A Saunter Around Snowdon

Menai Bridge and Snowdonia

Last month I took my bike on holiday to Anglesey and rode around Snowdonia. I used the North Wales cycle route - Lon Las Cymru - and the course of a local sportive to come up with a circular route from Menai Bridge, taking in Caernarfon, Blaenau Ffestiniog, Betwys-y-Coed and the Llanberis Pass. 

I waited for the best weather of the week then set off late morning over Brunel's famous suspension bridge across the Menai Strait. Once I'd worked my way alongside the road between the old and new bridges the first section of the ride became an easy, enjoyable spin along a cycle path to Caernarfon and its astonishing castle. Built by King Edward in the13th century to subdue the Welsh in their Gwynedd heartland, it's one of the best castles in Britain. I didn't have time to stop and look around it  today as the mountains were calling.

Caernarfon Castle

Beyond the castle the cycle path headed south towards Criccieth, with Snowdon a looming presence to the east. From the small town of Penygroes I followed a minor road past a small lake, directly towards the mountains. As the road began to climb out of the valley and I started to enjoy the burn, the landscape changed from domesticated farmland to a wilderness dominated by the western approach to Snowdon. It was fabulous;, just me and the bike with no traffic to distract attention from the awesome surroundings. At Rhyd-Dddu, the top of the first climb of the day, I joined the road heading south and started a swooping descent to Beddgellert, with the symmetrical peak of Moel Hebog dominating the view ahead. I couldn't believe my luck at being in such a beautiful place on such a lovely day and was obliged to make a photo stop. This section of the route was one of several  highlights of what was turning out to be a fantastic ride.

Snowdon above Beddgellert

The descent through Beddgellert seemed longer than the ascent to Rhyd-Dddu, an illusion I noticed several times over the course of the day. Maybe as I've become fitter and less intimidated by hills I don't notice the climbs so much. As the route headed towards Cardigan Bay and Criccieth Castle in the distance I realised that I was running a bit low on gas and started looking for a cake stop. The Ffestiniog mountain railway café at Tan y Bwlch station supplied a very welcome pot of tea with a couple of slices of bara brith. A couple of Welsh gentlemen gave advice about the next part of my route and a strange man told me that the cycling in Snowdonia was terrible - very hilly.  I was having a fabulous day and told him that some cyclists come to Snowdon for the hills.

Suitably refreshed, I left the café and headed onwards and upwards towards the biggest climb of the day, over the Blenau-Ffestiniog pass. It wasn't a particularly difficult climb as the road was engineered to have a fairly gentle gradient. Passing between slate quarries and countless tons of rock spoil, I decided that riding a bike up a hill for pleasure was a much easier way to spend a day than labouring in a slate quarry. Even on a sunny day the workers' cottages looked grey and bleak and I can't imagine what it must have been like to live and work there in winter.

From the top of the pass I enjoyed a long, easy freewheel down towards Betwys-y-Coed, passing the ancient ruin of Castell Dolwyddelan on the way to my next coffee stop. After suitable refreshments in Betwys I set off on the final climb of the day, a long easy drag up towards the Llanberis Pass. I was expecting a fairly easy climb as this was the old coach route through Snowdonia to Anglesey and I wasn't disappointed. The road was graded beautifully and I hardly noticed the climb at all, distracted as I was by the grandeur of the mountains around me. The spectacular peak of Moel Siabod dominated the view south for a while until Snowdon gradually came into view above Capel Curig.

Moel Siabod

This section of the ride was almost meditative; the road wound between lonely mountains with only an occasional car and a few cyclists heading back downhill to break the exquisite monotony of the climb. I was almost sorry to reach the summit of Llanberis Pass where I asked a local rider to take a souvenir photo. I didn't realise that I was almost out of gas and that the last few miles down past Llanberis and cross country to Menai Bridge would cause me to suffer more than any of the climbs I'd ridden through Snowdonia. Eventually I made it back to Anglesey and took a snap of the famous view back across Brunel's bridge to Snowdon, a fitting image to remember a fabulous bike ride

Llanberis Pass summit

A saunter around Snowdon

Hills and daffodils

Yesterday was the first day of spring, at least that was what it felt like. Birds were singing, lambs skipping about and daffodils adding a touch of gold to every scene. So it was a good day for the Cleveland Wheelers to take to the hills.

The plan was to ride south east out of Ayton, take in a couple of big climbs and several smaller ones to complete an 80km loop. With my ride to the start and finish I was looking at a tough 100km. About 20 riders set off together but we planned to let a couple of climbs sort us into two groups according to fitness and ability: I was fairly sure that I wouldn't be troubling the leading riders for long. As it turned out I was fairly comfortable as far as Danby but working hard to keep in touch on the flatter sections, so I decided to ease off and join the slower group. The day turned out to be hard enough, but very satisfying, even at the easier pace.

We enjoyed a lovely rolling ride through Esk Dale, the sun shining on daffodils all around. The steep hills of the North York Moors shelter quiet villages in beautiful little dales; there's nowhere lovelier than England in the springtime. Once we reached Egton Bridge the climbs started in earnest; a lung-busting 33% gradient at the start of Delves Lane Bank turned into a steady drag onto the moors above Rosedale. It was lovely up on the tops, even though the sun had become hidden by heavy clouds, with pipits, skylarks and the bubbling call of curlews all around. Following the steep descent into Rosedale our route headed up the valley towards Ralph's Cross on Blakey Ridge from where we enjoyed a swooping freewheel on a smooth road down into Castleton. There was a final climb back to Kildale before the return to Great Ayton and Fletcher's farm café. 

At Rosedale Abbey 

The social debrief over coffee and a bacon sandwich is an important part of the Sunday club run. It's a time to laugh, recover from a hard ride and get to know fellow cyclists. Joining a cycling club  - this particular cycling club - has been one of my best ever decisions. I'm already looking forward to my next ride.

Happiness is a new bike

Last week I bought a Cannondale Synapse from Infinity Cycles of Durham. As I was leaving the shop, the sales guy took a photo to post on their Facebook page. Looks like they do this with all of their customers when they pick up new bikes. It's probably a good idea for building customer loyalty and makes a talking point when the phones come out back at work. I didn't know I'd been posted until a colleague asked me about my new bike; he follows Infinity and had spotted the photo.

I should look happier - the bike is exactly what I wanted. Over the winter I've been thinking about a new road bike and had come up with a desirable spec.

Carbon frame - obviously - set up for comfort on long day rides
Shimano Ultegra group set
Shimano disc brakes and wide rims for running 28mm tyres
Good on-line reviews
Preferably a local supplier and a good financial deal

I'd narrowed my preference to 3 or 4 bikes but wanted to see something which would grab my attention. The Cannondale Synapse was probably my favourite but this year's colours are an eye-popping neon yellow and what appeared on the website to be a fairly uninspiring plain black. I'd gone into Infinity hoping to see a couple of other bikes when the Cannondale caught my eye. The plain black frame and tyres, offset by a clean white top tube and decals, gives the bike a cool, uncluttered look. I fell for it immediately but wasn't sure about making the deal. Do I have too many bikes? Could I justify owning another one? I resisted the sale but took a photo of the bike to think about later.

With this image on my phone there was no way I could possibly resist; the whole point of temptation is to enjoy the delicious anticipation of giving in to base desires. The next morning I rang Infinity, discussed deals and the bike was mine. Sunday morning saw me out on a club challenge ride, resplendent on the new bike. It rides really comfortably, better even than my titanium tourer. The carbon frame and 28mm tyres dampen down the road buzz and the disc brakes allow for very confident and positive handling on turns and descents. Sitting in Fletcher's cafe, soaking up the post-ride coffee and bacon sandwich I was a very happy man. This Cannondale is going to keep me smiling all summer.

Cannondale Quick: a carbon commuter

Cannondale Quick

Last September I swapped my commuting bike for a beautiful new Cannondale Quick carbon hybrid.

For the last three years I'd been riding a 15kg steel-framed Thorn touring bike with Rholoff hub gears. The bike was solid and reliable, ideal for commuting but not very exciting. I wanted something lighter, faster and more fun to ride. Matters came to a head when a friend rode away from me on the commute home and texted to ask why I hadn't been on his wheel when he looked around. The only possible response was that my bike was too heavy; the alternative explanation, that he's a stronger and fitter rider than me couldn't be contemplated. Anyway, at that point I started looking around for a new bike.

I wanted a light-weight hybrid with carbon frame, disc brakes and mounts for rack and mudguards. Once I'd set those parameters it was very easy to choose the bike. My local bike shop, Westbrook Cycles in Stokesley, showed me a Cannondale Quick hybrid and offered to get hold of a better specced version with Shimano 105 compact groupset, 12-28 cassette and hydraulic disc brakes. Within a couple of days I was the happy owner of a brand new lime green and black bike. As it only cost about £100 more than I got for my Thorn tourer it was an almost free upgrade,

I rode the Cannondale to work the same afternoon and decided it needed some adjustments to the set-up. The handlebars were very wide but a few minutes with a hacksaw shortened them by 2cm on both sides. The medium frame felt a little cramped compared to my road bike but this was easily corrected by fitting a longer stem. Over the winter I've replaced the original 25mm tyres with Michelin Endurance 28mm and feel more confident riding on wet, muddy roads.

The Cannondale makes my regular 40 km commute so much quicker and more fun than the Thorn. I've used it on steady club rides when the weather's bad and enjoyed the stability and confidence of running disc brakes and 28mm tyres. My next road bike will have the same set up. I'm even hoping to take it touring at some point over the next couple of years. I really like this bike.

Damp start to the year

Great Ayton under cloud

Cyclists can find plenty of excuses for riding poorly or not riding at all. The weather's too wet, it's too cold, I've been ill, my bike's not set up right. I've found plenty of reasons for not getting on my bike when I'm not in the mood. The predictable thing is, once I'm out riding, no matter how little enthusiasm I feel at the start of the ride my mood always picks up as the miles go by.

New Year came wet and windy and I started the year with a cold; not ill but enough to keep me off the bike for a few days. Yesterday, with few commitments at work and a mild day outdoors, I got out to ride my first few kilometres of the year. Apart from a coughing fit, which cleared a week's worth of mucous from my tubes, I had a nice easy ride before darkness and rain set in. The landscape was sodden; roads, fields, woods, everything waterlogged after the wettest December on record but the rain held off for a couple of hours until I was safely home.

Today I was able to sneak out for another ride, arranged overnight on the club's Facebook page. A few people seemed interested but only three riders met in Great Ayton; myself, Mark and Harry. I'd ridden with Mark before; he's a fit rider but not in the same league as Harry, the strongest young rider in the club. I'm about 35 years older than he is and nothing like as fit; my planned steady ride was disappearing fast.

For the first half hour or so I simply stuck fast to Harry's wheel as he tapped along at a fast cadence, chatting to Mark. On the undulating road towards Hutton Rudby from Seamer turbines I was just about hanging on but the lads had to wait for me at the top of Hutton bank. I'd enjoyed watching Harry's back wheel but was pleased when he rode off towards Yarm, leaving Mark and me to take a breather and drop the pace. We rode a steady loop out through the lanes before stopping for a tasty sausage bun and coffee at Roots farm shop and café.

By the time I'd got home I'd ridden about 70km. Strava recorded my ride out from Ayton to Craythorne, where Harry left us, as a series of personal records. It must be great to be young, fit and fast but I'll settle for being older and slower so long as I'm still riding my bike.

Enigma Etape

My current road bike is an Enigma Etape, a titanium-framed tourer bought in 2008 from a small Sussex company which imports frames from China and adds high-end components to build up complete bikes. The Etape is Enigma's fast touring bike, designed to be light, strong and comfortable over long distances.






Before the Etape I'd been riding a steel bike but the frame had developed signs of corrosion and had to be scrapped. While looking around for a replacement I'd become interested in getting a titanium frame. Not only is titanium more or less indestructible, it also provides a better balance of lightness, strength and damping than any other material used to make bike frames. I'd read an enthusiastic review of the Etape and followed this up with a phone call to the Enigma HQ for a discussion about bikes. I took a bit of a chance buying an unseen bike on the strength of a review, a phone call and an on-line fitting but I was reassured by the attitude and knowledge of the guys at Enigma. The Etape wasn't cheap, especially with a Campagnolo Chorus groupset, but I planned on riding it for several years and considered the cost worthwhile.

The Enigma Etape crossing the Cevennes

For the first couple of years it was used for all my road riding until I decided that it was too good for commuting; winter salt and grime was destroying the drive train components. The Etape became my weekend bike, for rolling around the hills and lanes of North Yorkshire, with occasional tours and sportives to add variety and distance. In 2010, with the Cycle Touring Club, I even rode it all the way through France to the Mediterranean.

Over the years the original Campagnolo Chorus groupset had been gradually replaced by cheaper kit and by 2015 the bike was slowly fading into obscurity. I'd bought a hybrid for commuting and wasn't using the Etape very often. Then I made my best decision for many years and joined a cycling club. Once I started riding more seriously the Etape was pressed back into action but a couple of months ago I realised that it probably needed a complete overhaul.

With 'Zinn and the Art of Road Bike Maintenance' as my guide, I stripped the frame, removed the forks and dismantled the integrated headset. Cleaning and greasing the bearings was easier than I'd expected and after resetting the carbon forks I started rebuilding the bike with shiny new components. After years of riding with Campagnolo, I'd decided to switch to Shimano and bought a half-price Ultegra 6800 groupset from an online bike store. I chose a compact 50/34 chainring with a 12/32 cassette to give myself a reasonable chance of getting up the notoriously steep hills of North Yorkshire without having to get off and walk. The old Campag hubs weren't compatible with the Ultegra cassette so I either needed to fit new Shimano hubs to the old wheels or upgrade to something better. After several years of riding around on stock wheels it was a no-brainer to replace them with a pair of Mavic Kysrium Elites from my local bike shop. The wheels are fitted with Mavic 25mm tyres, which appears to be the new standard for road bikes.

I kept the handlebars, stem, seatpost and saddle, the latter being a classic Brooks Swallow in black leather and titanium, and finished the rebuild with some black bar tape and my old Shimano pedals. Right now the bike has mudguards and lights for winter riding but once spring comes I'll take them off and have the Etape looking its best on the Sunday club runs. The refurbished bike is not just beautiful, it looks the business. The Ultegra gears change sweetly, the chain spins around with a satisfying hum and the new wheels make the bike feel more responsive and sprightly. I hope to spend many happy days riding the Etape around the beautiful roads of North Yorkshire. At least until I decide I need a new bike.