Author Topic: LEL, Rate your equipment  (Read 10352 times)

LEL, Rate your equipment
« on: 03 August, 2009, 11:20:34 am »
Thought it would be a good chance for people to review their kit.

Ribble Winter Trainer 105 (stock standard other than crosstop levers). Not the lightest bike in the world, but it did its job and got me round. Looking at the bling carbon/titanium that was on the road too, pretty sure it was one of the cheapest bikes on the ride.

Vittoria Diamante pro 23, no visitations, so no complaints from me.

Carradice Nelson Camper longflap with SQR. Did its job. Sustained rain meant it wasn't totally water tight, but keeping all my stuff in sealable freezer bags meant nothing got wet.


Chris S

Re: LEL, Rate your equipment
« Reply #1 on: 03 August, 2009, 11:25:24 am »
If this thread isn't just for riders, my £24.99 Argos tent stood up to six days of Coxwold wind, rain and hail - no problemo  :thumbsup:

Re: LEL, Rate your equipment
« Reply #2 on: 03 August, 2009, 11:50:08 am »
Condor Tempo - Stunningly comfy. Along with saddle of choice (Brooks Swallow). Full mudguards (although I could do with a rear mudflap).

B&M D'Toplight battery powered rack mounted rear light - worked perfectly. Didn't need to replace the rechargeable batteries once.

Creek2Peak rackpack. Again, worked fine, contents got a bit damp despite having waterproof cover so I'm guessing the water got in from below. Everything inside that needed to be protected was protected by freezer bags. Perfect size for LEL (i.e. not too big) with expandable section for carrying spare clothes.

B&M Ixon IQ front lights. Battery powered front lights (each taking 4xAA). Commented on by lots of people I rode with for being bloody excellent. Used one on low power mode (10 hour lifetime) most of the time it was dark; up to full power (4 hour lifetime) for poor surfaces or descending. Second one switched on for really poor surfaces or long steep descents. Could have done with a cheapo front flashing LED to save on using low power mode but it generally wasn't a problem.

Conti GP 4 Seasons (25mm). No problems. Had to replace one at Dalkeith as the canvas was showing but it had done the usual mileage for this (3000 miles). Should have changed it before the ride but couldn't be arsed. One deflation on the way home which I think was a pinch flat from a pothole.

Profile T-2 Aero-Wing Bullhorns, Profile Centure ZB Aero-Bars and MarSAS "Audax" - Again, very comfy. Would really struggle with what to do on PBP where tri-bars are not allowed as I probably did 500km of LEL with the weight off my hands.

Garmin eTrex (Basic yellow one, no mapping) - Perfect, despite ongoing mount problems (hence the ziptie to stop it rattling and turning off).

Tri-bag behind stem - perfect for storing routesheet, wallet, phone/camera, nurofen/pro-plus and flapjacks.

Cateye Velo 8 - shit, detects rain and stops working. I know I can solve this with some silicone gel on the contacts but I can't be arsed. Wireless isn't an option as I use a dynohub and they rarely work well together. Mind you, it's unnecessary when using GPS.

Space blanket - 60g of weight and came in very useful. Surprised at how warm it keeps you sleeping outside at 3am.

Gore Alp-X jacket - Bloody fantastic. Lightweight, waterproof and warm.

Endura Thermolite Arm/Leg/Knee warmers - Bloody fantastic. Worn at various points to keep warm/dry. Had been thrown in with the jacket when I last applied the Nikwax Direct-TX water repelling stuff. Never had to resort to wearing the skull cap.

Spesh BG gloves - Sore palms some days but generally ok. Long finger mitts (Spesh BG) used for night riding. They always dried within 30 minutes when shoved in jersey pocket when reaching a control.

I wasn't cold once out on the road whilst moving. The two points where I was cold were at Eskdalemuir when about to set off to Alston at 10pm in heavy wind/rain and had been faffing with bike, and shortly after waking up from my doze at Brampton. In both of these occasions I was toasty warm within 10 minutes of cycling.
"Yes please" said Squirrel "biscuits are our favourite things."

Re: LEL, Rate your equipment
« Reply #3 on: 03 August, 2009, 11:53:52 am »
All my stuff did it;s job. Homemade wheels, dynamo lights, front and rear, Nightvision jacket, Stelvio rain tyres, yada yada yada. Borrowed Vorsprungs Cyo and used my B+M Toplight Plus behind. Both received favourable comments from other riders. Very little was left to chance, I'd been trying things out in the last 12 months. the front wheel had only about 100miles in it before I started the rear about 4000, but I was confident they'd be OK.

Hummers

  • It is all about the taste.
Re: LEL, Rate your equipment
« Reply #4 on: 03 August, 2009, 11:55:11 am »
Bike: Well, it was the Hummercian so no worries there. Bike setup was pretty much spot on with no numb hands or unduly wrecked undercarriage.

Tyres: Conti GP4 Season. Two deflations - one due to rim tape (so not the tyre's fault) and one due to a large chunk of glass that had worked its way in. That is the first penetration related deflation in about 2000k so I am not unduly concerned.

Clothing: Glad I brought a long sleeve HH base layer although at 29 years old, they need replacing. My Foska London Pride jersey was the best all round top for comfort and the Altura Stream shorts did sterling service. The Montane Velo H20 jacket was a bit too lightweight for the weather and I was chilly a couple of times. It also had the annoying problem of allowing water to pool under the forearms which I had to remember to shake out.  Standing favourites of the DHB leg and arm warmers were essential as was the Portsmouth CTC cycling cap. My Shimano touring shoes had finally broken in to so none of the foot related issues I had with PBP.

Food & Drink: Troughed at controls, ate very little on the move and this was limited to Mars Bars and Brunch Bars every so often. Two 750ml bottles of water would have been too little if it had been hot although I made one last between strages. I Also carried a 750ml bottle of Lucozade Sport although I only used this as emergency fluid/rations. Not other drugs or dietary supplements taken other than Whisky at Traquair.

H

Re: LEL, Rate your equipment
« Reply #5 on: 03 August, 2009, 12:11:30 pm »
> ...  pretty sure it was one of the cheapest bikes on the ride.

I saw one derailleur Brompton ...

regards,   Rod

border-rider

Re: LEL, Rate your equipment
« Reply #6 on: 03 August, 2009, 12:16:36 pm »
> ...  pretty sure it was one of the cheapest bikes on the ride.

I saw one derailleur Brompton ...



Which was far from an out-of-the-box Brommie, and was itself certainly not the cheapest bike on the ride :)

It's rider is Of This Parish, and will be along to tell us of its niceness, I'm sure. 

There were a couple of old-school battered tourers that I saw, and a host of mid-range Al-framed skinny-wheeled "road" bikes. Loads of Ti, and a shedload of carbon and high-end bling.  Much more like a PBP bikeset than an AUK one.

Re: LEL, Rate your equipment
« Reply #7 on: 03 August, 2009, 12:22:20 pm »
I'd like to dedicate my ride to a familiar and always reliable friend, the Michelin Krylion Carbon. This time in 25mm, no punctures, one small nick found at home yesterday. Brilliant tyres. :thumbsup:

Rob

Re: LEL, Rate your equipment
« Reply #8 on: 03 August, 2009, 01:33:32 pm »
Everything worked well.

Lots of comments about my noisy Hope freewheel.   It's supposed to do that, honest.

Broke a spoke riding over the level crossing back into Lee Valley YHA on Thursday night.   Very convenient timing.

Re: LEL, Rate your equipment
« Reply #9 on: 03 August, 2009, 01:52:39 pm »
Back tyre - reasonably new (500km) Conti GP 4 Seasons 28mm
Front tyre - old (2500km?) rigid Panaracer Pasella TG 28mm - meant to change this but didn't get around to it.
No fairy visitations  :thumbsup:

Gill event jacket - got quite wet. It isn't beading, it needs a proper wash then see if it is still OK. I wouldn't ride in serious weather in it again at the moment, but it did sterling service over the winter.

Gore Ultra III waterproof trousers - worn when it got cold and wet (just in the wet I don't bother). Worked perfectly, as usual.

Castelli Free bib shorts - OK, as I knew to apply sudocrem where the pad rubs my thighs slightly
SJS bib shorts - no problems
Altura airstream shorts - no problems (plenty of sudocrem)
Gore Xenon bib shorts - no problems (nice to wear on the last leg after the Altura - much more support)

Campag cap - kept rain out of my eyes and stayed on in strong winds

Brooks Professional saddle - two pressure points on my sit bones with mild brusing but no broken skin. Had to make sure I got out of the saddle regularly on climbs that I'd normally spin up to keep blood circulating.

Carradice Nelson Longflap on SQR block. Faultless as usual.

Snugpak travelpak lite sleeping bag in Alpkit dry bag strapped to Carradice - best thing I took  :)

Dynamo lighting - SON, Dlumotec and Dtoplight - just worked (unlike the BCM and Irish Mail - hopefully I've sorted the problems there with a rewire)

B&M IQ Cyo battery front light - perfect

Smart 1/2 watt superflash rear - succumbed to the wet and apparently was giving an interesting light show (when it should have been off) before I removed it and stuffed it into my bag.

Garmin 705 - had a bit of a funny turn on one leg and decided to tell me the compass bearing I had to take every couple of hundred metres instead of following the roads. Need to check my programming, it is probably something I did.

Cheap Timex explorer watch with webbing strap - stopped the rubbing problems I normally get with my steel banded watches and worked fine in the rain.

Shimano sandals - generally had comfortable feet, rather than the standing in a pool of water feeling of normal shoes. Wore sealskin socks during the worst weather - at one point I thought these were leaking, but I think it was actually just sweat. Didn't get overly damp feet.

Specialized BG gel mitts and Altura Asymmetrix full fingered gloves - didn't have hand problems until the very cold night stage to Washingborough, where I held the bars too tight and bruised my palms. I'm happy with how they performed.

Re: LEL, Rate your equipment
« Reply #10 on: 03 August, 2009, 01:58:48 pm »
.......Garmin 705 - had a bit of a funny turn on one leg and decided to tell me the compass bearing I had to take every couple of hundred metres instead of following the roads. Need to check my programming, it is probably something I did.
How did you get the 705 to last the distance, power-wise? Did you recharge en route or have auxiliary power?

Re: LEL, Rate your equipment
« Reply #11 on: 03 August, 2009, 02:08:52 pm »
Oh yes, feet...

Spesh BG Pro MTB shoes with carbon fibre soles. No hotfoot. Mesh top let the rain in quickly to help prevent me pretending that I could keep my feet dry. No problem putting on damp shoes the next morning.

Socks: A single pair of DeFeet Air-E-Ator socks at a time, changing them every day.

I don't bother with overshoes. Warm and wet for me.
"Yes please" said Squirrel "biscuits are our favourite things."

Re: LEL, Rate your equipment
« Reply #12 on: 03 August, 2009, 02:38:56 pm »
Roseversand singlestrap sandals.  Brilliant.  Made the mistake of donning socks before the return from Alston, but that only made my feet colder than they needed to be when it stopped raining, so removed them at the earliest opportunity.  The thermometer on my bike computer never showed less than 10 C even though it often ‘looked’ colder than that.

Thorn Brevet bike.  Bit of a workhorse compared to many of the thoroughbreds I witnessed, but comfortable enough.  The frame was cleaner at the end than it had been at the beginning as a result of a) rain b) it not being very clean at the beginning.

New Conti GP 4 seasons.  One puncture, otherwise fine.

Clothing.  Generally Montane Featherlite Velo waterproof or £6.00 Aldi gilet (occasionally both) over s/s jersey and armwarmers.  Worked fine.  Had l/s jersey and legwarmers which I tended to change into at the controls I was sleeping at.  Always bare-legged on the road.  Plenty of changes of shorts.  The Montane was stuffed into the stuff bag velcro’d round my pump which was strapped to the saddlebag, so was quick and easy to get to. ACF cap. 

Ciclometer CM414 wired bike computer with altitude reading based on barometric pressure.  Was not recording from the start.  Played with magnet position, but eventually sorted by cleaning the contacts on the bracket.

B&M IQ Fly with sensor.  Very good, but cut out on return at Brampton.  Jiggled the connectors, and lo!, there was light.  3 different LED rears, the brightest of which (too bright probably, so I didn’t use it much) was the new Smart one for £11.00.

Carradice Barley on Bagman support.  Very good, if a bit of a tight squeeze. Glad I didn’t put the Longflap on, though. Kept the water and dampness out.

Topeak Road Morph pump.   Much admired by the Italian who had to borrow it when his pump packed up.

Food and drink.  Apart from what was provided so excellently at the controls:  Water, Alpen bar.  One bite of the freebie energy bar.  On the way up to Mid. Tyas craved some orange juice for several miles.   Eventually got to the shop at Scorton and saw a Red Berry Solero in the freezer and sat in the sun on the village green eating it.  Bought something from the shop at Mid Teesdale on the return, but can’t remember what.

Zip-up pertex sleeping bag liner with hood.  Took up a fair amount of space on the Barley and did not provide a huge amount of warmth, but the hood played its part in keeping out the light and some of the noise in Thorne.

Hummers

  • It is all about the taste.
Re: LEL, Rate your equipment
« Reply #13 on: 03 August, 2009, 02:56:37 pm »
Oh yeah, lighting: I had an Energiser LED head torch and Halfrauds cheapy LED light that did the job overnight and for the brief periods at the end of the other two days.

The B&M bling light thingy was not needed but don't tell Mrs H.  :-[

H

mattc

  • n.b. have grown beard since photo taken
    • Didcot Audaxes
Re: LEL, Rate your equipment
« Reply #14 on: 03 August, 2009, 03:15:33 pm »
A Buff:

I'd resisted one for years as an over-priced label thingy. Gave in 2 weeks ago - well worth the £12.

Kept the wind off my neck* when required (about 1350km), and was ready for keeping the sun off my sensitive head. Very ready. Still waiting ...

Highly adjustable with the weather (unlike zips and things).

But at sleep controls it came into it's own:
all in one eye-mask and rider ID.

*I can get a stiff neck on longer rides even in warm conditions.
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

Re: LEL, Rate your equipment
« Reply #15 on: 03 August, 2009, 03:47:40 pm »
Ah yes. A buff. Also worked a treat keeping the worst of the stinging hail off my ears and lips (where it hurt the most).
"Yes please" said Squirrel "biscuits are our favourite things."

Manotea

  • Where there is doubt...
Re: LEL, Rate your equipment
« Reply #16 on: 03 August, 2009, 04:12:03 pm »
I took a Trekmates Deluxe Inflatable Pillow with integral alarm. Worked a treat. Not only did it support my head when nodding off but it gradually deflated so I would wake up after three hours or so.

arabella

  • عربللا
  • onwendeð wyrda gesceaft weoruld under heofonum
Re: LEL, Rate your equipment
« Reply #17 on: 03 August, 2009, 07:41:02 pm »
Bike: hand-me-down job though now with posh handlebars.  May also be a contender for cheapest bike.  Weighs 13kg excluding rackpack and waterbottle. (1/4 of an Arabella)
Wheels: one with SON hub, one specially bought as the other had developed loose bearings and new wheel was quicker
Supermarket sandals fine though not designed for wet (but feet A1) and a size or so too big, unlike predecessors from same shop in same size ...
Running shorts variable, one pair certainly doesn't wick etc. 
Socks got soggy, not enough pairs (see sandals).  Woolly ones less good given the conditions.
top 1/2 fine inc. decathlon rain jacket and jersey plus assorted tops
Creek2Peak rack pack not 100% waterproof, I think it's the zips.  Thus ended up with a pool of sugary water in the side pocket that the wasps at LV found most interesting on the Friday
Fishing/camping night light to see route sheet in dark does not like vibrations.  Due to relatively few directions to read at night I never got to try it in the wet as I just didn't bother.
Hat (cap) superb - big enough to tuck my hair in, keeps out rain, sun, headlight dazzle and also can be used as a shower cap.
Posh fleecy-type super absorbent towel brilliant, dried just as well on the way back in spite of having beenm used to soak damp out of sandals and then sat in a heap whilst I went to Dalkeith.
Any fool can admire a mountain.  It takes real discernment to appreciate the fens.

red marley

Re: LEL, Rate your equipment
« Reply #18 on: 03 August, 2009, 07:49:34 pm »
My "equipment" is still not quite back up in fully working order as it were. I'm not sure I would want anyone to rate it just yet.

Tom

Re: LEL, Rate your equipment
« Reply #19 on: 03 August, 2009, 08:36:15 pm »
Tyres - 2000 mile old Conti Gatorskins 23s - 4 punctures (2 in each) - lesson learnt
Saddle - Fizik Arione - a sense of creeping gluteal malaise, but nothing too harsh
Gloves - Specialized BG - still got numb thumbs & forefingers
Jacket - Salomon running waterproof - not waterproof
Wheels - Open Pro Ceramic 32s on Hope 3 hubs - Hubs faultless, 1 broken spoke on front & 1 buggered rim on back (at least two spoke nipples have pulled out of the rim).  Lucky to make it back as wheel was at least 2" out of true by the end.
Lights - a variety of battery leds and ebay-purchased lumicycle rip-offs.  All fell foul of the weather and, had I not been riding with someone else, I'd have been knackered.
Shorts - Nike & Pearl Izumi - no problems
GPS - Garmn Etrex Legend HCx - a wonderful piece of kit
Frame - Trek 5000 carbon frame & forks - managed to get my lardy 14 stone arse home, so can't be bad
Bag - Carradice SQR Tour - bigger than I really needed, but performed well
Gearing - 50/36 up front & 11/27 at the back. Perfect - never needed the bottom 2 gears, but nice to know they were there.

Re: LEL, Rate your equipment
« Reply #20 on: 03 August, 2009, 10:24:37 pm »
Pair of brand new Smart 5w single LED super bright rear lights - very bright - both went haywire in the wet; I couldn't control them, as they turned themselves on and off, sometimes flashing, sometimes steady, other times just stubbornly off. I believe others may have had similar problems?

I had to purchase the rear light on the sign at Alston on the way home, which the kind lady controller said I could have for three quid. She even threw in a pair of new batteries!

Back home, the brass nut in the mounting bracket spins uselessly in the plastic strap, so I have to destroy it to remove it from the bike. They're going back for a refund!

plug

Re: LEL, Rate your equipment
« Reply #21 on: 03 August, 2009, 10:29:54 pm »
Smart rear lights are known for being leaky.  Mine are sealed with red insulating tape around the join.  Cured.

Panoramix

  • .--. .- -. --- .-. .- -- .. -..-
  • Suus cuique crepitus bene olet
    • Some routes
Re: LEL, Rate your equipment
« Reply #22 on: 03 August, 2009, 11:38:03 pm »
Front light: Fenix torch, did a very good job with only two sets of batteries
rear lights: An ordinary smart + one integrateg to the rack fine
Bike: Greenbank's aravis with campag groupset, surprisingly comfy, worked flawlessly.
Tyre: pasela at the front, conti at the back, one snake bite at the back
GPS: Foretrex 101, the best £70 I have ever invested on the bike, I went about 2km overdistance
self inflatable sleepmat Vango: worked well.
barbag topeak: not weatherproof at all despite the cover to protect it.
Carradice toprack bag: perfectly weatherproof.
Chief cat entertainer.

Re: LEL, Rate your equipment
« Reply #23 on: 03 August, 2009, 11:55:05 pm »
Backberry Bold in Toppeak Tri-Bag Bar Bag - not waterproof :(

simonp

Re: LEL, Rate your equipment
« Reply #24 on: 04 August, 2009, 12:00:08 am »
My "equipment" is still not quite back up in fully working order as it were. I'm not sure I would want anyone to rate it just yet.

hard luck!

Never had that issue myself. In fact I found my mind wandering as it does when riding alone between longtown and alston (and other places).  Happy thoughts.
 
My hands are a different story as I have nerve damage there.