My Mountain Bike

My Mountain Bike

I bought my Mountain Bike in September 2008. It’s a basic bike that cost £300 from Halfords. So it’s nothing special then. I bought it for one objective only: get fit.

Mountain Bike

I’m writing this about 18 months on and my level of fitness has much improved. I have now cycled something like 500 odd miles. I average 10 mph and can cycle up most hills non-stop.  This has given me lots of confidence and experience. Living on top of a hill, means that whatever way I go, I always have a climb back home. That’s good for the fitness then! So far, my longest non-stop trip is 30 miles and that was a largely flatish route.

So 2009 was all about getting fit and gaining experience. Needless to say you start accumulating gadgets. I have bought a Cateye odometer so I know my speed and distance covered. I know also have a Garmin GPS for my next adventures! This is how I have arranged them on the handlebar:

Also, as I have mainly cycled on tarmac, I changed the tyres to semi-slicks. Makes life a little easier and has reduced the road noise quite a bit as well. And I also changed the inner tubes to the “self repairing” type. No more walking miles home for me with a flat tyre!

The knobbly tyre on the left looks bigger as it is not fitted onto a wheel.

So, what else needs to be changed? Well, as my fitness and leg strength has increased, I am using fewer gears. As mine has a triple chain ring, there is a lot of gear ratio duplication. So, as chains and rings wear out, I will replace with higher gearing – but will leave the lower gearing alone as that is just fine.

The target for now on is to go out on more off road venues. Several canal towpaths are on the agenda. And also trips to the New Forest and Exmoor and Dartmoor. This is why I bought the Garmin GPS. You can set it to a new “home” (i.e. the car), cycle around then set it to take you “home”. Theoretically, I will not get lost. But as I like a challenge……

And then what? Well, I would love to cycle around Britain. But I don’t just want to blast the Lands End to John O’Groats route. Apparently, it takes about 22 days of solid cycling. Not for me. I would rather take my time and actually see the country. So if it’s to be a 2 month (ish) trip that takes a spot of planning. And company would be nice. Oh, and a support vehicle. So I’m now showing my age and desire for creature comforts!

So, if you are interested, why not get in touch?! I don’t bite, honest. Ok I will bite if you ask 😉

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