cycle touring

blorg

It is important also to distinguish between the different Marathons, there is a huge range between something like a Marathon Racer (which I used Istanbul-Tehran) and a Marathon XR. The former is a light road slick, the latter is a three times heavier semi-knobbly.

They are really a huge range of tyres, I would not use a Marathon Plus but have used Marathon Racer, Supreme and Dureme all the way from Istanbul. I did write off a Supreme with a ripped sidewall after a truck drove me off the road in India. It was the 23rd time that day, but there was a bit of a drop and it caught on something, bad luck.

These tyres are not as puncture resistant as a Plus but they ride a hell of a lot better. I must be near 50 punctures now, (they come in bunches) but I can fix one in 10 minutes and I'm not in a rush anyway. I prefer a nice ride, having a puncture is not the end of the world.

The Conti Sport Contact is more like a fast Marathon like the above than a Marathon Plus incidentally.

Vélo

I have Marathon Plus on my bike. I didn't realise they weren't great. They came with the bike, so I'll just wait until they need replacing before I change anything. I also bought a spare Marathon Plus, so I'll just have to live with it for a while.:(

I just realised the spare tyre I bought was a Marathon Supreme tyre - Are they any good?

CramCycle

Vélo wrote: »

I have Marathon Plus on my bike. I didn't realise they weren't great. They came with the bike, so I'll just wait until they need replacing before I change anything. I also bought a spare Marathon Plus, so I'll just have to live with it for a while.:(

I just realised the spare tyre I bought was a Marathon Supreme tyre - Are they any good?

Those bad boys won't need replacing for ages, they are meant to be incredibly durable, heard of some guy over in england who was still using them when the rubber had worn through and they were still going on the blue puncture band thing after a couple of thousand miles. I still use them for my beater bike but I took them off my good bike after the roads in Cork nearly killed me the vibrations were so strong.

blorg

It's not that they aren't "good," as it depends on your priorities. If you want durability and puncture resistance above lightness and ride quality they are excellent. The Supreme is a much lighter, nicer riding tyre but it is more fragile (it is still pretty durable, you might expect 8-10,000km out of it if you don't damage the sidewall.)

feck sake lads

blorg wrote: »

It's not that they aren't "good," as it depends on your priorities. If you want durability and puncture resistance above lightness and ride quality they are excellent. The Supreme is a much lighter, nicer riding tyre but it is more fragile (it is still pretty durable, you might expect 8-10,000km out of it if you don't damage the sidewall.)

i bought a pair of supreams thinking these are the business , the first bit of rough ground i went over (light gravel) the sidewall ripped a lovely 3 inch cut bloody useless tires.
i have the marathon plus on the rear of my thorn, and a 28 year old slick on the front (got it from a friend great tire )i dont like the marathon plus on the front a bit skittish in the wet for my liking.
but thats just me

smacl

I replaced my 38mm Marathons for 32mm Marathon Supremes, primarily for the Wicklow 200. One puncture so far, but it was a pretty sizeable lump of glass. Plenty of riding over gravel with no issues to date, and they're certainly more comfy than the regular marathon. One issue I do have with the Supremes is that in the wet they throw up a fair amount of crap into my face and up my back, so I'd advise mudguards with these tires. Wasn't an issue with the regular Marathons.

CramCycle

smacl wrote: »

I replaced my 38mm Marathons for 32mm Marathon Supremes, primarily for the Wicklow 200. One puncture so far, but it was a pretty sizeable lump of glass. Plenty of riding over gravel with no issues to date, and they're certainly more comfy than the regular marathon. One issue I do have with the Supremes is that in the wet they throw up a fair amount of crap into my face and up my back, so I'd advise mudguards with these tires. Wasn't an issue with the regular Marathons.

If your out with anyone else on a long trek, always have mudguards, they aren't for your benefit, they are for everyone elses

Vélo

Planet X wrote: »

Tiny Explosions and I;

A Tiny Arse,



Setting up,


Front seat passanger,


Twoomey's, a pint and a big bowl of chips,

Easy spin, 54k from my whack. Nice sunny weather. Nice campsite in a very quiet village. A German geez came over to us thus morning complaining that we were "Up too early and making noise" Up at 6:15am or so. FFS. Close to smacking him.
Nice trip, back home 9:40am just drying up the kit.
Might do a two nighter next weekend. Athy, Redcross Campsite Wicklow and home. Weather dependent.

Which campsite did you stay in?

I'm hoping to cycle to Donard tomorrow with a friend but it all depends if he gets his new bike in time. I want to do a practice run before I go to Wales, just to see how I get on with a fully loaded bike. It'll be a 75km trip from my house, so I'd probably want to leave early enough as I haven't a clue how long it would take.

CramCycle

Heading down to Carne in Wexford in a fortnight, anywhere nice to camp along the way?

Planet X

Vélo wrote: »

Which campsite did you stay in?

I'm hoping to cycle to Donard tomorrow with a friend but it all depends if he gets his new bike in time. I want to do a practice run before I go to Wales, just to see how I get on with a fully loaded bike. It'll be a 75km trip from my house, so I'd probably want to leave early enough as I haven't a clue how long it would take.

There's only one campsite in Donard.
It's a nice short spin, for me anyway, 54k. from Stillorgan.

Hill into the village which might catch you out. You can sprint up it and then freewheel down into the village.

€10 / night. Free hot showers. 2 pubs.
Enjoy.

Planet X

CramCycle wrote: »

Heading down to Carne in Wexford in a fortnight, anywhere nice to camp along the way?

Redcross and Rathdrum. Campsite in each. 50k+ down the road (N11)

Planet X

I'd be off again this weekend except for that weather. :mad:

Coronal

serendip wrote: »

Plan A (good weather): Head up the Rhone valley, over a couple of passes and down the Rhein valley to the Bodensee (Lake Constance).

Plan B (bad weather): Cut through the Swiss "Flatlands" (say north of Bern) to Basel, staying away from the high mountains which tend to attract bad weather.

After that? The obvious thing would be the follow the Rhein north to Frankfurt. However, I've read that that stretch of the Rhein is not that interesting. An alternative (and longer) plan would be to head NE through Germany to pick up the Main-Donau canal, then follow the Main back NW to Frankfurt.

If you are following the Rhine, then stopping off in Freibourg and Strasbourg would be a nice way to go; they're both really nice cities, with a lot of pretty things to see. Other than that, you are talking about going more towards Munich, which is pretty flat and dull anyway.

In Switzerland, it's also very nice, you could stop off by Montreaux, as it should have a rather nice view of the lake, and Bern, which looked rather nice for the few minutes I had to spare at the time... How much were you planning to do per day?

CramCycle

Has anyone used Lichfield tents, they are on sale on play.com at the minute?

Tonyandthewhale

Lovely weekend exploring bog roads and trails in the rain in the slieve aughty mountains. Spain, Andorra and France in three weeks time, touring bike's going to need an upgrade soon if this keeps up.

Speaking of which, can anyone recommend any good routes around Scotland, 4 or 5 days, 150-200km a day, starting and finishing at the ferry port in troon?

del88

Just back from my first loaded tour...loved it. Started in Rush and headed to Skerries, Balbriggan, Bellewstown, Duleek, Donore(Newgrange) and camped over in Slane, Then came back through Oldbridge(Drogheda) Julianstown, Balbriggan, Skerries and then back to Rush......think i clocked up around 110km.......going from clifden to achill island the 3rd weelk in august...can't wait:D

feck sake lads

del88 wrote: »

Just back from my first loaded tour...loved it. Started in Rush and headed to Skerries, Balbriggan, Bellewstown, Duleek, Donore(Newgrange) and camped over in Slane, Then came back through Oldbridge(Drogheda) Julianstown, Balbriggan, Skerries and then back to Rush......think i clocked up around 110km.......going from clifden to achill island the 3rd weelk in august...can't wait:D

well done can i ask where did you camp in slane.;)

feck sake lads

Lads can i ask do any of you lot suffer from insomnia when camping.:mad:
myself i just can not get to sleep , i usually carry a pillow from home when i tour but this time out i thought i would try my new blow up pillow very good but crap compared to my own pillow.
but the pillow is only half the story i still need to learn to relax:o
so whats the secret to a good nights rest all tips greatly appreciated.;)

del88

feck sake lads wrote: »

well done can i ask where did you camp in slane.;)

Camped here http://www.slanefarmhostel.ie/ ....good vib....a few minor complaints....hard to get the tent pegs in ,seemed to be good soil for 3 inches and then rocks and lots of them ,don't think i got one in all the way (bent 3)....and then there was the donkey who thinks he's a cockerel ,was woken at 5:00 by his hehaaaing (braying) and then at 5:10 and then at 5:35....in fairness to the donkey he does live on his own with the chickens...was talking to the guy who runs the place and he says he's getting better (it was starting earlier).....all in all i'd reconmend it, like the donkey it has a bit of character...

feck sake lads

del88 thanks for that i passed that place a million times and never knew it had a campsite :o:o
did you go into the village of slane for a few pints before bedtime;)
i also heard lord henry mountcharles will let you pitch your tent if you ask nice enough.

Tonyandthewhale

feck sake lads wrote: »

Lads can i ask do any of you lot suffer from insomnia when camping.

Not usually, I get all my best sleep in my tent. Are you warm enough? I've been woken by the cold a few times and it's not nice. Ear plugs might help too if the sound of the wind or whatever is waking you.

blorg

feck sake lads wrote: »

Lads can i ask do any of you lot suffer from insomnia when camping.:mad:
myself i just can not get to sleep , i usually carry a pillow from home when i tour but this time out i thought i would try my new blow up pillow very good but crap compared to my own pillow.
but the pillow is only half the story i still need to learn to relax:o
so whats the secret to a good nights rest all tips greatly appreciated.;)

As Tony says it is important you are warm enough, it is impossible to sleep if you are cold. I use a stuff sack with clothes as my pillow. The longer/harder you ride in the day, the easier it will be to sleep. Apart from that I think there is an element of getting used to it; I sleep better now than when I was first starting camping, when I also found it difficult.

Planet X

Any heading off the Bank Holiday weekend coming?

CramCycle

Planet X wrote: »

Any heading off the Bank Holiday weekend coming?

Not so much camping but I'll be out for the Audax Ireland 400 "The Brown Stuff" Which will take in as many "large hills" in leinster as possible. It is called the Brown stuff because wherever you see brown on OS maps thats where you will be heading, not as I previously thought, that you sh*t yourself when you see the route :P

Heading down to Carne for a long weekend next weekend though(Thursday to Sunday)

Planet X

Think I'll do a 2/3 nighter somewhere.

feck sake lads

thanks lads guess i'll have to spend more time in the tent , all my gear is top stuff so i cant blame the gear maybe a few sleeping pills might do the trick.;)

thebouldwhacker

feck sake lads wrote: »

Lads can i ask do any of you lot suffer from insomnia when camping.:mad:

Cycle more: Sleep more

Pint before bed is nice though. Always bring a good book (as in put some time into finding a really good one) and enjoy your insomnia, one long sleepless night will pass quickly and the next night after a long tired day in the saddle you'll sleep like a baby the next night. Embrace your night time!

Planet X wrote: »

Any heading off the Bank Holiday weekend coming?

Supposed to hit west Cork but now it looks as though it will be canceled as my bike came back from the mechanic without actually being fixed (I ranted elsewhere). Probably head on a few day trips with the steel bike instead

Vélo

Planet X wrote: »

Any heading off the Bank Holiday weekend coming?

I'm off to Wales on Saturday for a week with a friend.

Canis Lupus

feck sake lads wrote: »

thanks lads guess i'll have to spend more time in the tent , all my gear is top stuff so i cant blame the gear maybe a few sleeping pills might do the trick.;)

It takes time. It took me a week or so before I got proper nights sleep, now I sleep like a baby. One thing that helped was using the sleeping bag as a blanket as I like to sprawl when asleep and a 'mummy' bag is far too restrictive unless it's really cold out.

But basically, just bear with it.

(regarding pillows I got a thermarest one, it's not too bad and it packs up small enough once you compress it)

Canis Lupus

Double post for for expeditions how often should one give their chain a proper clean and how many kms should you give before switching to a new one?

I see some people rotate chains every 1000 to 2000km and wondered if that's a reasonable course of action? (weight isn't a problem).

Is a powerlink a good investment as well for long term expeditions?