Bike
I have two bike options for LEL
- Heavy winter bike – my Boardman Team CX cross bike with pannier rack and 700×32 tyres. This has the advantage of taking panniers allowing me to carry all the kit I could possibly need. The disadvantage is its weight and the fact that the tyres roll like treacle, so over 1400km it will need significantly more effort to propel.
- Summer bike – my Canyon Ultimate running 700×23 tyres. If I put a handlebar bag on it then I can carry a minimal amount of kit but the advantage is that it is fast and light, and will require significantly less effort over the 5 days.
As there are 2 bag drops on LEL (places I can leave kit) my current favoured option is option 2, but I need to investigate bar bags to finally make my decision.
Other Kit
TeckNet Travel Charger
Velotrac phone holder
Ickle Bockles Travel Toothbrush and Moldex Earplugs
Trekmates Travel Sleeping Bag Liner
Lifeventure Travel Towel
Topeak Saddle Bag containing tubes, tyre levers, wind jacket
Ade's Road Cycling Blog 
I like that phone holder. Want one.
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http://www.velotrac.com/
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I like that phone holder. Want one.
I’ve got my eye on the Boardman carbon for ladies, maybe for next spring/summer. Seems to be very reasonable price. How do you feel about the Boardman? Happy with it?
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Yeah it’s a great frame. SRAM kit is good. The only thing I changed were the wheels – but that’s a personal preference. If you do get one, be aware that Halfords can be shocking so check its set up right
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If I got a new bike, I’d be straight round to @cyclephils for a cycle fitting!
Maybe I’d stop off at Evans/LBS to make sure it was put together correctly. I heard that about Halfords too.
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Who’s cyclephil?
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Ooops I meant @roadphil
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My friends have Boardmans and recommend them. Agree though about Halfords- shocking customer service and shocking safety on the bikes they put together. Worth it to get a Boardmans bike though, just won’t buy anything else from them. Also like the Focus Cayo.
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Say, what are the Boardman bikes like? I have only seen one here in Australia but often see them on sale online at prices that look too good to be true (though, perhaps that’s more reflective of the import taxes we pay here in Oz). I want a CX or tourer at some point to add to my collection of bikes (I have a 29er MTB, a recycled 26″ MTB and a 1997 Trek OCLV 5200 full carbon road bike). I think a CX or tourer might allow me more comfort and flexibility for longer Audax rides or tours. So am curious about the Boardmans, seeings you have one
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I had a Boardman road bike and a CX bike but I sold both of them. They were both great value and well-specced bikes for the money. The CX bike was comfortable and as you say, very flexible
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Hi Ade, I see that you replaced your Boardman CX with a Raleigh Clubman for winter riding. Would you recommend the Raleigh? On paper it seems good value, a great spec and a smooth-riding steel frame, but I’ve seen some comments about its lack of speed.
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It’s a great bike for winter riding. Very comfortable and smooth. Lack of speed? Unless you’re racing it’s fine. My only issue with it is the rear mudguard hangar sheared and Raleigh won’t replace under warranty, which is very poor service imo
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