Today's ROAD ride
- Thread starter Mike Muz
- Start date
jackosbournesnr
Senior Retro Guru
Not quite today, but a certain Majesty of Bling of this parish happened to be vacationing about 50 miles South of Glasgow and very kindly suggested we meet up for a tour round some of the Ayrshire Alps (Google them).
Lovely scenery and some excellent and almost traffic free roads in what is marketed as Britain's first road cycling park.
We took in five or six of the categorised climbs in what was a cracking day out.
Even though I'm the "local" Clive had devised the route and had even done a recce. Chapeau le Roi Bling!
Lovely scenery and some excellent and almost traffic free roads in what is marketed as Britain's first road cycling park.
We took in five or six of the categorised climbs in what was a cracking day out.
Even though I'm the "local" Clive had devised the route and had even done a recce. Chapeau le Roi Bling!
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jackosbournesnr
Senior Retro Guru
Yeah.. those shonky gumwalls! 
EDIT: Make sure you let us know when.
EDIT: Make sure you let us know when.
Re:
Shakedown ride for my newly built Cougar.
No ride photos I'm afraid as my camera, which was working perfectly on Saturday, decided it was exhausted... I know how it feels, this hot weather has been tough on us all.
So, a local 40k loop to try everything out.
Before I'd got to the bottom of my road I discovered the thing I had forgotten to do...there is always at least one thing. This thing however was a bit important... I had the front brake pads misaligned. :facepalm: Not wanting the blow the side wall on a brand new tyre I refrained from using the front brake for a couple of miles until I could stop and sort things out.... yes yes I could have ridden the half mile home again but spirit of adventure and all that.
First little climb from Sand Bay up to the toll road showed that I had the ratio's about right, it also showed that the rear mech shifting, both up and down the cassette was clean but not as quick / slick as modern mechs. The front mech on the other hand is outstanding, both up and down.
I need to tip the nose of the saddle up a tiny bit, I have a nasty habit of sliding forward onto the nose of the saddle, very aero but blummin uncomfortable. This is the first time I have used a Rolls saddle, I like it, it suits my sit bones.
So, down the toll road, puffin a bit as I have not been out for a week and a half (I hate the heat), but cracking along. Running 8 speed I can feel the missing intermediate ratios compared to 10 or 11 speed, but you just end up with a slightly slower cadence. Down Weston sea front where I enjoyed my second punishment pass of the morning on a two lane wide, empty road, and its not even 8.00am yet..... pratt. Along to the golf club and then swing right towards the hospital, then right at the mini roundabout and start the first proper climb of the day. It's not massive, but touches on 10 to 11%, is always hot or windy or cold or whatever the complete opposite of what you want is. Tick tock tick tock, up to the top and not bad, 156 BPM, slower cadence than I really like (me and Froomey, both spinners not grinders), up to the junction with Roman Rd and down Celtic Way, wheeeeeee. The frame handles like a dream, flicking from left to right on the tight steep turns, sure footed but not in the least bit twitchy and the brakes worked fine at the bottom, a tiny bit vague but they are bedding onto the rims, so I'll give them that, plus the pads look about 15 years old. :mrgreen:
Right, out into the countryside and onto miles and miles of 'dressed' road. Dressed is a term that Councils like to use to make it sound like they are doing something special, in reality they take a shitty, lumpy, bumpy, rutted, potholed road and spread a load of gravel on it. It looks smart for a month or two, but is still as bumpy as you like. The Cougar just ate it up. It took everything North Somerset Highways Department could throw at it with ease, even the several tonnes of compacted rock hard cow shit bonded to the 'dressing' just outside Winscombe did nothing to upset its equilibrium. No wonder Mike Muz was hesitant to part with the F&F.
Winscome over the hill to Sandford, down the drovers rd to Puxton just bangin it out, lovely, lovely, lovely. Hop over the A370 towards Wisk St Lawrence and now we are back on those flinkin dressed roads, and these one are real b'stards, even my delightful Rourke can get a bit wearing on these roads and the Lloyd C90 is no fun at all, especially if I have been working hard and am feeling a bit weary. Not a bit of it, the Cougar just flew over the lot. Yes of course you can feel you are on bumpy roads, but it is not as jarring as other frames I have. Turning from the 370 onto the Wick road, the bike just carved around the 90 degree turn holding a tighter line than I usually do (other than on a Lloyd), I actually got a squeal from the shiny new Michelin's.... cool!
Last leg, back into Weston and up, up, up up. There are certain disadvantages with living part way up a steep hill. Anyway, managed to avoid death (again) when an impatient woman in a Transporter (what is it with Transporter drivers? Are they all frustrated F1 drivers?) forced her way past on the first little kick up, past the school and shortly after at the bottom of my road the woman in the Transporter, right into my road and the sharp kick up, stomped it out and found myself a couple of cogs further down the cassette than usual and then home. 42.75k, 338m of climbing, 25 kph ave and 57 kph max speed.
Mike you can have it back when I have finished playing, but that might be a while as I think this just became my favourite retro ride.
Shakedown ride for my newly built Cougar.
No ride photos I'm afraid as my camera, which was working perfectly on Saturday, decided it was exhausted... I know how it feels, this hot weather has been tough on us all.
So, a local 40k loop to try everything out.
Before I'd got to the bottom of my road I discovered the thing I had forgotten to do...there is always at least one thing. This thing however was a bit important... I had the front brake pads misaligned. :facepalm: Not wanting the blow the side wall on a brand new tyre I refrained from using the front brake for a couple of miles until I could stop and sort things out.... yes yes I could have ridden the half mile home again but spirit of adventure and all that.
First little climb from Sand Bay up to the toll road showed that I had the ratio's about right, it also showed that the rear mech shifting, both up and down the cassette was clean but not as quick / slick as modern mechs. The front mech on the other hand is outstanding, both up and down.
I need to tip the nose of the saddle up a tiny bit, I have a nasty habit of sliding forward onto the nose of the saddle, very aero but blummin uncomfortable. This is the first time I have used a Rolls saddle, I like it, it suits my sit bones.
So, down the toll road, puffin a bit as I have not been out for a week and a half (I hate the heat), but cracking along. Running 8 speed I can feel the missing intermediate ratios compared to 10 or 11 speed, but you just end up with a slightly slower cadence. Down Weston sea front where I enjoyed my second punishment pass of the morning on a two lane wide, empty road, and its not even 8.00am yet..... pratt. Along to the golf club and then swing right towards the hospital, then right at the mini roundabout and start the first proper climb of the day. It's not massive, but touches on 10 to 11%, is always hot or windy or cold or whatever the complete opposite of what you want is. Tick tock tick tock, up to the top and not bad, 156 BPM, slower cadence than I really like (me and Froomey, both spinners not grinders), up to the junction with Roman Rd and down Celtic Way, wheeeeeee. The frame handles like a dream, flicking from left to right on the tight steep turns, sure footed but not in the least bit twitchy and the brakes worked fine at the bottom, a tiny bit vague but they are bedding onto the rims, so I'll give them that, plus the pads look about 15 years old. :mrgreen:
Right, out into the countryside and onto miles and miles of 'dressed' road. Dressed is a term that Councils like to use to make it sound like they are doing something special, in reality they take a shitty, lumpy, bumpy, rutted, potholed road and spread a load of gravel on it. It looks smart for a month or two, but is still as bumpy as you like. The Cougar just ate it up. It took everything North Somerset Highways Department could throw at it with ease, even the several tonnes of compacted rock hard cow shit bonded to the 'dressing' just outside Winscombe did nothing to upset its equilibrium. No wonder Mike Muz was hesitant to part with the F&F.
Winscome over the hill to Sandford, down the drovers rd to Puxton just bangin it out, lovely, lovely, lovely. Hop over the A370 towards Wisk St Lawrence and now we are back on those flinkin dressed roads, and these one are real b'stards, even my delightful Rourke can get a bit wearing on these roads and the Lloyd C90 is no fun at all, especially if I have been working hard and am feeling a bit weary. Not a bit of it, the Cougar just flew over the lot. Yes of course you can feel you are on bumpy roads, but it is not as jarring as other frames I have. Turning from the 370 onto the Wick road, the bike just carved around the 90 degree turn holding a tighter line than I usually do (other than on a Lloyd), I actually got a squeal from the shiny new Michelin's.... cool!
Last leg, back into Weston and up, up, up up. There are certain disadvantages with living part way up a steep hill. Anyway, managed to avoid death (again) when an impatient woman in a Transporter (what is it with Transporter drivers? Are they all frustrated F1 drivers?) forced her way past on the first little kick up, past the school and shortly after at the bottom of my road the woman in the Transporter, right into my road and the sharp kick up, stomped it out and found myself a couple of cogs further down the cassette than usual and then home. 42.75k, 338m of climbing, 25 kph ave and 57 kph max speed.
Mike you can have it back when I have finished playing, but that might be a while as I think this just became my favourite retro ride.
jackosbournesnr
Senior Retro Guru
Nice!
Would look good alongside my other 4 Cougars... got 2 to finish - one thats been sitting for a year and one that has come via another forum member
Would look good alongside my other 4 Cougars... got 2 to finish - one thats been sitting for a year and one that has come via another forum member
Re:
I have another in the loft, also bought from Mike... when he would not sell me this one. :mrgreen:
I must get a shot of my 90's roadies, a Rourke (another one), two Lloyd's and now this one, with the other Cougar and a Lemond awaiting the time, money and space.
I have no idea what the tubeset is, but it rides like an absolute dream.
I have another in the loft, also bought from Mike... when he would not sell me this one. :mrgreen:
I must get a shot of my 90's roadies, a Rourke (another one), two Lloyd's and now this one, with the other Cougar and a Lemond awaiting the time, money and space.
I have no idea what the tubeset is, but it rides like an absolute dream.
jackosbournesnr
Senior Retro Guru
That one will probably be Deda Zero
jackosbournesnr
Senior Retro Guru
Is it not identical to the Casino paintjob frame?
Btw... if you want rid of that one, Ill rehome it
Btw... if you want rid of that one, Ill rehome it
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