Hello to all my wonderful supporters out there, and welcome to the first update on The Rough Way Down.
What a fantastic response I have had to this fund raising challenge! Already we have passed the half way mark to the target of £2000 for Lochaber Mountain Rescue on the Just Giving page. What can I say but THANK YOU.
Now, I have already got a mountain bike. I have had it just over a year and covered more than 1000 off-road miles on it, and I love it. So why not use that one? Well I have to confess that my current bike is electric and that would definitely be cheating.
Electric bikes are brilliant things, and it has encouraged me to go out riding far more often and for far more miles than I would have on a normal bike. But apart from the cheating aspect, it would need charging up twice a day which is impossible. The thing weighs nearly 30kg and riding it with a flat battery is like wading through treacle.
So I needed to choose a proper bike. So why this one? It had to be a decent mountain bike, obviously enough. I'd already decided on a hard tail (ie. no rear suspension) because they are simple, lighter and cheaper than a full suspension model. I also like larger 29" wheel set because they roll well over bumps. Finally I was looking for a mid-range model with decent quality components and not too much weight, but without being to expensive or exotic.
If you google reviews for "best hard tail mountain bike under £750", one model keeps coming up over recent years, and that is the Voodoo Bizango (terrible name, terrible colour, great bike). Produced for Halfords in large numbers, it sells for £550-£650, a price that belies the quality of the parts. But of course, due to covid, bikes are in great demand and no one had any in stock.
So over to ebay it was. I spotted a 2017 model advertised at £350 that looked suspiciously clean and completly original. My instincts proved right and when I picked it up I realised I had bagged a bargain. It was clean as a whistle not because it had been carefully washed, but because it had been ridden so little it had never got dirty and still had the showroom shine!
A careful look over the bike revealed no mechanical problems at all, and just a few small adjustments to make. It even has tubeless-ready tyres so I will convert it to tubeless very soon. This means replacing the inner tubes with a kind of liquid goo that creates an air-tight seal between the tyre and the wheel, and automatically fixes most punctures without the rider even knowing they happened. Brilliant.
Other features I like are the 2x10 speed gears which give a good range and feature a 'clutch' mechanism that takes up chain slack and stops it bashing the frame or falling off. It has proper hydraulic disk brakes, and a decent front fork with an air-spring, 120mm travel, adjustable rebound, a lockout switch and a chunky through-axle. These are all features usually found on much more expensive models. Total weight is about 13kg.
But enough with the technical stuff! Tuesday's sunshine was a good excuse to test both the bike and myself, to see how I coped with a longish ride without any electrical assistance. I chose a route of about 18 miles with plenty of hills based on the Bledlow Ridge Circular Ride, a route that I know well and that usually takes me around two hours on the electric wonder cycle.
My first impression was just how light and nimble it felt. The frame is springy and forgiving. The brakes work well enough, though were a lot less powerful than my other bike, perhaps they will bed in. Even the saddle feels OK — along with the pedals these are often junk on new bikes because the manufactuer expects you to change both to your liking anyway.
Pedalling gently through the woods was a joy, I am very fortunately to live in such a beautiful area. The whine of the motor on the electric bike does not seem intrusive, but the quiet of this bike is really noticeable. There are no rubs or squeaks, all I can hear is the gentle buzz of the chain under the birdsong.
Of course, the first big uphill that was a bit of a shocker. It's a different mentality — instead of powering up, you change into a very low gear and take your time 'spinning' up the hill. I keep having to reminding myself to slow down. If I am going to cover 50-60 miles per day, pacing myself is going to be key.
On the downhills, which on this route are surprisingly steep and rocky, the brakes coped fine and the suspension was OK, if a bit harsh and noisy. After letting a bit of air out of the spring it felt better so I think it needs some fettling to get the best out of it.
I completed the circuit in less than three hours with no drama, including a long break at Chinnor hill (see picture) and several stops for fiddling. Nor did I feel tired or stiff the next day. All very encouraging. Now I just have to train until I can do this three times a day, six days a week, for four weeks, in all weathers, carrying about 6kg of kit with me!
Talking of kit, the next update will be all about the amazing lightweight gear you can now buy, what I can do without and my quest to keep it all down below that 6kg target.
Meanwhile, thanks again for your support. Please do share this blog with your friends and colleagues (roughwaydown.blogspot.com) and ask them to consider donating to this great cause by clicking this image:
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