What Bike?

[AllanT]

Grease yer legs an' you'll be fine Moley!
AllanT, the gears were fine last year but I felt I needed a bit of a lower ratio for steeper climbs, not being a serious cyclist an' all. I could spin out the top ratio but I had to get off and push up some of the steep lanes we did. It felt like I needed a smaller ring up front. So if I went for the 39er and left the block alone, d'ya think that would be better?

Well as you're not a serious cyclist in a racing situation, it is one option to go for a smaller inner front ring (though there are compatability issues) to give yourself a greater spread of gears (be warned though if you drop from big to small there will be a bigger speed loss unless you can up your cadence accordingly - however if you're getting off & walking this does sound like a viable option).

Perhaps look at a compact chainset? I'm never convinced by triples (even on my mtn bike offroad I rarely use the granny) as they do put more weight on the bike. Perhaps that's just my roady snobbery coming through?? Of course if it works for you, I wouldn't take the p1ss.

13 - 25 sounds OK to me, though you could consider 13 - 29?? I was reading somewhere that Discovery were using a 50 -34 (compact Chainset) together with a 12 - 27 cassette for stage 17 of the GIRO

[AllanT]

I use 53/39 x 12/21. That's all you need trust me, I should know!

You ponce, you only go down to a 12, you should be on an 11 & as for that chainring, why not use a 54????.. :-P

[Stick]

Now this sounds like an epic to do! 6th and 7th July you say....mmm...

Must confess, bit worried about all this talk of cogs and gearings...

(I've got an 8 yr old £150 halfords mountain bike with knobbly tyre thing on front and slick on back - used to use it in a turbo trainer till ex-lady-Stick pissed off with new lover and turbo . I do miss that turbo.)

...and looks like you lot are all keen cycler types. Do we get off bikes to do much running up hill/big-hill/mountain/big-phucking-mountains?

Think I'd be up for this but would appreciate...

a) few more itinery details;

b) handy negotiation tips to use with current Mrs Stick (though Brett, I'll get these mostly from you cos guess you'll be taking legal advice eh...? ) and

c) you forebearances gang in waiting for me at each checkpoint (pubs one presumes )

[cobbydale]

i've got granny gears i'm in

[Joliver Jim]

You should definately do this stick. We had a fabulous time last year.

Now this sounds like an epic to do! 6th and 7th July you say....mmm...

[cobbydale]

errrrrrr of course i never use granny gears you understand, ummmmmm

[cobbydale]

Now this sounds like an epic to do! 6th and 7th July you say....mmm...

Must confess, bit worried about all this talk of cogs and gearings...

(I've got an 8 yr old £150 halfords mountain bike with knobbly tyre thing on front and slick on back - used to use it in a turbo trainer till ex-lady-Stick pissed off with new lover and turbo . I do miss that turbo.)

...and looks like you lot are all keen cycler types. Do we get off bikes to do much running up hill/big-hill/mountain/big-phucking-mountains?

Think I'd be up for this but would appreciate...

a) few more itinery details;

b) handy negotiation tips to use with current Mrs Stick (though Brett, I'll get these mostly from you cos guess you'll be taking legal advice eh...? ) and

c) you forebearances gang in waiting for me at each checkpoint (pubs one presumes )

can't believe she took your turbo

[molehill]

Before you go any further, let us clarify one point - You are not the worst cyclist in the UK, I am the worst cyclist and I have earnt this award the hard way... so there .

You will need a 'road bike', NOT a mountain bike. I have very little idea what all the cycle experts are talking about (Allan T and others) with regards cogs and gears and thingies , but you don't want a mountain bike - even I can see that.

I purchased my "road bike" only a month before the event (£425 and the wheels go round and that's all I can tell you). I managed most of it, but my inexperience (and age, longest in the tooth) ground me to a halt just before the end. Without doubt I would have managed the cycling a couple of months later, or slightly slower .

So, you need a road bike. You definately need granny gears ( unless you are a 'proper cyclist'). You probably need those special shoes and peddley thingies. You need a couple of months of practice, or more.

Both days about 60 miles on bikes (all road) and 2 x running mountains each day . Snowdon and Cadair/ Pumlumon and Pen y fan.

The hard bit is eating and drinking in between .

[Stick]

You should definately do this stick. We had a fabulous time last year.

I am, I have to say, well tempted! Even started doemstic negotiatsion this evening. So far so good...!

can't believe she took your turbo

Yeah, it were quite a blow. I could have a ride whenever I wanted and now I can't....

[Stick]

Before you go any further, let us clarify one point - You are not the worst cyclist in the UK, I am the worst cyclist and I have earnt this award the hard way... so there

You will need a 'road bike', NOT a mountain bike. I have very little idea what all the cycle experts are talking about (Allan T and others) with regards cogs and gears and thingies, but you don't want a mountain bike - even I can see that.

I purchased my "road bike" only a month before the event (£425 and the wheels go round and that's all I can tell you). I managed most of it, but my inexperience (and age, longest in the tooth) ground me to a halt just before the end. Without doubt I would have managed the cycling a couple of months later, or slightly slower .

So, you need a road bike. You definately need granny gears ( unless you are a 'proper cyclist'). You probably need those special shoes and peddley thingies. You need a couple of months of practice, or more.

Both days about 60 miles on bikes (all road) and 2 x running mountains each day . Snowdon and Cadair/ Pumlumon and Pen y fan.

The hard bit is eating and drinking in between .

Cheers Moley.

Reckon the hills are fine. Bit worried about the bikey bit but will take counsel from my cycling pal. More to point though, having just now aquiesced during negotiations to paying for an Italian language course for linguistically minded Mrs Stick I reckon I should go for it (be a waste not to now!). Put me down as a most-likely

...and I'll try me best on the eating and drinking. Though tbh I'm not very good on the eating thing (nom-de-plume being a bit appropriate). But I can make up for it with the drinking side

(by the way, just twixt you and I...what are granny gears...?)