Tell us about your cycle today part III

LLooking For some advise . Im looking to upgrade my road bike but not looking to spend a fortune, currently doing 50 km per week but want to increase this. What would you recommend

I'm doing the Ring of Clare this coming Saturday so today was part 2 of my training - 100km Dublin-Sally Gap-Laragh-Enniskerry-Dublin

A bit of a disaster puncture-wise 😕

First one was in Rathmines - just 20mins in. Swapped out tube for a new one (only spare) but putting in new one I had a hell of a time getting tyre back on. So I resorted to using the tyre lever. Of course that punctured the new tube!!

I had a few self adhesive patches so stuck one on (to the original tube) and got going. I used a co2 cartridge for first time ever, that did the business and got going.

Fell in with a nice fella for a chat between the viewing point and Sally Gap. He went left and I headed on straight. Around 10km from Laragh, the repair gave out - I think maybe the pressure from the co2 was too much.

So this time I patched the second tube (the tyre levered one), got the tyre on again after a major struggle and pumped manually.

All good for another 40km when that patch gave out.

This was really p1ssing me off now.

Patched the original tube for second time and that actually got me home!!

But was very nervous the whole way - just waiting for the bumping where you know it's gone. And I was down to my last patch.

Not the gate photo I wanted 😀

Gorgeous day though!!

@Seth Brundle great write up and good lap times!

I've done some endurance MTB events and you'll always find someone flying, it's either they are a savage or they are fresh for some reason (mechanical, long sleep or get to the event late).

Laps strategy is always hard, fastest on MTB is generally lap on/lap off in pairs but it ruins you as there is little rest. You'll be thinking over the next few weeks about things you could do for next time (dry robe is a godsend for hanging around in kit), more powerful lights, change bar tape/shoes/hair parting etc.

Missed out on the nine stones, was really nice btw.

Just trying to highlight the things running through your head for next time, all the marginal gains stuff, very tongue in cheek.

As an example, having lock on grips was murder after about 8 hours, the lockring started to dig into my hands and it was a relief when my hands went numb after about 18 hours (but I was so much slower over the tech stuff). I bought ergon built in bar ends for next event. Ended up with a bar width of 860mm of grip goodness and no pain for the duration.

Have decent tyres and tubes on for this - road surface for lots of this route is terrible…

That's a gorgeous bike. Brooks saddle?