2026 - Our Rides in Words, Photos, Maps and Videos

[Stefan Mikes]

I ended up with 53% of the battery remaining... so I could have sqeaked by without it. But, I was not sure with the double 2000ft + climbs!

Ooh, oh. Certainly you would not do it without the RE! The added benefit was both batteries could produce a higher current together towards the diminishing batteries' charge! (As the battery/batteries charge gets in the low region, the motor becomes derated, which makes difficult climbs problematic).

love having my dropper to lower my CG in the twisties.

I'd love to have a dropper on at least one of my e-bikes but now the comfort of the suspension seat-post prevails! (May install one on my Vado SL for some races this year if I decide to ride them!)

 

[DaveMatthews]

Have you even thought to use an insult? Then your ego was hurt more with my general critics of Giant E+ bikes than I thought. (Ever got an idea that you could let something pass?)

Yes, I am ready to give Specialized a solid critics now. The well know facts are:

• Carbon belt drive Brose/Specialized motors have had an enormous rate of failure. For that reason, Specialized had extended the warranty on those older motors to four years. Many motors were replaced on the warranty, often for several times. Specialized made Brose improve the design.
• Early Vado frames were apt to crack. Specialized has handled that by the lifetime frame warranty.
• The BLOKS electronics was an utter failure. Specialized has replaced that system with TCD for most users on the warranty or even post the warranty free of charge
• Some SL 1.1 motors could fail, too, although the failure rate was not as high as with the Brose motors
• Some Specialized/Brose motors are susceptible to water ingress, as @Chargeride could demonstrate recently (SL motors are IP 67)
• Ye Goode Olde Specialized is known for proprietary solutions they do not keep for the future, leaving the users alone
• Specialized is a ridiculously expensive company
• Except for the Levo, the brand has lost its direction to innovate as the brand is now run by accountants not cyclists. Vado SL 2 or Vado 3 are good examples.

Still:

• Specialized has the best e-bike electronics in the market, all e-bikes being handled by a single app
• The Specialized warranty is one of the best in the world.

Could I criticise Specialized? Yes, I could. Now, do we have many Giant users here? Well, it is Rab and you Dave as far as I can remember. Ah, the Trance E+ of my brother has now some 30,000 km on the odometer despite some water ingress issues I had mentioned. I only rode it for 10% of its current mileage.

I can see that I will never get through to you mate.
That's OK, I tried and that is all I can do.
Carry on...

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I can see that I will never get through to you mate.
That's OK, I tried and that is all I can do.
Carry on...

Ride more.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

@Brix and I greet you from Warsaw City Centre!

Centrum at night...

Good morning Warsaw!

We live in a rented apartment on the 4th floor with our balcony facing the Palace of Culture and Science (PKiN) only the light direction is wrong to take a photo now

 

[RabH]

Lets get this awesome thread back on track and stop the bickering, there's enough crap going on in the world without us cyclists falling out with each other...

After the summer like weather of last Tuesday we were back to reality with the temp 10C cooler, at least it was a nice day though! The wind was a direct southerly and very blustery at times, nudging 30mph and bitterly cold! Back to 4 layers and I got it right thankfully, I also got my route right with a ride over the Campsie Hills to the north! That tailwind for the first 26 miles was very welcome indeed! I took the amazing back roads down to Cumbernauld, part way down I had this view of the Campsies and I was a little worried about the dark clouds hanging around!

From Cumbernauld I made my way down to Croy and stopped at the canal for a couple of photos!

Then I took the back road to Twechar and spotted these old tractors, shame the BMW spoiled the photo...

Things were looking better over the Campsies as I made my way to Kirkintilloch!

What a great road it is too!

From Kirkintilloch I headed north for Milton of Campsie and NW to Lennoxtown in the foothills of the Campsies, then I headed up the tough 3.5 mile climb! I was really looking forward to the descent back down into the valley and it didn't disappoint with that cracking tailwind pushing me all the way down!

The start of the descent!

I grabbed some photos on the way down!

This part was just incredible and the mountains in the backdrop made it more special!

Almost at the bottom now and ready for the 2 mile climb up through the Carron Valley!

Part way up the climb looking across at the big descent I just enjoyed minutes earlier!

This smooth tarmac is just so much fun, soon that would change though...

The sun was coming and going and the difference in temp was unreal, just as I took this photo it disappeared!

Back across the valley it was still shining!

I then reached the Carron Valley Reservoir, the road is pretty rough for a couple of miles here but the views make up for it!

Back on the smooth stuff!

Then I had a lovely 3 mile descent to enjoy, down into Denny and I turned south for Bonnybridge! It was time to battle the 30mph headwind for the next 20 miles, with a lot of uphill to boot! I did get a bit of respite as I turned east towards Falkirk for a couple of miles!

I had a nice view of the Ochils on my way to Falkirk!

From Falkirk I decided to head down the descent through Lionthorn and take on the big climb from Glenn Village up to Shieldhill! Earlier in the week I shot down it at 46 mph, it was a very different story going up...

I then took the back road to Slamannan which starts with a cracking descent before ramping up for a mile or so and another big descent down into the village, then another big climb into Limerigg and up the back road to Longriggend! From there I headed south to Caldercruix with just 4 miles to go, I arrived home knackered but very content after a fantastic day of cycling! I was hoping to cycle to Knockhill Racing Circuit for the first round of the Scottish Championship motorcycle racing on Sunday but its showing gusts around 44mph so that will be a no go...I might take the car though but I'm in 2 minds!

 

[DaveMatthews]

View attachment 208491

Lets get this awesome thread back on track and stop the bickering, there's enough crap going on in the world without us cyclists falling out with each other...

After the summer like weather of last Tuesday we were back to reality with the temp 10C cooler, at least it was a nice day though! The wind was a direct southerly and very blustery at times, nudging 30mph and bitterly cold! Back to 4 layers and I got it right thankfully, I also got my route right with a ride over the Campsie Hills to the north! That tailwind for the first 26 miles was very welcome indeed! I took the amazing back roads down to Cumbernauld, part way down I had this view of the Campsies and I was a little worried about the dark clouds hanging around!

View attachment 208492
From Cumbernauld I made my way down to Croy and stopped at the canal for a couple of photos!

View attachment 208494
View attachment 208495
Then I took the back road to Twechar and spotted these old tractors, shame the BMW spoiled the photo...

View attachment 208496
Things were looking better over the Campsies as I made my way to Kirkintilloch!

View attachment 208497
What a great road it is too!

View attachment 208498
From Kirkintilloch I headed north for Milton of Campsie and NW to Lennoxtown in the foothills of the Campsies, then I headed up the tough 3.5 mile climb! I was really looking forward to the descent back down into the valley and it didn't disappoint with that cracking tailwind pushing me all the way down!

The start of the descent!

View attachment 208499
I grabbed some photos on the way down!

View attachment 208500
View attachment 208501
View attachment 208502
This part was just incredible and the mountains in the backdrop made it more special!

View attachment 208503
Almost at the bottom now and ready for the 2 mile climb up through the Carron Valley!

View attachment 208504
Part way up the climb looking across at the big descent I just enjoyed minutes earlier!

View attachment 208505
This smooth tarmac is just so much fun, soon that would change though...


View attachment 208506
The sun was coming and going and the difference in temp was unreal, just as I took this photo it disappeared!

View attachment 208507
Back across the valley it was still shining!

View attachment 208508
I then reached the Carron Valley Reservoir, the road is pretty rough for a couple of miles here but the views make up for it!

View attachment 208509
View attachment 208510
View attachment 208511
View attachment 208513
Back on the smooth stuff!

View attachment 208512
View attachment 208514
View attachment 208515
Then I had a lovely 3 mile descent to enjoy, down into Denny and I turned south for Bonnybridge! It was time to battle the 30mph headwind for the next 20 miles, with a lot of uphill to boot! I did get a bit of respite as I turned east towards Falkirk for a couple of miles!

I had a nice view of the Ochils on my way to Falkirk!

View attachment 208516
View attachment 208517
From Falkirk I decided to head down the descent through Lionthorn and take on the big climb from Glenn Village up to Shieldhill! Earlier in the week I shot down it at 46 mph, it was a very different story going up...

View attachment 208518
View attachment 208519
I then took the back road to Slamannan which starts with a cracking descent before ramping up for a mile or so and another big descent down into the village, then another big climb into Limerigg and up the back road to Longriggend! From there I headed south to Caldercruix with just 4 miles to go, I arrived home knackered but very content after a fantastic day of cycling! I was hoping to cycle to Knockhill Racing Circuit for the first round of the Scottish Championship motorcycle racing on Sunday but its showing gusts around 44mph so that will be a no go...I might take the car though but I'm in 2 minds!

View attachment 208520
View attachment 208521

Hear Hear!

 

[Watana Bob]

Rab, thanks for the walk back on memory lane.
Look like old Ford 8n or 9n tractors. My dad had a 9n when I was a kid, he dreamed of being a farmer (but was a carpenter), we homesteaded under the old federal homestead act, 160 acres, beginning when I was 3 years old in 1959. He had many tractors through the years, but I fondly remember the oldFord 9n.

 

[McApple]

Awesome pictures as always Rab, but it does leave me with a burning question....are there (m)any cars cars where you live?

 

[Rás Cnoic]

Rab, thanks for the walk back on memory lane.
Look like old Ford 8n or 9n tractors. My dad had a 9n when I was a kid, he dreamed of being a farmer (but was a carpenter), we homesteaded under the old federal homestead act, 160 acres, beginning when I was 3 years old in 1959. He had many tractors through the years, but I fondly remember the oldFord 9n.

Hate to disagree with you but I think those might be two little grey Fergies. Would make sense in Scotland. Didn't get many Fords over here, Ford didn't export them instead we had Fordsons, made in England. I learnt to drive on a David Brown 880 in the early 80s, which might account for my driving style... And I remember the bright blue Fordson Major looked huge beside it. A real beast. Neither of those two have roll bars so guessing they are a restoration/hobby project. But then again doubt not many of that eras tractors are still in agricultural use! Roll bars became a legal requirement for tractors without cabs in the 70s or 80s in Ireland at least, not sure about UK.