Interestingly, one for Reg here really, I was in Snowdonia with the family over the recent holiday break. We visited Harlech castle and I saw a road for a 40% gradient road. Thought I wouldn't try to take the car on it so but felt the need to explore on foot. So while the kids were playing in the play area having visited the castle, and the wife was looking after them, I took the dog for a little wonder. It was indeed a very steep road, so steep that you'd surely have to stand to pedal or you'd be wheelying up. Although interestingly it's a one way road and is downhill only. It's short but it really is steep. I came home to discover it's the steepest road in the UK - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ffordd_Pen_Llech
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-45420155

Some people doing the Pan Celtic race have got themselves excited about it ... but I'm not sure they realise you can only go down

It's actually number 92 in Simon Warren's "100 Greatest Cycling Climbs" book so presumably some people do ride up it.

Edit: Pah! Doesn't even get 10/10 for difficulty, a measly 9/10

In fairness it's so steep and quiet that I can't imagine anyone would bat an eyelid at someone riding up it

I walked down it and then back up again, dog was off the lead but close by. Absolutely no one on it, there weren't many people on the 'main' roads around it anyway!

For anyone that does have a reccy, I though Harlech castle was pretty impressive and was surprised to learn that it was 'on the sea' many, many moons ago

Ben, look up "post glacial rebound" as to why Harlech Castle is no longer by the sea. Basically the UK is slowly rising but it's not even with the north and west actually rising but the south and east sinking. Lots of examples of coastal features now many miles inland.

Looks like over 800 attempts on Ffordd Penllech according to Strava - https://www.strava.com/segments/6670845

Really wish I'd had my bike with me, mind you I probably would have ended up walking it anyway!

haven't heard of post glacial rebound - cheers!

Nice little factoid there Ben! 1 in 2.73, blimey. One for the single-speeders to have a bash at maybe . Will stick that hill on the list. Harlech's pleasant outside the "season". Good tea shop .

3 paper arrived and promptly downloaded them to my phone How does that sit with the map vs technology debate?!

Postie has been here too much this week.....
Superstar 26t front sprok, 11-46t sunrace rear sproks for ICT. Should give me a nice granny gear for Finland (and the big hills round here) Bag of handwarmers for same....
Also got meself a full length mat at long last - there's nowt wrong with being soft

htrider wrote:Postie has been here too much this week.....
Superstar 26t front sprok, 11-46t sunrace rear sproks for ICT. Should give me a nice granny gear for Finland (and the big hills round here) Bag of handwarmers for same....
Also got meself a full length mat at long last - there's nowt wrong with being soft

I managed with 28T and 11-42T two years ago but it was a "fast" year and most of the course was well packed. Don't know what it's like in a snowy year

whitestone wrote:

htrider wrote:Postie has been here too much this week.....
Superstar 26t front sprok, 11-46t sunrace rear sproks for ICT. Should give me a nice granny gear for Finland (and the big hills round here) Bag of handwarmers for same....
Also got meself a full length mat at long last - there's nowt wrong with being soft

I managed with 28T and 11-42T two years ago but it was a "fast" year and most of the course was well packed. Don't know what it's like in a snowy year

26-46 will be extremely useful when I have to push the bas**** for 15 hours.....

Mr Postie just dropped off some Wolftooth chainring boots

These have hex on both sides so now I don’t have to carry that useless little tool around with me woohoo

Do you have to carry two hexes though?

I returned home from work today to find the postman had dropped off a set of Jones bars. Many thanks Stuart!

I returned home from work today to find the postman had dropped off a set of Jones bars. Many thanks Stuart!

That was quick. I didn't think you'd see them until after the weekend - good work Yodel.

No more frame bag swapping over every bike has it's own now

Talkytoaster micro sd card 1:50 british isles for the etrex 30 turned up today....

I've had several head torches/lights over the years



But my new Alpkit Qark that arrived yesterday before last nights run and 2 night time dog walks is absolutely by far the best I've ever had, and that's by a very long way.

And at £29 with a rechargeable battery, but with the option to fit normal batteries as well is really good, 580lm power with a focus'able beam it's a must have.

A dark orange Gore 1985 Jacket from darkest Wales.

Not bad service. I reckon less than 24 hours from the FS ad being posted.

And it's only 31 years old

I have some mini folding scissors come through, for adding to my first aid kit. Bored of having various FAKs knocking about for various uses, this is one small mini FAK with 'outdoors' written on the front. I'll take this one with me on walks and for biking

Exposure Toro and Diablo turned up yesterday next day del , sale price on Evans and via cyclescheme .. get in.....pity working for next 6 nights..gggrrrr

One small bag of carbon fibre poles from some bloke in Wales
One Cuben Fibre Tarp from some bloke in the Borders
One Exped sleeping mat as recommended by the forum
One titanium meths stove
One probably poorly functioning but pleasingly light Aluminium poo hole trowel


Not a bad couple of weeks.

Some new winter gloves for commuting - Galibier deep winter

Some fat bike tubes, gravel/cross bike tubes, a singulator, a mini frame bag, a chain and a tyre from planet X's sale. Sadly, the 42t expander cog for the fatty was missing... So close to having the bits to get all the bikes working at once!

Ceramic bearings for the gravel bike from a very quick turnaround from R&M bearings of Scotland.
Half the price of the steel "enduro" version that they are replacing.
Around £8 each with £3 postage from memory

Ceramic bearings are an interesting one, having just pulled apart a particularly knackered set. The ceramic is tough, tougher than the steel race. The basll will remain round and keep spinning for the lifetime of the bearing, the race will corrode and wear, possibly exacerbated by the toughness of the ceramic bearings. This makes the failure mode a bit more interesting, and so far as opposed to grinding to a halt / getting sloppy with steel balls, it appears they get a bit sloppy (I tend to keep going with a bit of slop if I want to get my moneys worth) and then can ping apart.
It’s not really cut and dry which is better for what application – more a case of different mechanical properties and people have different preferences – I just found the failure mode a bit interesting.