Transcontinental Race

[stripy7]

Your Dynamo choice will dictate spoke count. Not sure you will get less than 32.

[Gruffy]

It's available as low as 28, I believe. Over 4,000km every little advantage multiplies up to make real savings. Marginal gains and all that.

[Gruffy]

http://www.bike24.com/1.php?content=8;product=4016...
Available in 28/32/36 hole configurations. And a variety of colours, which is important.

[CoolC]

Is that just a USB socket for the output?

Seems awfully exposed to the elements.



ETA: Actually, thinking about it, it would need a socket so that the wheel can be removed.

My OCD would encourage you to find a way to route the cable up to the stem internally though.

Edited by CoolC on Monday 9th November 06:47

[stripy7]

Yes removerable spade connection,its covered in heat shrink but yes most vulnerable to weather.

[stripy7]

Gruffy said:

http://www.bike24.com/1.php?content=8;product=4016...
Available in 28/32/36 hole configurations. And a variety of colours, which is important.

Be careful if you are using disc brakes, as you can't use that version.

[JustinF]

stripy7 said:

Gruffy said:

http://www.bike24.com/1.php?content=8;product=4016...
Available in 28/32/36 hole configurations. And a variety of colours, which is important.

Be careful if you are using disc brakes, as you can't use that version.

'Compatible with brake discs with IS2000 6-hole mount.'

[richardxjr]

Gruffy said:

It's available as low as 28, I believe. Over 4,000km every little advantage multiplies up to make real savings. Marginal gains and all that.

I'd go 32. A few grams for a lot more strength imo. You'll be giving 'em a right bloody pounding D. Being tubeless you don't want a rim dink, or worse, which will take longer to sort than any marginal weight gain.

Edited by richardxjr on Monday 9th November 10:09

[stripy7]

JustinF said:

'Compatible with brake discs with IS2000 6-hole mount.'

Ah my bad, they have neatened up disc connection from when I bought my non disc variant.

[Gruffy]

richardxjr said:

I'd go 32. A few grams for a lot more strength imo. You'll be giving 'em a right bloody pounding D. Being tubeless you don't want a rim dink, or worse, which will take longer to sort than any marginal weight gain.

The whole race is an exercise in risk management. I'll take advice from whoever ends up building the wheels but, given I'll also be riding on aero bar extensions, with more weight over the front, I'm instinctively leaning towards 32. I'm expecting some rotten road surfaces through Eastern Europe. Friday's ride also reminded me that durability is one of those things that you don't notice until it becomes a problem. Confidence in your kit definitely has an impact on pace and stress levels.

[SixPotBelly]

JustinF said:

'Compatible with brake discs with IS2000 6-hole mount.'

There's also a CenterLock version, which if you're running Shimano hydros might be the one to go for. Shimano recommend their road systems be used with their Freeza rotors, for best heat dispersion, and they're only available in CL mount.

Edited by SixPotBelly on Monday 9th November 17:00

[Gruffy]

So, a quick update: the entries are confirmed (or denied) over the next week or so. As I mentioned above, I'm racing to Turkey one way or another, so it's not a big concern either way. If I get the nod I'll be quite happy to be part of the official race and all the coverage that comes with it. If not I'll be excited to take a Sharpie to a casquette and become rider #301 with rogue status.

I spent lots of time chatting to David of DCR Wheels and he's now building up a set that we think will be the best combination of speed, weight and durability for the race. More on that in the blog shortly.

I've added a few more entries to the blog at The Adventure Capitalist and I have a dozen more drafted. The frequency will jump to 1-2 week in the New Year. The response has been more popular than I expected and that's given me motivation to maintain it.

James Hayden mentioned on Twitter a couple of days ago that he's training full time now, with the help of some corporate sponsors, and given his performance in TCR No3 I think it'd take a lot for anybody to beat him under the circumstances. No word yet on whether Josh is competing again but my gut feel is he'll move onto a different challenge. I'm too untested and inexperienced to have any real idea of where I could finish so it seems pointless to make wild guesses at this stage. Maybe by early summer I'll have a bit more insight.

Training and diet get a shake-up in the New Year with some proper structure. I'm testing the Kinesis GF Ti frame in early January and if that rides as expected I'm likely to build a bike around that.

[cjm]

Have you seen Mike Hall and Ed Pickup's kit from the Trans Am the other year?

http://roadcyclinguk.com/gear/trans-am-bikes-mike-...

I'm also sure a recent GCN vid had Simon Richardson running 28mm tyres on an Aeroad.

[Gruffy]

I watched Inspired To Ride and Mike's little guide to bikepacking a couple of weeks back. Good to watch but confirmation of things I'd already picked up rather than any particular insights.

You can run 28s on the Aeroad if you have the right rims. The Mavics mine came with are much too narrow, but I'm tempted to change those in the spring anyway. I'm very keen on disc brakes and the extra comfort of a Ti frame for ultra-distance riding. It'll be quite nice to have a bike set up purely for outright speed with no compromises and one for proper distances in all-weathers.

[cjm]

Inspired To Ride was pretty interesting, the Italians didn't seem too happy that they couldn't keep up or drop Juliana Buhring.

[richardxjr]

You've probably read this too but I really like Emily Chappell's writings that deal mostly with the mental side of it all.

She lasted 8 days last year http://thatemilychappell.com/2015/09/transcontinen...

Also, on bikepacking the Wildcat Tiger is a better seatpack than the Alpkit Koala apparently. More secure more quickly. The Alpkit tapered drylock bag fits either (I have one, it'll easily fit a bivvy bag loads of clothing & spares in)

Edited by richardxjr on Tuesday 22 December 10:43

[Gruffy]

I've not yet decided on what kit I'm taking, so I'm not yet sure what my luggage needs are. I'd like to try and avoid a bar bag because I think that's a big aero hit. I think the 'stem cell' type bags will be worth the hit, allowing me to cut down on the number of food stops. Seat pack for sleep kit and clothes. Top tube bag as a grab bag for electronics, passport and food-stop sanitary items. I guess that means I probably will need a small frame bag for tool, pump, spares, warmers, gilet.

We'll see. I'm still interested to see if I can ditch the sleeping gear altogether.

[cjm]

The Apidura bags look pretty good but I haven't used any of them yet.

I've signed up for this so I'll need to sort out some bags and kit for sleeping in. Still not sure what way to go for power and nav.

http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/16-708/

[Gruffy]

That route looks awesome. Are you touring or racing?

[cjm]

It's not really a race but its 1205km in 90hrs so I'll need to be going a bit. If I can manage it then LEL shouldn't be too difficult!