At St Ives (so just 100km in) Garry fixed an iffy STI - turned out there was an old cable-end still in the shifter head!
Yes, it was only after second thoughts and listening a bit more closely to what the rider was saying about the problem that I found that. I had almost written it off. Cable looked and felt fine but shifter completely jammed. I've had a couple of front mechs go like that myself so it wasn't an unreasonable assumption that this was the case - bits break off inside and seize the mechanisim. Big fail. But it was still only an assumption. The rider had said that he'd had a mobile mechanic out on the Sunday to check everything out on the bike, but the STI shifter was still very, very stiff after he'd serviced it. Sometimes less stiff, sometimes really really stiff. So anyway, we took a close look. Getting into those things can be a bit hit or miss depending what type it is, but after a few small screws little bits of plastic housing lying on the table I came across the old cable still in there, obviously jamming up the new one! To be honest, I was more chuffed actually getting the shifter back together again in working order than I was fixing the main problem. And it made me look like I actually knew what I was doing.
I had loads of dropped spokes. Loads of the damn things. I did reflect on spokes quite a bit. More and more riders are riding bikes with nonstandard, faster, racing-type wheels, and again, what to carry and how many? If I did it again, I'd definitely have a few more non-standard spokes with me. They are becoming much more widespread on rides like this. But there again, more to the point, riders could really help themselves by carrying a few too. After all, they weight little, and do much to furthering your chances of getting round.
One Thai chap nearly bought me to my emotional knees on the Sunday. He arrived with a broken bladed spoke in the rear wheel. That left him with 9 left! And although I could have used an ordinary spoke, I just didn't have the size. But he was so, so grateful for me even trying and so grateful for me wasting about an hour of his valuable time! His gratitude so endeared he to him, I so wanted him to get round. Maybe he'd get better luck further up the road. I followed him on the tracker subsequently, and he packed at Brampton by the look of things. Well, I almost blamed myself. Was I responsible? It felt like it. Well bless him, but it would help if he hadn't come all this way riding an event like this with such a crazy rear wheel.
But the best fix was a chaps SPD shoe that had separated, if not disintegrated. He arrived at the control in agony, with the cleat still attached to the pedal and a big hole in the shoe where the cleat should be attached, so every time he put any pressure on the pedal the cleat just pushed up against his foot. Ouch! Not great for 25 miles of riding! So after a quick rummage in the outside bins with the other lads who were on the bike stand, we salvaged 5 big rice pudding lids, [disposed of by big chef man CrazyEnglishTriathlete] and set to work. Always carry an angle grinder and two discs - one cutting and a sanding flap disc. We washed the tin lids, made a temple of the shape of his insole, gaffer- taped them together and put the 5 layered plate inside his shoe underneath his insole. It felt good, and off he went, much happier than when he arrived. Did it hold out, and what happened to him subsequently? I've no idea! Really hope he made it back.
It all came back to me from Barnard Castle last time - namely, how much stuff do you actually stock before the start. It's difficult to get right. Tools is a must but what spares to carry is much more tricky to get right. I suspect had it been completely dry throughout then most of the tubes sold would be surplus to requirements. But if they're bought form somewhere like Halfords then it's easy, returns are possible. I took 40 back yesterday. [We sold about 40 too]. But things like seatposts, pedals, cleats, hubs, wheels - it's very difficult to cater for all needs. One chap arrived with a cracked Dure-Ace rear hub. Real risk to chance it. So I gave him my wheel and collected it from Loughton yesterday. Happy days. Other mishaps don't end so well.
One chap arrived with an titanium Enigma. Nice bike. He was reporting a creaking noise from the bottom bracket. The frame looked ok and there was no discernible movement in the BB but I declined to take the crank set out to have a closer look -just didn't feel comfortable doing it. I said, 'look, this is a decent bike, and I don't want to wreck it'! He was fine with it. Limitations and all that.
We had a team of three at St Ives, myself and local lads Clive and Max [father and son]. Max was on board as part of a Duke of Edinburgh award experience program and although it dragged at times, I think he enjoyed the experience. Both Clive and Max expressed an interest in riding next time. They got an insight
