New Years Eve 31st December 2014

I noticed on Christmas Eve my Apple Green Brompton picked up a flat tyre. This isn't bad as I've got 977km + on Strava plus the extra I did after buying the bike in late August (from +Compton Cycles ) and getting my +Polar GPS HRM in October.

It turned out to be a proper puncture which was a pain as since moving to the flat I haven't had any tools to speak of plus my local cycle shop +Petra Cycles was closed during the weekend after Christmas.

So I decided to invest in the Brompton Toolkit (from +Compton Cycles ) plus a couple of  +Schwalbe inner tubes.

 

The toolkit is the new Mk2 kit with heavy duty tyre levers. It's typical Brompton excellent design and quality but quite pricey. It fits snuggly into the front frame tube.

 

 

I hadn't fixed a puncture in over 40 years so it was a bit of a relearning process. In the end I decided to fit a new inner tube as the original one had gone at the 'seam' and I wasn't quite sure how that would respond to a repair.

 

I had used a electric car tyre inflator and I'm wondering if the tube got over inflated though the Brommies have quite high tyre pressures compared to 'when I were a lad'. So now I'm back on the road plus I have a traditional repair kit from +Petra Cycles . If I can keep punctures to 1/1000km that won't be bad. I have Schwalbe Marathons on at the moment but will upgrade to Marathon pluses later in the year.

 

Friday Ride

This is Fridays ride as shown by Strava



The main thing to learn from this is not to overdo the hills too soon. I had a break from hills yesterday after 2 days of hills but it wasn't really enough, my legs felt quite tired chugging away on the slopes.

I think I'll integrate Sandy Lane in more regularly going from North to South but the road surface is particularly bad so I wouldn't do it at night.

I little chatty viddy below:

Friday 20th December 2013 ride from Stuart Murden on Vimeo.

Changed to Just Giving as the online vehicle for giving to Amnesty International.

Just a short post to say I've created a Just Giving page for the 'Nightrider 2014 Challenge'. People can still give via 'Everyclick' if they prefer. I'm not pushing the money side of things until the new year. I'm working out how o do the blog, FB and Twitter.

That was a great ride.

I used nearly 1000 calories in just under 2 hours.

Thank you to the hills! The route is split into 2 Strava results as I stopped recording GPS data @ Redhill as I had planned to take the train to Godstone and pedal from there, but there were ticketing issues @ Redhill with massive queues out of the door which meant I would have missed my connection which is a bit crucial as it would mean waiting nearly an hour for the next Tonbridge train. For info Tonbridge trains depart Redhill 17 mins past the hour. Generally I pre-book even 'minor' journeys and collect from Oxted. In the end I decided to pedal back as I would be home before the next Tonbridge train departed.

My back up plan was to cycle Route 21 north and pick up the A25 @ Bletchingley, however I've learnt as far as Bromptons go its best to stick to hard surfaces in winter so I improvised and ended taking a 'lean mix' concrete path up the big hill. Once my heart rate got above 96% of maximum I decided it was the signal to get off and push.

There is a short steep section heading East just after Nags Hall that got my HR up to 101% but that was a transient reading.

Oxted to Redhill and back. from Stuart Murden on Vimeo.

Thrsday Night Ride

Click here to sponsor me via Everyclick

Quick look out of the front door to see what the weather looks like from Stuart Murden on Vimeo.

Got Strava to embed... yippee! and Vimeo double yippee!

Click here to donate to Amnesty via Everyclick

Wednesday Training Ride from Stuart Murden on Vimeo.

Running 11.12.2013 20:14

Running 11.12.2013 20:14

Introducing The Nightrider Challenge

Back in late August 2013 I decided to buy a bike.

I was 15st when my ideal weight should have been 12st 3lb.

I bought an Apple Green Brompton and its been great fun. I take it on the train and pedal round London for pleasure and work.

Currently I’m 13st 9lb and will now start to include some running in my upcoming schedule.

I support a number of charities but wanted something new I could put my bike and running focus into. I already support Medecins Sans Frontieres which is a truly inspiring cause but i also wanted another primarily secular cause so thought Amnesty International UK would be a good supplementary cause.

Amnesty International speak up for those with no voice or those whose voice has been unreasonably or cruelly suppressed. I am blessed to call myself an Englishman but even here we also need the voice of those who speak on behalf of those who cannot be heard.

Online donations will be handled via Everyclick. If you are a fund raiser or intend to do something remarkable for a good cause check them out.

The Nightrider ride is a 100km circular route around London that sets off from either Crystal or Alexandra Palace. First starts are 11pm 7th June and organisers go home 10am on Sunday the 8th. It’s roughly 8 hrs in the saddle. My max to date is 35km but I have done the London – Brighton before so think with 6 months prep I should be ok.