stint on the last night I Macgyvered up a system where the phone case was taped to my gas tank. This made it a bit easier at night but was pretty floppy so I put it back in my pocket for the final ride to the finish.</p><p>The other thing I noticed riding down from Stag saddle was a cracked handlebar, probably from an earlier off-track excursion. Again they got me to the finish but have been retired from bike packing duty.<b> </b></p><p><b> </b></p><p><b>I saw earlier that you went with one of the new Shimano dynamo hubs which are supposed to make more power at the lower speeds compared to the SON and SP hubs. What was your experience and if you were to do it again, would you recommend the dynamo approach?</b></p><p>Dynamo was awesome especially with the <a href="https://bike.shimano.com/en-NZ/product/component/deorext-t8000/DH-UR700-3D.html">Shimano DH-UR700-3D</a> hub which as you say puts out some good power at low speeds with the <a href="https://www.klite.com.au/product-page/klite-usbv2-charger">K-Lite charger</a>. At 20 km/h I could charge my GPS in two hours, and 10,000 mah powerbank in 8 hours. I never ran short of charge despite the higher power usage of using my phone for navigation, and didn’t need to use my power socket USB charger at all.<b> </b></p><p><b> </b></p><p><b>What supplementary lighting system did you go with for the slower stuff where the dynamo<br />wasn’t able to give you enough light?</b></p><p>I used an <a href="https://exposurelights.com/products/bike/helmet-lights">Exposure Diablo Mk7</a> which puts out 1300 lumens when required. I usually dialled it right down so it would last for 24 hours. USB charge, super light and simple to use.<b> </b></p><p><b> </b></p><p><b>What about tires, did you err on the robust side, or did you go lighter and ride more conservatively?</b></p><p>I changed at the last minute from some butty Exo wall Ardents for some <a href="https://www.specialized.com/us/en/renegade-2bliss-ready/p/156169?color=228779-156169&searchText=00117-6204">Specialized Renegades</a> in 2.3 width. Super fast tread but quite thin sidewalls so I rode pretty conservatively, which is normally the best approach anyway. Would love to go back on my enduro bike and properly shred some of those downhills!</p><p>The only issue was a slow leak which wouldn’t seal on the Hawkdun range. I put in some goo (still no sealing), then a tube which got me to the finish. I got lucky with sharp rocks. I saw Martin’s deflating experience up Rainy River road where an innocuous rock massacred his sidewall and went on to cause him no end of drama.<b> </b></p><p><b> </b></p><p><b>Is it more of a hassle if you get a rear puncture with a Rohloff, than a typical derailleur set-<br />up?</b></p><p>Not really. Similar amount of faff to a rear derailleur once you learn the tricks to the <a href="https://www.rohloff.de/en/products/speedhub">Rohloff</a><b> .</b></p><p><b> </b></p><p><b>Was going with the Rohloff something you did specifically for this event, or was it just what<br />was on your bike at the time</b>.</p><p>Didn’t put it on especially, it is my preferred transmission which I’ve run on my hardtail since my first Brevet in 2010. Like no other bike part it seems to get better the more I use it!<b> </b></p><p><b> </b></p><p><b>I noticed that my tools alone weighed more than half a kg. Do you feel like you took any risks in this department or did you treat it extra seriously, given that there were not really many places you could get help enroute? Did you take any spare cables, gear or usb, spokes or sidewall mending kit?</b></p><p>I took my normal spare parts kit which I think is pretty conservative. It included 2 x brake pads, spare chain links, spare bolts, tire plugs, spare goo, 2 x tubes. I did agonise over the last decision but remembered when I’d double flatted once in the past and how much it sucked.</p><p>I’ve never taken spare cables as if my shifter crapped out the hub effectively becomes an adjustable singlespeed. You can just hop off and change gears manually at the hub. I did leave my spare spokes behind this time, logic being that I could true the wheel to get it running straight enough without having to replace spokes. I love building wheels and personally rebuilt front and back wheels before the race to give certainty that they were less prone to breakage.<b> </b></p><p><b> </b></p><p><b>What were some of the things you dropped from your kit that you might have taken on an event that required less carrying and pushing?</b><br /><br />The only thing I can think of here is my Z-Packs tent which I replaced with a water resistant bivvy based on the good forecast. After a summer of lugging buckets of gravel up stairs at home for a landscaping project the weight of my bike and gear wasn’t much of a concern and I feel like I didn’t take too many risks.<b> </b></p><p><b> </b></p><p><b>You mentioned in your <a href="https://www.groundeffect.co.nz/blogs/news/ollie-s-tour-te-waipounamu-tale">story on the Ground Effect</a> site that at different times you rode with Steve Halligan and Martin Strelka. Do you enjoy riding in the company of others or are you equally happy riding by yourself</b>?</p><p>I squeeze most of my riding into my lunch hours, and have found that trying to squeeze in a decent loop around Nelson’s hills in this time isn’t that conducive to social riding. So I’m used to riding by myself and do enjoy this, but also relish the opportunity to ride with others, especially awesome riders like Steve and Martin. I was in a pretty low spot on Day 2 and reconnecting with Steve before we tackled the Dampier crossing was pretty cool and helped me get my head in a good space for the rest of the ride.<b> </b></p><p><b> </b></p><p><b>Early front-runners Steve and Martin both had shoe issues, did you have any problems yourself?</b></p><p>I was running <a href="https://www.specialized.com/us/en/rime-2-0-mountain-bike-shoe/p/172884?color=268956-172884&searchText=61119-7336">Specialized Rime 2.0s</a> which were just awesome. Super grunty vibram sole, not too hot, super fast drying, boa with lacing backup to adjust fit and a good sized toe box. I still had sore feet especially when they didn’t get a chance to dry out, but I think these were great for the course. Mark and Hana also ran them.<b> </b></p><p><b> </b></p><p><b>What do you think works for an event like this with such a large amount of hikeabike. A stiff<br />sole or a more flexible sole?</b></p><p>I think a moderate stiffness is good, provided there is still a bit of toe flex for when the walking get really steep. The Rime 2.0s came it at 6 on Specilaized’s stiffness index, whatever that means!<b> </b></p><p>My shoe choice worked really well for me but it may not for everyone. Martin planned it pretty well with sending himself some shoes to Boyle River, and planning to send them back in Tekapo.<b> </b></p><p><b> </b></p><p><b>What part of the event did you find the most challenging? For me it was the hikeabike, probably on the Dampier Range, but the frustration of being on beautiful trails and having to stop so often to drag your bike over logs was also exasperating.</b></p><p>The most challenging part for me was following the poled route from Royal Hut to Stag Saddle. I may have taken some hot lines between poles which meant I was almost rock climbing in places. Definitely a relief to make it to the Saddle!<b> </b></p><p><b> </b></p><p><b>Do you agree with the theory that having the Dampier Range up first was possibly a good thing - if you could deal with that then everything else would be easy by comparison, or is that only obvious in hindsight?</b></p><p>Dampier came at a really good time for me to just reset the kilometre hunting mindset and refocus on just surviving and making it through the course safely. As Steve and I did it we were just gobsmacked at how steep and difficult the carry was, and picked there would be a few people cursing Brian as they pushed and dragged up the ridge.<b> </b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b>I've decided that you can ride your bike for a long time, and not get too injured, but riding without resting is problematic. I listened to a recent interview with <a href="https://www.paysonmcelveen.com/podcast/episode/4b6cdc3f/kurt-refsnider-professional- bikepack-racer">Kurt Refsnider</a> - He now only rides events of limited distance because of the damage they cause to his body. Is this something that worries you, long term damage? </b></p><p>Definitely, this is something I’m very conscious of after some previous medical issues. This has included achilles tendonitis and nerve damage in my hands. In some ways the tough walking heavy course made this a healthier race for me as there was less time in the saddle and lots of chances to stretch different muscles. My hands are actually really good, with no numbness and just a little bit of lost strength. I put this down to a higher front end on my bike (140mm travel) which put more weight on my bum.</p><p><b> </b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaVC2tIV492rv1fD_iInyUBPgBBKfh0_KKbK9m0lqYUOGR_ScC44QNng70HiOsPsic1ODPPegLnAZNT5Ix07_i-IWV0VIFsBuiB1F_cAwScmdFDBu38VUx0r5MopiG-xPcYpW9/s1440/ollie-nap-2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="356" data-original-width="1440" height="99" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaVC2tIV492rv1fD_iInyUBPgBBKfh0_KKbK9m0lqYUOGR_ScC44QNng70HiOsPsic1ODPPegLnAZNT5Ix07_i-IWV0VIFsBuiB1F_cAwScmdFDBu38VUx0r5MopiG-xPcYpW9/w400-h99/ollie-nap-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Time-lapse photography of a micro-nap<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><b><br /></b><p></p><p></p><p><b>For you, is there a particular time of the day when you enjoy riding the most? For me it’s typically the evening, but I have to say, this time, if I happened across a hut at 8:30 then wild horses couldn’t drag me away!</b></p><p>My favourite time to ride is in the early morning, just before sunrise and the proceeding hours. Everything feels so fresh and new and I get pretty stoked on being out there at this time. Riding up out of Lawrence was a good example of this for me, the rollercoasters of Breakneck Road with the morning mist clearing was a highlight!<b> </b></p><p><b> </b></p><p><b>Brian Alder gave us a lot of detail on what to expect in the TTW. Where do you feel you underestimated the level of difficulty the most? For me I think it was the amount of hikeabike through the Hawkdun Range.</b></p><p>The Dampier crossing was definitely a rude awakening for me and after that my level of ‘normal’ difficulty was reset to the point where I didn’t perceive the subsequent hike-a-bike as being too difficult.<b> </b></p><p><b> </b></p><p><b>There were quite a few adventure racers that did very well in the TTW. What do you think it was about them that made them so competitive? Was it their creative bike carrying skills?</b> </p><p>Lots of good crossover with adventure racing. I would say the course they race on can be pretty difficult, and the amount of hiking required in TTW would play to their strengths. It was cool to hear about Georgia’s sneaky tricks in the Pedal On Podcast. Those are out of the bag now so she’ll have to come up with some new ones!<b> </b></p><p><b> </b></p><p><b>In the gnarliest stuff, were you a pusher, a carrier or did you use a carrying harness? </b></p><p>I pushed where I didn’t need to lift my front wheel, then when things got slower I’d lower my seat and hook the nose over my shoulder (either from the front or the back). I’d made a special foam and plastic protector and fitted it under my seat rails which worked with my bony collarbone. This meant I could carry hands free. I was lucky to be tall to get ground clearance, and could twist across the slope to get more. It took me some fine tuning to get this working but it is my preferred way to carry now.<b> </b></p><p><b> </b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVVlZ5rykxzE5_h7Y-U8Ydb7Ch1QzZW6vuSoNyjZ3XVrBcGfaZYwfr1EbFhOpTirDAakLo5h9W_N8MsgrDPnsWvldcQvsMCiUSJiWIrcU0isK3Xbm-LPB4jbpNAd7i8IVVoeAS/s1600/pano-1600.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="423" data-original-width="1600" height="106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVVlZ5rykxzE5_h7Y-U8Ydb7Ch1QzZW6vuSoNyjZ3XVrBcGfaZYwfr1EbFhOpTirDAakLo5h9W_N8MsgrDPnsWvldcQvsMCiUSJiWIrcU0isK3Xbm-LPB4jbpNAd7i8IVVoeAS/w400-h106/pano-1600.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hawkdun Range moonscape.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b></b></div><b><br /></b><p></p><p><b>At different times, different people had problems digesting their food. Are you someone that has no problem eating on the run, or do you have to stop every so often for a more relaxed meal to give it time to digest?</b></p><p>I struggled on the second day. It took me about a day to get through a packet of Full-o-fruit which I normally wolf down. I’m happy to eat on the run, but would treat myself to a 10-15 min stop for lunch most days to have a proper meal. (mostly wraps and flavoured tuna packets). I’ve had some digestion issues in the past and it is pretty awful so feel for those people!<b> </b></p><p><b> </b></p><p><b>You mentioned that since you started a family that your bikepacking activity has slowed down a lot. A quick look at the entrants shows quite a few people without kids. Do you feel extra lucky to be able to get out there on such a big adventure while you still have family commitments?</b></p><p>Absolutely. I’m super fortunate to have a supportive wife Heidi who saw how excited I was at the prospect of this big adventure and helped create some space for me to prepare. They get some benefits too as I’m a bit more chilled out during the recovery phase, lots of stories in bed and sedate family rides are enough to keep me content. <b> </b></p><p><b> </b></p><p><b>Is there one piece of equipment that really stuck out for you as being something you would be lost without?</b> </p><p>Definitely my <a href="https://www.groundeffect.co.nz/products/limousines-premium-merino-lycra-cycle-shorts">Ground Effect Limousines</a>. A big fear for me was that my butt wouldn’t stand up to the abuse given the lack of chamois time, but with these amazing shorts I was fine and came through with no drama. I used the sidepockets heaps too and being merino they weren’t even (that) stinky after 5.5 long days. </p><p><b>Thanks heaps for sharing Ollie!</b></p><p><b> </b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC8nk_EoSDm9lVzCv4aKas5CpeXarIM5sKqi3O3RRsxqxBlw22YrTJeQJYPO6nxZmA-De7F4TXJo9RqYXx4Oh541qFgaJ92hwFpqD29UmdIY9sFUZgM0VWpMHH28skWhye-YE9/s2048/ollie-slope-point.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1504" data-original-width="2048" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC8nk_EoSDm9lVzCv4aKas5CpeXarIM5sKqi3O3RRsxqxBlw22YrTJeQJYPO6nxZmA-De7F4TXJo9RqYXx4Oh541qFgaJ92hwFpqD29UmdIY9sFUZgM0VWpMHH28skWhye-YE9/w400-h294/ollie-slope-point.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Slope Point. The end.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><ul><li><a href="https://www.groundeffect.co.nz/blogs/news/liams-tour-te-waipounamu">Liam Croziers Tour Te Waipounamu thoughts</a></li><li><a href="https://www.groundeffect.co.nz/blogs/news/ollie-s-tour-te-waipounamu-tale">Ollie Whalley's report on Ground Effect site<br /></a></li><li><a href="https://thethingswedoforfun.com/2021/03/17/tour-te-waipounamu-what-the-hell-are-we-thinking/">Tony LeSueur's report</a></li><li><a href="https://www.bikingpheasant.com/favourite-trips/ttw21/">Brendon Pheasant's Report</a> <br /></li><li><a href="https://jeffsbike.blogspot.com/2021/02/tour-te-waipounamu.html">A previous Te Waipounamu story, (this site)</a></li><li><a href="https://www.highlux.co.nz/2021/03/tour-te-waipounamu-2021-race-report/">https://www.highlux.co.nz/ (Mark Watson's ride)</a></li><li><a href="https://www.spreaker.com/user/12049863/ep33">Lewis Ciddor interviews Brian Alder after the Tour Te Waipounamu</a></li><li>The Pedal-On Podcast: <a href="https://www.spreaker.com/user/pedalonpodcast/ttw2021-the-follow-up">The Follow-up</a>. 1 of 3 TTW podcasts</li><li>Hike-Bike-Cake : <a href="https://hikebikecake.com/tour-te-waipounamu-2021-riders-and-rigs/">TTW riders and rigs</a></li></ul></div><div><br /></div><p><b> </b>Ollies kit, (Thanks Ben) from <span style="color: #0000ee;"><u><a href="https://hikebikecake.com/tour-te-waipounamu-2021-riders-and-rigs/">https://hikebikecake.com/tour-te-waipounamu-2021-riders-and-rigs/</a></u></span></p><p style="background-color: #f2f1ee; border: 0px none; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 1.3rem 0px; outline: currentcolor none 0px; padding: 0px 172.094px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b style="border: 0px none; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: currentcolor none 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">EXPERIENCE:</b> Tour Divide winner and record holder 2012, Tour Aotearoa etc.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: #f2f1ee; border: 0px none; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 1.3rem 0px; outline: currentcolor none 0px; padding: 0px 172.094px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b style="border: 0px none; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: currentcolor none 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">BIKE:</b>I’m riding a Lynskey Ridgeline SL 29, my front wheel is a Shimano DH-UR708-3D dynamo hub on Light Bikes carbon rim and the rear is a Rohloff Speedhub 500/14 on No tubes Arch. Brakes and crankset are Shimano XT. Handlebars are Carver MyTi carbon and forks are X-Fusion Trace 140m. USB charge/light are kLite Ultra.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: #f2f1ee; border: 0px none; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 1.3rem 0px; outline: currentcolor none 0px; padding: 0px 172.094px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b style="border: 0px none; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: currentcolor none 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">BAGS:</b>The frame pack, chaff, handlebar roll and top tub garage are Bike Bad Dude with a Blackburn Outpost Elite saddle bag</span></span></p><p style="background-color: #f2f1ee; border: 0px none; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 1.3rem 0px; outline: currentcolor none 0px; padding: 0px 172.094px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b style="border: 0px none; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: currentcolor none 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">SLEEPING: </b>Titanium Goat Ptarmigan Bivy, Western Mountaineering HIghlite sleeping bag and Thermarest NeoAair XLite mat.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: #f2f1ee; border: 0px none; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 1.3rem 0px; outline: currentcolor none 0px; padding: 0px 172.094px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b style="border: 0px none; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: currentcolor none 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">NUTRITION:</b> Snickers bars</span></span></p><p style="background-color: #f2f1ee; border: 0px none; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 1.3rem 0px; outline: currentcolor none 0px; padding: 0px 172.094px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b style="border: 0px none; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: currentcolor none 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">OTHER HIGHLIGHTS / STRATEGIES: </b>Ground Effect clothing</span></span></p><p style="background-color: #f2f1ee; border: 0px none; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 1.3rem 0px 0px; outline: currentcolor none 0px; padding: 0px 172.094px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Website: <a href="http://mountainpedalernz.blogspot.com/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #4d6a6d; text-decoration-line: none;">mountainpedalernz</a> Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/whalleyollie/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #4d6a6d; margin-bottom: 0px; text-decoration-line: none;">@whalleyollie</a></span></span></p><p><br /></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Jeff's bike stories and links from Wellington New Zealand</div>El jefehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00411840288979303062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15091028.post-40683528919082473182021-03-08T19:00:00.049+13:002021-07-29T15:29:53.691+12:00Tour Te Waipounamu race report<div><div><b>The Tour Te Waipounamu bikepacking race was held in Aotearoa New Zealand, starting on February 14th 2021, it covered 1300 kilometres of rugged back country</b>.</div><div><br /></div><div>When word filtered down about Brian Alders Tour Te Waipounamu there was a lot of speculation about just how hard it would be. Brian said it would likely be harder than anything we had ever done before. A limit of 50 riders was set, and by the time the event kicked off, 13 of the entrants had either injured themselves in the pursuit of "normalising difficult" in their training or had had second thoughts on whether or not it was actually a good idea. 1300 kilometres and 20,000 vertical metres to traverse the length of Aotearoa New Zealand's South Island - Te Waipounamu, was no small thing, not because of the riding, because of the pushing and carrying.</div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">It was a "who is who" of NZ bikepacking with 5 top 5 Tour Divide riders and a few other Tour Divide finishers as well. Riders at the front were expected to be 2012 TDV winner, Ollie Whalley, two times TDV 4th placegetter Steve Halligan, French and Bohemian Divide winner Martin Strelka, and Tony LeSueur, 5th in the 2019 TDV. </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI9dOObq4Aj4mPV3_i03dQ2v5pQTeu1fbTZI9h8rrWzdxwvFQqiusjleQvdzbpUK57ZxD93zcn8cfwpzMQIpi86SE64gGZgDe_I1COnVN63-rsFCvcqQ3jlpODDBZSyJB5ZPIo/s2048/20210213_165837.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI9dOObq4Aj4mPV3_i03dQ2v5pQTeu1fbTZI9h8rrWzdxwvFQqiusjleQvdzbpUK57ZxD93zcn8cfwpzMQIpi86SE64gGZgDe_I1COnVN63-rsFCvcqQ3jlpODDBZSyJB5ZPIo/w640-h480/20210213_165837.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brian gives a briefing at Wharariki</td></tr></tbody></table></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhisOa4OJvZoI8arJs-KH2AiPmj61bsVa5FVwa_dXVmkxB3w-SPIzZj_2h-oLTgQVQU1u203kFYiQYUMJ-Wa3rg3bcySoFuoYdApJy2TkBqtJv9sHnOMpAOKHc5VZUghqPA536T/s2048/20210213_170024.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhisOa4OJvZoI8arJs-KH2AiPmj61bsVa5FVwa_dXVmkxB3w-SPIzZj_2h-oLTgQVQU1u203kFYiQYUMJ-Wa3rg3bcySoFuoYdApJy2TkBqtJv9sHnOMpAOKHc5VZUghqPA536T/w640-h480/20210213_170024.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ollie, Georgia, Patrick and the magic duck, picking who he thinks will be first across the line.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">There were also 3 crazy singlespeed guys, including the World Singlespeed champ, Tad Medjr all riding rigid SS Karate Monkeys. The variation in bikes was pretty widespread, a few taking fullies but most opting for hardtails. Ollie Walley and Tony Lesur ran Rohloff hubs. I think Steve Halligan was the only person using drop bars.</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">We knew there would be hikeabike, river crossings, DOC huts to stay in, in some places and the weather, but we weren't sure what kind of weather. The long range forecast was good.</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Of the 32 that would finish, 6 of them would be women, 18 % of the field, and with a 100 % finishing rate. Some riders were cycle adventurers like <a href="https://www.highlux.co.nz/blog/">Hana Black and her partner Mark Watson</a>, some were Adventure Racers like Georgia Whitla and her partner Patrick Higgins. Others would be endurance bikepacking specialists like Ollie, Steve and Martin.</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitsxrEv7qQgkNqvGNyNdrxoI2KYP5uL6uHVA6tYs7NZUaMDyLtb8lcjQ2WU2qmYNpSOfPTFgQRk_vocbnKvTCZxy0ADDRTOjjOp1mxYerZV_O4WRENENRitz4EhRl-LnsDzYKx/s2048/20210214_064929.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1359" data-original-width="2048" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitsxrEv7qQgkNqvGNyNdrxoI2KYP5uL6uHVA6tYs7NZUaMDyLtb8lcjQ2WU2qmYNpSOfPTFgQRk_vocbnKvTCZxy0ADDRTOjjOp1mxYerZV_O4WRENENRitz4EhRl-LnsDzYKx/w640-h424/20210214_064929.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wharariki beach</td></tr></tbody></table><b style="font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><b style="font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 1. Cape Farewell to Murchison via Rameka track, Tapawera and the Porika Track – 266 kms. 7am – 11:30 pm</b></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">For some reason I decided to roll out with the fast guys. Not a very clever idea in hindsight and after a couple of hours, having traversed a good bit of seal and some beach, we started on Takaka's Rameka Track. I probably got passed by about 8 people from the bottom to the top. The Rameka was in pretty good shape and you could only wonder how much fun it would be without a load. I settled into a rhythm and watched as a few riders rolled past me, Georgia Whitla, Patrick Higgins and Hedley Wilton. I had no idea of the Adventure Racing pedigree they had that would stand them in good stead. Apparently Georgia was the world Rogaine champ as well. </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYO5ne1LU6-nyV2yWajkJwqaO7htgOCYxv4BaL67bS9T9aPR4OTbboOTrjDazPjYn01c54Y_Aq0XhK7I-bI9rRKa5FvwOaxaweIJMFgemXv51uFH0LUqDwXD_xXTuWglQhOMHs/s2048/start.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYO5ne1LU6-nyV2yWajkJwqaO7htgOCYxv4BaL67bS9T9aPR4OTbboOTrjDazPjYn01c54Y_Aq0XhK7I-bI9rRKa5FvwOaxaweIJMFgemXv51uFH0LUqDwXD_xXTuWglQhOMHs/w640-h480/start.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Startline, Wharariki - 7am</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I rode for quite a bit with Liam Crozier who is working for Ground Effect in Christchurch, we knew a few of the same people so had a bit to talk about. He was wearing a funky full length upper body sun-suit, and swore it was not hot. We stopped to fill up our bottles in a stream and were surprised to see Steve Halligan come up from behind and fill up too. He'd started to feel unwell and had taken a bit of a rest, hence he was behind us. We called in at Tapawera to restock, as it didn't seem likely that anything would be open if we made it to Murchison that night. As Liam and I rolled out my training buddy Chris Shaw turned up with an old Tour Aotearoa buddy, Steve Scott and race organiser, Brian Alder. A while later on a particularly unpleasant hydro road climb they were to catch up.... to me anyway. Liam grew another leg and disappeared. Brian eventually rode away, and at some point Kath Kelly rode through us on her 26er. Eventually Chris, Steve and I hit the Porika track together. I felt pretty cooked by the top of the Porika having done a fair bit of walking and was thankful that Chris had actually waited for me. The Porika had never been such hard work before. I guess my early pace was catching up with me.</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy7C8408tV9us2TMzO0_pSxHjOBkIl5aYg59bW6ZY6AqdUSp6g-C8TGEOmlyqQ7DA3Ed4fRDCZTdbpqGiJQlF_5fY4TUeCPdTM-bAaKa-vTHKH4bA9hNuaVj5AIpQIdCxvRsVV/s2048/20210214_103507.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy7C8408tV9us2TMzO0_pSxHjOBkIl5aYg59bW6ZY6AqdUSp6g-C8TGEOmlyqQ7DA3Ed4fRDCZTdbpqGiJQlF_5fY4TUeCPdTM-bAaKa-vTHKH4bA9hNuaVj5AIpQIdCxvRsVV/w640-h480/20210214_103507.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Rameka Track from Takaka to Harwoods Hole.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span><span style="background-color: none; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">It was starting to dawn on me that this was actually a race. Not a matey dirt-brevet where everyone rode together and stopped and waited at certain points. And there was no compulsory stand-down time like many of the dirt-brevets we have in NZ. As an older rider I was really going to miss this lack of recovery time. Chris and I camped in a grassy field in the middle of Murchison having cranked out 266 kms, which was to be the longest daily distance I would cover in the Tour Te Waipounamu.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: none; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> | Me - 266 kms<br /> | Ollie - 315 kms</span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Day 2. Murchison to Boyle River and Hope Kiwi Lodge – 142 kms – 5:45am to 8:30pm</b></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">By the time I left at 5:45am the next morning everyone else who was in Murchison seemed to have gone. We took the usual way out of Murchison through the Matakitaki and the Maruia Saddle's lovely Beech forest followed by a muddy diversion through some farm land before getting back onto the mixture of seal and gravel that lead to Springs Junction. </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgns9Sj-fEO5E3f5G3Ng1IlUrahEEqwA1yQV1MJ8c1LzcDTIrpbTZTobC4KvkLQhgtWDJXvzYD0ArCDCKGNsaX7NEeSMNH8Wgbb0U0qfPS-8TvWq6011qnlJ2OfzDUwRmvvnmLp/s2048/20210215_072244.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgns9Sj-fEO5E3f5G3Ng1IlUrahEEqwA1yQV1MJ8c1LzcDTIrpbTZTobC4KvkLQhgtWDJXvzYD0ArCDCKGNsaX7NEeSMNH8Wgbb0U0qfPS-8TvWq6011qnlJ2OfzDUwRmvvnmLp/w640-h480/20210215_072244.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matakitaki River<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyMs3T7XVMRSXbAOZla6ZCL45u5hv-JGFXze_9Rx_kYsNXpO-GLAXJn07EetKU9j-g_vr3WiNnEaNxsAXsaF-ZMyY1I3td29m3PBAljMtXdTT2WGqkASbpdD-XaSHC7yb1gWYw/s2048/20210215_074940.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyMs3T7XVMRSXbAOZla6ZCL45u5hv-JGFXze_9Rx_kYsNXpO-GLAXJn07EetKU9j-g_vr3WiNnEaNxsAXsaF-ZMyY1I3td29m3PBAljMtXdTT2WGqkASbpdD-XaSHC7yb1gWYw/w640-h480/20210215_074940.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Beech Forests of the Maruia Saddle.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span><span style="background-color: none; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">After a leisurely resupply and I hit the Lewis Pass on what was turning out to be a lovely hot day. More beautiful scenery as I rode through Maruia Springs and eventually made it to Boyle River where the predelivered food packages we had sent were waiting for us. As I suspected I would, I left a lot of the food behind, and picked through some other rider's discards as well. Its amazing what you cant stomach after just one days riding, and to think that I trained pretty exclusively on Bumper Bars! Thanks for the beer sticks to whoever left them behind. As I left Boyle River Mark Rayward and Caleb Helkenn turned up. 10 minutes later they rode past me on the road as I was following the wrong path down the side of a fence..... one of a few lapses in concentration that saw me screw up and miss a turn. Mark Rayward told me he had a great nights sleep in a motel somewhere and left Murch at 7:15am. Somehow he'd already taken 1.5 hours out of me. He looked to be travelling light. I chatted to Caleb for a bit and lost touch with them after negotiating the first nasty swing bridge at Windy Point. It was a real bastard, and not one that was ameniable to pushing with the front wheel up. Somehow I persevered and got through it.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: none; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIt8gNyzZMYhI-trFb-w7-hAjvVr72GqmpQeR98jiRZ_uqxxhaXYVHOIg0ikJ-PtggZ1vw-o54KOcBTaGTqHFlVqo_-08y-p7RAko30Olbojoau13bsHDhhjYOJTnDqpZMKwNX/s2048/20210215_160709.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIt8gNyzZMYhI-trFb-w7-hAjvVr72GqmpQeR98jiRZ_uqxxhaXYVHOIg0ikJ-PtggZ1vw-o54KOcBTaGTqHFlVqo_-08y-p7RAko30Olbojoau13bsHDhhjYOJTnDqpZMKwNX/w640-h480/20210215_160709.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hope River Track<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJDb-rirw-N_N_k-7X0Yy0FYhjZ6t55YDzcrAeK_y8TQOR9Ka4jJLvrzOprmBwACVZjMFnTlURH0n-jFDDt5IpPYpaQnqoLRGbgSHxzfWowVh-JZqqhkCeGSImMRctLVqTqwEK/s2048/20210215_161128.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJDb-rirw-N_N_k-7X0Yy0FYhjZ6t55YDzcrAeK_y8TQOR9Ka4jJLvrzOprmBwACVZjMFnTlURH0n-jFDDt5IpPYpaQnqoLRGbgSHxzfWowVh-JZqqhkCeGSImMRctLVqTqwEK/w640-h480/20210215_161128.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="background-color: none; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOpDRJ-XzAHPhinbroT6cZ4yAq9lzfBLN3fbzegVnaRWK5KKonlutORsEEgmbw6kuTgJ7sWYqQWFVwffmEagDlzTlAigTKfjTHMK7sNPImkXGwXTSDsRwv_9rccLt34VBhS_ok/s2048/20210215_190911.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOpDRJ-XzAHPhinbroT6cZ4yAq9lzfBLN3fbzegVnaRWK5KKonlutORsEEgmbw6kuTgJ7sWYqQWFVwffmEagDlzTlAigTKfjTHMK7sNPImkXGwXTSDsRwv_9rccLt34VBhS_ok/w640-h480/20210215_190911.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQyNiqah4r3-J0xU9CZrQ01zAYn53nG9TQxVBqmQy5z623RhZ0MJKAT5tJpcMrPx2D07sVyH3UQauz2aRi3DOm2iVzy_sMR6TJQr4wgd5BwPVGeiz18evhi4fAVffofea8QZTT/s2048/20210215_175034.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQyNiqah4r3-J0xU9CZrQ01zAYn53nG9TQxVBqmQy5z623RhZ0MJKAT5tJpcMrPx2D07sVyH3UQauz2aRi3DOm2iVzy_sMR6TJQr4wgd5BwPVGeiz18evhi4fAVffofea8QZTT/w640-h480/20210215_175034.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2j1yt0HFY31Rg2genEWRlSPNQ8pgIEcVKN1C1tQTh-OYLe0D7rNCNnPawi7ETI6I0RHm2XCMqjFjO68c_wU764x_lAH3AwfhOKeDxTD5_s_niuv97DIvr1UuW3GDS8D3qNtIa/s2048/20210215_163347.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2j1yt0HFY31Rg2genEWRlSPNQ8pgIEcVKN1C1tQTh-OYLe0D7rNCNnPawi7ETI6I0RHm2XCMqjFjO68c_wU764x_lAH3AwfhOKeDxTD5_s_niuv97DIvr1UuW3GDS8D3qNtIa/w640-h480/20210215_163347.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hope River Track</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background-color: none; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div><div><span style="background-color: none; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">After some initial steepness the trail eventually flattened out and took us through some pretty spectacular bush. Unfortunately there seemed to be a fallen log over the trail every 20 metres or so which had you wondering if it really made sense to remount your bike at times. Initially I was blithering and frustrated as hell, but after a while I noticed that I had started to learn from the feed-back that the terrain was giving me, and I started to ride, and push, more efficiently. I think I reached Hope Kiwi Lodge at around 8pm and decided it was a nice place to stop. After a while Mark Watson and Peter Maindonald turned up. Mark had been having some issues with his achilles but had already made all the normal adjustments to try and fix it. </span><span style="background-color: none; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: none; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mark was part of the early MTB scene in Wellington from the late 80's but more recently was on a <a href="https://www.highlux.co.nz/blog/">three year tour of the Americas</a> before Covid cut it short. </span>Peter has been a part of the NZ Bikepacking scene since the first Kiwi Brevet in 2010 and now organises the Megagrind events near Rotorua. I had my first Radix dehy meal (cold) which left me feeling pretty damn sick actually. We decided to leave at 6am the next morning.</span><div><span style="background-color: none; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMJOERIivPa3Ws6r2z7A9WB6t5V9JhqC8HusHwdYIa58EiLhYMRx3aeCtS_P3W0eigChUPlPkS0vdqEtW0P8FNKch1CKu8uOaJv0XPmNKtC4PeUrPijTIbPt9qwagIbnfmr7zu/s2048/20210215_191140.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMJOERIivPa3Ws6r2z7A9WB6t5V9JhqC8HusHwdYIa58EiLhYMRx3aeCtS_P3W0eigChUPlPkS0vdqEtW0P8FNKch1CKu8uOaJv0XPmNKtC4PeUrPijTIbPt9qwagIbnfmr7zu/w640-h480/20210215_191140.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4C3lM52VB-UTh9joPVOhzMASfKEA91mmXz2u-6k93seMzwlGOc4k9waJKjt7USbQgwalyom5kBvn2PynLYPtKTxpDcsQq68Hjj72wyDhTbW3Tdx9D9Am5DqlXMkM9RrPuVtI0/s2048/20210215_200125.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4C3lM52VB-UTh9joPVOhzMASfKEA91mmXz2u-6k93seMzwlGOc4k9waJKjt7USbQgwalyom5kBvn2PynLYPtKTxpDcsQq68Hjj72wyDhTbW3Tdx9D9Am5DqlXMkM9RrPuVtI0/w640-h480/20210215_200125.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hope River Track</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background-color: none; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: none; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> | Me - 142 kms<br /> | Ollie - 149 kms</span> </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b> </b></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Day 3. Hope Kiwi Lodge to Andersons Hut </b></span></span><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>via Lake Sumner, Hurunui River and Dampier Range</b></span></span>– 55kms, 6am to 8:30 pm</b></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I think Pete was still sipping his hot drink when Mark and I rolled out, and I lost Marks tail pretty quickly in the singletrack. By the time I got to the Hurunui River at the top of Lake Sumner a cold southerly had come through with a very light rain. </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHm23I02ufyEU27bp5aSKN7vpLFImx04v3b52fSflWQAthZiEMzvGq31pcbVTEVEeUnWykxx8ficZiZCEPNJHEqM8BuO5kZDcdSsd45ZH7BiZ-I8hfiFmnLTQXCm5apEzVe4s8/s2048/20210216_101613.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHm23I02ufyEU27bp5aSKN7vpLFImx04v3b52fSflWQAthZiEMzvGq31pcbVTEVEeUnWykxx8ficZiZCEPNJHEqM8BuO5kZDcdSsd45ZH7BiZ-I8hfiFmnLTQXCm5apEzVe4s8/w640-h480/20210216_101613.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lake Sumner</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span><span style="background-color: none;"><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I went back and forth between the River and the nasty swing-bridge before deciding to dismantle my bike to get it over the crazy steep swing-bridge. I couldn't tell if the River was level was safe enough so erred on the side of caution. After dicking about for so long I was not at all surprised to see Peter Maindonald catch me up. We seemed to be moving at a similar pace and rode on together to reach the Esk River at 1:30pm. We were warned that we needed to be there by 12pm if we wanted to get over the Dampier Range comfortably in the daylight. We thought we'd give it a crack. </span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: none;"><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: none;"><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN_qAttbscfTw0e8HrE54Bo6tAmthXEY3I5YPQZ9L1HL_EjQHX_DVwrcqXXQnoZjsqfLAl13pCXtwPqSiEkaCEA0L5gIPp0gtCCq1YUSrtkUwkC5z8p3ArK7Qc2K2JQegjLP_n/s1029/dampier.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="709" data-original-width="1029" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN_qAttbscfTw0e8HrE54Bo6tAmthXEY3I5YPQZ9L1HL_EjQHX_DVwrcqXXQnoZjsqfLAl13pCXtwPqSiEkaCEA0L5gIPp0gtCCq1YUSrtkUwkC5z8p3ArK7Qc2K2JQegjLP_n/w640-h440/dampier.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dampier Range<br /></td></tr></tbody></table></span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: none; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjugSEBXJe4eeXmhwJMlrwbIZkqYGeuqQp-75rH6wCgEv9F14Ci9LvUz62v7wxTeEMwcaW4VxyOsS_MPJs1YF1ThJBq6J9y2Fug6JhIJrB_SdSLTVCbkeNtBPyZT5bDZdrEk_ct/s2048/20210216_135357.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjugSEBXJe4eeXmhwJMlrwbIZkqYGeuqQp-75rH6wCgEv9F14Ci9LvUz62v7wxTeEMwcaW4VxyOsS_MPJs1YF1ThJBq6J9y2Fug6JhIJrB_SdSLTVCbkeNtBPyZT5bDZdrEk_ct/w640-h480/20210216_135357.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZg_vht500dEv_LWrPs0cU8u3_c3l4_ztCJRo31KQzhkucF9sB4ukKwpXD8oF0yTGtQsdlPLK8Tn24bhsYCBa45d1_OHaTwtO1UxL5qqcGSD9qLZHyNfYVm3yb4FUIugb3AQ9Q/s2048/20210216_150314.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZg_vht500dEv_LWrPs0cU8u3_c3l4_ztCJRo31KQzhkucF9sB4ukKwpXD8oF0yTGtQsdlPLK8Tn24bhsYCBa45d1_OHaTwtO1UxL5qqcGSD9qLZHyNfYVm3yb4FUIugb3AQ9Q/w640-h480/20210216_150314.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peter Maindonald on the Dampier Range<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background-color: none; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div><div><span style="background-color: none; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Dampier Range was really hard. It just got steeper and more difficult the higher up we got. Pete and I were both pushing and dragging our bikes as neither of us had learned how to carry them across our backs properly. I had a special sling I'd built, but after I nearly lost balance on a bluff on the Hope Kiwi trail I had sworn off using it again. It's difficult to describe how hard this segment was. I don't think I have ever done anything even a tenth as hard as this was. I am sure it would have been a great hike, or even a run, but dragging a heavy bike through the tussock just seemed insane.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: none; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div><div><span style="background-color: none; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">After around 7 hours of dragging and pushing a bunch of other riders appeared out of the mist behind us. Olly Manson, Matt Quirk, Andrew Trevalyn and Brendan Pheasant. I must have been pretty cooked as I struggled down the hill trying to find the few rideable bits and eventually could only really find the exit track when I saw a large fire blazing near the hut. I had no rear brake at this stage which didn't help matters much. Everyone seemed pretty smashed and I set up my tent and got straight into my bag, with my sleeping bag liner, beanie, buff and puffer jacket on over the top of my smelly riding gear. Someone slept in a bivvy under the trees which was a smart move given the frost all over our gear when we awoke in the morning. Apparently Dulkara Martig got caught out on the Range and managed to survive. A legit mountain woman! If I did 55kms, as the tracker suggests, then I averaged 3.7 kmh for the 14.5 hours riding. Or 2.2 kmh for the Dampier Range itself, including the descent.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: none; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQAZefkxc6ClJ3AK3Zg1t1HvmkvxwqSyIgGRnHxF3Z0L92IxUUsBAb1WtHnRskN7AX8i19DlW4pzWcPzggemFB9QrZyHn9zyxOhHTqThu6MsIrM9dOZJ8PtrNStPBhAsCgLBZC/s2048/20210217_070529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQAZefkxc6ClJ3AK3Zg1t1HvmkvxwqSyIgGRnHxF3Z0L92IxUUsBAb1WtHnRskN7AX8i19DlW4pzWcPzggemFB9QrZyHn9zyxOhHTqThu6MsIrM9dOZJ8PtrNStPBhAsCgLBZC/w640-h480/20210217_070529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ScWwuEaB-FAOAkszqHF0w-Nz4esMNksa2kI3gUbuwgf64GWTxcbU-ReqscH9EkLNuitWqH07-0E2awqbBJB0za9tuKdXaWnCuJBNcjLKD5_jN2z1YXuDmmz3QRY9uooX7kJ2/s2048/20210217_071750.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ScWwuEaB-FAOAkszqHF0w-Nz4esMNksa2kI3gUbuwgf64GWTxcbU-ReqscH9EkLNuitWqH07-0E2awqbBJB0za9tuKdXaWnCuJBNcjLKD5_jN2z1YXuDmmz3QRY9uooX7kJ2/w640-h480/20210217_071750.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Andersons Hut. A bit frosty.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background-color: none; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: none; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> | Me - 55 kms<br /> | Ollie - 224 kms</span></span></span><b><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span> </b></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b> </b></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Day 4. Andersons Hut through Cass Saddle, to Hamilton Hut -79kms, </b></span></span><b style="color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">8am to 7:30 pm</b></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Everyone seemed to have slept in and we probably didn't leave until about 8am. I came across Andrew Trevelyan who had broken his thru-axle quick release so was obviously scared of what he would do if he had an unsealable puncture. The next part of the ride was pretty enjoyable as it was either wide open climbing or fast descending. No hikeabike, for now. I came across a couple of trail angels who supercharged me with a cup of hot coffee. Oh what a feeling. Warm fluid, and I had weened myself off coffee before the TTW so it was extra special. </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFuW1zx_i8P2yfoUKRqej685DInM9_1GYuYWuUNfuLYyzysZeabnC9hUPMlRandF0wsMw2ZZw_oKyxBTYUcpwhyphenhyphenUmKp8WWKyKvPNc5DjKMMa1HYslfYQW6khVst5-uo6QaD_ua/s2048/20210217_090830.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFuW1zx_i8P2yfoUKRqej685DInM9_1GYuYWuUNfuLYyzysZeabnC9hUPMlRandF0wsMw2ZZw_oKyxBTYUcpwhyphenhyphenUmKp8WWKyKvPNc5DjKMMa1HYslfYQW6khVst5-uo6QaD_ua/w640-h480/20210217_090830.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtQWh2PthIuQmNMIJRf7AtK6pCxdExfrsu8HdnTgE0SPd8bijillipZxuH67DgDHuuOPsiUdU5NSmDPU7J03HrIXbcsHGRZW-UjxgMOPJyTgxP-1pOB4HY4azuNDhbvcZCJfPB/s2048/20210217_112046.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtQWh2PthIuQmNMIJRf7AtK6pCxdExfrsu8HdnTgE0SPd8bijillipZxuH67DgDHuuOPsiUdU5NSmDPU7J03HrIXbcsHGRZW-UjxgMOPJyTgxP-1pOB4HY4azuNDhbvcZCJfPB/w640-h480/20210217_112046.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poulter River<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7iM1hMsd-iw5R2WBFYXfywZ_-bf-v9-rdmbP07FL_uR-Xq7xG4pCAG8bxjG61m5gE7GAxBw29kP6q91l35vSSdQ_eEmHYDS9eu6nDqei4-jIGLlVK4a8TsuZBmAfuRuEIbdUa/s911/cass-saddle.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="716" data-original-width="911" height="504" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7iM1hMsd-iw5R2WBFYXfywZ_-bf-v9-rdmbP07FL_uR-Xq7xG4pCAG8bxjG61m5gE7GAxBw29kP6q91l35vSSdQ_eEmHYDS9eu6nDqei4-jIGLlVK4a8TsuZBmAfuRuEIbdUa/w640-h504/cass-saddle.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cass River bash and Saddle ascent<br /></td></tr></tbody></table> </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I caught up to Brendan at the start of the Cass River where he was getting some trail angel goodness as well. This was next level trail love where I scored a bacon buttie and a Parrot Dog beer. Hell yeah!</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">We pushed our bikes up the Cass river bed and after a while Olly Manson recaught me, then Andrew Trevelyan followed by Matt Quirke. Eventually I got to the saddle but I was clearly blithering on the partially rideable descent. It really was a beautiful walking track but wrangling a 26 kg bike over it was pretty damn horrible. Not having a rear brake meant that I couldn't use it to stabilise my bike on the steep pushes, so my abdomen was taking the brunt of stopping the bike from rolling back.The fronts of my ankles were really sore and I was having problems just steering the bike. You don't realise how much your feet do in technical riding until they stop functioning properly. </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc0_dbZpWtLi7b4WCIAPoG7YxBZeAPI4NUIxbH72gNa3BGFqFt53NcMHbHseqB0uXtEAkDAC632I81TnVF2E4VPCr8-IMCyx3M0yED8o-5V35iBHWHnNK_pOvgVCJQUlAPKUtH/s2048/20210217_102501.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc0_dbZpWtLi7b4WCIAPoG7YxBZeAPI4NUIxbH72gNa3BGFqFt53NcMHbHseqB0uXtEAkDAC632I81TnVF2E4VPCr8-IMCyx3M0yED8o-5V35iBHWHnNK_pOvgVCJQUlAPKUtH/w640-h480/20210217_102501.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cass Saddle <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCVTC2bp9SP4k9hdX0LnIhlYx6qDGX1yWwlhwUfrkCg1CS-LEduo559eR_Vx3e8Y4FHaiGcYOfmUCPhZJb3o5w2WPH2OHs_IoeAQ21Haa5tv7_4NH70ALmyg8hZQRhHRX8OL9c/s2048/20210217_173453.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCVTC2bp9SP4k9hdX0LnIhlYx6qDGX1yWwlhwUfrkCg1CS-LEduo559eR_Vx3e8Y4FHaiGcYOfmUCPhZJb3o5w2WPH2OHs_IoeAQ21Haa5tv7_4NH70ALmyg8hZQRhHRX8OL9c/w640-h480/20210217_173453.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibh2S-42OWF1KMARK6YAOb8LfgOVJ7ae6nB1Zybcv3GKj2vmdfZevFQVh-Boa7SvLJnPy97tZXrzmGoeobN1BJgtRF3n5VWuWOm5VCmPR72Mq0xq3cVpCgvYS82JKdeNPM92RT/s2048/20210217_181238.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibh2S-42OWF1KMARK6YAOb8LfgOVJ7ae6nB1Zybcv3GKj2vmdfZevFQVh-Boa7SvLJnPy97tZXrzmGoeobN1BJgtRF3n5VWuWOm5VCmPR72Mq0xq3cVpCgvYS82JKdeNPM92RT/w640-h480/20210217_181238.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOUYLT7diR30KUZ4jWtlT9aa5_aLiyj1cI7FIRM4zqjLgX_EjDKuxWM3yOV9V5ibD2IPYnQeH0990liYPJ8I-jwYCeZ-XDOHCxDN50wgCgHhIydsSythcSC5MBaYi8G56CiFYu/s2048/20210217_183551.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOUYLT7diR30KUZ4jWtlT9aa5_aLiyj1cI7FIRM4zqjLgX_EjDKuxWM3yOV9V5ibD2IPYnQeH0990liYPJ8I-jwYCeZ-XDOHCxDN50wgCgHhIydsSythcSC5MBaYi8G56CiFYu/w640-h480/20210217_183551.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cass Saddle descent <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">My tracker implies that it took me about 4 hours of hike-a-bike to reach the Cass Hutt, after which the descent started. I walked most of it as it was clearly safer for me on a loaded bike, with no rear brake. There was eventually some nice flowy ridable track in the lead up to Hamilton Hut that I enjoyed. I got there about 8:30 pm and decided to call it quits for the day. Matt Quirke was there, as was Andrew Trevelyan who had managed to destroy his rear derailleur after a near miss involving an unplanned trip off the edge of the trail somewhere. Matt helped him square it up a bit and he carried on. Peter Maindonald turned up again too. The hut was pretty nice and had quite a few Te Araroa trail walkers in it, as well as DOC workers who were doing some maintenance. In the confusion of the next morning, somehow I left 2 of my 3 water bottles behind. Never mind, we were about to cross the Harper river a gazillion times the next morning.</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: none; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> | Me - 79 kms<br /> | Ollie - 167 kms</span> </span></span> </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Day 5. Hamilton Hut to Methven – Short Day - 81kms, 6am to 12:30pm </b></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Once again, Pete was still sipping his hot drink at 6am so Matt and I left, only to get lost twice in the dark in about 5 minutes... I found the next part pretty tough, trying to follow the GPS trail up the Harper River and got completely stuck in bush in a couple of places. I was wondering how robust my dynamo hub was going to be after being completely submerged on a couple of occasions but it seemed to come through alright. It was pretty cold but once I was able to get up to speed my mood improved. I was so glad I was wearing my Ground Effect Storm Strooper. Beforehand I was worried that it may not be as breathable as some of the new Shake Dry products out there, but the added warmth I got from it was a major help to me, as I can get the shakes within minutes of stopping moving if I get cold. I was passing a steady stream of Te Araroa Trail walkers and was getting into some faster riding. </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmxMPpB_NGxT7sLBrdGXQASRc5ToPFUmAQnam2-Lcd0IN8dXaEMs7P0fjgHwdFyvN64iebC57z9nSHYBBawO-qWAtl4sUiUBZ05QXMNa-Zh76yAhjwGOuPOnNSqSGjI2Fxp2sh/s2048/20210218_091054.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmxMPpB_NGxT7sLBrdGXQASRc5ToPFUmAQnam2-Lcd0IN8dXaEMs7P0fjgHwdFyvN64iebC57z9nSHYBBawO-qWAtl4sUiUBZ05QXMNa-Zh76yAhjwGOuPOnNSqSGjI2Fxp2sh/w640-h480/20210218_091054.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lake Selfe<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Once on the seal I decided to plug in my Mp3 player for the first time and completely missed a turn-off to lose myself about 4 kms. I rolled into Methven in pretty bad shape. I was wobbly on my feet with my messed up ankles and I was wondering what to do. Mark Watson was there and had been resting his achilles since the previous day. Peter Maindonald was there, having passed me when I took my wrong turn, Matt Quirke was there, doing a resupply, and the father of my good friend Janet was there, (Bruce Arnst), from the famous Arnst cycling family. Bruce is 80 and has only recently stopped riding. It was great to see him, especially considering my tracker's spotty performance. </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2dNOgFFr_kppYhB4Q8nXwogiyvoNuUld4RQAp3A-vQeXaxNW4H8fkXVROvwCfkcuXORcXZDQZd1CMlgp5QMzyo_3-h2k7toTqZAfmkRZe_96LPq8XFUi7HNaBwd2iJ2vBgbJR/s2048/20210218_130844.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2dNOgFFr_kppYhB4Q8nXwogiyvoNuUld4RQAp3A-vQeXaxNW4H8fkXVROvwCfkcuXORcXZDQZd1CMlgp5QMzyo_3-h2k7toTqZAfmkRZe_96LPq8XFUi7HNaBwd2iJ2vBgbJR/w640-h480/20210218_130844.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and 80 year old dot-watcher, Bruce Arnst - Bruce on the right ; )<br /></td></tr></tbody></table> </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I was seriously thinking about pulling out. Mark suggested I have an early stop like he was and try and get some recovery in. So at 12:30 pm I got a room and tried to have a rest. I took my bike into Big Al's bike shop, and Kirsty had bled my brakes before I even finished my coffee. Awesome. In the next 6 hours or so a whole bunch more people would catch up and pass me. Chris Byrch, Dulkara Martig, Geof Blance, Ken Scott, and Rachel Berry. I watched them all ride past. It felt very weird trying to relax in my flash motel unit. I couldn't even get to sleep, but I did enjoy a soak in the bath and managed to ice my tendons a bit. I also got some topical gel to rub on my swollen ankles. The fluid build-up around my ankles wasn't something I had experienced before so presumabley it was related to the hike-a-bike. Mark gave me some strapping material and I googled up a strapping pattern, it was worth a shot. Later that evening I went out for a pub meal with Mark and his partner Hana Black who had just turned up, and Geof, Ken and Rachel. I couldnt believe how light Mark's bike was compared to mine so I jetisoned some gear. Mark and Hana decided they would leave at 4am the next morning so I said I would join them. </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: none; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> | Me - 81 kms<br /> | Ollie - 225 kms</span> </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Day 6. Methven to Royal Hut - 140km, 4am to 5:30pm</b></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">When I cracked open the door Hana was ready to roll, but Mark was still tucked up nice and toasty. His achilles was still bugging him. We took off on what was one of the faster segments of riding. I couldn't believe how fast Hana was riding on those 2.6 Mezcals on the tar-seal. She was hauling. It was obviously dark, a little bit cold and there was no walking, so apart from the air being filled with the putrid combo of cow-shit and turnips ? - I was relatively happy. It was a pretty fast ride to Mesapotomia, although I seemed to have erased a nasty rocky segment from my memory. I recall some great trail magic from a guy called Brian Prestige, so appreciated. I caught up to Dulkara and we chatted for a bit. I cracked on and was enjoying the lack of technical riding which was good for my ankles. </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">It was another crazy hot day but I seemed to be coping well with it. I actually enjoyed the 800m Bullock Bow Saddle hikeabike, once again because the walking was completely non-technical. I had decided that the issues with my front shin tendons were possibly aggravated by my very flat-footed walking gait, and in hindsight, my crap carrying technique (pushing), so I made a conscious effort to walk on the front part of my shoes, plus I loosened them off a lot because of the swelling. By this time I believe that two of the front-runners already had some pretty bad shoe failures. I had actually repaired mine earlier in the year with dental floss where some of the stitching had failed, and the repair was holding up well. </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizrBkpOW9zTPLOZYE5jDUTTcPctR7nxuBWqOMUbg8XAiyq5Mta458U-vEWl7pCe6EiPtwtZ9E5GLkrHMq-Vxu-uK2pLpACmGdqk4a53IZakqRE3ew8LEHBiR-8Fd7MkXmskzIY/s1203/bullock-bow.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="707" data-original-width="1203" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizrBkpOW9zTPLOZYE5jDUTTcPctR7nxuBWqOMUbg8XAiyq5Mta458U-vEWl7pCe6EiPtwtZ9E5GLkrHMq-Vxu-uK2pLpACmGdqk4a53IZakqRE3ew8LEHBiR-8Fd7MkXmskzIY/w640-h376/bullock-bow.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bullock Bow Saddle<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> There was plenty of water on the trail and for the first time I started to notice some wild-life. Crickets, grasshoppers, skinks and some strange grey cicadas. </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="520" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bm5P5Ze4KmQ" width="624" youtube-src-id="bm5P5Ze4KmQ"></iframe></div><br /> </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I was underwhelmed with the birdlife pretty much everywhere we went. Some of us thought we heard a Kaka on the Hope River track and I could hear a few squeaks from what may have been a Bush Robin at times. </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I honestly cant remember the descent off the top of Bullock Bow pass, but I do remember the last bit to Royal Hut which was more ugly tussock bashing. The hut was full of TA hikers with one bed left so I snaffled that, despite it only being around 5:30 pm. My aero bars had started to come loose and I had some serious rejiggery to do which involved taking off my whole front harness.</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj16ib3WIPGJ6s58uyxDubT56ZPZ7_2DF_8f7zwEGaqqJRq423EQNHr2TUXZiuocMmd5urjeEr1y9BDKX4cI6kQyX8fu_deZ3NYL1R1NxQys_qa8Te-TIYpdmAhOsNfXKQVSrIi/s2048/20210219_115300.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj16ib3WIPGJ6s58uyxDubT56ZPZ7_2DF_8f7zwEGaqqJRq423EQNHr2TUXZiuocMmd5urjeEr1y9BDKX4cI6kQyX8fu_deZ3NYL1R1NxQys_qa8Te-TIYpdmAhOsNfXKQVSrIi/w640-h480/20210219_115300.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr2jwd0w399jI7VH0XYEYNcSwelFcuV-qWFBTa9TAOpl6_Vn14qcrraxbA89HVsI3YpQ0LjOLZnJIMKkWkmx_y1jaxFa36E_utARznu9tDixBLoZtzgJeQ7IVqwG08SKciOu9P/s2048/20210219_125713.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr2jwd0w399jI7VH0XYEYNcSwelFcuV-qWFBTa9TAOpl6_Vn14qcrraxbA89HVsI3YpQ0LjOLZnJIMKkWkmx_y1jaxFa36E_utARznu9tDixBLoZtzgJeQ7IVqwG08SKciOu9P/w640-h480/20210219_125713.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7WEyLm0DHOcZOfO1aiqZKnFiNvQYbZTaPS6cipme0z3ze1_vWYGgZqB2zSUnTt943s8xKTdJYd5-nFU0gmqagnWIX8aQQstejCCxwrkU-PK3IjcaAJl-IZ1lTvW7roigRZhAx/s2048/20210219_135852.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7WEyLm0DHOcZOfO1aiqZKnFiNvQYbZTaPS6cipme0z3ze1_vWYGgZqB2zSUnTt943s8xKTdJYd5-nFU0gmqagnWIX8aQQstejCCxwrkU-PK3IjcaAJl-IZ1lTvW7roigRZhAx/w640-h480/20210219_135852.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKkit1g_o3smk49rD5QaTOZAU8bDXcAcDjOEwLrW47cE1xIORII66GnRfN6zl334zjSq9w65nFt000XL3tY2PXL3jBknqnpJAWcPSpJ1AUBiYPZSOXiGr5RC_IFNsBqdu9gZZj/s2048/20210219_152925.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKkit1g_o3smk49rD5QaTOZAU8bDXcAcDjOEwLrW47cE1xIORII66GnRfN6zl334zjSq9w65nFt000XL3tY2PXL3jBknqnpJAWcPSpJ1AUBiYPZSOXiGr5RC_IFNsBqdu9gZZj/w640-h480/20210219_152925.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5XUi9W0zGw_M6X_2qUUdumXaD6mgSG31Xfw43n8EjY5CUQajvjWrhL5FcvMvyEuOCv0YxfPlkU-G3gyFz9CKyfXmkZ6f6CU8SXbrVwJYWumPhWuQjcpcd31R4ENahyphenhyphenXreFT9c/s2048/20210219_161046.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5XUi9W0zGw_M6X_2qUUdumXaD6mgSG31Xfw43n8EjY5CUQajvjWrhL5FcvMvyEuOCv0YxfPlkU-G3gyFz9CKyfXmkZ6f6CU8SXbrVwJYWumPhWuQjcpcd31R4ENahyphenhyphenXreFT9c/w640-h480/20210219_161046.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="520" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/86oZo4JFW7A" width="624" youtube-src-id="86oZo4JFW7A"></iframe></div><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Apparently Chris Byrch had gone through an hour earlier and the TA trampers in the hut were concerned about her as she looked pretty whacked. In the next 6 hours the hut was to become very popular. I think Hana was the next to turn up, then Dulkara, then Geof, Ken, Rachel and Chris and Bob and I think Amanda. Later that night there was another arrival. Mark had left the motel in Methven and he did an earlier depart with Hana at 5am. </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5OpT11Xd_kB6UWdFpuYStUi2-57I7vaiA5aF608E1wFJ8xQ4hhyphenhyphenmAqVeM85q57tag2ThD77So-uCHvP9jATlO4S_UdIdeoesIYAe4BEMg8HUqDsaIUIC8IYNo3lI9Bva8OjW3/s2048/20210219_202607.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5OpT11Xd_kB6UWdFpuYStUi2-57I7vaiA5aF608E1wFJ8xQ4hhyphenhyphenmAqVeM85q57tag2ThD77So-uCHvP9jATlO4S_UdIdeoesIYAe4BEMg8HUqDsaIUIC8IYNo3lI9Bva8OjW3/w640-h480/20210219_202607.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Royal Hut</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVeaHmz1NV7zaFl9EVpKy_0RSs-1IhVC0yjQMEMqYZAWuzbLSUozgA6pOzqTyhcULthy7QFkfgLIp02Y1eFR9JUjepiiwoax4SJA9A1NTSJtfm1jLnsFyIVh8jrIRfrrA_RhkL/s2048/20210219_202406.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVeaHmz1NV7zaFl9EVpKy_0RSs-1IhVC0yjQMEMqYZAWuzbLSUozgA6pOzqTyhcULthy7QFkfgLIp02Y1eFR9JUjepiiwoax4SJA9A1NTSJtfm1jLnsFyIVh8jrIRfrrA_RhkL/w640-h480/20210219_202406.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ken, Hana, Dulkara, Rachel, Geof and Jeff.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table></span></span><br /><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: none; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> | Me - 140 kms<br /> | Ollie - 236 kms</span> </span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Day 7. Royal Hut to Haldane Arm campsite, via Stag Pass, Round Hill ski Field and Tekapo - 113kms, 6am to 11pm</b></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I was pretty apprehensive about the next section of hikeabike as I knew it was going to be hell on my shins. But I set off at 6am, diligently pushing my bike, only to be passed a few minutes later by Dulkara, and then Rachel, who were both carrying their bikes across their backs. It looked so uncomfortable, but they were moving really quickly. Rachel kindly showed me how to do it and man it was easy by comparison. You just didn't need to stop at all. Rachel had it nailed. She had taken the crap off her bike, put it in a back-pack, and used the back-pack as a buffer between her back and the bike frame. I compromised by hanging my heaviest drybag off the top of my daypack.</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Before long the other crusty males, Geof and Ken were also doing it. You CAN teach old dogs new tricks! The terrain was pretty crazy, big sharp red boulders in places. I cant believe I only rolled my ankle once on the whole tour. We reached the summit to meet Dulkara live streaming our newfound carrying skills to the world via her Instagram channel. Amazingly there was cell phone coverage up there. Somehow we had foolishly imagined an amazing descent down into Tekapo. There was none. There was more walking, a nice little piece of Matagouri to navigate, and another crazy steep piece of bike-carry that had me cussing Brian's name out loud. </span></span> </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjChcz_I9pY_orV3BjYyyuCNTZlrSXdENL7QxRyQ52y0fdSzX4xGpP8fvLPkCYSZW7ys2NvKbwZrMKwSTaGLrgei-nbf9lN0hcPUfpxIftEIAjF4SzN84BovumbxWUeAmmF0fGD/s1113/stag-saddle.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="717" data-original-width="1113" height="413" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjChcz_I9pY_orV3BjYyyuCNTZlrSXdENL7QxRyQ52y0fdSzX4xGpP8fvLPkCYSZW7ys2NvKbwZrMKwSTaGLrgei-nbf9lN0hcPUfpxIftEIAjF4SzN84BovumbxWUeAmmF0fGD/w640-h413/stag-saddle.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stag Saddle<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTzhiL9MMBQ7hyaggshjKqj5K-s1xSxJsoqbeF1JCbuNnxVXqEqNHfunz34y85DktVLj6U-9XGMuZCyAxGrkiMP0MlLQAyk0nbI83lN0t2nDcV2zgFbgCFl32NnawGDwgFcYdm/s2048/20210220_091111.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTzhiL9MMBQ7hyaggshjKqj5K-s1xSxJsoqbeF1JCbuNnxVXqEqNHfunz34y85DktVLj6U-9XGMuZCyAxGrkiMP0MlLQAyk0nbI83lN0t2nDcV2zgFbgCFl32NnawGDwgFcYdm/w640-h480/20210220_091111.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No stranger to adversity, Geof Blance finished 4th in the 2014 Tour Divide. This time he chose to ride with his good buddy Ken Scott, another Tour Divide Veteran. I don't think the Tour Divide was anything like this<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJXPqXm8ODoSsTsK8Pd4ccDW9baQOeX-UxYz89HqyMRKWJHpLYtlASq_4ZwcYnFpFTK5HdxwNAODoUX9woSKJTct4wocU9TiOXneNCiMnJVPg-SNOhEb6V9WyJ-oxgg4DxIILt/s2048/20210220_091137.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJXPqXm8ODoSsTsK8Pd4ccDW9baQOeX-UxYz89HqyMRKWJHpLYtlASq_4ZwcYnFpFTK5HdxwNAODoUX9woSKJTct4wocU9TiOXneNCiMnJVPg-SNOhEb6V9WyJ-oxgg4DxIILt/w640-h480/20210220_091137.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv1cc4Y71OQLxV_aquilxeG_Gm5BPiGbuzF0P_tZNRZxoMo5FRxXO5GNEwUCAWMLSgRLGV9HN4G7E0vR2tKMo3eZOzKFEBFuRnTMJvEKfTW1zk0mpjwRyg5X637js1QxygZpU7/s2048/20210220_100542.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv1cc4Y71OQLxV_aquilxeG_Gm5BPiGbuzF0P_tZNRZxoMo5FRxXO5GNEwUCAWMLSgRLGV9HN4G7E0vR2tKMo3eZOzKFEBFuRnTMJvEKfTW1zk0mpjwRyg5X637js1QxygZpU7/w640-h480/20210220_100542.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Ok, now where is the sweet down-hill ?"<br /></td></tr></tbody></table></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTsKh2Xv4SVu2LB0u12XXLTyK7sh3a_C9Ltf1a-FMjUodM-kwc2B6NAAugnZKMel-r-FTDj7HgfClSaJu4r12psHRGL92telrLL_XgUhnh-kbwvrmlG7fFluaRycSczKzguYnE/s2048/20210220_095406.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTsKh2Xv4SVu2LB0u12XXLTyK7sh3a_C9Ltf1a-FMjUodM-kwc2B6NAAugnZKMel-r-FTDj7HgfClSaJu4r12psHRGL92telrLL_XgUhnh-kbwvrmlG7fFluaRycSczKzguYnE/w640-h480/20210220_095406.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5myIEbUJT7NCEq5N0A20icolr6EsBGu3d_IJOPHEuytvOv0choC6NyYtemGGgVJnCEQAjYVvFPg8NauWJlVryTdLGIdctahrKT_DHRnWe7FNtpCbQ1Q_YqsYyKHuTFq4wAlpk/s2048/20210220_091146.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5myIEbUJT7NCEq5N0A20icolr6EsBGu3d_IJOPHEuytvOv0choC6NyYtemGGgVJnCEQAjYVvFPg8NauWJlVryTdLGIdctahrKT_DHRnWe7FNtpCbQ1Q_YqsYyKHuTFq4wAlpk/w640-h480/20210220_091146.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoJWPh01nmD3pAgG8u-PblLgueH43ZGkUu2sBj4M6trZ5QxFW_dAyiOWeCj2t7JSPUPkkfqjHzpFPBPQPLie6gHbud0Wm53Qou88HypBGkhbYpTFQm2_cOYoyeageUVtUbTr6L/s2048/20210220_124736.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoJWPh01nmD3pAgG8u-PblLgueH43ZGkUu2sBj4M6trZ5QxFW_dAyiOWeCj2t7JSPUPkkfqjHzpFPBPQPLie6gHbud0Wm53Qou88HypBGkhbYpTFQm2_cOYoyeageUVtUbTr6L/w640-h480/20210220_124736.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yep, probably the steepest of all the bike carry segments.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="524" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FyN55bL8Rh4" width="620" youtube-src-id="FyN55bL8Rh4"></iframe></div><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: none; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I was so glad when I eventually saw the Round Hill Ski field access road that I shot down it, completely missing the turn onto the Richmond Track, probably my 3rd major navigational balls-up. I back-tracked a kilometer and got back onto the trail which I was finding really hard work with my ankles. Imagine my surprise when up ahead I saw a couple dealing to a puncture on the side of the track. It was Chris and Bob. They had passed me when I made the wrong turn. Given my nana-skills it was only minutes before they rode past me again. It still seemed like a really long way into Tekapo and it was hot as hell. </span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">When I eventually got there I ordered fish and chips, sculled a coke, a ginger beer, a chocolate milk, and another coke, then I went to stock up at the Supermarket. It's interesting to see what it is you crave when you can eat anything you like. It wasn't like I hadn't been eating and drinking constantly all day either. Rachel was the last person I spoke to in Tekapo and she said they were heading for Haldon Arm Camp ground so that seemed like a plan. </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="520" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/w_IS9FR6_sI" width="624" youtube-src-id="w_IS9FR6_sI"></iframe></div> </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I set off wondering what treats were in store for me for the rest of the day. The initial stretch out of town was smooth and fast and took in some Alps to Ocean cycle trail, but eventually the trail turned into this rocky 4WD track that was pretty rough. Maybe the shadows cast by my dynamo lights made it look worse than it was, but I got the distinct feeling that I wasn't missing much in the way of scenery in this segment. </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD0mjZzmXBlpbt1o_889TXNvWPOkLY8uRljKFRvWB-BS-A78ItMubu8sydb0kU5RKRgNkkLmOUvfmJ-QvLJMc4hG0leE4TCWjtBN-epQsDfjFF4vjMZs0J0VL66zVgwLmV9CQf/s2048/20210220_201043.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD0mjZzmXBlpbt1o_889TXNvWPOkLY8uRljKFRvWB-BS-A78ItMubu8sydb0kU5RKRgNkkLmOUvfmJ-QvLJMc4hG0leE4TCWjtBN-epQsDfjFF4vjMZs0J0VL66zVgwLmV9CQf/w640-h480/20210220_201043.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ocean to Alps Cycle Trail<br /></td></tr></tbody></table> </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">For some reason my front suspension travel had become half what it was, but it never occurred to me to let some air out of my tires. I groveled on to the strangely quiet camp site and set up my tent at around 11pm. No sign of Geof's group. Something was moving around outside my tent all night long, I thought maybe a Weka, but apparently its not Weka country. Maybe a Taniwha?</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: none; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> | Me - 113 kms<br /> | Ollie - zzzZZZZzzz</span></span></span></span></span> </span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><div><b>Day 8. Haldon Arm Campground to Oturehua via Lake Benmore, Black Forest Station Otematata and Hawkdun Range - 125kms, 6am to 10:30pm</b></div><div>I left at around 6am and it was a pleasant ride on through to the Black Forest Station. I had a minor freak out when my GPS track disappeared but I think I was too far zoomed in on it for the resolution. At one point I could see something in the middle of the track and my brain wasn't recognizing what it was - it was a wallaby. The first of 3 that I would see that morning. It was very scenic rugged country and while I guess there was a bit of climbing I didn't notice it too much. There was a lovely descent down into Lake Benmore Dam and on to Otematata where the lady at the shop was very helpful and even offered to wash and fill up my bottles. What a star. </div><div> </div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_0dp0-bqpAASIeDHEISITPU27gguOaMV01x-RNd6ZmbXn9K1X-MWxHIvrKlXLHeOdB82p_lycu49K0yhS2ajnatrMujt9B69QJjyW09qHy8TMVY5zRSArp4lLr9PfHZCFMqqO/s2048/20210221_092110.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_0dp0-bqpAASIeDHEISITPU27gguOaMV01x-RNd6ZmbXn9K1X-MWxHIvrKlXLHeOdB82p_lycu49K0yhS2ajnatrMujt9B69QJjyW09qHy8TMVY5zRSArp4lLr9PfHZCFMqqO/w640-h480/20210221_092110.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lake Benmore<br /></td></tr></tbody></table> </div><div>It was another amazingly hot day and as I tried to shelter in front of the Dairy I heard a local say it was going to be 32 degrees. I left Otematata at 11am and after riding through some really amazing looking rock scree areas I got to the old hut among the trees at around 2:30pm, so the worst of the heat had probably gone, but the actual hikeabike was mostly yet to start. I found this section mentally very hard. My feet were pretty good to be honest, but there was this real "bear went over the mountain thing" going on. Every time you thought you were at a summit, there was another, and another, and another. </div><div> </div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKHg9yhwQx7k-4BMsINxX089zwhQTp1qM1xhLuU85xzgdmPt0VCbMQ9lWb0jfb8RYk5sfuhxCMyVFTj9bVE5yIcs0n3_Ic8eFBN9QYH5bgySrUknfbkI3zHlnDQwzvy8cQQd3_/s2048/20210221_114326.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKHg9yhwQx7k-4BMsINxX089zwhQTp1qM1xhLuU85xzgdmPt0VCbMQ9lWb0jfb8RYk5sfuhxCMyVFTj9bVE5yIcs0n3_Ic8eFBN9QYH5bgySrUknfbkI3zHlnDQwzvy8cQQd3_/w640-h480/20210221_114326.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking back towards lake Benmore.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><div> </div><div>It was very barren country and it became obvious that I was way
short on water, as there were no streams up there. This would have been a
good place to have that 3rd bottle or Camelbak topped up. I caught up
to Hana who was feeling a bit fragged, having started a couple of hours earlier
than me I guess. I carried on and before long she had caught and past me
again on one of the rougher descents. I spent a lot of time feeling
envious of Hana and Marks fat tires on the rough stuff. I'm not sure how
much of this stuff was hikeabike, it seemed like most of it. It was
like a crazy moonscape that would be best traversed in a Unimog, such
were the size of the rocks on it. </div><div> </div><div>I was getting
desperate for water and for the first time tried to use my filter bag to
scoop some water out of a puddle that had formed on the side of the
track. The final descent of the Hawkdun range was pretty rough but
somehow I managed to stick with Hana, but losing my 3rd water bottle of
the tour in the process. I'd only just bought it in Methven ! From now
on I would be using a disposable drink bottle. It took us quite a while
to get from the trail end to Oturehua at about 9:30pm. We had tried to
ring for food and accommodation to no avail. While we were thinking
about what next, out of the darkness we heard a woman's voice "are you
looking for accommodation?" She had been out watering the garden and saw
us roll in. She hooked us up with Bill at the Crows Nest and man, what
an experience. Hot showers, baked beans and eggs, tea, coffee. I am
pretty sure I drunk 5 cups of tea. It was amazing. Unfortunately the big
tube of "embrocation" cream that was in my toiletries bag had burst
open during the Stag Saddle hikeabike, and unnoticed by me had
infiltrated my toothbrush. My mouth has not been the same since. </div><div> </div><div>I
had to do a resupply at Gilchrests store when it opened at 7:30 so I
got a big sleep in, compared to Hana who was on the road by 5am. I had
to feel for Geof and Ken and the guys in their group who had to shelter
in the hut on the top of the Hawkdun range. I cant imagine there was
enough dirt up there to hold a tent peg so it would have been cosy in
the hut. Probably a bit stinky too. Everyone jokes about being smelly,
but I can honestly say I never noticed it on anyone. Maybe your body
shuts down these senses when it goes into survival mode ; )</div><div> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirwrcsSRk8K9APZuwWDAjgZ-XubUnfOwfnX4b0TSuIFtPfYAlXI_NFvtFLqHF3mDbsBlPLrP_12QR9ndZbFZdv0cEJz_odL3PwdDiV5Zkl5rI3wRj4iV8lgEGpciVWMzr60qqZ/s2048/20210221_183725.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirwrcsSRk8K9APZuwWDAjgZ-XubUnfOwfnX4b0TSuIFtPfYAlXI_NFvtFLqHF3mDbsBlPLrP_12QR9ndZbFZdv0cEJz_odL3PwdDiV5Zkl5rI3wRj4iV8lgEGpciVWMzr60qqZ/w640-h480/20210221_183725.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiegkn3XOvC3T7CGhseD-JEXtXoTYjticFEm0vROzm0QbVb4rFnHU_5qyMIzNOqOLqRBLiyzVNzvVWlfyApefFEc3BHO6LN54ipzL2eV0eYP6PsjMznvhpZtv6UuWUnCcL0Fl6V/s2048/20210221_183731.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiegkn3XOvC3T7CGhseD-JEXtXoTYjticFEm0vROzm0QbVb4rFnHU_5qyMIzNOqOLqRBLiyzVNzvVWlfyApefFEc3BHO6LN54ipzL2eV0eYP6PsjMznvhpZtv6UuWUnCcL0Fl6V/w640-h480/20210221_183731.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEDQKnQMOe5WfmwOgDFNV3-QBoeTklRAZASLKFXLNWeTmDkMtbACwFzev1J54WR6FSUGlwL2XHcSTrEW5bYB55H0HUgGr1P68QtQlya-nDni9L3YAqevvWz1lVA3RUK9sHA1Z0/s2048/20210221_181158.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEDQKnQMOe5WfmwOgDFNV3-QBoeTklRAZASLKFXLNWeTmDkMtbACwFzev1J54WR6FSUGlwL2XHcSTrEW5bYB55H0HUgGr1P68QtQlya-nDni9L3YAqevvWz1lVA3RUK9sHA1Z0/w640-h480/20210221_181158.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIOUNKW6eLH5mDdEnnCfOVNfRMX6yL9TxisA6j37uKjWBV6jv-bwfwIRNJnv0tdlYBwCzM8TTsIT1y3xigvS4tAOm4_iDyHRKExfOCqMQsZdGbanUesOx8pHfu6uy9d_NT9iif/s1386/Hawkdun.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1351" data-original-width="1386" height="624" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIOUNKW6eLH5mDdEnnCfOVNfRMX6yL9TxisA6j37uKjWBV6jv-bwfwIRNJnv0tdlYBwCzM8TTsIT1y3xigvS4tAOm4_iDyHRKExfOCqMQsZdGbanUesOx8pHfu6uy9d_NT9iif/w640-h624/Hawkdun.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hawkdun Range. Barneys Spur, Walking Spur, all the good stuff.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: none; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> | Me - 125 kms<br /> | Ollie - zzzZZZZzzz</span></span></span></span></span> </span></span> <br /></div><div> </div><div><b>Day 9. Oturehua to Lawrence via Lake Onslow and Mt Teviot - 162kms, 8am to 8:30pm<br /></b></div><div>I spent 90$ on junk food at Gilchrests store when they opened at 7:30. When the guy asked me who I was I said "Jeff". He said, "Oh someone has shouted you a coffee!" Wow, it would be rude not to take advantage of this kind offer, so I did... Then it clicked.... "Oh that would be Geof Blance, not me!" Too late.. I hit the road at 8am, dreaming of a day with no hikeabike. I was feeling pretty good and started to listen to some tunes on my phone. </div><div> </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdD_xDrS2PbQr6uUp2YT6DovzmbzfqPqYSKAOpW_6D0WIx4OI3MbmrNrcgQ340mH8XYlRi4XJDpNFFxwyk-f2Letfpm9VsOA5KdyB4-XhqCj2QqxjoN_V9AsN9T1Tr6EFlkB5V/s2048/20210222_103031.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdD_xDrS2PbQr6uUp2YT6DovzmbzfqPqYSKAOpW_6D0WIx4OI3MbmrNrcgQ340mH8XYlRi4XJDpNFFxwyk-f2Letfpm9VsOA5KdyB4-XhqCj2QqxjoN_V9AsN9T1Tr6EFlkB5V/w640-h480/20210222_103031.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The rugged scenery of the old Dunstan road was amazing with those rocky outcrops, I expected to get ambushed by bandits at any moment. I pretty much enjoyed all the 4wd trails but had a moment when I got momentarily on the wrong side of a fence and was trying to wrangle my bike over the top barbed wire. I seemed to be losing strength and wondered how the hell I had got this far. The bars swung around and smacked me in the side of the head, breaking the arm off my glasses. It could have been a lot worse I guess. Somehow they still managed to hang off my face so I didn't bother to roll out my insulation tape just yet. </div><div> </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="524" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yo7uSEQtD58" width="620" youtube-src-id="yo7uSEQtD58"></iframe></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2VIOuCSFYXOsL8_lNzzHfEZCBIa3bkrWQmwKc8tHGACdapTbWXXtufazwMAMp2JwmfitwR4g41kajL83Cb5hjF6I41f1MP7_UQ9zkHXQ1vhxIgfPvtev7O941dnQO_qwbjiKS/s2048/20210222_184039.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2VIOuCSFYXOsL8_lNzzHfEZCBIa3bkrWQmwKc8tHGACdapTbWXXtufazwMAMp2JwmfitwR4g41kajL83Cb5hjF6I41f1MP7_UQ9zkHXQ1vhxIgfPvtev7O941dnQO_qwbjiKS/w640-h480/20210222_184039.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyBO6QdYEESJbDjWNOtduxFZytHSveZ63e-lpunl6WEuqhV3pNYjkgjffnPr7k3WnVNtJ01H5YMzujHx9HuZYSPdmVtsuTRBPN5myFaoAO6EAy1Xz_NszvyP_SI0s04AH_zhEf/s2048/20210222_155149.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyBO6QdYEESJbDjWNOtduxFZytHSveZ63e-lpunl6WEuqhV3pNYjkgjffnPr7k3WnVNtJ01H5YMzujHx9HuZYSPdmVtsuTRBPN5myFaoAO6EAy1Xz_NszvyP_SI0s04AH_zhEf/w640-h480/20210222_155149.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>I kept on rolling down the descent and skidded to a halt when I saw a bike and sleeping cyclist lying in a sliver of shade. It was Hana, who awoke with a start. I stopped for a bit and chatted. We rode on and eventually came across a couple of women working some sheep through some sheep yards. We filled up our bottles and used their conveniences, very civilized. An awesome downhill down into Beaumont followed and eventually we were onto the Otago Rail Trail. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOlSa3U1QTngxKJCtc2TCqKAPHtryMlnAd9fbgyo7U4s0PV7bypECkaj9bUO-63mFxrZnqsI0BsY_sA5KQY4jq4IkDydkNarrG-Zw59abeOrL3HxhvaerPajQNB3ioyYXVa9YZ/s2048/20210222_151019.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOlSa3U1QTngxKJCtc2TCqKAPHtryMlnAd9fbgyo7U4s0PV7bypECkaj9bUO-63mFxrZnqsI0BsY_sA5KQY4jq4IkDydkNarrG-Zw59abeOrL3HxhvaerPajQNB3ioyYXVa9YZ/w640-h480/20210222_151019.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFxjGtT8HipbuI0ZfblXelKKMcuJs671JtCfFAsRj7pZStglLxScs6k106RL8-NhcP7Yq2171aXLYjCnuX22MTGBTTKXAagS-P9OTKcwMPclFjM-arWsL0s_4HKfUGs-DBTLR3/s2048/20210222_174306.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFxjGtT8HipbuI0ZfblXelKKMcuJs671JtCfFAsRj7pZStglLxScs6k106RL8-NhcP7Yq2171aXLYjCnuX22MTGBTTKXAagS-P9OTKcwMPclFjM-arWsL0s_4HKfUGs-DBTLR3/w640-h480/20210222_174306.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgM0-9lC291eyeL-S4ozoVpRYDYbr_Ewah4S9TYXg-Xst1vY3DbMSNQI_MzzLguOJPjOmHRFAOPjJCxxnUFktYqITqnc65DHC_H5dv-DUrScT2jOWUgSB58UHFlRVdQyW2WleU/s2048/20210222_190113.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgM0-9lC291eyeL-S4ozoVpRYDYbr_Ewah4S9TYXg-Xst1vY3DbMSNQI_MzzLguOJPjOmHRFAOPjJCxxnUFktYqITqnc65DHC_H5dv-DUrScT2jOWUgSB58UHFlRVdQyW2WleU/w640-h480/20210222_190113.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div> </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="520" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7K-8kCGj1xY" width="624" youtube-src-id="7K-8kCGj1xY"></iframe></div><br /> </div><div>There is a great convenience store in Lawrence that is open from 6am to 11pm, when I got there I started to consume as much fatty salty food as I my destroyed tongue could tolerate, and added a few pies to my collection. Trying to get somewhere to stay was the next challenge and on the third attempt we got a reluctant bite from a lady who said she was in her pajamas, but ok. Actual accommodation, two nights in a row. We were getting soft. It seemed that the group behind us all got beds at Beaumont 20kms behind.</div><div> </div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: none; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> | Me - 162 kms<br /> | Ollie - zzzZZZZzzz</span></span></span></span></span> </span></span> <br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Day 10. Lawrence to Slope Point – 151 kms, 4am to 1:30 pm</b></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNQ0JUj0xLpTmc_mdOFL69acJBcjm2X95iXpPxFrwbQ6eFJh_WPghgwi4Tz5vyfr47FXYnBjvzh6Tvk1PLs3j_Ik_tL7E1BtGkZHRSepMQcfpSJvDmdXoHSeyI4xztzYJ04p1d/s2048/20210223_033320.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNQ0JUj0xLpTmc_mdOFL69acJBcjm2X95iXpPxFrwbQ6eFJh_WPghgwi4Tz5vyfr47FXYnBjvzh6Tvk1PLs3j_Ik_tL7E1BtGkZHRSepMQcfpSJvDmdXoHSeyI4xztzYJ04p1d/w640-h480/20210223_033320.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lets do this thing</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>We rolled out at 4am, straight into a very large hill. It was pretty fast riding after that and there seemed to be a prevailing tail-wind. About 4 hours later I was having a good break at the gas station in Clinton. It tried to rain a bit but once again didn't really amount to anything. Just out of town I had the brilliant idea to put a bit more air in my tires since it was mostly seal or gravel I was on. It felt a lot better. At one point I stopped for a drink but changed my mind when I saw that the low-mounted bottle was completely covered in cow shit. Coming into the Catlins there were a ton of camper vans, and then Rob the film maker did some drive-bys. I knew I was close to Slope Point but it couldn't come quick enough. Another climb and a descent and I was there. </div><div><br /></div><div>As always in these kind of events, the finish is very anti-climatic. I knew it would be a while before I actually understood what I had achieved, if I ever did. Maybe the closest I got was a week later when I was in a rental car agency with my daughter and I saw a big map of the South Island of Aotearoa New Zealand. It also had the words "Te Waipounamu" on it. I looked at it and thought, I just rode/pushed/carried my bike down that.</div><div><br /></div><div>It was called the Tour Te Waipounamu, and I think what I did was a tour. What Ollie and Tony did was a race. Tony's 11 hours sleep for the whole event is not something I can really comprehend. That everyone finished under 10 days says something about the quality of the field. </div><div><br /></div><div>The scariness of the challenge is a big part of what made it a desirable thing to do. Thanks Bill Brierly for pointing that out to me, and thanks Brian for putting it out there.</div><div> </div><div><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: none; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: none; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> | Me - 151 kms<br /> | Ollie - zzzZZZZzzz</span></span></span></span></span> </span></span> <br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA1TQ-Fe1db554RVKRVH4N2gKAWwtenMv_a2kKnw7LI2R9LM08VLLuEhOGd-QHbh0Q3FdGAMA6vbMOK8wsXfAG0JZqSSBvDoeRrKJcWk-ylNLeCS0DIVRjlN_Dbyz94lUHasMd/s2048/20210223_132922.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA1TQ-Fe1db554RVKRVH4N2gKAWwtenMv_a2kKnw7LI2R9LM08VLLuEhOGd-QHbh0Q3FdGAMA6vbMOK8wsXfAG0JZqSSBvDoeRrKJcWk-ylNLeCS0DIVRjlN_Dbyz94lUHasMd/w640-h480/20210223_132922.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>The details.</div><div><br /></div><div>Oliver Whalley 5d 10h 34 m</div><div>Tony LeSueur 5d 19h 58 m</div><div>Hedley Wilton 6d 7h 50m</div><div>Georgia Whitla 6d 16h 40m (1st woman)</div><div>Martin Strelka 6d 16h 40m</div><div>Patrick Higgins 6d 16h 40m</div><div>Brian Alder 7d 2h 53m</div><div>Kath Kelly 7d 3h 44m (2nd woman)</div><div>Steve Halligan 7d 5h 15m</div><div>"The Monkey's " Stephen Butterworth, Phil Walter, Tad Mejdr 7d 8h 10m (1st Team & singlespeed)</div><div>Liam Crozier 7d 9h 30m</div><div>Caleb Helkenn 7d 14h 22m</div><div>Mark Rayward 7d 14h 22m</div><div>Chris Shaw 7d 20h 3m</div><div>Olly Manson 8d 7h 50m</div><div>Matt Quirk 8d 8h 22m</div><div>Brendan Pheasant 8d 8h 42m</div><div>Pete Maindonald 8d14h 4m</div><div>Andrew Trevelyan 8d 14h 30m</div><div>Christine Byrch 8d 23h 5m (3rd woman)</div><div>Mark Watson 9d 0h 15m</div><div>Jeff Lyall 9d 6h 30m</div><div>Hana Black 9d 9h 9m</div><div>Brenda Clap (Bob) & Chris Burr 9d 10h 2m (2nd team)</div><div>Rachel Berry 9d 11h 54m</div><div>Amanda Wells 9d 11h 54m</div><div>Dulkara Martig 9d 11h 54m</div><div>Geof Blance & Ken Scott 9d 12h 28m (3rd team)</div><div>DNF </div><div>Steve Scott @ 817km</div><div>Steven MacLeod @ 525km</div><div>Anaru Scott @ 432km</div><div>Nathan Mawkes @ 385km</div><div>Brian Anderson @ 385 km</div></div></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ5XpHnWDMegH5IathYMnSfKRyZ4GhyJ68vbGDYjCpTTRik_Hkr_krE96fjsIWGnCoxH2AJlpkdeT4mEJqkYJQHFjrekNAGqBW87iVqjhBTuT7OEptLErhG1fdok9UimwZAuRn/s808/map.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="808" data-original-width="784" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ5XpHnWDMegH5IathYMnSfKRyZ4GhyJ68vbGDYjCpTTRik_Hkr_krE96fjsIWGnCoxH2AJlpkdeT4mEJqkYJQHFjrekNAGqBW87iVqjhBTuT7OEptLErhG1fdok9UimwZAuRn/w621-h640/map.jpg" width="621" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tour Te Waipounamu 2021</td></tr></tbody></table><b>Links:</b><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://www.tourtewaipounamu.co.nz/">The official Tour Te Waipounamu site</a> <br /></li><li><a href="https://selfpropelled13.com/tour-te-waipounamu-2021/">Steve Halligans Tour Te Waipounamu Race Report</a> <br /></li><li><a href="https://wildkiwi.site/2021/02/">Amandas Report, still not finished...</a> <br /></li><li><a href="https://bikepacking.com/news/tour-te-waipounamu-2021-event-recap/">Bikepacking.coms race report of Tour Te Waipounamu Race</a> <br /></li><li><a href="https://killerkath.blogspot.com/2021/06/the-inaugural-tour-te-waipounamu.html">Kath Kellys Tour Te Waipounamu race bloggage</a> <br /></li><li><a href="https://www.groundeffect.co.nz/blogs/news/liams-tour-te-waipounamu">Liam Croziers Tour Te Waipounamu race thoughts</a></li><li><a href="https://www.groundeffect.co.nz/blogs/news/ollie-s-tour-te-waipounamu-tale">Ollie Whalley's Tour Te Waipounamu Race report on Ground Effect site<br /></a></li><li><a href="https://thethingswedoforfun.com/2021/03/17/tour-te-waipounamu-what-the-hell-are-we-thinking/">Tony LeSueur's Tour Te Waipounamu Race report</a></li><li><a href="https://www.bikingpheasant.com/favourite-trips/ttw21/">Brendon Pheasant's Tour Te Waipounamu Race Report</a> <br /></li><li><a href="https://jeffsbike.blogspot.com/2021/02/tour-te-waipounamu.html">A previous Te Waipounamu story, (this site)</a></li><li><a href="https://www.highlux.co.nz/2021/03/tour-te-waipounamu-2021-race-report/">https://www.highlux.co.nz/ (Mark Watson's Tour Te Waipounamu Race Report)</a></li><li><a href="https://www.spreaker.com/user/12049863/ep33">Lewis Ciddor interviews Brian Alder after the Tour Te Waipounamu</a></li><li>The Pedal-On Podcast: <a href="https://www.spreaker.com/user/pedalonpodcast/ttw2021-the-follow-up">The Follow-up</a>. 1 of 3 TTW podcasts</li><li>Hike-Bike-Cake : <a href="https://hikebikecake.com/tour-te-waipounamu-2021-riders-and-rigs/">TTW riders and rigs</a></li></ul></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>
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</div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Jeff's bike stories and links from Wellington New Zealand</div>El jefehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00411840288979303062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15091028.post-15860484560307770972021-03-06T22:08:00.000+13:002021-06-04T13:30:21.302+12:00Tour Te Waipounamu<p> We were on a family holiday down south. Covid lockdown had decreased
to a level where we were able to get out and stimulate the economy a
bit. We'd been staying with my cousin in Christchurch and were on the
way back home and passing through Hanmer where Steve Halligan lives.
Steve invited us around and made us an amazing breakfast. He asked me
what I thought about Brian Alder's new event? Brian's event? It was news to me. <br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpwUDGmjWdZU5Nrk57USCp90t9FXVQYg4NoQPIxbkoL594rnuFKMpfCxsLdIZfMxXy_I8i4voIKl8vcP0R3u-4mVbGf-KyTLEXNrTKhLK8vFY3B8yRTbWN5FGDF7LDLKZo7fAy/s836/ttw.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="710" data-original-width="836" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpwUDGmjWdZU5Nrk57USCp90t9FXVQYg4NoQPIxbkoL594rnuFKMpfCxsLdIZfMxXy_I8i4voIKl8vcP0R3u-4mVbGf-KyTLEXNrTKhLK8vFY3B8yRTbWN5FGDF7LDLKZo7fAy/s320/ttw.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Steve told me all about Brian's <a href="https://maprogress.com/2021/01/27/tour-te-waipounamu-new-zealands-toughest-bikepacking-race/">Tour Te Waipounamu</a>, a 1350 km route taking in some of the South Island's gnarliest high-country. Once I got the appropriate permissions signed off a loose plan developed. Try to
get some rides in - easy in the amazing weather of lock-down, but really
hard in one of Wellington's crappest ever Springs. It seemed like a
really hard course that Brian had dreamed up. But then again that was
also part of the attraction. A real adventure, and a chance to see some completely new country. No one had ever done what he was suggesting, not even Brian himself. Linking the top of the South Island to the bottom required getting permission from private land owners all along a route normally out of bounds to the public. He outsourced the route-checking to his various buddies located around the South Island, just to see if what he was planning was actually doable. It turns out that it was.<br /><br />I
first met Brian Alder and Steve Halligan on my <a href="https://jeffsbike.blogspot.com/2014/02/kiwi-brevet-2014-long-player.html">3rd Kiwi Brevet</a> in 2014. Brian seemed very prepared and was obviously a very
details oriented kind of guy. Steve was quiet and strong and you could
tell was the kind of guy who was very happy with his own company, while
still being your typically friendly Irishman. Little did we know that they would both go on to achieve some pretty amazing results in the Tour Divide and other ultra Bikepacking events. <p></p><p>Brian
came 5th in what is often said to be the worlds hardest Bikepacking Race, the Tour Divide, in 2016, and Steve was 4th in 2017 and 2019
, despite having some pretty devastating mechanicals in his first
attempt. </p><p>Brian's event, the <a href="https://maprogress.com/2021/01/27/tour-te-waipounamu-new-zealands-toughest-bikepacking-race/">Tour Te Waipounamu</a> is filled with Top-ten Tour
Divide veterans including Geof Blance, 4th in 2014, <a href="https://thethingswedoforfun.com/2019/08/03/tour-divide-2019/">Tony Lesur</a> 5th in
2019, <a href="http://mountainpedalernz.blogspot.com/2012/07/tour-divide-2012-ollies-epic-bike.html">Ollie Whalley,</a> 1st and record holder in 2012 and Peter Maindonald,
10th in 2017. I think that's about 17% of the riders, and there are quite a few other Tour Divide veterans riding as well. Kiwi riders have had a special relationship with the Tour Divide, ever since Simon Kennett came back from the States after doing the <a href="http://greatdividekiwi.blogspot.com/">Great Divide</a>, and introduced Bikepacking to Kiwis with the first Kiwi Brevet in 2012. Simon's spin on the "Dirt Brevet" was to require riders to stop riding for 6 hours in each 24 hour period. It's my belief that this is what made it so accessible to Kiwi riders. The <a href="https://maprogress.com/2021/01/27/tour-te-waipounamu-new-zealands-toughest-bikepacking-race/">Tour Te Waipounaumu</a> will not require riders to rest in this manner, more like the "races" that are held in other parts of the world.<br /><br />Some
other interesting stats from the <a href="https://ttw21.maprogress.com/">Tour Te Waipounaumu</a> riders follow. There are 3 riders on single
speed Surly Karate Monkeys! What are the odds? All piloted by very
capable riders, Stephen "Stealth" Butterworth, Phil Walter and Tad Mejdr, an ex Single speed world champ, who I think originally comes from Czechoslovakia, as does Martin Strelka. Martin seems to have the most
recent "form" with some big pre-covid wins in Europe, so it will be
interesting to see what bike he turns up with, and if it looks as flash as Steve's <a href="https://binarybicycles.com/havok/">Binary Havok</a>! </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3rHlmjDHiyEJtCAA1DazzJf1y2H27cbsVzziyEPKkRI-Lasbg7MRLGr8ShyMwkL8S1IblQfks7Z7nQxohnZgN42qqlIDtMRg0TX8kk4v-H4Z50-eJxKhi8banKSUH2RmJkQbr/s593/steves-bike.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="444" data-original-width="593" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3rHlmjDHiyEJtCAA1DazzJf1y2H27cbsVzziyEPKkRI-Lasbg7MRLGr8ShyMwkL8S1IblQfks7Z7nQxohnZgN42qqlIDtMRg0TX8kk4v-H4Z50-eJxKhi8banKSUH2RmJkQbr/w640-h480/steves-bike.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steve Halligan's Binary Bicycles Havok<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />There are six woman entered which is about 17% of the entrants, very good by international standards - I have pulled these stats off the <a href="https://ttw21.maprogress.com/">Mapprogress</a> page that shows the riders who have registered their trackers. <a href="https://www.highlux.co.nz/">Hanna Black</a> has been travelling the Americas for several years with partner Mark Watson and still would be if not for Covid. Brenda (Bob) Clapp is also riding with her partner Chris, and Kath is another very accomplished rider I know of.<p></p><p>There are some big questions to be answered in an event like the <a href="https://ttw21.maprogress.com/">Tour Te Waipounamu</a>. Finishing an event this tough is not a given. There will be weather and terrain. And those are just the constants. How we deal with them is the real test.</p><p>Dulkara Martig's description of the course is the best I have seen here: <a href="https://maprogress.com/2021/01/27/tour-te-waipounamu-new-zealands-toughest-bikepacking-race/">https://maprogress.com/2021/01/27/tour-te-waipounamu-new-zealands-toughest-bikepacking-race/</a></p><p><b>Miscellaneous links:</b><br />================<br />An <a href="http://jeffsbike.blogspot.com/2016/05/brians-tour-divide-q-a.html">interview</a> with Brian before his Tour Divide rider in 2016, and another on his <a href="http://jeffsbike.blogspot.com/2016/07/brian-alders-tour-divide-2016-debriefing.html">return here</a>. You can find Steve's story about his win in the epic Terrra Australis race <a href="https://selfpropelled13.com/terra-australis-bike-epic-2018/">here</a>. </p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>The Trackers page, so you can watch: <a href="https://ttw21.maprogress.com/">https://ttw21.maprogress.com/</a></li><li>Instagram Hash tag is #tourtewaipounamu and @tourtewaipounamu</li></ul><p></p><p>Two great interviews on Bruce Maunsell's Pedal On Podcast with Brian and some of the riders.</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/14-tour-te-waipounamu-part-1-a-new-kiwi-bikepacking-event/id1517561060?i=1000501498733">https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/14-tour-te-waipounamu-part-1-a-new-kiwi-bikepacking-event/id1517561060?i=1000501498733</a></li><li><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/16-tour-te-waipounamu-part-2-pre-race-catch-up/id1517561060?i=1000507946956">https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/16-tour-te-waipounamu-part-2-pre-race-catch-up/id1517561060?i=1000507946956</a></li></ul><p></p><p>==========================<br /><b>My bike</b></p><p>Jonty at Revolution Bicycles loaned me a frame and a fork, as the <a href="https://jeffsbike.blogspot.com/2015/01/worlds-fastest-karate-monkey.html">Worlds fastest Karate Monkey</a> had been sold. <br /><br />It's
nothing special, an old Cannondale Flash aluminum frame and luckily the
same frame bag I used on the Karate Monkey and XTC still fit it.<br /><br />The main gear is mostly antipodean. Maybe not the lightest in the world, but certainly amongst the longest lasting. I've gone for comfort over weight. B-17 Brooks saddle and Ergon grips.<br /><br /></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Gas
tank, seat-bag, frame-bag and stem pouches from <a href="https://www.stealthbikebags.com/">Stealth Bike Bags</a>, and
front harness and glove-box from <a href="https://cactusoutdoor.co.nz/collections/bike-gear">Cactus</a>, another NZ company famed for robust gear.</li><li>Lighting and charging from the dynamo genius Kerry Staite at <a href="https://www.klite.com.au/">K-lite</a>, running an SP dynamo hub with K-lite qubes on the back.</li><li>Ancillary lighting via Ali-express 1x18650 torch and a few 2x18650 Ali-express DIY Power-banks.</li><li>Navigation via Extrex 20</li><li>Rear wheel is Hope Pro-2 running on a DTswiss X-432 rim. Mezcal 2.35s. (Don't do this it's a really tight bead).</li><li>Runnning gear is 2x10. 38/24, 11-40.</li><li>Brakes Shimano, shifting SRAM.</li><li>RAB sleeping bag liner</li><li>North Face sleeping bag</li><li>Tarptent Contrail</li><li>Sleeping mat, Thermarest</li></ul><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV2-fEwBqc_D9c_oEM1AAtd_Gpv9CZoob3LkC5gc2zAli2EQQ0XDJ-iXmkchCSgYeCNIy8qtogmDehyNjA4SlATFmP154siTyvFrNMLTt_OEF1Vpxa8AQmvzM8uLb_120zsdz6/s1600/IMG-20210206-WA0003.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV2-fEwBqc_D9c_oEM1AAtd_Gpv9CZoob3LkC5gc2zAli2EQQ0XDJ-iXmkchCSgYeCNIy8qtogmDehyNjA4SlATFmP154siTyvFrNMLTt_OEF1Vpxa8AQmvzM8uLb_120zsdz6/w640-h360/IMG-20210206-WA0003.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready to roll, for sunday the 14th of Feb. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><p></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Jeff's bike stories and links from Wellington New Zealand</div>El jefehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00411840288979303062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15091028.post-73614356351233231042020-05-04T22:27:00.002+12:002024-02-07T15:23:41.191+13:00Curing 1x. Sram 1x to 2x shifting conversion<h4>
<b>A resource on how to reclaim your gears, from the evil "clutches" of the 1x cult, and general messing with the internal organs of Sram road levers</b></h4><p>
<br />
<i>Keywords: Sram 1x, Sram Force, Sram Red, Sram Rival<b>, </b>Sram 1x to 2x conversion</i><br />
<br />
This post is divided into 4 parts<br />
<br />
1. The rant<br />
2. Sram Force 2x transplant<br />
3. Sram Red, cable brake organ extraction<br />
4. 2x dropper-post actuation<br />5. Generation 1 SRAM levers...<br />
<br />
=============<b><br />Not a great idea</b> <br />
Hindsight
is a great thing but I would have thought stopping people from having a decent
range of gears on gravel bikes was a foolish move. Currently, Sram only makes
clutched rear deraillers for 1x usage, unlike Shimano who now have GRX
and the Ultegra RX. The Shimano stuff was a very long time coming, but at least it works with 2x. Before 1x we didn't have clutches, wide-range cassettes or narrow-wide chain-rings. We did have 2 chain rings up front and a derailleur which did double duty as a chain-guide.<br />
<br />
My recently purchased bike came with Sram Force
1x, but after realising that it was just a gutted 2x lever, I tried to
track down some internal organs for it. Easier said than done. I put the word out
on the street, on the forums, on the FB, and signed up to the donor
programme.<br />
<br />
6 months later my plight had reached Australia, and my friend
Paul brokered a deal through his buddy Grover. At last, I had a match. I
just had to wait 2 months for the gizzards to make it to my house
because of the Covid lock-down !<br />
<br />
I already had a couple of sets
of Sram Red cable shifters, so I found some tutorials online and
practiced on them, using it as a chance to compare the cable gizzards with the hydro gizzards. Only the red coloured shifter-drum appeared to
be identical in both variants, but the word on the street is that between variants they are compatible. Eg, the Hydro stuff will all fit inside the different Hydro bodies, (Force, Rival, Apex) and the cable stuff will all fit inside the different cable bodies. Someone has said that an 11 speed shifter drum will also fit into a 10speed Hydro body. <a href="https://www.sram.com/en/sram/models/sb-700-hrd-b1">The Sram S-700</a>.<br />
<br />
My aim was to install a 2 speed Rival Hydro gizzard into my Force Hydro body, which was devoid of internal organs. To gather confidence in this project, I dismantled 2 different sets of Sram Red cable brake/shifters, for practice. I learnt a heap doing this, the most useful thing being the order of putting the stuff back into the brake/shifter assembly body.<br />
<br />
==========================<b> <b><br /></b>Sram Force 1x has a Rival 2x transplant</b><br />
With the Hydro brakes, like the Force, you don't really need to remove the brake lever blade. You do on the cable brakes, as it gives you a better shot at access to the "skewer pin" that goes through all the organs inside the brake. The shifter-drum and the shifter mechanism are held in by this pin. Forcing it out is a major PITA on the cable brakes, BUT, on the hydro brakes, the pin is hollow with an internal thread tapped into it.... there must be an official tool for screwing into the back of this pin, for its removal, although given that you cant buy these small parts, I don't know why you would sell such a tool.<br />
<br />
<b>None of the above is relevant anyway</b>, as my existing assembly is devoid of organs. I can just back off the retainer screw that stops the "skewer-pin" from backing out, and drag it out with some small pliers, after I have taken off the cover.<br />
<br />
</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDLWekVpdwLKNZkm_u-uLzpe_nYrtBi5VUeKX_YKHug_ZTpjjiA9EsR3JW6aVaSTUKKXrHnsaEQ9WplDNtIZuaWdxDbrVvFuNPPwKH4F084q7YAatD3hWWjfV6wqKV1VdjTt9T/s1600/PhotoGrid_1588573231979.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDLWekVpdwLKNZkm_u-uLzpe_nYrtBi5VUeKX_YKHug_ZTpjjiA9EsR3JW6aVaSTUKKXrHnsaEQ9WplDNtIZuaWdxDbrVvFuNPPwKH4F084q7YAatD3hWWjfV6wqKV1VdjTt9T/s640/PhotoGrid_1588573231979.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Top left, undo 3 screws and remove cover. Top and bottom right loosen retainer screw. Bottom left, see back of skewer-pin.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
This is what you see when you take the cover off a 1x assembly.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeIH_Liy7nVrbOKsRA6sbfNnDqDWtblrO_-xUvfdSayExvDeXxmJ2IyYdIHQOurUwsYkCd54fmthe8XW4ihczUBY8Yi88f0hkbPhJhJqb4Y79Upa6DbWjOfUCqiY9B2Ew3ninM/s1600/20200502_164057.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1198" data-original-width="1600" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeIH_Liy7nVrbOKsRA6sbfNnDqDWtblrO_-xUvfdSayExvDeXxmJ2IyYdIHQOurUwsYkCd54fmthe8XW4ihczUBY8Yi88f0hkbPhJhJqb4Y79Upa6DbWjOfUCqiY9B2Ew3ninM/s640/20200502_164057.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Checkout the "skewer-pin" , your 1x should come with skewer pin still installed.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
See below the gizzards Paul and Grover sent me from Australia. While its true I dismantled 2 sets of Red cable brakes for practice, I also wanted to check how different the internals from the Red cable brakes were from the Hydro Rivals. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ-OEBys2MPlnfhvfe9HunH2L1NYg3Mmnap3CcZng3e-e2Uk6l-nyGMbaMzE7BKZzl6Td-qhr-Hsp6JW1wDVGroqEboZEulOIWu2FUsrrRaaSABKbRVbZZ62-AyssaJtXhgxxH/s1600/20200504_195934.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ-OEBys2MPlnfhvfe9HunH2L1NYg3Mmnap3CcZng3e-e2Uk6l-nyGMbaMzE7BKZzl6Td-qhr-Hsp6JW1wDVGroqEboZEulOIWu2FUsrrRaaSABKbRVbZZ62-AyssaJtXhgxxH/s640/20200504_195934.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I just made these names up, so don't go looking for them at Sram HQ !</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
See the photo-grid below for the order of assembly. Left to right, in two rows.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijftCIuku_BoifJq_-TAd9Hklf58iMFnnYuAABKK6-KdZEnvSaxoJHAPxrc66eLUIzlJ5W4AxnKYQiYRfiMP7jXIceG0MGYpglyAtdyMj-W0jhiYIcWtN4ihTfpTWs9IiTqUer/s1600/IMG_20200502_221801_439.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijftCIuku_BoifJq_-TAd9Hklf58iMFnnYuAABKK6-KdZEnvSaxoJHAPxrc66eLUIzlJ5W4AxnKYQiYRfiMP7jXIceG0MGYpglyAtdyMj-W0jhiYIcWtN4ihTfpTWs9IiTqUer/s640/IMG_20200502_221801_439.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Install the giblets in this order. Top left, the pawl with its little spring and axle. Carefully put the tiny circlip on. Don't do this in an area where you could lose the circlip if you slip.<br />
<br />
Bottom left, pull back the pawl, and slide the shifter-drum in, being careful that the drum's springy bits are in the right place. Its pretty obvious I think. Jiggle the shift-drum around while applying pressure on the skewer-pin, which you have inserted into the skewer-pin hole, (at the back of the assembly) until the skewer pin "skewers" the shifter-drum.<br />
<br />
Oh yes, you should adjust the reach on the brake blade so that it is as forward as it can be, this gives you more wiggle-room when inserting the paddle mechanism. When you have adjusted the brake out, you can try to insert the paddle mechanism.<br />
<br />
Here is my technique for inserting the paddle mechanism, the last time I did it, everything went into place on my first try.<br />
<br />
Rotate the shifter-drum upwards quite a way, maybe 90 degrees? (you have already lined it up so that the skewer-pin is holding it in place) so its not that hard to hold.<br />
<br />
When you have rotated it up far enough, the cut-out in the drum gives you room to slide the paddle mechanism in. When you are at this point, the pawl usually slips down below the shifter-drum, into a position that is not ideal. Don't worry about it. Jigger the paddle mechanism around until you can skewer it with the skewer pin, but making sure that you hook the little spring at the top, into its proper slot. (see red arrow below).<br />
<br />
When you have done that, rotate the shifter drum forward again, and hook the pawl out from below the shifter drum, into its proper position.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRP7Ba9s6IsosRBGPC2ZAIFf39WTh4wl81x-3qpZjuYdgcXR3A-jg7i2AT_7OfMIUeWSFPh6lrZlJWh7ljgVmVo0ZFa8R2ehY_xX-uZx1YRVvgy1L-KYFTHfC3mRFYuYpWI4NU/s1600/PhotoGrid_1588580998452.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRP7Ba9s6IsosRBGPC2ZAIFf39WTh4wl81x-3qpZjuYdgcXR3A-jg7i2AT_7OfMIUeWSFPh6lrZlJWh7ljgVmVo0ZFa8R2ehY_xX-uZx1YRVvgy1L-KYFTHfC3mRFYuYpWI4NU/s640/PhotoGrid_1588580998452.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Top, red-arrow shows where the spring fits into the body.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Use the paddle a few times to check that its all good to go, then put the cover back on !<br />
<br />
<b>Lubrication</b>. <br />
I put some grease on the skewer pin. I'm sure I could add more, but at the moment I'm not sure how much to throw around, as it has potential to trap dirt in there. Google it ?<br />
<br />
NB. You should be able to do all the above without having to mess with any dirty hydraulic hosiery and related bleeding.<br />
<br />
==========================<br />
<b>Disassembly of Sram Red, 10 speed</b><br />
As mentioned earlier, the difficulty with getting the guts out of the cable braked variants is all about forcing that central skewer-pin out. It can be very tricky finding the hole at the front of the brake assembly. <br />
<br />
To make it a lot easier, you really need to remove the brake blade (lever) for better access, before you start on removing that skewer-pin.<br />
<br />
There is a small circlip holding the pin that the brake blade pivots on. As usual, be careful you don't lose the circlip when you flick it off. The pin that the brake blade pivots on can sometimes get a bit stuck. Support it from below and tap it out gently with an allen key, or if stubborn, a nail punch.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglHD3VnXTsgdxQFmj7xGm6yBG2HMaBXd4Isq_q-ARegF2uRebhQAOvAno9Lg6iRQDlS6zelZmtVSMdnnH_xLGDv3OqsbqbD5Smp7FhtVPotwqee4Jmp1PF7xuQK4GhNaWWF0cP/s1600/brake-blade.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1198" data-original-width="1600" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglHD3VnXTsgdxQFmj7xGm6yBG2HMaBXd4Isq_q-ARegF2uRebhQAOvAno9Lg6iRQDlS6zelZmtVSMdnnH_xLGDv3OqsbqbD5Smp7FhtVPotwqee4Jmp1PF7xuQK4GhNaWWF0cP/s640/brake-blade.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sram Red 10 speed with the brake blade pin removed.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
On the top of the brake body assembly there is a small allen headed bolt. This is an adjuster that pushes a plastic block up and down inside the brake body. With simple elegance, the plastic block contacts the side of the brake blade altering its position (lever-reach). You want to wind that allen head anti-clockwise, this shifts the plastic block down it's pin, thus giving you a better line of access for when you try to push the central skewer-pin out.<br />
<br />
On the first brake I messed with, the lower cir-clip was gone, the spring was gone, and the bolt was seized. In the second one, it worked perfectly, but while I was playing with it while writing this, it completely jammed up..... If it jams, or is already jammed, in the wrong spot, my condolences. It just means you are going to have to "jimmy stuff around" until you force something down that little hole, which you can't even see, and barely feel. It's a pretty crappy system for sure.<br />
<br />
Some jewellers screw-drivers are really handy for all of this stuff, in particular flicking off circlips. In fact, I'm going to say, if this allen-headed bolt is still working correctly, don't mess with it too much, as in, putting it at extreme ends of its range, maybe just set it up in the middle while you try to get the central skewer-pin moving.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZxaR9HgAqB7y6ZvEXY6Qx_0YIy3AMgkwcAdGpsYftOlaBo6V4f70tZQpNe-WTCuvYfbVHK3mYBY6g50csZ5zDTw0taU2pjEow6hf_hfF-ZwTq7p6KfV0xlsNMZuWj_1rlZoX-/s1600/20200505_113801.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZxaR9HgAqB7y6ZvEXY6Qx_0YIy3AMgkwcAdGpsYftOlaBo6V4f70tZQpNe-WTCuvYfbVHK3mYBY6g50csZ5zDTw0taU2pjEow6hf_hfF-ZwTq7p6KfV0xlsNMZuWj_1rlZoX-/s640/20200505_113801.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The position on the right is the best, as it gives you more room to jam your allen key in, when trying dislodge the skewer-pin, but given that I just managed to fatally jam the one in that photo, maybe go for a compromise and set it up in the middle.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Remember, you cant force the skewer-pin out until you have partially screwed out the little phillips screw at the back, which serves as a backstop, so the skewer-pin can't back out.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEu861Pac1CurEYKeGH-0_BlDrs-7mlPviDkBZf_2Z4Ud2PCauU8pR6BVD3pPHMjRUdjcLBLv3oevQtK-cyOr9wo6bREbZOrrFvF7-2uOfD7lmqaavJ4aAB0WhjfM9xMVbSPuB/s1600/PhotoGrid_1588674158330.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEu861Pac1CurEYKeGH-0_BlDrs-7mlPviDkBZf_2Z4Ud2PCauU8pR6BVD3pPHMjRUdjcLBLv3oevQtK-cyOr9wo6bREbZOrrFvF7-2uOfD7lmqaavJ4aAB0WhjfM9xMVbSPuB/s640/PhotoGrid_1588674158330.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Top, the little phillips screw that needs to be backed out a bit. Bottom, the chrome skewer-pin poking out a tad having been attacked from the front end of the brake assembly. Once there are a few mm of skewer out, grab it with some small pliers.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
So jam your skinny allen key into the hole in the front and force that skewer-pin out. If it's hard to do, flip the allen key around and use
the shorter end to get it started. If that cant get you in, try a
jewellers screwdriver. This is the only hard part to the exercise. Have patience, dont panic, do swear. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVQ4TpvljuGnh3f9ZKZO0v0DmDkN59dRVOX_iIKuIDts8DVVxK9Leq5p-G79kQ4aSYt0M7JU3v6sBaSaIWxpWQcTQzV8wIaiwVx5f3G81QA1fid2qAtMVOqTuT4RSazKmtXEyF/s1600/20200504_122904-01.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1198" data-original-width="1600" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVQ4TpvljuGnh3f9ZKZO0v0DmDkN59dRVOX_iIKuIDts8DVVxK9Leq5p-G79kQ4aSYt0M7JU3v6sBaSaIWxpWQcTQzV8wIaiwVx5f3G81QA1fid2qAtMVOqTuT4RSazKmtXEyF/s640/20200504_122904-01.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At this point you pull the pin out fully with some pliers.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So this is what it looks after you have pulled the central skewer-pin out. Clean it up and reninstall, or replace it with newer donor organs. The instructions for reinstalling the Hydro brake guts earlier up the page are exactly the same as for the cable brakes. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE_OkrWSoQXrzrPX1kak5vYdxnBjxLLSaw9a0wGycIrAiQ_PIXG5j6BXWTzW1S6XAcx7vx2kOCM1i4uYZTi9r2z6snEzmVwcStM3JqhoFPIaAfv73CYDeTDNsYiRCucWwZkN3i/s1600/20200504_123025-01%25281%2529.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1198" data-original-width="1600" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE_OkrWSoQXrzrPX1kak5vYdxnBjxLLSaw9a0wGycIrAiQ_PIXG5j6BXWTzW1S6XAcx7vx2kOCM1i4uYZTi9r2z6snEzmVwcStM3JqhoFPIaAfv73CYDeTDNsYiRCucWwZkN3i/s640/20200504_123025-01%25281%2529.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Here is a shot (below) of a reinstall of the cable gizzards for the <b>right hand</b> shifter, its actually easier than the left hand shifter, when you are trying to fit the shift paddle in. Just keeping snicking the shifter drum up and up until its in about 4th gear, and it will stay there, leaving a gap for you to slot the paddle mechanism in. Easy peasy.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCiSp9d7cJPJtYkkbjEx5b6CEb6h3noi1jHs_mEjwjMn9Wdy4Nymi4d6uzTmmY9yWR-mtnNXp8CTRn6R4N_P-MuOwoVxwD3MVslguuuFpsHFwpPZhrPIvKkHYT_grc3ypqFGdQ/s1600/paddle-foot.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="869" data-original-width="1159" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCiSp9d7cJPJtYkkbjEx5b6CEb6h3noi1jHs_mEjwjMn9Wdy4Nymi4d6uzTmmY9yWR-mtnNXp8CTRn6R4N_P-MuOwoVxwD3MVslguuuFpsHFwpPZhrPIvKkHYT_grc3ypqFGdQ/s640/paddle-foot.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stick it in 4th or 3rd gear to make room for paddle mechanism.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Big time 1x weight weeners are probably going to save 34 odd grams if the right hand gizzards weigh a similar amount to the left, why not do it, and go singles-speed ! These are lighter than most single speed levers WITH the guts installed.... 144 grams minus 34 grams is 110 grams. I dont know of any levers that are that light.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEionlZaNeYUtdHcdMCQcW5nVaV0tpLZ8D9C8n74TqEQ4d4-eC4o4YcZz9aySpVCgG1cxszfw-fOhZlkSCMVeFlJoaItGQOqbnDS5-ntu_ttEtN9F_Dl4YexaY9UPIrSvGdvIM8l/s1600/weener.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="869" data-original-width="1159" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEionlZaNeYUtdHcdMCQcW5nVaV0tpLZ8D9C8n74TqEQ4d4-eC4o4YcZz9aySpVCgG1cxszfw-fOhZlkSCMVeFlJoaItGQOqbnDS5-ntu_ttEtN9F_Dl4YexaY9UPIrSvGdvIM8l/s640/weener.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>
<br />
<br />
===================<br />
<b>Doing a 2x dropper post</b><br />
I watched Joey Mesa's dropper post tutorial below, and long story short, its a complete doddle. All you need to do is remove the circlip and pin that holds the little pawl in, and remove the pawl. Put it away someone safe. You wont need to do anything else, other than take the cover off so you can get access to the pin, and I guess remove the assembly from the handlebars, so you have room to back the pawl-pin out. Just wire it up as you would for any other cable. Long term I dont know if these components will be up to the rigors of dropper-post actuation. I have my doubts but what would I know.<br />
<br />
Everything I've learnt about Sram 2x has been picked up in one week. Joey may have a follow-up on his dropper stuff long-term.<br />
<br />
Everyone says that the Sram internals are elegantly simple compared to other shifting innards, and I can tell it's pretty resilient, given the amount of missing or broken circlips that I am finding MIA. <br />
<br />
Have fun dithering, and remember, I am just a backyard mechanic with luddite tendencies. </p><p></p><p>===================<br /><b>Old-school generation 1 SRAM levers<br /></b>The oldest are the hardest to mess with as the shift paddle is actually 3 loose parts. A plastic bush, a simple spring, and the rest of the mechanism/frame, which sticks together. After swapping out the ratchet to the “up-speeded” one, replacing the aforementioned giblets requires a lot of manual dexterity as you are trying skewer the whole assembley with this pin that runs through everything, at the same time as you are forcing these parts onto place, against the force of the spring, while trying to keep the holes in the bush and the paddle frame aligned. Tricky as. Doable tho. </p><p>The other thing that is different is the way the brake lever mounts. It does not have a circlip holding the pivot pin in. You have to force out the brake pin, which the lever pivots on, with a hex key or a nail punch. Check out this description on <a href="http://CXmagazine.com">CXmagazine.com</a> . You can see an exploded diagram of that particular lever set-up <a href="https://www.bike-components.de/en/SRAM/Red-Brake-Shift-Lever-Spare-Parts-2008-2011-p52916/#product-image">here</a>. <br /><br />
<br />
===========<br />
<b>Relevant links</b><br />
Sram tech-docs<br />
<a href="https://www.servicearchive.sram.com/sites/default/files/techdocs/2020_sram_spc_-_rolling_rev_i.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.servicearchive.sram.com/sites/default/files/techdocs/2020_sram_spc_-_rolling_rev_i.pdf</a><br />
<a href="https://www.servicearchive.sram.com/sites/default/files/techdocs/2016_sram_spc_reva.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.servicearchive.sram.com/sites/default/files/techdocs/2016_sram_spc_reva.pdf<br /></a><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.bike-components.de/en/SRAM/Red-Brake-Shift-Lever-Spare-Parts-2008-2011-p52916/%23product-image&source=gmail&ust=1707347069424000&usg=AOvVaw3bbHhVX1X9d15HEA51nbfE" href="https://www.bike-components.de/en/SRAM/Red-Brake-Shift-Lever-Spare-Parts-2008-2011-p52916/#product-image" target="_blank">https://www.bike-components.<wbr></wbr>de/en/SRAM/Red-Brake-Shift-<wbr></wbr>Lever-Spare-Parts-2008-2011-<wbr></wbr>p52916/#product-image</a><span style="color: #888888;"><br /></span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.cxmagazine.com/removing-sram-double-tap-shift-mechanism-single-ring%23google_vignette&source=gmail&ust=1707349264555000&usg=AOvVaw29-WWgibMVe3tc9bX7Wcq1" href="https://www.cxmagazine.com/removing-sram-double-tap-shift-mechanism-single-ring#google_vignette" target="_blank">https://www.cxmagazine.com/<wbr></wbr>removing-sram-double-tap-<wbr></wbr>shift-mechanism-single-ring#<wbr></wbr>google_vignette</a><span style="color: #888888;"><br clear="all" /></span><br clear="all" /><span style="color: #888888;"> </span><br />
<br />
<b>Tutorials</b><br />
Cable braked 2x Sram gizzard dithering<br />
<a href="https://redkiteprayer.com/2018/02/fun-with-tools-sram-double-tap-internals/">Padraig at Red Kite prayer</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndLjDt68PAA">Joey Mesa double-tap stuff</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9NgQC6FjvU&t=309s">Joey Mesa double-tap swap (shorter).</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2m77XP-N7g">Joey Mesa Sram dropper post activater</a><br />
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<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">Jeff's bike stories and links from Wellington New Zealand</div>El jefehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00411840288979303062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15091028.post-79428895328290950962020-04-27T16:57:00.010+12:002021-05-30T12:14:29.289+12:00Techno-bum-bag<span face=""roboto", "arial", sans-serif" style="background-color: none; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4py2UqfmRav4CnRpPS4eCZwfDsejUARreLLJJpGMM_IySdKSYVM3gc0rVL6jZNuI4f2BOY65oVLaKaGc6bTnqXQjS5Shnz22k74W1y5A0SbwtrjseBXA727WFJ4761Ql9j_Xj/s1600/bum-bag.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1198" data-original-width="1600" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4py2UqfmRav4CnRpPS4eCZwfDsejUARreLLJJpGMM_IySdKSYVM3gc0rVL6jZNuI4f2BOY65oVLaKaGc6bTnqXQjS5Shnz22k74W1y5A0SbwtrjseBXA727WFJ4761Ql9j_Xj/s640/bum-bag.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Is that a disco in your bumbag, or are you pleased to see me !</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span face=""roboto", "arial", sans-serif" style="background-color: none; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br />What do yo do when you have weapons grade tail-lights and it's a waste to have them mounted on just the one dynamo bike? Mount them on your bum bag and you are good to go! </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkPq4E44Lm9UET8CojMJqK6Hz9wS346YgCpzmxMHS-aOngoI4vsGhcENi5rT77CutOx03L8L0Pvmy0yOO7ydHl1GflW-WQ7_mR_fvh0tQsFxPL5PRnAoMF7_FK9FTs_ruxik5R/s1600/flasher.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1198" data-original-width="1600" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkPq4E44Lm9UET8CojMJqK6Hz9wS346YgCpzmxMHS-aOngoI4vsGhcENi5rT77CutOx03L8L0Pvmy0yOO7ydHl1GflW-WQ7_mR_fvh0tQsFxPL5PRnAoMF7_FK9FTs_ruxik5R/s320/flasher.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A truncated handlebar, with a Qube atop.</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: none;"><span face=""roboto", "arial", sans-serif" style="color: #202124;"><span style="font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I just got 108 hours continuous flashing out of <b>one</b> 18650 rechargeable battery encased in this 2 cell power-bank case. Probably not what the inventor of the <a href="https://www.klite.com.au/product-page/klite-qube-flashing-safety-light">Qube</a>, Kerry Staite had in mind when designing ultra efficient tail-lights for dynamo rigs, but I never leave the house without my bumbag anyway, so it makes sense to me. With quite a few bikes to choose from, it's now no longer an issue, as far as rear lighting goes.</span></span></span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; font-family: roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; none: #202124; white-space: pre-wrap;" />
<span face=""roboto", "arial", sans-serif" style="background-color: none; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I should state that this is an unsanctioned hack, as power-banks all work differently, and Kerry's Qube lights have such a tiny drain that most "<b>proper</b>" power banks don't notice when a <a href="https://www.klite.com.au/product-page/klite-qube-flashing-safety-light">Qube </a>is even connected after a while, and they automatically switch off. </span><br />
<span face=""roboto", "arial", sans-serif" style="background-color: none; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span face=""roboto", "arial", sans-serif" style="background-color: none; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kerry uses some clever super-capacitors in the flashers than mean that they will keep flashing for 3 minutes after being disconnected from their power-source, obviously a very cool set-up for a dynamo scenario.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" />
<span face=""roboto", "arial", sans-serif" style="background-color: none; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Anyway, it worked for me with this particular combination of 18650 cells and the power-bank case that I used, so if you want to give it a crack, details are below. </span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" />
<div><span face=""roboto", "arial", sans-serif" style="background-color: none; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you think this is overkill then you likely don't commute (like I do) on the highest trafficked heavy vehicle route in New Zealand. Despite lobbying since 1904, there has never been a cycle lane for cyclists riding from Wellington City to the Hutt Valley. <br /></span></div><div><span face=""roboto", "arial", sans-serif" style="background-color: none; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""roboto", "arial", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><font color="#202124" face="roboto, arial, sans-serif"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></font></div><div><font color="#202124" face="roboto, arial, sans-serif"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9FyR7QupZwz_7RHqFEh0jG1zFfv3mW6J-zTgzY7RMsFXAVpXWCw-fnsnaJGchOipZbJJHrnTBhBbVvtYNnRO51A7aQCiCmachz94i7FNtUGkZoGB0vLObyP1M8_7_-nE1Cwnc/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9FyR7QupZwz_7RHqFEh0jG1zFfv3mW6J-zTgzY7RMsFXAVpXWCw-fnsnaJGchOipZbJJHrnTBhBbVvtYNnRO51A7aQCiCmachz94i7FNtUGkZoGB0vLObyP1M8_7_-nE1Cwnc/d/bum-bag.gif" /></a></div></font><div><font color="#202124" face="roboto, arial, sans-serif"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><br /><br /></div></font>
<br style="background-color: none; color: #202124; font-family: roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" />
<span face=""roboto", "arial", sans-serif" style="background-color: none; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Bits and pieces</b></span><br />
<span face=""roboto", "arial", sans-serif" style="background-color: none; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">1 bumbag with loopy bits on the back. Purchased in Japan.</span><br />
<span face=""roboto", "arial", sans-serif" style="background-color: none; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">An old Salsa carbon handlebar.</span><br />
<span face=""roboto", "arial", sans-serif" style="background-color: none; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">4 handlebar plugs.</span><br />
<span face=""roboto", "arial", sans-serif" style="background-color: none; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">4 zip-ties.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" />
<span face=""roboto", "arial", sans-serif" style="background-color: none; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is my favourite <a href="https://batterybro.com/products/panasonic-ncr18650a">18650 battery</a>, but you can harvest them any older dead lap-tops, early model Nissan Leafs or Teslas you find at the recycling centre.</span><br />
<br />
<span face=""roboto", "arial", sans-serif" style="background-color: none; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32801788536.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.27424c4dEIIqxD">Power Bank case</a> from Aliexpress. These cost a few bucks, $3 US. They probably work <b>because </b>they are unsophisticated and don't try to be too clever. These cases are also chargers, so you could put the batteries in and use it to charge them if you wanted. I don't, I have a separate charger that is faster, and that I would trust more, but even then I would not leave the house while leaving any batteries on charge.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" />
<span face=""roboto", "arial", sans-serif" style="background-color: none; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">K-lite Qube lights. </span><br />
<a href="https://www.klite.com.au/product-page/klite-qube-flashing-safety-light">https://www.klite.com.au/product-page/klite-qube-flashing-safety-light</a><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH-fDiYOM8O5PUoUxJBY-tnBVSauGEVndr8v3B8CScqX3qtJmPMoY8XAogxVMVKqhEu7oxw9IvEPQMu1godo3WMLk5vk-cBHIqJLPuuBgbk-GOb4_tSr1rSY7MX8x_4hdif5Ep/s1600/PhotoGrid_1587958697207.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH-fDiYOM8O5PUoUxJBY-tnBVSauGEVndr8v3B8CScqX3qtJmPMoY8XAogxVMVKqhEu7oxw9IvEPQMu1godo3WMLk5vk-cBHIqJLPuuBgbk-GOb4_tSr1rSY7MX8x_4hdif5Ep/s640/PhotoGrid_1587958697207.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Recycled 18650 batteries from a dead lap-top battery pack.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Jeff's bike stories and links from Wellington New Zealand</div>El jefehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00411840288979303062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15091028.post-29022116697625618662020-03-28T15:01:00.003+13:002021-06-07T21:10:16.588+12:00OPEN U.P. and say aaaaaaaaaah! - 6 monthly check-up<b>The dentist, the luddite and the Superbike. </b><a href="https://jeffsbike.blogspot.com/2020/03/open-up-and-say-aaaaaaaaaah-6-monthly.html#grossary"><br />Glossary here. </a><br />
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I suspect it's no coincidence that OPEN make bicycles with model names like <a href="https://www.opencycle.com/up">OPEN UP</a> and <a href="https://www.opencycle.com/wide">OPEN WIDE</a>. If this is not a clever subliminal marketing attempt at the well-healed "<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/bicycling/comments/39m2wz/eli5_the_all_cervelos_belong_to_dentists_joke/">dentist</a>" portion of the bicycle market, then I don't know what is. Unfortunately I do not fit into this demographic in any way, so the following review you may like to take with a grain of salt. Some might say I am more in the Luddite category, but then they would, wouldn't they.<br />
<br />
This will be a pretty wide ranging post, because it covers a lot of new ground for me. My first 1x groupset. My first complete through-axle bike, only my second Press-fit bottom bracket, and my first SRAM hydraulic system, vs Avid, or Shimano.<br />
<br />
The OPEN U.P. could be regarded as the first high-profile, modern, carbon "All-road" bike, if we disregard the bikes of old, that allowed the use of wider tires than was deemed normal at the time, and may have even been called touring or rando bikes. The OPEN U.P. (Unbeaten Path) was styled so differently to anything else out there at the time, with its fat frame lines and minimalist branding. Most people see it and say, "What brand of bike is that? Oh, never heard of them, where is it made? Switzerland?" It was the complete opposite of the cycle-tourist look, without rando bags or racks, appealing more to the Rapha ethic of minimalist gear, travelling with a credit card, a C02 and a Shakedry in your pocket.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtbJ6LXe82MhEZpCh3jNB01cFtWWqndGLn-7sIK4gFp-mMF15hGLdoOLdDxunfqDPzujZ3rZI95mMVTJnkLfkbWyFAsXfevg4eyh2ijc-DuvO1LALsw6sIbF7Q0yRsb_qr4YvX/s1600/wide-as-open.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="803" data-original-width="1428" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtbJ6LXe82MhEZpCh3jNB01cFtWWqndGLn-7sIK4gFp-mMF15hGLdoOLdDxunfqDPzujZ3rZI95mMVTJnkLfkbWyFAsXfevg4eyh2ijc-DuvO1LALsw6sIbF7Q0yRsb_qr4YvX/w640-h358/wide-as-open.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
OPEN's timing looked to be perfect with the resurgence in supple and fat tires, 650b wheel-sets, and a move away from road riding where riders have to share with an ever increasing number of cell-phone distracted car users - #gravgrav was becoming a thing.<br />
<br />
<b>The running gear out of the box.</b><br />
Out of the box, the
OPEN U.P. came with the Easton/SRAM Force 1x kit. A pretty solid build.
Easton EA70ax wheels and bars, Maxxis<b> </b>Rambler tires, a Thomson
seat-post and stem, and a very sexy, but painfully narrow Brooks
Cambium saddle. The 130mm perch was a good 40mm too narrow for my butt so it was eventually swapped out for a Selle San Marco Regale FX, an acceptable compromise between weight and comfort, but not a serious saddle for back to back long days in the saddle. I also swapped out the Easton bars
for some Thomson KFC cross bars which have a very fat and wide feel to
them, and a weener UNO stem.<br />
<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwScimFtw3dUsRXDkD2AC5UZvnEr2WxLwsjj0teijun-rU8bor-686ncm8M845yuZyuSXuXp26pBi44zVj5uKMLliEzTaAOY59Y8a3XEyLTq2gQxrN1aS_2PfoVzxZ3bEyZYwT/s1600/open-sea.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="1080" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwScimFtw3dUsRXDkD2AC5UZvnEr2WxLwsjj0teijun-rU8bor-686ncm8M845yuZyuSXuXp26pBi44zVj5uKMLliEzTaAOY59Y8a3XEyLTq2gQxrN1aS_2PfoVzxZ3bEyZYwT/w640-h480/open-sea.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>The frame</b><br />
The frame alone costs more than 3 times the cost of the previous <b>whole</b> bike I bought, so it's pretty much a superbike by my definition. Normally I'd go for a more fiscally conservative option, but the stars lined up and a demo bike became available, along with a "dream-bike-build" pass, from my long suffering wife. My favourite and most adaptable bike up until now has been my <a href="http://jeffsbike.blogspot.com/2015/01/worlds-fastest-karate-monkey.html">Surly Karate Monkey</a> The OPEN U.P. could not be further away than the Karate Monkey, at 1040 grams the OPEN's frame weighs less than the Karate Monkey's fork, but is still 160 grams heavier than the OPEN U.P.P.E.R model, which is significantly more expensive. Be prepared to OPEN UPPER your cheque-book even more for that model. Given the amount of off-road riding I am doing on it, I am happy to have the beefier frame of the U.P., although the designers say the UPPER's frame is no less robust. The guys at OPEN, Andy Kessler and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerard_Vroomen">Gerard Vroomen</a> get credit for the dropped chain-stay design that gives them clearance for fat tires and yet still obtain road-bike levels of Q-factor. Q-factor is very on-trend in marketing circles these days, although Shimano seem to be bucking this trend recently with their wider GRX groupset.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvOZfvyWOo7LhzJdEXo1uQ5GKHeMDB0KztR3YKObWnOkVjtEnZL63YP75AaFm85T9_DFm-GHn3o-Es61b69KCeLFBSYcCQdu3WvqOQqjxmhWOukJIM3_8cX7FbAHJOYWS2ghEy/s1600/open-klite.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvOZfvyWOo7LhzJdEXo1uQ5GKHeMDB0KztR3YKObWnOkVjtEnZL63YP75AaFm85T9_DFm-GHn3o-Es61b69KCeLFBSYcCQdu3WvqOQqjxmhWOukJIM3_8cX7FbAHJOYWS2ghEy/s320/open-klite.jpg" width="256" /></a>The OPEN U.P. is a massive change for me in terms of the technology that passes for normal on many bikes today. It is supposed to be a "quiver killer". You could in theory get rid of your CX bike, your road bike, your touring bike and your bikepacking bike and replace it with this machine. This is assuming a few things. One of the things it assumes is that you have a spare set of wheels and enough gearing to cover all the different scenarios. I did manage to get rid of all of the above bikes, except the road bike, it's just not worth trying to sell.</div>
<br />
The OPEN frame has 3 separate bottle cage mount points, which is a must for bikepacking, and a slightly sloping top-tube, which is also great for a frame bag, or even better, a half-frame bag, if you want to use all of those water bottle mounts. It also has mounts on the top-tube which make mounting of a gas-tank very easy, (or even another water-bottle).You can either bore holes in you current gas-tank for mounting, or use magnetic mounts.<br />
<br />
The frame fit is interesting. I am 5" 10" and I have short legs, and a long torso, and yet I have a decent amount of seat-post sticking out on my medium sized frame. Typically, I would end up with not much seat-post showing on a medium. I know several people who have accidentally ended up with the wrong sized frame for their bodies, so a bit of research needs to be done to make sure you get it right. I think I have more work to do on nailing my position still. There is plenty more to read about the internally routed cabling of the bike below, but one thing that I found disappointing was that the rear derailleur cable exit point from the chain stay is only really compatible with a road styled derailleur, not a great feature for a bike that you might like to throw an MTB derailleur on. I wonder if it would be possible to have multiple cable exit points? I know of one guy who has managed to by-pass this by routing his cable out the bottom of his bottom bracket and running it on the underside of his chain-stay so he can use a clutched XO 10/11 speed MTB derailleur . A lot of fuss just so he can get clutched 2x shifting, in SRAM. SRAM 11 speed road shifters work with SRAM Exact-Acuation derailleurs in Road or MTB. Not a problem if you are a Shimano GRX user of course. Shimano still believes that there is a place in the world for 2x thankfully. The geometry seems pretty standard by current gravel norms with a 71 degree fork angle and a 73.5 degree zero-set-back seat-tube angle. All I know is that it feels good to me. <br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfBcLr1uDAydH89o7LJESbNrwsU5Bm8jR14oOIxw4D1Osq-L06QEJZxQxfFPWgdRaqYNmlwZOMvPDTvQhrMSAARD_VAVlXsgk-x8UunR__NSw0oHt5laOD77BusPGAWnyp3Nkc/s1600/gs-tank2.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="878" data-original-width="1171" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfBcLr1uDAydH89o7LJESbNrwsU5Bm8jR14oOIxw4D1Osq-L06QEJZxQxfFPWgdRaqYNmlwZOMvPDTvQhrMSAARD_VAVlXsgk-x8UunR__NSw0oHt5laOD77BusPGAWnyp3Nkc/w400-h297/gs-tank2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stealth gas tank mounted on the provided location.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>Gearing</b><br />
All of my experiences so far relate to the SRAM Force 1x groupset that it came with, so bear this in mind. I am sure another group-set would yield a completely different result. At this point the gearing is still a bit of an issue for me. Much time has been spent poring over gearing calculators, weighing up the pros and cons of 1x vs 2x. There is plenty of info on the OPEN website about the options, but so far my glass of kool-aid remains full. I still want at least the equivalent of a 44 front and an 11 rear, to nail the long tarseal descents on my commute to work, AND the ability to climb a hill with at least 21.8 gear inches down low, thats a 36/46 front rear climbing combo on 700 wheels.<br />
<br />
When delivered, the OPEN came with a 42 tooth chain-ring on the front
and a 36 on the back. That is not going to get you very far in
Wellington NZ. That's not even 1 to 1. Actually, I found one scenario
where it was acceptable, the Tour de Gravel in Marlborough was quite
doable with a 42 on the front, for my fitness at the time anyway.
Commuting on the flat was alright as long as there is not a lot of
extended downhill. The steepest climb I am likely to do is called the
"Tip-track" and it is mostly made up from two 15% sections on loose 4wd.
With a 650b wheelset on with a 36 on the front and a 46 on the back, it is doable. But then if a couple of days later I wanted to do a local
bunch ride, I would have to take the 36 front ring off and replace it
with the 42, and swap the wheels. Unfortunately the standard short-length
cage Force 1 rear derailleur was pretty hopeless, it only allowed me to
shift to a 36 on the back. It was
replaced with a medium cage Rival version, which incidentally weighed the
same, a portly 271 grams. That's quite heavy for a derailleur that is only supposed to work in 1x mode only. A SRAM Red derailleur weighs in at 145
grams, almost half. Not that I am ever going to buy a new SRAM Red derailleur, but there are plenty of people who will.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAWoph5CGxXyA5_aujLjffALHbpAgZAjXdHLJB0zOjmSKBwG4SVNxZhSDh1sk3ZmDKUs2dHsrWDA_tQgDSgwTWDi8_-hbowopKDPuJKxqC5MkT_RpEBuCgX1MsokzIphwMMVmQ/s1600/rear-derailers.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="760" data-original-width="1014" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAWoph5CGxXyA5_aujLjffALHbpAgZAjXdHLJB0zOjmSKBwG4SVNxZhSDh1sk3ZmDKUs2dHsrWDA_tQgDSgwTWDi8_-hbowopKDPuJKxqC5MkT_RpEBuCgX1MsokzIphwMMVmQ/w640-h478/rear-derailers.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SRAM medium-cage Rival derailleur on left, Force short-cage on the right. Rival shifts to a 46, the Force only to a 36.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>Bottom bracket</b><br />
My fear of technology is at its zenith with press-fit BB's and it was no surprise to me that it started creaking pretty much straight away. Bear in mind that this was a demo bike, so it already had some miles on it, you might even think of this as a long-term test, rather than just the 6 months that I have had it. It was a plastic SRAM BB, more on this latter, but it has been perfectly quiet since its replacement. I've not looked up the actual BB height just yet, but it has never been a problem in any of the riding I have done, even on the most technical trails I have never had pedal strike. I am pretty sure the SRAM Force crank-set has 175 long arms.<br />
<br />
<b>Is Force 1x or mostly 1x?</b><br />
Over the time I have had the OPEN I have managed to use a bunch of different front sprockets on this bike, a 36, a 38, a 42 and a 44, with 2 different rear cassettes, an 11-42 and an 11-46, all running the same length of chain, so I started to wonder if it was truly a 1x derailleur . According to the "internet" and the little diagram SRAM did, it's 1x only. I started to experiment a bit with running two different chain-rings on the front in "shift-with-a-stick" mode. On the front I had a 44 and a 36, and on the back I tried 11-42, and 11-46 cassettes. The drive train seemed to deal with it very well. The 44-46 combo was pretty ugly, but everything else was acceptable. So that's an 8 tooth gap on the front. Is that enough to warrant keeping the existing porky derailleur, or would you rather go for a more typical wider range front combo, 46/34 up front, with less of a dinner plate on the back, and a road based derailleur? If you are a weight weener you will know that that the monstrous 1x rear clusters can weigh more than a front double ring and front derailleur combined. This is still largely "1x talk", but relevant in the choices that the OPEN gives you, to deal with the different options as you will see below. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC6YKmcpFG60Ssjjh3kFCxl9873R1D5qhibJzxIGEbZKBJij-a_CaMgTMfJBb94EE0Dc4GKtHZTsobAXDiFciw8KFpGSI0i3c9J49kAgjFZtnCJ15S_axrwx3CfSEIPNG4LvFZ/s1600/open1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC6YKmcpFG60Ssjjh3kFCxl9873R1D5qhibJzxIGEbZKBJij-a_CaMgTMfJBb94EE0Dc4GKtHZTsobAXDiFciw8KFpGSI0i3c9J49kAgjFZtnCJ15S_axrwx3CfSEIPNG4LvFZ/w640-h480/open1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maxxis Ardents front and rear. Not really enough room for the 2.2 on the back. I swapped to a 2.0 Specialized.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b>Tires and wheels</b><br />
I can safely say, I don't have another bike that handles as well as this one. On the road with my 38 mm Compass Barlow Pass tires it inspires a ton of confidence. These really are the default tires on the OPEN for me, as they are still a very capable compromise off road on the dry hard-pack trails around Polhill or Belmont where I do a lot of riding. "Quiver killers" are all about compromise....<br />
<br />
The 700 x 43 mm Panaracer Gravel King<b>s</b> are a very robust tire which I used for the recent Akatarawa Gravel Fondo. They obviously lack the suppleness of the Compass tire, but there is no place for suppleness when riding on parts of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karapoti_Classic">Karapoti Classic</a> course anyway. I probably should have had the 650b wheels on for the Aka Fondo, but I was hoping for an easier ride on the faster stuff. The Gravel Kings still track really well on the road when heeled over at speed, but they obviously feel a lot slower than the Barlow Passes, with their substantial tread. They are a really solid grippy tire. With the 700 wheels it's a good idea to put some tape on the back of the seat-tube as you can get scuffing from the tire, maybe there is a bit of vertical flex in there, I was quite surprised to see it as it appeared to have plenty of room. In fact, I've just checked, and that is my error, the OPEN UP is only specced to accept 40mm tires, not 43mm, because of the diameter, NOT the width. Of course all tires are different in the real world.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu5COHwQmmsbVBsQa5w1IDuQ-DJ-uIOVtH2oCMvn-ktnllY8tfR6RJU55XLb2H27e7kVC1a0BwJnxNls8eRbmZQSkj5Fc8n9Jm15Qryt5fXQvyyjzxebZSjnRueSkg8HAw_41i/s1600/dyno.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1198" data-original-width="1600" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu5COHwQmmsbVBsQa5w1IDuQ-DJ-uIOVtH2oCMvn-ktnllY8tfR6RJU55XLb2H27e7kVC1a0BwJnxNls8eRbmZQSkj5Fc8n9Jm15Qryt5fXQvyyjzxebZSjnRueSkg8HAw_41i/s320/dyno.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SP dynamo hub in 650b. Easton ARC 24 rim.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
In 650b mode I am running a Specialized Fastrack Control on the back at 2.0 inches, and a 2.2 Maxxis Ardent on the front. This is a ridiculous tire for a weight weener bike like the OPEN, and at 730 grams the tire weighs 3/4s the weight of the bike's actual frame. (They were cheap). The fat front 650b tire had quite an impact on the handling compared to the 700 tires. Not bad, just different. You get used to it, but it is just obviously more "MTB-like". There is something about the accurate steering of a narrow tire that I enjoy when on the trails on a gravel or cross bike. Despite the weight of the front tire, in 650b mode, the whole bike still weighs less than my carbon road bike. I enjoy the 650b wheels in the weekends on the trails but the default wheelset is the 700c Easton EAX with the Barlow Passes for commuting and unplanned excursions. I've recently swapped the Ardent out for a Specialized Fasttrack S-works 2.0 on the front and it feels really nice.<br />
<br />
One of the rear Easton wheel bearings has worn out already and the Carbon-Ti X-12, 12mm through-axles have taken a bit of getting used to. Once or twice I have failed to torque the rear one up enough and it has come loose mid-ride. It's usually only noticed when shifting deteriorates or you hear a clunk from the rear. Once I had over-torqued the front and was not able to undo it with a multi-tool so I definitely need to re-calibrate my arm. <br />
<br />
I have a dynamo wheel built up in 650b and used the 47mm WTB Horizon<b>s</b> for a short time. They felt quite dead and slow to me, actually, a lot like an old Specialized Armadillo. The Horizons do look very robust, so it would be a hard decision to pick between them and the 700c Gravel Kings for bikepacking. Having the dynamo in 650b mode would likely swing it. I guess there are plenty of other fast rolling 650b tires to look at as well. The Horizons just look like they should be faster than they actually feel.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3J9qnaJeDyfxeAfo2UvBUA9ItjCLBNAbuEoj2fegpBr7uIGKyntT-KWWZoPUaFREn8fD8Wlv1WNuRaTYWhkoPaUsLB7G2Ayt7oE2lht7Nk77uJVxMZF-G4WBqsWyvEsuOodAu/s1600/klite-in-green.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="760" data-original-width="1014" height="475" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3J9qnaJeDyfxeAfo2UvBUA9ItjCLBNAbuEoj2fegpBr7uIGKyntT-KWWZoPUaFREn8fD8Wlv1WNuRaTYWhkoPaUsLB7G2Ayt7oE2lht7Nk77uJVxMZF-G4WBqsWyvEsuOodAu/w640-h475/klite-in-green.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">K-Lite dynamo lighting kit on the 650b SP hub with an Easton rim. Looking forward to the dark again</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b>Brakes</b><br />
I was initially very apprehensive about the
brakes,
having had only bad experiences with Avid hydraulic brakes. The "Easter
Island" styled flat-mount brakes have on the whole been a pretty good
experience so far. Currently the front one sometimes rubs/squeaks, and sounds like a Grey Warbler under braking, and the rear
brake has developed a bias towards one side, which I need to deal with
properly. But they are very powerful, which means I tend to ride more on the
hoods than I
normally would. The high vertical profile gives me confidence
that my hands wont bump off in the rough stuff. The discs are 160mm at
both ends, and it is very easy to accidentally lock up the rear. In fact,
on my first ride off a very steep and wet street, I accidentally locked up
and slid into a major road-way. The organic brake pads have not lasted well for me, even in dry weather so I will be going back to sintered metal. One thing I have noticed about the brake levers is that the lever surface is way more robust than that of my buddies Shimano GRX, which seems to have the surface covering peeling off it in a very short time. The fork feels strong
and flex-free despite only weighing 390 grams and I have not had a peep
out of the Cane Creek head-set to date.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7VzIdj6cx1V4cJeZA2Rfmmy7iv6I0-9zHl2a8lvvASV0m9vQRvaRAMN2FOR1mMtUOCVDzzxrskLvxUQGzjODYpg2-pZlgLLN5lguU8rCpz5XpyCe3-RHh0tXIHn2o-8nBpxj_/s1600/easter-island.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1198" data-original-width="1600" height="475" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7VzIdj6cx1V4cJeZA2Rfmmy7iv6I0-9zHl2a8lvvASV0m9vQRvaRAMN2FOR1mMtUOCVDzzxrskLvxUQGzjODYpg2-pZlgLLN5lguU8rCpz5XpyCe3-RHh0tXIHn2o-8nBpxj_/w640-h475/easter-island.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Sram Force. (Easter Island) Very high profile, feel less dorky than they look. No left shifter. DOH! </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>Tinkering with bikes</b><br />
I've always been a tinkerer, its part of the enjoyment I get out of personalising my bike, for aesthetics or performance. It's not unlike the satisfaction that my wife gets out of planting and maintaining her garden. I kind of expect most people to be like this, but I know they are not. This is why I have mostly rejected running tubeless tires for so long. It's not uncommon for me to swap my tires 3 times in 2 weeks, depending on what I am doing, commuting, a Hill Climb, a Gravel fondo. I just cant be bothered with the mess of tubeless. I suspect it's also what happens when you join the "One-bike-for-all" team. But now I've bitten the bullet and got a "tank" and tubelessed my 650b wheels. The 700's had gizz in them when running the Gravel Kings for the Akatarawa Gravel fondo, but a few days later I de-gizzed them and went back to the Barlow Passes with tubes for commuting. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8bRsl4Hca3HSiIdWywkEG3mYDsrPsfADUj-suOSsy3m2TQsPJKbl_zNgClCj86XSCDEaIzG3aU3MfuhISgyYXScQS0co_JViXnxYELyxNpVVQ3pHuZivGui87XfgWgMk8Ll_2/s1600/open-grid.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8bRsl4Hca3HSiIdWywkEG3mYDsrPsfADUj-suOSsy3m2TQsPJKbl_zNgClCj86XSCDEaIzG3aU3MfuhISgyYXScQS0co_JViXnxYELyxNpVVQ3pHuZivGui87XfgWgMk8Ll_2/w640-h640/open-grid.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Top, 2x shift with a stick, 44 and a 36 (hidden). 11-42 on the back with Rival medium derailleur. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The OPEN is a very pretty bike, and to date, I have never read a bad thing about it, apart from the price. But the aesthetic comes at a cost. After swapping out my rear derailleur to get a better gear range, my cable was now deformed, it would not thread back into my new long-cage derailleur. No problem, I will just replace the derailleur cable. Not so fast....<br />
<br />
There is a good reason why "dentist bikes" all use electronic shifting.... the cables are all on the inside of the bike. Any time you want to change a derailleur cable on the OPEN, you will need to remove the crank, and bash out the press-fit Bottom Bracket.<br />
<br />
This was a very new thing to me. I could not believe it. I emailed OPEN to confirm this, and Andy Kessler, one of the owners of OPEN, to his credit, replied in minutes, (they really are a 2-man company) but I was gob-smacked. To make matters worse, at my local bike shop, the proper extraction tool was not working on the stubborn plastic BB. Eventually we got it out by bashing out one of the bearings independently, as it was causing a very tight fit. Once that was trashed, we were able to whack out the plastic BB shell. This was a very traumatizing experience for someone with a $5,500 dollar light-weight frame, and repeating the procedure every time I need to replace my derailleur cable, or change from a 1x to a 2x set-up does not encourage me to want to tinker with this bike's shifting mechanisms. So yeah, maybe there is a use-case for electronic gears after all. Probably SRAM AXS. It's just a shame I am not a dentist.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdPbfZ1iuwBC3Ibpvl_QDI2uXBIxBezoIlFj9aykn_3BrJ7fN3tipNuQFQZmhqbmjC6lht-dWZ8E08qiJVIEBYHqL0fzOWtdEQqGMnqqFhpe9JWGqa6Ll5AZznkTG9_ExMVAtl/s1600/bb.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="878" data-original-width="1171" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdPbfZ1iuwBC3Ibpvl_QDI2uXBIxBezoIlFj9aykn_3BrJ7fN3tipNuQFQZmhqbmjC6lht-dWZ8E08qiJVIEBYHqL0fzOWtdEQqGMnqqFhpe9JWGqa6Ll5AZznkTG9_ExMVAtl/w640-h478/bb.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enter here if you want to change your derailleur cable. But first remove the bottom bracket.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I don't think the design of the OPEN has changed much since it first
popped out of the mold in 2015, and it's a credit to the designers that
it is still one of the most desirable bikes out there. I suspect that
other more recent arrivals to the #gravgrav train like the Hakkalugi MX are encroaching on its
territory with a dropper-post ready 31.8 mm seat-tube, friendly cable routing
access and a better rear derailleur cable exit point to allow the use of
MTB derailleurs. The Hakklugi also has a screw-in T-47 BB and mudguard
mounts. If I was a dentist with a healthy practice this is one of the
bikes I would also be looking at.<br />
<br />
Whether you take your OPEN bike-packing or not probably depends largely
on your running gear and personal inclination. If you have a cafe/weener
build you might like to replace some of those light-weight carbon
accessories with alloy ones, and make room to stow away your derailleur
charger. I know of a few
people who have used theirs for bike-packing and they seem very happy
with them. You probably would not want to do the Old Ghost Road on one,
but the Tour Aotearoa or the Kiwi Brevet would not be a problem. Not
having accessory mount points on the fork is a downside, but I guess you can always buy a new fork for bikepacking, and leave this one looking pretty.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggk0-G-wR368WWGQ0TXuNYsuTOWPoytiYSTi5aVSvyPwOIdDz52SWdlsuSQbhXfy6Y3fOylUOfaAONjzW1ABE-5kVTi9RP96M__UOt7VjQeNTcgIQHlFkC_kmJoCz0OG-rpKUL/s1600/no-derailer.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="809" data-original-width="1079" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggk0-G-wR368WWGQ0TXuNYsuTOWPoytiYSTi5aVSvyPwOIdDz52SWdlsuSQbhXfy6Y3fOylUOfaAONjzW1ABE-5kVTi9RP96M__UOt7VjQeNTcgIQHlFkC_kmJoCz0OG-rpKUL/w640-h478/no-derailer.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The brave new world of direct mount chain-rings. Kill all your spiders and save a few grams !</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The OPEN is an amazing bike. It has become my goto bike for everything. Commuting, hitting the trails, and all manner of events. It's crazy light, it handles like a
dream, on and off road, and I do love the colour. For me I feel that it
works best in most situations with the 700 wheels, but then again I seem to be using the 650b wheels a lot right now, commuting with the dynamo front wheel. It doesn't make sense that you can have so much fun off-road on a bike like this, that looks pretty much like a road bike.<br />
<br />
So I think that covers most things. A lot of what I have mentioned
relates to 1x and SRAM's groupset more than it does to the OPEN itself.
Initially I was a bit peeved at the 110 BCD SRAM Force crank with its hidden
chain-ring bolt nonsense but once I realised how easy it was to remove
the crank, and access the chain-ring bolts that way, I got
over it. This crank has probably been on and off more times than all the cranks on my other 10 bikes over the last 2 years. The direct drive system for mounting sprockets without spiders
was all new to me as well, but rather than getting out an allen key, and
a torx driver to change gears, I'm more likely to opt for one of those
old fashioned front derailleur things. I guess I am a bit of a Luddite eh? <br />
<br />
<br />
----------------------------<br />
<b>Tire nerdery appendix</b><br />
---------------------------- <br />
<i>Some recent events 'Ive done in the last 6 months and the tires I have used.</i><br />
<br />
Original tires - <a href="https://www.maxxis.com/catalog/tire-512-139-rambler">Maxxis Ramblers</a> 40mm, (435 grams)<br />
<a href="https://www.tourdegravel.nz/">The Tour de gravel</a> - <a href="https://www.renehersecycles.com/shop/components/tires/700c/700cx38-barlow-pass/">Compass Barlow pass</a>, 38 mm, (360 grams)<br />
<a href="https://jeffsbike.blogspot.com/2019/11/boganduro.html">The Boganduro</a> - <a href="https://www.panaracer.com/lineup/gravel.html">Panaracer Gravel Kings</a> 43mm, (490 grams)<br />
Short test rides - <a href="https://www.panaracer.com/lineup/urban_touring.html">Panaracer Pasela</a> 38mm, (420 grams)<br />
Short test rides - <a href="https://www.wtb.com/products/horizon">WTB Horizons</a>, 47mm, in 650b (505 grams)<br />
Vets Hill climb - <a href="https://www.specialized.com/us/en/roubaix-pro-2bliss-ready/p/155483?color=229786-155483&searchText=00016-2162">Specialized Roubaix</a> 32/30 (390 grams)<br />
<a href="https://jeffsbike.blogspot.com/2020/01/akatarawa-gravel-fondo.html">Akatarawa Gravel Fondo</a> - <a href="https://www.panaracer.com/lineup/gravel.html">Panaracer Gravel Kings</a>, 43 mm, (490 grams).<br />
Vets Hill climb - <a href="https://www.renehersecycles.com/shop/components/tires/700c/700cx38-barlow-pass/">Compass Barlow pass</a>, 38 mm, (360 grams)<br />
Casual weekend trail riding, in 650b - <a href="https://www.maxxis.com/catalog/tire-294-140-ardent">Maxxis Ardent</a> 2.2 (730 grams) + <a href="https://www.specialized.com/us/en/fast-trak-control-2bliss-ready/p/173635?color=272242-173635&searchText=00120-4005">Specialized Fasttrack</a> 2.0 (530 grams).<br />
More Casual weekend trail riding, in 650b - <a href="https://www.specialized.com/us/en/s-works-fast-trak-2bliss-ready/p/105770">Specialized Fasttrack</a> 2.0 (485 grams).<br />
Commuting more recently, 650b <a href="https://www.wtb.com/products/horizon">WTB Horizon</a> on the front, and a Barlow pass 700 on the back, reverse mullet.<br />
<br />
----------------------------<br />
<b>OPEN website</b><br />
---------------------------- <br />
The <a href="https://opencycle.com/">OPEN website</a>, is one of those frustrating one-page ones. Google is not that kind to OPEN as OPEN is a very common word, as is UP ! The best part of the site is the "Customer build showcase" and the "<a href="https://opencycle.com/updates/we-are-open?g=B8DB2624-9EE7-4E16-A25A-D3751AF4E606">blogs</a>" where punters ask Andy and Gerrard questions about gear compatibility and where they announce new initiatives. <br />
<br />
----------------------------<br />
<b>Gearing geekage</b><br />
----------------------------<br />
Combinations of gearing with a SRAM Rival medium rear derailer and a 44/36 shift with a stick double on the front. Running the one length piece of chain. Black cassette is 11-46, silver is 11-42. It seems to tell me that a range of 8 teeth between your front 2 rings means you can get away with a 1x rear derailleur. This could be an acceptable hack for bikepacking.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI9j7LXvWeRIITTwdz3EmoMk83Te-2G_T-OY9p2cC2rM5vC4ejheeGgt6hLRAurRtkXQdIyI3lUPcbjLjey5HLf2o3cITqBnaQLSeyr-kdSOPYWCoReFi6Fiwv-fm-XC1z2vDa/s1600/gear-grid.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI9j7LXvWeRIITTwdz3EmoMk83Te-2G_T-OY9p2cC2rM5vC4ejheeGgt6hLRAurRtkXQdIyI3lUPcbjLjey5HLf2o3cITqBnaQLSeyr-kdSOPYWCoReFi6Fiwv-fm-XC1z2vDa/w640-h640/gear-grid.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
----------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<b>More disturbing links from a weapons-grade nerd</b><br />
----------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/F53Gwj0lNS4" width="560"></iframe> <br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="grossary"></a> <br />
----------------------------<br />
<b>Terminology/Gossary</b><br />
----------------------------<br />
<b>Drinking the koolaid:</b> Something that people believe, despite obvious evidence indicating that its not a good idea.<br />
<b>Derailleur:</b> A device that derails and re-rails your chain into an appropriate location in your drive-train - Mentioned 32 times in this post.<br />
<b>1x:</b> A marketing initiative to simplify the drive-train of a bicycle by giving the rider less choice in gearing and creating heavier, more complicated and faster wearing componentry, while simultaneously creating a bad chain-line.<br />
<b>Dentist</b>: A disparaging term for a cyclist who is usually not quite young anymore, and has a job that enables purchase of highly expensive cycling equipment, even if their dedication to cycling as a hobby is not intense or long lasting.<br />
<b>BB</b>: Bottom bracket. What the crank-arms attach to. Conveniently located towards the bottom of the bicycle.<br />
<b>Q-factor: </b>Quack factor, relating to the width of the bottom bracket, and how it might make you feel like a duck when pedaling.<br />
<b>Tubeless:</b> A clever marketing initiative by BIG LATEX to wrest control of the "inflated tire" sector of the market from the conservative tubed area and spawn a massive new component industry around fixing flats, without actually having to touch a tube. Based on the clever <a href="https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/56755/16-amazing-facts-about-sea-monkeys">Sea Monkeys</a> marketing model of topping up your ever-fattening tire until you can observe (feel) the "<a href="https://forums.mtbr.com/attachments/wheels-tires/1146604d1500084816-just-pulled-monster-out-my-tire-img_3229.jpg">latex-monsters</a>" inside. Changing tubes can be complicated and dirty, compared to owning a compressor and blowing gizz all over yourself, at home, on the trail or on the road.<br />
<b>Gizz</b>: Sealant, Stans, tire milk.<br />
<b>Gas-tank</b>: Bento-box, tool-bag that sits on top-tube.<br />
<b>#gravgrav:</b> The new phenomena that is breathing life into a bicycle industry marketing teams. #egravgrav will be next.<br />
<b>#allroad</b>: The predecessor to #gravgrav. A lot more about "spirited riding" than "shredding the gnar".<br />
<b>#gnar</b>: That which must be shredded.<br />
#<b>grinduro</b>: A special event for millenials where it doesn't matter if you get dropped. Everyone is a winner.<br />
<b>#boganduro</b>: A grinduro for bogan millenials.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">Jeff's bike stories and links from Wellington New Zealand</div>El jefehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00411840288979303062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15091028.post-54132932069192669412020-02-18T15:05:00.001+13:002020-03-26T17:00:24.697+13:00Cleetus on his Cherubim on Ikigai - Polhil<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="364" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jeMziVQ2Ccs" width="620"></iframe><div class="blogger-post-footer">Jeff's bike stories and links from Wellington New Zealand</div>El jefehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00411840288979303062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15091028.post-86819103308958388032020-01-24T15:03:00.001+13:002020-01-28T10:33:06.131+13:00Akatarawa Gravel FondoThis event was the brainchild of Upper Hutt svengali Kim Hurst. It was an awesome event with a short and a long course. 50 kms and 87kms. I patched up some amateur footage from my Gopro.<br />
<br />
<br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="382" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ije2HtOSIQ0" width="650"></iframe> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbPxka0GJ0VOrL1QFqa0t-M8433s6EdFiE05hs3BCHZtAF1pMk64Y3LM2Ybrgz3bJEe-Vx2kpn0Qinma8-lK-oClvdJ8Fa2yF6KlBdFp6thrOJhrNfpVTPm1EGBHt08H9XMHAB/s1600/akagravelfondo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="973" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbPxka0GJ0VOrL1QFqa0t-M8433s6EdFiE05hs3BCHZtAF1pMk64Y3LM2Ybrgz3bJEe-Vx2kpn0Qinma8-lK-oClvdJ8Fa2yF6KlBdFp6thrOJhrNfpVTPm1EGBHt08H9XMHAB/s640/akagravelfondo.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
2677 metres climbing. I rode an OPEN UP with 700C wheels shod with tubelessed Panaracer 43mm Gravel Kings. Gearing was a 38 tooth on the front and an 11-46 Sunrace cassette on the back. Fitness and traction were more limiting than the gearing.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Jeff's bike stories and links from Wellington New Zealand</div>El jefehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00411840288979303062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15091028.post-53457763176287144982019-11-05T12:56:00.000+13:002020-05-14T15:10:35.622+12:00Boganduro<br />
<b>Update 1.</b> Weather is looking good !<br />
The Welly contingent will go for a beer to the Sprig and Fern on Tinakori road after the ride.<br />
<br />
If you have any questions then email me using the <a href="https://jeffsbike.blogspot.com/p/contact-form.html">contact form</a>.<br />
<br />
Cheers, Jeff<br />
<br />
Details below...<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjXxeo2dko-2P-A1se7qAl80Xs_H95Qu7876wf9tPeO1nMKpTDuYJRlNFeF19unReKYkHaufMoqug50lW3_ebQdOxOMvbCv3GobYDOP0ChYGnj4wqjz3cLsa6ZdyvNiJWgoitm/s1600/BD19-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1249" data-original-width="1367" height="584" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjXxeo2dko-2P-A1se7qAl80Xs_H95Qu7876wf9tPeO1nMKpTDuYJRlNFeF19unReKYkHaufMoqug50lW3_ebQdOxOMvbCv3GobYDOP0ChYGnj4wqjz3cLsa6ZdyvNiJWgoitm/s640/BD19-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
The Boganduro is a casual gravel grinder in the Grinduro format with self-timing based on the <b><a href="https://www.strava.com/" target="_blank">STRAVA</a></b> app installed on your phone.<br />
<br />
It will be on gravel where possible, with around 1600 metres of climbing. The Boganduro starts in Wellington, or the Hutt Valley, and takes in Battle Hill and Belmont Regional Parks.<br />
<br />
This is a chance to catch up with your buddies and have a good old chin-wag, and if you are up for it, lay down the hurt on a couple of climbs or downhills, if that's your thing.<br />
<br />
Don't forget to dress sensibly, it could get cold, bring food and water, tubes and tools. Have the <b>course</b> at least on your phone or GPS. ( you may like to download the GPX file below ). Familiarise yourself with the course in the event that you get lost. Course notes<b> below. Please read them at least once.</b><br />
<br />
<b>Starting point</b>:<br />
Wellington Train station. <b>8am</b> and <br />
Petone Wharf <b>8:40am</b>, Saturday November 23rd.<br />
<br />
<b>Cost:</b> Free<br />
<b>Food availability</b>: Pauatahanui Cafe / Dairy enroute.<br />
<b>Bail-out points: </b>Judgeford, return to Hutt Valley via Haywards on the road. <br />
<br />
It's fully self supported, bring tools and a couple of spare tubes and kit.<br />
<br />
Be prepared for all weather and to ride for up to<b> 96 kms max</b>, but around 74kms if you are only starting in the Hutt.<br />
<br />
Use <b>#boganduro </b>to share related bumpf in your social media if that takes your fancy<b>.</b><br />
<br />
To give you an idea of the terrain, here are the STRAVA timed segments that will <b>most likely</b> be on the course. My suggestion is that you will want at least <b>35mm</b> tires.<br />
<br />
<b>The full ride on Strava can be seen here:</b><a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/1255586562">https://www.strava.com/activities/1255586562</a><br />
<br />
The Strava timed segments are shown here.<br />
<ul>
<li>Up! <a href="https://www.strava.com/segments/16471344">https://www.strava.com/segments/16471344</a></li>
<li>Down <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.strava.com/segments/16278285&source=gmail&ust=1508373174816000&usg=AFQjCNFp7N26z0uiXM51V1PhT54xQDFrlg" href="https://www.strava.com/segments/16278285" target="_blank">https://www.strava.com/<wbr></wbr>segments/16278285</a></li>
<li>Up! <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.strava.com/segments/16278735&source=gmail&ust=1508373174816000&usg=AFQjCNHclEavHwHyFwOLmY0RbWRThClAZw" href="https://www.strava.com/segments/16278735" target="_blank">https://www.strava.com/<wbr></wbr>segments/16278735</a></li>
<li>Down <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.strava.com/segments/16278868&source=gmail&ust=1508373174816000&usg=AFQjCNFqrFWOh2xiP-FnTY1uGckyKpqBQQ" href="https://www.strava.com/segments/16278868" target="_blank">https://www.strava.com/<wbr></wbr>segments/16278868</a></li>
</ul>
<br />
I have done a couple of reccies on the 3 of the 4 sectors of the <a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/boganduro?source=feed_text&story_id=1500917803324220"><span class="_5afx"><span aria-label="hashtag" class="_58cl _5afz">#</span><span class="_58cm">Boganduro</span></span></a>.
The downhill segments are both mint, and the climbs are... climby : )
the major climb (Puketiro/Cooks Road) you should be able to do in a 1 to 1 gear, so a 32/32 or
similar, but YMMV. Strava tells me that there is at least 1 km at 20% on this first sector,
but overall it is 8%. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7mVrA6EAz_kw79it7ZbnPWb-c0TFYLepudYF-ieAq074a3-lsiT0zhB3UwSF09YUjZXGDlDQ6BD-sHCdxbsiVN8oVESCoBUvWeLi4GuzUX5xIaaRoQ6mybNjF3gmzJiXEy8HS/s1600/boganduro-map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="781" data-original-width="867" height="576" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7mVrA6EAz_kw79it7ZbnPWb-c0TFYLepudYF-ieAq074a3-lsiT0zhB3UwSF09YUjZXGDlDQ6BD-sHCdxbsiVN8oVESCoBUvWeLi4GuzUX5xIaaRoQ6mybNjF3gmzJiXEy8HS/s640/boganduro-map.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>96 kms from Wellington to Wellington</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8a9HjRHXgiIRvBUaiGSv9gvCe8VSt7swwJeJjqcWToYs3f5dXP-swcHOlfeZ3nW8crklx73btGAjvGTkMmB2GOEYuQ0111SEiiP0xG_swBluIbGUMaq5_QxIQq_xbpQ835g-2/s1600/Boganduro-strava.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="521" data-original-width="937" height="353" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8a9HjRHXgiIRvBUaiGSv9gvCe8VSt7swwJeJjqcWToYs3f5dXP-swcHOlfeZ3nW8crklx73btGAjvGTkMmB2GOEYuQ0111SEiiP0xG_swBluIbGUMaq5_QxIQq_xbpQ835g-2/s640/Boganduro-strava.gif" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
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<b>Boganduro fly-by here:</b> <a href="https://www.relive.cc/view/1271346537">https://www.relive.cc/view/1271346537</a><br />
<br /></div>
<b>----------------------------------------------------</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>The latest NEW stuff is here now (just below).</b><br />
<br />
<b>*Course GPS (GPX file) here: </b><a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/f4195lwccuh5q3l/BOGANDURO.gpx">https://www.dropbox.com/s/f4195lwccuh5q3l/BOGANDURO.gpx</a><br />
<b>*Course notes <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/gxvv1crpidg4ude/Boganduro-course-notes2.pdf?dl=0">here</a>. (Dropbox)</b><br />
<b>*A large map <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/0jsrpqkrdlujypu/BD-map.jpg?dl=0" target="_blank">here</a>. (Dropbox).</b><b><br />A large live zoomable map <a href="http://www.gpsvisualizer.com/display/20171109131734-33002-map.html">here</a>: (Web)</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>*Read comments below on Dropbox.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>------------------------------------------------------------------------</b><br />
<br />
<b>* WARNING</b>. Dropbox have deliberately made the download procedure confusing so that people <b>THINK</b> that they need to join up and login to dropbox.<b> You do NOT need to</b>.<br />
<br />
When the big white login button appears, click the small grey <b>X</b> in the top right, and continue on, repeating what you have already done.<br />
<br />
Once
the file is saved you can Drag n drop the file onto your GPS or smart
phone. I don't know what you do if you have an Iphone but I heard
recently that Apple were going to invent "drag n dropping" of files.
Fingers crossed!<br />
<br />
There are plenty of <a href="https://www.androidauthority.com/best-gps-app-and-navigation-app-for-android-357870/" target="_blank">phone apps</a> that allow you to view a GPS file. The one I use is called New Zealand Maps.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Youtube of the Bull Run</b> track <a href="https://youtu.be/uWKMGJzCUw0" target="_blank">here</a>.
This is the only technical part of the course. Slow down if you are not
a confident rider. There are only a couple of small drops in the
course. Another version of it <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yN-K39obhVY" target="_blank">here</a> with better lighting<b>.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Looking at your segments</b><br />
After you have finished your ride you can upload the file using Strava. Go to the Boganduro segments under <b>your</b> results, look under the "LEADERBOARDS" for "Todays" results.<br />
<b><br /></b>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEislxe8lwWRv1yslbLCocyf8iAVC3D4zyca-ai_jkLYquVcm4PgTmQD0bIHH4TEkof1ERFXHZQtrhSm3MIJIIR2yDH85K4MnFzqy0mS_-eAF4UlD7fmB1xWQ62-idkv0Zdn_JVA/s1600/Screenshot_20171110-144841.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEislxe8lwWRv1yslbLCocyf8iAVC3D4zyca-ai_jkLYquVcm4PgTmQD0bIHH4TEkof1ERFXHZQtrhSm3MIJIIR2yDH85K4MnFzqy0mS_-eAF4UlD7fmB1xWQ62-idkv0Zdn_JVA/s640/Screenshot_20171110-144841.png" width="360" /></a></div>
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<b>Results from last years Boganduro are <a href="https://jeffsbike.blogspot.com/2017/10/boganduro.html">here</a>.</b>
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b><div class="blogger-post-footer">Jeff's bike stories and links from Wellington New Zealand</div>El jefehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00411840288979303062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15091028.post-86465871945505742382019-10-08T19:10:00.001+13:002020-05-14T15:11:14.749+12:00K-Lite 2nd impressionsI was very excited to get a hold of the latest kit from <a href="https://www.klite.com.au/">K-Lite </a>
to run through its paces recently. Kerry is constantly iterating his designs but recently he has launched a
couple of very cool additions to his line-up. His new rear flashing lights, (QUBE) and a new
USB converter with dual outputs.<br />
<br />
If you followed
the world's gnarliest bikepacking events, like the <a href="https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/tourdivide/">Tour Divide</a>, or the <a href="https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/silkroadmountainrace/">Silk Road Mountain Race</a> you
would have noticed that many of the riders were using various models of K-Lite
kit. These guys are using the kit in the crucible of fire, if anything can possibly go wrong, it will.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRJnJq3My8jJFOjCiKv6PGhKZhkw92EryI7CN52_DQw3PwAsBtJ8P-DE4JyvKQXjV6V2OOo6gsww6uWNdTf6ERkOstZMddimfJoiKinpXgi1XQUn1lsEurYRkQcAkXmLMqTyzf/s1600/20190704_101642.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRJnJq3My8jJFOjCiKv6PGhKZhkw92EryI7CN52_DQw3PwAsBtJ8P-DE4JyvKQXjV6V2OOo6gsww6uWNdTf6ERkOstZMddimfJoiKinpXgi1XQUn1lsEurYRkQcAkXmLMqTyzf/s640/20190704_101642.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dual-port USB-charger, QUBE flashers, switch wire/loom and front light.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div>
<b>The flashers</b><br />
Kerry makes the only dynamo powered flashers, in
the world, called the QUBE, available in 1x or 2x formats, or front and rear sets, for attaching to the seatpost, seat stays or bars.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwigGbtizHkX70wJjhhVWh803AIVWOKbnHqC34xoPG9Sli9tqOUDa4dDQtm9bKkitp9RQtVLIeALfIquVvjRmH3ah-Du-33cpbKTmqWshrDytf2ru222lHa14DSfIZOCk63P0F/s1600/flashers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwigGbtizHkX70wJjhhVWh803AIVWOKbnHqC34xoPG9Sli9tqOUDa4dDQtm9bKkitp9RQtVLIeALfIquVvjRmH3ah-Du-33cpbKTmqWshrDytf2ru222lHa14DSfIZOCk63P0F/s320/flashers.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Runs for 3 mins after a 15 second spin of wheel.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Somehow
he has crammed little super capacitors into them so that a 15 second
spin of the front dynamo wheel means your rear flashers will go for 3
mins before needing more juice. Not many traffic lights take that long
to change. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The QUBE flashing pattern seems
quite random, but in fact, the LONG/SHORT flash-pattern is
actually what NASA use. It is the best for judging the distance to the rider, and also catching the eye from a distance.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
They
are very bright and yet Kerry tells me they draw less than 30mA
intermittently, a typical rear dynamo light draws 110mA at all times. That's a big difference. If it means anything to you, the standard
bikepacker's GPS, the Etrex 30, draws 50mA-110mA (back light dependent)
at 5 volts. </div>
<div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxDhOookIaf4B8OGp2lCGZl1_0nVRFkuMSm-WtgD4JnFS9XaKUrhSk52wNZFo-27FGoF4thnirKfzPf1sBin6Q2H_ixccxdoj8u_4zICP591YT8boIq7dWCFdXOe9qWlBPNDpY/s1600/20190811_142239.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxDhOookIaf4B8OGp2lCGZl1_0nVRFkuMSm-WtgD4JnFS9XaKUrhSk52wNZFo-27FGoF4thnirKfzPf1sBin6Q2H_ixccxdoj8u_4zICP591YT8boIq7dWCFdXOe9qWlBPNDpY/s640/20190811_142239.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even in the daytime the QUBE's are a great addition.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Kerry has also done something smart with the optics, so that the further you are away, the brighter
they look, the idea is that the rider behind, sitting on your
wheel, is not blinded, but a car, in the distance gets full blast, clever stuff. These QUBEs are the only item that Kerry is building by hand these days,
so he only does a run on them when he has a big enough order. Check
your local K-Lite dealer for stocks.</div>
<div>
<br />
<br />
<b>The switch / wire loom</b><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOkb1eT258rDQW12RJif7TihpBmy3Jqr3B7tQIHj5n5dnfVaM_hlHjZGOHJwrl1vivzIS0DD_4xgdUogOp3Eh5RgVESGebQv-HKpWYAoYFmb3ruuy-maTJJM4_jnslGuiAvTEh/s1600/20190809_103118.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1071" data-original-width="1600" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOkb1eT258rDQW12RJif7TihpBmy3Jqr3B7tQIHj5n5dnfVaM_hlHjZGOHJwrl1vivzIS0DD_4xgdUogOp3Eh5RgVESGebQv-HKpWYAoYFmb3ruuy-maTJJM4_jnslGuiAvTEh/s200/20190809_103118.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mount the switch on bars, stem, or steerer </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The
switch wire/loom comes in two styles. The first one is where the USB-charging out-puts are active all of the time, and you just toggle the front light off and on. This is the mode you will need if you are wanting to run the QUBE flashers.<br />
<br />
In the second style, you just flip back and forth between front lighting, or USB charging.<br />
<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXbkYYqzoajJ7E8f0HZPzZ7zlJDUNyNzkGUxk3O5gC5nHGZnYDcjN_mppS7v3iEspYtzS-ZVAfrBMgvM63iLogUyY1Soz0lDjeYobcHz5bdd6UXSjwuCSQMXgSATP_0H0zLPVT/s1600/20190811_114539.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXbkYYqzoajJ7E8f0HZPzZ7zlJDUNyNzkGUxk3O5gC5nHGZnYDcjN_mppS7v3iEspYtzS-ZVAfrBMgvM63iLogUyY1Soz0lDjeYobcHz5bdd6UXSjwuCSQMXgSATP_0H0zLPVT/s640/20190811_114539.jpg" width="640" /></a> <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<b>The USB charger</b><br />
<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiipfcxcA_7NIAIvdnl-kFu_B1Ni5xida0rWyfwLOne4EsEdep1qN7_1tcyNwGTX2mD0SeXicS32qzwAQ65xdN-Cl1wCIttOQAicRDQ0C_kxtZAfTKojeZYEnqJeNfCb3JOD5Hz/s1600/double-usb.jpg&source=gmail&ust=1565231524227000&usg=AFQjCNGOyNi2XDhAyt3m8RKeP3x8nuS7cA" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiipfcxcA_7NIAIvdnl-kFu_B1Ni5xida0rWyfwLOne4EsEdep1qN7_1tcyNwGTX2mD0SeXicS32qzwAQ65xdN-Cl1wCIttOQAicRDQ0C_kxtZAfTKojeZYEnqJeNfCb3JOD5Hz/s1600/double-usb.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" class="m_4773180009035947569m_4498755167896045096gmail-CToWUd CToWUd" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiipfcxcA_7NIAIvdnl-kFu_B1Ni5xida0rWyfwLOne4EsEdep1qN7_1tcyNwGTX2mD0SeXicS32qzwAQ65xdN-Cl1wCIttOQAicRDQ0C_kxtZAfTKojeZYEnqJeNfCb3JOD5Hz/s320/double-usb.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
Kerry has some clever smarts hidden in the new dual-port USB-charger to help with
charging supercap systems like the QUBE. He has more smoothing caps than any of the other USB chargers out there. This does make it a little larger, but it allows safe direct connection of phone or GPS to USB charger, should your USB cache battery stuff up.<br />
<br />
Normally connecting a sensitive USB device direct to a dynamo charger (without an inline cache battery) is not advised, as the output can be a bit "choppy" due to the AC conversion done on board. This can cause re-sets and crashes of sensitive USB devices. In the new K-Lite charger with its extra smoothing, it offers another layer of back up, in an emergency situation.<br />
<br />
<br />
The new design retains the little LED activity light
introduced in the previous model, so you know if the power is making its way from the dynamo to the charger. Apparently the new USB charger lets you run
your SPOT-tracker and charge your USB cache battery at the same time, because the SPOT trackers draw so little power.<br />
<br />
The SPOT-tracker will run from the dynamo all day and automatically switch to
it's own battery only when you have stopped moving. You can even power
your SPOT tracker with no batteries in the bay, just plug it in to the
USB-charger and get pedaling. I haven't tried this out myself as I
don't have a personal SPOT tracker. As in his previous model Kerry has all the plugs going in and out of the USB-charger at
the same place, this is great for space saving in your gas-tank, if
that's where you store your electrics.<br />
<br />
<span class="im">Here are a few potential scenarios that you might hope to run from your dual USB-charger. </span>Obviously
it depends on whether its day or night, and the terrain, as the front
lights will use a lot of the power coming from the dynamo hub at night time.<br />
<br />
<b>Night-time riding </b><br />
<ul>
<li>Front lights and QUBE F and R flashers</li>
<li>Front lights and QUBE F and R flashers and GPS (Etrex and Edge as they are low powered)</li>
<li>Front lights and QUBE rear flashers and GPS and SPOT tracker. In this scenario you'd need a USB splitter as there are only two out-puts from the USB converter. It's not until the demand exceeds 500mA that you start to rob power from the front lights. Flashers+SPOT+GPS should be under 500mA if you are moving at any kind of pace.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<b>Day-Time riding</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Charge cache and run SPOT tracker</li>
<li>Charge cache and run QUBE F and R flashers</li>
<li>SPOT tracker and GPS </li>
<li>SPOT tracker and QUBE rear flashers </li>
<li>SPOT tracker and QUBE rear flashers and GPS (need a USB splitter). </li>
</ul>
<br />
Obviously the idea is to charge your cache battery in daytime if you can as there is a lot more power available when the front lights are off.<br />
<br />
My experience with the USB charger and the Etrex GPS was pretty good. Basically, if you have it plugged in to the USB-converter, and you are moving, it defaults to the dynamo for power. I found that it wasn't until I dropped below 9 kmh that I got the nag-screen. However, if you run the GPS via a cache battery you don't get the drop-out at all. Etrex AA batteries last for 4 days anyway, and are easily available at most stores or gas-stations, which is why they are so popular.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-0Ad439n-po0RENVF_8jux6wF79H-ChN_Ig6RsKT8T52gac1jf9ZyRvOVxfN_Pao2bJVOqvWqgRSd_9YZ1u1yEHFEn0MT_NwvImc1JrwTLltnRQHas-tDwiPl577HStHfE05I/s1600/20190811_144905.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-0Ad439n-po0RENVF_8jux6wF79H-ChN_Ig6RsKT8T52gac1jf9ZyRvOVxfN_Pao2bJVOqvWqgRSd_9YZ1u1yEHFEn0MT_NwvImc1JrwTLltnRQHas-tDwiPl577HStHfE05I/s640/20190811_144905.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
My buddy ran his Garmin 1030 without a cache battery in the Japanese Odyssey last year with no problems using his K-Lite kit. It would just drop down to the internal battery when the dynamo power was too low. The 1030 is a much more sophisticated piece of equipment than the old Etrex though and you have to look at the pros and cons of each device. Matt pointed out that in Japan a lot of the riders used phones instead of GPSes for navigation. In an event where most of the people are topping up their devices in accommodation over-night it's an option.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>The lights</b><br />
The
lights have undergone a weight-loss programme that shaves a bit more
meat off them but they still share the same internals as the previous
model. Coming in 2 variants, the Gravel/Road and the MTB, the major
difference being that the MTB has a wider more diffuse spread for the
great outdoors, vs the more punchy beam of the Gravel/Road light which
has to compete with urban light pollution.<br />
<br />
In both variants the outside lights come on first and are supplemented by the centre beam at higher speeds. Everytime I go out I am amazed at the strength of these lights.<br />
<br />
The new K-Lite kit also contains an adaptor for the Universal fork crown mount, allowing easy connection to Supernova or B&M style mounts. The GoPro mount is still a very popular mounting mechanism, and rightly so, with thousands of cheapie variations of it available online.<br />
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I did a bit more field testing in the weekend with a proposed trip down south to do the Old Ghost road. There was always the chance that the weather was going to be bad, so I had to be open to other options, and I had plans to visit my parents 120kms away in Nelson. As it happened, the trip was cancelled and after some local riding, I rode over the Mangatapu Saddle that links Nelson to Marlborough. I had installed the Dynamo Kit on my Santa Cruz Tallboy mainly for safety as I knew I would be on the seal for at least 60 kms. The dazzling brightness of the rear QUBES made me feel a lot safer on a main road with no shoulder, on a Sunday afternoon. What really impressed my though was the low speed at which the QUBES kicked in. I confess I haven’t checked it with a computer, but for most of the 14.3% hike-a-bike section on the Mangatapu saddle the little buggers were flashing away maniacally. That was an average speed of around 3.3 km/h. Impressive.<br />
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Kerry is always tweaking and launching new stuff, so if you want to get the heads-up on his next thing, its best to follow him on <a href="http://instagram.com/klite_dynamo_power/">http://instagram.com/klite_dynamo_power/ </a>He has quite a few things going on in the back-ground just now. <br />
<br />
If you want to get a feel of what is behind the K-Lite ethos then tune in to this podcast, <a href="https://bikesordeath.com/ep-22-kerry-slaite-mad-scientist-klite/">https://bikesordeath.com/ep-22-kerry-slaite-mad-scientist-klite/</a> I guarantee you will be entertained. Warning, contains occasional expletives.<br />
<br />
<b>Related links:</b><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>More details in my <a href="http://jeffsbike.blogspot.com/2018/10/k-lite-ultra-first-impressions.html">K-Lite Ultra first impressions here</a>.</li>
<li><a href="https://jeffsbike.blogspot.com/2015/06/dynamo-lighting-101-part-1.html">Dynamo 101</a>, the basics. </li>
<li><a href="http://www.klite.com.au/">KLite.com.au</a> </li>
</ul>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">OPEN UP.</td></tr>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Jeff's bike stories and links from Wellington New Zealand</div>El jefehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00411840288979303062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15091028.post-2506696436828789972019-09-05T21:33:00.000+12:002019-09-06T08:11:52.197+12:00A hidden epidemicI walked out of the office the other day and saw one of my workmates chilling in the hallway. She was wearing a peaked hat and dark sunnies, and yet it was overcast and raining outside. She'd just stepped out of a crowded meeting room for a break, she was overstimulated and needed to get out for a few minutes to relax.<br />
<br />
I hadn't seen her for quite a while, but I knew the reason behind her absence as I'd heard the rumours. She'd had what is often called a "concussion" or a TBI (traumatic brain injury) depending on how you want to call it. Her fatigue levels had reduced down to the degree that she was able to do some work, but exposure to artificial light, and even computer screens had her feeling nauseous, hence the hat and sunnies.<br />
<br />
We had a chat and she talked about her progress and the advice she'd been given by another woman scientist at my work who is still recovering from a head injury she received one and a half years ago. The advice was to take the time to come right slowly, don't try to come back too work to soon.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrJEdoFKR2jI1FHmSsGe-pg-iGcVnPdqjuE_mrKCJHffPxtYXJMgzkYrp8PlHzFh-8WKWrIFASeGCDQYbzMK81PZOsOzidQZX-LQ9P-UUu_8DIpTHdtWI9oRks6S1kDozLbgBT/s1600/brain-small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="688" data-original-width="539" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrJEdoFKR2jI1FHmSsGe-pg-iGcVnPdqjuE_mrKCJHffPxtYXJMgzkYrp8PlHzFh-8WKWrIFASeGCDQYbzMK81PZOsOzidQZX-LQ9P-UUu_8DIpTHdtWI9oRks6S1kDozLbgBT/s320/brain-small.jpg" width="250" /></a></div>
These are highly achieving people who typically find this kind of advice hard to take. Another buddy of mine, also a woman scientist, but not at my work, was also badly concussed recently in a cycling accident, but her recovery has been pretty swift, by comparison to the first two. The first weeks were pretty bad, and being the co-leader of a 12 million dollar project, she's not the kind of person who thinks its acceptable to take a nap half-way through the day.<br />
<br />
If I do a tally up, I can think of 4 people I know of at my work, or who work with the scientists at my work who have received head injuries in the last 2 years. All of them very highly intelligent professionals. None of them risk-takers, all of them with access to good medical advice and an understanding work-place.<br />
<br />
What if you didn't have access to all the support systems that a well paid professional with a PhD has? What if you were young and bullet-proof and a risk taker by nature? What are the chances that somewhere along the way you are going to get a good smack on the head, give someone else one, or get head-injured in a car accident? What percentage of people in jail have undiagnosed head injuries? Do you know what some of the side-effects of a head injury are?<br />
<br />
Disinhibition, low tolerance to stress, depression, emotional lability, difficulty concentrating, sensitivity to noise or light, aggression, impulsivity, irritability, confusion, sleep disturbance, visual problems, memory problems to name a few.<br />
<br />
If you were in the wrong place at the wrong time, with poor support, these behaviours could easily see you in trouble with the law, especially if you medicate with drugs and alcohol.<br />
<br />
I've also met a few cyclists on social media who are recovering from head injuries, and sadly as time goes on, I watch new people join them. Hitting someone's wayward dog at 50kmh has that kind of an effect.<br />
<br />
So what can you do, not go outside? It wouldn't have helped the two women at my work, one banged her head on a cupboard and the other slipped in the shower. Just look after yourself, the best way you know how. And if you come across someone who has a head injury, try to understand what might be going on on the inside.<br />
<br />
<b>Factoids</b>:<br />
<ul>
<li>NZ's ACC's statistics show that in 2015 most brain injuries happened at home (5674) or on the sporting field (5394).</li>
<li>The major causes of brain injury are car crashes, sports injuries, assaults and falls.</li>
<li>Shockingly, the highest risk groups of New Zealanders for traumatic brain injuries are not our rugby players or our boxers - it's our toddlers</li>
</ul>
<br />
Reference. <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/83833637/the-hidden-epidemic-of-brain-injury">The hidden epidemic of brain injury, Stuff, 2016</a>.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.brain-injury.nz/">https://www.brain-injury.nz/</a><br />
<br />
Artwork by Ash Lyall<div class="blogger-post-footer">Jeff's bike stories and links from Wellington New Zealand</div>El jefehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00411840288979303062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15091028.post-58355385358635451792019-04-23T13:19:00.001+12:002020-05-14T15:11:38.142+12:00Wildgripper homage saddleWith the single-speed nationals coming up I needed to get a bike ready. I didn't have a lot of choice in the end and it came down to repurposing my 1993 Litespeed Ocoee. The Compass Rat Trap Pass tires had to go, and I figured the drops could go too. The obvious tires to use were the Simworks Homage's which were currently on my 26 inch Santa Cruz Superlight.<br />
<br />
Once the tires were mounted it seemed fitting to me that I needed a matching saddle, and I had a dead Michelin Wildgripper that was screaming out to be repurposed.<br />
<br />
I cut one up and glued it onto a spare carbon weener saddle that had been doing nothing. I thought it looked alright. The carbon base was very very stiff tho....<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisxBW740K4G79-n6UbmuNp4uGHUZKOA314UVlbD-IPZ4QYPjqaSWJoOUqEqEJYgH_2Cdrt5HNQ1bE2EKGg_1H3P_5sf5Jek3rZSZ0fU4ck0XhoTwvdyic1Q84yZ3KEkvDIdDO3/s1600/20190417_075442-01.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisxBW740K4G79-n6UbmuNp4uGHUZKOA314UVlbD-IPZ4QYPjqaSWJoOUqEqEJYgH_2Cdrt5HNQ1bE2EKGg_1H3P_5sf5Jek3rZSZ0fU4ck0XhoTwvdyic1Q84yZ3KEkvDIdDO3/s640/20190417_075442-01.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Michelin Wildgripper Homage version 1. Carbon base.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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A couple of days later I decided I better do my first single-speed ride since the nationals in 2013 and I went out for a 3 hour ride with Mossieur Veganburger. I didn't use the Green saddle, but used a yellow Tioga Spyder knock-off. It was very very comfy. What if I could combine the comfort of the Spyder with the looks of the Wildgripper Homage?<br />
<br />
There is a lot less surface area in one of these saddles, so I would have to sew the pieces together first, with mint flavoured dental-floss, then glue it on.<br />
<br />
It worked better than I thought. I'm not going to put <a href="https://www.instagram.com/busymanbicycles/">Busymanbicycles</a> out of a job anytime soon, but it was a lot of fun.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP1DgOU_EKxbwYSHuo2TZrC8qjeZYNKTNIsD1TMTI_r5mU8pvfAoipDtoSCw9YLpk8lBWl89m-RFNe6o3YL8pmT0mFuGhrbN4xAFypj7HcPGT08NFa8Kcv36RmpAcXtfjYeT2D/s1600/20190422_092028-01.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP1DgOU_EKxbwYSHuo2TZrC8qjeZYNKTNIsD1TMTI_r5mU8pvfAoipDtoSCw9YLpk8lBWl89m-RFNe6o3YL8pmT0mFuGhrbN4xAFypj7HcPGT08NFa8Kcv36RmpAcXtfjYeT2D/s640/20190422_092028-01.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Michelin Wildgripper Homage version 2. Plastic base.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1TA3XzTW6zPLioBpbFjvAHGq5zWC7j68cgyGh2HxpotZ7j3ty-V5OS4OI17Ruz6zfaJ7hM4-0mbtOPBvoACjO87uvIoo-52azKxHEd9lo-YwhfasQHgwqsvyJDYY8lTUVk-jJ/s1600/PhotoGrid_1555842834796.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1TA3XzTW6zPLioBpbFjvAHGq5zWC7j68cgyGh2HxpotZ7j3ty-V5OS4OI17Ruz6zfaJ7hM4-0mbtOPBvoACjO87uvIoo-52azKxHEd9lo-YwhfasQHgwqsvyJDYY8lTUVk-jJ/s640/PhotoGrid_1555842834796.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Instructable </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Fingers crossed it hangs together for the nationals in Te Mata peak this weekend !<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://jeffsbike.blogspot.com/2013/05/nz-singlespeed-champs-2013-pig-and.html">Singlespeed nats in 2013</a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://jeffsbike.blogspot.com/2010/10/single-speed-worlds.html">Singlespeed Worlds in 2010.</a></li>
<li><a href="http://jeffsbike.blogspot.com/search/label/Single%20speed">More Singlespeed stuff</a>. </li>
</ul>
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<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">Jeff's bike stories and links from Wellington New Zealand</div>El jefehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00411840288979303062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15091028.post-81372267740746964342018-12-05T12:29:00.000+13:002018-12-05T13:10:07.228+13:00Le Petit Brevet - where too much climbing is a thing<a href="http://lepetitebrevet.blogspot.com/">Le Petit Brevet</a> is one of those rides that both entices and scares at the same time. I'm not getting any younger so when Scott Emmens announced he was going to organise it this year after a 3 year gap since the last one, I thought I better hop on board. The thing that you struggle with from looking at the stats, is how you can get so many vertical metres into that many kilometres. Well, all I can say is, you do. There are only about 50 kilometres of flat in the whole ride. Typical Dirt Brevet type rules apply and you have to finish inside 36 hours.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUC1esA-AfPVUCHjm2CItnhXwPe9oEUjevLh_Uvk0ZYuWCjxcQbWyLKuExwigYBK9G_gAzgY-hWC-16y87ViFMEZopMVk3BlEub1gVh5c49NppaoYDnQg5cg_hQ04MOHo6dgvCuA/s1600/LPB18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="912" data-original-width="1105" height="528" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUC1esA-AfPVUCHjm2CItnhXwPe9oEUjevLh_Uvk0ZYuWCjxcQbWyLKuExwigYBK9G_gAzgY-hWC-16y87ViFMEZopMVk3BlEub1gVh5c49NppaoYDnQg5cg_hQ04MOHo6dgvCuA/s640/LPB18.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">24,888 freedom feet of climbing. If you don't enjoy climbing, it's probably not for you.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I was lucky to have my buddy Ian and his family host me, and quite close to the course, in Mt Pleasant. After unpacking my bike I noticed I could no longer get big/big in my gears and my rear disc was rubbing. Something must have shifted in the travel process. I decided to adjust the limit screw and reset the rear caliper. I tootled off up the hill to make sure everything was meshing, it was. Up ahead I saw a couple of MTBers so I caught up to them to say hello. The older of the two checked out my bike and asked if I was doing the LPB, as his workmate was organising it. When I asked what his name was, and he said "Guy". The penny dropped. I don't think we'd met since the 2010 Kiwi Brevet when our crew came across <a href="https://www.groundeffect.co.nz/">Groundeffect's</a> Guy Wyn-Williams and Laurence Mote heading into Darfield, or thereabouts. They had the "local knowledge" so we were happy to get on board with their suggestion of a pretty comfy spot sleeping on the porch at the Oxford Pony Club Domain. The funny part was when they got a small head start on us in the morning and we watched them cycle down the road and take a wrong turn in front of us! I don't think we saw them again. Small world anyway!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEKxN7qTafVtRfemCo40EtYCezRoQ4Tvx8gKLndYxSW8E9ADWFEEJjgHV-m_t0e9vwb5Ta8vwU3nytkDIreKLZXqgeEQd_dMYGwqv0VUNM_ZawnBBJqOP07Z_QJHVx3e_b2PxA/s1600/20181117_065657.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEKxN7qTafVtRfemCo40EtYCezRoQ4Tvx8gKLndYxSW8E9ADWFEEJjgHV-m_t0e9vwb5Ta8vwU3nytkDIreKLZXqgeEQd_dMYGwqv0VUNM_ZawnBBJqOP07Z_QJHVx3e_b2PxA/s320/20181117_065657.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">22 nervous riders, wondering what they just signed up for.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I digress. The next morning Ian and Lucy kindly dropped me off at Hansen Park where around 22 riders nervously waited for the start. Someone named "Tad" hadn't turned up, but he was on the list, so we waited a bit longer and eventually left without him. There was the usual array of completely different bikes, all of which would be perfect for the job at one stage or another during the ride. I was seriously doubtful of the kit that some people were carrying. They either had their mum waiting ahead fluffing the cushions for them in Akaroa, or they were planning on having balmy weather for the whole ride. As usual I was packing my fears, with a puffer jacket, buff, beanie, rain pants bivvy sack and quite a few other things I considered bare essentials in case I had to sleep on the roadside.<br />
<br />
The initial pace was a bit hot I have to say, and eventually I found out it was crusty Andy the Badger Beale who was the culprit. I struggled a bit on my rigid drop barred bike as we entered Kennedy's Bush, but the single track there was the only single-track I did at pace anyway. I ended up riding with fellow Wellingtonian Dr Nick Kennedy. Nick is pretty fit so I asked him lots of leading questions about his medical specialty to make it harder for him to pedal and talk at the same time. Nick countered by asking me at what point old people noticed a measurable decline in their performance - he was about to find out. Nick had spent a bit of time in Christchurch so he had a bit of local knowledge and was nailing the sealed descents we rode early on. We stopped at the first cafe we saw and Nick quickly downed a pie and a coffee. I hadn't developed a desire to eat at this point so I stowed a couple of pies in my back pack.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSrjId1ZzUv36XgJphTonMQESNe_3o4uxJNdZMRPldmbWW7J1ccFwBThXR-B1vfVQyqJEg8D6wh9hjnZP75pAWp2Uc7q2h4FptbsMw_cQOM1PwR0D9yMC9TYxILAZAp-RGKAvM/s1600/20181117_104453-01.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSrjId1ZzUv36XgJphTonMQESNe_3o4uxJNdZMRPldmbWW7J1ccFwBThXR-B1vfVQyqJEg8D6wh9hjnZP75pAWp2Uc7q2h4FptbsMw_cQOM1PwR0D9yMC9TYxILAZAp-RGKAvM/s320/20181117_104453-01.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nick Kennedy. On a sensible bike. Cannondale hard Tail.</td></tr>
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We carried on at a pretty good pace and got through a fair bit of climbing. The climbing was pretty constant. There were two main types of climbs. Steep, and bloody steep. After a while I pretty much stopped even using my big ring, just to save the hassle of changing gears. My little gear of 24 on the front was not that much smaller than the big gear of some of the 1x set-ups out there anyway.<br />
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Eventually we got back onto some gravel, some really steep gravel, I suspect it was Pettigrews road. We had been riding very solidly for about 70 kms at this point. I was using my new <a href="http://jeffsbike.blogspot.com/2018/11/compass-antelope-hill-short-review-long.html">Compass Antelope Hill</a> 2 inch slicks, and even on this crazy steep stuff there were no problems with traction. We did see Andy Beale up ahead, pushing his bike up the road. Probably a victim of his early pace and his big front ring. After about 5 minutes it turned out that riding was marginally quicker than walking, and we caught him. He was in good spirits and was fun to ride and walk with for a bit. He was on a hard-tail like Nick so as soon as we hit the off-road leading into the Double Fenceline track I told them to go on, as I seemed to be in energy deficit and I needed to get one of those pies circulating through my system.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAakFkQbkyk_i966gXa8Ei5oKWZ25BFeBLSzspv6H-KyYG5wBcXhfSsLXp6jINv4y5jBg0TstRv-1HPWjiKmjqEb7c7XbE3eCbiUDABkVhF5morlkasbtZXp9KUBVHJuNHLQlq/s1600/20181117_112920-01.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAakFkQbkyk_i966gXa8Ei5oKWZ25BFeBLSzspv6H-KyYG5wBcXhfSsLXp6jINv4y5jBg0TstRv-1HPWjiKmjqEb7c7XbE3eCbiUDABkVhF5morlkasbtZXp9KUBVHJuNHLQlq/s640/20181117_112920-01.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taking a breather before the Double Fenceline Track.</td></tr>
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My first pie still had little attraction for me but I forced most of it down and left the rest for the birds. It was good to take my first "breather" in about 4 hours, and after that I concentrated on taking a few photos. There was a small problem. The higher I got, the better the views were expected to be, but the tops were often enclosed in cloud. On the other hand, if it had been full sun the whole time it would have been even more brutal.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimzvadpqAtoBaHUJtIHWO92MGFak55STh2Wjy3fUqmEkT241sBh_bRsrK3jcPJ5BATEwKKfAbAfjwdpa_xTIHeDkIdG1i2cbhixWzdhTKZ-CvkrGy7watCZM9wDRkoWuDrztA5/s1600/20181117_122615-01.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimzvadpqAtoBaHUJtIHWO92MGFak55STh2Wjy3fUqmEkT241sBh_bRsrK3jcPJ5BATEwKKfAbAfjwdpa_xTIHeDkIdG1i2cbhixWzdhTKZ-CvkrGy7watCZM9wDRkoWuDrztA5/s640/20181117_122615-01.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stiles were the reason I didn't put all my gear in a frame-bag.</td></tr>
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The Double Fenceline track wasn't particularly enjoyable for me, and my bike seemed to be getting heavier with each stile. I was surprised to see people out riding this trail for fun. The going was very slow, but after a very long time (2.5 hours) I was temporarily down on the flat again making a 2km return diversion to the Little River gas station to stock up on fresh Pies and Lolly-water. On the return I had my head down and after climbing 2 kms up SH75 I realised I had missed the turn off to Puaha Road. DOH !<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5GGANN6grsoecsH_0SqOdmCsgr2_Yh4JfflBmK_4q8beg-pZhSjruGj3c61Un5IrWZKg6EaH2VIQquJhcHAepf0lzZE4mTiVYyiZlUQhkt7GFKPHr9YTNzVGWVsYiUJCQl9GI/s1600/20181117_142143-01.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5GGANN6grsoecsH_0SqOdmCsgr2_Yh4JfflBmK_4q8beg-pZhSjruGj3c61Un5IrWZKg6EaH2VIQquJhcHAepf0lzZE4mTiVYyiZlUQhkt7GFKPHr9YTNzVGWVsYiUJCQl9GI/s640/20181117_142143-01.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another pie stop after a foolish distraction on the smooth tarseal. What was I thinking? I need more kms?</td></tr>
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I stopped a little way down Puaha road for a break and to get some food in before the next major ascent started. A lot of the climbs so far seemed to be around 6 to 11 %, and I think there was only one of the 10 major ones that was under 400 metres (1400 feet). Little Akaloa was beautiful, with amazing views all the way around to Okains bay.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtFge43gscxuZI-QJa-sS6myyiWH8tSDsHuFiUDxUGXSgEcSTPInNbAvCKtFoDQxcELwuRS0aziVJUXgSxwQ_yHROmQDXR4lc4KcU2k2FS91cudHXTk8ZiatoAKw1UULqZuNnn/s1600/20181117_150743.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtFge43gscxuZI-QJa-sS6myyiWH8tSDsHuFiUDxUGXSgEcSTPInNbAvCKtFoDQxcELwuRS0aziVJUXgSxwQ_yHROmQDXR4lc4KcU2k2FS91cudHXTk8ZiatoAKw1UULqZuNnn/s640/20181117_150743.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heading up along towards the Double Fenceline track. I think.... Looking out over Duvachelle Bay.</td></tr>
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As I was just about to get stuck into "Big Hill" coming out of Okains bay, I met up with another rider, Andrew Laurie. Of course, I didn't know it was Big Hill, and Andrew was surprised to see me, not knowing that he had passed me when I'd taken my 4km diversion up SH75. Andrew and I enjoyed riding together for a good while, but his head was a lot stronger than mine and I had to drop off the back when I ran out of concrete pills on a particular climb. Andrew seemed to know quite a few of the climbs which was helpful.<br />
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I knew I was getting close to Akaroa, but I couldn't believe how long this 65 kms from Little River was taking. I'd left Little river at 2pm, so it looked like it was going to take me at least 6 hours to get to Akaroa. In my head I had broken the distance to Akaroa up into 2 segments, the start to Little River, about 100 kms, and Little River to Akaroa, another 65 odd. I was hanging out for the smooth tarmac descent down into Akaroa when I checked my GPS to see that I was hanging a left instead....<br />
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I got seriously flummoxed at this point. I was making hard work of the directions on the cue sheet, and how they related to where I was going. I back tracked a few metres and eventually worked out that I shouldn't have crossed the style. I had just jumped onto the correct trail when I was surprised by a rider coming up behind me. It turns out he had missed the start by an hour, starting at 8am. He wasn't carrying much gear, in fact, he wasn't even <b>using</b> gears. It was Tad. Some how I put two and two together and worked out that he was the guy we were waiting for at the start, and he was the World Singlespeed champion! Cripes, riding that course on a single speed sounded like the definition of insanity. He admitted to doing a bit of walking. He was on a very cool purple rigid Surly Karate Monkey. I was trying to pick his accent thinking that maybe he was Irish, but it transpired that he was originally Czech but has been in NZ for some years. There must be something about Czechs as there was another on the ride, Martin, currently living in Nelson. At the beginning of the ride we laughed about how difficult it was for Martin to get a visa while a Czech drug dealer currently in jail had no problem getting his okayed!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBQCEMNgJ5gCtGDJdzimjRM-kaH6P9_mz5W1vREuYhZOyzh2CH4svQD0xVwBFQrGblXwJUcdRXd-D02n8ZwdhvAKProCa59Jq70z_2ObxgWJulNKi7HfmJPaynjbTUu66Vm8SX/s1600/20181117_173005-01.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBQCEMNgJ5gCtGDJdzimjRM-kaH6P9_mz5W1vREuYhZOyzh2CH4svQD0xVwBFQrGblXwJUcdRXd-D02n8ZwdhvAKProCa59Jq70z_2ObxgWJulNKi7HfmJPaynjbTUu66Vm8SX/s640/20181117_173005-01.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gorillas in the mist</td></tr>
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The Purple Peak Stock Track trail down into Akaroa wasn't exactly flowy and I was starting to despair of getting into town before the shops closed. I got in at just after 8pm I think and was lucky to find a fish and chip shop that while it was officially closed, took pity on me and took my 37$ for a scoop of chips and fish, 2x Powerade, 2x juice and a couple of water bottles.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX9oZXFuOrPi-wJfAxdrN4wjsO0UL2oAu8GAUkyXiRSx-0WP9odOh55TEF_Z_pa-MYUhvjTBIIZgNyPiifQVvw8hgHGEMhZfbi84ow-eNp95CQyX7XKg_cpxgDYK1JFy5zgcM6/s1600/20181117_174558.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX9oZXFuOrPi-wJfAxdrN4wjsO0UL2oAu8GAUkyXiRSx-0WP9odOh55TEF_Z_pa-MYUhvjTBIIZgNyPiifQVvw8hgHGEMhZfbi84ow-eNp95CQyX7XKg_cpxgDYK1JFy5zgcM6/s320/20181117_174558.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Andrew Laurie. Great company.</td></tr>
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I was so intent on getting food that I hadn't really thought much about the option of staying the night in Akaroa. It made a lot of sense, but I hadn't booked anything, and I had come with the intention of riding through, even though I knew that I was very under trained for that kind of an effort. I figured that if I wanted to I could have got accommodation, or if I blew up spectacularly in the last leg I could jump in my bivvy sack in a hedge somewhere.<br />
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The last "leg" was around 100 kms and I would be doing it in the dark. From memory it had 2 large hills in it. I figured that if I took enough food and rested up if I needed to, I could get through, and there was the promise of... joy of joy, some flat riding before the hills. So I turned on my head-light and rolled out of Akaroa at about 9pm and bang, straight into some more hills.... I saw a sign on the side of the road that said "Camping Ground"... I weakened for a moment..... no turning back now.<br />
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I lapped up the flat stuff when I eventually got to it (after the first major hill) and I'm pretty sure I even had a tail wind. Before long I was climbing again and seeing up close what a massive problem we have with Possums. I must have seen at least 50 on the trails. The problem with riding in the dark is that there is not much to see. I was starting to get bored and it was messing with my motivation. There was still a lot of climbing happening. Funnily, for someone who loves climbing, I had for the first time in my life discovered there was such a thing as too much climbing. I remembered my phone, I was Stravaing the ride so I had brought two sets of 2x18650 DIY power-banks for it. For the first time ever I was using the phone in airplane mode and was amazed at how little battery it was using. I turned on my Podcast app, if I jammed the phone in the top pocket of my pack's strap I could hear it loud and clear, and it was less intrusive than headhones. For the rest of the ride I treated myself to stories on such diverse subjects as Lab-grown meat, Fake illegally imported aphrodisiacs, to a critique of Madonna's album "Like a Prayer".<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm1Q6W67VbA30dX9NitvmY2gFuPscdmXvNnrPua4tmRJFmmTJY1VayPfinLohF9MouK3-1WtAXm20hlNnmLkPChv9-5Oq6rQKJslks0JSCPod-nhuorECUwGFIHFQR62hZajnn/s1600/20181118_041640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm1Q6W67VbA30dX9NitvmY2gFuPscdmXvNnrPua4tmRJFmmTJY1VayPfinLohF9MouK3-1WtAXm20hlNnmLkPChv9-5Oq6rQKJslks0JSCPod-nhuorECUwGFIHFQR62hZajnn/s320/20181118_041640.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christchurch looms.</td></tr>
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It was getting cold so I started wearing my buff, and even put my emergency shower cap on, as well as my rain jacket, for the cold descents. The lights of Christchurch came into view, and then the day started to break. I've only even ridden into the morning once before, and it is quite a buzz. The only problem I had with navigation the whole time was getting back to Ian's house at the end, using Google maps. Scotts LPB GPX file was perfect. So good in fact, that most of the time I am ashamed to admit that I just followed the line and didn't need to use the cue sheets at all.<br />
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I had no idea who else had ridden through the night like I had, only 3 other nutters as it transpired, and unlike me, they hadn't mucked around.<br />
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First in was Josh Aldridge in a mind blowing time of 14 hours and 56 minutes, he had finished by 10 pm ! That is insane. Next was another Nelsonian, the Czech Martin Strelka finishing at 11:40 pm. His ride was very impressive, on a very nice looking Salsa Cut-throat. Then there was Andy Beale at 1:44 am. I'm not sure what I was doing in the 3 hours between Andy and my time, I guess just riding very slowly ! The other 15 riders that followed the exact course finished the next day.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: left;">Plastic fantastic with bald tires, Compass Antelope Hills.<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">I've done a few interesting one-day rides over the years, but none as hard as this one. If you love the hills, are up for a challenge and want to take in some amazing views, then Le Petit Brevet just might be for you. Scott did a great job organising this for us, thanks again Scott!</span><br />
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<a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/1970106270">STRAVA !!! </a><br />
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<a href="http://lepetitebrevet.blogspot.com/2018/11/thats-wrap.html">http://lepetitebrevet.blogspot.com/2018/11/thats-wrap.html</a><br />
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Jeff's bike stories and links from Wellington New Zealand</div>El jefehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00411840288979303062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15091028.post-51457741948325079582018-11-30T15:31:00.002+13:002020-05-14T15:12:52.529+12:00Compass Antelope Hill - short review - long ride I have been using the <a href="https://www.compasscycle.com/shop/components/tires/700c/compass-700c-x-55-antelope-hill-tc/">Compass Antelope Hill</a> tires for a few months now and gave them a seriously good testing a couple of weekends ago in <a href="http://lepetitebrevet.blogspot.com/">Le Petit Brevet</a>. There will be a post about that soon. Nominally 55 mm, but actually 53 mm wide on my rims. They are very similar to the <a href="http://jeffsbike.blogspot.com/2017/01/rat-trap-pass-tires-on-all-road-26-inch.html">Compass Rat Trap Pass</a> tires I have been using for a couple of years, the main difference being that they obviously don't spin up as quickly as the smaller 26 inch variant.<br />
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They roll pretty well, similar to a Stans Raven, maybe a tad faster given their lack of any real tread. Le Petit Brevet was a pretty good test for these tires. A reasonable amount of seal, a lot of gravel, a good amount of grass. Lots of uphill, lots of down and a smattering of flat. <a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/1970106270">I did 289 kms with 7900 metres climbing</a> with no issues at all. I was very luck to get dry weather for the whole ride and only once experienced one skid while descending on some damp grass in the evening. They coped with the gravel descents and the gravel climbs really well. On the steepest climb I could hear the knobbly tires of one of my riding buddies slipping, while the Antelope was still riding smooth. I upped my front rotor from a 160mm to a 180mm for this ride as well so there was some "spirited braking" going on.<br />
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I rode with 30 psi (with tubes) in both ends. I could have gone with a bit less but was happy to have a bit more air when I came to a complete halt after banging into a rock on one occasion.<br />
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These tires are pretty expensive by the time they get to NZ, but then a lot of tires are. If they wear as well as my Rat Trap Passes have I will be pretty happy. They have a good thick centre area. The only punctures I have ever had on my RTPs were caused by thin pieces of wire.<br />
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Reported weight is 535 grams for the <a href="https://www.compasscycle.com/shop/components/tires/700c/compass-700c-x-55-antelope-hill-tc/">standard weight</a> and 465 grams for the light-weight.<br />
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<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">Jeff's bike stories and links from Wellington New Zealand</div>El jefehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00411840288979303062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15091028.post-34979024844804419642018-10-18T12:26:00.000+13:002020-05-14T15:13:15.036+12:00Boganduro-redux<b>Update 4:</b><br />
<b>Boganduro Redux preliminary results.</b><br />
Strava does weird things, some people's results were completely omitted.<br />
Contact me if you see any mistakes.<br />
<br />
<b>Wave 2 riders added.</b><br />
<a href="https://www.relive.cc/view/1931200601">https://www.relive.cc/view/1931200601</a><b> </b><br />
<br />
Segment 1 UP ! Puketiro road<br />
14:42 Nick Kennedy<br />
15:53 Greg O Cleirigh<br />
16:10 Jeff Lyall<br />
16:26 Calum Chamberlain<br />
16:29 Bryce Lorcet<br />
18:13 Pat Hogan<br />
18:46 Andy King<br />
18:58 Chris Shaw<br />
19:17 Michael Jacques<br />
22:31 Jon Keyzer<br />
25:43 Marcus Baguley<br />
26:12 Alex Disher<br />
39.45 Wayne Kelley<br />
39:54 Anthony Yates<br />
39:59 Ross Wilson<br />
40:00 Trudy Hadley<br />
Chris Anderson<br />
Janet Marsh <br />
Jason Mccrystal<br />
Brian Moyle<br />
Dale<br />
Geoffrey Notman<br />
<br />
Segment 2 DOWN! Battle Hill<br />
4:10 Calum Chamberlain<br />
4:33 Nick Kennedy<br />
4:38 Bryce Lorcet<br />
4:39 Ross Wilson <br />
4:40 Jeff Lyall<br />
4:40 Michael Jacques<br />
4:41 Andy King<br />
4:55 Chris Shaw<br />
5:00 Pat Hogan<br />
5:02 Greg O Cleirigh<br />
5:17 Marcus Baguley<br />
5:49 Wayne Kelley<br />
7:30 Trudy Hadley<br />
Anthony Yates <br />
Chris Anderson<br />
Janet Marsh Alex Disher<br />
Jon Keyzer<br />
Jason Mccrystal<br />
Brian Moyle<br />
Dale<br />
Geoffrey Notman<br />
<br />
Segment 3 UP! Belmont Road<br />
22:59 Nick Kennedy<br />
24:23 Greg O Cleirigh<br />
25:14 Jeff Lyall<br />
25:42 Bryce Lorcet<br />
26:23 Calum Chamberlain<br />
28:12 Pat Hogan<br />
29:57 Michael Jacques<br />
32:44 Chris Shaw<br />
36:09 Jon Keyzer<br />
39:52 Marcus Baguley<br />
40:29 Alex Disher<br />
54:49 Wayne Kelly<br />
55:13 Trudy Hadley<br />
55:16 Ross Wilson<br />
55:23 Anthony Yates<br />
Chris Anderson<br />
Janet Marsh <br />
Andy King<br />
Jason Mccrystal<br />
Brian Moyle<br />
Dale<br />
Geoffrey Notman<br />
<br />
Segment 4 DOWN! Bull Run<br />
6:15 Calum Chamberlain<br />
6:51 Bryce Lorcet<br />
7:37 Nick Kennedy<br />
8:16 Jeff Lyall<br />
8:34 Pat Hogan<br />
8:53 Greg O Cleirigh<br />
9:23 Chris Shaw<br />
9:28 Michael Jacques<br />
10:14 Andy King <br />
10:15 Marcus Baguley<br />
10:45 Jon Keyzer <br />
16:49 Alex Disher<br />
20:41 Trudy Hadley<br />
20:56 Wayne Kelly<br />
21:02 Ross Wilson<br />
21:07 Anthony Yates<br />
Chris Anderson<br />
Janet Marsh <br />
Jason Mccrystal<br />
Brian Moyle<br />
Dale<b> </b>
<b><br /></b>
<b> </b><br />
<b>Update 3:</b><br />
Don't forget to dress sensibly, it could get cold, bring food and water, tubes and tools. Have the <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/kfbqs8a9uba4ea3/Boganduro2017.gpx?dl=0"><b>course</b> </a>at least on your phone or GPS. ( << you may like to <b><a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/kfbqs8a9uba4ea3/Boganduro2017.gpx?dl=0">download the new file</a></b>, I think the other was faulty)<b>.</b> Familiarise yourself with the course in the event that you get lost. Course notes<b> <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/gxvv1crpidg4ude/Boganduro-course-notes2.pdf?dl=0">here</a>. Please read them at least once. </b><br />
<br />
<b>Update 2: </b><br />
The Belmont Regional Park will no longer be closed for lambing as of the 20th October, this weekend, if you are one of those unscrupulous sly trainers looking for course knowledge ; ) The timed segments below are at this point a rough guide. They may be tweaked one way or another. YMMV.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Update 1: </b><br />
The Boganduro is a casual gravel grinder in the Grinduro format with self-timing based on the <b><a href="https://www.strava.com/" target="_blank">STRAVA</a></b> app installed on your phone.<br />
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This is a chance to catch up with your buddies and have a good old chin-wag, and if you are up for it, lay down the hurt on a couple of climbs or downhills, if that's your thing.<br />
<br />
It will be on gravel where possible, with around 1600 metres of climbing. The Boganduro starts in Wellington, or the Hutt Valley, and takes in Battle Hill and Belmont Regional Parks.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Starting point</b>:<br />
Wellington Train station. <b>8am</b> and <br />
Petone Wharf <b>8:40am</b>, Sunday October 28th.<br />
<br />
<b>Cost:</b> Free<br />
<b>Food availability</b>: Pauatahanui Cafe / Dairy enroute.<br />
<b>Bail-out points: </b>Judgeford, return to Hutt Valley via Haywards on the road. <br />
<br />
It's fully self supported, bring tools and a couple of spare tubes and kit.<br />
<br />
Be prepared for all weather and to ride for up to<b> 96 kms max</b>, but around 74kms if you are only starting in the Hutt.<br />
<br />
Use <b>#boganduro </b>to share related bumpf in your social media if that takes your fancy<b>.</b><br />
<br />
To give you an idea of the terrain, here are the STRAVA timed segments that will <b>most likely</b> be on the course. My suggestion is that you will want at least <b>35mm</b> tires.<br />
<br />
<b>The full ride on Strava can be seen here:</b><a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/1255586562">https://www.strava.com/activities/1255586562</a><br />
<br />
The Strava timed segments are shown here.<br />
<ul>
<li>Up! <a href="https://www.strava.com/segments/16471344">https://www.strava.com/segments/16471344</a></li>
<li>Down <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.strava.com/segments/16278285&source=gmail&ust=1508373174816000&usg=AFQjCNFp7N26z0uiXM51V1PhT54xQDFrlg" href="https://www.strava.com/segments/16278285" target="_blank">https://www.strava.com/<wbr></wbr>segments/16278285</a></li>
<li>Up! <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.strava.com/segments/16278735&source=gmail&ust=1508373174816000&usg=AFQjCNHclEavHwHyFwOLmY0RbWRThClAZw" href="https://www.strava.com/segments/16278735" target="_blank">https://www.strava.com/<wbr></wbr>segments/16278735</a></li>
<li>Down <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.strava.com/segments/16278868&source=gmail&ust=1508373174816000&usg=AFQjCNFqrFWOh2xiP-FnTY1uGckyKpqBQQ" href="https://www.strava.com/segments/16278868" target="_blank">https://www.strava.com/<wbr></wbr>segments/16278868</a></li>
</ul>
<br />
I have done a couple of reccies on the 3 of the 4 sectors of the <a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/boganduro?source=feed_text&story_id=1500917803324220"><span class="_5afx"><span aria-label="hashtag" class="_58cl _5afz">#</span><span class="_58cm">Boganduro</span></span></a>.
The downhill segments are both mint, and the climbs are... climby : )
the major climb (Puketiro/Cooks Road) you should be able to do in a 1 to 1 gear, so a 32/32 or
similar, but YMMV. Strava tells me that there is at least 1 km at 20% on this first sector,
but overall it is 8%. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7mVrA6EAz_kw79it7ZbnPWb-c0TFYLepudYF-ieAq074a3-lsiT0zhB3UwSF09YUjZXGDlDQ6BD-sHCdxbsiVN8oVESCoBUvWeLi4GuzUX5xIaaRoQ6mybNjF3gmzJiXEy8HS/s1600/boganduro-map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="781" data-original-width="867" height="576" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7mVrA6EAz_kw79it7ZbnPWb-c0TFYLepudYF-ieAq074a3-lsiT0zhB3UwSF09YUjZXGDlDQ6BD-sHCdxbsiVN8oVESCoBUvWeLi4GuzUX5xIaaRoQ6mybNjF3gmzJiXEy8HS/s640/boganduro-map.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>96 kms from Wellington to Wellington</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8a9HjRHXgiIRvBUaiGSv9gvCe8VSt7swwJeJjqcWToYs3f5dXP-swcHOlfeZ3nW8crklx73btGAjvGTkMmB2GOEYuQ0111SEiiP0xG_swBluIbGUMaq5_QxIQq_xbpQ835g-2/s1600/Boganduro-strava.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="521" data-original-width="937" height="353" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8a9HjRHXgiIRvBUaiGSv9gvCe8VSt7swwJeJjqcWToYs3f5dXP-swcHOlfeZ3nW8crklx73btGAjvGTkMmB2GOEYuQ0111SEiiP0xG_swBluIbGUMaq5_QxIQq_xbpQ835g-2/s640/Boganduro-strava.gif" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />
<b>Boganduro fly-by here:</b> <a href="https://www.relive.cc/view/1271346537">https://www.relive.cc/view/1271346537</a><br />
<br /></div>
<b>----------------------------------------------------</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>The latest NEW stuff is here now (just below).</b><br />
<br />
<b>*Course GPS (GPX file) here: </b><a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/f4195lwccuh5q3l/BOGANDURO.gpx">https://www.dropbox.com/s/f4195lwccuh5q3l/BOGANDURO.gpx</a><br />
<b>*Course notes <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/gxvv1crpidg4ude/Boganduro-course-notes2.pdf?dl=0">here</a>. (Dropbox)</b><br />
<b>*A large map <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/0jsrpqkrdlujypu/BD-map.jpg?dl=0" target="_blank">here</a>. (Dropbox).</b><b><br />A large live zoomable map <a href="http://www.gpsvisualizer.com/display/20171109131734-33002-map.html">here</a>: (Web)</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>*Read comments below on Dropbox.</b><br />
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<b>------------------------------------------------------------------------</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>The full ride on Strava can be seen here:</b><a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/1255586562">https://www.strava.com/activities/1255586562</a><br />
<br />
The Strava timed segments are shown here.<br />
<ul>
<li>Up! <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.strava.com/segments/16278228&source=gmail&ust=1508373174816000&usg=AFQjCNFGnYRomyLzjTgGVsaUwLD5NtHNfQ" href="https://www.strava.com/segments/16278228" target="_blank">https://www.strava.com/<wbr></wbr>segments/16278228</a></li>
<li>Down <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.strava.com/segments/16278285&source=gmail&ust=1508373174816000&usg=AFQjCNFp7N26z0uiXM51V1PhT54xQDFrlg" href="https://www.strava.com/segments/16278285" target="_blank">https://www.strava.com/<wbr></wbr>segments/16278285</a></li>
<li>Up! <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.strava.com/segments/16278735&source=gmail&ust=1508373174816000&usg=AFQjCNHclEavHwHyFwOLmY0RbWRThClAZw" href="https://www.strava.com/segments/16278735" target="_blank">https://www.strava.com/<wbr></wbr>segments/16278735</a></li>
<li>Down <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.strava.com/segments/16278868&source=gmail&ust=1508373174816000&usg=AFQjCNFqrFWOh2xiP-FnTY1uGckyKpqBQQ" href="https://www.strava.com/segments/16278868" target="_blank">https://www.strava.com/<wbr></wbr>segments/16278868</a></li>
</ul>
<br />
<b>* WARNING</b>. Dropbox have deliberately made the download procedure confusing so that people <b>THINK</b> that they need to join up and login to dropbox.<b> You do NOT need to</b>.<br />
<br />
When the big white login button appears, click the small grey <b>X</b> in the top right, and continue on, repeating what you have already done.<br />
<br />
Once
the file is saved you can Drag n drop the file onto your GPS or smart
phone. I don't know what you do if you have an Iphone but I heard
recently that Apple were going to invent "drag n dropping" of files.
Fingers crossed!<br />
<br />
There are plenty of <a href="https://www.androidauthority.com/best-gps-app-and-navigation-app-for-android-357870/" target="_blank">phone apps</a> that allow you to view a GPS file. The one I use is called New Zealand Maps.<br />
<br />
There is another map here which gives you a good idea of the course, but it is temporary.<br />
<a href="http://www.gpsvisualizer.com/display/20171109131734-33002-map.html">http://www.gpsvisualizer.com/display/20171109131734-33002-map.html</a><br />
<br />
<b>Youtube of the Bull Run</b> track <a href="https://youtu.be/uWKMGJzCUw0" target="_blank">here</a>.
This is the only technical part of the course. Slow down if you are not
a confident rider. There are only a couple of small drops in the
course. Another version of it <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yN-K39obhVY" target="_blank">here</a> with better lighting<b>.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Looking at your segments</b><br />
After you have finished your ride you can upload the file using Strava. Go to the Boganduro segments under <b>your</b> results, look under the "LEADERBOARDS" for "Todays" results.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEislxe8lwWRv1yslbLCocyf8iAVC3D4zyca-ai_jkLYquVcm4PgTmQD0bIHH4TEkof1ERFXHZQtrhSm3MIJIIR2yDH85K4MnFzqy0mS_-eAF4UlD7fmB1xWQ62-idkv0Zdn_JVA/s1600/Screenshot_20171110-144841.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEislxe8lwWRv1yslbLCocyf8iAVC3D4zyca-ai_jkLYquVcm4PgTmQD0bIHH4TEkof1ERFXHZQtrhSm3MIJIIR2yDH85K4MnFzqy0mS_-eAF4UlD7fmB1xWQ62-idkv0Zdn_JVA/s640/Screenshot_20171110-144841.png" width="360" /></a></div>
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<b>Results from last years Boganduro are <a href="https://jeffsbike.blogspot.com/2017/10/boganduro.html">here</a>.</b>
<b><br /></b>
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<b>----------------------------------------------------------------------------</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b><div class="blogger-post-footer">Jeff's bike stories and links from Wellington New Zealand</div>El jefehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00411840288979303062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15091028.post-80605979861174549522018-10-12T07:58:00.002+13:002020-05-14T15:13:36.517+12:00K-Lite Ultra first impressionsA while back a buddy asked me about dynamo systems, as he had just
signed up for the <a href="https://www.japanese-odyssey.com/">Japanese Odyssey</a> rando/bike-packing event and was
considering one. I'd been using an Exposure/SP dynamo kit after an
impulse buy in the lead-in to the 2016 Tour Aotearoa, and I have been
very happy with it to date.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjslxFOyhBREUMuY49YdEpezEh1yxJS3k2DIoce4Z79xYPO8qGEvgRa0k8qTbjt-5uT6YeydjkQWzrIZfFvtLsfzQGZxAUIhEdwK251NIHYpMaR5aSf0HmKx06NZQXoiAOG4hrd/s1600/kerry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="849" data-original-width="849" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjslxFOyhBREUMuY49YdEpezEh1yxJS3k2DIoce4Z79xYPO8qGEvgRa0k8qTbjt-5uT6YeydjkQWzrIZfFvtLsfzQGZxAUIhEdwK251NIHYpMaR5aSf0HmKx06NZQXoiAOG4hrd/s320/kerry.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kerry's never not been involved with bikes. [ R ]</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
There is a bit of a learning curve
to dynamos so Matt had a few questions. The landscape had also changed a
fair bit in 3 years, so I did what I normally do when I have dynamo
related questions. I asked Kerry Staite from <a href="https://www.klite.com.au/">K-Lite</a>. >><br />
<br />
Kerry has to be the most wired guy on the planet, and replies to most emails faster than an army of Russian bots. <br />
<br />
I
had never actually bought a system off Kerry before, but I had certainly
benefited a lot from his know-how, and I had a couple of his
switch/wiring looms which he built me for my lighting kit in
2015. His knowledge is encyclopedic, especially in how dynamo set-ups
relate to Bikepacking, GPSes, cache batteries and the many different
scenarios brain addled endurance athletes and Bikepackers find
themselves in. The Tour Divide is the proving ground for Kerry's designs
and at some stage most of the big hitters have used his distinctive
little gold coloured lamps .<br />
<br />
So I sent off a list of about 6
good questions that would set my buddy Matt up with some guidelines when Kerry
replied. To my surprise, within a minute or two I got a voice call via
FB messenger, it was Kerry.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii5lOOY-9FFxwDwOEbhFRO4OALnHkF5k9C_dGjP1thc17wkt2ghJ-x3KMYmja1hkQxhq8xazVipBvYStsDNncUGXywuPPVUN41euBK0T2Sh2RpSxVF3ZmkZb9xyv82koGXIByk/s1600/20180905_121908.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="923" data-original-width="1308" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii5lOOY-9FFxwDwOEbhFRO4OALnHkF5k9C_dGjP1thc17wkt2ghJ-x3KMYmja1hkQxhq8xazVipBvYStsDNncUGXywuPPVUN41euBK0T2Sh2RpSxVF3ZmkZb9xyv82koGXIByk/s320/20180905_121908.jpg" width="320" /></a>I'd never actually spoken to him
before directly, but we had a good yap and Kerry offered
to send over a prototype of the new Skunkworks Ultra Bikepacking Kit
that he had been developing and testing on a bunch of test riders out
in the real world, people like Jay Petervary for example. In fact, if I
peered closely at my Instagram feed I could see little <a href="https://www.klite.com.au/">K-Lite</a> prototypes
sneaking out under bed-rolls and handlebars in quite a few places. It
was under the radar though. These guys were field testing the latest
iterations of his new design. Matt could test it and see if it fit the
bill for his upcoming adventure. I could run it through its paces and blog about it when it wasn't so #secretsquirrel<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGx2JlsQYM5ed-_G5tB5eghYmagIGoQvidaTAmAXuU-_-wHF9S77fQ_fKJ_l4Yj1Y1o29shD6G_nRtZgf3xROUIPBYnfvF2fVn-yN8G9jsY32pKhItGBhXFWriR6-aG6VO97MU/s1600/20180716_152148.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGx2JlsQYM5ed-_G5tB5eghYmagIGoQvidaTAmAXuU-_-wHF9S77fQ_fKJ_l4Yj1Y1o29shD6G_nRtZgf3xROUIPBYnfvF2fVn-yN8G9jsY32pKhItGBhXFWriR6-aG6VO97MU/s320/20180716_152148.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Switch, light and USB converter for charging devices.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Kerry is a master of the 3d printer
so he uses this technique as a way of constantly refining his designs in real time. He
can adjust his model and print out a tweaked version.<br />
<br />
He had also been
working on a brand new USB charger. People wanting to use their dynamos
for charging devices, (other than their lights) need a USB charger, and
most people were having to shell out for the Sinewave Revolution model
which seemed to have the bikepacking market sewn up, but was also very
expensive, for people not earning US dollars. Anyone, like me, who had
tried to build their own USB converters soon realised that the Sinewave
was the best option back in 2015.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho6grwq3ZD8RUsy_qwkF8n3kjnrFLMDJFeU0Ftoeu0imzjUsa6oEtyMPcyZm253ltyAiriKhcrmyldLidpkt-WxcrVP3zcEOl4GrGJmmjWi8km-0GpvQI7zlQq23fNBVKelveH/s1600/20180811_090836.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="111" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho6grwq3ZD8RUsy_qwkF8n3kjnrFLMDJFeU0Ftoeu0imzjUsa6oEtyMPcyZm253ltyAiriKhcrmyldLidpkt-WxcrVP3zcEOl4GrGJmmjWi8km-0GpvQI7zlQq23fNBVKelveH/s200/20180811_090836.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Next version USB charger<br />
in "see-thru" colour-way</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
When the kit Kerry sent over
arrived it included the new funky USB charger, the Ultra MTB Bikepacker
version of the lights, a switch/wiring loom and some extensive mounting
options. I couldn't wait to get it set up on my bike and test it up
against my existing Exposure Revolution Dynamo light, before passing it
on to Matt to try. <br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Wiring</b><br />
--------------<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgubI8ZowDzXs65vf-0mQzU2BcXY0OAI1O5XO745bRj-F7fTdCfGLSkQwsaOjRacs_bcjjhCyhzP3doPXHOTZrhl_ejyYEom0eAO22bTEpVDcYMSwK3k649z9y8Hyf8fncYn7E8/s1600/PhotoGrid_1539243094284.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgubI8ZowDzXs65vf-0mQzU2BcXY0OAI1O5XO745bRj-F7fTdCfGLSkQwsaOjRacs_bcjjhCyhzP3doPXHOTZrhl_ejyYEom0eAO22bTEpVDcYMSwK3k649z9y8Hyf8fncYn7E8/s200/PhotoGrid_1539243094284.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loads, on GPS top, Phone below.<br />
(Why you don't use a phone as a GPS) </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It
took me a while to figure out something about the new
switch/wiring loom Kerry sent over. (I hadn't read the instructions). It was a "PRO system" only available to the big guns. When it runs on
lights mode, it also lets the other plug in the harness charge your GPS,
if it is plugged in.<br />
<br />
Unlike Phones, GPSes power demands are quite small
and the effect on the light itself is minimal.<br />
<br />
The system available to the man on the street uses a <b>simple toggle</b>, <b>lights</b> or <b>charging</b>. keeping it simple. See the picture to the right to see the difference between the load from an Extrex 20 GPX vs a Samsung A5, with a medium sized battery.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>The USB charger</b><br />
-----------------------<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Id8ggzscNSxesDC2nFqOI9iqZTrP_tZhIavxmfos43RlqglHKTTYghtcaljkjuIUMpond_SGMX9Sa1o-Ce7R6e6fH2dD-m-8MqU7L-bOzcjQWCpAVvC0xfg9GcDnHVfp6pej/s1600/usb-chargers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Id8ggzscNSxesDC2nFqOI9iqZTrP_tZhIavxmfos43RlqglHKTTYghtcaljkjuIUMpond_SGMX9Sa1o-Ce7R6e6fH2dD-m-8MqU7L-bOzcjQWCpAVvC0xfg9GcDnHVfp6pej/s200/usb-chargers.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A new run of the USB chargers.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The
design of the K-Lite USB charger really impressed me. Both the input
and output cables went into the same end of the unit, which means it
takes up less room, and there is less kinking of cables if it is stuffed
into a Gas-tank. Kerry says this set-up is designed specifically for
use with the <a href="https://www.bikebagdude.com/">BikeBagDude</a> Gas tank.<br />
<br />
The fit of the "USB-in" port was very
tight, which is great, to stop any water egress. An even better surprise came later when I saw
the next iteration of the USB charger, it was transparent, so you could
see all the techie internals, and best of all, an activity light, so you
KNOW if the charger is receiving power from the hub. Imagine how much
help that will be if you suddenly lose charging power in the boonies and
you are trying to trouble-shoot a fault in your hub, wiring loom, USB
charger, USB cable, or actual device. If the light in the USB charger is
going, you have just ruled out 3 separate points of failure. It's been
tested running under water as well, so it would have been a godsend in
this years Tour Aotearoa.<br />
<br />
<b>The lights</b><br />
---------------<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5aop08THBBSv0oGg70nLLeplqmW3RJs_FfMitOMDKhF8z3elCahnJuefSGhX18pbDSO_oooRPp0ynVRkIHfTyKZI9-PcZmyEEneVhD-2i4O7Xx_54hi3avWq5Zl0ETmlxTiIv/s1600/PhotoGrid_1534067060828.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5aop08THBBSv0oGg70nLLeplqmW3RJs_FfMitOMDKhF8z3elCahnJuefSGhX18pbDSO_oooRPp0ynVRkIHfTyKZI9-PcZmyEEneVhD-2i4O7Xx_54hi3avWq5Zl0ETmlxTiIv/s200/PhotoGrid_1534067060828.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
So there are two different lights, both designs share the same housing, but have completely different characteristics.<br />
<br />
1. <b>MTB/Snow version</b>, 2 wide optics on each side with a spot in the middle.<br />
2. <b>Gravel/Road version</b>, 2 spot optics on each side with a flood in the middle.<br />
<br />
The side optics light up first, and the middle optic chimes in at higher speed.<br />
<br />
These
new lights are a completely different beast from the old K-lite, the
stand-light is now included into the casing rather than being a separate
unit as it was in Kerry's first generation designs. This simplifies the
set-up a lot. The stand-light is now as good or better than the
Exposure Revolution which I always thought of as the best off road
stand-light. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii5lOOY-9FFxwDwOEbhFRO4OALnHkF5k9C_dGjP1thc17wkt2ghJ-x3KMYmja1hkQxhq8xazVipBvYStsDNncUGXywuPPVUN41euBK0T2Sh2RpSxVF3ZmkZb9xyv82koGXIByk/s1600/20180905_121908.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="923" data-original-width="1308" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii5lOOY-9FFxwDwOEbhFRO4OALnHkF5k9C_dGjP1thc17wkt2ghJ-x3KMYmja1hkQxhq8xazVipBvYStsDNncUGXywuPPVUN41euBK0T2Sh2RpSxVF3ZmkZb9xyv82koGXIByk/s320/20180905_121908.jpg" width="320" /></a>Another thing that
stands out for me are the mounting options. Kerry has
opted to go with a GoPro styled mount because it is so widely available. There are a heap of cheapie variations of it on
Ali-express with all manner of extenders to create a solution to fit
around the way you distribute your front baggage. There are some
incredibly creative set-ups being used, and by creative I mean that in a
very "Fredly" way. The nature of the mount means that it can be removed,
and the light can be mounted off a fork brake hole as well, so it is
adaptable. There are also a bunch of slots in the front of the design so
that if there was a bike vs Wombat experience which lead to damage then
it should be possible to zip-tie the light to something in an
emergency.<br />
<br />
<b>MTB/Snow version</b><br />
------------------------------<br />
The
beam of the MTB/Snow version is basically a solid 180 degree wall of
light. It is completely even in its spread from one side to the other,
and only gets a lot brighter in the middle at higher speeds. An issue
with Endurance riding at night is when a centre-weighted beam pattern
causes disturbance with your eyes when you have to look away from the
centre of the trail. An even spread of light is much easier on the brain
when everything is running on auto-pilot. Kerry maintains that in
single-track, the wider beam pattern means that there is less need for a
supplementary helmet light to "fill-in" the spaces when you are
typically trying to see what is coming around the corner. In my
experience this is true, the light was illuminating well up the sides of
the trail when I was single-tracking. <br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC5dvZZtFhtile1VXeLVDvhZuIykFCKiKGG3CIZSleZxMSrKDNAeDDSWH8Dh-yXsAvgJfjiEvV87-Ckb_oJ8Bh7QzzcVF5jB4a2RPPrOyOmYzmTE1xVeznVgvTomgutlLfcpLs/s1600/sharper-still.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="809" data-original-width="1080" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC5dvZZtFhtile1VXeLVDvhZuIykFCKiKGG3CIZSleZxMSrKDNAeDDSWH8Dh-yXsAvgJfjiEvV87-Ckb_oJ8Bh7QzzcVF5jB4a2RPPrOyOmYzmTE1xVeznVgvTomgutlLfcpLs/s320/sharper-still.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image from <a href="https://www.instagram.com/sharperstill/">https://www.instagram.com/sharperstill/</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It
can be difficult to compare one light with another. You need to make
sure that both lights are pointing in the way that maximises their
potential. I was using my Exposure Revo as a standard that I knew and
was familiar with as a benchmark. It has a completely different beam
pattern with a much more centre-weighted bias. By comparison, the K-Lite
MTB/Snow version looked weaker in the middle. But this is to be
expected. The Revo did not have the spread of the K-Lite out wide. You
cant have it both ways. The K-Lite MTB is designed for off-roading with emphasis on a wide consistent beam. The
Exposure Revo is a more generalist light with a foot in both camps.<br />
<br />
<b>Road/Gravel version</b><br />
------------------------------<br />
<div dir="ltr">
The
road gravel version just blew me away out of the box. I installed the
Revo and K-Lite side by side and did runs up around my block. I could
toggle from one light to another and the difference was very noticeable. The
Road/Gravel K-Lite was more like a helmet light with its more grunty centre-weighted beam pattern.
Bright, but still quite wide. Obviously not as wide as the MTB/Snow version, but
still way wider and substantially brighter than my Revo. It was so much
brighter than the Revo that I was a bit gutted to be honest. The K-Lite
wasn't mine, and I wished it was.<wbr></wbr><br />
<br />
A couple of weekends later
Matt and I left late and did a 170 km gravel loop so we could see how
the K-Lite stood up, without competition from the light pollution that
you get from riding in urban areas. This time he was using the Road/Gravel version that I picked up when I was in Melbourne a week earlier. We finished the ride at midnight so probably
half the ride was in total darkness, on quiet unlit country roads, or rugged coastline. I took a spare head-lamp as there
are always sections of sand, scree and stream crossings that require
walking on the Turakirae Heads part of the ride.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-edJsBcoqkpOZcoL6Hd-uJF0FISrVEwPJc8cFEKo-MqS4D0OP1Wps2ilLazEAOIms6v5ptY_wF8nLNoPGyRvClSORb2IiePlDtOuVgKKwjlGgAPuT_r8ZyDjDymN2unvZily-/s1600/matt-cross-creek.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="603" data-original-width="1080" height="355" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-edJsBcoqkpOZcoL6Hd-uJF0FISrVEwPJc8cFEKo-MqS4D0OP1Wps2ilLazEAOIms6v5ptY_wF8nLNoPGyRvClSORb2IiePlDtOuVgKKwjlGgAPuT_r8ZyDjDymN2unvZily-/s640/matt-cross-creek.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">K-lite peeking out under the <a href="https://bikepack.com/">Aeroe</a> front bag.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
On the flat
sealed road sections of the ride, the difference between the Revo and
the K-lite seemed less than I had observed previously. I soon realised this was because the K-Lite was partly obscured by the prototype
<a href="https://bikepack.com/">Aeroe</a> front bag that Matt was running. Even though the bag was hanging
over the top of the lights, it still had a massive throw and reached a
long way down the road. On our first decent climb in full darkness the Revo and
the K-Lite seemed to be poking out a similar amount of illumination at very low speeds, but the K-Lite just reached so much further when we got rolling at any kind of speed.<br />
<br />
In another more recent night ride we did, when the Aeroe bag was obscuring even more of the light, due to running the bag in the vertical position, the K-Lite was still blasting a long way down the road.<br />
<br />
Kerry really seems to have both sides of the market covered with these lights. The MTBing bikepacker who does crazy all nighters like the Tourdivide and Race to the Rock, and the ever increasing members of the #gravgrav crowd. <br />
<br />
Here is a bit more info with pix about the lights from the official launch a month or so back <a href="http://www.bikepacking.com/news/klite-bikepacker-ultra/">http://www.bikepacking.com/news/klite-bikepacker-ultra/</a> with Kerry's video below.<br />
<br />
Anyone in NZ wanting to try the K-Lites should get in touch with the NZ rep Chris Hodder from Pure Sports. <a href="https://www.puresports.co.nz/contact/">Details here</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bPEbka3q0SU" width="560"></iframe>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Disclaimer. These two sets of lights were lent to me on a trial basis so that a friend could evaluate them. He eventually bought a set. </span><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Jeff's bike stories and links from Wellington New Zealand</div>El jefehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00411840288979303062noreply@blogger.com0