Ha ha, thanks. Honestly, I wasn't trying too hard, ave HR of 144 and I even stopped near the bottom for a minute while I debated taking a photo of the barges whilst I was on the bridge. Probably for the best I didn't know, or I might have burnt myself out trying to beat you
I've got wheels (DT Swiss DB470) but they're thru axle and don't think they've got QR ends with them (came off a 2023 Tarmac SL7). £150 wouldn't be enough money for them including tyres and postage (they're new and unused with Specialized Turbo 26mm tyres on), but if you wanted to meet/collect then could arrange something...
BUT. These are £300-400 wheels when buying new, then as they come on so many Tarmac and Cannondale bikes (+others) where people replace them with fancy carbon, you can get some amazing deals on them online (fb marketplace/ebay). I've seen barely used ones selling for £100-150 and read around reviews - they're some of the best cheaper end alloy wheels you can get and well recommended. As I've got 2 other damaged/buckled sets of alloy wheels considering binning those and keeping these I have for winter (had 2 sets and sold 1 to a clubmate)...
Cheers! I'll have a think - to be honest I just need something solid which isn't going to fall apart on me for committing, so the DT Swiss are probably unnecessarily high quality!
We’ve had my niece here with 3 friends. They went home yesterday and we took them out for lunch. I’d talked about a bike ride but my wife was very against it on account of me still not being recovered. With a caveat being I’d ride today but under 30 minutes at most.
I negotiated a short walk and then asked my niece if she fancied it. We were just leaving and I suggested a bike ride instead. Turned into around an hour as I was showing her a few houses we’d viewed.
Felt great to be back out. Even though I took the MTB and averaged around 8mph!
But with a £8.50 entry fee I'm going to see what I'm feeling like day before, then see what the weather is going to do. I don't mind getting wet, but getting rained on for 10+ hours is an easy 'No way'!
Maybe tomorrow, club ride (again weather depending) and extend it or something...
In theory, I should be getting my second experience of e-bikes this week, but this time being allowed to leave the Longleat Center Parcs campus.
Hoping the hire e-bike has a decent distance capacity per charge, very curious about how it will help my low fitness and stamina levels with my ongoing long covid.
What a miserable weekend here it was... Still drizzly/light rain with it forecast to stop before 10am I headed out for club social. Promptly broke a shoe boa before leaving, then the other half was saying I was silly to go riding in the rain, needed to be careful, blah blah. I then punctured just before the meet point. With 2 things gone wrong already I told club to go on without me and I'd catch up, only for the vale core to come unscrewed from my tube, then my pump wouldn't seal to inflate it. Took me probably 20 mins of faffing around before I'd got some air in, too late then to realistically catch the club I headed back home. Slowly. With barely 20psi in my front tyre. Sure enough within 5 mins at home I'd fixed my pump issue (christ knows...) and got it inflated. Still settled for Zwift as the rain continued.
With some other weekend plans for the Sunday cancelled due to the rain caught up with some maintenance. Grabbed the DT DB470 unused wheels which came on the latest SL7 and set them up tubeless with the Vittoria Rubino 28mm's I had still on a buckled let of Fulcrums on the shelf. Back on tubeless and reliable for the winter! Woohoo! But also with next weekends 200km audax in mind, may end up riding the Diverge depending on weather forecast for mudguards & a tough/comfort setup...
Haha pretty much. Although I'm going to go along and complete it anyway as I'm really that stubborn not to! And it's a good opportunity to meetup with a couple of riders I've been riding on Zwift with the last couple of years. We'll be using it as a really long social with lots of stops & laughs along the way. And still expecting to be some of the fastest riders doing the full 200km...!
Extra bonus, I'll get my first Brevet card and if completed in under 13.5 hours ('within dawn to dusk') will be a Ranndonneur!
Nope really is a bit above my neck of the woods - not really ventured further than Ludlow/Clee hill. You're quite near there aren't you? Fancy a jolly!?
Part of it before we turn to go past Vrynwy is the top/easy side of Hellfire pass... Will see, at around the 130km/80 mile marker, might descend it and come back up to cross off #92 Bwlch Y Groes
@AndyCr15 hasn't been up there yet so trying to stay ahead of him setting some targets!
Ha ha, thanks. Honestly, I wasn't trying too hard, ave HR of 144 and I even stopped near the bottom for a minute while I debated taking a photo of the barges whilst I was on the bridge. Probably for the best I didn't know, or I might have burnt myself out trying to beat you
Hmm, I might have driven up that. Is it near Hay Bluff?
Yup, Hay Bluff on one side and Lord Herefords Knob (Twmpa) on the other side, Gospel pass is the road through them up the Vale of Ewyas (Llantony) from Abergavenny side. Highest road in Wales+England outside of the Lakes.
It's a different climb from the Hay side, with steeper sections from the start making it more of a punchy ascent. The one from the south (the 'real Gospel Pass' - the highest and longest 'paved road' in Wales & England outside of the Lake district) is far longer with the only steep sections coming towards the top.
Cheers! I'll have a think - to be honest I just need something solid which isn't going to fall apart on me for committing, so the DT Swiss are probably unnecessarily high quality!
I ended up fitting the wheels this weekend so I'm using them now I'm afraid! But they seem nice. Feel very similar to my (far more expensive in their day) Zipp 30 Course. 20mm internal (Zipps are 21mm), spin well and feel light!
Definitely got the autumn feeling to it. I bailed on the group ride on Sunday as could see rain falling to the east and west so jumped on the indoor bike where the sun promptly started piercing through. I had lunch and decided to trim the front bush (stop sniggering) and it chucked it down half way round.
Decided I am done with outside and put my bike back onto the trainer and did a small Zwift riding easing me back indoors.
Of course it got hot yesterday afternoon and I was sweating. Today, it seems it's quite sunny so me putting my bike on the trainer was the catalyst needed for a late bit of sun.
But i forgot how much harder it was cycling inside whilst it's warm! I only did the short new route as it left me with a few extra 'free' miles to do another ride. Will need to put the fan on full blast!
So in 2016 we moved with 12(?) years left of fixed. Monthly stayed similar (actually went down) to a place double the value (mortgage % decreased as we'd paid so much off of the first), we then 'overpaid' our monthly for a couple of years (think we could overpay £400-450 a month without fees). Stopped for a couple of years when Harry came along & other half changed jobs, then started again during Covid times and kept it up until last year then we paid mortgage off completely. Within a couple of years of the end of term the early payment fee was 3% I think, so we took the hit. Having our savings sitting in our accounts over that time worked really well for us, good financial security knowing we had that 'lump' of money if needed, but also being pretty frugal with our savings when the time came to pay it all off... We even had savings left - that's why the New Bike finally happened! My savings even now are still 'healthy'. Just as well really as the flat roof needs changing! Also had money to have the bathroom done/move a door/convert the utility during that time. Next thing will be changing the car so money already being put away... Financial 'flexibility' but also the security of having money fairly easily accessible (I did put some into a 5 year ISA but it was hardly worth it)
Sadly we are a long time away from being mortgage free! Though my plan is to use some of the inheritance I'm getting from my grandmother to overpay on the mortgage. We weren't really thinking even starting to think about moving out. We thought we had until October 2025 for out 1.7% fixed term remaining but we had a surprise call for out mortgage broker a few weeks back saying it ends at the start of February 2025.
We also didn't realise how much our house was worth.. There is a development that's a 20 minute walk from our house that we walk the dog around a lot and we always said how nice it would be to live there but thought it was a bit ambitious for our next move. turns out it isn't and there are a handful of houses left to be built there. So we are going all in on trying to sell ours to be able to move there.
If it works out, we know we'll be somewhere we will be really happy for the next 10-15 years. The drawback is it's only a 3 bed house when really I wanted 4 but we've agreed that a 3 bed will be enough for us as long as in the garden I'm able to have a proper outhouse built for an outside office/man/pain-cave.
But if it doesn't work out it just means we will be patient (and I'll be impatient and buy DI2)
Nope really is a bit above my neck of the woods - not really ventured further than Ludlow/Clee hill. You're quite near there aren't you? Fancy a jolly!?
Part of it before we turn to go past Vrynwy is the top/easy side of Hellfire pass... Will see, at around the 130km/80 mile marker, might descend it and come back up to cross off #92 Bwlch Y Groes
Could have been tempted but I'm off to Istanbul on Sunday for work.
There's a Post Office / shop at 49km on the route which is open on a Sunday morning - last refill before Bala (it's somewhat hidden in a row of cottages, so easy just to fly past). The climb up onto the moor starts about 54km. Bit of a ramp at the bottom but becomes a nice "spinable" climb IMO. After the cattle grid at ~57km it opens up as you leave the tree cover and is very scenic. Once you hit the top, it's a fast run over the moors and then down to Bala.
I've been up the easy side of Hellfire a few times. The descent down (132km) to Lake No-vowels (Vyrnwy) is fast but watch out for gravel and potholes as the surface is (was) very knackered in places.
After Lake No-vowels, there's a short, sharp climb (146km) but then a great blast down through Llanfyllin and Llansantfrraid. I've raided the shop at the Esso in Llansantfrraid a few times for Coke and cakes.
Sadly we are a long time away from being mortgage free! Though my plan is to use some of the inheritance I'm getting from my grandmother to overpay on the mortgage. We weren't really thinking even starting to think about moving out. We thought we had until October 2025 for out 1.7% fixed term remaining but we had a surprise call for out mortgage broker a few weeks back saying it ends at the start of February 2025.
We also didn't realise how much our house was worth.. There is a development that's a 20 minute walk from our house that we walk the dog around a lot and we always said how nice it would be to live there but thought it was a bit ambitious for our next move. turns out it isn't and there are a handful of houses left to be built there. So we are going all in on trying to sell ours to be able to move there.
If it works out, we know we'll be somewhere we will be really happy for the next 10-15 years. The drawback is it's only a 3 bed house when really I wanted 4 but we've agreed that a 3 bed will be enough for us as long as in the garden I'm able to have a proper outhouse built for an outside office/man/pain-cave.
But if it doesn't work out it just means we will be patient (and I'll be impatient and buy DI2)
Mate for me to be mortgage free at 'mid-40's is insane. Through my 20's I partied damn hard and seemed to spend all my money easily on computers/phones/cars/parties. A mortgage was the last thing on my mind (until early 30's!).
But I've always been ok at living within my means, only once got in debt (for 3 months after buying a car) and always worked, even when I was at my maddest (all weekend benders) I held down a full time job. So once I'd 'settled down' a bit and not out every weekend I soon grew a nest egg (lived at home until 29 - which really helped). I've never been in a well paid profession/industry so it's not that... Just good work ethic (even when 'unemployed' for 3 years I registered as self-employed and did a bunch of stuff - fixing any local computers, cleaning out dairy floors and doing forestry work.
I guess I'm saying... Keep the faith in yourself and doing the 'right things for the right reasons' - the progression to being a home owner or even moving to a bigger place is scary. But keep at it, work hard, more importantly enjoy yourself (but not too much) doing it and things should work out! As I said before - a few hundred/couple of thousand quid, when you're into the realms of houses, mortgages and savings is fairly 'easy' to find/lose (as more commonly need to find for something else unexpected)!
I was lucky - my parents fully supported me in whatever I wanted to do, always offered me money for 'investment' type things like cars & mortgages. The only time I borrowed any, I paid it them back (20k for first deposit) even after they said they didn't want it back! My sister did Uni and the debt thing far more. Has never settled profession wise needing support far more & still does!
Could have been tempted but I'm off to Istanbul on Sunday for work.
There's a Post Office / shop at 49km on the route which is open on a Sunday morning - last refill before Bala (it's somewhat hidden in a row of cottages, so easy just to fly past). The climb up onto the moor starts about 54km. Bit of a ramp at the bottom but becomes a nice "spinable" climb IMO. After the cattle grid at ~57km it opens up as you leave the tree cover and is very scenic. Once you hit the top, it's a fast run over the moors and then down to Bala.
I've been up the easy side of Hellfire a few times. The descent down (132km) to Lake No-vowels (Vyrnwy) is fast but watch out for gravel and potholes as the surface is (was) very knackered in places.
After Lake No-vowels, there's a short, sharp climb (146km) but then a great blast down through Llanfyllin and Llansantfrraid. I've raided the shop at the Esso in Llansantfrraid a few times for Coke and cakes.
Brilliant course notes - appreciated! We've also been given a bunch by the organiser - very detailed and an amazing writeup of the course too.
Thankfully it's a saturday so shops are open and most of the checkpoints have a shop with food available, some even cooking hot food outside of their usual times to accommodate a bunch of hungry audaxers! Control at 49km must be the one you're talking about Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant with a Spar and a Café. The Café is opening half hour earlier for us (8.30). There's a 'short punchy climb after the control, then through to Llangynog and the start of the Milltir Cerrig climb'. Bala is not a control but obviously lots of options there to refuel. Trawsfynydd is the Control at 99km has the Prysor service station. We have some gated roads looping around back to Bala with a service station on the A494, up Hellfire then cut across to Vyrnwy, lots of warnings about the road conditions and especially on the descent & turn. The 146km control is Dafarn Newydd Stores at Llanwddyn is some well known audax destination. The owners expecting us and they'll have their pizza oven on for us (awesome)! There's a short climb after there which is one of the last before the finish, so most of the final 50km is flatter downhill to Shewsbury. There's a control at Cruxton (196km) but really at that point don't expect to need anything. There's warm food & drinks at the finish, but I'm probably also going for a burger at The Beefy Boys to refuel then head home!
Come ride this audax? Only cost me £8.50 entry a couple of weeks ago. Online entries are now closed but sure they'd do one on the day. Meeting in Shrewsbury Foregate Street at 7.30am (christ, means me leaving home at 6am!)
Or at least do Hellfire pass and set me a time to go back for?
Have a good time in Bala, give all the cyclists a wave as I'll be one of them (likely on my Black tarmac and wearing an orange Gabba), good luck if you're climb hunting! There's a bunch around there.
It's a work based trip, which I'm leading. These are the routes we'll be choosing from. I think 'Lake Vyrnwy – #91 Bwlch Y Groes loop' is Hellfire Pass, right?
**EDIT** I've just looked over it, maybe I'll give it a skip...
It's a work based trip, which I'm leading. These are the routes we'll be choosing from. I think 'Lake Vyrnwy – #91 Bwlch Y Groes loop' is Hellfire Pass, right?
**EDIT** I've just looked over it, maybe I'll give it a skip...
Yes, that route is Hellfire Pass from the hard side. I've only driven the way you climb up from the top of Lake Vyrnwy but it's very scenic.
If you do Horseshoe Pass on that list, your route has a roundabout at 45 miles. A short detour / re-route will get you to Llandegla which has a cracking community cafe / shop:
If you do Horseshoe Pass on that list, your route has a roundabout at 45 miles. A short detour / re-route will get you to Llandegla which has a cracking community cafe / shop:
It's a work based trip, which I'm leading. These are the routes we'll be choosing from. I think 'Lake Vyrnwy – #91 Bwlch Y Groes loop' is Hellfire Pass, right?
**EDIT** I've just looked over it, maybe I'll give it a skip...
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