New Life

This year has been a time of big changes. First of all I changed my job after 9 years. It's amazing how a change like that can give you a totally different perspective on life. Secondly, and most important of all I became a father for the first time. My wife had two beautiful baby daughters we have called Annelise and Emilia on September 25th. I have no real way to describe how it feels. Everything is so new but oh so amazing. Life is peachy!!!

What a difference a few months make..

Earlier on this year I was all set to take part this year's charity cycle from Prague to Berlin. I've never been to Prague nor Berlin although I have been to Germany (or West Germany as it was known in those days). Last year's cycle was one of the best things I have ever done. It was a personal challenge and also a chance to visit some places I had never been to before. However, over the past few months things have changed.

Last year, during the trip, I knew that there was a chance I might not make this year's trip. My wife and I were talking about starting a family and earlier on this year it was confirmed that she was pregnant. Unfortunately, she had to take some time off from work as she wasn't feeling well but luckily now she is fine again. Anyway, it was because of this type of thing I decided that I couldn't go on this year's cycle. It's a real shame but some things are just more important.

The guys are still forging ahead and have been doing a lot of training in preparation. I know that because of the credit crunch not everyone has a lot of spare money lying around. However, if you do have a little bit of spare cash then please pledge some money to a very worthy cause. All expenses including flights, food, accommodation, etc. are met by the guys themselves. All of the money raised goes directly to CHAS.

http://www.justgiving.com/praguetoberlin/

A Cycling Dilemma

Now that we have decided, at least for now at any rate, where we are going to be cycling this year, the business of training rears it's ugly head again. Last time I sat on my bike was back in Oslo in August. Why so long? Well, couple of reasons I guess. Firstly, it's so easy to slip back into old ways. I think most of us didn't want to see our bikes again for a while after completing the last trip but a day becomes a week; a week becomes a month; a month becomes a few months, etc. This is why us deciding where we are going is important. We have a goal to achieve again and around 6 months to train for it.

Secondly, when I unpacked my bike in Gothenburg I noticed that my forks were leaking oil from the seals. By the time I reached Oslo any time I hit a bump they were bottoming out and you could feel metal hitting metal. Not good! Anyway, I took my forks, Manitou SX, in to Alpine Bikes to see about having them serviced. They took a look at them, hummed and hawed, and then said that they thought that they were too old and getting parts would be a problem. In any case, servicing them was gonna cost around about £100... yikes!!! They phoned me back up earlier on in the week to confirm that the forks were too old and that they couldn't get new seals. New forks it is then.

Just before Christmas I had been looking at buying some new forks. When I bought my bike, the forks I had were apparently considered to be fairly high-end for the time. I got my bike in 2000 and the forks, according to the year stamp, were manufactured in 1999. Funny how now I can go out and buy a pair forks for £150 and they offer so much more than my ones ever did. For starters, my forks have no real adjustable features. There is one adjustable thing on one of the stanchions but never really figured out what it did. Perhaps stiffened them up a bit. Anyway, now on a fairly low end set of forks you can now change the amount of travel, be able to lock the forks out and adjust the rebound.

Anyway, one day while looking around a shop my wife surprised me and said, "Why don't you just get your current forks serviced. At least then you could use your bike and then later on you could buy a new bike." I thought my ears deceived me. Did she really say about buying a new bike?

So, therein lies my dilemma. I love my bike but for long cycles the geometry is such that I end up with a lot of pains in my wrists, elbows and shoulders. So, do I spend a small fortune buying some decent forks and then have to convert from v-brakes to disks? Or, do I just buy a cheap but decent pair and then save up for a new bike?

In the end I think value for money is what it all boils down to. Higher end forks these days tend not to come with the bosses for v-brakes which means that you have to upgrade to disks. For me that would cost probably around £500 which to be honest just isn't worth it. I could get a new bike for that so in the end I think that's probably what I will end up doing.

Hot Off The Press - This Year's Cycle

Currently we are sitting in Mauro's flat planning this year's cycle. We've gorged ourselves on pizza and had a wee sherbert or two. Anyway, this year it looks like it is going to be from Prague to Berlin. The draw of having our picture taken in front of the Brandenburg Gate was too strong. Never been to either city nor have I ever been to the Czech Republic so it will be a new experience.

No details yet on the route. Direct it is about 200 odd miles but with some detours I think it will end up being about 250 miles in total.

Watch this space...