A Few Decathlon Purchases

Today I made a few purchases from the Decathlon shop.

Two bungee cords (100 cm) - Rs 399

A bottle cage - Rs 199

A medium size microfibre towel - Rs 199

A raincover for the backpacks (20 to 35 litres) - Rs 399

Other than this there was another plastic carabiner for keys at home for Rs 99 and a compass cum thermometer cum whistle for Mampu for Rs 299.

March 28, 2019

Bought two Schwalbe tubes for the LHT from Giant store in Bentinck Street. This makes me ready for the Darjeeling trip. After the blow out of the OE tube during installation of the Marathon tyres, I had consumed my first spare and ran out of any spare tube. Made amends today. These cost me Rs 400 each. Now, I will have to keep them in the front handlebar bag.

Brake Pad Upgrade And How To

Just finished a mini upgrade of sorts for the brakes. I changed my OE Tektro brake pads with a pair of Kool Stops bought from BOTS Bangalore for Rs 2500 (two pairs). I don't know what the model is called precisely but it has V-type Holder written rather prominently on the packaging. I was advised this particular model by the BOTS team's Gautam.

The first thing that you notice about these pads is that they are quite large.  Much larger than the Tektros. This is supposed to be an advantage as it gives you more surface contact. Next, of course, is the dual colour. The black part of the brake is supposed to be more effective in dry weather while the salmon side is for wet conditions. We shall see how effective that is in real life in a few weeks from now. But the online reviews of these brake pads is very very good. Also, they are made in America, if that makes any difference. 

I am happy to inform that I did the installation or swap myself. I had watched a few videos some umpteen number of times. Incidentally there aren't too many of them on youtube. But finally realised that a basic swap is no rocket science. Anyone with a size 5 Allen key and a pinch of common sense can do it. I also chose to do it on the Friday night itself so that I could do a proper road test of my skill on Saturday and could seek Someswar's help over the weekend if things went out of control.

I first changed the front two brakes. Getting the pad to go behind the fork was a little tricky. They are seriously long and were fouling against the forks. But it can be overcome quite easily. Was reasonably satisfied with its stopping power inside the room and thought the pads were touching the rim more or less simultaneously and are equidistant from it. These are the two basic checks one needs to do after installation. Now it was time to test it out on the road. I went out despite the road being a little wet from the evening norwester. The excitement of the situation got the better of me. I had two things to test here. A. My mechanic skill. B. The stopping power of the new brakes.

I think I passed both the tests. On the road I engaged only the front brake a few times without engaging the rear brakes (so that I could understand the new brakes' stopping power). Of course, being only the front brake I didn't apply full force on them. But I think the stopping power is very adequate and much improved over the stock Tektros. It didn't squeal much. Will have to check this out more carefully tomorrow when I go for a full road test. 

Back home I mustered enough courage to now swap the pads on the rear wheel as well. It didn't take too long either. And from the room test it seemed they are working fine. Both are equidistant and are engaging on the rim simultaneously. I didn't go out for a road test to check both of them working together. That is being kept aside for tomorrow morning's ride. 

I have kept the Tektros nicely packed and marked. I intend to take them for the Darjeeling trip. It may not be entirely impossible to fry the brakes on the descent. I clubbed them together for rear and front wheels. I also put a thread between the spacers/washers exactly as they were separated on either side of the brake pad clamp (I am hoping that's the word). This is to counter my forgetfulness about such details.

Overall I am very satisfied with today's performance of mine as a mechanic. Actually it is important to know these basic roadside fixes if one aspires to be a serious tourer in future. I will now write a detailed how to. Although there are a couple of videos on the internet, they leave a lot of unanswered issues that you discover when you actually go to instal the pads. I shall address them in my how to.

How To Change A Cantilever Threaded Post Brake Pad

If you are reading this it is good to inform you that there are various types of brake systems in cycles. I am describing what I have. A rim brake (as opposed to disc brakes). And to be more specific a cantilever brake with threaded post (there is another type called smooth post).

The brake pad has three parts. A threaded post with a hex nut and several spacers, a metallic holder and a rubber shoe. The rubber shoes are generally changeable. That is, if the rubber shoe gets damaged or thinned out due to repeated friction then you can just change the rubber.

First you disengage the brake. After that I took off the existing Tektro brake pad. For this I used a long Allen key size 5 (on street side I may not have that long Allen key and must make do with the  smaller multitool). In fact that's all the tool you need. While taking off one has to be careful about all the spacers and washers attached to the post. They will come off the post as soon as you take off the nut. Depending on the brand, these spacers will vary in number. The Tektro had more number of spacers than the Kool Stop. Now these spacers will be on either side of the clamp to which the brake pad is attached. You should note how the spacers are arranged on the existing system and from there get an idea as to how to arrange them in your particular cycle.

After you decide how many spacers should be on which side, you take the correct pad for the particular side of the cycle (these are marked Left or Right and the direction is also shown with an arrow) and engage the threaded post to the clamp and tighten the bolt. That's all that is there to it. But ...........

There are quite a few buts. First you have to ensure that the rubber sits only on the rim. Particularly the top edge of the rubber should be in line with the top edge of the rim where it touches the tyre. The pad should not touch the tyre. What I did is, I did not tighten the nut all the way. I left about one rotation and adjusted the pad properly first ensuring it was parallel to the rim and then did the final tightening. I also used a rubber band at the back of the pad to ensure proper shoeing (so that the brakes don't squeal). While tightening the bolt one has to hold the pad tight with the other hand otherwise it will also move a little up or down forcing you to rearrange its precise position.

That's all there is to changing the brake pad. I am not sure if this makes sense to any newbie. I wrote it down so that I myself can refer to it next time when I need to change it.

Review After First Road Test

Today is Saturday. I had changed the pads last night. Missed the morning session but went out later during the day for a short test ride of about 3/4 kilometers. Went up the Lake Gardens flyover and came back. The brakes are working fine. Is there any improvement? Initially I thought so. But perhaps got used to it after a few stops. On very hard stops at high speeds there was some squealing. But that might be a new brake issue rather than shoeing in. I did not do any particular cleaning or rubbing of the new rubber before installation. And frankly I don't mind that very little squealing. But if it is a fault of fitment I will want to correct it. A mechanic should always strive for perfection. 

Pedal Installation

Bicycle pedals are a little quirky things. At least the type of pedals I have on my bikes. It is prudent to write down how to instal and take them off. It's an important thing to know if you want to go bicycle touring. Because before you pack a bike in a bag the first thing you do is take the pedal off. And when you reassemble the bike this is the second thing to do (after fixing the handle, that is.)

If you want to cut the crap and just learn how to install or take off the pedal check these two videos I made. It's very simple and can be done with a sliding wrench, as I do. To install a pedal click here . To uninstall or take off a pedal click here . A tip to remember. If you sit facing the bike on both sides then you have to turn the wrench in exactly the same direction. You need not read the rest of the write up here. Just one other thing. Always use grease when you install a pedal. Makes the job of taking it off later much easier. 

The Detailed Story

The two pedals come with L and R written on them. L goes to the left (non-drive side) and R goes to the right (drive side). Obviously. You will need a wrench that is the right size for it. There are specialised pedal wrenches available in the market. But the job can be done using any adjustable wrench that is not too fat. I use this type of adjustable wrench (picture to the right). Typically such wrenches are used by plumbers. I have used it to undo a lot of plumbing stuff in the toilet or hand wash basin. It's a multi-utility kind of tool. It makes sense to carry such a wrench on a tour because it can have other utilities too. If pushed it can even work as a basic pair of pliers also. However, the particular one I have is perhaps an overkill in terms of size. But it does its job very well. There are other smaller models too, which might be better suited for cycle touring. Anyway, off with the instructions of how to instal the pedal. 

The end of the pedal has a bolt like thing with thread on it that goes inside the crank (see image on left). I think its proper technical name is spindle. The initial impulse of a novice would be to hold the thread against the hole and turn the pedal by hand. Unfortunately, it's not that simple. I wish it was. The pedal moves around its axis freely. That is, if the pedal turns on its own axis, the axis itself or the spindle or the bolt does not move at all. So, just turning the pedal won't make it go inside the crank arm.

It has a head with two flat surfaces on opposite sides that you hold with the wrench. In the picture you can see L is written on one of the flat surfaces (the other flat side is hidden below). You hold this flat surface with the wrench and then hold the bolt against the hole in the crank arm where it will go. 

Next you rotate the pedal backward, holding the wrench steady. Don't let the wrench turn with the pedal. The pedal slowly goes in and sits inside the crank arm.

Taking it off is exactly the opposite. That's quite a no brainer, isn't it? You hold the same head kind of thing with the wrench and pedal forward (keep the rear wheel lifted or set the cycle on a trainer/repair stand to do this). You can start off by unlocking the initial stubborn part. For this try turning the head clockwise (without moving the pedal forward). This is a little counter intuitive but that's how it is. 

The first time you install a new pedal make sure you grease up the bolt end. 

Remember this one line - After you hold the spanner  and looking at the pedal - left pedals come off if you turn them clockwise and right pedal comes off if you turn them anti-clockwise.

One universal rule - if you are looking at the pedal, all pedals left or right, tighten to the front. And they all loosen to the back. I am not using the term clockwise or counter clockwise because that's confusing. Confusing because we look at a pedal from two different sides.

All this might sound a bit confusing but there is no rocket science involved. Just sit down with a spanner and the pedals. Any person of average intelligence can work it out. If I can do it, you can do it too.

There are some pedals - usually the more expensive ones like the steel MKS pedals above left - that can be installed using a 6 mm Allen key as well. You will need a long Allen key for that. Of course the one in your multi-tool can also do the job during a tour. But the longer ones make the job easier. To do this you need to reach the pedal from the opposite side.

The pedals on the right are more humble and need a wrench to be installed or taken off.

I use the Allen key for the final tightening of my MKS. Because operating it from the other side through the bottle cages and all is a little messy.

In Simpler Terms (because I myself forget these things after a day)

Take off the left pedal - Sit in front of the pedal. Hold the wrench on the spindle. Turn clockwise, that is towards the rear wheel. It comes off.

Take off the right pedal - Sit in front of the pedal. Hold the wrench on the spindle. Turn anti-clockwise, that is towards the rear wheel. It comes off.

How To Instal SKS Bluemels Fenders On LHT

They call them fenders these days. I prefer to call them mudguards. Here is my account of what I did to instal them (Bluemels SKS) to my Surly LHT. The learning curve, as usual, was very steep. But if I can do it, so can you. Read on if you have the time. I am writing it for my own self. I might soon forget everything that I learnt from this exercise.

Front Mudguard installation 

Tools Required – Spanner # 8 and hex wrench # 4, a pair of pliers and some grease. Later you will realise that you also need a bolt cutter or hacksaw. This is not mentioned anywhere.

This is what I did based on viewing 3 youtube videos on the subject and the literature that came with the product. If I do it again, I will do it in a different way, the reasons for which are explained later. But no harm jotting down truthfully exactly what I did. 

First insert the four plastic end caps in their respective places, namely on either side of the two clamps that come fitted to the MG. It is a little tricky. The plastic end cap has a very thin slit side. The metal clamp should slide through that so that it stays snug. The pointed part should go through the hole. For this to happen smoothly, the hole of the clamp has to be in perfect alignment with the clamp's side. Use the pliers to do this alignment. Please remember, once inserted properly, it is very difficult to slide it back down. I am not sure if this will make much sense to someone unless you try it out yourself.  

Step 2 - Insert the stays with the plastic ends (the non-plastic ones are for the rear wheel) into the end caps. Use the four bolts to secure the stays with the end cap.

Step 3 – Secure the stays against the fork on either side with two of the smaller bolts (use hex wrench #4). Since the inside threaded part of the fork’s end has painted surface, the first time is really hard. I had to turn the bolt in and out several times to strip the paint inside. Once it is smooth add some grease and secure the stays.

If I install another pair of MG I will do these three steps last. The reason is discussed at the end of this description.

Step 4 – Insert the biggest bolt through the clamp and the hole in the middle of the fork and secure the nut on the other end. Use a washer here. Hold a spanner on the nut and a hex wrench on the other end. Tighten whichever is more convenient.

Step 5 – Now secure all the bolts tight but not too tight.

The installation instruction PDF from SKS

Now you will find that the MG is fitted all right but looks awful because it is not in alignment. What none of the effing youtube videos or the official literature from the company tell you is that you need to now cut the stays to size so that the MGs don't look deshaped and misaligned. Here is what they look like with the original stays (without trimming) attached.

Here is what they look like (picture above). Front and rear. Look at the end of the MG where it is attached to the stay. The stay needs to be trimmed by about an inch. I will get a bolt cutter tomorrow and then post another pic. First I have to get a bolt cutter. Bhanubhai (my hardware supplier from Bentinck Street) zindabad. I am off to Chandni tomorrow. Will carry the stay for Bhanubhai to understand what I need to cut. 

I hate it when I have to stop a work for the want of a proper tool. In this case it was a bolt cutter. So the next day during lunch break I went to Bhanubhai and bought for myself a heavy duty Taparia bolt cutter for Rs 800. It's a 14-inch cutter. Anything smaller would've failed actually. The stays are really strong German material.

On second thoughts, I should have probably spent a little more and got for myself an angled grinder. Because with a bolt cutter, you cannot do anything else except cutting bolts or nails, which is not a very frequent requirement unless you are a professional mechanic, particularly the heavy duty 14-inch stuff that I bought. An angle grinder can be used in various situations around the house, including for bathroom cleaning. But then I have made many other such superfluous purchases in life. This is perhaps one more and one of the less expensive spending mistakes in life :-)

Anyway, back home I took the stays off while the MG remained attached to the frame. Held the mudguard in a proper shape parallel to the wheel with a piece of thread tied to the rim and then measured the stay from the center point to the end cap. I marked the cutting point, slightly shorter than where the end cap ends. I put different marks on the two arms of the stay (upper and lower), so that I am not confused later. With one stay thus measured I held the other stay matched to the marked one and put the same marks. The idea is, both the stays on either side should be exactly the same size.

Now came the cutting part. Just one tip, if you are as novice as I am. Hold a towel kind of thing loosely over the end that is going to shoot out in any direction, including your eyes, when it is cut (potential energy converted into kinetic energy, I guess). Collect the ends safely and dispose them off safely later. They are tougher than any nail I have ever seen.

The ends of the stay, now that you have cut them, will be slightly rough. If you are very fastidious about these things you can file them. I did not. I installed the stays once again. Now the fender looks a lot more respectable.

I did one more small improvisation. The front part of the MG was a little raised and not entirely parallel to the wheel, like the hood of a raised pique hat. I did not like the shape. So what I did is put a few washers on the bolt joining the MG to the frame. This somewhat pressed it down. Possibly a longer spacer and therefore a longer bolt would do the job better but then I'll have to get a longer bolt first, to get which I will have to take this bolt off and go to Chandni. Lot of work that can wait.

One other point to mention about the front wheel MG installation. You don't need to take off the wheel to do it.

Rear Mudguard Installation 

It's much the same as the front MG installation. Will mention the differences. The first thing you do is take the wheel off. Then slide the bridge up the MG. The rear MG is attached to the frame in two places, as opposed to only one for the front. Bolt them up there. Measure the stays and ensure that the fit is right. That's it. Here also a spacer would make the mudguard look nice but that would mean getting a longer bolt. I can live with the MG looking slightly pushed out at one end.

Bite The Bullet

I have decided to bite the bullet. I am going to go out on a multi-day cycling trip. It might sound a bit too ambitious to choose this particular route as my first such tour but the temptation was too much to resist. Rana and I have decided to try to cycle to Mirik from Siliguri during the Poila Boisakh Good Friday week in April. The plan is we will go to Mirik on day one. Rest there the next day and then see where we can go. We might go to Sukhiapokhari or Maney or Dhotre or Lepchajagat or Ghoom. We shall see.

I have already ordered for a soft bicycle carrying bag from Trek n Earth on Amazon. We will take the Volvo bus to Siliguri. There we will spend a day there setting up the bike, taking rest and leaving the cycle bag and other such stuff at the Exide warehouse. I shall see if we can stay somewhere in Dudhia or Sukna area. So that the next morning's ride will be shorter. The real climb starts from Dudhia after one crosses the Balsan bridge. And it's an uphill climb for about 25 km.

If you google Mirik or Darjeeling cycling, you discover lots of commercial posts from tour operators offering cycling packages in that area. But there are just two old personal blog posts about cycling on this route. People who have themselves cycled from Siliguri to Mirik. One is by a foreigner who went from Siliguri to Mirik and the other is from a Calcuttan who seemed to exaggerate the experience a bit (it's just a hunch and I am seldom wrong on these hunches). Also they went with a support vehicle (the bikes have no pannier or bag or anything. Just one small water bottle). So their account need not be taken too seriously. Apparently they reached straight from NJP station to Mirik in a day.

Adrian's blog is more real. However, he does not describe the route in too much detail except to say that it is a series of switchbacks. I do not really depend too much on the foreigners' accounts because their physical and mental abilities and experiences are completely different from ours. But he took 11 hours to finish what he says is a 50 km ride. He says he had a huge load on the cycle.

Here is the blog by Adrian . He cycled this route in 2009 I think.
And here is the blog by Manasij . I think he also did this around 2010.

If I do this trip I promise to write an accurate travelogue so that others can do it as well.

As far as I could gather, it will be an uphill task. No doubt. We shall see how far we can reach. If I get overawed before the start then I shall never be able to even start. So best to prepare myself as much as possible and hope for the best. In a worst case scenario I can always walk the rest of the way from where I cannot cycle any more.

Rana has already booked a homestay in Mirik for two nights. The plan is to start from here on 12th night. Reach Siliguri by 13th morning. Start for Mirik on 14th from Siliguri. If we find something near Sukna or Dudhia we could stay there for the 13th night instead of staying in Siliguri.That way we get a head start on the next day. We spend the day in Mirik on 15th as well. On 16th we start towards Sukhiapokhari. From there we turn towards Manebhanjang. If we feel up to it, we might even go up to  Dhotre. If possible or feasible we might go to Rimbik or Srikhola the next day.

From Sukhia we might also opt to go towards Lepchajagat and then off to Ghoom.

We shall see. It's an open ended thing. The only things fixed are these - our start and return dates and that we are first going to Mirik.

My main worry right now is how to carry my stuff. I have no pannier rack. No pannier bag. I have nothing except a small front handlebar bag to carry my food and Gatorade etc and a small saddle bag to carry my tools. These are permanent fixtures on the bike. I am all for going for a front pannier rack from Surly and a pair of Ortlieb panniers. Both are available in India but that will set me back by 20k right away. It will also create more bulk. And as Rana says riding with a front pannier rack requires experience.

Rana says go for a 10 litre saddle bag from Trek n Ride like he has. Costs just Rs 1200. I want to check out his bag. I read a review that grinding with the bag is next to impossible. Apparently it also makes hill climbs a little unstable.

Now let me see what all I want to take for the trip.

I will be wearing at any given point of time while cycling

1. Half-sleeve jersey - 1
2. Cycling bib - 1
3. Socks
4. Cycling gloves (PI half) 
5. Cycling helmet (?) 
6. Quechua boots

I will be carrying the following clothing and related items

Includes a rainwear lower.
Won't take it

1. Half sleeve jersey - 1
2. Cycling bibs/shorts - 1
3. Dry fit material half sleeve - 1
4. Dry fit material full sleeve - 1
5.  Kappa track pant (really soft material with lining inside)  Marmot Transcend pants (poor man's rainwear) - 1
6. Briefs - 4  2 (needed only when I am not riding)
7. Socks - 3
8. Marmot Precip Rainwear - 1
9. Sierra Designs Jacket - 1
10. Woolen cap - 1
11. Quechua pique hat - 1
12. Towel - 1 (may buy a microlight from Decathlon)

Items for the front handlebar bag (to be packed inside a dry sack)

1. Rag - 1
2. Medicines (regular plus emergency)
3. Basic first aid kit (Boroline, gauge, cotton wool, Volini/Relispray, Band Aids) 
4. Toilet paper, soap, toothbrush, paste, 501 bar soap, Nivea, Suncream lotion, comb (these can go in the handlebar bag)
5. Head torch
6. Four spare batteries
7. Phone-charger-powerbank
8. Topeak gauge

Tools & Spares in saddle bag

1. Multi-tool
2. Tyre lever 
3. Chain link
4. Adjustable pliers
5. Tube repair kit
6. Chain cleaner and lube (?)
7. 
   

Attached To Bike

1. Bottle cages - 3
2. Pump
3. Front light
4. Back light
5. Spokes

March 16, 2019

As of now the plan is to go via Kurseong up Hill Cart Road and not via Mirik. I think the Mirik climb is much steeper than the Kurseong one.

Here is a complete list of the railway stations from the Indian Railway website that we will be passing on the route. If they are right on the road - I think they are - I am going to take a selfie in front of each one of them. I believe Gayabari and Sonada stations have been gutted in political agitation. One wonders if they have been restored.

Final Countdown 

April 8, 2019

Yesterday Sunday Someswar came to my house and packed the bike. The die is cast. I am a little scared now. I have a little OCD about preparation and packing. I always worry I have forgotten this and forgotten that. Now that the bike is packed and sealed in the box (Someswar felt since we will be going by bus and the luggage will be in the hold it is safer to use a cardboard box rather than the bag).

The bike is extremely well packed with foam tubes and zip ties etc. I forgot to take a pic of the finished packing. Will take one before taking the packaging off in Siliguri.

I am a bit nervous about putting it all back together myself in the Siliguri hotel room and more worryingly packing it equally well when I come back. He took the brake cable out and packed the handle in a different way from the way it came from Happy Earth. In fact, I think he did a better job than Happy Earth. He showed me how to put the brake cable back on through the barrel adjuster. I find the barrel adjuster very confusing. Must learn it once and for all.

Today I got all the items that will go together and put them in a box. These are the hardware kind of items. I think I am more or less covered. There are a few luxury items that I am taking till Siliguri. They will be left behind and not form part of my equipment list for the ride. Here is an image and now I will jot down the items one by one from the top.

1. Bungee cords - 2
2. Zip ties - 1 large, 1 small (to be left behind in Siliguri - TBLBS)
3. Bottle cages - 3
4. Schwalbe inner tube 2
5. Cello tapes - Green and brown (TBLBS)
6. Tin cutter (TBLBS)
7. Pliers (undecided whether TBLBS)
8. Pump
9. Allen key #4
10. Box wrench #8 and #9 (to hold the nuts of mudguards/carrier etc)
11. Sliding wrench (For Rana's pedals)
12. Tube repair kit in a box (with a spare chain link, two dust caps and a Presta to Schrader converter)
13. Multi-tool
14. Knife
15. Scissors (TBLBS)
16. Combination lock (not in the picture)
17. Chain Lubricant
18. A rag
19. Some spare allen screws M5

Sunday April 28, 2019

I am happy to inform that last Sunday I came back after a successful completion of the trip. It was fantastic. Nothing went wrong. Not even the weather. Read about the trip here

Baruipur Round The Corner

Baruipur in our mind is a very distant place. You needed a full day to go there and come back. You went by train and it was a long journey. I suppose it still is. Even going to Sonarpur, a few stations on this side of Baruipur, was such a big deal. But last Sunday (yesterday actually) Baruipur didn't seem so long down the Eastern Bypass. 

It's less than 30 km from my home actually. I went via Anwar Shah Connector and then down the Bypass (I think it's called the Southern Bypass which is nothing but an extension of EM Bypass). First you cross the Kamal Gazi bridge. Then the nice new road on either side of the Adi Ganga comes. While going up the road surface is pretty nice. What's more, the road is totally devoid of any traffic, unlike the old road which is frequented by small pick up trucks in perpetual hurry. The road on the other side of the river, used for coming down, is in a really bad condition, particularly for cyclists. 

This road created some controversy while being constructed, as it passes beside CKBS - the only bird sanctuary in this part of the city. We had feared this road will lead to a lot of road kill for creatures that depend on the Adi Ganga for survival. But given the colour of the river that I saw, almost jet black, I doubt it has any marine life left in it. Of course I saw a few cattle egrets and pond herons but didn't see anything else. Someone must have cleared the water hyacinth, for the water was visible. It looked stagnant though. 

I didn't realise I had reached Baruipur. Seeing a large tree with a concrete seat at the base I stopped for taking a photograph. I asked a curious local motorcyclist where the station was. From what he said I had crossed the point from where I should have turned left. He said Sashan is just a stone's throw. 

Even a few years ago Sashan was a terrible neighbourhood, made famous by the infamous Majid Master, the local thug come Left politician. I couldn't resist the temptation but went to Sashan. Actually it is Sashan Road Station. This is a T-junction where this new road ends. I suppose if you turn right from here you can go to Diamond Harbour Road. But I didn't want to take that route in my outlandish dress. I will come another day to explore that route when I am in my trousers and shirt. 

 I turned around from Sashan and came back home, clocking a decent 60k plus. I had started really late. But my average speed was better at close to 20kmph. 

I am thinking of attempting a century next Sunday. Let me see. 

Another thing to note here. Before the journey I adjusted my seat's alignment ever so slightly, moving it a few mm to the left. Handling improved dramatically. I could leave with hands off the handle effortlessly. The other day I was finding it difficult to maintain balance. Small adjustments in the saddle position goes a really long way. 

Riding with hands off the bar has a major advantage. It allows you to relax your shoulders and hands. I think my week long exercise to strengthen the core also paid some dividend. When you ride hands off the bar you are actually engaging your core more. So it helps to have more strength there. 

I remember - in my childhood I could ride for miles with my hands off the bar and even in pitch dark on known roads. I cannot imagine doing that even for a few seconds now.

A Long Sunday Ride

I had planned to go out as early as possible. But then lethargy set in. I had watched a football match the previous night. So was feeling sleepy. I decided to sleep despite waking up at around 5 am. Finally I managed to go out at 7 am. Monisha made me a couple of sandwiches with chicken salami and cheese. The front handlebar bag from Via Terra had come the previous afternoon. I could easily fit the largish tiffin box in it and off I went.

It turned out to be the longest ride on the Surly so far. I went way beyond the new St Xavier's University. Up to where the 4 lane road ends. A few years ago we used to come here for birding when this road was being built. Lots of pipits, munias, zitting cisticolas, not to speak of the Bengal Bushlark. The new 4-laned road ends at a T junction, where the upper arm of the T is an old road. To the left are places like Lauhati, Polerhat and Bhojerhat. To the right is Ghatakpukur. I have no idea how far Ghatakpukur is from here. But that narrow road didn't give me enough confidence to want to explore. These roads are frequented by dangerous pick up trucks belonging to the fishery industry. They don't mind killing pedestrians and cyclists in their hurry. They themselves also routinely get killed.

I felt fairly good and strong during the ride. But I never tried to speed up. Maintained what is known as a conversational speed. Finally at around 11 am when I was near Chingrihata, I started getting bored and came home.

The next morning is important. I think I had some ulnar nerve problems the next morning but that is perhaps more because of sleeping posture than from cycling. If it was due to cycling I would've felt it during the ride itself - like I did last time when I went for a 90 km ride. I could barely change gears with my fingers. It wasn't like that this time at all. But then I have ridden 75 km plus before and never got any ulnar nerve issue. So probably 90 km is what I need to ride on the Surly and see how the ulnar nerve reacts. 

Here are a few pics from the ride. I had initially intended to go to Dalhousie. But then found Red Road was closed. Possibly some marathon was on. So turned around and went off to New Town area. Had half a mind to cross the bridge and go past Satragachhi. Learnt two important things about route selection. The route via Chingrihata right turn is bad for a few hundred meters after the bridge merges with the road, which in itself is a dangerous point. Also, VIP Road is really bad once the sun is up, especially on the way back. So it makes sense to go via VIP Road and come back through New Town. 

While coming back, I cut my shin (blame the metallic MKS pedal) due to bad handling of the cycle at a tea stall. Not a major gash or cut. Just the top few micro millimeters got scraped. No bleeding and it is almost cured now.