Monday 23 September 2013

New Handlebars & Testing Out My Stove

BB Handlebars:

It's only 4 more days before I am off and my new handlebars arrived, after testing out some butterfly handlebars I bought some off fleabay from another bike nut (I have mentioned him previously).

So I dutifully stripped off my old bars and fitted my new ones, I would like to say it was an epic battle to fit them however it all went just about as smoothly as I could ask for.  I feel like the sword of Damocles is hanging above me....  Something always goes wrong but it didn't.

The new bars fitted like a dream, my body geometry grips were perfect, the gear levers and brakes fitted easily and my Avenir handlebar bag slotted in almost perfectly (a tight fit) but it is now more stable than previously...   The added bonus was I could mount my headlight properly and my Suunto T4c is now in the shade making it easier to read..

I took it all out for a test ride and the position felt perfect, no adjustment necessary!!

The only downside I have found, yep you guessed it... I FORGOT TO FIT THE ULTIMATE PARKING BREAK so I am going to have to remove and refit the brake and gear levers which is truthfully only a 10 minute job.  I am counting this as the thing that went wrong, so if there are any mischevious gods out there with a figure of me on a chess board and a bunch of disasters waitiing FORGET IT!!  this was my disaster, minor or not.



One side of the handlebars almost stripped

Butterfly Bars with the foam and handlebar grips fitted
New Bars fully fitted with handlebar bag, front light and Suunto
T4c fully mounted. 
(missing ultimate parking brake)

Testing Out my Stove:


One of the little pleasures I have when going outdoors are my faithful coleman stoves, I have three of them but for this trip they just weren't right.  I have an MSR whisperlite international which I have only used once before, which was lighter and more suitable for the bike.  So I dusted it out, replaced the pump which had disappeared and took it out for a spin :-)   The pics below show it assemble and outside making a well earned coffee after a rushed evening of fitting the new handlebars.  Incidentally the whole thing took about 2 - 3 hrs, not bad for major surgery on the bike and a coffee making session.

The MSR Whisperlite International
It is actually incredibly quiet compared to my Coleman

Just finished a brew, notice the heatshield
I picked it up from Sports Direct


Without the flash on, the last photograph gives an idea of the warm glow at night.  Off to bed now I think that's enough for one night.  Ohh and I found my mascott, he has been hiding for the last couple of trips, but low and behold he turned up, I will put a pic up of him shortly as he will be accompanying me on the trip.



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