RRTY stands for Randoneur Round The Year – doing a 200 km audax (calendar or permanent) approved ride for 12 successive calendar months.  In December 2014 5 Audax Ireland riders, including me  completed this task. 

On 2’nd of Jan 2015 one of them laid down the gauntlet by riding the Mick Byrne 200 as a permanent – so I signed up for a second year.

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- a long ride deserves a long rant…

Mortagne-au-Perche, nearly 1,100 km done, 10:30 pm Wednesday August 19’th.  It was a long climb up to the Control, I could hear applause up ahead but my light was dim, the dynamo struggling to provide power.  There was a spontaneous groan, a steep ramp and then through the crowds of cheering spectators. 

Someone helped me off my bike.  “Controle?” I shouted, “Par-la” – I stumbled into the bright hall, brevet card in hand ready for the stamp.

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If you get the chance to do a Brevet in France then, based on my experience, go for it!  They are detailed here - http://jeanpba.homeip.net/?page=90&onglet=1&annee=2014.

There is a full set of photos here - https://picasaweb.google.com/113235987186962089648/BRM300Km2014?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCPuXyZn8x_K3SQ&feat=directlink#

It’s been more than twenty years since I last cycled any distance in France.  Whilst studying in Toulouse, I was using a “supermarket” mountain bike to get to school and back and some of my “classmates” convinced me to join the college cycle club weekend outing – I think it was a wind up.  They all had road bikes and lycra.  I had flat tyres and cut off jeans.  Still, as usual, my pig headedness dragged me round.

This 300km was a bit easier for me and was certainly worth the effort.  The scenery, weather and surface could not have been more perfect.

During post LEL depression August last year I began to search far and wide for Brevets.    I knew that really it was all in vain and that I had neither time, energy or a hope in hell of getting away for another trip.

But, as soon as ACP released the 2014 dates I did a quick check for school holidays and distance to my parents’ house in Provence and BRM 300 La Garde,  26 May was perfect.   

With @mrsm burning up her holiday and points on the peak of the Irish dancing season taking the kids away BY MYSLEF for a week was not going to be a problem.  I even had no fear in chucking in the Easter Flèche the weekend before.

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Last year this was my first ever 300.  It must have been tough as as the only thing I remember was the start, frozen water bottles, being passed just after Virginia by a group who had stopped for a pub lunch, and Olivier buying enough fig biscuits to feed the 500.

Also, last year I broke down on the way home and had to cycle from the garage where the AA dropped off my car to home in the snow @ 6am in the morning.

This year was different.  Despite the hillier route, I managed a reasonable time and had company most of the way round.

The start moved to Slane – which only took me an hour and a quarter to drive to so, having left the house @ 3:45 I was there an hour early.  I had had an early night, for once so wasn’t too tired.

I think there was 35 at the start, compared with a dozen for the same event last year.

There was a lot of hillage from the off, so as I suspected the group were spread. 

Olivier, with gears, some sliding, joined me.  The sunrise revealed lush green rolling landscape.  Towards the North we picked up another group of riders, including Brian who had a broken rear derailleur cable.  Didn’t seem to be slowing him down though.  I relayed to him via his companions that I had a spare that he gratefully fitted in Castleblainey.  I was glad to be rid of the weight.

The group sped up towards the first control, but it was early and I’m wise to such moves so, knowing I would easily catch the group at the next control, I stopped for a call of nature.

 

Café Castleblaney

At Castleblney I refuelled on bacon and sausage bap and a much needed coffee.

From there I left with Conor (who I hadn’t seen since Midlands Miander), Olivier, Barry (not the same one as Kings Mountain), Mick, John and (briefly) Marcello (I think).

We pretty much shared the work into pretty strong wind.

The sun came out and I realised that all the clothes I was carrying were pretty much dead weight.

Towards Belturbet, where we planned lunch, the road started to roll a bit.  Again, I let the guys go, but this time they took a wrong turn and were with me again shortly after. 

Lunch was soup and toasties all round.

Next sections to control @Mohill (163Km) and @Termonbarry (193Km) were pretty much the same.  Into the wind, dropped off the last few km before control.  At Mohill I ate my pasta.  At Termonbarry I just stopped briefly to sign Brévet and continued.  With the wind on my back there was not much to be gained from the group and I wanted to go my own pace for a while.

Olivier passed me an hour or so later, he offered me his wheel but I declined.

Nearly caught up to him on the climb to Granard, but that was the last I saw of him as I stopped for Chips and Curry in the chippy from where I watched John and Barry pass.  I kitted up for the night.

I caught them @Virginia control (262Km) where they were eating.  Virginia was much bigger than I remember.  Conor and Mick rolled in as we were leaving having, like me, stopped at Granard.

John, Barry and I set off together.  I was feeling strong and well fed.  We hit the potholes round about 285Km.  Barry had a flat.  Conor and Mick caught up with us and we rolled in together just after 10pm.

300Km is always going to be a long way, and, of course I had a couple of low points, but I am beginning to see them coming a bit more and take appropriate action, like eating or easing off.

I was probably carrying way too much spare clothing – in fact I had to hitch my softshell to the top of my Carrdice, but Ireland in March is not usually so warm and dry so I figure better to carry more than less.

All in all – for me - much better than last year

They say your mind forgets the bad bits – I rode this last year and the only things I remember was crossing the Boyne with Marc and Marc steaming past me on the last stretch.

This year I remember more.  To stop people getting cold, we set off a bit early as it was raining and a windy.

As we left Dublin we split up in the wind.  Rather than chase, I held back and soon was in a group of 6 or so sharing the load nicely.  Just before the first stop I tagged onto a faster moving group who were passing.  This was a mistake as I was dropped shortly after.

Stopped for coffee and a bun at Ballivor, and then set off again.  Picked up a bigger group and tagged along with them for a while.  The weather cheered up and soon we were clipping along nicely in brisk sunshine.

Shortly after Clonmellon it got a bit lumpy and I lost the group but re-found Barry who I’d met earlier.  He had decided not to kill his legs so early in the day either – like we had a choice.

Took my jacket off at Oldcastle before passing through a big puddle at Kings mountain, quick sandwich at Kells and then on into the evening.

 

After a quick stop at Ashbourne for water and chocolate, finished around 8pm – quick chat and back to the airport for a pint and my bus.

Certainly a lot less painful than last year and nice weather to boot.  Good to meet a few new faces too.

After my recent rear hub failure I decided it was time to learn to build a wheel.

I read the following pages over a few times before taking the plunge.

Sheldon Brown’s wheel building pages.

Bike build website - Building Bicycle Wheels

Mike T’s wheelbuilding. 

Stuff

All from chain reaction cycles – which is my LBS – so I went in person.

Mavic open pro rim – a popular choice for Audax - replacing like for like.

Simano ultegra 6700 10 speed hub.

I didn’t do any research on best hubs.  Since I’m generally running ultegra this was to match. The splines on the Ultegra cassette are specific so a different hub would have meant a new cassette or different freehub. 

Spokes – DT swiss competition.  I used pro wheelbuilder calculator to give me the spoke lengths.  According to Mike T “99% of all wheels are laced cross-3 (usually written x3)” so I went for this.

Mavic publish there SSD as 602 but according to internet, add 3mm for the hole separation. (https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/rec.bicycles.tech/-YgxGdkvaqo).

Park anti seize for the threads.

I treated myself to a DT swiss spoke key as I’m sure the multi size one I use is not great.

Tools

The spoke key and a screwdriver with a bit of tape on it so it’s easier to count turns.

Have to say a £14 spoke key works like a £14 spoke key should.

Initial Build

I greased the nipples and applied anti-seize to each spoke thread as I fitted.

I followed Sheldon’s instructions (or so I though) but found instructions on which way to thread the spokes (from the inside or out) a bit confusing.

The Bike Build Website is clearer with pictures of the trailing spokes going over the flange i.e. threaded from the inside.  Later I discovered Sheldon does the opposite as he says it makes the leading spokes more difficult to fit, and I can see how, and he reckons the drive action may force the spokes out more with this set-up  He says its of minor importance thought so I ignored it.  I notice all my current wheels are laced the way I did it.

The only mistake I made was while lacing the leading spokes on the left I noticed I’d missed one on the right, so I popped one in of the wrong length!

Of course, when I realised this it was impossible to tell which one.  I just carried on on the basis that either a problem would emerge because of the spoke being too long e.g. run out of thread or poke through rim, or, since the spoke lengths were fairly even, it would just result in out of true after the initial build.

Never did find which one was wrong.

So, I tightened the spokes to the end of the thread. 

I then did an initial dish of 3 turns on the hub side.  Bike Build mentions this, Sheldon doesn’t.  Seemed a good idea.

After a few rounds of tightening (2 turns 3 times round) the spokes were all tense.  I stopped and went for a curry.

Initial true

At this point I fitted to the frame and started to true. 

Once the wheel was true enough to rotate, I checked the dishing by putting an old battery package against the chain ring and looking where the wheel at the valve hole (marked with tape) came to. 

I then reversed the wheel and compared and then trued the wheel to half way between the two “readings”.  (The “readings in this case were literal, the last line of the address of the battery manufacturer that was visible).

I then moved the valve hole to my brake blocks and trued the wheel to this.

Tuning

I took a rest.  I read “Held Up By Downward Pull” which explains how less tense wheels are more likely to suffer broken spokes because of fatigue than more tense ones.  Makes perfect sense to me.  The steel is strong enough to hold the wheel even if you drive into a kerb.  you know this because you do it!  However, the slight give as it roles and as you hit things will lead to metal fatigue.  This will be lessened if the spokes are more tense as there is less give.

So took the wheel off, I did all six of Mike T’s Stress relief methods, tuned the drive side spokes to 440Hz using the “G String” guitar tuner on my phone (see http://www.bikexprt.com/bicycle/tension.htm), gave every spoke another full turn, did Mike T’s 6 methods again, re-fitted and trued again.

I think I got the horizontal truing spot on – probably better than I ever have before. 

There were a few “hops” but, as Mike T said, no major ones as the nipples were initially screwed down evenly.  I ignored the small ones of less than 1mm.

Fit accessories

I took advantage of @mrsm’s absence and fitted some tape and swapped accessories (tyre, tube, cassette) over in the warmth of the kitchen.

Conclusion

Too early to say if the build is any good, but it was not as hard as I thought it would be.  Took a good 5 hours plus research time. 

Now all that remains is the long ride test – but I’ll have to wait for @mrsm to return to look after the kids!

Avoid roads containing the words Brae, Glenn, Head or similar.  Avoid at all costs roads containing more than one of these.

This was a great historic tour through some fine countryside and challenging climbs, although I missed Tara.  Well organised by Ronnie – I particularly appreciated distinctive features description, such as “at galv. gates” or “sign is turned the wrong way” really helped.

Nice to see a few new faces on the ride, hope they weren’t put off by the weather and I’m sure they fared better than me – who was a bit “over rested”.

Will be back next year to finish it off!

Ride description - http://www.audaxireland.org/calendar/gazetteer/five-megaliths-300/

My track - http://runkeeper.com/user/stuartm9999/activity/238602629?&tripIdBase36=3y22yt

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Happy?

A life changing event.  As someone said –

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way ….”

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What is LEL

LEL is a 1400km Audax (long distance cycling) organised by Audax UK.  It is not a race, but there is a maximum (and minimum) time limit.  It runs every 4 years.  This year there are approximately 1000 entrants.  I am H19 starting at 07:30 on Sunday 28’th July.  This gives me until Friday 04:10 am to complete the 1419km route.

How to follow me

Viewranger

I shall be using viewranger to help me follow the route and also to give live updates of my location.  So, if all is working, go to http://viewranger.com/buddybeacon/, click on add buddy beacon and put stuartm@stiona.com as the username and 9999 as the PIN.

LEL rider tracking

As I check in at each control – the organizers should update this page - http://www.londonedinburghlondon.com/lastseen/?rider_no=H19 – you can see the route and controls here - http://www.londonedinburghlondon.com/route

Runkeeper

I will try and run this too – but depends on me remembering and battery.  You can find my tracks at http://runkeeper.com/user/stuartm9999/.

Twitter/Facebook

Maybe some updates – but I wouldn’t expect too much.  @stuartm9999.

What training have I done.

Since the end of last year I have been riding regular Audaxes with Audax Ireland.  Since January I have completed (amongst other rides) what is known as a Super Randoneer sereis- a 200, 300, 400 and 600 km brevet (ride) within the time limits laid down by the rules of Audax.  I owe a lot of gratitude to fellow Audax Ireland members for not only organising these events but helping me round them!

Audax is a great way to see the country, eat and cycle at the same time.  I do it for the food, the challenge, the craic and the views.  All you need is a bike.