Day 87: Boubiers-Day 1

May 2, 2024

We set aside today for me to clean and go over the bikes, and for Dodie to list and review all our stuff - and to decide on and record what will stay here in Boubiers and what will come home.

With the bikes, Ian was incredibly helpful. As he says, he has 40 years experience working with bikes. He was willing not only to share tools (not the least of which was a pressure washer!) but also to get in there with me and in particular, investigate the deeper mysteries of our Magura hydraulic rim brakes, not to mention the method for removing and reinstalling Dodie's rear wheel. This was all a particular treat for me. At last, there was time to attempt fine adjustments, and the knowledge that any screwup could be remedied with time, tools, and expertise on hand. Not least, there was the pleasure of going over the various tasks and tricks with a fellow cycling enthusiast. I think that Ian enjoyed this too. For example he fired up his laptop and found detailed Magura adjustment videos, which we eagerly watched over and over, pausing the computer to mull over the trickier fine points. And after deciding that a certain plastic bushing was worn, he tracked down a source of replacements. Finding a source for an obscure Magura brake part is no mean feat, and I am sure Ian will pop it in when it finally arrives.

Backing up a bit, our place here at Ian and Clare's place is the same as a little cottage, with kitchen and sitting room downstairs and bedroom and washroom upstairs. It feels like a place in the country, because it is (though technically in the tiny town). Ian began our day by bringing over some breakfast, which included vegan oat pancakes, croissants, pains au chocolat, and so forth.

Despite a little bit of threat in the weather forecast, the day turned out mostly sunny. This allowed Ian and I to put Dodie's bike on a stand out in the courtyard, and to benefit from the bright light out there. It did not take us, and in particular Ian, long to scope out and master the trick of disconnecting the Nexus drive cable and removing the wheel, while understanding the way in which Dodie's bike adjusts the chain tension. This was important, because our plan now is to order four new tires for our bikes, and to swap them out before the next trip. Ian says we can get them sent to here over the summer, and he also says he will swap them in (now that we are both experts on that Nexus cable thing).

I hope I am not building expectations too high for other cyclists that may read this and come here! But I think Ian and Clare are just like this.

Sunshine, a bike stand, time, and two heads better than one -the wheel does not have much chance of being a problem!

This cyclist is happy to have the problem prone wheel in his clutches. Thanks for the photo and help, Ian Satoor.

We have the knowledge now to take this wheel on and off, to fix a flat or to swap out the tire. Trisha, too bad you did not have a 2024 Grampie in your back pocket when a similar wheel gave you and Michel such grief, back in 2017.

Michel helps with Tricia's Nexus wheel flat, Ste Luce near Nantes, 2017.

Flush with Dodie rear wheel success, Ian noticed that the bearings on my front wheel were noisy and had play in them. So moving indoors to the workshop, because of one or two raindrops, we ripped open that wheel. Ian had suggested I order some new bearing balls, and he would put them in, but I settled for regreasing and readjusting. One cone did show a lot of sign of wear, but the balls seemed ok. Ian expertly regreased, and carefully adjusted. Now, despite 22,000 km of use, I think the wheel will be ok (for a while).

This looks like I am doing something, but Ian was the maestro on the bearings.

We actually spent most of our time on those Magura brakes, completely disassembling and reassembling the calipers repeatedly, while as I say, trying to make them behave as in the video. We finally settled on a 'not bad' adjustment, while plotting to order in those possibly worn bushings.

Those who know that Dodie and I do everything together, may wonder where she was during all this bicycle tomfoolery. Dodie does not like mechanical details, so she was glad to be inside. And I do not like what she was doing - meticulously sorting and listing little bits of gear. Do we need one tube of sunscreen or two, and which should we leave here with the bikes? Who cares!

Well Dodie does, and you can see that her list is long. And when the time comes for me to demand "Hey, where is the sunscreen?", she will know.

Bike adjusting and gear sorting is almost done now, leaving us time to jump on the bikes and explore the surrounding countryside. One of our cycling projects was to nip into Gisors, 12 km distant, and talk to the SNCF about putting our bikes on a train there in August, as we set off for Nantes to meet son and grandkids for some cycling on the Loire. But Ian and Clare assure us that not only does SNCF not have any staff at Gisors, but that we can easily throw our bikes on the train at nearby Liancourt. They did this themselves all the time while commuting to Paris. That's great, but now we have lost an "activity"! No matter, we'll go to Gisors for a look around, and also check out the bakery at Chaumont, which if not necessarily on the way, could be!

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Carolyn van HoeveGreat write up Steve! What a champion Ian is. One of the things I love about cycle touring is the number of good people you meet along the way. It's very different to the story we get fed every day in the news. I look forward to reading about your trip with the grandchildren which I'm sure you're very excited about.
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6 months ago

Karen PoretAh, a partnership with each partner having an important task to master, and preferring to do.
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6 months ago

Steve Miller/GrampiesTo Carolyn van HoeveThe logistics of touring with 6 instead of 2 people is a little bit daunting, but the fun will surely outweigh the difficulties. Hope you are going to blog your next trip. It would be nice to meet you, at least virtually, and not just your bikes.
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6 months ago

Steve Miller/GrampiesTo Karen PoretThe best pairings are those where each one has their own area of expertise and is valued for it.
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6 months ago