2023 - Our Rides in Words, Photos, Maps and Videos

[Stefan Mikes]

A Crazy Day

With the Easter coming, I had to not only replenish my refrigerator and pantry but also manage several things that had been waiting for too a long time.

I was warned by Jacek I had to replace the worn rear derailleur pulleys (jockey wheels) on my Vado 6.0. Armed with tools and spare parts, I pedalled to the Hardware Store of Mr Kazimierz in Brwinów to buy brake cleaner, work-gloves, and -- most importantly -- a threadlocker. There, I used a wooden pallet to organise a makeshift workshop. and replaced the pulleys. Left: A worn guide pulley after being used for some 15,000 km. See the "shark teeth". Right: A new tension pulley.

Polish Post is notorious of not delivering the shipments. On March 10th, I ordered some merchandise of The Stranglers, unaware the goods would be shipped from the United Kingdom. The British seem to have no clue how to ship goods post Brexit, so the infamous DHL Global/Deutsche Post shipment fell in the claws of the inefficient Poczta Polska in my country... Eventually, I could collect the T-Shirt and beanie!

Today's 25 km pedalled was the time well spent! I do not want bore you more! Tomorrow, I plan another ride. Thursday: Yet another one! All these rides will bring my Vado 6.0 to the impeccable shape, all before Easter!

 

[Chargeride]

Theres no more heroes anymore in the UK postal service, theyre all down on the beaches looking at the peaches.

I replaced my jockey wheels in a rare moment of maintenance madness, it was so much quieter afterwards.

 

[Mulezen]

But I did read of a rural Irish postman who retired after 40 years of delivering the mail, rain or shine, on his bicycle. I wonder what he’d think of ebikes?

 

[Mulezen]

A Crazy Day

With the Easter coming, I had to not only replenish my refrigerator and pantry but also manage several things that had been waiting for too a long time.

View attachment 151004
I was warned by Jacek I had to replace the worn rear derailleur pulleys (jockey wheels) on my Vado 6.0. Armed with tools and spare parts, I pedalled to the Hardware Store of Mr Kazimierz in Brwinów to buy brake cleaner, work-gloves, and -- most importantly -- a threadlocker. There, I used a wooden pallet to organise a makeshift workshop. and replaced the pulleys. Left: A worn guide pulley after being used for some 15,000 km. See the "shark teeth". Right: A new tension pulley.

Today, I managed to complete many long overdue tasks.

View attachment 151005
Polish Post is notorious of not delivering the shipments. On March 10th, I ordered some merchandise of The Stranglers, unaware the goods would be shipped from the United Kingdom. The British seem to have no clue how to ship goods post Brexit, so the infamous DHL Global/Deutsche Post shipment fell in the claws of the inefficient Poczta Polska in my country... Eventually, I could collect the T-Shirt and beanie!

Today's 25 km pedalled was the time well spent! I do not want bore you more! Tomorrow, I plan another ride. Thursday: Yet another one! All these rides will bring my Vado 6.0 to the impeccable shape, all before Easter!

Ty for the education and terminology, nicely laid out though a task beyond me. In the US Navy I was an aviation tech…for a short period only because…I could type and they needed a clerk… and the quality of my work made the pilots nervous

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Theres no more heroes anymore in the UK postal service, theyre all down on the beaches looking at the peaches.

Even do not get me started on the Poczta Polska! Similarly to Cato the Elder who was constantly repeating "Carthago delenda est", I often say the Polish Post should be dissolved... (Nice of you to quote the famous The Stranglers phrases!)

Ty for the education and terminology, nicely laid out though a task beyond me. In the US Navy I was an aviation tech…for a short period only because…I could type and they needed a clerk… and the quality of my work made the pilots nervous

As we say in Poland "I have two left hands" regarding any mechanical work, and would gladly leave the task to the shop or my brother. Swapping the pulleys was a very easy task, especially after having watched a YT video. Only each of the wheels is different (they are clearly marked) and they have opposite rotation direction, making it a little tricky with the e-bike standing on the handlebars and saddle -- it is so easy to install the pulleys the wrong way!

 

[Mr. Coffee]

Early Spring in the San Juans, again...

Those cars can be safely assumed to be parked there more than fifteen minutes.

 

[fooferdoggie]

must have dragged a latter to do this cant reach it from where I was.

 

[RabH]

A Crazy Day

With the Easter coming, I had to not only replenish my refrigerator and pantry but also manage several things that had been waiting for too a long time.

View attachment 151004
I was warned by Jacek I had to replace the worn rear derailleur pulleys (jockey wheels) on my Vado 6.0. Armed with tools and spare parts, I pedalled to the Hardware Store of Mr Kazimierz in Brwinów to buy brake cleaner, work-gloves, and -- most importantly -- a threadlocker. There, I used a wooden pallet to organise a makeshift workshop. and replaced the pulleys. Left: A worn guide pulley after being used for some 15,000 km. See the "shark teeth". Right: A new tension pulley.

View attachment 151005
Polish Post is notorious of not delivering the shipments. On March 10th, I ordered some merchandise of The Stranglers, unaware the goods would be shipped from the United Kingdom. The British seem to have no clue how to ship goods post Brexit, so the infamous DHL Global/Deutsche Post shipment fell in the claws of the inefficient Poczta Polska in my country... Eventually, I could collect the T-Shirt and beanie!

Today's 25 km pedalled was the time well spent! I do not want bore you more! Tomorrow, I plan another ride. Thursday: Yet another one! All these rides will bring my Vado 6.0 to the impeccable shape, all before Easter!

My jockey wheels were still like new when I replaced my drivetrain recently and they have covered almost 25000 miles, I don't think I have ever seen jockey wheels as worn as that! Maybe its because of the high power of your Vado?

 

[DaveMatthews]

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It was a nice day yesterday but my legs were still feeling my tough 500th ride so I decided to wait until today! It was pretty much the same weather as yesterday but with even more sunshine! Spring didn't last long though, it was back to frost again so I waited until midday and then set off into a chilly SE wind! Thankfully it was only around 15-20mph so nothing bad, I headed north to Lennoxtown to tackle the climbs over the Campsie Hills and this time it would be a clockwise loop as I did the anticlockwise route the last time! At Lennoxtown I stopped at the Whitefield Pond for a couple of photos before starting the climb!

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Just before starting the big climb I stopped to grab photos of this awesome mural commemorating the awesome Scottish climber Robert Millar (who is now called Phillipa York and a journalist)

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I could have done with his climbing legs today but the assistance made up for it This route is extremely popular for cyclists, I would never go near it at the weekend! Today I had it all to myself and I was loving it!
This is part way up the climb at around 800ft!

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Another mile or so and I was nearing the top of the climb at just over 1100ft! Some of the road is smooth like this...

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The not so smooth part a short time later!

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I was now on the descent proper and managed 41mph with the breeze at my back, it would have been much faster but the road was badly potholed and not worth taking a risk!
Almost at the bottom now!

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As soon as you reach the valley its straight into a climb again and once again the road has some lovely smooth tarmac like this but some pretty rough parts also... The road continues on with twists and turns and ups and downs for around 5 miles before its time to tackle the Campsies at the eastern end, called the Tak Ma Doon road!

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A couple of miles further and more lovely smooth tarmac to enjoy and with conditions like this it was just cycling heaven!

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The road runs alongside the Carron Valley Reservoir which was looking very healthy with the water as high as I have seen it for quite some time, some fishermen were braving the chilly wind but the sun sure helped!

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I reached the turning point and it was time to tackle the climb up the Tak Ma Doon road, thankfully its much easier from this end as its a real brute of a climb from the Kilsyth end! This is the view from the bridge which takes you over the River Carron!

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I loved this little log cabin at the foot of the climb!

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I started up the climb and passed the Faughlin Reservoir which is a popular fishery, only wildlife around today!

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I then reached the ford in the road which was flowing pretty quickly today before continuing the climb which reaches its peak not long after this! I decided to lift the bike over the ford today rather than risk hitting a rock under the water....

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This is way steeper than the photo suggests but I soon reached the top and got a very welcome surprise, they had laid new tarmac (not before time as it used to be very rough) for over a mile and it made the descent an absolute thrill I shot past a roadie on the way down which surprised me, I guess he wasn't keen on going fast on that gorgeous new tarmac...what a waste!

I arrived in Kilsyth and used pretty much the same road I used on the way to the hills, nothing much to report from there other than the car drivers were well behaved which was probably due to the lovely sunshine! I passed a play park at Auchenstarry and it was absolutely mobbed, the schools are on holiday for Easter... a 2 week break! We got 3 days off school at Easter back in my day...not bitterI arrived home very contented but a little tired after all that climbing, I could probably have picked an easier route but I'm a glutton for punishment!

I tell ya @RabH you are without a doubt a massive ambassador for Giant. The clicks you've put on that beauty are impressive!
Giant should come to the table for you if/when you EVER wear that ebike out.

 

[Te. S]

Beautiful day for ride in SoCali. Hills full of yellow mustard flowers but no big waves, Look at the big birds enjoying the view also

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

Beautiful day for ride in SoCali. Hills full of yellow mustard flowers but no big waves, Look at the big birds enjoying the view also

Curious, where in SoCal did you take the photo with the 4 big military helicopters? The date-time stamp coincides with my Saturday ride between Carlsbad and Del Mar. I think I saw that same flight — right off the beach and VERY loud. Was probably somewhere between Del Mar and Cardiff around that time.

See many, many military choppers offshore here in North County, but that group was pretty distinctive.

 

[Mulezen]

My riding, despite the beautiful weather, has been sporadic because of health. Today Under increasing stress from the Government I rode to the Post Office to mail my taxes to the US bean counters.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

A Crash, Kickstand, And A Mirror

The evil Amazon had almost ruined my day! A shipment originating in Spokane WA should have reached me on Thursday. As UPS was too efficient I got a notification the parcel would reach my place on Wednesday, that is today! I left a notice in my door and happily left the flat to ride northwards with my Vado 6.0 (it was yet another cold day, luckily almost windless!)

The shortest and the most picturesque route to my brother's place leads through the Kampinos Forest East. I felt too happy, rode the fire roads pretty fast in 55% assistance (it is a lot), and eventually got what I deserved for. There was a tree branch crossing my path. The only place to avoid the obstacle was to ride through a small muddy puddle... There, the rear wheel lost the traction.

The crash happened at the full speed.

As always, I was firmly holding onto the e-bike during the crash (which is the the best survival technique). On the touchdown, I clearly felt my helmet banging something hard (it was a tree-root). As I was regaining my senses, and assessed I could still move my legs, something strange drew my attention. It was a derailleur pulley laying behind my Vado! "You sorry c*nt" -- I thought to myself -- "so you even could not replace the jockey wheel properly yesterday?! Now, I am in big trouble!". As I eventually got up, I started laughing! It was not the damaged derailleur! It was the old worn pulley that fell out from the pannier pocket on the impact!

Don't worry. My left thigh got bruised, swell a little, no other contusion whatsoever! After I straightened the handlebars, I could continue my trip although it was not very pleasant anymore.
ALWAYS WEAR THE HELMET!

On meeting Jacek, the first thing he showed to me was the new wheel he built himself for his Trance E+! He is building the spare wheelset now; the only thing that needs to be done by a professional is tensioning the spokes and truing the wheels, as it is the only bicycle related activity my brother feels he is not competent at. By the way, he told me the quality of the stock Giant wheels was greatly surpassing his own production! @RandallS, @DaveMatthews: FYI!

The original kickstand of my Vado has lived through a lot, and its thread-holes got worn. Jacek used threaded inserts secured with Loctite Red, and even painted the kickstand anew! He also bought proper screws and reinstalled the kickstand. What a talented and painstaking person he is!

After a relatively slow return to my place, I collected the Amazon/UPS shipment from a neighbour: A new Mirrycle! A fun fact: The set comes with two hex wrenches: a Metric and an Imperial one! Why the Mirrycle Company of Boulder, CO does this is a mystery for me I need to praise the quality and workmanship of the Mirrycle. I have gone through (I think) 6 Mirrycles on different e-bikes. The new mirror seems to be manufactured even better than the earlier incarnations!

After having installed the Mirrycle, I rode to the location I store my Roadrunner, also to adjust the mirror.

58 kilometres today. Of course, I was returning via paved roads only! Now, the only thing remaining to bring my Vado to the perfect shape is to replace the rear wheel!

Ouch, it hurts. Not the first and the last crash I have ever had. Not the worst, either!

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

Glad you're OK. That pesky water — can't live with it, can't live without it.

 

[JGcycle]

A Crash, Kickstand, And A Mirror

The evil Amazon had almost ruined my day! A shipment originating in Spokane WA should have reached me on Thursday. As UPS was too efficient I got a notification the parcel would reach my place on Wednesday, that is today! I left a notice in my door and happily left the flat to ride northwards with my Vado 6.0 (it was yet another cold day, luckily almost windless!)

The shortest and the most picturesque route to my brother's place leads through the Kampinos Forest East. I felt too happy, rode the fire roads pretty fast in 55% assistance (it is a lot), and eventually got what I deserved for. There was a tree branch crossing my path. The only place to avoid the obstacle was to ride through a small muddy puddle... There, the rear wheel lost the traction.

View attachment 151114
The crash happened at the full speed.

As always, I was firmly holding onto the e-bike during the crash (which is the the best survival technique). On the touchdown, I clearly felt my helmet banging something hard (it was a tree-root). As I was regaining my senses, and assessed I could still move my legs, something strange drew my attention. It was a derailleur pulley laying behind my Vado! "You sorry c*nt" -- I thought to myself -- "so you even could not replace the jockey wheel properly yesterday?! Now, I am in big trouble!". As I eventually got up, I started laughing! It was not the damaged derailleur! It was the old worn pulley that fell out from the pannier pocket on the impact!

Don't worry. My left thigh got bruised, swell a little, no other contusion whatsoever! After I straightened the handlebars, I could continue my trip although it was not very pleasant anymore.
ALWAYS WEAR THE HELMET!

View attachment 151115
On meeting Jacek, the first thing he showed to me was the new wheel he built himself for his Trance E+! He is building the spare wheelset now; the only thing that needs to be done by a professional is tensioning the spokes and truing the wheels, as it is the only bicycle related activity my brother feels he is not competent to do. By the way, he told me the quality of the stock Giant wheels was greatly surpassing his own production! @RandallS, @DaveMatthews: FYI!

View attachment 151116
The original kickstand of my Vado has lived through a lot, and its thread-holes got worn. Jacek used threaded inserts secured with Loctite Red, and even painted the kickstand anew! He also bought proper screws and reinstalled the kickstand. What a talented and painstaking person he is!

After a relatively slow return to my place, I collected the Amazon/UPS shipment from a neighbour: A new Mirrycle! A fun fact: The set comes with two hex wrenches: a Metric and an Imperial one! Why the Mirrycle Company of Boulder, CO does this is a mystery for me I need to praise the quality and workmanship of the Mirrycle. I have gone through (I think) 6 Mirrycles on different e-bikes. The new mirror seems to be manufactured even better than the earlier incarnations!

View attachment 151117
After having installed the Mirrycle, I rode to the location I store my Roadrunner, also to adjust the mirror.

View attachment 151118
58 kilometres today. Of course, I was returning via paved roads only! Now, the only thing remaining to bring my Vado to the perfect shape is to replace the rear wheel!

Ouch, it hurts. Not the first and the last crash I have ever had. Not the worst, either!

Sorry about your crash--glad you're OK.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

That pesky water — can't live with it, can't live without it.

I am totally aware Specialized Electrak tyres -- as excellent as they are -- are not made for off-road. (I was advised by my gravel buddies to greatly reduce the assistance for off-road rides to avoid the rear wheel slippage!)

 

[Chargeride]

A Crash, Kickstand, And A Mirror

The evil Amazon had almost ruined my day! A shipment originating in Spokane WA should have reached me on Thursday. As UPS was too efficient I got a notification the parcel would reach my place on Wednesday, that is today! I left a notice in my door and happily left the flat to ride northwards with my Vado 6.0 (it was yet another cold day, luckily almost windless!)

The shortest and the most picturesque route to my brother's place leads through the Kampinos Forest East. I felt too happy, rode the fire roads pretty fast in 55% assistance (it is a lot), and eventually got what I deserved for. There was a tree branch crossing my path. The only place to avoid the obstacle was to ride through a small muddy puddle... There, the rear wheel lost the traction.

View attachment 151114
The crash happened at the full speed.

As always, I was firmly holding onto the e-bike during the crash (which is the the best survival technique). On the touchdown, I clearly felt my helmet banging something hard (it was a tree-root). As I was regaining my senses, and assessed I could still move my legs, something strange drew my attention. It was a derailleur pulley laying behind my Vado! "You sorry c*nt" -- I thought to myself -- "so you even could not replace the jockey wheel properly yesterday?! Now, I am in big trouble!". As I eventually got up, I started laughing! It was not the damaged derailleur! It was the old worn pulley that fell out from the pannier pocket on the impact!

Don't worry. My left thigh got bruised, swell a little, no other contusion whatsoever! After I straightened the handlebars, I could continue my trip although it was not very pleasant anymore.
ALWAYS WEAR THE HELMET!

View attachment 151115
On meeting Jacek, the first thing he showed to me was the new wheel he built himself for his Trance E+! He is building the spare wheelset now; the only thing that needs to be done by a professional is tensioning the spokes and truing the wheels, as it is the only bicycle related activity my brother feels he is not competent to do. By the way, he told me the quality of the stock Giant wheels was greatly surpassing his own production! @RandallS, @DaveMatthews: FYI!

View attachment 151116
The original kickstand of my Vado has lived through a lot, and its thread-holes got worn. Jacek used threaded inserts secured with Loctite Red, and even painted the kickstand anew! He also bought proper screws and reinstalled the kickstand. What a talented and painstaking person he is!

After a relatively slow return to my place, I collected the Amazon/UPS shipment from a neighbour: A new Mirrycle! A fun fact: The set comes with two hex wrenches: a Metric and an Imperial one! Why the Mirrycle Company of Boulder, CO does this is a mystery for me I need to praise the quality and workmanship of the Mirrycle. I have gone through (I think) 6 Mirrycles on different e-bikes. The new mirror seems to be manufactured even better than the earlier incarnations!

View attachment 151117
After having installed the Mirrycle, I rode to the location I store my Roadrunner, also to adjust the mirror.

View attachment 151118
58 kilometres today. Of course, I was returning via paved roads only! Now, the only thing remaining to bring my Vado to the perfect shape is to replace the rear wheel!

Ouch, it hurts. Not the first and the last crash I have ever had. Not the worst, either!

Small..
Youve posted bigger bowls of soup.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Small..
Youve posted bigger bowls of soup.

Only the last Autumn I learned what "banter" meant CR, you are so British!
A close Polish friend has commented on the same picture: "It must be a fake. The experienced rider Steffi could not experience any crashes!" : We Poles learn how to banter!

 

[dodgeman]

I did about 7 miles yesterday. We have had a lot of bad weather. On good days I’ve been using them for outside work. Yesterday it was 85, today 45. We had bad thunderstorms yesterday and tornados in the area. I’m hoping we eventually get some good days.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

Small..
Youve posted bigger bowls of soup.

And he wisely stays stays out of them on those tires.