Our Rides in Words, Photos & Videos

[DiggyGun]

South Downs Holiday - Day 1 - Peacehaven

Had a few days exploring the South Downs in Sussex.

We were lucky with the weather all week. Not too windy and a reasonable amount of sun all week.

Had the usual picnic stops with some nice pretty viewpoints.

For some reason, the rides were not connected on the Bosch Connect app

DG…

 

[DiggyGun]

South Downs Holiday - Day 2 - Seaford

Didn't manage to get to the planned ride today as there was a massive accident near Lewes which created huge traffic jams, so went opposite way and cycled along the cliff and sea fronts.

A lot of the infrastructure is from the Napoleonic time, when Britain built a huge number of fortifications, expecting an invasion from France.

The route for today.

DG…

 

[DiggyGun]

South Downs Holiday -Day 3 - Eastbourne

Again, we went along the cycle paths along the cliffs and seafront.

The route for today.

DG…

 

[DiggyGun]

South Downs Holiday - Day 4 - Lewes

This was the route that we had planned for the second day.

Again, some very nice views over the South Downs.

However, some of the tracks on the South Downs Way were un-rideable due to the steepness and deep ruts, so some of them, we had to walk down.

The route for the day.

DG…

 

[DiggyGun]

South Downs Holiday - Day 4 - The Cuckoo Trail

Slightly different different route today. This time was an old railway line, which opened in 1880, but closed in the 1960s as part of the Beeching cuts.

Nice to see some of the old railway bits and pieces in place.

This is also part of the National Cycle Network and these are some of the Mikepost markers test were commissioned as part of the Millennium celebrations.

This was the route.

DG…

 

[DiggyGun]

South Downs Holiday

Both Mrs DG and myself had a nice time in the South Downs.

The cycling varies from downs and steep slopes to cliff tops and sea fronts.

The South Downs National Park covers a large area from Winchester in the west to Eastbourne in the East.

DG…

 

[RabH]

@DiggyGun I'm glad you are back on the bike again, looks like you had an awesome week at the South Downs!

 

[Readytoride]

@RabH - Good news on my Vado's blown motor. Stopped in at the bike shop today and met the owner (a super nice guy) who was manning the front desk. When I asked about the status of my bike he graciously pulled up the digital file and we looked it over together. Apparently the Specialized representative had said the bike was out of warranty for too long (5 months) so they couldn't repair it under warranty. However, they would send a replacement motor ($600) and give me a $600 "credit" for the damaged motor if the damaged motor was returned to them. I suppose this was their way to warranty the motor without saying so. My sole cost would be the $60 charge for labor to swap out the motors.

The new motor had been shipped out by Specialized on the 20th, but hadn't yet arrived at the shop. The owner (who was heading out of town for 2 weeks starting tomorrow) promised he'd contact me today if the motor arrived. It did, just before the close of the business day. He called, and said the shop would start work on swapping the motor tomorrow.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Jacek The Mechanic (Sep 2022), Or A Night Rainy Ride

It was sunny & warm when I was sitting at work. When I was just ready to ride for meeting my brother Jacek at his place, it started pouring. Waited for half an hour until the rain turned into a drizzle and set off for the ride on my Vado 5.0 (a.k.a. Highway Star). After some 8 km, it started raining cats and dogs... Until I reached the safety of a bus shelter, I was seriously soaked!

Notice my new saddle: Specialized Phenom Expert. (Another story!)

Unprepared for strong raining, I got my sneakers, bibs and hair totally wet, and the torso was slightly protected by a thin windbreaker. As I could continue to ride again, I madly pedalled to a nice & warm petrol station where I could produce a dry warm cycling jersey, a balaclava, and a pair of warm waterproof gloves from my backpack; I had a big cup of warm coffee, too. As it stopped raining, I reached the homestead of my brother and his wife without further adventures (but in soaked shoes and socks). The bibs dried up rather quickly.

The reason I wanted to see my brother were worn smallest cassette cogs. It is a waste of money and steel to replace the entire cassette. If you can find the proper replacement cogs, own proper tools and have skill, it is far better to just replace the worn cogs. Jacek did that for the 11 and 13T cogs and he also mentioned I needed a new 15T cog and the cassette lock-ring to make the cassette "as new"...

The 11 and 13T cogs were not sufficient to totally restore the cassette! (Specialized Bridge Sport saddle of my Vado SL seen here).

With everything working perfectly (except the worn 15T cog -- the most useful one!), I zoomed my Vado at night on wet pavement with pure joy of riding! Using the assistance of only 40/40% of the full motor power, I pedalled hard, getting my e-bike at pretty high speed (40 km/h or 25 mph max). My Euro "speed e-bike" is equipped with the automotive grade Supernova M99 Pro headlight with the top cut-off (and directed perfectly); the quality of lighting was as good as in a decent motorcycle!

Then I entered the raining zone again, haha! It was fun to watch the rainwater sprayed by the front fender in the powerful lighting of Supernova! I didn't mind raining at all! "Difficulties are fun!": That gravel cycling motto has become my own! (Did I mention 7 C temperature?)

A word about the saddle. I have ridden e-bikes for 3 years totally convinced I needed a thick padded "comfortable" seat. How wrong I was! "Comfortable" seats are OK if you wear regular shorts or trousers. However, riding a thick padded wide saddle in chamois is a grave mistake! It is because both layers of padding actually squeeze your vital parts, which leads to numerous issues, briefly summarized as PITA I could eventually understand I needed a narrow, long, and pretty hard saddle, hence Specialized Phenom Expert, a dream! (If you are riding in a forward "sporty" position).

The only thing I overlooked on my outbound trip was... Replacing a thick comfort saddle with the extremely flat "sport" seat required raising the seat-post dramatically!

 

[Readytoride]

@Stefan Mikes

So awesome to have a talented brother, who owns all the right tools, AND lives fairly close by, to fix your bikes.

 

[RabH]

@RabH - Good news on my Vado's blown motor. Stopped in at the bike shop today and met the owner (a super nice guy) who was manning the front desk. When I asked about the status of my bike he graciously pulled up the digital file and we looked it over together. Apparently the Specialized representative had said the bike was out of warranty for too long (5 months) so they couldn't repair it under warranty. However, they would send a replacement motor ($600) and give me a $600 "credit" for the damaged motor if the damaged motor was returned to them. I suppose this was their way to warranty the motor without saying so. My sole cost would be the $60 charge for labor to swap out the motors.

The new motor had been shipped out by Specialized on the 20th, but hadn't yet arrived at the shop. The owner (who was heading out of town for 2 weeks starting tomorrow) promised he'd contact me today if the motor arrived. It did, just before the close of the business day. He called, and said the shop would start work on swapping the motor tomorrow.

That's awesome news, I'm glad you are getting it fixed and only paying to get it fitted!

 

[Stefan Mikes]

@Stefan Mikes

So awesome to have a talented brother, who owns all the right tools, AND lives fairly close by, to fix your bikes.

I all honesty, the nearest qualified LBS is just 5 km (3 mi) away. However, they would have never repaired my e-bike on the spot. And they do not care. If they cared as much as Jacek, I would be gladly paying them! For instance, a shop like that would not even try replacing the sprockets: they would have ordered the new cassette, made me wait for two weeks and then charged an exorbitant price... Also, Jacek is a perceptive person, and a perfectionist. He can always spot any other issues with my e-bikes.

-- "Does your tail-light operate? The STOP indicator? The one I repaired some time ago?"

 

[Chargeride]

Graveloza x Babska Korba (Gravel Ride)

Two weeks ago, I explored the route of the joint ride of the male and female gravel cycling clubs with my Vado; that was on the eve of the actual event that was later postponed because of raining! This time, I had a big doubt: Will Fearless or my Vado SL be able to help me handle a group ride with strong and younger cyclists?! Will the batteries last? I had to try.

Armed with as many as 4 SL Range Extender batteries, I pedalled unassisted to the nearest commuter train stop. In Warsaw, I had to pedal for 14 km more with as symbolic assistance as to save my electric energy capital as much as possible!

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The starting line at 10 a.m. at Bar META (The Finish Line). Not exactly as big as the Tour @Readytoride described, it was a pretty big event as for the local conditions! (Only gravel races are far bigger here than the Saturday event was). I saw many familiar faces there, and started making new friends en route.

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A short stop to consolidate all riders before a singletrack section of the ride. As there are not that many gravel roads in Mazovia as can be found in the U.S., we ride mostly forest fire-roads and singletracks here. There was a "strongmen" fast group riding at 30-35 km/h (19-23 mph), and a slower group capable to ride up to 25 km/h (15.5 mph) on gravel, and up to 30 km/h (19 mph) on the pavement. I was of course riding in the slower group, and I needed as much as 80/80% SL assistance to match them!

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Camaraderie on the trail. We were actually riding the singletrack where a runners' cross-country race was about to happen, and we had to negotiate many tapes like the one seen here.

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The dreaded ford of River Tarczynka. The hardcore riders could spot the right riding line through the shallowest part of the ford. All other had to negotiate a pile of loose concrete slabs, and carrying bikes through the obstacle was necessary. I got momentarily exhausted at that point as I cannot walk with heavy loading on uneven surfaces! Yet, my group waited for me! Kudos to them!

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The ride mid-point: The "At The Girls" Café in Rozalin. I could count as many as 45 gravel bikes there!

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I visited The Girls on last Sunday and warned A Girl of the upcoming group ride. The Girls baked more cakes but they expected maybe 20 not 45 people! The waiting time was approximately an hour! Brewing good coffee and preparing waffles was slowing down the thing tremendously!

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My mate Maciek waited for an hour in the queue so both him and I could get some food and cake! Dark Mocha and White Chocolate Cheesecake. Those did me good and made me stronger!

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Satiated and in high spirits!

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The only proof I was there! Me with a part of our "Chasing Group Two". The girl in blue was a rookie, and she recorded her Personal Best on that very ride!

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Not many Poles can afford the tubeless rims & setup. Tyre punctures and other mechanical defects were plaguing the group ride. The "strongmen" always stayed with the wretched person and helped restoring their bike to the riding order. As I caught up with the main group (helping another man fix a mechanical problem), I said to the group: "I apologize for what I need to do. As I am the weakest link of the group, let me ride forward in front of you. You might catch up with me, or I will be waiting for you at the Simon's Hills!" Then I decreased the assistance and pedalled solo as a madman for the next 20 kilometres to gain on the time.

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As I reached Simon's Hills, I immediately swapped a Range Extender for a fresh one, and was waiting with the camera for the group. They emerged from yet another singletrack...

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Ola, a representative of Babska Korba (Female Crank) club. She is one of the "strongwomen" in the Mazovian gravel cycling (PB 410.5 km or 255 mi).

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At the Finish Line Bar again. (White helmet): Paweł, the group ride leader.

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Chillout at the Bar Meta. Bottom: The man at the left is Robert (who I met while riding in Warsaw in the morning and liked him). The rookie Wiktoria in the centre.

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Post-ride (non-alcoholic!) beer. Even if I do not usually drink mass-produced lagers, it was proper to celebrate the great ride with friends!

It became cold and dark. I was pedalling back to the Warsaw train station, and then had to ride home. Freezing!

View attachment 136344
147.47 km (91.65 mi) for the day, of which 111.4 km (69.2 mi) on the gravel group ride.

How Did My Vado SL Fare?
I spent a lot of money to make my Fearless group gravel ride ready:

• Added the full Redshift ShockStop suspension system: stem, seat-post, computer mount, utility mount
• Added SQlab Innerbarends to be able to ride "in the hoods" like drop-bar riders do
• Swapped the stock tyres for Specialized Parhtfinder Pro 2Bliss 38-622, and ride them at 2.5 bar (36 psi) off-road/gravel
• Replaced the front mudguard with an Ass Saver, a temporary "blade" fender. (The stock mudguard was unsuitable for riding forest paths)
• Use the Specialized Bridge Sport stock saddle combined with padded shorts or bibs now. The narrow, long and hard saddle feels perfect now!
• Bought as many as four SL Range Extenders
• Use a Wahoo ELEMNT Bolt v2 bike GPS computer for navigation and ride recording (participants are given a GPX route prior to the ride).

The e-bike handled perfectly and was very stable on the ride, quite comfortable. My observation was:
The e-bike motor gets never tired as long as you can feed it with electricity. Traditional riders do get tired in the course of the ride. It gives me a real edge! (Slowest at the beginning, among the leaders at the finish line).

Battery consumption after 147.47 km ride

• Main SL battery: depleted
• SL Range Extender #1: depleted
• SL Range Extender #2: 10% left (unusable)
• SL Range Extender #3: 16% left (hardly usable)
• SL Range Extender #4: 67% left (usable)

Assistance Levels
Pre-ride:

• SL OFF (4 km)
• SL ECO 20/50% (14 km)

Main ride and the return:

• SL ECO: 70/70% (used for 20 km or more)
• SL SPORT: 80/80% (main mode used)
• SL TURBO: 100/100% (only used on steeper climbs).

Seriously Stefan, yours and many others posts on here could feature in an ecycling magazine.
Those are such good days in our lives, I need to stop being such a loner.

 

[Chargeride]

Taking my dad back and forth to hospital in Plymouth , its nothing serious, just the ravages of time on joints and memory.

This stupidly cute village is about 6 miles away from the city, its called Newton Ferrers and exists in different forms on all sides of the forked estuary.
Its full of posh London types who have bought up the fishermans cottages and turned them into super, beach trendy thatched houses or green glass and chrome million pound apartments.
When the tide is in and its lit up with fairy lights outside the pubs, it is another world.


The tourist car park is tidal and puts a whole new slant on getting back to the car on time.

A couple of posh locals were impressed with my mud riding skills.

You can do a pub crawl at low tide using these walkways, but its a 1 mile round trip once the tide comes in.

There are loads of lovely trails to the coast in the woods along side the estuary.

This doubles as an extended beer garden and hilarity ensues when a drunk group decides to cross to the pubs on the other side and stragglers get their feet wet.
Living in a place like this reminds you of the constant movement of the sea, the tide is either going in or out twice a day and the huge visual difference it makes, watching all the boats start to float and the different parts of the village getting cut off from each other

The main walkway was submerged and the tide was running at good speed incoming over it.
Of course I went for it, but it was a lot deeper than it looked, very slippy and rather deep either side.

Did I make it?

 

[Prairie Dog]

Taking my dad back and forth to hospital in Plymouth , its nothing serious, just the ravages of time on joints and memory.

This stupidly cute village is about 6 miles away from the city, its called Newton Ferrers and exists in different forms on all sides of the forked estuary.
Its full of posh London types who have bought up the fishermans cottages and turned them into super, beach trendy thatched houses or green glass and chrome million pound apartments.
When the tide is in and its lit up with fairy lights outside the pubs, it is another world.


The tourist car park is tidal and puts a whole new slant on getting back to the car on time.
View attachment 136575


A couple of posh locals were impressed with my mud riding skills.
View attachment 136576


You can do a pub crawl at low tide using these walkways, but its a 1 mile round trip once the tide comes in.
View attachment 136577


There are loads of lovely trails to the coast in the woods along side the estuary.
View attachment 136578


This doubles as an extended beer garden and hilarity ensues when a drunk group decides to cross to the pubs on the other side and stragglers get their feet wet.
Living in a place like this reminds you of the constant movement of the sea, the tide is either going in or out twice a day and the huge visual difference it makes, watching all the boats start to float and the different parts of the village getting cut off from each other
View attachment 136579


The main walkway was submerged and the tide was running at good speed incoming over it.
Of course I went for it, but it was a lot deeper than it looked, very slippy and rather deep either side.

Did I make it?

View attachment 136582

Note to self re Newton Ferrers gearlist: Snorkel

 

[Chargeride]

South Downs Holiday - Day 4 - Lewes

This was the route that we had planned for the second day.

Again, some very nice views over the South Downs.
View attachment 136479View attachment 136480

However, some of the tracks on the South Downs Way were un-rideable due to the steepness and deep ruts, so some of them, we had to walk down.
View attachment 136481
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The route for the day.
View attachment 136483
DG…

Thats a superb track and Ive never been to that part of the country.
Next on the list

 

[dodgeman]

My back has been bothering me some so I took a few days off but I’m back in the saddle today with a barn pic. So many of these barns seem to have a story. This one sits near a no longer used house. It has a basketball hoop on it and the nose of a John Deere tractor sticking out.

 

[Prairie Dog]

I hit the local trails today with a buddy and it was nice to see some fall colors peeking out from atop the bluff along the MacKenzie Bench Trail. A large sign near the start of the singletrack was recently erected blocking the entire path. The sign was put in place by the local municipality (Waskasoo Park System) whose land borders on that of the private land owner’s. It’s clear they no longer want hikers/cyclists walking/biking along the trail any longer but I don’t believe it will prevent people from continuing to use it as it is such a wonderful place. This trail has been enjoyed by all for years and is even posted on Trailforks. A bench placed at the top of the bluff was built in dedication to someone who obviously loved the trail and had a compassion for nature.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

A Friend In Need 2

I got a call from my friend who is in a Warsaw hospital: he needed more help. I was glad to be able to help, and I started preparing for a ride on my big Vado (as it is fast and can ride with traffic). Now... Remember these "Forum sages" advocating to store e-bike batteries at 80% of charge for longevity? I'm checking the first, second, and third Vado battery... None of them charged to 100%! Had I just a single fully charged battery, I could go on a ride on my Vado! I had to change my plan and take my Vado SL, and use it as a regular bike. No other option left!

Gorgeous weather outside. Just at the moment I was leaving the block of flats, it started raining... I uttered an angry growl and went back to my flat for my full rainproof suit, waterproof gloves, a winter helmet with goggles (no balaclava required at those temps) and could start riding. Instantly, the raining stopped and it became very warm... I think I do not need to say anything more The extra clothes went into my backpack. Only I could not do anything about my (too warm!) helmet.

As the temperature dropped after I had left my friend (and it became dark), I put warmer clothes on me and was happily riding back home, just to stop once at Burger King for some meal. Upon leaving BK, I realized it was... pouring outside! I was prepared as good as any Boy Scout, so I had everything at ready! Even if the temperature dropped down to 4 C (39 F), I came back home dry and warm!

58.8 km in 3 hours net. Not particularly fast! The raining at night, and the necessity of using MUPs made my return very slow. You wouldn't believe how many "Batmen" you could meet in such a situation. (A Batman is a rider of an unlit bike who wears dark clothes). Or, barely visible pedestrians in dark clothes to be met in dark parts of MUPs... The Vado SL headlight is not particularly strong under such conditions!

 

[dodgeman]

I did 19 miles yesterday. Harvest is going strong in my area of Western Illinois now. The barn of the day pic is a place where the Amish live. The barn probably predates them moving in, the white building on the right is an Amish General Store where they can shop.