Bicycle advice..
As part of Karen Newman’s series on cycling the NC500 – Karen has provided us with some advice on bike servicing and set-up; tools and spares to carry
The NC500 area has few bike shops and if things go wrong with the bike, you might be waiting a long time to get help. The ability to be self-sufficient with the most common repairs is essential, as is choosing the right bike and components before you set off. Highland roads can be tough on a bike – pot-holes and rough tarmac can shred narrow tyres and wheels can take a battering.
General bike advice
How much you can do will depend on whether you are buying a bike especially for the NC500 or using one you already have – especially if buying specifically for this trip (more information here).
- Ensure that your bike and wheels are suitable for the load you intend to carry. You will need to consider the balance between weight and robustness.
- Get someone to help you set up your saddle height, angle and fore-aft position, handlebars, gear/brake levers and shoe cleats to suit you – there are a number of videos on YouTube which will help. This is so important to prevent muscle strain, improve comfort, increase pedalling efficiency and handling. Even minor adjustments of a few mm can make a real difference.
- Make sure that your saddle is comfortable – wide, squishy ones are seldom the best! Narrow harder ones may look alarming but over 500 miles, will be more comfortable and efficient, saving you energy. Whatever you choose, ride it for a few long rides before you commit to using it on the NC500.
- Have a thorough service before you leave home; explain the type of journey you are intending to do and ask the mechanic to replace any worn parts, bearings etc. as they think appropriate. New or nearly new brake pads are advised.
- Your gears should be low enough to cope with any extra load you are carrying and enable you to tackle the hills, some of which can be steeper than many Alpine passes … although they are a little shorter!
- Fit as wide a tyre as your frame and wheels will take – consider 28mm or wider. It will give you a more comfortable ride and cope better with the rough roads and the extra load you may be carrying.
- Ensure that your tyres are appropriate for rough Highland tarmac and have at least 500 miles of heavy wear left in them. Something with extra puncture and side-wall protection should be considered eg Continental Gaitorskins or similar.
- Consider replacing handlebar tape with a thicker, more comfortable tape. Consider gel pads under the tape. This will dampen vibrations and reduce wrist pain and numbness.
- Consider using SPD/mountain bike cleats and pedals rather than a road set up – the cleats are more recessed and the soles have tread – more comfortable for walking and less chance of slipping when getting on and off in passing places. Clipless/cleated shoes and pedals are much more efficient than flat pedals and soft bendy trainers – your pedaling action will be more efficient and save you energy; they take a bit of getting used to but it’s well worth it.
Tools and spares – ensure your kit is appropriate for you bike set up – there is a lot of variation.
Carry a small but comprehensive tool and repair kit; this is the minimum I would consider carrying for a multi-day trip:
- A suitable pump, large enough to get the correct pressure in the size of tyres you choose. Consider carrying a gas cartridge – quicker if repairing a puncture on the road in bad weather and if you are using very wide tyres.
- A small pressure gauge will help get the right pressure
- Puncture repair kit,
- Tyre boot for slashes in tyres (a bit of old tyre cut to size suffices)
- Multi tool
- Small chain breaker
- Small bottle of suitable chain oil and rag to remove excess.
- Two spare inner tubes (or at least one per person in a group with a few spares). Sometimes punctures come in pairs and you don’t want to be mending holes in inner tubes on the road in bad weather.
- Spare chain link – Quick links are useful – ensure it is the correct one for your chain.
For the NC500, also consider:
- Spare spokes
- Spare tyre
- Spare brake and gear cables.
- Spare brake pads
- Mini folding pliers – eg Leatherman and Gerber do some with blades, scissors etc like a Swiss Army Penknife
- Latex/rubber gloves to keep hands clean when dealing with chains etc.
- Spare gear mechanism hanger if planning to spend a lot of time off road.
- Cable ties for odd jobs such as dealing with broken pannier clips
- A length of bodge tape/duct tape wrapped around your pump handle or somewhere for dealing with slashed tyres etc.
Learn and practice a few essential skills such as:
- Indexing your gears,
- Removing your rear wheel and repairing a puncture,
- Repairing a broken chain,
- Replacing a broken gear and brake cable.
- Replacing and adjusting brake pads.
- Adjusting your head set
- Even if you don’t feel confident at some of these repairs, a local or passing cyclist may be able to help if you have the spare parts.
Your selection of spares will be dictated by the type of bike you ride and the load you carry – the heavier the load, the more strain and wear and tear on your bike and the more spares you may want to carry. If cycling in a group, you could spread communal spares and tools between you (but consider that the group may break up)
