Over the last two or three weeks, I have been round my usual stamping
ground of the Water Sports Centre on most of my fleet. I've been out
on:
The Coker, with 150 mm cranks.
The Road Razor. 700c x 28 mm, with 125 mm cranks.
The Bacon Slicer. 700c x 23 mm, with 102 mm cranks.
The Holy Roller. 26 x 2.4" with 125 mm cranks.
Yesterday, I spent most of the afternoon playing hockey on the 20.
Today, then, time for the KH24 to do its first round of the Water
Sports Centre, meaning that my entire stable of serviceable unis has
had a gallop recently.
Blimey! It feels slow - 24 x 3" tyre, and huge 165 mm cranks. It
cruises across the car park at a distinctly unbrisk 7 mph. I head up a
steepish path and am out of breath by the time I reach the top. Here I
turn left and batter my way through a too-narrow entrance between
bushes and small trees into the "tunnel" that I rode through a few days
ago on the Holy Roller. The tunnel has a floor of dead leaves, and
walls and roof made of intergrown tree branches. It's quite an
exciting place to ride.
I reach a junction. Last time, I went straight on, so today I turn
left. It descends steeply and there is a sharp turn to the right. The
trees are too close together, I can't read the route quickly enough,
and I lose my nerve and grab a tree trunk. I'm not sure I'll find a
way though what lies ahead, so I walk back up to the junction, remount
and ride down the tunnel that I followed last time.
This brings me out near the white water course, and I follow my
familiar routes over the various grassy humps. Interesting: the KH24
is not very good at rushing up short steep slopes. The Coker would
sail up some of this, and the Holly Roller would make it quite easily.
However, the KH is slower and the longer cranks are unwieldy so every
slope means standing up and pulling on the saddle. That said, I find
that I am attacking the hills more directly, and seeking steeper
routes. I certainly descend some stuff I wouldn't risk on the Coker.
Back round near the rowing lake, I ride up a hill I have never
attempted before, and succeed. I know I would not have succeeded on
any of the other unis, unless I had zigzagged and picked my route with
care.
More familiar sections follow at depressingly low speed. But I have a
plan - I will see if the KH24's magic tyre, small wheel and long cranks
will get me up the Impossible Hill.
To get there, I follow my regular climb up to the back of the water ski
lake, and my usual theatrical swoop down and through the crowd of
waiting skiers. I make it easily across the single-sleeper footbridge
that defeated the Bacon Slicer four times the other day.
Then I cut through to the main rowing lake and see the Impossible Hill
on my left. I scan it to decide on the best route, and notice someone
sitting in the long grass at the top. A young woman. Her head is
bowed as if she is reading a book. Is it fair to disturb her? Then I
see that her head is bowed because she is billing and cooing tenderly
with a partner. It might be boorish to disturb them. Then I notice
that the partner is also a young woman, and I figure that they will
appreciate their private space considerably more than I need to ride up
the hill today.
Instead, I follow the tarmac, then set off across the rough rutted
field with the long dry scrubby grass. This is some of the least
pleasant terrain to ride that I know, but it is a challenge.
Disappointingly, I UPD, and I realise my legs are very tired from
yesterday's hockey exertions. I take a short cut back down to the
lakeside and decide to take it easy for a while.
Easy is, of course, boring, so when I glance down at the GPS and see
I'm only doing 7 mph, I decide to see what speed I can hit flat out.
The idea of a comparison with the other unis is there in the back of
what passes for my mind.
First run shows 11.5 mph. A second attempt brings it up to exactly 12
mph. A third run has me UPDing flat out, and having to sprint to stay
upright. 12 mph seems to be the maximum - which is surprising as I'm
sure I saw a higher figure on the Dartmoor trip. Perhaps that was a
UPD-related anomaly.
Then as I approach the main buildings of the Water Sports Centre, I
notice a large group of young males sitting at an outside table. One
gets up and walks towards the lake, on more or less a course to
intercept me. His body language is too casual, and his complete lack
of eye contact tells me he is going to try to stop me. Is he friendly
or hostile...
He steps almost in front of me and asks in a European accent, "Please
can I 'ave a go on your monosickle?" I stop and ask if he's ridden one
before. "Yes, I 'ave one in France where I live."
I point out the pins on the pedals, and hand him the uni, with a word
of caution.
He leaps into the saddle more elegantly than I could ever manage, hops
on the spot a few times, rides away, hops and turns, and rides back
before UPDing. He picks it up with some embarrassment, trying to dust
away the scratches on the handle with is hand. I tell him not to
worry. He says, "Eet is not easy to ride in these fleep flops," and
points to his flip flops. Then he remounts, scoots around a few times
and hands me back the uni.
In a bid to further international understanding and goodwill, I
endeavour to make conversation, but we don't get far.
I remount and ride back towards the car, finishing with a path I
haven't ridden for a couple of years which is steep and narrow between
trees.
Ride stats:
Max speed 12 mph (19.4 kph)
Distance: 3.78 miles (6 km)
Average speed: 5.8 mph (9.3 kph)
39 minutes.
Energy left: 0 Joules.
--
Mikefule
"No one likes circus skills, juggling is dire, and clowns are on
registers at most police stations."
(The late and sadly-missed Linda Smith)
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