Transcontinental Race No. 6 - TCR6 - #TCRN06 - 2018

Which Garmin is it?

EDIT: 1000. What's wrong with it?

The legit Etrex mount from Garmin is fucking shit. Definitely have a lanyard backup if you use that £12 pile of shit.

I'm borrowing an Etrex with a view to using one on the TCR.

Within minutes of getting it and riding over Walthamstow Marshes, I felt something drop off my bike and after checking jersey pockets/saddle pack/usual things it took me a good 10 mins to notice it was the Etrex that had gone cos it's not part of my usual set-up. Cue 'needle in a haystack' moment of me retracing my steps and peering in bushes and puddles trying to find the fucking thing.

Things learned

1. They bounce quite far
   
2. They are waterproof
   

I only use mine as a backup so it's rarely on the bars. When I'm racing the phone or GPS sits over it so it can't really bounce out. Almost lost it a few times when testing it out though. Thankfully I had the lanyard on because I didn't trust the mount.

Almost lost my Sony phone in similar fashion. The Quadlock mount simply does not stick to the glass/plastic back of Xperia phones.

Anyone started their route planning yet? Have been focusing on riding the bike so nothing done here but have seen that some have finished their planning already! Best to wait till the banned road list comes out?
Talk to me about last year, was the general consensus that it was quicker to head the flatter route slightly further East or the hillier route slightly further west? (talking about heading down to the first checkpoint here - realise they're in different places but same general direction)

from dt watching I think the best thing to avoid is main roads in most of eastern Europe, especially at night, not for speed but mostly of still being alive purposes.

something like the data produced for strava heatmaps but for cars would be very useful in this.

Depends on your strengths. I'm 20-30kg heavier than most of the racers so I will do distance to save climbing in most cases. There's also choices when it comes to countries with and without streetview making finding banned/shit roads easier, visa issues, general driving ability of the people, dogs, heat, wind, etc.

Romania was particularly bad (dodging dogs and cars) but I had fucking shit driving in Italy too.

The further east you go the less they must see cyclists and the more of a novelty you are. You get lots of beeps in, say Serbia, but when you turn around it's a car full of people cheering you on up a hill or whatever.

Also, route planning is not supposed to start until mid-July. Anything earlier is technically cheating.

I've got a map of Europe on my wall with thumb tacks stuck into where the checkpoints are. Current route planning consists of red thread connecting the tacks and was just going to take that with me.

I tried that last time and then ran into issues because I didn't have enough spare tubes after I'd run over the third thumb tack.

I started doing mine but then got busy at work last month so had no time. I'm not a lightweight so in the 'will ride a bit further to save on climbing' camp.

I've done the first stage in detail and the other bits in outline.

It is worth spending loads of time on itand checking it. A wrong turning that turns into a rough bridlepath can easily waste you a couple of hours while you either have to hike-a-bike or backtrack and go the way you should have gone in the first place. In my experience, anyway...

I wondered if I could ask the advice of any seasoned long distance riders?
I am getting a new bike for this year’s TCR which I ordered in December and had hoped to receive by the end of March. Just heard today that it will be delayed until the end of this month/beginning of next and they could not guarantee absolutely that it would be ready by then. Assuming I get it at the beginning of May, do people think this is enough time to get used to the bike ready for the race?

Yes.

Thank you. That is very unequivocal!

Depends. Is the bike the same fit as your old one? Is the saddle and handlebars the same. We’re you comfortable in your old position.

If the setup is the same, then really there’s not much change.

G

Thanks! Saddle and bars will be different. Last year I scratched due to Shermers neck type issues. Have altered fit on old bike to deal with this. Hoping to replicate the fit on the new bike.

Why aren’t you using the new saddle and bars now then? Get the fit setup then just transfer it over.

What’s the new bike?

Saddle and bars come with the new bike and only just found out bike will be delayed. Bike is the same as yours!!

Oops! Sorry it’s delayed. Good bike though.

Can’t you get the saddle now at least? Or buy the same one. I’d recommend that, gives you time to get used to it.

What saddle? Why not just use the one you did last year, that you’re happy with.

The saddle on the Strael is a Fabric Scoop Shallow Elite but I might just use the one from my current bike. I tend to get on with most saddles though.

I wouldn’t dream of changing saddle if I had one that worked. If it ain’t broke.

Put your saddle on new bike and you’ll be fine.

If they can't guarantee beginning of May then it most likely won't be the beginning of May. I always get pressured by clients for dates for things and am always very careful not to give a guaranteed date if I can't be sure to meet it, and I'm sure it's the same for them.

What if it is the end of May? A friend got a custom bike from Mercian and it ended up taking a year longer than they originally indicated. I know that is different, but at what point would you get nervous?

It's not necessarily a problem, just a potential source of stress. Mike Hall only got his bike from Kinesis a few days before he left for IndyPac (in the promo pictures he hadn't had time to put bar tape on). And Michael Hutchinson said he only got his bike just before his hour record attempt - apparently it often happens.

Agree that you should try to replicate the position as exactly as possible on each bike so that when your new one comes you won't notice the change, and there's no point experimenting with a new saddle if you already have one that works (I have four of the same saddles on different bikes for that reason).

I got mine 3 weeks before my first TCR, it tore me apart on a test ride and I elected to use it anyway because I figured better the devil you know. That was a mistake. I mean, the bike fit was nailed but the saddle killed me.