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Tue, 01/20/2009 - 12:57
So I've finished rebuilding my trusty steed! It's a 1994 Trek 370 Sport (i.e. scrap metal) bought from ebay a few weeks ago in a pretty awful condition it's been stripped re-greased and generally tidied up - and a few new parts for good measure.
Please excuse uninspiring photos, I'm not a pro you know.
Mmm... sexiness. Imagine it with white grip tape and it gets better. Not everything is quite set up properly yet (gears need tweaking as do the front brakes (my anticipation skills are improving greatly while riding at the moment). It needs my egg beaters on there too.
It's got crazy elliptical chain rings, Shimano Biopace brand. I don't notice the difference myself and I've read the hype behind Biopace is all a big myth (And hence why it dissapeared very quickly from the scene) but hey I'm not spending money replacing stuff that works!
Left to old derailleur on there (The whole groupset is Exage of different levels - i.e. shit but works) and switched over to 8 speed with the new wheels (Hooray for friction shifters!)
So I'm just about ready for the summer when me and a friend are going on a bit of a trek. We're flying down to Marseille then cycling along to Monaco, up through the Alps, across to Lyon then on to Paris (via Lisses, of course) then over to Calais to cross the channel on the ferry. Then when we're back on home soil up to London and then the last leg home (Near Oxford). All together about 1100 miles.
We're planning on roughing it quite a bit, just pitching up where we can, and staying in hostels and campsites every few days to shower/not be complete tramps. We've also arranged to meet with various people along the way. It's going to be hugely fun!
Anyone else here into bikes? (Sorry, not that type of bike ard)
Sun, 07/19/2009 - 15:16
#2
Ahh, sorry. That is in fact me, just not logged in.
Mon, 07/20/2009 - 08:57
#3
Wow, looks like an epic trip, thanks for the inspiration, considering to stop smoking and taking up cycling now 
Mon, 07/20/2009 - 12:52
#4
Nice trip report and pics Phil. Very nicely done. Most of us at the Villa have been getting into bicycles lately. I'm looking for something to commute to work [10 km]. Can't say I'm gonna be doing 120 mile days, but it is a start.
Tue, 07/21/2009 - 11:00
#5
I'm jealous! Tripping trip, awesome scenery. I'd like to bike or walk a long route like that, but not all alone. I'm going hiking soon, though, maybe I'll post some photos later, I'm intending to take a few. 
Was it difficult to find the routes? Or was it straightforward to cycle from city to city?
Tue, 07/21/2009 - 11:02
#6
I'm glad you're feeling inspired! Cycling is so brilliant I can't see why more people don't do it. Even with a cheap bike you can have fun and get places for free!
Some day I hope to come cycling in(across?) Canada. The Rockies would be awe inspiring, and I'd imagine epic mileage could be achieved on the plains. Anyone here ride fixed? I've been looking about for a track frame to build up, nothing I fancy that's cheap enough though.
I can't stop wincing every time I watch ards avatar. You can see him start to go and then smack.
So an update to this thread. I've completed the trip I talked about:
I arrived home on Friday from my cycle ride. Two weeks and a few hours after setting off from Marseilles about 1200 miles away. My bike held up great, until getting to Dover when I snapped my chain, my pannier rack broke and one of my pedals also snapped (which meant riding for two days with only one foot clipped on - not fun in the rain). On the bright side, not a single puncture!
So a couple of highlights:
- Sat behind two lesbians on flight to France.
- Slipstreamed a multi-million pound yacht.
- Hitched a tow up a hill by a combine harvester.
- Blagged free dinner, bed and breakfast (Welsh people are nice).
- Met Olaf.
- Averaged ~45Mph for 5 minutes on one decent. Speed limit was 40KMph. Overtook a lot of very baffled looking traffic.
- Rode the finish stretch of the Tour de France.
- Went to Lisses.
- Rode 117 miles in one day.
- Overtook an Audi R8.
- Surprised many cyclists on the south coast by keeping up with their pace, on bikes that cost a fraction of the price theirs did and while carrying pannier bags. What better way to completely destroy their egos?
- Slept rough on the streets of Roanne.
- Discovered Pimms (well some crazy French stuff like Pimms) with beer.
Link to photos (phone cam I'm afraid, but a good effort if i say so myself!):
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=285195&id=824500181&l=37e1af6c0a