Breeze Through Winter: CAFE2CAFE steady. The Fallow Deer café

Welcome to Breeze Through Winter!
Riders who complete 4 rides or more will receive a goody bag as a gift from HSBC British Cycling Breeze.

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This is a road/gravel ride, approx 50:50 paved/unpaved

(29.01.2019) Amended start time and shortened route due to cold weather forecast
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/29251913

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BRING
- Bike lights. A spare inner tube. A bottle of water. An emergency snack.
- One more clothing layer than you think that you need.
- A lightweight "café" lock to use as a deterrent when at café (if possible).
- Wear many thin layers, instead of one/two thick layers; layers trap heat.

DO NOT BRING
Big panniers. Heavy bike lock.

TIPS
- A great simple alternative to saddlepacks / panniers, stolen from ultra-distance cyclists, is to use a dry bag (eg. Osprey size small £10.99 various colours; via Amazon) and a bungee cord; strap snugly to the underside of the saddle.
- Use the second water bottle cage, and a water bottle with a wide mouth for storage

BIKE
Your bike too must be prepared for the ride! 2-3 days before the ride (to give you time to take it to the bike shop if necessary)...
- Clean it, and ensure that it is in excellent working condition.
- It should not squeak! as this is indication of a problem.
- Check tyres for embedded stones, flints, thorns. Gently pick these out (eg using a edge of a screwdriver); if not removed, these devils will invariably work their way through any tyre and puncture the inner tube. Inflate to 80-90psi (for winter) (90-100psi for summer).
- Clean the chain, cogs and moving parts (use baby wipes if like me you don't have a garden hose). The chain and cogs should normally be silver (!). Lubricate chain with "wet lube" ie lubricant suitable for wet conditions; spray cogs with GT85 or equivalent. Gently remove excess with a kitchen towel.
- Clean the rims and brake pads with baby wipes.
- Ensure that the brakes "bite" by the time you have squeezed the brake levers two-thirds to three-quarters of the way in.
- With thanks to the lads at Sigma Sports for this trick, if you want your next cleaning job to be easier, rub the frame down with a soft cloth sprayed with GT85 or equivalent; this will prevent muck from sticking hard to your bike.
- Thank you for reading all this! ... there is nothing nicer than a smooth trouble-free ride with no bike mechanicals - for the rider herself (of a well-maintained bike), for the others in the group and the ol' ride leader/s.