North Coast 500

A place to discuss any upcoming meets, club rallies and general get togethers.

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Will You be attending

Yes
2
15%
Maybe
6
46%
No
5
38%
 
Total votes: 13

RichardW
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Re: North Coast 500

Post by RichardW »

This has passed me by.... Not enough holidays for a week, but I may be up for the first couple of days. If you can all stand me turning up in a doom blue 307. Unless Mandrake wants to lend me his V6 :twisted:

I'd also be up for an assault on Ventoux - be an excuse to get my fat arse thinner(*)! If you're hard enough there are 3 routes to the top, and you can do all 3 in one day :shock:

* and buy a new bike. My 30 year old Claud Butler touring bike, much as I like it, would earn some derision no doubt! Looks very similar to this.... obviously haven't ridden it enough as it is still sporting the original bio-pace chain set!

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Re: North Coast 500

Post by CitroJim »

That's one very gorgeous bike Richard :) That may be vintage enough for L'Eroica :)

http://eroica.cc/
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Re: North Coast 500

Post by RichardW »

Interesting, that's a new one on me! I'd need to dig out a set of toe-strap pedals, as mine has SPDs on it....no doubt that would result in falling off, as not ridden toe straps for 15+ years :roll:

Mine is not exactly in the condition in the advert above anymore though! Does get some admiring glances and comments when out and about.
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Re: North Coast 500

Post by CitroJim »

I couldn't ride a bike without SPDs now Richard... Never ridden with toe-clips I have to confess...

I can understand the admiring glances... That's a truly classic bike!
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Re: North Coast 500

Post by RichardW »

He he toe straps are great fun....

Once you have set off, with the pedal upside down, you have to flip the pedal over then slide your foot in the cage, then reach down and tighten the strap - and you have to do this before you need to go round a corner, otherwise you have to be careful the cage catches on the ground and can thrown you off. Once you're riding, it's OK, except that if you've got the straps down hard they get a bit tight! Then when you stop you've got to plan ahead - first loosen the strap off, then remember to take your foot out backwards, before stepping down. The backwards bit catches you out at first, and inevitably ends up in a few spills before you work it out! Riding in traffic (eg I rode round Manchester for 4 years with toe straps at Uni) you get used to holding onto railings, posts, cars, buses etc at stops so you don't have to take your feet out! SPD by comparison was a real revelation.
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Re: North Coast 500

Post by CitroJim »

Sounds horrendous Richard :twisted:

We just don't how how lucky we are these days with clipless pedals... I use the Shimano SPD-SL type. There's a bit of a technique to them but basically just stamp down on them and click and you're done...

Although one-sided they are so weighted as to present the correct face upward when rotating..

I always leave my right foot permanently clicked in and only release myself from the left side when coming to a stop... That way if you do fail to click back in when starting to move off you can effective still pedal one-footed!

The secret is to not look at your pedals when clicking in, just aim your foot at the pedal....

Touch-wood I've never yet fallen off from not successfully un-clipping when coming to a stop... Touch-wood...

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Re: North Coast 500

Post by mickeymoon »

Pedal p**n!

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Re: North Coast 500

Post by CitroJim »

mickeymoon wrote:Pedal p**n!
:rofl2:

Ahh but those are the ones on my daily rider, just common old 105s. My best bike has Ultegra pedals :wink: 8-)
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Re: North Coast 500

Post by red_dwarfers »

A few friends wanted to go to Scotland aswell but weren't keen on the idea of camping so we've decided to book a cottage a few miles west of Gorstan in the first week of September (Sat to Sat let). We're aiming to travel around on day trips which will hopefully coincide with the FCF camping trip.
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Re: North Coast 500

Post by CitroJim »

Excellent Kev!
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Re: North Coast 500

Post by elma »

I've only ever had trouble with cheap clip in pedals on mtbs. They work fine until clogged with mud then you can't unclip. Time ATAC solved it for me, been using the same pair since 2001. I don't have a bike to put them on at the moment though.
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Re: North Coast 500

Post by daviemck2006 »

Ok folks, back to the NC 500. Shaun and his chums did it at the weekend and said it was amazing. I havent had a chance to quiz him yet about it. We are not going to be doing it at the speed that they drive at though. Heres a proposed itinerary which is not set in stone and the mileages are just approximate. It also doesnt follow the official NC route as the start point is in Fort William, and coming south on the A9 to Inverness im suggesting going the old A9 to Bonar Bridge then over the Struie, solely for the views, including the "Millionaires View".

Sunday 3rd September meet in Fort William

Monday 4th Trip up Annoch Mor then drive to Applecross. Approx 100 miles

Tuesday 5th drive to Ullapool. Approx 100 miles

Wednesday 6th drive to Durness. Approx 90 miles

Thursday 7th trip to Cape Wrath then drive to Thurso. Approx 80 miles.

Fiday 8th explore John O Groats and Duncansbay head and drive to Helmsdale Approx 75 miles

Saturday 9th Helmsdale to Inverness. Approx 70 miles.

If wanted if folk have a long drive home, and from inverness it is easy, straight down the A9 which itself is a really nice run through the Grampian Mountains, we could skip the stop at Helmsdale and go right to Inverness on Friday.

I am intending driving around it before then to check out distances and places to stay. Im quite keen on camping, but if folk wanted bed and breakfast then thats up to them. There is a couple of bits that caravans are not advised, one being the pass of the cattle which i have never been on so cant say, the other being the unclassified coastal road from Lochinver north, which I have been round and i wouldnt like to take a caravan round, and i have towed a caravan many times. I suppose if it was a tiny caravan behind a 3ltr c6 it might make it but still unadvised.

I would hope this itinerary would allow folk a couple of hours each day, particularly on the days of nothing else planned to do their own thing and explore on their own, walking or cycling, whatever they want to do.

Lets have your feedback on this, if theres anything needs changing thats no problem, but we really need to make the start date and end date fixed sooner rather than later so folk can get the time off organised. I say feel free to take wifes husbands or partners, and id doesnt have to even be in a French car! I was going to say a Citroen but I dont own a citroen (long time between now and September for that to change lol) and this is the FCF not the CCC. Opinions on this now required.

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Re: North Coast 500

Post by CitroJim »

Perfect :) I now have firm dates for my calendar...

Looking seriously forward to this....
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Re: North Coast 500

Post by elma »

What month is that?

I'm 50/50 about coming, cost of fuel looks ok for the distance and will actually be a bit less with all the motorway miles to get up there.
It's more weather I can get out of work at the time or not.

I'll only be up for camping, Kelv will be coming along with me and I hate hotels anyway having virtually lived in them when working away.
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Re: RE: Re: North Coast 500

Post by daviemck2006 »

elma wrote:What month is that?

I'm 50/50 about coming, cost of fuel looks ok for the distance and will actually be a bit less with all the motorway miles to get up there.
It's more weather I can get out of work at the time or not.

I'll only be up for camping, Kelv will be coming along with me and I hate hotels anyway having virtually lived in them when working away.
September. Im thinking camping really. You can wild camp anywhere in Scotland, which cuts down the expense. I would be quite happy doing that, maybe not every night as i would be in need of a shower lol. But then i find baby wipes very effective, they even remove oil and grease after working on the car. God knows what they must do to a new borns arse lol

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