Jem
Viscount
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Posts: 3,375
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Post by Jem on Sept 24, 2017 19:12:40 GMT
Got out on the lime green Viscount 600EX today and had a great ride. I was going at such a pace that I didn't want to slow down to do a posed picture of the bike, but here is one I took earlier (in 2016). This bike is like a race horse that just bolts off and won't stop. It's very quick! Untitled by Sooper 8, on Flickr
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Post by sprockit on Sept 24, 2017 22:36:43 GMT
My Sprint feels the same. I rode it into Manchester last week, did a sightseeing tour around the city centre, then rode it back home - 22 miles each way, plus 2 hours stopping and starting around Manchester and Salford, and arrived home relatively fresh.
The bike is a real mile-muncher!
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robt
Viscount
Posts: 558
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Post by robt on Sept 25, 2017 21:39:06 GMT
Yesterday I completed the 'controversial' first Velo Birmingham ride, the Brummie version of Ride London or the Velo Wales. 100 miles and about 5,850 feet of ascent was a good day out, and I was thankful that the weather looked kindly on us all. At risk of being shunned by this forum, but with the memory of suffering on my Sebring at T'Eroica Britannia in June, I rode the bike that I acquired in the end-of-season sales last year (thank, you, Cycle to Work scheme!), a Genesis Volare 40: GenesisVolare40 by RMT@261, on Flickr In keeping with the Viscount tradition, it does have: a non-lugged lightweight British/Taiwanese steel frame (Reynolds 853, TIG welded); a press-fit bottom bracket with unhelpful dimensions (BB86); cartridge wheel bearings (Fulcrum Racing 5CX); fork construction of uncertain reliability (Carbon Fibre); a mixed-up groupset (mostly Campagnolo Athena with an FSA chainset) and I have fitted a Brooks Cambium C15 saddle. I have to say, it is very nice to ride and it allowed me to grind my way up the Staffordshire and Worcestershire hills in some comfort. Mrs RobT did uphold the Viscount corner yesterday though, completing the 20-mile Tommy Godwin challenge for Marie Curie on the Aerospace Sport that I built up and pictured a few weeks ago, but with riser handlebars now fitted. Pictures to follow.
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Post by velocipete on Sept 26, 2017 6:06:26 GMT
Nice bike Rob. Would look even better with shiney bits instead of the black. Well done to you both. Cheers, Pete.
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robt
Viscount
Posts: 558
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Post by robt on Sept 26, 2017 8:53:02 GMT
Nice bike Rob. Would look even better with shiney bits instead of the black. Well done to you both. Cheers, Pete. Thanks, Pete! I am keeping a lookout for an Athena chainset to replace the (perfectly serviceable) FSA one, but I could buy three more complete Viscounts for the price of one Athena chainset. Question is, do I need either? (Hint: MrsRobT says no, I don't!) There was talk of an Autumn DFR5.x somewhere up near Busaste's home town. Does anyone still fancy that? If so, we need to ask Busaste for a date when he can make it.
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Jem
Viscount
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Posts: 3,375
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Post by Jem on Sept 26, 2017 14:31:00 GMT
Great effort there Rob, that sounds like a quite a ride. In what way is it 'controversial' ? I haven't read anything or seen anything about it. Is it the closing of roads that is the issue? Have you seen that Brooks have a new 'weatherproof' Cambium range of saddles. Not sure exactly what that means, but they are out of my price range anyway.
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robt
Viscount
Posts: 558
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Post by robt on Sept 26, 2017 18:08:07 GMT
Yes, Jem, there was a lot of fuss in the local news about the disruption to traffic from the road closures. The start of the ride was delayed by about 40 minutes due to a protest, and I saw many of the stewards having a hard time from motorists who were held at the closures. Details of the closures and diversions are on the website. Some closures were quite long duration on busy roads, but I get the feeling that the locals didn't appreciate the organisers' attitude to their problems. I spoke with someone who was organising the ride my wife took part in, who echoed news and blog reports that there was a lot of arrogance around the arrangements for the Velo Birmingham. There were reports of tacks, nails and even razor blades being found on the road. I saw a large number of riders stopped to fix punctures throughout the route, and one of the motorcycle escorts also had a puncture. Wouldn't it be ironic if those who left the nails had picked one up in their car tyre the next day? I suppose that will be the fault of the 'privileged' cyclists as well. I understand that the organisers have a five year franchise to run the event, but I fear that their unanticipated additional costs might be reflected in next year's ticket prices. I rode with a friend who I'd been coaching since January and, after the delayed start, our pace wasn't quite enough to keep ahead of the schedule for the end of the road closures, so some motorists were being escorted through alongside the cyclists. My friend isn't very comfortable cycling in traffic, so he called it a day at 64 miles (still 100km) and I finished on my own. Minor frustrations aside, my experience of the ride was mostly good - the people who did turn out to support the ride seemed to be very enthusiastic and were still clapping the tail-end Charlies like me through, with children holding out their hands to high-five as you passed, people offering water bottle refills and plenty of pub gardens who seemed to be doing a roaring trade. Anyway, here are the bikes that Anne and I rode on Sunday. For anyone who's interested, the weights of the bikes as pictured are: Genesis 9.6kg; Viscount 11.8kg: IMG_0278 by RMT@261, on Flickr You'll see I've succumbed to the 'his & hers' Brooks Cambium saddles, and have to admit that there is a bit of 'jewellery' appeal to them. The black C15 was scuffed in an Evans' shop, so offered at a discount through the 'ex-display' corner of their website. It was quite comfortable to start with and has softened up with use, just as a leather B17 would. I don't know quite why they feel the need to issue a 'weatherproof' version with a nylon top (perhaps too many canvas tops have been scuffed in transit?) as mine seems to be surviving the bits of rain and sweat that I have treated it to without falling apart. Next on my discounted shopping search is one of the red ones that Brompton have fitted to their David Millar special X-CHPT3 model.
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Jem
Viscount
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Posts: 3,375
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Post by Jem on Sept 26, 2017 19:05:58 GMT
There were reports of tacks, nails and even razor blades being found on the road. I saw a large number of riders stopped to fix punctures throughout the route, and one of the motorcycle escorts also had a puncture. Wouldn't it be ironic if those who left the nails had picked one up in their car tyre the next day? I suppose that will be the fault of the 'privileged' cyclists as well. I understand that the organisers have a five year franchise to run the event, but I fear that their unanticipated additional costs might be reflected in next year's ticket prices. Some people really have unfathomably dark reserves of hatred don't they!? I understand the average persons frustration at having a regular journey to the shops or relatives being interrupted by a load of folks on bikes, but to do that is just way out of line. If the law of karma is in operation, then for sure they will pick up nail in their tyres next day.
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