Ketchup Part 1: Bikes
May. 24th, 2009 10:08 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
f4f3I've, somewhat foolishly, decided to cycle to the cottage from Glasgow two weeks from now. This will take me two days (I'm foolish, not mad). Day one is a forty mile ride to Ardrossan, a ferry trip to Arran, and 17 miles from Brodick to Lochranza. Day two is a ferry trip to Kintyre, a seven mile ride to Tarbert (possibly with a side trip to Skipness for the seafood shack) then either 30 miles to the cottage via the pictcherskew Kilberry road, or 11 miles to the cottage via the busy but very scenic A83.
I'd orignally planned doing this on my bomb-proof but hefty Specialized mountain bike, with some road tyres and panniers. I've been drooling over Specialized's Tricross Sport for a year now, but couldn't justify the cost for a new one. Last week, though, a used Tricross came up on Gumtree for just over half the new price. I had a look at it, decided it was a bargain, and paid for it in cash on the spot.
It looks something like this:
I took it out for a shakedown on Thursday, five miles along the canal to a nice pub, and then the same back. This was enough to confirm three things: 1. It's a lot faster than my Rockhopper 2. The brakes and gears needed serviced and 3. I ride much faster after a bottle or so of wine.
I put it in with a local repair shop on Saturday, and I'm planning on taking it out for a longer run up by Loch Lomondside next weekend.
I'd orignally planned doing this on my bomb-proof but hefty Specialized mountain bike, with some road tyres and panniers. I've been drooling over Specialized's Tricross Sport for a year now, but couldn't justify the cost for a new one. Last week, though, a used Tricross came up on Gumtree for just over half the new price. I had a look at it, decided it was a bargain, and paid for it in cash on the spot.
It looks something like this:
I took it out for a shakedown on Thursday, five miles along the canal to a nice pub, and then the same back. This was enough to confirm three things: 1. It's a lot faster than my Rockhopper 2. The brakes and gears needed serviced and 3. I ride much faster after a bottle or so of wine.
I put it in with a local repair shop on Saturday, and I'm planning on taking it out for a longer run up by Loch Lomondside next weekend.
